Level Up:

You have earned enough XP to advance to the next level. You have reached levels level 13, 14, & 15! Continue to work hard and push yourself to gain more XP to continue to level up. You receive 30 attribute points to distribute as you see fit. You also receive 15 skill points.

Those damned skill points. There was always something preventing Tom from just sitting down and looking at his options for skills. He made a mental note to do that later when he was alone. Unfortunately, in this new reality, he just wasn't alone anymore. With the exception of bathroom times, he was even sleeping in the same room as other people because of their current situation.

Tom thought on their walk back to the center how he loved to spend time alone in his room. Blocking out the realities of the world with a good video game or watching something on TV. Time alone to decompress and let the worries of the day just melt away for a time. Now there wasn't much in the way of free time. Not with a guild to run and people always looking to him for answers to problems.

Even though Brian handled most of the day-to-day affairs, he was still the one who needed to make big decisions and help protect people. The vast majority of people in the guild were not fighters. Hell, he wasn't even a fighter. He just happened to be more knowledgeable about the game-style mechanics this Grand System used.

Why the fuck did this stupid system have to come here? Why couldn't they have just left their planet alone and let them continue to exist? It wasn't worth continuing down that path. There was only despair and anger there. That wouldn't get him anywhere. Choosing instead to focus on himself, Tom decided to allocate his points. Thirty points was a good number to work with. Looking at his character sheet, he decided to put ten more into Charisma, ten into Intelligence, and ten into Wisdom. Spells and skills had come in handy so he wanted to use those more often. Tom looked again at his character sheet.

Name: Tom Harris

Race: Human

Class: Warlock

Level: 15

HP: 200/200

MP: 350/350

SP: 250/250

Total XP: 74,650 XP to Next Level: 12,850

Attributes:

Unused Attribute Points: 0

Strength: 25

Constitution: 20

Dexterity: 20

Endurance: 25

Intelligence: 35

Wisdom: 30

Charisma: 45

Luck: 20

Non-Combat Skills:

Combat Skills:

Inspect Level: 3

Vehicular Homicide Level: 6

Swords Level: 4

Summon Demonic Familiar Level: 2

Fear Level: 1

Corruption Level: 1

Before he could get much further, the center came into view and Brian was standing right out front with TJ waiting for them to return.

"I see your trip was successful," Brian said.

"Eventually. We nearly had our asses handed to us by a bunch of tiny lizards. It really drives home that we don't have a lot of crowd-control options currently." Tom replied.

"We might be able to do something about that," TJ offered. "We have been thinking about what we would do if a mob came to the center and tried to steal our stuff."

"A mob like torches and pitchforks? Or a mob like mobiles from the video game term sometimes meaning moving enemies?" James asked.

"Mob as in torches and pitchforks...I didn't know the other was a thing. Anyway, we have been gathering some supplies from nearby pawnshops and gun stores. We have a veritable amory now and with that comes some incendiary devices." Tj said with a knowing look.

"You mean grenades...I need to get my hands on those!" James said, excitement overtaking him.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"All in favor of James never getting explosives, say aye," Derek said.

Everyone in the area said aye. Even the Security guards back at the doors chimed in their agreement.

"What the hell? I don't even know you guys." James said pointing at a group of men off to the side wearing tactical gear and carrying automatic rifles.

"Yeah, well we know you. No explosives buddy." One of the men said.

"Don't you think that grenades are a bit much on the force side for people?" Kiera asked.

"We have gas to use first, but if that doesn't disperse them or we are dealing with adventurers who have been leveling up, we may not have a choice," TJ replied.

"As a side note, I have made TJ here the head of security which the guild calls Defense Captain, so he has an official position within the guild. I still need to find someone for General." Brian interjected.

"Derek," Tom replied without hesitating.

"What? Me? Why me?" Derek said.

"You have the most combat experience of anyone I know, so you are the man for the job. Besides I have to be able to trust a general." Tom said. "No one I can think of that I'd trust with that job more."

"Hey?!" James said incredulously.

Tom just stared at James with an unflinching look.

"Alright, alright...I get it. I just wanted you to say you trusted me too." James said.

"I do trust you. Just not with all our troops." Tom said.

"Probably a good call," James admitted.

"I will be looking for other positions to place the rest of your team, but if you would look through the titles as well and find spots that best suit them that would help me out a lot," Brian said.

"Anyway," TJ said, trying to get control of the conversation again. "We have tactics for handling those and we can give you some of the explosives if you need them."

"That would be great! I appreciate your efforts TJ." Tom said.

"Lastly we have some reports from some of our scouts that another group of people is sending some emissaries here to try to meet with us. They should be here within the hour." TJ said.

"We have scouts?" Tom asked.

"Of course. We needed some people who were going to be willing to look ahead at what was going on and make sure the area was safe and secure in case of attack. So we found people who wanted to be Rangers and helped train them on survival techniques so that they would be effective in their class." TJ replied.

"That's awesome! I'm so glad you guys are in charge of these logistics." Tom said.

"We're doing our best. We appreciate you coming in and giving us some footing to go on. And the things you've done protecting people are truly appreciated. We are just doing our best to help out as well." TJ said.

