Dual Realm Exchange System

Damian stared at the expanding panels before him, his mind unable to process the sheer number of options being presented.

The twenty-three Level 1 spells had already seemed excessive, but this was something else entirely!

Hundreds of Feats filled his vision, arranged beneath five distinct categories. Each name carried an instinctive description that unfolded whenever Damian focused upon it, revealing its effects, ordinary requirements and possible limitations.

The Dual-Realm Exchange System provided a short explanation first.

[Origin Feats.]

[Foundational Feats normally acquired when advancing into a Standard Class. An Origin Feat establishes the basic advantages, resources and rules through which that Class begins its growth.]

Several familiar names appeared beneath the category.

[Double Strike — Fighter Origin Feat.]

[Skilled — Rogue Origin Feat.]

[Keen Eye — Ranger Origin Feat.]

[Divine Attunement — Cleric Origin Feat.]

[Mage Initiate — Mage Origin Feat.]

[Bulwark — Warden Origin Feat.]

Damian already possessed , yet all five remaining Origin Feats appeared available.

The next category unfolded.

[General Feats.]

[Feats broadly available to multiple Classes, races and professions. General Feats improve universal aspects of an individual, including physical capability, awareness, survivability, mobility and fortune.]

[Alert.]

[Athlete.]

[Durable.]

[Lucky.]

[Mobile.]

[Tough.]

None of them were weak.

sharpened danger awareness, improved reaction speed and made it far more difficult for enemies to catch the user completely unprepared.

enhanced physical coordination, jumping, climbing and recovery from awkward positions, while improved stamina and the body’s ability to recover from exhaustion or injury.

increased movement speed and made it easier to reposition without being intercepted.

directly strengthened health and vitality with every level gained.

Then there was , which allowed the user to twist a limited number of unfavorable outcomes toward a more desirable result.

Even that category alone could have occupied Damian for hours.

The third panel appeared.

[Class Feats.]

[Specialized Feats normally restricted to particular Classes, Subclasses or Advanced Classes. Class Feats deepen an existing path, modify its abilities or grant advantages intended for practitioners of that discipline.]

[War Caster.]

[Spell Sniper.]

[Elemental Adept.]

[Great Weapon Master.]

[Sharpshooter.]

[Sentinel.]

The list extended far beyond those six.

There were Feats for armored warriors, archers, healers, assassins, summoners, craftsmen and nearly every recognized path in Valoria.

allowed a warrior to sacrifice precision for overwhelming force while improving their ability to continue attacking after delivering a decisive blow.

reduced the penalties caused by distance, partial cover and difficult firing angles.

strengthened one’s ability to protect allies by intercepting enemies and restricting their movement.

Damian had no martial training, yet the system still allowed him to examine all of them.

The fourth category was even stranger.

[Special Feats.]

[Rare Feats governed by unusual achievements, conditions, bloodlines, contracts, levels or recognition from Valoria’s laws. Special Feats may grant powers unavailable through ordinary Class progression.]

[Ritual Caster.]

[Fey Touched.]

[Shadow Touched.]

[Telekinetic.]

[Boon of Truesight.]

[Boon of Spell Recall.]

Damian’s breathing paused.

The two Boons possessed ordinary requirements that should have placed them far beyond his reach, as both were intended for beings standing near the limits of mortal advancement, yet they were displayed beside abilities he could conceivably acquire at Level 1.

The final category appeared.

[Racial Feats.]

[Feats normally restricted to particular races, species, bloodlines or inherited constitutions. Racial Feats strengthen natural traits or awaken dormant qualities unique to their original bearers.]

[Elven Accuracy.]

[Drow High Magic.]

[Dragon Fear.]

[Infernal Constitution.]

[Orcish Fury.]

[Second Chance.]

Damian stared at the racial options.

He was human and possessed no elven blood, infernal ancestry or draconic heritage as far as he knew. Even if a distant ancestor had somehow hidden horns beneath a hat, it would not explain why every other Racial Feat was also selectable.

Then the system presented the rule that changed everything.

[Special Power: One Feat Per Level.

Effect: The Host may select one additional Feat upon each increase in Overall Level.]

[Category restrictions waived.]

[Class restrictions waived.]

[Race restrictions waived.]

[Level requirements waived.]

[Incompatible effects will be adapted to the Host’s current existence.]

Damian’s pupils contracted.

He could choose... anything?

It did not matter whether the Feat belonged to another Class, required a bloodline he did not possess or was normally restricted to a being standing at the peak of the Over Legend stage...?

He could take and gain the Warden’s foundational advantage despite being a Mage?

He could select without possessing pointed ears or a trace of elven blood?

He could even acquire the at Level 1 when such a power would normally be reserved for someone approaching divinity...?

The scope of his options expanded until it became absurd.

Looking at each of them, Damian could solidly say that there were no bad Feats in existence.

Rather, there were simply not enough Feats to be acquired in one’s lifetime.

Damian stood silently before the World Stone Tablet while the people around him waited.

