I Only Wanted A Class In The Apocalypse Chapter 1 - Life Without A Class

"The end is coming! Demons, giants, wolves, and even insects will slaughter us all!"

Those familiar screams echoed from afar as I strolled unhurriedly toward that madman's spot.

Chaos reigned on the streets, littered with trash and remnants from last night's massive celebration. The city I called home marked the ninety-ninth anniversary of the Great Day!

Truth be told, it wasn't truly great—it marked the apocalypse's onset upon our world.

I'm Hye. My father said my name signifies a brilliant and clever individual.

Sure, I possessed smarts, yet my existence remained far from radiant. Destiny shaped my path long before my birth on this planet.

Oh, I neglected to mention: Earth transformed utterly ninety-nine years back. The apocalypse triggered continental fusion, shattered borders, and introduced bizarre territories to our map.

From then on, additional realms joined our vast Nala, the reborn Earth of today. Alongside came alien beings—demons, devils, goblins, monsters, and even advanced, thinking bugs.

Conflict erupted unavoidably between humanity and these foes. Brutal, protracted battles raged among all races for supremacy over Nala. Worse, our weapons proved useless against them.

Every foe wielded diverse magics. And humans weren't left out of that power.

Since the apocalypse's birth, humans pursued magic's ways. Ancient records recount quests from mighty judges and a guiding system. Accomplish feats, earn a unique class and unimaginable strength.

Yet countless failed those trials. My father, family—all trace back to grandparents who flopped their quests.

Folks like us earned the label classless, the scum of this reshaped society.

At society's pinnacle, elite class holders dominated humanity. We dwell in three grand kingdoms, spanning lands dwarfing old Earth manifold.

Yet that pales against other races. Humanoid clashes peaked ferociously for a decade initially. Then most perished, leaving just these three kingdoms enduring.

Put simply… We got crushed in that war! Those kingdoms offer secure havens. But the madman preached otherwise.

"The end approaches! Get ready! Darkness looms! Doom awaits us all!"

"That guy…" I shook my head helplessly, checking the notification in my system.

[Your daily quest awaits! Aid the old foreteller with his daily requirements for ten coins]

"Tsk, just another dull day," I grumbled, tapping to check for luckier options. As always, only this lousy task appeared.

These days, systems function like ancient human smartphones, regulating everyone's routines.

As a classless nobody, premium quests elude me. Just these garbage ones spawn every dawn.

Ten coins felt paltry for the effort. Still, it covered rent and meals just fine.

"Ah, the bright and clever one returns," the wild elder spotted me, halting his yells at street wanderers.

He appeared unchanged, clad in a worn, frayed black suit faded to gray from age and endless washes. His lengthy white locks hung messily over shoulders, cascading midway down his back.

Dark bruises and blue marks blotched his face from his so-called prophecy tests with volatile mixes. I nearly got shredded once by his 'foresight' ritual.

"Don't call me that—I'm merely a worthless drifter in this realm," I positioned myself nearby, repulsed by his jagged yellow fangs.

From afar, he could pass for a beast! The system confirmed his humanity—quests for aiding humans only target fellow humans.

"Come… Come… More tales await," he resumed! My duty involved meeting this lunatic's demands, yet stories consumed him entirely!

Initially, his words captivated me. Bizarre yarns and sagas felt like authentic myths. His madness enthralled until I uncovered the utter drivel!

He insisted on revealing history's hidden truths. Yet zero matched any human archive! I scoured records, skipping quests for a week to debunk his epic nonsense!

Finally, his insanity dawned on me! His recited events never transpired. Real history differed. Even names he drilled into me lacked any pre-apocalypse legend ties!

Ji the brave, Luke the mightiest, Anna the wisest, Cher the lioness… plus heaps of such phantom titles.

"Hurry, today's epic story awaits," he eagerly dragged me into his home with wild zeal. He claimed issuing system jobs solely to me.

Besides him, no steady clients needed my services.

His dwelling contrasted heaven and earth from his beggar guise—a sprawling mansion boasting expansive gardens and lofty barriers.

A palace owned by such a ragged soul… Utter irony!

Once I questioned how a figure like him owned luxury digs. He revealed a top-tier class granting passive wealth sans effort.

Jealousy surged then and lingers! Classes mirror old-world diplomas. I'm degree-less: intelligent, diligent, skilled, devoted—yet classless stalls all progress.

Inferiors thrive lavishly via classes. I loathe classes above all; they forged my torment.

Worst: None of this stemmed from my deeds! Pure inherited curse from the wrong lineage.

Rebirth into a classed family? I'd embrace it! A class via hell's trials? No hesitation.

That dream defined me, though fulfillment seemed impossible.

Countless visions haunted me: rewinding to apocalypse's strike, battling for my class right.

Early humans erred catastrophically. Survival blinded them to quests and classes. Folly sealed doom for every successor eternally.

Damn! Such thoughts ignite fury! I yearn to intervene, rewrite fate, defy death itself.