A Game Class Level !

I wasn't known for my charitable nature; in fact, quite the opposite. Lee Jihye, who stood before me, seemed to share the same demeanor. As we joined the crowd, people nodded in approval, glad to see two warriors – one with a spear and the other with a sword – joining their ranks.

"This might lead to me becoming nothing more than a meat shield," I thought to myself.

"Well, I promised to lead you to a resting spot, but there's not much to see here. We have separate sections for men and women," Lee Jihye explained.

"That's enough, and it's appropriate," I responded.

"Thank you for understanding. I was a bit worried," she said.

"No need to worry about that. We appreciate you guiding us," I reassured her.

"You're very kind. Can I call you oppa?" she asked.

"If you want to..." I stammered.

"You're such a nice man."

I couldn't help but notice Jung Hayan's discontented expression from the corner of my eye.

"Are you okay, Miyoung?" she asked me formally.

"No need to be so formal; you can call me whatever you like," I suggested.

"Then I'll call you Miyoung. Hehe. Ah! Hayan-ssi, please come this way. There are no strict rules for living here, but Hyunsung-ssi will tell you everything you need to know. I'll show Hayan-ssi around and teach her a few things. Rest well," Lee Jihye said.

"Ah... okay. Kee Miyoung, see you later then. Thank you so much for today," Jung Hayan said politely.

"Yes, see you later," I replied.

"Yup!"

Jung Hayan bowed her head and followed Lee Jihye to the women's section.

The atmosphere in this place was vibrant, but I wasn't particularly interested in the unspoken rules. My focus was on our next steps.

"Hyung-nim, doesn't this place seem lively?" Park Deokgu remarked.

"That's true..."

"Is there a problem?"

"It's not a big deal. Just..."

"Just...?"

"It's nothing."

"Alright then..."

Although I wasn't thrilled about being a mere protector to keep this place safe, I realized it could be an opportunity in disguise.

"Only through this way can I get what I need," I thought.

This place offered endless possibilities – safe hunting with Kim Hyunsung, obtaining a class, and gaining Jung Hayan's support. The journey might not be without challenges, but that was a minor concern.

The following morning, Kim Hyunsung called Park Deokgu and me aside.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks to you," Park Deokgu replied briefly.

It was the first night I could relax a bit in this place, as being alone with Deokgu made it difficult for me to sleep.

I had an idea of what Kim Hyunsung wanted to discuss. Instead of being dragged into it, I decided to take the initiative.

"I noticed that there aren't many capable fighters here. Most of them are women, injured, or lack the will to fight," I pointed out.

"Yes, it's embarrassing to admit."

"How is this place managing then?"

I was genuinely curious about the answer to my direct question.

After a while, Kim Hyunsung finally spoke, his voice hesitant. "Actually, we're not doing that great."

"As I expected," I replied, rubbing my chin thoughtfully. "The scarcity of food and drinking water, the absence of any foes to fight, and your responsibility to care for those 30 babies, or possibly more as their numbers grow."

"You've managed so far, relying on the provisions you had stored in advance. However, those resources will soon run out, and we'll need to find other solutions. It won't be easy to gather resources from scattered starting points while dealing with the monsters ahead and the growing number of non-combatants behind us."

"They are not burdens."

"Perhaps they won't be burdens in the future, but currently, they are," I retorted, sensing a measure of agreement from Kim Hyunsung.

"To be honest, considering the circumstances, staying here doesn't seem like a wise choice."

"You're suggesting leaving, Hyung-nim?" Park Deokgu asked.

Shaking my head, I clarified, "Not exactly. But remaining here won't be beneficial either."

"Ah..."

"Hyunsung-ssi, I won't claim that my friend and I are the most skilled. He might be useful, but I, on the other hand, have limited capabilities—just a stationary spear thrust. Nevertheless, I can fight alongside others and provide support. The same goes for him."

"Thank you."

I pretended to be nonchalant, but truthfully, it weighed heavily on me. We were mentally and physically exhausted, and our limits were approaching.

Though Kim Hyunsung didn't know us, he must have felt relieved to meet us, considering his objectives.

"I'm not volunteering myself."

"Ah..."

"I think I understand what you want to achieve. Perhaps your only desire is for everyone to survive and remain safe. I can respect that mindset, but I'm different, Hyunsung-ssi. I won't willingly sacrifice myself for others who won't share my burdens. Call it selfish, but that's how I see it..."

