211. Hidden Class: Moon Dancer - (2)
211. Hidden Class: Moon Dancer - (2)
***
Ding!
*
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Daji, the Legendary Dancer, has acknowledged you as a dancer.
Daji extends a proposal.
【Will you change class to Hidden Class: Moon Dancer?】
-Yes / No
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*
A hologram large enough to fill her entire field of view.
Serin stared blankly at Daji as the text rippled in brilliant gold.
"In my eyes, there will never be another who suits the Moon Dancer better than you."
Daji's bright smile carried the wish that Serin would accept her proposal.
At that, Serin suddenly recalled the image of Daji transformed into pure white.
'Moon Dancer.'
That must be what it meant when Daji's hair and silk garments had been dyed pure white. Serin, who had faced that extraordinary appearance and strength firsthand, felt it clearly.
It was on a different 'level' from an ordinary dancer.
She couldn't deny that the techniques were far beyond what a normal dancer possessed.
This was nothing short of a massive opportunity.
Feeling her heart tilt sharply, Serin parted her lips.
"If I become a Moon Dancer, what exactly changes? Do the advantages of an ordinary dancer disappear, or anything like that?"
She asked in case there were any changes she should know about.
Would the completion level of all the skills I possessed as a dancer be reset?
Right now, she had pushed nearly all of her current dancer skills to their limits. In a sense, she was close to perfection.
If she had to learn new skills from scratch, that would actually be a 'weakening' of her combat power.
Even in Another World, plenty of people said it took quite a long time to properly master a single skill.
But even at Serin's reaction, Daji smiled gently as if she knew exactly what Serin was thinking, and answered.
"You need not worry so much about that. The completion level of all the skills you possess will be maintained as they are. It merely adds one more option."
"An option?"
When Serin asked with curiosity, Daji calmly continued.
"An ordinary dancer signals the end of the stage by dancing the final dance through Final Performance. But the Moon Dancer is not bound by that."
Having said that, Daji smiled a captivating smile and acted. She immediately swept a hand through the air and deployed that very skill.
—Moon Princess (月姬).
Whoooosh!
Light burst forth, and Daji's long black hair was dyed pure white. At the same time, her all-black silk garments, the Crescent-Moon Weight, and even her ornaments began to change to pure white as well.
Serin stared blankly at Daji, who had once again taken on a form similar to an Awakening Skill.
'How...?'
Even if the trial had ended, she shouldn't have been able to use it due to the skill's cooldown.
Even ordinary NPCs or special beings classified as heroes were subject to cooldowns when using skills.
Daji seemed to ignore that entirely.
"Rin, if you do not choose Final Performance yourself, you may maintain this Moon Dancer state indefinitely."
Serin blinked blankly at Daji casually stating such a broken ability.
She already knew from their earlier exchange that this state was not an Awakening Skill. But it was still an utterly astonishing sight.
And what about that form she had transformed into at the end, displaying overwhelming power...?
"Wait, then. That transformation with the golden threads—that wasn't an Awakening Skill? Two Awakening Skills can't coexist with Final Performance."
"You speak of True Moon Princess? Certainly, it is a skill worthy of being called an Awakening Skill. But strictly speaking, it is not one."
A contradictory statement—comparable to an Awakening Skill, yet not one.
When Serin furrowed her brow as if she couldn't understand, Daji covered her mouth and smiled at her as if she found her cute.
"Even after using True Moon Princess, you may still use Final Performance. However, if you use Final Performance, you simply cease to be a Moon Dancer."
"So... you're saying I can use an Awakening Skill twice?"
As Serin made a no-way expression, Daji gave an enigmatic answer.
"Depending on your perspective, one could say that. But did you not, while in your Awakening Skill state, take on a strange form that seemed to draw out power and harbor divine energy?"
"You mean... Divine Blood?"
"So it was called Divine Blood. How truly peculiar. Yes, if you use that Divine Blood, you will not be able to use True Moon Princess. The system will not permit it."
At Daji's words, as if she could see straight through the system, Serin's mind grew complicated.
An unexpected Hidden Class change window.
And the more she listened to Daji, the more the Hidden Class lived up to its name with its unusual abilities.
Daji, who had been gazing quietly at Serin, slowly continued.
"I have never once made such a proposal to another dancer. I extend this offer only because it is you. For one who has learned the ordinary dancer's skills to also learn the moon's skills is nearly impossible for an ordinary person—unless one who is my equal should appear."
Her tone suggested Serin possessed abilities equal to Daji's own.
As Serin faced Daji, Daji repeated the words she had first spoken.
"And in my eyes, you are more than qualified to become a Moon Dancer."
Hearing those words, Serin stopped deliberating and made her decision.
The gaze full of goodwill looking at her, the words of a Great Hero acknowledging my existence.
