The large wooden gate slammed down as the chains holding it in place reeled rapidly lowering it, revealing the inside of the Komodo rider' rather hollow castle Pylon. A group of roughly brutish men resided within the walls, stood beside cages full of beasts and filth covered people alike. The sounds of their familiar whip crashing onto our escorting Brutes Komodo now echoed in multiples, the oversized brutes periodically slashing the Komodo dragons bodied, as well as anything else not adorning the brutes stupid spiked fucking helmets.
"Hey Red!! We got some fresh meat, check out this fuckin' beast?!" The large man yelled out to the crowd of muscular miscreants. An especially large brute, one that would tower over Lonni came strutting out. Beside him followed the largest Komodo in the settlement as well, and an Identify revealed it was the only one level 5 around here.
"Welcome! We are not used to voluntary guests, ignore my dear friend Erick here's manners." The large man said walking toward us, his beasts tongue slapping around striding beside him. Its whole body was covered brutally stacked scars, all in raised straight lines. Though, its backside had a wide patch of burnt skin that spread over its tail to each of its rear hips.
Poor thing.
"It's no bother, we appreciate the warm welcome. My name is Korbin, leader of my tutorial faction, and I wish to discuss peace with you. I assume you are the leader?" Korbin spoke, stepping forward only for the guards to ride in front of him, cutting off his path.
"Relax, gentlemen." The large brute said, his strange golden feathered helm dancing in wind as he glanced among his soldiers.
"I must apologize once more, they're terribly mannered. Please refrain from coming any closer until further notice." He said, in a kind tone unfitting for his stature.
"As you wish." Korbin said after a pause.
"I don't like these guys, Tom. They got beasts and humans alike in shackles there." Steve mentally messaged, anger in his voice.
"Oh, I'm killing these fucks. I'm just waiting for the green light." I responded, confident it'd be any minute now. I mean, fucking slavers?! Fat fucking chance, I'd rather die by Korbin's hand in dispute against it than coexist with these animals. Though, I'm more than certain he's as passionately against the practice as I. Which is why our continued negotiations baffled me so much.
"What is your proposal for peace, mister Korbin? We've yet to learn of your people's existence, let alone seek any formal peace?" He asked, eagerly.
"Well, first I'd love to know your name. He referred to you a-"
"Red. It's Red. Do tell me your proposal please." The lead brute interrupted, his hands pressed flat together in front of his face as he clearly fought a few demons to stay calm. Strange considering he showed no signs of frustration up to this point. Korbin took a bit longer to retort,
"Red. A pleasure. Our proposal is simple; we provide your people with TP and amenities, in exchange you provide control over your Pylon and sign a contract to put it in writing. I've more than enough resources to go around, however I also intend on having the final say as to how it's distributed, and to who." Korbin said.
"And if we refuse?" Red asked, brushing his beard with a smile.
"Well, we'd both prefer if you didn't choose that option without consi-"
"If we lose?!" Red repeated angrily.
"Then we take it, Red. By any means. The decision is yours, however I worry you've yet to consider the implications fully. We traveled a great distance over the ocean to the west to reach here. And I knew you were h-"
"ENOUGH!" Red bellowed out, his face having become contorted in rage over the course of Korbin's explanation.
"I will NOT be threatened by food on my own land!"
Did…he just call Korbin 'food'?
Korbin was stunned, based on his utter lack of physical response.
"Anyone who's got empty bellies and sharp blades, come collect your lunch. And bring me that snake!" Red yelled as he headed toward his castle, lines of brutes replacing behind him. The brutes began creeping towards Korbin, who had his fingers pinched on the top of his nose, looking disappointed as ever.
Finally, Korbin turned towards me, shaking his head and throwing his hand up signaling a reluctant 'go ahead'. My body shot forward sprinting to intercept his running attackers, placing each of my blades into their respective exposed chests before the surge from Lightning Strike exploded out of both my blades, creating craters in the brutes' bodies.
"ATTACK!" Cassi yelled from outside the walls behind me, with the bloodthirsty yells of our ferocious squad of 15 charging ahead. Steve was the second to join me in glorious battle, his bite latching onto a brute mounted atop a Komodo. My twinblade pierced the riderless Dragon's neck twice, the stabs energy exploding almost in unison within its skull. It fell, and was absolutely going nowhere based on its wounds, yet it still lived.
