Lunar City

The sun was beginning its descent, casting a golden hue over the forest as Alex stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders back. He turned to Liam, who stood beside him, gripping his weapon tightly.

"Alright, Liam. Time to hit level ten. Let's get you ready for whatever comes next."

Liam nodded, determination gleaming in his eyes. Without hesitation, he dashed forward, targeting a lone, horned boar sniffing at the ground. With a sharp exhale, he swung his weapon, aiming for the beast's legs. The boar let out an agonized squeal, attempting to retaliate, but Liam swiftly dodged to the side, adjusting his stance. His movements were growing sharper, more refined. He struck again, this time a clean hit to the creature's neck, bringing it down instantly.

The system notification appeared before him.

[You have leveled up!]

[Level 8 ➔ Level 9]

Liam grinned, exhilarated. "I'm getting better at this."

They continued their hunt, each battle pushing Liam further. He allocated his points solely to Strength, feeling the surge of power rush through him. With his increased strength, each strike carried more weight, allowing him to take down creatures more efficiently. After a few more encounters, the moment finally arrived.

[You have leveled up!]

[Level 9 ➔ Level 10]

[You have reached the Maximum Level. Further growth requires travel to an advanced region.]

Liam's excitement faltered as he read the last notification. He frowned, glancing at his status panel. His class column was still empty. "Uh, Alex?" he called, his voice tinged with confusion.

Alex, who had been leaning against a tree, raised a brow. "Yeah?"

Liam hesitated before turning his panel toward him. "I didn't get a class."

Alex's eyes narrowed slightly. "Huh. That's weird." He thought back to when he reached level ten. He hadn't seen any mention of a class either until he arrived at the village. Was this a restriction of some sort? His class hadn't appeared naturally—it had to be obtained through some other means.

"Maybe it has something to do with your growth-type talent? So you get a class earlier than others as a perk?" Liam suggested.

Alex shook his head. "Nah, EX-rank talents should have more perks, not fewer. There's gotta be another reason. We'll figure it out later. For now, let's go find out where we need to head next."

They made their way back to the village gates, where a familiar pair of guards stood watch. One of them, a gruff-looking man with a scar across his cheek, gestured toward them. "You two...? To get so far this quickly, you must be rather talented."

"Just lucky," Alex feigned modesty as he asked, "So would you guys happen to know where this advanced region is? We've got no clue."

"Advanced Region? Do you mean the City? You should ask the Village Chief. Walk down the path in the village center, the large house with a brick chimney." One of them instructed

Alex nodded in thanks and led Liam toward the center of the village; following along the path, they encountered the house they were looking for.

A nervous knock shook the brittle wooden door.

"Come in" a raspy voice replied

Upon entering they found a broad-shouldered man with golden curls and a welcoming smile.

"Ah, you must be those travelers the guards mentioned," Lofi greeted warmly. "Reaching the Body Barrier at such an age... truly impressive."

"Body Barrier?" Alex repeated, tilting his head. "We just got a system message telling us to go somewhere else to grow."

Lofi's eyes grew puzzled. However, they soon dimmed a bit before reigniting brightly a second later.

Lofi chuckled. "That's what we call it here. You can't break past this barrier without heading to a major city. There, you'll find the techniques and methods to push past your current limits."

Alex's mind raced. So this world functioned differently than a standard game. The system wasn't directly handing them their class or advancement—it was something they had to actively seek out.

Not to mention. These villagers weren't NPC's at all. They didn't hand out quests or curry favors with the player. Instead, they acted a lot like normal people would, and they seemed to have different standards of strength as compared to the a system. This system wasn't omnipotent in this world it seems.

Lofi continued, "I'll personally escort you both to the city. It's a privilege granted to those with remarkable talent. Follow me."

Moving past the plains Alex thought of his and Liam's progress in just a week of work, all thanks to their compatible talents and sneaky XP farms.

As they ventured into the forest, the atmosphere thickened. Shadows stretched across the trees, and the distant howls of beasts echoed around them. The deeper they went, the stronger the presence of monsters became.

Lofi suddenly raised a hand, signaling them to stop. "We have company. Four Second-Step Calamities ahead."

Liam's system displayed their stats:

[Name: Forest Wolf]

[Level: 22]

[HP: 1400]

[Strength: 95]

[Defense: 40]

[Agility: 110]

[Name: Forest Wolf]

[Level: 23]

[HP: 1500]

[Strength: 100]

[Defense: 45]

[Agility: 115]

[Name: Giant Scorpion]

[Level: 24]

[HP: 1800]

[Strength: 120]

[Defense: 80]

[Agility: 60]

[Name: Venomous Snake]

[Level: 25]

[HP: 1300]

[Strength: 90]

[Defense: 30]

[Agility: 140]

Liam exhaled sharply. "These guys are way stronger than anything we've seen before. They even have a new stat, Agility?"

Alex smirked. "Maybe we'll unlock it after get past whatever this Body Barrier is, as for the beasts, I don't think they'll be a problem."

Amidst their exchange Lofi had already made his move, with a speed that caught the wolves off guard. He drove his fist into the nearest wolf, sending it flying into a tree with a sickening crunch. A side step and uppercut was all it took for the second wolf's demise.

The scorpion sensing danger leapt forward, it's stringer aiming for Lofi. Remarkably, Lofi was unmoved, grabbing onto the stinger with his bare hands, lifting the scorpion into the air before he threw it at the slithery serpent aiming for Alex and Liam.

The battle raged, but with Lofi's overwhelming power and he eventually emerged victorious. The last beast collapsed, its body fading into the earth.

Wiping the nonexistent sweat from his brow, Alex turned to Lofi. "How strong are you, exactly?"

Lofi chuckled. "You'll find out in the city. Come, we're almost there."

They pressed forward, breaking through the last stretch of the forest. The moment they stepped into the clearing, their breath hitched.

Before them stood a colossal city, surrounded by towering walls reminiscent of something straight out of *Attack on Titan*. Massive skyscrapers stretched into the sky, adorned with intricate glowing symbols. Bridges connected buildings at varying heights, and the streets below bustled with merchants, travelers, and warriors alike.

Lunar City.

Liam let out a low whistle. "Damn. That's one hell of a sight."

Alex crossed his arms, his eyes flickering with excitement. "Well then. Let's see what this city has in store for us."