The frontier itself wasn’t looking very impressive, opposite to numerous buildings before it. Jack couldn’t see the exterior, as there was an elevation of the area, which worked as a wall. On the top were 5 meter high wooden towers every few hundred meters. Other than that, there was some sort of bony palisade. It was more of an obstruction than a real wall. Many small bones were protruding from the ground with their pointed ends. Curved ribs pointed in the direction of the exterior, some halved and with sharp edges like blades. Anyone wanting to cross it would get sliced and stabbed. Before it, there was a lower situated area giving cover. People were standing there, one a meter. All of them had a spear – some more than one – and a crossbow, which was also bony. Jack expected to see a steep cliff on the other side.

From Rick’s stories and what Bob and the rest learned by asking other recruits while Jack trained, Jack could somehow understood the frontier structure. The frontier was divided in 20-kilometer sections. Each section was commanded by a colonel, 5th tier class advancement on the recruit path, or someone else in the 5th tier with a colonel title granted by the imperial court. In one section, there were headquarters and 9 barracks, each commanded by a 4th tier individual, usually a lieutenant. Each barrack was in about 2 kilometers from each other. Colonel was a leader of the whole section, so there were 10 lieutenants per section. Before Jack were the local section headquarters.

There were countless buildings. Most of them resembled the ones Jack knew from home. The difference was, that there were close to each other – only a meter or so. Most of earthy houses were just very long with multiple doors – most likely there were houses sharing a wall. In the center, there were stone buildings – something Jack had never seen before. The biggest was hundred meters wide and 20 meters tall. Many people were moving between buildings and some were standing and chatting.

New recruits were supposed to report in. Jack’s group lined up in the queue.

“Jack, do you have any jerky left?”

“It's the last one. I have eaten the rest on the road.”

“How about military food?” Maria asked.

“Do you know where that food guy went?”

“No.” Maria said. “Those gray monsters went there. I think there’s some stable for them or some storage.”

“They need to give us food anyway, and you will survive a day without.” Stave said.

“Besides, the bread we got earlier wasn’t even that fresh.” Maria said.

“I doubt they keep bakers with the column.” Bob said.

“Fine.” Jack said. “I suppose I won’t die without a proper supper.”

The queue was slowly getting shorter. Jack's clarity was back up to 130 and wasn’t getting higher.

‘I won’t be able to get to full clarity unless I take a nap.’

While regeneration of the bars were fairly steady, there are things slowing and speeding it up. For example, stamina recovers slower when hungry, and clarity recovers slower when someone has a poor mental condition, like being depressed or stressed. It’s also impossible to fully recover stamina or clarity without a proper rest.

‘There aren’t any distractions right now. I should be able to cast the spell. As long as I won’t spend too much clarity it should be fine’

Jack started to form lines and circles inside his mind. Soon he got a notification.

Ding… You have acquired a Life mana affinity.

The spell worked. It was neither pleasant nor unpleasant, more like… exhausting. Jack could feel his whole body working, even though he was sitting and not doing anything physical. His wound on the arm was itching. He looked at it, but there wasn’t visible progress as a scab was hiding the wound. Jack stopped and looked at his bars.

Vitality

426/448

Stamina

51/100

Clarity

126/160

Vitality was up a bit, and while there was loss of clarity due to rune shaping in his mind, there was also huge drop in stamina.

‘The minor recovery spell forces body to regenerate faster, but it uses body biomass. I should get some fat before I start use it more. It’s a shame, I know nearly nothing about spell vectors and I can’t direct recovery only to a specific part of the body’

Jack knew spell vectors for a reinforce material spell, but only to cast it on the thing in his hand. He wasn’t able to understand the internal structure. The reinforce spell used without vectors worked the same as recovery spell – it reinforced caster’s body. Unfortunately, while getting a tougher body is nice, spell workings on the internal organs are deadly. Fortunately – or not – for the spell, the reinforcing effect dispels fast and after 30 second is already barely visible and after a minute it completely wears off. Thanks to that, there weren’t any deaths even if you drew vectors wrong.

