Chapter 65 (Earth)
Victor blinked hard, trying to shake off the last wisps of the dreamlike haze. His body still felt warm from the mana threading through it—alive in ways he had never known he could feel.
The world was sharper.
Not visually—though colours did look slightly richer—but internally. Sounds stirred in the house with new textures, heartbeats thudding in a rhythm he could almost read. His breath came out slow, steady, like his lungs were adjusting to something far more efficient than before.
He pushed himself up from the floor, still dizzy
“Status.” He whispered.
He had seen it so many times before. But this…
This was not the same at all.
Status: Vittorio Dalla Rovere
Race: Human
Tier: I — Awakened
Core: Upper Mana Core (Quality: Good)
Class Selection: Pending…
Level: 0 (Unawakened)
Highest Affinities:
? Umbral – 39%
? Decay – 21%
? Mind – 18%
Attributes:
Strength: 5
Vitality: 6
Vigor: 6
Resilience: 5
Finesse: 10
Perception: 12
Insight: 12
Clarity: 10
Resolve: 8
Cognition: 11
Racial Trait – Human Adaptability
Victor’s pulse hammered. He swallowed, suddenly dry-mouthed.
No wait, my attributes increased! And I have… affinities. Whatever that means, are they good?
He had never expected to feel something for them, yet the moment he read the word Umbral, something stirred at the edge of his senses. A distant pull. A whisper. A cold, familiar comfort.
It didn’t feel evil.
Just… quiet.
Deep.
Like the night itself leaning closer, curious.
He breathed deep, voice still a bit hoarse. “Guys—check yours. It’s there!”
Their voices rose in confusion behind him—gasps, muttered curses, a shaky laugh from Albert—but Victor was barely listening. His gaze dropped to the new flashing line at the bottom of the window.
Class Selection Available.
Proceed?
His heart pounded once, heavy and decisive.
“…Yes,” he whispered.
The System reacted instantly.
Your Awakening has been evaluated.
Your affinities, combat contributions, and behavioural patterns have been analyzed.
You meet the requirements for the following Tier I Classes:
A swift, silent combatant who excels at exploiting shadows, weak points, and mobility. Rogues rely on finesse, perception, and precision to dismantle enemies before they can react.
Starting Skills:
? Hide Presence
? Detect Weak Point
Attributes per Level:
? +2 Finesse
? +1 Perception
? +1 Cognition
? +1 Insight
A disciplined long-range fighter specializing in accuracy, timing, and tactical positioning. The Marksman excels in eliminating threats before they get close.
Starting Skills:
? Steady Aim
? Piercing Shot
Attributes per Level:
? +2 Perception
? +1 Finesse
? +1 Endurance
? +1 Resolve
A sentinel-type class attuned to darkness and vigilance. Night Watchers stand between danger and those they protect—masters of spotting what hides in shadow and reacting faster than their foes.
Starting Skills:
? Night vision
? Detect presence
Attributes per Level:
? +2 Perception
? +1 Resilience
? +1 Resolve
? +1 Strength
Victor stared at the glowing list.
His throat tightened. A shiver ran through him—not fear, but anticipation.
These weren’t game classes. Despite being young he was aware of the gravity of the situation, this was a real, permanent, life-changing choice.
And somehow… the dark ones felt like they fit.
A slow grin tugged at his lips, unbidden.
For the first time since the System arrived, since the monsters, since all the fear and sleeplessness—
Victor felt he had the tools to become powerful.
And the choice before him didn’t scare him.
It thrilled him.
But before Victor could even think of selecting something, a sharp voice cut across the room.
“You two are not picking anything yet.”
Laura’s tone snapped like a taut thread, soft yet impossible to ignore. She pushed herself upright, still pale but steady, eyes locked first on Victor, then on Albert.
“Not without talking it out with us first. Do I make myself clear?”
Victor opened his mouth—to answer reflexively but Albert beat him to it.
“I’m not that dumb to pick Stalker or something.” he said with a crooked grin, hands up in surrender.
Laura’s eyebrow rose with glacier-slow menace.
Albert immediately shrank two centimeters.
“I wasn’t actually going to— It was a joke—”
“Of course,” Laura said. “And if either of you selects something reckless because you think it sounds cool, I swear you’ll both be doing all the night shifts, so you can put your new classes to use.”
“That’s harsh,” Victor muttered.
“She’s right,” Alessandro said dryly from the other side of the table, still rubbing his temples. “Listen to your mother.”
Albert huffed, but a faint smile tugged at his mouth.
“Mom, with all due respect… we’ve played a lot of games. Class builds are kind of our thing.”
