C5 Encounter
Odin didn't have much to say about the three professions under the Raven God. It was clear that each profession took a distinct path, symbolized by the black, red, and white feathers.
The black path was associated with plagues, focusing on bolstering one's constitution to prevent succumbing to the very diseases one wielded.
The red path was linked to bloodlines, enhancing either strength or agility, with the choice depending on the nature of the chosen beast.
The white path was about spirituality, honing psychic force. To Odin, this seemed akin to inviting a spirit possession. Without a strong psychic force, one might simply perish upon summoning a Familiar.
Having analyzed the three professions, Odin surmised that Leo was likely affiliated with the Ebon Hand, given his reddening during their encounter, indicative of the bloodline path.
"How have I managed to offend them?"
Odin racked his brain but couldn't pinpoint how he had crossed the Ebon Hand, prompting them to target him with such tactics.
Frustrated by his lack of understanding, Odin glanced at his status bar; the glaring 30 experience points were hard to ignore.
"Enough pondering. I should find a place to earn some experience points. I need to figure out where they come from."
With that, Odin pushed open the door, ready to step out.
He had his suspicions about the source of experience. The option to gain experience by destroying the Raven God Token suggested there might be similar items in this world.
Certainly, the tokens of other deities would likely follow suit.
Odin, a minor character in the grand scheme, knew they wouldn't use a Divine Weapon against him. The Raven God Token he'd acquired was surely accessible to any Class 1 professional.
With that in mind, Odin made his way to the central square of Ivywood University.
The layout of Ivywood University was such that the dormitories were on the outer edge, with academic buildings at the core, surrounded by the mentors' labs. At the heart lay the church of the God of Wisdom.
Legend has it that the Church of Wisdom houses an artifact of the God of Wisdom, which, in times of danger, causes a blue vine to sprout and cover the entirety of Ivywood University. Hence, this top-tier institution within the Whitehawk Principality is known as Ivywood University.
Odin, however, had never witnessed such an event. His current visit to the Church of Wisdom wasn't for prayer; he was curious to see if there was anything there that could be transformed into experience.
On his way to the church, Odin noticed several individuals handing out flyers by the roadside. These enthusiastic students, members of various school clubs, were always looking to stay active during their downtime.
Odin himself had been involved in such activities during his freshman and sophomore years, participating in clubs and even taking up drawing. But as his studies intensified and he fell under surveillance, he ceased participating in club activities by his junior year.
Seeing the new member recruitment, a hint of amusement crossed Odin's face. He glanced at them and was about to walk around when the leaflet distributors spotted him. A woman approached Odin and said, "Hey there, senior, are you interested in joining our newly formed Ahalin Fighting Club? It's open to all Ivywood University students for free, with three public classes a week. Plus, we offer one-on-one training with a professional coach at a very reasonable rate—just 30 copper coins per hour."
Odin paused, slightly taken aback. He was aware that many students learned martial arts or fighting techniques on campus, often at a lower cost than off-campus options. However, he recalled that the popular fighting club at the university was Wild Dance, with over 80% of the fighters enrolled.
Noticing Odin's hesitation, the woman elaborated, "We're freshmen. My brother and I practice a family-tradition combat skill that doesn't quite align with Wild Dance's style. But without joining a club, we can't reserve space for practice. So we started our own little club, hoping to attract some members. Just signing up to help us with our numbers would be great."
After listening, Odin finally caught on. It made sense why they were seeking out older-looking individuals who clearly had no interest in participating in combat training. This was simply a tactic to boost membership numbers and secure the school's recognition of the club.
"Sure, but I'm about to graduate. If your club can't gather enough members after I'm gone, you can't hold it against me."
"Don't worry, we're almost there. Come on, senior, let's get you signed up over here."
The woman led Odin to a nearby table as she spoke.
As Odin approached, he was hit by a blast of heat. A stocky man, around 1.8 meters tall, was seated at the table.
The man exuded a heavy presence, and upon closer inspection, one could see a slight ripple in the air around him—a sign of an extremely powerful vital spirit that couldn't be contained.
It was evident that this man was on the verge of breaking through the martial threshold to become a level 1 meta-human.
Odin was taken aback to find such a student at the school.
The man seemed indifferent to Odin. When Odin approached, he placed a registration form on the table and asked with a hint of annoyance, "What's your name?"
"Odin Vesconte."
"Odin, have you trained before? You look pretty sturdy. If you have, you could start at the second level with the breathing and training techniques from Ahalin."
Odin was puzzled by the situation. The woman who had brought him over quickly tugged at his sleeve and explained, "That's just how my brother is. He's always eager to pass on our family's legacy. Don't mind him. Take what he says with a grain of salt—it's all free lessons anyway. But if he suggests a one-on-one private session, don't accept. It's pricey, and he runs a tight ship."
Odin nodded in understanding and was ready to head out when the man finished jotting down his details. He grabbed Odin's arm and said, "Come on, let me show you a few moves. Give them a try, and we'll decide where to start your training."
