Challenger (I)

 Nehar saw his uncle running away from him in a huge fright, pushing all those people around him.

 Nehar didn't follow him.

 He knew very well where his uncle could go at this moment.

 He just waited there patiently as he pulled up his System Interface to take a look over some notifications that he missed previously.

 [System Alert: Wolf's Fang Leader has challenged your authority over your teammates.]

 [System Alert: If you do not respond to the Challenge, your team will dissolve.]

 Nehar had already formed a team with Grace and Amelia before those two approached them.

 And he chose to respond to keep his team intact.

 Nehar looked over the next messages while waiting for the rest of the members of the Wolf's Fang to arrive.

 [System Alert: You have chosen to respond to the Challenge.]

 [System Alert: You've started attacking.]

 [System Alert: You have slain the Leader of The Wolf's Fang [Human (Warrior) - Level 0] in a perfect and accurate Dagger Strike.]

 [System Alert: You have received 25 Experience (EXP) points. You have received 20 TP.]

 [System Alert: Due to your perfect and accurate Dagger Strike, a new stat is being created in your Status Profile!]

 [System Alert: You've obtained a new Stat --> Accuracy: 03]

 [System Alert: By performing a near-perfect Dagger Strike, you've grasped the basics of the various Dagger Techniques]

 [System Alert: You've learned a new Skill: Dagger Arts (Inferior, Rank: E)]

 [System Alert: You've been rewarded with 1 Skill Proficiency Point.]

 Nehar finally looked through all the notifications he missed while fighting at that time.

 Though he was quite satisfied with the results, he was waiting for more.

 And soon, another System Notification rang out.

 [System Alert: You were able to infuse Mana in your Dagger while attacking an opponent. You've achieved a momentous feat. You've received 50 TP.]

 [System Alert: Due to your epic achievement at the beginning of the Tutorial, you've been rewarded with a new Skill.]

 [System Alert: You've obtained a new Skill: Mana Control (Inferior, Rank: E)]

 [System: Your Mana stat has increased considerably due to your newly obtained Skill. MP: 100 -->150]

 [System: TP Collected: 70]

 Nehar was finally satisfied.

 He knew if he was able to perform this little trick perfectly, then there was a very high chance that he would receive a new Skill.

 Still, he didn't believe he would be able to obtain the 'Mana Control' Skill even before the start of the First wave. 

 It was quite an achievement.

 He also took notice of his collected Tutorial Points.

 It has increased to 70 and he had also received 25 EXP after killing that bald man.

 There was also a new stat, which would be much more helpful while progressing in the Tutorial.

 So, he was the leader of the Wolf's Fang.

 Nehar thought to himself.

 But he seemed quite weak for a leader.

 Moreover, that bastard had chosen to become a Warrior.

 Though Warriors had more Defence than others, it's still quite low at Level 0.

 When he infused the dagger with a little bit of mana, he already knew it was game over for the opponent.

 At the beginning of the Tutorial, none of the Participants had Mana Resistance stat.

 So stopping a dagger infused with mana would be impossible for them.

 He thought about taking a look over his newly obtained skills first.

 -------*****------- 

 [Skill: Dagger Arts (Inferior)]

 [Skill Description]: Through battle, you've grasped the basics of the Dagger Techniques. Your attack power has increased slightly.

 [Skill Status]: Active.

 [Skill Specifications]

 - Skill Grade: Inferior (Rank: E) 

 - Skill Effect: Attack Power +5 

 - Skill Proficiency: 0/2

 - Cool-down: None.

 - User Requirement Level: 0 and Above (Not Applicable).

 - User Restriction: None (Thief, Archer, Warrior).

 -------*****-------

 An Inferior Grade Skill, but it's okay.

 I can just increase the skill proficiency while using it and level it up at that time with the Skill proficiency points.

 No need to become disheartened over such a small matter.

 Nehar chuckled lightly when he saw the User restriction of the skill.

 The System, rather than the Lackeys and the Handlers of the Tutorial is still trying to convince him to pick a Class.

 Nehar just laughed it off.

 -------*****------- 

 [Skill: Mana Control (Inferior)]

 [Skill Description]: Now you have a little more control over Mana and can use it more proficiently.

 [Skill Status]: Passive (Evolvable)

 [Skill Specifications] 

 - Skill Grade: Inferior (Rank: E) 

 - Skill Effect: Mana Recovery: +2/min; Slight increase in Mana Sensitivity.

