Vol. 5 Chapter 3- Revealed Class Part 1

Inside the guild house, glamorous and spacious, called the Alpha Heart, Kudo was in disarray as he just found out that he would be a part of the most powerful guild in all of Roprase.

Hikari held his shoulders, wielding a grand smile which sparked a crooked grin on his face.

“Mother… how did I join up in the first place?!”

His face contorted into shock, eyes widening, as he looked back at her. Hikari, in response, laughed heartily.

‘Why, it’s obvious that my son will be joining my guild!”

Kudo gaped far and wide, his face whitening up like a ghost.

The other guild members see this event transpire, and in response, they unified together and shouted ‘OOOOHHH!!!’ in a merry uproar, standing from their seats in pure elation.

The members surrounded Kudo like a pack of wolves, asking all kinds of questions that seemed to fly out at him like a volley.

“Where was he all this time?!”

“He was in this place called Peranim.”

“Is he really your son?!”

“That’s right.”

“It’s obvious, you dumbass! Just look at his hair and eyes!”

“I’m waiting for more proof later on, but that’s pretty much the case.”

Kudo felt overwhelmed by their intense friendliness at the first meeting. In his stead, his mother, Hikari, answered for him.

He wanted to turn back and asked her about the proof she was talking about, but he was bombarded by more questions from the other members.

“Wow, Dale, look! He looks so cute! How old are you?”

The one who asked was a young looking girl who was actually part of the fairy race. Wings affixed to her back that glittered in small sparkles.

“Yeah, he sure does, Kris. Hey, you, what level you are? You’re an adventurer, right?”

The man who responded to the fairy girl called Kris was part of a dragon race, a race called Dragmer who had an appearance of a human partly covered in hunter green scales on the sides of his face, forehead, and muscled forearms.

He felt the pressure of their overwhelming confidence to strike up a conversation, causing Kudo to react by stepping back. However, he felt that a sturdy wall impeded his path which made Kudo look back to see Hikari forming a grin on her regal expression.

“Ooh! So this is Master’s mysterious son?! No way!”

A high booming voice pierced his eardrums. When he looked at the source, he became smothered by someone’s bombshells.

Standing at an incredible 2 meters tall, this woman was basically a mountain in all regions, if it wasn’t for the baggy white button shirt that barely covered the massive proportions of her chest. Thanks to the apron casually worn on her, Kudo was saved from nearly fainting. Her pants, black and equally baggy, swished as she hugged Kudo tightly whose hands were covered by thick brown gloves. A red bandana with the marking of the guild crest on it covered her forehead, the ends of it swaying about as she was about to devour Kudo with her body.

—*Fuun!* Kudo’s face pressed against her glorious mountains, disabling his throat from breathing. He would usually be keen on receiving such warm softness against him, but his life was nearly on the line as the woman in apron squeezed him harder, squishing his windpipes.

“You’re so small! As I expect’d of her kid—so tiny and squishable!”

Thanks to the experience from yesterday, her endearing comments on his body size drained whatever was left of Kudo’s manhood and dignity.

His body blanking out, the woman released her grip, giving him air to breathe as she introduced herself.

“Da name’s Paragon Smithers—but you can call me ‘Par’! It’s pretty mouthful, and I like the simplicity~”

Giving her name, she flashed a smile, her blue oval-shaped eyes went along nicely with her long wild-looking blond hair which emphasized her heart-shaped tanned face all the more.

“I-It’s good to meet you…”

It was too much for Kudo’s brain to fully rationalize, but without warning, Hikari pushed Kudo through the crowd, making him go through them and headed towards the counter on the left side of the guild hall.

The counter itself was quite well-decorated—small pillars made out of pure brown marble supported the roof over the glossy-exterior counter. Kudo felt hesitant even stepping towards the regal-appearance of the counter where behind it was another maid wearing the same uniform as the ones in the mansion.

This time, it was a dwarf girl. Unlike male dwarfs, who always showed an image of rugged old men with their thick beards, dwarven women were smaller compared to even short-sized Human girls. Their frames were slender, like a young child, though their real age sometimes betrays such youthfulness.

