Chapter 5: Hermit
I woke up with crusty eyes, a sore back, a head pounding hard enough to qualify as a blacksmith's apprentice, and the creeping suspicion that I had unknowingly joined a monastery.
The System window flickered back into existence the moment I blinked away the sleep.
[Special Class Acquired: Hermit]
The message was simple. Sterile. Honestly, kind of boring.
And yet... it felt profound.
After all this time, after endless baby babbling and existential dread, I finally had a class.
Ridiculous as it was, this proved it. I had a System. Or something very close to it.
Then the full description appeared.
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[Hermit – Special Class (max Lv5)]
He does not belong to the world; the world belongs to him. It cradles him, for in solitude he perceives what others cannot. In silence, he finds meaning—and in that meaning, the world is revealed.
[Requirements:]
-Daily meditation for a minimum of 12 uninterrupted hours, for 365 consecutive days
-No offensive or harmful actions toward any creature
-Character level must remain below 5 during the retreat
-No magical or offensive gear equipped
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I stared at the text for a long moment, stunned.
If this were a game, I'd be tempted to hunt down the devs and strangle them with their own patch notes.
Twelve hours of meditation per day? That's not gameplay, that's idle mode.
And yet... I had technically met all the conditions.
Why?
Because apparently, my average baby sleep cycle just so happened to qualify as "meditation."
Fair enough.
Also, fun fact: in this world, a year is 360 days, not 365. So which calendar is the System using?
Is it syncing with Earth time? Or just drawing arbitrary data from my former life?
Honestly, I don't know what's simulation and what's real anymore. And if I start evaluating every possibility like it's a conspiracy theory seminar, I'm going to lose it. Ironically, that's probably the most sane reaction I can have.
And don't even get me started on the level cap or the "no harming anyone" clause.
Oh, and the gear thing. I can't wear any magical equipment. Basically, I have to walk around in cosmetic-only clothes.
I wouldn't be surprised if no one ever discovered this class in YGGDRASIL.
Still... I vaguely remember a scene in the manga where Ainz and Sebas briefly mentioned obscure classes. One of them might've been a Hermit-type. It was more of a throwaway line than a full explanation, but it stuck with me. Maybe this is that class? Or something inspired by it? Hard to tell.
Anyway, moving on.
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[Passive Skills (max Lv5):]
Endurance: Gain +1% resistance to all types of damage per class level
Volume: Increase maximum mana by +2% per class level
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Honestly? That's not bad at all. Actually, it's kind of amazing.
A 1% resistance to all damage per level might sound small, but at high levels, even 5% can make a life-or-death difference.
And the mana boost? It scales with your total. That means as my mana grows, the bonus becomes even more absurd.
Exponential value. Always a good sign.
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[Active Skills:]
Lv1 – Control:
Grants enhanced control over internal energy flow. Enables perception of magical and vital energies nearby.
Lv3 – Patience:
Resistance to all status effects (both passive and active). Effectiveness scales with Magical Attack and Magical Defense.
Lv5 – Serenity:
+10% passive HP/MP regeneration
+20% additional MP regeneration while resting or meditating
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These aren't your typical flashy skills. The names are simple. Almost too simple.
But there's real potential here—especially [Control].
The others seem decent for support or survival, but [Control]? That's a game-changer.
Still, the big question remains: how do I level up this class? I sincerely hope that all it takes is killing things, just your classic XP grind, please. Because if I have to level up through increasingly absurd class-specific requirements like some kind of metaphysical Boy Scout, I'm going to lose my mind. More than I already have.
But hey, it's fine. That's a problem for Future Me.
Future Me with pants. And no diaper. And maybe a vague sense of existential clarity. But mostly pants.
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[Stat Bonus per Level:]
+15 to Physical Defense, Magical Defense, HP, and MP
[Limitations:]
No offensive or summoning magic.
