The village wall itself was shoddy at best, as though someone had slapped it together at the last moment without any actual knowledge needed to ensure it would hold off any proper siege. At best, it would serve to only slightly delay the advancement of the attacking force, though nowhere near long enough for said delay to be utilized in a meaningful manner. Jack should know, his class- Twin Aspect of creation and destruction provided him not only with perfect understanding of the structure of any object he observed, but also the ability to afterwards recreate said object perfectly and even ideas on how to make said object better in many aspects. And the wall before him? It had way too many paths of improvement available, it was funny.

  The two guards standing watch by the gate, if it could even be called that, were also nothing to watch out for. Their frames seemed quite thin, the lack of nutrition rather noticeable, their 'armor' and gear seemingly not much better. Shoddy leather armor where Jack could see imperfections and major flaws and weapons with clearly inefficient maintenance- rusted blades and heavily worn out grip handles. The weapons were about ready to give out on the next swing or so told his instincts.

  Worse still was a single bracelet on each of their hands. That item, and that alone was magical on the entirety of their bodies and with a simple glance it seemed as nothing more than just some symbolic things the people around here did to recognize their own. Jack though, he could see much deeper, and he was not quite as happy to realize the truth, though in hindsight that was the only logical explanation why there were humans here to begin with.

  Ceremonial bracelet- made by the people of an unnamed small village in the tutorial zone as a way to ensure they always recognize their own.

  Enchantment of obscurement(Hidden)- obscures the true nature of the bracelet, ensuring that no one with appraisal skill under heroic( between epic and legendary) could recognize its function as a tool for enslavement. The owner of the bracelet and in extension the being wearing it- Angelic race.

  'It's not paranoia if it's true? Was that not how it went?' Jack mused at they passed the guards standing by the gate, the duo either not caring or too scared to even try and act, or perhaps those were the orders they had been given on the matter of how to interact with the gifted. Though there was another, rather interesting question that popped up in Jack's mind as he discreetly observed every other villager they walked past once inside. 'Just how much of quality matter would those bracelets provide?' It was clear that they were of quality make, otherwise they would not have the enchantment to hide their true purpose, especially from appraisal skills of up to heroic rank. The fact alone that the angels had not used anything with the top ceiling of epic rank already explained a lot, particularly so the fear they apparently had about being exposed as a race, or organization, Jack was not sure on that part, that was fine with enslaving people. They had acted so benevolent and holier than thou at the start during the introduction. Not that Jack had fallen for the trick, his knowledge ensuring he was well aware that all intelligent races were the same- greedy and power hungry, or believed humans to be nothing more than a source of entertainment.

  Much like the wooden palisade, the homes here were also quite shoddily built, though at least a lit better than the wall, though just like before, Jack could see countless ways to improve everything within his sight, humans excluding, he did not fancy himself a bio-engineer or something. Another thing of note were the other gifted he noticed as they walked towards the largest building within the walls, the only one that seemed at least somewhat decent and with two stories at that, unlike anything else within. Those that stayed within the walls also seemed in pretty shabby state.

  "The elder of this village is tasked with registering the names of all those that pass through the village- a task they consider almost sacred and passed down for generations, or so they say." explained Kenji as they grew ever closer to the larger building.

  "That does make me not interested in passing through here then." Jack replied with slightly squinted eyes.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  "Don't worry big bro. It's not like you have to sign or draw blood. They just ask a name under which to register you is all."

  "We will see." Jack replied, continuing his observation, finally bringing up the matter other gifted. "How do they deal with the dead weight in the form of those summoned that don't leave the walls to go and fight the monsters? I see plenty such people around."

  "Those that don't work, shall not eat." They either collapse and die and are promptly removed from the village or work in the fields outside. There are just as much other fields like the ones we saw on the other three sides of the village.

  "Still, how much people were originally here? A hundred, maybee two? back in the summoning hall it felt as if there were thousand, maybee more us us."

  "We don't know. Did you perhaps quickly left once it was possible and don't know what happened there?" Asked Izumi, much to Jack's surprise. The class rep. had been avoiding interacting with Jack so far.

  "I was lucky enough to find myself almost right next to one of the exits. I had a glaring suspicion that some of the people summoned might lose their shit and start killing people."

  "Yes. That's precisely what happened and then pure chaos ensued. We had barely got together when it started too. It's fairly easy to recognize japanese among western languages. We also ran then, much like many others, trying to escape those madmen as we did so. Things happened and quite a large number of us stumbled upon this place. The rest is history." Izumi finished, the group finally stopping before the chief's home.

  "Go ahead, those that have been registered don't enter again unless it is an emergency and the elder is needed."

  'People seem to care a bit too much about this elder and their rules.' Jack mused, but still walked inside and observed the classroom like hall, with many seats, as if prepared for students and the teachers table in front of them, a rather advanced age man sitting behind said teachers table and reading some kind of a book, his eyes slowly coming up from his reading material.

  "Ho ho? A new face has come to our little village? How has the journey been for you young one?"

  Elder Harubo (Lesser angel Fargus)

  Class- Village elder(uncommon) (Hidden-Observer(Epic))

  Level- 10 (40)

  "Nothing that could not be handled."

  "I see, I see. That's good then. So? How should I address you young man and register you in our records." the elder asked in a kind voice.

  "Whatever you want to. It matters not what I was called before, now does it? Not with the world we have found ourselves in. It is a new beginning for us all in a matter of speaking."

  "True, true. How should I call you then, since the choice should be yours, no?"

  "Tell me elder, why does your bracer seem different from the others in this village? I can't quite put it in words, but my crafters senses scream that it is different somehow."

  Slave overseer's bracelet(Epic) Jack observed the bracelet on the elders own hand.

  "Ho, ho, ho. A rare crafter class. That is not something one sees often in the trial zone. Allow this old man to take a glance." he chuckled lightly. "Ahh, a Virtuoso. truly a great thing to acquire for this place, though it is a hard path to walk once outside. It is both a blessing and a curse. I wish you luck Jack Raja." he added as he scribbled something down in his book, no doubt his name that was read through his own appraisal.

  Village records(common) (Hidden- Book of appraisal(Heroic)- By writing down the name of someone who identifies themselves in this artifacts presence, a page is created that tracks the potential and talents of said person. Only legendary and above concealment skills and abilities can obscure the information).

  Jack had noticed the book the second he walked in, thus his rather uncouth, possibly even slightly antagonistic attitude, bordering between eccentric and down right arrogant, though he believed, rightfully so, that due to his class, that would be no doubt read by the angel in disguise he could act in such a manner. As for why do it the way he did? It was obviously he could not allow the book to try and peak at him in the off chance that his potential would be read with his actual class instead of the disguise.

  As he exited the building he was met by Kenji and Kaede, who were still waiting for him.

  "Izumi san and the rest leff early. She said they had a lot to discuss among their group so she excused themselves." Kaede spoke, trying to be more involved in the conversations, no doubt on the request of Kenji.

  "It's all right. We have our own things to discuss as well. So, how do we go about acquiring some sort of lodging for ourselves? Preferably one with at least two rooms?" Jack smiled as he asked, not the least concerned with the departure of Izumi and her remaining group. On the contrary- he had expected for that to happen as soon as they entered the village walls, so he was slightly surprised, even if he did not show it outward, that his party was accompanied all the way to the elders home.