《Successor of Kukulkan [A Mythological LitRPG Apocalypse]》 Chapter 1 TJ greeted the new world with a broken nose and fiercely muttered profanities. He¡¯d been on a run with his son Junior in the jogging stroller, but before he knew it, ran into a wall that simply hadn¡¯t been there just before. As he fell to the unforgiving ground, TJ reached out to the stroller, ready to calm Junior however necessary, but his hands touched nothing. Fiercely wiping at his watering eyes and blinking rapidly, TJ could see clearly once again. There was no stroller, no Junior, and no Riverview Park where he¡¯d just been. ¡°The hell is happening?¡± He asked himself as he pushed himself to his feet. Trying to clear his vision and headache, he pinched the bridge of his nose for a split second before gasping in pain again and forcing more tears to his eyes. Yeah, the nose was definitely broken, the blood dripping in a constant patter. He wanted to focus on feeling bad for himself for a split second, but instead and more importantly¡­ ¡°Junior? Junior! Thiago!¡± He was in a pure white room, an omnipresent light casting no shadows around him. The panic he¡¯d tried to kill instead rose as he shouted for his son while the walls seemed to close in on him, but before true hysteria could set in, every emotion was suddenly washed from his body, leaving him cold, dispassionate, and docile. Words appeared before him on a screen not unlike a tablet¡¯s while the same words echoed through his head in an androgynous voice. Welcome to the integration of the Divine System. Twenty millenia have passed since the Ascension. Now abandoned, the divine realm has grown stagnant, and once again, the Throne must be filled. Your planet has been chosen to serve as the proving grounds for the hopeful divines. Embrace your divine heritage and prove yourself capable of succeeding where your ancestors failed. Bloodline: Kukulkan selected as Bloodline of Majority. Tutorial location determined. Initial Class Quest initiated. Transmission to Tutorial grounds has begun. There was a brief time for the words to settle before an additional screen appeared before him, the words just as forceful but somehow benevolent. Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV, do not worry about the wellbeing of Bystander Thiago Jorge Harris V. He is being kept safe until the completion of your Tutorial. Prove yourself capable of withstanding the pressures of the divine and worthy of ascending to the Throne and he will be returned to you. For the briefest moment, TJ¡¯s emotions were returned to him in an overwhelming wave, ¡°What the fu¨C¡± Before he could curse, TJ¡¯s bodily autonomy was once again taken from him and his mind faded to blackness. An interminable time passed, and consciousness returned. TJ sat bolt upright, looking back and forth, hoping to see that, contrary to the statement made by the stupid screen, Junior was nearby. A bunch of something pokey stabbed into his upper thighs and butt, and he pushed himself to his feet as he looked around. Not only was Junior nowhere to be seen, neither was his stroller, nor the familiar paths of Riverview Park. He wasn¡¯t in Tempe anymore, but the mountains. Fighting hyperventilation, TJ tried to see what he could. The trees all around were pines, and, in an additional attempt to ground himself, TJ leaned in towards the nearest one and sniffed deeply. Same sweet smell as the ponderosa pines that made up the Tonto Rim forests. Plenty of pine needles on the ground, with scrub brush all around. Near as he could figure, he was still in Arizona, just up in the mountains somewhere. Maybe near Flagstaff or Payson? At least 100 miles from home. Whatever had happened was feeling more and more real, since the pounding headache wasn¡¯t one of a hangover, and he¡¯d laid off all alcohol since Junior¡¯s birth. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the GPS, but the thing was dead and totally unresponsive. As TJ gathered himself, he felt just how cold it was here. A warm afternoon in January in Tempe could reach as high as the mid 60¡¯s and he¡¯d been running in gym shorts and a tank top. The sweat still hadn¡¯t dried, and the cold breeze through the trees set him to shivering. ¡°Please tell me it¡¯s a dream.¡± He muttered to himself, as he pulled his backpack off, the wet straps chilling in the air that he figured was just a bit above freezing. He had a light sweatshirt in the backpack and pulled it on, keeping the hood up. Even so, the chill had already set into his bones and TJ rubbed his hands together as, despite his best efforts, the wave of rage, confusion, pain, and everything else washed over him and stole away his rationality. The bleary pain of his broken nose and the taste of blood in his mouth didn¡¯t matter, because something, some worthless sack of sick had taken his son. He didn¡¯t know where Junior was, but TJ was going to find him, and make sure that the toddler was safe.The only thing that could at least partially calm him was the nebulous, maybe believable reassurances from the random words. Yeah, no, he wasn¡¯t about to calm down, but for now, he needed to make sure he didn¡¯t die of exposure or something before he found his son, since he could feel the cold wind whipping through the loose shorts he wore. He stuck both hands deep into the pockets of his jacket and shrugged up his shoulders against the biting winds while looking for the nearest peak. From there, maybe he could orient himself. Before he could, though, another one of the windows appeared before TJ and a diluted form of the artificial calm washed over him once again. Beginning Tutorial. Class Quest initiated.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. All descendants of the divine will embrace the Path of the Zealot, the Acolyte, the Disciple, or the Neophyte. Before you can qualify to be blessed with your first sliver of the divine, you must prove your mettle, your determination, and your ability. For each of the paths, there is a different Quest to complete. Complete the requirements for one of the four Classes, and you will begin your path towards the Divine Throne. Acolyte Class acquisition requirements: Slay five creatures within the bounds of the Tutorial Area with traps, a ranged weapon, or from a distance by any other way that you devise. Progress: 0/5 Disciple Class acquisition requirements: Heal, help, or support five creatures within the bounds of the Tutorial Area. Progress: 0/5 Neophyte Class acquisition requirements: Display the beginnings of the ability to harness your Divine Bloodline in a concrete manner. Progress: 0/1 Zealot Class acquisition requirements: Slay five creatures within the bounds of the Tutorial Area with your bare hands or melee weapons. Progress: 0/5 Again, his heightened emotions returned, and TJ pulled his hand out of his pocket and gently wiped the blood from the stubble above his lips, careful not to touch his nose. The ache of his nose drew his mind from his boy, wherever he was. For now, he needed to focus on this Tutorial. That was the only clue he had about how to find his son. ¡°I¡¯ve played enough video games to kinda get this.¡± TJ muttered. ¡°Four classes, each one different. Zealots are melee fighters, Acolytes ranged, Disciples supporters. But what¡¯s a Neophyte? How¡¯re they different from the others? What¡¯s that requirement mean?¡± Neophyte Classers focus on allowing the divine to change them, instead of them changing themselves into an approximation of the divine. The Neophyte Class acquisition requirement is deliberately nebulous, as embracing the Divine Bloodline is something that differs from one Participant to the next, as well as from one Bloodline to the next. He was almost surprised, but a little glad to have the windows talking back to him. ¡°And how do I know which of the Classes I¡¯m best suited for?¡± The primary attributes for the Acolyte Class are, in descending order Agility, Wisdom, Perception, and Intelligence. The primary attributes for the Disciple Class are Wisdom, Intelligence, Willpower, and Perception. The primary attributes for the Neophyte Class are, in descending order, Vitality, Endurance, Willpower, and Toughness. The primary attributes for the Zealot Class are, in descending order, Strength, Endurance, Vitality, and Toughness. That¡­ was actually a little surprising. TJ had assumed that, given the Class Quests, the Acolyte Class was a ranger of sorts, but they didn¡¯t need Strength or endurance as much as Wisdom and Intelligence? There had to be something he was missing¡­ but more importantly, before he made any choices, there was another question to ask. ¡°Ok, and which Class does the ¡®Throne¡¯ or whatever prefer? I need to impress it to get my son back, right?¡± The Divine Throne is wholly unfeeling. The Divine System has no preference for what Class the next Ascendent follows, only that they prove themselves worthy of their Ascension. Previous Ascendents have come from every Class without notably statistical skew in any direction. ¡°Then what does it mean that he¡¯s a ¡®Bystander¡¯?¡± The Divine System searches for those who are most suited for Ascension to the Divine Throne. Those younger than the age of 15 are considered unsuitable. Those unsuitable are kept apart from the conflict inherent in the Ascension, though there are opportunities for them to join in the contest at a later date. ¡°And is someone taking care of him? Is he safe? He¡¯s all alone!¡± Bystander Thiago Jorge Harris V is not alone. He is currently being cared for by the Divine System. ¡°You don¡¯t have anything else to tell me? What the everloving FUCK do you mean?¡± The System¡¯s stupid words, forceful but still somehow kind, echoed in his head, but he didn¡¯t care. He needed answers. Frustratingly, the Divine System didn¡¯t give him any more information on his boy, and TJ, after waiting for another minute, held back another string of swears that would have set his mom¡¯s slipper flying at him. ¡°Ok. Fine. I have to trust your word for now. How can I see which of the Classes is best suited to me?¡± There were no words that filled his consciousness, and instead, a page appeared before TJ¡¯s eyes. Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Human ¨C lvl 0 Class: N/A Occupation: N/A Level of Divinity: Dirt Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 100/100 Mana Points (MP): 70/70 Stamina: 80/80 Attributes Strength: 7 Agility: 6 Endurance: 8 Vitality: 10 Toughness: 8 Wisdom: 8 Intelligence: 7 Perception: 6 Willpower: 9 Fixation: 1 Free Points: 0 Titles: N/A Glancing through the status sheet of information, Zealot and Acolyte were looking the least attractive to TJ, since the ¡°most important¡± attributes for both of those were the lowest he had. A part of him was slightly offended at how low his Strength and Agility were, but he supposed he was now 31, and nowhere near as fit as he once was. The stupid indignation that swelled in his chest was viciously beaten down. Why would he care at all about a stupid arbitrary number on a screen? Instead, he looked at the two remaining options: Disciple and Neophyte. Disciple sounded ok, TJ liked helping people¡­ but given that children were kept away from all this had him wondering if he wanted to be a supporter in the days that came. It¡¯d been years since he¡¯d been to church, but he could remember a couple of things from those Sundays spent in a chapel. God had his angels that healed people and whatever else the Bible said, but He also threw fire and brimstone down on the wicked. Or whoever it was that Nana and the preacher decided deserved celestial punishment that week. To get to his son, TJ would need to start throwing fire and brimstone. And Neophyte was¡­ different from the rest. And his attributes suited the Class perfectly. Assuming bigger numbers meant better. Right? The larger the number next to an attribute in a Participant¡¯s Status Sheet, the stronger or more powerful that Participant¡¯s attribute. Ok. As ass-backwards as all this was, at least that much made sense. It¡¯d been years since TJ could spend any real time with a video game, but he could remember from the few MMOs he¡¯d played before how important the first days were. The more people knew earlier, the better it would be for them. And for Junior, TJ would focus and learn whatever he could as fast as he could. So, with a decision made, he¡¯d find the divine and force it to change him. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s this ¡®Kukulkan¡¯ Bloodline thing mean?¡± Chapter 2 Every Participant in the selection of the next Divine is a descendant of one or more divine aspirant who reached at least the Ruthenium level of Divinity. ¡°And what does that mean?¡± There are ten levels of Divinity: Dirt, Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Ruthenium, Iridium, Osmium, and Orichalcum. ¡°Not gonna remember that.¡± He muttered. ¡°And what level of Divinity did Kukulkan reach?¡± Osmium. That seemed¡­ impressive, TJ supposed. Nearly the top? ¡°And does this Kukulkan bloodline come from the Feathered Serpent Kukulkan? Like¡­ Quetzalcoatl?¡± The Feathered Serpent, the god of the skies and winds, the long path between the spirit and the body, worshipped as Kukulkan, Quetzalcoatl, and Q?uq?umatz, the father of the Mayan, Aztec, and K¡¯iche. So yeah. That Kukulkan. TJ¡¯d heard some stories about the Mayans and Aztec from his Nana, but she¡¯d mostly talked about the big G God. He wasn¡¯t even really Mexican, this many generations down mixed with so many other races. He was just¡­ TJ. But, if he needed to be like something, a flying feathered snake god wasn¡¯t too bad a model to take into this apocalypse or whatever it was. ¡°And how do I harness Kukulkan¡¯s Bloodline?¡± If one desires to seek the Path of the Neophyte, then the Participant must divine and seek that path without initial assistance. If one qualifies, takes the first step without Divine or Systemic guidance, they will receive further instruction. The Divine will only accept some, while others still must seize that Divinity of themselves. Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV¡¯s only guidance will come from within. ¡°Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun times.¡± TJ habitually censored himself. Then, for the first time since he¡¯d regained consciousness, he fully took in the area around him. Pine trees, scrub brush, mountain, clouds overhead. The sun was still rising, it was maybe 10 am? Didn¡¯t smell like rain, no creek nearby, unsurprising since he was still in Arizona, and he just had a half liter water bottle, some goldfish, and a granola bar in his backpack. His grandpa¡¯s trusty can of chew he kept with him habitually was the closest thing to medicine he had, and tobacco had always been disgusting so he wasn¡¯t going to touch that. No animals or people nearby¡­ right? ¡°HELLO!¡± TJ shouted. ¡°ANYONE THERE? I might need help. Might be crazy too.¡± He muttered at the end. Only silence answered his call, and TJ tightened his backpack across his shoulders and looked again for the nearest mountain peak. As near as he could figure, he was halfway up one of the rolling mountains of the Tonto Rim, and it would be a hike of 30 minutes or more to reach the top. With his sweat drying and the brisk wind picking up, TJ didn¡¯t want to hold still, and seeing what was around him would be his best bet to survive. His arms and chest uncontrollably quivering in the cold, TJ began his ascent. The mountain had no path as far as TJ could tell, and the hike sucked. He was grateful that he¡¯d taken special care to get back into some semblance of good shape in the past year, since he¡¯d really let himself go after Mari¡¯s death. If he were still that 250 pound five foot seven guy, he¡¯d never make it up there. Left alone in his thoughts without a curious toddler¡¯s questions, TJ couldn¡¯t help but wonder if maybe he¡¯d fully gone off the deep end. ¡°Never been crazy before,¡± He muttered, looking around for a path that didn¡¯t take him through the scratchy bushes. ¡°Maybe today¡¯s the day. Hope not¡­¡± Somehow, the emotions he¡¯d had artificially squashed and the Status Sheet he could still pull up kept TJ reasonably sure that he hadn¡¯t completely lost the plot. ¡°Just not Shutter Island. No need for any of that.¡± Too preoccupied with talking to himself, TJ was entirely unprepared for the sudden attack. With a yip and snarl, a coyote lunged out of the nearby bushes, and TJ was so surprised by its attack that he basically fell to his ass without resistance as it bit deep into his calf. ¡°Son of a¨C!¡± He screamed, the instant pain shooting adrenaline through his system. With a clenched fist, TJ smashed the nose of the coyote, and it yelped in pain as it released him. The coyote, so unnaturally aggressive, stepped back and began circling TJ as it growled low in its throat. TJ scrambled to his feet, his shredded calf crying in agony as he tried to protect himself. ¡°I¡¯m way too big for you to kill.¡± TJ tried to reason. ¡°Get the hell outta here and I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± Somehow, he¡¯d almost expected the coyote to pipe up and say sorry or something. Instead, it snarled and lunged back in for another bite. This time, TJ was ready and kicked hard up into its chin. Its teeth clacked together, and he swore he saw some chips of white fly away. The canine stumbled, surprised, and TJ thought about giving it the chance to flee, but no. This was real, and even if the Tutorial or whatever wasn¡¯t, this coyote probably had a pack. He couldn¡¯t let it draw more here if only one of them could hurt him this much. ¡°I¡¯m sorry bud.¡± He muttered before stepping forward and delivering an even stronger kick into the coyote¡¯s ribs. He felt bones crack as it flew back a couple feet. Then, with a heavy heart, TJ stomped once, twice, then three times on the coyote¡¯s neck. After the third stomp, a little window appeared in front of TJ. Coyote, Level 0, Slain. Experience gained. Experience stored until acquisition of Class or Occupation. Zealot Class acquisition requirements progress: 1/5 If he could trust the notification, then the coyote was dead. Well, it definitely was, even before he got the System¡¯s little notification. The scavenger dead, TJ squatted down and looked at it. Coyotes weren¡¯t really dangerous to adults, especially not alone. They never attacked, so why this one, why now? The Tutorial being the cause wasn¡¯t a bad possibility, but TJ needed to instead focus on progress. They never used to attack like this, and TJ hoped it wasn¡¯t rabid. That new fear instilled, TJ checked. Its mouth wasn¡¯t frothing, there wasn¡¯t any sign of disease, though it was a little skinny and maybe mangy. The ¡°wilderness survival¡± merit badge he¡¯d gotten as a teenager in Boy Scouts didn¡¯t tell him how to identify diseases on a smushed coyote skull.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. That thought while observing the creature that he¡¯d killed sent TJ¡¯s stomach to tumbling. He swallowed hard, trying not to lose any moisture or nourishment, and after a couple of deep breaths through his nose, the nausea faded to a more manageable discomfort. On the bright side, if he couldn¡¯t figure out how to become a Neophyte, he was progressing towards becoming a Zealot. TJ fought to keep his feet, his bleeding calf aching and screaming in protest, but he couldn¡¯t sit down now. If he did, it¡¯d be harder to get up the mountain and see what he could find. But before he went¡­ did he want to bring the coyote¡¯s body? He didn¡¯t have any firemaking equipment, so he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to cook it without a ton of effort put into making a fire by hand. And was it even safe to eat coyote? ¡°Hey, can I do anything with this body?¡± TJ idly asked the System, thinking about days playing RuneScape and making leather armor from cows. Most materials can be processed into equipment, artifacts, accessories, or other items, though all have varying levels of utility and value. To learn the value of the pelt, meat, and other parts of the coyote corpse you have, gain a related Skill or be taught by an experienced Tutor. So it might be worth something. Might not. As he looked down at the corpse, the blood trailing from its nose and mouth almost made him leave it, but TJ steeled himself and picked it up. He¡¯d be pissed if he somehow lost an opportunity to keep himself safe and get back to Junior, just because he felt a little squeamish. Not wanting to keep it in his hands, TJ peeked into his mostly empty backpack, pulled out the pack of goldfish and granola bar while leaving the can of chew in the zipping side pocket, put the food in his jacket¡¯s big pocket on the belly, and finally dumped the corpse in the backpack. It wasn¡¯t too large, as coyotes go, but it didn¡¯t fit neatly in the pocket, and TJ eventually had to resign himself to stuffing it in and forcing the zipper closed. Then, with a grunt, he put the now much heavier backpack back on. The blood running down his leg began to slow and clot, and TJ took a quick look at it. Though painful, the coyote¡¯s bite hadn¡¯t gone too deep, and with the cold air combined with whatever the body usually does to mask pain, he could continue his hike. The next twenty or so minutes it took for TJ to reach the peak were much more cautious and attentive than before. After all, if a single coyote had been willing to attack him like that, what would happen if he ran into a herd of javelinas, or a mountain lion? Both were uncommon here in the central mountains of Arizona, but they¡¯d been seen before. Thus, TJ¡¯s eyes were constantly peeled for anything that approached while his ears strained to pick up any unnatural sound. Nothing appeared to assault him by the time TJ reached the peak of the mountain, where he took shelter sitting behind a pine tree that had fallen some years before, looking at the rot. It was enough to keep the wind off of him, though, and TJ took the opportunity to take a couple mouthfuls of water. There wasn¡¯t any water or snow in sight, so he couldn¡¯t say when he¡¯d be able to refill his water bottle. Actually¡­ Three peaks over, the crest of a higher mountain had a smattering of snow across it, though TJ suspected that it might melt in the rising sun, so if he wanted to use that to refill his water bottle, he would need to hurry over there. As for other things down the mountain, he couldn¡¯t see any cabins or homes, no lights or fires, just pretty featureless forest. From where he came, TJ couldn¡¯t see anything, ¡°Shit.¡± He cursed to himself. He¡¯d hoped to see some relic of humanity, because even if there wasn¡¯t anyone there, there could be food, a change of clothes, or something. Instead, his next best course of action seemed to be to go to the snow, and at least get some more water there. With a groan, TJ rose back to his feet and resumed walking towards the next peak, trying his best to keep from descending more than absolutely necessary. Keeping his wits about him, TJ continued to question and wonder. This Divine System, what is the Throne, what did 20,000 years have to do with God or gods or whatever? When he got no answers, instead he asked a question that maybe he should have a while ago. ¡°What exactly do all these attributes mean? Strength and Agility are pretty straightforward but what exactly is the difference between Vitality, Endurance, and Toughness?¡± In addition to the mechanics listed, all attributes additionally influence different Skills. Vitality is directly tied to HP and its regeneration, and the greater the quantity of Vitality, the more difficult the Participant is to kill. Endurance is directly tied to Stamina and its regeneration, and the greater the quantity of Endurance, the more difficult the Participant is to be exhausted. Toughness is directly related to the hardiness of the Participant, and the greater the quantity of Toughness, the more difficult the Participant is to wound. That made sense, he supposed, but still he wasn¡¯t sure. But since he knew now, he quickly pulled up the top of his Status Sheet. Health Points (HP): 87/100 Mana Points (MP): 70/70 Stamina: 69/80 So the bite that coyote had given him¡­ if he was bitten just seven more times, he would have died? And after all this hiking, TJ would have said that he was more tired than just 15% or something. Regardless, though, he continued looking down the attribute list. According to video game logic, Wisdom and Intelligence were like, magic power and mana points? Wisdom is directly related to the proficiency of the manipulation of the divine, and the greater the quantity of Wisdom, the more powerful the divine workings of the Participant. Intelligence is directly tied to MP and its regeneration, and the greater the quantity of Intelligence, the faster the Participant will regain MP. Perception seemed pretty straightforward. Need to see and hear what¡¯s going on around you. TJ neglected to get a breakdown on Perception from the System. Willpower and Fixation, though¡­ Willpower is directly related to the mental hardiness of the Participant, and the greater the quantity of Willpower, the greater the Participant¡¯s ability to resist adverse mental and divine effects. Fixation is directly related to the Participant¡¯s ability to embody and focus on the effects of the divine, and the greater the quantity of Fixation, the more easily and enduringly will the Participant be able to channel certain divine abilities. Ok, Willpower generally made sense. But Fixation¡­ it seemed like it was a bad thing that TJ only had one, and, stranger still, looking at the Class descriptions again, none of them mentioned Fixation as a necessary attribute at all. By default, all Participants¡¯ Fixation starts at 1. Some, due to their Bloodlines, are granted an additional boon to their starting Fixation attribute. ¡°Wait, so some Bloodlines give attribute bonuses? That¡¯s crap!¡± TJ grumbled as he slipped over a dirt-covered stone. The Kukulkan Bloodline grants a +1 to Strength, Vitality, Endurance, Toughness, and Willpower upon Systemic Integration. ¡°Totally cool and normal that some Bloodlines give attribute bonuses.¡± TJ immediately replied. ¡°Wait, so does my Bloodline better lend itself to Neophytes? And what are the usual numbers in any given attribute for a person?¡± Those of the Bloodline of Kukulkan gain bonuses that are well suited for Neophytes and Zealots. Barring outliers, the greatest quantity of an attribute at the time of Systemic Integration is 10. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m not the healthiest guy who¡¯s ever lived. I get sick and whatever. I don¡¯t¨C¡± TJ cut himself off. Something was rustling behind him, scrabbling up the same dusty path that he¡¯d just slipped and nearly fell climbing. His heart leapt to his throat, and he turned around. ¡°Oh. Shit.¡± Chapter 3 Two coyotes rushed forward, jaws wide open and saliva dripping underfoot. TJ, mind rushing, looked for anything he could do or grab to help protect himself. ¡°Why the hell didn¡¯t you grab anything before when you KNEW something would attack you?¡± He snarled at himself as, with no rock or hefty stick in sight, TJ slung his backpack over his left arm in an improvised shield just in time. The first, faster coyote lunged with its mouth wide open to bite TJ¡¯s knee. He fended it off with an awkward swing of his backpack, the fabric audibly tearing under its jaws. It continued to snarl and thrash, the nylon quickly being rendered useless, but TJ couldn¡¯t care about that right now. Instead, he kept his eyes on the second coyote that lunged in on his right side, jaws flashing as it went for his right hand¡¯s fingers. Reacting as quickly as he could, TJ clenched his fist as tightly as he could as the canines canines dug deep into his balled fist. He grunted in pain as he unintentionally dropped his backpack and focused on the coyote that was trying to rip his hand off. It thrashed and struggled, but with his clenched fingers, it couldn¡¯t spit out his hand. Somewhere in the back of his mind, TJ remembered dog attack instructions. No time like the present to apply it! Bracing himself, TJ shoved his fist deeper into the coyote¡¯s mouth, his knuckles scraping along its teeth, tongue, and roof of the mouth. It tried to get away, but TJ swept his leg under it and knocked it prone. He pushed deeper. It gagged. He pushed deeper. It vomited. He pushed deeper. It struggled to breathe. He pushed deeper. Bones in his hand and the coyote¡¯s skull cracked. It struggled to whimper. He. Pushed. Deeper. The coyote under him¡¯s struggles died down, twitching in pain and fear as TJ¡¯s eyes watered from the pain of his hand and his own distress watching the poor thing die. The second coyote attacked, and TJ wasn¡¯t ready. Its jaws snapped tight on his left trapezius muscle, and TJ screamed in pain, and again when he bashed his broken nose into his flailing arm. He couldn¡¯t care about the first coyote any longer, the second one a much more pressing threat. His screams continued as he scrabbled uselessly at its face, trying to get it to let go and ignoring the flares of agony as its teeth dug deep and he hit his nose two more times. It refused to let go, instead wresting its whole body to rip his flesh free. TJ cried out as he desperately jumped up and fell onto his back, on top of the coyote. He felt its ribs crack under his weight, and it wheezed wetly as it finally released his shoulder. TJ struggled to his feet, the crippled coyote before him. With a final sickening squish of his foot, it was gone. He wanted to collapse to the ground, but the other one¡­ Laid on the ground, gasping for breath. Its jaw was obviously broken, and he¡¯d done something to its throat as the wheezing, desperate gasps of the dying echoed over the mountaintop. TJ stumbled over to the dying creature and with an unsteady jump and a stomp, put it out of its misery before finally laying down on the dusty, unforgiving ground. ¡°Status.¡± He gasped out loud. 2 Coyotes, Level 0, Slain. Experience gained. Experience stored until acquisition of Class or Occupation. Zealot Class acquisition requirements progress: 3/5 Health Points (HP): 28/100 Mana Points (MP): 70/70 Stamina: 12/80 TJ smiled just a touch, happy to see his survival was currently guaranteed. Then, before he closed the Status Sheet, his HP ticked down to 27/100.¡±What?¡± He blearily asked. Warning: Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV is suffering from a minor Bleed affliction. Participant will continue to lose 2 HP a minute until the Bleed condition is cured. ¡°Oh.¡± TJ¡¯s mind wandered. Why didn¡¯t it just call him ¡°you?¡± Why was it¡­ No! Couldn¡¯t let himself lose focus. He couldn¡¯t muster the energy to curse, but something needed to change, and soon, or he¡¯d bleed out. The chill crept into his bones, and TJ couldn¡¯t get himself to move, to do anything but lay here. With a scream of pain, TJ flicked himself in the nose, and with the burst of light in his vision accompanying the tears and agony, he forced himself to his feet. First aid. Compress the wound. Stop the bleeding. TJ unzipped the jacket, the deep tears in the flesh of his shoulder screaming in protest as he moved his left arm. The wind whipped around him, gooseflesh rising all across his exposed torso. He couldn¡¯t care about that right now. The left strap of his tank top was ripped apart, the right whole. He pulled his shirt overhead, whimpering as the torn fabric pulled out of his mutilated neck. He wasn¡¯t careful enough pulling the shirt over his head, and the front caught on his nose and sent another explosion of additional agony coursing through TJ¡¯s body, and he began to sob. Even so, he wadded the shirt into as good of a compress as he could manage and held it on his left shoulder as best as he could while he pulled the jacket back on and zipped it up. With the shredded cotton of his shirt now placed on his wound, TJ looked for his backpack. Just as he¡¯d already known, the back of it was torn open, half of the pockets now entirely useless, though he hadn¡¯t lost the side pocket or its nearly forgotten cargo. Fortunately, the main pocket, the one that still had a coyote corpse in it, was mostly intact, and TJ shrugged it onto only his left shoulder before tightening the strap as much as he could and pressing the weight of the coyote painfully into his steadily bleeding wound. Then, too exhausted to continue trying to staunch his own bleeding, TJ walked to the nearest tree and slumped against it. ¡°Please be enough.¡± He muttered, tears of pain and fear streaking his dusty, blood-splattered face. ¡°Please, God, let that be enough. System, please. Kukulkan, whatever¡­¡± He pulled up his Status again, nearly too afraid to see what it said.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Health Points (HP): 24/100 Mana Points (MP): 70/70 Stamina: 10/80 At least two minutes had passed, going off how much his HP had ticked down. TJ began counting down from 30, praying he wouldn¡¯t see that number decrease. 30. 25. 20. 15. 10. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. And nothing. He took a deep breath, feeling the renewed lease on life. ¡°How fast will my HP refill?¡± The rate of HP recovery is directly proportional to the Vitality attribute of the Participant. Over the course of one hour of rest, a Participant will regain their Vitality worth of HP. Light activity, such as walking, will not impact the rate of HP recovery. Moderate activity, such as hiking, jogging, or flying, will halve the rate of HP recovery. Strenuous activity, such as combat, running, or exercising, will negate the rate of HP recovery. ¡°I haven¡¯t used my MP. How can I use it? And does it come back like my HP?