Chapter 3: Brotherhood

A knock on the door.

Rob sighed and stood up, stretching his tired limbs. 'Well, it's not like I can create stuff forever. I need mana, and after all that... fiasco, I feel drained.' His body felt heavier than before—probably the side effect of burning through too much mana too fast.

He swung the door open, and there stood Jay—his older brother, a battle-hardened hunter in his late twenties. His armor was battered, covered in deep claw marks and dried blood. His shield had new jagged slashes, and exhaustion was written all over his face.

Jay sighed heavily as he stepped inside, dropping his gear with a loud clank.

"Damn raids…" he grumbled. "Tiring as hell when you're stuck with a bunch of idiots. Had to tank and deal damage at the same time, 'cause those cowards stayed in the back, playing it safe. And don't even get me started on the healers—their buffs were so delayed I almost got my ass handed to me."

He collapsed onto the couch with a groan, rubbing his temples. Then, after a moment, he lifted his head and looked at Rob.

"How about you? Anything interesting happen today?"

Rob stiffened. Shit.

Then, before he could even think of an answer—

Jay paused. His eyes sharpened.

"Wait a damn minute…" His gaze locked onto Rob like a predator sensing prey. Then, suddenly—his lips curled into a smirk.

"Did you awaken?"

Rob's heart skipped a beat. His body tensed.

How the hell did he know?!

Jay's smirk widened, and then—he laughed. A full, deep, triumphant laugh.

"HA! I knew it!" He pointed at Rob with a grin. "I can feel the mana coming off you, you idiot! So? What class?!"

Rob hesitated. He forced a nervous chuckle, looking away sheepishly.

"Uh… hehe… a mage."

Technically, not a lie. His class did use magic, after all.

Jay raised an eyebrow. "A mage, huh?" His gaze flickered to the side, studying Rob for a moment. Then, he shrugged.

"Well, it's not a bad class," he said, leaning back. "Not the best for solo play unless you've got insane firepower, but if you specialize properly, you'll be a monster in team fights."

Rob exhaled silently, relieved that Jay wasn't pressing further.

'I can't tell him. Not yet.'

He had already decided—even if he insisted on living a normal life, he couldn't let his brother die in some random gate. He had no choice.

If Jay died, and he had the power to prevent it, he'd regret it for the rest of his life.

For now… he just had to keep his secret until he was ready.

Both of them moved toward the table, where the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the small apartment. Rob had prepared dinner earlier, and now he set things up—placing the rice cooker at the center, arranging plates and spoons, and making sure everything was ready.

Jay wasted no time, grabbing a plate and serving himself. As he scooped rice onto his plate, Rob leaned forward, curiosity getting the better of him.

"So, how much did you earn today?"

Jay smirked, looking pleased with himself. "Heh. My raid today earned me ₱50,000. Plus, I charged those useless bastards an extra ₱5,000 each since I had to tank and deal damage. So, in total, we pulled in ₱150,000 for the whole raid."

He took a bite of his food before adding, "The Orc loots paid well this time. Their crystal essence sells for a good price."

Rob nodded, impressed. Monster loots—especially crystal essences—were a major currency in the hunter economy. They were used for crafting weapons, enhancing gear, and even fueling magic-based technology.

As they continued eating, Jay spoke again, his tone more serious this time.

"Let's get you registered tomorrow."

Rob's hand paused mid-air, gripping his spoon. 'So soon?'

Jay grinned. "Once you're registered, you'll finally get that ₱20,000 monthly UBI for hunters. Plus—" He leaned back, looking smug. "I've already saved up enough for our own residential unit. A real place. Not this crappy, tiny room."

Rob blinked. A real home? They had spent years scraping by, living in this dingy apartment. To finally move out… that was huge.

Jay continued, "Since you're a mage, you probably have an E-Rank class. Just remember—Hunter Rank and Class Rank are two different things."

Rob looked up. "What do you mean?"

Jay set his spoon down and leaned forward. "Hunter Rank is all about skill—how well you utilize your class, your fighting style, and your experience in battle. A skilled hunter with an F-Rank class can beat someone with a higher-class rank if they know what they're doing."

Rob frowned. That… made sense. He had assumed that someone with a high-class rank would naturally be stronger, but if actual combat ability mattered more… then even an F-Rank class could be powerful in the right hands.

"That's why," Jay continued, "the government set up a separate rank system to classify hunters. Otherwise, some weak-ass noble kid with an A-Rank class but zero skills would be ranked above a veteran fighter."

Rob took a bite, processing that information. "So… what rank are you, then?"

Jay puffed out his chest proudly. "I'm a C-Rank Hunter, of course. But my class rank is still D."

He grinned. "I'm only 20 levels away from my class evolution, and I've already fulfilled all my evolution requirements. Once I hit the level cap, the system might promote me from Swordsman to Swordmaster."

