On the way into the house, Scott stopped to check his mail. He noted that there were several envelopes and a small package inside. "I guess I'll open all this later," he said to Frank.

"It's crazy that we have mail," said Frank.

"What isn't crazy about the world now?" said Scott with a snort, before they started walking once more.

"Won't argue that," replied Frank. He eyed Scott a little for a moment, "You know, Harley's not the only one who looks different."

Scott nodded, "Yeah, I'm not super sure what I actually look like at the moment, but I do have funky hair I guess."

"What happened?" asked Frank.

"I'll explain it to everyone. There's a lot to tell, some of it good," said Scott.

"Meaning a lot of it isn't..." said Frank, a touch of concern in his voice.

"Yeah, there's a lot of not-good things to explain," replied Scott, before he turned around and locked the gate.

"We should get everyone inside, including the tower people," he told Frank. "There's a barrier up, and Harley's sensors should pick up anything that pops up."

He glanced down at her. "Even if it's no guarantee that it won't be a disguised monster."

Harley's cheeks colored slightly, but she said nothing. The little jab at her abilities was something she could not deny.

"Monsters can disguise themselves?" asked Frank, his eyes widening slightly.

"Just found out about it a few minutes ago when you did," replied Scott.

"Harold ...and Gretchen?" called Scott to the tower. "Can you come down, please?"

The Father-daughter duo climbed down from the tower at his request. Scott calmed their initial concerns by telling them that he needed them to be part of the meeting.

Once inside the house, the others gathered quickly. Rosa waved lightly at Scott and offered him a slight smile. He returned it in kind and then nodded. "Am I still welcome in your house?"

"I hear that it's your house now," she said in a strangely calm tone of voice.

Scott looked at her for a moment then said, "It's a system technicality. I still consider it your house."

"You look different," said Hana to Scott. She looked over to Harley. "Both of you..."

"Yeah, let's go to the dining room table. It's big enough to hold us all. There's a lot to discuss."

The group made a few random noises and statements, but they also quickly moved to the dining room. Once everyone was seated, Scott put his backpack on the table and started emptying his pockets, and also pulled out the contents of the pack.

"That's a lot of stuff," said Frank.

"Yeah, I'd like for it to be more, but it's what we've got," said Scott. He waved his hand a little. "We'll get a lot more soon."

"So, how do we distribute it?" asked Harold.

"About that," said Scott. "Some things happened while we were gone. Some great, others terrible."

"Such as?" asked Frank. "I've been dying to hear this..."

"Your hair is so, blue..." said Cia, one of the others who stayed behind.

Scott took a deep breath then said, "About that..." before he began to relate the events of what happened recently. He told them about Discount Chopper, and the crazy musical number with Brittani. He spoke at length about his ascension to the second tier, and Harley's growth spurt.

Over time, he went into detail about the faction and his new command abilities. It took hours to explain everything, as there were many interruptions and calls for further explanation. His story was quite disturbing and occasionally hilarious. If it were anyone else, it would be much harder to believe.

All of the laughter died when Scott began explaining the truth about second-tier monsters. No one was thrilled to discover that the boss monster that attacked the manor earlier was probably not actually second-tier, just an elite first-tier.

"So, this Discount Chopper? You said that you think he's a third-tier?" asked Harold.

"Yeah, I think so. I'd hate to think that he was only an elite second-tier," said Scott. "Though, that's what I thought of the bosses before."

"What about the lizards on the bridge?" asked Rosa quietly.

"I don't think they were really second-tier, now that I know more about what a second-tier would be like. I'm sure that Eloa was fourth-tier, though. I'd have to ask her to be sure," said Scott.

"What's it like, being second-tier?" asked Rachel. "Are you really that much stronger?"

Scott nodded to her, "Yeah, but the second-tier monsters are too. When I became a unique class, my stats like strength and agility all rose to a base of twenty at level one."

"Seriously?" asked Frank, surprised. "Is that normal?"

"I don't think so. I do know what at second-tier all stats will increase to at least ten unless you already increased them beyond it," said Scott.

"What happens if they're higher than ten?" asked Cia.

"You keep the higher score. It probably won't be useful for us this time, since we need to get everyone to second-tier as soon as possible and at better than minimum standards," said Scott.

