The ethereal glow faded, leaving behind a stark, grey pillar etched with cryptic symbols. Bathilda, her hand still inexplicably bonded to the stone, squinted, before realising she undersrood the archaic script.

  A wave of disappointment washed over her. The choices presented, though tantalizing in their potential, clashed violently with her deeply ingrained ideals. They offered power, yes, but at a cost she wasn't willing to pay.

  A cold dread settled in as she realized her hand was trapped, fused to the cold, unyielding stone. It wasn't a mere grip; it was a magical tether, an invisible force binding her to the pillar. With a surge of adrenaline, Bathilda yanked, strained, and pulled, her muscles screaming in protest.

  The pillar, surprisingly, yielded, but not in the way she intended. Instead of freeing her hand, it wrenched itself from the earth, a jagged chunk of ground clinging to its base. Now, she was not only trapped but burdened, dragging the stone behemoth with her.

  "This is ridiculous!" she frowned, her voice laced with frustration. The writing, a constant, mocking reminder of her predicament, remained, glowing faintly in the dim light. "For fuck's sake! I knew I shouldn't have touched that damn thing!"

  "I told you not to touch it," Hiro's voice echoed in her mind, a weary sigh accompanying his words.

  "Yes, Captain Hindsight," Bathilda retorted, her annoyance bubbling over. "It just... it felt like it was pulling me, like it was meant to be touched. I can't explain it." She paused, her gaze returning to the glowing script. "It's ironic, really. The information here is exactly what I wanted, but the classes... they're all wrong. What am I supposed to do, Hiro?"

  "Can't you just say no?" Hiro asked, stating the obvious.

  "There's no 'no' button! Just these options, staring at me, taunting me. And I'm worried about touching anything else and accidentally choosing one."

  A tense silence fell between them, broken only by Bathilda’s ragged breaths.

  "What exactly are these classes?" Hiro asked, his curiosity piqued.

  "Apprentice Exterminator, Apprentice Beast Tamer, and... Lesser-Demon," Bathilda recited, her voice heavy with distaste.

  "Well, the demon one is a hard pass," Hiro said, a hint of humor in his voice.

  "Obviously! But the other two... they're marked as 'Evil' too. Why?"

  "Evil? Seriously?" Hiro's voice was filled with disbelief.

  "Yes, fucking evil! Stop with the pointless questions!" Bathilda snapped, her frustration reaching its peak. She wanted to help people, to make a difference, but this cursed pillar was pushing her towards a path she abhorred.

  Forgetting her worry as she was fueled by anger, Bathilda began to slam the pillar against the stone floor, the resounding crashes echoing through the empty space. Her rage intensified, and she turned her attention to the dome itself, the structure that had housed the cursed object. With a primal scream, she used the pillar as a battering ram, smashing it against the walls, the ceiling, the floor, until the dome was reduced to rubble.

  The pillar, however, remained largely intact, only showing minor cracks and fissures. Still bound to her hand, it mocked her with its unyielding presence. Unrelenting, Bathilda moved to the outer wall, a formidable barrier of stone that stretched far into the distance. She struck the wall with the shattered pillar, again and again, the force of her blows reverberating through the air. The stone of the wall, however, was incredibly durable and the pillar, although damaged, still held together.

  Finally, exhausted and panting, Bathilda stopped her assault. Her body ached, her muscles burned, and sweat dripped from her brow. The pillar was a fraction of its original size, a mangled stump of stone, and only fragments of the writing remained.

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  "That wall... and this stone," she gasped, her voice hoarse. "They're incredibly strong. I can't even see a scratch on the wall." She examined the towering barrier, its smooth surface unbroken, a testament to its formidable defense. "It's no wonder those monsters can't break through."

  A pang of regret pierced her anger. The Exterminator class, despite its "Evil" label, sounded intriguing.

  (Evil) Apprentice Exterminator

  Requirements: Kill 1,000 Monsters

  Special Skill: Strength Boost (Doubles Strength for 10 minutes)

  - Through hard work and effort you have unlocked a rare class. Strength and power are the primary factors of this class as killing many enemies demands it.

  That Strength Boost would have been amazing with (Chomp+), she thought, but it's not what I want. More so after what I've ensured.

  With renewed determination, she began to strike the remnant of the pillar against the ground. The stone eventually crumbled, turning to dust, and a new notification flashed before her eyes, sending a jolt of excitement through her.

  (Holy) Apprentice Maiden

  Requirements: Refuse three separate classes with the (evil) distinction.

  - Through unrelenting determination you have unlocked a legendary class. The maiden is a symbol of hope across the entire world. Though there hasn't been one recorded in the past 500 years, records of their deeds still remain. Guided by a strong sense of justice and the courage to do what's right, the magic you now possess is enough to rival even the Demon King itself.

  Special Skill:

  - Magic Power Boost (Doubles magical proficiency for 10 minutes)

  - Reduced cost for Skill purchase

  "Holy shit!" Bathilda exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief. "A holy class! Yes!" She danced a jig of joy, her heart pounding with excitement. "Finally, something that isn't evil!"

  Accepting the class, a surge of power coursed through her veins, bringing with it three new skills.

  "Heal! I remember seeing that one in the skill shop!" Bathilda exclaimed, her joy bubbling over. "And Area Heal... and Esuna? What's that?"

  Esuna:

  - Cures minor status afflictions: Poison, burning, bleeding, infection

  MP Cost: Dependant upon affliction (1-20)

  Extremely useful. That's what that is!

  "It's not much information, but it's something," she said, her smile widening. "And they'll probably get stronger as I level up." The thought of (Paralysing Stare+) sprang to mind.

  Before she could do anything else, Bathilda was subjected to more notifications.

  The Skill: Wing Slash+, has been altered to reflect your class

  Wing Slash+ has been converted to – Reality Tear

  The Skill: Fly+, has been altered to reflect your class

  Fly+ has been converted to – Gravity Manipulation

  The Skill: Chomp+, has been altered to reflect your class

  Chomp+ has been converted to – Obliterate

  Bathilda couldn't stop laughing. She was already powerful, or so she thought. Dispatching monsters the size of Godzilla had boosted her confidence tenfold. Not to mention her level. With her skills, both new and converted, she couldn't contain her excitement.

  (Gravity Manipulation) raised her from the floor just as (Fly+) had done. Even with wings. As she marveled at the magic of the world, a telepathic message reached her from the clone in the East. "People."

  "People! Yes!" Bathilda shouted, her excitement reaching a fever pitch. "Just when I get a legendary class! This is amazing!"

  "Don't say that," Hiro warned, his voice laced with apprehension.

  "What? Don't be superstitious," Bathilda scoffed. "This isn't a movie. Remember what I said about..."

  Before she could finish, a deafening crack echoed through the air. The outer wall, the impenetrable barrier that had withstood her furious assault, began to crumble, fissures spreading across its surface like spiderwebs. The stone behemoth lurched inwards, threatening to bury her beneath its weight.

  "I told you!" Hiro screamed, his voice filled with panic.

  Bathilda, reacting instinctively, used her (Gravity Manipulation) to propel herself away, dodging the falling debris. The wall collapsed, creating a vast, stone arena. As she floated down, she saw that the fallen wall had been replaced by a writhing mass of fur and flesh – a horde of monstrous creatures, their eyes fixed on her, their roars echoing through the newly formed arena.

  "I don't see the problem, Hiro," Bathilda said, her voice laced with a newfound confidence. "I needed to level up anyway. And I wasn't going to face a city in a child's body." She cracked her knuckles, a predatory grin spreading Across her face. "Let's kick some monster ass."