Chapter 54: Vanguards Unleashed, Power Reforged
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+55 EXP
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+60 EXP
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+65 EXP
The soft chiming of the system notifications rang through Lei Feng's mind like a chorus of distant silver bells, gentle yet persistent, echoing with growing urgency. No one else could hear them—but they came in relentless waves, flooding his interface with a river of experience gains.
"What's going on…?" Lei Feng murmured under his breath, eyes narrowing as he tried to make sense of the barrage.
Aquari tilted her head, her soft voice brushing the silence. "Are you alright, Master?"
"I'm fine… It's just—" His sentence hung in the air, fragmented—until realization struck.
"Aeolus," he said suddenly, eyes flashing with clarity. "He's the one doing this. He's hunting magic beasts on his own."
The notifications made sense now. Each kill was precise, increasing in EXP value with every message. "He's treating it like a challenge… a game—escalating difficulty with every enemy slain."
"Master?" Aquari blinked, she lean forward, her face inches from his, head cocked with curiosity.
"Wah—!" Lei Feng flinched, leaning back instinctively. "I-It's fine, Aquari… your teammate is just wreaking havoc across the forest."
"You mean Aeolus?" Aquari asked again, her tone more amused than concerned.
"Uh-huh." Lei Feng nodded sheepishly.
"What's that air freak up to this time?" Ignis chimed in, crossing his arms with a scowl.
Lei Feng chuckled. "He's just having fun… slaying everything that moves."
"Hm…" Granite stirred for the first time, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. He turned his stone-crusted face to Lei Feng. "That sounds… fun. Granite wants to join."
Lei Feng blinked at him, then smirked. "Oh really?"
Before he could say more, the notifications struck again.
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+80 EXP
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+85 EXP
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+90 EXP
Lei Feng's brows furrowed. "Level 18 beasts already?! At this rate, he'll run into something he can't handle by Level 20… knowing him, he won't stop there."
He turned to Granite. "Go join Aeolus. Try to keep things from getting too wild."
Granite nodded once, deeply. "Thank you, Master."
"Just go." Lei Feng waved him off with a chuckle.
"HAHAHAHA!" Granite's booming laugh shook the trees. He raised one leg and slammed it down.
BOOOOOOM!
The cliffside trembled. Earth surged beneath him like a catapult, launching his massive frame high into the air, where he was briefly silhouetted against the moon's pale light—an airborne colossus.
Then—whoosh.
He vanished over the cliff's edge, swallowed by the dark forest below, like a meteor falling into shadow.
A few beats later, more notifications arrived, but Lei Feng merely smiled. "Looks like he landed."
"You guys can join too if you want," he turned to the remaining Elementals. "But stay together."
A sudden chill crept into the air. Crackling, crystalline sounds danced across the rocks like breaking glass.
Lei Feng turned—and his breath caught.
Glacia stood poised on an elegant board made entirely of translucent ice, which shimmered with a faint blue glow under the moonlight. Her white hair fluttered in the wind, and in her hand, she held a long frostblade, its edge gleaming like polished crystal, trailing icy mist.
She looked like an empress of winter.
"That sword…" Lei Feng whispered. "It looks like a real treasure… The level of control she has over ice…"
Glacia gave a faint, cool smile. "See you later, Master."
Then—SWOOSH.
She leaned forward. The ice-board surged beneath her, slicing down the cliffside with a smooth, high-speed glide. A trail of frost followed in her wake, painting a serpentine path of blue luminescence through the night.
"Permission to fall out, Master," Ignis's voice rang out, more martial in tone.
Lei Feng gave a lazy thumbs-up. "Granted."
Without hesitation, Ignis bent his knees and launched himself from the edge. Mid-air, his entire body erupted into brilliant flame. He didn't fall—he blazed, streaking across the sky like a firebrand comet, illuminating the forest canopy in a fiery arc.
Finally, Lei Feng turned to Aquari, the last one.
"I'm trusting you to keep the team safe… and together."