"Do we know what to expect from these people coming to visit?" Jay asked.

"Not really. We've been told they are fairly well-equipped though. Similar to you all." TJ said.

The team waited with TJ out front of the building to receive the visitors. After about another half hour of waiting they could be seen walking up the road. There were three people, one wore heavy armor similar to Derek's but with a red cross on the breastplate with a greatsword across his back, another wore a long brown leather trenchcoat, a brown leather cowboy hat, and revolvers at his hips, and the last was a female wearing all black. She seemed the most unassuming of the team, appearing to only carry a single katana on her hip.

No smiles were exchanged, except from James who waved at them as they approached. The woman, who appeared to be the leader based on her giving directions for them to stop, sneered at James as he waved.

"Who is in charge here?" The woman called to them from a safe distance.

The man in armor crossed his arms over his chest and the man with the trenchcoat had a hand on one of his revolvers.

"I guess that's me," Tom said holding a hand up and taking a single step forward.

The woman looked him up and down incredulously.

"You? Seriously?" She said.

Tom looked to either side of him and Brian and TJ just shrugged.

"Ummm. Yes. I am the guild leader. Is there something I can do for you?" Tom asked.

"We were sent here to check out the competition," The woman said.

"Competition? We're all on the same team as humans aren't we?" Tom asked.

"No, we aren't," The woman said.

"There are the strong and there are the weak. In this new world, the weak won't survive. This is an opportunity for evolution to take its next step and weed out those that should have never existed. Society created a generation of weak people. This is nature's way of resetting." The woman said.

"That's a pretty morbid and heartless outlook on this situation where banding together seems like the best way to survive, especially with the new space pirates threat," Tom said.

"You have a bit of a point. But not the whole picture." The woman said. "The strong need to band together. The weak can be left out. Which is why we are here. Your guild appears to have strong members. You have made progress where many others have not."

"Well, I guess I'm a little confused about your definition of strong. Not everyone here is physically strong or able to fight well. Those that are protect the others. We have plenty of people who can't wield a sword or fire guns well, but they have other strengths. Those strengths they contribute to the guild and all of them working together is what makes us advance." Tom said.

The woman regarded Tom for a moment, seeming to mull over his words.

"I don't agree." She said finally. "But I am here to offer anyone in your guild with strength the opportunity to join our guild. We will eventually be the strongest guild and we will be able to stand against anything that comes."

Tom looked at his party and the others standing around him. Every one of them shook their head when he looked at them.

"I don't think that anyone here wants to leave. But we could form a guild alliance. I'm Tom and this is the guild Vanguard." Tom said.

The woman frowned, appearing to be disappointed at not being taken up on her offer. She looked around again at everyone assembled and then back to Tom.

"Fine. If that is how you feel, then for now a tentative alliance would be acceptable. I am Shandra of the guild Stormcrushers. Know that we will be the guild on top." Shandra said.

"That's fine with us. We don't want to be on top. We just want to provide safety for humanity." Tom replied.

Shandra sneered again at this, disgust clearly written on her face.

"You are pathetic, but you may yet have your uses," Shandra said. "Come on Shane, Griff. This was a waste of time. If any of you change your mind, you can find us at the Reunion Tower. We'll be keeping an eye on the town for now from there."

With that, they turned and left. After they had walked a fair distance off the guild turned to each other sharing concerned looks.

"That doesn't bode well for us," Brian said.

"There are always people like that in the world. Bullies that think that might makes right. It's like fucking high school all over again." Tom said.

"I had a very different experience than you in high school," TJ said.

Tom stopped and looked TJ over with his muscles. "I'm sure you did," Tom said.

Jerky appeared on Tom's shoulder and blew a raspberry at TJ.

"Oh come on Jerky. We like TJ. Don't be like that." Tom said.

"Jerky, sorry," Jerky said looking ashamed.

"That's alright little buddy," TJ said. "I understand you're just standing up for Tom. I'm glad he has a friend like you."

"ITS COMING!!! RUN!!! MONSTER!!!" A man screamed as he came running from around a corner.

"Connor?! What is it? What kind of monster? Goblins? Ogres?" TJ asked, grabbing the man by the collar as he tried to run by. "Where's the rest of your team?"

"They're dead! All Dead! We couldn't stop it!" Connor began crying as he gripped TJ.

"What monster could do that? We have been killing most monsters with tactics now." TJ said.

A roar sounded from straight ahead down the street. It was loud and long and sounded big. Around the corner came a creature straight out of a nightmare. Arms long like an orangutan's, with jagged protrusions from its elbows, horns growing out of its head, standing about twenty feet tall, green skin, nothing but a loin cloth that didn't quite cover its swinging bits, teeth protruding from its mouth like tusks, and carrying a tree trunk for a club, the monster lumbered into view. Tom inspected it to try to get more information.

Troll Fiend

Trolls are creatures with terrible regenerative abilities and nightmares to defeat. Troll Fiends are straight out of nightmares that come from hell itself and are stronger than their natural cousins. Woe to any that must face their wrath.

HP: 3500/3500

MP: 100/100

SP: 5000/5000

Level: 28

"Well...fuck," Was all Tom could think to say.