Demigod Class Ascension Chapter 17: Everyone Awakens

-----

“Uuuhh… H-How do I do this? Do I just stab it in the chest? Isn’t it… weird? Will it feel weird?”

The young, slightly overweight man who had joined the group stared at the struggling goblin, its hateful eyes glaring back at him. He gripped a spear, his chubby hands trembling, barely maintaining a hold on it. 

“You have to grip the weapon tightly and pierce the monster’s chest with it,” Will said, frowning. “What’s so complicated about it? You came with us because you wanted to become stronger, right? So get to it already and stop trembling. There’s nothing to be afraid of—the monster is bound by magic. It won’t attack back.” 

“A-Aaah! Y-Yeah!” the man stammered. “Ugh…! Okay… O-Okay… Okay…!” 

As he repeated “okay,” he gripped the spear, pointed it at the goblin’s chest, closed his eyes, and thrust it down with as much force as he could muster. 

“Gryaaak!” 

The goblin let out an agonizing cry. The young man opened his eyes to find the creature still alive, struggling to breathe. 

“Aaaah! I didn’t…! It’s still alive?!” 

He screamed, panicking that he hadn’t killed the goblin, prompting Will to facepalm. 

“You closed your eyes, so you couldn’t aim correctly. Grasp your spear firmly, keep your eyes open, and take that goblin’s life.” 

“B-But…” 

“Why are you so afraid?” 

“I’ve never killed…” 

“Well, there’s a first time for everything.” 

Will’s intensity intimidated the young man, who realized he’d rather act now than enrage Will further. Keeping his eyes open, he made an ugly face of horror as he stabbed the goblin’s chest three more times until the poor creature finally perished. 

“Haah… Ugh… Guuaaagh…” 

Overwhelmed by the smell of blood, he ran from the group and vomited near the ruins of a destroyed building before slowly trudging back, looking dizzy and tired. 

“Well done… Uh, that took some real courage…” Vivian said, trying to be kind, having gone through something similar herself. “Don’t worry, it’ll get easier from now on, even if just a little.” 

“Thanks…” the man sighed. “Ugh…” 

“What class did you get?” Vivian asked. 

“I-I don’t know. I didn’t see…” the young man said. “It says… Um.” 

“You’ve got a huge build. If there’s a list, you should choose Warrior,” Will said. “It would be best suited for you… However, I’m not going to force you. It’s up to you.” 

“Ah… okay… I…” The young man looked at the list of classes. He hadn’t received anything unique. “I-I don’t want to get hurt… I… Uh, is there no Tank class?” 

“No, unfortunately,” Vivian said. “But you can become a tank with a Warrior class…” 

“Or a healer,” Ralph added. 

“Healer! Okay, I’ll just become a healer!” the young man nodded nervously, pressing the button. 

“Hmm…” Will glared at Ralph with a slightly upset expression, making Ralph nervous. 

“W-What? Was that wrong?” Ralph asked. “The more healers, the merrier, right? And you’ve made him armor and everything, so we might as well…” 

“Whatever…” Will said. “Next, who’s next?” 

The elderly couple and the twins remained, so the twins stepped forward as the couple encouraged them to go first, prioritizing the children’s safety. 

“Okay, I know it’ll be harsh, but this is the only way,” Vivian said. “Okay?” 

“It’s fine! I can do it, no problem!” the boy said. 

“Um… I think I’ll be fine…” the girl said. 

The twins, of different genders—a rare occurrence—looked nearly identical, except for the sister’s long hair. Both had brown hair, emerald eyes, and appeared close to Maria’s age. 

The boy went first, using the spear he’d been given to stab the goblin firmly in the chest. His small hands trembled, and he gritted his teeth, tears welling up as he pressed on, maintaining a brave face. 

Will recognized the boy was doing this not for himself but for his sister, driven to grow stronger to protect her better. 

“What did you get, boy?” Will asked, patting the boy’s shoulders. 

“I-I… I want to choose Warrior,” the boy said, furrowing his brows. 

“Warrior?! No! You’re a child! You shouldn’t be on the frontlines! Choose Archer at least, okay?” Vivian urged. 

“I agree. You shouldn’t be fighting up close…” John said. “Boy, choose something that keeps you safe behind us.” 

