“There’s more!” Layton continued, his voice booming with pride. “I’m 21 this year. My wife’s the same age, and we have a 3-year-old daughter! I promised them, once I destroy the monsters, I’ll come back, and we’ll live a good life together! No more running, no more living in fear of invasions, no more avoiding danger without a place to call home!” He clapped his chest, the sound echoing through the room as his conviction filled the air.

Anyi nodded quietly. Layton’s words resonated deeply. People living on the borderlands were always in a precarious state, forced to flee whenever monsters attacked. Towns were left in limbo, neither abandoned nor secure. The idea of staying and surviving was always overshadowed by the looming threat of death. It reminded Anyi of his own motivations—of watching his family die tragically at the hands of these creatures.

Layton bowed slightly to the group before returning to his seat beside Anyi. Initially, Anyi had planned to sit in the first position, but Miruku, mustering all her courage, had asked him to switch seats. She feared Layton’s overwhelming energy and constant conversation far more than interacting with Anyi.

"I’ll introduce myself next..." Ariana began, trying to stand.

“Sit down,” Anyi said, pulling her back into her chair before stepping up himself.

“Hello, Layton Shiklai. I am Anyi Carl, the Sword Hero. To my left is Ariana Aldrich, the Holy Hero and Holy Maiden of the Aldrich Theocracy. And beside her is the Thorn Hero, Miruku Sinsa.”

Ariana turned to Layton, offering a soft, friendly smile. “Hi, hi.”

“Ah! Adorable little lady! Hi there!” Layton grinned, giving her a thumbs up. Both he and Ariana turned toward Miruku expectantly.

Before Layton could continue his enthusiastic greetings, Anyi cut in. "Before we move on to monster hunting, I think it’s crucial we understand each other’s roles in the team.”

Miruku breathed an internal sigh of relief. 'Hero! You saved me from more awkwardness!'

"Bring the pen and the whiteboard," Anyi called out to the believers.

Soon, a modern-looking pen and a whiteboard were rolled in. This world, though bound in fantasy, had occasional modern conveniences—details that didn’t need questioning, only acceptance.

"My profession is that of a swordsman. Compared to you all, I have extensive experience in both team fighting and training. When fighting monsters, we need a clear division of roles to avoid chaos."

Anyi wrote each of their titles and names on the whiteboard. "I am the Sword Hero, skilled in swordsmanship, and I’ll act as the vanguard, leading the attack."

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He turned to Layton. "The Shield Hero, as expected, will focus on defense and protecting teammates from damage."

Then, Anyi looked to Ariana. "And you, Holy Maiden, what kind of abilities do you have? Are they offensive or supportive in nature?"

Ariana blinked, puzzled. "Abilities? What do you mean by that?"

Anyi raised an eyebrow. "You haven’t explored the abilities Kami-sama granted you? If you command the system in your mind with 'Open skill information,' it’ll display all the skills you possess."

Ariana looked both amazed and confused. "Wait... really?"

Anyi nodded. In his previous life, he had been the quickest to grasp the intricacies of the system, whereas these "natives" had no idea it even existed, which explained her confusion.

"Wow —— It really does!" Ariana gasped as the system interface appeared in her mind, revealing her hidden abilities.

In front of Ariana, a glowing yellow screen materialized, revealing three basic skills. Before Anyi could guide her, her focus zeroed in on one, and its description unfolded before her eyes:

[Skill: Holy Healing

Description: Channels divine energy to heal allies, restoring 30% of their HP.

Cost: 100 Mana.]

Anyi glanced over. "Well? Is it a recovery skill, or an attack skill?"

"Recovery," Ariana answered, reading off the screen. "It says it uses divine power to heal teammates and restores 30% of their HP."

"And the first one? I assume it’s the standard 'Normal Attack,' which we all share. What’s the third?" Anyi asked.

Ariana shifted her focus to the last skill.

"...The skill is, Holy Judge, uses divine power to inflict 30 magical damage on the enemy." Ariana brought out skill information.

As soon as she spoke, murmurs spread among the believers.

"Sword Hero Sama, how did you know Holy Maiden Sama possesses healing magic?" one disciple asked, his tone tinged with awe.

Anyi waved off the praise. "In any well-balanced team, long-range support is crucial. We lack an archer, and all of us—myself, the Shield Hero, and the Thorn Hero—are close-combat specialists. I’m the vanguard, Shield Hero is our defender in the middle, and Thorn Hero deals with close-quarter combat. So logically, Holy Maiden must either support from the rear with healing or deal ranged attacks."

He added, with a faint smile, "Besides, I just didn’t picture Holy Maiden Sama charging into the fray, hammer in hand, smashing monsters to bits."

The believers chuckled nervously, the image of their delicate Holy Maiden wielding a massive weapon utterly at odds with their expectations.

"Now that we know the Holy Maiden’s skills, it’s clear she can support with both healing and ranged attacks," Anyi continued. "As for the Thorn Hero, being an assassin means you’re more agile and suited for recon and intel gathering. Your job will be to protect the Holy Maiden or flank the enemy, drawing attention as needed."

Miruku, who had been quiet until now, felt the pressure mounting. 'Ah... what am I supposed to say?' In her mind, she pictured herself standing tall, giving a confident response:

"Good! Protecting Holy Maiden Sama, gathering intelligence, and scouting enemies shall be my duty!"

But in reality, she bowed her head, hesitant to speak. 'What if I interrupt him?'

"You’ve all confirmed your skills, right?" Anyi asked, scanning the room. "If there’s anything amiss, now’s the time to mention it. We can’t afford mistakes when battling monsters."

Layton, thumping his chest, spoke first. "My skills are increases defense and draws monsters’ attention, so I’m in the midfield, just like you said!"

Miruku hurried to chime in. "Yes, mine is correct too!"

"Good," Anyi acknowledged. He stepped up to the large map, unfurled before them like a canvas of possibilities. "Now, let’s waste no time. We begin our plan to slay the monsters."