**** Billion's PoV
I shook my head to bring myself away from the class dreamland and asked, "Vice Commander, I have several Skill Cores from the checkpoint missions. When should I use them?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"You should use them before picking your class. Ideally, you should have used them before reaching Level 25 so your upgraded skills could be factored into your class choices."
I sighed.
"I didn't even get time to plan all this. The moment the demon died, I jumped from Level 22 to Level 25."
June nodded.
"I understand. It's not ideal, but it's fine. Just don't choose your class yet. Use the Skill Cores first otherwise, it'll be a waste."
I nodded and held back from clicking on the glowing [Class Options Available] panel.
[Status]
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Name : Billion Ironhart
Race : Human
Class : N/A
Laws : N/A
Level : 25
Talent :
- Generator 3
- Essence : 0/20
Attributes :
- Strength: 61
- Constitution: 86
- Dexterity: 66
- Psynapse : 80
Unused Stats: 15
Skills:
- Essence Manipulation (Innate) Level 3
- Psynapse Boost (Innate) Level 3
- Seismic Burst Level 2
Abilities:
- Apex Body – I (Passive)
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Fifteen unused stat points sat in my status panel, waiting to be allocated.
I scanned through each attribute, assessing their current levels.
My original plan was to focus on Strength and Psynapse, but that had been completely derailed thanks to the dead demon woman.
From that fight, one thing became clear, if I wanted to punch above my weight and prepare for unpredictable situations, Essence would play a crucial role.
To bridge the gap against stronger opponents, I needed one attribute to stand out, something that could push me beyond my limits.
For Guro, that attribute was Dexterity, it granted her incredible speed, and her class amplified that advantage. I could keep upgrading my stats through Essence Transfer, but even then, having one attribute significantly ahead of the others would give me an edge.
I churned over my new plan, weighing its feasibility.
It seemed solid, at the very least, it was worth testing. If it didn't yield results, I could always adjust using Generator.
After a moment of final deliberation, I made my decision.
Psynapse would be my primary focus. It enhanced Essence Manipulation, improved my ability to observe and control energy particles, and most importantly, sharpened my analytical abilities while keeping my emotions in check.
With that in mind, I allocated 10 points into Psynapse and the remaining 5 into Strength.
I checked my Talent Progression.
220/400.
'Nice.'
For a moment, all other thoughts vanished. My mind fixated on one thing, checking out my class options. But the Skill Cores were still back at camp, meaning I had to wait.
I exhaled and glanced at June. She stood near the edge, watching the lava bubble and churn.
Bracing myself, I carefully shifted my weight onto my legs, standing up shakily before making my way toward her.
"What are you thinking, Vice Commander?"
She turned to look at me.
"Why aren't you resting?"
I shrugged.
"Too excited about my class to sit still. I need a distraction."
She chuckled, then fell silent.
June glanced at me, then back at the lava.
"You did well," she said suddenly.
I blinked.
"Huh?"
She turned slightly, giving me a sidelong look.
"I saw what you did at the volcano. You handled yourself better than most would at your level."
I scratched the back of my head.
"Well… I didn't really have a choice, did I?"
She smirked.
"No, you actually did have a choice. You could have stayed with the other unit members. But that doesn't change the fact that you did what others did not."
I let out a breath.
"I still feel like I barely made it. If things had gone just a little differently, I might not be standing here right now."
June nodded.
"That's how it always is. No matter how strong you get, there will always be fights where you barely scrape by. The important part is that you did make it. And you learned from it."
I thought about that for a moment. About the fight, the demon, the sheer gap in power between us at the start and how, in the end, I still won.
"Yeah," I muttered. "I learned a lot."
June nodded.
"Good. That means next time, you'll do even better."
I chuckled.
"Next time? Can't I get a break first?"
She smirked.
"You? With that class waiting to be picked? No chance."
I sighed dramatically, shaking my head.
"Figures."
She chuckled again.
"Since you have the energy to talk and stand, let's get out of here and regroup with the others."
I nodded.
"Yeah, I want to see Steve. He's going to love hearing about the demon. He's got this weird fascination with reading about other races."
We started walking back together, but every step sent sharp stabs of pain through my leg. I tried to keep a straight face, but I couldn't stop myself from wincing.
June placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Let me help you."
Before I could react, she stepped closer and scooped me up in a princess carry.
I gawked in shock.
"Wh—what are you doing, Vice Commander?"
She shrugged.
"Helping you."
"No, no, no. You cannot do this to me. I have an image to maintain!"
She responded.
"Yeah, yeah. Typical man."
I snapped my mouth shut at that.
Then, since my pride was already in ruins, I wrapped my arms around her neck, grinning.
"Alright then, if we're doing this, let's do it properly. Let's see who else can brag about being this close to you, Vice Commander."
She shook her head.
"Why do I always forget that you're just a 17-year-old, horny kid?"
I gasped.
"Horny? Me? No way. I am a focused, ambitious man, Vice Commander. I demand you take back that statement."
She nodded sagely.
"Oh? Is that so? Then do tell me what about that time you and Steve tried to impress those twin sisters at the academy?"
I blinked.
"Twins? What twins?"
She scoffed.
"Oh, don't play dumb now. I know you remember."
My stomach sank.
I decided to keep my mouth shut before I embarrassed myself any further.
We moved through the battlefield, passing the area where I had fought the Abominations. The ground was still torn up, stained with broken rocks and scorched from the aftermath.
Soon, we reached the section filled with orc pods. I scanned the area and immediately noticed that many of them were missing.
We arrived at the hole I had dropped through to come to this place. Before I could say anything, June spoke.
"Hold on tight. I'm going to rush out."
I barely had time to nod before lightning crackled around her body. Sparks danced across her skin, flickering in arcs of blue. The air around us grew heavy, charged with energy. I closed my eyes and focused, trying to observe the lightning particles.
At first, they were just blurs of light, chaotic and fast. But as I concentrated, I saw them more clearly tiny, jagged streaks of energy that crackled and snapped against each other, like miniature storms colliding in a frenzy.
They wove around June's body in unpredictable patterns, each bolt pulsing with raw power.
Then, she bent her legs and shot upward.
A deafening boom followed as we tore through the tunnel at blinding speed. The walls blurred past, and before I could fully register the motion, we were already out, bursting into the open air. June landed at the volcano's edge, her lightning dispersing in a soft hum.
I looked up and finally saw the sky for the first time in days. The sun hung low, casting an orange glow across the horizon. A cool breeze carried the scent of ash and earth, a sharp contrast to the suffocating heat inside the volcano.
I exhaled deeply.
"Ahh… this feels good."
Before I could fully enjoy the moment, June blurred again.
The next thing I knew, we were standing in front of the rest of the unit.
A heavy silence settled over the group as they stared at me—then at June, who was still carrying me in her arms.
I coughed awkwardly.
I wasn't even wearing a shirt. My body was covered in scars, bloodstains, and exposed bone. Not exactly my best look.
Then, a familiar voice cut through the silence.
"Oh, welcome back, princess."
I turned my head slowly.
Steve stood there, waving at me with the biggest grin, while Logan smirked beside him.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, silently hoping he wouldn't say anything else.
I was proven wrong.
Steve grinned wider, clearly enjoying himself.
"I gotta say, Billion, I never took you for the type to get swept off your feet—literally."
Logan crossed his arms and nodded sagely.
"Yeah, I thought he was different, but…"
More chuckles spread through the unit.