Boom. The arrow detonated as it hit the lead monster of the charge. Before it even collapsed three more arrows hit other targets. Each detonating on impact just like the first. More arrows followed but they didn’t explode. Instead, it was a steady seemingly endless stream of projectiles. Kitty squinted in focus as she stood, feet planted firmly as she guarded the eastern gate alone. More and more monsters surged out of the forest, while others swooped screeching from the skies overhead. Soon they were plummeting from the skies to die in piles with those on the ground. Her class’s primary passive gave her a bonus to damage, accuracy, and fire rate while standing on a defensive structure. She had gained an active ability that further boosted her fire rate and damage for an increased stamina cost that was reduced for standing on a defensive structure.
In fact, her entire class was built around posting up in any form of fortification and becoming a one woman area denial turret. It meant she wasn’t that great in a dungeon or out running around except for when she had her Redoubt deployed. But when it came to defending a fortified location, she was hard to beat. Her bow string sang out a long unending note as it twanged continuously. Yet, she still heard someone coming up the stairs behind her. Continuing to fire, her eyes flicked to the side as they came to stand next to her, then right back to the enemies outside.
“Well. I didn’t expect you to be here. Figured you’d be off with that boy, causing trouble at the Necropolis. Again.” Her uncle stood next to her, watching the horde of monsters falling as fast as they emerged from the woods. Heavy plate armor covered his body and a shield hung on his back while a warhammer dangled from his belt.
“No.” She snapped sounding annoyed. “He heard you all made it to the boss of the level forty dungeon. He didn’t want you to get the prime kill.” The twang of her bow filled the silence between them before Mike sighed.
“Well, there went our prime kill.” He grunted. “Still, I figured you’d be there with him for the kill.”
“No.” She snapped again, sounding even more annoyed. “He said taking me would negate some loot bonus for going solo. So it is just him, Ren, and the Witch.” A surge of flying monsters erupted from the trees and flew straight towards the wall in a tight flying V formation. Her ever moving hand snatched up arrows from her quiver instead of summoning them to her bow. Each of the three arrows she fired detonated, blasting the group apart and sending most spiraling to the ground. She resumed just using the summoned arrows from her bow.
“So, you haven’t done the slave thing?” Mike asked, sounding relieved.
Her endless firing of the bow actually stuttered a moment before she replied. “No. I haven’t done the slave thing.” There was more silence filled by the song of her bow before she spoke up again. “I still… I just don’t get it. How can he… Gah. I mean slavery is so…” She trailed off annoyed and unable to think of the right words.
“Well. He IS from an alien world, right? Did you at least talk to him about it?” Mike watched his niece devastating the enemies and holding one of the two gates all on her own. It was strange seeing how powerful she had become in the months since the events at the Necropolis. As furious as he was at that mad skeleton and that crazy alien boy. He was forced to admit the events had galvanized her resolve, turning her into one of the most powerful people in all of Little Garden. It was the best thing that could happen to her, this new world was sure to be a harsh one and only becoming powerful would provide her any safety.
While he wouldn’t ever say it out loud, the alien boy wasn’t that bad. For a murdering monster, he had to remind himself again that the seemingly shy boy who showed up periodically to use Little Garden’s system store was really a mass murdering alien. However, since as far as he knew all those that boy had killed were part of the group that kidnapped and tortured his niece, so he would give him a pass.
Kitty grew silent and her mind drifted back to the night she was rescued from the Necropolis, unnecessarily she reminded herself. The four of them had stopped far enough away from any Haven to not have to worry about the Monster Surge monsters. There Dren had ignored all her complaints as he plopped her right down and began going through system notifications. Completely ignoring all her complaints.
She still remembered his shocked reaction as he announced he had gained a skill from a quest called Slave Contract. It did just as the name suggested, it let him make someone a slave via a contract. At first, she thought his surprise was the same as hers, that such a horrible thing existed. But it turned out he was just surprised that he had gotten it at such a “Low level” and for only killing ten rare class holders.
When she made her feelings known about slavery he looked at her like she was stupid, which infuriated her, only made worse when he started talking to her like she was stupid.
“Why would slavery be considered bad? On my world, being made a slave is one of the best things you can have happen to you.” He looked at her, no signs of deception in his eyes.
“That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Slavery is horrible and no one would ever want to be a slave. Why would that be considered a good thing? HOW could that be considered a good thing.” She had shot back, completely sure of her stance.
He just shook his head at her. “You are thinking from the terms of your world. Of a world going through an integration. You really have no idea how good you have it.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Then explain it to me. I dare you.”
He blinked at her then shrugged. “Fine.” He sat down and a rough hide appeared in his hands as he started talking. “First you have to understand the difference between a world with the system and a world with the System.”
“That makes no sense.” She snapped interrupting him.
He looked up at her, his eyes making it clear that if she wanted him to talk she needed to let him. She narrowed her eyes at him considering telling him off but decided to stay quiet.
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“The difference…” He started to explain. “Is between a world that has a system that is just there and one where the System is active. On my world, you don’t get classes and professions just because.” He paused. “In fact in the version of the system still running in my home world, classes and professions are sort of the same thing. You can only have one.”
“So what? No one has classes where you come from?” She asked, curious despite herself.