He flexed his arm, looking overly confident.

Rob snorted. "You wish."

Jay laughed, tossing a piece of meat at him. Rob dodged it effortlessly, grinning.

But deep inside, a heavy thought weighed on his mind.

Jay assumed he was just an E-Rank Mage.

If only he knew the truth.

Rob leaned forward, curiosity getting the best of him. "Have you ever raided C-Rank gates alone?"

Jay frowned. "I wish. C-Rank gates are too tough for a Swordsman to solo. I need at least a ranged fighter and a support to cover me. Otherwise, I'd get overwhelmed."

He set his spoon down and continued, "C-Rank Hunters usually have their own dedicated party—either a personal team they built over time or members from their guild. If you don't have a regular party, it's hard to get into raids."

Rob tilted his head. "You mean a C-Rank party wouldn't just let you in?"

Jay scoffed. "Not easily. If you aren't already part of a stable party, most C-Rank groups won't trust you enough to bring you along. They want synergy, not some random swordsman who might mess up their formation. The only real way around that is to join a guild."

Rob narrowed his eyes. "Then… why aren't you in one?"

Jay leaned back, crossing his arms. "Because guilds come with strings attached. Once you sign up, you're required to raid with them at least once a week—whether you like it or not. And the worst part? The guild takes a cut of your earnings. Loot and gold don't just go to the hunters; a portion automatically goes into the guild treasury."

He sighed. "And then there are the orders from superiors. If they decide they need you for something, you have to respond. Some guilds even assign missions you must complete. So, no thanks."

Rob nodded slowly. He could understand the stability that a guild offered—access to better raids, stronger teammates, and guaranteed income—but at the cost of freedom. Jay had always been independent. It made sense why he'd avoid getting tied down.

Jay smirked suddenly. "But since you awakened, things are different now."

Rob raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Jay grinned. "I'll party up with you. Even if we have to grind through F-Rank gates, the important thing is building our synergy and battle synchronization. We need to learn how we fight together."

He jabbed a finger toward Rob. "Besides, having me as your partner is a huge advantage. I can protect your sorry ass, you know?"

Rob rolled his eyes. "You make it sound like I need protecting."

Jay laughed. "Mage classes shouldn't fight alone, dumbass. Stick with me, and you'll survive. But I'm really looking forward to seeing what you can do."

His grin widened. "I mean, you've never even beaten me once in Mortal Kombat—so I'm really curious how you plan to fight in a real battle."

Rob groaned. "Here we go again…"

Jay just laughed, shoveling another bite of rice into his mouth.

Jay leaned forward, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Let me see your magic—come on."

Rob hesitated, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He wasn't ready to reveal too much. But refusing outright would only make Jay more suspicious.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused. He imagined a small fireball hovering above his palm, visualizing its warmth, the flickering flames, the soft glow.

A familiar window appeared:

[Create Fireball]ATK: 25 (if thrown at a target)Duration: 1 minuteMana Cost: 3Yes/No

Rob frowned. He couldn't just tap the air like some idiot—Jay would definitely notice. Instead, he mentally confirmed it:

Yes.

Instantly, heat bloomed in his palm. When he opened his eyes, a floating fireball hovered just above his hand, its orange-red flames crackling softly.

Jay bolted up from his seat, his chair screeching against the floor. "No way! You just did that—just like that?!"

Rob met his brother's stunned gaze, still holding the fireball steady. "What do you mean?"

Jay stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "A Mage has to chant to cast spells! But you—" He pointed at the fireball. "You just whiffed that thing into existence out of nowhere!"

Rob felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. Shit. He had completely forgotten that normal spellcasters needed incantations.

How do I get out of this?

His mind raced for an excuse. Then—an idea struck him.

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "W-Well… I have this passive skill—it's called Mental Casting. I just have to mentally chant the spell for it to work."

Jay's eyebrows shot up. "Mental Casting?!"

Rob nodded quickly. "Yeah, so I don't need to say anything out loud."

Jay crossed his arms, studying him carefully. His excitement dimmed slightly, replaced by quiet suspicion. "That's… pretty rare."

Rob gulped. Shit, is he buying it?

Jay sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, alright. That would explain it, I guess." He exhaled deeply before looking at Rob again. "What Class Rank did you awaken again?"

Rob's heart skipped a beat.

He forced a grin and answered as casually as he could. "C-C Rank. I awakened a C-Rank class."

Jay's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't press further. Instead, he nodded. "C-Rank, huh? Makes sense. A rare class, but not unheard of."

Still, doubt lingered in his expression. Jay knew Rob too well—he had a habit of keeping secrets. But for now, he let it go.

Rob, on the other hand, exhaled internally. That was close.

He needed to be more careful.