The Class Advancement process was finally complete, and Sherly looked satisfied, a bright smile spreading across her face.

The blue light that had previously surrounded the circular platform on the floor slowly faded away, dissolving into faint particles before disappearing entirely.

The staff member who had guided the ritual earlier gave a polite nod and gestured for Sherly to leave the area, signaling that everything had gone smoothly and there was nothing more to be done inside the chamber.

Sherly moved quickly, almost eagerly, until she reached Ethan. As she walked, she glanced over her shoulder more than once, watching her sword float behind her as if it were a loyal servant responding to her will.

The weapon moved smoothly through the air, following her without a sound, and the sight alone was enough to hint at the changes that had taken place after her advancement.

"How do you feel?" Ethan asked, his tone calm but curious.

"Happy… and also curious," Sherly replied honestly. "I want to know what I can do now with this new class."

"If that's what you want, then we can't do it here," Ethan said after a brief pause. "We should head back first."

Sherly immediately nodded, agreeing without hesitation. She could tell from his words that there was more to this than simple excitement, and she trusted his judgment.

After finishing their business inside the city cathedral, Ethan and Sherly left the Class Advancement chamber and stepped onto the spiral staircase.

The stairs led downward, and as they descended, they could clearly see a large number of players waiting below.

Many of them were here for the same reason Sherly had been earlier, all hoping to advance their class and take the next step forward.

"Should I replace my skills first, or should I train first?" Sherly asked while walking.

"Didn't you receive a skill set automatically after your class changed?" Ethan asked in return.

Sherly shook her head. It seemed that the Class Advancement only changed her class itself and did not directly alter her existing skills.

However, she explained that she had received a system notification requiring her to replace her warrior skills with Magic Swordsman skills.

In other words, she could no longer rely on her old skill set if she wanted to properly use her new class.

Ethan listened carefully to her explanation. From what he remembered, he had also replaced his skills immediately after his own advancement in the past.

Since he had different modes depending on the weapon he used, his skills could not be chosen randomly. Everything had to match the characteristics of his sword.

If even he had restrictions like that, then it was very likely that the Magic Swordsman class offered an even wider variety of skill sets.

That meant Sherly would have many options, but also many decisions to make.

Because of that, they changed their original destination. Instead of returning directly to the headquarters, they headed toward Ring 2, an area filled with neatly arranged item and skill shops.

There, Ethan could allow Sherly to freely choose the skills she wanted without pressure.

Since Ethan had already determined his own advanced class path, he decided not to interfere with Sherly's choices.

When it came to her skill set, he gave her complete freedom to decide.

He was worried that if he restricted her too much, she might not be able to grow in the way she truly wanted.

The two of them walked side by side along the city's main road, heading south. Even though the southern district of Ring 2 was not as crowded as Ring 1, there were still plenty of players moving back and forth.

The area was lively in its own way, filled with steady traffic and quiet conversations.

If Ring 1 was known as a district full of restaurants and luxurious entertainment, then Ring 2 was the place where mid- to high-value equipment was sold.

Players who prioritized quality would naturally come here. On the other hand, those looking for cheaper options would head to Ring 3 instead.

Dividing the city into districts based on rings had been one of Ethan's best decisions.

It made shopping routes more organized and allowed players to find what they needed without unnecessary confusion.

The chances of being scammed were also much lower, especially since the land rental costs in Ring 1 and Ring 2 were extremely high.

Ashley had also issued a consumer protection policy. Every shop in Ring 1, Ring 2, and Ring 3 was required to prioritize item quality according to price.

If there were complaints supported by solid evidence, the LionArk Legal Authority Team could step in and take action against dishonest merchants.

When they finally arrived at the southern district of Ring 2, the scene was busy without pause.

Players moved continuously through the streets, and many of them displayed their levels openly in their player titles.

Most of them were around level 40 to 60, indicating that this district was popular among experienced players.

Sherly stopped speaking. Her head turned slowly as she looked around, her eyes constantly shifting from one side of the street to the other.

Her eyebrows lifted, and her forehead creased slightly, clearly showing her confusion.

It was obvious why she felt that way. Shops selling items were lined up neatly on both sides of the road, each one looking legitimate and well-maintained.