¡± Many manifestations of the divine require the expenditure of the resource MP. Over the course of one hour, a Participant will regain their Intelligence worth of MP. Actively expending MP will not impact the rate of MP recovery. Only certain afflictions can impact the rate of MP recovery. ¡°Can I use my MP to heal myself?¡± In order to use MP to recover HP, a Participant must use a requisite Skill. Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV does not currently have nor qualify to gain any Skills that would allow him to expend MP and recover HP. A little less panicked, TJ actually asked this time, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just call me ¡®you¡¯.¡± Would Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV like to change the Divine System¡¯s form of address? ¡°Yeeeees?¡± You have changed the Divine System¡¯s form of address. Congratulations! There are no attribute or experience related, nor any other mechanical advantages gained from so doing. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to.¡± TJ grumbled. His life no longer, apparently, in immediate danger, TJ pulled the granola bar out. Never before had unwrapping a stupid wrapper been so difficult, much less painful, as every movement of his left arm sent shocks of pain up his shoulder. Even so, eventually, he was able to unveil the chocolate chip dusted snack, and he ate it much more quickly than he¡¯d planned. Then, his mouth parched from hiking, screaming, and crying, TJ took three long pulls from his water bottle. Putting the lid back on was a serious effort of will, but TJ was able to keep himself from polishing off the water. Now that the fear of immediate death faded, TJ began shivering. He cursed himself for not pulling his sweats on this morning. Sure, they¡¯d been nearly so stinky as to offend a passerby, but if he¡¯d known, then TJ would have worn them even so. They¡¯d keep him warm, and could have at least reduced the damage to his leg from the first coyote¡¯s attack. That didn¡¯t matter though. Not anymore. For now, the best course of action he could take would probably be to see if he couldn¡¯t create a fire. No knife to cut tinder or kindling. No good firepit or anything. No flint, steel, or lighter. Just¡­ the good old friction method, he supposed. Once, nearly 20 years ago, he¡¯d needed to create a fire from scratch. It had given him blisters through the leather gloves. Was there enough stuff to even make a fire? ¡°Hey, System. There something you can give me that would let me make fire easier?¡± In order to gain something that would benefit you in the creation of fire, you would need a Class or Occupation. You have neither, and thus cannot currently gain Skills or other benefits. ¡°Well, I¡¯m in no state to go kill anything else, so how can I get an Occupation?¡± In order to acquire an Occupation, a Participant must complete certain requirements, usually tasks, and then be offered the Occupation. There was no additional information. After waiting a full minute, TJ asked again, ¡°So what do I need to do to get an Occupation that will help me build a fire?¡± If you desire an Occupation that will better enable you to create fire, then you should create fires, or other things that you would like your Occupation to assist with. An Occupation is earned by completing requirements, so you should do whatever you would like your Occupation to be focused on. ¡°So to get an Occupation that¡¯ll help me, I need to help myself.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, nor posed at the System. ¡°To get a job, I need experience and I need a job to get experience¡­ Bullshit. All over again. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu¨C¡± TJ breathed out the word, not bothering to complete his complaining. Instead, he glanced around, looking for any stick or branch or wood or whatever could help him. Fortunately, Ponderosa pines naturally grow straight branches and trunks, and an old deadfall wasn¡¯t far away. TJ struggled over to the collapsed tree, where a bounty of sticks lay scattered around. It didn¡¯t take long to find several that could work, but after peeling the flimsy bark from each, every one sported at least a dozen of the usual pokey nubs that all sticks around here did. After the fourth such stick, TJ bit the bullet and selected the one with the fewest of the sharp spots decorating it before rubbing one of the nubs on a nearby rock in an attempt to sand it down to a more comfortable grip. Then, after a minute or so, he moved on to the next. Then the next. And the next. Finally, TJ had a serviceable stick to be his firestarter. Then, he needed another for the thing he¡¯d rub it on. The larger trunk with a groove in it wasn¡¯t difficult to find, and so, with a prepared nest of dead pine needles and little twigs, TJ had everything prepared. He braced himself for the pain before setting the smaller, long straight stick against the thick one, the tip of his handheld stick nestled in the groove of the larger. Then, ignoring the aches, pains, and agony that flared when he did so, TJ pressed the smaller stick down about as hard as he could between his two palms and, while rubbing his hands back and forth as fast as he could, continued pressing. His neck screamed in protest, and TJ nearly stopped trying to make the fire. TJ¡¯s hands sported only weak calluses from his last couple of months of weightlifting, and they quickly rubbed raw under his focused effort. He immediately found which of the nubs he hadn¡¯t sanded down enough, but he¡¯d already begun, and refused to lose the progress he¡¯d already made and the energy he¡¯d already spent. Before long, he was bored and uncomfortable and sore, but TJ refused to give up. Slowly, he was blessed with the beginning of smoke from between the two sticks appearing, but he didn¡¯t slow down. Instead, he watched his Status, watching his stagnant Stamina and HP, excited when the HP ticked up one. His Stamina remained the same, but after more than a couple of minutes and less than twelve since he supposedly recovered 1 HP every six minutes, the smoke grew thick enough that TJ pulled away his long thin stick and pulled out the little ember that he¡¯d nurtured. Blowing gently on it, he deposited it in the center of the nest of pine needles while continuing to blow. Smoke puffed and filled his face. Still TJ blew, and he was rewarded with a flare of heat. The pine needles exploded into flames, burning hot, bright, and for just a moment. TJ fed more and more into the growing blaze, and finally, one, then two, then five small sticks. ¡°FIRE!¡± He cheered, finally sure it would last. ¡°I have fire!¡± Then, TJ looked at the three coyote corpses. Now, what to do with these? Chapter 4 The small cut of meat TJ had been able to salvage from the coyote body sizzled over coals, and the scent of cooking meat set his mouth to watering. To get to this point had been more of an exercise in preparedness than he¡¯d been previously ready for, and he thought about how he¡¯d disassembled the bodies. Once he had built the fire up from a steady flicker to a true blaze, TJ sat with his hands extended towards the dancing flames, the heat making his mostly numbed fingers tingle. As the cold leached from his hands, TJ¡¯s right hand complained and ached with the return of sensation while his left whined about the blisters he¡¯d given himself creating the fire in the first place.. The fire roared and crackled, the pine-rich wood frequently popping and sending flurries of sparks into the air. Pine burns fast and hot, and TJ forced himself up to his feet before long, gathering the thickest branches he could manage without exhausting himself or tearing his wounded shoulder back open. With enough of a supply of firewood to ensure that he wouldn¡¯t be left with nothing before long, TJ could actually focus on the corpses. They represented thousands and thousands of calories, energy he couldn¡¯t leave behind. He¡¯d never butchered an animal before, and now he had to learn quickly. When would the meat go bad? It was around freezing, so could it be counted as refrigerated? Regardless, he couldn¡¯t cook the meat while the fur was still on it. And how to cut it off? TJ searched around, hoping to find a magically sharpened rock that would function perfectly as a knife. No luck. In fact, much of the stone around here was crumbly and weak, wholly unable to keep any sort of an edge. Instead, he¡¯d need to get BACK UP and find a rock that could actually help him. He couldn¡¯t help but curse himself at how he¡¯d laughed at his old man back in the day when TJ had asked him why he always had a pocket knife. The old man¡¯s response was simply, ¡°A man needs a knife. Whenever you don¡¯t have it is when you need it.¡± He missed his dad. He¡¯d know what to do now, but he¡¯d been gone half a decade now, his mom too. Probably better they weren¡¯t around for this. Mari¡­ well, TJ was lying if he said he didn¡¯t wish she was with him right now. Having learned his lesson, TJ very carefully wiped at his eyes without brushing his nose and set to finding a good rock. TJ whistled the Indiana Jones theme song to himself as he wandered around, feeling slightly more like an adventurer as he did so. Who knew, maybe he¡¯d find a whip and a Nazi to punch while he was at it. Eventually, he was blessed to find a little deposit of a harder, darker stone than much of the sandstone that surrounded him, and TJ grabbed a couple and happily trotted back to his fire to see if he couldn¡¯t create a blade of some sort from it. Once, with a master¡¯s guidance, he¡¯d made an obsidian blade, but this, unfortunately, was nothing like that. The stones were nearly spherical, and as TJ smacked them together again and again, he wasn¡¯t able to make anything that even remotely resembled a cutting edge. ¡°Come. On. You. Little. Bastard. And. Become. A. Knife.¡± He repeated, smashing the stones together again and again with each word. Fortunately, on the fourth repetition of the same line, one of the rocks he was holding split almost cleanly through the center, leaving two half-spheres with a mostly flat face from between them. ¡°Halfway there.¡± TJ grumbled before setting one of the stones with the new flat face perpendicular to the ground on a large nearby rock. There, he grabbed one of the remaining whole stones and, with growing force, smashed it again and again into the rock he wanted to have become his knife. With a resounding crack, the stone split, and TJ cheered when he picked up several of the shards that had broken into flat disks with a serviceably sharp edge. Finally armed with a prehistoric utensil, he turned to the corpses. He was sickened and again nearly vomited as he was again forced to confront the reality of how he¡¯d been forced to kill every one¨Ccrushing their skulls. Their heads hung awkwardly to the side, and the bone was obviously shattered while blood and mashed flesh dripped from their mouths. ¡°Well. Sorry. I¡¯ll eat you, at least, so you¡¯re not dead for nothing.¡± TJ grabbed the first coyote he¡¯d killed and laid it out flat on the ground. It laid there, and he thought of the dogs he¡¯d grown up loving. Then, he pulled up his sleeves and began attempting butchery. It was hard, bloody, disgusting work, and TJ did end up retching as he accidentally cut open its intestines and coyote shit spilled over his hands. Worse, he didn¡¯t have water to spare to wash his hands or anything else, and he was slowed even more by having to return to the fire to stoke it and warm his chilled fingers pretty frequently. Eventually, though, he did have a roughly skinned and unappetizing looking coyote thigh, which he speared with a stick and held over the fire. Of course, he accidentally burned the meat. After he dropped it in the fire. Because the stick broke. His poor Nana¡¯s ears would curl hearing the string of profanities he¡¯d shouted after that, but TJ didn¡¯t care. He didn¡¯t even care enough to scrape the burnt flesh off the bone before tearing into it. It was rangy, tough, and dry, while what little of the juice remaining in the ¡°drumstick¡¯s¡± skin dribbled down his chin. It wasn¡¯t good. But it was food and he was hungry, and that was enough of a spice that TJ tore through the leg in record time. Annoyed by the blood, viscera, excrement, and whatever else that coated his hands, TJ attempted to wipe himself clean on one of the coyote¡¯s fur to limited success. He needed water, and the nearest water he knew of was the snow and ice that coated the next peak. He estimated it¡¯d be another 20 minutes of hiking to get there, so maybe an hour to get there, fill up his water, drink his fill, fill up more, see where he needed to go, and then return to his fire. And now that he¡¯d experienced how much better it was to not be freezing his balls off, walking over there in his shredded jacket and stupid mesh shorts sounded like hell. It was disgusting, but the coyotes could maybe help with that too¡­ ¡ª- Another two cooked thighs and an hour¡¯s worth of skinning the three coyotes, going off his HP recovery of 10, assuming this was light activity, resulted with the most disgusting leg warmers that TJ had ever imagined. He wrapped two of the coyote pelts that he¡¯d crappily pulled from the bodies around his thighs while the third was currently being scraped of all fat, blood, and whatever else was attached to the skin under the pelt. Once TJ was somewhat satisfied with the results, he held the most intact fur skin side down over the fire in an attempt to make what he was about to do less horrendously disgusting. Then, when it was warm and the skin under the fur was beginning to crisp and pop, TJ pulled his waistband out and wrapped the pelt around his waist between his shorts and his underwear. It was so pleasantly warm that he almost forgot how disgusting this was. TJ didn¡¯t give himself any additional time to think about it, to be grossed out, or anything. Instead, he grabbed his backpack, now empty of everything except his makeshift knives, water bottle, and goldfish, and, after piling several more thick branches onto the fire, prepared for his hike towards the next summit. Just earlier this morning, he¡¯d been sleeping in his comfortable bed and drinking coffee, and now, he was shivering here. He couldn¡¯t help but think of his morning. Woke up to his alarm, which was an excited toddler jumping on him. How Junior consistently woke up at 6:30am every day, summer through winter, was one of the universe¡¯s greatest mysteries. Regardless of how the three year-old woke himself up, he always made his way out of his room and into TJ¡¯s, where, uncaring of how much or little sleep his dad had gotten, he happily patted TJ¡¯s face until he woke. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Park? Go park? Big one? Please?¡± TJ grumbled as good-naturedly as he could manage. A Saturday morning in early January was as good as any to go to the park, he supposed. ¡°It¡¯s still early, bud. Let¡¯s do breakfast first, then we¡¯ll figure out going to the park, K?¡± Though Junior whined and moped about not being taken to the park the same instant he woke, a bowl full of ¡°foot woop¡± took the edge of his rage off. Then, given the sun still hadn¡¯t risen, TJ cajoled and guided the distractible kid from room to room as he vacuumed, swept, and tidied. Still, it was only 9 by the time all the chores were done, and Junior was back to begging to go to the park. Southern Arizona wasn¡¯t so cold as most of the world in the middle of the winter, but TJ did force Junior into a jacket and long pants before they left. All the child¡¯s protests about how ¡°Daddy not wearing pants!¡± were summarily dismissed with ¡°Well, dads make the rules¡± and Junior quickly forgot the despotic unfairness of dads. Instead, he complained at the walk through Walmart. Then, he was heartbroken by only going through the McDonalds drive through, because how dare they visit merely for coffee? Only the promise of immediately proceeding towards the park kept the hysterics in check. At the park, Junior happily clambered up and down and around whatever he could reach. Though it would be a beautiful day later on, in Tempe, it was only 45 or so degrees out, so no other kids had managed to convince their parents to get out of their warm houses just yet. Thus, TJ happily played alone with his son, making sure he didn¡¯t fall from the jungle gym or eat too much sand. Then, once the caffeine had fully hit his system (and worked its way through in the freezing public restroom), TJ asked the fateful question. ¡°Wanna run?¡± With squeals of excitement, Junior dragged TJ back to the car, where he pulled the jogging stroller out and, as soon as it was set up, Junior threw himself in while clapping for TJ to ¡°Go fast! Super fast!¡± TJ only had enough time to get up to speed before he¡¯d smashed his face on a suddenly appearing wall and found himself on his ass with his vision swimming and his ears ringing. Then, he¡¯d hiked, and fought, and suffered. And here he was. Shaking his lonely thinking from his head, TJ stood and began walking uphill. Water awaited him, and to take his mind from the past, he asked a question that had been burning for a while, but only now he felt he could actually ask it. ¡°Why are these animals attacking? A single coyote, or even a smaller pack would never attack a person around here. What happened?¡± The native fauna has been adjusted by the Divine System so that they may better participate in the selection process for hopeful divines. ¡°So now they¡¯re all bloodthirsty or something?¡± To put it in so few words, correct. ¡°Then what can I¨CShit. Are reptiles still hibernating? Or are they more active now?¡± The physiology of much of the native fauna has been biologically adjusted by the Divine System to be more active. ¡°So are there any rattlesnakes nearby?¡± TJ looked around warily, not trusting to hear a rattle before receiving a deadly bite. The Divine System does not give additional information to Participants that can be considered hints or especially helpful. ¡°Probably, then.¡± TJ forced himself to be quiet instead as he continued his tracks towards the snow-covered summit. Every step burned his injured calf, and though he¡¯d patched it as well as he could, his shoulder¡¯s wound cried out with every step. The only upside he could think of other than impending water was that the new mountain he began to scale was mostly bare compared to the one he had left behind, and if any coyotes decided to come attack, he¡¯d have enough time to pick up a rock or something to smash his assailant with. Plus, a part of him realized that there was no guarantee that he¡¯d be able to complete the requirements for the Neophyte Class anytime soon, and it might be better to just kill two more animals and become a Zealot. Even so, the Neophyte Class just called to him, and TJ didn¡¯t want to throw in the towel just yet. The twenty minute hike passed without any additional incident, and TJ stepped to this higher peak and looked across the valley between mountains. There, maybe six or seven miles farther down, was a cabin, tucked in a small clearing with an ATV trail leading up to it. Getting up to this mountain had taken him about 20 minutes, and TJ estimated it was only half a mile to get here. Looking up, it was just about midday, so there were only about five hours of sunlight left. Worse, the brush was thick and unmanageable down there, so TJ would have to slow himself even more to be especially careful to make sure he wasn¡¯t ambushed or even just broke an ankle with an unlucky misstep. ¡°How would my Vitality¡¯s HP regeneration help me with a broken bone?¡± He suddenly asked. Returning to full HP does not mean that lasting injuries have been completely healed. Instead, it signifies the peak of health available to the Participant excluding major injuries. At your level of Vitality, it will take two weeks for a minor fracture to be healed, and up to six for a major break of the bone to return to its previously whole state. Yeah, that¡¯d be a death sentence. Grumbling to himself about how he¡¯d need to come back tomorrow to make sure he could make it to the cabin before the sun set behind the mountains, TJ grabbed a couple handfuls of ice to place into his water bottle to melt. Grandpa had said something about how eating plain snow was worse for you in a survival situation than finding a creek nearby, something about how snow made you colder than the water would. Given that Grandpa was right about the stupid knife, he¡¯d listen about the snow. TJ shook the metal bottle, the crunchy, more ice than snow breaking apart and melting under his ministrations. A minute later, he opened it and took a long drink. Beautiful. His parched throat gloried in the taste, a couple pebbles and pine needles included. He drank so deeply that TJ could feel the cold water settling and sloshing in his stomach, and though it was uncomfortable, he was happy for it. Then, preparing himself to go back to his impromptu camp, TJ filled the water bottle up once again with the ice, smashing the pointy bits that refused to let the cap screw on. Again whistling to himself, this time Star Wars, more John Williams, TJ made his way back to the camp. Once he left the barren mountaintop, TJ picked up a rock and hefted it in his right hand. Wasn¡¯t much of a weapon, but it was leaps better than nothing, and if a coyote tried to take a bite out of him again, he could kill it without having to feel its bones crack under his feet. He was lucky, however, that he didn¡¯t have to kill anything before getting back to his hot coals. The fire had mostly died down, but TJ had been confident that there would still be coals upon his return. He was correct, and a couple handfuls of pine needles and kindling let his fire return to its previous glory. Now, if he was going to stay the night here before setting off towards the cabin tomorrow, he might as well make sure his night wasn¡¯t entirely miserable. Remembering that a heat reflector of some sort would help the fire¡¯s heat be better directed towards him, TJ let himself rest for just long enough to cook a coyote shoulder and eat about half of it. His belly was still full of the water he¡¯d stuffed himself with, and he wouldn¡¯t have any more water than what was in his bottle until he made the trek back to the other mountain. TJ wasn¡¯t about to force more food down his gullet and make himself sick. With a grumble, he walked off to gather the longest, thickest branches he could muster. There wasn¡¯t much nearby, and TJ was loathe to get himself distracted looking for fallen branches and trees just so a coyote, mountain lion, or rattlesnake could kill him. After five trips back and forth dragging another couple of long branches, TJ was lucky enough to stumble across a fallen tree with most of its branches intact. Taking a big rock in hand, he smashed a dozen of the branches off before lugging them back to camp. Then he made another trip. And another. And another. And finally, he had enough branches to make the most rudimentary of heat reflectors for his fire. Then, TJ needed to gather enough wood to keep his fire going through the night. That took him another two hours, at least. He wasn¡¯t sure how long, since this level of hiking and carrying and transporting negated his HP recovery. TJ did take the time every two loads to sit next to the fire and watch his HP tick up two more points until it had recovered to 50/100. Then, with enough fire to keep him going through the night and enough of a shelter to keep him from dying from exposure, TJ sat and watched the fire. Occupation unlocked. Wait, what? Chapter 5 Occupation: Savage unlocked. You have already discarded the trappings of civilization. You disregard tools, shelter, and even clothing from the old world. You embrace the work of your hands, sleeping in shelter you¡¯ve built with your hands, under pelts you cured, next to fire you painstakingly created. You are a Savage, a primitive who eschews the easy for the trustworthy. Occupation Skill Primitive Craftsmanship offered. Occupation Skill grants a static 30% bonus to all crafting abilities and Skills when crafting without pre-Integration technology. Per level attributes gained: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Would you like to accept the Savage Occupation? ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m getting this Occupation because I¡¯m doing my best to live?¡± You qualified for the Savage Occupation because you completed the necessary requirements to acquire the Occupation. The requirements completed were: 1. Create fire without using any pre-Integration tools. 2. Create any equipment without any pre-Integration tools. 3. Create a shelter without any pre-Integration tools. 4. Defeat a creature without any pre-Integration tools. 5. Prepare food without any pre-Integration tools or ingredients from the pre-Integration world. 6. Make a deliberate choice to step away from a significant comfort of that from the pre-Integration to return to a more ¡°savage¡± environment. Note: If any Participant wishes to acquire the Savage Occupation, they cannot have completed any of the requisite steps with pre-Integration tools at any time. ¡°But I ate the food I had with me, that didn¡¯t keep me from qualifying for this Occupation.¡± The mere consumption of pre-Integration food does not disqualify any hopefuls from completing requirement 5. ¡°Wait, so if I¡¯d like¡­ sprinkled the salt from my goldfish onto the coyote meat, then would I have lost this?¡± If you had seasoned your food with pre-Integration ingredients, then you would have disqualified yourself from the acquisition of this Occupation. TJ thanked Kukulkan that he hadn¡¯t thought to do that. If he¡¯d screwed himself over like that¡­ Would you like to accept the Savage Occupation? Please say ¡°Decline¡± if you would like to not be offered the Savage Occupation again. The System, with its basso, comforting yet commanding voice, asked again. The blinking notification flashed in TJ¡¯s eyes, and he stuttered, ¡°No, I, yes, accept Savage as my Occupation!¡± Occupation: Savage acquired. Occupation Skill: Primitive Craftsmanship acquired. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 1. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Point available. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 2. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Point available. Race: Human has advanced to level 1. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. With the wave of notifications washing over him, TJ¡¯s body began to shiver uncontrollably. His bones cracked, his shoulder and calf tingled, and his aching muscles faded until they were weightless. After a minute or so, TJ felt like himself again, and the changes in his body faded away. Again, the System wanted to tell him something, but he didn¡¯t pay the notifications any mind, instead investigating how different his body felt now. All the pains from before, from the small blisters that had begun to form on his heels to the deep wounds in his shoulder, had faded, and looking down at his calf, the pattern of teeth marks faded to a curve of fine pink marks in his flesh. Curious and cautious, he poked at his shoulder. No pain. He pulled his bloodied rag of a tank top away from the wound, the blood having crusted to his skin. As it peeled away and the cold fresh air set his skin to gooseflesh again, TJ poked the thick muscle of his trapezius. No wounds, just some slight scarring. ¡°Haha! Does leveling up always heal you? Is that why I¡¯m all better now?¡± The act of leveling elevates the body to the greater heights now available. All resources are restored to full, and most minor to severe injuries are fully healed. In the case of amputations or maiming, the scars remain without regeneration. TJ happily tossed the shirt to the side, where the congealed blood and shredded cotton would bother him no longer. Then, before he resumed his questioning of the System, he checked the additional notification he¡¯d received. Title gained: Irregular. Description of Title: The vast majority of Participants who begin their journey towards the Throne in earnest acquire their Class before their Occupation. You are one of 0.5% of Participants who not only sought out but also acquired an Occupation before their Class. Effects of Title: 5% increase in experience gain for all Occupation related Skills, levels, and more. ¡°Sweet.¡± TJ muttered to himself, and a small part of him raged against his happiness at this small gain. His son was somewhere he couldn¡¯t see, find, or reach, and here he was, glad that this stupid System gave him a new little Title for his idiotic Occupation. He¡¯d kept himself from thinking about Junior for a while, but now that he was truly resting without having to think about anything else, TJ worried for his son. He was only three, and Junior had been real quiet ever since Mari¡¯s passing. Could they even take care of him? You should not worry. Observer Thiago Jorge Harris V is being kept in a type of stasis that will ensure that his emotional, physical, and social needs are met without causing undue stress.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. With a fiercely muttered string of swears, TJ thrust his son¡¯s current well-being from his mind as best as he could. If he let himself worry too much, he¡¯d end up as a mess curled up on the ground while coyotes ate him. ¡°So. Race. Is it that I leveled up from my two Occupation levels? The average between my Occupation and Class levels?¡± Correct. ¡°And how are the attributes I get from leveling up as a Human decided?¡± As a baseline human, you gain +1 to all attributes, and as a holder of the Divine Bloodline of Kukulkan, you gain an additional +1 to Vitality and Fixation for each level gained in Human. ¡°Huh. Status.¡± TJ commanded to see his updated attributes. Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Human ¨C lvl 1 Class: N/A Occupation: Savage lvl 2 Level of Divinity: Dirt Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 140/140 Mana Points (MP): 100/100 Stamina: 130/130 Attributes Strength: 10 Agility: 9 Endurance: 13 Vitality: 14 Toughness: 13 Wisdom: 11 Intelligence: 10 Perception: 11 Willpower: 14 Fixation: 5 Free Points: 2 Titles: Irregular ¡°So, Savage must be a pretty good Occupation, right? I mean, I get so many attributes compared to what Human gives me, so it must be a rare or great Occupation.¡± The Occupation Savage is somewhat unique in that it is an unfocused Occupation. Most Occupations, such as Blacksmith, Huntsman, Quartermaster, and Shipwright, have a specific course of action they are meant to take. Savage, however, is a generalist that can gain experience through crafting, hunting, or leading. The only requirement for the Savage is that, whatever they do to gain experience for their Occupation, they must do so with tools and implements that they created for themselves. As a result of the unfocused nature of the Savage Occupation, those Participants who select this Occupation require all the attributes. Therefore, Savages receive a low amount of each attribute to ensure they can follow whatever path they so desire. Other Occupations give attributes focused on assisting the Participant to act in accordance with the Occupation¡¯s intended function. TJ settled onto his back, looking around while thinking about what this meant for him. After all, if he could still progress a little, maybe it would be good for him to wait to get a Class until he qualified for the Neophyte one he was still inexplicably drawn to. ¡°Wait, can I use things from before the Integration now that I¡¯ve become a ¡®Savage¡¯?¡± Savages can use pre-Integration tools, ingredients, and other materials, but they receive a reduction in experience gain when they complete any Occupational tasks using or benefitting from that which is pre-Integration. ¡°Better than nothing, I guess.¡± TJ watched the fire dancing, its allure hypnotizing while his mind wandered. With a conscious effort, TJ thought of something, anything to ask. ¡°Is Kukulkan still¡­ alive? Did he become a god?¡± No. All Participants that begin on their Path towards the Divine Throne either succeed the previous God, or reach the end of their mortal lives. ¡°But I still have a Bloodline that¡¯s supposedly divine from him. So was he a god or not?¡± Upon reaching the upper tiers of Divinity, which are Ruthenium, Iridium, Osmium, and Orichalcum, a Participant¡¯s body is molded by and becomes Divine instead of merely housing a certain level of Divinity. Kukulkan became a Divine, but did not reach the Divine Throne and thus never became God. TJ let himself bask in the warmth of the fire as he listened for anything to approach in the dying light of sunset. Only the popping of the branches in the fire and the whistling of wind through the shoddy lean-to he¡¯d constructed greeted him, though. The exhaustion of the day washed over him, and just before TJ gave in to the allure of sleep, one more question occurred to him. ¡°What Class was Kukulkan?