Tough bastards.
Cassi was next to join the fray, her water-covered fist blasting through the face mask of a charging brute, sending him sailing through the air into the crowd of brutes behind. Lonni's spike balled flail smacked another mounted brute off his dragon behind her, leaving the beast to Steve for a couple Flow Bites to leave it fully crippled. The entire enemy camp was about to reach the gateway when our soldiers passed by, bringing the front line on their home turf.
The cannibalistic brutes began radiating a bright red hue and instantly moved exponentially faster than before, holding our push back without issue.
"Tom, that Red guy is casting something in the back." Steve called, having a much higher view when he arched some of his 30 foot body toward the sky. Korbin called from behind.
"Don't push up yet! Give me one second!" He called, prompting me to glance in his direction. Korbin brandished the massive axe he'd kept on his back, the end glowing a familiar orange flame before shooting out in a beam of light over his head. It dispersed 10 feet above into an orange bubble, spreading about 30 feet in circumference. Korbin's axe lowered, in turn moving the bubble shield toward us and our squad.
The orange dome washed over me, a wave of newfound strength humming throughout mine and our soldiers bodies as everyone on our side began glowing the same orange hue.
"GO, push!" Korbin bellowed charging forward himself. Steve was still actively fending off incoming brutes when I finally located him. He'd began a tail swipe to smack into a group of brutes attempting to flank him. Dashing over, my feet shuffled onto the end of his tail, and shot off as he flung it forward before he could finish his swings rotation.
The soldiers below were slammed into the settlement wall, sending cracks webbing along the structure. Hurdling through the air, my eyes darted amongst the crowd of brutes trying to find that shithead, Red. The priority was to kill their leader as soon as possible, removing their glowing boosts he casted from the settlement cages. My landing was short by about 30 feet from said cages, and smack in the middle of their camp as well.
Having been the opposite of sneaky, the backline I'd volleyed over flipped around to attack me, collapsing in recklessly. Using Identify, I noticed the majority of brutes were level 3 the highest. Their Komodo Dragons however, were all level 4's and 3's, making them the real threats I made a concerted effort to avoid for now.
As the brutes closed in with wild swings of their swords and axes, my eyes focused intently on their momentum. The frontal attack only ever relented whenever attacks were inbound from my flank, forcing me to dash blindly to the side before I could retaliate. For whatever reason, these morons refused to use chest armor, nor shirts for that matter. This made counter finding openings for counter stabs through the heart much easier than armored soldiers. Their one handed weapon and empty hand style made for parrying to be an instant kill or arm removal with my twinblade. They'd fair decently if they knew to attack one side to remove my second blades threat, however none displayed any fighter prowess of the sort.
Well, they wouldn't on purpose at least. However their sheer numbers on all sides made for such a situation naturally, which is why Water Step proved once more my most important skill. My momentum shifting out of rear slashes range in a blink, the crackling bright blue energy traveling along my blades flashing with every counter strike. A path finally cleared to the brutes leader after having killed 8 or so of the well nourished cannibals, allowing me to make a beeline for his cowardly casting ways.
Red's bloodshot eyes widened in shock spotting my rapid approach. Raising his fingers to his mouth, he let out a loud whistle before snapping twice and pointing directly at me. 3 Komodo Dragons leapt out of their cages behind him in response, rushing straight towards me.
Deep breathy hissing flung beside me as I avoided the first Komodo's charge Diagonally stepping away. My blade slashed across its front leg as it landed back down from its lunging bite, cutting deep into its muscle tissue causing the beast to collapse on its chin. There was no time to land a finishing blow before one of its fellow Dragons stepped off of its injured kin, using their prone body as a foothold to leap off of.
My feet shuffled under me carrying my body to the side and avoiding the Komodo's wild aerial lunging attack. I swung a twinblade across my chest, slashing its rear leg cutting to the bone.
The second Komodo continued trying to chomp at me regardless of its disabled limb, forcing me to cut into its functioned back leg. The Komodo collapse having no support to lift half its body, rendering it affectively immobile but very much alive.
The third Komodo had been circling our engagement however, deciding to flank behind while I slashed its kins second leg. My head barely wrapped around in time to spot its attack, allowing no time to dodge. Instead, my arms spread out horizontally, tightening my chain in front of me.