At first, none of them noticed anything unusual. Otherworlders sometimes took several moments to adjust after receiving bestowed knowledge.

When that silence stretched into several minutes, however, Janet began shifting impatiently.

”Did he fall asleep with his eyes open?” Janet whispered while leaning toward Julia.

”He is still breathing, fortunately,” Julia replied dryly.

Paulina stepped closer and sniffed at Damian. ”He smells the same.”

”How does that help?” Eunice asked with a helpless sigh.

”It confirms he has not secretly transformed into something else.” Paulina answered with confidence.

Damian heard them, but he could not answer without exposing what had happened.

The Feat list belonged to the Dual-Realm Exchange System, not Valoria’s Character Sheet. Neither Selene nor Roland knew he had received a tutorial reward, especially one of such scale.

Telling them that he could select an Epic Boon or steal another Class’s Origin Feat at every level would be madness.

After all, the ladies had nearly rioted over a few free spells and Specializations.

If he actually did that, well... Paulina might actually bite him to death this time.

Damian narrowed his focus and reduced the list to the options most useful for a new Mage.

Six Feats remained.

[War Caster.]

[Spell Sniper.]

[Ritual Caster.]

[Elemental Adept.]

[Boon of Truesight.]

[Boon of Spell Recall.]

Any one of them could transform his immediate prospects.

would increase the effective range and precision of his offensive spells, reduce the protection offered by obstacles and grant him another combat Cantrip. It would make , and even more dangerous at a distance.

For a physically weak Mage, killing an enemy before it approached was the most reliable defense.

allowed the user to choose a particular element and develop an unnatural authority over it. Spells of that element would ignore a large portion of ordinary resistance, become more stable and produce a consistently stronger minimum effect.

If Damian selected fire, and would become far more reliable against fire-resistant creatures.

However, specializing so early also carried risks, as Shengyuan might contain cultivators who trained fire-based bodies, spiritual flames or techniques specifically designed to suppress ordinary fire. Damian did not know enough to gamble his first bonus Feat on one element.

offered broader potential.

It would grant Damian two ritual formulas and the ability to perform ritual magic beyond the ordinary boundaries of his Mage Class. Rituals were slow, but they could produce powerful effects without consuming prepared Spell Slots.

Communication, detection, identification, protection and summoning rituals could become invaluable to a Dual-Realm Exchange Specialist.

Unfortunately, ritual magic required time, materials and preparation, but Damian needed something that could keep him alive now.

The two Boons were far more difficult to dismiss.

would allow him to see through normal and magical darkness, perceive invisible beings, recognize illusions and notice creatures concealed through transformation or overlapping spatial layers.

It was not merely enhanced vision... it was the ability to see reality without many of the lies placed over it.

In Valoria, that could expose disguised monsters, hidden assassins and illusion traps. In Shengyuan, where cultivators were infamous for concealment arts, possession and deceptive treasures, the value of such sight was impossible to calculate.

was equally outrageous.

Whenever Damian used a prepared Slot for a spell between Levels 1 and 4, there would be a chance that the magical structure remained intact instead of collapsing. The spell would still activate, but the Slot would not be expended.

At present, Damian possessed only two Level 1 Spell Slots.

Recovering even one could increase his prepared combat magic by fifty percent, and once he possessed higher-level Slots, the benefit would become truly monstrous.

A Mage with high Luck could release spell after spell without exhausting the prepared structures necessary to cast them quickly.

Damian almost selected it immediately, then forced himself to reconsider.

The Boon improved the number of prepared spells he could cast, but it did nothing if an enemy interrupted him before the spell formed.

That left .

Damian focused on the description.

[War Caster - Class Feat

Effect 1: Strengthens the mental and spiritual structures used to control active magic.

Effect 2: Greatly reduces the chance of losing concentration when injured, displaced, startled or subjected to hostile magical interference.

Effect 3: Allows the user to maintain complex spell formulas while moving or defending.

Effect 4: Grants the instinct necessary to release a suitable combat spell against an enemy that exposes itself while disengaging from close range.]

had given Damian the basic concentration necessary to prepare and complete spells, but did not protect him from interruption.

If Damian was struck during the five-second chant required to cast naturally, the spell could collapse. Even a prepared spell might fail if pain shattered his concentration before he completed its core gesture.

Magic in Valoria was not activated by clicking an icon.

A Mage had to think, direct mana and maintain the structure of the spell until release.

Damian’s physical Attributes were terrible.

An attack that a Fighter could ignore might leave him gasping on the ground.

directly protected the most important thing he possessed, which was his ability to use magic while under threat.

could wait until he had more offensive spells.

would become more valuable once he possessed resources.

required more knowledge about the enemies he would face.

The two Boons were incredible, but their greatest value would come after Damian developed a broader magical foundation.

His special power would grant another Feat at Level 2, so he did not need to select the rarest treasure merely because it was available.

He needed the power most likely to ensure that he survived long enough to reach Level 2.

