Chapter 7
The battle between Gareth and Serik grew fiercer.
Flashes of light from every swing, step, and clashing blade scattered into the air, forming a rhythmic pulse sharp enough to sting the ears of anyone watching.
The two swordsmen moved so quickly that their afterimages seemed to lag a step behind their real bodies.
At the same time, Saelran's attribute panel flickered endlessly.
New notifications popped up each time his eyes caught another technique used by the two combatants.
『Skill 'Weakness Perception' detected, requires basic rogue class, current conditions not met—』
『Class 'Genius' activated. Conversion successful. Learning conditions met. Consume 1 skill point to learn』
『Skill 'Instant Reflection' detected, requires basic warrior class, current conditions not met—"』
『Class 'Genius' activated. Conversion successful. Learning conditions met. Consume 1 skill point to learn?』
...
『Skill 'Ability Upgrade' detected, requires basic hunter class, current conditions not met—』
『Class 'Genius' activated. Conversion successful. Learning conditions met. Consume 1 skill point to learn?』
Bang! Bang!
Loud impacts echoed like miniature thunder trapped inside the arena. Each strike made the front-row spectators straighten up instinctively.
"Amazing!"
"So strong! No wonder he defeated all his opponents!"
"That Gareth guy… he's a monster!"
"I can't even see their slashes anymore, they're all blending together!"
The stands, once filled with chaotic noise, now trembled with excitement. Cheers, shouts, and frantic murmurs merged into a storm of sound.
But Saelran no longer paid attention to the commotion. His gaze was fixed on the attribute panel that kept offering new possibilities.
"Learning skills just by watching them… and converting them with skill points…" he muttered, barely believing it. "This is way better than I expected."
He had always assumed he would have to train from zero like the locals in this world—learning skills manually.
What made him even more excited was the realization that the "Genius" class was far more powerful than he had ever imagined. Of all the systems in Oblivion Gate, this was the last thing he expected to appear in an even stronger form.
He looked at the skill list that had appeared and began weighing his options. With only three skill points, every choice mattered.
Then a new prompt appeared.
"Skill 'Rapid Slash' detected, requires intermediate class 'Sword Saint', current conditions not met—"
"Prerequisite class 'Genius (Warrior)' detected. Consume 3 skill points to learn?"
Saelran's eyebrows lifted slightly.
The intermediate class Sword Saint? This skill clearly came from Serik, who at that moment had Gareth completely pressured.
If he remembered correctly, Serik indeed possessed three classes: Warrior (Basic), Hunter (Basic), Swordsmanship (Intermediate), and Sword Saint (Intermediate). The prompt was clearly triggered by Serik's presence.
But instead of thinking about the Sword Saint class itself, Saelran recalled something he previously overlooked.
In Oblivion Gate, players had to obtain a class first before they could learn the class' skills. But here, the concept was completely reversed.
To obtain a class, Saelran had to learn the relevant skills first!
Saelran still didn't know whether there were limits or requirements to obtain a class using this method. But chances were high that there weren't.
Why?
Because there was a character from the S‑rank adventurer team who possessed the "Ninja" class—yet in the game, players needed level 60 to unlock that class!
Saelran used to think this was a plothole in the class system, or that the developers intentionally tortured players by adding a level requirement.
But now it seemed there was a reasonable explanation for it—just like how Eidar possessed a general Alchemist class simply because of his daily job. Here, you only needed to learn the skill of a class to gain that class!
After all, the game never explained how low‑level NPCs could obtain classes with level‑gated requirements.
So Saelran's theory was likely correct.
If so… If he learned "Rapid Slash," could he indirectly obtain the intermediate class Sword Saint?
If true, that meant Saelran had discovered a method of class acquisition far more flexible than anything he knew.
And that opened up incredible possibilities.
By obtaining classes through skills, he could shape his own progression path. For intermediate classes, this was already a huge advantage. But for high‑tier classes? The benefits were immeasurable.
But what about special classes?
The question tugged at the back of his mind.
Special classes were not only rare—they were difficult to obtain. Their classification differed from basic, intermediate, and even Advance classes. In Oblivion Gate, every special class had complex prerequisites that were nearly impossible to bypass. Even level‑100 players were usually able to unlock only one.
This showed how severe the requirements were!
But if Saelran remembered correctly, there was one NPC in the game who obtained a special class by bypassing part of the requirements.
"Ah!!"
"Go, Gareth!"
"Don't give up!"
The shouting dragged Saelran's focus back to the arena.
Under Serik's relentless assault, Gareth seemed to be losing control. His steps retreated again and again, his posture wavering.
Saelran held his breath. "Is this… the original outcome?"
Gareth's step faltered. A small opening appeared. Serik leapt forward, ready to end the duel.
But—
In a moment so fast it defied comprehension, Serik suddenly froze in place. His body stiffened for an instant, then was sent flying backward, crashing onto the arena floor like a puppet with its strings cut.
Silence swallowed the arena.
Even Saelran barely caught what happened.
But his attribute panel saw it for him.
『Skill detected: 'Light Consecutive Slash,' requires warrior type class, current conditions not met—』
『Class 'Genius' activated. Conversion successful. Learning conditions met. Consume 1 skill point to learn?』
Saelran blinked. He knew that technique.
In the history of the Royal Tournament, Gareth's victory was decided by his self‑created finishing move: "Light Consecutive Slash."
Wuusss—
Then cheers erupted. Applause thundered. Gareth's name echoed across the entire arena like a chant voiced by thousands at once.
"GARETH!"
"GARETH!"
"GARETH!"
Saelran stared at the crowd with mixed feelings, then returned his focus to the attribute panel.
He took a breath and thought:
"Learn 'Rapid Slash.'"
He wanted to test his hypothesis. If he could truly obtain a class through skills, then his path in this world would open wide.
Besides, the Genius class didn't grant any attribute bonus. To survive, he needed a real combat class as soon as possible.
And with the flexibility the Genius class provided, even taking risks with intermediate classes felt reasonable.