Demigod Class Ascension Chapter 16: Evolvable Divine Weapon

Listen While Reading: Qintessential
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Will examined the trident in his hands, quickly realizing its extraordinary nature. It was not only the manifestation of his Skill but also a weapon in its own right—a divine and magical weapon with stats and abilities comparable to the other equipment he had created or found.

[Divine Trident of Abyssal Tides (Tier 2)]

[Weapon Type]: [Divine Elemental Weapon] [Soul Bound] [Indestructible]

[Weapon Requirements]: [Class]: [Demigod of Abyssal Tides]

[Weapon Parameters]: [Physical Attack]: [4000] [Magic Attack]: [4000] [Physical Defense]: [2000] [Magic Defense]: [2000] [Durability]: [10000]

[Weapon Bonuses]: [+50 Divinity] [+30 Strength] [+30 Vitality] [+30 Magic Power] [+30 Magic Defense] [+30 Agility] [+30 Dexterity] [+30 Senses]

[Weapon Skills]:

{Tidal Surge: Tier 2}: [When this Divine Weapon is summoned, it is possible to bring forth the wrath of the seas. The demigod can summon a powerful, localized surge of water to knock back enemies several meters, douse any kind of fire, propel themselves swiftly through water or air, or shoot a long-range water blast dealing 200% Divine Water Elemental Damage while bypassing Immunities and ignoring 50% of Resistances. Damage calculated using Divinity and Magic Power Stats.]

{Abyssal Shroud: Tier 2}: [The demigod can envelop themselves or an area in a veil of dark, misty shadows, obscuring vision and muffling sound. Creates a 15-meter radius of magical darkness or fog for 1 minute, granting advantage on stealth or defense. The fog can “swallow” magical attacks before disappearing, preventing the demigod from receiving any damage. If an attack surpasses the fog’s durability, it explodes, releasing black shadows to momentarily blind a foe. The fog allows the demigod to move through shadows by spending sufficient Mana. Durability calculated using Divinity and Magic Defense Stats.]

[Weapon Description]: [An indestructible, elemental, and soul-bound divine weapon created by the owner of the [Demigod of Abyssal Tides] Class. This Divine Weapon is primarily composed of Materialized Divine Power and Mana and can freely shift between elemental states of water, ice, and shadows. The weapon has set durability; once it reaches zero, it is “destroyed” but can be restored using additional Divine Power and Mana after a cooldown. It can also be summoned in different shapes, with varied stats and bonuses, depending on size and purpose. A weapon exclusive to the Demigod of Abyssal Tides, embodying their Divinity, Soul, and the powers inherited from their parents.] 

“It’s really… a weapon like the others, huh? And it’s fairly good. It comes with two skills, and the ability to recover, transform into those three elements, and more remains the same,” Will said, fascinated by the trident and its evolution.

It hadn’t been lost at all; it had fused with his Skill and become even better! 

“Both skills will provide you with much more mobility and ways to fight and defend yourself in battle, Master! You won’t have to rely solely on punching a foe until they drop dead anymore,” Cube said. 

“Well, I do like doing that too…” Will admitted. “So I might continue… Also, punching doesn’t cost me copious amounts of Mana and Divine Power, and it’s faster and easier in most cases. However, you’re not wrong. This’ll surely come in handy. I wish I’d had these Skills when I fought the Apostle of Hell or the Hell Spawns; it would’ve gone much easier.” 

“Haha, well, now the only thing left is dealing with the Green Skins! I’m sure they’ll provide enough training dummies for you to master your new abilities, Master,” Cube said. 

“Yeah…” Will nodded. “Now… this.” 

With a thought, Will made the trident disappear, transforming it into water and shadows that merged into his Rune of Abyssal Tides. It was a convenient way to store a weapon, and he wished he could do the same with his other equipment. 

“Hmm, I should evolve this Skill as well.” 

