"Bastard!" Jay screamed as he lunged forward.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared from the left and slammed into Jay before he could approach.

*Tisssss*

Walter and Ben recoiled with wide eyes, while Trey frantically struggled to free himself from the vines.

"You all don't seem to understand the position you're in." Kade explained calmly "I hold all the cards. Ignoring the fact that I have a blade to your comrade's neck, you can't beat me. It's only through my benevolence that you are all still breathing."

Once again, Ben was the first one to collect himself as he stared at the terrifying beast that had Jay pinned to the ground. Realizing that the beast wasn't tearing out his friend's throat, he pieced things together.

"What do you want?"

Kade moved his gaze between them, his eyes filled with scorn. Jay was frozen in fear, Trey was putting up a pathetic fight against his vines, while Walter had fallen to his ass while trying to retreat. Only Ben seemed to be in control of himself.

"H-here. T-t-take it, just let us go."

Hearing the youthful voice filled with fear, he turned his eyes to the youth in front of him. Cal had raised the egg, presenting it to him as if it was a tribute to a king.

"You think I want the egg?" Kade scoffed before turning his head toward Ben "How many beast cores does your group have?"

Ben gave a curt nod before letting the strap of his bag slide off his shoulder and opening a pouch. He pulled out two cores and held them up for Kade to see.

Raising his hand, a spell trace formed before one of the cores floated off Ben's hand and toward Obruo, who received it with an open maw before turning its head toward the egg.

"Don't be greedy." Kade chuckled before gesturing.

Obruo stepped off of Jay before prancing to Kade's side and turning to face the others.

"Do you get it now?" Kade asked as he removed the blade from Cal's neck "Perhaps you haven't met danger out here yet, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I don't know what you all go through back home, but this isn't a place you can come to escape hardship."

Silence reigned. Whether they were still encompassed by fear or absorbing his words, none of them seemed to be able to find the words to reply.

"What are we supposed to do? We can't go back..." It was Cal that spoke up this time, surprisingly.

Kade thought for a few seconds before replying "Grow up and start taking this seriously. Becoming a Champion isn't just an opportunity, it's also a trap for idiots like you all that think you can change your life without changing yourself."

Jay finally sat up and looked down at his shaking hands with knit brows and a frown. Pressing his hands together in an attempt to stop the shaking, he spoke up.

"I'd rather die to a beast than return to that hell hole." His voice grew resolute as the shaking died down.

Kade frowned for a moment. What did this kid experience back on Earth for him to decide that Obruo was less scary? The thought caused his expression to soften slightly before a light smile formed.

"Sure, just don't go down easy." Kade replied before grabbing Cal's collar and hoisting him back to his feet.

He didn't like this situation, but he couldn't force them to return to Earth, nor could he keep them from returning. This lesson was the best he could do for them. Hopefully, they wouldn't make any stupid mistakes like trying to steal an egg from a beast they couldn't defeat.

He slapped Cal's back before walking away with a modicum of caution. After all, he did just attack their group and it wouldn't be unsurprising if they tried to get revenge.

Obruo took one last look at the egg before following reluctantly.

Kade glanced down at the pup while leaving with a frown. Obruo hadn't helped with the Lizard at all, and he had completely lost track of the pup when they moved toward the commotion earlier. It was slightly disconcerting.

He expected Obruo to attack with fervor, seeing as the canine wanted to secure his share of beast cores. Yet, he hadn't even though he was close enough to respond when called.

While ruminating, he heard rustling from behind causing him to lunge forward and roll. Twisting his torso, he brought his hand up as a spell trace formed. His brows locked and his eyes grew cold when he spotted Cal, followed by the others.

"Er, we aren't trying to cause a fight..." Cal said as he raised his hands.

"Then why are you following me?" Kade snapped.

"Ahem, Well, it's like this." Ben stepped up "We don't have any ranged fighters so a lot of beast's give us trouble. And seeing as you're alone, we figured, why not team up?"

