"Welcome! I'm the receptionist, Abigail."
Ethan's gaze lifted—and for a second, the chaos in his mind faltered.
She was stunning.
A woman in her mid-twenties, with long chestnut hair flowing like silk, flawless porcelain skin, and warm hazel eyes that glimmered under the neon lights. Her professional attire—a crisp white blouse with the top button undone just enough to hint at her generous swell of her breasts, paired with a short black skirt and thigh-high stockings—projected both elegance and confidence. Her high heels clicked softly as she approached, her red lips forming a perfectly polished smile.
"You've reached Level 10 and qualified for your first Job Change," she said brightly, her tone cheerful but professional. "May I ask what kind of profession you wish to choose?"
Ethan's eyes lingered for just a moment—long enough to recognize her beauty—but his mind was still racing, still processing the bartender's words. He couldn't even admire the beauty in front of him properly.
"Please," he said calmly, his tone clipped, "show me the list of available jobs."
"Of course!" Abigail replied, her smile deepening as she gracefully raised her hand. A white light shimmered around her fingers, and a holographic interface unfolded before Ethan like a floating star map.
A soft hum filled the air as countless job titles scrolled in glowing letters before his eyes.
Doctor. Soldier. Assassin. Priest. Healer. Gunner. Blacksmith. Mage. Warlock. Summoner. Beast Tamer. Hunter. And many more—some drawn from human professions, others pulled straight from fantasy and nightmare alike.
The sheer scope made Ethan's mind spin. He wasn't just choosing a career—he was choosing a path of evolution.
His sharp gaze flicked through the options rapidly. He wasn't looking for what sounded "cool." He was looking for synergy—something that would maximize his current stats, skills, and survival prospects.
He tapped the word Doctor. Instantly, the hologram shifted, displaying a three-dimensional model of a medic in sleek combat gear, wielding both syringes and plasma guns.
[[Job Class: Doctor]
Tier: Support-Type Profession
Classification: Medical / Scientific
Overview:
The Doctor is an essential profession for any survival-focused team. While not as fast in recovery as Priests or magical Healers, Doctors offer practical, real-world medical expertise that is irreplaceable in long-term survival. Using traditional medical methods, surgical precision, and pharmacological knowledge, Doctors serve as the backbone of recovery operations—treating wounds, curing infections, and developing potent remedies against viral threats.
Key Strengths:
Can heal physical injuries and stabilize severe trauma using conventional tools and medication.
Capable of identifying and curing viral infections (including strains immune to magic-based healing).
Has the ability to develop new drugs, antidotes, and enhancement serums given the right resources and facilities.
Plays a vital role in diagnosing long-term afflictions and managing disease outbreaks.
A hybrid class capable of healing allies, crafting antidotes, and enhancing the human body through chemical means. At higher levels, the Doctor can modify living tissue, regenerate limbs, and develop viral countermeasures.
Weaknesses:
Healing speed is slower than magical-based recovery professions (e.g., Priests or Healers).
Requires physical supplies (bandages, medicines, surgical tools) to perform most functions.
Limited offensive capabilities. Primarily a support role.
Starting Skill upon Job Change:
Skill: Common Medical Skill and Knowledge
Grants the user an in-depth understanding of anatomy, virology, first aid, diagnostics, and basic pharmaceutical science.
Enables usage of basic healing tools, emergency surgery, and treatment of low- to mid-level infections.
Increases success rate when crafting medicinal drugs or applying healing items.
Role in Team:
A Doctor ensures sustainable survivability in long-term campaigns. Whether stabilizing a bleeding teammate, creating antitoxins for venomous bites, or researching cures for unknown viral mutations, the Doctor bridges the gap between science and survival when magic is unavailable or ineffective.]
Ethan's eyes narrowed, his mind dissecting every word that appeared in the glowing hologram.
"So the Doctor class isn't just healing," he murmured thoughtfully, "it's evolution—adaptation through science and control."
The thought sent a ripple through his mind. Evolution. That word again. The bartender's voice still echoed in the back of his skull: When the system lifts the leash… the living will evolve too.
A faint smirk curved his lips, the kind that spoke of quiet defiance. "If evolution is coming," he whispered, his tone edged with steel, "then I'll be ready before anyone else."
Abigail tilted her head slightly, her hazel eyes gleaming with a soft curiosity. "Have you made your decision yet, Mr. Ethan?"
Her voice was melodic, confident, and carried a faint sweetness that could have melted lesser men. The golden light from the floating hologram danced across her features—highlighting her smooth skin, the elegant line of her neck, and the glossy waves of her chestnut hair that framed her face perfectly.
But Ethan's mind was running too fast, too deep in calculation to truly register her beauty. Every cell in his body was focused on survival, strategy, and power.
"Not yet," he replied, his tone low and measured. "But soon."
With a flick of his wrist, Ethan pointed toward another glowing emblem—the Soldier class. The holographic menu shifted, bathing the room in a sterile blue light as new text unfolded before his eyes.
[[Job Class: Soldier]
Tier: Combat-Type Profession
Classification: Firearms / Tactical Warfare
Overview:
The Soldier is a foundational combat profession specializing in modern weaponry, tactics, and disciplined warfare. While not as physically dominant in melee as Warriors, Soldiers excel in ranged combat, offering precision, coordination, and fire support that can turn the tide of any battle. With battlefield awareness and training in modern firearms, explosives, and small-unit tactics, they form the backbone of organized resistance in a post-apocalyptic world.
Key Strengths:
Proficient with a wide array of firearms: pistols, rifles, shotguns, and automatic weapons.