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

[Skill Rank Up Requirements]:

[Craft five D Rank Items: 5/5]

[Five Tier 2 Monster Cores: 5/5]

[Craft one C Grade Weapon: 1/1] 

Will reviewed the other Skill he had maxed and was ready for Rank Up: Magic Forging. This Skill had been instrumental in his survival, enabling him to create weapons and armor that increased his and his companions’ odds of survival.

An evolution was incredible news, as it meant he could craft even better equipment to strengthen himself and those by his side. He was already considering mass-producing more equipment to incentivize others to join him in hunts. He disliked how many people in the shelter hadn’t even killed a single goblin, and he was seriously contemplating forcing them to participate, threatening to expel them if they refused.

It might be a ruthless plan, but this was the apocalypse. If these people didn’t contribute to the shelter and the safe zone, they were dead weight, useless burdens consuming food supplies without giving anything in return. 

“Alright, let’s get started. This is the beginning of my grand plan…” Will smiled. 

“Grand plan?” Cube asked. 

“I’m going to use all the materials we have and mass-produce equipment for everyone,” Will said. 

“But Master, why bother?” Cube asked. “You’d be wasting resources and time on completely useless people!” 

“I know, but you said the same thing when I helped Ralph and Vivian, and they turned out to be really useful,” Will countered. “I’m not saying I’ll take care of them or help them too much. I’ll just give them a small opportunity; whatever they make of it is up to them. I don’t like that there are so many conceited people who aren’t even trying… I’ll kick them out if they don’t contribute.” 

“Oh, I see where you’re coming from…” Cube said. “I respect your decision, Master. It would also be good if those who have given you Faith become stronger, so you’ll gain even more Faith.” 

“So that’s how it works?” Will asked. 

“Yes! As your Followers grow stronger, the amount of Faith you can harvest from them increases,” Cube explained. 

Will nodded, tapping the system screen to begin the Skill’s evolution. 

[Skill Rank Up Requirements]:

[Craft five D Rank Items: 5/5]

[Five Tier 2 Monster Cores: 5/5]

[Craft one C Grade Weapon: 1/1]

[You have met all Skill Rank Up Requirements.]

[Do you wish to Rank Up your Skill?] 

“Yes.” 

Will offered the required materials—five Tier 2 Monster Cores. The cores floated in midair, merged with his body, reached the depths of his soul, and fused with the Skill.

He felt a subtle change deep within him. Knowledge flowed into his brain from nowhere, and as the Skill evolved, he began to see everything in a new light. 

[The Skill: [Magic Forging (Tier 1)] has successfully Ranked Up to [Great Magic Forging (Tier 2)]!] 

“Great Magic Forging, huh?” 

[Great Magic Forging (Tier 2: 0%)]: [Combine your Aura with the Flames of the Magic Furnace to forge Weapons and Armor using the necessary materials. The more you work, the better this Skill becomes, increasing your Mastery and yielding better results while reducing failure chances. This Skill can help you memorize recipes and item combinations. At this stage, you can apply {Forging Hammer Techniques} to your creations using a special Forging Hammer tool. When using such techniques, there’s a chance for created equipment to gain a special bonus.] 

“Interesting. So I can now use the hammer more effectively. I guess the weapon I already have is good enough for now,” Will commented. “Also, the special bonus chance… it’s better than nothing.” 

“Now that you’re done with this, Master, what will you do? Craft the weapons and armor you mentioned?” Cube asked. 

“Yeah,” Will nodded. “But first… I’ll use these.” 

Will examined two small red stones, each with a sword-shaped insignia. Both glowed mysteriously, charged with unseen power. 

“I want to see if I can use these on my trident…” 

Without hesitation, he summoned his trident and tested the enhancement stones by rubbing one against the trident’s pointed blades. 

SPARK!

A spark of red flames and lightning surged from the stone as its power flowed rapidly into the trident. He felt the divine weapon growing stronger. 

“So I can apply them!” 

Will smiled lightly. He could upgrade his divine weapon using external enhancement items—a wonderful discovery, especially since he planned to rely heavily on the trident moving forward. 

