Second World

"Tsk, tsk. Just because you know about one class, don't act like you know the whole picture," Chris snickered.

"Do enlighten me," John said.

"When twenty-four players with the pinnacle special class gathered, they had the power to bring about the council of twenty-four. This council had the power to strip away a being's divinity for a duration."

"Ah… I see. So, you want us to use this power to strip Master of his Godhood and defeat him while the duration lasts," John said.

Chris nodded.

"Isn't that a bit roundabout way to defeat someone?" Jet asked. "Can't you just set the power so it strips his Godhood for good? Or better, just kill him once we activate the council's power."

"I can push a button and erase both him and the underworld forces, but what fun would that be?" Chris asked.

"Anyone mind if I slap him?" Jet asked.

"You can do that?" Jack asked Chris.

"Do what?"

"Push a button and erase all our problems."

"No. It's just a figure of speech," Chris answered.

"I support you on slapping him," Will said to Jet.

"Let's not waste our time," Wilted said. "You said you can point us in the direction of the pinnacle special classes. How about you do that, and we will leave you to your peace here."

Chris turned to Wilted. "You sounded angry."

"Don't act like you know me. You are not the real Chris," Wilted said.

"Very well then," Chris said. He again pressed a button on the table. An image reappeared above the table.

"Hey, isn't that…"

Those who had been to Balgadur recognized the image inside the projection. The projection showed the huge obelisk on the plaza inside Palgrost's capital. Jack and Grace had visited this obelisk and they sensed the strange mana flowing through the obelisk. They couldn't make sense of it, though.

"This is the trial entrance for the pinnacle special class of the Gunner class, the Celestial Commander," Chris informed. "Normally, one needs to solve hidden puzzles that were laid throughout the capital before gaining the item to open the trial space. But even if one does, one still needs to fight the guardian behind that entrance. Now, who among you is the gunner class?"

Chris was using his Inspect to sweep the group, but David beat him to it by raising his hand. Chris then took out a small disc and slid it through the table to David.

"That will let you bypass all the troublesome puzzles," Chris said. "Take that disc out when you are next to the obelisk. You will be sent to the trial space. That disc will also get you safely past the guardian beast. Normally, there will be two stages of trial. But with this disc, you will only need to pass the last trial."

"Why can't you just make it so we directly get the pinnacle special class with that disc? Do we still have to take the trial?" Jet asked.

"Where is the fun in that?" Chris asked.

"Do you have to ask?" Paytowin chided Jet.

"It's my fault for asking," Jet said.

The image above the table transformed. It now showed a different place. Jack and those others who frequented Themisphere recognized it as the Tower of Light in Themetus. It was a mysterious tower that was said to have been there since before the city was built. The tower was mysterious because it had no entrance or opening. No one had ever been inside it.

"This is the place where one takes the trial for Priest's pinnacle special class, the Keeper of Immortality," Chris said. He then looked around the group.

Purple Mist raised her hand without being asked. Chris slid a similar-looking disc at her.

"That will let you enter the tower and get by the guardian beast. Whether you succeed in the trial or not, is entirely up to you. Please understand that dangers come with the trials. Don't expect anything easy. This is the best of the best among all available classes, after all. That's why I asked Wilted to bring capable players. If you think of yourself as second-rated, you might as well pull out."

Purple Mist grabbed the disc and stored it in her inventory. She didn't show any hesitation despite Chris' warning.

"Good," Chris said, "Next…"

He continued to show one different place over another. Some were inside a settlement like the first two, most were in the wilderness. There was a place where all they could see were ice and snow. There was a place deep inside the belly of a mountain in Hydrurond. It was filled with hot-boiling lava. There was a place underwater, at the bottom of the inner sea.

When the image showed a place Jack knew well, the Valley of Tempus, Chris stopped and turned to Jack. He then turned to Scarface.

"If you have the Time Sage, what is he doing here?" Chris asked while pointing at Scarface.

"Uh… We don't know that you meant to give us the pinnacle special class," Jack feigned innocence. "You just said to bring twenty-four players with different classes."

Jack said to Scarface, "I'm sorry. It seems that you won't get the pinnacle special class."

There was disappointment in his eyes, but Scarface kept his cool. "That's fine," he said.

"I don't care about him," Chris said to Jack. "The problem is, we need twenty-four players. Who here is a Blade Dancer aside from you?"

"Um… Can't I get a second pinnacle special class?" Jack asked with worry.

"You can, but to summon the Council of Twenty-four to strip Apollyon of his Godhood, we need all twenty-four presents, not twenty-three people with one person having two pinnacle special classes. It won't work. I don't design the original game for players to have more than one class."

"Hm… Maybe we should have brought another Blade Dancer for a backup," John muttered.

"What now? Should we go back and pick up another Blade Dancer?" Paytowin asked.