( Meanwhile Eren )
Up till recently, Eren had the most useless secret class in the entire game…. A class that hindered his growth greatly and made it difficult for him to survive as an average player.
While everyone around him received a normal class like 'Mage' or 'Knight', Eren received a secret class on the very first day of the game's launch called the 'Demon Whisperer'.
At first he felt really excited about receiving a special class, however, his joy soon turned into despair when he noticed the conditions attached to his class.
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• The player who receives the 'Demon Whisperer' class cannot voluntarily reveal their class identity to the public until the class becomes (Active).
• Until the 'Demon Whisperer' class becomes active, the player receiving the special class must carry on with their gaming career under the guise of being a common 'Foot Soldier'.
•The player receiving the special class 'Demon Whisperer' can never take up government posts/ official jobs and can never take up missions that give 'fame' as a reward.
•If the player with the 'Demon Whisperer' class is found out by the masses before the class turns (Active) the player will die instantly.
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Not only did Eren receive harsh starting conditions for his class, he also had to start his gaming career with an (inactive) class and take on menial missions to grow that did not have any fame associated as a reward.
For the first 10 months of the game, Eren only learnt generic skills open to all classes and leveled up through killing weak monsters.
The 'Demon Whisperer' class was like a curse for him, as while the rest of the players learnt their class specific skills and went on killing tough monsters, Eren was forced to take it slow.
It wasn't until the finals of the Grand Tournament was completed and after the Emperor came out to make his yearly address, that Eren's class turned from (inactive) to (Active).
[ System Notification:- The demons have encircled the Empire and are planning a large-scale incursion.
Your class 'Demon Whisperer' is now unlocked and is open for game-play.
Please head over to the woods in the outskirts of the Eastern Duchy and meet with their Greater Demon Leader to unlock your first class specific skills ]
As Eren sat in the Grand Arena, listening to the Emperor's speech, he received a system notification that changed his life as the moment that he had been waiting for so long seemed to have finally arrived.
'Oh yeah baby! It's finally my time to shine' thought Eren as he did not waste a single moment after receiving this system notification, as he bolted straight for the Eastern Duchy, leaving the capital city the same day.
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( Present Day )
It took Eren about a week to journey from the capital city of StrongHaven to the Eastern Borders, which were recently under duress due to constant demon invasions.
Leaving the safety of the inner Empire, Eren noticed the stark contrast in his surroundings as he approached the border regions ravaged by war.
The bustling, orderly streets of the central regions gradually gave way to scenes of desolation and chaos as Eren approached the border towns and villages, with the Empire wide civilian activity diminishing and being replaced by an overwhelming military presence.
Near the border, soldiers patrolled the evacuated towns and demarcated areas relentlessly, manning the checkpoints at every major crossroad, as Eren was stopped and interrogated by the local military officers at least 20 times a day, as he moved through the war torn region as a solo adventurer.
As Eren approached the final border towns, that were near the Empire's absolute boundary, he noticed a shift in the air. As unlike the rest of the Empire where the air was fresh and a joy to breathe, the air near these border towns felt heavy with the acrid smell of smoke.
For as far as Eren could see, only a desolate picture of burnt houses and destroyed farmlands entered his eyes, as signs of brutal conflicts were evident everywhere.
The once-thriving communities near the border were now converted to ghost towns, their inhabitants having either fled to the safer inner regions or hiding in constant fear of the next attack.
No longer did mothers in these border towns allow their children to play in the open, or wander far from home, as only the adults wandered outside the house and only for necessities, while everyone else stayed within the confines of their own homes, ready to abandon their shelter at any moment, should a demon raid commence.
This transformation from a peaceful, thriving society to a war-torn landscape was evident in every burned building and abandoned home, as Eren could feel the hardships of war as he passed through the desolate Eastern Landscape.
Since he wasn't heartless, he did feel a pinch of pity when he saw the faces of the gaunt civilians with haunted eyes moving about cautiously, their lives having been upended by the ever-present threat of demon attacks, however, while he did pity them, he did not wish to help them as in the end he put his own selfish interests above the lives of these people.
Soon, Eren reached the woods at the edge of the final Empire Village, which marked the natural boundary between the Empire and the neighboring Forest Tribes and crossed over into the woods, officially exiting the Empire's borders.