"I came here alone for a reason, and I don't see the benefit of teaming up with you lot." Kade replied without dispelling the fireball that formed at his palm.

"We could kill beast's faster together, and we will split the loot fifty-fifty. Plus, you'll have us to watch your back and take night shifts." Ben replied, doing his best to sell their usefulness.

"I've managed well enough as is." Kade shook his head. He had a goal, and babysitting a bunch of kids would only hinder him. It was the same reason that he didn't team up with his family.

"Listen." Jay stepped forward "You were right..." he looked down sheepishly "We were reckless by coming out here, but going back isn't an option. Truth be told, if we keep running around out here without guidance we will die."

"Do you honestly think that following me will be any safer?" Kade retorted "I'm going deeper into Detrius and the farther you go from the portal, the more dangerous things become. I can't even ensure my own safety, much less yours."

Jay frowned deeply before turning his gaze to Cal. Turning back to Kade, his expression was firm.

"That's what we had planned in the first place. What if we follow you but we work separately? You kill your beast's, we will kill ours. Just give us a chance to learn from you, and if you decide to help us out then we will give you an equal split."

Kade's frown grew "Two minutes ago you guys didn't want my advice, but now you're so adamant to learn from me? What changed?"

Jay sighed "We've been on Detrius for over a month and only killed two beasts. Going for the egg was mainly out of desperation. We wouldn't have been able to kill that Lizard, but you made it seem like a walk in the park..."

Confessing their problems wasn't easy for Jay. They had thought that they could break free from the chains of circumstance and change their life for the better. They were special, and the only reason that wasn't apparent was that they were held down by the forces that be.

Unfortunately, the reality was completely different. They weren't special. The last month had destroyed their pride and taught them just how rough life could be. Now, they had reached a crossroads.

They could continue as they were and hope that things would change, or they could suck up their pride and ask for help.

The man in front of them was strong and smart. They had witnessed his power and knew that he was far more capable than they were. Though they had just scuffled, none of them were ignorant enough to ignore the fact that the man's actions had good intentions. He was a good person, and Sticking with him would take them farther than they could ever go on their own.

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Kade grit his teeth as he thought about their proposal. They were just kids, wet behind the ears and lost in this world and their own. He could empathize with them, and more so, Jay. He grew up leading a group of misfits that struggled to accept their circumstances too.

But he wasn't a saint... He had goals and responsibilities. Right now, he had to make a boatload of cash to support his own group of misfits. Taking some kids under his wing would only make his life more difficult, and life was already hard enough.

The kids could make it on their own. Sure, it would be difficult, but he had done it. Except, he hadn't...

A family took him in and cared for him. The police were lenient and even cleared their record. The truth was, that help meant the world to him. Without it, he would be another statistic. A youth with abandonment and anger issues locked up in a cell somewhere.

Now, he was being asked to provide help. Regardless of his reasoning, could he truly justify leaving them out to dry?

Yes, he could, but he wouldn't.

"Alright, here is the deal." Kade said after releasing an exasperated sigh "You can travel with me and learn along the way, but we aren't teaming up. If I have to intervene to help you kill a beast, then I get the beast core."

This was the best compromise that he could come up with on the spot. He wouldn't be slowed down much, and he could still hunt at his own pace. He would have to give up some of his study time to guide the kids, but in return, he would gain a few extra beast cores.

Jay's expression brightened as he nodded quickly "Okay, awesome!"

Kade shook his head before turning and walking in the opposite direction. This trip was going to be a long one...

-

"Sir, there's another one..."

Captain Walker frowned deeply, his brows dipping into a V shape as he took off his glasses and gazed at the man that had just barged into his office.

"Another what, body?"

The officer nodded his head slowly with a pained expression. "Under the 5th street bridge. Two bullets, one to the forehead, and another to the chest. It fits the M.O."

Tapping his pen on the desk a few times, Captain Walker grabbed the phone and pressed a number. A few seconds later, a voice came through.

"Yes, Captain?"