This dwarven woman, specifically, had short hazel-colored hair with a slight curl at the end, wearing colorful ribbons that tied the hair that frames her face while adorning her classic maid headdress. A beautifully woven smile appeared on her face, responded to the young future member.

“Welcome to the Alpha Heart! My name’s Liria. Is there anything I can do for you?”

The springiness in her voice and a beaming smile on her face made Kudo fumble in his mind, his jaw left hanging up and down like a fish.
“Liria,” Hikari answered for him once again. “Kudo’s gonna join the guild. Give him some papers and then mark him.”

“Certainly, Master! Please wait just a moment!”

Liria exclaimed joyfully as she left her counter to go to the back, but the words spoken by Hikari left Kudo in a daze before he asked:

“M-Mark?” Kudo asked, blinking his eyes.

However, it was left unanswered as Liria have already came back from the door opened by her at the back revealing her carrying a stack of papers on her thin arms, seemingly looking weak, but proved that she was a dwarf by heart as she carries it with no issue at all. She put them down on the counter, causing a small thud which made Kudo flinch in response.

“Master Kudo, all you need to do is sign a few papers here and we’ll get right to the marking!”

From Liria’s instructions by the glinting look in her eyes, Kudo’s mouth ran dry at the amount of papers which would usually break his upright stance. However, as he looked back at his mother, her eyes glittering at the exciting signing, Kudo knew that he had no choice but to assent his situation.

Thus Kudo began signing the papers. Reeling in his embarrassment in showing his messy handwriting to the giggling dwarf girl who seemed to enjoy watching him write, Kudo decided to ask Hikari to pass the time.

“Mother, what exactly… is the Alpha Heart?”

He asked as he might as well, since he would be joining in anyways. He heard about their exploits, but Kudo does not know exactly what they are, or what they stand for. Hearing it, Hikari flashed a gentle smile that seemed to know exactly what he needed to hear.

“Alpha Heart is a collection of adventurers far and wide who come together to be part of a big family,” Hikari said as she looked back at the members who were chattering excitedly over the new member. “Like the name implies, everyone here is an alpha—there are no betas or omegas. Each one here is a leader in their own right, and sees each other as equals, no seniors or juniors. Though, there’s nothing wrong in asking for advice from a seasoned adventurer~”

Hikari turned back and winked at the end, leaving Kudo to feel his face grow hot as he knew that she was talking about him.

“However,” Hikari looked back at him. “There is only one prerequisite for joining—and that is to have a Special Class, a rarity among adventurers.”
“Special Class…?”

In response to that, Kudo took a moment to look at his front right hand. On it, there was his mark of his own class, and a Special Class at that. However, unlike most, it was unnoticeable ever since he started on his journey. Not once has he ever made sense of what it could mean.
“Kudo, that mark of yours…”

Hikari eyed at his mark from above him, a widened look in her eyes. Kudo then realized that his Class had something to do with his original family, and right next to him is his biological mother.

Questions started to form in his mind. Dozens of them, actually. They began to surge the moment he connected the two together. After finally finishing his last document to write, Kudo turned to ask his all-important question.

“Mother, umm… the thing is…!”

But before he could, his left hand was grabbed by Liria, and—*Thud!*—his front hand was pounded by something hard held by Liria’s dwarven strength.

“Gih!”

Kudo winced sharply as he retracted his hand, seeing the supposed damage she has caused to his hand. To his surprise, there was no wound at all, but instead, a new mark was placed on his skin.

It was the Alpha Heart guild’s emblem, the one from the front of the guild hall, that showed a heart with fully-stretched wings.

“Finally! This is what I’ve been waiting for!”

Hikari suddenly hugged Kudo from behind, ignoring his personal space while also being crushed by her joyful strength. The other members who heard her mighty cry cheered in response.

As soon as he was let go from Hikari’s grip, before he could heave out a sigh, he heard footsteps coming towards him, making him react by turning to him and noticing the presence.

