Jeffery Trever looked at his stats after he got his level up notice with a smile on his face. Unfortunately for him, Sargent Mar took the opening and gave him a swift kick to the nads as punishment.

  “ Lil Commander, don’t get distracted by system messages. You should have then turned off during combat.”

  Jeff meanwhile used one hand to signal a pause in their practice while using the other to find out exactly where his family jewels wound up as he caught his breath. After a full minute passed he was still taking deep breaths but felt good enough to at least stand strait once again.

  “ It... it was my level up... ding...”

  Mar sighed knowing it was not the youth's fault. Level-up notices were one of the few notifications you could not disable during combat. This was also the signal that they were done for the day as well.

  -----

  It was ten minutes later, after a medic gave him a healing ice pack to hold on his marbles, he decided to just sit for a bit while Mar stood beside him.

  “ You know you would be a dead man right now in a real fight.”

  Jeff nods to this as he watches his summons training in the same field he was just in a moment ago. His boss card taking on two corporals as once. Which was the real reason why he leveled, not his combat with the Sargent.

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  “ I was dead once, apparently it did not agree with me.”

  This made the sergeant chuckle a little bit.

  “ So you really going to do it. Six months of power leveling up all the way to forty?”

  Jeff nods to this.

  “ That was always the plan. I got a few offers from my notice with the adventurer guild. Most of them are like we thought they would be. They offer for me to coast as high-level people clear low-level dungeons till I hit the level. Being pampered like some noble slacker afraid of danger. Honestly, I get it, but I will not grow that way. I need conflict. I need real experience.

  “ And what will happen if you do not find what you are looking for?”

  “ How does one get high levels without being a spoiled brat? I do it myself. With no security along.”

  To that Mar could only nod.

  -----

  Jeffery Trever, born anew as an otherworlder three months ago with the class Cardmancer. He, among nearly a thousand others, were forcefully given life anew at the time. The cost however was a staggering debt and a task to clear it. They were however not left hopeless as they were provided a place of safety and learning for six months at a place called ‘The Resort’. This, it turned out, was not as safe as they hoped. As day one outside forces found their way into their safe haven. Manipulated and convinced many of the otherworlders into giving up the little slack they have and becoming slaves or worse.

  Jeff sat in the comfortable chair he usually did when he visited the commons of his dorm. Just with an icepack to ease the dulling pain in his family jewels. This did not go unnoticed by the others who were sitting around him either.

  “ What happened? Someone miss with their kick?

  Jeff looked at one of his fellow guild 88 members, Amanda who likes to wear heavy armor everywhere, unamused at the comment.

  “ No, I am quite sure they hit me exactly where they planned to. I got distracted by a level up message.”

  Another guild member, the only other male Bobby, winced at the comment as his would be girlfriend Janice laughed, After it was out of her system she looked at Jeff seriously.

  “ So, you leaving soon then? We are finally starting?”

  Jeff reluctantly nods.

  “ I need to get stronger and we need a place to call our own. Naturally, I will try to stay in contact with you and give updates where I can. But since I hit the practicality training cap for all three of my classes. I got to go out and get practical experience now. Which means dungeons. And dungeons means adventurers. The average carry to forty takes a year or two, but being otherworlders and champions, I think I should hit it in less than half that time. The adventurer guild should be able to keep you updated on my status as well.”

  Jeff then turned to Amanda.

  “ I also got new gear for myself all the way up to forty as well. At every ten levels the plan is to move on to a new dungeon tier. So I will send word for where you can drop off my new kit at.”

  He then turns to Bobby.

  “ And I hope you have the town ready for my mercs too by the time we are done. I plan on three months of drills before we start heading to the Everyburning Peak. Make sure my men have the proper gear for the journey as well. I know I can call Amanda for an emergency supply, but I rather not. Appearances is a big thing with dragonkin and seeing ill prepared for the journey will leave a bad mark on my reputation with them. Considering my first contract is with the equivalent of a Dutchess. I aim to impress.”

  Bobby raises his hand slightly to get their attention.

  “ Which brings us to the actual job? What is it?”

  Jeff shook his head at that.

  “ The actual job, well, it is to be part of an expedition to liberate some land for the dragonkin. My part in it will be to act as reserves and guard a bunch of refugees returning home for reclimation. This is something that has been planned by them for a few years now, but our summoning put it on hold. I fully expect a few independent teams to be heading up there as well to score some browny points toward their own debts as well. But unlike them, We will see solid numbers instead of piecemeal contributions. In fact, if my guess is right we should be looking at a thousand gold talons knocked off of all those in the guilds debt. As we are promised half a percent in spoils reclaimed.