"Wouldn't training be better?" asked Harold. The older man wore a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I spent days training my stats when I was level one. I gained a small number of points by doing push-ups nearly the entire day or studying," said Scott. He nodded to the older man then continued, "If we were going solely for basic classes it might be worth it, but if we could get everyone to second-tier quickly and with elite classes we'll be a lot stronger than even months of training would allow."

"How can we do so quickly? You went through a lot, and Harley isn't human," said Rosa.

"Ah, that's because of two of my faction leader abilities," said Scott. "I can bestow my professional experience on members of my faction, and grant a flat ten percent bonus to everyone who's in my faction when we fight together."

"So, you can Bestow profession experience on us?" asked Frank. "That means giving us your experience, Right?"

Scott nodded, "Yeah."

"Won't you need it?" asked Rosa.

"No. As a unique class in this region I am already linked into the highest grade of professional advancement," said Scott. He took a short breath then continued, "All my stuff comes automatically with level and skill training. I was specifically told that it would do me no good, and to use it for my people."

Everyone was silent for a moment. Things were moving ahead quickly, and they needed to process things.

After that moment passed, Scott told them something that caused them all to stare at him in shock. Rachel was the first to speak, "Are you serious?"

"Yes. If we can get one hundred people in the faction and they all live in the same connected area, we can start bringing back people in the faction who die," said Scott.

"Is it true? Will it work on people who've already died?" asked Harold hopefully.

"Sorry, it only works on members of the faction..." said Scott with a shake of his head. He did not want to sound cold, but he needed to be direct about things.

The hope died in Harold's eyes a little. "I see."

"We also need a dedicated priest... Which brings me to another thing to discuss," said Scott. He took a deep breath. "You can change classes when you reach second-tier. If anyone is unhappy with their current class and wants to become a priest, or some sort of dedicated attack magic user, I'll heavily support you."

"I'll be a mage!" called out Hana. "I've always played one in games."

"Alright, good," said Scott with a smile. "And a priest? We need to start grooming someone now if we intend to bring people back and cure afflictions."

Cia raised her hand, "Can priests fight?"

"Yes, but most of what they can do is healing and support at the basic ranks. I'm going to have to focus on developing that person first. It'll require a heavy investment of professional experience so that the one who gets the job can become an elite priest oriented class."

"What about the people who are already unlocked? Won't we automatically upgrade if we reach level eleven?" asked Frank.

Scott nodded. "Yes, but the problem with one of them choosing to become a priest is that everyone who's unlocked is already pretty competent at their professions. I won't say no to anyone who chooses it, though."

"Could I still be a priest, too?" asked Cia quietly. "You know, if someone else picks it?"

"I'll never say no to extra healing and support," said Scott. "Or to extra mages."

Frank acquired a thoughtful expression for a moment. "I could become a priest."

"Are you sure? You're pretty handy with an axe," said Scott. "Having you on the frontlines is really helpful."

"Can priests not use axes?" asked Frank.

"I'm not sure, honestly. It depends on how this weird system views them. You might be stuck with staff weapons, though in some games they can use bows and hammers," said Scott. "Most restrictions on equipment are really based on stats, and skills, though."

"So, I could get a weapon skill from the shop and just train my stats, right?" asked Frank.

"True... If you're a frontline priest you'd be more like a paladin, but hell I would love to be able to work with someone who can take a beating and heal everyone at the same time," said Scott. "Should still count as a priest, too."

"You sure it would?" asked Frank.

"Yeah, I mean a priest with non-priest skills is still a priest. A priest that works out at the gym like a dude-bro is still just a buff priest," said Scott.

"I'll do it then. Besides, if I do have to trade in my axe for a big ass hammer that wouldn't be terrible," admitted Frank with a laugh.

Scott grinned at him then looked back to Hana and Cia. "Now, you ladies know what you want to do. We're going to have to work hard and make it happen. The one thing we're lacking most besides equipment is magical aid and area-of-effect damage."

"What about the rest of us?" asked Rosa. "What do we do?"

"Well, Harley and I are pretty much set," said Scott. "If anyone isn't happy with their basic class, it would be good to figure out what they want before they reach second-tier. We need to all know who and what we're working with."

"Can we be mages too?" asked Rachel after a moment. Her tone was a bit nervous, but she had a hopeful look in her eyes. Her sister Gretchen joined her and looked to Scott in an equally hopeful manner.