It was a beastman—a catman, so to speak from his brown, furry ears flopping up and down, and his bushy tail swinging left and right, but not because of excitement.

As the beastman wore a sleeveless brown shirt and black pants that showed his skinny body, he also wore a scowl on his face, his bright yellow eyes looking down on the young teenager.

“So this is the fabled Master’s son, eh?”

The man told in a slightly gruff voice, lowering himself face to face against Kudo.

“He doesn’t look all that impressive.”

He finished his remark on the boy’s features.

Kudo felt his glowering eyes piercing through whatever confidence he had left in him. His knee’s started to shake, nearly about to buckle as he felt his demanding aura surging from him.

“Back off, Fitty,” Hikari warned. “He’s nervous enough as it is.”

“Hey! My name’s Fitarous! Just cuz’ Fitty rhymes with kitty doesn’t mean you can use that on me!”

The catman, Fitty, snapped back at his guild master, his scowl shifting to annoyance. It became even worse for Kudo as he snapped back even to the master.

“Hey, Fitty, you better do as Master says…” Par commented, putting her hand up to him to stop him from further agitating Hikari.

“Hey, I need to take a better look, can’t I? It only makes sense as a member of the Alpha Heart!”

Fitty put his hands into his pockets as he made his remark, getting Par’s sweat to trickle down her temple as a wry smile was left on her face.

As Kudo was nearing to lose his standing, Fitty turned back to Kudo and started to glower at him even harsher.

“Come on! Why don’t you answer?!” Fitty shouted, his eyes narrowing into a dirty glare.

Kudo’s face turned blue as he felt all his courage being drained away in an instant, and then—

“Aaaaah!”

It broke Kudo’s final straw.

“Kudo!”

Fallen into a pit of fright, Kudo turned tail and ran for the doorway. Hikari called him out while stretching out her hand to stop him, but he was already far enough to go through the doors in a hurry.

The rest of the members were left stunned by this event. Especially Fitty who remained gaping at his reaction.

“I-I didn’t think he would get that scared…”

He uttered, left agape at the sight. But then, his ears and tail suddenly stood up straight, his back stiffening as he felt a chilling presence behind him. He slowly turned around, and saw the very master that he retorted back.

Her brows furrowed, and the aura she emitted from her presence blew up into a rage of maternal fury. Her jade eyes let off a stream of light as she turned to Fitty.

“Ah… that’s what you get, Fitty.” Par shook her head in disappointment, a sigh escaping her lips.

“Fitty…didn’t I say that he was nervous?!”

Faster than the speed of sound, Hikari grabbed Fitty’s waist, and with her vast strength, flung him upwards, straight to the ceiling.

“Gaaaaah—Phh!”

He screamed like a poor animal before his head crashed through the stone ceiling of the Guildhall. His body now had an appearance of an ornament which left every member to sweat and somewhat admire at the new scenery.

●

Kudo ran out with all his might, getting away from the guild hall as far as humanly possible. He stepped out into the streets of Triun, away from the district altogether which left him ragged and breathing haggardly.

“Hah…” (I don’t think that was a good way to introduce myself…)

His face felt heated as he just made an embarrassing escape which would haunt him forever, realizing how mean it was to leave everyone like that.

He wasn’t a child. He knew that they were being friendly. Even if that catman was being mean, it wasn’t mature of him to act in such a way. But everything seemed like it was moving too fast—mostly because he has joined up a ridiculously strong guild without any merit.

(Now I’m a part of them… it just feels way too unreal…)

He glanced at his hand, his new guild mark brandishing itself like a still flag. It was the same marking as his own Class mark on his other hand, so it couldn’t be taken off even if he wanted to.

Knowing no other choice, he opened up his Magic Bag and took out a single piece of a black finger-less glove. He wanted to cover it up as much as possible to not show off to other people.

His mark hidden away, he looked up to see the wide and broad city for himself.

(Since I’m here anyway, might as well go ahead and explore.)

Kudo decided to let free his childish side once again as he moved his feet forward to the inner city.

