Class combinations were crucial.
In YGGDRASIL, the number of basic classes and advanced classes alone easily exceeded two thousand.
Each individual class could only reach a maximum of Level 15.
Therefore, anyone hoping to reach the overall level cap of 100 had to train in at least seven different classes.
Of course, if someone was determined enough, they could also reach Level 100 in an extremely inefficient manner by taking a hundred different classes at Level 1.
And Naraku was essentially doing exactly that.
Of his 94 total class levels, aside from the Level 5 [Genius] class, the remaining 89 levels consisted entirely of individual Level 1 classes.
It was a shortcut that allowed him to level up rapidly.
The advantages were low cost and speed.
The disadvantage was that, compared to others of the same level, there was just the tiniest little gap in actual strength.
In other words, his level was mostly for show.
Naraku roughly estimated the actual combat ability of his current build.
LV90. Effortless beatdown.
LV85. Danger at every turn.
LV80. Evenly matched.
LV75. A back-and-forth fight.
If he wanted a guaranteed victory, he would need a difference of at least thirty levels before he could simply overwhelm his opponent through sheer disparity.
Yeah, this build was unbelievably weak.
Fortunately, it was only a transitional build created specifically to test one of the Original's whimsical ideas. Otherwise, Naraku would never have accepted something like this.
Though refusing probably would not have changed anything anyway...
Level: LV94 → LV95
As the shard representing the Paladin (Genius) class entered his body, his level rose by one.
As for how it felt, aside from the familiar cool sensation that accompanied every level-up, it seemed no different from before.
But was that really all there was to it?
[The essence of a Player, the rules of YGGDRASIL, and the classes of the New World. I really can't wait to see whether the collision of all three can give birth to an entirely new power~]
An unreadable gleam flickered in Naraku's eyes as he looked at his status panel.
His class system resembled an incredibly complicated jigsaw puzzle.
At first glance, it seemed completely chaotic. Yet upon closer inspection, one astonishing commonality emerged from the disorder.
The title of Genius.
Aside from the [Genius] class that he shared with Renner, every single one of his other classes, regardless of its type, possessed that same distinctive suffix.
It was a special innate gift possessed by certain inhabitants of the New World, representing extraordinary talent in one particular field.
This gift was similar to a Talent.
It did not exist in YGGDRASIL and belonged solely to this fantastical New World.
In practical terms, classes bearing the "Genius" attribute could learn more skills, including Martial Arts and Magic.
They could also acquire certain skills beyond the normal range of their level, gain additional increases to their inherent strength, and enjoy various other advantages.
As for the difference between the [Genius] class and the Genius suffix...
The former was essentially an all-around Genius, while the latter represented a Genius specialized in a single field.
This discovery had greatly intrigued Naohara.
If he gathered every class in the New World that possessed the Genius suffix and concentrated them all within a single person, could something interesting happen?
Just like in the game.
Classes and races sharing the same roots could unlock entirely new special classes once certain level requirements were met.
Momonga's class [Eclipse], for example.
It was a special class that could only be obtained through an extremely specialized build consisting of Overlord of Death LV5, specialization in Necromancy System Magic Classes, and a total level of LV95.
By the same logic, could Genius classes achieve something similar?
And so, from a combination of considerations such as observing consciousness from a different perspective and experimenting with classes, the individual known as Naraku had been born.
Nazarick had also begun collecting classes related to Genius from throughout the New World.
Three years had passed in the blink of an eye.
And today, that undertaking had finally reached its conclusion.
Naraku's expression remained calm.
Everything around him was perfectly still, with only the faint sound of his breathing echoing through the surroundings.
He had no idea how much time passed before an inexplicable throbbing sensation began to rise within him, and his tightly concentrated thoughts gradually spread outward.
Ding...
Through the haze, he seemed to hear the faint sound of a notification.
It was an indescribably strange sensation.
The world seemed to transform into an immense database made entirely of information, while he himself became a fish swimming freely within it, carried through violently rushing currents.
His awareness, his senses, even the very concept of his own existence grew increasingly clear.
It felt as though he were gradually beginning to understand everything.
A soundless lament rang beside his ears.
What was branded before his eyes was the very essence of the world.
Formless, chaotic, hazy, strangely familiar, and even carrying the faintest trace of... fear?
The next instant, his consciousness snapped back.
Naraku opened his eyes, still visibly shaken.
That feeling... what was that?
With doubt filling his mind, Naraku immediately turned his attention to his status panel.
The first priority was to check what had happened to him.
[Magic Detection]
Name: Uehara Naraku (Naohara Kamiotoshi)
Race: Humanoid Race
Race Level: None
Class Level:
Genius LV5
World Connector LV5
Ruler of Wisdom LV5
Master of All Trades LV10
Arcanist of Truth LV5
Doctor of Truth LV5
World Resonator LV5
Total Race Level: LV0, Total Class Level: LV40
Karma: 0
Well, damn.
He had lost roughly fifty-five levels all at once.
The changes to his classes were also more surprising than expected.
Aside from his original [Genius] class, every other class had vanished completely, replaced by an entirely new set.
World Connector. Naraku was already familiar with this one. The Original possessed it as well, and it could essentially be considered standard for a True Dragon Lord.
World Resonator. Was that because of what he had just seen?
Arcanist of Truth. This was probably a completely new class born from the Genius suffixes.
Doctor of Truth. Most likely the same kind of thing.
Master of All Trades. Presumably a class gained because he had mastered too many different classes.
Ruler of Wisdom. An advanced version of the Genius class that could be converted into rare classes and special classes.
He had originally expected, at most, one additional new class.
Instead, the experiment had produced quite a few pleasant surprises.
"So the rules of YGGDRASIL are still in effect after all?"
Naraku thought as he examined the changes on his status panel.
Players themselves were products of YGGDRASIL, so naturally they could not completely escape the influence of its rules.
For example, a Magic Caster could not use a Warrior's weapon. If they attempted to swing one, the weapon would automatically be knocked from their hands.
Talents, Wild Magic, Rune Characters, and other powers could be used to circumvent such inconvenient restrictions.
But circumventing a rule did not mean the rule had ceased to exist.
That faint "ding" he had heard was the best proof of that.
The appearance of these special classes was probably also influenced, at least in part, by the rules of YGGDRASIL.
"All things considered, the experiment turned out pretty well."
Feeling the changes within his body, Naraku was extremely satisfied.
Although his level had fallen dramatically, in terms of actual combat power, he should at least rank among the very best Players at the same level.
Maybe even the Original at the same level would not be able to beat him.
Being invincible really was lonely.
Naraku indulged in the thought for a moment, but only for a moment.
After all, fooling other people was one thing. He had no intention of fooling himself as well.
"Doctor of Truth. That's an interesting class. It should be a variant produced from some of those Genius classes related to production and everyday professions."
"Heh. Sharing knowledge and reason, teaching ordinary people to become Geniuses. What do you think, Original?"
The moment Naraku finished speaking, pairs of vertical pupils glowing a bloody crimson suddenly appeared within the previously empty void.
The pupils twisted and revolved, every gaze converging upon the same point.
Then an ethereal voice abruptly sounded from the depths of his heart.
[Come back...]
***
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
[email protected]/PinkSnake (50 Chapters Ahead).
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.
***