[You have applied the [+2 Weapon Enhancement Stone (C Grade)] x1 to the [Divine Trident of Abyssal Tides (Tier 2)]!]

[Your [Divine Trident of Abyssal Tides (Tier 2)] has gained a +2 Enhancement.] 

“Hmm? It doesn’t look any different to me right now… What changed?” 

Will inspected the weapon’s information, finally understanding the effect. 

[Divine Trident of Abyssal Tides (Tier 2) +2]

[Weapon Type]: [Divine Elemental Weapon] [Soul Bound] [Indestructible]

[Weapon Requirements]: [Class]: [Demigod of Abyssal Tides]

[Weapon Parameters]: [Physical Attack]: [4000 (+1000)] [Magic Attack]: [4000 (+1000)] [Physical Defense]: [2000 (+500)] [Magic Defense]: [2000 (+500)] [Durability]: [10000 (+2500)]

[Weapon Bonuses]: [+50 Divinity] [+30 Strength] [+30 Vitality] [+30 Magic Power] [+30 Magic Defense] [+30 Agility] [+30 Dexterity] [+30 Senses] 

“Oh, so that’s what the Enhancements do—they increase the weapon’s main stats…” Will nodded. “The Bonuses didn’t change, though, which is a little disappointing.” 

“Higher-grade Stones should enhance Bonuses and Weapon Skills! But you won’t find those in the Tutorial yet, Master,” Cube said. 

“Is that so? Then I’ll make sure to find those later,” Will replied. “Now, onto the other stone—the Armor Enhancement Stone… Hmm, okay.” 

He quickly applied it to his gauntlet, which served as both weapon and armor. 

[You have applied the [+2 Armor Enhancement Stone (C Grade)] x1 to the [Demonic Hell Gauntlet (B Grade)]!]

[Your [Demonic Hell Gauntlet (B Grade)] has gained a +2 Enhancement.] 

[Demonic Hell Gauntlet (B Grade) +2]

[Weapon Type]: [Magic Armor] [Demonic Weapon] [Gauntlet]

[Weapon Requirements]: [Warrior: Brawler-type]

[Weapon Parameters]: [Physical Attack]: [2200 (+550)] [Magic Attack]: [1200 (+300)] [Physical Defense]: [1000 (+250)] [Magic Defense]: [1000 (+250)] [Durability]: [5000 (+1325)]

[Weapon Bonuses]: [+15 Strength] [+10 Vitality] [+10 Magic Power] [+10 Magic Defense] [+5 Agility] [+5 Dexterity] [+5 Senses] 

“Alright.” 

Satisfied for now, Will ate some jerky to recover his Mana and began working. He opened his Bag of Holding, sorting through his materials. He gathered bones from various monsters, including creatures from the Hell Pit, and started crafting, incorporating steel from Steel Bovine bodies, of which he still had plenty.

He also melted the cursed steel weapons carried by Imps. Through this process, he purified them, creating stronger metal than the Steel Bovines provided. He repurposed this into long spears, swords, shields, bows, and arrows. He also crafted a couple of magic wands, though they were harder to create than to upgrade, resulting in mediocre quality.

What mattered was that he tried his best. After four hours of nonstop work, sustained by jerky and water to stay in top condition, Will finished. 

“Haaa…” 

He sighed in relief, sitting on the cold floor, drenched in sweat. Dozens of weapons, armor pieces, and shields surrounded him. He had entered a trance-like state earlier, driven not just by the desire to help others but by his ambition to push his skills and develop them as quickly as possible.

And it worked. 

“Oh?” 

Ding!

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

[Skill Rank Up Requirements]:

[Craft five D Rank Items: 5/5]

[Five Tier 2 Monster Cores: 5/5]

[Craft one C Grade Accessory: 1/1] 

“Good…” 

Thanks to his recent upgrade to the Magic Forging Skill, most of his creations were D Grade by default. He had also crafted Mana-Boosting Rings using Spirit Crystals, all of which were C Grade.

