"I don't think this is a good idea. There's a reason why the monsters are avoiding this place. We all saw the blood puddles with no bodies in sight and it was clear there should have been some based on the amount spilled!" Izumi Nakamura, or as the group would often address her- class rep, called out, the heavy rain dampening her voice quite considerably though the group still heard her all the same. It had been a group decision admittedly with the final result coming in four vs three in favour of, much like most of the major decisions made, even if she was the one calling shots in battles and most other cases, once again, a decision with all but her being for such an arrangement. She could not blame the rest of her group though, sor she had been groomed to become a leader in her own right all her life, so of course, it was only natural for her to be handling that burden even in this illogical situation.

  "We don't like this any more than you do Class rep, but given the choices we have, this one is clearly the least risky one! Imagine us slogging through this blasted rain for hours only to be ambushed by a large group of those damn green skinned shits when we are at our weakest. At least the cave guarantees a place to rest and recoup while it's like this outside." replied the delinquant Hanzo Kimura as their group continued onwards, their destination the lake and the cave that was mostly hidden behind the waterfall, though not well enough for their scout -Chiyo Takahashi- not to notice it during their already routine tracks past said lake.

  "I know and understand that. Just thinking out loud to maybee come up with a better idea in the meantime!" she shot back, though there was no negative intonation in her voice as she did so.

  "Do tell us if you come up with something! I don't mind a change of plans if we find a better alternative. Fighting like this will suck!" chimed in Takahashi's friend Emi Inoue. The girl was quite the fence sitter in most cases, though she did often lean in the same direction as Chiyo when it mattered. Even her class was weird, though they already knew it had value, especially when dealing with other people. Contractor did exactly as the name suggested, she created contracts to be signed and enforced by the system should one party broke the agreed upon deals.

  "We are with you Nakamura sama!" quietly, though still loud enough to be heard in unison chimed in Kenji Hayashi and Kaede kato, the two official bookworms of their group, no, the whole class to be precise. Still, the duo had come in handy more than once during their fights, especially Kaede with her shrine maiden class and the healing provided. And Kenji served his role as Protector trainee to a T, ensuring Kaede was never harmed herself, though the dup were still quite timid and unsure of themselves.

  "What else is new?" giggled Fumiko Watanabe, the last girl from the gal faction back in their original world. "As if you two can have a thought of your own!" she added, the words becoming sharper as she did so.

  "That's enough Watanabe san!" Izumi interrupted, earning a shrug from the girl in question. "Fine, fine!" she gave up, asking something else entirely "So, are we close? I so want to get out of these drenched clothes." then she quickly added as though suddenly angry about something "And don't you even imagine me doing so you perverts!"

  "Heh! My mind is my fortress! Thou shall not know what happens within! Not like you don't dream of precisely that!" Hanzo laughed, though still clearly annoyed by both the rain and the words spoken by Fumiko. Before anyone could grumble about anything else, Chiyo interrupted them "We are almost there." causing a silence to take over the group. They were preparing for a serious fight as soon as they stepped inside the cave.

  The light curtain of water that separated the group and the relatively dry start of the cave was damn near ignored as they got out of the downpour and into the relatively chilly and slightly damp cave entrance, though what they did not expect was to be assaulted by an incredibly fragrant and mouth watering smell of roasted meat.

  "Oye? Is that roasted meat I smell?" almost salivating asked Fumiko, taking deep breaths as she did and even after that, clearly dreaming of some nicely spiced and cooked meat from back home.

  "No way is that a monster. Another off worlder like us?" Kaede whispered, just barely audible once again, hiding slightly behind Kenji, still too shy to speak openly.

  "You never know here. Who is to say it is not some intelligent human eating monster?" Hanzo refuted "Let's get going. The longer we remain in these drenched clothes the higher chance we get sick. Can't have someone dragging me down."

  "Watch your language Hanzo." Izumi warned, glaring at the guy "but he is right that we should get on with it since we are already here."

  The group then moved ahead carefully, placing Kenji in vanguard since he was the only true tanker, at least as far as their classes implied, even if his stats were still lacking. Why was he even given the class in the first place confused not only Izumi but Hanzo and gals as well, though Kaede seemed to blush with a dreamful expression once his class description was read. 'Only those with strong desire to protect their loved ones and the character to put it all on the line could ever hope to be accepted among the guardians, though everyone starts as an apprentice.' the description stated.

  The further in the cave they moved, the stronger the scent of the food became, causing everyone to feel their hunger and to remember just how bland food had they been eating so far in this foreign place. They had reached yet another turn in the cave tunnel, a weak flicker of a flame shadow dancing just behind the turn when they heard a voice, speaking in clear english.

  "I know you are there. Come out slowly and don't rush ahead or any other funny business. I am strong and armed and not afraid to fight."

