Sounds of footsteps reverberated on the floor as the students went to the fire exit. Immediately as they step outside Asher doesn't waste any time and conjures another fire ball. He was already tired but there were no other options. After that attack, more long offensive skills were used to injure the monsters in front, then the fighters came and finished the ones that didn't die. This attack pattern continued until Alex shouted again.
"It's coming again!"
His shout was more desperate than before making adrenaline pump across their bodies. Desperation and fear fuelled their steps until they reached the doors of the very place they needed to be in.
They finally arrive at the canteen labeled as a safe zone according to Gwen, their class secretary.
"Hoo.... everyone okay?" Asher asked immediately wanting to check his classmates.
"We are safe" Damian weakly replied while his back lies flat on the cold floor.
"Are we the only ones here?" Andrea asked as she looked around the room. It seems their previous near death experience made her shaken to trust her surroundings.
"Did anyone choose any scouting occupation, we need someone that can survey the area for any danger" the class president asked as he looked through the tables and shelves of the cafeteria.
"Can a sniper act as a scout?"
"Mine is an archer"
Steven and Dominic raise their hand as they reply to Asher's inquiry.
"I see I think that could work up, you two come over here I will explain everything" he said beckoning the two to approach him.
"So have the two of you played rpg games or read novels based on games before?" He first asked before explaining how he currently understood the situation.
"Think of this as a sort of game, your occupation is your position that fills this group. And the monsters are the things we need to kill to level up"
The two just listened closely paying heed to every word he said.
"Okay, just run and make sure to come back here as soon as you see danger, never engage, got it?"
"Got it!"
Even though the place was regarded as safe zone they couldn't erase the pressure of being watch by something they don't know. So to calm their nerves they must confirm if the canteen was indeed safe as it claim to be.
"An rpg game" Adrian mumble as he sat down on a nearby chair.
"What is it? What are you muttering like a lunatic there" Ethan told him, though his body remain shaking from the earlier chase.
"No I was thinking of what the president said, what if this entire scenario is really similar to a game" he theorizes while Ethan felt his words aren't too farfetch.
"Alright let's give it a try" he decided then thinks of anything he could do to prove his theory.
"First things first, Status appear!" He shouted however strangely nothing happens, no magical screen emerge causing for his friend who was still filled with fear to laugh at his current appearance.
"Wow you really... hahahaha!"
"Shut up!"
While the two bicker one of the people who listened to them thought of giving Adrian's theory a try.
"Status window" he said instead, for a moment he felt stupid for trying until a rectangular screen appear before him.
"It works!" He exclaimed causing for the entire class to look at him.
"What works, Jordan?" Adrian was first to ask which Jordan immediately replied.
"What you said a while ago works, say status window!"
Ethan who was still laughing suddenly stop when he heard those words, so although he was skeptical he gave it a try.
"Status window.... whoah!"
He was taken aback when a set of words emerge in front of him.
"So was I right?" Adrian asked, dumbfoundedly his friend could only nod his head.
"Ha! See I was right!" Then he planted his fist right at Ethan's head causing for the latter to wince.
"Ow, that hurts!"
"That's for laughing at me"
After that one by one they check their Status, and they finally caught a glimpse of their current strength.
[Name: Alexander Richard
Age: 18
Race: Human
Occupation: Card Maker
Strength: 5
Speed: 5
Agility: 5
Dexterity: 5
Endurance: 5
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 5
Health points:50
Mana points:50
Skills:
Card create (Active) {Rank E}]
"So thats really my occupation?" Alex felt dejected seeing only one skill of his confusing occupation. He doesn't really understand it out of all the jobs he could get. This card ended up being his.
"What's wrong Alex need help or something" Damian asked seeing his friend's reaction wasn't good.
"No all good just treading my occupation and skill, I want to be strong after all"
Damian just nodded knowing what he feel, while most of them began testing their skills and studying their occupation they have the scouts finally return with good news.
"So nothing is here"
"Yes pres no monster or any kind of portal"
"Asher I think Gwen is right this place is indeed a safe zone, we could probably rest here until we can move again" Steven and Dominic reported as soon as they arrive.
"That's good to hear, you two should probably rest like the others the canteen had enough supplies for all of us"
The two just nodded and head back at their friends side.
While the other continued regaining their vigor due to the safety and food of the safe zone Alex began understanding his occupation.
"So basically I can make cards, but not just any random cards but occupation cards!" He thought while reading the skill description.
"Okay let's test it first, skill activate Card create!" He commanded and with a flash a blank card landed on his hand.
"So this is the base now all I need to do is draw the card I had in mind"
The young man close his eyes and momentarily remember the flood of cards that previously surrounded them, each have their own strength but he needs something that is really useful.
"Hmmmm..." He continue thinking until Damian disrupted his deep concentration.
"Alex...Alex! Come on man respond you've been staring blankly at the space now"
With is friend's interruption Alex's concentration was broken and the image of all the cards in his mind shattered, he felt a bit irritated but understand that Damian must have been worried.
"Sorry, I was just checking my skill"
"Oh, need help?"
"Yeah I really need something but I don't know how to get it"
"What exactly do you need?"
"An occupational card"
"Really? Here I have one here you can have it if you want to" he replied in a matter of fact tone as he gave the card to his friend.
"Yeah tha-... Wait how can you have one didn't you absorb it like the others!"
Alex exclaimed as he remember how the cards was absorb right after being chosen, so he was taken aback on how his friend have one right now in his hand.
"Ah, this? Well back then when we are being tasked to pick a card I actually took two not one"
"Ha? Why?" Alex asked feeling confused, now he doesn't know whether what's harder, understanding his friend or his occupation.
"Because I thought that people can have multiple jobs if they take more than one card, turns out you can't, the moment you touch a card it's the one you will have to take even if you grab more" Damian explains, then he urge Alex to take the card in his hand.
"You can have it, I won't be able to use it after all" he added seeing how confused his friend's reaction.
"Alright thank you" Alex shook himself and removed all the unnecessary thoughts. It's not what he needs after all, he took the card from Damian's hand realize what kind of occupation it is.
"Gunner?"
"Yeah I took it thinking it will be a good match up with my Saber Master occupation. I was thinking of having both long range and mid range weapons, and since I have some knowledge about hand to hand combat my close range ability is already good, but as I said I while ago it didn't work"
Alex nodded acknowledging his friend's attempts to balance his power.