His recently evolved Skill had gained a remarkable 30% growth in those hours. He knew that if he maintained this pace for another two days, it could become eligible for another Rank Up.

However, that wasn’t the plan, and Will didn’t want to deplete his resources too quickly, especially with fewer than fifty people in the shelter. 

[Do you wish to Rank Up your Skill?] 

“Yes.” 

Deciding to evolve the Skill immediately, Will watched as the five Monster Cores merged with him, traveled to the depths of his soul, and fused with the Skill. As it evolved, he gained deeper knowledge about alchemy, understanding how different materials and elements interacted. 

[The Skill: [Alchemy Synthesis (Tier 1)] has successfully Ranked Up to [Great Alchemy Synthesis (Tier 2)]!] 

“And done.” 

[Great Alchemy Synthesis (Tier 2: 0%)]: [Using Magic and an Alchemy Cauldron, you can synthesize Magic Ingredients to create new Magic Items, from Potions, Elixirs, Antidotes, and Magical Accessories to Magic Bombs. There’s no limit, as long as you have the right recipe. By repeatedly creating new Magic Items, this Skill increases its Mastery, yielding better results and reducing failure chances. At this stage, you can apply {Alchemy Magic Spells} to your creations, enhancing the synthesis process and the creation of Magic Items, with a small chance of adding a bonus upon successful creation. Additionally, you can now easily detect valuable alchemy materials from a distance and find them more effectively.] 

“This will be really useful. I haven’t found materials for actual potions yet, aside from Maria’s berries, and I don’t want to ask her for—Ah, right!” 

Will’s eyes widened as he checked his Bag of Holding. There, next to the Ocean Tear, was a glowing magical branch. 

“The Holy Tree Domain told me to give this to Maria… I should’ve done this earlier.” 

“Oh? That item…! Incredible! Are you sure you want to give it to the girl, Master? You should absorb it yourself; you could gain great spiritual power from it!” Cube said. 

“…No, I made a promise,” Will replied. “The Holy Tree Domain also gave me an apple, and she’s apparently my aunt. So I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.” 

“O-Oh, she’s related to you?!” Cube was shocked. “But that’s… how?!” 

“I’m not sure. She just said she was in a relationship with my grandmother…” Will said. “I don’t really care about the details, though.” 

Will had no intention of digging into what this “relationship” entailed, preferring to leave it a mystery.

Whatever god-like beings did in their free time was none of his business! 

“O-Oh… Um, okay,” Cube muttered. “I could guess that they—” 

“Shut up, Cube. Don’t say another word. Let’s not talk about that,” Will interrupted. “Okay?” 

“Very well, Master,” Cube nodded obediently. “My apologies.” 

“It’s fine. Just forget what I said. Let’s bring this branch to the girl,” Will said. “Later, I need to absorb Spirit Crystals too. We could go out and harvest more while we’re at it. I’m sure there were plenty left where we got the rest.” 

“Yes! But I’m afraid it could be filled with monsters again. Monsters love to eat Spirit Crystals, Master. It makes them stronger and helps them grow faster,” Cube explained. 

“Well, that would be even better. I have a lot of skills and weapons I want to try,” Will said. “Let’s move.” 

Outside, Will quickly found Evelyn and Maria in front of the electronics store, likely waiting for him to finish working. They were practicing magic. Evelyn seemed able to conjure some form of magic, but it always took the shape of an arrow. 

“Ugh, I swear to God, does it always have to be a damn arrow?!” Evelyn groaned, clutching her head in frustration. She had been trying for hours to shape her magic into something else but couldn’t. 

“Heheh, I suppose it has to do with our Classes, Evelyn…” Maria giggled. “We’re locked to what our Classes dictate we can do… Huh? Ah! Mister! Are you done? We heard a lot of clanking. Were you making stuff again?” 

“Yeah,” Will nodded. “Here, a gift.” 

“Eh?” 