¡± Whether the question was actually asked out loud or not TJ couldn¡¯t tell, but he received an answer nonetheless. He dreamed, and all he could see were swiftly passing clouds. The smell of rain was thick in the air, and the crackling of electricity danced over his long body. With a sinuous movement, he rose his head before diving down, down through the clouds. Once his eyes cleared the cover, a beautiful land lay spread before him. Long fields of corn undulated in the wind, the rustling of leaves accompanying his movement. Untamed jungle was held back by the strong arms of his sons and daughters, fighting the servants of the other aspiring Participants back and away from his temple. His home awaited his arrival, and the peak of his newly constructed temple had long been prepared for his landing. With a tamed wind ensuring his landing was light and easy, Kukulkan¡¯s coils spread across most of his temple, his Castillo. He breathed deep and then blew a warm, wet wind over his lands, bringing gentle rains and pest-free agriculture. With another breath, the feathered serpent was no more, and a tall, handsome man stood atop the temple. Statuesque with his war kilt adorned with leopard furs and thunderbird feathers, Kukulkan raised his hands high above his head and welcomed the cheers and worship of his people. Their adoration washed over him, and he could feel his Divinity soar. As Kukulkan changed from his mile-long serpent form to that of a man, TJ was taken from inside of Kukulkan¡¯s perspective to that of a third party observer. The ¡°human¡± form of Kukulkan wasn¡¯t truly human. Nubs of feathers interspersed with iridescent green scales patterned the backs of his arms, and what TJ had thought were feathers placed in Kukulkan¡¯s hair were instead growing from his scalp. Though Kukulkan¡¯s torso was bare and muscular nearly to the level of a body builder¡¯s, his skin bore countless scars, the evidence of hard-fought battles. ¡°My child.¡± The Divine¡¯s voice was honed obsidian and honeyed tea at the same time. ¡°I see I have failed. I always feared I would. Let me look on you.¡± Before TJ could look for whoever Kukulkan was addressing, his ethereal body was wrenched through space to stand before Kukulkan, whose eyes pierced TJ¡¯s soul. The eyes yawned a deep black, even the sclera the same, serpentine void. Even so, there was a turquoise center instead of a pupil, and the bright blue burned TJ inexplicably. ¡°You have lost, and you are willing to do what is necessary to protect that which is precious to you. You will jump into the cenotes and sail over the trees. You have done well to choose the Neophyte. I will guide you in this first, great jump into the abyss. I will be the water you land in and the soft shore you can rest on. Now sleep, and when you wake, listen for my command. After all, I do not believe we will ever have the opportunity to speak through the ages like this again.¡± Then, oblivion. TJ awoke, freezing cold, the skies still dark. The only light he could see were the barest hints of buried coals under several inches of ash. He trembled, his fingers stiff and aching as his stick poked through the ashes and attempted to find a smoldering coal that could still serve to begin a real fire. Desperate, TJ dropped a couple handfuls of pine needles in, and one luckily found the necessary spark to flare to life. As patiently as he could, TJ fed more and more of the dry brown tinder into the growing flame before again building up his fire. With both hands held over the growing, crackling flames, TJ finally realized he had another flashing System notification. When he opened it, he needed to reread it several times to fully understand what he was being told. The Participant has received Divine guidance. This is a rare occurrence, and the Divine System suggests you follow it. After all, all the Divines are dead. Chapter 6 TJ regretted a lot of things. The time he¡¯d pissed all over the high school locker room floor as a dare. Or the time that he¡¯d jumped onto a motorcycle he didn¡¯t know how to ride and crashed it into a wall. The time he¡¯d purposely twisted Mari¡¯s words against her in an argument and made her cry. Somewhere between the second and the third was how he felt now, deliberately searching for a rattlesnake to fight mano a mano. Doubting himself and everything he¡¯d done to get to this point, TJ glanced once again at his ¡°Divine guidance¡±. Requirements to manifest the ability to harness your bloodline: 1. Locate a rattlesnake. 2. Defeat the rattlesnake with your bare hands. 3. Consume the rattlesnake whole. The Feathered Serpent assures you that, if you complete these tasks, even if you are bitten, you will not need to worry about the rattlesnake¡¯s venom. The hours until sunrise had passed fitfully, TJ unable to sleep once he¡¯d seen this latest assignment from the System. Or, from Kukulkan himself, if his dream was to be believed. The guttering flames and incessant questioning of the System were all that could occupy his mind. Could he actually do it? No matter how many times the System assured him that, This is a rare occurrence, and the Divine System suggests you follow it, TJ had been taught from when he was a little kid that you didn¡¯t mess with rattlesnakes. His tough as old boots grandpa had killed one once with a bowie knife from about 10 feet away. The damn geezer had then chased the 11 year old TJ around with the corpse, promising that it ¡°probably¡± wouldn¡¯t bite TJ if it touched him. He¡¯d cried for almost an hour afterwards, and TJ¡¯s mom had chewed her father out for it. ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t do this.¡± TJ muttered to himself as his stiff fingers lifted a bough of prickly branches. The System had warned him that even using the pelts of the coyotes as improvised armor could keep him from qualifying. There wouldn¡¯t be second chances if he was being deceived about the venom of the rattlesnake. People could survive a bite, but only with the proper antivenin. There wouldn¡¯t be any chance for TJ to reach a hospital with the proper equipment. Even so, that deep feeling in his core that he needed to follow this avenue offered to him kept TJ hiking forward, checking under large rocks and under thick scrub brush whenever he thought a snake could live there. The hike continued, and TJ grew more and more antsy as he went. He¡¯d taken the time delaying leaving to go to his possible death by cooking up some more of the coyote meat. It hadn¡¯t gone bad yet, he supposed, but TJ didn¡¯t think he could eat any more of it without risking food poisoning or worse. Maybe it was his imagination, but he swore that his sour stomach wasn¡¯t anxiety or nerves but the beginnings of his ignominious death by diarrhea induced dehydration. And, of course, when he was whining about his upset tummy was when the rattlesnake struck from under a rock TJ poked his head under. The fangs flashed, and pain erupted in TJ¡¯s nose. The snake held on for an extra moment to deliver its venomous payload. He reached up and wrenched it free. Unprompted, a System notification appeared in his vision, distracting him. Warning: you are suffering from a Severe Poisoned affliction (Dirt). You will continue to lose 20 HP a minute until the Poison condition is cured. Current HP: 107/140 ¡°Fuck!¡± he screamed as his nose and eyes burned. With a quick thought, TJ dismissed the notification as he looked at the ambushing asshole. The snake was huge, bigger than any rattlesnake TJ had ever heard of. When he held it out in his outstretched hand, there was still half the snake dragging on the ground, so like 12 feet long. Though TJ held its head, and thus the only dangerous part out from his body, he got the distinct sense the snake was still threatening. He hadn¡¯t thought to look at its tail, still under the rock it had struck from. That same tail shot out of the shadows, tipped not with a rattle but a scorpion¡¯s stinger. Only barely did TJ react in time, jerking his right hand out of the path of the needle-sharp appendage. Unfortunately, in his panic, he dropped the snake. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± He screamed as the stupid thing slithered as fast as it could away from him. He lunged, knees scraping painfully against the rocky dirt. His left hand caught the tail of the devil-snake just above where the stinger still threatened him, a gob of venom dripping from the tip. Held back from its escape, the rattlesnake whirled back at TJ, and though he had the presence of mind to keep hold of its tail, it used his anchoring hand as a reference point to strike. Its fangs struck true once again and sent another lethal dose of venom into his left hand. Through the agony, confusion, and frustration, TJ kept hold of the snake with his left and grabbed its skull with his right. Its stinger in one hand and face in the other, TJ had the snake like a jump rope. Without another thought but pure fear-driven rage, he whipped it into the ground again and again, the body thumping heavily with every strike. After the fourth devastating smash, TJ somehow tweaked his back and he roared in anger as the snake¡¯s broken body slumped from his fingers. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. It still hissed a threat as TJ went to end it. Its tail twitched threateningly, and TJ stomped down on the tail, the six inches of chitin cracking audibly as he did so. Then, as the rattlesnake attempted to flee again, he grasped it behind the head. The little bastard had bitten him, twice! An unnatural anger surged in TJ¡¯s chest, and he screamed into its face, ¡°You pathetic reptile! You think you can compare to the Feathered Serpent? A god!¡± Then, without thinking about it, he opened his mouth unnaturally wide and, with a single chomp, bit the rattlesnake¡¯s head off. Serket-blessed Rattlesnake, Level 3, Slain. Experience gained. Majority of experience stored until acquisition of Class. Small portion of experience allocated to Savage Occupation. Zealot Class acquisition requirements progress: 4/5 Warning: you are suffering from a severe Poisoned affliction (Dirt). You will continue to lose 20 HP a minute until the Poison condition is cured. Current HP: 86/140 Ignoring the appearance of the System notification, the iron taste of blood exploded in his mouth, and TJ gagged and spit the head out. Why did he just do that? The blood was horrendous, and he¨C ¡°Oh, shit. Shit shit shitshitshit.¡± He needed to eat the thing whole. TJ was going to die in just a couple minutes unless he somehow completed the instructions that Kukulkan/the System had given him. Gagging on blood and his own human instincts, TJ picked the head back up and shoved it into his mouth. The severed head was at least the size of an adult man¡¯s hand, and a part of TJ wondered how he was getting the whole thing into his mouth, but he didn¡¯t allow himself to think about it any longer. Instead, with the head slowly choking him, TJ raised the rest of the rattlesnake like a giant spaghetti noodle to his mouth. He swallowed. And again. And again. And then, his hands no longer held the rattlesnake¡¯s corpse. As a matter of fact, his hands no longer existed. Neither did his legs. He laid on the ground, his throat muscles contracting almost reflexively as the rattlesnake was forced deeper and deeper. It took nearly a minute for the huge serpent to disappear fully down TJ¡¯s throat, and as it did, another System notification appeared. Congratulations! You have qualified to acquire the Neophyte Class! Would you like to acquire the Class? ¡°Thissssss issss different than before. What issss happening?¡± TJ spoke, the ¡°s¡¯s¡± unnaturally and unwillfully long and sibilant. WARNING: The System can give you additional information about the class before acquisition. However, you are suffering from a severe Poisoned affliction (Dirt). You will continue to lose 20 HP a minute until the Poison condition is cured, and the acquisition of the Neophyte Class will cure your severe Poisoned affliction. Current HP: 39/140 ¡°Yessss! Acccccept!¡± Class: Neophyte unlocked. You have seen the Zealot¡¯s simplicity, the Acolyte¡¯s frailty, and the Disciple¡¯s weakness and you deny them all. You are ready to embrace the Divinity within and allow that Divinity itself to fuel you in body and soul. The Neophyte can display the Zealot¡¯s brute force, the Acolyte¡¯s cunning, and the Disciple¡¯s guidance. You are a Neophyte, the apex of your Divine Bloodline. Per level attributes gained at the Dirt level of Divinity: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Class: Neophyte acquired Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 1. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points currently available. Class Skill: Divine Transformation acquired. As a result of your Divine Transformation into a lesser coatl, you have been cleansed of all poisons from below the Copper tier. TJ allowed himself to breathe easy, seeing that this snake-like form he¡¯d somehow gained kept him from dying. Then, he finally allowed himself to take in the information about this new Class he¡¯d managed to gain. ¡°That¡¯sss way better than the Ssssssavage¡¯ssss attributessss!¡± He immediately complained once he say the bonuses from his new Class. The total number of attributes granted per level of Occupation: Savage is 15. The total number of attributes gained per level of Class: Neophyte at the Dirt Level of Divinity is 16. A deviation of 6.25% is unremarkable at this level. After a moment¡¯s thought, TJ realized that, of course, the System was correct. Instead of thinking about any perceived injustices he was currently suffering, TJ took the moment to look at himself as best as he could. His shorts and jacket were still wrapped around him, though they no longer fit. The ¡°torso¡± of this snake body was just a little bit smaller than as thick as his neck was, going off of how he fit through his jacket¡¯s neckline. If he was to guess, this snake, or coatl body was about 20 feet long, and he experimentally slithered out of his clothes. His new body, as he feared to think of it as, was patterned with stripes and scales of varying shades of green and red. As his body undulated, he realized that the serpentine movement came surprisingly easily to him, and TJ curiously stuck his nose into the rattlesnake¡¯s den. It was a sorry affair, filled with its feces, sour air, and nothing else. TJ turned his snout up at the hovel the pathetic reptile had occupied and couldn¡¯t help but notice out of the corner of his eye a couple of feathers attached to his head. Wondering if he looked like the Kukulkan in his dreams, TJ instead looked at his discarded clothing. What was he going to do about this? ¡°Am I sssstuck assss a ssssnake?¡± TJ dreaded to ask. Your current form as a coatl is due to the activation of your Class Skill: Divine Transformation. Most Neophytes fight through the transformation of their bodies, and the duration of the transformation is dependent upon an aggregate sum of the Participant¡¯s Endurance, Vitality, Willpower, and Fixation and divided by 4. With your current attributes, you can spend up to 14 minutes in a row while under the influence of your Divine Transformation before needing to take twice as long as a recovery period. The duration and limitations of this Skill will change as the Skill progresses. Damn. And¡­ what exactly does this Skill do for me? Chapter 7 Skill: Divine Transformation (Copper); The default Skill of the Neophyte Class. This active Skill allows Neophytes to transform part or all of their bodies to better reflect the divine form of their Bloodline Origin. As a Participant with the Bloodline of Kukulkan, the Copper level of the Divine Transformation Skill transforms you into a coatl, a feathered serpent. As you progress in potency of your level of Divinity, your Divine Transformation Skill will improve. If you progress to the higher tiers of Divinity, beginning at Ruthenium, you will be able to adjust your Divine Transformation in accordance with your will. Remaining time for Divine Transformation before forced reversion to Human: 12:07 Though there was so much to unpack from what the Skill and System were telling him, TJ couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Can I change the labels for Divinity? They make no sense to me, and I¡¯m never going to remember all that.¡± As you continue to progress towards the Divine Throne, you mind will advance and allow you to better retain all information. Nonetheless, you can add a numeric to the rankings of the Divinity. ¡°Do that then.¡± The different levels of Divinity have been assigned as follows: Dirt (0), Copper (I), Silver (II), Gold (III), Platinum (IV), Palladium (V), Rhodium (VI), Ruthenium (VII), Iridium (VIII), Osmium (IX), Orichalcum (X). ¡°And why is my Divine Transformation Skill of a higher level of Divinity than I am?¡± As a Neophyte, your Divine Transformation Skill will always remain at a higher tier of Divinity than your own. The other Classes eventually gain this Skill, but cannot progress beyond their current tier of Divinity until they reach the higher tiers. Interested, TJ looked at his Status to see how everything had changed Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Coatl ¨C lvl 1 Class: Neophyte lvl 1 Occupation: Savage lvl 2 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 280/280 Mana Points (MP): 110/110 Stamina: 260/260 Attributes Strength x2: 20 Agility x1.5: 14 Endurance x2: 32 Vitality x2: 34 Toughness x2: 30 Wisdom: 12 Intelligence: 11 Perception x1.5: 18 Willpower: 16 Fixation: 7 Free Points: 3 Titles: Irregular ¡°My transformation doubles my attributes? Damn. I made the right decision.¡± Every Class has its strengths. By dint of their Class Skill: Divine Transformation, Neophytes often enjoy an immediate advantage over the other Classes in their physical attributes. However, since the Class does not, at the Dirt tier, provide any bonuses to Strength or Agility, Zealot and Acolyte Classed Participants quickly outpace them in both. The Disciple Classed Participants gain access to their Divine Workings earlier than the other Classed Participants. Even so, TJ was happy to continue thinking of himself as the superior Class. After all, he wasn¡¯t cold any more. In fact, he was toasty, and actually comfortable for the first time since he¡¯d been teleported or phased or whatever out here. For a moment, he wanted to just relax in this form, but that timer he¡¯d seen before reappeared in his mind¡¯s eye. Remaining time for Divine Transformation before forced reversion to Human: 10:38 The timer continued ticking down, and TJ refused to lose this life-saving Skill¡¯s availability because he was cold. Before he could even think to ask the System how to disable the Skill, he felt something almost like an internal switch and flipped it. TJ¡¯s whole body seized up as the cold struck him like a hammer. He was naked, the front of his body coated with drying rattlesnake blood as well as his own, and he felt his extremity attempt to turtle into his torso.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°F-f-f-f-f-f-f-fuuuuuuuuuu¨C¡± he shivered as he struggled to get back into his clothes. The coyote hides were too much of a hindrance to easily shrug into, and instead, TJ pulled his boxers and shorts up before shrugging on his jacket as quickly as he could. The clothing had already chilled on the stone, and TJ fought to pull his shoes and socks back on with wildly trembling fingers. After too long, the sneakers were back on, and TJ began his journey back up to his camp from the night before. ¡°Why did I lose my clothes when I used my Skill? Kukulkan didn¡¯t in my dream.¡± TJ asked at the System as he hiked. ¡°I mean, it should be the same Skill, right?¡± Kukulkan had already reached the Osmium (IX) tier of Divinity. He was able to do many things beyond your comprehension. Though the tone was the same as always, TJ could feel the mockery. He sighed and continued putting one foot in front of the other, but was blessed with additional information from the System. As you grow to greater heights, you will learn many applications for your Skills. In addition, as you practice with individual Skills, you will gain greater flexibility in your usage of each Skill. ¡°How will I get new Skills? How can I progress my Divinity? Hell, I feel like I just get more and more questions and fewer answers.¡± To know all is the realm of the One who sits on the Divine Throne. However, you will gain a new Skill every five levels in your Occupation and Class. Each Class and Occupation gains the same Skill at level one, ie, Divine Transformation and Primitive Craftsmanship for Neophyte and Savage respectively in your case. From there, each individual will be offered a different Skill that reflects the Path that they are taking towards the Divine Throne. The next tier of Divinity is typically achieved at the Race level 25. However, there is no guarantee, as it is dependent upon the individual¡¯s growth and acquisition of the divine. Without saying it aloud, worried what might happen if he did, TJ wondered if he could just¡­ not go to the Throne. He just wanted his son back, and becoming God didn¡¯t much matter to him. Let someone else do it, just let him get back to his boy, safe and sound. TJ¡¯s search to find the rattlesnake had taken over an hour, but in reality, he hadn¡¯t ranged more than half a mile from his camp. He pushed through the pokey bushes, the peak nearly in sight. Something, maybe the slight upgrades to his Perception from the levels he¡¯d gained, or just a primeval instinct, warned him that something was approaching. Having been bitten more than enough by supposedly not dangerous wildlife enough already, TJ didn¡¯t hesitate to channel his Divine Transformation. As his body seamlessly shifted to have scales and feathers, TJ slithered out of his clothes as he left them behind. His tongue flickered, tasting the air. Mammal. Warm. Nearby. His head whipped to the side, the heat of the sneakily approaching coyote drawing him closer. With a hiss of warning, TJ lunged forward. His scales scraped along the ground with a pleasant sound as the coyote yipped in surprise and fear. His mouth opened wide, TJ struck. His fangs sunk deep into the coyote¡¯s front leg, and bones snapped in response. He worked his jaw, pulling the unwilling creature deeper into his maw. At his tail, a second, and then a third coyote struck. Their fangs scraped and fought to find purchase in TJ¡¯s flesh, but his scales turned the sharp teeth from tearing into his body. The coatl raised the coyote it was biting into the air before smashing it down into the ground and stunning it. Though it was loathe to, it left its prey there as its tail whipped wildly behind it. One of the assailants pulled back, afraid. The other was foolish. The serpent¡¯s tail wrapped around its neck. With a burst of movement, the coatl constricted the coyote¡¯s windpipe and wrapped it in folds of its coils. It crushed its prey, ignoring its cries for help and mercy. The coyote whimpered and wheezed, and went silent as the coatl broke its neck. Even with the flashing of a System notification, it wasn¡¯t finished. The third prey had long since fled, but the first was only now stumbling to its feet. The coatl rushed the struggling coyote, its jaws finding the canine¡¯s throat. It crunched down as, again, it wrapped its prey in its coils. Crunching of bone was music to its ears, and as the coyote succumbed to its fate, the coatl disjointed its jaws and began the process of swallowing its prey whole. Though it had already eaten its fill today, in times of plenty, one needed to fill its belly. With a pleasant flexion of its muscles in its throat, the coatl swallowed its prey inch by inch. The hair tickled its nose, and the coatl forced itself to swallow more quickly than it wanted. Three minutes later, the coyote¡¯s corpse was fully hidden in the serpent¡¯s gullet, and TJ returned to himself. Remaining time for Divine Transformation before forced reversion to Human: 2:52 Disgusted, TJ flicked the switch to return to his human form. He was on his hands and knees, buck-ass naked, again. The cold settled into his bones as TJ gathered his clothes in one arm and the remaining coyote body in his other. Without bothering with socks, he thrust his feet into his untied shoes and tromped up to his camp. Unsurprisingly, there were still plenty of banked coals in his firepit, and with a minute¡¯s ministrations, the fire was back and roaring. TJ rubbed his hands fiercely over the fire and tried to warm himself as he pulled his shorts back on. For now, he didn¡¯t bother with his jacket, instead rubbing his torso with his arms vigorously as he stomped in place to keep his blood pumping as his mind raced. While he had transformed into a snake, or coatl, or whatever, he had truly become that animal. He¡¯d acted like one. Hunted like one. Fed like one. Though he wanted to ask what had happened, since he absolutely couldn¡¯t digest an entire coyote and rattlesnake like the ones he¡¯d just eaten in quick succession, that wasn¡¯t important. Swallowing a rattlesnake and coyote whole was, admittedly, disgusting. He could still taste the fur and blood and dirt. It turned his stomach to remember his teeth breaking bone. TJ loved animals, and this had been the final straw. He never wanted to do that again. Even so¡­ he forced himself to look at his System notifications. 2 Coyotes, Level 1-2, Slain. Experience gained. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 2. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points currently available. Race: Human has advanced to level 2. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Points currently available. This world wanted to kill him. And, it was getting stronger. If he didn¡¯t he would die, and Junior might too. He couldn¡¯t allow that. So, he would kill. And he would devour. And he would grow. Until TJ could save his son. Chapter 8 TJ didn¡¯t feel hungry at all as he spent half an hour waiting for his Divine Transformation timer to reset. Now that his Endurance, Vitality, Willpower, and Fixation had grown, his current transformation limit was 18 minutes, and his recovery time twice that. Somehow, he felt full but not bloated from all that he¡¯d eaten as a coatl, so TJ set to skinning the coyote body he hadn¡¯t swallowed whole with the time he had before he returned to the snowy peak. Though his previous experience definitely helped, TJ could feel the difference that Primitive Craftsmanship offered with every movement. The sharpened stone cut cleanly through flesh and skin, and with long, smooth pulls of his blade, fat and meat scraped clean from the skin. Additionally, as he clumsily cured the pelt, TJ understood where to hold it over the smoke to best clean the raw skin. Even more so, he knew that he¡¯d failed to create pelts that would last more than a couple of days. He didn¡¯t use the right materials or time, but that couldn¡¯t matter right now. His next goals were clear, and he knew what to do. Thirty minutes after his Divine Transformation timer was refilled, TJ set out towards the nearby peak with one more coyote pelt. When he looked closely at it, he got the sense that he could almost see something more, something to do with the System about it, but no matter how long he looked, nothing else appeared and so he wrapped it around his torso under his jacket to keep his core as warm as possible. His mouth was dry, though not painfully so. Evidently, swallowing two creatures, blood and all, was helping to hydrate TJ at least a little, and there was a quarter of his water bottle still remaining. His journey to the snowy peak was uneventful, but TJ felt the difference in his body¡¯s capabilities with each step. Since the last hike there, he¡¯d gained 6 levels, two of each in his Class, Occupation, and Race, and though his Strength and Agility attributes hadn¡¯t changed as much as the others, the hike that he¡¯d needed to stop to take a breather on just the day before now wasn¡¯t more difficult than a light jog on flat ground. The blisters and soreness that had inevitably appeared before had healed overnight, and TJ could tell that he wouldn¡¯t be nearly so tired after his hiking today. Beyond that, the hike had taken him nearly half an hour yesterday, but today, it was well under twenty minutes. At the peak, TJ watched the slowly rising sun for a couple minutes. He¡¯d been up when the first light tinged the horizon, and though it¡¯d been almost three hours from then until now, the mountains surrounding him kept the warm light from washing over him until he stood on that lone peak. Though surrounded by snow and still shivering, TJ relished the sun and stretched wide. Finally, TJ stooped to gather handfuls of the icy snow into his water bottle. Without hours of sunlight and the warmth of midday to thaw it, the snow was now sheets of ice, and his fingers immediately stiffened with the chill. After five minutes of painful effort, TJ¡¯s water bottle was pressed full of ice with a little water, and he again shook it vigorously to try to melt some of the ice, to limited success. It wasn¡¯t long before he gave up on the endeavor, instead breaking up a handful of ice and shoving it in his mouth. The chill slowly spread through his mouth, down his throat, and into his core, but TJ shrugged it off and made sure he¡¯d sighted his goal¨Cthe log cabin. It would be over five miles, as far as he could tell. He¡¯d never been the best at estimating distances, and he¡¯d guessed at six to seven miles yesterday. Maybe it was Neophyte or Savage or just the insanity of his situation, but TJ today thought he¡¯d overestimated that by a mile or two. Now, with a goal, a Class, and an Occupation, TJ set off towards the homestead. With each thudding step down the mountain, TJ¡¯s mind cleared. The panic from Junior¡¯s disappearance still weighed on TJ¡¯s soul, the fear about if he was losing his mind, the rage at whatever it was that was doing this, each negative emotion had hung like a cloud over his head over the past day. And they still did, and, barring the revelation that TJ was, in fact, totally losing his mind, they would continue to bother him. If some machine or System or whatever decided that it was going to upend everything and throw his life into the blender of insanity and violence, TJ was going to have to drink the madness smoothie. For himself, for his son. And so, he needed to train and familiarize himself with his new reality. TJ only had the one active Skill at the moment, Divine Transformation, and he could confidently say that it would be what kept him alive from now on. He also had his Primitive Craftsmanship, but that wouldn¡¯t be what helped him right now. There were also the 4 Free Points he needed to allocate at some point, but TJ couldn¡¯t be sure what would be most helpful to him right now and in the future. He had no other Skills, or any idea what the next ones would be, even though he¡¯d asked the System, he¡¯d gotten no response. Strength and Agility were immediately appealing, since they¡¯d assist his Divine Transformation, but would he later get a Skill that changed how his attributes shifted from his coatl body? Fixation was low, but it was one of his most quickly growing attributes. Wisdom, Intelligence, and Perception didn¡¯t seem to do much for him right now, but would leaving them behind screw him over in the long run?If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. With a sigh, TJ left the Free Points alone, for now. If there was anything even remotely dangerous that appeared, like the unlikely mountain lion or black bear, he¡¯d dump all of them into his Strength, but until then, he could only practice his new Skill. He knew that he could keep his clothes, at least, when he transformed, and keeping his backpack would be ideal. Maybe, that was something that would just come with time. But if he ended up buck naked every time he had to fight, then that¡¯d suck in a big way. That was how TJ ended up, every minute or so, stopping in his tracks, channeling Divine Transformation, and trying to keep his clothes with him, somehow. Initially, he held completely still, eyes closed and concentrating when he shifted. Only once his body was fully serpentine would TJ open his eyes. And, for the first five attempts, he opened them to see his clothing, backpack, and shoes still on him. Then, he took a moment to look around, still without moving, with his enhanced senses before shifting back to a human. The first time he shifted back, his jacket had somehow gotten fully turned around backwards with neither of his arms in the sleeves. Both of his legs were painfully crammed into one leg of gym shorts, while both feet were bare and his backpack laid upside down on the ground. The second time, his clothes were still strewn about him. When he shifted back, both his legs were in the correct leg holes, but somehow his boxers had been left behind. His jacket was twisted 90 degrees, and the backpack was, again, left behind. Socks were on, though twisted around. The third time, he was convinced that he could feel the jacket merging with him as he channeled the Skill. Sure enough, his jacket was nowhere to be seen after shifting, and on his return, his clothing was mostly in order on his body. His backpack was nowhere near being on his shoulders, though. Keeping that in mind, on and on he practiced. After an hour, TJ could shift and bring his clothes with him, so long as he stayed in place before, during, and after the transformation. Even so, there was no progress on his backpack coming along. He focused instead on his ability to move as he shifted. While slowly walking and shifting, TJ left behind just both socks, bizarrely enough. Then, confusing him again, when he shifted, everything but his backpack disappeared as usual, but when he returned to his human body, his stupid jacket was backwards. ¡°This¡¯ll take more practice.