Verdant slowly came back to himself. He was unsure how much time had passed and didn’t particularly care. But a glance at his health and mana seemed to indicate that he had only been unconscious for a scant few minutes as neither had regenerated more than a dozen points.
A gold notification from the ?sir system blinked its light in his peripheral vision. It opened with a brief flex of will and showed Verdant just how much he had changed.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
? System Notification ?
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Race Evolution Complete
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
You have evolved beyond the limits of Mankind.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
New Race: Asgardian
Your foundation has been reforged in the image of the divine, aligning you with the forgotten legacy of those who once stood at the pinnacle of existence.
Status Adjustments
Free Attribute Points per Level: 10
Retroactive Free Points Awarded: +20
Increased System Resistance: Effects of System-imposed restrictions are further diminished.
The path before you lay uncharted—but the echoes of the past whisper of what you are meant to become.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
The Usurper System does not yet recognize your true nature. Speak carefully. Move wisely.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
He noted that he now had thirty-four free points. ‘I should be able to get the last couple now.’
He did some math in his head, a high intelligence stat is good for more than just mana, but it doesn’t help you if you fail to apply it properly. His lips pulled into a grimace as he realised. ‘I had enough points to get the damn thing before my evolution.’
A sigh escaped his lips as he realised his own limitations. Then, he placed ten and fifteen points into Intelligence and Charisma respectively. It was more than either one needed to unlock the achievements, but the odd numbers would have bugged Verdant until he deigned to fix it.‘May as well do it now, I’ve got the points.’
Verdant smiled, a feeling of pride filled him as he confirmed the changes to his status, leaving a further nine points in reserve. The glorious horns he had expected howled through his mind a moment later, not once, or twice, but three times. He was stunned and mentally deafened by the cacophony. ‘What the fuck is going on?’
He willed the notifications to appear, noting the two he had expected and one he had not. ‘Fucking hell…’
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Achievement Earned: Arcane Mind (Legendary)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
This legendary feat is earned by reaching 100 Intelligence at Level 0, a milestone that only the most enlightened minds across the realms will ever attain. Such insight and clarity mark you as one whose thoughts transcend mortal comprehension, poised to unravel the mysteries of existence before even taking your first true step on the path.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
+10 to All Stats
×2 Intelligence Efficiency
Passive Effect: Font of Knowledge
Base Mana is increased by 10%
Once per day, upon dropping below 10% mana, instantly regain 25% of your maximum mana and gain 20% casting speed for 60 seconds.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Your mind, a boundless wellspring, dances along the currents of the unknown, grasping truths unseen by lesser beings.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Achievement Earned: Voice of Kings (Legendary)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
This legendary feat is earned by reaching 100 Charisma at Level 0, a milestone that only the most captivating and commanding figures across the realms will ever achieve. Such presence and influence mark you as one whose words shape the world itself, a force of will incarnate before even taking your first true step on the path.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
+10 to All Stats
×2 Charisma Efficiency
Passive Effect: Sovereign’s Command
Influence over those of lower level or weaker willpower is passively increased, making persuasion and leadership more effective.
Once per day, resist any mental influence or charm effect, shattering external control through sheer force of self.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Your voice carries the weight of kings and the whispers of gods, bending fate itself with the force of your presence.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Achievement Earned: Beyond the Bounds of Mortality (Mythic)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
The path of the ?sir was never meant for mortals, yet you have walked it nonetheless. Reaching 100 points in all six primary stats before reaching Level 1 was once the foundation for those seeking divinity among the Asgardians, a feat no living being has achieved since the fall of the true ?sir System.
This milestone stands beyond the reach of the Usurper System, a forgotten standard of divine ascension. The world does not yet understand what you are becoming—but the Wyrd remembers.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Title Earned: Aspirant ?sir
+20 to All Stats
×2 Overall Stat Efficiency
Passive Effect: ?sir’s Mandate
The shackles of the Usurper System weaken. Stat-based restrictions imposed by the System become lessened or nullified over time.
Your actions leave an imprint on the Wyrd. All achievements recognized by the ?sir System grant enhanced influence over fate and the world around you.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
There is no greater threshold at this stage. The ?sir knew this, and so shall you.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Verdant sat stock still, a silent scream escaped his mouth. His tortured body cried out, it was being subjected to a degree of turmoil magnitudes more than the evolution he had just gone through. It seemed trivial in comparison to the excruciating symphony of torment he now experienced.
