"What's happening? Why can't I link armor?!"
Lawson was breaking out in a cold sweat. The surging power from moments ago had vanished without a trace. Kamuli ignored his distress and announced to the room:
"The mission has begun! Warriors, slide up your forearm armor. Use the embedded terminal to check the mission list and rewards. Achieving the goal is mandatory!"
Notifications lit up on everyone's phones:
Mission Location: [Pavilion Mall - Exterior]
Mission Type: [Co-op Task]
Mission Rank: [D]
Objective: [Defeat Shadow-Mimic (Orc Type): 0/20]
Reward: [200 LP]
"The 'Linked Points' (LP) you earn are the currency of this world," Kamuli added with a hint of greedy excitement. "They aren't just for crafting—they are the only energy source to upgrade your gear. Work hard if you want to stay alive!"
"You get paid for killing monsters? It's just like an MMO!" The confusion in the warriors' eyes was instantly replaced by burning ambition. Feeling the power within their suits, they turned as one and sprinted toward the smoke-filled entrance.
Soon, only three people remained in the hall.
"What's wrong, Lawson? Why haven't you suited up?" Katie stopped, looking at Lawson's frantic tapping. "Stop holding back. It's time for the 'Armor Expert' to take the stage."
"Yeah, bro! I'm waiting to see that blue-flame punch again. Move it!" Dodge urged.
"I want to! But my phone isn't showing the window!" Lawson cried out, drenched in sweat. "Let me see your screens!"
"It's right here. A giant [YES] and [NO]. Hard to miss," Katie turned her phone around, showing the glowing blue prompt. Dodge showed his too.
Lawson went pale. He charged at Kamuli, waving his phone. "Kamuli! Why is my phone dead? Are you targeting me?!"
"Who said it was dead?" Kamuli blinked, pointing calmly at his screen. "Look closer. It's been there the whole time."
Lawson held his breath, staring at the glass. The air seemed to freeze. There was no "YES" or "NO." Instead, a line of brilliant, blinding gold text occupied the center:
[Veteran Save-Data Detected. Forced Authorization Granted: SSS-Rank Gearsmith]
"I... I became a Gearsmith? And it's 'Forced'?!" Lawson yelled at Kamuli. "What is this?! I want to fight, not be some back-end mechanic!"
"Not my problem," Kamuli shrugged. "The system made a judgment based on your ten years of player data. Look for yourself."
She turned her tablet toward him. Lawson lunged forward, his eyes darting across the stream of data until he found the report that crushed his soul:
Player Name: ArmorGodLawson1215
Combat Rating: C (Majority of battles rated below B; judged unfit for front-line combat.)
Crafting Level: SSS+ (A level never before surpassed; judged as Absolute Gearsmith.)
Lawson stared at the data, whispering to himself, "I only got low ratings because I was busy experimenting with different armors..."
"SSS+ Rank?! Unsurpassed?!" Katie crowded the tablet, her eyes sparkling. "Senior! That's insane! You're basically a walking cheat code! Now I'm curious—Kamuli, show me mine!"
Dodge grinned, scratching his head. "Hidden stats? Check mine too, see if they're pretty!"
"Fine, fine. The panel is transparent for players," Kamuli swiped the screen.
Lawson watched them, sighing with a mix of veteran pride and support-role misery. He flipped into his 'toxic gamer' mode. "Oh, save it, you two. How long did you even play before quitting? This system judges years of habits. You two probably can't even tell armor attributes apart. You'll be lucky to get a C."
"Watch us, Senior!" Katie rolled her eyes.
Kamuli tapped the screen, and two translucent holograms unfolded. Lawson's smirk froze. He felt like he had been slapped across the face forty times in a row.
"No way... the system is bugged!"
Player Name: Dodge-Bro1024
Combat Rating: S+ (Natural-born brawler; A-rank or higher in 85% of battles.)
Crafting Level: C (Never crafted new gear; relied on one MAX-level set to brute-force the game. Judgment: Brutish Force.)
If Dodge's stats were understandable, Katie's made Lawson short-circuit.
Player Name: BlueHair0925
Combat Rating: SS+ (God of War tier; absolute ruler of the battlefield.)
Crafting Level: A+ (Competent but not a master.)
Recommended Role: Combat Gearsmith or Master Warrior.
"BWAHAHA! Katie is the hidden boss!" Dodge laughed, slapping his thigh. "Goddess, I'm following you from now on!"
"Oh... I'm embarrassed... I just played casually," Katie blushed to her ears, but a glint of pride danced in her eyes.
"Katie! You said you quit years ago!" Lawson was reeling.
"Actually... I played until three years ago when the shop got too busy," she whispered.
"You two are dedicated. One for seven years, one for ten," Dodge shook his head. "Me? I have a three-minute attention span. I jumped to fighting games after a while."
"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO FOCUS!" Lawson and Katie shouted in unison, pointing at him.
"The world is ending, and you three are bickering?" Kamuli's icy voice cut through. She looked at Dodge and Katie. "Choose. 'Blue Hair' and 'Blonde'."
"I'm Dodge-Bro! Of course I'm standing at the front!" Dodge roared, slamming his hand on [YES].
"—ARMOR LINK!!!"
His S-Rank suit, [TIGER SOUL], manifested. Orange vortices erupted, and metallic parts snapped onto his massive frame like a hungry predator. The chest plate mimicked his developed muscles in glowing lava-orange. The pauldrons were shaped like tiger claws, and the boots were designed to crush the earth. His helmet was a roaring mechanical tiger head with burning orange visors. He looked like a beast made of steel.
Earth-attribute, reinforced to the MAX, Lawson noted internally. Unique Skill: [Beast King's Guard]. Near-combat stats increased by 5x. He's a mobile human demolition ball.
"I'm off to save the world! Later!" Dodge leaped dozens of meters in one bound, vanishing toward the entrance.
"I think 'Kitty Soul' suits him better," Lawson muttered.
"You're funny, Senior," Katie giggled. "But that 'cat-like' wildness really fits Dodge."
"Hey, 'Blue Hair.' Decide already," Kamuli prompted impatiently.
Katie took a deep breath, her eyes shining. "I've decided... I want to be a Gearsmith! I want to design the most beautiful and strongest armor for everyone. Is that okay?"
Kamuli frowned. "The system assigns roles... wait, let me submit a request."
A chime rang from Katie's phone.
[Special Command: Given high combat talent and design passion, granted: COMBAT GEARSMITH. Accept?]
"Combat Gearsmith? What kind of hybrid role is that?" Lawson's jaw dropped. "Does the system do everything? Fighting and crafting?"
"Confirmed," Kamuli shrugged. "Accept it, Blue Hair."
"Both fighting and crafting?" Katie smiled warmly. "It sounds like hard work, but if I can design armor for my friends, I'm happy!"
She pressed [YES]. A gentle blue light enveloped her, then... nothing. Katie stood there in her blue dress. No armor appeared.
"Eh? No change?" Katie blinked innocently. "I thought I'd get a cool transformation like Dodge. Well... I guess we're partners now, 'Master Gearsmith' Lawson!"
She gave him a playful, elegant bow.