Chương 167: Chapter 165 - The Conceptual Reaver

It was more of a gesture than anything truly useful. Taking in the aura of a broken revenant from a simulation created by the Manager didn't change a single part of Ryan's own self. When the simulation faded away, Ryan was left staring at an inky black wall, his eyes closed, trying to remember the feeling of the [Dread Revenant]. After a few minutes, he marched back to the table and took his seat.

"So, did you really think that could shake me?"

"I did say at the start that I no longer have to worry about influencing your choices. It was a bit of a longshot, but no, I never expected you to change your mind."

"Yeah sure, cover all your bases so you can claim both sides and that you've predicted it all. I've seen quite a few'experts' say that before." There was a momentary stillness in the Manager, so slight that Ryan wasn't even sure he imagined it. The Manager said nothing as it spread its arms, smiling graciously at him.

"Congratulations adventurer on making it this far. I know the journey can't have been easy. To defeat the Demon King so early and impress even King Theskar. You have truly faced difficult Trials and have already started to forge your own path. Fortunately, the Trial System likes to give you an advance on your power, a Trial of your future you could say. Welcome to your class evolution." Class orbs appeared, one after another.

Not simply three orbs like the first time he met with the Manager but a sea of countless orbs. All of them being much, much brighter and larger than the three had seen before. The room actually had to expand to accommodate them all. This was the fruits of his labor. The whole reason why you completed the Fifth Trial in the first place. Where most would go from being advanced humans with skills to being truly superhuman, almost untouchable by conventional warfare. Ryan had a sea of classes to choose from.

It was almost too much. Though nine orbs did stand out the most. Far larger than the rest, they took up all the room in front of him, the other class orbs almost being shoved away by the presence of the largest. They were no longer gold and red either, the bigger class orbs took their own color in seemingly random fashion. Though Ryan had an understanding of why that was. They were too complex to be neatly contained in the idea of 'demonic' and regular classes. These were Epic classes.

Epic tier classes detected on the Trialist. Removing lesser options. The vast majority of classes popped like bubbles, as if the Trial System refused to let you take an inferior option in your advancement. Now only Epic tier classes remained, except even amongst the nine giant class orbs, one remained larger than the others. It floated in the middle of them. It was pure black and seemed to warp the air around it. As if it were a black hole warping the very fabric of space.

"What is this?"

"The [Conceptual Reaver]. A Quasi-Legendary class." Ryan leaned back away from it. Quasi-Legendary classes were known to exist, though almost no adventurer shared whether they had one or not. A wise choice given how the older generations remembered that the Tyrants had purged the most powerful Trialists in the war. The reason why people even knew about it was that some Tyrants were really bad at keeping their mouths shut. People hypothesized that Mezhar must have had one.

Now that he thought about it, Pinkie probably had one too. Though never had he heard of someone being offered it at their fifth realm evolution And the true temptation began. Did the Manager want him to take it? That was what he guessed the whole 'stop holding back' message from his alternative self was for. Then again, it had to know that Ryan would become suspicious. As if reading his thoughts the Manager leaned in, its eyes also watching the giant orb.

"In the spirit of our agreement. To be as faithful to the spirit of the conversation. I do have something to admit." The entity took a dramatic pause.

"While I do believe the [Dread Revenant] is stronger than you, that would only be until this point. I have seen tens of his ilk before. His class and power is rare for a fourth realm, but not impossibly so." The Manager stared at the orb of the [Conceptual Reaver], almost looking like it was entranced by it.

"Now, a fourth realm that has ripped apart an ascendant's class? A fourth realm that freely forces a class change that the Trial System itself acknowledges? With enough concepts to shoulder three different classes? Someone that so easily resonates with concepts to match their class before they hit their evolution at the fifth realm?" The Manager leaned in.

"Now this is something I have only seen once before."

"Do you want me to take it?" The Manager looked almost defeated, it closed its eyes.

"It won't matter what I say."

"If I touch it, will I automatically be forced to take the class?" It was hard to explain, but the quasi-legendary class seemed to be more alert and alive than the others. Ryan only just realized that it had been drifting towards him ever so slowly. It made his neck crawl.

"No, the Trial System will never force the class upon you. Though I will admit, just like in the [Saboteur] class orb, there may be unintended consequences."

