LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 2: Classe.1
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I adjusted to the unusual situation. The heavy silence in the room was almost deafening, broken only by the sound of my own uneven breathing. I tried not to focus on the vulnerability of being completely naked or the fact that my tech watch—my only connection to the outside world—had disappeared along with my clothes.
The being before me tilted its head slightly, as if it were assessing me. Its black wings, which had been folded against its back until then, slowly unfurled, revealing an impressive wingspan and details that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. The texture of the wings resembled velvet, but there was something inhuman about the way they moved, almost as if they were alive on their own.
The being's skin was as dark as the night, without any hue or markings I could identify as human. Despite this, the stranger's body had human-like proportions—muscular and elegant—but lacked the usual anatomical details: no navel, no hair, no scars or marks. The creature was a disconcerting combination of beauty and terror.
"You have no need to fear," the voice finally sounded, though its lips did not move. It was a deep, resonant voice that seemed to emanate from every corner of the room at once.
"Who... who are you? Where am I?" I asked, my voice trembling. I struggled to maintain composure, but the surreal appearance of the being, the strange white room, and my own situation left me in a state of panic.
"Greetings, human. I oversee your introduction. In this introduction, I will explain to you the circumstances of your new reality," the entity said with a voice that sounded synthesized, a blend of multiple male and female tones. As I was about to open my mouth to respond, it began speaking again.
"First, allow me to welcome you to this new chapter of your life. You will be connected to the realm of Lovecraft, the creator god of the Ancients. Now, do you have any questions before we proceed to the matters pertinent to the tutorial?" the entity finally finished.
My mind was in turmoil. The realm of Lovecraft? And what does it mean by a new chapter? Yet, instead of asking any of those significant questions, I ended up blurting out the most mundane one possible:
"Who—no, what are you?" I stammered, stumbling over my words.
"I am the entity tasked with greeting you and introducing you to the new world and the circumstances of your new reality," it replied promptly, offering no hint of wanting to provide further details.
"What new reality?" I asked.
"The reality designated by Lovecraft, known as the Madness System," it explained.
"And how do I see this system…" Before I could finish my question, a screen suddenly appeared before my eyes:
Status
Name: Alexander Wood
Race: [Human (0) – lvl 0]
Class: N/A
Profession: N/A
Health Points (HP): 90/90
Mana Points (MP): 80/80
Stamina: 70/70
Statistics
Strength: 7
Agility: 8
Endurance: 7
Vitality: 9
Resistance: 7
Wisdom: 8
Intelligence: 8
Perception: 10
Willpower: 6
Free Points: 0
Titles: N/A
Well, that answers that question, I thought. An idea began forming in my mind about what might be happening, and I decided to roll with it. I was half-convinced this was nothing more than a bizarre lucid dream, so I saw no reason not to have a bit of fun. First of all, I did what I thought would be entertaining and started analyzing the stats.
There were nine different statistics, each ranging from 6 to 10 points. My stats seemed fairly balanced, with only Willpower and Perception standing out. Willpower, being just 6, made me wonder—did that indicate weak resolve? Or was 6 actually low for someone in my situation?
My race was listed as "Human," which was pretty self-explanatory, but what did the "0" mean? And apparently, I was a level 0 human. Beyond that, it seemed I had neither a class nor a profession. While I could argue that I was upper-middle class with my profession being a financial consultant, I doubted that was what the system meant by those two categories.
There were no titles either, and health and mana were at 90 and 80, which led me to assume they were based on one of my stats, multiplied by a factor of 10. Vitality, being the only stat at 9, made me conclude it was the determining factor for health. Mana was a bit trickier, sitting at 80, with Wisdom and Intelligence both at 8—one of those two was likely the determining factor. Stamina was at 70, which, following my earlier deduction, meant it was tied to Strength or Endurance, with Endurance being my bet.
I tried focusing on different elements of the screen, apparently without much success. It simply informed me that Strength meant strength and that Class meant class… However, when I attempted to focus on my race, it yielded a result:
Human (0) – The lowest level of humans in the system. This type is found only in newly initiated worlds. The human race is known as one of the most balanced and numerous among the myriad races of the Lovecraft realm, capable of treading many different paths on their way to power.
Stat bonuses per level: +1 to all stats, +1 free point.
So that clarified a bit. Humans were the baseline race, with no apparent advantages or disadvantages except for being adaptable. That "level 0" implied that I hadn't progressed in this system yet. If this were a dream, it was oddly detailed—perhaps more than my subconscious typically managed.
Thanks for calling me the lowest level of human, I guess? I thought. The description kind of confirmed that there were other races out there, and also that more humans were in what that thing called the realm of Lovecraft.
I fiddled with the menu a bit more, trying almost everything I could before glancing back at the strange, humanoid-like entity.
"Hey, can I ask about the different stats on the status screen and their effects? Like, which stats are linked to health points, or if there's any connection?" I asked.
"No. It tells you what you need to know for now," it responded, still as monotone as ever.
"Can I ask how I get a class and profession? It mentions a level here—how do I level up? What does the '0' after my race mean? Also, why am I here in the first place? Where did the others go?" I asked, sounding a bit authoritative. Not that I blamed myself, this situation was undoubtedly the strangest thing I had ever experienced.
"Your class is chosen upon entering the tutorial. This class will be the starting point of your journey and will help guide your path. A profession becomes available by performing tasks related to that profession, whether through a long period of time or by excelling at such tasks. Classes focus on the pursuit of strength, while professions are paths of creativity, rarely offering direct increases in strength. You level up through a wide variety of actions."
"The '0' after your race indicates the current classification of your race. You are here because you entered the introduction. By 'others,' I will assume you mean other Earthlings, and those other Earthlings are also now in their respective introductions," it explained concisely, without offering many details, but at least it gave me a much clearer idea of what was happening. It was especially reassuring to know that my colleagues were likely doing okay and probably in a similar situation to mine.
"Now, let's go to the classes," the entity said, even though I hadn't asked.
Before I could open my mouth, I was interrupted by a screen that appeared before me, displaying a wall of text. I quickly composed myself and started going through the classes one by one:
Shadow Rogue – Basic starting class. A master of stealth and quick attacks, the Shadow Rogue combines agility and precision to strike deadly blows before even being detected. Focused on evasion, stealth movements, and refined combat techniques, it sacrifices raw strength and endurance in exchange for speed and dexterity. Primarily equipped with rapiers, daggers, small axes, and throwing weapons, this shadowy warrior excels in ambushes and infiltration missions.
Stat bonuses: +2 Agi (Agility), +1 End (Endurance), +1 Str (Strength), +1 Vit (Vitality), +1 free point.
The first class seemed to be a rogue. It mentioned daggers and throwing weapons. That intrigued me a bit, although I was quite reluctant to be the guy fighting up close and personal. I chose archery, not fencing, after all.
Warfare Arcanist – Basic starting class. The Warfare Arcanist is a magical warrior who balances mastery in combat and the use of magic, creating a versatile approach to battle. Combining physical strength and arcane power, it casts spells to enhance attacks, protect itself, or deliver devastating blows. This mid-tier combatant has a balance of speed, power, and endurance, surpassing light warriors in survival and heavy warriors in mobility. Capable of wielding a wide range of weapons, both heavy and light, as well as using arcane focuses and grimoires to channel magic.
Stat bonuses per level: +1 Agi (Agility), +1 End (Endurance), +1 Vit (Vitality), +1 Str (Strength), +1 Int (Intelligence), +1 free point.
The second class seemed like a choice someone would make if they wanted to be a warrior but had no idea which direction to specialize in. Although, it might provide some versatility.
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