“No! I want to be a Warrior! I’ll protect my sister!” the boy said angrily, glaring at Vivian and John with a look that made it clear he wouldn’t budge. 

“Hmph,” Will smiled. “Go ahead. Nobody can force you to choose anything. You’re free to walk whatever path you want.” 

“…Thanks.” The boy quickly selected his choice. 

“Um…” The girl looked at the goblin. “I’m sorry!” 

She stabbed it in the chest with her spear, finishing it off cleanly with a single lucky strike to the goblin’s heart. 

“Oh…” 

Notifications appeared before her, showing the same class options as everyone else. 

“Um… W-What should I choose? I want to support my brother,” she said. “Can I be a healer? Or are there too many?” 

“So you want to keep your brother healthy?” Ralph asked. “I’m here for that; Will can heal too… and that guy over there also became a healer…” 

“But there are never enough healers, especially in this world,” John said. “As Will said, choose whatever you want.” 

“If you become a magician, you’ll fight from afar using magic spells!” Vivian said. “It’s not so bad!” 

“Ahh… no… I want to help my brother… and everyone.” The girl chose Healer. 

Once she made her choice, a glowing golden light surged from her body, forming a beautiful ethereal aura shaped like dozens of butterflies fluttering around her. 

“Aaahh! What’s this?!” 

The girl panicked briefly, but Vivian calmed her down until her Mana ran out, and the magic faded. 

“It seems that even among Healers, they manifest unique skills or magic spells…” Vivian commented. “I don’t know what the butterflies do, though.” 

“Why butterflies?” the brother asked. 

“I-I don’t know!” the girl cried, embarrassed. 

“Hmm, well, we’ll figure that out later,” Will said. “You’re the last of our group.” 

He turned to the elderly couple, who stepped forward without hesitation. Though initially intimidated, as seasoned folk who’d lived long lives, they weren’t afraid to take the life of an ugly monster—not even the grandmother flinched. 

After finishing off the goblins, the grandfather and grandmother received their classes… and were surprised they didn’t get the expected options. 

“Hey, sonny, I didn’t get what you told me…” the grandfather said. “Where’s the list? It only says something about… Old Timer? What’s that?” 

“Old Timer? Wait, is that your Class?” Will asked, intrigued. “It seems to be a Unique Class…” 

“What?! Is Old Timer a class? What sort of stupid thing is this? Can’t I choose Warrior or something? Maybe even a mage! I’ve always wanted to use magic,” the old man grumbled. 

“I’m sorry, once you get a unique class, you can’t choose from the others,” John explained. “That’s all you’ll get.” 

“Damn it!” the grandfather grew grumpy. “Hey, Grandma, what did you get?” 

“Hmm… Heheh,” the grandmother giggled cutely. “I got Chef! Heheh! Well, I’ve cooked most of my life.” 

“Chef?! Hey, that’s new!” Evelyn said. “Old Timer is weird… but Chef?! Does that mean you can make special food or something?” 

“Ummm… We’ll have to test that first!” the grandmother said, rubbing her chin. “Hmm, there’s no kitchen here, though. We’ll have to return…” 

“Yeah, for now, we should head back. Everyone got a useful class,” Will nodded. “Let’s move. There are two or three more batches of people we need to awaken as quickly as possible. Once we’re back at the shelter, we can test what your new skills can do to help out.” 

They made their way back to the shelter. The people inside the safe zone greeted them with surprise, as many had believed some wouldn’t return, yet even the elderly couple came back safely. 

While walking inside, Will glanced at the system notifications he’d ignored… 

[You and your party have slain [Goblin Bowman (Tier 2: Level 1)] x6, [Goblin Warrior (Tier 2: Level 5)] x6, [Goblin Soldier (Tier 1: Level 10)] x10. You have earned Bonus Experience from your Blessed Followers. You earned 450 Tutorial Points.]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Special Class: {Demigod of Abyssal Tides (Tier 2) (Unique-Grade)} has reached Level 22. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 2 Free Stat Points.] 

“Two levels, okay, that’s not bad for my level…” 

Will seemed mildly pleased, having expected no gains but rewarded for his efforts. Slaying over twenty goblins made sense, and it appeared that kills assisted by his blessed followers granted bonus experience. 

