After being blinded by the violet light a second time, Luke was teleported to the common hunting grounds.

As he opened his eyes, he saw the brown ground with no greenery, no trees and well, nothing other than humans, lots. He estimated the number to be something like a hundred. Just like him, they were all observing their surroundings with some people relatively calm and others quite panicked.

* Humans, you've been transported to the common hunting grounds. A CHG is an area created to nurture a hundred people so that they can learn the basics. Now, please wait for the second quest to begin, which will be in 30 minutes.*

As he heard the system prompt, Luke had an inkling, well, he was sure that humans were just numbers to the system, though, he couldn't be sure of its goal.

He knew that the system manager wanted an army, but at the same time, he thought that he also wanted powerhouses.

' so is this a group nurturing or a one for oneself? I hope it's the latter, I don't like groups, too easy to be betrayed, taken advantage of, or, most likely be relied upon in my case ' ... Well nobody here seems to be disabled or sick, were they cured or put in a single group?

As he was making conjectures in his head, other people were more... talkative

" Excuse me, sirs and madams, can we please discuss all of this? " A red-haired muscled man asked, from his 'charisma' he was most likely a wannabe leader

" Yeah, what's this sh*t, that's so weird! First, we were transferred to a plain with goblins that we had to kill and then here ?! And what's up with the young and elderly? What happened to them? " Rambled a middle-aged Latinos who were clearly of the agitated group, or in Luke's own vocabulary, the fodder group.

Then multiple sounds of the agreement were heard and another wannabe leader took the lead to speak " Hello everyone, I'm Steven. I don't know what is happening but if we were to refer to what the system manager said, then we are soldiers or at least future soldiers, and we are weak. Furthermore, I believe you all saw the game like interface and heard the system right? Well, I guess that's what will permit us to get stronger and survive. "

' F*cking genius! Now that's someone who doesn't want to be fodder here. tsk, saying what anyone can infer first to place himself above the mass. ' Luke thought while shaking his head. He despised these kinds of people but he despised, even more, the fodder who would follow them. ' Cheh at least he has more chances at surviving than most people'

And while Luke was busy being sarcastic, wannabe leader 2: Steven, continued

" As for the young and elderly, it seems like the system manager wants to make us have a goal to strive. After all, they might be treated like shit if we don't do his bidding. "

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

" Yeah, but let's talk about a more pressing matter. What may be the next quest? And how can we ALL survive? I think we should share our abilities and work as a team, don't you think so ?" said in a 'convincing' manner wannabe leader red hair.

From what they said it seems like red hair doesn't have a family because he just couldn't overlook this so simply if he had, while Steven does. As for the fodder-err... the mob-err... the other people( f*cking hard to not sound despising) they most likely thought that they should follow the advice of red hair since it indeed is the most pressing matter and that them surviving means the hostages-err... the children and old ones surviving. (goddammit)

So in that fashion, they began talking about their abilities and what they can do. Of course, red hair kept his to himself that smartass.

Then Luke went to sit in a corner.

While this was going on, a woman behind Luke tapped his shoulder to initiate a conversation

" Hi, my name is Sheila, would you mind me tagging along? " Sheila was a blond woman with blue eyes (a/n: no blond jokes plz) She asked him with a cheerful expression.

" No, of course, you can come, we are all in the same boat after all and my name is Luke by the way " replied Luke with a warm face, while in his head he still had the same cold indifferent face. Why does he appear warm you may ask, it's because as he was an assassin if he could not use his face or disposition to make people drop their guard, he would be a failure. After all, making your target drop his guard around you is half the work.

He thought that she either wanted to rely on him since he appeared strong and calm or that she was only here for information and/or manpower.

" great ! thanks! You see, I was quite worried and afraid by myself and with all that is happening, I really don't know what to think !"

Sheila said with a quite pitiful expression.

Of course, Luke knew that she only came here to make use of him, furthermore, he saw through her deception quite easily. She was only faking her expression since it was too exaggerated to be true.

" Well you see, I'm also lost here, but I think I can pull it off since I have a quite useful ability you see " He bragged about his strength since he would look like an easier pray like this. That and a slight blush on his cheeks makes him look like a veeeeery easy prey and he asked back

" what is your ability by the way? I can coat my hand with a kind of dark energy, it's the power you see, last time I checked, I could leave a dent on a tree " He made himself sound like he was bragging to court her and the result was as expected

" whoa really !? that's wonderful, I would feel safer near you " She said this with blush and impressed expression " As for my ability, I can float 2 meters off the ground for a few minutes "

" well that's a great ability to survive you got lucky " he replied with an equally amazing face

They then chatted for a while like and what Luke could make out of her words was that :

first: few people could buy something from the shop since it's too expensive and relied on their awakened ability, wind spells, for example, cost 20~30 PTS, which really made him pity people with strong elements like his

second: she wants him to be her meat shield

third: the facade that makes him look like an easy prey is working very well

fourth: she doesn't have a boyfriend, useless information but it also means she really wants him to be her meat shield.

fifth: others had to face 5 goblins instead of 25 like him and sold the 'loot' for points which he forgot about thanks to him having too much money to care at that time 'damnit'

sixth: he could only store 110 dark hands in the end

seventh: goblins are tier 0 species