"No, I understand. You have your own needs," he replied, surprising me with his open communication.

Fortunately, he didn't insist on righteous ideals as I had feared.

"Alright, then firstly, we'd like to claim a portion of the resources we find during future trips," I proposed.

He nodded, seemingly accepting that it wasn't an excessive demand.

"And... we'd also like to be involved in your future plans."

Kim Hyunsung's expression tightened, and a moment later, he gazed at me with an odd mix of surprise and amusement.

"So you knew."

"That peculiar woman from the starting point gave us two significant hints: attack and survive. Personally, the latter option appears unattainable. Well, unless a select few monopolize abundant resources, but she never mentioned how long we'd have to endure here."

"If there's no specific time limit, gathering survivors may not be a viable option. While they could avoid being eaten by monsters, starvation would inevitably become their fate. That much is certain."

I knew he was the one who had already travelled the present situation, so I merely reiterated what he should have been aware of already. However, he appeared to be impressed with my reasoning and deduction skills, which were based on connecting small pieces of information. As I glanced up, I noticed him nodding in agreement.

I was correct in my assessment.

"In that case, I'm more than willing to collaborate with you."

"Likewise," I replied, accepting his outstretched hand. A peculiar sense of trust emanated from his eyes. He recognized that I might not be the strongest individual, but in his mind, I now represented a shining example of a valuable talent—someone suitable for analysis or administration.

"Hyung-nim!"

"I know."

Since Kim Hyunsung joined us, hunting had become significantly easier. But it wasn't just that. My faith in what Eyes' Check showed me had grown even stronger.

"Deokgu!"

"I'm on it."

Kim Hyunsung seemed incredibly skilled with the sword. Occasionally, he purposely made mistakes to conceal his true level of expertise, but his reactions whenever Park Deokgu was in danger betrayed the fact that he wasn't a recent sword user.

'Good.'

As Park Deokgu kept several monsters at bay, Kim Hyunsung and I attacked them from the sides. These creatures were sensitive to sound, so Park Deokgu drew their attention by striking his shield with his sword.

Despite my lack of familiarity with a spear, I did my best to stab a monster rushing toward Park Deokgu, but the weapon slipped from my hands. Fortunately, Park Deokgu finished off the creature with a powerful shield slam.

"Haa!"

"Looks like a few more are coming. Let me handle them. Meanwhile..."

"I know. Deokgu, let's collect the food."

"I've already done it, Miyoung Hyung-nim... Have you ever wondered what he did back on Earth?"

"No idea. But I doubt it involved swords. His skills are probably the result of acquiring a class."

"Well, you have to admit he's incredibly talented at this."

Using his remarkable agility, Kim Hyunsung evaded every strike and dispatched enemies with precision. While it might have seemed simple from a distance, executing such maneuvers was far from easy.

The reason Kim Hyunsung occasionally ventured ahead alone was that Park Deokgu already suspected he had a class. Knowing this made Park Deokgu somewhat anxious, as he had yet to unlock any class himself and felt the pressure.

"Haa!"

As Kim Hyunsung finished off the remaining monsters, Park Deokgu observed him with awe in his eyes.

"Ah, there are fewer monsters here at the starting point area than I expected."

"Perhaps he already cleared this area before."

"You mean Kim Hyunsung?"

"Yes. There's plenty of food here, but it seems like no one else survived... If there were other survivors, there would be no food left."

"I didn't think the three of us would be enough to secure resources from the starting point."

"You've been a tremendous help."

"No, I haven't done much, have I? It's all thanks to that guy."

"No, it's not only thanks to him. Without you, it would have been much more challenging for us to get this far."

I didn't utter those words just to offer comfort. It was genuinely true that Park Deokgu made our journey much smoother. Despite still being in his growth phase, it was evident that his potential could lead him to become someone capable of shouldering a heavy burden for his allies in battle.

As I checked my Show Details to see if any of my stats had improved, I suddenly heard Park Deokgu's surprised voice at the same time a new message appeared in front of me.

"Huh? Hyung-nim?"

It happened faster than I anticipated.

[Several classes have been unlocked. Please select the class of your choice.]

[View unlocked classes.] [Warrior (Common)] [Archer (Common)] [Wizard (Common)] [Commander (Rare)]

As I gazed upon the available classes, a particular one caught my eye. It exuded a unique and captivating allure.