I Alone Level Up!

"This is hardly any Absolute Defense..."

"It's more like my defense stat was just ripped right out."

Under normal circumstances, the higher one's defense stat, the less damage one sustains.

However, the defense stat is a special attribute that isn't explicitly displayed in the data.

This is because it is influenced by a multitude of factors.

The same applies to attack power.

Strength plus skills are the deciding factors for true power.

But now.

The amount of damage Chen Ming sustains is no longer determined by defense.

Does this count as the ability to directly modify the rules?

From this moment on, the damage he sustains will only ever be one of two numbers...

A world of only 0 and 1 has been achieved.

"Brother Chen, Brother Chen!"

"Damn, don't scare me like that."

Sun Yang stared at Chen Ming, who had fallen into a daze, his mouth twitching.

Judging by his expression, he must have been hit pretty hard.

Just how much of a shock could a C-rank class possibly have brought Brother Chen?

To the point where he's gone completely blank!

"Hm? What is it?"

After digesting his bug-like skill, Chen Ming finally snapped back to reality.

"Phew..."

Seeing Chen Ming's expression return to normal, Sun Yang let out a sigh of relief.

"Looks like the symptoms haven't reached the point of no return."

He then placed a hand on Chen Ming's shoulder with great solemnity, his gaze exceptionally serious.

"Brother Chen, don't you dare give up on yourself."

"From now on, I'll carry you through leveling; a Shield Guard and an Assassin make for a decent combination."

In that instant, Sun Yang felt he was shouldering a heavy responsibility.

"Forget it, you should go find a B-rank Warrior or Mage to team up with and reach level 5 as soon as possible."

Chen Ming poured a bucket of cold water over him.

It wasn't that he didn't want to bring Sun Yang along.

It was just that his current tentative leveling method wasn't exactly suitable for bringing others along.

As it stood, his strengths and weaknesses were glaringly obvious.

His strength was having [Absolute Defense], allowing him to charge headlong into danger without fear of death.

He wouldn't flinch regardless of what monsters or demons he encountered.

His weaknesses were equally prominent...

Low attack, low speed.

Therefore, if he wanted to level up quickly, he had to challenge higher-level exotic beasts.

While others at level 1 only dared to fight level 1s, he was different.

Not only could he fight above his level, he could take on entire groups solo.

He could just grind the exotic beasts down until they died anyway.

Under these circumstances, the danger for Sun Yang if they teamed up would be far too great.

He might have a locked-health mechanism, but Sun Yang certainly didn't.

One slip-up and they would be in a perilous situation.

Once their levels increased and their strength was guaranteed, forming a team to challenge dungeons would be feasible.

As for now, however, teaming up was naturally out of the question.

"Not teaming up?"

Sun Yang looked at Chen Ming, puzzled and confused.

"Then who are you planning to team up with, Brother Chen?"

Chen Ming nodded slightly.

"I'm leveling up solo."

Form a party?

He didn't need one.

"Uh..."

Sun Yang was momentarily speechless.

He lowered his head and muttered:

"Looks like the symptoms are still pretty severe."

It wasn't that he looked down on Brother Chen.

Before level 5, job changers form parties to level up in the wild; after level 5, teams challenge dungeons.

This was the most basic common sense.

Otherwise, if an accident occurred, there would be no one to provide rescue.

Unless it was an all-rounder combat class with no weaknesses and a rank of S or higher.

Otherwise, the survival rate for going solo was far too low.

A single lapse or accident meant leaving one's corpse in the wilderness.

Half an hour later, the job change ceremony for everyone finally concluded smoothly.

Looking at the restless crowd, the Dean of Students felt a sense of emotion.

Another batch of students had successfully graduated.

In this era where exotic beasts ran rampant, universities had long been abandoned.

For the vast majority, graduating at eighteen meant stepping into society.

She walked onto the high platform and gave a light cough.

"Students, the job change is only the beginning."

"The upcoming month-long Grand Exam will determine your graduation rating from the Alliance, which is of vital importance..."

The Grand Exam was the Alliance's assessment and test for every batch of awakened job changers.

The graduation rating was a form of official certification, a 'stepping stone' required for joining major guilds, corporations, and Alliance departments later on.

At the same time, it was also a benefit provided by the Alliance to awakened job changers.

Because the Grand Exam period was accompanied by generous rewards.

Just then, the massive formation diagram on the high platform began to rotate, blooming with radiance.

Immediately after, every student in the great hall received a notification without exception—

[You have entered the 'Huaxia Alliance Job Changer Graduation Exam' dungeon!]

[Time: Thirty days!]

[Current Region: Cloud Sea City!]

[...]

"Holy crap, awesome!"

"It's starting, it's starting!"

"So this is the Grand Exam dungeon, finally got to see it!"

"Even though I'd heard about it, experiencing the Alliance's super-large-scale dungeon for the first time is still thrilling."

That's right, the Grand Exam was actually a super-large-scale artificial dungeon covering the entire Alliance.

All newly awakened graduating students were job changers challenging the dungeon.

Different clearance conditions corresponded to different ratings and final rewards.

The crowd became excited all at once.

Many were rubbing their hands, unable to wait any longer, wanting to head out to level up immediately.

Chen Ming looked at the dense information unfolding before his eyes, feeling somewhat moved as well.

"Finally, students, please remember one thing..."

"You only have one life, so be sure to prioritize safety!"

The job change ended.

The job changers from Cloud Sea No. 1 High School began to leave the great hall one after another.

Everyone's goal was identical at this moment: outside the city, the Exotic Beast Forest!

Chen Ming walked out of the great hall alone, preparing to head toward the edge of the city with the main force.

After Sun Yang repeatedly confirmed with Chen Ming that he wouldn't be forming a party before reaching level 5, he had no choice but to go find temporary teammates.

"Chen Ming!"

As soon as he stepped out of the hall, a man and a woman blocked his path.

The man was thin and wore a pair of glasses, looking somewhat refined.

The woman was wearing a white short skirt with her hair in a ponytail.

As the two walked over, they attracted the gazes of many people around them.

Chen Ming subconsciously raised an eyebrow.

Because these two were the nominal members of his Morning Light Squad...

Jiang Yi, Song Chuan.

Why were they looking for him?

"Chen Ming, we have something we need to discuss with you."

Song Chuan stepped forward, his expression serious.

He got straight to the point: "You know that because of the school's arrangements, the few of us formed a 'temporary' team, and you are the captain."

"Now that everyone has changed classes, we need to consider forming a real team."

"And you..."

Song Chuan pushed up his glasses, his eyes carrying a hint of disdain.

His implication was self-evident.

"I'll be blunt: transfer the captaincy, then quit yourself."

Chen Ming was stunned.

He even suspected he had misheard.

He should transfer the captaincy and then quit?

What kind of nonsense could only be spewed by someone with their head up their own backside?

The people around them were now casting looks of anticipation, waiting to see a show.

The famous genius with high mental potential for the past three years—was he about to be humiliated in public?

"Do you not have hands, or do you not even know how to quit a party?"

Chen Ming's gaze turned cold as he stared at the two of them as if they were idiots.