Maria took the branch Will offered. With her Class, she immediately sensed its significance, emanating rich Life and Spiritual Energies. Its sap resembled syrup, which she drank without hesitation, almost instinctively drawn to it. 

“Hmm! So sweet!” 

As she drank, Evelyn watched in confusion, raising an eyebrow at Will. 

“Uh, where did you get that branch?” 

“A Domain gifted it to me.” 

“A Domain… a what?!” 

“They gift things.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah.” 

“…Uh-huh.” 

Evelyn was puzzled but decided not to press further, sensing Will wasn’t keen to elaborate. 

“This was a gift from the Holy Tree Domain, Maria,” Will said. “It seems she saw something special in you. Do you feel any stronger?” 

“Yeah! I think my Mana has increased… and I have this weird fuzzy thing inside me now,” she smiled. “Like… another Mana?” 

“Spirit Energy…” Will said. “Well done. You’ve grown much stronger now. The sap is gone? You drank it all?” 

“I did… I couldn’t stop! It was so sweet…” Maria said. “Um, but the branch seems alive. What do I do with it?” 

“I didn’t expect anything to remain. I thought you’d absorb everything, but…” Will rubbed his chin. “Well, you could keep it and raise it like Mister Branchy. Come to think of it, where is he?” 

“He’s downstairs, hunting critters that sometimes get close to the mall!” Maria said. “I know we don’t need to, but he likes fresh meat.” 

“Hm… well, alright,” Will said. “You do that, then. That’s your new task. Can you handle it?” 

“I’m already doing it, Mister!” Maria said. Her small hands infused the branch with Life and Nature Energies, causing it to sprout new branches, leaves, and roots. 

Unlike Mister Branchy, it had no creepy red eyes—or any eyes at all—but it was growing larger.

The branch soon became as tall as Maria, its new branches spreading like hands and legs. It began to move, crawling on four limbs. 

“W-What the hell?! That thing is creepy as hell!” Evelyn exclaimed, startled by its sudden movement. 

“It seems to have evolved into something…” Maria said. 

“Can you check if the System indicates what it evolved into?” Will asked. 

“Yes, it’s called… Holy Tree Guardian!” Maria smiled. “Thanks for the gift, Mister! I got a new friend!” 

“…” 

The Holy Tree Guardian glowed with golden light, extending its branches toward Will and sprouting a small red apple.

Will plucked it and ate it.

It was slightly sweet but too small to satisfy him.

And yet… 

“Ugh?!” 

A surge of spiritual energy coursed through his body. It was barely 1% of the power from the fruit he’d eaten before, but it was noticeable! 

“It can create Spirit Fruits?! Was this even intended by the Domain?!” Cube asked in surprise. “Master, that girl is truly unique! Her Class lets her do things like this… She’s cheating!” 

“I don’t think we’re in a position to call anyone else a cheater, Cube…” 

Will looked at Maria, who asked if the fruit was tasty. “Very tasty. In fact, it made me stronger. Can the tree make more?” 

“Um, no! That was all for today, I think!” Maria said. “But if it feeds more, it could create more!” 

“Feeding?” Will asked. “What does it eat?” 

“My Mana, but… it said it can eat Spirit Crystals. Do we have any?” Maria asked. 

“I see… these?” Will offered a few from his Bag of Holding. The Holy Tree Guardian absorbed them quickly until it was satiated, leaving a few behind. 

From its branches, it sprouted two, then three, and finally four fruits, offering them to Maria, Will, and Evelyn. 

“Oh, wow! For me too? Thank you~!” Evelyn smiled, grabbing a small apple and eating it. “Uogh?!” 

She felt something unusual flowing through her body. Though she lacked the affinity, it seemed she could develop it by consuming enough fruits. 

“Amazing! They’re so tasty!” Maria ate another, giving the last two to Will. “Here, Mister! These are for you!” 

“Thanks,” Will nodded. “We can feed your friend more if we go to a place where we can mine more Spirit Crystals.” 

