Lord Of The Lost

The sun had just dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the quiet landscape as William prepared to return to the world of 'Elder's Realm'.

It was time for a change.

William's body still ached from the grueling battle. Every movement felt like his bones were being crushed under the weight of a mountain. The aftermath of the last encounter was harsh, he'd been battered and barely managed to escape with his life. But now, in the quiet solitude of his room, he had the luxury of recovering before diving back into the game.

First, he reached into his inventory and pulled out a small vial labeled '[Healing Ointment]'. The moment the viscous liquid touched his skin, a soothing warmth spread through his muscles. It wasn't a cure-all, but the difference was immediate. The searing pain that had gripped his body like iron claws began to recede. His injuries weren't healed entirely, but the worst of the agony was gone.

Next, William downed an 'Energy Potion', feeling the familiar rush of strength surge through him. His body tingled with the effects as his stamina replenished. He'd been in far worse shape before, but this felt like the right moment to make sure everything was in peak condition before heading back into the fray.

After a deep breath, he nodded to himself. 'Alright, I'm ready.'

With the preparations out of the way, William opened the game portal and logged back into 'Elder's Realm'. The familiar weight of his avatar settled over him as the interface flashed to life. His first destination? The Misty Forest. It was time to change his job and take the next step in his journey.

But before he set out, William checked the forums. His eyes immediately went to the top post.

The title read: '"A Victory Against the Thieves – A New Dawn!"'

The forum was abuzz with excited chatter about the recent large-scale team battle, where players from all across the realm had come together to take on a band of ruthless thieves. Though the battle had been costly, with many players falling in the heat of the fight; the victory was worth it.

The mood was celebratory, and yet, tinged with a sense of loss. Many players lamented that the battle, while a triumph, hadn't gone exactly as planned. Some had hoped to achieve more. For example, the objective of eliminating the leader of the thieves, an extraordinary thief named Larry King, had not been completed. William quickly read through the comments, picking up on the key details.

Apparently, Larry King, a level 8 thief, had been killed during the battle. However, the mysterious figure who had struck him down was a name many of the forum-goers hadn't heard of before: 'Metatron'.

As he read through the comments, William couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. Although not everyone was familiar with Metatron, there was clearly an aura of respect around the name. The world of 'Elder's Realm' was filled with hidden talents, after all. It wasn't uncommon for players to surprise others with feats of strength or skill that no one had seen coming.

What caught his attention more than anything, though, was the ongoing discussion about the Forum Master. The players were talking feverishly about the recent battle's aftermath, and naturally, the Forum Master was at the center of it all.

William's eyes narrowed slightly as he skimmed through the comments. The Forum Master had addressed the forum, responding to the flood of questions. He had clarified two important things:

1. The alliance that had fought against the thieves wasn't going to back down until they wiped out the entire criminal faction.

2. The legendary weapon, '[Death Symphony]', was indeed real, and while many had speculated, the Forum Master had confirmed that it was one of the most powerful items in the game. But there was a twist, he wasn't the sole owner. According to the Forum Master, '[Death Symphony]' was jointly owned by five players, with him merely borrowing it for the time being.

Many players were shocked by this revelation, but William couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. It was good to see the Forum Master share the glory, acknowledging that he wasn't the only one responsible for the victory. The game was about teamwork, after all.

Just as William was about to log off, a new post caught his eye. This one was from Metatron himself.

The title was straightforward: '"To Change Your Job Based on Your Talent"'.

William clicked on it without hesitation. He had already reached level 10, the threshold required to change his job path, but the specifics were still worth checking out.

Metatron's post was clear and precise. He explained that, in 'Elder's Realm', job changes were directly tied to a player's 'extraordinary characteristics'; unique attributes that defined their path. A level 10 player's extraordinary characteristics were considered "complete," meaning they had fully developed and crystallized into a specific role or class.

However, Metatron offered some interesting advice: players could change jobs earlier than level 10, becoming apprentices to certain classes. This was the route that Alex, another well-known player, had taken when he became an apprentice of the Assassin path. The apprentices were essentially "works in progress," and only upon reaching level 10 would they fully awaken their extraordinary abilities and become full-fledged transcendent beings.

But there was a catch.

If a player didn't follow a known path; like the Assassin or Warrior classes, they had to forge their own path. That required reaching level 10 to fully unlock and understand the extraordinary characteristics within themselves. Once this threshold was crossed, the player could attempt to awaken their abilities and carve out an entirely new class, something entirely unique.

But Metatron didn't sugarcoat things. He warned that if players took this route, they would be walking into the unknown. Unlike the established paths, there was no guide, no blueprint. Awaken the wrong characteristic, and there would be no recovery. It was a dangerous gamble.