Strong tactical sense—better at positioning, suppressing, and controlling the battlefield.
Can use basic cover mechanics, suppressive fire, and ambush strategies effectively.
Gains better handling of recoil and accuracy than trained individuals.
Weaknesses:
Moderate close combat ability—cannot match the raw melee power of Warriors or Berserkers.
Dependent on ammunition and firearm condition to remain effective.
Requires high focus and awareness—low Spirit or Perception reduces combat potential.
Starting Skill upon Job Change:
Skill: General Firearms Control and Knowledge
Grants proficiency in operating most standard firearms, including maintenance, aiming, and tactical use.
Reduces recoil, increases reload speed, and improves hit rate with firearms.
Unlocks compatibility with firearm-based skill books and tactical equipment.
Role in Team:
Soldiers serve as frontline gunners, tactical leaders, and support firepower units. In organized combat, their understanding of ranged engagement and weapon maintenance makes them indispensable. When ammunition is limited, a trained Soldier's shot is the one that matters.]
Ethan's gaze flickered with interest as he finished reading. General Firearms Control and Knowledge. His lips twitched slightly.
"This skill alone…" he murmured, "…could triple my combat potential."
He clenched his fist slowly. Until now, his shooting ability had been laughably poor—he'd barely hit anything that moved. But this? This could change everything. The revolver he'd looted earlier, the Stinger Pistol—it would finally become more than just dead weight in a long distance fight.
He could already picture it: his shots cleaner, faster, precise enough to drop an evolved zombie before it reached striking distance.
Ethan leaned back slightly, his mind spinning with connections and probabilities. A summoner who can also fight at range… versatile and unpredictable. My summon can distract or block while I provide fire support. Perfect synergy.
Abigail watched him quietly, her glossy lips parting in a faint, knowing smile. "You're taking your time," she said, her voice teasingly soft. "Most people choose whatever looks powerful. But you're… analyzing."
Ethan didn't look at her, though he caught the faint scent of her perfume—a cool, floral note that lingered in the air. "Choosing wrong in this world isn't an option," he replied flatly. "Power isn't about damage—it's about how you use it."
Abigail's smile widened, impressed despite herself. "A strategist," she mused under her breath.
Ethan began flipping through more job descriptions, his eyes scanning rows of holographic light. Each job came with its own promise, its own allure: Assassin, Mage, Warlock, Beast Tamer. But one by one, he dismissed them.
The support jobs had value—blacksmiths could forge weapons, doctors could cure, healers could bless. But Ethan needed survival. Needed offense.
He thought of the mages—casting long spells that took seconds too many, their glowing circles unfinished before claws ripped them apart. He thought of the warriors—brave, yes, but all muscle and no adaptability. A bullet didn't care how strong your body was, at least in the beginning.
A slow grin formed on his lips. "A rocket launcher solves that problem nicely," he murmured to himself.
Abigail raised an eyebrow, uncertain whether he was joking or serious.
Then, mid-scroll, something unexpected happened. The holographic projection glitched.
For a moment, the entire job list flickered—then dimmed. A faint pulse of black light rippled across the interface. Ethan's instincts kicked in immediately. He froze, narrowing his eyes.
"What's this?" he muttered.
Abigail blinked in surprise. "That shouldn't be there…" she whispered, her cheerful tone faltering as the light deepened to a shadowy crimson hue.
The words on the screen warped, twisting into strange symbols before resolving into something legible.
A hidden option. One not meant for everyone.
"Now this…" Ethan breathed, his eyes reflecting the glow, "this is interesting."
He reached out, his finger brushing against the pulsing black emblem. The moment he touched it, the hologram flared—light swallowing the room in a storm of black and gold.
Abigail gasped, taking an instinctive step back, her heels clicking sharply on the marble floor. Her eyes widened, lips parting slightly in shock.
Ethan's gaze locked on the projection. His pulse quickened, but not from fear—there was fascination there, an almost magnetic pull. Something inside him responded to the darkness, like an echo finding its twin in a cavern long sealed.
The air grew heavy, humming with restrained menace as words began to form in luminous runes across the hologram.
[[Hidden Job: Dark Knight]
Tier: Advanced Combat Profession (Hidden Class)
Classification: Darkness / Melee / Fear-Based Warfare
Overview:
The Dark Knight is a secretive and elite class awakened only to those with dark potential. Channeling the power of violent darkness, a Dark Knight is not just a warrior but a vessel for fear, vengeance, and corruption. These knights forsake light and honor, trading them for raw destructive power and psychological dominance over the battlefield.
Their combat style blends brute melee strength with supernatural darkness, overwhelming enemies through intimidation, terror, and cursed augmentation.
Starting Skills upon Job Change:
Art of Fear –
Dark Enhancement –
Passive Ability:
Melee Weapon Proficiency (Dark Variant) – Instantly gain basic mastery over swords, axes, spears, and two-handed melee weapons. While wielding melee weapons, gain a 2% bonus to attack speed and power.
Key Traits:
Draws strength from rage, pain, or corruption.
Weapon attacks have a chance to apply "Terror" or "Weakness" debuffs.
Some skills scale with negative emotions or fear levels in the area.
Perfect for soloing or overwhelming weaker enemies with pressure and darkness.
Role in Team:
The Dark Knight is an intimidating frontliner, sowing chaos among enemy ranks and weakening foes before a decisive blow. In team compositions, they serve as both an enforcer and a psychological weapon—undermining morale and fortifying the party with sheer dread.
Warning:
The path of the Dark Knight is one of struggle. Though powerful, the darkness that grants this strength may also seek to consume the user's mind, affecting future job evolutions or moral decisions.]