¡± TJ muttered to himself, two hours into his hike at this point. He¡¯d made good time, he thought. Maybe halfway to where he thought the cabin was? Then, when he was about to begin one of his regularly scheduled transformations, TJ heard a rustle in the bushes. Without a thought, he channeled his Divine Transformation. Faster than ever before, TJ became a coatl, his scales scraping on the earth underfoot. Or, underbelly. Three heat signatures. He could taste them. Coyotes. His belly was still full from this morning, and TJ resolved not to overfill his coatl stomach. The comedy of a very fat snake fighting for Divinity wasn¡¯t lost on him, but TJ pursued the nearest canine. Significantly larger than the rest of the other five or so of the scavengers he¡¯d seen thus far, the coyote snarled its challenge. A mere dog dared to challenge a divine serpent? One of the feathered ones! An unplaced pride swelled in TJ, and he somehow roared a hiss at the coyote. More air than should have been possible rushed from TJ¡¯s maw, and a gust of wind blew his enemy¡¯s ears back. Even so, there was no need to delay, as TJ could feel the other two approaching. He struck with his jaws, but the dog danced back out of reach. Again he lunged forward, to no avail. A third time, and he bit only air. Reacting on instinct, TJ struck a fourth time, but with a deep inhale as he did so. Again, an unnaturally powerful gust of wind accompanied his attack, but this time, the coyote, airborne and unprepared, was hit. The winds whipped around the canine and pulled it ever so slightly closer to TJ¡¯s attack, and he caught its paw. It whimpered, pained and terrified. TJ didn¡¯t hesitate, his coils speedily enveloping it in scaly death. Cracking of bone followed the forced whoosh of air from its lungs, and TJ released its foot from his bite. It struggled, fighting to escape and survive, but TJ knew and showed no mercy. His jaws flashed, and though his fangs were obviously not made for ripping and tearing, with one, two, three quick bites, TJ broke the coyote¡¯s spine at the base of its skull. The iron taste of blood filled his mouth, but before TJ could finish it off or glory in his success, a sharp tear of pain interrupted him. Another coyote, just as large as this one, had torn into the thick center of his body, and different from the ones this morning, its fangs didn¡¯t struggle to pierce his flesh. The coatl, instincts now taking control over TJ¡¯s mind, immediately released the crippled coyote and whirled to face the other two that had finally arrived. One, that which was gnawing on his spine, was a little larger than the crippled coyote on the ground. It snarled as it continued to chew, but TJ didn¡¯t care about that one. No, the other, different, black one instilled TJ and the coatl alike an instinctive, deep fear. Chapter 9 There wasn¡¯t time for TJ to evaluate the black coyote. The labrador-sized one continued to chew, and the agony alone was distracting enough. The serpent struck, and with a target so consistently near him, his jaws found purchase. One or more of his many fangs pierced an eye, and the coyote screamed in agony as it was partially blinded. Wetness exploded in the coatl¡¯s mouth, blood and other gore painting his maw. The coyote yipped and released TJ¡¯s body. He, however, did not. For a moment, he tried to constrict this second canine, but the movement sent shocks of cold agony down his spine. Instead, he was forced to clamp his jaws down harder on his prey¡¯s head. The torment of his torn body woke TJ a bit from the battle-rage, and he pulled up his HP: 209/440. Additionally, the System gave additional warnings: Warning: You are suffering from a major Bleed affliction. You will continue to lose 10 HP a minute until the Bleed condition is cured. Warning: You are suffering from a minor Crippling affliction. You will suffer a 20% reduction in Agility until the Crippling condition is cured. Shit. His plan had been to put all his Free Points in Strength if he was in danger. Though doubts and agony plagued him, TJ dumped all four into Strength, giving him effectively 30 Strength as a coatl. The even larger black coyote refused to give him any more time to gather himself or kill the normal coyote. Instead, it stepped forward and seized his tail in its jaws before wrenching him backwards. TJ didn¡¯t release the brown coyote¡¯s head, instead sinking his fangs ever deeper into its skull. Its jaws clamped closed, it would only whimper and lash out at his face with its paws. TJ held tight, biting down with even more force as his body began to cool. He was dying, and was sure to, unless he could kill this coyote, and it gave him a level up. As the black coyote pulled and bit down more and more, TJ began to lose hope. He couldn¡¯t kill this coyote quickly enough. His HP ticked down as his ribs and massive wound smashed again and again against the ground. 170/440. 136/440. 93/440. 59/440. 500/500. A rush of strength and excitement surged through TJ. The limp body of the coyote in his jaws stopped pulling against him, and TJ released it. Coyote, Level 5, Slain. Experience gained. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 3. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points currently available. He looked down his long body and watched the bloody, maimed section of his torso close over. The major Bleeding and minor Crippling afflictions disappeared, and TJ hissed an additional challenge at the huge black coyote. As he struck at its face, it, unfortunately, let go quick enough to escape. With a moment to evaluate it, TJ could truly see the beast for what it was. Its ears extended higher and more narrowly than the other coyotes¡¯, and its fur was pure, pitch black. Worryingly, it stood nearly four feet tall at the shoulder, and those same shoulders rippled with uncharacteristic muscle. The forelegs were tipped by feet, but a thumb extended from the inside of its legs, too short to grab anything yet. TJ¡¯s hiss went without response, and the black coyote circled him silently. When compared to all the other coyote¡¯s he¡¯d seen and fought, the silence was off-putting, but the murderous beast continued to circle without a sound beyond the shuffling of its feet and quiet breathing. TJ fought to calm himself, ready his attack, anything. This thing was different from all the others, and TJ knew he was in danger, so he fought to ensure he survived. Even so, it continued to circle, and TJ knew he couldn¡¯t recklessly lunge forward to strike. If it caught the base of his skull, he would be dead. A tense minute passed, and TJ couldn¡¯t help but look down at his Divine Transformation timer: 15:42. Plenty of time, but if this thing was patient enough to wear him down, TJ would be left without any weapon or recourse. The thought sent a shiver down his spine, but accompanying it was another, perhaps wiser thought. Another 30 seconds passed while he tried to work up the courage to enact the plan, then, with a deep breath, TJ shifted back. Immediately, the wind on his naked body leached every bit of warmth from him. Shivering, unarmed, and more scared than he¡¯d ever been before, TJ gasped, looked the coyote straight in its face, and turned to escape. Its predatory nature stoked, the monster, still eerily silent, began the chase. TJ¡¯s feet complained at the rough treatment, but he couldn¡¯t care about that. Instead, he ran, panicked breaths coming quickly. He looked over his shoulder, and the canine was gaining on him. He glanced forward, a thick bush cutting off his path, and when his eyes found the coyote¡¯s once again, he swore it was enjoying his fear. It leapt, fangs flashing and seeking his throat. TJ seamlessly fell to the ground in his coatl form before striking up with his jaws opened wide. The coyote, though surprised, reacted quickly, and leapt into another jump as soon as it landed. It was too late, and TJ¡¯s fangs found purchase in the flesh of the coyote¡¯s thigh. Once the creature couldn¡¯t keep any more distance from him, TJ relaxed, since his victory was assured. He wrapped his coils around the blackened beast, and the constriction set bones to cracking immediately. TJ released his bite, adjusting to snap his jaws into his prey¡¯s neck¨CA case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. It leapt forward, and much of TJ¡¯s body slipped right off the silky fur of the coyote. One coil remained wrapped around its lower torso, but the coyote didn¡¯t hesitate. It turned and its fangs bit deep into the center of TJ¡¯s mass. He hissed in agony as it attempted to rip his body from around its own, but TJ didn¡¯t allow it. Pushing through the pain of the coyote¡¯s retribution, TJ struck out, his fangs not finding purchase on the coyote¡¯s head. Only on the thick muscle of the coyote¡¯s shoulder did his fangs finally sink deep enough to keep the beast from escaping. Even while he bit and fought to envelop the coyote in his attack, it refused to give up. Its canines dug ever deeper into TJ¡¯s belly while it whipped its head wildly back and forth, trying to dislodge him. TJ didn¡¯t release the coyote¡¯s shoulder, though, and instead he wrapped his tail around its neck. Though it hadn¡¯t yipped or howled since it had begun stalking him, the coyote¡¯s breath hitched as TJ¡¯s tail began to crush its windpipe. TJ, with the strength of three men, twisted and wrenched and pulverized bone in the coyote¡¯s neck until, with its lungs fighting for breath, it collapsed to breathe no more. A notification appeared, but TJ paid it no mind for now. Instead, he slithered towards the first, still living but immobile coyote. Its eyes flew wildly all over, but he couldn¡¯t show any mercy at this time. With a constriction of his aching body, TJ snapped the neck of the last coyote. He was amazed to feel the rejuvenation of a level up when he slew the third, but as he checked his notifications, that amazement gave way to confusion. Anubis-blessed Coyote, level 6, Slain. Experience gained. Coyote, Level 5, Slain. Experience gained. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 4. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points currently available. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 3. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points available. Race: Human has advanced to level 3. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Points currently available. Even with so much new information, TJ, still a coatl, collapsed to the ground, shuddering. With the rattlesnake, he¡¯d been near death and afraid, but everything had moved so quickly that the wonder of gaining his new Class and surviving had washed that terror away. Now¡­ he¡¯d nearly died. The coyotes were getting stronger, and faster than he was. Their levels grew so much in one day, so could he still keep up with them in another day? Would they slow down? When he asked, the System gave him nothing, so instead, TJ laid on the ground, his scales trembling with adrenaline and coming down from the panic of his past two days. Finally, taking a short time to compose himself, TJ could think coherently once again. ¡°Wh¨C¡± The series of questions burning in TJ¡¯s mind clamored for his attention, until finally he settled on the first, ¡°Why was that black one special? What¡¯s Anubis? That rattlesnake I killed before said something about that, but I forgot to ask about it.¡± Somehow, with a greater familiarity with his serpent body, TJ no longer struggled with the ¡°s¡±s. All sapient life that lives is a holder of one of the Divine Bloodlines. Sentient life can qualify for a blessing of one of the holders of Divinity. Anubis, the Egyptian god of Jackals, embalming, and judgment, blessed the black coyote with alacrity and intelligence. Serket, the lesser Egyptian goddess of healing from venom and infections, blessed the rattlesnake with a more potent venom. ¡°But the venom was only a minor affliction, right?¡± Serket¡¯s blessing bestowed the scorpion¡¯s tail to the rattlesnake. You were never struck by its stinger, which could have overwhelmed your current coatl¡¯s body¡¯s resistances. A shiver ran down TJ¡¯s back. Rattlesnakes, still very dangerous. ¡°But how are creatures being blessed by the Divines who came before? You said that all the Divines are dead.¡± All the Divines are dead. Their remnants, though mostly unable to interact with the world during the Integration, can give occasional guidance. There are additional pieces of information to which you have no clearance to learn at your current level of Divinity. ¡°Ok,¡± TJ sighed, ¡°so how did Savage level up? I thought that killing things only gave my Class experience?¡± The System has already addressed this. Savage, as an Occupation, is a generalist that can gain experience through crafting, hunting, or leading. The only requirement for the Savage is that, whatever they do to gain experience for their Occupation, they must do so with tools and implements that they created for themselves. The coatl body created through Divine Transformation qualifies as an implement that you have created for yourself, and so, you gain a reduced quantity of experience from hunting as a coatl. ¡°Why is it reduced, if it qualifies?¡± Savage is not one of the very few ¡°combat-oriented¡± Occupations. Instead, as a generalist, it gains a reduced quantity of experience from many activities. Later, the Occupation can evolve to a more production, administrative, or combative focused subclass of the basic Savage Occupation. Though not exactly what he wanted, that was enough, and TJ nodded. ¡°Then, how can I know how close I am to the next level? I just get told I get experience, now how much or how much I need to the next level.¡± That information is not shared. Do know that the more difficult a task, the more experience gained. The relative proximity to the next level is something that can be sensed, though. With a greater level of familiarity with your own state and self, you will be better able to understand the relative closeness of your next level. TJ thought for a moment and fought to feel that familiarity, but was left at a loss. Again, just like when looking at the coyote pelts he¡¯d created, there was a vague sense that he could potentially figure something out, but it continued to elude him. The near understanding tickled at the back of his mind, and it was nearly painful. Then, without warning, TJ was shunted out of his coatl form and left naked and shivering in the stupid chilling winds. With his arms crossed in front of himself to fight to keep warm, TJ trekked over to where he¡¯d involuntarily left his clothing behind. Worse still, the clothes would be freezing by now, and he couldn¡¯t even use Divine Transformation to warm up for a while. He cursed to himself as his feet caught on the tough stones underfoot, hoping he could quickly get dressed, while wondering if he still remembered where that cabin was. Chapter 10 Once clothed, TJ took special care to stay unnoticed for several minutes as his Divine Transformation timer ticked up to 2:00. In total, with his new attributes, he could remain transformed for 26 minutes. Though he strained his ears to listen to anything that approached, the whistling wind, groaning trees, and rustling brush didn¡¯t tip him off to anything. With a sigh, TJ, instead of worrying needlessly, pulled up his status sheet. Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Human ¨C lvl 3 Class: Neophyte lvl 4 Occupation: Savage lvl 3 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 310/310 Mana Points (MP): 170/170 Stamina: 290/290 Attributes Strength: 17 Agility: 12 Endurance: 29 Vitality: 31 Toughness: 25 Wisdom: 18 Intelligence: 17 Perception: 19 Willpower: 26 Fixation: 18 Free Points: 3 Skill List: Class: Divine Transformation Occupation: Primitive Craftsmanship Titles: Irregular Current total Divine Transformation time: 3:17 / 26:00 (End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4 He¡¯d at least doubled every one of his attributes since getting an Occupation only yesterday, and his Class today. He could feel that levelling up would take more and more time, since the slight understanding he¡¯d gained of both Savage and Neophyte warned him that he wasn¡¯t even close on either. Curious to compare, TJ carefully focused to ensure his clothing came with him as he transformed back into a coatl. When he opened his eyes, every article of clothing had disappeared, and he looked once again at the changes. Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Coatl ¨C lvl 3 Class: Neophyte lvl 4 Occupation: Savage lvl 3 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 620/620 Mana Points (MP): 170/170 Stamina: 580/580 Attributes Strength x2: 34 Agility x1.5: 18 Endurance x2: 58 Vitality x2: 62 Toughness x2: 50 Wisdom: 18 Intelligence: 17 Perception x1.5: 28 Willpower: 26 Fixation: 18 Free Points: 3 Skill List: Class: Divine Transformation Occupation: Primitive Craftsmanship Titles: Irregular This snake became so much tougher and stronger than him that it was difficult to understand. With a thought, TJ shifted back to his original form and stretched. ¡°Do I need to always display the whole status?¡± Just as when you changed the System¡¯s form of address to you to ¡°you¡± from ¡°Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV¡±, you can adjust nearly every notification and display that the Divine System gives you. The purpose of the System is to assist all Participants in advancing towards the Divine Throne, thus the System can be adjusted to each Participant¡¯s desires and comfort. ¡°Then hide the Skill List. That¡¯ll just get long.¡± Skill List hidden.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He verified with a glance then released the Divine Transformation. TJ stood tall and stretched, the bones in his sternum and shoulders popping pleasantly. To his delight, and a little fear, staying mostly still while only garbed in his pretty shoddy clothes wasn¡¯t as miserable as the day before. Before he began to worry, though, TJ had an epiphany. ¡°Do I not get as cold now that my Vitality is higher?¡± Vitality and Endurance allow the Participant to better survive in extreme climates and conditions. TJ grinned widely, happy to get some real good news for the first time. He would be demonstrably better suited to life like this. Even so, his smile quickly faded. His son wouldn¡¯t be there, and TJ couldn¡¯t say when he would be able to see him again. Worse, his Strength and Agility were both going to be quickly outclassed. He would swiftly become nearly impossible to kill as his Endurance, Vitality, and Toughness continued to spike, but if he couldn¡¯t do anything to return a hit except for bite and constrict, anything larger than him or even a bit tougher than these coyotes would kill him. Even so, TJ couldn¡¯t simply decide to dump every Free Point into Strength. That just was foolish, as far as he was concerned. There had to be a way for each of the Classes to be individually viable, right? If the System could be trusted, which TJ didn¡¯t but had to anyway, then each Class had to have the possibility to become the God that sat on the Throne. A Disciple couldn¡¯t be confined to only heal everyone else, or else they would be mere servants to the Zealots and Acolytes, and the Neophyte couldn¡¯t be limited to taking hits like a video game tank. There had to be something missing. As if it had listened to his worries, the System chimed in. At each multiple of five, a Participant will experience a marked increase in their capabilities to protect themselves and continue their progress towards the Throne. With each Skill¡¯s acquisition, a Participant can hone their vision for their Path towards true Divinity. If you decide that you would like your Class to provide Skills that assist in your ability to cause harm, then act in such a way that exemplifies your desire to become a God of destruction. If you desire for your Occupation to provide Skills that facilitate your ability to slaughter, then you must engage in slaughter. The way the System bluntly presented what TJ feared he would have to become turned his stomach. Even as a spike of anxiety made him lose what little appetite he¡¯d built up, TJ examined himself. For Junior, what would he do? Would he kill coyotes, rattlesnakes, bears, and mountain lions? Absolutely, and without hesitation. Would he take things from others, things that would help another person? Throughout his life, TJ had considered himself a generally kind person, willing to share and go out of his way to help people. That wasn¡¯t what this was about. If he had to take food that could go to someone else, would he do it? Would he fight for it? Would he kill for it? The emotions warred within him, TJ desperate to protect his son, to make sure he could go back to him. But he¡¯d never killed someone. The only fights he¡¯d gotten into as a kid were schoolyard things, never anything worse than a bloody nose and a split lip. But to ascend to the Divine¡­ would he step on people to get there? Would he become a god of slaughter and destruction, leaving a ruined world in his wake just for the slight leg up it might give him? For his son, yes. TJ would weep bitter tears and destroy his soul for his son. If TJ must hurt others to protect his child, his sole remaining link to his beloved Mari, his little guy, then he would regret it, but he would do so. ¡°Have mercy on my soul.¡± TJ quietly prayed as a single tear dropped from the corner of his eye. He¡¯d never dreamed of being in a situation like this, but he was here. And he would succeed. With a brusque brush of his dirty and rough hands, TJ cleaned his face. He was sure that there was a streak in the dirt now from his brief stint with emotions, but he couldn¡¯t care. No. He had a goal now, and though his current objective was still the cabin, TJ would ensure that he killed and harvested every creature he found on his Path. And, first things first, he needed to process these corpses. Unsure of his own abilities, TJ decided to practice skinning the first two coyotes before tackling the Anubis-blessed one. He drew one of his ¡°knives¡± from his backpack before beginning the messy, painful process of butchery. He¡¯d done this a little before, and now, with his Occupation and Primitive Craftsmanship, the going was faster. In fact, he learned that, with certain cuts made, he could pull the pelt from the meat in one mostly neat piece. With that revelation, the first coyote was quickly reduced to a furred torso with four stripped legs. Then, working quickly, TJ disemboweled the corpse and tried to carve the much larger and more intricate torso free from its skin and fur. Though more successful than every attempt before, the end result still sported various holes and awkward cuts. Savage Occupation-related task completed. Experience gained. Somewhere in the back of his mind, TJ realized he could feel how much he¡¯d progressed with his Occupation, drawing somewhat near to level 4. Though a part of him wanted to carve a Path entirely focused on slaughter, as the System had somewhat suggested, TJ realized that he would want to be able to take care of himself as much as possible. The Savage, though a less specialized Occupation than so many others, would afford him the ability to provide for himself when others couldn¡¯t or wouldn¡¯t. Beyond that, he couldn¡¯t be sure that there wouldn¡¯t be times where he was forced to fight as a human. In those cases, his Occupation would continue to serve him greatly. He refocused his mind, and already flowing from one task to the next, TJ didn¡¯t hesitate to jump into stripping the hide of the second coyote. Again, with more experience and the bonus from his Skill, TJ¡¯s hands moved ever more smoothly and dexterously. On a whim, he didn¡¯t cut the skins of the legs free once the pelt had been carved from the meat, instead preparing to take the whole of the pelt, legs and all. TJ¡¯s fingers, wet with blood and stiff from cold, ached terribly, but he forced himself to continue. Each leg¡¯s fur was pulled up to the shoulder or hip, and he began to process the whole body. TJ fought to keep his hands steady, cutting smoothly and cleanly through the connecting fat and tissue, but when he unwillingly shivered, he accidentally sent the blade of his stone through the pelt. ¡°Shit!¡± He cursed to himself, but after pulling his hands back and out of the corpse for a moment, he returned to cutting the pelt free. Another couple of minutes passed, and the mostly whole pelt was off the corpse. Again, the System sent him a notification, but he didn¡¯t pay it any mind. He couldn¡¯t forgive himself for his stupid mistake, because an obvious solution was right there. With a quick thought, TJ activated Divine Transformation and the chill that had slowly settled into his bones was gradually banished. He watched the counter that had completely replenished itself tick down, continuing to curse his overeagerness. Four minutes ticked down, and TJ felt he¡¯d warmed up enough to deactivate the Skill. As his human body returned to him, TJ flexed his fingers and found them agile once more, caked blood and viscera notwithstanding. He then turned to the final corpse, its black fur somehow refusing to show the brown dust that should have covered it. TJ began to methodically process the body, cutting around each paw, and then up each leg. With sharp tugs, he pulled the pelt inch by inch up the extremities, the movement making a sickening wet tearing noise. With each leg pulled up to the torso, TJ carefully carved where his Skill guided him to, disemboweling it of its viscera and carving up its neck. With a series of sharp slices, TJ cut the pelt from going higher than the base of the coyote¡¯s skull, knowing that he couldn¡¯t really skin it there with his current tools and abilities. Then, more carefully and deliberately than before, TJ carved the pelt from the ribs, the shoulders, hips, spine, and belly. Once, as he felt his fingers begin to complain, he immediately pulled back, let himself rest, and then, as the chill set in, he briefly transformed to a coatl. Without waiting too long, he returned, and though his fingers ached from the effort and strain, TJ completed removing the pelt. It felt special, the moment it was removed, and TJ¡¯s body stiffened with the now familiar sensation of levelling up. Savage Occupation-related task completed. Experience gained. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 4. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Point available. Race: Human has advanced to level 4. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Points currently available. He grinned fiercely before bundling up the pelts, placing them in his backpack, and setting off once more towards the cabin. And if he found something else to kill on his way? Then the hunt would begin. Chapter 11 With a firm snap of his jaws, TJ dispatched the third coyote. The single remaining member of the pack fled into the bushes and left the cooling corpses behind as TJ dismissed the System¡¯s notification that he¡¯d killed three level 2 coyotes. These were what was left of the fourth pack that TJ had found since his encounter with the Anubis-blessed coyote, and he still hadn¡¯t hit level 5 in either his Occupation or Class. That Savage hadn¡¯t gone up wasn¡¯t as surprising, as after the second pack had been slain, TJ couldn¡¯t bring himself to try to skin the corpse. Making it to his goal was more pressing and important than squeezing every last bit of experience out of these mangy creatures. Even so, that Neophyte had yet to reach the juncture of TJ choosing his first Skill probably was more to do with the relative level of his foes than anything else. He hadn¡¯t encountered anything beyond a level 4 coyote, and with the additional levels he¡¯d gained in Savage and Human, his Coatl form could dispatch these weaker creatures with impunity. The packs he¡¯d encountered all tried their level best to swarm and overwhelm him, but none were able to breach his scales¡¯ defense. When he¡¯d finally asked the System, the answer shouldn¡¯t have come as a surprise. Just as all Participants will experience a notable surge in power every five levels, due to the acquisition of a new Skill, other creatures under the influence of the Divine System gain boons every fifth level. Other than the additional alacrity and intelligence bestowed upon the Anubis-blessed coyote, coyotes in your Tutorial grounds will nearly universally be bestowed with a marked increase to their Strength attribute as well as an enhancement to their bite. They are granted a Bite skill which heightens the power of their attacks. ¡°Guess I should have realized that.¡± TJ sighed to himself as he picked over the corpses, seeing if there was one that was whole enough to merit his lugging further towards the cabin. The only one he decided to continue with was the second he¡¯d slain, since the only blood spilled here came from its mouth and nose. He¡¯d crushed its spine with a swipe of his tail, so it wouldn¡¯t soak his jacket with blood as he carried it, since his backpack was full. In fact, with the specially prepared pelts and meat filling it, the ripped pack was splitting where it¡¯d been attacked the day before. The black fur spilled out of the pack, and TJ wondered if the pack would make it to his destination. TJ continued his path onwards, pleasantly surprised by the relative ease with which he could hike. He¡¯d spent months trying to get back into shape, but TJ knew he still was far from the fittest he¡¯d ever been. At least, before the System¡¯s Integration. Now, he could guarantee that he¡¯d never been stronger. Three complete bodies worth of meat and pelt as well as four additional coyotes¡¯ worth of pelts weighed the backpack down. Then, he¡¯d placed the latest one across his shoulders, so TJ would be amazed if it was less than 100 unbalanced pounds he was actively hiking with right now. And he was doing that without breathing hard or stumbling or getting tired. His steps thudded rhythmically as TJ trotted down a steeper slope and hopped across one of the dozens of two foot wide washes that covered every mountain around here. He didn¡¯t struggle to stick the landing and continue on his path further down the mountain. The old brandless tennis shoes he¡¯d worn for years were close to giving up the ghost, and TJ prayed they too could make it all the way to the cabin. Maybe, once he was there, he could find a new pack and clothes. There were no more interruptions on his path to the clearing, and as TJ bulled through the brush between the trees, he stepped into the lightly tended yard of the cabin. It was a pretty standard cabin for the area, as far as he expected it was, at least, wooden paneling and windows, a wraparound porch and a little shed for firewood and maybe a snowblower. Two stories, but pretty small, maybe 2000 square feet total. TJ, for the first time, realized how grateful he was that there hadn¡¯t been any more rain this winter. He¡¯d struggled for water, but if he¡¯d had to walk through the foot of snow that sometimes dropped here, he¡¯d have died of exposure long before he could get an Occupation or Class. The cabin seemed abandoned, no car or lights on, no movement inside. When TJ drew near and peeked through a window, he saw no fire either. He knocked once, twice, three times. No answer. He banged the door hard. No answer. He tested the knob, and it was unlocked. ¡°Hello? Checking in on you. Things are¡­ kinda going crazy out here!¡± TJ shouted, but got no response. The cabin was a little warmer than outside, but not by much. He stepped in, ¡°I¡¯m coming in, if you don¡¯t want me to or anything, just say so!¡± Still nothing, so he walked in and shrugged off his backpack and the coyote corpse to the floor. They thumped heavily, and TJ rolled a bit of the stiffness out of his shoulders as he looked for the fireplace. It didn¡¯t take long, since he only needed to take a couple steps forward and look. There it was, with a bucket full of firewood beside it, a month''s worth of newspapers stacked up under the bucket. No lighter though.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The fireplace was devoid of any ashes, more evidence nobody had been here in a while, so TJ began searching for a lighter to start the fire more easily than by pure effort. Nothing by the fireplace, that was well cleaned. Back near the door he¡¯d come in from was the kitchen, and TJ went through the drawers in the hopes of finding something. Silverware jangled and glass tinkled as he searched. Of course, it was the last drawer that had the lighter, and TJ pulled it out and checked to see if it had any fuel. With a single flick of his thumb, a steady flame began burning, and TJ¡¯s eyes suddenly watered with unexpected and unwelcome emotion. Tearing up over a lighter? Stupid. Even so, TJ returned to the fireplace, and with just a minute or two¡¯s effort, TJ had built up a happily crackling fire. He held his fingers over it, and it wasn¡¯t long before the stiffness was slowly banished. TJ fed the fire a couple logs before, with just a hint of embarrassment, he began to search through the rooms. The main floor had two, one without a closet or anything of note, while the second had a fully stocked closet. A couple owned the place, with a dozen outfits each for a man much bigger than TJ and a woman much smaller. Even though they didn¡¯t fit, TJ happily pulled a fleece-lined denim jacket, a long-sleeved waffle-print shirt, and a pair of worker¡¯s jeans from the closet. Though TJ hesitated to search for it, he did find a couple clean pairs of boxers that he immediately pilfered. He was afraid of smelling the ones he¡¯d been through all this in. TJ carried the clothing out to the living room and laid them in front of the fire to warm up. No reason to put on freezing clothing, was there? Then, TJ pulled a pot out of one of the drawers he¡¯d checked and, hoping beyond hope, twisted the tap to on. There was a faint gurgling, then water began flowing freely from the spigot and TJ cheered. The well or water tank that this drew from still had something in it, and TJ let the pot sit for a minute until it was half full. Then, he carried the pot over to the fire, where he poked and prodded until he had something like a bed of coals to lay the pot on. After making sure the pot wouldn¡¯t tip and lose the water, TJ returned to the kitchen to go through the rest of the cupboards. In the first one he checked, he found what he was looking for: a tin of hot chocolate. Humming tunelessly to himself, TJ grabbed a cup and a rag and carried all three to in front of the fire. He put a finger in the water, and it was still cool, but TJ didn¡¯t want to wait. He stripped all his clothes and began to give himself a sponge bath. The rag came away filthy after his face, and TJ nearly dipped it back in the water he wanted to drink before he thought about it. He poured enough into the cup to fill it entirely, and then TJ resumed cleaning the rest of his body. As the water evaporated from all over his body, the chill fought to resettle into his bones, but the fire kept him from shivering too badly. The water he was rinsing off with was nearly as brown as the cocoa he would drink when he was done with it, but TJ was happy to strip off his clothing and redress in the clean outfit he¡¯d pilfered. Finally, for the first time, TJ was dressed in weather appropriate clothes, and he could refocus on the hell that was figuring out his new life as he dumped the filthy water outside. ¡°Just to be sure, I can see my son at the end of this, right?