Players went in and out of the stores without stopping, making it difficult to tell which shop offered the best quality at a reasonable price.

"You don't know where to go, do you?" Ethan asked.

Sherly turned toward him and cleared her throat.

"There are too many item shops," she said, "I'm sure they all sell good-quality items, but I don't know which one is right for me."

Ethan noticed the lost expression on her face. She clearly didn't know where to start, and wandering around randomly would only waste time.

He looked around and spotted an NPC standing by the side of the road, offering consultation services to players who approached.

"I know a solution to your problem," Ethan said.

He and Sherly walked over to the NPC and spoke directly to her. The NPC smiled warmly and turned her attention toward Ethan.

"Do you need a recommendation?" the NPC asked. She was a woman with a gentle tone.

"Yes, for my friend," Ethan replied.

Sherly stepped forward, and she began interacting with the NPC. A system panel appeared in front of her, displaying shop identities and the types of items they sold.

This NPC was a feature that Ethan had added after the city renovation was complete. The feature was called Merchant Guide.

Its purpose was to provide item and price recommendations, as well as comparisons between different shops.

Sherly spent quite a while interacting with the Merchant Guide. By the end of it, she clearly understood which shop she needed to visit and what items she should buy.

She turned toward Ethan and nodded, signaling that she had made her decision.

Not long after, the two of them left the Merchant Guide behind and continued walking. They stopped in front of a shop that was slightly crowded, located not far from the NPC's position.

"This one," Sherly said.

"Let's go in."

"I'll wait outside," Ethan replied.

"You can buy the skills you want."

"Are you sure?" Sherly asked.

"Of course," Ethan answered, "You're free to choose."

Sherly smiled and nodded before stepping into the shop. Ethan stayed outside and waited. The sun was shining brightly that day, but fortunately, players did not feel excessive heat.

At most, the warmth was mild and comfortable.

Some players noticed Ethan standing there. A few of them dared to greet him, especially female players who were clearly captivated by his appearance.

Ethan waited patiently, observing the busy atmosphere of Ring 2. From time to time, he encountered members of the security team. They greeted him respectfully before continuing their patrols.

After about half an hour, someone called out to him from behind. Ethan turned his head slightly and saw Sherly walking toward him.

She had finished shopping and explained that she had replaced all her skills with new ones suitable for the Magic Swordsman class.

"I see," Ethan said, "You can train to master those skills."

Sherly nodded in agreement.

After they finished shopping, Ethan invited Sherly to return to the LionArk headquarters. However, just as they were about to leave, his steps suddenly stopped.

A woman ran toward him at full speed and blocked his path. Ethan immediately fixed her with a sharp stare.

"What is it?" Ethan asked.

"S-Sir Ethan… please help our guild!"

"Those thugs… they keep tormenting us."

"We need your help."

Ethan fell silent for a moment. The woman standing in front of him looked exhausted, her face pale and worn, her clothes visibly old and frayed.

It was clear she had been running around for a long time without rest. He glanced behind him briefly. No one was looking at him strangely.

The only attention he drew came from people who admired him or watched out of curiosity.

He could help her. That much was true. But this kind of problem was not something Ethan should handle personally. The proper party to deal with it was the city's security team.

"You don't need to worry," Sherly said before Ethan could respond, stepping in to help him, "The city security team patrols regularly. You can ask them for help."

"T-Then… wouldn't my guild be safer if Ethan handled it directly?" the woman asked anxiously, her voice trembling, "If Sir Ethan steps in himself, those people won't dare to touch us again."

Sherly shook her head lightly, her expression calm but firm.

"About that… I'm sure the city security team can help you just fine," she replied.

The woman hesitated, clearly unwilling to give up so easily. Her eyes lingered on Ethan for a few seconds longer, as if hoping he would change his mind.

But when she realized that he had no intention of stepping forward, her shoulders slumped slightly.

In the end, she could no longer persuade him. Without another word, she turned around and hurried off, disappearing into the crowd as she went to look for the city's security team.

Soon, only Ethan and Sherly remained standing on the street.

"She's really suspicious," Sherly muttered once the woman was gone.

Ethan let out a quiet breath and nodded.

"Yeah," he said, "An old scam scheme."

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