 - Skill Proficiency: 0.00%

 - Skill Completion Rate: 0.00%

 - Cool-down: None.

 - User Requirement Level: 0 and Above (Not Applicable).

 - User Restriction: None (All Classes except Fighter).

 -------*****-------

 Nehar smiled in satisfaction.

 He finally obtained one of the best skills related to control over the mana.

 He knew from his past, that this skill had a Completion Rate.

 If he becomes successful in making it a full bar, the Skill will evolve.

 Evolvable Skills were rare and precious.

 And he obtained such a skill at the beginning.

 Nehar was inwardly praising himself for using mana while attacking.

 If not for that, he wouldn't have received such a precious gift from the System.

 ---

 While Nehar was still busking in his glory of killing a man and receiving rewards, Grace and Amelia were looking at him intently.

 They still couldn't believe that he had killed someone.

 Amelia pointed her finger toward the fleeing figure, "He is going to call for other members of that group, and I'm sure about it."

 Grace nodded her head.

 "I can't believe he wanted us to follow some gang leader. What did he think would happen if we joined them?"

 Amelia heard Grace's voice, filled with rage and contempt.

 She also knew what would happen if they had joined their group.

 Those people were not good at all.

 "Father is a lost cause", she sighed.

 Amelia knew her father was no good from years ago; still, she tried to maintain a decent relationship with her father until she got a job to look out for herself.

 But now, she knew it was over.

 That man almost sold his daughter and wife to some criminals just to retain his senseless ego and pride.

 "He never thought about us anyway" Grace answered nonchalantly.

 Amelia looked at her but didn't refute her claim.

 "Well, what will happen now?"

 "I don't know" Grace answered her.

 Nehar had already attacked and also killed one of their members and they wouldn't leave him alone.

 Grace started thinking silently about what she would do while watching the man before her.

 ---

 Nehar saw at least 80 to 90 people coming towards their group.

 He sighed.

 It will be another mindless slaughter.

 He was not new to butchering people wantonly.

 He had built his reputation, name, and Empire over hundreds of thousands of dead bodies in the past.

 Still, sometimes he didn't wish to commit a Massacre for petty reasons.

 He just stood there while watching the group coming towards him and waited patiently for the System notification.

 He knew very well what would happen next.

 Nehar saw a fat man approaching him, almost running and shouting, "Hey you bastard, you killed our Leader in a sneak attack. Surrender yourself and hand over those two ladies, otherwise, we will not be merciful."

 Nehar took a glance over the man.

 There was nothing special about him.

 A fat, middle-aged, jobless bastard, who is slightly better at scaring people and probably in killing them too.

 Nothing useful, nothing important.

 Nehar didn't bother to count the number of people behind him.

 Death awaits them and will receive them all.

 Why would he bother himself with counting some dead meat?

 "If you wanna fight, let's fight. Stop spouting nonsense" Nehar answered him in a bored tone.

 He was sorely missing a place to sit on and lecture the man before him.

 "Do think you can win? We have more than 100 people. We will butcher you and take those two women with us. You will regret touching a person from Wolf's Fang."

 Nehar looked at him dully.

 "If you are that much confident, what're you waiting for? Come", Nehar pointed his dagger towards him.

 The surrounding people started retreating continuously as many members of the Wolf's Fang started gathering and surrounding the three people.

 Even then, Nehar looked unbothered.

 Both women beside him were fuming in rage from inside.

 Those scums are not even trying to show a trace of decency and demanding them as if they were some commodity.

 Their hate for their father and husband increased several-fold.

 Amelia asked him, "Nehar, can you win? There are at least more than 100 people started surrounding us. If we don't win then it'll be better for us to kill ourselves than be disgraced in their hands."

 Nehar looked at Amelia and found the woman was serious about this.

 He laughed softly and suddenly flicked her nose while saying, "You don't have to worry about me or winning. Just watch me and learn how to use Mana properly in the battles. It will be very helpful for you once the Tutorial starts."

 Nehar looked at the time remaining for the Tutorial.

 [System: (Time left before the start of The 1st Wave): 00:00:37]

 He slightly stretched his hands and legs and waited patiently.

 Just a few more moments.

 Meanwhile, the members from the Wolf's Fang had surrounded them and cut off their path of retreat.

 Even if they wanted to run away now, they would not be able to do so.

 The rest of the people who were watching all of this started discussing themselves.

 "Why didn't they run away? They still had time to leave, right?"

 One man asked. 

