The only class in the game locked behind the absurd condition of selecting Hell Difficulty in the Trial nexus. A class so rare and punishing that no one else had ever chosen it.

It was also the biggest reason Kyle had once held the number one ranking.

'If I hadn't become a Librarian, there never would've been a Kyle in Exodia 1.'

Just from its name, it sounded like a harmless, non-combat support class — but depending on how it was used, it had near-limitless potential.

And its greatest benefit?

It could learn any skill, without restrictions.

'Magic? Fine. Swordsmanship? Sure.'

A wide spectrum of skills, freely acquired and then woven together into a combat style that was unmistakably Kyle's own.

'It really is a broken class.'

So what, didn't it break the balance?

That was what people who didn't understand would say.

Choosing Hell Difficulty in the Trial nexus? That was only the first condition.

'I also need the class-exclusive equipment.'

And not just any gear. The required item was L-rank — gear with a drop rate so low, it was practically mythical.

You couldn't get it from grinding mobs.

Didn't matter how much money you had — you couldn't buy it.

It could only be acquired through quests, and those quests? Needless to say, were brutally difficult.

On par with — if not worse than — Hell Difficulty.

'Luckily, I got to skip that part this time.'

Jhin recalled the "Sealed Book," quietly tucked away in his inventory. His post-server-shutdown reward. This item was the sole reason his class transition had gone smoothly this time.

'Thank god I had it included in the final reward.'

The Sealed Book.

An L-rank, class-exclusive item. Usable only by a Librarian.

And the key that allowed Jhin to wield all kinds of skills from various classes.

Basically, a kind of skillbook.

'The reason I brought it over in the first place was because of all the skills stored in it…'

Unfortunately, after his class transition, he'd opened it to find that none of the skills remained. The system had likely wiped it to preserve balance.

–So you're saying… if you read a book, you can manifest the skills written in it?

"Used to need an actual skillbook. But it's different now. I gave it a shot with a wuxia novel, and it registered."

–You're insane…

Jhin nodded in agreement. Even he had to admit it — the way he was acquiring skills was completely broken.

Read a book, gain a skill?

If he set his mind to it, he could learn practically anything.

He shrugged and added:

"Not everything works. The conditions are pretty strict."

For starters, once a skill was registered, it couldn't be leveled up the normal way.

Only a Librarian could use the skills, and only a Librarian could upgrade them — using methods unique to the class.

He probably wouldn't be able to unlock the book's second seal until much later.

–Still, in terms of character direction… the possibilities are endless, right?

"If I'm careless, I'll end up a jack-of-all-trades and master of none."

But Bellatris wasn't convinced.

–…You? As just a jack-of-all-trades?

"Anyway. How's the main stage? Has Millie started?"

–Yeah, she just went on. You coming too?

As he activated "Slaykill," Jhin replied quietly:

"Of course. I'm a Millie fan, you know."

The festival's main stage was finally beginning.

She appeared just as the last of the fireworks bloomed across Arc's sky.

The stage had gone dark. Then, a beam of pure white light descended — revealing Millie, not in battle gear, but dressed in a performance outfit, smiling like a single blooming flower.

The crowd, who moments ago had been roaring with excitement, fell silent the instant her lips parted.

"Close your eyes. Do you remember?"

A soft piano accompaniment began to flow beneath her voice.

Her voice — slightly damp, crystal clear — resonated like something sacred. A tone that stirred the heart without effort.

"Like scattered grains of sand. Like the stitched stars… fading."

On a rooftop not far from the stage, a small group of players had gathered.

They were the ones who had tirelessly patrolled Arc to protect it from the Company.

Now that even the Extender had been taken down, most of them had been granted permission to finally enjoy the performance.

Standing beside Jhin, Dean stepped closer and spoke.

"This… this is what it was all about, wasn't it? The real reason for the festival."

"Huh?"

"It was so obvious, maybe we forgot. But now I see it. What we needed wasn't just capable players."

Park looked out over the Central Plaza of Zone 2.

Eating. Drinking. Crying. Laughing…

One person raised a glass in toast. Another flipped a pan over an open flame.

Some stood watching the stage with tears in their eyes.

So many lives — so many stories — packed into a single square.

Jhin said softly, almost to himself:

"We've lost too much, haven't we…"

Jhin nodded.

"Yeah. And we can't afford to forget that."

In his mind, Arc didn't need a perfect shield to block all threats. What it truly needed… wasn't just a Company-free zone.

Not even a safe city.

What it needed was something more fundamental:

The value of living.

Why do we live?

Why do we fight so hard?

The answer wasn't "to level up and kill monsters."

Games are the same way.

Any game that's just about grinding mobs? People drop it like a rock.

And that was Arc's biggest flaw.

People who had high levels were revered.

Those who weren't players? Considered useless.

Why had the rift between Zones 2 and 3 formed? Why were there hierarchies between them?

Because "survival" had become the only value.

"Living isn't just about surviving. There's more to it than that."

If the value of life changed…

Then players would just be people more suited to fighting. Nothing more.

They weren't special.

Just because you're good at bashing monsters doesn't mean you can sing like Millie and move people to tears.