Officer marked out their names on the same parchment the recruiter wrote them. After that all of them were directed to a clear space. A woman in her 30-ties in bone and metal armor was standing on the podium. Her gear looked impressive, the second best after colonel Alpin.

“Hello. I’m lieutenant Elizabeth Bonner. I’m in charge of this facility. We will group you all here today. First, 20% of you will become monster hunters. The rest will be distributed across barracks on this frontier section including the headquarters here. There are 1274 of you, so: 254 will become monster hunters, and then there will be 102 recruits for each lieutenant. Now, everyone who wants to be a monster hunter go to the right side. Rest go to the left side.”

Jack and the rest of the group went to the right.

“About four hundred candidates. So, it’s the same as every enrollment, we need a test,” the lieutenant said. “Call tower mage Hogan, let’s check his new spell.”

Soon, a guy in his 30-ties came. He was wearing a robe, the most luxurious thing Jack had ever seen.

“Ok. Your test is simple. I will cast a spell on you all. Your task is to just stay standing. Let me begin.”

That mage Hogan closed his eyes, probably casting. When everyone waited for the spell… Ugh!

Danger! Jack could feel it pushing through his chest. Death. Everywhere. From all directions. Waiting for him. Looking for him. He was weak at the knees and he wanted to just lie down to be less noticeable. Jack could still remember the test, but how could he care about some test, when his life was endangered! He could see people falling down from the corner of his eye, but he remembered his fear when insects attacked and then wolves.

‘This fear… It’s… different… the spell…’

Ding… You have now a skill – Mental Intrusion Resistance lv.1

‘Right! It must be the spell!’

Ding… Your Mental Intrusion Resistance skill has reached lv. 2

‘I’m not in danger! I’m not in danger! I’m not in danger! I’m not in danger! Damn! It’s just a test!’

Ding… Your Mental Intrusion Resistance skill has reached lv. 3

Jack still felt terrible, like some fearsome beast could kill him any second, like he was completely defenseless and alone. He tried to find this danger, to prove there’s nothing.

Ding… Your Mental Intrusion Resistance skill has reached lv. 4

There was obviously no danger, no matter where Jack looked, but fear remained. Many were lying on the ground, including Maria and Stave. Bob was still standing, but he was gasping for breath, cold sweat dripping from his chin. Jack wanted to tell him that this was a spell, that there was no danger, but he was afraid to open his mouth and make a sound. Afraid that he would bring attention to himself.

‘No! No! This isn’t real!’

“Bob!” Jack whispered. “It’s a spell. It’s not real.”

Ding… Your Mental Intrusion Resistance skill has reached lv. 5

Ding… You have unlocked Masochist I profession.

“Bob, you hear me? There’s no danger.”

Jack whispered. Maybe more to convince himself than Bob. Now, when he had done it once it was easier to whisper the second time. Bob looked at him. Jack could see fear in his eyes. He broke the eye contact, since it was only increasing his own fear.

‘Damn! I know there’s no danger, but even so..’

It’s wasn’t as bad as at first. Jack was still afraid to make a step, his legs were shaking, but he could stand.

‘This is not real. Even if there is some beast, I’m going to be a monster hunter and I would fight it anyway.’

He was enduring.

Ding… Your Mental Intrusion Resistance skill has reached lv. 6

He was thinking about it. Where this fear comes from? How it influences him?

‘It’s just a fear. It’s putting danger in my mind. It’s influencing my thoughts.’

Ding… Your Mental Intrusion Resistance skill has reached lv. 7

He was trying to analyze this fear in his mind, when suddenly, it just stopped. Jack could feel how irrational it was. He barely could believe now, that he felt something this intense.

“Good. There are precisely 254 still standing recruits. The rest, go to the left. Do not try to cheat, or there will be punishment,” lieutenant said.

Bob was still standing.

“Thanks, bro. It helped. I even got a resistance skill. “

“Don’t mention it. I’m just happy that I will have some familiar face out there.”