“We can?! Let’s go! I was getting bored!” Maria said. 

“What time is it, anyway?” Will asked. 

“You woke up early this morning and worked for four hours… It’s probably around 2 PM now. Why?” Evelyn asked. 

“Alright, I guess I’m revitalized with these fruits. We should hunt and mine for resources,” Will said. “We need to prepare for the final fight… Also, we’re bringing some new people.” 

“Really?!” Evelyn asked. “The girl with psychic powers?” 

“Not just her. We need at least a few more volunteers. Our forces are strong, but when we battle huge armies of monsters, we slow down too much. We need more warriors, magicians, archers, and healers—anything,” Will said. “These people are also getting too conceited. You know that, right?” 

“…Yeah,” Evelyn nodded. “So that’s why you were crafting so much stuff?” 

“You guessed it,” Will said. “Let’s move.” 

After eating two more fruits and feeling his Spiritual Energies blossom further, Will gathered Ralph, Vivian, and John, explaining his plans.

They mostly agreed, and with their help, Will called everyone in the mall for a meeting to share something important. 

“I’m glad you’re all here. Most of you know me, but I’ll introduce myself again. I’m Will. Since we established this safe zone, we’ve been bringing in new people and using it as our base while we hunt outside occasionally. But most of you don’t know there’s a dome around us,” Will explained. “This dome requires us to kill three hundred monsters. If we don’t… we lose.” 

“We lose?”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“I don’t get it…” 

“There’s another faction. The goblins you’ve seen belong to the Green Skins,” Will continued. “They want to conquer this territory. If they do, they’ll likely enslave us all, and we’ll lose our safe zone.” 

“W-What?!”

“No way…!”

“That’s… a thing?!”

“So that’s what’s been happening outside…” 

“The group I’ve formed with my allies is strong, but we aren’t enough,” Will said, his eyes brimming with determination. “We need more fighters—warriors, healers, magicians, anything. I know you’re scared; we all were. But this is the only way. Unless you want to die at the hands of the goblins outside, you need to fight back. Those not confident in their strength can become magicians or healers, becoming valuable allies without engaging directly in battle. Even the elderly can be of great use by finishing off a goblin we bind with our magic.” 

“O-Oh… really?”

“You’ve done so much for us, Will… I suppose we should at least try.” 

The elderly couple seemed to agree. Despite their age, they were willing to contribute, which made the younger, stronger people feel a bit ashamed.

If even these old folks were willing, why weren’t they?

Though many hesitated, Will pressed on, asking for their help. 

“We need your help,” he said. “Only if we work together, only if we fight together… can we make it.” 

“We’re all here because we want to survive,” Vivian added. “This is the only path.” 

The crowd exchanged nervous glances. Some children started crying, and a few people walked away without a word.

Finally, Will called out, “Those who want to help, please step forward.” 

The elderly couple stepped up, followed by an overweight young man with short black hair, a woman with short blonde hair, a salaryman, and two children—siblings. 

“Anyone else?” Will asked. “Nobody?” 

He gritted his teeth, frustrated. These people were being told they would die, yet they’d rather hide and wait for death than fight back and gain the power to survive. 

“Don’t think you’ll get off this easily,” Will said, his tone shifting. Many stopped walking away, glancing back. “If you don’t work or contribute, I’ll personally kick you out. You hear me?” 

“E-Eh?”

“What do you mean, kick us out?!”

“What?!”

“You’re forcing us now?!”

“Is that a threat, you son of a bitch?!” 

“It’s a threat,” Will said coldly. “And I’m not taking it back. You either cooperate, or you’ll die when I kick you out.” 

He addressed the capable young adults, excluding the recently rescued and the children. Many grew angry, shouting and cursing, but Will’s Aura erupted with fury, shadows spreading as ice coated the floor. 

“You need to learn your place here,” he said. “You’ll do what I say, or you leave the safe zone.” 

“You’re insane…”

“We’re going to die!”

“I don’t want to die!” 

