From Player To Npc

The next few floors didn't cause them any unexpected trouble.

At some of them, they had to assemble pieces to create a particular item to pinpoint the position of the stairs, while at others, it was as simple as finding the Boss as its lair was nearby.

As Shingi planned, they went around facing every monster they could, especially the Boss of each floor.

During that time, Shingi had learned a little better to use his new Mana Type. He couldn't do anything crazy with it, but he could heal some minor wounds, which was better than nothing. This decreased the time they needed to rest to restore their HP.

He found out that using it without his eyes was affecting his mind a bit, but it completely erased whatever damage was done when he enabled his eyes. But he didn't mess too much to see what his limit was, as he couldn't handle the possible cost.

In a couple of days, they reached the 22nd floor and the second ruin city floor of the Tower.

The city was massive, and there wasn't only the city but also a black dead forest surrounding it. A dark mist that enveloped the first city stopped people from leaving it, but the fog started at a more considerable distance from the city's walls in the second one.

Shingi led them through the forest, and they noticed some Players Guards, like the one they saw to the other city on floor 11, but these were of higher level and better equipment.

They easily avoided them since they were getting away from the city and the stairs, which were in the middle of the city.

They almost reached the edge where the black mist started as Shingi turned and entered a cave. It seemed like it had a multiple tunnel system as they kept moving and encounter numerous paths, but Shingi led the way.

Soon they reached a wooden door, similar to the ones Shingi used at his hideouts.

This was how he got the design for the doors of his hideouts, as it worked similarly, but the answer was different.

He used some of his mana to enable it, and it opened right away. 

The answer was to use mana in a particular spot, which wasn't so hard to find. That's why he considered this an inferior version to what he made.

Inside, there was a sizeable room with multiple bunkers. 

Shingi had made this one a resting point for him and ones he trusted and had some in other floors too, but this one was the first one they could reach.

"It is safe here, as nobody will get here other than us. We will rest, and after I finish earning my class, we will check our equipment. Hineko, try to set your equipment and see if you can use any of the materials we gathered. Little Phoenix and Mizuneko, you should also check what you can make. We are still far from where all the monsters will be a challenge, but we should stay prepared." [Shingi]

They nodded as they went to work.

"What about me? Should I wait and watch you guys work?" [Wild Tycoon]

Wild Tycoon still had no profession, as nothing attracted her attention. She had helped Volig in the past but didn't decide on getting a crafting-related profession out of it as Players could decide if they wanted to earn a profession when fulfilling the requirements.

"There is another room that you can use for sparing with An. You two can learn from each other since the way you fight so different." [Shingi]

"Oh, I can have some action with her? Sounds good to me." [Wild Tycoon]

Shingi's eyes got wide with evident confusion from that statement. Wild Tycoon realized how what she said sounded.

"I didn't mean it that way. We are just going to fight nothing else. I don't swing that way." [Wild Tycoon]

"You don't? But you two would make such a cute couple." [Hineko]

Wild Tycoon started hunting him around the room, but he was too quick for her. Unless she would use her ACCELERATION, which she didn't.

"An, spar with Wild Tycoon if you want when she can. I will be out for some time."[Shingi]

An nodded to show that she understood what he told her.

Since everyone had something to do for some time, Shingi got in one bunker before selecting to earn his class fully.

These past days he kept using SCRY MODE when he could, and it was available, and he found out a few things.

First, at a cell next to Dormon, there was a new prisoner, which he soon recognized as the one name Netsu, the male of the Snake Tribe that helped Annoue study Runes in the past. He didn't know why he was in the cell, but he was confident that it had probably something to do with what happened to Annoue.

Second, Dormon was in a comatose state but still alive. Shingi considered that Mikhail somehow consumed all of its power as a TRUE SORCERER, but it didn't make him one, as he could be only one TRUE SORCERER. Shingi wasn't sure how or why he needed that much power, but it wouldn't be for anything good.

Last, he found he could partially use SCRY on Annoue but had a chance of failing and could only hear what happened and not see.

Since Dormon's side didn't seem to offer him much additional information, he focused more on Annoue even if he was limited with what he could learn there too.

He didn't use his SCRY, as he wanted to finish with his class as soon as possible now that he had the chance. He probably could use the SCRY MODE while waiting for the System to finish assigning his class, like last time.

He let the System know that he was ready as a notification, asking him if he was sure about it, which of course, he said yes to.

He was back in the darkroom once again.

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Because of the upgrade, sNPC#12 has been set to sleep mode for 720 hours.

During that period, every ability, passive or active, is inaccessible.

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Shingi didn't wait for that amount of time. This meant that he would be like that for a month. 

He knew that the more extraordinary a class was, the more time it would take, but he never considered that it would take that long.

================================

SPECIAL VARIABLE(S) DETECTED

.

.

.SYSTEM RECALCULATING….

================================

================================

Sleep mode of sNPC#12 was changed to 72 hours.

================================

Shingi was even more confused now. What could it be that reduced the time to one-tenth of what it was?

He had learned many things since he earned his class at Apprentice State, but he was almost sure that the Special Variable mentioned had to do with having access to Spirit Mana.

He never heard of an NPC or anyone mentioning something as Special Variable, and this was the only thing he could think that would have that massive effect.

Not anyone could use Spirit Mana, especially outside the Tower, from what he understood by his talk with Azalea.

In the end, three days was a long time, but he was ready to wait for a week, so it wasn't as bad. Staying that long in the room wasn't something he liked, but at least he could use the SCRY MODE to change the scenery and keep him from losing his mind.

He could use SCRY time in parts and not all together, meaning he could use it more than once per day.

Still, he could try only once at Annoue since he failed to make a connection there, and he couldn't try until the next day. He tried his luck on her, but it seemed lady luck wasn't with his side today, as it didn't complete a connection.

He still didn't need to make his mind check on something else, so he didn't use his SCRY on Dormon yet.

He couldn't use any of his Skills or Spells in there. His mind was still as clear as usual and more precise than the last time he was there.

After a few hours of this deadly silence, he used his SCRY to check on Dormon for a few minutes.

He was still unconscious as last time. He looked at him for a couple of minutes, and as he was ready to end the connection, he noticed that Netsu started moving for the first time.

Netsu was covered with wounds, and it was a miracle that he still was alive.

Netsu stood and sat on a wooden bench that his cell had. He muttered something that Shingi barely could hear it.

"That damn girl. I hope sssshe isss dead." [Netsu]

Shingi's assumption of Netsu being here because of something that happened with Annoue was correct. But he still didn't know what happened.

He waited to see if Netsu would say anything else, but when he laid down to take a nap. Shingi decided to end the SCRY  for now.

He was curious about what happened, but the chances of learning something that way was too low.

Hopefully, he would learn something more if he successfully learns something from Annoue's side if he ever succeeds in connecting.

He started rethinking about the Tower and what he knew and make plans, and when the darkness and silence were affecting him, he used SCRY for a moment.

He kept trying to connect to Annoue when 24 hours passed as the System gave him a counter of the remaining time, but no luck the other two times he tried it.

No news from Dormon's side either.

But the countdown reached 0 and he finally could get awake once again.

He finally had his class.