”I choose ,” Damian decided internally.

[Selection Confirmed.]

[Feat Acquired: War Caster.]

Something emerged within Damian’s mind. The sensation was subtle, like invisible supports being constructed around his thoughts. The magical formulas he had recently acquired became steadier and easier to hold.

Damian pictured the structure of , then deliberately imagined being shoved, struck and thrown from side to side.

The formula trembled but did not scatter, and his breathing slowly deepened.

This Feat lacked the immediate spectacle of seeing through every illusion or recalling expended Spell Slots, but it was still the correct choice.

Damian dismissed the panels, his awareness returning fully to the World Stone hall, where everyone was now staring at him.

”What took you so long?” Paulina demanded suspiciously.

”The system was finalizing the changes, and I wanted to understand the knowledge before moving,” Damian replied evenly.

It was not entirely a lie.

Selene studied him for several seconds, her crimson gaze lingering upon his face as if she sensed that something had changed, but she did not challenge him.

”Well, our little Mage is officially complete,” Selene declared with a pleased smile.

Roland collected the teaching slate and gestured toward the stairs.

”Then we should finish the remainder of his registration before the entire Guild comes downstairs to investigate,” the lionman suggested.

Damian thanked Selene before following the others toward the exit.

The mature Mage remained beside the World Stone Tablet, one hand resting against her generous hip while her dark staff leaned against her shoulder.

”Come back and see me when you have settled in, darling. We should have a long, private conversation about your magical education,” Selene invited with an ambiguous smile.

Damian paused for half a second.

The way she said private made it difficult to determine whether she intended to discuss spells, examine his body for dimensional abnormalities or devour him alive.

It was most likely all three...

”I’ll remember that,” Damian replied carefully.

Janet covered her mouth and snickered.

Julia rolled her eyes, while Eunice gently pushed the halfling toward the stairs before she could say anything inappropriate.

Roland led the group back through the Adventurers Guild, but instead of returning to his office, he crossed the second floor and entered a broad eastern wing connected to the main building.

The noise struck Damian immediately as adventurers crowded the wide corridor, moving between five large establishments built into the Guild itself.

The first was the General Goods Shop, where shelves held travelling cloaks, bedrolls, ropes, tents, lanterns, preserved food, waterskins, climbing tools and prepared survival packages for different environments.

Beside it stood the Battle Shop, where weapons covered its walls from floor to ceiling, including swords, spears, bows, axes, hammers and several devices Damian could not identify. Racks of leather, medium and heavy armor filled the rear, though there were no Mage robes or enchanted equipment in sight.

The third establishment was the Materials Exchange, where adventurers sold monster parts, herbs, ores, magical plants and materials recovered from ruins. Workers inspected bundles of claws, scales and crystals while scribes recorded their quality and value.

Damian’s attention lingered there, because a marketplace built around goods acquired from dangerous regions was exactly the kind of place a Dual-Realm Exchange Specialist needed to understand.

The fourth was the Services Shop. It dealt with maps, route plans, monster population reports, scouting information and paid guides, all of whom occupied the respectable front half.

The rear offered less strategic forms of preparation.

A row of attractive men and women in revealing uniforms stood beneath a sign advertising massages, muscle treatment, bathing and post-quest relaxation.

Most of the other shops were certainly busy in the commercial sense, but this one... this one was the definition of ’crowded’.

Damian’s lips twitched as a heavily armored warrior emerged with a blissful expression while two of his companions immediately took his place in the queue.

”Adventurers truly suffer,” Julia sneered.

Paulina snorted with disdain, though her eyes briefly examined the muscular male attendants before shifting away.

Janet gave a lewd chuckle. ”Recovery is important.”

Eunice sighed with pity. ”May the Holy Light strengthen their self-control.”

Roland merely laughed.

As they continued, he greeted several adventurers by name.

Most were leaders of established Silver-ranked or higher parties, and each showed immediate respect toward the Guildmaster.

Their curiosity soon shifted toward Damian.

The Four Valkyries were already an up-and-coming party within the Grayfen Region, yet Roland’s attention was clearly centered upon the unfamiliar young man walking beside him.

Whispers followed them down the corridor, but Roland ignored them and stopped before the fifth establishment, the Magic Shop.

”The Holy Pantheon’s boon includes a complete set of standard equipment appropriate for your Class, so this is where we outfit you,” Roland explained.

He pushed open the polished violet doors, allowing Damian to step inside.

Then his eyes widened.

Countless staves, wands and crystalline foci floated within glass displays. Enchanted robes hung from silver frames while rings, necklaces, bracelets and other magical accessories glimmered beneath carefully controlled lights.

Shelves carried potions in every color imaginable, beside spell scrolls, spell manuals, spell components and strange enchanted objects whose purposes Damian could not even guess.

For a young man who had possessed nothing but damaged work clothes less than a day ago, it looked less like a shop and more like a treasury.

Damian stood at the entrance, completely dazzled!