“Is that so? Then fight back!” Will roared. “I’ll show you how it’s done. I can’t guarantee you’ll all survive… I won’t feed you false hope. But it’s far better than being kicked out without even the chance to kill a single goblin.” 

“Fuck this shit and fuck you!”

“I’m out of here.”

“Screw this fucking shithole.” 

The crowd murmured nervously. A few—Vivian counted at least five—ran out of the mall on their own. The rest stayed, too afraid to venture out alone. 

“Many walked out on their own,” Will said. “You’re free to choose: go outside alone or go with us, fight, get stronger, and help each other.” 

“…” 

The remaining people sighed, most giving in. Trembling with fear, they saw no other option. 

“Alright, good,” Will nodded. “We’re not taking everyone; that’s too many. For now, ten people are enough. The first to step forward will come with us.” 

The group included the elderly couple, the overweight young man, the woman with short blonde hair, the salaryman, the sibling children, the homeless man Will had healed, and two young men who seemed to be university students. This was the first team of “newbies.” 

“Take these. I was never going to let you go out empty-handed,” Will said, distributing the equipment he’d crafted: armor, weapons, wands, and accessories. 

Those awaiting their turn were surprised, realizing Will had planned this carefully. 

“We’ll be back in an hour or two, then we’ll go out with another team,” Will said. “On the way, we’ll explain the Classes you can choose to avoid reckless decisions once you kill a monster. For those still waiting, prepare yourselves and don’t try anything foolish. Maria’s Mister Branchy will be patrolling, and you don’t want to upset him, right?” 

The towering Mister Branchy, over three meters tall, loomed over the crowd. Bulky, made of sharp black branches, and covered in red eyes, it exuded an evil aura. As a tamed monster, it could roam the safe zone freely, and no one dared to cross it. 

“Hey, can’t we go?” a bald man approached Will as he prepared to leave. “We’ve been thinking about our mistakes… We want to get stronger, but we’re really afraid to go with just the three of us.” 

“Hm,” Will eyed Clark and his goons. “Stay here for now and protect the people. Make sure they don’t touch our stuff. If you do that, I’ll bring you along.” 

“Really?! Thanks, man! You’re the best!” Clark celebrated, feeling Will was starting to accept him. 

“Everyone else, let’s move!” Will said. “Unawakened, stay behind us. Ralph and Vivian will watch your backs.” 

With a group of fighters ready for anything, Will stepped into the city outside. As a large group, it didn’t take long to encounter monsters.

This time, they were exactly what Will wanted: goblins.

And there were many! 

“Grykiak!” 

There were about two dozen: half carried bows, while the rest wore armor and wielded heavy weapons. These weren’t common goblins anymore; they had grown stronger and gained Classes of their own. 

[Goblin Bowman (Tier 2: Level 1)] x6

[Goblin Warrior (Tier 2: Level 5)] x6

[Goblin Soldier (Tier 1: Level 10)] x10 

It was a sizable army, likely waiting to ambush them as they turned the corner.

But Will smiled. 

“Thank you for coming. You’re just what we needed!” Will said, stepping forward as arrows rained down toward his group. 

“A-Ahhh!”

“Arrows?!”

“We can’t avoid those!” 

The newbies panicked, but Ralph raised his wand, forming a golden light barrier that easily deflected the arrows, which bounced harmlessly off. 

“Do we need them all alive?” Vivian asked. 

“No, just the little ones,” Will replied. “Let’s go. Everyone else, protect them.” 

“On it!” Ralph said. 

“Leave it to us!” Evelyn smiled. 

“Okay~!” Maria giggled. 

“Go for it, son!” John nodded. 

With them guarding the rear, Will and Vivian advanced. Will swung his fist, crushing a Goblin Warrior’s skull and flattening its head into the pavement, killing it instantly. He then stomped another, crushing its body and armor into a pancake of flesh and steel. Shocked by his strength, the other goblins gasped, stepping back and attempting to flee. 

