[System Analysis: Experimental Arsenal – Live Deployment]
Designation:
[Experimental Gatling System – Prototype 01]
Status: Active. Barrels rotating at 42,000 RPM.
Ammunition Source: Infinite Energy Conversion Matrix.
Risk Level:High. Barrel integrity reduces by 0.03% per second of continuous fire.
Probability of catastrophic feedback loop: 21%.
Designation: [Mana-Infused Launcher – Prototype 03]
Status: Overclocked. Stabilizers untested in live combat.
Payload: High-density mana warheads (3).
Risk Level:Severe. Each detonation capable of destabilizing nearby terrain.
Probability of collateral collapse: 46%.
Kane's HUD flickered with a cascade of warnings, each more dire than the last. His jaw tightened as he accepted the burden.
If I don't use them now… everyone dies anyway.
The final notice flashed crimson across his vision:
[Override Accepted. Full Synchronization Engaged.]
The synchronized strike began.
The Gatling screamed like a beast unchained, barrels spinning so fast they blurred into a circle of molten light. Mana rounds tore through the air, each bullet trailing streaks of azure as they slammed into the Flesh Congregant's body. Every limb that reached forward was shredded into mist and gore.
The Mana-Launcher cracked open, spewing its trio of glowing warheads. The drones joined the chorus—missiles locking, trails of fire lancing across the ruined hall.
Then everything hit.
The Flesh Congregant's core was the first to rupture. Mana flared like a star, the unstable fusion of biomass and corrupted essence tearing itself apart under the relentless barrage.
The abomination screamed—a sound that shook the city streets beyond, a cry so vile that glass for blocks shattered. Its regenerating limbs vaporized faster than they could knit together, the Gatling's torrent carving holes through its frame, while missiles slammed into it, detonating in chain-lightning blasts that turned flesh into dust.
The hall itself could not endure the destruction. Walls buckled, stone cracked, debris rained from above as firestorms from the launcher consumed the chamber.
Through the chaos, Kane stood at the center—bracing the rattling Gatling as if holding back the wrath of gods. His aura flared, locking his team into formation. "HOLD YOUR LINES!"
Reina's guardians leapt to shield her from the raining stone, the rabbit and the iron brute enduring what the ceiling could not. Maya and Lena braced the twins, dragging them behind cover. The mage pushed every ounce of mana into wards that flickered under the blast pressure.
And then—silence.
When the storm cleared, the Flesh Congregant was nothing more than a crater of sizzling gore. Its core lay shattered, the black-red energy dispersing into the air like a dying sun.
The battlefield stank of ash and melted stone. The college's main hall had become a ruin.
[System Notification]
Boss [Flesh Congregant] – Annihilated.
• All participants receive Quest Rewards.
• Performance Bonus Calculating…
Kane let the Gatling dissolve back into storage, his hands still trembling from the violent recoil. His breath came ragged, his body heavy, but his eyes stayed fixed on the crater.
He had won.
But as the notifications rolled in, one thought pulsed through his mind.
This was just the first real boss… and it already took everything I had.
The night did not end in silence.It ended in ruin.
The synchronized strike Kane commanded, bolstered by the rattling fury of experimental weapons and the desperate strength of his allies, had torn into the Flesh Congregant with an apocalyptic roar. The mutated monstrosity that had climbed to Level 23—the sort of horror that should've crushed them all—was swallowed in fire, shrapnel, and a storm of tearing mana bursts.
The fallout was catastrophic.
The entire chamber where they fought didn't just collapse—it detonated outward. The shockwave rattled the island's air, sending cracks spiderwebbing through concrete towers, breaking glass for miles, and blasting chunks of stone through nearby structures.
The Congregant's pheromone-lured swarms, hundreds of twisted mutants and flesh-drunk feeders, were simply vaporized in the path of the weapons. Bones, armor plating, corrupted tissue—scattered like sand in a hurricane.
But it didn't end there.
The destruction traveled like a tide through the city itself.Flames spiraled outward, collapsing broken bridges. Buildings groaned, caved, and buckled, one after another. Mutants unlucky enough to be in the blast zone were shredded instantly. Even those far beyond—the higher tiers hunting deeper in the ruins—felt the shock and began to retreat into darkness. The city seemed to mourn, screaming in collapsing echoes.
The air reeked of smoke, blood, and scorched flesh.
And then—Everything stopped.
The system's voice fell like a hammer in everyone's mind.
[QUEST COMPLETED: THE CORRUPTED CONGREGANT]
Participants: Kane Wylder + Party.
Outcome: Target destroyed. Mutation risk eliminated.
Primary Rewards Granted:
+50 Free Stat Points (distributed manually).
+1 Profession Skill Unlock (exclusive).
+5,000 Coins (per participant).
Performance Ranking (Adjusted):
Kane Wylder – [Warlord]
Role: Commander & Finisher.
Extra Rewards: +15 Stat Points | [Skill: Rallying Roar].
Maya (Rogue Profession)
Role: Strike Coordination, Mutant Assassinations.
Extra Rewards: +10 Stat Points | [Skill: Shadow Veil].
Arin (Recruit Mage)
Role: Area Control, Mana Barriers, Mutant Elimination.
