"Huk–!" A raspy breath came from behind. Dorrn looked in horror at Feiya, impaled through her chest by the large blade. She was shaking, staring down at the handle of the axe that pierced her. Then she wordlessly and slowly closed her eyes, falling limp and motionless.
Dorrn turned to the Demon. "You, you bast–!"
His words were cut off by a claw in his throat, stabbing all the way through and poking out the back of his neck.
Dorrn slumped over. The Demon, beaten, battered, and bleeding from the back, let out a grin as it retracted its claw from the man's throat.
But just then, Dorrn surged forth, a wave of energy invigorating him. "–Bastard!" he shouted as he reached around, gripping both sides of the gash on the Demon's back, and ripping it open, every ounce of strength in his arms going toward doing as much damage as possible.
The Demon hissed and snarled in agony, swiping at Dorrn and shoving him away to the ground. Its back poured out a fountain of blue blood from the ripped-anew wound and it fell to the ground.
"Don't you ever… interrupt me… again," Dorrn muttered. He laid his head on the dirt.
Dorrn didn't get back up.
The Demon, however, did. Slowly, it got to one knee, then to the other, and then to its feet. I realized with more and more certainty that it would survive this encounter.
I couldn't let that happen.
I hadn't known them for long, but this Demon, this monster, killed two people. I couldn't let their lives be lost in vain.
Staring at the monster's bleeding back that was turned toward me, I ran out from my hiding spot, sword held out at my waist.
Shunk.
The sword slid easily into the Demon's open wound.
You have struck Level 14 Temporus for 37 damage using Sword.
The Demon – Temporus, it seemed to be called – turned to me in shock and pain. It looked at my sword, and chuckled, shaking its head. It had an almost self-deprecating expression, like it realized it had forgotten about something obvious. I withdrew my sword, and it collapsed to the ground.
I watched the unmoving body, breathing heavily.
You have offered minor contribution toward the slaying of Level 14 Temporus.
Due to being Unclassed, you have earned 0 XP.
I took a breath. Was that it? Was I finally going to get my Class? I looked around wildly, waiting for the fateful System message.
It only took a few moments – probably only a second or two – but it felt like hours.
Feat of strength performed. You have used a sword to kill an enemy of at least Level 10.
You have been awarded the Swordsman Class, Melee-Type.
Yes! Finally!
I had done it! I had gotten–
Feat of strength performed. You have killed Legendary Monster: Temporus, Overlord of Tomorrows.
You have been awarded the Minute Mage Class, Magic-Type.
Override. You have two Classes. Deleting lowest priority Class.
Congratulations. You are now a Minute Mage.
…the Minute Mage Class?
Congratulations. You are now a Minute Mage.
Several things happened at once. The sword in my hands immediately dropped out, as if it were too heavy to hold. I remembered something about how Magic-Type Classes couldn't use melee weapons, but I was too shocked to really process the information.
I could also feel… something… changing within me. In my mind, it was like a door was opened – a door I had never even known was there until just now. Right at the culmination of this opening…
Due to achieving Level 0 in the Minute Mage Class, you have been granted the following benefits:
-You have unlocked the Conjuration Stat.
-You have gained 1 Endurance.
-You have gained 2 Conjuration.
-You have gained 3 Stat Points.
-You have gained the Time Loop Talent.
-You may choose a Spell to learn.
I blinked, trying to understand the information I'd just learned. I'd unlocked the Conjuration Stat. Right. You needed it to properly cast Spells. All Magic-Type Classes got it. I'd get to learn a Spell.
That made sense. But… Time Loop? I'd never heard of that. In fact, I'd never even heard of this 'Minute Mage' Class to begin with. Was there anyone else out there with it?
But just then, I felt another rising in my head. Another door being opened. It felt different, not like getting a Class. It was like–
Feat of excellence performed. You are the only person in the world with your Class.
You have gained the Trailblazer Title.
Only person in the world with my Class? What? How does that even happen?
I took a deep breath and looked at my surroundings. I was in the middle of a frontier forest. An exceptionally dangerous place that nobody should ever travel through unguarded. And my two escorts had just died.
I was alone.
I was also lost. I had no idea how far away society was, much less what direction it was in. Dorrn and Feiya had taken so many turns and detours when hunting that I not only wasn't sure where I was, but I also wasn't sure where my village was.
I could easily look up to the sun and find my directions from there, but what direction was the village in? We'd left out the south entrance, sure, but I was also pretty sure we'd turned and gone east for a while, too, but then we turned again, and... Shit. Why couldn't they have just taken me in a straight line?! Why couldn't Dorrn and Feiya have–
Oh, gods. Dorrn and Feiya. I looked over at their corpses and swallowed, trying to keep myself from vomiting. The disgust at the sight, the shame of not being strong enough to save them, the stress of having my life resting entirely on my own shoulders now. Too much. It was too much.
Shaking my head and taking a breath, I tried to calm myself down. I was in a survival situation. As an aspiring adventurer, I knew how to survive in the wilderness.
It happened every so often that a group of adventurers would be decimated during a job, and the lone survivor would have to make their way back home without a team or supplies, so basic information on what to do in circumstances like mine was common. Of course, that was assuming the lone adventurer was generally strong enough to survive the monster attacks in their location.
I forced that thought out of my head. Needed to focus on what I could do, not what I