Laura stared at him the way one stares at a child who has declared they know how to fly a plane because they beat a flight simulator.
“Albert,” she said slowly, “just because you’ve played videogame characters does not make you a strategic expert in real life and death choices.”
“Annnd there it is,” Victor whispered.
Laura shot him a look. He straightened immediately.
“But,” Alessandro added, lifting a hand, “the boys actually have a point too. We shouldn’t rush anything… if you see a resemblance with the game you played, speak out your mind.”
He paused. “Still, we decide together.”
The tension eased, but only a little—just enough for breathing.
Alice, still sitting stiffly with her hands tucked close, spoke up with a shaky laugh.
“I won’t mind some help myself honestly… so uh… what options did everyone get?”
That opened the floodgates.
Albert lifted a finger. “I go next. Mine are—ok, don’t laugh—Warrior, Light Mage Initiate, and Marksman.”
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“Light Mage?” Victor blinked. “That sounds cool!”
Alessandro rubbed his chin, thoughtful. “It must be because you are still scrawny.”
“Hey that’s not what it mean!” Albert protested.
Victor snorted. “That was a good one dad.” while presenting a fist bump to his father.
Albert elbowed him. Victor elbowed back.
Laura sighed. “Boys please.”
“What about you, Laura?” Alice asked.
Laura hesitated only a second. “Sharpshooter, Warden, and Mind Mage Initiate.”
Victor’s eyebrows shot up. “You got mental classes? Damn! Those are like, super duper broken if used right.”
Laura shrugged, but a small smile tugged at her lips. “It seems the System finds my intellect… sharp.”
“Not only your intellect,” Alessandro murmured.
She nudged him under the table.
“And you, Dad?” Albert asked.
Alessandro exhaled. “Stonebound, Hunter, and Vanguard.”
Victor blinked. “Stonebound?”
Before Alessandro could answer, Laura cut back in, gentle but firm.
“Which is exactly why we need to discuss choices. These aren’t builds in a game. They are the foundation of our survival. Our future. And we need to complement each other, not scatter in different directions because something sounds cool.”
Victor’s cheeks warmed—a bit embarrassed.
She was right. Of course she was right.
“We pick smart,” Alessandro said. “Together.”
“Alice?” Asked Albert, he was buzzing with curiosity.
For all her recent fears Alice answered with convinction. “I got Performer, Analyst and Coordinator. At least university wasn’t for nothing.”
“Why Performer?” Asked Albert with a puzzled expression, “Are you secretly a pop star?”
Alice laughed a little at that. “No, while I can play the piano is not about that, it is probably because of my career as an influencer.”
“Ahh, well, makes sense I suppose.” Came the slightly bored answer from the boy.
Alice leaned back in her chair, twisting her fingers nervously. “Okay… so, if I’m picking Analyst, that means I’ll probably be better at noticing stuff, right? Like… predicting monster behavior, or spotting weak points, or maybe calculating… I don’t know… risk versus reward?”
Alessandro gave a small nod, rubbing his chin. “Yeah, that’s basically what an analyst class does. You might not hit anything yourself, but if you can anticipate the threats or organize outing and supplies, you will help everyone. You will take a support intelligence role, and now that we are moving toward a phase centered on community building your skills could become even more relevant.”
Alice smiled weakly. “Thanks. I hope I’ll be able to do my part.”
Laura leaned forward, hands clasped together on the table. “I still think everyone needs to consider their affinities and stats carefully. Choosing a class without looking at that is… foolish. So let’s put on paper what everyone has ok? So we can compare and then choose.” After a round of nods they did just that, with more statuses clearly visible to all they got a better idea of where they stood. After studying the papers for awhile Laura called out to Victor.
“Your Umbral affinity isn’t huge, but it’s noticeable. Night Watch fits that perfectly. It’s stealth, awareness, vigilance—all things that rely on perception and finesse, which are your strongest stats.”
Victor’s eyes lit up. “Exactly! That’s why I was leaning that way anyway. It just… feels right. Plus, it’s like… I don’t know… Batman-ish. The whole dark guardian thing. I think it will evolve in the future to be more magical, but at the same time it will be useful now to help protect everyone.”
Albert nodded, twirling a finger in his hair. “For me, I was eyeing the Marksman class, but after seeing my stats… I mean, I like my Perception, but the System gave me Light as my highest affinity. Light Mage would mesh with my affinity perfectly, but Warrior… I dunno. The skill offered are clearly affected by the affinity, so I would prefer to have an option in close encounters, and in the future maybe even… someday become a Paladin?”
