[394] 5.18 The Third Ascension III

Well, I asked for a Class that was all about saving humanity from the infinite piles of shit that were about to be dumped upon it, both self-inflicted and not.  I guess I shouldn’t be too pissed off that the System thought that I was worthy of such.  The only question is whether or not it’s really the path I want to go down.

I can actually see exactly why I’ve been given this opportunity.  I have, among the requirements, been one of the first one hundred people on Earth to reach Level 96.  I’m a little surprised about that, given my withdrawal from the world stage these past few years.  Not too surprised, though; I expected to be closer to the thousandth.  It’s more surprising that the System states that I have ‘demonstrated leadership capabilities’ and have developed at least one such Skill— [Valkyrion’s Rally]— which is capable of enhancing fighters on a large scale.  I wouldn’t say that I am a leader, nor do I care to be one, but I don’t consider the requirement to be disqualifying.

It is in no way surprising that I have met another requirement for the class, having directly or indirectly had a ‘substantial’ impact on humanity at a global level.  My single lecture broadcast to the world back three years ago probably would have met the threshold.  Killing Renault and becoming internally recognized on the field of battle as a result was just the icing on the cake.

The stat growths make me wonder if I can afford to turn this class down.  Even if it’s something I don’t really care to do, I just might need the power this class offers to survive.

[[Strength] +6, [Speed] +4, [Vitality] +15, [Mind] +0, Maximum [Health] + 3,500, Maximum [Ether] +250 when choosing this class.  [Strength] +3, [Speed] +3, [Vitality] +3, [Mind] +3 per level.]

Twelve base stat points per level.  That’s a total of three hundred and eighty-four by level 128.  An additional ninety-six points over all of the nine point-per-level classes I’ve been offered so far.  Those ninety-six points are over ten percent of all the stat points I’ve gained to this point.  I can’t just put that down so easily.

“Can we handle this responsibility?” I ask Phina.  “I mean, it’s one thing that we’re qualified for the position.  It’s quite another to say that we’d be able to actually perform well at it.”

“Sera, my dear other half, I feel that in this scenario, I’m inclined to point out the obvious question: What would Chloe say about this?”

“I mean, isn’t she the last one to–”

Phina just rolls her eyes at me… Again!  With a bit of impatient tapping of her foot on the floor to boot.  “Maybe she is biased, but she clearly thinks we’re good enough for her, despite all these shortcomings.  She loves us, despite our flaws.  She has chosen to be our wife, despite the fact that we still don’t know if we can shoulder the responsibility of being a good partner to her through hell and high water.  And it’s because she’s by our side that we know that we can be the best version of ourselves that we can.”

I just smile, recognizing that I have no counterargument.  But I am not going to take it without doing my due diligence first.

“Alright.  I finally ask.  Do we have any classes along the lines of my [Defier of Fates]?  Something that helps us tap into the power of ｢The Anomaly｣ more effectively?  It seemed like the only class that really helped with that was [Berserker Maiden].  Even then, that was limited only to the specific aspect of our Overlimit.”

“Twist my arm a little tighter, why don’t you, Sera?  Maybe I should be the one out there in the outside world while you do all the work in here instead!”

“Yeah, yeah, you just want to have sex with our fiancée that badly.  I don’t blame you, though.”

Phina flips me the bird as she presents one final class option.  Unlike all the others which had been offered to this point, the images of a woman fighting against beasts great and small, ordinary and eldritch, is fuzzy and occasionally glitches out.  An additional presence briefly descends over Phina and me, one strangely warm and comforting.  For a moment, I feel that it means to beckon us on…  For a moment, it almost feels like I’m back, talking to Mom once more. 

[[Unraveler of Fates]: The strands of Fate were said to be the one thing that binds and restricts even the gods.  They, like you, struggled against the tides of the inevitable.  And they, like you, proved incapable of freeing themselves.  Now, having taken more steps along your path, you have gained a small amount of influence over the weave that governs the world.]

Just as I look down at the next paragraph, the screen flickers for the first time in a good while.  Then, the azure windows turn crimson and imposing text appears upon the screen.

[ERR–  This is… A Cr!+!c@1 3rr0r h@$ 0ccürr3d!  An @dm!n!$+@0…  Has b33n…]

The screen flickers again.  Red fades to black and words of white appear on the screen.

[This is the inevitable, fixed fate of all existence in this universe.  Resistance is futile.  The annihilation cannot be prevented.]  Then, in big, bold letters:  [Countdown: 16830:05:27:17:43:10]

Both the red and the black screens fade.  Phina, who had been flickering out of existence along with the entire facsimile of Chloe’s and my bedroom, reappears, rubbing her head as though nursing a killer migraine.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“I’m…  Yeah, I’m fine.”  She looks at the teal window which has reappeared, then back at me.  “I suppose we pretty much have to take this Class now.”

“Probably so.”  I trail off.  “But I still think we have to do our due diligence first.”

The Skills the class offers are… weird.  Just looking at the first one makes me furrow my brows in confusion.

[[Veilsight]: Look beyond the real and see the ethereal which lies underneath.  Attempts by other beings to cloak or obscure themselves through Ethertech or magic are greatly reduced in effectiveness (Note: [Veilsight] does not prevent a target from using cameoflage or other mundane methods of stealth.).  As an additional activated effect, the [Unraveler of Fates] can expend [Ether] to peer into subspace even from the principal layer.]

Again, I’m not at all sure what to make of this development.  The other Skills I’ll either get all have similar applications of being able to negate certain Skills and effects, leading me to believe that this class is at least partially an antimagic Class.