Almost as soon as he crossed over into the woods, the Empire built roads ended and gave way to a small mountain trail, which soon vanished into a rough clearing that was difficult to navigate on his horse mount, as the path was only wide enough for one person to walk comfortably and did not have enough space for his horse to place all four feet.
Here, in the dense forest, the environment was entirely different to that of the civilized empire as the land around him was untamed and perilous.
At first, Eren did not understand just how dangerous the forest was, as he kept riding his horse through the rough terrain, however, he soon learnt the lesson about the dangers of the forest the hard way, when his sturdy mount that he had only recently purchased back at the capital, died due to having its feet cut by thorns of an extremely poisonous plant.
Despite Eren's desperate attempts to save it, the horse succumbed to the venom, leaving him stranded alone in the dense forest.
Without his mount, Eren's progress slowed to a crawl. Each step was a struggle against the thick underbrush, with swarms of insects, and his own growing exhaustion.
Eren cursed his misfortune, feeling the weight of his predicament more acutely with every passing hour as he had to hack through thick bushes and cut through strong vines, as he struggled to move just a few meters, the deeper he ventured into the forest.
'Why must I face such hardships? What did I do to receive such a stupid class?' Eren wondered, as his excitement about his class finally activating vanished when he was forced to confront the dangers of the wild.
'After all this, will I even become a top player? Or will my secret class continue to be useless?
I'm already in the bottom 10% of Sector B, if I don't improve before the next evaluation, I'll be demoted to Sector C for sure….'
'No! I cannot let myself be demoted to Sector C.
The living conditions there are horrible and the work one has to perform is arduous.
I cannot struggle both inside the game and outside' Eren thought, as despite his frustrations, he kept hacking and moving forward, until he finally stumbled upon a forest tribe settlement, deep into the woods.
At first, he could only hear the hustle and bustle of the settlement from afar, as he let the loud sounds guide him to the actual village, where upon his arrival, his excitement soon turned to horror, to excitement once again, as he noticed how the forest tribe was actually under attack by demons.
The scene that he witnessed was one of utter chaos: villagers, armed with whatever they could find, fought desperately against the onslaught of demons, while the demons, grotesque and relentless, tore through the tribal village, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.
'The tribesmen stand no chance…'Eren thought as he observed the massive 7 to 8 feet tall demons who towered over the puny humans, absolutely demolishing them in one-on-one fights.
The demons were monstrous in appearance, with thick, scaly skin that ranged from dark green to pitch black.
Their eyes glowed with a menacing red hue, and their mouths seemed to be filled with razor-sharp teeth that looked like they were capable of tearing through steel.
Each demon had muscular arms ending in clawed hands, perfect for ripping and shredding their opponents, while their movements were both swift and brutal, demonstrating a feral grace that belied their massive size.
Horns jutted from their foreheads, and some had spikes running down their spines, adding to their terrifying visage.
As Eren watched, he noticed the difference between common demons and higher demons.
The common demons, while formidable, were somewhat uniform in their brutality and physical prowess as they fought with savage ferocity, driven by instinct and raw power.
In stark contrast, the higher demon, the commander of this raid, stood out not only in size but also in its aura of authority and intelligence.
This demon was a towering figure, close to 10 feet tall, with a dark, almost obsidian hide that seemed to absorb the light around it.
Its eyes burned with a malevolent intelligence, and its horns were longer and more twisted, giving it a sinister crown.
Unlike the mindless rampage of the common demons, the higher demon moved with calculated precision, directing its underlings with gestures and guttural commands.
The higher demon wielded a massive, jagged sword that seemed to be made from the bones of fallen enemies, its edge glowing with a sinister red hue.
Every swing of its weapon was devastating, cleaving through multiple tribesmen with ease and the air around it seemed to crackle with dark energy, and its very presence instilled a deep, primal fear in those who dared to look upon it.
As Eren gazed upon the higher demon, a system notification appeared before his eyes, momentarily pulling his focus away from the carnage.
[ System Notification: You have gazed upon a Greater Demon Leader. Your class-specific skill [Demon Tongue] has been unlocked. ]
Suddenly, Eren could understand the hand gestures and the guttural commands of the higher demon, as out of nowhere Eren seemed to understand how to speak Demon Tongue.
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/// A/N - Apologies for only one chapter today although a bonus is due.
But it's my birthday and I'm finding it challenging to make more time to work today. ///