●

Finally free from his overbearing mother, Kudo roamed the city of Triun, seeing the sights for himself and not from inside the Ame. Thanks to that, it was as if the city has expanded to massive heights, leaving Kudo’s breath to be taken away as he looked up at one of the most towering buildings he has ever seen, made out of stone and steel covered by glass windows. The very air he breathed felt so stuffy and cramped from the bulk of citizens and adventurers alike walking through the busy streets.

Compared to his experience in Vipory and even Olinia, there was a large gap. Those two cannot even come close to winning against Triun in sheer size.

He kept moving around, noticing each area as he stepped onto the clean sidewalk. Near the sidewalk was the so-called street that vehicles ride in. Different varieties of Ames drove on the wide street with one going on the one side while the other drove past it on the other side. He discovered that there were devices on the side of steel poles that were shining different colors at timed intervals and the Ame following it according to the colors.

He learned that the red color stops the Ame, and the green color gets them to move. He took this chance to get to the other side of the street following along some citizens who had the same idea. The more he looked, the more excited his heart was as it kept beating at a rapid pace.

Usually, this would be the exciting part in Kudo’s career as an adventurer—to explore different cities and learning their culture. However, nesting inside the back of his mind was a small fear. He was someplace so massive that he feared that he could get lost and never be found.

It made him stop walking, standing aside the sidewalk to let the other people go through. He tugged his collar, and grabbed the pendant hanging around his neck with his hand. He clutched the dazzling ruby pendant tightly, and began to whisper to it.

“Hinota, I’m in a really big place… it’s starting to feel a little scary.”

He knew that he wasn’t speaking to her directly, but doing so helped him calm his beating heart and racing mind—and it did.

After seeing his surroundings, his fear and his excitement converged together into a fueling spirit in his eyes. Becoming passionate, he spoke to it:

“Hinota, I’ll keep my promise on becoming stronger.”

He knew that the only way to survive in this big world is to learn their ways and grow stronger, and more importantly, move forward.

If there’s one thing adventurers frequently visit, it is the marketplace. Though he had no idea what it could be called in this strange city, he began to search around for it.

After various struggles, he managed to find somebody capable of giving him directions. It just so happens that the person is dressed like a Knight.

Despite the modern feel of the city, there were still Knights adorned with heavy armor, bearing the mark of the city on their right side of the chest armor and on their left arm. Though, unlike the usual, there were neon lights shining blue on the joints of the armor.

Bringing his courage on point, Kudo moved towards him and he asked him with surging confidence:

“Excuse me, can you point me to where the marketplace is?”

Grabbing his attention, the Knight looked to see Kudo, but then notices his appearance. Behind the slits of his helmet, he looked up to down, and then up again on Kudo’s body, finally noticing the essential item for Adventurers, his Magic Bag holstered on his hip.

—*Keh* the Knight made a slight scoff which caught Kudo’s attention.
He pointed at one side with his thumb, “Over at the west district—you can see banners and stores over there just a few turns to the left. You can’t POSSIBLY miss it.”

The Knight added in a bit of sarcasm in the end. Kudo definitely felt his hostility flowing from his tone.

“T-Thank you.”

Kudo bowed in respect and then left to the direction where the Knight pointed at, but not before catching another hiss of hostility from the Knight.

“Tch, damn adventurers.”

Kudo could hear those venomous words clear as day with his high hearing, but he didn’t feel good doing so.

(I guess Knights really doesn’t like adventurers here…)

He thought as he considered not bothering more Knights in the future.

●

Thanks to the mean Knight’s instructions, he found the location without a hitch.

He was met with an expansion of people that seemed to flood the entire marketplace to the brim. Hardly any Ames drove by as several citizens crossed the street many times, so it would be difficult for an Ame driver to go through.

Seeing this for himself, he realizes the differences in their cultures. Rather than being in stalls, they were inside their own buildings, and each building seemed to have a glass showcasing their products, such as fashionable clothing and jewelry.

However, as he kept walking, he was soon met with a location that speaks directly to him.