¡± You will have an opportunity to meet with your son at the end of the Tutorial. TJ gritted his teeth. ¡°And, just to make sure, if I make a tool, I¡¯ll receive more experience using it than using one of the tools here from before the Integration?¡± That is correct. He looked back at the heap of coyote corpses to cut. TJ sighed. Without much hope, he asked, ¡°Is there anything nearby that would be a better knife than the ones I¡¯ve already made?¡± If you wish to gain the ability to intrinsically know which places nearby offer a greater natural bounty, you can select a Skill upon reaching level 5 to assist you to do so. ¡°Of course.¡± He grumbled. TJ thought about going to search out something to be a better blade, but searching it out seemed like it¡¯d help less than just doing the dirty work. He placed the cup full of water near the fire to warm in preparation of the cocoa that he¡¯d indulge in later. Preparations complete, TJ grabbed his backpack in one hand and the loose body in the second, and with a wistful look at the warm fire, he walked out to the shed. It was no surprise that the shed had a massive wooden table for meat processing, the rusty stain of blood having long seeped into the work surface. A handful of well-kept tools hung on a pegboard, each tool outlined in its assigned place. Again, TJ turned away from the convenience of the tools and instead pulled the stones out of his backpack. Then, his stomach not nearly so conflicted as before, TJ began the bloody work of skinning the bodies. One, then two corpses were skinned and hanging before long, and TJ was nearly complete with the third. Then, just as he pulled the last of the pelt free from the body, the blessed notification appeared: Savage Occupation-related task completed. Experience gained. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 5. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Point available. Level 5 Universal Occupation Skill: Appraisal granted. Level 5 Skill Selection available. Not only had he gained the new skill and a level, he got this universal one! TJ wiped his hands on a nearby rag before happily jogging back to the cabin to check out the benefits from this level up. Chapter 12 With his feet propped up by the fire, TJ nursed his cup of cocoa and looked at how this new level changed things. Firstly, this new universal Skill. Skill: Appraisal (Dirt); A Skill all Participants gain upon reaching the fifth level of their Occupation. This Skill allows you to gain additional information about the world around you. The greater the disparity between the tier of Appraisal and the item, participant, creature, or otherwise, the greater the variability in the amount of information provided. A higher tier Appraisal compared to the appraised will give a greater quantity and quality of information, while a lower tier Appraisal will give only limited and basic information. He took no time to wait, and with a thought, TJ Appraised the pelt he was holding. Item: Crudely prepared coyote pelt, Dirt. A pelt clumsily removed from a coyote corpse. It has not been tanned or cured, and will inevitably turn rancid. It can be used to provide an increase in resistance to environmental cold, or as a material in creating equipment. ¡°Well¡­ shit.¡± TJ muttered, and he didn¡¯t wait to check the meat and, more importantly, the special pelt. Item: Butchered coyote meat, Dirt. Flesh that remains after killing and skinning a coyote. May contain parasites. Item: Crudely prepared minorly Anubis-blessed coyote pelt, Dirt. A pelt clumsily removed from the corpse of a coyote that was minorly blessed by Anubis, the Jackal. It has not been tanned or cured, and will inevitably turn rancid. It can be used to provide an increase in resistance to environmental cold, or as a material in creating equipment. In addition, equipment created using this pelt may gain additional attributes upon completion. Ignoring the possibility of parasites, TJ looked at the pelt he¡¯d created. He¡¯d been proud of it when he¡¯d cut it free, but now that he spread it out and looked at it, the stink was the first thing he noticed. Fearing cutting through and ruining the hide, TJ had neglected to scrape the fat and connective tissue from the underside, and though it had only been a couple of hours, the fat was getting gross in the warmth of the cabin. Worse, he knew that merely scraping the last of the crusting flesh from the skin wouldn¡¯t take care of all his problems, since he hadn¡¯t cured the hide at all. But he wasn¡¯t a tanner and though Grandpa would have known what to do, TJ hadn¡¯t ever hunted anything more than a couple doves. Nothing to tan there, just feathers to pluck. Even so, TJ refused to leave this as something that would eventually go bad. The promise of additional attributes was the sirens¡¯ call, and TJ wouldn¡¯t throw something so valuable away for laziness. There could be something in the shed that he could check. TJ was about to send a quick prayer to the System or God to give him guidance to something impactful, but he then remembered he was an idiot. ¡°System, what are my new Skill selection options?¡± Skill Selection: Improved Primitive Craftsmanship: This Skill would replace the existing Occupation Skill: Primitive Craftsmanship. You have exhibited the willingness and desire to create more tools, more equipment, and process items more effectively. This Skill will increase the base 30% bonus to all crafting abilities and Skills when crafting without pre-Integration technology to 50%, as well as bless you with a greater instinctual understanding of how to process raw materials into a more easily used state. Initially, TJ wanted to jump on this Skill, but a little doubt crept in. He didn¡¯t have any other crafting abilities or Skills for the Skill to boost. Maybe in the long term that would be great, but for now, it was only a solid maybe, since TJ wasn¡¯t sure what exactly he would get from it. Primal Savagery: You have only slain your foes with your own body and tools you have created yourself without any pre-Integration tools. This Skill grants a 20% increase to all your attributes while you engage in combat without any pre-Integration tools or equipment. A simple Skill, but one that would always be helpful, considering TJ¡¯s Class. Beyond that, TJ felt the call of this Skill similarly to that of the Neophyte. Barring another doing the same, this would be what he ended up selecting. Mind made up, he looked to the next. Hunter Gatherer: You have eschewed the ¡°civilization¡± of the pre-Integration, and have searched for your own shelter and food. You are a hunter gatherer, just as your earliest ancestors. This Skill grants a 20% increase to your tracking ability as well as your ability to identify safely edible plants and other flora. Not a bad option either. Though it wouldn¡¯t help TJ in combat directly¨Cwhich he¡¯d somewhat decided he¡¯d make his Occupation do before¨Csurvival could possibly be the name of the game too. If the edible creatures began dying out and TJ needed to survive off the land, then this would be invaluable. Orienteering: You have found a distant landmark and found your way to it without getting lost. This Skill grants a 100% increase to your ability to distinguish relative directions as well as retain the relative orientation of your goal.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Yeah, that was going to be a no. If he was in a maze, then it would be invaluable. Here? Well, TJ didn¡¯t even know what the final goal of the Tutorial was. Maybe this could be considered, but almost certainly not. He turned his attention to the final available Skill. Equipment Fabrication (Dirt): You have found various uses for the items and materials that surround you. This Skill will give specific guidance on how to craft materials into equipment that grants attributes and other possible boons. And there was an actual crafting Skill. It was attractive, sure, but it would have to be a whole lot more than just a way to create some items slightly better than he could without it for him to select it. TJ might be forced to create his own clothing or equipment moving forward. After all, he hadn¡¯t seen another person in the miles he¡¯d travelled, and couldn¡¯t say how many had been selected to fight for the Divine Throne. That brought him back to his Skill selection. There was use for each of these Skills, and TJ wondered how Equipment Fabrication would work with Primitive Craftsmanship, but he could probably make things even without making the Skill selection¡­ ¡°Wait. Can I like¡­ practice something for a while and gain a Skill for it? Something like crafting with the materials I have at hand?¡± No. Any Participant can gain greater proficiency and skill in any given field throughout the Integration, but that will not translate to Skill acquisition. Different Skills may be presented as an option, depending on the Participant¡¯s gained proficiency, but a Skill holder will progress more quickly and to greater heights than one without the Skill can. That was a letdown. TJ had hoped to game the System a bit and get additional Skills, but it seemed like the God-creating mechanism that was the Divine System was not so easily outwitted. Even so, TJ could learn how to create things, to better prepare skins and meat, and then pass them on to someone else who was better suited for it. Assuming they didn¡¯t use pre-Integration tools. Or other technology. Yeah, he¡¯d probably be forced to take some creation-related Skill at some point. ¡°Will the Skills offered here be offered again at level 10?¡± TJ asked. Usually, the Skills offered at one level will be carried over to the next available opportunity. However, there is no guarantee that such an event will occur. With that, TJ¡¯s decision was made for him. There was only one Skill he would mourn if he missed. ¡°Select Primal Savagery.¡± A tingling sensation danced down his spine, but TJ strangely couldn¡¯t move as it happened. A mere fifteen seconds or so passed, and he could, once again, move freely. His Skill selected, TJ wanted to go to the shed to see what he could find that might give him an idea about how to make sure his spoils wouldn¡¯t spoil. However, another question had arisen while he¡¯d looked at his Skill options, and now, he had time to ask it. ¡°So, what exactly is the purpose of the Tutorial? How will it end? How many people are in here with me? How will I know when I get to see Junior?¡± The function of the Tutorial is to slowly acclimate the Participants to the realities of the post-Integration world. Each Tutorial will end after the Tutorial¡¯s Quest Goals are completed. In this Tutorial, Tutorial 107.48.891, the Quest Goals are as follows: Once the three Quest Goals are completed, you will be brought to a secure location where you may interact with Thiago Jorge Harris V. For a moment, I regretted my Skill decision. Orienteering could have been my most valuable Skill, and I threw it away like that? ¡°And what happens if I haven¡¯t reached Pine by the time that the second week is over?¡± The Participants not within the bounds of the city limits of Pine, Arizona at the time of the end of the second week will be subjected to continuous waves of creatures. There is a 99.99999% chance of death and dismemberment if you were in that situation. Don¡¯t miss the city, got it. TJ rolled his shoulders. He couldn¡¯t care about the pelts right now. He didn¡¯t know what direction Pine was, much less how far away it could be. With a quick gulp, TJ threw back the last of his cocoa and began ransacking the cabin in earnest. A good backpacker¡¯s pack was in the hallway closet, and he pulled that out before filling it with canned beans, soup, and more beans, and more soup. Seriously, why so many beans and soup here? Then, a can opener and half a dozen disposable water bottles and two heavy-duty metal thermos. TJ filled both with water, before then finding a sleeping bag and throwing that in. Matches and every lighter he could find, a dozen pairs of socks, and then he traded his thrashed sneakers for a worn-in set of black worker¡¯s boots near the door. They, like the clothes, were a couple sizes too large, but if TJ had to choose between shoes with ripped foam for a sole and these heavy-duty boots, it would be the boots every time. The backpack was getting full, but TJ decided to pile the special pelt on top, at least for now. If it went rancid, he¡¯d toss it, but until then, he would see what he could do. Finally, TJ got a pot full of water and poured it over the guttering fire. It exploded in steam and ashes, sending TJ into a coughing fit. Even so, he closed the mesh over the hot embers and walked out. The boots were uncomfortable, but he could make do. Maybe, Divine Transformation would eventually let him make his feet match the shoe, and the thought had TJ smiling. With a panicked sense of hurry, TJ rushed out the door and into the woods. He followed a game trail, jogging slowly to warm himself up. He ducked under a bent tree and continued running, his stride opening up. As TJ ducked under another bent tree, however, his feet suddenly went out from under him. His head smashed against the ground and he hung upside down with his vision swimming and ears ringing. Even with his impaired hearing, though, TJ swore he heard something approaching and laughing. Chapter 13 [Stanton POV] Though he had no chew, Stanton habitually spit to the side of the trail. It¡¯d been decades since the last time he¡¯d gone so long without, but he''d gone through the last of his can the day he was put here. Whatever the hell it was, he hated it. At least there was good hunting around. It hadn¡¯t taken him long to get to the cabin, and it was well-stocked. Plenty of canned and dehydrated food, but not so much that he thought it was one of those apocalypse believers¡­ Though he supposed he could be called one too, now. Just unprepared. None of his guns had come with him from home, and the break barrel shotgun over the mantle was empty and rusted. His concealed carry 9mm had been securely in its holster, though, so she hadn¡¯t been left behind. Whatever. The world had gone to hell in a handbasket, and Stanton was just looking to survive it. Those magic words or whatever were a pain in the ass, but Stanton knew how to read the writing on the wall. The world was ending, and he had an instruction manual, so he¡¯d quickly found a half dozen coyotes and a deer. His eyes weren¡¯t as good as they once were, but he could still pick out a sneaking scavenger in the bushes. Had to let ¡®em get pretty close, too, but they were small enough a single bullet was all it took. Weird how they lunged at him though. He hated killing without reason, but coyote meat was stringy, unappetizing stuff at the best of times. If he managed to give himself a killer parasite at 68, then Stanton would wish he was dead, if nothing else. After five, he did get that new Class, Acolyte, and his bum knee was feeling better than it had in decades. Still wanted the chew, though. Spitting again, he left the meat for the other creatures to find, but the deer had been his latest catch. Again, weird to see so many coyotes with so few deer and elk. There were hundreds of ¡®em, and the only thing keeping them from being hunted to extinction was the law. Since now there was no law, Stanton looked forward to the venison. A couple of elk had passed by, but with his personal protection, Stanton wasn¡¯t ready for something so big. He¡¯d set a half dozen traps for the rabbits around, but his hope was tied to the hangline snare right near the cabin. Then, it¡¯d be a lot easier to drag the thing to be butchered. Instead, he¡¯d found a single buck all alone almost half a mile away from his new home. It was a perfect shot, though, and Stanton couldn¡¯t help himself. One shot to the chest, and though it stumbled away with the crack of his shot going off, the deer fell quickly. Since he¡¯d gained some of these levels, Stanton overextended himself and slung the deer across his back, just to tweak it. After his God-given time to curse and sweat it out, he¡¯d stood up gingerly before grabbing his prey by one of its feet. Dragging it on, Stanton felt the influence of his new levels as his body actually recovered. After a minute or two, he very carefully hoisted it onto his shoulders and let the weight settle there before slowly walking along the game trail he¡¯d followed here. The faint smell of a fire led him back to the cabin, and Stanton wished his Marva was still there. She¡¯d have the fire roaring, with a can of beans all ready to accompany his first steak, and though she¡¯d complain, she was the best at cooking liver and heart. Yeah, she¡¯d¨C Stanton was actually smelling fire, not just in his trip down memory lane. He¡¯d cleaned every ember out before he¡¯d left, but the fire was fresh and strong. There was no hesitation as he let the deer fall off his shoulders and he jogged towards the cabin. He wanted to sprint, but after hurting his back so easily, he¡¯d have to take it easy. The yards passed quickly, and Stanton again revelled in his healthy body. If all he needed to feel like this was to kill a couple varmints and a deer, he¡¯d be out there as soon as he found some more bullets! He¡¯d gotten some ¡°Skill¡± that let him create a bow, but he wasn¡¯t much of a shot with it. Even more important, his cabin was more important right now, he was a guest and wouldn''t have it burning down on his watch. A faint trail of smoke peeked through the trees, and, even though he¡¯d cautioned himself to take it easy, Stanton found his steps lengthening and his pace picking up. Even though his knees twinged and his chest burned, he was running! An involuntary chuckle began to build in his chest, and Stanton kept his eyes up to see whatever was happening. And that was how he saw the kid step on his hangline. The cord snapped around his ankle and foisted him up into the air. Before he rose all the way, though, his head smashed with a heavy thunk against the rock beside the trail. He dazedly looked around, and Stanton¡¯s laugh continued to build. The kid would survive, Stanton was sure, even though his eyes were rolling around his head like a pinball. Then, Stanton realized that the kid had stolen the backpack in the cabin. Humor left him as quickly as it had come, and he began to level his sidearm at the cheeky kid and put the fear of God into him. Before he could speak, though, the boy shifted from being a human to an awful, giant snake. His ankle became a tail and slipped right out the trap. The backpack fell from the air and bashed the snake¡¯s chin into the ground again, though it didn¡¯t seem to care now. Stanton raised his gun, about to fire, when the boy again stood before him, rubbing his head and looking all angry like up at the snare. He was a pretty normal looking kid, and now that Stanton could really look at him, he wasn¡¯t a kid. The man in front of him had the beginnings of a patchy beard, and his tanned skin showed someone who was willing to be outside. Tangled dark hair, but not too long, and wasn¡¯t a bad-looking guy, Stanton supposed. He was wearing too-big clothes, and that¡¯d had Stanton thinking the stranger was shorter than he really was, but was half a foot or so shorter than Stanton¡¯s own six feet. When the kid¡¯s eyes met Stanton¡¯s, though, he could see something that so many younguns like him lacked. A depth of experience. Stanton lowered the gun as the stranger raised his hands.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Well. Thanks for not shooting me, I guess.¡± [TJ POV] TJ¡¯s vision was still a little cloudy, but he could still recognize a gun being pointed at him. Before he could say anything, though, the older man lowered it. He was wearing a brown leather jacket and denim pants, a large buckle holding his belt on his waist. Under his Stetson hat was a shoulder length gray ponytail, and the man¡¯s craggy face sported a thick handlebar mustache. ¡°Well. Thanks for not shooting me, I guess.¡± The old man cocked his head at TJ¡¯s words. ¡°I mean, you could have shot, and didn¡¯t. And I appreciate that. Can we put the gun away?¡± ¡°Eh.¡± Grunted the man. ¡°Why¡¯re you robbing my cabin?¡± ¡°Ahh shit. I¡¯m sorry. I just made my way here and thought there was nobody there, so I took what I could manage. We need to get to Pine in the next week or so.¡± ¡°Huh. So if there¡¯s nobody there, you can take whatever you want?¡± The old man began to raise his gun again, and TJ watched as his left hand inched towards a 10 inch bowie knife on his hip. ¡°Um¡­ the end of the world must have permanently damaged my politeness, I suppose.¡± TJ answered, getting more nervous by the second. ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t think anyone would be here until spring, at least. I mean, how would someone come, anyways?¡± The old man scoffed. ¡°You think that¡¯ll trick me? A house in winter with nobody in it, but the water¡¯s still on and the pipes haven¡¯t burst? Obviously someone¡¯s there.¡± TJ frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that means. And I¡¯m sorry,¡± He said, extending a hand, slowly. ¡°I¡¯m TJ Harris. I¡¯m from Tempe.¡± ¡°Eh.¡± The man seemed to like grunting instead of talking. ¡°Stanton Burgess.¡± ¡°Great to meet you. I would offer to shake your hand, but I don¡¯t want to threaten you or anything.¡± ¡°Eh. Couldn¡¯t really threaten me anyways. Except with that snake. How you do that?¡± ¡°You know the System?¡± Grunt. Maybe of acknowledgement? ¡°Yeah, well, I got one of the Classes, Neophyte. Cause of my Bloodline, I turn in the coatl. Er, snake.¡± TJ amended his statement as he saw Stanton¡¯s confusion. ¡°You get a Class?¡± Grunt. ¡°Would you please tell me? I¡¯m just trying to get back to my son, and I¡¯d prefer if you either get on with trying to kill me or stop it.¡± Another grunt, then the gun got put in a holster under the jacket. ¡°Acolyte. Lets me make a bow.¡± Stanton reached an arm out and a simple bow appeared in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m better with the gun.¡± Then, without another word, the old man stepped past TJ and towards the cabin. ¡°You put out your fire?¡± He demanded, and TJ nodded. ¡°Of course! If nobody¡¯s there, you need to put it out. If you don¡¯t you¡¯ll come home to a much larger fire than you planned.¡± Grunt. ¡°Come with me.¡± Stanton demanded before turning on his heel and striding back towards where he came from. TJ had half a mind to just walk the opposite way, but he saw something of his cantankerous grandpa in the old coot, so he halfheartedly followed along. They walked in uncomfortable silence for a couple minutes. Stanton broke it. ¡°His name?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your kid¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Oh. Call him Junior, but his name is Thiago Jorge Harris V.¡± ¡°Teea what?¡± ¡°Tee-AH-go Jorge.¡± ¡°Junior it is.¡± The old man grunted as if that settled it. ¡°How old?¡± ¡°Almost three! If my phone was working, I¡¯d show you some pictures. Looks a lot like his mom did, actually.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s she?¡± ¡°Um¡­ died, about a year ago. Got hit by a drunk semi truck driver when she was on her bike.¡± ¡°Shit. Sorry, kid. Losing your heart¡¯s hard.¡± ¡°You lost yours?¡± ¡°Yeah. Cancer. Melanoma.¡± ¡°Shit. My mom died of cancer. Breast.¡± ¡°You competing?¡± Though gruff, TJ could tell Stanton was making a joke. He scoffed a little. ¡°Just bad luck.¡± He fought to keep the bitterness out of his tone. ¡°You have any kids?¡± ¡°Nope. Never could.¡± The silence returned, though not nearly so uncomfortable. The brief sharing of pain drew both into their own musings, and when Stanton stopped, TJ nearly plowed into the taller man. A dead deer lay on the ground, a bloody wound on its side slowly leaking crimson to the dusty earth. ¡°Want me to carry it for you?¡± TJ asked, sizing the older man up. If a little labor was what Stanton wanted to make up and be friends, TJ could do that. The only response he got was a grunt, and TJ sighed as he leaned down to pick up the deer. It probably weighed about 150 pounds, so with the probably overfilled backpack, it¡¯d be a sucky walk back. Before TJ could heft it up onto his back, though, the old man grunted and smacked his shoulder. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The backpack.¡± Stanton insisted, and after thinking for just a brief moment, TJ removed the pack and handed it over. Then, with a grunt of his own, he tossed the deer over his shoulder. Before he could begin his journey back to the cabin, though, Stanton¡¯s disbelieving voice cut him to the core. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Chapter 14 TJ jumped to his feet, and activated Divine Transformation. He almost didn¡¯t notice the jeans he left behind, his tongue flicking out to taste the air. Nothing living was nearby, except Stanton. There had only been native creatures so far, and TJ hadn¡¯t expected skeletons, but maybe there were¨C At last, TJ actually looked at what Stanton was looking at. Now that TJ had assumed his massive coatl form, Stanton¡¯s gaze was stuck to his own, but his hands were both inside the backpack. The black coyote¡¯s pelt fell from his fingers and half out of the upright backpack. ¡°What?¡± TJ asked, his tongue still flicking wildly out of his mouth as he tried to taste whatever might be lurking nearby. More and more, though, he realized that Stanton cared about the stupid pelt and he sighed loud, the sound strange coming from a massive serpent. ¡°We can talk about the pelt later. Would you grab my pants? I don¡¯t want to shift back right now, so I¡¯ll carry the backpack and deer, if you cinch the backpack around me right.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t¨Cyou¡¯ll just¨CEh. Whatever. Yeah.¡± TJ watched the decision to stop trying to figure it out shift over Stanton¡¯s face before he hauled the backpack up and over TJ¡¯s upper neck/torso/body. The waist strap cinched just enough to be tight, though the shoulder straps didn¡¯t do much to help stabilize the pack. Even so, he could hold himself high enough off the ground not to drag the backpack, and with the deer held in his toothy maw, TJ led the way towards the cabin. With his enhanced Perception, he could hear Stanton grumble, ¡°I¡¯m not a damn maid or your mother,¡± to himself as he gathered TJ¡¯s pants and followed in his ¡°steps¡± towards the house. The journey was quick, and it wasn¡¯t long before TJ relaxed his aching jaws and dropped the heavy carcass to the ground. Then, when Stanton arrived holding his pants, TJ shifted back, swiped the jeans, and walked into the cabin where he began untying his boots. Stanton didn¡¯t hesitate to walk in, but he gave TJ enough privacy to dress himself without being ogled. ¡°You can lose your pants?¡± Was Stanton¡¯s first question, the words dry and judgmental. ¡°Today was the first time I used the stupid Skill, and the first time, I ended up totally naked. I prefer this.¡± ¡°Your Skill strips you naked?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not careful, yeah.¡± Stanton¡¯s chuckle was dry but mirthful, but it built to a roaring laugh that filled the cabin with an infectious warmth. ¡°I was pissed I didn¡¯t get a gun, but you turn into a buck ass naked snake? Oh, I made the right choice.¡± ¡°The transformation doubles my attributes, so don¡¯t look down too much on it!¡± TJ protested. The laughter slowly died down, and Stanton levelled a look at TJ. ¡°Fully doubles? That seems unfair.¡± ¡°Well,¡± TJ hedged. ¡°Not all of them. And I can¡¯t always use it. There¡¯s limitations.¡± ¡°Like how it takes me ¡®MP¡¯ to make arrows?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t have anything that uses my MP. It¡¯s pretty useless to me for now, even for my Occupation. It¡¯s some combination of other attributes.¡± Stanton sighed and looked TJ in the face. ¡°Got no clue what an Occupation is. Everything we say just makes me more and more confused, kid. Can¡¯t say that I think I¡¯ll get used to this. I¡¯ll show you how to actually treat that pelt and send you on your way.¡± TJ almost agreed, but a slight pang forced him to speak up. ¡°Look, if you ask the System, it¡¯ll tell you that you need to make it to Pine in the next week and a half. I don¡¯t know how far that is from here, but I think it¡¯d probably be best if we stuck together for this. Two heads are better than one, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ask the System any questions.¡± Stanton¡¯s statement was final. ¡°But you should. It¡¯s kinda in charge of all this, right?¡± A grunt was all that answered TJ. Then, Stanton shifted the subject, his intentions obvious. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to cure a damn hide. You should, if you¡¯re gonna carry one around like that. It¡¯ll rot if you don¡¯t.¡± TJ perked up. ¡°You know how? Could you show me?¡± ¡°I just said I would, didn¡¯t I? Listen.¡± ¡°My bad.¡± TJ answered. ¡°I would really appreciate anything you have to teach me, though.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t looked through all their stuff, but they probably have something in there to take care of it. Let¡¯s look.¡± TJ nearly agreed, but then he remembered exactly how his Occupation worked, and instead, he asked, ¡°Do you know how people used to do it? Like before modern chemicals and stuff?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Stanton looked at TJ, and a strange smirk covered his face. ¡°But you won¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s gross or whatever, I want to know. It¡¯s for my Occupation.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Replied the old man. ¡ª-- Stanton was correct. TJ did not like what Stanton told him. The first issue with how he¡¯d prepared the pelts was that he hadn¡¯t been thorough enough in removing all the fat and connective tissue from it. Nearly 15 minutes later, Stanton declared the results ¡°passable¡±, and explained the second issue: TJ hadn¡¯t let the skin dry. Even when TJ said that he''d done it with the ones he¡¯d worn, he hadn¡¯t been believed. The pelt was currently next to the roaring fire, the heat drying out the remaining moisture while TJ grappled with the third issue, the gross one. Like any sane person, TJ had left the bones when he¡¯d finished taking what he would eat and use from the corpse. After all, what was he going to do with the viscera and bones? According to Stanton and Primitive Craftsmanship, that idea was foolishness.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. No, what TJ needed to do was extract the actual brains from the thing he¡¯d killed, boil them, then apply it in a thin layer across the back of the leather once it was dried. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me.¡± ¡°What would I get from it, other than a sickened city boy?¡± ¡°Would you need anything else?¡± TJ asked. ¡°Eh. Nah. More than enough for me.¡± Stanton grinned widely. ¡°Even better that I get to make you feel sick as well as tell you I told you so, and be right all at once. A pretty good time.¡± Supposedly, there was enough brains in one creature for just as much hide as they provided, but Stanton offered his deer¡¯s for the task. ¡°Should be about enough for this, and I don¡¯t want you screwing yours all up and then blamin¡¯ it on me when someone asks where you got such a crappy pelt. I wouldn¡¯t be curing these hides this way anyways, so it would just go to waste.¡± TJ had refused to use a rock to crack open the deer¡¯s skull, instead using a cleaver in the shed that, with one swift crunch, exposed the gray organ. Under Stanton¡¯s continued supervision, TJ pulled the brain out and dumped it in a nearby pot. With a stick, TJ mashed it into an unrecognizable mess and added water. When he walked towards the fire to boil it, Stanton stopped him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to boil the water, like you said.¡± ¡°And why not on the range?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it out of power? Or, gas? The central system¡¯s probably out of order.¡± Stanton sighed as he stalked over to the range. With a twist of his wrist, it began clicking, and a fire flickered to life. ¡°It¡¯s a cabin. The propane is in that massive tank outside. It¡¯s all right here.¡± TJ ignored the complaints of ¡°ignorant kids from the city¡± and instead patted Stanton on the back. ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re a lifesaver.¡± Stanton literally shrugged TJ away. ¡°The sooner you¡¯re out of here, the better for me. Don¡¯t take your time.¡± Then, Stanton smacked TJ¡¯s back and walked to check on the drying pelt. TJ tended the nasty juice, stirring the slurry as it gradually rose to a boil. The smell¡­ Objectively, TJ couldn¡¯t say it was horrendous. But knowing what it was and where it came from, TJ¡¯s stomach turned. At last, the special mix was ready, and TJ carried it to the fire to begin applying it. ¡°Take it outside, you moron!¡± Stanton demanded as the younger man stepped to do what he¡¯d been told. ¡°I don¡¯t want that stuff everywhere!¡± TJ faked a stumble to needle the old man, and accidentally spilled a little bit of the brain soup on the floor. ¡°OUT!¡± TJ didn¡¯t hesitate to go out on the porch. Outside, he began applying the slurry all over the flesh of the pelt, initially trying to apply it with a wooden spoon, but eventually, he forced himself to use his hands to rub the softening/curing mixture into every inch of the skin. The process was long and tedious, but the sticky liquid seeped into the skin, and TJ imagined he could feel it grow more supple as he did so. Eventually, with a sticky schlorp, TJ pulled both hands away and looked at them in disgust. After Appraising the pelt and seeing that its description still hadn¡¯t changed, he left the hide to dry and walked inside to wash his hands. To his surprise, Stanton was waiting for him at the kitchen sink, and the older man turned it to a steady drizzle. ¡°Wash fast. There¡¯s only so much of the water left before the tank runs dry.¡± Then, his command issued, he returned to sit in front of the fire. TJ wet his hands, lathered them with soap, and turned the faucet off as he scrubbed. A part of him recognized it really wasn¡¯t that bad, but the idea of brain matter under his fingernails was just gross, and TJ used the dish scrubbing brush to cleanse his hands as best he could. A couple minutes later, TJ had rubbed and cleaned enough to make his olive skin red, and rinsed both hands quickly under the faucet before drying them on a paper towel. ¡°You¡¯ll wanna let the pelt air dry.¡± Stanton called out as TJ walked into the same room. ¡°Using the fire will make it so the fur doesn¡¯t last.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± TJ answered as he extended his freezing hands nearly into the fire. They stood in a relatively comfortable silence for a short time, the popping of the fire the only sound that accompanied the faint whistling of the wind through the trees outside. Stanton broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯m not comin with you. At least, not right now.¡± ¡°Why not? We¡¯ll work together, and I¡¯m sure we both need to go to Pine, it¡¯s the assignment from the System. I don¡¯t like it either, but I¡¯d feel better going it together!¡± TJ retorted, his voice involuntarily plaintive near the end. ¡°Kid. I¡¯m still an old man. I¡¯m a bit stronger and healthier than I once was, but I¡¯m old. My knees aren¡¯t great, and we¡¯re lookin at miles of hiking through the mountains. If there isn¡¯t something that changes for me soon, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to make it.¡± ¡°Then you should start now, so you have more time to make the journey!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do a couple nights out in the cold. I know I¡¯m not that healthy, even though I wish I were.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll carry blankets and a sleeping bag for you.¡± ¡°I refuse to ask you to do that.¡± TJ nearly asked why, but Stanton¡¯s voice and eyes were hard, unyielding. And Junior¡¯s face appeared in TJ¡¯s mind. The resolution he¡¯d made to be focused and ruthless to make sure he could see and protect his son again. Right now, TJ was immensely grateful to Stanton for his help and companionship, but if he kept TJ from thriving, or even surviving, because he was a liability, then could TJ say he wouldn¡¯t grow to resent or even hate the old coot? His mind was wavering, but Stanton¡¯s voice and gentle hand on TJ¡¯s shoulder sealed his decision. ¡°I¡¯m alone in the world. I¡¯m not wantin to die, but I¡¯ve not got much left. You do. Fight for him, do what you need to, make sure your kid¡¯s alright, alright? Let¡¯s see if I¡¯m not along with you before too long, K?¡± For the second time that day, TJ swiped the beginnings of tears from his eyes as he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting. Learn how to use that bow, too. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll get more bullets, so you should be ready to protect yourself. Do a bunch of different things to see if you can get an Occupation, that¡¯s giving me twice as much, since I get levels there. Um, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something else¡­¡± The old man grunted before picking up the large backpack and handing it over to TJ to cut him off. ¡°Follow the road to the highway. It should tell you which direction the town¡¯s at.¡± TJ belted the backpack around his waist before going outside and gathering up his pelt. Though uncomfortable, TJ quickly resigned himself to getting sticky residue on himself. He continued on his path for at least half an hour at a steady jog, his senses peeled and ready for anything that approached. Which was why he nearly jumped out of his skin when the System notification flashed red for the first time. WARNING: Tutorial adjustment period complete. Additional threats incorporated. Chapter 15 Before TJ could curse to himself, the System continued to give its warning. The previously threatening wildlife will remain much the same as before, but will gain levels at an accelerated rate. Additional, non-native threats will be integrated to each Tutorial area. The non-native threats will provide additional experience according to the commensurate increase in danger and difficulty they provide. There will be a significantly increased density of threats to encounter from now on. The total number of threats within the Tutorial will steadily climb for the next 196 hours, after which no additional threats will be created. Note that the total quantity of threats within the Tutorial is set, and each threat dispatched is one less that will participate in the second phase of the Tutorial. The realization that he couldn¡¯t do this alone was immediately and obviously apparent to TJ. If there were more things that constantly grew in number and power as they hunted him and any other human in the area, then he needed to make his way into town with support. Otherwise, he would die if it was more than a couple more miles to get there. TJ decisively turned to return to the cabin. Any delay could result in him being ambushed. He wanted to shift and rush back, but losing the backpack could be much more detrimental than delaying his arrival. With no way to carry their things, he and Stanton would be severely limited in how much food and other supplies they could bring with them, and that could prove deadly. With a deep sniff, TJ tried to see if he could smell anything approaching, anything he could do to make sure he could get back to the relative safety of the cabin. Nothing suspicious, wet dog or the distinctive smell of reptile. No sounds of stalking feet or anything else. TJ could smell the vague hint of spring approaching, leaves beginning to sprout once more, but tinged with rust¨C It was January 16th. TJ lunged forward, eyes and heart racing as his mind made the connection. Two spears sunk home in his hamstrings. Agony flashed and filled TJ¡¯s mind. Without caring about his clothes, he activated Divine Transformation. As a coatl, his senses expanded, and the little goblinoid things¡¯ presence became obvious. A faint shimmer surrounded the space where they ambushed him, obscuring his view, but he could taste them. They smelled of spring, and greenery. And blood. They¡¯d pulled their spears out of his flesh when he shifted, and specks of blood patterned the dirt road under their nearly invisible feet. Never having used it before, TJ activated Primal Savagery to give himself every advantage he could. You have currently equipped pre-Integration equipment. You cannot use the Primal Savagery Skill at this time. He hissed in impotent rage as he lunged towards the nearest aggressor. It screeched like a hawk and dodged to the side while attempting to put out his eye. TJ ducked, instead raking the spear over his raised eyebrow and through his mane of feathers. Several fluttered to the ground as he pressed his attack. After it dodged the second time and the other ambusher plunged its spear into TJ¡¯s side, he let the agony of his failed rebuttal calm him. Two more times TJ made wild lunges, pretending to be desperate. Then, on the third, as the matador-like thing dodged again, TJ¡¯s tail caught its ankle. He constricted, its fragile bones crackling like dry tinder. It screeched again, the sound more plaintive this time. It was stuck, though, and TJ¡¯s cavernous maw flashed once. The little creature attempted to raise its spear in defiance, but TJ knew it was coming. Instead, his needle-sharp teeth sunk deep into its chest. As its blood flowed freely down his throat, its magical camouflage dissipated, leaving a furry black thing in his jaws. It wriggled and tried to escape, but TJ opened his mouth wider, just to slam it shut with even greater force. Ribs cracked then cumbled, and its wheezing breaths struggled and began to die out. TJ didn¡¯t forget the other, though, and dropped the crippled goblin to the ground just in time to take another spear to the neck. Though it sought his eye, TJ avoided the strike enough to have the hardened tip skitter off his mane and scales. The goblin, seeing its companion felled and its ambush failed, attempted to escape. Its presence faded even more, but the coatl¡¯s tongue could still taste it. It had turned its back to him. Foolish, disbelieving that he couldn¡¯t find it. With a final twist of his full body, TJ¡¯s tail smashed into the side of the goblin¡¯s knees. One bent with a wet snap, and it fell, screaming like a hawk. The coatl showed no mercy, its tail raised up high before crashing down on its skull. He turned and did the same to the first, whose wheezes were quickly dying down. The System¡¯s notifications assured TJ that his hunt was over. 2 Pukwudgies, Level 3, slain. Experience gained. There was no relief from the pain of his wounds with the notification. No level then. TJ quickly checked his Status: Health Points (HP): 562/700 Mana Points (MP): 200/200 Stamina: 591/680 Nothing life-threatening, then. The wounds had been deep, but nowhere vital, and hadn¡¯t even triggered a Bleed affliction. Even so, it had sucked, and TJ made special note of how to see, hear, or smell the bastard ambushers before they appeared. The first, and best option, was probably leveling up Neophyte.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it TJ could feel that Neophyte was so close to the fifth level, but not quite there. Something else would need to die to feed him his next Skill, but the urgency he found himself in was too great to seek out something else to kill. If several of these found Stanton when he wasn¡¯t ready¡­ TJ took several tastes of the air, making sure he couldn¡¯t smell anything else approaching, and was rewarded with a relative surety that there wouldn¡¯t be anything ambushing him just yet. He dropped out of Divine Transformation, standing in the middle of the road in just his pants and boots, his shirt, jacket, and backpack strewn wildly around the path. With a shiver, TJ pulled the shirt, then jacket around him before tossing one of the ¡°pukwudgie¡± bodies into his backpack. He cinched it carefully around his waist, trying to make sure he could bring it all with him. Then, making especially sure to transform with all his clothing, TJ reactivated Divine Transformation. The coatl laid coiled where TJ had stood, and already, the smell of other pukwudgies approached. Without even the time to curse, TJ gingerly picked the other body up and began slithering away from the scene of the fight as fast as he could. The time passed quickly, though TJ¡¯s ability to sense anything nearby was dampened by the creature occupying his mouth, and he considered dropping it in the name of caution, but the angry part of him demanded that the pukwudgies offer their flesh along with their lives to him. They dared to ambush him, so they would serve to help him along. At least, contrary to how goblins had always been portrayed, the pukwudgie in his mouth smelled good, if slightly marred by the scent of blood. Three other pairs of hiding goblin-things attempted to ambush TJ on his route back to the cabin. So far, they always came in pairs, and if their numbers continued to grow, then next time might have enough to swarm him to death. More importantly for now, though, he quickly found that his speed outclassed their own, and his haste pushed TJ to greater heights than he¡¯d believed his unfamiliar snake form could achieve. Disregarding his disbelief, though, TJ made his way back to the cabin in less than half the time it had taken for him to get there. The worrying sound of several gunshots beckoned him onward. In the clearing, TJ spat out the corpse and took a deep taste of the air. Blood, and not his own. Pukwudgie, nearly certainly. Just the one he was carrying? And another¡¯s. More acrid. Stanton. Gunpowder. A mere moment was all it took for TJ to slither up and through the bannister that ringed the wraparound porch, disregarding the usual path for entrance. The taste of blood was thicker in the air, and the windows in the cabin¡¯s door were shattered, a pukwudgie body prone and bleeding. The smell of gunpowder threatened to choke TJ, but he rushed into the cabin, ready to defend or avenge Stanton as necessary. Rustling in the cabin alerted him to something¡¯s presence, and TJ rushed to strike the pukwudgie down. Maybe he could still be there in time, maybe this time he could be there to stop the end, or at least witness it. He didn¡¯t pay attention to the two bodies in the hall, their deaths inconsequential. In the room at the end of the hall, where he¡¯d stolen his clothing from, the noises quietened down. TJ hissed loudly, his jaw open wide and threatening. Luckily, Stanton had been much wiser than TJ, and raised his hands in warning or welcome, the goblin body he held falling to the ground. ¡°I knew those scales were yours.¡± He slumped down to the ground, his leather jacket sporting a couple thin holes. ¡°Can you get something to clean me up?¡± TJ dropped his transformation before striding forward and gently opening the older man¡¯s leather jacket. Blood colored his blue plaid shirt, but it hadn¡¯t soaked through with his lifeblood. They seemed to be mere flesh wounds. ¡°Shit. How many times did they get you?¡± ¡°Hell if I know. Hurts worse than I¡¯ve hurt in a long time though, I can tell you that.¡± Somehow, the tough coot got more talkative when hurt. ¡°Maybe seven or eight? My leg doesn¡¯t hurt much any more. That¡¯s not good. Might be going into shock. You gonna get me those bandages? Says I¡¯m bleeding. No shit sherlock. I got stabbed.¡± The urgency of the situation settled over TJ like the ringing of a bell. ¡°Didn¡¯t you level up? That would have healed you¡­ whatever. You know where some are? Or do I need to cut sheets?¡± ¡°I did on the first one. The others got me. And bandages are upstairs. There¡¯s a bathroom, behind the mirror is a medicine cabinet. Had a bunch of gauze and so on in there.¡± TJ didn¡¯t say anything as he nearly sprinted out of the room and to the stairs. Four pukwudgie bodies were scattered around the house, and he thought he could paint a pretty accurate picture of what had happened. They burst through the door, Stanton shot one, it went down there. No other bodies, so maybe he missed a shot and retreated back down the hall. They got him once or twice there, but he killed two more. The last one tried to end him in the room, but he got it first. TJ grabbed a double handful of gauze and tight wrappings and topped it with antibacterial ointment and hydrogen peroxide and ran back down the stairs, disregarding the few he dropped. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get your shirt off.¡± TJ commanded as he strode back into the bedroom. With quick movements, he unbuttoned Stanton¡¯s shirt to see the wounds while disregarding the old man¡¯s rambling about hollow point ammunition. The most serious one was in his belly, just beside his navel. TJ sniffed at it, worried about his intestines or stomach being ruptured. He couldn¡¯t smell anything except blood, but he also couldn''t say if that would work anyways. The bleeding was more immediately pressing, though, and TJ poured capfuls of the peroxide into each wound before patting it dry and daubing it liberally with the ointment. It wasn¡¯t long before each of the small wounds in Stanton¡¯s torso were patched, and the man in question had moved on in his rambling topic to birdshot vs buckshot. ¡°We¡¯re gonna need to get your pants off for the other ones.¡± To his credit, Stanton didn¡¯t stop in his discussion of the merits and demerits of each gauge and type and so on and so forth about shotguns as he dropped trou. There were two shallow wounds in his quads, but nothing deep or near the massive arteries on the inner thigh. TJ ministered to the wounds, and then helped the unsteady man into a pair of the original inhabitant¡¯s flannel pjs. Not wanting to leave the wounded man alone, TJ helped him to the couch in front of the still-burning fire, and settled him down. Just in time for the sound of footsteps on the porch outside to fearlessly approach. Chapter 16 TJ wanted it to be a human. He almost prayed for it, but he didn¡¯t need Appraisal to hear that these weren¡¯t a human¡¯s steps approaching. Though the sound of each footfall wasn¡¯t especially loud, it somehow communicated an almost stomping quality. With a sigh and no small amount of embarrassment, TJ tried his hardest to activate Divine Transformation in such a way that it would shunt all of his clothes off of his body. He couldn¡¯t know what part of the clothing was considered ¡°equipment¡±, and if several pukwudgies were about to assault the cabin, TJ would need every additional attribute point he could muster. A moment¡¯s concentration. The feeling of his belly on the ground. Shifting back to his feet. TJ opened his eyes, and his boots, pants, and shirt were on the floor, his denim jacket unbuttoned with his chest exposed. His boxers and socks remained on, so TJ swiftly rolled each sock off and strode to the front door with an affected air of uncaring. If he was wrong and these were humans, underwear and boxers would be embarrassing, but nothing serious. If, like he suspected, this was a small swarm of the bastard goblin things, then the jacket and underwear would be easy to remove. Still acting unbothered, TJ leaned against the wall beside the door and peeked out, just as two loud knocks snapped against the door. He pulled it open, and there stood a taller, more well-built pukwudgie than any he¡¯d seen before. It stood maybe 4 feet tall, and smelled of flowers and spring just like every other. Its fingers were long and seemed dexterous, while its toes and feet reminded him of a hobbit¡¯s. It was covered in black fur, though along its back, its fur stood straight, almost like a porcupine¡¯s quills. One hand carried the same primitive spear the others TJ had seen carried, though its right hand also held a gleaming hatchet. Its haft seemed to be fashioned of ordinary wood, but the head was a strange blue metal that glowed with internal light. The pukwudgie¡¯s feet were bare, indigo skin and a dusting of hair covering the top. Its hands and face too were devoid of any hair, and its face unnerved TJ. A wide mouth, too wide, and filled with teeth made for ripping into and through flesh, grinned back at him. Its fat, bulbous nose was just as wide as it was long and tall, and both gaping nostrils flared as the creature smelled him. Its eyes were the rotting cherry on top of the off-putting pie. The sunken eyes both yawned black without any glint of light reflecting off them, except for the pure white pupils. To top it off, TJ Appraised the horrid creature. Pukwudgie, Level 5 His Skill didn¡¯t grant him any additional information than that, but TJ¡¯s blood ran cold. This one had reached the first benchmark, and would be commensurately more powerful. If there were others at its same level, or worse, higher level, then TJ couldn¡¯t see himself and Stanton escaping with their lives. Maybe their boon or Skill from level 5 was just a little bit more strength and bulk? This one was maybe 130% the size of the other ones. ¡°Greetings, divine one.¡± It hissed as TJ tried to collect himself. The words came out garbled and chewed, as if they were a delicious morsel that had fought its way free of its gullet. ¡°We offer safe passage.¡± TJ scowled at the statement, confused. ¡°What¨Chow¨C Why?¡± ¡°You are blessed by the Divine. You can pass safely, and we hope that your Eminence shows us mercy at the time of our inevitable meeting upon the proving ground. The pukwudgies have long been bound with the Divinity of this continent, and even if it originates further south the blood of Kukulkan is sweet, and blessed. Pass, please.¡± Though the words sounded like the pukwudgie had gargled glass, his turn of phrase was surprisingly refined. ¡°I see.¡± TJ answered, completely confused, but wholly willing to lie to get himself and Stanton out of there without fighting. ¡°Then let us collect our things, and we¡¯ll be on our way.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± The pukwudgie answered, its grin even wider and more predatory than before. ¡°You have two minutes.¡± It didn¡¯t move from the doorway, standing bolt upright without any extraneous movement. Recognizing what was happening, TJ turned and began stuffing the clothing he¡¯d stripped into the backpack before sprinting past Stanton struggling to his feet, back to the coat closet he¡¯d found the pack in in the first place. Another large backpack was in there, and glancing in it, it looked like a panic bag of some sorts. Nonperishable food and a couple toiletries filled the bottom, and TJ tossed another sleeping bag inside before rushing back to the kitchen. He didn¡¯t know if there were any more good water bottles, but he filled the rest of the pack with any canned food and water bottle he could find. The pack quickly grew too heavy to hold in one hand, and TJ threw it over his shoulder, nearly knocking himself prone with the weight. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Stanton carefully strapped the backpack on, hissing in pain as TJ¡¯s clumsy bandaging was disturbed. Fortunately, he¡¯d still had his boots on, so there was no need to bend over and try to tie them on. TJ lent the older man his shoulder as they walked towards the door. Feeling grateful, TJ asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°We are pukwudgies.¡± The trollish face screwed up in confusion. ¡°Yes, and what is your individual name?¡± ¡°We are pukwudgies. There is not a distinction between us. We are pukwudgies.¡± ¡°Ohhhhhkay then. Anyway, thanks! Let¡¯s all prove ourselves on the grounds! Good luck!¡± ¡°We do not need luck. We seize it.¡± The ugly face smirked, but it extended a hand and blocked TJ¡¯s passage. ¡°Where are you bringing the Blood of the Morrigan? We will devour it here.¡± The catch. There always was one, always would be. ¡°I trust you aren¡¯t speaking about my companion here, are you?¡± ¡°The Morrigan is no companion to Kukulkan.¡± The pukwudgie declared, quite sure of itself. ¡°They fought many times, though not so fiercely as he did with Manannan mac Lir. After Manannan¡¯s death at the hands of Kukulkan, the Morrigan swore to pluck his feathers.¡± It spoke as if teaching a young, slow child. ¡°Fear not, we will cause no more suffering than necessary. To descend from a Divinity of Osmium is an honor, and we will bathe in the Morrigan¡¯s diluted blood. Furthermore, the blood of the Morrigan is already prepared in her traditional attire, the bloodstained clothes of the fallen. ¡°Now, go, and we will meet once more on the proving grounds. We wish you victory and strength. May the winds guide you.¡± It dismissed the younger man and reached out to grab Stanton¡¯s arm. TJ smacked it away while Stanton¡¯s eyes seemed to glaze over. The old man¡¯s lips moved at a frenetic pace, as if he were praying. ¡°No, I don¡¯t care where his bloodline comes from, it''s got nothing to do with Stanton. We¡¯re working together, and we¡¯re leaving this place together.¡± ¡°We will not allow it.¡± The pukwudgie declared, and a half dozen others in the surrounding forest poked their heads out. None seemed to be with a partner, so maybe more than 12 of the troll-goblin things were there? TJ sighed. ¡°Definitely not?¡± ¡°Absolutely not. There are rules to follow, after all.¡± Disregarding whatever that meant, TJ continued. ¡°Ok.¡± He turned to Stanton. ¡°Let me have that backpack. It¡¯s better packed, got more stuff in it and is better packed.¡± TJ shrugged off his own backpack, accidentally catching his jacket and pulling it off with the same movement. He shivered in the wind from the open door and gooseflesh prickled his bare chest and arms. Stanton¡¯s eyes remained glazed over and unfocused, and TJ hoped he could come back from this. Then, as he dropped his backpack and jacket, TJ prayed that his boxers would come off with his Divine Transformation. He gave no warning as his serpentine jaws flashed towards the unsuspecting pukwudgie. TJ caught its right arm, the one carrying the hatchet, and thrashed up and down as hard as he could. It howled its hawklike screech of pain as the hatchet fell. TJ didn¡¯t hesitate to release the mangled arm and snap his jaws closed over the pukwudgie¡¯s head. Its gurgling breaths stunk in opposition to its natural floral scent. TJ felt a flash of something strange, and his enemy¡¯s healthy arm twitched and the spear, which had skated so easily off his scales in the hands of another, sunk deep into the flesh of TJ¡¯s neck. Warning. You are suffering from a minor Bleed affliction. You will continue to lose 2 HP a minute until the Bleed condition is cured. TJ didn¡¯t let the burst of pain and the difficulty of drawing breath distract him. He smashed his enemy into one side of the doorway, then the other, then back to the first. It went limp. TJ crunched his jaws down harder. Pukwudgie, Level 5, slain. Experience gained. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 5. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points currently available. Skill selection available Race: Human has advanced to level 5. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Points currently available. TJ grinned as his neck healed and the spear was pushed out of his neck. It fell with a clatter, and, seeing and tasting no pukwudgie immediately there, though many came sprinting towards them, screaming ¡°Deceit!¡± TJ yelled. ¡°Wake up Stanton! We¡¯ve got company!¡± ¡°I know! I figured you¡¯d keep him busy longer, instead of rushing me like this!¡± Stanton replied, his eyes running wildly through the air as if he was reading. ¡°Oh. Shit! You level up?¡± ¡°Level 5.¡± Stanton answered, his sentences stilted and confused as he tried to read and talk at the same time. ¡°Trying to figure out what¡¯ll be best. There¡¯s no guarantee that¨Cwell, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll have to do.¡± He cut himself off, and apparently made his Skill selection. ¡°Keep them away from me, and I¡¯ll keep them from swarming you.¡± He commanded, not asked, but that he was in the fight and confident he¡¯d be able to contribute had TJ convinced to do as he asked. Activate Primal Savagery, TJ thought, and he felt the Skill flare to life. His mane of feathers flared out, and TJ hissed his greeting to the dozen pukwudgies that leapt to screeching battle against him. Chapter 17 A spear thudded and sunk deep into the wood of the porch beside TJ¡¯s head. He remembered how much he¡¯d struggled to catch the first pukwudgies he¡¯d fought, and with a thought, pulled his Status Sheet up while still dodging the three pukwudgies¡¯ attacks. One spear struck home in the center of his body as he made the decision without thinking further about it. Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Coatl ¨C lvl 5 Class: Neophyte lvl 5 Occupation: Savage lvl 5 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 764/800 Mana Points (MP): 220/220 Stamina: 740/740 Attributes Strength x2: 42 Agility x1.5: 24 Endurance x2: 74 Vitality x2: 80 Toughness x2: 66 Wisdom: 23 Intelligence: 22 Perception x1.5: 39 Willpower: 34 Fixation: 26 Free Points: 6 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular He still wanted to hold on to the Free Points for some other opportunity, but this was just one of the times when he¡¯d need to commit them. Four points put in Agility became six as a coatl, and took his total to 30. A surge of electricity tickled TJ¡¯s mind, and he twisted his neck in such a way that the next spear¡¯s thrust rolled off the thick feathers in his mane. He was too slow to dodge the next attack, but between his heightened Toughness and Vitality, taking a solid blow from a spear was a mere flesh wound. A flashing reminder that he had a Skill to choose refused to leave him alone. TJ ignored it, snapping his jaws at one of the blurry creatures. With his heightened perception, he could see some of them, but others had a more advanced camouflage. Level 5 benefit? Maybe. Didn¡¯t matter why. The three attackers had doubled to six, and TJ forced himself entirely out of the bounds of the cabin. Then, with the weird inhale he¡¯d done before, TJ pulled the closest two pukwudgies off balance as his tail whipped around. It smashed through one¡¯s legs and the other¡¯s ribs alike, the chorus of wet crunching of bones snapping mixing with the pained pukwudgie screeches filling the air. Before TJ could do something to finish off the crippled foes, two more dropped their camouflage and lunged forward. Forced to pull back or risk his eyes, the last two goblinoids pulled their felled companions out of his immediate reach. The injured out of his reach, the two visible ones retreated a step and re-camouflaged themselves. TJ hissed his anger, unable to kill any of the enemies, and he could taste more in the area, though he couldn¡¯t say exactly where they were. ¡°You done in there?¡± TJ demanded. ¡°I can¡¯t take this many, and there¡¯s more coming!¡± The quiet cough of a low caliber bullet answered him. Another pukwudgie screech rang out and one of the four assaulting TJ stopped whatever was masking its presence. Its dominant arm bled, the spear clattering from insensate fingers to the wood porch. The other three redoubled their assault, no longer seeking to wound TJ himself. Instead, they leapt over him, trying to get to the dangerous Stanton inside. TJ puffed and coiled himself up in front of the doorway, but two of the three were too quick. A quick bite caught the straggler, and TJ worked his jaw furiously, his long sharp teeth shredding through the distended stomach of the pukwudgie. Its thick fur prickled the top of his mouth while its blood and screams both flowed freely out. TJ whipped it up and down, and its spine snapped with another sickening crunch. There was no time to acknowledge the death notification. The two wounded behind him were unimportant. Two pukwudgies lunged at Stanton, their spears unseen but still deadly. The old man, however, stood with a faintly glowing pistol held in both hands. In a practiced, shoulder-width stance, he lined the shot. Again, the surprisingly quiet sound of a .22 being fired barked out, and one of the hidden assailants dropped into visibility and to the ground. A puddle of blood began pooling beneath the corpse as another death notification went unheeded. ¡°I¡¯m out!¡± Stanton shouted, and TJ lunged towards the still-standing pukwudgie. It still rushed towards Stanton, but TJ¡¯s jaws caught its leg. It screeched and struck down with all its strength to put out TJ¡¯s eye. He ripped his head back without releasing the leg, and the diminutive creature¡¯s strike skittered off TJ¡¯s scales between his eyes. The coatl didn¡¯t hesitate to smash the pukwudgie against the tiled floor, the sound of a wet splatter accompanying the cracking of flooring.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Another death notification, and TJ began to calm himself. His tail being pinned to the floor with a spear through it convinced him otherwise. He screamed a hiss at the offending pukwudgie and slithered back out the door. The two injured pukwudgies were nowhere to be seen, but at least another ten had appeared and TJ could see the different varieties. Some were nearly invisible, even to his enhanced smelling/taste while others were easily visible and bulkier than the rest. ¡°I¡¯ll hold the door!¡± TJ shouted to Stanton. ¡°You have any more bullets?¡± ¡°Takes me ten seconds for each one!