[Class selection successful!]
[You've become a
"That's it?" Zhang Ying stared at his empty hands.
Usually, after selecting a class, the user is given a weapon suitable for that class and a stat boost. Unfortunately, Zhang Ying received nothing.
He immediately wanted to check his stats, but held back. She hadn't appeared yet and since Zhang Ying knew they were being watched, it would be strange if he opened the status window without help.
Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long.
Zhang Ying turned, and the only door to the chamber flung open, and a woman stepped inside. Without sparing a look at anyone, she scratched her head and yawned.
Never change... Alana.
Zhang Ying sighed and looked at the woman in a fitted leather outfit that tightly hugged her curves, leaving little to the imagination. Her hourglass shape and long, toned legs were enough to demand anyone's attention without saying a word.
Her green eyes lazily shifted through the crowd before she clicked her tongue. Then, with a slow stretch, she raised her arms over her head, arching her back and causing more than a few guys to gawk at her.
"Who is she?" one guy murmured.
"I don't know, but I hope she's sticking around," someone grinned.
Appearances can be deceiving.
Alana's appearance wasn't the only thing deadly about her. After all, she was one of the Otherworld's best assassins. Not once had she failed to kill her target, but that wasn't the only troubling thing about her.
I don't want to be her toy...
It might not look like it, but Alana was selecting her toys. When her eyes fell on a guy, he would be ecstatic, unaware of what she would do to him. But right now, she was there to help them. She could play with them later.
"Alright mutts, listen carefully," Alana announced, placing a hand on her hips. "I'll only explain it to you once, so don't start yelling and disturb my beauty sleep later."
A man in his forties raised his hand, but Alana ignored him and continued.
"You all have been summoned here for a cause. But before that, you must prove your worth."
She continued, "There is only one rule inside this chamber: Survive. As you might have noticed, you have received a blessing called 'class', and along with it comes stats."
After saying that, Alana pressed her right thumb on the left palm. Instantly, a holographic screen appeared before her.
"What you see before is a stat screen," she yawned. "Your stats reflect how strong you are. It's like the games you people play on your planet. The average stat someone should have is below ten. Try it."
As if on cue, people repeated the action and screens appeared before them. Zhang Ying did too, but what he saw only added to his confusion.
What is this shit...?
Everyone had stats like strength, stamina, and agility, but he had none of those stats which took him by surprise.
+++
Name: Zhang Ying
Class: Tamer
Level: 1
EXP: 0/200
HP: 110/110
Mana: 150/150
Species: Human (Primitive)
Core Stats:
— Domination: 18
— Empathy: 6
— Resonance: 7
— Control: 10
— Spirit: 8
— Persuasion: 11
Max Bonded Creatures: 2 (Please increase control to increase the limit.)
Max Creature Level: 5
Special Tame Type Bonus: Wild and Domestic (up to Level 5)
Basic Skills:
1. Capture: Allows the tamer to attempt taming a weakened creature up to Level 5. Upgrading this skill increases the level limit of the creatures, and gives additional taming bonuses.
Mana Cost: 50
Cooldown: 1 minute
2. Release: Releases a bonded creature from the tamer's control, returning it to the wild and granting a slight boost to the Tamer's Taming Affinity.
Mana Cost: 10
Cooldown: 5 seconds
3. Inspect: Allows the tamer to see key stats for each newly captured creature or human (without capturing), including health, mood, and loyalty. Provides insight into the creature's basic abilities and strengths.
Mana Cost: 5
Cooldown: 10 seconds
+++
What do these stats mean!?
Zhang Ying grabbed his head in frustration. He had to be the worst returner in the history. Ever since he returned, he kept botching stuff. First his path and now his class. If he had the admin from before, they would curse him to hell.
"Now then, I'll tell you how to get strong," Alana called out, turning towards the man who raised his hand before. "It's pretty simple. You kill."
Alana threw a knife in the man's direction, hitting him right in the middle of the eyes. The man died before he hit the floor. People gasped and backed away. The desirable seductive woman didn't look desirable to them anymore.
"I don't like people who talk a lot," Alana shrugged, walking to the corpse.
Alana stood over the corpse and looked at her watch. As she looked up, something emerged from the corpse, floating in the air. Alana took the stone and shrugged.
"So you were worthless after all," she mumbled before turning towards the rest. "We call this Arcana. Every breathing thing in the Otherworld has at least one. When a creature dies, this appears after 10 seconds."
She continued, "If you absorb an Arcana, it'll boost your stats, and you might even get a new skill. Pretty cool, right? This one's no use to me, so does anyone want it?"
But no one stepped up. After the stunt Alana pulled earlier, it was natural for them to be scared. If they did something she didn't like, they'd turn into arcana as well.
"No one? That's a first—oh, we have someone," Alana smiled, looking at Zhang Ying, who had raised his hand. "A cutie at that, too."
Zhang Ying reluctantly raised his hand. He wanted nothing to do with her, but he had no choice. He needed some proper stat to survive the chamber. Since Alana was being kind enough to offer the arcana, he'd take it.
As Alana walked up to him, everyone else stepped away. Zhang Ying kept his head low. He remembered the first thing she noticed were the eyes of her toys. As long as they didn't make eye contact, it should be fine.
"Put this on the top of your hand," Alana instructed.
"S-Sure."
Zhang Ying raised his hand, but as he did, Alana pulled him closer. She was stronger than Zhang Ying remembered and couldn't hold back, landing in her arms.
"Someone's eager." Alana licked her lips, raising his chin with her finger. "I'll have a lot of fun with you... later."
Alana pushed him away as quickly as she had pulled him. Zhang Ying sighed, feeling her mark on his chin.
She's as quick as ever...
[Widow's Mark] was a skill used by assassins to trace a target. But Alana used it to mark her toys to monitor them. Once marked... you're doomed as her toy.
Zhang Ying knew the risk but didn't think she'd be so quick to lay her claim. Now that she had found a toy, her mood lifted. But Zhang Ying didn't have the time to notice her.
He pushed the arcana into his palm. As it disappeared, a notification appeared before him.
[Persuasion: 11 --> 13]
...just my luck.
Instead of getting a generic stat like strength or agility, the arcana improved his existing stat. All hopes of survival diminished before him.
"Now that you know how to survive, do your best!" Alana yawned again, but not before blowing a kiss to Zhang Ying. "Especially you."
"..."
Zhang Ying reluctantly smiled back. The thing he dreaded the most might be the thing that'll save him. Since Alana had marked him, she wouldn't let him die, at least that's what he believed.
Alana stepped out, and the doors were locked behind her. At the same time, something fell with a thud. Then another and another. Suddenly, hundreds of short people fell to the ground.
"What... what are those?" someone whispered.
"More humans?" someone suggested.
"Let me check..."
A man stepped forward, squinting as he leaned closer to the short figures. Just as he was about to touch one of them, something sharp shot out and stabbed him in the neck.
"Ack—!"
The man gasped as he stumbled backward. Before he could cry out, the small creatures jumped up, stabbing the man in any place they could reach. The man screamed, but the goblins' snarls drowned the noise he made.
Chaos broke out as people began pushing each other back. No one wanted to be the prey of the monsters. But they couldn't run forever.
"The walls... the walls are closing in!" someone yelled.
"What!?"
Zhang Ying sighed. Everything was happening like the last time. With the space decreasing, the humans would have to fight the goblins. The clash was inevitable. Only those willing to kill will survive.
But Zhang Ying didn't have that choice either.
"No weapon means no fighting," he shrugged. "Time to suck up to someone... for now."