Chapter 147

Chapter 147

Chapter 147 – Job Change Quest (3) [Citizen Shin Dong-hoon has completed the class advancement quest.]

[Quest cost: 10,000,000 won has been spent.]

[Citizen Shin Dong-hoon has acquired the ‘Warrior’ class.]

The moment Shin Dong-hoon shattered the skull of the wooden dummy manifested in the Warrior’s chamber, a system message popped up to validate his success in the advancement trial.

‘That was remarkably precise.’

It marked the initial demonstration of his power.

While his immediate acceleration was striking, his mastery over that sudden explosion of momentum was truly extraordinary.

Shin Dong-hoon maintained flawless command of his physical self.

Furthermore.

‘His instincts in battle are exceptional.’

Though it lasted for merely a single clash, he had unmistakably demonstrated his caliber.

‘Then again, the trial dummy is more formidable than I anticipated.’

Its level stood at 25.

With a level of 25, the dummy’s raw physical capabilities were nothing to scoff at, though given the assortment of enhancements granted to citizens, even a level 20 individual could potentially hold their own.

The real issue, however, lay in its combat technique, which mirrored that of a highly disciplined combatant.

‘It is unlikely that many individuals will manage to secure the Warrior class.’

Indeed, unless one was an Awakened with potential comparable to Shin Dong-hoon, there was little incentive to endure the difficulties of unlocking the Warrior class.

The majority of individuals favored engaging enemies with firearms over hand-to-hand weaponry.

Within the unit under Shin Dong-hoon’s command, the sole person with the potential to qualify for the Warrior class was Sergeant Lee Jun-ho.

The rest of the squad either focused on long-range engagements or performed far better utilizing guns rather than their innate powers.

For those whose primary combat method relied on firearms, the Sharpshooter class was a far more appropriate choice.

‘Hopefully, the trial to unlock the Sharpshooter class won’t be excessively challenging.’

He would have to personally examine the trial and conduct research, but based on his prior glimpse into the Sharpshooter’s chamber using the Absolute Dweller’s Eye, he had formulated a rough hypothesis regarding the exam.

‘It likely requires hitting 10 different targets.’

The Sharpshooter’s room was far more spacious than the Warrior’s, set up with 10 targets alongside several defensive barriers.

‘It looks rather challenging.’

When he had initially peered into the Warrior’s chamber with his Absolute’s eyes, there was no sign of any wooden dummy.

Because it only materialized once the trial commenced, the Sharpshooter’s exam might very well feature its own hidden variables.

‘I will investigate the Sharpshooter class at a later time…’

He shifted his position, teleporting directly into the Warrior’s chamber where Shin Dong-hoon stood in a defensive stance.

Swoosh!

At this point, physical contact was no longer required to transport citizens across his territory.

This capability stemmed from the seamless link between his mind and the domain itself.

Regardless of the span, similar to mental communication, he could shift individuals anywhere inside his borders at will.

Naturally, doing so required cognitive focus, but relocating a handful of individuals was trivial, particularly when recalling that he had previously shifted a whole region spanning one kilometer.

Shin Dong-hoon, momentarily off-balance from the sudden displacement, listened as he began to speak.

“My congratulations on successfully changing your class.”

“…I appreciate it.”

“What was your assessment of the trial’s difficulty?”

Shin Dong-hoon paused briefly before offering a guarded reply.

“It was quite demanding.”

“Understood.”

While the outcome showed he had destroyed the wooden dummy with a single strike, the reality that it had briefly pressured Shin Dong-hoon, a level 37 individual, was highly telling.

“Securing the Warrior class will provide you with enhancements for close-quarters combat and momentarily elevate your physical parameters.”

“Yes, I see.”

“Reflecting on the rigor of the trial and the benefits of this class, are there any other members of your squad whom you believe would fit the Warrior role?”

“…Jun-ho, Sergeant Lee Jun-ho would probably be the most suitable.”

“Oh? Is that him?”

Everyone’s gaze shifted toward Lee Jun-ho.

Offering a faint smile, he inquired, “Are you interested in attempting it?”

“Ah, yes! I would welcome the opportunity!”