Antimagic Skills aren’t unheard of.  Heck, I already have [Defiant Spirit], which is a limited-effect Skill.  If I decide to take [Berserker Maiden], I’m likely to get at least some other antimagic Skill before level 128.  What is unusual is getting a whole Class that has the same theme.  And what is practically unheard of is getting an antimagic Class that still has magic elements.  All the ones I am aware of are for pure fighter combat classes who eschew all but the most rudimentary magicks altogether.

And the stat gains are far from disqualifying as well.

[[Strength] +2, [Speed] +4, [Vitality] +2, [Mind] +6, Maximum [Health] +500, Maximum [Ether] +500 when choosing this class.  10 Free Stat Points Per Level.]

“It’s pretty good,” Phina says.

“It is.  Though, I’m curious why you didn’t show me this one toward the start.  I don’t think it was all just expectations management this time around.”

“Damn, I didn’t think you would have gotten so easily.”

“Well, only because you are me and I can see the confusion on your face just the same as mine.  None of that smug gloating as with the previous option.”

“Okay, fine, you got me.  [Sentinel of Humanity] was the Class I was excited to show you at the end.  But then, right when you asked about another Class, it appeared.  And before you ask, because I know it’s going to be the next question out of your mouth, the reason why you didn’t learn about it when I did is because you like being presented these Classes by me.”

“I w–”  I don’t even finish the word ‘wasn’t’ before conceding that yes, I was about to ask exactly that.  Phina just gives me a smug look.

“So, is this it, then?” I ask.  “No secret surprises under the bed, no hidden Classes, no variants–”

“No surprises under the bed other than the dungeon.  There are other Classes, but do you want to be some generic [Fire Sorcerer] or shift into a noncombat Class?  Maybe you’re keen on trying out the [Prisoner] class?  Gain Levels just for being incarcerated; you’ll reach level 255 before you know it at this rate!”

I give Phina a two-fingered smack on the shoulder.  She just shrugs, telling me without words that my indignation would be more believable if I didn’t keep finding ways to get myself imprisoned.

“So, is this goodbye?” I ask Phina.

“Only for now, I hope.  I mean, it better not be goodbye forever.  If it is, that means you died, which means I died, and I’m not planning to die before we manage to get married.”

“Just be aware that it might be a few years before I’m back here again.”

“Yeah, yeah, Sera.  Tell Chloe we love her when we finally awaken.  Just be aware that it might take a bit to go through all the changes once we finalize our suggestions.”

“I’ll do that.”

With a mental effort, I confirm my two new classes.  [Unraveler of Fates] and [The Sentinel of Humanity].  Then, as Phina waves with a pensive smile on her face, everything fades away.  I’m left in the empty dark, waiting, my mind prickling with new sensations as my body metamorphoses into the form I will become as I complete this third ascension and take yet another step toward the end goals I and so many others have placed upon me.

Power and awareness course through me.  My mind accelerates even further.  For a moment, I start to worry, racing thoughts leading to anxious visions, some substantiated, others pure figments of my overbearing imagination.  Then everything goes calm.  For the first time in some time, I feel truly comfortable, controlled, and confident in who and what I am.

System windows pop-up one after another.  None of them last too long before being replaced by others.  I’m still able to read all of them even as their pace quickens.

[You have gained the classes [The Sentinel of Humanity] and [Unraveler of Fates]]

[Your Level has increased to 96.  [Strength] +8, [Speed] +8, [Vitality] +17, [Mind] +6, Maximum [Health] +4,000, Maximum [Ether] +750.]

[Accumulated Experience has been allocated.  Current Experience: 20,522,100; To Next: 131,795.]

[Current Stats: [Health]: 30,481 / 30,568; [Ether]: 19,451 / 19,451]

[Current Stats: [Strength]: 214; [Speed]: 208; [Vitality]: 274; [Mind]: 289]

[Calculating Skills…  Calculating…  Please stand by–]

[Warning: An outside agent is attempting to interfere with the System.  Access is being–]

[Error: An unauthorized override has been initiated.  Administrative control is being temporarily–]

[Warning: Standard administrative lockdown procedures have been circumvented.  Superuser override requested.  Estimated time until normal operations resume: 00:00:52]

A single mote of light emerges from my chest.  It crystallizes just outside of my body, and for a brief moment, it takes the form of my own mother, smiling, waving at me.  We wrap our arms around each other in another embrace which still feels so long overdue.

“Look at you, Seraphina.  All grown up now.”

“Yeah.  It’s been tough, and I doubt I have enough time to tell you everything I want to or that you want to ask.”

“I know I’ve said this before, but I’ve always been proud of you, Sera, my daughter.”  Her hands caress my cheeks.  “And I know that no matter what happens, you’ll find a way to do what’s right.”

I still don’t know if I’m doing what’s right.  It’s hard to tell what ‘right’ even is.  But here, in this brief moment with my mother’s spirit, I don’t want to worry her so.  She, however, gazes down at me with an unamused look.

“You know a mother knows best, Sera.”

“I just wish I knew… if I really was doing the right thing.”

“That’s…  Your father and I worried about the same thing.  If we couldn’t have done things better with raising you.  But we realized something, around the time you were first going to school with Chloe.  That as long as our hearts were in the right place and we did the best we could to the extent of our knowledge and abilities, that you’d turn out alright.”  She smiles.  “And I’d say that you’ve turned into a very fine young woman these past years.”

“Thank you, Mom,” I say.  “I love you.”

“I love you too, Sera.”  Her form dissolves into light that envelops my body.  Then everything goes dark again.