"The risks of carving your own path are high," Metatron concluded, "but for those willing to face the unknown, the rewards could be immense."

William's eyes lingered on the post, his thoughts turning inward. He had always been someone who preferred to follow his own instincts rather than relying on predefined paths. But was he ready to take such a huge risk? The idea of forging his own way was tempting, but he knew the dangers all too well.

He scrolled down to the comments, but they were filled with excitement and speculation. Some players were already planning how they might create their own unique paths, while others were content to follow the established routes.

With a sigh, William closed the forum. He still had a decision to make.

For now, though, he had to focus on the task at hand. The Misty Forest awaited. He had a job change to complete. And whatever lay beyond that, he would face it head-on.

But one thing was certain: 'Elder's Realm' was about to get a whole lot more interesting.

The Path Ahead

William leaned back in his chair, feeling the weight of the conversation settle in his mind. He had always been the type to avoid unnecessary drama, and this whole "carving out your own path" thing felt a little too far removed from his concerns. It was tempting, sure, but it wasn't something that had much to do with him; at least, not right now.

The concept of forging a unique path was one that relied on understanding your own talents and abilities. You had to evolve those innate traits into something bigger, something transcendent. For example, a player with the '[Rage]' talent would naturally gravitate toward the path of the Hulk or Berserker. It was in their nature, a talent they were born with. But how they chose to awaken that potential was up to them. Would they focus on physical enhancement, pushing their strength to its limits? Or would they channel their rage, unleashing a fury that could level cities? That choice was theirs to make.

William thought about his own situation.

He had potential, yes, but it was all locked away inside him; untapped and undefined. He wasn't sure where his path lay. Maybe he could take the Devil's path, by embracing his inner darkness. Or perhaps he could walk the path of the Werewolf, tapping into the wild, primal energy of a wolf's blood. Maybe the Knight's Path would call to him, if he could ever truly grasp the essence of chivalry and honor.

But those weren't paths that chose him, they were paths that suited him. He wasn't the son of the devil by birth, nor a creature of the night by nature. He had potential for these paths, sure, but what was 'his' path? Where was the way forward that was uniquely his?

William's thoughts turned darker when he remembered 'Rashomon' the artifact that had sealed all the incomplete extraordinary traits within his body. His extraordinary qualities remained untouched, locked in a state of purity and blankness. No color, no direction, just... nothingness.

A quiet sense of frustration gnawed at him. If he could just 'awaken' something anything, he'd be on his way. But for now, his future was an enigma.

"So, you're going to carve out a path for yourself?"

William typed the question into the discussion group, the words appearing on his screen with a soft ping.

Seconds later, a reply popped up from 'Gambler'.

Gambler: "Let's get to level 10 first."

'Metatron' followed with his own comment almost immediately.

Metatron: "If you don't have strong talent, it's best not to bother carving your own path. It's safer to stick with one of the established, advanced paths."

William could see the logic in that. Why take unnecessary risks if you didn't have the talent to back it up? But still, the thought of forging his own way lingered in his mind. 'Could it be that easy?'

'Forum Master' chimed in next.

Forum Master: "Xiao Ai, you changed your job too early."

The comment was addressed to 'Alex', who had been one of the first to change his job in the game. According to 'Forum Master', Alex had a talent that allowed him to choose the "Assassin" path, a decision that seemed to fit him perfectly. It was a highly specialized path, but one that held immense potential. Still, 'Forum Master' seemed to think that Alex might have benefited from waiting a bit longer before committing.

'Alex' didn't say much in reply, just a simple, quiet acknowledgment.

Alex: "..."

William couldn't help but smile slightly. It wasn't regret that Alex felt, not at all. If anything, it was just a quiet acceptance that he'd chosen his path and now he had to walk it.

Metatron continued, his words cutting through the chatter like a razor.

Metatron: "When you do decide to change jobs, aim for a high-level path. From my observations, transcendent beings who follow high-level paths tend to possess the abilities of multiple lower-level paths. This gives them versatility, and a higher ceiling of power."

"But take your time," he added. "Changing jobs is a big decision. It's not just a simple class switch. Once you do it, you're stepping into a whole new world. The true 'mysterious world'... Every step you take after that is irreversible. There's no going back. You can only move forward from there."

William shivered at the weight of Metatron's words. Even with 'God's Perspective', Metatron himself couldn't see beyond the point of job change. It was a leap into the unknown, a plunge into a world that no one could fully predict.

Metatron: "Trust me. The unknown world after a job change is... something else. Even I can't see it clearly."

William thought about that for a moment. 'Was he ready to step into the unknown?'

His heart beat a little faster as he shook his head. For now, he had other things to focus on.