[Do you wish to allocate the ‘Warrior’ class advancement quest to Citizen Lee Jun-ho?]

[Yes / No]

‘Yes.’

Following the allocation of the trial, Lee Jun-ho was instantly warped into the Warrior’s chamber.

Swoosh—

With this attempt, he intended to run several trials.

Employing mental transmission, he questioned Lee Jun-ho, [What sort of armament do you typically employ?]

“Well… my primary weapons are guns.”

[Even during instances where close-range combat becomes unavoidable?]

“Ah, during those moments, I tend to strike them with the firearm itself.”

[I see.]

Accessing the market interface, he provided Lee Jun-ho with a K-2, an assault rifle the soldier knew well.

Hum—

“Wait, what?”

Catching the K-2 that materialized out of nothingness, Lee Jun-ho asked, “Am I permitted to utilize this?”

The environment was explicitly designed with wooden armaments in mind.

[This is merely an experiment.]

Though he handed over the firearm to Lee Jun-ho, the gateway to the combat arena remained firmly closed.

[Try selecting an armament of your preference from the weapon rack.]

“Got it!”

He selected a lengthy wooden sword.

The moment Lee Jun-ho took hold of the wooden sword, the portal leading to the arena unlatched with a sharp click.

[Hold your position inside until I provide further directions.]

“Understood.”

No sooner had Lee Jun-ho stepped resolutely into the trial zone than a wooden dummy materialized from the opposite doorway.

Simultaneously.

‘Open store, purchase spear.’

He bought a spear and hurled it forward with immense power.

‘Inventory.’

Immediately after, he conjured the spear directly before the wooden dummy confronting Lee Jun-ho.

Crash!

The projectile struck the chest of the dummy, blowing it apart into countless splinters.

Yet, no announcement appeared regarding the completion of the class advancement quest.

Rather.

Hum—

The scattered fragments of the wooden dummy converged rapidly, reconstituting themselves in seconds.

‘It appears this strategy is ineffective.’

He conveyed an instruction to Lee Jun-ho.

[Open fire.]

The moment he received authorization, Lee Jun-ho pulled the trigger.

Crack!

The round discharged by Lee Jun-ho struck the wooden dummy’s head dead center.

A tiny puncture formed in its head, but the target was otherwise unfazed.

Instead, the dummy rushed toward Lee Jun-ho with hostile intent.

Thump thump thump—

Joon-ho backed away in a composed manner while maintaining a steady stream of fire, yet the dummy only paused momentarily with each impact, completely unstoppable.

Furthermore, any structural harm was mending instantly.

In no time, the wooden dummy bridged the gap and thrust its spear forward.

At that moment.

“Hah!”

Shouting a war cry, a translucent shield materialized directly before him.

Clack-clack!

Joon-ho successfully deflected the strike using his active skill, then swung his firearm like a heavy mace.

Ultimately, before functioning as projectile launchers, firearms were essentially solid metal clubs.

Consequently,

Crack!

The hand of the wooden dummy, struck squarely by the gun’s barrel, splintered to pieces.

And following that,

‘The damage isn’t healing?’

While the sections impacted by long-distance shooting mended instantly, the spot bludgeoned by the rifle remained broken and showed no signs of recovery.

This indicated that provided it was a melee strike, it made no difference if the weapon was from the designated weapon rack or not.

‘Exactly.’

He had uncovered a minor but highly practical loophole.

The crucial detail was not merely that melee strikes were effective, but that external assistance could be rendered.

Even though projectile strikes or his personal interventions reformed instantaneously, the temporary vulnerabilities they caused could not be bypassed.

Regardless of the method, the candidate undertaking the class advancement trial simply needed to deliver the final strike with a physical melee blow.

‘This will vastly improve the success rate of class advancements.’

An even more promising implication was that firearms would almost certainly be permitted during the Sharpshooter advancement trial.

After all, the Sharpshooter class was explicitly tailored for long-distance engagements.

[Citizen Lee Joon-ho has completed the class change quest.]

[Quest cost: 10,000,000 won.]

[Citizen Lee Joon-ho has acquired the ‘Warrior’ class.]

