The downtown of the city was once the beating heart of the local economy. Now it was a partially destroyed mess of broken concrete and shattered glass. What used to be the lively commute for tens of thousands each day was a nearly silent ghost town. Aside from the winds that sounded like the baleful moans of a spirit, the only regular noise was from the actual undead as they shambled over bits of glass.

But while the inner city was largely filled with naught by the undead and monsters, the silence was currently being cut through by the voices of three living men. They had little care for if their loud conversation would attract something’s attention. If anything, the back of minds always hoped for that to be the case so whatever came would present its free Experience Points to them.

The trio were not attacked as they continued to loudly talk amongst themselves without a care in the world, however. The immediate area surrounding their destination had long since been fully picked clean of anything that moved, after all.

They eventually walked up to a building that would have stood out even to the casual observer. Unlike the surrounding structures that had simply been left to their fates for if they’d stand or at some point collapse from their damage, this one actually had visible signs of being actively repaired. After winding down their personal conversation, the three men pushed open the newly built doors and made their way inside.

“We’re already late. Just get ready to be given shit for it,” Steven grumbled as they entered. Half a dozen other men and women were already inside what was once the lobby of a hotel.

While everything above the first story was still too ruined to be of use, the ground floor had been turned into the current headquarters of the Chosen Few. There was an actual meeting room off to the side, but at some point, it had been decided to just drag out the table and chairs into the lobby instead.

Those already gathered collectively looked up as the three newcomers approached the large table.

“Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up, eh? a man asked. Sitting across from him, his twin sister sneered as the trio took their own seats at the table.

“Maybe they were all trying to get some last second Experience in to try and look good? I hope they’ve at least had something to show for it. So go on, tell us what gains you must have acquired being over an hour late,” she said with a haughty voice.

Dick and Steven glared at the pair, as Mark just glanced off to the side. The two were brother and sister. Twins, to be exact. They were both equally strong, as well as equally annoying to deal with. There was Luna who’d chosen to be a Mage, and then her brother Lincoln, a Warrior. As far as a solid duo went for both fighting upfront and from afar, they were rock solid.

Knowing that they’d never let just let it go, Steven was the answer with a reluctant sigh. “I’m Level 30, Dick is 32, and Mark’s still at 29.” With that last part, it didn’t take a psychic to know how the twins would next respond.

“Oh wooooow, so you’re late and still couldn’t even manage to get Mark to his Class Evolution? Now I just feel bad for you three, cause that’s just really sad. Has the only unevolved part of your team even gotten baby’s first artifact yet? Or is he still relying on you two to carry him around?” Luna taunted. Her twin just snickered from his seat as she gestured like she was rocking a baby in her arms.

“So that’s how we’re playing it, huh? Remind me, exactly how many Levels higher than you has your brother been this whole time? Any luck yet on catching up by begging him to let you take more Experience?” Steven shot back.

The group of three continued to bicker with the twins. It was mostly Luna and Steven and arguing with her brother and Dick occasionally getting their own bits in. Mark, on the other hand, just tried to make himself as small as possible in his seat. The other three members of the Chosen Few present didn’t bother to add to the argument as they remained content to watch from the side.

“It seems like we’re still missing a few people. Anyone know where they might be?” one man who'd been silent until then asked. He spoke with a quiet voice, but it immediately felt like the argument had been put on pause.

Steven leaned back into his chair. “Dunno, boss. We really only got held up cause we were basically on the other side of the city when we got the word. So chances are that if nobody else showed up, they’re probably just dead,” he said with a shrug.

“I’m not so sure about that. They could just have been brave enough to skip it. They could be out there right now. And unlike you three, they might actually be focused on working on getting stronger,” Luna quipped.

“That's enough out of all of you.” Although his tone was low, the non-negotiable weight behind those few words immediately silenced the room. Because when their leader decided that it was time to be quiet, they all knew to just shut up and listen.

“Those who decided to skip the order for joining us today, if they are still alive that is, will be handled later. But as for why you are here today, I’ll cut straight to the point. The time has come for us to act against the main camp outside the city,” Levi declared.

The gathered members of the Chosen Few shared a glance amongst themselves. They'd known about the community outside the city since the moment it had been founded. But none of them had dared it to attack all this time, despite having no problem slaughtering any of the other groups of survivors they came across.

The only reason they had each stayed their hand was because of their leader, Levi. One of the first orders he had given to their group was that the camp would remain off limits. The same command was then expanded upon as a condition for all future members beyond the original eight.

Despite being a group of murderous psychopaths- though to varying degrees of self awareness- nobody to question that order. Because they all respected and feared Levi's power and the retribution that would surely come from defying him. Because the simple fact of the matter was that he was the strongest of them all by having the highest Level. And with him being only nineteen years old, he was also the youngest member of the Chosen Few.