Alessandro laughed softly. “You’ve been thinking about this since the beginning, haven’t you? Already imagining your future class evolution.”
Albert shrugged sheepishly. “Maybe. But I have to think about synergy. If I’m the one smacking monsters with light, and you’re going to be Stonebound building defences, then Laura’s Mind Mage can… well, control the battlefield with status effects or barriers, and Victor keeps an eye on everything sneaky.”
Laura gave a slow smile. “Exactly. That’s why this discussion is crucial. We aren’t just picking classes we like. We need to balance strengths, support each other, and cover weaknesses.” She turned to Alessandro. “Speaking of you… Are you sure about Stonebound?”
Alessandro leaned back, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Yeah. It’s part builder, part mage. I can manipulate stone, create barriers, reinforce structures… that sort of thing. Plus, it uses my affinity, so it synergies, and building is literally my job. I’ll be able to create defences for the Safe Zone, and protect you all.”
Victor raised an eyebrow. “Building, huh? That sounds boring.”
“Better than reckless,” Alessandro muttered. “Think Vic, you saw what the monsters do, would have been as easy to shoot them if you were exposed instead of behind a wall? Honestly we could use more than just me to build the structures we need to survive.”
Laura nodded approvingly. “I think I’ll go for the Sharpshooter class, I told you I was a better shot than your dad no? He will defend and I will attack, perfect combination.”
Victor glanced at her status again. “Yeah, but your highest affinity is Mind… at 43%, it will make more sense to go for the mage class. It will be really versatile too. Maybe you can even tame monsters or who knows you could do with mind powers!”
“I don’t really feel comfortable with the idea of messing people or even monster brains, and I was competing in carbine shooting competition at a professional level when I was younger, it’s something I know how to do well, and I like it.”
“It’s not a bad idea to have a long range fighter too, and I’m not saying because having a mind reading wife would be terrifying, no sir.” Alessandro added.
“What does is it supp…” Albert came to his father rescue by listing all roles and capabilities.
“So Vic as close range and sentinel, mom and me for long range, dad for defence, and Alice as support and tactical positioning. Right? We are pretty covered, except for the melee.”
Alice perked up. “Wait, so that means I could be… the one coordinating everyone? Like making sure no one gets flanked? That’s… actually useful. Even if I wasn’t thinking about that direction for my class.”
Laura smiled. “It will be an important role to cover. Even if your personal stats aren’t the strongest, your class will give you utility that can save lives. You could become our tactical brain.”
Alice blinked. “So… Analyst then. Got it. No mistakes.” She laughed nervously. “I just hope I don’t screw it up.”
Alessandro chuckled. “Don’t worry. You’ll have us watching your back, and give yourself more credit, it is not for everyone, I’ll just… deal with the walls.”
Albert leaned forward, elbow on the table. “And me… I think I’ll go with the mage. My Light affinity is the highest of everyone. I can draw attention, laser monsters, maybe even start learning other spells over time. Hopefully that’ll pave the way for something bigger later.”
Victor gave him a sidelong glance. “You’re really thinking long-term, huh? I get it. Paladin dreams.”
Albert shrugged, grinning. “Someone’s gotta dream. Might as well be me.”
Alessandro shook his head. “You’ll need to practice control first. I don’t want you burning down the house or giving us skin cancer.”
Albert laughed. “Yeah, yeah… I will be careful. Noted.”
Laura raised an eyebrow, looking between them all. “So, Victor, you still firm on Night Watch?”
Victor leaned back, eyes gleaming. “Yeah. Perception 12, Insight 12, Clarity 10… my stats are more mental than physical, being a lookout will be only the beginning. I have a feeling that I will be able to manage shadows or darkness in the future, but for now I can keep our perimeter safe, and alert everyone before things go wrong. Besides… I don’t think it fits me to be a rogue, it will be fun in theory but going out in the night, alone… yea no, maybe in a game but not here.”
Alice tilted her head. “I see. And… if you’re Night Watch, Victor, then you’ll basically be like… the eyes of the group? Keeping us out of trouble?”
Victor nodded slowly. “Exactly. I’ll be the watch tower, you the man in the chair… woman in the chair, dad builds, Albert will blind himself with a spell, and mom… shoot everybody who I point to. It’s a solid setup, if we are defended by a house.”
Alessandro chuckled. “Look at us. We’ve got stats, affinities, and synergy all figured out in ten minutes.”
“Make it an hour dad, even if it feels more.” Albert said with a hint of annoyance.
Laura’s lips quirked. “Don’t get cocky. This is just the beginning. We literally don’t know anything about how all of this works. But yes… as a starting point, this is promising.”
