Chapter 238: A High-Tier Job Class Delivered: [Ninja]
Tina stared intently at the girl opposite her. She had emerald-green hair and a blank expression, and she didn't look very old.
Her indifferent gaze and unrestrained attacks made it clear that she couldn't care less about the surrounding populace. Given that she was a demi-human, it all made sense.
"This woman!"
From the corner of her eye, Tina glanced at the destroyed stalls around them. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
Vine Entanglement!
The floor beneath her feet cracked.
Green vines sprouted rapidly, forming an encircling net around Tina. The vines then writhed and tightened, attempting to envelop her completely.
*Swish!*
Tina's eyes flashed. Her right hand moved to her waist, drawing a sharp dagger with blood-red patterns. She spun rapidly, slashing in a circle with herself at the center.
*Crack! Crack! Crack!*
The tightening green vines were swiftly severed by the sharp dagger, turning into small, fragmented branches that scattered in the air.
Tina leaped, flipping over in mid-air with an agile and light movement. She jumped out of the vine encirclement and landed steadily on the ground.
"That's enough. I have no hostile intentions," Tina said in a cold voice, her gaze passing over the Green Leaf Witch to look at a blonde girl behind her.
That seemingly unremarkable, ordinary girl was Enri, the other member of "Free Will."
What terrible luck!
Tina complained inwardly.
With her abilities, she could tail not just ordinary people, but even formidable adventurers would have a hard time detecting her tracking techniques.
Yet, she was discovered by that Green Leaf Witch.
It wasn't through magic, but pure sensory ability.
In the parlance of rogues and assassins, it would be called 'Danger Perception'—a crucial ability for such professions.
Anyone without this ability couldn't be considered a qualified rogue or assassin.
There were generally two ways to master this technique. One was to slowly develop a perception of danger through training and prolonged combat.
The other was to be born with a keen sixth sense. Coincidentally, some demi-humans had a much greater advantage in this regard than humans.
To think the "Free Will" adventurer team had a demi-human member?
Although the Green Leaf Witch before her was disguised with a magic item, it was impossible to completely fool a master once she took action.
Tina was a little surprised.
It was extremely rare for an adventurer team to have a demi-human. It was said that among the Empire's Adamantite-rank adventurers, "Silver Thread Bird," there was one demi-human member.
This was only because the Empire's ideology was relatively open-minded; within the Kingdom, demi-humans were generally not very welcome.
Of course.
This wasn't what surprised Tina the most. The information she had gathered indicated that the leader of "Free Will" was a genius alchemist who enjoyed using the blood of demi-humans to create alchemical potions.
Such a person shouldn't have any fondness for demi-humans.
The Green Leaf Witch continued to look at Tina with indifference. She wasn't human, so she naturally didn't care for the rules and restraints of human society.
The only one whose commands she would obey was her master.
The human before her made the Green Leaf Witch feel threatened, which was why she had attacked without hesitation.
"Miss Cuiye, it seems she doesn't have any hostile intentions," Enri said, nervously wringing the hem of her clothes as she looked at the two in a standoff.
The commotion from the magic was too great.
This was the Royal Capital, a place with many powerful figures and nobles.
Enri felt that if this continued, the guards would arrest them. She was also worried about causing trouble for Tang Zheng.
"Silence."
The Green Leaf Witch spoke coldly without turning her head. The magical light in her hands flickered slightly, showing no sign that she intended to stop.
She wasn't casting another spell at this moment!
It was because the Green Leaf Witch sensed Tang Zheng's arrival. She was waiting for her master's command.
However.
After a brief moment of waiting, the Green Leaf Witch realized her master had not appeared, and she immediately understood that Tang Zheng had no intention of stopping her from continuing the attack.
In that case—
"Corrosive Destruction!" A cold sneer appeared on the corner of the Green Leaf Witch's mouth. She looked at Tina and waved her hands.
A mass of acidic fluid, emitting a strong corrosive odor, instantly condensed in mid-air like raindrops and showered down on Tina.
*Swoosh!*
The corrosive liquid cut through the air, spreading out to form a magical attack that was difficult to dodge.
Seeing that the Green Leaf Witch was still attacking, Tina's already expressionless face turned completely cold.
"Arrogant fool."
"This is not a place where you can run wild. Since that's the case, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your leader."
Tina snorted coldly, and the ground beneath her feet shook.
In an instant!
Tina transformed into a black afterimage, rushing out from her original spot. Facing the corrosive liquid raining down on her, her speed suddenly doubled.
The moment the magical attack was about to land, she had already left her original position, charging towards the Green Leaf Witch at extreme speed.
Against a magic caster, creating distance was not a good choice. She had pulled away earlier because she didn't want to fight, but since the other party insisted on it...
Tina certainly wouldn't hold back.
"It's your bad luck to have run into me!"