She could not let this massive opportunity slip away.
—Yes.
She reached toward the hologram floating in the air and signaled acceptance.
—【You will change class to Hidden Class: Moon Dancer.】
A massive notification sound rang out, and as the message appeared, the world was instantly flooded with a great light.
Whoooosh!
The full moon blazed with light as if to illuminate the world, and Serin's body began to transform through that moonlight.
Her pure white silver hair took on an even more brilliantly shining, mysterious light, and her red light armor was dyed pure white—every ornament and accessory turning white as well.
"..."
Afterward, Serin blinked once, and within her blue eyes now dwelled a mysterious yet captivating, brilliant light.
Daji smiled radiantly at Serin's mystically transformed appearance.
"Truly, I cannot thank you enough..."
Daji spoke in a calm yet sorrowful voice.
With Serin accepting the Moon Dancer, Daji's long-cherished wish had effectively been fulfilled.
For all the long ages, no dancer with the qualifications for Moon Dancer had ever appeared, and only now was she seeing the first to inherit the Moon Dancer—Serin.
So to her, Serin could not help but be utterly precious.
"...Thank you too."
Rin slowly took in her transformed appearance and smiled softly.
—Hidden Class change.
Was there any gamer who hadn't dreamed of it? And now, having seized the opportunity by chance, Serin felt immense joy.
Daji slowly reached out and took Serin's hand in her own.
As Daji gazed slowly at Serin, Serin met her eyes.
'Her eyes... why?'
The moment Serin looked at Daji, she couldn't help but feel a question.
For some reason, the Daji reflected in her eyes looked deeply sorrowful.
"...It will likely be a long time before I meet you again."
At Daji's words, as if reluctant to part, Serin smiled softly and replied.
"Probably. Once I leave this space, it'll be hard to meet again."
At that, Daji slowly pulled on her hand.
Softly.
Daji gradually drew Serin into her embrace.
Serin was flustered for a moment but didn't resist, letting Daji do as she wished.
"I imagine it must be quite bewildering for me to treat you this way. But... please indulge me a little. From this moment that you have become a Moon Dancer, it is no different from my having gained my one and only kin..."
Serin simply listened to Daji's sorrowful voice, and a strange feeling rose within her at Daji's appearance.
'Kin, she says...'
She thought Daji was saying this only because she had just become a Moon Dancer, but she could feel a deep loneliness in Daji's voice.
After holding Serin in her arms for a moment, Daji slowly released her and looked at her with eyes full of meaning.
"If a day comes when we meet again, I will always be on your side and become a great power for you."
At the declaration, made with serious eyes, that she would be her ally, Serin nodded without thinking.
She wondered if they would ever meet again, but if Daji became her ally, that alone was no different from a massive power.
"...Thank you."
At Serin's awkward reply, Daji smiled radiantly and then swept her hand toward the space.
Rumble!
With that, Daji's body slowly began to turn transparent, and the grand banquet hall also began to crumble—obstacles and buildings gradually transforming into light.
The space itself was collapsing, bringing the long, long end.
Then Daji looked at her own weapon—Moonlight—held in Serin's hand.
With a small smile lifting the corners of her lips, she exercised her final authority.
*
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Moonlight, one of Daji's exclusive weapons, transforms into 'Rin's' exclusive weapon, and its options bloom.
Mythic-grade item 'Moonlight' acquired.
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*
The moment Serin looked at Daji at the completely unexpected notification.
Daji, her body fading to near transparency, parted her lips.
"Moonlight is now yours."
"To this extent..."
Just as Serin was about to say something, a massive light burst forth and the world was dyed in brilliance.
Whoooosh!
Within the great mass of light, Serin was struck speechless by an indescribable emotion.
'...Why.'
At first, she had clearly been an enemy. In the middle, her fighting spirit had wavered at her opponent's appearance and abilities.
At the end, she had felt that her overwhelming power was nearly impossible to overcome.
Daji was impressive in so many ways that she wouldn't be easily forgotten.
As Serin was savoring the lingering feeling.
She felt as if her body was being moved, and in that instant, she blinked.
—!
When she opened her eyes, she was standing at the entrance of the Cave of Trials.
Serin finally felt that everything was over.
She couldn't deny that she had been through a whirlwind of events in such a short time, and it sank in that this was real.
Then, suddenly, her expression changed sharply.
As if she had forgotten something she must not forget, Serin's face turned contemplative.
'The stream...!!'
She had definitely been streaming, but from the moment she faced Daji, she hadn't thought about the stream even once.
"Sorry, viewers. I was way too neglectful of you all, wasn't I?"
Speaking urgently, Serin turned on the chat window and couldn't help but make a dumbfounded expression.
"...What?"
She couldn't understand why the stream was off.