After the class ended, all the students left their training hall, each of them moving towards the classes section.
Thors and Seoul moved together, the two reaching the first class, which was the Combat Class. Entering the vast hall, it seemed more like an arena than a classroom. There were no seats, no desks, or anything that resembled a conventional learning environment. Instead, the enormous space was divided by multiple platforms, similar to the ones in the former training room where they had taken the tests to enter the academy.
On some of the platforms stood robotic humanoids, their metallic bodies completely motionless, while on others were massive Mechs standing without pilots, their enormous frames looming like dormant beasts waiting for someone to awaken them.
Just seeing the facilities present in the Combat Training Class was already promising. Anyone who chose this class would undoubtedly come out stronger than they entered, especially with all the advanced equipment available.
Around them, many students were already jumping at the opportunity to select it as their first class.
This included Seoul, who immediately activated his watch, stood before the Combat Training Class selection interface, went through the necessary procedures, and set it as his first class.
Thors, though, did not.
He could see the promise of the Combat Training Class. He could imagine how greatly someone would grow in both fighting ability and the usage of their powers after spending months training in a place like this.
Despite that...
He did not have a strong ability.
So far, all he had gotten from the system was increased durability.
’Even if the system can cut out my defects, I’d rather train it out alone than find myself surprised if anything goes south.’
Thors laughed inwardly as he imagined himself sparring with Bishop and accidentally throwing a bolt of lightning that instantly grew to the size of a human and killed the young Bloodline.
Who knew how much trouble that would place him in?
Just imagining the consequences made his head hurt.
So, for now, he just had to sit this one out.
The two moved towards the Weapon Training Hall next.
It was smaller than the Combat Training Hall, having far fewer platforms and considerably less technologically advanced training equipment. Come to think of it, it didn’t have any Mechs, robotic humanoids, or anything particularly advanced.
It seemed like a simple training ground.
Nothing more.
But it was far from being a disappointment.
Staring at the sides of the walls, Thors saw one weapon rack after another, each filled with swords, maces, hammers, spears, halberds, and every crude weapon imaginable from the past ages.
The weapons were arranged neatly, but their sheer number gave the room an almost ancient feeling. There were weapons designed to crush bones, weapons meant to pierce through armor, and weapons whose only purpose seemed to be cutting something apart.
Many superhumans lingered around before choosing the Weapons Class as their second choice.
But Thors hurriedly picked it.
With all the stories he had heard about Core Weapons, this was the perfect class for him. He could keep up with the martial arts skills the others would learn in the Combat Class while also gaining access to a weapon that could potentially boost his ability.
Hopefully.
Thors and Seoul moved to the third class, despite Seoul already having placed the Weapons Class as his second choice.
He insisted on following his friend.
Thors shook his head and held himself back from facepalming as he replayed the smile on the young Joker’s face.
The guy really was something else.
Soon enough, they both arrived at the Environment Survival Class.
It was, particularly, the smallest of all three classes, with little to nobody present there.
Those who walked into the class seemed to almost immediately jump back out, as though they had somehow made the wrong turn.
Others simply stared at the interior before slamming a hand against their forehead.
After all, the Survival Class looked less like a classroom and more like a library.
Rows upon rows of shelves filled the room, containing ancient books, old records, and faded tapestries that seemed to have been preserved for centuries. The air itself carried the faint scent of dust and old paper, while the dim lighting made the entire place feel strangely gloomy.
Seoul scratched the back of his head.
"Who the hell would ever select this as a class?"
Thors gave him a questionable glance as he was already operating his watch.
"Oh, sorry," Seoul smiled. "But it’s so gloomy here, and... Uhhhh... Yes! Who the hell leaves school to come to another school just to keep reading?! That sounds insane."
Thors sighed.
"Some of us just like books. Does that ever cross your mind?"
Seoul shrugged.
"Are you done? I’m getting sick just by standing so close to so many papers."
Thors shook his head as he finished setting the Environment Survival Class.
"I question your ability to spell."
Seoul laughed as they both left the classroom, having now set their preferred classes.
It was already nighttime, and all the students had returned to their dormitories after visiting the cafeteria for dinner.
