SSS Awakening: I Can Class Change at will

Earth, Zone C.

Inside a luxurious courtyard, Alaric sat cross-legged on the grass. The pond beside him was still, its surface broken only by the occasional ripple of a koi fish gliding beneath. The sun’s rays coated his entire body from the open roof, the small trees in the courtyard providing no shade — perhaps on purpose.

The atmosphere was serene. Tranquil. The life that most people longed for, but would never experience.

Spiritual Energy circulated through Alaric’s body in carefully controlled cycles. His breathing was slow, each inhale drawing energy inward, each exhale refining it. The new skill he had gained from the River of Paths needed integrating. And doing so into his existing foundation required sharp focus, it wasn’t something that could be rushed.

So he sat. And he practiced.

Meanwhile, inside the villa, Emma was on the hunt.

“Alaric!” She called from the living room. No response. “Alaric!” She tried the study. Empty. The kitchen. Not a sight. The training room. Not a glimpse.

“Where is he?!” She placed her hands on her hips, a pout forming on her face. She had called his name at least five times now, and the silence was beginning to feel personal.

‘Is he ignoring me? No! Alaric is too kind, he would never do such a mean thing. But thinking about it, he had been a meanie recently…’ She checked the bedroom. The bathroom. Eventually, she spotted him through the courtyard window. Sitting on the grass by the pond, perfectly still, clearly practicing.

Her eyes widened. Then narrowed. Her hands returned to her hips.

‘He is training. It hasn’t even been a few days since he finished healing. He needs more rest to make sure everything has settled properly.’

She let out a long sigh and shook her head, a wry smile crossing her face. ‘He really doesn’t know when to stop…does he? He’s always moving forward. Even when there is nowhere left to go, he somehow finds a way.’

Alaric was a workaholic. The man simply could not sit still. She couldn’t leave him alone for a single hour to handle negotiations or run errands without coming back to find him elbow-deep in training.

Telling him to rest was like telling the wind to stop blowing. He would nod, agree, say all the right things, and the moment her back was turned, he would be right back at it.

Emma watched Alaric continue his practice in silence, leaning against the window frame with her arms crossed. Interrupting him mid-cultivation was dangerous, the backlash from a broken cycle could be very dangerous.

Besides, watching him training so peacefully…wasn’t the worst view.

Ten minutes later, Alaric’s eyes fluttered open. His gaze found Emma’s figure behind the glass, as if he had known she was there the entire time.

Emma slid the courtyard door open and stepped inside.

“Didn’t I tell you to rest?” Emma reprimanded him softly, worried about his health. “I felt no strain. So I figured I would train for a while since you were handling everything.” Alaric rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck. “So? Tell me. Did the negotiations go well?”

A grin broke across Emma’s face. Alaric recognised it instantly, it was the kind of grin that meant Emma had gotten what she wanted, and decisively at that.

“Yes. It went really well.” She clasped her hands together behind her back and rocked on her heels. “You are no longer poor, Alaric. I made you rich.”

Alaric’s brows rose. He said nothing, waiting for her to elaborate. He knew that what he had offered the Association was worth far more than money. The data from his successful River of Paths branching, the first case of its kind at his level, was invaluable to them. He had trusted Emma to extract maximum value from that leverage.

Emma held up a finger for each point.

“Five billion dollar bonus. Deposited within the next few days.”

Second finger.

“A B-Rank Third Order weapon, delivered when you officially become an Ascender and enter the Third Sanctuary.”

Third finger.

“And assistance from a team of three Ascenders that you can call upon for a period of two days, at any time, inside the Third Sanctuary. They will help you with anything you need.”

She paused, tilting her head.

“As long as you aren’t suicidal about it.”

Alaric nodded his head in approval. “Well done. Those are worth the information.”

Emma nodded back, but the satisfaction on her face was already dwindling. A crease formed between her brows. “But are you sure you want to disclose everything?” She asked carefully. “Wouldn’t others benefit from it too? You could always release the information at a later date and give yourself a head start…”

It was a fair concern. The data from Alaric’s branching attempt was groundbreaking, it went against what everybody knew as a fundamental rule. If other Evolvers and Surpassers learned from it, they could replicate the process, potentially closing the gap that Alaric had opened through his own blood and pain.

Alaric looked at her eyes directly, ‘It’s this look in his eyes again…no matter how many times I see it…it always makes my heart race.’ Emma thought shyly.

There was no hesitation behind those eyes. “Emma. Do I look like a person who worries about competitors?”

She opened her mouth. Then, closed it.

“When did I ever care? I have never needed a head start to be better than others. Not when I started. Not now. Not ever.”

He wasn’t boasting. There was no arrogance in the way he said it, no puffing of the chest, no need to convince her. He was simply stating a fact.

He knew who he was. He knew what he was capable of. And that knowledge sat so firmly in his foundation that the idea of fearing competition didn’t even register as a concept worth considering.

A soft smile broke across Emma’s face. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded. “I suppose you’re right…”