Leo braced himself for the potential decision paralysis that came with a new skill selection once again. He inwardly prayed to the System for an easy choice after the night that had transpired. There was the option to just wait until he felt more rested, but it was like trying to sleep before Christmas.

  Level 15 Pugilist Class skill selection available

  Leo opened up the skill selection and got to work, taking the skills one by one as he liked to do.

  Crater Fist (Common)

  Brute force given shape. Shatter stone. Break bone. And perhaps, yourself.

  A focused, two-handed slam that channels raw mana into a single crushing blow.

  Deals massive damage and creates a minor shockwave.

  Scales with Strength.

  Cooldown: 20 seconds

  Leo frowned slightly upon reading the text. This skill wasn't bad by any means, just the wrong kind of direction he’d decided to take his skillset. Before last night he might have really considered it.

  It could still be a useful tool for fights that required just that extra bit of power, but not enough to really sway him, at least without looking at the other options first. The visual of him slamming the ground enough to make a shockwave did appeal, however.

  Hammer Toss (Common)

  Channel your strength through rotational momentum, hurling enemies or objects with devastating force.

  Larger or heavier targets cost significantly more stamina

  Scales with Strength and Endurance

  Cooldown: 15 seconds

  Another skill that was really quite basic and rather unappealing. He no longer lacked a decent ranged option with his Ice Spike upgrading. Even if it hadn’t though, he still would have taken Crater Fist over this one.

  It had obvious value in crowd control, throwing ants at other ants sounded like a fun time after all. But it wasn’t how he wanted to win fights.

  Echoing Talon (Uncommon)

  Speed. Rhythm. Precision. Time your movement, and strike like thunder.

  This technique rewards discipline and punishes hesitation.

  A three-strike chaining kick. Each consecutive hit gains increased speed and damage

  Missing or being interrupted ends the chain.

  Each strike consumes greater stamina than the last.

  Scales with Strength and Agility.

  Cooldown: 20 seconds

  Now we’re talking! Uncommon rarity too.

  It was as if the system was giving him the choice of how he wanted to fight going forward.

  Either the path of the berserker fighter who used his body and brute strength as a weapon, or the path of the martial artist, who used technique and skill to overpower his opponent. Both were perfectly viable options.

  Right now, he was much more leaning towards the latter. This Echoing Talon sounded like a finishing move that had real potential.

  Also means that Ash can't say I only punch things harder. Definite bonus. He smiled to himself, then glanced down to where she was resting next to him.

  Her breathing was steady and gentle. He sighed in relief and tried not to blame himself for not warning her sooner. He looked away and back to his system window.

  This was the first uncommon skill he’d been offered and if it performed as well as his other two skills… Well, the last skill would have to be something incredible to pass this up.

  Maybe some kind of magical option considering his improved mana usage. The idea excited him, so he quickly checked out the last option.

  Ironclad Form (Uncommon)

  Stand. Endure. Let the world break before you do.

  For those who are the shield, not the blade.

  Enter a defensive posture, reinforcing your body with dense, non-affinity mana.

  Reduces physical damage and prevents stagger for a short time. While active, offensive capability and movement speed are reduced.

  Scales with Toughness.

  Cooldown: 2 minutes

  If one could see Leo's face, one would compare it to the face of a child, expecting they were going to Disneyland, only to be taken to a dentist appointment.

  Pure, unapologetic disdain.

  He didn't even give it a second thought. The chances of him picking this skill were zero.

  So it was down to two. A double-edged sword of power or a technique with potential but easily punished.

  If he was to ask anyone else, they would tell him to go for the talon skill, it had much less chance for him to go back to his style of fighting that people told him off for.

  They couldn't argue that it wasn't effective however. He took down the Mawroot Alpha, the first soldier. and incapacitated the Goliath. All by hitting as hard as he could.

  What is it that I want?

  He considered it for a few minutes, listing pros and cons in his head. In the end, he decided. Unless things became dire beyond saving, he wouldn’t destroy himself for victory. It just wasn’t sustainable.

