THUD.
The bear's remains hit the ground with a heavy thump, and the group paused, catching their breath. Of the three, Jenny had been the most significant contributor, wielding the strongest firepower. They exchanged glances briefly before turning their attention to the others, who were finished dealing with zombies on their side.
...
On the eastern edge of the open field, two young men—students around 19 to 21 years old—were engaged in their own battle. Ironically, their names were John and Joe. A few days ago, during introductions, Joe had been forced to use his surname to avoid confusion with the other Joe, now deceased.
John, meanwhile, had begun to take pride in his name after Jon—another member of the group—looked at him with a hint of surprise.
John possessed a mind-related skill, something he disliked. Until now, he didn't even know that Jon, someone he almost admired, had a similar ability. John's skill, though misleadingly named "Mind Control," in its basic form allowed him to read his opponent's intentions.
While it currently only offered a glimpse into basic movements, John knew that with mastery, it could evolve into a formidable skill for spying, tracking, and more.
Joe—now called Simon to differentiate him—had a skill called "Double." It allowed him to temporarily multiply a single stat by two for five seconds, depending on the amount of mana he willing to sacrifice.
While the ability seemed simple at first glance, it held monstrous potential. As Simon's stats grew into the hundreds or thousands and the duration of his skill increased, his power would become even more dangerous. Armed with a spear, Simon could double his speed and strength, delivering devastating attacks.
In just under three minutes, the duo had dispatched nearly fifteen zombies in their vicinity.
Not far from them, two girls from Cynthia's group—Mia and Trudy—were fighting zombies near the hostel. Both appeared ordinary at first glance, but their physical abilities hinted at something extraordinary.
Around 20 or 21 years old, Mia controlled mist, using it to disorient her enemies by obscuring their vision and sense of direction. Trudy, true to her quiet nature, had a skill named stealth. She preferred to stay unnoticed, slipping through battles without drawing attention.
Many people might have lamented their luck at receiving skills that weren't flashy or obvious in their power. But what they failed to realize was that every skill had its purpose. Whether linked to their personalities, ambitions, or hidden desires, each person's ability was a reflection of their potential.
Another student in the group had the ability to manipulate the characteristics of anything he touched. By placing his hand on the ground, he could control the earth itself.
Meanwhile, one of the security agents wielded a massive hammer and possessed the skill "Wind Gale," combining the force of wind with his hammer's crushing blows to obliterate his foes.
Most of the group hadn't even unlocked secondary skills yet, though they were beginning to. And if there was one thing they could say, it was that the skills were strong.
So it made them wonder, was there a limit to how many skills one could acquire, but that wasn't their concern at the moment.
Their levels were reaching now within 12 to 16, marking decent progress and rendering the zombies almost powerless.
The situation was occuring in various places in this area. Finally, in about five minutes, all the zombies in the area had been taken care of.
As one of the fighters dealt the final blow on the last zombie, he glanced towards Jon and saw a huge bear hurled backward, followed by a massive explosion. The bear was dead, and they began moving toward Jon's group, where the bear had fallen.
As they were approaching, Jon decided to check his level,
[STATUS]
[Name: Jon Whyte
Age: 19
Level: 21
Class: None
Title: None
Strength: 68
Agility: 99
Stamina: 87
Mana: 550
Health: 160
Skills: Instant Calculation (First Realm) Level 5, Moon (First Realm) Level 5, Moon Gazing (Second Realm), Speed-Healing (Unranked Realm), Mind World
Traits: Composure (Third Realm) Level 5, Soldier's Physique (Evolvable)
Status Points: 14]
Jon couldn't help but think how difficult leveling up had become. Despite his contribution to the two bears defeat, he had only levelled up once.
"It seems there is a threshold of some sort," he mused at the slow increase in his level.
Meanwhile, Jenny—who had landed the decisive blow and played the biggest role—had reached that threshold. As she stood, the system made its presence known:
[YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 25 - UNRANKED REALM. REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET TO ADVANCE.]
[THESE ARE POSSIBLE CLASSES TO CONTINUE YOUR PATH:
1.Summoner
2.Mage
3.Creation Master
4.Swordsman]
Jenny's eyes widened at the options, and she rushed to Jon's side. "Hey, Jon! I got something about classes. Have you seen anything like this?"
Jon immediately realized she had reached the same threshold he'd just been thinking about. "No, I haven't, but I had a feeling something like this would happen. Congrats," he said, genuinely happy for her.
"Thanks," Jenny smiled. "What do you think I should choose?"
"Tell me what it showed you," Jon replied. Jenny described the available classes, and as she spoke, Cynthia quietly approached, listening intently. Cynthia, too, had reached level 25, but wanted to understand the process better before making any decisions.
Jon then explained, "The system is probably offering you classes based on how you've been fighting so far. The 'Summoner' class likely stems from when you created that cat—it was probably a form of summoning. 'Mage' is linked to the times you manipulated fire and chains. 'Creation Master' must be related to when you built that tank. And 'Swordsman'—well, you did get that sword from the orbs. Maybe the system's nudging you towards using it more."
He glanced at Cynthia. "I bet your choices will include something like 'Assassin' based on your stealthy approach."
Cynthia's eyes narrowed—Jon was spot on. She silently crossed a class off her list, realizing the system was shaped by their behavior and attitudes.
Jon continued, "Creation Master might be rare compared to the others. The rest seem like more common paths others might choose."
After a moment of contemplation, Jenny made her choice. "I've decided. I'm going with 'Creation Master.'"
She stepped away from the group, just in case something significant happened, and whispered her selection to the system.
[YOU HAVE SELECTED THE CREATION MASTER CLASS. PEOPLE SAY CREATION IS ONLY TO BRING THINGS TO LIFE, BUT LITTLE DO THEY KNOW THAT DESTRUCTION IS ALSO CREATION IN ITS HIGHEST FORM.]
[TO OBTAIN THIS CLASS, YOU MUST FULFILL THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
Fight, kill, and absorb remains of First Realm creatures: 0/5
Fight, kill, and absorb remains of Unranked Realm creatures: 0/25
Evolve your main skill to the Second Realm.]
Jenny though shocked at the requirements, later smiled. Though the system was giving her something that could take a long time to achieve, a sense of purpose began settling over her as the path ahead became clear.