Echo Of Infinity: 100× exp

The Echo of Infinity: Chapter 12 - Copper Rank and Cold Shoulders

Registration was a bureaucratic process involving forms, thumbprints scanned by a Weave device, and the issuance of a Copper Guild Plate – a small metal tag linked to his Weave status, publicly displaying his rank and name. Kael watched nervously as the Guild official scanned him, but the device only registered the fabricated status Kael projected. The Accumulator held firm, hiding the absurd levels and the x100 multiplier.

Elara procured him a set of basic Guild-issue leather armor – better quality than his village rags – and a standard short sword, identical to the one he’d lost in the ravine. It felt solid, balanced, but lacked the worn familiarity of his old, cheap blade. He was also given a small stipend of silver coins, enough for lodging at a cheap adventurers' dormitory and basic meals for a week.

"Your provisional status means you start at the bottom," Elara explained, leading him towards the dormitories located in a less glamorous part of the Guild district. "Copper Rank quests are typically mundane – deliveries within the city, exterminating sewer rats, guarding merchant stalls. Use this time to learn Guild procedures, familiarize yourself with the city, and practice controlling your skills *without* drawing undue attention." Her gaze was pointed.

The dormitory was a large, noisy hall filled with bunk beds, mostly occupied by young, hopeful Copper and Iron rank adventurers. Kael found an empty lower bunk in a corner, storing his meager possessions beneath it. The atmosphere was a mix of camaraderie and intense rivalry. People eyed his new gear, his Copper plate, sizing him up.

His 'artifact' origin story, likely filtering through the Guild grapevine via Elara's report, earned him curious glances and a few outright sneers.

"Heard about you," a burly human youth with an Iron plate ([Brawler Lv. 9]) grunted, blocking Kael's path later that day. "The 'artifact' kid from the sticks? Think you're special 'cause Elara sponsored you?"

Kael tried to sidestep him. "Just here to do my job."

"Yeah? Well, don't get any ideas about snatching the good quests," the brawler said, shoving Kael lightly. "Stick to rat-catching."

Kael stumbled back, biting back the instinctive [Riposte] impulse. He forced himself to look intimidated. "Okay. Sorry."

The brawler scoffed and swaggered off. Kael clenched his fists. This was going to be harder than he thought. He wasn't just hiding his power; he was hiding behind a persona that invited contempt.

He spent the next few days taking the most basic Copper quests from the notice board. Delivering packages across the sprawling city helped him learn its layout. Guarding a spice merchant's stall was mind-numbingly dull but paid a few coins. And yes, there was rat-catching.

The sewers beneath Riverbend were a labyrinth crawling with Giant Rats, Dire Slimes, and occasionally mutated insects. Standard Tier 0 fare. For Kael, however, each defeated monster was a small explosion of EXP.

```
[Weave Notification: Giant Rat Defeated. +5 EXP allocated...]
[Accumulator Notification: Base EXP Gain +5. Multiplier x100 Applied. +500 EXP allocated!]
```

He had to be incredibly careful. He equipped his fabricated Tier 0 classes ([Gatherer Lv. 6], [Basic Combatant Lv. 2]) for these public quests, only swapping to his real, hidden classes ([Swift Blade Lv. 13], [Shadow Scout Lv. 12], [Mana Weaver Lv. 10]) when absolutely alone in the deeper tunnels. He'd clear sections quickly and silently, then swap back before returning, ensuring his publicly displayed EXP gain was minimal and believable for the pathetic classes he showed. He meticulously updated his fake status with tiny increments.

The discrepancy was jarring. While his fake [Basic Combatant] sluggishly crept towards Lv. 3, his real classes were soaring. [Mana Weaver] hit Lv. 11, achieving Tier 1 status.

```
[ Mana Weaver leveled up to 11! Tier 1 Achieved! ]
[ Attribute Points Gained: +2 (Allocate Manually: INT +1, WIS +1) ]
[ New Skill available: [Mana Weaver] - [Enhanced Mana Bolt Lv. 1] ]
```

Now all three of his main equipped classes were Tier 1. His attributes climbed steadily. [Enhanced Mana Bolt] promised more punch than its predecessor. Yet, publicly, he was still the lucky, slightly incompetent artifact kid struggling with sewer rats.

He endured the whispers, the cold shoulders, the occasional shove from low-ranked adventurers trying to assert dominance. He focused on his goal: learn, grow stronger, and find a way to operate more freely without revealing the terrifying truth of the Accumulator. The loneliness was profound, a different kind of weight than the secrecy in Oakhaven, but just as heavy.

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