This section of the marketplace was designed on the idea for adventurers to come in. Instead of citizens, it was adventurers clad in their armors and robes that flooded the streets, chattering up a storm with voices that kept overlapping with each other in Kudo’s ears.

He kept walking on the right sidewalk, eyeing at the stores to see check the current market in Triun. As an adventurer, he needed to know the correct pricing in this large country, otherwise he would have a difficult time in his career.

Finally, he sees a store that is by far the most essential for any adventurer. However, it adopted a strange name called a ‘pharmacy’.

Bewildered at such a name, he enters into the slightly plain looking building, but was caught by surprise at the amount of product that were on the shelves ready to be taken and bought. The yellow-colored walls and the clean gray floor made it somewhat pleasing to the eye as he went up to the counter, bypassing the shelves while gripping onto his pendant for a confidence boost.

He marched towards it, seeing the Human male behind the counter looking dreadfully bored with his chin resting on the butt of his hand. His lazy-looking eyes teared up as he made a small yawn.

“Umm… can you tell me what you sell here?”

Kudo slowly asked, making the bored pharmacist look up with a raised brow.

“You can tell that we sell top of the line medicine and potions here, crafted by our great alchemists.”

Kudo figured that they would be selling potions here from looking at the various bottles put up behind the glass. However, the somewhat unenthusiastically sudden praise for his alchemists made Kudo interested.

“Then, how much are the Crimson Potions here?”

“That?” The pharmacist asked in surprise. “Crimson Potions are about… 250 jib, I believe.”

“Just 250 jib?!”

Kudo’s sudden shout made the pharmacist step back in shock, making his body alert now.

(That’s so cheap! A Crimson Potion in Peranim is about 3000 jib! How can they sell such powerful potions so cheaply?!)

“Unless…”

As Kudo thought, an idea formed in his mind as he mumbled, getting the pharmacist’s attention as he asked:

“What’s the most expensive potion you have?”

This cause the pharmacist to raise his brow once more.

“W-Well, our most popular product right now is the ‘Elixir Drop’. That single potion alone recovers your Health, Mana, and Stamina. It also acts as a total cure-all for any status ailments.”

The words passed through Kudo, leaving him flabbergasted, his jaw dropping in a daze.

“A-And how much do they cost…?” Kudo feared at the possible price.

“A single potion costs 250,000 jib.”

His heart nearly stopped beating. He felt the room spinning in his head as he grabbed hold of the counter before falling off in complete shock. Rather than surprised, the pharmacist expected this kind of reaction with a simple nod.

(That’s enough to get a well-crafted AND enchanted cuirass armor!)

Kudo remembers Hinota and himself selling this type of equipment at such a price. However, Kudo believed that it was too much for the people, and it was at some point.

However, that was for equipment. This was a potion, and it’s only usable once—a consumable. He would be broke before he even gets up the next quest rank if he buys those instead.

But then he realized the effects of the potion, seeing the advantages of having a potion that heals so much by itself.

(That’s why it’s so expensive. It can even heal ailments… but what’s this about Stamina? It also increases your physical energy? But still, it’s so expensive…)

Kudo, mustering all his strength into his arms, picked himself up onto the counter, his chin on his arms as he met the pharmacist face to face.
“Umm… can you tell me more about your products?”

Kudo hoped that his mind can handle such absurdities.

●

Kudo went on a streak of visiting the stores in the adventurer’s marketplace to learn more about the new prices in Triun. However, he was shocked and appalled by the fact that the highest level consumables and equipment in Peranim completely pales in comparison to even the common quality of Triun’s products.

He learned that there were different kinds of potions other than for Health and Mana that fixes up several issues, including the same medicine that Hikari used on him for his burning scar.

What’s more, the equipment in the armor stores for adventurers he visited were not only high quality, they were also enchanted which boosted the price even further. Hinota was not the only one who took up the Enchanting skill.

He also learned that there were stores called Material stores that sells exactly that—materials. They were the loot that monsters drop when adventurer kills them. As a crafter, he took an interest in it, and was surprised that the materials weren’t as high ranking as the other products sold here. When he asked, he realized that the material stores were more or less used for beginning crafters who started on raising their Crafting skills.

