Leah nodded her head with shining eyes. “A Spatial Swordsman... this will make carrying beast parts much easier. Our efficiency will increase, and we also won’t have to carry all the luggage.”

  Victor patted Noah’s shoulder. “Now, we all will have to rely on you. Who knows what level of class we will awaken.” He shook his head with a faint hint of worry.

  Noah smiled lightly. “No need to worry; even if you unlock a Common grade class, we’ll find a way to improve it later.”

  Emma’s hand fidgeted around. “I-is that possible?”

  Noah turned his head towards her. “Who knows, but I won’t leave anyone behind.”

  Victor grinned, his excitement breaking through. “With you leading the charge, we might actually survive this hellhole.”

  Noah chuckled softly and waved his hand. “Anyways, let’s continue forward. We should first have you all awaken your classes.”

  The group’s expressions turned serious as they nodded their heads and began walking.

  Noah glanced at his Soul Energy tab:

  [Soul Energy: 21 / 1,000]

  ‘I see, an E Rank Common-grade beast gives around 10 Soul Energy,’ he thought to himself. ‘Fuck, I need to kill 100 of them on my own.’

  Next, he looked at his points:

  [Points: 5]

  ‘Just as I had expected, a single point per kill. But I had 4 before, so did the system count all the 4 beasts I hunted that day, or did I get 4 points from an Uncommon grade kill?’ he thought for a second before shaking his head and walking in front of the group.

  …

  As they ventured deeper into the forest, the air grew cooler, and the canopy above thickened, casting dark shadows on the forest floor.

  They encountered a few more Common-grade beasts along the way—mostly lone Vinestrike Wolves and Razorback Boars.

  With Noah taking care of everyone and Victor tanking the beasts, they efficiently killed all the beasts without getting into much trouble, as all beasts were alone.

  “Haa…this makes it the fifth beast we have killed,” Victor said, planting his shield on the ground beside the dead Razorback Boar and taking deep breaths.

  Noah nodded, sheathing his sword. “Good work, everyone. You all should awaken with one more beast.”

  Daniel sat right there beside the beast, his expression tired and filled with annoyance. “Bruh, what the fuck? Why are you making us do all the work? I thought I could finally take it easy with you taking the charge. But here we are, nearly doing all the work.”

  Leah nodded her tired face. “Yes, we four did nearly equal work for the past few beasts, except you killing the beast at the end when it was on its last leg.”

  Noah smiled and leaned back on a nearby tree. “It’s for your own good. After all, I’m here if anything went south.”

  “Huh? What good?” Daniel bluntly asked.

  Noah mysteriously smiled and said, “You see, I have observed something.”

  Emma tilted her head. “And what is that?”

  “We each get Soul Energy equal to the amount of contribution we have made to kill a beast,” he slowly said.

  Everyone’s eyes lit up.

  Leah said, “So that’s why you were forcing us to spend equal effort on each beast? So we can awaken at once?”

  Noah nodded his head.

  “Then why did you steal the kill in the end?” Daniel raised an eyebrow and asked suspiciously.

  “So one of you won’t get more than the other. Now see, every one of you will awaken a class on the next kill.” Noah calmly explained, avoiding telling them about his System points.

  The rest of the team nodded as Daniel excitedly stood up. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go and hunt those motherfuckers.”

  The group chuckled at Daniel’s sudden burst of energy, their spirits lifting despite the lingering fatigue.

  “Hold on,” Victor said, picking up his shield. “We need to stay cautious. Just because we’re close to awakening doesn’t mean we can get reckless.”

  Leah adjusted her cloak, her sharp eyes scanning the dense forest ahead. “Victor’s right. We don’t know what the next beast will be. It might not be as easy as the ones we’ve faced so far.”

  Emma nodded quietly, her nervous expression holding a hint of resolve. “If we work together like before, we’ll be fine.”

  Noah pushed off the tree he was leaning against, brushing the dirt off his cloak. “That’s the spirit. Stick to the plan—Victor tanks, Leah and Emma provide support, and Daniel flanks. I’ll finish it off if necessary.”

