“Is it normal to drink so early?” Yuto asks the human named Myers. The man is clearly aged in looks, but not in movement. In that respect, he reminds Yuto of Elder Ning.

  Myers chuckles. He glances to the end of the table where Cillian, half-asleep, is drinking from a bottle. “I’m not even sure if he’s awake.”

  “I’ve heard of sleepwalking, but not sleep drinking. Is this common for humans?” Yuto asks.

  “First time I’ve seen it.” Myers says. “Then again, Cillian is rather odd. Most of us believe he’s developed some rare drinking skill outside of his class, job, or title.”

  “Do you?”

  Myers shrugs. He takes a sip from his teacup. “Maybe, maybe not. Innate skills can manifest at times. It’s rare, but it happens.”

  Yuto flicks his ears. “I thought those are just rumors.”

  “They aren’t.” Myers corrects. “Have you heard of class shifts?”

  The wolven flicks his ears. “A lateral class change, right? I’m told those exist, but I know little about them.”

  Myers nods sagely. “It’s an extremely rare phenomenon that requires significant environmental circumstances similar to the creation of legendary items.”

  The wolven grunts. “I’m unfamiliar with your analogy. Legendary items are just more difficult and costly than epic, right? You just need more levels and more expensive materials.”

  The old man leans back like a wizened elder about to educate the ignorant student. “Epic items follow that mindset. Legendary items on the other hand require an environmental catalyst. Smithing inside a Manastorm, Hailstorm, or even in the immediate presence of an active eruption allows a [Runesmith] to exceed their limits and create an item normally impossible.”

  Yuto’s tail swishes as he contemplates the old man's words. Being inside or present near any of those environments could very easily lead to death even with proper protection and forewarning. “If that is true, then shouldn’t class shifts be as common as the creation of such items?”

  Myers smiles. “Who would put their life at risk to maybe modify their class?”

  The wolven’s brow furrows for a moment. Then he comprehends it. “Class shifts are not intentional. They only happen by accident!” Yuto says excitedly. “Does that mean skills are the same way?”

  “That's the current understanding, yes.”

  “Could you duplicate the environment or actions to obtain the same skill as you can with titles?”

  Myers rubs his thumb over the flower paintings covering the teacup. “No skills were able to be reproduced even with the same class and levels.”

  Yuto glances again at Cillian. The man's face is now on the table while his arm is firmly grasping the bottle. Then Yuto shifts his sight to someone approaching.

  As soon as that someone rounds the corner, Yuto grasps the Odachi on his back while the old man does the same with his cane.

  What stands before Yuto is a Fenrimorph with the usual six eyes, except two of them are glowing purple. Its arms are also abnormal, for the fur seems to have been replaced with thick black scales from the elbow down.

  

  “Quasi, Is that you?” Myers asks.

  The Fenrimorph nods.

  Yuto, hearing that it’s a skill, relaxes alongside Myers. He removes his hand from the blade on his back. “I prefer your normal body.”

  In a puff of smoke, the Fenrimorph disappears and is replaced by a cat. Quasi hops up on the table. “I honestly do too. More finesse and it’s so much easier to speak with. Installing cat-sized vocal cords into a significantly larger body doesn't allow me to increase pitch at all. Anyway, are you here about our deal?”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Yuto stands up and bows as formally as possible. “I, Yuto Yamamoto, formally ask to join Honorable [Captain] Quasi Eludo as a member of his crew for a minimum period of five years. I swear to serve honorably and to follow any and all orders. I swear to uphold myself to the best of my ability and life.” He grabs his blade, unsheathes it slowly and presents it. “I swear my blade and strength in your service if you would have me.”

  The cat glances at the extended Odachi. “I accept. Now, isn’t that ? Aren't you supposed to return it or something?”

  Yuto sheathes the weapon slowly. “Before a master dies or retires, their blade is passed down to a student of their choice. This would be my brother Akio if he were alive, otherwise it would be the oldest pupil if the individual is absent. Jiro refused to accept the sword on account of his inability to use it. Thus, I am to carry Elder Nings' will upon my back.”

  Quasi nods. “Cool. Well, welcome to the team. For now, you’re going to be a [Gunner] until I can give you a better job. By the way, what’s your class and level?”

  “I am a level fifty-nine [Samurai].”

  Quasi pouts. “Just [Samurai]? Are there no other words in the class like swift or heavy?”

  Yuto shakes his head. “My apologies, [Captain], but I’ve yet to do anything noteworthy to ascend.”

  “Ascend? What’s that?”

  “Becoming named,” Myers interrupts helpfully. “Ascending is when an expert class transforms into a stronger variant. If someone is named, then their class is known to be ascended.”