"Sure," said Scott. He looked to Rosa and then to Harold. "Do either of you feel the need to become anything else? If you like your current abilities, you can just upgrade to an advanced or elite version of that class, or add a sub-class when you reach second-tier."

"Sub-class?" asked Harold.

"Yeah, if you don't like the advanced and elite classes tied to your current class you can just pick a second class and have it as well. Like, say a gunner and a basic mage," said Scott.

"Could I be a warrior and a mage?" asked Gretchen. "Is that a thing?"

"Yeah, or you could just change and be what I was before, an arcane slayer. That's sort of a combination," said Scott. He looked at the three mage wanna-be girls. "The advanced version would be immediately available at second-tier as well. That would allow more of the slaying, or the arcane depending on what you want to do. I'm guessing if you have enough profession experience you'd be able to pick an elite class along those lines as well. In fact, we're betting on that."

"You don't know for certain?" asked Gretchen.

Scott shook his head. "I can only say what I saw. I ended up being offered a unique class instead of an elite one. I think elite ones are shown upfront, but I didn't get the chance to see. Mine was sort of a random chance, with the option to not accept it."

"How'd you get a unique class?" asked Harold.

"A lot of reasons. I was a de facto faction leader with titles, lots of left over experience after my most recent battles, and a good amount of profession experience."

"What if the random choice was garbage?" asked Frank. "I mean, you could have had a bogus class."

"Didn't have to choose it. Beyond that, it's based on stuff you've done and how you act. Making friends with Eloa was one of the main reasons," said Scott.

"Eloa... That's the lizard girl, right?" asked Cia. She wrinkled her nose slightly, but said nothing. It was an understandable reaction since she'd only seen the lizard-headed lizardmen.

"Yeah, she is," said Scott. He nodded to her then continued, "Apparently, lizards are sort of like dragons, or close enough for me to get this class in this region."

"That matters?"

"Yeah, I highly suspect that non-human and non-player endorsements matter a lot. A human NPC accepting my title of Mr. Badass was what set me down my path," said Scott. "Don't see why non-humans calling you something wouldn't do the same. I've met others with titles if you recall."

"So that's how you get titles..." said Rosa thoughtfully.

"Well, mine also changed when I led the defenders against the goblin horde. Being the leader of a boss-raid, or possibly even completing quests could do it," said Scott. "I bet there's a lot of ways to make stuff happen, but we have to put in the effort to make it count."

"How exactly did you get one? What did it do for you?" asked Harold.

Scott leaned back in his chair and rubbed his mouth a little. After a moment, he said, "Well, it was early in the apocalypse." He immediately stopped and blinked, "Damn it was only a couple of days ago and it feels like months..."

Several people nodded at him. It really did feel like forever ago that things went to hell.

"Anyway, I received a request to help out Tammi and her kids at the place they were hiding. I rescued their daughter, and in the process I shocked her senseless with how strong I was," said Scott.

He took a breath then waved his hand around a little. "She asked me who I was."

Scott sat up and looked around at everyone. "Goofy bastard that I am, I told her I was Mr. Badass."

That brought a snort from Rosa and a smirk from Frank. The others grinned or rolled their eyes and offered a smile.

"I got the title right after she accepted that," said Scott. He acquired a thoughtful expression then nodded slightly. "From what I remember, it was because an NPC accepted my actions as proof of who I claimed to be."

"Sounds like you gave yourself a title and she just went along with it because it seemed like something appropriate?" asked Cia.

"Yeah," said Scott, before looking her in the eyes. "Yeah, I can see that."

"It happened during a request, sort of like a game quest..." said Hana. She tapped the table lightly then nodded, "I bet that had a lot to do with it. The world acts like a game now, you know."

"Too bad there have not been many of those recently," said Scott.

"Yeah. It seemed like it was going to be something important the first few days, but then it stopped," said Rachel. "I mean, there was that discount ticket and everything."

"Well I didn't get a ton of them either, so maybe they're actually fairly rare," said Scott.

The conversation reached a natural lull after that. There was a lot to discuss still, but no one was certain how to begin. They still barely knew each other. It was difficult to talk freely outside of obvious things.

Eventually, however, Frank brought up a topic that was gnawing at him. "So, what was up with that girl you brought back?"

"A girl?" asked Rosa.

Harley snorted gently then looked away, her nose lifted slightly. "Master likes weird girls."

All eyes were on Scott once more. There was a story to be told.

