Classless Ascension

Crazy theories aside Josh needed to know something more concrete.

"Tell me what you know about Memory Fragments."

"Oh? Did you manage to get one? Which basic skill did you get?"

"F-Rank Phantom Blade."

"What?! This is weird! What opponent did you face?" Hegel exclaimed.

"Gobu The Swift."

"How peculiar! It usually drops the Wind's Blessing. Ah, it increases your basic agility. It's useful but pretty common. Did you manage to beat the goblin quickly?"

"No, I took my time. About an hour."

"This doesn't make sense why…. Wait! Were you toying with it?!"

"Pretty much, why?"

"Not everyone knows it but there is a Feat system. When you accomplish a mission particularly well you are rewarded. It seems to be a hidden feature. It could also just be luck, but I have run a few tests. It seems to be statistically significant."

Hegel seemed to know a whole lot for a fake.

"How does this fragment work then?"

"You simply focus on it. The system will ask you if you want to assimilate it. Once you select yes, there is a chance you receive the skill. We call this an Inheritance. If you are lucky, it will be a complete one. Normally, it will be a partial one. Then if you are unlucky, it will be a fragmented one."

"Memories belonging to heroes of the past, right? If I use it, will it alter my current memories in any way?" This was Josh's only concern.

"Looking at the current data we have, no. Your current memories won't be affected. It will simply add new ones."

Josh then figured he may as well absorb the fragment. Perhaps not picking a class had been a mistake too.

"Well, it can indirectly." Hegel continued.

This jolted Josh to attention.

"How?!"

"Let me put it this way. A kid may love his teddy bear very much. He could cherish it and keep it by his side. Then he will grow up. Later on, he may not care about his old toy."

"You mean to say that my current memories are the teddy? Then the Memory Fragment could forcefully change my personality so that I wouldn't care about the past?"

"Something similar. Many rankers have attested to receiving vivid new memories. The first time, it made some question their own identity. The consensus is that is it harmless. That one just needs to get used to it. I'm one of the few that still doubts."

"Then I'll sell it!"

"It is but a possibility and may be worth the sacrifice even then, you know."

Josh understood that it was just a possibility. That Hegel may simply be mad or overly careful. But even then, he wouldn't risk it.

"Thank you for your help! Anything I need to know as a newcomer here?"

"You have not learned any skill, right?"

"How did you know?" Technically Josh had his weapon mastery, but he started with it.

"Eh, you wouldn't talk about selling a Memory Fragment that casually otherwise. Here's a bit of advice for you:

- That Memory Fragment you can sell for 1k Credits whatever they tell you.

- Without any skill, be incredibly careful Floor 15+. There may be enemies that you won't even be able to damage.

- If you somehow reach Floor 25, stop there. It is impossible to continue further without magic!

- You only have one life. Don't bite more than you can chew.

I could keep talking for ages, but I think I need to let you digest it all. Come back and see me whenever you want."

Josh then left a bit overwhelmed., He had learned some Tower history, knew to stay away from skill items, and learned about Feats.

Josh now had a deadline. He had until Floor 15 to figure out how to acquire skills on his own. Otherwise, he would have to look for an alternative.

He would most likely come back to see Hegel for advice when the time came. Josh figured out he could keep training on his own. Perhaps he'd find himself able to replicate a specific skill eventually.

But for now, it was time to make $$$$!

Josh tried going to the same shop as before. They were ready to give him 500 Credits for it. Good thing he received advice. Josh tried to bargain but they wouldn't budge.

That wouldn't affect him too much. This was a technological age! It would of course be possible to buy and sell online! Checking his UW Josh quickly found a trading platform. It read:

<Ouroboros, We Sell Everything! From Head to Tail!>

Head to tail? That was their entire Logo!

Josh couldn't complete the transaction completely online, sadly. He needed to increase his seller's reputation level for that.

Now Josh needed to head to one of their physical branches. It was in the same B district, so he quickly reached his destination. There was a big building with tons of windows. The glass had an imposing serpent swimming in it. A holographic one that looked especially vivid.

"First time?"

Josh turned around to a party of four. One man surrounded by three beauties.

"Yes, it is pretty impressive!"

Two giggled while the other 2 gave looks of contempt. The man scanned Josh quickly.

"No sign of any wealth besides the memory fragment you are holding. Your clothes are bloodstained and old. You have a UW but that is all. It was probably given to you.

You are a Newbie that just completed Floor 5, right? You should have just sold this trash at a general store. Ah, whatever.

How about I do a good action and buy it off you? I'll be generous and give you 200 Credits!"

Josh could see that they were clearly looking down on him. Trying to take advantage of him. The girls in the back were just watching the happenings playfully. Josh wouldn't bother with such ridiculous people and simply turn back to head inside.

"Hey, you! Are you ignoring my good intentions?!" The man bellowed.

Josh kept walking. Before long he reached a counter. A man was there, no U-bot.

"Hello there, I'd like to sell something." Greeted Josh.

"This is your first time here, right? What do you wish to sell?"

"This." Josh handed the Fragment over.

"Oh! This is pretty nice! It is rank F, but the skill is pretty good. We'll give you the same price as a rank E item, 1k Credits."

"I'll take it!", Josh almost screamed that. After all, it was his first big sale.

"Haha, this is your first time selling ranked loot, right? There is a 10% government tax and a 5% shop fee. Is that fine?"

Josh simply nodded, he wouldn't try to fight the government for a little tax haha.

"Perfect, I'll transfer the Credits to your UW account now. Here are your 850 Credits!"

Making sure he really had received it Josh cheered internally.

He now had 901 Credits total.

It was enough for 17 years of food, enough for180 entries into the lower Tower Floors, enough for....that was the extent of Josh's knowledge actually.

He had gained so much, and he was only 5 Floors in! How insane was that!

That is when he saw the guy from earlier. He had seen Josh complete the trade. Josh couldn't help but smile at him.

"You may want to check back on the definitions of "generous" and "good action"...oh and perhaps review your basic math skills."

Then Josh simply left. Leaving an infuriated failure of a scammer behind.

Josh wanted to climb some more. Should he aim for his first million?