The atmosphere in Class 5A was tense, yet controlled.
A low murmur of voices filled the air, careful not to carry too far and attract unwanted attention. The distant groans and thuds outside were a constant reminder of the danger lurking beyond the walls.
Lucian Rowen stood near the front of the classroom, his posture impeccably straight, expression calm but sharp. His golden eyes scanned every face, analyzing hesitation, fear, and weakness.
"We need a plan," he began, voice steady, masking the weight of responsibility behind a practiced facade. "Indecision is only going to get us killed."
The class president, an average-looking boy with glasses named Darren Hargrove, adjusted them nervously.
"Maybe we should just stay here until help arrives?" a girl spoke timidly, voice trembling.
Lucian suppressed a sigh.
"Are you stupid?" snapped a curly-haired male student, harsh and blunt. "Have you seen the state outside? There is no help coming."
A confident brown-haired student, arms crossed over his chest, added with false bravado, "We've awakened, haven't we? Surely we can overpower a few goblins." He flexed the battle axe at his side as if to prove it.
"Why can't we just wait here?" another girl whimpered, tears welling in her eyes.
"Waiting isn't an option," Lucian cut in, voice firm, lower. "Our presence is surely attracting monsters. And food supplies will run out soon. Survival requires action."
All heads turned toward him, his presence overwhelming.
"Let's head toward the cafeteria," he continued softly, authoritative, offering hope amid despair.
"There should still be leftovers and supplies there."
"Currently, we have twenty-six students in this room. To minimize risk, we'll split into two groups."
His mind calculated every possibility, every outcome, cold and precise.
"I will lead the right wing team, along with Marcus Reed," he added, his golden eyes briefly flickering toward his vice leader, who leaned against the wall, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
The list of chosen students followed—selected carefully after Lucian reviewed their status windows in secret, an ability granted by the Hero System.
The ten chosen were:
Alex Turner (Archer – Common Path)
Daniel Brooks (Berserker – Rare Path)
Clara Bennett (Healer – Common Path)
Sophie Lin (Fire Mage – Uncommon Path)
Ryan Keller (Martial Monk – Uncommon Path)
Ethan Park (Ranger Path)
Samuel Kim (Iron Fortress – Rare Path)
Joshua Lim (Assassin Class – Uncommon Path)
Rachel Moore (Water Mage – Uncommon Path)
Mia Zhang (Wood Druid – Rare Path)
Each one had enough stats to survive… or so Lucian assumed.
Moments earlier, a system notification popped into Lucian's mind.
> [Ding!]
[Quest Given: Head to the cafeteria to look for supplies.]
[Reward: 20 Hero Coins]
The system granted him power—legendary artifacts, skills, and weapons in exchange for Hero Coins, obtainable only by completing quests.
Might as well clean up some of the trash along the way, he thought coldly, eyeing the other group.
But they strongly disagreed.
Arguments flared, voices clashed. The other team accused him of being reckless, authoritarian, selfish.
Then came Lucian's final statement, gentle but with an iron edge:
"This isn't about fairness. It's survival. Every second we hesitate, the monsters grow bolder. I know some of you think I'm selfish, but splitting up is the only way to avoid drawing more attention. If I don't make these decisions, we all die.
"I am not your enemy. If I have to bear the guilt of these choices… so be it. But I swear—I will do my best to ensure your safety."
Silence fell.
His words weighed down on them.
Slowly, the others nodded.
Without realizing it, fear had morphed into reluctant trust.
With preparations finalized, the two groups parted.
One moved left, toward the uncertain path.
The other—Lucian's carefully chosen team—moved right.
---
Class 5B POV
The air in Class 5B shifted.
After nearly two hours of panic, denial, and despair, acceptance settled in.
Emily Carter, calm and rational, finally proposed action.
"We're not just waiting anymore," she declared, determination lacing her voice. "We'll roam the school together and rescue the students still trapped out there."
Her bold plan met resistance at first. Fear clashed with logic, arguments erupted. But as time dragged on, survival won.
Together, the entire class—23 students, plus 4 rescued earlier—moved carefully, steps slow and synchronized. Every creaking floorboard sounded deafening.
At first, nothing.
But soon… they encountered a small group of goblins.
With makeshift spears, blunt objects, and sheer will, they overwhelmed the beasts.
Surprisingly, no other goblins appeared after that.
Emily thought carefully.
'They're probably in the left wing… where the screams came from.'
After thirty minutes of searching, they finally rescued one student—cowering in a locker, too afraid to speak.
> [Quest Complete.]
[Reward: Beginner's Gift, Awakening, Status Unlocked.]