As noon rose, people began filling the library. Rue scanned their level. They ranged around twenty to thirty. Currently, he was level 39, thanks to the ant fight. So far, no one surpasses him except for Mey.

  The white hair woman picked a page from the new book she had just taken. She purposefully brought her chair closer to Rue’s so the shaft of sunlight hit her right in the face. Looking at her now, it was like looking at a childish adult. She was clearly not reading, but instead just using the book as a cover to filter how much light caressed her face.

  When Rue looked behind them, at the people that been coming, the first couple of seconds they arrived—They would pointingly stare at Rue and Mey. Some even shivered at the sight of her; was that fear?

  “How many?” Mey groaned, keeping her voice low.

  “Thirty?”

  “Good, there’s not a thousand yet,” She said, and began to stretch her body. “I should’ve gotten Rufus or Rafael to do the briefing.” She muttered.

  “I don’t want to hear my guildmaster laze around.”

  “Mind doing it for me then?”

  “No happening. Speaking of these guild things… Just how much did the Entram tell you? Mine only helps me with my skill and class choices and invites me to the soul harvester profession.”

  “Only,” Mey softly laughed. “They choose based on potential Rue. So don’t call yourself ‘only’”

  “Well, I’m humbled. But, Rafael, this Rufus guy, Lars… There are plenty of stronger people than me here. Their class also must be quite something.”

  “Rafael and Rufus' class is nothing amazing though; they’re just an evolution from Mage and Archer. Which is why probably--” Mey stopped talking as she found his bewildered expression.

  “You can evolve the basic class?” Rue blinked.

  “And you did not know that much…” Mey muttered, staring at him like some alien. “Right, you did say you get your class through special circumstances. How do you get it?”

  “It's actually pretty identical to yours, but mine did not cause any destruction…” Rue wandered off, remembering that Cel did cause the entire cave to be blanketed by ice. “Well, he may did.”

  “Oh? Tell me then,” Mey smiled, clasping her book close eagerly. “It's your turn.”

  --

  “Everyone here?” Mey closed her book. In front of her were a thousand people seated in various wooden benches that aligned with the chandelier hanging from the top. There are not enough seats for a thousand, of course, only for about five hundred or so.

  The shelves have been pushed aside, even covering the arrow slit. The only source of light was from the second-floor gallery, making weird dappled light above, while below on the first floor, moderate darkness hung.

  Mey lay her book on the coffee table and stood, shrugging her shoulder with Elend, Rufus, and Rafael beside her.

  Rue had joined the crowd. Earlier, once he had finished telling his story to Mey, Rafael arrived right at the end. The wall commander, along with the archer, Rufus, brought her up to speed on attendance and recommended that they push away some of the shelves.

  Romero was the last one to arrive; he drew a sharp gasp as the knight strode in full armor. But perhaps the one that drew the biggest attention is not him. But it was Lars, the highest level arrived with Romero, together.

  And both of them just casually walked in and settled beside Rue, who had purposely chosen the corner of the room.

  “I see, both of you chosen,” Soma said. The red hair had arrived, and he went to Rue the moment Mey left him. Apparently, he doesn’t know anyone else and to intimidated to approach with Mey being there.

  (Solar Herald. Lvl 1)

  That was quite a class name… It makes Rue think maybe he gave it too cheaply. And it was strange how he could view Soma’s class. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he had given him the class.

  “What are you doing here?” Lars hissed. “Level one! You’re level one!”

  Soma's mouth opened before he forced it closed thinly.

  “I do admit it's quite reckless,” Romero added. “You were called to attend?”

  “I did,” Suma answered.

  The red hair excitement dampened, Rue knee knee-jerk reaction was to lift him up. But that would be irresponsible, he found himself agreeing with Lars and Romero.

  So instead, Rue said.

  “If we were assigned to the same rift, then we would watch each other. And get you level up first by giving you the kill”

  Soma smiled, “Yeah, I’m counting on you.”