"There's another body. We are going to check it out." He said before slamming the phone down forcefully and standing up. Grabbing his coat, he left the office.

...

Crouching beside the body, Tony observed the holes present on the head and chest. He fancied himself a detective and tried to think like one.

"The wounds are the same size, in the exact same position. This is the fourth..."

"Mhm." Captain Walker nodded beside him while gazing at the body with a hint of pity in his eyes.

"What do we know about the vic so far?"

"Haah." Captain Walker released an exasperated sigh. He had tried to force Tim to drop the Detective lingo, but that was a lost cause.

"Alan Pierce, 32, lives downtown. He had multiple charges for possession and one for intent to distribute."

Tony's frown grew. "Two of the others had similar charges... Three incidents are too much for a deal gone wrong. This is probably gang-related."

Captain Walker nodded "My thoughts exactly. We can't handle this on our own, so I'm calling in for some help."

"Is it really that serious?" The Rookie, Mason, asked skeptically.

Tony nodded "We don't get a lot of gang activity in Springfield, and when the boys were around they kept most of the trash in line... Now, whatever this is, is growing too quickly."

Mason frowned "The boys?"

"you met 'em on your first day as my partner." Tony said nonchalantly "They dismantled most of the small-time groups in our area, but that stopped almost five years ago when the leader joined the military."

"And you think they could have prevented this?" Mason asked scornfully. He remembered the young men in question. They had seemed like a group of ruffians, or as he would refer to them, bottom feeders.

Tony sighed and scratched the back of his head "They could have slowed it, but I'd likely be looking at their body here instead..."

This was on a different scale. They weren't looking at the common criminal here. At the very least, this was a murderer, and at the worst, a crime boss. It was out of the local delinquents' scope.

"How are the boys doin'?" Captain Walker asked curiously "That brat never came by to see me." His voice turned harsh.

"Pfft, haha." Tony chuckled "Don't you know how busy they are now? They went off to become Champions for those aliens that came to Earth."

Captain Walker showed a sad smile "All the better. We don't want 'em around for this..."

-

"Get in there Trey! Don't let it move freely!" Kade shouted, "Jay, Walter, you two take its legs."

The youths were battling an overgrown bobcat. Teamwork was essentially nonexistent. The tank couldn't keep the beast's focus and allowed it too much freedom without consequence, while the attackers were too slow to capitalize on the opportunities that presented themselves.

Cal, the team's resident rogue, wasn't given the opportunity to safely strike. While Ben, the healer, was having to exhaust his Altaris to make up for the mistakes the others were making.

He watched the painful show for quite some time before he was forced to act. Casting Spirit Chains, the beast was immobilized, allowing the others to act freely.

"Trey, bash up its face. The rest of you go for the legs!" He shouted as he layered entangle over the chains.

He didn't want to kill the beast for them, and even his current help gave them too much of an advantage. Unfortunately, they were running out of steam. If this went on much longer, they would lose.

However, now that the beast was immobilized, they were able to chip it down quickly. Only a minute later, the Bobcat breathed its last.

"Pathetic. Do you guys even listen?!" Kade raged as they worked to dissect the beast. "Finish up quickly. We are leaving in two minutes."

They ignored their exhaustion and kicked it into overdrive, barely succeeding in securing the valuable parts before departing.

Kade led them through the wilderness for nearly an hour before finding an acceptable spot to make camp. He supervised while the others cleared the area and secured it with alarms and traps. Once they finished, he cast stone mold to make his standard camp layout.

Waving them over, he sat on the dirt couch and cast an inferior fireball to start a fire in the pit. The five youths joined him but refused to look his way.

"Alright, let's analyze your performance today." Kade said sternly "Trey, we will start with you."

"You're the tank. Your job is to draw the enemy's attention. When that isn't possible, what should you do?"

Trey fidgetted for a moment before speaking "Hinder it..."

