My bold ambition had finally swayed Killian's heart.
After all, Killian—who'd been carrying himself like some wise sage until now—was clinging to my pant leg, desperately trying to talk me out of it.
"Don't rush into this—think it over one more time!"
"I've given this a lot of careful thought before deciding."
"Careful thought, my foot! It's clear as day you've lost your mind!"
This old man sure didn't hold back with his words.
I really did have my own plan when I made the call.
"Just to be sure, do you have the authority to override a user's choice?"
"No, I don't have that kind of power. If I, as your guide, tried to block your decision, it'd be my head on the chopping block instead."
"Then why are you trying so hard to stop me?"
"You're marching straight to the cliff's edge yourself—how could I not try to pull you back?!"
Killian thumped his chest in frustration, like a teacher whose gut was twisting over a stubborn student who wouldn't listen.
"Listen, the end of the world doesn't mean everything's over. You'll have to start from rock bottom, sure, but the system will help with rebuilding society, and folks like you will get it back on track in no time."
"I know."
"Then how does someone who knows that pick Black Mage?!"
A Black Mage draws power from chaos and despair.
Put another way, it's the class that struggles most in a stable, ordered society.
To shine, you'd have to undermine order or keep public safety in the gutter.
Essentially, it'd mean rotting the very society you're part of from the inside—a self-destructive act.
"If you're the group's leader, it's like carving flesh from your own body. If someone else is, you'll be the first one they target and kill! And you're still choosing Black Mage right now?"
"That's exactly right!"
"Urghhh!"
As I kept my brazen face and refused to budge, Killian clawed at his own hair.
After writhing in agony for a good while, he finally spoke with a weary look.
"Truth be told, I had high hopes for you. You're not the kind of guy who dies at the end of the world. Someday, you might rebuild civilization and etch your name in a new history—as a hero, even."
"Thanks for the overly generous assessment."
"So, one last plea: Are you really set on the Black Mage path? On stepping into the way of the destroyer, cast out from order and civilization?"
I could read the worry in Killian's eyes, begging me to pick something else.
At the same time, a resolve that he'd respect my choice if I refused again.
I nodded with unwavering confidence.
"Yes. I will become a Black Mage."
"...I see. Then I, as your guide, have no right to stop you."
Killian let out a deep sigh and swung his hand through the empty air.
A murky black energy swept over my body once.
The moment it touched me—like downing a shot of caffeine-fueled awakening—the system messages rang out.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The black magic power of the demon world blesses you. Your class has changed from [Magic Apprentice] to [Black Mage]. Skill [Magic Missile] has evolved into [Black Missile]. Skill [Energy Drain] has been added.
Nice.
I quickly pulled up my status window to check the skills.
[Black Missile]
-Type: Single-target attack spell
-Description: An enhanced version of Magic Missile infused with black magic. Usage count has doubled, with significant boosts to speed and power.
-Details: Current uses available (20/20)
[Energy Drain]
-Type: Single-target curse spell
-Description: Continuously drains life force or essence from a nearby target. Absorbed energy recharges expended magic.
-Details: Current uses available (Unlimited)
Seeing the upgraded spells and doubled usage made my lips curl in satisfaction.
Energy Drain looked just as promising.
Now, as long as I had sacrifices, I could recover magic on the spot—no more meditation required.
Once I'd finished checking my skill window, Killian spoke up from beside me, his face gloomy.
"I hope you really do have some kind of plan. You've chosen the path with the most limited future out of endless possibilities."
"Don't worry. Like I said, this was a deeply considered decision."
"Alright, I'll trust you."
He said he'd trust me, but Killian's expression didn't brighten one bit.
Man, I really did pick this for my own reasons.
"Anyway, that wraps up what I had to teach you. Here's hoping we meet again after the apocalypse."
"We will."
"What gives you that confidence?"
I smiled quietly as Killian shook his head.
Now that I'd chosen Black Mage, my odds of washing out on doomsday were basically zero.
Barring some distant future, we'd cross paths with me in one piece.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
With my class change complete, I'd done everything the tutorial dungeon had to offer.
Before opening the dimensional gate to head back, I decided to wrap up one last task.
Testing my new skills in combat.
I picked one of the three freshly spawned goblins and whispered softly.
"Black Missile."
Bzzt-crack!
"...!"
A dark, sputtering energy burst from my fingertip.
The goblin it hit squarely didn't even register its own death—instant kill.
I couldn't help but marvel at the far greater power than expected.
'It's overwhelmingly superior in every way—speed, everything.'
Before, you couldn't dodge it, but at least you could track its path with your eyes.
The impact felt more like a heavy blow than a bullet or arrow.
But this Black Missile? Faster than most arrows.
And the hit wasn't a mere bruise—it had blown straight through the goblin's head.
Even a torso or leg shot would've been lethal.
"K-Keek!"
"Kieeeek!"
"...Running?"
My eyes blinked in surprise as the remaining goblins bolted at the sight of their dead comrade.
These guys had always charged even when one of them dropped?