“No. There are ways to get classes. But that is only from trainers who are heavily regulated. Only the very wealthy or those with connections can get a real class. Most settle for demi classes. More like skills we can learn here on your world, like my leatherworking skill.”
She eyed his class and profession when she identified him, only then realizing his levels hadn’t changed since the last time she saw him. “Your class and profession haven’t leveled?” She asked before she could stop herself.
He looked at her and blinked then let out a laugh that sounded mocking. She growled but before she could tear into him he spoke up. “Look now.”
Glaring she used identify again and her eyes widened.
Human (INVADER)
Class: Profane Blade Level Twenty One
Profession: Profane Acolyte Level Eight
The word invader was bold and flashed red just like her own name probably was, she was pretty sure that at least one of the people she knocked off the wall with her Redoubt had died. She had gotten a kill notification at least.
Seeing her expression change he continued. “My home world went through an integration several thousand years ago. Long before I was born the System moved on to the next planet. It changes how it works between planets as if it is trying to improve itself. So each world can be a little different, but the difference between an old world and a new one can be huge. This one is very different than what my world went through.” He suddenly moved the one hide vanishing and another appearing in his hands.
“Anyways, as I was saying. No one just gets classes or professions. My mother is a level eight housewife and my father a level six porter. They aren’t real classes just the level of the skill they have unlocked.” A fire of flickering blue flames caught her attention as the spider girl manifested multiple torches out of thin air. Putting them together to make a campfire.
“Even if you can get a class. Leveling up is done through killing. All the wild monsters have long since been hunted to extinction. Without the System actively spawning them, they don’t last long. Dungeons remain of course, but they are controlled and regulated by those in power. On my world dungeons didn’t have a lock out timer per person as they do here. Instead, there are only so many people a day allowed to enter them.” More movement caught her attention, this time it was the strange woman she had never seen before pulling a jar of what looked like bloody human eyes out of her backpack.
“Even worse, as time goes along the dungeons are vanishing. Starting with the highest level ones and going down from there. That is why the truly strong leave a world when the System does. All that is left are those strong enough to take power but who lack any real desire for greater heights. They are happy to rule over a world where even if someone did get a class, they would never be able to get strong enough to be a threat.” He snarled some as he finished talking.
“Ok. So that sounds shitty and all. But why does that make being a slave good?” She had some ideas but didn’t want to give them any help.
“A slave can’t hurt their master. If they even try any system given powers are instantly disabled. Even if someone tried to kill their master they would only have the power of a classless person. No increased attributes, skills, spells, or anything else. A master can always strip them of their system given power as well.” The hide in his hand vanished and another appeared. “The only other thing that a master can do over a slave is they control any system choices they make, like picking a class or skill or anything like that.”
“So someone's master can’t force them to do something. Like with mind control? Or have any other weird power over them? Sounds stupid.” Kitty responded.
Dren just shrugged. “Other than stripping them of their system given power. No. A slave can disobey a master but why would they? The only people who aren’t powerful themselves that can get a class and levels, thus gaining some power themselves are those that the powers that be can control, slaves. Being a slave normally means just that, one gets a class and are allowed to enter dungeons. They become a valuable tool for their masters and are treated well. Better than well even. They have power of their own and in any place where the system exists, power is all that matters. Sure their masters could take it away, but why piss them off enough to do that? What will it get them, after they willingly become slaves?”
“They willingly become slaves?” She sounded unsure.
“Of course. You can’t force someone to sign a slave contract. Besides, what would be the point?” Dren asked with a tone like he was talking to a dullard.
“You know… to lord their power over them. And like… sex stuff?” She spoke the last bit lowly.
She was not expecting his response. Laughter. “Why would someone with the power to enslave do so for something like that? Money and power can get you all that without needing a rare skill like the ability to make Slave Contracts.” He stopped laughing and gave her a dark look. “Do you really think a person with a class and at a high level would need a contract to do any of that to someone unclassed? You have to realize the difference between your power now and the strongest person on your world before the system. Even the difference between an evolved class and a basic class is huge.” Kitty scowled not liking what he was saying, but unable to refute it.
“Slavery is stupid and wrong.” She finally said.
Dren just shrugged. “Think what you want. That is the privileged thoughts of one with a class and levels.” He spoke in such a way as if to make her sound like the bad guy for having a class and levels.
“You have a rare class and are higher level than me. So don’t take that tone with me.” She snapped.
He just grinned. “Fair enough. I have power now. Not enough yet, but I will. Then I have wrongs to right and things to change. What are you planning to do with your power? Huh? I bet even now things far worse than slave contracts are being done by your fellow natives to their own kind. They do this during every system integration when power becomes all that matters. When the difference between the strong and the weak becomes a vast chasm.”
Kitty stared at him wanting to dispute his claims but at the same time, knowing he was right. At least about some of it. There were already horror stories about a Haven far to the south whispered.
“I can confirm they are.” The strange woman spoke up drawing the attention of both of them to her.
Dren looked contemplatively at the Witch and spoke in a tone that hinted he was talking to himself. “There is another reason one might want to become a slave apparently. Something even I didn’t know about before now.” Before she could ask what he was talking about this time, his voice rose and he addressed the Witch. “Meg, want to be my slave?”