 "How would I know?"

 "I think that young man became too much confident in his skills that he disregarded his and his team members' safety."

 "Should not we help them?" a young woman from the group asked the others.

 The rest watched over the scenario in front of them and told her, "No, we shouldn't intervene. After all every one of them from that notorious gang Wolf's Fang and now everyone has obtained their Classes and corresponding Skills. It would be too much difficult for us to win against them. And there is the Zombie Horde too, we can't just jump into other people's problems."

 The woman who asked the question was not satisfied with the answer.

 Still, there was nothing she could do for them.

 There were too many people against those three. They wouldn't be able to win no matter what.

 She sighed dispiritedly. 

 When people were still discussing whether to help those three people or not, the members of the Wolf's Fang started their advancement after closing off the retreat path.

 One of those people was a pro gamer before and knew much well about these Classes and their general attack patterns.

 He took over the command temporarily and started deploying people to surround and overwhelm them completely.

 Warriors and Fighters in the front, Archers and Casters behind them for additional damage dealing, Healers in the back to support them, and Thieves to sneak past and deal critical damage to the enemies.

 Although everyone was still at Level 0, that person still made a decent front to face them.

 He was cautious after learning that the Leader was beheaded in a single strike and wasn't able to retaliate back at all.

 He didn't underestimate his opponent.

 Nehar looked at the formation with a curious glint in his eyes and nodded his head in amazement.

 "At least they have a decent person to take the command."

 He commented lightly.

 Grace and Amelia also took notice of their power distributions and made a mental note of that for future battles.

 They were not that much worried after Nehar assured them.

 By now, they have come to terms with his skills and confidence.

 Soon, a System Notification popped up in front of everyone present there.

 Nehar also took notice of the message that appeared before him.

 [System Alert: The System has confirmed people's hostility towards you. The number of hostile persons is being calculated.]

 [System Alert: 113 people have shown their hostility towards you and your team members.]

 [System Alert: if you don't respond to their hostility, your team will collapse and you will die.]

 [System: Do you wish to respond? YES/NO.]

 Nehar didn't waste time and confirmed YES.

 He knew very well what he was doing.

 -------*****------- 

 [System Alert: An Emergency Quest has been generated.]

 [Emergency Quest: Challenger]

 [Quest Description]: You've confirmed your opponents' naked hostility and ill intentions towards you and your team members. To protect their dignity, you have chosen to respond in kind. Complete the Quest to obtain the valor and dignity of a Challenger.

 [Quest Status]: Active.

 [Quest Type]: Elimination.

 [Quest Rank]: C

 [Quest Completion Criteria]: Eliminate Your Enemies (0/113).

 [Quest Duration]: 00:15:00 (15 Minutes).

 [Quest Completion Reward]: Unknown.

 [Quest Failure Penalty]: Death.

 -------*****-------

 Nehar, Grace, and Amelia received the same version of the Quest.

 And as for the members of the Wolf's Fang, they received a Quest for Defence against their enemies.

 Nehar took out another dagger from his waist belt and equipped it in his left hand.

 Another System notification rang out that time, which was for everyone present in Region C.

 [System Alert: Due to some special circumstances, The 1st Wave of The Zombie Horde will be released after 15 minutes. Please prepare yourselves accordingly.]

 Nehar took a look over it and laughed in amusement.

 It seems like the Lackeys here are having too much fun.

 Well, then I'll just have to entertain them very well to receive more benefits.

 When people saw the new notification, many of them were quite relaxed as the Horde was suddenly delayed by 15 minutes.

 The rest of the people started inquiring what had happened.

 Soon, many of them learned about the battle and started moving toward the region where the commotion was taking place.

 Amelia and Grace became worried after seeing the Quest failure penalty.

 "Are you sure you don't want us to help? We can perform our skills too you know?" Amelia asked him in a concerned voice.

 After all, this man was their only hope at the moment.

 Nehar shook his head, "You two don't have to participate. Just stand at a certain distance and do what I told you before. Watch and learn", Nehar didn't wait for their reply as he swung both of daggers in a rapid thrust and rushed forward to face his enemies.

 While rushing towards them, he saw a white barrier enveloping them and cutting them off from the rest of the people.

 Nehar already knew this was going to happen, so he wasn't worried about other's interference in their battle.

 Nehar tightened his grip on the daggers while rushing forward.

 He muttered silently, "Now all of you are trapped in the same cage with me. May God have mercy on your souls, which I will not."