  “Don’t expect all three of us will hold your hands, though,” Rue reminded.

  “Of course not, I have some skills that frankly quite ridiculous, I think I will be fine.”

  “That Na?ve, Rue,” Lars said, that was probably the first time he called him by name. “And why are you including us?”

  “I’m willing to help,” Romero knightly said. “It’s the right thing to do.”

  “I’m surrounded by a bunch of idi—”

  “Wait, your name is Rue?”

  “Not important”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Suddenly, a voice cut them off.

  “Four of you in the corner,” Mey spoke out, raising her voice.

  Rue lifted his eye to find the entire library staring at them. He had never been a part of a group that would talk in school while the others were trying to study, so this is how it felt.

  “Quiet, only Me, Rufus, Rafael, and Elend allowed to speak.” Mey even put her finger to her lips, much to his embarrassment.

  “Apologise, Mey Skyveth.” Romero clasped his shoulder plate, sending a loud thud through the library, and bowed.

  “I’m not bowing,” Lars whispered, and crossed his arm. “Not to that woman,” he finished with a hiss.

  “I don’t think she expects anyone to bow,” Rue whispered back, “Romero here is just dramatic.”

  “I can hear that,” Romero's voice rumbled.

  “Quiet, please, all of you,” Soma pleaded, his eyes widening in panic.

  Mey coughed, drawing everyone's attention to her.

  “I will start. Every last one of you has gathered because of your level and special classes. Some have classes that made wall defense easier, so they will stay. But each of you was chosen personally by your wall commander to be here, so I would like each of you to be more confident. Especially on what we will send you to,” Mey said, he motioned to Rafael.

  Huh, so that’s why Seila is not here.

  The long-haired man stepped up. “Our target shall be the Frost rift and the Fire rift. I shall explain our decision…”

  Grand Ice Castle Quest

  Oldo the Frost Lich, has many regrets in life. Enough, he wanted to die. But his heart has been taken away by his traitorous underling; they had locked it deep inside his castle and sealed his body in the throne room. Now he wishes for a hero to end everything.

  Reward: Frost Undead class scroll (Mystic) for slaying Oldo the Frost Lich.

  Reward: Staff of the Undead Frost (Mystic) for slaying Ordo the Frost Lich

  Reward: Frost Sculpting profession for destroying the rift core.

  “First, let's talk about the quest itself. We’re able to gain small information from this… The Frost rift told a story about how the Lich King, who is presumably the leader of the Frost imprisoned by his subordinate, and how he seeks to die. So we shall take advantage of that. And during last night's battle, there’s none coming from the Frost Faction, only a scout of theirs, which appeared as some Frost bat.”

  HellFire Rift Quest.

  Ilfrit the Salamader, guards its ever scorching paradise. It merely wished for peace and quiet. Yet, destruction is the greatest wish of those around him—born to deliver the beauty of fire into the whole wide world.

  Reward: lava shaper class scroll (Rare) for slaying Ilfrit the Salamander

  Reward: Ilfrit’s Cloak (Rare) for slaying Ilfrit the Salamander

  Reward: lava-wrought chest (Rare) for being inside the rift, as the rift core was destroyed.

  Reward: 5 lava-wrought chests for destroying the rift core.

  “The Fire rift also had the same situation, but to a lesser degree. Last night's battle against the Fire Faction was bloody, but ultimately our wall stood true, and we had plenty of water mages to deal with them, as most of you were. Unlike these two factions, the Centaurs and Ants leaders' wishes are united, so we shall take them down after we deal with the Frost and Fire faction.”

  Rue nodded along; he liked that it made sense.

  “Second was our scout.” Rafael pushed his glasses up. “The ant faction killed all the scout we sent on their territory. The same happened against Centaur. The Centaur was unable to fly, so no assault came from them. But, they brought our scout out and tortured them for the wall to watch. These two factions we deemed as the most dangerous…”

  “Meanwhile, our scout did return from the Ice Mountain territory, reports have been streaming in, and we have decided it's time to strike, as there was infighting between the monsters. Our scout also returned from the Fire Mountain, some of them at least. They reported that the Fire Faction monsters were sprawled all over, some even made their way to the Centaurs, and they had combat. It looks like the Fire Faction did not have any intelligence monster to lead them. These are the reasons we decided to go after them, and our scout can lead the detachment toward where their rift are.”