  With a weight of decision lifted off his shoulders and a commitment to improving his ways of fighting. He selected his choice.

  You have gained the skill: Echoing Talon (Uncommon)

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The knowledge didn’t arrive as a list of instructions. It settled into his muscles, into the rhythm of how he shifted his weight and balanced himself. He raised his foot experimentally and felt the skill activate, then fade as the power left him. With no target, it didn’t work.

  Leo gave a gentle sigh of relief. He loved getting new skills. He just wished that it was easier to choose.

  Perhaps now that he had a better vision on how he wanted to build his fighting style that it would be simpler from now on. Another naive thought considering how easy the choice would have been for anyone else.

  A twinge in his chest made him shift for a second, like trying to work out a stitch, but one that spread down his arms and legs.

  Is that backlash from missing the skill? Leo thought. The feeling faded a little but it never quite went away.

  Lena started moving towards him, with a bit of a rush in her steps. He stood up in case something was wrong.

  “You alright?” he asked quickly.

  She looked a little confused. “Huh? Oh, yes. Everything’s fine. Can I talk to you about this profession thing?”

  Her outfit was in tatters, covered in the blood of ants and humans alike. She had fought hard, even if Leo hadn't noticed her much. He expected her to be more downcast, since she hated fighting. However, her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

  He quickly identified her.

  Human - Level 11

  Pride welled up inside him as he looked at the number. She had really fought her heart out to gain so many levels.

  “Sorry, I haven't looked through the professions system yet. Wanna sit down and I can quickly have a look?” He gestured for her to grab a seat against the wall next to Ashley.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, her face dropping. “You've been fighting so hard all night, I'm surprised you're still awake. And here I am being selfish, asking you to help me in something that can definitely wait. I'll let you relax and can come back later.”

  She started to walk away but Leo gently grabbed her hand before she could get more than a step away. He was a little surprised by the speed, as was she, gasping a little.

  He quickly let go of her hand, apologising before continuing, “Please, it's fine. Come sit with me and I'll check it out. I don't think I could sleep right now anyway. I could do with another distraction.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He smiled. “Positive.”

  The pair sat down and Leo readied himself to tackle the profession system, hoping he was mentally prepared.

  [New System Feature Unlocked: Profession System]

  You have survived the Blood Moon and completed your quest.

  You may now learn a profession.

  Professions level independently from combat classes and grow through use. While less focused on raw power, many offer unique abilities, crafting options, support utilities, and long-term value.

  “This does seem interesting, even if I never really liked doing professions in games,” Leo mused.

  “Did you see the extra stuff?” she asked excitedly.

  Leo shook his head then looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

  “If you go into the profession screen and not just the unlock, it gives you a more detailed overview.”

  “Oh, cool. Let me have a look.”

  Profession system overview:

  Humans are usually limited to one profession.

  Professions gain experience through relevant activities.

  Stat growth is dependent on Profession taken.

  Unlocking a profession can be done by fulfilling specific requisites, having prior knowledge, crafting and utilising it, or consuming a Legacy teaching.

  Profession examples:

  Alchemist: Brew potions, toxins, and elemental mixtures

  Artificer: Craft magical items and enchantments

  Beast Tamer: Form pacts with creatures to serve and fight for you

  Runesmith: Imbue items and surfaces with magical effects

  Scout: Improve tracking, mapping and field awareness

  Cook: Stat-enhancing meals and magically infused dishes

  ...

  The list went on.

  Leo didn’t know what to say. The scope of this profession system was bigger than he’d ever expected. There were so many potential options when he thought about it. It was likely someone with a builder profession of some kind crafted the very building he was sitting in.

  The ability to magically create stone and form it into houses for people. It was exactly the kind of thing Lena was looking for. A way to contribute without fighting.

  Leo banged on his chest as another twinge of pain went through him. He played it off as a cough, but Lena was too caught up to even notice. It faded once again after a few moments.