  Daniel smirked, his cockiness returning. “Yeah, yeah, we know the drill. Let’s just get this over with so I can finally awaken my class and kick some real ass.”

  “Okay, but first let’s dismember this beast as well. We shouldn’t waste this stuff,” Noah said before crouching beside the beast and beginning his work.

  Daniel helped him by the side as they quickly took all the parts from the beast.

  “Hey Noah, what is this?” Daniel said, taking out a core-like thing from the boar’s body.

  Noah took it and looked it over before shaking his head. “I have no idea. We should take it and ask someone in the village about it.”

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  Daniel and the rest of the group nodded as Noah stored all the stuff in his inventory.

  The group resumed their journey, moving deeper into the forest. The terrain grew rougher, with twisted roots and uneven ground making every step harder.

  As they walked, Leah glanced at Noah, her curiosity getting the better of her. “So, what happens when we awaken? Will it change us immediately?”

  Noah paused, turning towards her. He pointed at her chest. “That sigil—it will burn and scan your soul, giving you the class you are most suited for. It will be a painful process, but tough it out and you will have your class. But I have already explained this stuff; just how eager are you?” he shook his head with a smile.

  Leah placed her hand on her chest and felt the sigil that the Seraph gave them all, pulsing faintly.

  Victor frowned, his grip tightening on his shield. “What if... what if I don’t get a good class? Something useful?”

  Noah turned to him, his expression reassuring. “Victor, your class isn’t the only thing that defines you. It’s how you make use of it and move forward. As I have said before, even if one of us gets a lower class, we will look for an opportunity to get a better class.”

  Emma’s voice was soft but hopeful. “And... will it make fighting easier?”

  “Of course, a higher class is always preferable,” Noah replied. “But remember, it’s not the only thing that matters. And we are not alone; we are a team here.”

  Daniel rolled his eyes, his impatience showing. “Alright, enough pep talk. Let’s focus on finding the next beast before I die of boredom.”

  Leah shook her head with a speechless expression. “You really are impatient, Daniel.”

  After the group continued exploring the forest, suddenly, Noah held up a hand, signaling the group to stop.

  His sharp gaze scanned the trees ahead, and he whispered, “Something’s close. Stay quiet and follow my lead.”

  The group crouched low, their movements silent as they followed Noah’s lead. The faint sound of heavy breathing and the crunch of leaves grew louder as they approached a clearing.

  In the middle of the clearing stood a Thornclaw Deer, its antlers glistening with sharp, thorn-like protrusions. The beast’s glowing eyes scanned its surroundings, its massive hooves pawing at the ground.

  Victor leaned in close to Noah, whispering, “That’s an E Rank Common-grade beast, right? Looks tougher than the ones before.”

  Noah nodded, his eyes never leaving the deer. “It’s stronger and more aggressive. Those antlers can be dangerous. Stick to the plan, and we’ll be fine.”

  The group spread out, each taking their positions. Victor stepped forward, raising his shield to draw the deer’s attention.

  Leah and Emma readied their makeshift weapons, while Daniel moved silently to flank the beast.

  With a deep breath, Victor slammed his shield against the ground, the loud clang echoing through the forest. The deer’s head snapped toward him, its glowing eyes narrowing as it let out a menacing snort.

  “Come on, you overgrown deer,” Victor muttered, bracing himself as the stag charged.

  The beast barreled toward him, its antlers aimed to skewer. Victor held firm, his shield absorbing the impact as he dug his heels into the ground.

  “Now!” Noah shouted.

  Leah and Emma attacked from a distance, aiming for the stag’s legs to hinder its movements. Arrows made from razor-sharp claws struck true, causing the beast to stumble.

  Daniel darted in, his new knives flashing as he aimed for the stag’s exposed body. The blades embedded deep into its hide, drawing a pained roar from the creature.

  The deer thrashed wildly, its antlers swinging dangerously close to Victor. Noah rushed in, his longsword glowing faintly with Essence.