"Like?" The Manager simply smiled, refusing to answer. Ryan rolled his eyes, getting the feeling that the Manager was less capable of predicting what would happen and simply knew what could happen. He reached out a hand, feeling how the attraction of the orb pulled his hand harder the closer he got. When he paused the orb started to move faster towards him. He started pulling back his hand wondering– The orb exploded into motion, as if moving slowly had been to lower his guard the entire time.

[Instant d– It was too late. It was as if the skill itself was sucked into the orb. Ryan was already past the event horizon of the class orb. The inky black orb swallowed his entire body. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ============================================= The world was in ruins, the sky itself was cracked with the sun itself more of a red ember of a dying star. The lands itself were gray without pause. At least Sector Four had thunderstorms and toxic clouds. This world had nothing of the sort. Ryan appeared, confused and with his sword out, ready for a fight. Normally in these classes you embodied the role. This time it was different. If he was right, the class was actually lying down a couple feet from him. Laying back casually was a skinny figure with Ryan's face. It was robed in ragged clothes that had holes everywhere. Though it wasn't because it was poor or destitute. Unlike the rest of the world, the Conceptual Reaver was so… alive, thrumming with a presence that defied reality — no… it was reality itself. The class had plundered the rest of the world of its concepts and was the only thing left alive. That was what a [Reaver] was. It looked amused." You reject me? Why?"" Because you're everything I stand against."" You don't have to do anything with my class. Fighting against the impulses can provide growth and power too, or do you think the Witch Tyrant's actually lost herself to her witchly class?"" No, but that might be a good point. Maybe it's impossible to be consequence-free from a decision like this."" Then you should go around killing everyone with a demonic class."" There's a difference. They can still make the choice to change. I don't think I could make another decision if I pick you."" You're so afraid."" Fear is good. It helps keep you grounded and stops you from becoming stupid." The Conceptual Reaver considered the point. Then nodded its head in acceptance." Hm, that's a good point, here let me try." The Conceptual Reaver went from a lazy lying position to being right in front of him, its shadowy hand at his face before he could react. Ryan [Instant Dodged] but the skill activation was muddied, as if slower than it should have been. The Conceptual Reaver had already stolen the concept of dodging, using it to speed himself forward. It was right at his heels, the world bursting out in shadowy hands, reaching out for him. Ryan tried to move away but felt the world itself push against him when he tried to pull his foot out of the way. This is the same as the [Aura Tyrant's] conceptual domain, except a hundred times worse. Shit, I fucked up. He pulled out the hilt of his soulsword, [Aura Crystallization] solidifying a red blade that shone in the dark. It slashed in a blinding fury, cutting away at the hands reaching out. The cuts of the Aura Tyrant stood firm in the land of the dark. The hands were nothing like the shadows in the Cataclysm Abyss. These did not care about dying, all they cared about was trying to grab at the [Aura Tyrant] trying to take in the class. It couldn't. The Aura Tyrant remained strong. [Aura Crystallization] a true skill in permanence that could not be touched. The Conceptual Reaver was right on top of him, grinning, it was nothing like the [Dread Revenant]. It was well and truly alive and having fun." Not bad. Not good enough though." The skinny monster in rags didn't fight with finesse or skill, it just reached out and fended off the cuts from the blade with his bare arms. The red slashes glowed on his arms as the crystal blade cut deep. But it cared not about injuries, it was going for the prize. It was reaching for the blade. Entranced by the thing that could resist his domain. The Conceptual Reaver had taken away the concept of dodging, there was only going forward. Ryan tried to pull back but again that was dodging. Too slow. He had to use concepts here— The crystallized blade landed in the [Reaver's] grip. The aura burning in the hands of the [Reaver]. The skinny monster stared at the blade in its hands and blinked. The Aura Tyrant turned furious that the Conceptual Reaver was trying to steal from him. It stood firm against the thief, an empire's glittering walls impenetrable against the thief." Ah well." The Conceptual Reaver reached out to Ryan's face instead. [Axiom Rend] The skill cut away something from Ryan, something fundamental, for a moment he was afraid–angry?" Motherfucker!" The [Conceptual Reaver] held a mass of something dripping something in its hands. It then brought it to its mouth and swallowed it whole. Its eyes flashed and it blinked, then shook its head and stuck out its tongue." Yuck. I must admit, I really do hate that feeling. Fear."" Fuck you." He couldn't feel fear anymore. Ryan tried to bring it up, he remembered feeling something when the hand had reached out