Rob X Punzel ~ Six!

The most impressive thing about the Class Shrine was how clean it was. Not a speck of dust could be seen, leaving the walls, floor, and actual plinth in the center perfectly white. There was no strange energy in the air, just a bored guard leaning on his spear at the entrance while waiting to collect the kingdom's tax.

If Becca hadn’t known this place was some sort of system nexus point, she would’ve never guessed it was such an important facet of everyone’s life. “Kind of looks like a broom closet.”

A sharp elbow in her side cut off any further musings, as the headmistress stepped forward to begin haggling with the guard about how much coin was due. At one point, Becca was gently grabbed and pushed toward the plinth, though the pair hadn't yet stopped arguing. Unconcerned with their bickering, she approached the Class Shrine and reverently placed her hand on its surface. 

Codex Arcane Ledger access requested.

C.A.L. is assessing… requirements for Breakthrough have been fulfilled!

Checking all system merits.

Basic Class: 

Basic Skill: 10/10.

Advanced Skill: 10/10.

Total: 20/20.

Bonus points

System merit (Mythical): Born a Legend, not a Myth. Myth anyway. +50.

System merit (Legendary): Wunderkind Prodigy. Achieve Breakthrough in Basic Class before 14th birthday. +40.

System merit (Legendary): Post-birth, Pre-initialization Altered Bloodline. +40.

System merit (Legendary): Out of time. Have two notes on your ledger. +40

System merit (Unique): Apex of The Kingdom. Be the first person in your kingdom, but not your generation, to achieve Breakthrough with a Basic Class skill. +20.

Total points to be applied: 210/20.

Outside influence detected… point usage deferred.

Generating Basic Class Breakthrough Skill. Skill Generated!

Breakthrough Skill: Ponytail Pixie: Level 1/10.

Ponytail Pixie is a continuous passive skill which animates the hair growing from the crown of the user's head with motivations of its own. The hair has its own personality, which can change over time based on its relationship with the skill user, but generally will exhibit a curious nature, [Minimally] wrapping around interesting or shiny objects they encounter. The hair moves and reacts autonomously, with the user having [Minimal] control over keeping it still, but only when actively attempting to do so. 

To support this lively hair, the user’s neck and neck-supporting muscles are strengthened by [50%*skill level], while the hair itself becomes [Minimally] shock-absorbent, rendering attempts to damage the user ineffectual. Additionally, the hair's toughness is [Minimally] amplified, and it gradually develops [Minimal] immunity to whatever might damage it.

Requirement to advance: Absorb enough damage with your hair to fatally wound yourself.

Becca blinked, suddenly finding herself back in the small, white room of the shrine. Her lips crinkled into a tiny frown as she whispered to herself, “Six modifiers again? So, all three of my Basic Class skills are Mythical?”

A lock of her hair fell in front of her face, and she distractedly moved her hand to sweep it behind her ear… only for the strand to dodge out of the way. Becca's jaw dropped, but before she could do anything, energy surged up her hand once more, and her mind was again enmeshed with the system. 

Codex Arcane Ledger access requested.

C.A.L. is assessing… 

Age verification: 14 years. 0 months, 0 days. Conditions for Advanced Class advancement met.

Assessing skill use and level. Combined skill levels: 21. Determination: 100th percentile. Top 2, congratulations!

Scanning brain waves to account for knowledge and desires in Advanced Class selection process. Requirements met for: 97 Advanced Classes. 

Comparing skill use and desires… 100th percentile of skills shows a subconscious desire to continue progressing. Waking brain is not in alignment with subconscious. Determination made.

Advanced Class Unlocked!

Advanced Class: Shear Sorceress

Basic Skill: Arcane Severance

Your immense experience using scissors against magical artiF@C%!-

Error! Outside influence detected! Class determination altered! Skills adjusted. Reassigning… congratulations! 

You have earned system merit: Mythical upgrade.