Bob fell on his knees.

“I suppose I can rest a bit now.”

Unfortunately for Bob, there was already the evening and there were quite a few arrangements to make.

“Attention!” The Lieutenant shouted. “Everyone who passed the test go to the officer Ryan there. You will be assigned to 5- person groups and your new locum. Similarly, our new soldiers go to the officer Marco there. 102 recruits will be assigned to barracks here. For the rest, you will be assigned to one of the nine barracks of this section. You will be given accommodations for today and expected to travel to your designation tomorrow. People staying here are required to come here tomorrow morning for future assignments. That would be all.

Jack and Bob stood in queue to officer Ryan.

“Do you think we will be in the same group?”

“I don’t know,” Jack replied. “It would be nice.”

“We are just one behind the other. That would make us a group, right?”

“I wouldn’t think so, lad,” said guy behind them.

“Why not?” Bob asked.

“It’s pretty obvious. Everyone would just group together in their perfect teams.”

“And why would that be bad?” Bob continued.

“It’s kinda obvious you are country bumpkins, you know?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Just saying: don’t aim to high. You will understand if you survive for some time.”

“Whatever.”

After dozens of minutes it was Jack’s turn.

“Ok, Jack. Your level, class and origins?”

“I’m a level 8 Survivor. I’m from the village led by elder Elmer.”

“Survivor?”

“It’s a combat class hidden behind an achievement.”

“Then it must be a fairly rare one, since I don’t know about it. Magic?”

“I can cast the minor recovery spell. My class isn’t magic oriented, though.”

“Do you have magical education?”

“No, sir. I was only taught some basics.”

“Ok. I will assign you to the group… hm…”

“Sir, can I be in the same group as my brother?”

“No. Imperial court’s regulations explicitly forbid such assignments. You are going to the group 12. Your new home will be the house 124. Dismiss.”

Jack stayed for Bob, who was assigned to the group 23. After a few questions and answers from locals, they learnt that their new homes were in the same direction. Apparently, all monster hunters lived in the same area. Even so, their homes had a bit of distance from each other.

“It’s going to be alright, bro,” Jack said. “We will make new friends.”

“I thought you weren’t popular.”

“I’m not, but if I’m going to fight in a team, it’s better to learn something about your teammates, isn’t it?”

“Fine. See you next morning, I suppose.”

Jack went in his direction.

‘House 124… I wonder what’s that Masochist profession is all about…’

Jack willed his status window and then possible professions.

Masochist I

Requirements

Pain Tolerance skill lv.5

Mental Intrusion Resistance lv.5

Boost

+10% to mental endurance

+1% per level to mental endurance

‘Nice! But what does this masochist means?’

Jack picked it. You can always unpick a profession, but you can only choose it when you have less than 5 profession, and you can’t choose a profession you discarded for a month after.

‘Let’s check my status now’

Name: Jack Age: 14 Class: Survivor Level:8 92% to next lv Stats: Base Essence reinforced Strength 5.6/25 8.28 (6%/level) Endurance 6.71/30 10.46 (6%/level) Intelligence 11.21/25 16.59 (6%/level) Mental Endurance 11.09/30 18.41 (10% + (6+1)%/level) Agility 7.28/30 11.35 (7%/level) Perception 9.44/20 15.67 (10% + (6+1)%/level) Affinities Life 0.01% Class skills

Economy of Movement

Scavenging

16

1

Professions: 2/5

Conman I

Masochist I

Skills:

Analyze

Farming

Cooking

Sword Handling

Spear Handling

Rune Shaping

Charisma

Crafting

Archery

Pain Tolerance

Parallel Thinking

Mental Intrusion Resistance

7

19

9

8

11

23

19

3

15

16

9

7

Vitality 426/448 Stamina 66/100 Clarity 102/180

‘The bonus to mental endurance is great! It seems I need my mental intrusion skill at lv. 10 to unlock Masochist II.’

Jack found his new house after some time and questions for directions. It was similar to his familial one. Jack walked in.