School was strange; being back felt strange, but peaceful. Of course, peace didn't last long before he realized he would be spending eight hours a day with rowdy children with thrice the energy that a normal, non-leveled child would ever have. Jor never liked children, and he liked them even less now that he was stuck with thirty children in a tiny classroom. 

Still, it was easy to realize the realize the differences between this reality, and his own past. Here, the regular courses were taught,  such as arthimatics, history, basic coding, etc, but with a slight difference. Gym class was survival training, plus medival training weapons. Safety was important, and these were children, so occasionally only the weakest of monsters were ever thrown at them. The coach was usually by their side the entire time to ensure their protection. 

Apparently, it had become a law for schools to ensure children reach level ten before the age of majority. Monster incursions are something of a regular scenario for everyone involved, so every average civilian knew how to use anything from guns to swords. And, all of that was to ensure those who chose the career of a Watcher, were thoroughly prepared.

"What are you doing?"

Alex scowled at him. 

Ah, Alex Comer. Another complication. Once his best friend growing up, now a stranger with a suspecions dancing in that amazing brain of hers. 

"Nothing." 

"Looks like not nothing." 

Well, true. Jor was meditating. A futile effort, he thought. 

"Come on, let's play." Alex, in all her blond curles and hazel eyes, grabbed his arm and pulled him up. Jor let her. Surprising strength for a child of level three. Did she put all her points into strength? Odd, wouldn't the school or the parents make sure the children are reletavely balanced? "Come on!"

Jor was pulled into a bunch of kids play-fighting, rubber swords and all. They were playing tag, and he was it. It was... surprisingly fun. 

"What's with him? He acts different."  

"Maybe he's got a secret?"

"I dunno, I always thought he was weird. Now, he's even more weird." 

Alex snorted. "Not that weird. But, maybe different?" 

Jor could hear everything, but pretended not to listen. He really needed to get out of here. And not just the school, but get his Watcher license as soon as possible for him to dungeon dive. Publicly, anyway. He still had plans to dungeon dive, just not without getting any authorities' attention. 

And that's another new concept he's never heard of. The idea of hunting monsters without a Watcher license was anathama to him. Every body counted, and if it meant certain death, there were always more bodies willing to throw themselves into the grinder. And children, especially, were made to go through hell before they were brought to the front lines. 

Here, society hadn't crumbled, but thrived despite the newly changed world. And governments around the world have worked actively to protect their nation and its people.

So, that meant Jor had to take whatever exams to pass highshool, and the exams to get the Watcher license. And that meant, he needed to be level ten. Ugh. There was a lot of work to get to.

--

Watching his mother cook had him transfixed, bringing that alien sense of peace and comfort only a home can bring. He still remembered the struggle and the desperation she went through. When the monsters came, there was no one to help her, and they were stranded hiding in a forest, living off berries and tree bark. 

Jor was a child, but even he sensed her helplessness, but his mom never gave up. He knew, then, that no one had the will a mother could have. After all, the greatest soldiers in the world are mothers. And his mother died saving them.  

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"What are you staring at?" He felt a slap upside his head, as his mother glared him. "Go do your homework. And I don't want any complaining!" 

"Yes, mom." Okay, so he certainly didn't miss the abuse she heaped on him. Jor groaned as he went to his room to do his homework. 

The schoolwork was simple, nothing more than simple math and literature. It didn't take him any more than minutes to finish his math homework, but an hour to write a proper story for his literature class. Once he was done, Jor sat on the foot of his bed, folded his legs and stilled his heartbeat. 

There were skills from the Machine, and then there were skills from a human element. It wasn't so simple that sitting down and trying to meditate would give you those skills like magic. Monks trained entire lives for such a skill, and they were the rare few to have gained such Meditation ability. 

To Jor, decades of meditation instilled into him something a sense of... something. Not peace, no. A cold void, as time slowed and his thoughts came to a standstill. Ten breaths per minute. Then, eight. Seven. Four breaths per minute. One breath per minute. the synchronization between the breath and the heart rate slowed to a near standstill

Passive Skill

Meditation Lv.1

The use of such a skill would benefit not only day-to-day life, but your ability to stay calm in combat would also be of great benefit. Your mind becomes an ocean of strength and stillness. 

Jor slowly exhaled and slumped against the bed with a sigh. It was going to take a long time to get back his full strength, but this was also an opportunity. Currently, he was level 1. But, should he focus on the mastery over magic, or another class entirely? He could make quite the effect in the field, should he chose a fighter or warrior-type class. But, mastery over the arcane would have the same effect, exponentially increasing his ability two-fold. 

Yet, he did work hard in balancing all his stats despite his class being mainly over the arcane. It would only help should he choose a martial class. 

Still, the ease of attaining level 10 is quite easy for anyone involved, regardless of genetics or class. The trouble, however, lies with what comes after...

To reach past level ten would be to put your body and spirit on the line. You would have to put your fear in the back, and your courage forward. To go beyond level ten was the mark of a soldier wading in a field of blood and death. Fill your mind, not with doubt, but the desperation of a man willing to sacrifice anything to get that just that one more level.

Monsters like his sister, who had reached a pinnacle of humanity at level forty. A Goddess of Death who's dance shook the very world, stilled the hearts of beasts and peace to those in here mere presence. She was more than a symbol, but of hope in a desolate world wrought by war and death. 

And yet, in the end, that didn't save her. 

Jor needed to be something else, to become more than just hope. He must become the inevitability that stood atop the world. And this was it, his second chance, and he knew exactly how to go about achieving his goals. 

Jor closed his mind, picturing a certain cavern hidden underneath a dungeon. If his memories of the past were still any relevant, then this place was one that he hoped still held true to the world. 

He just hoped he doesn't get eaten...

Jor disappeared in a silent pop. 

The door slammed open, Kass barging in. "Hey-... where did he go? Mom! Mo~m! Stupid is missing!" 

--

The monster that stood before him was the Red Demon. 

"Well, well. Look, a human boy, lost in the cave of wonders," The demon stood twelve-foot high, a mass of muscle, desecrated red-scaled flesh and blackened sharp teeth. Once upon a time, this creature was his and Kass' teacher. A monster, warring against his very fate. All, in order to be free. Free. "Have you come to play, little one? Shall I share my bounty?"

Is he the same monster that wanted change? To fight against fate? What can a boy do against its strength? Nothing, but quiver and shiver. 

Jor could feel death hanging above him like the Sword of Damocles. What he said next would change everything. Or nothing. His corpse would hang from spikes for dinner, should he insult the monster. 

Jor teleported, appearing inside the locked vault, guarded by said the Red Demon. Already, he could feel the bang on the steel vault doors, magically protected by runes and wards.

The bellows of the raging demon were tuned out, as Jor focused on the heart sitting on a pedestal. The Heart of the All-Seeing Wolf. Once the heart was consumed, you would be able to summon a level thirty familiar with wide-ranging abilities. Powerful enough, that even the Red Demonn would be cautious facing it. 

And the best part? For every kill, fifty-percent of its kills would be automatically transferred to him. Yes, Jor cheated, and his clothes were already stained with blood once he ate his fill. 

Already, he felt the ability settled in as part of his active skillset.

Jor immediately summoned the All-Seeing Wolf.