But even despite him being relatively young, none of those currently present dared to openly challenge his position as their leader. They all still remembered the now former member of Chosen who’d been enough of a brave idiot to try that.

How Levi had crippled him after turning the challenge into a mockery of a battle. He cut off his hands and feet before applying just enough of a healing potion for the maimed man’s injuries to stop bleeding and turn into stubs. Still alive, but now utterly helpless and unable to fend for himself.

Then after removing all his equipment for good measure, the challenger was left naked on top the roof of a building for the Sirens. Those weaker monsters normally wouldn’t be able to much against someone with a higher Level and Endurance. But given enough time, and focus on the eyes and other vulnerable parts, even they’d eventually be able to rip and tear off those softer bits of the body.

It was only after a couple of days later that the brave idiot’s torture eventually came to an end. After Levi believed that enough was enough, and didn’t want just a siren to ultimately claim the Experience, he went up to the roof and finished the man. The corpse, or what was left of it anyway, was then left there to be claimed by the elements.

After that, nobody else had yet dared to try and directly challenge Levi. Thought of it? Sure. It would actually be harder for several power hungry people not to have those kinds of thoughts.

But they all understood that any attempt made without unquestionable confidence was one that could easily lead to them becoming the next example.

And with their leader still easily being the strongest member of the Chosen Few, none of them had the certainty needed to even seriously consider the idea. The only way that would change would be if they managed to obtain every big and small advantage possible.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

They would first have to do the most unlikely step of putting aside their differences and learning how to work together as one synchronized unit. Even working together, they’d also need to consider every single one of their leader’s known Abilities and artifacts and put together as many countermeasures as they could think of.

Then even with those strategies in mind, they’d still need to catch Levi unaware by attacking only after the increasingly distant times he stopped to sleep. Even then, with all of that, their chance of winning would still just be a maybe.

And if they did succeed, it wouldn’t be without the sacrifice of likely half or more of their group dying in the attempt. That was just the pure disparity in power behind the rest of the Chosen Few and the young man who led them with an iron fist. For that, his word was law amongst their group.

Several seconds of silence had already passed since Levi made his declaration. And when it looked like he didn’t have anything else to follow up with, it was deemed permissible for the other Chosen to speak again.

“Err. Just to ask boss, when it comes to your new orders about that commune, is the part about the one person we’re especially not allowed to touch still in effect? Just clarify, of course,” Dick asked after hurriedly deciding to add that last part in.

Despite having experienced the feeling of euphoric power that came from a Class Evolution and then gaining two additional Levels past it, the Warrior couldn’t stop himself from stiffening up as their leader’s gaze turned directly on him. Yet when those eyes didn’t seem intent on snuffing out his life on the spot, he breathed out a small sigh of relief.

“What I said just now only applies to the camp as a whole. The rule regarding my sister is still in effect. So while you can all freely do as you please with the rest of him, leave her to me. Are there any other questions or concerns?” Levi asked as his gaze swept around to meet those of each of the other Chosen.

Fidgeting with his bow, Mark nervously looked up from the table. “Well, the thing is… I wouldn’t have complained about raiding them just a couple of weeks ago. But just the other day, the three of us actually had to avoid some of them as they were getting closer to the inner city. I didn’t think much of them at first since it was just a small group of what looked like highschoolers. However, and I don't know when or how this happened, but they’d all jumped up in Level. So, I, uh, well…” he started to trail off.

“Say whatever it is you really want to say, Mark. No need to be so nervous when I asked for your thoughts,” Levi said.

“Alright… it’s just that it might not be so easy of a fight anymore. Practically everyone there used to be just a bunch of pushovers, but something’s changed. I don’t know what their average Level is anymore, but it’s probably shot up by a lot recently. And what’s while they still have strength in numbers. Well all know that there’s a difference in quality between humans with the System and an undead of equal Level,” Mark glanced back at their leader, who just nodded for him to continue.

“Well, I’m just a bit worried if it’d be less of a one-sided fight like usual, and if it might turn into something more like a siege. There’s a big difference between fighting a hundred mindless undead at say Level 15 as just a random number, versus the same Level and number of people actually working together as one. So even for our strength, it might not be as easy as some of the smaller communes we’ve swept through,” the Scout eventually finished.

But in a reaction that surprised the members of the Chosen Few, their leader just slightly smiled at the other man’s voiced concern.

“As it turns out, that random number of yours is basically right on the money. I’ve been keeping a closer eye on the camp as of recently, and even those that haven’t left since it was founded in the early days of the Apocalypse have seen a newfound spike in growth. I believe that they’ve had a recent change in policy, and have actually started breaking off small parts of the hordes that occasionally leave the city and leading them for the weaker members to farm.” He trailed his fingers against a map placed on the table, one of the city and its surrounding area.

