Chapter 24 - 24. Picking Weapon

Anna is blackbelt in multiple martial arts as it's one of her passion. It's also helped her discipline her sister's mischievous friends when they were younger. Anna's combat standard might be higher compared to what it shows in her status as her mastery only mark her based on her spear and staff mastery.

"I can arrange that; Anna is one of the best fighters in her batch and If not for her late start she can qualify as one of the instructors for sure. How about you, boy - are you going to participate in this training? We give students to opt-out in this lesson if they think they are not willing to." Mr. Carlos look at Albert condition

"Did you merge all weapon mastery or did you separate them based on their weapon type? I can join either the range fighter group or mages group as I can try to utilize instrument mastery from range."

Mr. Carlos nodded acknowledging with Albert's choice.

"I have a shield mastery but I don't have other weapon mastery to go along with it. And I also don't think I will pick any other weapon for my main hand as my class is a necromancer. Should I go with the melee or range group?"

"If you ask me for my honest opinion I suggest you go with the melee group. As the shield is kinda useless when you are standing in the back of your group. But you can try both if you want and decided later what suits you better."

"If you restrict yourself too much it can backfire against you. The best way to become strong in the new world is to develop a path that suits you best and don't limit yourself with the logic. Who decides that necromancer can only cast from range. In fact, In Anna's previous group there's a mage from her batch who is one of the better close-range fighters - He can shoot fire from his fist when he put throw a punch."

Finish with their inquiry the group start walks to the machine to pick their starter weapons. As Albert browses through the instrument section he was in awe as there's a lot of variety of instruments that not even mentioned when he read in the library. There's a ton of percussion instrument listed, violin, flute, a bagpipe, harp, etc.

He skims through all his options and eliminated them 1 by 1.

'String-based instrument seems to fit me best and it said that they are the most balanced type instrument. Blown type instrument is lean towards debuffing enemy with either confusion or hypnosis and drum-based is more fitted for attacking type user.'

'My choice is either violin, harp, guitar, ukulele, or zither. Violin and harp have the same problem as the blown type instrument while a guitar is too big for me as I can also need to consider my condition so with the process of elimination it was either zither or ukulele.'

After considering his option, Albert picks an 80 x 30 cm size zither not too big and not too small. Looking at his surrounding he saw Anna not picking any weapon and instead she's helping Alice and Kana pick theirs.

Common Zither

Weight: 0.2

Requisite: 8 int 8 dex

- Effective range 10 meters

- Amplify all sound-based spell effect by 5%

Kana pick a big 17-inch book as her weapon. That one big ass book for your normal everyday stuff but Anna recommends it to her said it would be useful for her sister as it's hard for a beginner to inscribe anything when you have a small working space also it could help her defend some stray arrow or projectile as it's kinda thick.

Alice has to wait for a day for her gloves and armguard. Anna said she would let Alice borrow her stuff for this training session as she already ships some of her in-game equipment to the school for practice purposes.

"Are you not done yet, James?" Albert asks approaching James who is still browsing the weapon list

"Yeah, there's a lot to consider I only found out just now that there are so many types and variables that come along with it. Come here dud, help me pick one."

"What are the options?"

"They mainly categorized into physical defense and hybrid between physical and magical defense. There are also shapes and sizes to consider and finally the weight of it - Check out this shield stats. "

Heater Shield

Weight: 0.4

Requisite: 5 end 5 str

- Max damage block 8

- Blocking consume 2 x damage in stamina

Great Shield

Weight: 2

Requisite: 14 end 10 str

- Max damage block 18

- Blocking consume 4 x damage in stamina

Celtic Shield

Weight: 0.3

Requisite: 5 int 6 str 4 end

- Max damage block 7

- Can block magical attack

- Blocking consume 2 x damage in stamina

Looking at the three options James gave him, Albert stop looking further. Most of these stats requirements for the shield are str and end unlike with instrument which requirement mostly consists of int and dex. Necromancer class is not known for high endurance and strength so he couldn't fulfill most of the shields requirement even if he spends his free point.

"Dude you can't even wield most of these. You did not meet the requirements as you have low str. You also have to consider weight as your weight limit is not that high. Sort this into one that has strength requirement lower than 3 as you have 2 str and 1 free stat if you want you can probably use it."

Round Shield

Weight: 0.1

Requisite: 2 dex 3 str 3 end

- Max damage block 5

- Blocking consume 1 x damage in stamina

Coffin Shield

Weight: 0.5

Requisite: 5 end 3 str

- Max damage block 8

- Blocking consume 2.5 x damage in stamina

Kite Shield

Weight: 0.3

Requisite: 3 end 3 str

- Max damage block 6

- Blocking ranged attack is twice as effective (Can block 12 ranged attack)

- Blocking consume 2 x damage in stamina

"Well, this just becomes so much easier. Now, which one should I choose among this 3? The lightest one? Or the one with most damage prevention?"

"I think you can manage the weight as you have necromancer as your class. Your other armor should relatively on a lower side of it. You should ask Mr. Carlos how to raise our weight limit."

"Or I can just ask Anna later. I remember she has quite a lot of weight limit when I saw her stats yesterday." James said while putting a point into his strength so he can wield the shield that he choose as all of them require a minimum of 3 strength.

Not long after all the students finish picking their weapon a bunch of cart boxes is delivered to the football field. The students seem excited when the staff revealed the weapon inside the boxes and start distributing it based on their previous choice.

"I think that's a little too big for you, Alice," Albert said when he saw his sister wearing an oversized armguard.

"This is Anna's as the basic armor for us is still being processed. I already filed a special request for a more sturdy armguard and gloves and Anna said she would pay it for me. I'll wrap my hands with bandages for now so it wouldn't slip out of my hand"