Joe spent the whole morning reading and watching the news.

This night the army stormed many dungeons all around the country. It was a complete success. Every official channel was trumpeting about this victory. They said that the army has destroyed about 90% of the dungeons.

Joe watched numerous videos in which portals of many dungeons stopped working, and then those dungeons disappeared.

This morning all officials - through the Internet and TV - stated the same. “The army will finish a few remaining dungeons in a short period of time, and soon the whole country will return to the old peaceful life.”

In the forums people had gone mad. Many wrote that they are disappointed in the system; that they feel regret that they quit their jobs and became players; that they think that the system's days are numbered.

Joe was perplexed. The man didn't know what was coming off. Joe couldn't believe that so many dungeons had been destroyed this night.

Is this truly the end of the system's era?

The man shook his head. It can't be so simple! Ninety percent sound impressive without a doubt, but the system - which had already changed our world so much – can't be finished so easily.

Joe couldn't accept this end. Yesterday Joe fought with the goblins at the bus stop, and he had won. The man had saved some people. Joe was a hero.

As those Litrpg protagonists with a unique power!

In the past evening Joe thought about his future raids on the dungeons; about the best way of leveling up his stats; about Bertha's upgrades.

And now this all must be forgotten?! They say that he must return to his old life?!

Joe was fed up with his past life, where a rich ruled over a poor; where a poor family = no good education = no good work = no good life.

“It's awful to be poor,” The man said with disgust and stood up.

The system had gifted a unique class to Joe and a chance to change his life for the better. Joe didn't have any wish to return to his old life.

I will continue to earn experience! He concluded and clenched his fist in a gesture of his resolve. I will continue to get stronger!

Joe calmed down. He went to the kitchen and opened his fridge, which was almost empty.

I guess the time to go to the mall has come.

Joe lived in the outskirts of Evergreen City. As a rule, every week he bought food and other goods in the mall “Paradise of shopping”, which was located outside the city.

Joe ate his breakfast and then took some money from his savings. He was going to visit that mall this morning.

He put on all his system's clothes. In total, they gave him [+0.2] for driving skill.

[Gray dagger] and [Gray sword] were just simple weapons without any bonuses to Joe. He decided to leave them in his inventory.

Soon the man left his apartment.

+++

Joe drove the bus down the road in the countryside. He listened to music - an old good rock and roll - and looked at blooming trees. It was summer outside.

Joe could feel that it was a little easier to drive Bertha in the new clothes. A new system's bat of gray color was in the bus cabin. The system had given Joe this weapon when he had used the skill book [Basic bat combat].

Soon – in about a half of an hour - the man had entered the vicinity of the huge mall. A horde of rats – which were of a cat size approximately - had overrun the mall and its surrounding.

[Message to Joe Black! You have encountered a wandering boss: [Rat King]. Beware this boss!]

Joe could see thousands of little critters which moved – it seemed – chaotically around the parking lot as a part of them had a feast upon some fresh human corpses. Joe cursed, observing that.

I'd better leave this place right away.

The man was going to turn the bus around, but an unexpected thought came to him.

Stop! Why shall I leave?! Joe, you wanted to earn experience and get stronger. Then look! Right ahead of you is a lot of experience! This is your chance! Just go and take it! Besides, there can be some people who need my help!

Joe had remembered yesterday's bus stop accident. He had remembered that sneaky goblin who could kill him. The man clenched the steering wheel. He had even sweat, so agitated he was.

Why shall I risk my life? I can be killed. Besides, I haven't 10,000 experiences for a resurrection procedure. I'd better just turn around my bus and leave this place.

Joe hesitated. He didn't know what he should do. It lasted for a few seconds. Finally the man pressed down the gas pedal. He made his choice. The bus moved forward.

I hope that [Rat King] is having an important meeting right now.

Two goblins materialized in the bus due to their master's command.

+++

Bertha raced down the road. In about a minute the bus ran over the first bunch of rats. Joe drove Bertha right in the rats' center. He felt as though many tons of metal ran over their small bodies. The system gave just [1] or [2] experiences per one.

Meanwhile, goblins opened the bus' windows and began to shoot. They screamed cheerfully. “We are hunting the yummy rats! We are hunting the yummy rats!”

Bertha's engine roared threateningly. The bus' front side had already been covered in blood.

Joe moved through the rats' center, and Bertha left a long bloodied trail behind.

This massacre at the parking lot lasted for a minute until one of the rats managed to bite through the tire. As a result, Joe heard an unexpected explosion under the bus.

What has happened?! He felt as the bus began to lose speed.

Joe got scared. He realized that only a fast movement could keep him safe and help him to achieve a victory. Fortunately, Joe had repaired his wheel for [25] experiences. Therefore, Bertha began to resume its previous speed.

The bus continued to move around and through the parking lot for some time, killing the rats in a huge number. The men had earned over two thousand experiences so far. It was a large number for Joe. He felt delighted.

Meanwhile, the giggling goblins continued to shoot through the bus' windows. They were happy. It was their best hunt!

All of a sudden Joe heard an angry scream from afar.

“Oh, that's the big evil yummy rat!” the goblins said in unison. “And it's angry!”

The man looked in the direction whence this sound had come.

That's the [Rat King], I guess?

+++

It turned out that it was indeed the [Rat King]! He was huge and fat; besides, the [Rat King] was running fast towards the bus.

Joe got scared when he saw this wandering boss.

I need a timeout!

Bertha turned around and began to flee from the huge rat and its numerous minions.

Joe hired three additional [goblin archers].

“Go behind and shoot that big rat!”

“Okay, Great Boss!”

The goblins stuck out from the bus' windows and began to shoot backwards. A few arrows stuck in the [Rat King]’s forehead. It roared angrily in response, but the huge monster continued to approach its prey steadily. He was fast for its big mass.

Bertha turned to the right abruptly – Joe planned to move around the parked trailer as fast as possible - and the man saw as one of his goblins fell down from the bus.

Joe cursed. As a result, a new goblin materialized in the bus - but thanks to that abrupt turn - Joe noticed that the [Rat King] had done his own turn - around that parked trailer - quite slow. It turned out that the [Rat King] was too huge and fat for fast turns.

I guess I know what I must do now.

“Goblins, hold on!” The man exclaimed

Now they mustn't fall down through the windows!

“Okay, Great Boss!”

Bertha began to do fast turns at the parking lot. Therefore, the [Rat King] began to lag. He couldn't catch the bus. Many other vehicles were a good obstacle for the big rat. A few times he had even bumped the parked cars. This chase likely lasted for twenty minutes.

Finally Joe noticed that the huge rat began to show signs of tiredness. With every passing minute it moved slower until the [Rat King] stopped. It breathed heavily. The huge rat roared angrily, staring at the bus hatefully. All the small rats stood behind their leader. They also looked angry.

Bertha halted. Joe looked at the beast through the side mirror. He saw some small cuts. Shall I escape now or try to fight with it?

The temptation of killing the beast was great. But a risk is big as well.

All of a sudden the man chuckled.

Of course, I need to fight with this [Rat King]! I'm tired of being scared! All my life I was a little man who was scared of this and that! But not now! Now I will win or die!

Bertha turned around, and its engine roared aloud as if challenging the beast for a fight. The huge rat answered instantly, showing that it had accepted a challenge.

In a short period of time they began to move to each other.

I think I have made a mistake, Joe though and – in the next second – flesh and metal had collided.