Its maw chomped down onto my chains, the Komodo's force pushing me back as my feet slid across the ground. Blue and white mana irrupted throughout my twinblade, surging through Komodo's mouth causing it to convulse locked in place. Feeling the drain on my mana pool building, I ripped my chains free from its maw, thrusting a Lightning Strike into its shoulder in the same motion. The energy exploded through its shoulder blade, leaving a mess of burnt flesh and exposed muscles and tendons. It reared its head up for a desperate bite attack, only for my twinblade to thrust into its chin from below. Yet after removing my weapon from its head, it continued hissing angrily while writhing on ground.
Their snapping maws had a similar bite force to the mother Orca's based on the Flow generated in every lunging chomp, indicating great strength. The problem was they were terribly slow, and bore no long fanged teeth but rather hundreds of small razor sharp teeth that looked unnatural in their mouths. Their toughness was absolutely incredible, either that or their vitality stat is insanely high, as even a direct stab under the chin to the skull didn't kill one of them instantly.
The leader's large steps barreling behind alerted my attention, as I stepped to the side avoiding a downward slam from his glowing hammer as he growled.
"You DARE slay the beasts of the Chosen of Fitz-Morgath, Demigod of Superiority?! You will FEEL his wr-" my blade pierced deep into the filthy casters gut before he could register I'd even moved. I held my blade deep in his belly.
"Feel his what? Were you going to say 'wrath'? That's so funny that you'd mention that." I twisted the blade in Red's gut before pulling it out. Using the momentum, I spun around swinging out the other, slicing cleaning through his neck and decapitating the tyrant. Grabbing it up by the hair, I walked behind the group of remaining brutes fighting for their leader. Lifting it, I yelled to the crowd.
"THIS IS YOUR LEADER?!" I yelled, throwing his head out to the brutes. The few it bounced off of and landed by stared down in horror at their leaders detached head, many being blindsided by our soldiers. Korbin was fully in the fray burying his axe deep into a distracted brutes shoulder blade. He smiled having spotted their leaders remains, and immediately backed off from the front lines.
It didn't take long for us to clean up the rest of the over sized cannibals. There were only a dozen or so remaining when their leader died, and their boost had fully faded shortly after he perished making victory a matter of time. The level 5 Komodo popped into my mind, creating a sense of dread having yet to locate it.
Such fears were quickly culled by Steve, spotting him ripping the level 5 Dragon to shreds while it lay belly up. The poor Komodo squirmed trying to defend itself, even with half of its torso covered in exposed wounds and missing skin. Their high vitality must have served them well up until this point, but I couldn't help but feel bad it ended up forcing them to survive through such torturous pain.
Averting my gaze from the serpent on reptile violence, I decided to distract myself via reviewing all of my kill notifications. The laundry list of Brutes and Komodo's ranging between 3 and 4 took a full 10 seconds to fully read through. Okay, 9 seconds to start reading and one to skip to the bottom hoping for a 'different' kind of notification. Our soldiers had already begun their bellowing victory cry, however my excitement stemmed from a far more personal victory.
*Congratulations!* You've leveled up your class! (Rogue Level - 4)
->
(Rogue Level - 5)
+1 agility, +1 endurance
*Congratulations!* You've leveled up your race!
(Human Level - 4)
->
(Human Level - 5)
+1 vitality, +1 endurance
Leveling up in both my race and class skill was more than enough a reward for my efforts, and I would've gladly gone about my day proud of my accomplishments. There was still one more notification left however, having went off only after I read over my leveling.
*Congratulations!* You've unlocked your first Class Evolution! Please select from the following Class:
Fluidic Fighter(uncommon) - a dexterous rogue versed in the art of hand to hand combat, who's studied the nature of Flow extensively, seeking battle head-on fearlessly opposed to its presumed hidden nature.
+2 agility +2 endurance per level
+1 free point
Wrathful Acolyte (uncommon) - as the lowest grade Chosen of the God of Wrath himself, your connection to your Patron's affinity has opened a path to follow in the Aboriginal's footsteps. May all tremble before your thunderous wrath.
