When Duo Nan saw Acma approaching, he immediately rushed toward the latter and grabbed both his shoulders.

“Little bro, something good happen, something that even better than defeating those monsters”, he said with a big smile plastered on his face.

“What is it, brother Duo?”, Acma feigning ignorance. He already anticipated that Duo Nan’s happiness was definitely due to his Apprentice Knight class change. But Acma let Duo Nan tell it himself. When someone was so excited to tell you something, don’t cut him off and let him told it until he was satisfied. “Let me tell you this, right after all those monsters retreated, everyone who participated in the battle today, even the helpers were transported to a place called Beginner Village. You know what, the name might be lame, but that place was magical. A knight in a shining armour, mighty magical beast, powerful looking masters and ever better, ladies. All the ladies at that place was really really really a drop dead gorgeous. If I can marry any of those ladies, I can die smiling. I couldn’t describe everything about that village, but it really a wonderful place. You can ask my brothers if you don’t believe me”, Duo Nan narrated with his arms swinging all over the place, showing how excited he was. “Oh”, Acma reacted. That wasn’t something he expected to hear. “That was shocking right? Come one, take off your helmet. Let me see how shock you are”, Duo Nan gestured asking Acma to take off his helmet. “Alright, brother Duo”, replied Acma as he took off his helmet. “Aaahhh, what with your no emotion face, you broke my heart. At least you can pretend to be interested with my story”, said Duo Nan dejectedly. Acma just smiled wryly but didn’t say anything. Realizing the reaction he expected would never come, Duo Nan can only sighed. “You’re really dense little bro. Aaahhh, forget it. Lets go to the meeting room. Chief Pai just call for meeting”, Duo Nan said as he started walking followed by Acma and the other hunter. “Little brother Acma, why we didn’t see you at the Beginner Village just now?”, Hunter Wang greeted Acma and asked. Acma turned his head and answered, “My level is over 100 already”. He noticed the name plate above Hunter Wang’s name but quickly switched his gaze towards somewhere else. Apprentice Knight Wang Tian LVL 28

Acma’s action was noticed by Hunter Wang. He immediately understand why Acma showed no reaction toward Duo Nan’s story earlier. Then he proceed with an explanation.

“From everyone that got transported to Beginner Village, 80 of us took an Apprentice Knight class while the others took a support classes like blacksmith, healer, builder etc. There are others who took a Acolyte Mage class like Sister Zi Yi who have high INT or Scout class for those who have a high AGI”

Acma showed a confused face. He was thinking about many things like why apprentice? Why not full knight? Is there any other classes available? Why 80 hunters took the same class? Since he didn’t have the answer, he asked Hunter Wang.

“Brother Wang, why 80 of you took the same class? Is there no other classes available?”

“There are many classes available but not all of it were suitable for us like Apprentice Death Knight or Acolyte Necromancer which demand us to consume a soul and absorbing a death miasma. Oh, before that, you remember what Duo Nan said earlier right, that all of us was transported together at the same time. When we arrived at the Beginner Village, Chief and the elders asked us to gather information first”, Hunter Wang paused and then he continued,

“We speak with almost everyone at the village to find out every information available, not just about available classes. After that we shared all the information and discussed it. About matters related to class, after considering all pro and cons, we decided to follow the elders’ decision which is Apprentice Knight class”, he paused again. “Ahhh, we arrived at the meeting room already. Little brother, if you don’t mind, we can continue talking about this matter later”

“Let’s talk again then. Thank you Brother Wang”, replied Acma.

Inside the meeting room, almost all villagers that participated in the battle today have been gathered. With a forced smile on his face, Chief Pai stood up and look at the face of everyone in the room. He took a deep breath and delivered his speech.

“Looks like everyone is here. Lets start our quick meeting. Thanks to everyone’s effort, we manage to repel the attack on our village today. What’s more, we did that without shedding a single drop of blood, which I believe is superbly incredible. However, I would like to give a reminder that things will get a lot tougher in the future because we are surrounded with creatures that were hostile toward humans. This is the info we’ve got from our captive yesterday. Although we’re human beings from earth, they still consider us as humans. That’s why we’ve fought two battles already. This matter lead to the main topic of our meeting, our survival. How we are going to survive while been surrounded with numerous enemies?”

Some hunters in the meeting room were nodding their head slowly while the others fixed their gaze at Chief Pai.

“The elders and I have several ideas about this, but we want to look from different perspectives. Youngsters like you always have a wilder and fresher ideas, maybe you have a lot of better ideas than us old bones. Please contribute your ideas about two aspects, either to increase our strength or escape from here. If you have ideas about negotiation with the enemies, please share with us too. Come to us whenever you have the ideas, but preferably as soon as possible before we face the enemies we couldn’t win against. However, we have nothing to reward you, only a thanks on behalf of Orca Village. I hope you won’t get discourage with that.

The second topic is about the tasks you get from the Beginner Village. I hope everyone will spend your best effort to accomplish them as soon as possible. Either you want to advance as soon as possible or completing as many tasks as you can before advancing, I believe in your choices. Alright, that’s all I want to say. Thank you”, Chief Pai took a seat and waiting. After a while, he suddenly stood up again and spoke,

“I just remember another important issue. It’s about non permanent resident in our Orca Village. I bet all of them, even among you guys hunter are eager to return as soon as possible. So, if you plan or heard someone talking about this, please come to me or the elders. This is extremely important and I don’t want anyone making a rush decision. Before this, I never stop anyone from going or coming to our village without good reason, but now everything is different, so I’ll be a bit stricter. I hope you can understand. Thank you”.