Tina placed her hands in front of her chest, forming a unique hand sign. She intended to seize victory directly with overwhelming superiority. Once she got close to a magic caster, they had already lost.
"Ninjutsu: Shadow Dive!"
*Swish!*
In the blink of an eye, Tina vanished into a swirl of shadow, reappearing a moment later within the Green Leaf Witch's own shadow.
A golden ponytail emerged from the shadow first, followed by her entire figure rising up.
Tina swung the dagger with its red, blood-like patterns, stabbing toward the Green Leaf Witch's neck.
So fast!
A trace of alarm appeared on the Green Leaf Witch's face. This annoying human woman was completely different from the other strong humans she had encountered before.
What kind of magic was this?
"Magic Armor!"
Relying on her excellent danger perception, the Green Leaf Witch swiftly activated a magical defense.
*Clang!*
A translucent magical gleam flickered around her body, forming a suit of armor condensed from magic power. It blocked the dagger's attack with a crisp metallic sound.
At this moment.
In a house about a hundred meters away from this Street.
Tang Zheng leaned against a window, holding a piece of soft bread, calmly watching the two figures fighting on the street.
Meanwhile, a large, chaotic crowd was gathering in the surrounding area.
The merchants and populace who were originally on the street, after fearfully moving away from the Green Leaf Witch and Tina, had stopped nearby, craning their necks to watch the two figures.
Evidently, gawking was human nature, no matter the world.
Such a huge commotion naturally attracted many nearby adventurers, and even more of the populace gathered.
For a time, the area became severely congested.
"The red headband... that should be Tina."
Tang Zheng's gaze was fixed on the battle, and his eyes flickered.
Tia and Tina looked very similar. The quickest way to tell them apart was by the color of their headbands.
"An unexpected surprise. I was just wondering how to obtain the [Ninja] job class, and now it's delivered itself to my doorstep."
A smile appeared on Tang Zheng's face.
*Voom—*
The status panel materialized before Tang Zheng's eyes.
*『Skill "Ninjutsu: Shadow Dive" discovered. Requires High-Tier Job Class [Ninja]. Current conditions not met. Requires 3 Skill Points.』*
*『No prerequisite Intermediate Job Class. Conditions not met. Requires 6 Skill Points.』*
*『No Basic Job Class. Conditions not met...』*
*『"Genius" job class activated. Prerequisite "Rogue" (Basic Job Class) fulfilled. Learning conditions met!』*
*『Consume 6 Skill Points to learn this skill?』*
Seeing the information refresh on the panel, the smile on Tang Zheng's face widened.
He looked up.
He saw the scene of the Green Leaf Witch forcing Tina back again.
"I don't know if acquiring this job class will cause a commotion. I should probably leave first." Tang Zheng placed the half-eaten white bread on a plate on the windowsill and chanted in a low voice:
"Teleport!"
*Swish!*
The air distorted for a moment, and Tang Zheng's figure vanished. When he reappeared, he was already in the Lava Zone.
The crimson glow of magma filled his vision.
This was the Depths of the Lava Zone; even if a commotion occurred, he wouldn't have to worry about being detected.
"Learn!"
Tang Zheng stared at his status panel, his resolve firm.
*『Skill Points: 71 → 65』*
As he mastered the skill "Ninjutsu: Shadow Dive," the job information on his status panel briefly blurred, and then a high-tier job class appeared on the panel.
*Voom!*
The shadow at Tang Zheng's feet twisted slightly. A powerful aura erupted from his body but instantly receded, and even his own aura seemed to weaken.
It was as if his own aura fluctuations had been concealed!
......
Job: Ninja
Level: High-Tier Job Class
Ability Effects:
Passive:
「Additional System: Ninjutsu」: Through constant practice of your craft, you have finally mastered the techniques unique to the Ninja job—Ninjutsu.
「Aura Concealment Mastery」: You are more adept at concealing your own aura and detecting hidden enemies. All concealment-type skills and techniques are enhanced, making you harder to detect and discover.
「Agile Movement」: Your flexible limbs allow you to move with great agility. Grants an additional 60 Agility points. Cannot wear heavy-type equipment, or the bonus will be nullified and your agility will be reduced.
「Shadow Affinity」: Ninjas are naturally adapted to dark environments. Gain 20% Dark Attribute Resistance and receive a bonus when moving in darkness.
Active: Job Skill
[Ninjutsu: Shadow Clone Technique]: Create one shadow clone. Except for "Agility" and "Magic Power," all other stats are only 1/4 of the original. (Duration: 10 minutes, Cooldown: 1 hour)
(Note: For every level up, HP, MP, Physical Attack, and Agility will increase by 15 points.)
Description: They are shadow hunters, the silent ones, the shadow killers, the infiltrators, the master assassins. So, tell me who your enemies are, friend.
......