“John, can you help me gather the second group?” Will asked. 

“Sure thing, leave it to me,” John nodded. 

“Alright, everyone else, follow me. We’ll test what your skills can do,” Will said. 

“Um… but not all of them are support-based…” said the blonde-haired woman. “Where do I test mine?” 

“Against me,” Will said. 

“Oh…” The woman swallowed hard, nervous. “Okay then… don’t blame me if you get hurt.” 

“Hahaha! Good joke,” Evelyn laughed. “Didn’t you see those weapons breaking when they hit him? His skin is like… made of diamonds or something. Don’t worry about him, girl.” 

“Ah… okay…” the woman nodded. 

“What’s your name, anyway? Hey, Will, we should definitely ask their names at this point!” Evelyn said. 

“I’m making a list of all Awakened,” Vivian said. “It’d be nice if we could get their names, then I’ll write down their classes and skills too, so we can better know everyone and their new roles.” 

“Sounds good to me,” Will nodded. “Let’s go to the second floor.” 

Will led everyone to the second floor of the mall, where the fast-food restaurants were, and cleared away chairs and tables to create a large open area for training. 

“Alright, we’ll start with those who don’t fight,” Will said. “Healers and whatever else, come with us. We’ll test your skills one by one, see their effects, and so on. This shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.” 

Vivian and Evelyn offered to help, while Ralph joined John to gather the next batch of Awakened. Vivian continued writing names in her notebook, nodding as she used her magic hands to write effortlessly, her mastery allowing her to hold multiple objects simultaneously. 

“Hmm, alright…” she nodded. “Will, take a look at this. Make sure to remember everyone’s names, okay?” 

“I’ll try,” Will said, reading the notebook. 

<Big Guy> 

Zack, 21 Years Old, Class: Healer. 

<Blondie> 

Linda, 22 Years Old, Class: Berserk (Unique) 

<Salaryman> 

James, 31 Years Old, Class: Magician. 

<Twins> 

Tomas, 9 Years Old, Class: Warrior. 

Jennifer, 9 Years Old, Class: Healer. 

<Elderly Couple> 

Charles, 76 Years Old, Class: Old Timer (Unique) 

Nancy, 71 Years Old, Class: Chef (Unique) 

Will read the list attentively and nodded. 

“Alright,” he said. “But why call Zack ‘Big Guy’?” 

“I didn’t want to write ‘fatty’… it might be a little offensive,” Vivian muttered. “Sorry, just overthinking dumb stuff.” 

“Nah, it’s fine. He’s big,” Will nodded. “He’s probably the biggest around in this mall. It’s a pity he’s a coward.” 

“Yeeeah, well, it doesn’t matter. Maybe he can be like Ralph and still be a front-line healer,” Vivian said. “It’ll just take a while.” 

“Alright, let’s test Charles and Nancy’s skills first,” Will said. “I’m most curious about what you two can do. What are your skills called?” 

“Meh, I just have one. It’s called… ugh! Is this a joke?!” the old man complained. “It’s called [Old Man’s Teachings]! What in the world is that name?! I’m not even in my eighties yet!” 

“Oh, dear, calm down. Maybe it’s something good?” his wife said, patting his shoulders. The old man slowly relaxed. 

Despite his grumpiness, he was kind and gentle with his wife, who seemed to be his weakness. 

“Alright, alright…” he sighed. “Hmm… how do I even… like this?” 

The old man willed it, waving his hand forward. A wave of green and brown light surged, enveloping Will. 

FLASH! 

“What…?!” 

Will’s eyes widened as a mysterious magical force surrounded his body. It wasn’t healing, protection, or a stat buff. 

“This is…?” 

[You have received the [Old Man’s Teachings] Buff! Your Experience Points Earned and Skill Growth Speed have increased by 15% for 30 Minutes.] 

Will couldn’t believe it—it was a growth-type buff! 

“It’s not bad. You can boost how fast we grow,” Will explained. 

“Say what?!” the old man asked. 

“It means I’m now earning fifteen percent more experience points, and my skills can grow faster,” Will clarified. “Your class may be quite incredible, Charles.” 