  “Elder Ning’s class was [Steelhide Samurai].” Yuto says.

  “I see. Well, we’ll see if we can fix that somehow. In the meantime, any word from your brother?”

  “All is prepared.” Yuto reaches into his armor and retrieves a sealed scroll. “This is a requisition order for a Light Cruiser that can be used at any empire controlled shipyard or Inquisition base.”

  “Any? So I don’t have to go to your capital?”

  “No,” Yuto answers. “Any island will do as long as they have a Light Cruiser to give.”

  “For free, right?”

  “All costs will be covered by the house heads.”

  “Purrrfect,” Quasi grins while his tail swishes happily. He turns to Myers. “You heard him. Set a course for the nearest place to get me a bigger ship!”

  Myers has been mostly unreactive over the conversation, only raising an eyebrow when he hears about the scroll. “We can, but we’ll miss out on a tower.”

  “Damn.” Quasi pouts. He glances at Yuto. “Is there a time limit on the offer?”

  Yuto shakes his head. “No limit.”

  Quasi groans. “I want a bigger ship, but fine. Tower takes priority. Myers, where we headed.”

  The old man grunts as he stands up. He walks to a drawer, retrieves the map, and then returns to spread it across the table.

  We are here. “Myers places his finger in the center right of the map. “The next Tower is on the island of Nivis.” His finger shifts a considerable distance to the left. “Nivis borders the nearby slipstream, so we can be there in under two weeks. After that island, I’ll set up a route that allows a stop at a wolven settlement so you can grab your ship.”

  Quasi flicks his tail. “Sounds good to me. Once everyone is up, we’ll say our goodbyes and set sail.” Quasi stands up and stretches. “If you need me, I’ll be in the hold blowing myself up.”

  Quasi hops off the table and disappears. Once the cat is gone, Yuto glances at Myers. “What does he mean about blowing himself up?”

  The old man takes another sip of his tea. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  _______________________________________________________________

  “[Pilgrims],” Gunnar growls in distaste. The man stares at the new arrivals like a fox watches a rabbit. “Father should just let them make the trek on their own like the last group.”

  “[Duke] Hallber respects the not for their strength but for their beliefs.” Anna explains. “Also, they pay well- something I should remind you is needed for Traipus to prosper. Meat, skin, and the occasional crystals isn’t the most wanted export.”

  “We sell weapons too!” He counters.

  “From metal we have to import!”

  Gunnar pouts and shifts his gaze from the short woman. Well, short to him and his people. To most other humans she’d be average.

  “Fine, but I still don’t like it.”

  Anna point’s her staff. “At least they’re more prepared than the last group. They actually dressed for the occasion. Even their [Paladins] have their armor padded for warmth.”

  “If they have [Paladins], then why do they need to hire us? Blizzard Bears hunt alone and can easily be killed by several experts.”

  Anna sighs. She’s not sure if he’s just whining or being ignorant. Regardless, Gunnar’s father ordered her to be not only his guard, but also companion. “Frost wolves, Crystal golems, Glacier worms, Permafrost wyverns, and even the Sovereign of Ice and Snow can pose a problem to survival, let alone the danger of the environment to those ignorant.”

  Gunnar crosses his arms across his wide chest. “Blizzard Bears are still more dangerous.”

  “Not if you’re trying to protect those weaker than you.” Anna answers back. “Look, maybe you should offer yourself a guide for once? Or is the [Duke's] son afraid he’d fail at his task.”

  Gunnar chuckles at the clear manipulation. “Fine, I think I will, but with the next group. Alvar isn’t done with my axes yet.”

  “Still?” Anna frowns. “He generally works fast. Didn't you put the order in last week?”

  Gunnar grins as he raises his head at the clear sky. Generally, Nivis is constantly bombarded with snow, wind, and occasionally ice. To counter the weather, Traipus is smothered with warming runes that increase the ground temperature just above freezing. It’s still cold, but the snow and ice melt into the city's drinking reservoir instead of compounding.

  “I want something as good as my fathers hammer.” Gunnar says. “That’s not something you can make any time.”

  Anna looks at the clear sky and realizes what he means. “Alvar’s going to smith during a storm! Didn’t he lose two fingers to frostbite applying the runes to your fathers hammer? Why is he taking the risk again?”

  “Levels. He’s been stuck at sixty-nine for a decade already. He’s willing to take the risk.”

  Anna shakes her head. “If the city loses their best [Runesmith], your father is going to be furious.”

  “My father isn’t going to get in the way of Alvar’s choice.” Gunnar counters.

  Anna shakes her head. “I hope you’re right.”

  “I always am.”

  Anna rolls her eyes but says nothing more.