  “And for the third reason, it is the reason of compatibility.” This time, Mey was the one who spoke up. ‘As Rafael had mentioned, we are blessed by an abundance of water mages, and there are some special classes that will do well against fire… I shall lead the first detachment against the Fire faction. We will close the Hellfire rift.”

  Mey finished, resolutely. She let her word pause, and after a second passed, cheers started to rumble among the chosens. They bang their table and stomp their feet, some jumped up and woot.

  Clap resounded across the library, and suddenly it seemed they looked forward to starting the expedition.

  “I heard she took down most monsters against the fire creature,” Soma said, “The people here who cheered like maniacs have seen her in action.”

  “In dark times, people look for a leader,” Romero added. “That is another reason.”

  Rue nodded. He remembered how Paxwell seamlessly led the group. Some people might be born for this kind of thing.

  “Leaders are a double-edged sword,” Lars said, Rue's eyes went to him as he continued. “Some can ruin everyone. If you’re alone, then at least your death is your own fault.”

  “That is a sad way to think,” Romero said under the cheering crowd.

  “Speaking from experience?” Rue asked pointedly at Lars. The highest-level just shrugged off the question.

  “Quiet down!” A voice shouted over the crowd's cheers. But his voice to small. The one glassed man then sighed and ripped open a page from his grimoire. The pages turn into a whiff of green and melt into the sky.

  Sound faded away, and the crowd glanced at each other. Their voice was gone.

  “Please put up with it for a bit,” Elend smiled. The scripture mages clasp his grimoire closed.

  What a ridiculous magic.

  (Human. Lvl 42)

  And what with that level? Sure, Mey and Lars were higher level than him, but Elend was only level twenty-seven when he first met him. He must’ve joined the battle against the Fire faction as Mey’s reinforcement and killed so many. And with that class, who knows what more he could do.

  “I shall lead the detachment toward the ice mountain. We only have one person that have a special class involved with Frost magic…”

  Really?

  Lars and Soma snapped to Rue. If he could snap his own face at himself, he would too.

  “We have plenty of Ice mages, and most shall be coming. But, Frost and ice are different, especially in their effect. Frost kills you slowly, like a poison akin to curses. And only two of us can wield such magic here. The other person is me. I can write a script to protect against Frost. And a lot of you are Fire mages—You will come with me with the second detachment. Some of you may ask why Mey is not with the second detachment; the answer is simply because she can tank incredible fire spells. Which is why she will stay with the first”

  “Now with that over with…” Elend clasped his hand and forced gasps out of the crowds.

  Mey tapped Elend on his shoulder, and they shared a word. Then she addressed the crowd. “We will descend the wall immediately. Both mountain ranges are a day away. While we're gone, Rufus and Rafael will have control over all four walls. It goes without saying, the wall will weaken, not in number but in quality. So please keep it in your mind… that you fight so all hundred thousand of us can pass to the next stage, and eventually return home.”

  She finished, and then Elend spoke.

  “For the rift assignment, please open your palm.”

  Rue did as commanded, but nothing happened.

  Elend ripped a page, and he burned it on a candle prepared on the coffee table. “If a mote of blue appeared, then you’re going to the ice mountain with the second detachment. If red appeared, then vice versa.”

  Rue waited, eagerly. And it appeared, a mote of light so small he almost missed it.

  It was blue.

  He looked at his friend.

  Soma turned and grinned; on her palm were blue motes.

  “All of us together,” Lars muttered, blue motes danced on his palm. He clenched his palm into a fist.

  Romero nodded, similar motes on his gauntleted hand. “The promises will be kept then.”