(Why can’t they just hunt the monsters themselves? What’s the point of buying materials if you can’t gain experience on top of that?)

Kudo felt that they were missing their chances to gain extra stat points and level their skills.

On another note, he learned that their main source of electrical energy came from the mana crystals. Since mana crystals constantly let out mana naturally, the people of Roprase use them in their everyday lives, such as a stove for heating things up, and even the baths that Kudo used last night.

He enjoyed learning this fact from the old man selling snacks called hot dogs, hot sausages boiled in his own portable stove wrapped in a bread bun, which Kudo took the chance to partake in one himself.

(It’s so good!) Kudo thought in pure bliss.

After taking a small snack break, walking along the sidewalk of the busy street of the marketplace—

“—Kudo!”

He hears a powerful voice from behind him, turning him around to see his mother running towards him. He saw the slight desperation in her eyes, her ragged breathing and sweating face as she finally caught up to him, looking quite anxious.

“Don’t run off like that!” Hikari admonished him. “This city’s humongous—you could have gotten lost or worse!”

She grabbed Kudo’s shoulders, slightly shaking them a bit which got Kudo surprised.

She didn’t exaggerate. From Kudo’s experience, this city was quite huge. Even the marketplace was too big for him to comprehend as he didn’t even get to explore it all after so much time passed.

Seeing her nervous look on her face, Kudo could tell that she was worried for him. He began to feel remorseful as he didn’t think of his benefactor’s feelings.

“I-I’m sorry…”

He apologized. Hikari noticed his sincerity in his words as she responded with a smile:

“It’s okay. I knew that you were going to be around here as an adventurer. Looks like my blood truly run in your veins.”

Hikari said as she smiled, showing her inner happiness of having similar tastes.

“But you know,” She continued with a frown. “I can’t relax if you’re out here without a phone on you.”

“A phone?”

After seeing a practical question mark over his head in her eyes, Hikari’s frown turned upside down as she got excited to explain.

“Inventory!”

Suddenly—*Bleep!*—a screen similar to the status menu opened up, shocking Kudo as those aren’t the words used to open up the status menu or the skills menu. His breath was taken aay in wonder after seeing the slightly light-blue colored screen in front of him.

Then, suddenly, she put her hand into the screen, disappearing into it. Kudo was left gaping as Hikari pulled her hand out, and, just like a Magic Bag, items came out.

What she took out was what looks like a Magic Bag, only slightly bigger and had an extraordinary black design, an identical version of the Magic Bag holstered to her curvy hips, and a similar looking object.

It was a small, black-colored device, covered with a plastic case. The front showed a similar screen like the television, only the size of the small device itself. It was the very same device Kasara showed before yesterday.

Kudo’s eyes began to glint as Hikari hands over the two items to Kudo, getting him to grab them.

“This one is called a Mana Phone,” She points at the black device. “It uses the mana ley lines in the air like the Avian, using it to send signals to other phones and different types of devices. It can even look up online for information.”

Kudo tilted his head when she said the strange word ‘online’, but he puts it aside for now. Hikari then said ‘Swipe the screen with your finger’, confusing Kudo, but did as she told, swiping the screen upwards.
The screen suddenly lit up, showing an image of the Alpha Heart crest, and several icons which rattled Kudo’s mind.

“W-What can I do with this?”

“You can call anyone from a long distance,” Hikari explained. “You can even receive electronic mails called texts, which is like receiving a letter in your phone.”

Kudo caught his breath when he heard that he can receive letters on his phone. Does that mean that there’s no point in handwritten letters anymore in this country? He couldn’t believe it.

“Look in the contacts menu—you’ll find my private number.”

Hikari pointed at the icon that had looked like a tiny person, getting Kudo to press it like he would to his status menu. The screen then changed to that of a list of names and numbers.

“W-What are these other contacts?” Kudo asked as he searched.

“These are the other guild members’ contacts. Every phone from the Alpha Heart has each other’s contact information because we’re all a family and we look out for one another.”