+2 agility +2 endurance, +10% damage all lightning based attack
+1 free point
Storm Strider (rare) - A warrior of many traits, your closeness to both your chaotic, inevitably crashing nature your water affinity maintains, and merciless instantaneous might lightning affinity represents have forced the two to clash within your very spirit. With the knowledge accrued, victories earned upon a sacred water goddess' tournament grounds, and the highest echelon lightning wielding Patron in the multiverse at your side, your path bends and contorts before life's raging storms. Only those in tune with such tumultuous conditions both externally and internally may seek to stride along their journey through the eye of the storm with graceful wrath.
+3 agility, +3 endurance per level
+1 free point per level
Well hot-damn, it must be my fucking birthday?!
Reading over the lengthy descriptions, my choice initially felt incredibly easy, as it ought to be given the rarity disparity the third class option held. My assumption was a rare level class was…well…rare for someone my level. Largely because the class path provided for my multiversally renown Aboriginal Patron was still only uncommon. Sure that 10% boost to lightning damage was probably damn good. However, I've never exactly been a 'one-trick pony' type of guy, and my opinions over affinity preferences didn't differ.
Water affinity is still far and beyond the best, if not most utility affinity in my arsenal. Without my Water Step, or the water arena I spent my entire first 90 tournament fights at, I'd never have even met Perunious. If anything, I'd probably be long dead and disposed of at the first Pylon defense on day 1. The first two options somehow made no mention to water in the slightest, putting to question whether they were even intended for me.
Cassi came strolling up beside me, just barely in my peripheral reach when she spoke.
"Didn't realize you were a long jumper too. Not bad out there, killer." She said, punching my shoulder.
"Y-yeah thanks Cass. Hey uh, could you give me a sec? I got an evolution choice to make here." I said, not moving my eyes in fear of picking a class by accident. Having zero physical controls and having only my will to make selections wasn't something I'd grown accustomed to. Cassi didn't speak, instead turning toward Korbin whose footsteps crescendoed from behind.
"Korbin, Tom says he's picking an 'evolution', what even is that?" She asked him, sounding almost annoyed.
"Oh, oh shit you got that just now?" He asked, leaning into my view as he asked excitedly.
"Yep. Just now. Still trying to decide here." I said impatiently.
"Let's leave him here for a second, Cassi. We got to get a head count on the slaves and beasts chained up as well, and hopefully they'll have information on neighboring Pylons. We didn't exactly leave any of these brutes alive to question." Korbin said, disappointment weighing heavy in his tone.
"Our tactics might've been a little heavy handed, but to be fair they were literal slavers and cannibals. I'm not sure discussion was ever on the table truly." Cassi replied, still right next to me instead of fucking off.
Tired of their back and forth, I focused intently on blocking off their discussion while reading over the last class option more thoroughly. Seeing a class list my personal experiences in such detail was…odd. None of the other options culminated any of my past within their descriptions, but rather individual aspects to expand on. As much as myopia was efficient in shoring up small weakness, it wasn't necessarily something to marry as a tool to long term growth. A class just felt too permanent, especially when I had no clue when I'd get another evolution.
The conversation No-Face and I had regarding the classes in general came to mind considering my choices. They mentioned you can completely change your path from where it began. This had to be one of those times he was talking about, and I wasn't about to select anything other than a class I wanted. Not the one that made sense in certain contexts, like Flow being the foundation to my every movement in combat, making it one of the greatest skill set I'd ever attained pre-integration. Or Perunious, the God of Lightning who's helped propel my rate of growth through percent boosts and even providing my profession contractually. Either choice made both classes a correct answer, but to the wrong question.
Why? Why should I appeal to either of those things? Power came in so many variations now, I'd yet to even understand the depths of the little I possess now let alone what's out there to learn. Flow wasn't the only medium for that, nor was having a kick-ass God who's already realized their power fully for themselves. So why pick the third and final choice? Simple, I agreed with it.
Life has indeed been one big maelstrom, my own path spiraling and contorting around me with bursts of shock peppered throughout as massive life altering events rained overhead in showers. Even before the system, I'd barely found some semblance of stability, which was of course struck with the largest of life altering events, the fucking multiverse. So, seeing no reason to delay, I willed to select the only Class Evolution that felt like me.
