Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

The job change system in World Breaker was relatively simple. At the start of the game, players would choose one of three basic classes: Warrior, Mage, or Artisan. After reaching certain levels, they could advance to a more powerful class. The first job change occurred at level 3, the second at level 25, and the third at level 50.

The first job change, however, was almost too insignificant to be considered an advancement. It was more of a transition from the tutorial to the actual gameplay. This system was designed for beginners, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the basic classes before moving on to the first job change. Without a basic understanding, players might struggle, which is why there was a level gap before the first job change.

In multiplayer modes, where there were no beginners, players could start directly from the first job change. In reality, the first job change hardly held any significance. However, now that the game had become a reality, it served as a benchmark for those who aspired to become pioneers.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"But the second job change is different."

If the first job change marked the beginning of the real game, the second job change was when a character gained the true power of a "hero." This was the point when a character became strong enough to take on military units alone. After the second job change, a character's power exploded. According to the game lore, a character who completed the second job change became a hero, and after the third job change, they would ascend to a demigod.

Now, two of Justin's comrades had reached the threshold of their second job change.

"How do you feel?" one of them asked him. "Do you know what's going on?"

Justin, who had been lost in thought, snapped back to reality as Rachel and Yoon Ho-chan tugged at him, their faces filled with concern. Realizing the situation, Justin suppressed a smile and nodded.

"Don't worry. It looks like they're going through their second job change. If we wait a little, they'll return to normal."

"What? Second job change?" Yoon Ho-chan asked.

"Yeah. Remember when I hit level 25 and zoned out? This is exactly the same."

In the game's lore, during the second job change, a character's soul would be summoned to a specific place. For instance, Justin, as a dark mage, was summoned to the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons. Barbarians would be summoned to the Tower of Strife, and Paladins to the Hall of Radiance. Once summoned, players would choose a patron from those waiting in these locations, gaining greater strength from their choice.

Justin recalled that if he had chosen one of the Four Archdukes during his time in the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons, he could have finished his second job change sooner. However, he had rejected them all in order to pursue the hidden class of "Apostle of Eternity." It had been a strategic retreat to make greater progress, and though it had paid off, he couldn't help but feel a little regret. He would have to step back from being one of the strongest pioneers, even if only temporarily.

"Is it supposed to take this long? You came back after a minute, but they've been gone for five," Rachel said, her voice tinged with worry.

"They're probably going through the full job change process. If we wait…"

Before Justin could finish his sentence, a burst of light exploded from both of his comrades. One light was a searing red, like molten lava, and the other was a radiant white.

"Ugh!"

"What the—!?"

"Kyaaargh!"

Everyone recoiled in shock, shielding their eyes from the blinding light. Even Justin, startled, instinctively covered Fafnir's eyes and took a few steps back. The intense light gradually faded, and when Justin opened his eyes, he saw that the atmosphere around Derek and Ethan had changed.

The two of them grinned from ear to ear as they shouted in unison, "We've completed the second job change!"

"Well done!" Justin smiled and gave them a thumbs-up.

It was during a dungeon exploration, when Justin had reached level 25 and returned from the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons, that he first explained the second job change to his comrades. After returning to the village, he had gathered them to discuss what lay ahead.

He had warned them that anyone who reached level 25 could be whisked away to the job change location, just like he had been.

"Don't panic when the time comes," Justin had advised. "Don't pick something hastily. Prepare yourself in advance. I'll explain everything you need to know."

Justin hadn't maintained the top spot in the World Rebuild rankings just for show. Even though he was a dark mage, he had all the information about the higher classes for every job stored in his head. He had shared that information with his comrades, but the final decision on which class to choose was left entirely up to them.

"When the time comes, just pick the class that feels right for you," Justin had told them.

"Are you sure? If there's a class that would help the team more, I'm willing to choose that," one of them had said.

"No need. By now, you all know your own style. We've fought countless monsters together, so you should have a good grasp of your strengths and weaknesses. When the options present themselves, you'll know which one is the best for you."

Justin hadn't wanted to interfere too much. He knew that forcing them to choose a certain class could stifle their growth.

"That's why I'm telling you to pick the higher class that suits you best. Don't pick something just because it looks good for the team and end up regretting it later."

Looking back, Justin was glad he had made that decision. Both Derek and Ethan looked absolutely satisfied with their new powers after completing their second job changes.

"How does it feel to have completed the second job change?" Justin asked.

"How does it feel?" Derek smirked, stamping his foot on the ground.

"It feels amazing!"

Boom!

With one kick, the ground shook violently. It was an extraordinary display of strength, even for a pioneer. The other pioneers nearby widened their eyes in shock.

"I feel the same way," Ethan said, giving a slight, embarrassed smile at Derek's dramatic performance. However, he couldn't hide the grin on his own face either.

"It feels like my entire body has changed. I suppose the difference feels more pronounced because the gap between pre- and post-job change is so big, but it's even more noticeable than leveling up."

"What do you mean?" Justin asked.

"It feels like I jumped 15 levels all at once."

"Fifteen levels? Really?" Justin raised an eyebrow.

Ethan nodded seriously. "If we're talking raw stats, maybe not quite that much. But with my enhanced skills, it feels like it."