Hearing such a passionate and seemingly obvious response, Kudo reconsidered his view about the guild at first. Turns out that they really were like a family.

However, he doesn’t believe that he belonged in that family.

As he searched on, he finally sees the private number as dictated by Hikari. But he saw that instead of her name, her contact name was called ‘Mommy’.

Kudo felt his soul cringing when he saw that, his face contorting into shame.

“Anytime you want to call me, I’ll always be ready to take it!”

Hikari, however, didn’t notice his embarrassed state, forming a glinting smile which got Kudo to smile wryly with a twitch in the corner.

“Okay…” He managed to say. “But what’s this?”

Forgetting his awkwardness, Kudo pointed out the other item, the bag similar to Hikari’s.

“I know that you have your own Magic Bag, but it’s severely inferior to the one in your hand,” Hikari pointed at the bag. “This is called the Magic Bag X—it’s an improved version of the one you’re using. The inventory slots have increased to become nearly infinite, and what’s more, sorting your inventory out has become even easier as it comes with its own screen similar to the Status Menu.”

Hikari now pointed at the gem embedded at the center of the bag. When he saw it, he recalls inputting his ownership to his own bag using this gem, looking up to Hikari as she nodded, making him right.

Since it was a gift, Kudo outstretched his index finger, and pressed the gem. Pouring in his mana into it, the gem glowed the same bluish glow that he saw before, making the Magic Bag his own.

Then—*Bleep!*—the same screen from before showed up in front of him. Kudo shrank back in surprise as he sees the so-called inventory screen for himself. It showed numerous square slots which he believes where his items would end up in.

“Kudo,” Hikari spoke gently. “Put your phone into the screen.”

Hearing her order, Kudo did so while tilting his head in confusion. He moves his new phone towards the screen. The phone started to submerge itself into the screen, completely disappearing into it as Kudo widened his eyes from the experience. Taking his hand out, the phone disappeared, but then he notices that one of the slots was filled up, showing a small picture of the phone that used to be in his hand.

He pressed the slot where the phone was, causing that image to enlarge itself. Seeing Hikari nodding her head, Kudo moved his hand towards the picture, and just like before, his hand entered into the picture, similar to the experience of using his old magic bag. He grabs the object within it, and pulled it out, revealing to be the very phone he just placed inside.

“Whoa! That’s amazing!”

He exclaimed in glee, getting Hikari to give a chuckle as she explained further:

“Now you can sort out your inventory and quickly find the item you’re looking for. You can also make different ‘tabs’ in your bag, putting for example dropped items in one tab, and equipment on a different tab. It even shows you exactly how much jib you have on the left side of the screen.”

“Whoa, you’re right1 I see the jib number!”

Kudo shouted as he sees the bar that showed the jib sign, and the number beside it that said only ‘0’ as it was still empty.

As he was filled with excitement over this incredible inventory bag, he felt the heavy stares coming from different sides all at once. He spoted flashes of light coming from their own phones directed at them as their whispers were getting loud in his ears.

“It’s Hikari Valkyria!”

“She’s really here!”

“I can’t believe she’s here in this kind of place!”

Kudo now realized just how popular she was in this city. Several citizens and adventurers alike started to gather around them like moths to a flame, making their remarks and kept making their phones flashing at them. This sudden attention and the bright white flashes caused Kudo to shrink away, his heart beating restlessly.

“Kudo, we should leave,” Hikari whispered. “I don’t think things will get easier for us if we stay here.”

Hikari smiles warmly at him as she grabs Kudo’s hand like a child, getting his face to heat up as Hikari led Kudo away from their spot, the citizens no longer caring about their behavior as they keep flashing with their phones at them.

As she briskly walked along with Kudo, who has been trying to pretend that he’s invisible, Hikari looked back at him with her usual smile.

“Kudo, remember what I said about your class?”

She caught Kudo’s attention, getting him to look up at her in surprise. Wrinkling her brow, Hikari showed a determined look.

“It’s time for you to realize your true Class.”