Cannot inflict damage—directly or indirectly
Any violation disables class benefits for 72 hours
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So let me get this straight:
If I so much as glare at a mosquito with intent to harm, I lose all my class perks for three days?
What kind of pacifist nightmare is this? This makes Switzerland look like a warzone.
And yet... I get it.
The Hermit isn't about power. It's about perception. Durability. Awareness.
It's a class for those who observe before they act.
I guess it also explains why I passed out last time.
I'm still in a baby's body, after all.
Suddenly being filled with adult-tier HP, mana, and defenses? That probably overloaded my system.
I have the body of a one-year-old, but now I suddenly have mana, defense, and health stats rivaling a level 2 adult.
Great. I finally unlock something and it nearly kills me.
While I was pondering all this, the System window blinked out of existence. Just like that.
No goodbye. No transition. Nothing.
I tried summoning it again with my mind. Nothing.
Stupid system.
Only now did I take stock of my situation.
It was early dawn. I was curled up in my mother's arms, held tightly under thick, woven blankets.
My father wasn't in the room, probably already at the forge.
My mother, though...
I glanced up at her.
Tearstains marked her cheeks. Her nose was red.
Her eyes puffy and rimmed with exhaustion.
I felt like crap.
No. Worse than crap. I felt guilty.
These emotions were a weight in my chest. Not overwhelming, but sharp. Unavoidable.
So I did what I always do when I feel something too strongly.
I distracted myself.
Let's see what being a Hermit can actually do.
I closed my eyes. Took a slow, calm breath.
Then whispered:
[Control]
And just like that, something changed.
The world settled.
Quieter. Heavier. Clearer.
I didn't see anything at first. But I felt it.
A new sense, undefined. No shape, no sound, just awareness.
Like adding a texture to reality that had always been there but never noticed.
Mana.
It was everywhere.
It filled the house. Saturated the wooden beams, the stone floor. It pooled in corners and danced in the light.
Not shaped. Not cast. Just... present.
It wasn't a spell.
It wasn't magic.
It was the source of magic.
The raw fuel beneath it all.
It clung to living things, but it wasn't alive.
It flowed around warmth, but it wasn't heat.
It moved with breath, but it wasn't air.
It was.
And somehow, this realization felt comforting.
I had spent so long feeling powerless. A baby in a broken world. But now... now I had input.
Not power. Not yet.
But understanding.
And that meant everything.
I looked at my mother again.
No magic. Not by the world's standards.
But I could feel her.
There was a light inside her. A rhythm.
It pulsed with her heartbeat and shimmered around her fingers.
Vital energy.
Not mana. Not quite.
Where mana was neutral and flowing, this was warm. Owned. Living.
It wasn't a tool. It was her.
If mana was air, vital energy was water, flowing, shaped, and inherently hers.
And I realized something:
There was no Arcane, no Divine, no Eastern talismans or Paladin blessings in this house.
No shaped spells. No magical systems.
Only mana and life.
Input and vessel.
Which meant... I had a blank canvas.
I tried again:
"Interface?" I thought, focusing hard.
Nothing.
Of course.
I exhaled, or rather, grunted with baby frustration.
Can someone please explain why I have the demo version of the YGGDRASIL system? Half the features, none of the updates, and zero customer support. How can it function halfway?! Either it works or it doesn't! Pick one! And while you're at it, throw in a tutorial and a patch note too! I'm not asking for full immersion, just a basic manual that doesn't gaslight me with skill names and requirements!
"God…"
I paused, then muttered,
Actually, maybe I should stop saying "God." Not that I'm superstitious or anything, but better safe than smitten. With how things are going, I wouldn't be shocked if the universe was keeping score.
From now on, I'll say Adam, not in honor of the first man, but for the only person who stood beside me before it all went dark. That gruff old drunk who called me "kid" and smiled like he'd seen the worst and learned to laugh anyway. I hope he made it. Somehow. Because right now, in this quiet place, held in arms not my own, I realize I miss home.
I just hope he survived.