  "We mean no harm sir!" Izumi replied just moments later, her english fairly decent, thought the accent was telling. Still, she slowly came around the bend in the cave, one hand on the sheathed weapon while the other raised into air, followed by the rest of her group. "We would not have intruded were it not for the heavy rain or had we known another human was taking residence here. Would it be alright if we waited here while the downpour stops?"

  "So long as you keep the distance. I have seen some sick people from distance roaming around."

  It was only when Jack responded that the entire group had walked around the cave bend and their eyes adapting to the light coming from the fireplace that they could take in the man who had spoken. He was almost two meter tall, with dark brown, short hair and physique of a toned athlete. Light stubble covered his face, indicating the fully grown up status of the man. The group could also clearly see just how good physical condition he was, as he only had trousers on, his naked upper body quite chiseled. The most eye catching thing though was the medallion around his neck, the coral red amulet slightly reflected the light that fell on it from the fireplace.

  "He's strong. Overwhelmingly stronger than me for sure." Fumiko spoke in japanese as her eyes were locked on Jack, making sure the man would not understand, warning her group of the level of danger she was feeling. Her class- Duelist(uncommon) had an ability that allowed her to sense who was stronger than her and provided additional experience if she managed to defeat them. There were three levels of feeling she could experience from the skill- weaker, slightly stronger and overwhelming. From Jack she sensed the latter.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "That weapon looks dangerous as well." added Emi, the Contractor(Rare) "It is rare and provides additional point of strength when equipped. The medallion is even higher rarity, but I can't appraise it. Feels like a defensive artifact though." Her skill, Appraisal(Rare) allowed her to read limited information on the things she could observe if she put her mind to it, though she could not decipher things of higher rarity than the skill without actually touching them, but she could get some sort of a 'hunch' regarding the nature of items she could not identify though. Of course, compared to Jack's identification skill, hers was also extremely barebones and did not show finer and hidden details of whatever she appraised.

  "So, what's the plan? We take him or what?" Hanzo then asked, his eyes on his own group though shifting to Jack from time to time.

  "Are you stupid? He is another human being, nor has he attacked us. What is wrong with you?" Izumi hissed at the delinquant, proceeding to scold him regarding what he had just uttered.

  "Sir?" their short semi comical scolding session was interrupted by Kenji's voice as he addressed the stranger in a rather good english, better even than Izumi's "Then we will move to that corner then if that is okay with you?" he continued as he pointed towards the furthest corner of the cave away from Jack's current position.

  "Sure thing kid."

  Then, he guided Kaede to the place he had just pointed towards, leaving the rest of his group slack jawed. Once there, Kenji fished out a blanket from his spatial storage and a few small logs of wood, setting them up and proceeding to try and light up their own campfire, though he was having little success, the ignition tools of his were quite rough and primitive, nor was the boy a survival expert or anything.

  "Good head on his shoulders." the group heard the stranger say in a relatively quiet voice, though only Kenji, Kaede and Izumi properly understood him, the rest failing their english pretty badly. "Key kid!" Jack then exclaimed as he looked towards Keji "Come here and grab a few burning coals from me. Can't have you catching cold and die when a few coals could have saved you. Bad for conscience." then with a slight pause he added "No sudden moves though. Never can be too careful. I have seen some shit."

  "Thank you sir." Kenji bowed his head in gratitude as he slowly approached, holding the larger piece of wood he had that could serve as a shovel of sorts to help him carry the coals. Just moments later, Kenji was working on his own small campfire that came to life easily enough, the generous amount of coals doing wonders. Once their own campfire got going, the rest of Kenji's group had also moved over and set up a screen of sorts with a couple of blankets, behind which all the girls were hidden. The two guys remained on the side jack could see as they quickly undressed to just their underwear and fished out another couple of blankets wrap themselves with.

  "You should change entirely, as drenched as you seem to be kid." Jack added from the side.

  "W-we will as soon as the girls are done. Thank you for your concern and help." he took a short moment before asking "Is that a figurine of Tomiko the Mage I noticed in the corner there?"

  "Hoh? And you recognized it? Must be close enough to the original art then." Jack grinned, seemingly more at ease now that he recognized a fellow collector. "Yes. I find her character and art to be quite appealing. Better than those hot heads she was paired up with. What's your favourite character?"

  "Alko the Giant. Strong and dependable, always protecting his group." Kenji replied.

  "Alko?" Jack hummed for a second. "Ahh, that guy. Just barely reached the volume where he was introduced, so I don't know much about him, but seemed like a chill dude from the first few snippets. Any complaints about the story up to that point? Actually screw that, any complaints regarding the story in general? I doubt we will have the chance to get back, so spoil away."

  "They focus too much on the dumb groups too much." Kenji spoke, apparently of a similar opinion as Jack himself. "And in later volumes they almost entirely change the focus of the story on Akimoto and his group."

