The brilliant light of the Advancement Chamber slowly faded.
A new system prompt appeared before Aster.
Class Advancement Complete
Would you like to leave the Advancement Chamber?
YES | NO
Most players would immediately choose YES.
They would be eager to test their newly acquired classes.
Some would compare their classes with friends.
Others would rush to hunt stronger monsters.
Aster did neither.
He selected—
NO.
The white chamber remained perfectly silent.
"No one can enter here..."
"No one can interrupt me."
"This is the perfect place to understand everything."
The moment he made his choice, the Primal Codex appeared before him.
Unlike before, it opened gently.
The pages no longer turned violently.
Instead...
It waited.
As though inviting its bearer to read.
Aster smiled.
"Let's see what changed."
Immediately, his Status Panel unfolded.
Character Status
Name: Aster
Race: Human
Hidden Class: Codex Bearer
Level: 5
Health: 360 / 360
Mana: 180 / 180
Attributes
Strength: 26
Agility: 26 (31 with Windrunner Boots equipped)
Vitality: 30
Intelligence: 18
Spirit: 18
Aster blinked.
"...Everything doubled."
Health.
Mana.
Every attribute.
Even without leveling again...
His overall combat ability had increased tremendously.
"So this..."
"...is the benefit of my class."
Unlike ordinary classes that specialized in a single field...
The Codex Bearer strengthened every aspect equally.
A true all-rounder.
His gaze moved downward.
Permanent Skills
Uncommon
* Iron Body Foundation
* Twin Flash Step
Rare
* Endless Growth
Effect
• Permanently doubles all Experience gained.
• Applies before all other Experience modifiers.
Aster nodded.
"So the fifty-percent challenge bonus..."
"...will be calculated after this."
The implication was enormous.
Fighting higher-level monsters would allow him to grow at a terrifying pace.
But something else caught his attention.
The Primal Codex quietly turned another page.
Chapter I
The First Truth
Current Progress
? / 20
Aster frowned.
"...?"
"It changed."
The page shimmered.
Ancient letters slowly engraved themselves beneath the progress bar.
Requirement Clarified
To unlock the First Truth...
The bearer must permanently comprehend 20 Skills.
Eligible Skills:
* Uncommon
* Rare
* Epic
* Legendary
* Divine
Common Skills do not qualify.
Aster slowly reread the message.
"So..."
"I misunderstood."
Until now...
He believed only Uncommon skills counted.
The Codex corrected him.
It wasn't limited to one rank.
Rather...
Every skill Uncommon or above qualified.
Rare skills counted.
Epic skills counted.
Even Divine skills.
His eyes drifted toward his newly acquired class skill.
Endless Growth (Rare).
A realization dawned upon him.
"...Does this count?"
The Codex answered immediately.
Endless Growth
Rank: Rare
Status: Qualified
Recorded Successfully.
The progress bar changed.
Chapter I
The First Truth
Progress
3 / 20
Aster smiled.
"So class skills count as well."
That made his journey slightly easier.
Not easy.
But easier.
The Codex continued.
Every Truth strengthens the bearer.
Every qualified skill becomes another page.
Twenty pages become one Chapter.
One Chapter reveals one Truth.
"So..."
"The First Truth isn't inside a single skill."
"It exists beyond all twenty."
The pages glowed softly.
Correct.
Skills are fragments.
Truth is the whole.
Aster fell silent.
Everything suddenly made sense.
Iron Body Foundation had taught him the Truth of the body.
Twin Flash Step had taught him the Truth of movement.
Endless Growth represented the Truth of limitless potential.
Each skill was merely a piece of a greater puzzle.
Only after gathering twenty pieces...
Could he understand the First Truth in its entirety.
Aster slowly closed the status window.
His excitement had only grown.
Three recorded skills already.
Seventeen remained.
Then...
The first Chapter of the Primal Codex would finally open.
And perhaps...
It would reveal the first step toward becoming the Divine King.
Toward discovering his grandfather's purpose.
Toward healing the frail body of Yevhen in the real world.
The white chamber remained silent.
Yet Aster no longer felt alone.
The Primal Codex was no longer merely a mysterious artifact.
It had become his guide.
His teacher.
And the foundation upon which he would build a path unlike any adventurer before him.