  That’s some backlash. It feels like it’s getting worse.

  “I’m worried,” Lena said softly, taking him from his thoughts. “There wasn’t an option for tailoring like we hoped.” She looked downcast, the excitement from earlier fading by the second.

  “I wouldn’t worry, there will one-hundred percent be a profession around making clothing. We just need to find out how to do it. Look at Ashley’s robes, they’re mending themselves with magic. Mine do the same. Someone had to have learned how to recreate that.”

  Lena looked at him with renewed hope in her eyes. “Really? I need it to exist. It was the main thing keeping me going last night. I-I can’t fight like that anymore.” She began to tear up.

  “I want to survive, but not if it means killing. Every time I got a notification for killing it was like I was losing something I couldn’t get back. I didn't want to just hide away and become a burden, so… I started to wonder if dying was better.”

  Leo looked at her with a deepening frown. It wasn't due to judging her, but from not noticing that she was suffering so much. He knew that she hated fighting but not to the point of dying instead of it. As someone who loved fighting, he struggled to comprehend. He stayed quiet while she continued.

  “After seeing the profession system, and talking with you before, it gave me hope. Hope that things could be different. Now it’s a reality and I’m afraid… afraid that my hope was for nothing.”

  Leo shuffled a little closer to her, trying to radiate the warmness that brought comfort to her and Ashley before when they slept. He spoke confidently.

  “Even if there isn’t a tailoring profession, which I’m almost positive there will be, you’ll be able to find a calling that isn’t combat related. Look at the options already, none of them—apart from beast tamer—seemed even remotely based on fighting. I still can’t promise that you won't have to fight someday…” He paused, realising this wasn’t what he wanted to express.

  “Look, what I'm trying to say, is that everything is going to be okay. You did so well fighting and surviving. I’m proud of you, if that’s any consolation.”

  “Thanks, Leo.” She leaned against him. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

  “You’ll never be a burden. In fact, I think you’ll become one of the most valuable people in this whole tutorial. I sure as hell couldn’t do any of the crafting that these professions ask for. I don't have the concentration to focus on one thing for that long. Unless it’s fighting.“ They both chuckled.

  “You’re sweet. I promise to make you something amazing—if I can.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  Lena fell asleep shortly after their conversation, once again leaning into his shoulder.

  He adjusted his position slightly so Lena wouldn’t slump forward, careful not to wake her. For a moment, it almost felt like camping. Like this was a bad night that would end in the morning.

  As the night wound down and people fell asleep, the adrenaline and terror of combat now firmly in the rearview, Leo shut his eyes to hopefully sleep for the next couple hours—mind finally at peace and the pain in his chest no longer bothering him.

  Tomorrow would be the opening of the tutorial store and he would consider his profession. He hoped to find one that was right for him. If it gave stats and skills, he’d need to get one, otherwise he’d be at a disadvantage.

  Another potential headache I can tackle in the morning. He yawned.

  His eyes closed, his thoughts finally settling.

  Lena rested against him, her breathing slow and even. Ashley lay on his other side, still recovering but alive. Around them, the rest of the group slept in scattered clusters, exhaustion pulling them under at last.

  He mourned those who hadn’t made it.

  But for tonight, he let himself be grateful for the ones who had.

  As he drifted off into the darkness, he suddenly felt another pain in his chest that twisted into something more violent. The storm he kept buried surged. Like the wind catching fire in his bones, the pressure kept increasing, as did the pain.

  He started thrashing on the ground, clutching his chest. His screams deafened out the yells of concern that started to echo out around him.

  When he opened his eyes, what graced him was not the faces of his companions, nor the empty ceiling, but the rainbow eyes obscured by the storm that had spoken to him in previous dreams, only this time the storm wasn’t obscuring it.

  “I did not expect you again so soon,” the voice said, booming across the barren landscape.

  Leo looked up, and up until he met its eyes, mouth open in shock.

  “It appears we have much to discuss.”