She bowed gracefully, her sapphire eyes gleaming. "As you command, Master."
Water began to ripple around her feet. A graceful tide rose beneath her, forming a crescent wave that hovered mid-air. She stepped onto it like a swan gliding across a lake, her long hair and flowing robe trailing behind in a cascade of aquamarine light.
With a final smile, she rode the wave downward, disappearing into the forest with tranquil majesty.
Silence returned, broken only by the constant dinging of the system.
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+100 EXP
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+100 EXP
Ding!
…
"Level 20 beasts already? They're going wild…" Lei Feng muttered, opening his EXP panel.
> [EXP: 1200 / 2000]
His eyes widened. "1200?! Wait—2000?! That's double from before!"
A chill ran down his spine.
"System! Why is this happening?"
Ding!
[Host has reached the Magic Adept stage. Previous stages—Magic Novice and Initiate—were preparatory phases. As a true Awakener, your growth will now demand exponentially more effort.]
Lei Feng stared at the text, gulping.
"That explains it… but doubling EXP every time? That's insane."
Ding!
[Correction: Not doubling. From this stage onward, each level will require 1000 more EXP than the last.]
Lei Feng slumped slightly, but then chuckled.
"...Well, at least it's consistent."
He exhaled slowly, turning his gaze upward. The crescent moon stared back like a silent sentinel. Then he looked at the system again—at the glowing icon pulsing softly in golden light.
> [Class Advancement Available!]
It pulsed with a steady beat, like a heart.
And yet it brought a wave of dread.
He remembered the pain, the chaos—the searing agony from when he drew the second class from the Omni Fate Spin.
Would it happen again?
But then—he remembered the quest.
He flicked to the quest tab. There it was, burning at the top.
Ding!
[System Quest – "The OmniClass Path"]
Objective: Awaken three more Magic Classes
Progress: 1/3
Time Limit: 12m: 2h: 18d
Reward: Thundergod's Embrace – Golden-Rank Weapon Set
Penalty: Complete loss of class and level progression upon failure
"I have time," Lei Feng murmured. "But who knows when I'll get another chance like this?"
He remembered the promise he made—the vow to rise, no matter the odds.
"…Let's do this."
Ding!
Level Up!
Level 21 → Level 22
+10 Health
+10 Mana
+1 to All Stats
+5 Free Stat Points
Another Level up? So fast... Lei Feng muttered in surprise.
━━━『 OmniClass God System Interface 』━━━
[Status Panel]
Name: Lei Feng
Level: Awakener Lv. 22 (Magic Adept)
Class:
• Storm Swordsman
• Summoner
Elemental Affinity:
• Lightning \[Disintegration Attribute]
• Wind
EXP: 0 / 3000
HP: 330 / 330
MP: 280 / 280
━━『 Attributes 』━━
Strength: 64 (+1)
Agility: 46 (+1)
Endurance: 45 (+1)
Intelligence: 24 (+1)
Perception: 30 (+1)
Free Stat Points: 45
"Alright," Lei Feng breathed, cracking his knuckles. "Time to optimize."
He considered carefully. "I need raw power—Strength gets +10. I've got to keep up with that Aeolus in speed—Agility +10. I'll need more durability—Endurance +10. For casting efficiency and mana reserves—Intelligence +10. And to enhance perception and awareness—+5 to Perception."
━━『 Updated Attributes 』━━
Strength: 75
Agility: 57
Endurance: 56
Intelligence: 35
Perception: 36
Free Stat Points: 0
A rush of energy flooded his veins. It was as if his body had shed invisible weights. Muscles pulsed with power. His vision sharpened. Every breath felt cleaner. Every movement felt faster—more in sync with the world around him.
"259 total stat points," Lei Feng whispered. "I'm definitely stronger than the average Level 22."
He looked back at the glowing icon.
"No turning back now."
He tapped it.
> [Random Class Loading…]
Lei Feng clenched his fists, holding his breath. In his heart, a silent prayer echoed:
Please… give me something powerful.