Usefulness depends on the situation.

Everyone brings something different.

'Even I was just a jobless loser before the world ended.'

Jhin shrugged, watching as Millie's song climbed to its emotional peak.

Her voice soared — and the crowd's emotions followed.

Dean said quietly:"I think… I can do it."

—

"Sorry?"

"…This damned world… maybe it's worth living in after all."

Hearing the sudden tremble in Dean's voice, Jhin gave him a quiet nod.

Millie's performance was ending — but the resonance it left behind felt like it would linger for a long time to come.

The next morning, Jhin prepared to leave early.

Not that he had much to pack — he hadn't brought many belongings to begin with. All that was left was saying goodbye to the people sending him off.

Caleb asked, "You're leaving right away?"

"Yes. I've still got that C-rank dungeon to clear. There's too much I left unfinished."

"I see…"

Hana's recovery — the original reason he'd come — had been far more successful than expected. The Company's plot to topple Arc had also been thoroughly crushed.

Taking out six triggers and an Extender? That was a massive feat in itself.

'But the biggest gain… was my class change.'

Jhin smirked faintly at the unexpected windfall. Sure, he wasn't suddenly some overpowered protagonist from a web novel — but good news was good news.

'With this, I can at least shake things up a little.'

He wouldn't be a storm powerful enough to flatten a C-rank dungeon… but he'd certainly stir up a gust strong enough to rattle it.

And then—

"Your performance yesterday was amazing! Thank you!"

"Millie! Millie! Millie!"

"Please release the track!"

"Millie! Look this way!"

Somehow, a huge crowd had gathered and was now shouting her name from all directions. Among them were a few reporters.

The survivors of New Capital's press scene had banded together to form the Arc Daily, and this moment was about to become today's headline.

'How the hell did the word get out?'

Jhin shrugged as he watched Millie wave to the crowd with calm ease. As expected of a former celebrity — even in chaos, she held herself with grace.

Soon, people's attention turned to him.

"Kyle! We heard! You saved us, didn't you?!"

"You're the only Kyle we care about!"

"Foreign Kyles got nothing on you!"

"Kyle! Kyle! Kyle!"

At this point, it was hard to tell whether they were Millie's fans or his.

Flustered, Jhin averted his gaze and turned to Bellatris.

"Well then, I'm off."

"Yeah. Don't die."

He nodded at Bellatris, and at Caleb. Everything was ready — it was time to leave Arc.

Then, from the side, Tempah spoke up.

"C-rank dungeon… fascinating!"

The man was a walking tank of muscle. And now he was coming with Jhin to help conquer the dungeon — simply because he found it "interesting."

"…Aren't you supposed to go back to Murtzia?"

"They'll powerge."

"They'll struggle without you."

"They'll survive. If they'd collapse without me, they'd have fallen a long time ago."

"Hm… If you say so."

Jhin didn't argue. That was just how Tempah was.

And honestly? Having a player of his caliber on the team was more than welcome.

"By the way, weren't there supposed to be four of us?"

"There was a lot going on at the hospital. Oh—here he comes."

Jhin turned to see Lutz approaching, escorted by a crowd of cheering doctors and patients from New Capital Hospital.

"Come back alive!"

"You're the hope of the medical world! You can't die!"

"Lutz!!"

"…Sheesh."

No one knew what he'd been doing at the hospital these past few days, but he was practically being treated like an idol.

Looking embarrassed, Lutz lowered his head.

"My ability turned out to be more useful for healing than I thought. I ended up helping out with the overflow."

Word was, he'd personally saved over thirty people — all of them on the brink of death.

His unique healing method — teleporting potions directly to a wounded area — had caused a stir in the entire medical field.

It had even prompted job boards and forums like Job Corelands to start recruiting for "teleportation-type" ability users.

"Well then. Shall we head out?"

From Arc to Illumination gate — a straight line.

Along the way, they were ambushed by the occasional Lizardman, but with Tempah now in the party, they hardly posed a threat.

Soon, the group arrived at the entrance to the Lizardman's Well.

Lutz reported, "According to Captain Adonis's last message, the Lizardman army's movements looked suspicious. The scenario quest is nearing its conclusion."

Jhin nodded, recalling the details of the scenario quest.

"Right. It was something like — whoever claims the Dragon Seal becomes the dungeon's master, right?"

The master of the dungeon.

In other words, the boss monster.

In C-rank dungeons and above, the outcome of a battle between NPCs and monsters determined everything that happened afterward.

'We can't let the Lizardmen win.'

If the Lizard King were to claim the Dragon Seal in the final battle, it would be a disaster. New Capital would face a full-scale invasion from elite C-rank Lizardman warriors.

"There's going to be a huge battle."

At minimum, it would be a war.

Their enemy was an entire Lizardman army — this fight would be on a scale far greater than any previous dungeon encounter.

'And that's not all.'

There were still Company rats lurking, no doubt plotting something. They'd have to be smoked out and publicly dealt with.

The truth behind the fake "Kyle" also needed to be exposed.

[You have entered C-rank Dungeon: "Lizardman's Well."]

It was time to resume the assault.