"That's right." Kade nodded "You are supposed to give the others the freedom to attack. They can't do that if they are having to worry about the beast retaliating against them. Obviously, this isn't a game and you can't force your enemy to act how you want. So when it doesn't focus on you, you should make it regret its choice."

He turned his head toward the two primary damage dealers. "And you two. Your job is to damage the enemy, but you barely did anything until I locked it down."

"Well, if TREY could keep it-" Walter spoke up indignantly before being cut off by Kade

"Don't give me that shit. Trey gave you multiple opportunities to attack. The issue is that neither of you could capitalize on them. You need to be ready to act WITH Trey, not after."

"Now, Ben. The only advice I'd give you is to keep your Altaris pool in mind. Healing is important, but if you heal every little scratch then you'll run out of energy quickly and won't have any left when you need it."

He turned to Cal "Finally, the runt. Cal. What is your role?"

Cal thought for a moment before speaking "Secondary damage dealer. I'm supposed to go in for big strikes."

"Not anymore it isn't." Kade said as he shook his head. A rogue-- A specialization focused on stealth and agility -- had a lot of versatility. They can utilize their skills to target the weak points and deal lethal blows, but that was rare. Most of the time, rogues took a more supportive role.

"From now on, you will adopt a supportive role. Primarily, you will target the legs to remove the enemy's mobility. Secondarily, you will do what you can to hinder it. For example, if it has a tail that is causing issues, then go for the tail."

Observing Cal's expression as he frowned, Kade continued "It's an important role. In fact, I chose to be a mage specifically for this reason. Preventing the enemy from doing what it wants is a huge boon to a team and extremely satisfying."

Cal's expression improved, but he couldn't help voicing his complaints "I wanted to be the one doing big damage though... That's a big reason that I chose to be a rogue."

Kade raised a brow and stifled a chuckle. If he wanted to do 'Big damage' shouldn't he have become a mage? "Honestly, Rogue wasn't the best choice if you just wanted to do big damage. Warrior, Ranger, or Mage would have been far better."

"I'll level with you, your team composition isn't the best. You have four melee classes, three of which want to focus on dealing damage. You have no one running interference, nor do you have a ranged attacker."

Leaning back, he moved his gaze between them "You can make it work though. You have a healer and a tank, which are both vital in my opinion. All you need is a support role and a scout."

Turning back to Cal, he continued "That's where you come in. You can cover both of these roles as a rogue, but, you can also do so as a ranger."

Cal's interest was piqued "I'm already a rogue though, so I can't change."

"Who told you that?" Kade asked with a raised brow and a smirk forming "The classes aren't as different as you think. In fact, there are only two real classes. Warrior, and Mage. Everything else is just a variation of the two."

"Wait, just wait." It was Ben that couldn't help but speak up "You mean our classes are pointless?"

Kade bobbed his head from side to side "Yes and no. The title on your bracelet is pointless now, it was only used so we humans could pick the role we wanted for training. In actuality, all classes use Altaris, they just use it in different ways. Physical classes use it to strengthen their bodies, while magical classes store Altaris to use spells."

Ben rubbed his chin in deep thought "So you're saying that I could be a warrior and a healer?"

"Yeah, technically. But from what I know, magical classes are far more difficult. Not everyone has the talent to be a mage." Kade nodded before explaining further about the utilization of Altaris and why the classes differed. It took some time, and almost an hour had passed.

"So, Rangers are just a combination of a warrior and a mage?" Cal asked.

Kade nodded while raising his palm "Most commonly, yes. Though, whichever path they favor determines their destructive power and potential with guns. A Mage's Altaris is more abundant, so they will be able to create far stronger magical bullets. Not to mention that they will regenerate Altaris faster."

Swapping palms, he continued "On the other, Rangers that favor the Warrior path will have less destructive bullets. However, that doesn't mean that they won't be lethal. Plus, they will have a much stronger physique to make use of."

"And we can do both at the same time?" Ben asked

"Yeah." Kade nodded

"So, why don't we all train both?! We can be super soldiers that can spawn meteors and shit!" Walter said enthusiastically.