“The only thing that kept them from reaching the teens for their Level was fear and cowardice. But now that those shackles have seemingly been traded away, you’re exactly right to assume that even the common and weaker people there are likely now around Level 15. Only being able to watch from a distance, I’m less certain about the current strength of their highest Level members. But there is every possibility that at least a few could have just barely reached their Class Evolutions by now if they’ve put in enough time and effort.”

Levi then stood up from his seat. And with a single gesture from him, the others quickly mimicked the motion.

“However, there is something that may alleviate your concerns. Follow me, but do try to keep the noise down until I say otherwise.” His tone made it sound like a polite request, but they all knew otherwise.

Without a word, the Chosen Few trailed behind their leader and exited the building. They wandered across the streets for a little while, before coming across a cliff from where a large section of earth had been split apart from the cataclysms of the Apocalypse.

There they all saw an army of undead, one filled with many of the more powerful variants in addition to the basic Skeletons. Like mice in a maze, they were being forced to funnel through a deliberately made path in the road below. The Chosen looked at Levi as he stared down at the undead with vicious light in his eyes.

“You’ll find that chaos is an effective killer of the organized effort that comes from a larger group working together. And when enough chaos has been sowed, we’ll have an easy opportunity to pick off the strongest one by one. As they’re spread thin to defend against the horde, we’ll be the knives driven into the unknowing backs.”

—--

Jaco was still reeling as he continued to stare at the golden screen before him. He slowly blinked as he read through its text a second time, and then did so again just to make sure he wasn’t going crazy. The pain in his chest had thankfully already started to subside, but the shock of it all was still definitely prevalent.

A secondary Hell Class? System? Just once, for fuck’s sake, can you actually bother to give me more of an explanation tha- Jaco started to internally ask, but stopped as he heard a sudden noise.

Down the hill he stood on were some woods. And at that moment, it sounded like someone was making its way toward him. An undead perhaps? It was a bit harder to tell in the forest, where the regular shambling was mixed with the dry leaves and sticks being stepped on.

Jaco immediately pushed aside the earlier question to focus on the most immediate matter. Condition aside, the Angel had fully restored both his health and Mana after the battle from the Minotaur. So he was now once again more than ready to get into another fight if need be.

He proceeded to make his way down the hill and planted himself in what seemed like a good spot.

A figure then crashed through a line of bushes. And rather than being an undead or any other monster, it was a woman. One that looked to be somewhere close to him in age. She collapsed onto her forearms after breaking through the bushes, heaving for air.

Her ginger hair was messily hanging in front of her face and smeared with grim and ash. When she pushed her hair back and looked up, it was then that her eyes locked with his own. Her expression widened with what seemed like a mix of both fear and surprise.

Warrior (Human)

Evolved (Flashblade Blitzer)

Level: 30

A dozen thoughts immediately swept through Jaco's head. Who was this woman? Did her high Level mean that she was potentially a member of the Chosen Few? Did he even dare try to trust her?

“Please… I need…” she slowly said, her voice hoarse. The woman meekly looked up at him as she laid on her stomach.

“Are you hurt? Do you have any injuries?” Jaco quickly asked as he still maintained a bit of distance, just in case. Yet instead of answering, her eyes closed as her head slumped forward into the dirt.

The Druid stared at her apparently now unconscious form. He blinked a few times as he tried to decide how to approach this. Staff still ready in his hand, he waited a few seconds before slowly walking up to her body. But even as then he stood right in front of her, there still wasn’t any warning of potential danger from his instincts.

Jaco bent down and placed a finger on the side of her neck, and felt that her pulse was stable. He did a quick examination, but only found light scratches and bruises with no serious looking wounds. It seemed like she had just collapsed due to pure exhaustion more than anything else.

With a sigh, he made a decision. Jaco carefully hoisted the woman up and decided to bring her somewhere safe for now. From his earlier vantage point at the top of the hill, he was pretty sure that there was a small but relatively intact house close by.

A little while later, Jaco was looking at the stranger from a seat across the room. He had given her as much help as he could offer to aid in her recovery, though only meant so much currently.

For now she was still unconscious while laid on a bed, so he’d just wait it out to see what would happen next. If she was just a friendly person in need, great. But if she happened to be a member of the Chosen Few… well, he’d act as the situation deemed necessary.

But in the meantime until she woke up, it was about time for him to get back to something important.

New Condition: Devil’s Essence

Allows you to effectively use Hell Artifacts. In addition, it grants new options for Classes and Abilities. You have unlocked the opportunity to select a secondary Class of the Hell variant.

It was time to actually see just what the Hell this offer was all about. As Jaco focused on the Condition, the System didn’t offer any further explanations. What it did respond with, however, was a different kind of notification.

Secondary Classes Available—

And he grinned at what he saw.