Once he completed his class change trial successfully, Lee Joon-ho was summoned back.

Swoosh—

“Huff, huff!”

He was perspiring heavily from the high-intensity clash.

“Excellent work. My congratulations on your class advancement.”

“Th-thank you very much!”

Following Lee Joon-ho’s triumphant advancement, several other squad members began watching with keen anticipation.

Specifically, Park Seong-jun and Kim Ki-tae, who both possessed B-rank Awakened skills similar to Lee Joon-ho, watched with burning eyes.

I opened the interface for class development.

[Marksman]

…Research currently in progress…

Time remaining: 11 hours 41 minutes 35 seconds

Just as I thought, it would take quite some time before the development process finished.

I addressed them honestly.

“It appears the trials for the remaining classes will only be accessible starting tomorrow. Let us conclude our activities for today and reconvene tomorrow morning.”

“Hold on, please! Give me just a second!”

The voice belonged to Kim Ki-tae.

“I would like to undergo the class change to become a Hunter.”

“A Hunter?”

“That’s correct.”

“For what reason? The Hunter class primarily just preserves the remains of slain beasts.”

“That is precisely my reasoning.”

His trait, ‘Wolf’s Sense of Smell,’ was entirely utility-focused and not meant for direct combat.

Given his high level resulting from his B-rank awakening, my initial intention was to guide him toward the Marksman path.

Nevertheless, his subsequent explanation proved compelling enough to alter my perspective.

“While surviving in Seoul, monster meat served as one of our primary sustenance sources. Setting aside the Sky Blue Marlin, I am familiar with multiple other creatures that are safe for consumption. Furthermore, we might harvest valuable materials such as durable hides, razor-sharp claws, or fangs.”

Since provisions and gear could easily be bought via the shop, this was an angle I had overlooked.

It was obvious that those who had fought to survive day-by-day in Seoul possessed a highly practical mindset.

“A valid point. I will entrust that responsibility to you, Ki-tae.”

“Oh… yes, sir!”

[Citizen Kim Ki-tae’s trust has grown.]

[Citizen Kim Ki-tae’s loyalty has grown.]

I assigned the Hunter advancement trial to another individual alongside Kim Ki-tae.

Considering their capabilities, confronting an orc rather than a goblin for their class trial would be an easy feat.

“Before we disperse, I would like to propose something to all of you.”

Because I had revealed my identity and spoken with them openly, the collective trust and loyalty of Shin Dong-hoon’s squad had risen significantly.

‘Every single one of them is now qualified for vassal registration.’

Shin Dong-hoon, Lee Joon-ho, Park Seong-jun, and Kim Ki-tae.

The individuals I had kept my sights on had successfully reached the baseline threshold to be registered as vassals.

“It is my wish to formalize our bond and register you all as my vassals.”

I proceeded to detail the significance of vassalage, the nature of our connection, their duties within this place, and the privileges as well as responsibilities they would inherit.

“While vassals wield immense power, they are also frequently placed on the front lines of danger. By extending this offer, I am asking you to place your lives in my hands.”

A profound, solemn quiet fell over the room following my statement.

The individual who stepped forward to break the silence was their commander, Shin Dong-hoon.

“The Seoul we escaped from was absolute pandemonium. Countless lives were lost. Encountering dead bodies littering the pathways was a daily reality for us.”

His gaze burned with an unshakeable resolve.

“To be completely frank, we were at death’s door. Had Mr. Jae-hyun not rescued us, we would have met our end through starvation and despair.”

Shin Dong-hoon spoke further, a look of conviction gracing his features.

“Ever since arriving in this domain, I have felt a glimmer of hope. A hope that we might restore the world to what it once was.”

As his voice carried, a similar light of aspiration began to shine in the eyes of his squad mates.

“Simply knowing that our sacrifices will serve a purpose is more than enough. I ask you to make meaningful use of my life.”

His speech was charged with powerful determination and absolute belief.

“I hear you.”

I replied, fully sensing the immense gravity of the commitment I was undertaking.

“I give you my word, I will honor that devotion.”

We would win back our tranquil existence.

I would ensure it, no matter what.