*Congratulations!*You've selected class evolution:
->
Storm Strider (rare)
…
Prepare for the evolution process to commence.
The what?
Without blinking, the wonderful spectrum of color that decorated earth was ripped away, replaced with nothingness. It was a familiar scene, standing alone in an empty realm with only its bright white aura to offer. Not as panicked this time around, I sat down crossing my legs and began meditating while I waited for my old featureless friend.
Before long, a voice I hadn't heard in weeks echoed from behind me.
"Ah, Tom! It's a pleasure seeing you again so soon!" No-Face said, his tone sounding genuinely excited. Standing up, I turned to face the faceless. He sat at an even larger desk than last, in a room with a little more detail if you disregarded the vast white nothingness that surrounded it. The desk had a stapler, some paperwork, and a few figurines that looked an awful lot like my entire conquest party.
"Good to see you too my 'guy-de'. I see you made short work turning our struggles into children's toys." I said, pointing toward his figurines.
"Ah, haha! Yes well, your group is one of my favorites of the 29th universes tutorial thus far, but you can't tell anyone I said that." He said in a surprisingly devious tone.
"Appreciate that. So, this is where we evolve?" I asked, having hoped for something a bit more comfortable.
"Oh no no, this is where your spirit resides as your body is adjusted by the system to accommodate your path. It's quite the intricate and, well, painful process if you're conscious for it."
"Why is it so painful?" I asked, concerned.
"Well I mean, I've never personally evolved. However, I've seen the process countless times. I assure you, being broken down to the smallest fibers of your physical being and rebuilt again does not look comfortable." He said in a sarcastically grave tone, much less serious than it ought to be given the context.
"I see, so I'm being erased and remade as we speak?" I asked to clarify.
"Indeed."
"Well, why do these evolutions even matter? And when's my next one?" Desperately I tried to avert my thoughts from my body being eradicated from existence standing in front of this overly giddy…thing again.
"They're quintessential Tom? Please, allow me to explain."
No-Face would go on to explain in far too many words that evolutions shape the direction of your path in terms of skills, experience, affinity's, and even potential to grow as a whole. He also mentioned something about 'Records' playing a massive role, and anyone who excelled in the tournament were guaranteed to have accrued incredibly potent records very early having bathed passively in countless gods' aura's and energies fighting on their battlegrounds.
As for my next evolution, well, that won't come again until level 25. It didn't feel like much of a steep mountain to climb, not compared to level 75 being when I'd see a third one. Based on No-Face's description, these class selections were extremely vital to one's path and overall quality of life, so I'm glad my intuition was to take it seriously.
"Well, does my profession evolve?" I asked, curious how expansive such a thing goes.
"Indeed it does! However, due to the nature of your particular profession's contract, your first evolution was forfeited in order to rectify the immense records needed to 'seal the deal' if you will. The next profession evolution will still come at level 25 so, you needn't worry." No-Face answered in his usual cheery manner.
Well, that kind of blows.
Though, I didn't find it unlikely my profession would continue to far surpass my class, especially once more ships and beasts are working continuously to support trade and future conquests. If anything my next evolution may very well be fantastic due to the nature of me and Steve's hunts if they continue being so damn intense. That only left one area of growth in question.
"What about my race? Does that evolve too?"
"Of course. How else would your body attune to Godhood if achieved? Race Evolutions are reserved for when you earn a higher grade. Being a race level 25 will bring your very first Grade Evolution, and therefore a Race Evolution!" No-Face informed me, his many attempts at getting me amped finally working as I pondered what kind of powers a Grade Evolution entailed. Of course, that left a big hole for folks not so hard nosed on fighting or a profession.
"How can you upgrade your race if you have to upgrade your class and profession to raise it?" I asked.
"Well, technically you can level up your race with enough levels in either a class or profession, however balance is required in order to achieve the next stage of existence on any level. Such a balance was requisite of your planet before the integration even began. Besides, there's plenty of class evolutions that don't necessarily force you to fight. And, you already know of a profession that doesn't discriminate against fighting either." No-Face information dumped onto me, before giving a sly smirk referencing the rather violent fashioned I'd leveled my Beast-Tamer profession.
It felt like No-Face was trying to be more personable, which wasn't totally unnerving given our positive circumstances of meeting. Still, it was strange nonetheless.