Unable to cope with the changes occurring within him; his body collapsed in a dead faint once more, electricity shot from his form in uncontrolled arcs, scorching the floor and walls around him.
&&&
Verdant’s awareness returned moments later, only to find that he was no longer in the watch tower. He looked around, noting that he was a mental projection within his wyrd heart once more. ‘I guess I got what I wanted in the end. What the fuck just happened; I thought I was going to die.’
He willed his status open and was surprised to find it working in this space. ‘Right, let’s take a look.’ He noted an issue with his status that he was sick of seeing. The way the stats lined up triggered the perfectionist in him and he willed it to change. Pleased to see the result as he’d wished it.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="7" width="522">
Stats
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="7" width="522">
Health - 1,432/1,688 (62/hr+100%WR = 124/hr)
The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="7" width="522">
Mana - 693/966 (44.6/hr+100%WR = 81.2/hr)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="128">
Free Stats
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="128">
9
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="138">
Free Efficiency
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="129">
N/A
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="165">
Strength
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="111">
140 [448]
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="140">
Intelligence
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" width="106">
130 [208]
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="165">
Vitality
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="111">
155 [620]
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="140">
Wisdom
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" width="106">
145 [406]
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="165">
Dexterity
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="111">
150 [180]
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="140">
Charisma
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" width="106">
135 [162]
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
‘What the actual fuck. I know I put some stats in, and the achievements gave me bonuses. But my totals have increased by more than double in every single stat. It’s no fucking wonder why the pain was bad enough to make me faint.’ Verdant stared in shock at his status page for several minutes before remembering why he had wanted to come here in the first place.
‘My regenerations are much higher now and they are doubled with the well-rested buff but I’m willing to bet that there’s some kind of skill for pulling in more energies to my wyrd heart actively, rather than allowing it to recover passively.’ He willed his mental projection to move, spreading its awareness across his body. The veins his energies had travelled across before appeared to be more numerous and complex than before, they seemed to radiate a dull golden light. ‘Is this from my racial evolution, I’m sure it mentioned something about this.’
Dismissing the peculiarity of his wyrd based circulatory system, he returned his focus to increasing his regeneration rate. Trying to visualise his entire network, he sought out the energy in his body, where it was entering, how it was moving and, ultimately, where it was going. ‘I’m pretty sure about most of this, but I need to know for sure.’
Under closer scrutiny, he managed to determine distinct points across his body where energy entered and flowed towards his wyrd heart. ‘Both hands and feet, mouth, base of the skull and… my genitals? So, what… seven points of entry then? I can work with that. Just as I thought, they all lead directly to my wyrd heart too.’
He mentally followed all of the channels back to his heart, noting for the first time that as the silvery energy entered his core, whisps of blue and red pulled away from it and exited his core through a different part of his wyrd veins that hadn’t been used in transporting the energy to his heart. ‘That must be my mana and health leaving my core and entering my body after being processed.’
Verdant investigated the basin of his wyrd heart and realised that the liquid energy here was actually the remnant of the wyrd energy that had entered his body. ‘What is this, I don’t seem to use it in my body, but it’s got to have a purpose.’
He got closer, probing the liquid with the finger of his manifestation. Warmth radiated up his finger. On contact the liquid coated his finger until he removed it, and the liquid returned to the pool once more. ‘Everything is based on will… I wonder if I could will this liquid to start spinning in a whirlpool. Enough force generated by the rotating energy might create a suction in my body and cause more to be sucked in from outside at once.’
Floating above the pool, he placed both his hands above the liquid and willed it to spin.
Not much happened at first. But slowly, ripples appeared in the surface of the thick energy beneath him. He focused. Willing the pool to spin with all of his not inconsiderable will power.
It gained speed slowly, ripples deepening and a vortex started to become visible in its surface.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Skill Unlocked! Circulation (Rare)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
This is the basic skill required to circulate energy in your body increasing Health and Mana Regeneration.
+5% per level at Beginner Proficiency
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Verdant shouted with joy, vindicated in his efforts by unlocking the skill. ‘I fucking knew it!’ He lost his focus for a moment, causing the whirlpool beneath him to quiver and slow; before recovering and willing the pool to rotate once more. ‘Ah, shit I was afraid of that, It’s definitely an active process.’
He lost control completely a moment later when the familiar warhorn of the ?sir system informed him of a new notification.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
? System Notification ?
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Racial Synergy Detected
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Basic skill ‘Circulation (Rare)’ has a superior upgrade available for those of the Asgardian race.