Chief Pai’s latest announcement made the room restless. One by one, people were asking questions to the chief and elders while the others were discussing with each other.

Despite all the commotion, Acma was isolating himself into his own world, focusing about the contents of Chief Pai’s speech just now. About strengthening the hunters, he believed the elders already have the answer for that. Although he wasn’t sure about the tasks from Beginner Village, he bet they were important for everyone’s survival. Negotiating with enemies? Not his problem. He never been good at negotiating. Let an extrovert person dealt with that. Last but not least, non permanent resident issue, this one also no need for his concern because he would come and go as he please. No need to get anyone’s permission.

The only issue that pique his interest was the escape plan for the villagers from the enemies they couldn’t win. He have some ideas that would work but he still need to polish it.

Suddenly, a sound of clasp woken him up from his isolation. He turned his head and looking for the culprit who woke him up. It was Chief Pai but he was sitting on his chair while clasping his hands.

“Alright, this meeting is dismissed. I hope you can come to us later”, he said.

Slowly, everyone was evacuating the meeting room except a few person who still talking with the elders.

“Little bro, Elder Ma ordered our squad to collect the arrows. You go with Wang first, I will join you guys later”, said Duo Nan to Acma.

“Okay, brother Duo. Let’s go little brother. We will continue our talk earlier”, Hunter Wang interjected. Then he lead Acma and the other members toward the main gate.

“When did I joined this squad?”, Acma was puzzled. “Hmmmm... maybe because of the fight this morning or the fact that I only close to Duo Nan’s squad compare to other squads. Never mind, let's go with the flow for now”, he thought.

While on the way to the main gate, Hunter Wang continued his explanation.

“We’re talking about the elders’ decision before, right? They choose Apprentice Knight because this class were the most suitable class for group fighting. And according to the elders, Orca Village hunters used to fight in a group instead of fighting individually. We tried to argue at first, but after careful consideration, we also agree with them. Their point is, we’re still too weak to fight individually. The battle this morning for instance, they said, without your help and the wall surrounding the village, we already long dead. That’s why we need to fight together as a group and Apprentice Knight class will help us to accomplish that. There are some sort of buff available if all Apprentice Knight are fighting together. More is better”

“I also agree with the elders’ point. Its like sacrificing oneself for the benefit of the masses”, Acma supported.

“You’re right. The other point why they choose Apprentice Knight class is that the evolution tree for this class is either a full fledge Knight or a Guardian, which is supporting the elders main point. We can apply for it after we reach level 50 and having enough points...”

“Points?”, Acma interjected.

“Yes, points. Points we get from accomplishing the given tasks. You should know about this”.

“No, I don’t. This is the first time I heard about it”, said Acma with an embarrassed face.

“How come? You took your class at Beginner Village too right?”

“I’ve never been there”

“Where did you get your class then? Hmmmm, I can’t see your class at your name plate either. Little brother, what is your class?”

“It’s complicated. Explaining it will take too long. You can say that my class is a bit ‘special’ compare to others”, replied Acma.

“Sort of a ‘hidden’ class then, I think. Yup, that must be it. Come one, tell me”, Hunter Wang ‘trying’ to uncover the truth.

“Err, Brother Wang, can you explain about the tasks you mentioned earlier?” Acma changed the subject.

“Hey, don’t change the subject. Come on, tell me”, Hunter Wang insisted.

“Magnanimous person like brother Wang surely won’t mind small matter like that”, Acma said with a bright smile.

“Wow, flattery. Little brother must be desperate. Hahahaha... Okay then, lets continue about the tasks I mentioned earlier. Each individual who take a class at Beginner Village will get a certain tasks to accomplish, depends on the class they take. For an Apprentice Knight like me, our tasks were focused on bodily exercises like swinging the sword, running, sparring etc. When we have 1000 points and reach level 50, we will be able to return to Beginner Village and complete the procedure to advance from Apprentice Knight to Knight class or Guardian class. What’s more, you can also exchange the points with equipment or skills. Brother Duo, me and the rest of our squads already planning that, if possible, we will accumulate more than 2000 points before returning to Beginner Village so we can exchange it with a good skill. Right now, we only have a basic slashing skill”.

“...”

Acma was speechless. He never thought that going to Beginner Village would provide a lot of benefits that not lose to his. He didn’t care much about class or equipment because he was satisfied with his own, but the chances to obtain skills and upgrade it made him quite envy. As long as those tasks were available, the prospect of these people were boundless.

In his case, he only got two attack skills. Although both of them were divine class skill, their application were limited, especially the Dimension Breaker skill which needed a superb legend rank weapon to use.

“Haaah”, he sighed. He look at Hunter Wang and said,

“With such a chance, Brother Wang better get a superb skill from there”

“Of course we will”, Hunter Wang said it full of determination.

“How are you going to return to Beginner Village later?” asked Acma.

“We don’t know yet. Maybe it will happen like when we reach level 10, instantaneous teleportation. But I hope we were given a choice”, replied Hunter Wang.

“Brother Wang, we’ve arrived at the main gate. What do we do?” shouted one of hunters from Duo Nan’s squad at the front.

“Alright, lets spread out after we’re out of the village and collect as many arrow as possible. Make sure we’re not overlap with the other squads. Lets go”, replied Hunter Wang.