The Eternal Adventurer
The stranger who had shown curiosity toward an outsider readily accepted terms like “hidden class.” That made things easier for me.
“That’s right.”
Hidden classes never lied. Sell one and it turned into money. Make it your profession and it generated even greater value. A hidden class was the spec itself.
“A few come to mind, but I can only tell you about one. Anything more is taboo.”
So he knew several clues about hidden classes, yet the reward per quest was limited to a single one.
“Understood. One is enough.”
“Hmm. This is the first time I’ve felt troubled by having too much information.”
“Pardon?”
“Because the class that suits you isn’t the first of its kind. Outsiders tend to undervalue hidden classes that aren’t the very first, don’t they?”
He was right. If not for the unusual case of Cha Eun-kyung, the Torture Technician class would have sold for far less.
“It isn’t a simple matter. Quite a few outsiders have already chosen that class. Even by rarity alone, it isn’t particularly valuable information, so I’m conflicted.”
“Hmm.”
It was certainly a difficult problem. If the reward for a hidden quest that had never been cleared before was a common, undervalued hidden class, the cost-benefit ratio simply didn’t add up.
“I believe the explanation is sufficient. The choice is yours. If you accept the hidden class, I’ll also provide additional conveniences. That much isn’t taboo.”
“……”
The decision was now mine. Still, the other options the training instructor had offered didn’t appeal much. The Royal Knight title didn’t align with the values I pursued, and while entering the empire sparked some curiosity, it wasn’t something to consider right now.
Of course, a third reward seemed possible as well—slightly adjusting the request to receive a clue for a hidden class that still carried the “first” modifier. That option held the greatest monetary value. Yet the class the instructor had in mind kept nagging at me.
‘A class that’s already been unlocked but whose potential hasn’t exploded yet?’
‘What if there’s another hidden layer inside the hidden reward, just like the hidden quest?’
‘What if it’s a class matched to my current stats?’
I threw countless questions at myself and weighed the possibilities. It was nothing more than hopeful speculation, yet it wasn’t entirely unreasonable. After all, the company that made this game was Mason.
‘It does sound plausible.’
I was someone who had already proven my faith in Mason. The company had even answered my prayers, granting me a fortune through the beta-tester privilege. The money was still sitting in my account, but the moment I spent it, that faith would only deepen further.
With that, my thoughts were settled.
“You look like you’ve finished deliberating.”
As expected, the training instructor was a sharp man. There was no reason not to trust his judgment.
“Yes. I’ll take the hidden class as is.”
“I actually expected as much. That class suits you far too well.”
“I see.”
“Have you ever heard of the Adventurer?”
“……Hm?”
I lacked information on this one. There had been some hidden-class rumors floating around the community, but they were all unfamiliar names, and Adventurer had never been mentioned. In other words, it was likely a long-forgotten hidden class. The name itself sounded ordinary and uninspiring.
“I haven’t.”
“I’ll explain briefly. An Adventurer is a class that can freely redistribute stats. That’s how outsiders usually summarize it.”
“……!”
A shock like lightning struck my mind. Stat redistribution was a meaningless feature for anyone who managed their stats normally, but for me it carried an entirely different meaning.
I possessed the unique stat called Eternal. If I could convert regular stats into Eternal through redistribution, that would mean duplicating both buffs and stats. In a single word: overpowered.
I raised my hand and asked quickly.
“Can special stats be redistributed as well?”
“……It’s possible. Special stats exchange at a 1:1 ratio.”
The instructor’s expression tightened slightly. Using only the word “outsider” seemed to bother him. I decided to ask just one final, crucial question.
“Last question. Is it possible to convert regular stats into special stats?”
“……It is. Conversion is possible, though extremely inefficient.”
It was possible. That alone opened countless possibilities. The exchange rate clearly wasn’t 1:1, but if a buff increased stats more than the exchange cost, I could still raise my Eternal value. For example, Seven Impact, which granted +7 to all stats.
+7 to all stats. The first seven attacks deal double damage.
Duration: ∞
With a buff like this, some kind of exchange rate with Eternal should be feasible. I would have to rely on Bella’s additional lectures for the details.
“Understood. Thank you. That’s all my questions.”
“Hmm. You give a rather generous assessment for an undervalued class. That’s partly why I mentioned it, but I don’t believe that’s the whole story. Especially since ‘Eternal Adventurer’ is a name passed down as a secret legend within the royal family.”
An unexpected and intriguing story had surfaced—one that could never belong to an ordinary anecdote. Moreover, the word “Eternal,” impossible to overlook, had been spoken.
“……‘Eternal Adventurer’?”
“Yes. I suppose it’s fine to tell you. Certain royal families and the empire regard the Eternal Adventurer as their progenitor. I myself believe the Eternal Adventurer truly existed. The traces they left behind remain scattered throughout this world.”
“Eternal Adventurer.”
At that moment, a short message appeared.
Clue to the Hidden Class ‘Eternal Adventurer’ Acquired
📍 Objective: Discover the traces of the Eternal Adventurer.
Simply being called “Adventurer” lacked impact. It was an unremarkable class that no one cared about and offered no stat bonuses. Besides, it wasn’t even the first of its kind. Just as the instructor had worried, Adventurer was a hidden class with little merit. Thanks to the ability to redistribute stats, I could probably make good use of it—that was all.
Yet the class the instructor had truly introduced was not the ordinary Adventurer. Its common name was preceded by an extraordinary modifier, one significant enough to become legend in royal families and empires: Eternal.
“Of course, that is merely my hope. The hidden class I gave you was Adventurer. No matter how undervalued it is to others, to me it carries an incredibly weighty name.”
Somehow, things had deviated from the instructor’s intention. The clue for Eternal Adventurer had appeared for me. I guessed it was due to the influence of the Eternal stat.
“……I also think the name Adventurer carries a certain romance. I will definitely change classes to it.”
“Good. Since I’ve given you the hidden-class clue, it’s time to provide the convenience I promised.”
“Ah, right.”
“I’ll reduce the teleportation cost you’ll use in Liam. The regular price is ten gold, but if it’s my request, I can lower it to one gold. Only for the first use, of course.”
“……!”
This game featured inter-city teleportation. However, the cost was absurdly high, making it a privilege reserved for high-ranking NPCs or the wealthy. Burning 15 million won for a single instant teleport was the height of absurdity.
‘At this rate, the reward is practically another point of Eternal.’
If I could use teleportation, I could simply travel to a Chinese beginner village and drink from the fountain. The single gold spent in the process would be more than worth it. China had been assigned eight beginner villages, meaning there was continuity as well.
‘Maximum Eternal 8. Total 10.’
Ten permanent buffs. Just imagining the Buff World Cup made dopamine surge through me. Eternal 10 was a stat that felt thrilling even in fantasy.
“This is the best reward possible. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it. Here.”