He rubbed his eyes gently then said, "We found her on the road home. She was being attacked by goblins, so we helped."

"Yeah, I get that... What was with how she acted, though?" asked Frank.

"Ah, well it turns out she was a vampire or something," said Scott.

"A vampire!" cried Cia with a giddy expression on her face. "Did she sparkle in the sun?"

"God no," said Scott with a laugh. "She could pretend to be human so well that even Harley was unable to detect it, though."

"Don't blame me... You're the one who acted weird..." said Harley, before unleashing a snort. Her cheeks puffed up cutely and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"So, she wanted to get in here to eat us?" asked Frank. "It's a bit fuzzy."

The joyful humor going around the room stopped suddenly. Monster invasion was not a laughing matter.

"She almost got in? There's a barrier, though..." said Rosa.

Scott sighed. "I don't think she was really here for that..."

"What do you mean?" pressed Rosa.

Harley answered for him. "She wanted Master as a boy toy."

"Seriously?" asked Cia. "Another monster wants you?"

"Yeah, how many is that?" asked Rachel. "There's the lizard girl..."

Her sister Gretchen nodded toward Harley. "Little bit over there, and the Ghoul chick he mentioned."

"Don't forget the mermaid girl you poked in the butt," said Rosa with a grunt.

"You did what with a mermaid?" asked Hana, her eyes wide.

"I, uh, thought I told everyone this..." said Scott nervously.

"No, I don't remember anything about mermaid anal," said Cia sarcastically.

Scott shrugged. "When I came across the river the time before I used the bridge, a mermaid attacked me. I got free by accidentally sticking my finger in her ass..."

Rachel snickered and made air quotes with her fingers, "Accidentally."

"Well, she was trying to drown me in the river..." said Scott.

"Ah, so you escaped," said Harold.

Rosa glanced at Scott, "Both times..."

"Why did I tell you this?" asked Scott with a groan.

Rosa laughed softly then grew quiet once more. She continued to look at him curiously, however.

"You poked a mermaid in the butt twice?" asked Cia. "Was the second time an accident, too?"

"No, just the once. I had to escape from her again the next day when we rode past the river," said Scott.

"She can attack as far as the road?" asked Frank, concerned.

"Well, no..." said Scott.

"Master heard her singing and went to investigate," said Harley. She looked at him briefly then looked away. "He was cruel to her."

"Hey, that's not fair..." said Scott.

"You were mean to a mermaid?" asked Hana, a pout forming. "I'd love to see a real one."

"Yeah. Well, when she's singing about how she wants to drown you in the river in the name of love, you might change your tune," said Scott.

"What?" asked Rachel with a snorty laugh.

Before Scott could say anything, Harley sang out, "A sweet girl just wants all the love that you can give her..."

All eyes turned to Harley as she sang, but their curious expression changed to one of disbelief when she continued her song, "She just wants to drown you in the river..."

"The hell was that?" asked Gretchen, trying to fight down a laugh.

"That's the song she was singing..." said Scott with a groan.

"The mermaid?" asked Rosa.

Harley spoke up, "Yes. Would you like to know what Master said when I asked who she was?"

Scott rolled his eyes and shook his head. Harley was having a bit of fun at his expense. It was a good thing that she was interacting more, so he let it go.

"Yes!" called several of the girls.

Harley cleared her throat then announced, “Hell if I know. She tried to drown me, and now she wants to have my babies or something.”

That brought another round of laughter from the table. Scott sighed loudly and accepted in in stride. It was nice to laugh a little after the days they've all recently experienced.

"So, that's a lizard girl, a mermaid, a popstar, a vampire, a transforming robot-girl, and... erm..." said Rachel while ticking them off one-by-one, "Any others?"

Scott shrugged. "There was that kobold girl who saved me from a flying eyeball."

"Kobold?" asked Rosa.

"A beast girl with like dog or wolf ears," said Scott. "Pretty friendly, too."

"Just how friendly?" asked Rosa curiously, a slight edge in her tone.

"She smelled me a bit and called me Pretty Meat," said Scott.

"Did she want to eat you, or something?" asked Frank.

"I'm still not sure. I got the impression that it would have been less eating, and more nibbling and petting," said Scott.

That brought a few chuckles from the others. The meeting devolved into laughter and silliness after that, but eventually they did distribute the gathered items and made plans for the days to come.