“Hmph…” Charles clicked his tongue, acting cocky as he realized his usefulness. “That so? Heh…” 

“He can boost how much EXP we get?!” Evelyn exclaimed. “Isn’t that kind of awesome?!” 

“Yeah! It’s wonderful!” Vivian nodded. 

“Meh, well, whatever. At least it’s something useful. I’m not going out there to kill monsters, alright? Just take this… um, ‘buff,’ and do it yourselves,” Charles said, pleased and no longer angry about his class or skill name. 

“Aren’t you happy, dear? It’s a wonderful class!” his wife smiled, kissing his cheek, making him flustered. 

Despite their age, their love remained vibrant, unlike many elderly couples whose spark had faded. 

“Alright, shall I cook something then?” Nancy smiled cutely. “Is there a kitchen nearby, son?” 

“Yes, over there,” Will said, leading her to a fast-food restaurant’s kitchen and providing ingredients. 

“Do you have monster meat? I think I could cook that!” she said. 

“Really? But it’s mostly inedible for normal people…” Will cautioned. 

“Oh, no, don’t worry about that,” she winked. 

“Hm, alright then…” Will handed her Hobgoblin, Chimera, and Imp meat. 

Everyone watched in disbelief as the old lady’s small, wrinkled hands moved at lightning speed, slicing meat seamlessly with a kitchen knife, frying some in a pan, baking others in the oven, and grilling the rest.

She seasoned it with sprinkles of light from her hands and cooked white rice, which turned yellow and exuded a delicious curry-like aroma. 

“It’s done! I believe it’s edible. Anybody brave enough to try?” Nancy asked. “I cooked it using the [Monster Cooking] skill, which allows me to cook and purify any ingredient harvested from monsters. There’s also the [Magic Seasoning] skill, which gives a new taste to things… or so it says. I haven’t tasted it myself.” 

“I’ll go for it, Nancy,” her husband said, trusting his wife first. He tried the fried rice with chunks of Imp meat. “Hmm… Oh, a little spicy… sweet… hmm! Hey, this is not bad at all! My wife’s cooking has always been the best! Haha! Delicious!” 

“Oh, dear, I’m so happy you like it!” Nancy giggled cutely. 

“Of course, you always cook good food,” he said. “That’s why I married you, heh.” 

Vivian, Zack, and Evelyn melted at their adorable interaction, while Will remained mostly indifferent, eyeing the food before trying it himself. 

“Hmm…?!” His eyes widened as everyone watched, fearing the worst. 

“I-Is something wrong?” Nancy asked as Will sampled the grilled Chimera skewers. 

“No… it’s delicious! I never imagined this disgusting meat could taste good!” He was shocked. “Hmm! I can’t stop eating…!” 

After finishing the skewer, his aura surged with power, and he felt revitalized! 

[You have consumed the [Lightly Seasoned Skewered Chimera Meat Cubes (E Grade)] x1!]

[You have recovered 25% of your Health.]

[You have recovered 10% of your Mana.]

[Your Strength and Vitality have increased by +15 for one Hour.] 

“It can also give buffs, heal wounds, and restore mana,” Will said. “This is incredible, Nancy! Your class will be indispensable.” 

“Ooh? Hehe, well, I’m glad!” the grandmother said. “Dear, what about you?” 

“Same thing,” Charles nodded. “Hmm, but my Magic Power increased… or so the little box says.” 

“Great! She can cook monster meat to make it edible, and we get healing and buffs! She could change everything!” Vivian celebrated. “Just like Charles, both of you got amazing classes! I knew it was worth helping you. See, Will? Everyone can be useful!” 

“Hm,” Will nodded. “You’re right.” 

A more ruthless Will might have abandoned the elderly couple to die, missing their incredible support classes that boosted survivability and growth speed.

Support-oriented classes, especially unique ones, couldn’t be underestimated. Maria’s Druid class had already proven its worth, and now Old Timer and Chef became pillars for everyone’s future survival. 

“Eat, or I’ll eat everything myself,” Will said. 

Everyone nodded, enjoying a snack while chatting and relaxing. Zack, usually nervous, calmed down and savored the meal. 

“Oh wow, what’s this meatloaf made of?” he wondered. 

“Goblin meat,” Nancy smiled. “They look disgusting, but their meat is surprisingly tender.” 