Alice frowned thoughtfully. “Wait… so Victor’s Umbral, Albert’s Light, Alessandro’s Stone, Laura’s Mind… it doesn’t seems that affinities are family related, right?”
Victor glanced at her. “Maybe they skip a generation like the eye colour, grandpa to nephew instead of the son.”
Alice exhaled, shoulders drooping a little. “I wonder what affinities my parents got…”
“Whatever they have, at least you know they were fine until the lines went down no? Give magic to your father and the monsters will run away instead of approaching.” Alessandro joked to lift the poor girl spirit. But he wasn’t lying about her father, the man was scary.
Albert smirked looking at his brother. “Weird how I’m all flashy Light, you’re all shadows, Are you even my brother?”
Victor grinned. “Of course not, I’m way much handsome than you, you’re adopted.”
Laura tapped the table gently, stopping another fratricidal war before it began. “Alright, everyone’s made their choice?”
After all expressed their assent, they prepared to undergo their class selection.
Victor leaned back, finally feeling the weight of the decision settle comfortably in his chest. “Good. We all know our roles. And the best part? It’s balanced. We complement each other well.”
Albert smirked. “I’m excited. And a little scared. But mostly excited. This is the first step toward actually using magic!”
Alessandro nodded slowly. “Just remember, this is just the beginning. The real challenge is applying what we’ve chosen and staying alive. No point in having classes if we don’t survive.”
Laura reached out and placed a hand briefly over both of Victor and Albert’s. “That’s why we talked it out first. You understand the importance. And now, we move forward as a team. Together.”
The room fell silent. Each of them sat, tense and expectant, feeling the lingering warmth of their awakened mana as if it were a pulse in the air itself. Victor’s eyes darted to the System prompt.
“Okay,” he muttered, swallowing hard. “Time to pick.”
Laura gave a firm nod. “Slowly. Focus on what feels… right. Remember the discussion.”
Victor pressed the confirmation, and immediately a low hum reverberated through his chest. His upper mana core glowed, the warmth spreading outward in a current that tickled along his spine. It was subtle at first, a faint thread of energy, but then he felt it: channels shifting.
Clusters of energy sprouted from the core, twisting and curling through his astral body like serpentine rivers of light. Two denser clusters, both in his head, pulsed in synchronization. Victor felt them react instinctively, almost as if recognizing a purpose beyond his conscious thought.
A prickling sensation ran along his arms as the channels aligned themselves toward his shoulders and hands. The core thrummed like a beating heart, and Victor suddenly knew: these clusters were forming his first skills. Night vision and Detect Presence.
Beside him, Albert’s chest flared as his mage class settled into place. His channels shifted with a weighty, grounded rhythm, flowing down his arms and through his legs, anchoring him to the floor as if he could draw strength from the very air around him. Two clusters beside his core brightened, one sending out a pulse along his arm, the other rooting into his back, ready to channel his first spell. The instinct to draw on his light affinity surged in his mind before he even tried.
Alessandro leaned back, stone-hued light rippling through his astral body. His Stonebound channels flexed as if sculpting themselves. Laura and Alice had the same experience as everybody, the only difference was that Alessandro class and core was of higher quality and tool a bit more time forming.
After the process ended Victor’s grin widened as he flexed his fingers. Every movement, every breath, now resonated with the energy of the Night Watch class. The channels throbbed in harmony with his heartbeat. He lifted his gaze toward the window, shadows dancing across the street, and instinctively, he felt aware of every flicker of movement.
Albert bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, testing the sensation of raw energy. “Whoa… I feel like I could punch through the wall,” he muttered. His newfound strength hummed with the pull of light, ready to surge through him at will.
Alessandro’s hands flexed and then clutched air as if lifting something. A few small dust particles on the floor lifted, responding to his energy. “It feels… alive,” he murmured. “I can feel what I can make before I even touch it.”
Laura’s eyes widened as she focused on the tabletop. She could see the grooves and scratches like under a magnify lens. “It’s like… going from 720 to 4k in quality,” she whispered, mesmerized.
Alice chuckled, almost nervously. “I think… I just can predict someone’s next move before they even did it if I had enough information,” she said. Her analytical skills pulsed, highlighting invisible patterns around the table. “This is… strange, and amazing.”
Victor leaned forward, eyes bright. “We need to try the new skills. I feel like I need to move.”
“For once Vic, I can’t disagree with you.” Albert nodded.
Laura was about to slow them down but saw the futility of it, so she opted for controlled chaos. “Let’s go, we still need to be aware of our surrounding, the second phase just began, we need to be ready.”