You may choose to upgrade this skill to ‘Asgardian Circulation (Epic)’ at no additional cost.
[Yes] [No]
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Additional Bloodline Synergy Detected
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Basic skill ‘Circulation (Rare)’ has a superior upgrade available for those of ?sir Descent.
You may choose to upgrade this skill to ‘?sir Circulation (Legendary)’ at the cost of one skill token (Legendary)
[Yes] [No]
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
This is an essential skill if you wish to continue down the path. Choose wisely.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The pool stilled entirely as he examined the screen in front of him. ‘I could do the racial skill upgrade for no cost… but I have five of those tokens. Wait, they’re (Divine) quality. Is that the grade above Mythic? Fuck… am I just going to miss out on two tiers of upgrade potential if I use it now…’
Verdant clenched jaw, balling his hands into fists. ‘I’ll do it, using one to find out is worth the waste if it means I get a significant upgrade. Besides, that message seems to think this upgrade is important too.’
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
? System Notification ?
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Cost to upgrade ‘Circulation (Rare)’ to ‘?sir Circulation (Legendary)’ is 1x skill token (Legendary)
No tokens of appropriate quality found.
Use (Divine) quality skill token?
[Yes] [No]
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Fear not. Nothing is ever wasted.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
He willed the token to be used. Reassured by the message on the bottom of the notification. ‘I guess I’m about to find out what it means…’
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
? System Notification ?
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Skill Upgraded.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Circulation (Rare) > ?sir Circulation (Legendary)
Excess Token Potency worth four tiers of rarity applied to skill level.
?sir Circulation (Legendary) 0 > 20
?sir is now a Tier 2 skill!
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
His eyebrows raised in shock; mouth opened wide in a slack expression. ‘Fuck me sideways. It looks like I was right about level ten being some kind of threshold… seems like level twenty is too.’ Willing his new skill to appear before him, he scrutinised it closely.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
?sir Circulation (Legendary)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
This is the legendary skill associated with the ?sir themselves. Provides an exceptional boost to Health and Regeneration rates while actively used.
Tier 0 - Beginner Proficiency Bonus (0-10)
· (Active) +20% to base regeneration per level * 10 = +200% base regeneration
· Tier Completion Bonus +20 to Vitality and Wisdom
Tier 1 – Apprentice? Proficiency Bonus (11-20)
· (Passive) +10% to base Health and Mana per level *10 = +100% base Health and Mana
· Tier Completion Bonus +20 to Strength and Intelligence
Tier 2 – Journeyman Proficiency Bonus (21-30)
· (Passive) +5% to Physical and Magic damage per lvl *0 = +0% Physical and Magic damage
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
If you unlock too many of these too quickly, I won’t be able to keep intercepting the reports.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
He suddenly felt energy coursing in through his wyrd gates, flowing through his body until finally arriving at his wyrd heart. Pouring through the membrane and filling the basin by a significant margin.
In the next moment the liquid beneath him also began to move, out through the network to his body. He felt it reaching out across his being and, in that moment, he knew. ‘This is how my stats increase permanently. Whatever the third component of the wyrd energy is, it’s not just used to increase regeneration through the circulation skill it is also depleted to imbue my body and mind with permanent improvements.’
‘Yep, that’ll fucking do it mate. Regen problems? Never heard of ‘em.’ Verdant began rotating the liquid beneath him again eager to see the result on his status screen.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="7" width="522">
Stats
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="7" width="522">
Health - 3,568 / 3,824 (70/hr+100%WR+200%AC = 280/hr)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="7" width="522">
Mana - 1,799 / 2,072 (46.2/hr+10%AW+100%WR+200%AC = 189.4/hr)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="128">
Free Stats
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="128">
9
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="138">
Free Efficiency
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="129">
N/A
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="165">
Strength
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="111">
160 [512]
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="140">
Intelligence
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" width="106">
150 [240]
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="165">
Vitality
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="111">
175 [700]
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="140">
Wisdom
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" width="106">
165 [462]
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="165">
Dexterity
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="111">
150 [180]
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" colspan="2" width="140">
Charisma
</td>
<td style="text-align: center" width="106">
135 [162]
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
‘In just over two hours my health and mana will both be full and I can get the hell out of here. I’m not feeling good about all those troops moving to the North.’ He closed his eyes and focussed on maintaining his circulation.
‘This might end up being laughably easy with my new stats, but I’m not going to risk being overwhelmed by sheer numbers when having full resources could have saved me.’