Chapter 0032: Tavern Recruitment of Barbarians

The intense brightness forced Di Ping to shield his eyes, and when the energy suddenly contracted, a towering figure appeared in the center of the column space. A fierce, brutal aura erupted from this figure, slamming into Di Ping like a solid shockwave. It struck him like a powerful wave, forcing him to stagger back two or three steps before regaining his balance.

Di Ping was greatly alarmed; he had not expected this recruitment hero to be so powerful. Even before the figure revealed itself, the mere pressure from its aura made him retreat, despite his enhanced strength, which had surpassed three or four thousand pounds. If he couldn't even resist the aura, the hero must be incredibly strong. Di Ping felt a surge of anticipation for the hero.

"Boom!"

At that moment, the massive figure suddenly moved, stepping out of the light with a thunderous stomp. The ground shook as if a mammoth had just stepped down, the force of the impact reverberating through the space.

"Master, Bujie answers your call!"

The figure stepped out of the light and, upon seeing Di Ping, suddenly flashed a sharp gaze. He knelt on one knee, his voice thunderous, causing the entire space to hum with a deep resonance, nearly deafening Di Ping.

"Please rise! There is no need for such formalities, hero!" Di Ping placed his hands over his ears, trying to steady himself before addressing the kneeling figure.

"Thank you, Master!"

The massive figure stood up in response, and at that moment, Di Ping truly understood what it meant to be muscular. The figure was about 1.8 meters tall. While not extremely tall, his physique was imposing, with a broad chest like two hills, and arms like thick pillars, covered in veins resembling the roots of a sturdy tree.

Bujie, the barbarian, had a Western European appearance, with red hair, a bushy red beard, eyes like brass bells, a wide nose, and a rugged face. He resembled a barbarian from a dark fantasy world, exuding an aura of primal savagery. His sheer presence alone, despite not having any weapons or armor, exuded an immense pressure that made anyone reluctant to meet his gaze.

Di Ping was a little frustrated inside, as the system, much like the games he knew, hadn't equipped him with any weapons. It was stingy with such details.

The more Di Ping looked at the barbarian, the more he liked him. This was a C-rank hero, and while he wasn't sure of Bujie's exact combat strength, the mere pressure from his aura had forced him to retreat. Add to that his immense muscles, and it was clear that Bujie's strength would not be lacking.

"Race: Barbarian; Potential: C-rank; Level: 1st Stage Level 1; Skills: Strike, Cosmic Strike, Wild Dance; An underground race, but unlike his fellow underground dwellers, he possesses unique resilience. He longs for the surface world and was exiled from the underground. He answers the call of his protector to fight for his cause in the world above!"

Di Ping glanced at Bujie standing silently beside him. Unable to resist, he used the "Inspect" skill to check the hero's stats. The display was simple, only showing the hero's race, potential level, and profession level. Despite being enhanced several times, Di Ping felt that Bujie was clearly stronger. This feeling was strange but undeniable.

Looking at Bujie's listed skills, Di Ping suddenly realized the difference between himself and Bujie. He had strength and speed, but his skills, aside from the non-combat skill "Inspect" and the passive "Flame Enhancement" (which he still didn't know how to use), lacked any real offensive capabilities. His combat options were severely limited.

Filled with excitement, Di Ping turned his attention to the column. The system had been urging him to activate the tavern to complete his class transition. Now that the tavern was ready, and he had recruited a C-rank potential hero, his next step was clear: completing his class transition would greatly improve his strength and survival chances in this post-apocalyptic world.

"Wu An, do I place my hand here?" Di Ping, with a mix of nervousness and determination, stepped forward, pointing at the column that had returned to its original state, looking at Wu An, who had been following him.

"Yes, Master! Place your hand on it and focus your mental energy on the column," Wu An quickly explained.

"Alright!"

With a calm expression, Di Ping extended his hands toward the column. His movements were slow and deliberate, betraying his inner tension. Despite his composed exterior, his slightly trembling palms revealed his anxiety.

When his hands finally touched the column, it felt cold to the touch, like black iron. The chill ran up his arm, and Di Ping focused his mental energy on the intricate runes etched into the column.

As he did, his mind began to blur. The runes on the column seemed to come to life, flashing and changing colors. Suddenly, an even colder sensation surged into his body, sending a shiver down his spine, as if he had fallen into an ice cavern, causing him to tremble uncontrollably.

"Beep… Potential level B, profession activation conditions met. Please select your profession."

A cold voice echoed in Di Ping's mind, and at the same time, his vision darkened. He found himself standing in a vast plaza, over two hundred square meters, its floor decorated with white bas-reliefs depicting battle scenes. Warriors wielding swords, mages with staffs, and barbarians wielding axes were shown fighting various beasts. The intensity of these battles was palpable, even without looking at the details.

Surrounding the plaza were six statues, each representing a different profession. The warrior was holding a sword high, the barbarian wielding an axe, the marksman aiming a rifle, the rogue crouching with a short blade, and another statue depicted a priest wielding a hammer.

Di Ping quickly recognized the profession statues. He liked the warrior the most—charging forward with a sword in hand was the kind of fighting style that appealed to him. He was not one to hide behind spells or firearms, and stealthy rogue or healing priest were not for him.

Without hesitation, he stepped towards the warrior statue, sensing a mysterious energy emanating from it. When he reached it, the statue radiated a faint but unmistakable pressure, suggesting it contained great power.

"Beep… Select warrior, confirm?"

Without further thought, Di Ping confirmed his choice.

"Beep… Transition begins!"

The moment he confirmed, the statue's eyes flashed with a blinding light. The light shot directly at Di Ping, and before he could react, he was engulfed in a cocoon of energy. His consciousness faded as he sat down, entering a meditative posture, his hands forming a seal, and his eyes closed, as if deep in thought.

The process felt long but only lasted a minute. When the light retreated, Di Ping remained seated, still in his meditative posture, his expression calm. After a few more seconds, his eyes snapped open, a fierce glint flashing briefly across them.

"Beep… Warrior transition complete. Consumed five crystal coins."

A cold voice echoed in his mind, and Di Ping, startled, jumped to his feet. He was too frustrated to care about his new profession; the system had charged him five crystal coins for the transition, leaving him with only a single crystal coin.

"Dammit!"

He cursed loudly, feeling betrayed. All the coins he had painstakingly earned were now gone.

But despite the anger, there was no response from the system—it just carried on, as if indifferent to his complaints. Still, Di Ping was reassured by one thing: his profession transition had been successful. Strengthening himself in this world, he was ready for whatever came next.

When he focused on his newfound abilities, Di Ping couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. His strength had increased dramatically, going from over three thousand pounds to about four thousand. While he couldn't measure it exactly, he could feel the change. His strength had grown by at least a third, making him feel incredibly powerful—he now possessed two tons of raw power. The possibilities seemed endless.