“What?! G-Goblin?” Zack groaned in disbelief but shrugged and ate anyway. “Oooh! I feel stronger?! This is great, Grandma!” He felt the food’s effects after devouring a large piece of meatloaf. 

“Hmm! This rice is to die for!” Vivian said. “It’s a pity we can’t farm it or something… It’d be too hard.” 

“Can’t we ask Maria to do something about it?” Evelyn asked. “She’s downstairs playing with the other kids, but we’ve seen her grow whole trees…” 

“Hm, but rice needs an area with lots of water,” Will said. “Which… I guess I can secure. We’d need a place with sunlight. The ceiling? I wonder if it’s protected by the safe zone barrier?” 

“Well, that’s another thing we’ll check later!” Vivian smiled, giggling. “Isn’t this kind of fun?” 

“Hm, I guess so. Beats killing monsters mindlessly,” Evelyn shrugged. 

“It’s whatever,” Will said, finishing his bowl of rice. “Alright, we should resume our tests. Next are the healers. We’ll test you on myself.” 

Will used his divine weapon to cut his hand, slicing his skin cleanly as blood dripped onto the floor. 

“Eek!” Jennifer flinched at the sight of blood. 

“Woah! Hey, dude, is this really okay?” Zack asked, worried. 

“It’s nothing,” Will said. “Now you’ll heal me… Jennifer, you first.” 

“W-What? But…” She hesitated but stepped forward. “Um, okay…” 

Having eaten Nancy’s cooking, she overflowed with Mana. Pointing her hands at Will, she summoned her butterflies of light again.

The butterflies flew to his wound automatically, healing it slowly as they dissolved into particles of light.

It took twelve butterflies—half of those Jennifer summoned unknowingly—to heal him. 

“It’s a good healing spell,” Will nodded. “It also seems like a spirit of sorts?” 

“What’s the skill name, Jennifer?” Vivian asked. 

“Um… it’s called [Butterflies of Light],” the girl said. 

“I see. They move automatically to anyone wounded and heal without Jennifer needing to do much beyond summoning them,” Will explained. “She can summon many, even at Level 1.” 

“Oh wow, that’s really great, Jenny!” Tomas said happily. “With this, you can help everyone, be useful, and stay safe!” 

“Yeah!” Jennifer nodded, beaming. “I can be useful!” 

“Hm, very good,” Will said. “Now it’s your turn, Zack.” 

Will made another cut and showed the wound to Zack. 

“O-Okay! Here you go…! ZAM!” 

Zack made a strange noise while healing, as a small ball of light emerged from his hand and exploded onto Will’s hand. 

BOOOM! 

“Eh?! Will!” Vivian panicked as the blinding light forced everyone to close their eyes. 

Will, however, was fine. His wound had healed, but the spell was more than just healing…

It created a “false” explosion that dealt no damage but emitted blinding light. 

“What a weird spell. What’s its name?” Will asked. 

“E-Eh? You’re not mad?” Zack said, covering his face with his arms, expecting a punch. “I-It’s called… [Healing Sphere of Light]?” 

“Hmm, this is quite unique…” Nancy observed. “It seems everyone manifests magic differently. Perhaps it’s tied to our personal experiences or imagination?” 

“Yeah, I was thinking the same. I used to be a teacher before I retired… Maybe that’s why I got this weird class,” Charles commented. 

“And I cooked most of my life,” Nancy smiled. “I had a little restaurant at our house to earn extra money. Life wasn’t easy back then.” 

“My weird magic appeared because I lost my arms… to compensate,” Vivian said. “So magic can manifest due to our desires, necessities, or experiences…” 

“Or family, I guess,” Evelyn said, glancing at Will. 

“Hm,” Will nodded. “Alright, your magic was the weirdest, but it worked. It could heal a large area and temporarily blind foes… that can be blinded. You could be useful on the frontlines, disrupting enemy formations.” 

“Wow, really?” Zack asked. “You’re not mad at me? Y-You’re not going to hit me?” 

“Why would I do that?” Will raised an eyebrow. “I don’t enjoy beating down or bullying people.” 

“Will…! You’re so cool!” Zack cried. “I’ll help with anything I can! Can I call you Boss from now on?!” 

“No,” Will said. 