You have earned system merit: Ancient Meddling.

You can use this merit by [error_information_hidden_by_outside_influence].

Advanced Class: Golden Locks

Basic Skill: Hair Do’s and Dont's: Level 1/10.

Hair dos and don'ts is a continuous passive skill which allows the user's hair to become an active participant in the user's life, responding dynamically to both the environment and the user's intentions. Your hair has developed an affinity to shiny objects but has been kept too short to be adorned with them. Because of this, it has developed minor telekinesis, allowing it to reach out and grab objects which would otherwise be [1*skill level feet] outside of its range. On that note, when the hair and the user's goals are not aligned, the hair will [Minimally] yet autonomously style itself in ways that reflect this conflict. 

In moments of intense stress, such as combat, the user’s hair undergoes a rapid burst of growth: [200*skill level]% faster than usual. To help prevent stressful situations, the user's hair will [Minimally] muffle and absorb sounds coming off of the user where it can reach. The hair [Minimally] cushions any impact, ensuring soft, safe falling if long enough. Additionally, when the hair is damaged, its strands will automatically [Minimally] extend and point toward the last person or entity to damage the hair for up to 30 minutes. 

Requirement to advance: have at least one full pound of silver dangling from your golden strands.

“It has a modifier, bringing it up to Mythical, allowing my hair to be petty toward me?” Luckily, her jaw had been held closed as the energy of the system flowed through her. As soon as her mind was her own again, Bella jerked her hand away from the plinth, terrified that her hair would somehow be given even more effects. “Abyss, why?”

“Language, child!” Only as the headmistress’s admonishment washed over Becca did she realize how loud she had been. Immediately, she clamped her mouth shut. “Are you done preening over yourself? Let's get back to the slums; I've got things to do this afternoon.”

“Whoa, hold on there.” The guard stepped away from Schule-tyrant, giving himself plenty of room to act if needed. “This has been a nice way to pass the time, but I still need to record the details of her class for the records of the Brute Kingdom.”

Schule-tyrant reached into her pocket with her left hand, pulling out a full silver coin, twirling her sap in her right. “She's an orphan from the slums. Who cares what her class is? If you don't, this silver is for you. On the other hand, if you decide you absolutely do care…”

She trailed off, leaving the rest of the threat unspoken as Becca hurried to her side. The headmistress flicked the coin across the room, pulling the young woman out after her and rushing them down the street. 

“Won't he come after us?” the newly advanced young lady inquired as they ran. “He's there to enforce the law, isn't he?” 

“I forget how few times you’ve ever seen guards in the slums. Think of it like this, Rebecca. They're just another gang, but legitimized by the kingdom. He’s not going to give up a full day’s pay to hunt us down. If he takes his eyes off the coin long enough to blink, the shrine will clean it away,” Schule-tyrant explained under her breath, not brazen enough to loudly announce the guard’s lack of follow-through. “It doesn't matter if it’s dirt or diamonds, nothing is allowed to clutter a Class Shrine. By the time he picked it up, I’m betting we were halfway down the street. He knows where we’re from and that there's no more money.”

Becca had a lot to think about as they hurried back toward home; the events of the day had been extremely overwhelming. They pushed through the dense crowd of well-dressed people strolling along, remaining focused on their goal. By the time they were carefully eyeing the checkpoint, she was itchy from the looks of disgust passersby were shooting their way. “I can't wait to get out of the noble district; I feel terribly out of place.”

The headmistress shot her a strange sidelong glance. “What are you talking about? The noble district is two rings deeper. Any commoner can live in the citizen’s district, if they can afford it. These are just random people who are a bit less filthy than what you’re used to.”

Reeling from the realization that the people here somehow weren't nobility, Becca needed to be physically pulled along, directed by her companion as the guard lazily waved them through without inquiring further—clearly, no one cared about those leaving the district. 

