Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

Chapter 37: The Leader's Plan: Between Hope and Reality

"There wasn't much to talk about, honestly. The statements were practically the same as Aaron's, just with a different nuance."

"The same thing? About uniting the Pioneers?"

"Yes. However, the atmosphere of the organization Zachary proposed was entirely different."

From what it sounded like, while Aaron suggested forming a profit-driven group centered around the Pioneers, Zachary seemed intent on creating something akin to a vigilante group. Instead of having the Pioneers dominate everything, he wanted those with power to maintain order in a stable way.

"He mentioned that if conflicts kept piling up, there would be no way of knowing how they'd explode, so it was better to take the first step. He suggested letting others experience the benefits of the system through mana stones and encouraging everyone to level up like them."

"So, what did you say?"

"Of course, it was an outright refusal."

Ethan shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Though the intention was good, and he seemed genuine, the truth was, grand plans like that never seemed to work out. It was also doubtful that people would act the way they were expected to."

Zachary's plan was simple.

At first, distribute mana stones for free to let people experience the fun of using them. Once they got a taste of that convenience, they'd surely try to get more mana stones, and if they wanted to level up to obtain them, the Pioneers would help them.

If everything went well, everyone could transition from being 'Ordinary' to becoming 'Pioneers,' potentially removing class conflicts and allowing them to become equal members of society.

"But the more thought that went into it, the more it seemed unlikely to work. There would surely be those who fought for their rights, but most would end up giving up the fight altogether."

At that, Justin found himself nodding unconsciously.

The flaw in Zachary's plan was that it placed too much faith in people.

Would people really want to level up just because they had some fun spending mana stones? Would they throw themselves into battles, even risking injury, simply because someone was there to help?

The idea seemed skeptical from Justin's point of view.

'It would be a relief if they didn't just try to sit back and collect the mana stones in safety.'

Humans tended to be strict with others but lenient on themselves. Add danger to the equation, and they became remarkably shameless.

It seemed Zachary hadn't yet seen the true depths of human nature. If he actually attempted this, it wouldn't end well.

'By the way, why hadn't he approached me? Judging by what was said, Justin should have been one of the obvious candidates.'

At first, it seemed like Zachary was just trying to exclude Ethan.

But listening now, it became clear that it wasn't because Ethan was special; rather, it was just about gathering the people needed for his plan.

If that was the case, shouldn't Justin have been included too?

At that moment, Derek spoke up from beside him, his face twisted in frustration.

"Why didn't that guy approach me? Does he think I'm a joke? This really pisses me off."

"..."

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? I was cursing Zachary, you know?"

"It's nothing."

Justin looked away from Derek and sighed.

The reason for the lack of an invitation was clear.

'He didn't bother reaching out to people he thought wouldn't accept his offer from the start.'

Zachary knew that his plan was one-sided generosity, so if he didn't see an altruistic side to someone, he simply didn't visit them.

It wasn't just Derek ; even for someone like Justin, his attitude during the rescue quest would have been the issue.

Anyway, if Zachary had approached Justin, he would have refused outright, so the decision wasn't entirely wrong.

"Still, to be put on the same level as Nathan is a bit..."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"Nothing. Come on, let's go hunting!"

"Wait a minute! What did you mean by that just now?!"

Ignoring Derek , who was hanging onto him, Justin headed into the forest.

First, they would finish this quest.

The hunt proceeded smoothly.

Perhaps thanks to the teamwork from the previous day, everyone moved without any wasted effort.

As a result, their hunting speed increased significantly, and it took less than half a day to collect 50 mana stones.

Then, in the very next battle, Nathan leveled up, as if waiting for it.

"Guys! I've reached level 3! They're telling me to advance to a higher class!"

"Oh, really? You haven't decided on a class yet, right?"

"Not at all. I just want to keep participating in hunts."

"Then choose the Scout. That's the position we need right now."

The Warrior class had three advancement paths, just like the Magic class: Barbarian, Paladin, and Scout.

Most people who read the description of advanced classes would probably choose the Barbarian.

It granted massive bonuses to Health, Strength, and Agility, giving a tremendous advantage in combat.

Even the Paladin, the only class with healing skills, seemed slightly flawed.

Ideally, a Warrior should choose Barbarian for themselves and have a teammate become a Paladin to handle healing.

'In that sense, Derek is pretty lucky. He's a Barbarian himself, and they have Ethan as the healer, plus Justin for firepower.'

In comparison, Ethan's choice of Paladin provided only minimal stat increases compared to the Barbarian.

However, it was the only class among all that gained a healing skill early on.

Considering that everyone coveted healing abilities, Paladins would be welcomed into any team.

They couldn't make solo plays like the Barbarian, but instead established themselves as an indispensable presence in a team.

Ethan must have chosen Paladin with this in mind.

And finally, the last class—the Scout.

"Scout? What kind of class is that?"

"It's like a combination of an archer and a rogue."

"An archer and a rogue?"

"Shooting arrows, scouting, unlocking treasure chests, and checking for traps—that's the Scout's job."

The Scout was quite unique compared to the other two classes.

Although a Warrior, they weren't a frontliner but rather an archer who operated in the middle or rear.

Not that their attack power was stronger than magic, either. It was mostly useful for distraction, luring, and ambushing.

At first glance, it seemed like a class that didn't make much sense.

'But it shines in utility.'

The true value of the Scout is realized in the mid-game when you can start leading an army.

While it might lose in direct combat between heroes, there's no class better than the Scout for cutting off reinforcements.

They constantly ambush, raise stress levels, lower morale, or throw enemies into chaos with traps.

Even in situations where other classes would be surrounded and beaten to death if a surprise attack failed, the Scout could escape without a scratch.