“Aw, come on! Let me call you Boss!” Zack pleaded. 

“I said no,” Will rolled his eyes. “Next… fighting classes. Tomas, Linda, James, come with me.” 

Will led the three to an open area. Once they had their weapons in hand, he made a simple request. 

“Come and fight me. Attack like you want to kill me.” 

“What?!” James was the first to exclaim in disbelief. “I-I have deadly magic! I don’t want to hurt you!” 

“You think I’ll be hurt by your low-level magic?” Will asked. “Don’t underestimate me.” 

“Hmph, I like guys like you… Okay, let’s do it,” Linda said, smiling viciously. Her eyes turned red as she gripped the longsword Will had given her, crafted from Hobgoblin and Chimera bones. “Don’t blame me if you lose an arm, okay~?!” Her boldness and sadistic edge seemed tied to her Berserk class. 

Will remained silent as Linda’s sword slashed toward him, slicing at his arms and unleashing an explosion of crimson energy.

Yet, amidst the smoke, Will stood unscathed. 

“Hm, you pack a serious punch. Not bad.” 

“Eh?” 

Linda’s eyes widened.

Confident in her new class, she hadn’t even scratched him? 

“Wait, this must be wrong…” 

She attacked again. A sword that size should slice through flesh easily, yet she did nothing. Gasping for air after exerting herself, she realized Will was far beyond her league. 

“Be careful not to break your sword,” Will said. “Anyway, she’s strong—a definite front-liner. A bit reckless, but I can work with that. Boy, you’re next.” 

“Okay!” Tomas rushed forward, using his Warrior class skill [Spear Thrust] to pierce Will’s bulky arms. 

He couldn’t. The most he achieved was cracking his weapon’s blade, producing loud clangs as if striking a stone wall, not a human. 

“You’re quick, but your defenses are low, and your build is small. Prioritize finishing foes quickly or fighting from afar. Use the spear to keep distance,” Will advised. “You’ve got potential, kid. Well done.” 

“Huh? I did well? Thanks…” Tomas said, confused. 

Will turned to James, urging him to cast his magic. 

“Come on, we don’t have all day, James. Do it,” Will said. 

“F-Fine!” 

James conjured a sphere of black energy, launching tears of black liquid at Will.

Each hit seemed to burn his skin slightly. The spells that missed melted the floor faintly. 

“It’s some kind of acid! That’s dangerous! Are you okay?” Vivian asked. 

“I’m fine. I told you it was alright,” Will said, his burns already healed. “Actually, can you guys keep hitting me for a bit longer?” 

The trio exchanged confused glances but complied. As they attacked, Will healed himself until… 

[Congratulations, your Skill: [Sacred Healing (Tier 1)] has achieved 100% growth. Your Skill is now ready for Rank Up.]

[Skill Rank Up Requirements]:

[Crystalized Divine Essence: 0/1]

[Ten Tier 2 Monster Cores: 10/10]

[Have Two Allied Healers In Your Group: 2/2] 

“Perfect… I’ll have to wait until tomorrow for the Crystalized Divine Essence, though. I already made one today. But with this, I’ll improve my healing. Maybe I’ll finally heal Vivian’s arms.” 

“Thanks for helping me max out my Healing Skill,” Will said. “We’re done for now. Keep sparring and practicing. It doesn’t matter if you get hurt—the healers will patch you up, and they’ll earn experience too.” 

Will prepared to depart after testing everyone. James’ acid-like magic was the deadliest, consuming Mana on contact with living beings. He could become a powerful ally if he grew stronger. 

“We’re done with the second batch, Will. They’re ready,” John said. “There are two more batches, though, so it’ll take a while. We might spend the whole day on this.” 

“It’s fine. We can do this quickly,” Will said. 

He glanced at Cube, who had finished preparing the hunting areas. 

“Alright, Master. I used the Magic Core Drones I made earlier to lure many monsters nearby,” Cube said. “This is the most I could do, but there are three groups of roughly twenty monsters each. Two are goblins; the others are frog-like creatures called Beelzebufos.” 

“Good,” Will nodded. “We’ll get this done quickly. Let’s go… Ah, right, Charles, we’ll count on your buff.” 