Extra Rewards: +5 Stat Points | [Skill: Mana Burst].
Additional Rewards Distributed:
Reina's Toys [System Recognized Constructs]:
Function: Support / Tactical Offense.
Reward: [Skill Fragment: Adaptive Evolution (I)] – constructs may grow.
Notifications slammed one after another in Kane's vision, scrolling until his chest felt tight. But the last one hit him hardest.
[Level Up!]
Kane Wylder: Level 15.
Maya: Level 17.
Arin: Level 17.
Other Party Members: Level 17.
Kane blinked, almost disbelieving. "…Wait. Why am I behind them?"
The others glanced over as well—equally surprised. "You… fought harder than anyone. You should be above us," Maya muttered, frowning. Even Arin, panting and pale after the fight, looked guilty for surpassing him.
The system answered coldly.
[Notice: Warlord Profession Holders require significantly greater experience thresholds to level. This is intentional.]
[Warlord Path Compensation: Each level grants double-stat boosts compared to standard professions. In addition, Warlords are unique in that they may learn both Magic-Class and Physical-Class skills, fusing them into command techniques.]
Kane stood silent, sweat dripping down his brow, but his fists clenched tightly.A profession that demanded more.A path that demanded he lag behind—just so he could outpace in strength.
It wasn't unfair.It was war.
And war never came cheap.
His eyes lifted from the flickering blue notifications to the broken battlefield still burning before them. His wrath still simmered, remembering the twins' broken bodies… and the monsters in human skin that had caused it.
Some humans had lost their humanity in weeks.Kane would carry his—until it crushed all who preyed on the weak.
The last system notification lingered in Kane's vision, but instead of fading, new windows began unfolding—each one sharper, filled with detail. His body still hummed with residual rage and exhaustion, but the moment demanded his full attention.
The system tallied everything, layering his progression neatly.
Level 12 Stats (after applying natural +2 and profession +2 boosts):
Strength: 43
Agility: 43
Endurance: 47
Perception: 35
Intelligence: 38
Level Ups (13, 14, 15)
Each level brought:
Natural Boost: +2 to all stats
Warlord Boost: +2 to all stats
= +4 total to each stat per level
From Level 13 → 15 (3 levels):
+12 Strength
+12 Agility
+12 Endurance
+12 Perception
+12 Intelligence
Free Stat Points
From Level 12 unallocated: 9
From Level 13: 9
From Level 14: 9
From Level 15: 9
From Quest Reward: 50= 86 free points total.
Kane paused, exhaling slowly. "I can't waste these… I need to balance for commanding, not just brute strength."
Allocation (chosen):
Strength: +20
Agility: +15
Endurance: +20
Perception: +16
Intelligence: +15
Final Stats (Level 15 – Allocated):
Strength: 75
Agility: 70
Endurance: 79
Perception: 63
Intelligence: 65
The numbers alone made his chest tighten. Every fiber of muscle felt denser, sharper. His perception flared—he could sense the faint flicker of embers in the distant ruins, the shifting breaths of his allies beside him.
The system's next wave of messages hit.
[Skill Unlocked: Rallying Roar](Exclusive to Warlord Profession)
Type: Command Technique
Rank: Rare → Evolvable
Effect: Emits a roar infused with the user's will. Allies within range gain +20% Strength and Agility for 30 seconds. Additionally, morale debuffs are cleansed.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Secondary Effect: Enemies within range suffer Terror Pulse (weaker foes flee, stronger ones hesitate).
Kane clenched his fists as the description burned into his mind. A roar that's more than sound… it's will made manifest.
[Reward: Profession Skill Unlock – New Skill Trees Available]
Three new tabs opened like ancient tomes before his eyes, faintly glowing:
The Path of Might (Physical Tree)
Brutal melee techniques, weapon mastery, raw body enhancements.
The Path of Dominion (Magic Tree)
War-magic, mana empowerment, battlefield spells designed for leaders.
The Path of Command (Command Techniques)
A limited tree (10 total skills). Each skill reshapes the battlefield itself—altering morale, coordination, or unleashing tactical powers no normal class could wield.
Reaching Level 15 granted +1 Skill Point.Quest Reward added +1 Skill Unlock Point.
2 points available.
Kane studied the trees. His instinct screamed at him—Command was the heart of Warlord.
Point 1 → Path of Command:[Iron Will Aura]
Passive. Allies within 20m gain resistance to fear, confusion, and mind manipulation.
"My presence alone… makes them harder to break."
Point 2 → Path of Might:[Titan's Grip]
Active. Temporarily doubles Strength for a single strike or lift, at the cost of stamina.
"When something must fall… it will."
The system sealed the choices with a glow.
The interface dissolved, leaving Kane standing in the smoke and ruin of the battlefield. His fists trembled, but not with fatigue—his body felt alive, buzzing with terrifying strength. His chest swelled with a power he didn't know he'd craved.
Not just a fighter… not just a mage… but a commander. A warlord.
He looked at Maya, at Arin, at the survivors who had fought at his side. They weren't just comrades anymore. They were pieces of something greater, something he had the tools to shape.
The roar in his chest begged to be unleashed. And next time, when it came—it wouldn't just be rage. It would be command.