  With a precise strike, he slashed at the deer’s hind leg, forcing it to its knees.

  “Keep going!” Noah commanded, his voice steady.

  The group worked in unison, each strike coordinated. The deer’s movements grew sluggish, its roars fading as it weakened under their relentless assault.

  Finally, with a final coordinated attack, the deer collapsed, its massive body hitting the ground with a resounding thud. The forest fell silent once more.

  Noah stepped back, looking at his tired teammates. “Good job, everyone. That was quite a nice fight.”

  Victor leaned on his shield, a tired but triumphant grin on his face. “We did it.”

  Leah and Emma exchanged relieved smiles, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten.

  Daniel, as always, smirked, his cocky attitude shining through. “Told you we’d kick ass.”

  Just then, the glowing Soul Energy from the Thornclaw Deer’s body shimmered and split evenly, flowing toward each of the group members.

  The light enveloped their bodies, causing their sigils to pulse with an intense, golden hue.

  Leah clutched her chest as the sigil began to burn, her face twisting in pain. “Ahh! What… what is this?!” she gasped, falling to her knees.

  Victor staggered backward, his shield clattering to the ground. “It’s burning! It feels like it’s digging into my chest!” he growled, his face contorted in discomfort.

  Emma trembled, clutching at the fabric over her heart. “I-it hurts… so much!” she whimpered, tears forming in her eyes.

  Daniel, though trying to maintain his usual bravado, gritted his teeth. “F-fucking hell, what is this?!” he cursed, his hands pressed firmly against his chest as he doubled over.

  Noah stood a few steps away, a light chuckle escaping his mouth as he looked at Daniel. “Heh, that’s what I went through. Happy suffering, bitch.”

  Daniel raised his head and cursed through gritted teeth, “Moth—”

  “Anyways,” before Daniel could say anything else, Noah’s expression turned serious. “The sigil is scanning your soul. It’s diving into the core of who you are—your memories, your desires, your strengths—and aligning itself with your true nature.”

  The golden light grew brighter, intensifying as it resonated with each of their bodies. The sigils seemed to pulse in rhythm with their heartbeats, and one by one, their expressions shifted from pain to awe.

  Leah was the first to let out a breath, her eyes wide with wonder as the light faded slightly. She clutched her chest, feeling a strange energy coursing through her veins. “I… I can feel it,” she murmured. “Something… has changed.”

  Victor followed, his breathing heavy but steady. He flexed his hands, his expression a mix of relief and amazement. “This power… it’s like a part of me has awakened.”

  Emma, still trembling slightly, wiped the tears from her cheeks. A faint glow lingered in her eyes as she spoke softly. “It feels… warm.”

  Daniel took a deep breath, the pain in his chest fading as the sigil completely burned away. His lips formed a smirk as he looked at Noah. “Heh, just wait, you bitch, until I master my class. Enjoy your peace while it lasts, you smug bastard.”

  Noah chuckled, leaning casually on his sword. “Meh, just get good first, noob.”

  Daniel snorted, brushing the dirt off his pants as he stood. “You’ll eat those words soon. Let’s see...” He looked in front of him where an azure screen materialized.

  [Name: Daniel]

  [Grade: E]

  [Class: Blade Manipulator (Uncommon Grade)]

  [Soul Energy: 11 / 1,000]

  [Species: Human]

  [Strength: 15]

  [Agility: 30]

  [Endurance: 5]

  [Energy: 10]

  [Intelligence: 15]

  [Skills:]

  [Active Skill: Energy Blade]

  Infuses the knife with Soul Energy to make it stronger and sharper, dealing higher damage.

  [Passive Skill: Blade Bond]

  Knives thrown by Daniel return to his hands after a short delay and have increased accuracy.

  [Ultimate Skill: Blade Storm]

  Surrounds himself with telekinetically controlled knives, which rapidly orbit and strike nearby enemies, dealing devastating damage.

  Daniel opened his eyes, his face turning black. “Fuck! Why is it only Uncommon grade when that bastard Noah got Epic grade?” He cursed loudly.