Tang Zheng quickly scanned the information about the [Ninja] job class on his status panel, his eyes lighting up slightly.
The overall strength of the job didn't seem particularly high. Compared to the [Curse Knight], it was clearly a bit weaker, yet it was stronger than a typical high-tier class like [Magic Swordsman].
"Teleport!"
Tang Zheng didn't rush to examine the details of the [Ninja] job. He activated the magic again to return quickly.
*Swish!*
His vision changed.
The surrounding environment returned to the windowsill from before.
Tang Zheng reached out, picked up the remaining half of the white bread, and continued to eat. He lifted his chin slightly, looking at the two figures not far away on the street.
The battle between the Green Leaf Witch and Tina was still ongoing. After all, Tang Zheng's round trip via teleport, plus the time it took to acquire the job class, was only about ten seconds.
"Tsk, her movements are really agile. Why not use more ninjutsu skills? Just relying on close combat won't be enough to take down the Green Leaf Witch."
Tang Zheng watched Tina's agile attack movements and commented to himself.
Tang Zheng estimated that the level gap between the Green Leaf Witch and Tina wasn't large, but the Green Leaf Witch was a demi-human with a unique sensory ability. To truly defeat her...
Tina wouldn't be able to do it without going all out.
It was a good thing this wasn't a forest environment; otherwise, the Green Leaf Witch's power could have been boosted even further.
With the [Ninja] job secured...
Tang Zheng had no intention of stopping the Green Leaf Witch. He wanted to use their battle to acquire as many skills from the ninjutsu system as possible.
*Voom—*
The status panel appeared before his eyes.
While watching the fight, Tang Zheng studied the information of his newly acquired job.
Four passive skills: 「Additional System: Ninjutsu」, 「Aura Concealment Mastery」, 「Agile Movement」, and 「Shadow Affinity」.
None of them were overwhelmingly powerful passive skills, but they were still noteworthy.
The abilities of the latter two passives were the clearest. 「Agile Movement」 increased agility by 60 points but came with a job penalty of being unable to wear heavy equipment.
Compared to the penalty of the [Curse Knight] job, it was nothing. Tang Zheng didn't need to wear heavy equipment anyway; his main equipment at the moment was Body Armament.
The information for 「Shadow Affinity」 was also clear.
Only 「Additional System: Ninjutsu」 and 「Aura Concealment Mastery」 caught his attention. These two passives were the core of the [Ninja] job.
"Concealed presence... it seems it can block a portion of magical perception." Tang Zheng controlled his own aura, still a bit unaccustomed to it, and realized this was a very useful technique.
He had been worried that the aura fluctuations from his high level would be detected. The appearance of this ability was perfectly timed.
On the street.
The Green Leaf Witch's face was grim. Her attack magic kept missing the agile Tina, forcing her onto the defensive.
She hadn't forgotten that her master was still watching.
"Darkness!"
The Green Leaf Witch raised her hand and waved.
In an instant, all light in the area was stripped away, as if a thick black fog had enveloped the vicinity.
The Green Leaf Witch lifted her foot, preparing to move.
But the next moment!
A faint golden light shot out from the darkness and landed on the Green Leaf Witch, causing her to freeze in place, unable to move.
"Ninjutsu: Immovable Body-Fixing Technique!"
"This is... damn it!"
"Ninjutsu: Detect!"
The moment before the surroundings were enveloped in darkness, Tina used the Immovable Body-Fixing Technique to restrict the Green Leaf Witch's movement.
Immediately after!
She activated a detection-type ninjutsu, confirming there were no other attacks in the darkness. After reconfirming the Green Leaf Witch's position, she charged forward.
In the current dark environment, Tina's speed became even faster.
By the windowsill.
"She made a bad move."
Seeing the Green Leaf Witch cast the 「Darkness」 magic, Tang Zheng couldn't help but shake his head.
He glanced at the skill information that appeared on his status panel and, without hesitation, spent the skill points to learn them.
*『Skill Points: 65 → 61』*
In just a moment, he had already mastered three ninjutsu skills.
「Ninjutsu: Shadow Dive」: Move a short distance between shadows.
「Ninjutsu: Immovable Body-Fixing Technique」: Prevent an opponent from moving.
「Ninjutsu: Detect」: Sense hidden presences in the surroundings and also perceive the opponent's strength level.
Tang Zheng smiled faintly. What truly interested him about the [Ninja] job was the series of ninjutsu skills.
In the game YGGDRASIL, aside from the normal magic system, there were other systems, such as the ninjutsu system, the immortal arts system, the forbidden arts system, and the onmyodo system.
These different systems were all related to job builds, and thus possessed unique effects different from magic.
Among them, the ninjutsu system had no distinction of magic tiers. The strength of some ninjutsu was increased based on the amount of magic power consumed.
(end of chapter)