  "But that is the most bland and boring one of them all. A general goody two shoes main guy with a group of girls pining after him while he is too dumb and thick to realise it. At least focus on Nemuro. That guy was ascum but with some depth. Sheesh, thanks for heads up. That sounds like a waste of time then. I am still keeping that though. Good model. I am Jack by the way." he grinned as he gestured with his thumb towards the figurine he had fooled around with making in his free time.

  "Kenji, sir. I have been wondering, have you been to the village in the tutorial zone?" Kenji then asked a rather obvious question since he had noticed how Jack was still talking in english, not Arukian.

  "Huh? Just how many people were brought over that they already made a village of sorts? Sheesh."

  "That's not it sir. There is a village of people from this land a days walk from here. That's where most other gifted- the people like us who were brought her- have made their base of operations, heading out and hunting monsters to earn our keep and food."

  "Huh, interesting. Nope, have not gone that far. Was too busy getting my bearings and with Ural Bastards and Feminazzis moving around did not seem like a good idea to try my luck. And I told you kid, the name's Jack. I ain't no sir. How old are you, sixteen or seventeen, jea? I am twenty seven, so you see I am just slightly older than you. Drop the honorifics, we don't do that."

  "All right Jack. Would you mind if we spoke in Arukian though? Besides Kaede san and Izumi san our group is kind bad with english."

  "The fucks that? Arukian? Did you guys got a skill for local language or something?" Jack raised his brow, though he was wondering why Arukian. The language he had earned when delving abyss and reaching the safe zones was called Alpharian. Not that it mattered all that much, he could speak Alpharian easily even now and even without the skill corresponding to it. Years of practice and all that shizz.

  "The first local language you encounter in this world is given as a skill to the gifted. No doubt you understood what I just said, right?" Kenji spoke in the local tongue, quite confident by now as he had classified Jack as a decent fellow with similar hobbies. Their kind could not be bad, otherwise he would have to look at himself with a different skeptical evaluation.

  "Huh, indeed. Right you were Kenji. Here is the notification and skill." he replied in the same language as if he was a native speaker. "So this is how most communicate?"

  "Yes, though we still use our own languages in groups. Habit and love for home I suppose."

  "That and the ability to conceal things you don't want others to understand." Jack said, his gaze suddenly turning sharp as if he remembered something. "But sure, Arukian is fine. Wouldn't want your friends think we are scheming against them or something." Jack just shrugged as he walked over to the wall on the other side of his campfire away from japanese kids where a few pieces of clothing were hung up, clearly drying as well. He clicked his tongue after checking his T-shirt as it was obviously still wet. he then sat back down at his own campfire and added some finishing touches to his cooked meal as he fished out a few, well burned, seemingly coal like objects.

  "Hot, hot, hot." he huffed in english as he handled them, giving up a moment later and quickly throwing them into a primitive wooden bowl filled with water. moments later he pulled them out one by one and split them, then used a rather sizeable wooden spoon that all people had in their spatial storages to begin with and used it to scratched out the filling of the thing he had cooked alongside the meat. had to be mentioned that Jack had been still tending to his meal all the while he conversed with Kenji as was seemingly done with his preparations.

  It was at this moment that the girls came out from behind the blanket curtain, each wearing simple clothing, so much so that the clothes they wore seemed too crude for the level of beauty and fair skins that it covered, making it quite odd to behold. Clearly, the clothes they had now on were acquired in this village Kenji mentioned.

  "Jack was it?" Izumi spoke in Arukian now, ensuring her entire group understood her words as the guys disappeared behind the curtain to finish their own change "Thank you once again for your understanding. We will be out of your hair as soon as the downpour stops. My name is Izumi Nakamura. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

  "Likewise." he replied, spending the briefest moment to make eye contact as he answered, though not keeping his eyes on them, showing his lack of interest in them, or so he maybe wanted them to think. Izumi was not entirely sure. Men rarely ignored such gathering of fine looking women, spending some time to eye them at the very least to find out which ones are the most to their liking. Then again, maybe he would be stealing glances their way during the rest of their temporary stay. The stuff he was having smelled divine though, Izumi had to admit, a sour expression marring her face as she thought of the food they had with them. Some dried, plain tasting meat and simple and bland bread. The village was not exactly loaded with advanced class food they were used to. Still, beggars couldn't be choosers and so they ate what they could. Hunger was one hell of a motivation after all.

  Jack Raja(?)

  Age- 27

  Species- human(?)

  Level- 6

  Class- Twin aspect of Creation and Destruction(EX)

  Stats unassigned: +8

  Attributes:

  Strength- 17 (9+7+1)

  Vitality- 16 (7+7+2)

  Dexterity- 11 (5+6)

  Intelligence-7

  Spirit- 25 (20+5)

  Skills- Wisdom of Creation and destruction(EX), Choice of the creator(EX), Eyes of procurer(EX), Matter storage(EX), Arukain language(C)

  Spells- temporary spatial storage (shrinking)

  Titles(unlocked): The real Monster, Big Game Hunter, The brilliant rookie, The insane Solo.