Thors and Seoul had returned together, meeting their discourteous roommate already lying in his bed, head down and probably fast asleep.
Seeing this, both Seoul and Thors kept silent as they approached their beds, giving each other a short stare before finally settling down and turning away from one another.
’Finally, some privacy.’
Thors thought, unable to hold back his curiosity and anxiousness about the system.
A holographic screen appeared in front of him at will.
[System Lineage: The God of Thunder, Thor]
[User: Thors Godfrey]
[Race: Superhuman]
[Status: Dormant]
[Charisma: 2]
[Lineage Core: 0/100]
He scanned through the system.
Everything was generally the same as it had been earlier.
All but the Charisma.
Which had increased by two.
Thors raised a hand towards the system, attempting to access more information about the Charisma stat. As though obeying his thoughts, another status screen immediately popped up before his gaze.
[Charisma]
*Description: Every great deity needs a number of followers to exalt his power. Why shouldn’t you, a vessel?
Thors read through the description meticulously a few times, rubbing his chin as he tried to figure out exactly what it meant.
He lingered there for a moment before scrolling down to see more information.
[*Charisma: Popularity feeds your physical appearance. The higher one’s Charisma, the better your form. Increase this stat to pursue your undying form.]
’Undying form...’
Just as Thors had suspected, the Charisma had improved his physical body.
Maybe only slightly compared to a regular human.
But to someone who had been born a defect, it was a massive jump.
And all of that had come from just two Charisma points.
’I can only wonder what would happen if I somehow ended up gaining the attention and favor of the academy. How many points would I get then? And how much more powerful would I become?’
Thors could only wonder.
Because of this, the fact that he was in the top six started to sound like more of an advantage than Thors had initially imagined.
This could only work out for him.
If he could maintain that spot.
If he could prove he was strong enough to stay there.
’That’s going to be an issue.’
Thors stared silently at the system screen.
’I can improve my physical stats, but as for my abilities...’
[Ding!]
[System has accepted your request.]
"Wait, what request...?"
[Prepare for Integration.]
A wave of white suddenly flooded Thors’ vision.
There was no warning nor time to react.
One moment, he was lying in the dormitory, and the next, his entire consciousness was swallowed by an overwhelming white light.
His body went into a state of shock for a brief moment.
Then—
Everything refocused.
His breathing resumed.
His senses returned.
His entire body recovered almost immediately.
He was unharmed.
However...
Everything seemed...
Different.
Thors slowly opened his eyes.
He was no longer in the dormitory room.
He wasn’t even on his bed.
Instead, he was seated on cold, hard ground.
The sensation of stone pressed against his body.
Above him was a rocky ceiling, uneven and jagged, stretching into darkness beyond the reach of the light. Below him was an equally uneven trail of sharp rocks, each one digging uncomfortably into his clothes.
His surroundings were completely unfamiliar.
Mounted torches lined the walls of the tunnel, their flames burning with a strange blue light that illuminated the darkness with an eerie glow.
There was no electricity.
No artificial lights.
No sign of the academy.
Only stone, darkness and the faint, unnatural blue flames that seemed to burn without producing any heat.
Thors slowly turned his head.
He was inside some sort of tunnel.
"What the fuck is going on?"
Thors blinked a few times, trying to assure himself that he wasn’t dreaming.
He slapped himself a few times.
Hard enough that his cheek stung.
Nothing changed.
The cold stone remained beneath him.
The blue flames continued to flicker.
The air remained unnaturally still.
Even the faint sound of his own breathing seemed strangely loud in the silence.
Thors froze.
His gaze slowly shifted forward.
There was only one thing in front of him.
A massive stone door.
It was embedded directly into the end of the tunnel, its surface carved with countless intricate drawings and strange symbols. The carvings twisted across the stone like the remnants of an ancient language, depicting shapes and figures that Thors couldn’t understand.
Some appeared to be humanoid.
Others...
He wasn’t entirely sure what they were.
The longer he stared at them, the more uncomfortable he became.
There was something about the drawings that made the back of his neck itch.
Then, finally, the system replied.
[Welcome, Vessel.]
Thors’ eyes narrowed.
[To the Level One Dungeon.]