'Does the spell's power change how monsters react?'
They fight if it seems winnable, bolt if it looks hopeless.
My snap hypothesis actually made a lot of sense.
Magic Missile often failed to one-shot goblins, after all.
"Black Missile."
Splat!
"Kiiiiieee!"
I hesitated for a second, but no way was I letting them go.
I targeted their legs, crippling them both, and they let out shrieks.
I approached the fallen ones and activated my other skill.
"Energy Drain."
Shooo...
"Kee-yik!"
A red aura drained from the goblin, stretching in a line toward my hand.
Instinct told me it was the dying goblin's life force.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Recharging expended magic via Energy Drain. Black Missile uses recharged: +1 Black Missile uses recharged: +1
The gasping goblin went limp and died.
I finished off the last one with Energy Drain too, then tallied the results.
'Even against badly wounded goblins, that's nearly 2.5 charges.'
A healthy one probably would've given five or more.
For the weakest test subjects, that was insane efficiency.
After double-checking the recharge amounts, I opened the dimensional gate and left the dungeon.
The shift from underground prison to tidy studio hit me all at once, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Never gets less weird. One step into fantasy, one step back to rent-life."
Like walking the line between dream and reality.
But tomorrow, that line would crumble completely.
The thought jogged my memory of something I'd overlooked.
'Come to think of it, I'm not the only beta tester. What are the others up to?'
The game's devs hadn't singled me out with their notice.
Hell, I wasn't even the first to open a dimensional gate.
I'd just followed a forum post.
Last I'd checked, the guy was too scared to enter even after opening one.
I booted up my computer and hit the World Rebuild official site to check.
Sure enough, the user board was a warzone.
📰 Breaking News Anyone actually know what "apocalypse" means? 📰 Breaking News This is boring, cut it out already. 📰 Breaking News These guys are all high or something. 📰 Breaking News People without dimensional gates are so screwed lololol 📰 Breaking News Anyone who picked Artisan, spill the details.
'As expected.'
The rants against the devs for the sudden shutdown were gone.
Now the board was packed with clashes between two camps of users.
I clicked into one of the posts with a ton of comments.
📰 Breaking News Feel so bad for the beta tester rejects — Username Apocalypse hits tomorrow and these guys have nothing. How are they gonna survive this harsh world without a gate...? We were comrades, but only we got picked. I'm so, so sorry. All I can say is live hard. — Reply ↳ Reply This guy's talking nonsense again. High as fuck? — Reply Rejected losers rage-posting is hilarious lololol — Reply Quit trolling. What if they come for revenge later? — Reply They show up with no skills and get wrecked, crybabies running home.
'Doubts about the dimensional gates are pretty much gone now.'
A few still claimed it was all fake, but they were a tiny minority.
Most users accepted the gates and beta testers as real.
Videos from some users proved it—while gates and magic didn't show on camera, vanishing into thin air or objects exploding from spells did.
Plus, friends demoing it right in front of each other.
📰 Breaking News No idea why I got rejected. — Username Thought beta testers and gates were bullshit at first, but my friend opened one right in front of me. Tried to follow and got bounced. Feels so shitty. I started the game before him and have way more playtime—why wasn't I picked? — Reply Hang in there. Status window pops up on doomsday anyway, so don't stress too much. — Reply I get that, but getting ditched after 500+ hours hits hard... — Reply Perfect novel title. "My Friend's a Legendary Hero But I'm Just an NPC Shopkeep?" — Reply What the fu— you bastard — Reply You motherfucker — Reply Gonna kill you for real
I skimmed more high-upvote posts, but nothing useful.
Mostly bragging about making beta or user flamewars.
'Now I get why they only gave us three days.'
Even with prep time crunch, they're wasting it on flexing and fighting.
More time would've just bred more bad blood.
Keeping it tight probably nipped serious beef in the bud.
A few posts showed real prep effort, at least.
📰 Breaking News Just in case, stocked up on preserved food and cans. — Username Apocalypse means movies usually boil down to shelter and food. Might end up starving or sleeping rough, so grabbed a sleeping bag and some cans. — Reply Holy shit, didn't think of that. Heading out now. — Reply Solid idea. Can't hurt to prep. — Reply If you're gonna live, go big. Last chance to blow cash. — Reply Been ordering the priciest shit since yesterday lololol
Sleeping bag makes sense, but preserved food?
It had crossed my mind a bit.
Humans gotta eat, after all.
I'd grabbed a few days' worth myself, just in case.
But no need to overdo it.
'If it's World Rebuild as I know it, it'll punish coasting more than anything.'
Stand still, and you'll fall hopelessly behind.
Take risks, and you get exponentially better rewards.
That's practically a core law there.
It wouldn't reward hunkering down with stockpiled grub, avoiding danger.
Food and sleep stuff would come as rewards, no doubt.
Nothing more worth seeing on the boards, so I shut down the computer and hit the sack.
And on the doomsday Killian mentioned...
The morning I woke at 8 a.m., a system message hit my ears.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Dimensional gates are now closed.
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