“Sure, sure, leave it to me,” Charles said, waving his hand to buff everyone, including Will and the group, while eating his wife’s cooking and Maria’s berries. “Done! Enjoy, kids. Oho? I leveled up?” 

He was surprised to reach Level 3 just by buffing others, his class clearly designed for support-based leveling. 

“Let’s move, quickly!” 

Will marched outside, followed by the group, mostly adults his age or older, including construction workers in their forties and women Vivian’s age. 

The hunt went smoother than before, with Will and his friends taking down Tier 2 Goblins, capturing Tier 1 ones, and letting each person kill them.

Some acted decisively, others hesitated, but the list of Awakened grew. Will stopped memorizing names, focusing on standout individuals and the first group who volunteered, rather than those reluctantly forced to cooperate. 

“So these are the Beelzebufos, huh?” Will eyed the Tier 2 frog monsters, as large as small cars, inflating their sacs and occasionally swallowing goblins whole. 

He captured the smaller Tier 1 ones and fought the larger ones, which tried to eat him with long, sticky tongues. Fighting recklessly, he was swallowed by one frog, causing the newbies to scream in horror, only for the frog to freeze from within and explode into pieces. 

The hunt ended quickly, and everyone returned safely to the shelter, avoiding major threats thanks to Cube luring larger creatures toward the highway with his drones. 

“This is wonderful, Will! Now around ninety percent of our population are Awakened!” Vivian celebrated as Will ate dinner with the group. “There are great talents too. We found three more Unique Classes: Jessica, a Beast Tamer; Robert, a Builder; William, a Merchant; and Susa, a Miner. I wonder if they’ll be useful? We haven’t fully tested them yet.” 

“I’m sure they will, especially the Miner girl,” Will nodded. “She mined a lot with just a few swings of that magical pickaxe. We got plenty of Spirit Crystals.” 

“I hated that place. It was full of disgusting spiders!” Evelyn complained. 

“Well, we got a lot of levels out of it, so I can’t complain, haha…” Ralph chuckled. 

“Hmm, I never imagined spider meat would taste like crab!” Maria said, munching on tender white meat slathered in white sauce. “Grandma Nancy can make anything tasty!” 

“Ugh, still disgusting… I can’t believe I’m eating spiders… Ugeh…” Zack groaned but kept eating. 

“So, are we, like, part of the team or something? Why else would you invite us to eat with you, Will?” Linda asked, finishing her meal and crossing her arms. 

“That’s right. You’re a bit special because you chose to fight rather than being forced,” Will said. “So, indeed, you’re part of the main team. We need more fighters and healers, so you’re all welcome.” 

“E-Even me?!” James asked, swallowing nervously. “But I…” 

“Yes, even you, James. Relax!” Vivian laughed. “Your magic is the strongest among the other magicians, so you’re definitely staying with us.” 

“I… don’t know what to say…” James muttered. “Thanks… Thank you.” 

“It’s alright,” Will nodded. “It’s getting late… Maria, our rice-planting project—can we start tomorrow morning?” 

“Sure!” Maria nodded. “It’s nice that the rooftop is protected by the barrier. We can turn it into a farm or orchard!” 

“Good idea,” John said. “If this is our shelter for the foreseeable future, we need to produce our own food. With Will’s water supply and Maria’s ability to grow any plant, it’d be foolish not to try a farm.” 

“Hm,” Will nodded, smiling faintly. 

For the first time in years, surrounded by great people, Will felt welcomed… like he had a family, however unconventional. 

… 

After dinner, as everyone went to sleep, Will stayed awake, stepping out of the mall alone to gaze at the night sky, its colors shifting as dark Domains overtook everything. 

“Master, are you sure about this?” Cube asked. 

“I am. I need to test my abilities fully,” Will said. “Let’s go.” 

Despite enjoying time with the group, Will craved solitary combat to test his powers without worrying about others.

He left the mall at night, seeking prey Cube had lured to a designated area. 

He headed toward the highway. 

“They’re over there, Master! Look! They’re Ogres, evolutions of Hobgoblins!” Cube said. 

“Alright, time for some help. I’m not doing this exactly alone,” Will smiled, his aura surging like black water infused with bluish phantasmal energies. 

“{Soul Current}” 

Will decided to summon his Undead. 

-----