But Vivian didn’t let them. She extended her Magic Hands into long, serpent-like arms, catching them all and dragging them back to Will, who used ice magic to create chains, binding the soldiers. 

Meanwhile, the Bowmen fired arrows futilely as magic bullets and arrows from Evelyn and John blew up their heads one by one, providing excellent support from afar. 

This wasn’t just about helping these people grow stronger but also about showing them how to fight in this new world—the blood, the battles, and the roles each would need to take.

It was working. Even the elderly watched attentively. 

“Gryaaak!” 

A Warrior screamed in horror as Will approached. He once struggled against groups of them, but now even three were nothing. He slapped one running toward him, and it fell dead instantly. 

“Hm, I need to control my new strength. It’s hard.” 

Two remaining Warriors attacked his legs, sneaking up using a ring that granted brief invisibility. Will tanked both hits, his divine armor aura easily protecting him.

Even though their axes were magic weapons, the Goblin Warriors realized they couldn’t pierce his armor. 

“Those are some interesting toys. Can I borrow them?” 

“Gyaaaaah!” 

The Goblin Warriors screamed as Will grabbed one by the head and twisted, killing it instantly. The other met a more gruesome fate. As it tried to escape, Will swung his chain axe, slicing through its torso and cleaving it in half. The goblin gasped, vomiting blood while staring at its innards before dying. 

“Is everyone okay?” 

Will returned to the group. Everyone was safe. Ralph’s barriers, now enhanced by his Rank Up, protected them flawlessly. 

“Everything’s fine, Will,” Ralph nodded. “The people are a bit scared, though… but you’ll get used to the adrenaline. I was just as scared as you before, honestly.” 

“Alright! We got them,” Vivian said, carrying the ten Goblin Soldiers. “Here you go. Use your weapons and stab them in the chest. Go ahead.” 

“S-Stab them?” the salaryman asked. “Uuuh… Okay, then… Ahh… how do I even…?” 

His hands trembled as he swung his dagger, piercing the goblin’s chest with a loud “crunch” that made his body quiver with disgust. 

“Ugh…!” 

He vomited on the spot, watching the goblin struggle before dying. 

“Whoa, whoa, are you alright, son? Calm down,” John comforted him. “You good? Congrats, you’ve awakened now.” 

“Aah! T-This is…?” The salaryman was shocked, his body overflowing with a golden aura. “So many Classes…! S-So what do I choose?” 

Typically, those who awakened Unique Classes didn’t choose from the standard list, so he had only the basic options. 

“Depends on how you want to fight,” Ralph said. “You’ve got a decent build… You could be a Warrior.” 

“But I don’t want to fight on the frontlines!” the salaryman cried. “M-Magician! I’ll be a Mage!” 

“Sure! I’ll teach you whatever I can,” Vivian said. 

“T-Thanks…” The man continued stuttering as he selected his Class, gaining a magician hat, a wooden wand, and a new rune shaped like a black tear on his right hand. “My Magic?! Oh…! Huh? Shadow… Tear?” 

“That’s a weird one! I guess everyone awakens something unique, even with standard Classes,” Vivian giggled. “Alright, who’s next… huh?” 

Will and Vivian were about to select another person, but the short-haired blonde woman was already stabbing a goblin furiously. 

“Die! Die, you fucking piece of shit! Die! Die!!!” 

“Gyaaakkk!” 

The goblin struggled until it died, stabbed in multiple places. The woman gasped, sweating and crying a little. 

“A-Are you okay?” Evelyn asked. 

“I’m fine…” The woman sighed, wiping her tears. “Ahh… That’s it, right?” 

“Yeah,” Will said, using water to clean her blood and sweat. “How do you feel? What do you see?” 

“I see… Unique Class?” The woman raised an eyebrow. 

“Ooh? What is it?!” Evelyn asked. 

“It’s…” The woman swallowed hard. “Berserk…” 

“Makes sense…” Vivian rolled her eyes. “Alright! Next!” 

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The Demigod of Abyssal Tides

Soon