“Good…” Schule-tyrant clapped Becca on the shoulder and nodded at her, and the young woman forcibly stopped herself from continuing to scratch at her arm where the system had written out her information. “We are back before lunch. If you hurry, you can still put in half a day or more at the curio shop. Let me know if I need to stop by and explain your absence with my fists.”

“I'm sure that will be completely unnecessary.” Becca hastily defended her employer. “He's been waiting to hear if I got a merchant class and… I didn't.” 

The young lady paused for a moment as she realized she could still say details of what her class wasn't… a loophole she would have to figure out how to make best use of in the future. Grunting as her only sign of sympathy, the headmistress turned and walked away without another word. Becca watched her go, realizing how much effort the woman had gone to on her behalf that morning—fighting guards, arguing with them, even bribing them without asking to be repaid for her help.

“Thank you, Schule-tyrant.” 

Becca turned and ran in the direction of the curio shop, scratching at her arm once more, looking down at it in annoyance to see if she’d been bitten by a spider or something similar. Now that she was looking, the motion of her hand caused a notification to appear on her scraped skin.

Skill increase! Hair Do’s and Dont's [Level 1 (Minimal) → Level 2 (Limited)]!

Requirement to advance to level 3: Grow 100 feet of hair.

“I got to level two? No way!” Becca's hand reached up to her hair. “I never got a chance to put a ribbon in, much less a full pound of silver!” 

Then her hand touched something cold and hard, and a moment later, her fingers pinched the small circle and pulled it into view. She stared at the silver coin, not believing her eyes for a few stuttering heartbeats. Then she reached her hand up and combed her fingers through her hair—which now reached down to the middle of her back—cupping her hands to stare at the dozens of silver coins her hair had taken from the nobles in the crowd as they passed through. 

“No… I don't want to be a thief!” She desperately clutched the coins to her chest to hide them, looking around in a panic to see if anyone had seen the massive windfall of stolen silver. After a moment, her fear flashed to rage, and she looked at the hair swirling in front of her face. “It's not windy, so knock it off! You can't steal from people; it will cost me my hands!”

Her hair pulled back and up, slowly arranging itself into twin ponytails coming off either side of her head. Becca caught her reflection in a window as she passed, goggling at the hairstyle in horror. “I can't believe this. I'm arguing with my hair, and now it's trying to get me killed by making me look like a tourist in the slums. Come on, why did you take the silver? Were you trying to get a level? I want to get levels as well! Let's work this out!”

There was no change, so Becca could only continue on to the shop and hope her hair would calm down and act natural. As the bell over the door cheerfully announced her arrival, Sorin looked up at her. She felt terribly guilty at the relief that flashed across his face and hung her head when it turned into disappointment.

Before he could open his mouth to admonish her for her unexplained absence, Becca quietly called, “Emma didn’t tell you that I was taken to the Class Shrine this morning, did she?”

“I don't know who that is. Don’t worry about it… I'm just glad you're okay.” Sorin chose his words carefully. “When you didn't show up, I thought the worst had happened. I've never known you to be someone who would just not show up one day. Let’s put that aside for now, since I know you must not have known about your little trip. Tell me, did you manage to get a merchant class?”

Becca's heart sank as she realized what he was truly asking: if she could become his apprentice or not. “…I didn't.”

“Oh.” The renewed disappointment in that one syllable was worse for Becca than the moment she’d discovered her hair had stolen coins worth a month’s supply of basic food for the orphanage. 

“Well, I suppose there's always hope for your Full Class. We have four years to make being a merchant something absolutely intrinsic to who you are! Let's get started by putting you in charge of the safety deposit box, starting today. I'll show you how to count each coin, then tally it for the tax records. If that doesn't start building new system-recognized skills, nothing will!”

She barely heard his forced enthusiasm: Becca had the entirety of her focus on her reflection. Her overly long ponytail had lifted slightly on the right side, and a spun glass ornamental bird was gently drifting through the air toward the outstretched strands.