towards his face. He knew logically what it was. What fear meant and that he should have it, but he couldn't feel it. All he could feel was indignant anger and frustration. He gripped his blade tightly. The Conceptual Reaver hadn't gotten away scott free. Its body was bleeding all over the place from where Ryan had cut and stabbed it in the melee. It… shuddered. With the newfound emotion, the Conceptual Reaver's eyes slowly turned less careless and more focused." We could be great together. Even becoming a god isn't out of reach. The Trial System itself is built on top of concepts, we could solve everything together."" A hollow victory. How many would have to die for it?"" A victory nonetheless." Then the Conceptual Reaver shrugged." Ah well, I tried." Ryan blinked in confusion." No you didn't." The Conceptual Reaver laughed." Well no shit. I'm you after all. Here a gift. Consider it an apology." The Conceptual Reaver threw something at him. Ryan was trying to make out what it was, he felt it land in his hand and— WARNING! Unauthorized Trial Skill attempting to be passed on. Trial Skill slot available… Achievements meet the minimum standards… Class does not meet the minimum standards… Realm grade does not meet the minimum standards… [Conceptual Perception] rejected!" Ah well, I tried. Hmm…" The Conceptual Reaver stared at the very screens that Ryan was looking at. Something that should have only been visible to him. The Conceptual Reaver didn't look like it was reading it but it was just staring at the edges. It gave him a wink, then blurred in front of him. It reached out, hands wrapping itself around the system screens." I WONDER WHAT THESE ARE MADE OF?! [AXIOM REND]." Ryan's eyes went wide as the System screen started to warp and crack around the bony hands, black ooze infecting the screens and tearing— Before anything else could happen, Ryan was shunted back into the Manager's Abode. Confused but not… rattled. His fears were still gone, eaten by the [Conceptual Reaver]. What he had witnessed was wrong and should have been impossible, but it was how the quasi-legendary class had seen the rest of the world. Emotions, Skills, classes, perhaps even the Trial System itself was simply a concept. That was the perspective it had tried to give him at the end… the skill." That was less like a class and more like a completely different person."" Even Epic classes have enough depth to be considered more of a person than just a simple definition. The [Conceptual Reaver] especially is one that stands for too much."" Taking everything you mean."" That too."" You want me to take the class."" It won't matter what I say. But yes, if you want honesty, I would prefer it if you would take the class." Ryan sat back and closed his eyes. Trying to recapture the feeling, he could take the class and he was certain he could keep it controlled but he still wasn't in the right mental state." Did it take the concept of fear from me forever?"" Can you take the fundamental forces of reality forever? No. It will heal over time."" Well then I guess I'm staying here until it heals itself." He took a deep breath, held it for ten seconds, then let it out. He practiced the meditation techniques from the Obsidian Sect. At first, just focusing on his breath, then letting his mind wander. What even was fear anyway? Something to keep you alert and awake against threats? There was a definite dulling of emotions without it. That sense of excitement from challenging the impossible? A lot of that came from fear. Now he was colder, more analytical. Was this part of the Manager's plot? Even if it was, so what? No point thinking about it, like Barry said. It can see too much in the future, it had too much time to plan ahead. There has to be ways to beat it. It's not perfect. If he couldn't feel fear then spite was what he was going to work on instead. What felt like an hour went by and Ryan still didn't feel like he had gotten the his fears back. When the [Conceptual Reaver] stole my fear it changed. That's why the class held back. Fear. He knew fear was important. He just didn't realize how much it was until now. Ryan opened his eyes. Now, what did the Manager fear?" You don't think the Trial System is possible to complete." The Manager went still for a split second, he hadn't imagined it before." What makes you think that?"" I'm assuming everything so far has gone according to your plan. If so then the [Conceptual Reaver] attacking System screens has got to be part of it. You don't think it's possible to complete the Trial System so you want to destroy it instead."" A fair deduction. But an incorrect one. The Trial System has always been, and always will be, completable." The look that the Manager gave him was strangely intense. It sent a shiver down his spine. At least my fear's coming back." Didn't think I'd be so glad to have my fear back. Thanks."" You're welcome." Ryan went back to staring at the multitude of orbs in the room. Eight giant class orbs, a treasure trove of possibilities. In order of size [Juggernaut], the [Dread Revenant], the [Adventurer's Guide], a [Hero], a [Veilpiercer Assassin], a [Conceptual Neophyte], a [Arcane Saboteur] and the [Aura Tyrant]. And the [Conceptual Reaver] class still stood above, aloof and beyond all of them. He glanced at the Manager. Then his hand reached out.