"To be honest, I feel like I could kill an orc barehanded right now," Derek chimed in, clenching his fists and smashing them together. The sound of the impact echoed in the air, causing the other pioneers to nervously step back.

While the others marveled at their newfound strength, Justin quietly observed Derek's performance, mumbling to himself.

"You're a Berserker, aren't you?" Justin asked, observing Derek.

"Huh? How did you know?" Derek replied, surprised.

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"Just by looking at your physical abilities, it's obvious. Even though you've completed your second job change, it's like you've kept the Rage skill activated the entire time," Justin explained.

The Rage skill, a Barbarian class ability, dramatically increased physical abilities for a set period. It was a simple yet powerful skill, as it purely enhanced physical strength. However, its long cooldown made it difficult to use repeatedly, a limitation that the Berserker class overcame.

"Endless rage, Berserk Mode, and regeneration. Did you get any other skills?" Justin asked.

"N-no, you got them all right," Derek stammered, blinking in surprise at how accurately Justin had named the second job change skills.

It wasn't surprising to Justin. He had played as a Barbarian plenty of times before and was familiar with the skills.

"You made a good choice. Berserker is one of the strongest classes among the warrior subclasses," Justin said.

"One of the strongest? It's the strongest! Who could possibly beat a Berserker in a one-on-one fight?" Derek puffed out his chest confidently.

Justin chuckled quietly, choosing not to argue. While Berserkers were indeed powerful, there was another second-tier class that could rival them. But there was no need to burst Derek's bubble just yet.

"And what about you, Jae-yoon? What did you choose?" Justin asked, turning to Ethan.

Without a word, Ethan closed his eyes. A moment later, he opened them, and a burst of explosive energy radiated from him.

"Whoa..." Justin muttered as a heavy pressure swept over everyone nearby. The presence Ethan exuded was less like a pioneer and more like a boss monster. Justin immediately recognized the skill.

"Avatara! Are you a Crusader?"

"Yes, that's right," Ethan confirmed with a nod.

The Crusader class, a higher tier of the Paladin, was specialized in tanking and support. It was a quiet, unassuming class that typically focused on defense, attack, and healing in a repetitive, unflashy way. However, in dangerous situations, it had a skill that could make it even stronger than a Berserker—Avatara.

The Avatara skill allowed a portion of divine power to descend into the body, temporarily enhancing the Crusader's abilities to extraordinary levels. It had a grand setting in the game's lore, and the power boost that came with it was just as impressive.

"In terms of pure enhancement skills, Avatara is one of the top three. The only downside is that it has a short duration and can only be used once a day," Justin remarked.

Even without Avatara, the Crusader was still a powerful class. It had advanced healing abilities and wide-range defensive skills.

'It might not be flashy, but in terms of tanking and protecting allies, it's second to none,' Justin thought. Some players had underestimated Crusaders who used Avatara and ended up losing battles because of it. They would attack relentlessly, only to find that the enemy's strength remained unchanged while their own army had been halved.

The Crusader was a class that truly shone in large-scale battles, like the current Monster Wave quest they were dealing with.

Justin looked around at the pioneers and settlers, a smile forming on his face. "Rejoice! We now have two pioneers who have completed their second job change in our territory!"

The others flinched, raising their hands to clap awkwardly. They didn't fully understand what Justin was saying, but as their lord was celebrating, they felt obliged to follow suit.

'They probably don't realize how much this affects them yet,' Justin thought, continuing, "This means we can easily take care of the remaining Monster Waves! Defeating the orcs will be a piece of cake from now on!"

The crowd gasped, but Justin wasn't finished.

"Rejoice! We've practically already won this Monster Wave!" he shouted.

"Waahhhh!" the crowd erupted in cheers at last. Who wouldn't be happy to hear that their forces had become powerful enough to reduce casualties drastically?

Derek and Ethan, who had just completed their job changes, didn't deny Justin's words. They were still riding the high of their newfound powers, exuding confidence. The only one who seemed a little uneasy was Rachel, who stood by Justin's side and nudged him gently.

"Aren't you being a bit too optimistic? If we end up with casualties, morale will plummet," she said quietly.

"Don't worry," Justin reassured her. "The second wave will be a breeze. The third wave, on the other hand..."

"What about the third wave?" Rachel asked, still anxious.

Justin grinned. "What level are you now?"

"After the wave, I leveled up to 24... Oh!" Rachel's eyes widened as she realized what he was hinting at.

"Once the second wave is over, you'll have completed your second job change, too," Justin said, watching as Rachel Clenched her fists, excitement lighting up her face as she realized how close she was to her own advancement.

Justin then turned his attention back to the rest of the pioneers and shouted, "Alright! Everyone, great work! Now let's return to your fami—"

Before he could finish, a series of loud system messages cut him off, and his vision went black.

"Ding! Archduke of Violence and Bloodshed, Kargaron, summons you."

"Ding! The one-time authority granted to the Four Archdukes has been invoked."

"Ding! Summoning cannot be refused. Forced summoning is now in progress."

"Ding! By system authority, absolute protection has been bestowed upon your soul."

The overwhelming system notifications filled Justin's mind as everything around him faded into darkness.