"So…basically you're saying people need to either figure it out or not, but the tools are there? I mean that's…that's actually rather fair." My respect for the system grew from bad/neutral to a level of reverence. This environment was absolutely ideal for humanity in my opinion, though I'd be ignorant not recognizing the privilege I had thus far. Yet there had to have been countless God's who hadn't even gone to the tournament, meaning everyone had a fair shot regardless of head starts. Not everyone would agree, even if they're wrong.
"Well, for the most part. After around E-D grade is when most humans growth stunts, with a decent percent in the C-B range. A marginally select few have ever gotten to rank A and up, however most all achieved Godhood if they had. Quite an interesting race, you humans. The underdogs most of the multiverse remains unwilling to underestimate." No-Face said, scanning me up and down with his featureless face.
"Hey, just so you know? If you're trying to be more relatable, don't look people from my planet up and down like that. It's creepy to be honest with you." I informed, hoping to spare the next person he meets with it.
"Ah, noted. Though you only see and hear me how you wish, Tom. But that's a conversation for later, it looks like your class evolution process is complete. Until next time, Thomas." No-Face said with a grin as the bright eight light that encompassed his strange team dissolved into complete darkness. Peering around, it was like I was launched into a vacuum devoid of matter, strapped to an invisible table at all limbs. My body felt sore, as in 'hit with a freight train' sore, before a strange light beamed from thin air, firing into my stomach.
Blue and White energy permeated from my body as it felt like a million burning hot knives were slowly piercing through me, the searing flash of pain proving unbearable upon contact. My arms fought to move with every ounce of my strength to no avail. My anger for feeling betrayed by No-Face sent a surge of blazing heat through my system, my body crackling with Lightning mana. My left arm began to finally raise up an inch before a voice cut in, along with the pain and light stream dissipating in unison.
"Oh, oh my. I am terribly sorry Tom, I didn't know you were to have this part umm…ah! It should be now, Ta ta!" No-Face's voice echoed a cryptic apology before my vision shifted once more, adjusting to the dimmed sunlight. It must have been just before dusk when I reappeared in the castle Pylon. Checking my status, my new class title was updated, as well as +3 boosts to my agility and endurance, matching the class level up perks.
A free point was awarded as well, which I immediately willed to allocate into Vitality. That and my toughness were abysmally low compared to the rest of my relevant stats by now. Until my vitality and toughness are at least to 15, those would be my stats to train. With any luck, they can progress on their own. Of course that would imply I'm getting beat up a bunch so, mixed feelings for that one.
The rush of 7 additional stat points permanently added was utterly blissful, if not a little overwhelming. It took me a few seconds to snap out of basking in the sensation. Turning about, I'd noticed the slaves were now walking freely, thankfully. A few larger of the bunch were talking with Cassi very excitedly, while Korbin had a couple others sat across from him at a floating table top with no legs, contracts hovering in the air facing them. Lonni was tending to a few of the wounded beasts in their cages, some not even aggressive enough to attack or scurry off when released.
Soldiers were carrying out the mangled corpses of the brutes, along with their supply of human meat they'd sheltered here. I couldn't even recall the last meal I needed, meaning that clearly wasn't necessary anymore. They clearly took pleasure in what they did, or at least found another less vital use for it. Anna still needed to eat back home, so I assume once you achieve an official Grade, it's all about growth from there rather than sustenance. At any rate, it was fucking appalling, and I'm glad we exterminated this filth before they got much larger in numbers.
Collecting my bitter hatred for the previous Pylon owners once more, I headed over to Korbin in hopes for an update. The few slaves sitting with him had just signed their respective contracts, now heading for a corner in the settlement to chat amongst themselves. A few other slaves were clearly leaving or already left based on the 60+ here on arrival now being a mere 21.
"Ah, Tom! Did you enjoy your talk with the creepy suit guy?" Korbin asked with a smile.
"How did y-", using Identify, I answered my own question.
[Human - level 6]
"Ah, you already evolved your class." I said, now understanding.
"Sure did, can you believe the next grade isn't till fucking 25?! Oh well, hey by the way, this Pylon is still unclaimed." Korbin said, changing topics quickly.
"Okay? Why haven't you claimed it?" I asked, confused.
"Pretty simple, I want you to have it.