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± TJ cursed as he coiled himself in the doorway. To do so, he needed to break the spear through his tail, and doing so hurt like hell. Even so, he needed to hold the line. A dozen goblins fought to kill him, and it would be nearly impossible to escape at this point. He and Stanton needed to kill them all or drive them off. He glanced at his HP: 642/800. Though the injury in his tail was agonizing, it wasn¡¯t going to kill him. Yet. With his new goal being to keep pukwudgies out of the house without sustaining too many wounds, TJ hissed menacingly while lunging out, never committing himself. That worked for only a moment, before the two burly ones jumped forward and wrapped their arms around his mouth to keep it closed. He whipped his head back and forth, trying to dislodge them, but to no immediate success. Their combined weight proved too much for TJ to meaningfully smash them against anything. The others began stabbing him repeatedly with their spears, most unable to pierce deeply. Several, though, plunged halfway through him with each strike, and TJ felt how close death was. In a flash of desperation, TJ disabled Divine Transformation, becoming a naked human surrounded by a dozen furious floral-scented goblins. Those stabbing at his tail missed their next lunge, their spears thunking into the wooden porch and walls. The two holding his mouth shut were sturdily held onto TJ¡¯s head, and all twelve of the attackers looked at TJ with just a moment¡¯s hesitation. In the silence and brief peace, Stanton¡¯s gun fired once again. One of the big ones on TJ, the one he¡¯d been making eye contact with, dropped without another word as its eye exploded. Eleven left. The peace broken, TJ grabbed the remaining large pukwudgie¡¯s hands and tried to wrest it from his head. It was surprisingly strong, and as it smashed its arms together to retain hold of his head, TJ¡¯s vision swam. With a thought, he reactivated Divine Transformation and as a coatl, wasn¡¯t nearly so threatened by the crushing force of a pukwudgie hug. Now that only one held him, TJ wielded his head and the little grappler together as a club, managing to catch one of the slower goblins with the destructive force. It went tumbling ass over teakettle down the stairs, taking another with it. They¡¯d be back soon. Nine still on the porch. With a stifled roar from his mostly closed mouth, TJ smashed his head against the nearby window. With an explosion of glass, the window shattered, and the grappling pukwudgie groaned in pain. Dimly, TJ felt a flurry of attacks against his torso, but couldn¡¯t care about that now. Beyond that, he wasn¡¯t finished with the nuisance, and smashed it again into the remaining glass shards in the panes. The death notification was reassuring, and its weight dropping from his face was glorious. Ten alive, eight attacking him. Now freed, TJ drunkenly lurched to the side and towards the remaining pukwudgies. They dodged in, attempting to strike hom, but TJ heard Stanton¡¯s voice from the window. ¡°Duck.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate, his jaw smashing against the wood as the full weight of most of his body smashed a pukwudgie to the ground beneath him. Two shots of Stanton¡¯s pistol sounded out, and one of the little bastards went down with a death notification. The other spun out of its camouflage, a heavy wound wetting its lightly furred chest. Nine living, six left in the fight. A quick glance told TJ that his HP was at 298/800, and he¡¯d disregarded his Moderate Bleed Affliction notification as well. This would be close, but he could feel the relative closeness of the next level. That could sustain him to the end of the fight. Pure animalistic aggression and rage drove TJ as he whipped his mouth down and decapitated the pukwudgie below him with one bite. Still no level notification, without healing, there was no option left but to leap out of his coiled position to attack the pukwudgies. Those that he suspected were Level 5 were the first targets. They lunged in, trying either to kill or slow him down. The crazed coatl couldn¡¯t give them the opportunity to escape. His jaws flashed again and again, biting whatever flesh he could find while his deeply wounded tail lashed out. One fell to his maddened assault, and the .22 coughed out another bullet. Two death notifications. No level. TJ¡¯s tongue flicked wildly out of his mouth, tasting the trail of the wounded. Two from his initial defense, and an additional one was severely wounded. His HP continued to tick down as TJ raced to find them. The first¡¯s skull was crushed under his tail. No level. The second and third ran together, and he struck out and managed to trip both. He constricted wildly, his muscles tightening with agony and necessity alike. With a sickening pop, their necks broke, and TJ received the blessed notification. 12 Pukwudgies, Level 3-6, slain. Experience gained. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 6. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points currently available. Skill selection available. Even with the healing and revitalization provided by leveling up, exhaustion had settled into TJ¡¯s bones. With a low grumble, he turned and began slithering back to the cabin, passing the strewn bodies of a dozen pukwudgies as he did so. The little creatures, now dead and unthreatening, were almost cute in a troll doll way, and the reality of what he¡¯d done, of what had happened in the past half hour, settled into TJ¡¯s bones. Bile fought to choke him and he knew he¡¯d have vomited were he in his human form, but the coatl was more hesitant to puke. As his body flowed smoothly up the steps towards the cabin¡¯s door, TJ finally saw his body. Blood and gore coated him, the remains of a dozen thinking creatures splattered over every scale and tied together with the remnants of his agonizing stand. The smell and taste of his struggle soured his throat even more, and with a heave of his body, TJ whipped his head around and vomited blood and bile over the side of the porch. And again. And again. Nothing came up as his body wrenched again, and TJ¡¯s Divine Transformation dropped, leaving him naked and filthy and miserable. ¡°Come in, kid.¡± Stanton¡¯s voice called, soft. ¡°Let¡¯s get you cleaned up, then we can talk about all this. And, what we¡¯ll do next.¡± Chapter 18 With his quickly climbing Vitality, the cold shower was only brisk over TJ¡¯s body instead of bone-chilling. He shivered as the water sluiced over his body, cleaning the viscera and blood of the pukwudgies from his skin, but not his mind. A hot shower to wash away these emotions and suffering sounded glorious, but it simply wasn¡¯t possible. Beyond that, TJ refused to waste however much water there still was available, so the cold shower was only long enough to thoroughly scrub himself twice over with a bar of soap and loofa. He toweled off and dressed into the clothing he¡¯d somewhat fortunately had to leave behind on his slaughtering spree. They were clean, though TJ swore he still felt blood sticking to his hair and skin. He padded down the hallway and in front of the fire, where Stanton sat with his new pistol non threateningly placed on the floor before his feet. As TJ walked in, Stanton raised his hands as calm as could be. ¡°Hey son. Just so you know, I¡¯m keeping the gun out to fill it with bullets. You¡¯re no monster I¡¯ve gotta put down.¡± ¡°I, you¡­ I wasn¡¯t thinking you would.¡± TJ felt his eyes dart wildly at the thought. Stanton shrugged. ¡°Lots of people think that they¡¯re monsters the first time they have to kill something. To do it like you have to? I can¡¯t say I know how you feel. It¡¯s awful, though. I know that.¡± ¡°Have you¡­ killed someone before?¡± TJ watched as Stanton began to deny, but then decided to answer differently. Stanton¡¯s eyes held steady on TJ¡¯s as he spoke. ¡°I was 16 right near the end of the Vietnam War. Had nothing good in my life, decided I¡¯d lie about my age and fight for my country. Wasn¡¯t too long before I was in jungles and in hell. It was a shitty time, and I puked my guts out and cried like a little kid for a long time after the first time I killed a man. I got used to it for a while, but war doesn¡¯t leave you. I¡¯ve got scars, most of ¡®em here.¡± Stanton knocked his temple lightly as he said as much. ¡°Can¡¯t say you get over it, but it gets easier for most people. Not sure if it should, but in a situation like this? I hope it does. ¡°Anyways. I was sick like that, and that was after I used a gun, not my body like you. It must be hell for you, and I don¡¯t blame you for suffering. But this wasn¡¯t for you, you didn¡¯t want to kill those things. You did that for me. I appreciate it. I would have died, if you¡¯d left me behind. You¡¯ve got a kid to live for, and you chose to put yourself in that danger for me. Thank you.¡± TJ felt his breath catch in his throat as the emotion of killing a thinking, nearly human creature in cold blood fought against the emotions of protecting a friend from certain death. Again, he was reminded of his resolution to do whatever necessary to find any leg up he could get to get through this. Even so, it had been less than two days since he¡¯d just been an administrative manager in a real estate firm. Saying he¡¯d save his son and himself was a lot different from biting the head off of something that was talking to him. Bile rose in his throat again, but TJ focused instead on the genuinely appreciative wrinkled face of Stanton before him. ¡°Thank you, Stanton. I guess that¡¯s what I need to hear¡­¡± ¡°Well, kid, that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be sometimes.¡± The old man rolled his shoulders, obviously uncomfortable with what he said before moving on. ¡°You got healed up right good, right? I¡¯m not seeing any bleeding or anything.¡± ¡°It got close there, at the end.¡± TJ hedged. ¡°I was bleeding out, and had to chase those ones down to get the level before I passed out.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come in and have me patch you up?¡± Stanton questioned, his tone incredulous. ¡°I¡¯ve got two hands, and you did it for me.¡± ¡°I¡­ kinda panicked, I guess. Plus, being that snake makes me more violent, angry, vengeful. It¡¯s weird like that. Makes me feel like I¡¯m not myself, but still myself. Not sure if that makes sense.¡± ¡°Adrenaline¡¯ll do that to ya. I can see how that¡¯d be, like how you got all naked for it.¡± TJ felt himself flush in embarrassment. ¡°No, I have a Skill that gives me bonuses if I¡¯m not using equipment from before the Integration. I thought regular clothes would be fine, but when I fought some pukwudgies before while wearing my clothes, I couldn¡¯t use the Skill. With all them attacking at once, I figured I better be safe than sorry.¡± ¡°Makes sense, I guess. You should figure out what you can keep on to keep the Skill going.¡± TJ nodded his agreement. ¡°Anyways. I¡¯ll not do something so stupid again.¡± ¡°Best hope not.¡± ¡°So¡­ what new Skill did you get?¡± TJ asked, happy to change the subject again. ¡°Something to do with that gun?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Stanton nodded. ¡°It¡¯s only a .22, so can¡¯t do as much as my M16 or even my 9mm, but against things like this, it¡¯ll do just fine. I can fill it up with bullets, takes 10 MP and seconds each. Fills up entirely at 20, so I¡¯m waiting for my MP to refill to continue loading the little girl.¡± ¡°Little girl?¡± ¡°Eh. She¡¯s a Suzie, if you ask me.¡± Stanton said as he carefully hefted ¡°her¡± up in front of TJ¡¯s face, sure to keep his finger away from the trigger while never pointing it at the younger man. The little gun was a revolver inlaid with mother of pearl while the barrel was formed of the stylized wings of a crow. While the gun looked like a regular revolver TJ¡¯d seen in any number of old western films, the little¡­ spinny thing was full of little holes that were mostly filled with bullets.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°She¡¯s pretty, I guess.¡± TJ allowed as Stanton flicked open the spinny and checked to see how he was coming along. ¡°Just a couple more minutes, and I think I¡¯ll be ready to go.¡± Stanton answered before putting the gun back down. ¡°The cylinder¡¯s only got four more to fill, and that shouldn¡¯t take longer than it does to get the backpacks ready to go.¡± TJ mentally noted the name ¡°cylinder¡± for the gun part. ¡°Wait, so we¡¯re definitely going? We fought those ones off, so we can do it again and gain some levels and be ready to make the trip more safely.¡± After he said as much, though, TJ realized why. ¡°They¡¯ll keep getting stronger too. Maybe faster than us.¡± ¡°Exactly. Gotta get to where more people are. You want to get the packs ready?¡± ¡°I can, but I want to make my new Skill selection first.¡± ¡°Another?¡± ¡°Yeah, my other one is from my Occupation. Got past level 5 for my Class in that fight.¡± Finally back to his level of comfort, Stanton merely grunted in response before turning and upending both backpacks and beginning to sort general items to both. TJ turned his own attention to the persistent notification flashing in the corner of his eye. Skill Selection: Wind Manipulation (Dirt): The descendants of Kukulkan are blessed with an inherent affinity for the skies, winds, and rains. You already have begun to dabble in the art of drawing the winds to listen to your command. This Skill will grant you the ability to more accurately and powerfully influence the winds that surround you. Your Divine Transformation currently inherently grants a sub-Dirt level Wind Manipulation adjacent ability, and while under the effects of the Divine Transformation Skill to a coatl or its subsequent evolutions, the Wind Manipulation Skill will ascend one tier. Usage of this Skill depletes MP at a rate inversely correlated to your Fixation and Intelligence while scaling in potency at a rate directly correlated to your Fixation and Intelligence. TJ whistled low as the voice slowly read the words he¡¯d already skimmed. His Divine Transformation was Copper tier, and it was the only reason why he¡¯d been able to survive this long. While it would be conditional, having another Copper tiered skill would be a game changer. On top of that, TJ already saw what this Skill could potentially do. Pulling his enemies in from far away was a godsend, with slippery little bastards like the pukwudgies staying out of reach. At a higher tier, it might even work like a tornado or even better. On the other hand, though he¡¯d been told explicitly by the System that a selected Skill would start stronger, progress faster, and reach greater heights than one developed by himself, TJ knew he could use this already. Maybe he could work hard to develop his coatl¡¯s powers to learn how to use this without making the selection? With a hesitant grimace, he put this Skill at the top of his list for now and moved on. Shredding Bite: Though born a human, you have embraced the savagery of combat that a bestial form lends. As a predator, your teeth are sharp, and as a serpent, your mouth is built to swallow creatures whole while your teeth prohibit their escape. Even so, you have used your mouth to shred and tear, to rip and destroy. This Skill will strengthen and broaden your fangs as a coatl to teeth meant to tear creatures apart. In addition, this Skill will grant an additional +1 Strength attribute per level of Neophyte, to be applied retroactively. There¡¯d been no real interest in the Skill until TJ saw the last sentence. He already was feeling how quickly his Strength and Agility were falling behind so many of his other attributes, and this would help to shore up that problem, at least partially. The more dangerous bite and mouth would be beneficial, even if they wouldn¡¯t be the real reason for him selecting the Skill. TJ moved to the next Skill, hoping to help simplify his choice. Crushing Body: Though born a human, you have embraced the savagery of combat that a bestial form lends. As a predator, your body is hardened, and as a serpent, your entire body is an instrument of destructive potential. In keeping with your serpentine nature, you have broken body and bone, crushed organ and flesh with the force of your constriction. This Skill will strengthen your musculature as a coatl and human alike to better allow you to destroy the bodies of your enemies, not just through constriction, but through any bludgeoning force. In addition, this Skill will grant an additional +1 Strength attribute per level of Neophyte, to be applied retroactively. TJ got the sense that the benefits granted by Crushing Body compared to Shredding Bite wouldn¡¯t be as specialized or even as impactful, but he did notice that it applied to his human body as well. Though most of his fighting would almost certainly be within the form of a coatl, if he was forced to fight without his Divine Transformation then Crushing Body would help. With a sigh, TJ added Crushing Body to the same list that Shredding Bite and Wind Manipulation had been placed on. Swift Consumption: Though born a human, you have embraced the brutality of lifestyle that a bestial form forces. As a predator, your hunger is ever present, and as a serpent, your body is built to swallow creatures whole while you digest them. This Skill will strengthen and thicken your mouth, throat, and stomach to ensure that you can more easily consume creatures whole, even if they are yet living. In addition, this Skill will grant an additional +1 Toughness attribute per level of Neophyte, to be applied retroactively. Though the possibility of a creature ripping through TJ¡¯s stomach while he slithered along, unable to do anything about it terrified him, the Skill didn¡¯t appeal to him. He hadn¡¯t swallowed anything still living yet, nor did he intend to. He¡¯d seen a picture once of a python that had swallowed a still living alligator before, and it had ripped the snake in half from within. TJ wasn¡¯t willing to put himself in that situation, so though he feared that outcome, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be in that situation any time soon. Somewhat relieved to find a Skill that didn¡¯t demand his attention, TJ looked at the final Skill offered. Mindful Mouth: A serpent can taste the world around them, and you have embraced this shift in perception, tasting the air as you move and live. This Skill will better hone your ability to taste and smell the world around you while you are in the form of a coatl or its subsequent evolutions. The bonus to Perception from being in the form of a coatl will change from x1.5 to x2. Again, useful, but not one of TJ¡¯s current priorities. The Perception bonus would be much more than those offered by the other Skills, but again, he liked and wanted the Perception bonus, but it was far from his current priority. Now, all five potential Skills observed, TJ had to make the decision of which to select. After thinking about it for several minutes and asking the System one question, he made his choice. Chapter 19 Mindful Mouth and Swift Consumption were quick to be dismissed. TJ would like either of them, but compared to the other three, they just weren¡¯t worth it, at least for now. The next decision, though, was effectively between Wind Manipulation or the other two Skills. Crushing Body and Shredding Bite, though different in form, would serve the same purpose for TJ right now. Both would serve to immediately grant him 6 Strength, and as he continued to grow, even more. As a coatl, that would be 12, and TJ knew that if one of his doubled attributes received such an obvious buff, it would be immensely impactful. On the other hand, Wind Manipulation would serve to broaden the scope of what TJ could do without providing any attribute bonus. He¡¯d seen what Wind Manipulation could do, but he suspected that even at the Dirt tier, the Skill would be immensely useful. At Copper and beyond, the Skill could become one of the key ways TJ functioned inside and out of combat. Kukulkan had flown in his vision, and TJ suspected that the series of small wings patterned down his back were not the sole reason he¡¯d been able to. Then, TJ asked the System the question that made his decision for him. ¡°If I go and learn the Wind Manipulation Skill through practice instead of this selection, how will it manifest? I mean, I know it will never quite compare to the System-granted one, but how close will it get?¡± An ability acquired through practice will be impossible to have ever reach your own tier of Divinity. The only exception to the impossibility of said Skill progression can take place at the time of seizing True Divinity at the Ruthenium (VII) Tier. If you dedicate the primary domain of your initial godhood to the domain of the skies, the Wind Manipulation ability you have acquired through personal practice will be able to reach the same tier as your Divinity. If you instead have the Skill Wind Manipulation and progress to the Ruthenium (VII) tier while devoting your primary domain to be the skies, your Skill will evolve to be one tier above your own. If you have a stipulation within the Skill that allows it to surpass your current tier, that stipulation will remain valid, thus, in your case, at the Ruthenium (VII) tier, your Wind Manipulation Skill would be at the Iridium (VIII) tier while under the influence of your Divine Transformation Skill, your Wind Manipulation Skill would reach the Osmium (IX) tier. TJ couldn¡¯t begin to say what he would do when he reached the levels of a lesser god, but he suspected that the stronger he became, the more he would depend on the influence of his Skills. Of course, his attributes would be the vehicle that carried his Skills, but there was something that told him that Skills would be the true determiner of power. ¡°Select Wind Manipulation.¡± As when he¡¯d gained the Primal Savagery Skill, TJ¡¯s body seized up, though differently from with his Occupation Skill, there was no tingle down his spine. Instead, his vision swam as suddenly he could perceive winds like they were white wisps of mist, and TJ¡¯s mind fought to understand what was happening. The air somehow spoke to him, asking for his next command, for his blessing, to bless him, and so much more. It was flighty, constantly emoting, begging for attention. TJ¡¯s mind opened to the somehow living wind, his sense of self slipping away. The wind moved, through the trees, through the broken windows, through his hair, through a cave, through TJ¡¯s nostrils. It stopped there, gently frozen in the warm body. The heartbeat quickened, afraid of something. That was no concern. He was the wind, the movement through the eons, that which tore down trees and carried their seeds, that which pushed the birds and carved stone. What did the breathing of one individual matter to him? With a gasp, TJ fought to slowly close his perception of the wind¡¯s voice to allow him to hear his own. Feeling himself flow through his body was disturbing, to say the least. Though the new Skill drew him in and promised power, growth, and, most importantly, a path back to his son, it wouldn¡¯t mean anything if TJ was no longer himself on that path. Usually, TJ would go through a breathing exercise, but for now, he felt that would be a bad idea. Instead, he moved consciously, grounding himself by touching the walls, which were wooden, or feeling the carpet underfoot, which was shag and worn. Then, TJ took a deep drink from his water, feeling the cool liquid all the way down his throat as well as the chilly porcelain cup in his hands. It took a couple of minutes, but TJ eventually found himself feeling like a human again, instead of a breeze. He opened his eyes and looked around the sitting room. Stanton stood with his head cocked to the side, looking at TJ. ¡°You good, son?¡± ¡°I¡­ am now.¡± TJ blinked hard a couple of times. ¡°Your Skill do something?¡± ¡°I guess you could say that. Made me feel like I was the air I breathed while I breathed it.¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate. Stanton grunted. He couldn¡¯t help it. TJ laughed at the stoic man, but quickly gathered himself, instead asking, ¡°Are we nearly ready to go?¡± ¡°Once you finish packing.¡± Only then did TJ realize that Stanton had taken half the supplies and packed them carefully into his own backpack which sat next to the door. The other half of the supplies, TJ¡¯s, he assumed, were scattered somewhat neatly around the other bag, the bag itself laid limply on the ground, unloved and forgotten. Without complaint, TJ set to filling his pack with the heaviest things first, trying to keep it as balanced and comfortable as possible. As he finished and tossed his old backpack on the top for good measure, TJ asked, ¡°Those goblin things called you blood of the Morrigan. That your Bloodline?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Stanton grunted in response, then seemed to decide to actually answer. ¡°Yeah. Crow goddess of death and war or something. Supposedly, this gun is blessed by her.¡± He held the luminescent pistol up, again immensely careful with his trigger discipline as he did so. ¡°Don¡¯t know anything else about her. You?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s Celtic?¡± A grunt. ¡°Sorry, grouchy. Didn¡¯t know anything else.¡± Grunt. TJ chuckled under his breath as he continued to fill his pack with the necessities that he¡¯d initially grabbed in his mad dash. ¡°You get anything else that might help us on our journey towards Pine?¡± ¡°Not really. You got most of the good stuff already.¡± There was a grudging sense of appreciation in Staton¡¯s reply this time, and TJ smiled as he finished his packing. Content to leave in silence, Stanton surprised TJ when he asked, ¡°If you end up becoming that God or whatever, what¡¯ll you want to do?¡± ¡°Just be with Junior. I don¡¯t really care about the rest of whatever deification offers me, so my focus isn¡¯t on the Throne, just getting to the point that the System will let me hold my son again.¡± Stanton levelled a gaze at TJ that let him know he¡¯d forgotten something obvious, something that would make him feel exceptionally foolish. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t bring back your wife?¡± The thought, something he¡¯d so long shoved aside, stabbed into TJ. How had he never thought of that? Even so, he already knew the answer. He¡¯d been so focused on getting Junior back that TJ¡¯d never thought of what the position and power of a god could offer him. Mari being back. Her sweet hazel eyes crinkled up while laughing at something stupid he¡¯d said. Junior¡¯s uncontrollable giggles from the other room as his mom tickled him. The feel of her lips as she kissed away his teasing. Waking up to her listening to jazz while she cooked pancakes and bacon. Putting his hand on her thigh as he drove. The laughs. The joy. A happily full life. Tears stung at TJ¡¯s eyes, and he let them fall without resistance. He missed her desperately. To see her with Junior now, to watch her make up for lost time would be glorious. They¡¯d both always wanted to be parents, and they could be that again. ¡°System. Could I¡­ bring Mari back? The real her, not some illusion or whatever? Really¡­ be with her again?¡± Once one climbs to the Orichalcum (X) tier of Divinity, death no longer holds the same permanence that it does for mortals. If one sits upon the Divine Throne, then they rule all of creation. The Ascension to the Throne changes the mind and body of the Participant, but once one becomes God, their power is unlimited and limitations nonexistent. ¡°Yeah.¡± TJ choked out. ¡°I¡¯d bring her back.¡± ¡°It was the first thing I ever asked the System.¡± Stanton answered, his own voice soft. ¡°We got to live our lives, though, so I¡¯m mostly ok with life going the way it goes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to try to ¡®win¡¯ this thing? You don¡¯t care about anything else? You¡¯ve thought more about this than I have.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not gonna go out like a wet fart. I¡¯ll fight whatever tries to stop me. But I¡¯m rooting for you, kid. You¡¯ve got so much more to fight for, so much of life you¡¯ve missed. You young¡¯uns are the future and so on. You don¡¯t have the same past and so on as me. So, see if you can¡¯t help me and Marva out if you get to the top.¡± TJ scoffed. ¡°I''ll help you out, you coot. Just walk with me as far as you can go.¡± A grunt. ¡°Ready?¡± TJ almost answered in the affirmative, but then he remembered that he had yet to explore his newest Skill, as well as the restrictions on his other. Before that, though¡­ The younger man bowed his head and clasped his hands. ¡°Kukulkan. Um¡­ thank you for giving me this¡­ opportunity, I guess. Glad you¡¯ve given me the Skills I have, they¡¯ve been helpful. Please help me keep going. Like, I know Junior needs me, and that vision I had before was pretty helpful in guiding me to make this choice. So, thank you, and keep helping, if you can. Amen.¡± He felt like he should say some sort of prayer but he stumbled over the words, and felt stupid. Even more so when the System chimed in with a response. The Divines are all dead, even the final god who ascended to the Divine Throne. There is nobody to listen to your prayers. If you desire to listen to and bless others who pray, ascend to the lowest tier of true Divinity (Ruthenium (VII)), at which point you can truly become the object of worship of your followers. ¡°Not what I was getting at.¡± TJ grumbled, but he left it aside. Even if Kukulkan was beyond existence and couldn¡¯t hear TJ¡¯s words any longer, gratitude was just polite. Now, he wanted to begin to explore his Wind Manipulation Skill, but for now, he was too afraid to dive back into the Skill before he¡¯d grounded himself. Thus, TJ began testing how Primal Savagery functioned. It didn¡¯t take long for his rudimentary scientific method bore results: the Skill was wholly unaffected by regular clothes. TJ could keep the boxers, shorts, socks, and shirt on and never have a problem with the Skill¡¯s activation. His shoes and jacket, however, kept him from benefiting from the Skill. Near as he could figure, it was because they protected him from the weather and rocks and whatever else he¡¯d step on, and so became equipment. ¡°We have the materials for moccasins.¡± Stanton said as they decided to do something about TJ¡¯s situation. ¡°The jacket¡¯s easy enough to put on and take off, but the shoes are important. Even with however tough your feet are, walking around this forest without shoes will suck at best. Might lose toes or something else if you¡¯re unlucky.¡± TJ remembered following some pre-cut slipper design at scout camp decades ago, but he remembered nothing about it. Stanton read it in his eyes and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much of it will count, so we¡¯ll make the string and thread your new shoes with it.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to make the string?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be dirty. Get your good clothes off and follow me.¡± Chapter 20 TJ stared at the boiling water, his stomach still churning and upset. Stanton showed no mercy and commanded, ¡°Get over here. You can begin punching holes in it before the gut¡¯s ready for stringing.¡± He went through the motions woodenly as he punched the sharp stone through the edges of the mostly tanned coyote leather. Though he tried not to, TJ remembered and relived disemboweling the pukwudgies, pulling out their intestines, and cleaning them in preparation for usage as durable cord. He couldn¡¯t quite decide if the additional guidance from Primitive Craftsmanship was a blessing or a curse, giving him nudges and instructions on how to push the offal through the intestines without rupturing anything or how best to cut open the belly of the sentient creature he¡¯d just killed minutes ago. TJ carried a bucket with him, vomiting into it as he needed. His throat and mouth were raw from the stomach acid and bile, and little sips of water were doing nothing for him. Stanton¡¯s conversing had helped somewhat with the awful situation, though. ¡°You said you¡¯ve got an Occupation. How¡¯d you get it? What does it do?¡± TJ laughed as he retold his tale of struggling with a couple of weak coyotes. Remembering the life-threatening danger posed by a pack of pukwudgies or a divinely-blessed coyote colored his memories of two basic coyotes shredding his clothing, backpack, and flesh to a much rosier hue. ¡°It¡¯s called Savage.¡± He finished with. ¡°Basically, since I was all alone on the mountain with no tools or anything, the System treated me like I didn¡¯t want any modern tools. Now, my Occupation gives me benefits if I don¡¯t use any ¡®pre-Integration¡¯ tools or materials or whatever. Gave a basic Skill called Primitive Craftsmanship that lets me know about how to do some of these things. Having you help me along is great, though.¡± Stanton grunted. ¡°Bullshit. Shoulda been me.¡± ¡°But wasn¡¯t.¡± TJ grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a weird thing, since it required me to not use any tools, like even the salt from a treat I had in my backpack.¡± ¡°How¡¯s it work, though? I should get one too. Haven¡¯t gotten any offers.¡± ¡°Kinda like a Class,¡± TJ explained before going through the requirements the System had outlined for him after he¡¯d acquired the Occupation. Again, only a grunt answered him. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that hard, though. The way my Title is worded, one in two hundred gets their Occupation before their Class. Did you get a Title for getting your Class before your Occupation?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Stanton grumbled. ¡°Weird. What level is your Class now?¡± ¡°Six.¡± ¡°Same. And I¡¯ve shown my Class to you, what does Acolyte give you?¡± ¡°Just the Skill for the bow I¡¯ve never used. I had to upgrade that for my gun¨Cnow it¡¯s called Divine Armament. Used to be¡­ Sacred Weapon? Not sure.¡± ¡°You could ask the System.¡± ¡°Why would I¡­ Yeah. It was called Sacred Weapon.¡± ¡°And what attributes does the Class focus on? For Neophytes, it''s Vitality, Endurance, Toughness, Fixation, and Willpower.¡± Stanton hesitated for a second as he consulted with the System. ¡°Agility, Strength, Perception, Intelligence, Wisdom.¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t have any trouble seeing the pukwudgies? If your Perception is really high¡­¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re tricky. Couldn¡¯t see ¡®em hardly at all.¡± TJ was reminded that he had more Occupation and Race levels, and those combined with the bonus to his Perception while a coatl probably carried him to be higher than Stanton usually was. They continued to converse as they did the nasty work of preparing all the materials for TJ to make his own moccasins. Though Stanton obviously hated the System and how it¡¯d uprooted him from his life, he¡¯d made the mistake of not working with it once and wouldn¡¯t do so again. They talked about what would be the most dangerous thing to encounter here, how they¡¯d travel safely, and whatever else occurred to them. Both deliberately stayed away from talking about the world before the Integration, though why they did, TJ couldn¡¯t say. Even so, there was plenty to speculate, worry, and plan about, so TJ quickly found himself trying to sew the ¡°leather¡± cutouts into a sort of a semblance of a moccasin. The work was tedious, and TJ could feel that this first attempt would be shoddy at best. He did try his best, though, and about two hours after he and Stanton began the process of creation, TJ Appraised the moccasins that laid before him. Item: Slipshod Coyote Leather Moccasins (Dirt). This footwear was created by a desperate amateur, and its quality and potential longevity show as much. The insides are lined with the coyote¡¯s fur, and will serve to keep the extremities warmer than uncovered or merely sock-wearing feet would offer. The leather is untreated and shabbily prepared, so it will exhibit wear and tear much more quickly than a well-crafted pair of moccasins would. TJ¡¯s dreams of a pair of boots that would heighten his ability to sneak through the forest or grant some impenetrable boost to his toes were dashed, though they¡¯d never exited their infancy. Instead, he pulled the bootlike slippers up his legs to his mid shin, covering his socks and the bottom of his pant leg. ¡°We¡¯ve lost a lot of time.¡± Stanton stated, looking out the door and up at the darkening gray skies. ¡°Day¡¯s basically over. No reason to leave a defensible position just before we go to sleep. We¡¯ll take turns sleeping, and leave at sunup.¡± It wasn¡¯t a request or a question, but TJ didn¡¯t mind. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°You want first or second watch?¡± he asked. ¡°Second.¡± Stanton answered as he stumped down the hall towards the bedrooms. ¡°You sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± TJ asked. ¡°Might be better for us to sleep near the fire to keep warm while the other can see us.¡± Stanton grunted, though not as a response. He reappeared a moment later, dragging a queen-sized mattress that he flopped into the space before the fireplace. It butted up against the couch and left only a foot between the edge of the brick fireplace and the mattress. ¡°Might as well use the mattress before we leave.¡± Stanton said. ¡°Now check the fridge. There¡¯s some bacon in there that should have thawed by now. We¡¯ll throw that in a pan and see what else we can¡¯t bring with us.¡± ¡ª-- Dinner was a strangely familiar spread. Bacon, hash browns fried in the bacon¡¯s grease, and pancakes. There¡¯d been instant mix in one of the cupboards, and so, the two men had breakfast for dinner. No syrup in any of the cupboards, but a can of condensed milk they were going to leave behind served as a syrup substitute. The scratching of forks and knives on the plate accompanied by the crackling of the fire replaced any conversations they could have had. TJ got the distinct impression that Stanton was all talked out, and it would piss him off to continue asking questions. Their plates cleaned off after eating their third servings, TJ rinsed the dishes off in the sink. No need to leave a mess if he didn¡¯t have to. However, halfway through, the faucet began guttering, and TJ left the dishes half washed in the sink. ¡°We¡¯ll drink our fills in the morning from the sink, but we might be out of luck for water for now.¡± TJ called out. Predictably, Stanton grunted. TJ walked out of the kitchen as he dried his hands on his jeans, just to see Stanton all curled up in his bed. ¡°The sun¡¯s only been down for an hour. It¡¯s 6 pm, tops.¡± ¡°It¡¯s winter.¡± Stanton replied. ¡°And it¡¯s almost 7. We''ll move with the sun. Rest when it does. Wake me up around 1, and I¡¯ll take care of watching after that.¡± Then, the old man pulled his covers up to his chin, rolled over, and less than three minutes later, he was snoring. ¡°How am I supposed to know what time it is? You didn¡¯t give me a watch or anything.¡± TJ muttered, still amused by his grumpy old companion. The time at your location is currently: 6:56 PM. ¡°Can you send me a notification at 1 AM?¡± You will receive a notification at 1 AM. Warning: This notification will not serve as an alarm or notification more obtrusive than those you regularly receive. So not an alarm but still a way to make sure he kept track of time. That was good enough for now, at least. Finally, TJ allowed himself to dive back into his newest Skill. He kept his bottom lip between his teeth, biting a little but not so hard he¡¯d bleed. Hoping that would be enough to keep the wind from whisking away his sense of self, TJ called to the winds. They answered, quick to react and happy to feel his mind. Even so, he made sure to remind himself: Thiago Jorge Harris IV. That¡¯s who he was, not a part of the wind. He could command it. With that in mind, TJ commanded the wind to blow. Starting from his hand, the air gathered into a compressed cylinder before it blasted forward, whipping napkins from the table and rattling books on their shelf. TJ stopped the Skill before it blew out the windows, but still Stanton startled awake, his gun Suzie appearing in his hand. ¡°Where are they?¡± He demanded, bleary eyes blazing in fear and command. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was me. I was just trying out my new Skill.¡± TJ stammered, trying to figure out how to talk down a pissed off, frightened veteran. To his surprise, Stanton only blinked a couple times to clear his eyes before grunting. ¡°Makes sense. Be quiet and let me sleep.¡± Without another word, he flopped down again to sleep. ¡°Something to practice during the day. And outside.¡± TJ resolved himself. Instead, he asked the wind in a whisper, ¡°Can you tell me what¡¯s outside?¡± It didn¡¯t respond. After all, it was the wind. TJ fought the urge to slap his own forehead. Just because it responded to his Skill didn¡¯t mean that it had a mind of its own. Instead, TJ pulled his lip once more between his teeth and pushed his awareness out of himself, trying to feel the wind. Despite feeling the wind, though, TJ kept his mind focused on the fact that he was a person, not the wind. While within the bounds of his own mind, the sensory input was overwhelming and agonizing. A human mind couldn¡¯t understand the feeling of being air, of flowing constantly, of having no constant form, but being constantly malleable. The air near the fireplace danced and sang, while that by the window was slow, and sad. TJ wrenched his mind back to himself, controlling his gasps as best as he could. He¡¯d bitten almost all the way through his bottom lip, and blood flowed freely down his throat and chin alike. Seeing through the wind was completely beyond him for now, and TJ sucked on his lip as the blood quickly stopped flowing. His mind couldn¡¯t comprehend the feeling of being the air within a couple of feet of himself, much less far enough away to be useful. Instead, TJ shifted back to a coatl, taking note of his current Divine Transformation limits: thirty-seven minutes. Plenty of time for a fight, but for standing watch, it was far from enough. Plus, the time to recover his ability to shift back was twice that of his time spent as a coatl, so he would instead need to figure out a system to use the benefits of his Skill¨C The solution was obvious, and TJ focused to ensure his transformation came easily, smoothly, and without leaving behind any of his clothes. As a coatl, his senses expanded, and he felt the air even more clearly than before, the elevation of his Wind Manipulation obvious. The air outside flowed through the trees, and TJ could almost feel it without his mind exploding in pain. Even so, he¡¯d learned his lesson, and left well enough alone. Instead, he relied on his heightened Perception to see what he could feel, hear, smell, and taste out there. After one minute passed, TJ reverted back to a human, watching and listening for anything that might have changed. He continued watching, and once the timer for Divine Transformation had completely refilled, TJ shifted back, faster than before but still ensuring all his clothing went along with him. Another minute passed as a coatl, and TJ returned to being human for two more minutes. The constant change kept him awake and aware, his mind focused on the Skill¡¯s activation when it was time, and on his surroundings the rest of the time. His watch passed without incident, and when the notification flashed in the corner of his vision, he kicked the side of the bed and shook it. Again, Stanton jolted awake, his pistol forming in his hand. He breathed deeply, looking up at the calm TJ. ¡°My watch?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Great. Sleep well.¡± Then, without another word, Stanton got out of the bed and beckoned for TJ to lay down himself. The younger man did as much, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, TJ fell into dreamless sleep. Chapter 21 ¡°Get up, stay quiet.¡± Stanton¡¯s words woke TJ with a start. He thrashed for a second, convinced he was being held down by something, assaulted by pukwudgies or eaten by coyotes. Stanton crisply smacked him upside the head, and TJ calmed. Nothing was in here. Nothing was attacking. He was safe for the moment. The sun¡¯s light had already broken, and true morning had begun. Checking with the System, it was just before 9 AM. He¡¯d slept long and hard, and he couldn¡¯t hear or see anything. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± TJ asked, blearily blinking sleep from his eyes. Stanton merely tapped his ear while looking around, and TJ attempted to follow the oblique command. Stanton crouched, vigilant next to the mattress, his eyes steadily roving through each of the windows around the room. The younger man forced himself out of the warm covers and mimicked the stance as he strained his ears to hear something, anything. The trees creaked in the light breeze outside. Some birds were singing. The house shifted slightly. Nothing else. TJ shrugged, looking at the older man who shook his head. Still TJ listened, and still he couldn¡¯t figure out what Stanton was trying to call his attention to. Before he could ask again, though, Stanton sighed and stood up. ¡°They left. A couple pukwudgies, one on the roof, the others nearby. Somewhere from three to six, I¡¯d guess.¡± ¡°How high is your Perception? I couldn¡¯t hear anything.¡± Stanton obviously pulled up his Status Sheet before answering, ¡°27.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s the same as mine!¡± TJ threw his hands up. ¡°Is there something I¡¯m missing here?¡± ¡°I know what I¡¯m listening for.¡± The old man answered, shrugging. ¡°Practice has gotta count for something. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to type any faster now than I could before. Still limited by the mind.¡± It made sense, since the pukwudgies obviously were built for stealthy operations. Of course they knew how to hide, and of course Stanton, the veteran from the jungles of Vietnam, knew how to listen for people approaching in the night. ¡°Kinda weird they decided to show up now, though.¡± TJ complained. He stretched as he pulled his feet back into his somewhat stinky moccasins. Hopefully, rubbing on the ground and getting covered with dirt and so on would help to purge some of the smell from them. Stanton grunted. In disagreement, TJ thought. When he looked over to see if he was right, Stanton explained, ¡°If they¡¯re invisible, this is a time people get distracted. Could work.¡± Then he shrugged, having said everything he seemed to intend to. TJ didn¡¯t respond, instead walking into the kitchen to see what he could throw together for some breakfast. They¡¯d eaten all the bacon last night, but there was still pancake mix and hash browns. Maybe something else was in the fridge and could add some spice to their meal. Before getting to the fridge, though, TJ looked out the window to see the morning. The sun was almost peeking up over the mountains, though the skies were blue and clear. The air was brisk, and TJ was again grateful that his high Vitality allowed him to shrug off the relatively mild Arizona winter. There was only a moment¡¯s warning before the spear exploded through the window. As the shadow darkened the window and the spear seemed to lunge into the house in slow motion, TJ startled in surprise and tried to dodge. He was too late, and the weapon lodged in his chest. The wet thud of his own flesh being punched through echoed through the quiet house, the jingling of shattering glass accompanying it. Though he was more concerned with the weapon that had nearly punctured his lung, a flashing System notification pulled TJ from looking at the spear. Warning: You are suffering from a Moderate Poison affliction (Dirt). You will continue to lose 10 HP a minute until the Poison condition is cured. Current HP: 398/430 The panic at seeing the notification was quickly washed away by the realization that his Divine Transformation could purge the affliction. But Stanton¡­ ¡°Make sure they don¡¯t get you!¡± TJ shouted as he rushed back to Stanton. ¡°The spears are poisoned!¡± Stanton dove behind a couch as cover as two more spears flew into the room. They clattered uselessly against the ground, missing their target. ¡°Stay under cover!¡± TJ commanded as he shifted into a coatl and purged the poison from his body. With a hissing roar, TJ rushed out of the cabin and towards the assailants. Each spear had come from a different side of the house, and though TJ could taste the hint of lavender in the air, a remnant of the ambushing bastards, he couldn¡¯t sense them anywhere. They must have attacked and immediately fled. A good tactic, he supposed. Poison them and let it do the work. The potency of their camouflage seemed to indicate they were at least level 5 and had some Skill that allowed them to hide better. Even so, TJ rushed out and around the perimeter of the house, searching for any trace of the pukwudgie assassins. Two or so minutes later, he retreated to the cabin, somewhat regretting not taking the Skill that would have heightened his Perception. There was no way to change his decision now, though, and TJ instead returned to Stanton¡¯s side. The older man had his pistol in hand and his head low, though he continued searching the windows for any sign of additional ambushers. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Before TJ could shift back to being human, Stanton asked, ¡°They leave?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You seem fine with being poisoned. You figure it out? Maybe that snake of yours makes it so you can¡¯t be poisoned or something?¡± TJ nodded in response, and Stanton grunted in affirmation before continuing, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll keep doing this. We need to get to Pine as soon as possible. More people around will keep us safer.¡± ¡°Hopefully they¡¯ll have a Disciple or three too. I bet they can heal.¡± The thought having crossed his mind, TJ asked the System, ¡°What are the basic Class Skills for Disciples and Zealots?¡± That information cannot be shared with you, as it may provide you with an unfair advantage in conflict against the other Classes. Any information gained about Classes and Occupations, whether your own or others, must come through your own experience or the words of another. The reminder that this new existence was, effectively, a fight against every other person in the world sent a chill down TJ¡¯s spine. With a shake of his head, he attempted to shake the thought from his mind. Regardless of everything else, TJ needed to survive right now. Danger didn¡¯t come from people, but the pukwudgies and any other creature the Tutorial or System decided to throw their way. ¡°We might not be able to trust the other people¡­¡± TJ couldn¡¯t help himself. That possibility had wormed its way into his mind, and the worry plagued him. Predictably, Stanton grunted. ¡°Maybe. But we need to go there anyways. If we can¡¯t, we¡¯ll figure it out.¡± The decision seemingly made, TJ set to quickly preparing the breakfast of pancakes and hash browns. It was a somber affair, one constantly on the lookout while the other desperately stuffed their food down their throat almost without tasting it. Their bellies filled, TJ and Stanton both drank as much as they could, the water¡¯s flow dying down to a weak trickle by the end. Then, with a backpack on each, they stepped out of the cabin. TJ wasn¡¯t ready, but Stanton was as the next ambush began. Suzie barked three coughs out and a pukwudgie screamed its hawk cry of pain. 1 Pukwudgie Assassin, Level 6, Slain. Experience gained. Stanton held his gun high, seeming to track something TJ couldn¡¯t see as it fled. Then, his defense complete, the confident gunman began to refill his gun. Thirty seconds later, Stanton nodded and the two men continued on their journey. TJ strained his ears to let him know if any pukwudgies were near, but he still couldn¡¯t hear anything. ¡°I¡¯m going to put my Free Points into Perception.¡± Stanton declared. ¡°You can¡¯t be poisoned, but I might just die before I can do anything about it.¡± Again, he didn¡¯t say anything additional, but apprised his companion of the choice. They continued hiking for a time, before TJ couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°So, what did you do after you got out of the army?¡± Stanton seemed to consider whether answering was worth it or not, before grunting. ¡°Marva inherited a citrus orchard. I took care of it ¡®til she got sick, then sold it off. Been retired for a while now, sometimes I volunteer at the orchard we used to own. Sorting and picking, mostly.¡± ¡°Then her family died when she was young? That¡¯s an interesting job!¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Stanton replied, giving no more response. After a couple more attempts to get Stanton to talk, TJ gave up on continuing the conversation as they followed the path. It seemed ideal for a quad or maybe a Razor, too small for a truck or car. The brush was close to the path, and TJ worried at every sound he heard, though Stanton seemed unconcerned. Just when TJ had begun to calm himself, though, Stanton turned and fired two shots. As the pops¡¯ echoes died, the quiet whimpers of a pukwudgie appeared, though it rustled off into the bushes. TJ shifted into a coatl, deliberately leaving his backpack behind. He slithered through the brush, scenting blood and following its trail. The crimson liquid guided him to the shimmering creature. It seemed to be alone, though TJ knew it wasn¡¯t. Hidden, it threw its spear into his face and TJ merely lowered his head to allow it to skitter off his tough scales. The pukwudgie¡¯s companions didn¡¯t expose themselves, but he didn¡¯t hesitate to lunge forward and begin constricting. Bones cracked and it wheezed as he struck, his coils surrounding his prey. The movement was natural now, though TJ acted more taken in the hunt than he was. He listened, scented for his other prey, his true target. He dismissed the kill notification when it appeared, instead taking the corpse¡¯s head into his mouth as he began to return to Stanton. The wind whispered about the approaching spears, and TJ allowed them to land. He could feel two assassins. Calling on his Wind Manipulation, a forked tongue of wind rushed into his mouth. The whistling air screamed through the trees, and both fleeing goblins were yanked off their feet and towards him. As they were dragged through the pine needles, their camouflage was ripped from their bodies. Two shuddering creatures lay on the ground, their arms and feet scrabbling madly for purchase. TJ relented for the barest moment and felt their hope. He ripped it away from the further creature with a heightened blast of wind that caved in its chest and hurled it towards him. It tumbled through bush and over rock, skidding to a stop in front of the coatl. There was no need to kill it with a bite, not while its final companion continued to flee. TJ merely crushed the felled creature under his heavy body as he bolted forward with a slithering sprint. Again, he disregarded the kill notification. There was one left to hunt, another danger to his friend. He knew that there was more to Wind Manipulation than what he had done, and in a flash of inspiration, TJ ¡°spat¡± a spear of wind at the fleeing creature. A wind so strong and condensed it might as well have been a solid cut deeply into the escaping pukwudgie¡¯s spine. It screamed in surprised agony as it was sent sprawling. In a moment of additional bad luck for the pukwudgie, its skull cracked with finality against a jutting rock. Blood splattered across the stone as the third and final kill notification flashed before TJ¡¯s eyes. 3 Pukwudgie Assassins, Level 5-6, slain. Experience gained. TJ could feel he still wasn¡¯t close to the next level with Savage, much less Neophyte. Regardless, this was three creatures that wouldn¡¯t threaten him, Stanton, or any other people in the Tutorial. Before he could feel any sort of relief, though, a series of gunshots followed by wordless bellows sounded out behind him. Chapter 22 Slithering through the bushes, TJ listened to the pops of three more shots fired. That was a total of nine shots without any presumable opportunity to refill the cylinder. Eleven more, and then Stanton was stranded. ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± TJ shouted as he rushed to follow his own trail. He cursed his foolhardy rush to kill just a couple more of their enemies. The street was less than a minute¡¯s travel away, but each second stretched, and three more shots sounded out before he burst through the brush surrounding the road. ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± he remembered to shout as he rushed out of the cover. Stanton stood solidly in the middle of the road, his eyes peeled and roaming across the surrounding forest. ¡°Hit once.¡± The old man reported as he gestured to a tear in the side of his shirt, exposing the weeping wound below. ¡°Not seriously, but I¡¯m poisoned. 10 HP a minute. My total is 180, so I have sixteen more minutes to live, unless there¡¯s something you can do. Suck out the poison?¡± TJ rushed to do as much, willing to try anything. A little doubt tickled at the edge of his mind, though. ¡°I can. I¡¯m happy to. Do you want to try to do it yourself, though?¡± ¡°I look like a contortionist to you, kid?¡± ¡°No, I mean. Like cut it out? I got my Occupation by doing things. Maybe you could get an Occupation by treating yourself? I don¡¯t think it would give the same Skills or benefits as whatever the Disciples get, but another way to level, at least, is great. Getting the level should heal you all the way, too, so maybe that¡¯ll purge your poison. If the Occupation helps you to heal yourself after the level, then that¡¯s even better.¡± The words tumbled out of TJ¡¯s mouth, his mind not yet caught up to whatever he was saying. After thinking about it for a second, Stanton came to his decision. ¡°Wish I had some chew for this.¡± He grumbled as he pulled his knife from the sheath at his side. TJ nearly retorted, but instead, he remembered his backpack and its side pocket. He wrenched open the zipper while Stanton gathered himself in preparation for cutting the flesh from his side. ¡°Wait a second.¡± TJ said as he pulled the ruined backpack out and ripped the final zipper open. There, the stupid sentimental can of tobacco laid. TJ¡¯d replaced the thing a couple months back when it¡¯d started to smell off, so maybe it was still good. ¡°You can have some of this. Dunno if it¡¯s gone bad.¡± TJ hesitated, but Stanton¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Good dip!¡± Stanton nearly shouted and pulled a thick wad out and shoved it between his gums and lip. His eyes closed in satisfaction, though TJ knew there was no way the tobacco had already made any difference. Even so, TJ squatted down next to the old man. ¡°Anything you want me to do?¡± ¡°Keep an eye out. Not sure if there¡¯s more of the bastards out there, and I don¡¯t want to get caught again.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± TJ answered as he shifted back to a coatl and looked around, watching for any approaching pukwudgies. No suspicious sounds or scents appeared, but TJ felt he couldn''t trust himself and coiled around the sitting man. He realized that he¡¯d grown at least two feet longer since he¡¯d last thought about it. Now, nearly twenty three feet long, TJ made a several foot wide perimeter around Stanton as he prepared his knife to cut himself. He seemed nearly there, taking three deep breaths, and TJ attempted to add an additional layer of protection as he commanded the winds to whip around them both and send any incoming attacks wide. A veritable tornado appeared above TJ, his feathered mane seeming to flap and send more air into the whirling winds. Stanton spit dirt from his mouth but didn¡¯t complain, instead taking a final deep breath before exhaling a long, controlled breath as his sharp knife cut deep into his side. The old man grunted and winced, but still he cut the flesh from just below his ribs. With a sickening thud, the tissue that ideally held the vast majority of the poison flopped to the ground. TJ wanted to rush forward and offer something to bandage the wound, but Stanton was ready. He ripped a pack of sterilized gauze from his pocket, and without needing to be told to stop it, TJ hushed the winds and stopped his frenetic circling. There was no hesitation in Stanton¡¯s movements as he pressed the gauze to the wound, held a wrap, and began binding the wrap tightly around his torso. TJ couldn¡¯t say how effective the stretchy fabric over his shirt was, but after tying it off, Stanton cursed quietly under his breath.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°You were right, kid.¡± Without further explanation, Stanton took the offered Occupation and seemed almost to glow for a moment. Then, with a sigh, the old man pulled the soaking bandages from his side and peeked at where he¡¯d previously been wounded. Assured by what he saw, Stanton pulled the gauze and wrap away from his skin, and exposed the flawless skin where a gaping wound had previously existed. ¡°Not what I expected to get, though.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the Occupation?¡± TJ asked, the excitement nearly purging all the worries and panic from before. ¡°Called Druid. Basically a shaman. Kinda hippie shit.¡± ¡°What were the requirements to get it?¡± ¡°Guide someone spiritually, walk in tune with nature, and use natural medicine in a medical procedure.¡± Stanton grunted, seeming unimpressed with what he¡¯d gotten. TJ waited for a time, allowing the other man to acclimate to whatever the new Occupation offered. Eventually, though, he couldn''t hold himself back any longer. ¡°What Skill does it give? And attributes? ¡°Natural Harmony. I can connect with creatures and plants in the area. Lets me heal a little better, and scout out more effectively. Focuses on Wisdom, Intelligence, Perception, Willpower, and Fixation. Three in each per level.¡± TJ felt a hint of envy crawl up his spine at the immediate usefulness of the other man¡¯s Occupation¡¯s Skill as well as its focused attribute distribution compared to his own. Regardless, he was a Savage now, and couldn¡¯t change that any time soon, if ever. Instead, he nodded at Stanton. ¡°Glad you got it.¡± ¡°Thank you. Not sure I agree with this ¡®Druid¡¯ label, but if it helps. Cured the poison as well.¡± ¡°Think you¡¯ll be able to cure yourself again sometime in the future? Does the Skill do that?¡± A grunt that TJ took to mean ¡°maybe¡± was his only answer. Then, without further ado, Stanton pocketed the can of chew and pulled his backpack on. TJ almost asked for it back, but he decided the old man needed it more. More and more, as time passed, TJ remembered Grandpa and his grouchy, self-centered ways. He was a good man, but he could be generally annoying to be around for extended periods of time. That didn¡¯t matter now, and TJ was happy to have anyone with him. The thought of getting through the forest to the town without anyone to keep an eye out while he was asleep sounded impossible to survive. Their little conversation complete, TJ and Stanton resumed their journey, though slower for a couple minutes as Stanton refilled his cylinder with more ammunition. The faint glow from ¡°Suzie¡± was cold and threatening, leaving a faint hint of smoke behind where the gun trailed through the air. They continued walking for a short time, and TJ eventually couldn¡¯t hold back another question. ¡°If you continue down this road, will you become the druidic gunman god? A macabre deliverer of green death?¡± Stanton rubbed his face as he sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t really think that far ahead. Focused on getting to this town and staying alive.¡± As he could tell Stanton didn¡¯t want to talk, TJ stayed silent. They walked wordlessly through the forest, the ponderosa pines stretching high above and rustling in the wind. The trees¡¯ needles constantly dropped from above, coating the trail and the rest of the forest floor alike. Few birds sang, and those that did only did so for a few short moments before nothing else did. Nothing walked through the brush, and it seemed like the only sound other than that of the wind was the crunching of TJ and Stanton¡¯s feet on the gravel path. With nothing to talk about, TJ¡¯s mind drifted to his son. The System assured him that Junior was safe and wouldn¡¯t be too traumatized, though TJ couldn¡¯t be sure of anything. It hadn¡¯t lied to him so far, but that wasn¡¯t to say that it wouldn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t be deceiving him on this most important point. At the end of the Tutorial, he would have the opportunity to prove whether or not the Tutorial was lying. Then, once the ¡°boss¡± of this all slain, he would finally be able to see Junior. What would he do if it was lying to him, though? It could probably continue to hold Junior¡¯s wellbeing over his head indefinitely, so long as he was strung along carefully enough. TJ shook his head, attempting to wrest the dark thoughts from his mind. Instead, he focused on the sounds of his feet on the trail. Though his feet were leaps and bounds tougher than they¡¯d ever been before, the pointed stones that made up the path they walked jabbed painfully, or at least uncomfortably, with each step. Looking forward, the reddish stone continued for quite a while yet, and TJ knew he¡¯d be stuck walking onward with little to no respite. A life of modestly painful steps was what awaited TJ¡¯s future, and he remembered several documentaries he¡¯d watched about people who lived without real shoes. Ideally, his Toughness combined with any other benefit he got from his Occupation would work to offset his meager footwear. A quiet whistle from Stanton pulled TJ from his ruminations on his feet. As the older man gestured with his head for TJ to look around at something, TJ cursed his wandering mind. TJ strained his ears and eyes, searching for something, any indication of whatever it was that he needed to see. At last, he saw a slight hint of a blurred outline of a pukwudgie. Once he saw one, two others jumped out at him. Then, several more. Before TJ knew it, he could see evidence of no fewer than two dozen pukwudgies. There was no need for further communication, and TJ rushed forward to begin breaking the ambush. Chapter 23 He shifted to his coatl form and the winds sang. The abrupt upgrade to his Wind Manipulation pressed in against him, and TJ could taste that this ambush was different from all those before. The coyote pelt still curing on his backpack was not the only canine around. Three pukwudgies mounted on massive, five foot-tall coyotes carried not spears but lances, at least seven feet long. While they weren¡¯t so imposing as a human-sized one would be, they were tipped with stone heads that dripped a black liquid. ¡°Poisoned!¡± TJ warned, and Stanton gave two pops of his gun as his only answer. TJ couldn¡¯t lose any more of his attention to warning the older man. Right now, his focus needed to be keeping the wolf-sized beasts away from his companion. He hissed and tried to hurl three spears of wind, one at each rider. Instead of the compressed blasts, though, TJ sent stiff breezes that flapped the pukwudgies ears and fur back without threatening to dislodge them. With a screech of frustration, TJ instead focused on one potent tempest that smashed into the central rider¡¯s mouth. Its sharklike teeth went flying as it screeched in confused pain and was thrown from its steed. The other two pukwudgies and the three coyotes still rushed towards him. A flash of inspiration struck, and TJ again condensed the wind in his mind. Just before the coyotes could reach him in unison, TJ whipped his head from right to left, sending the compressed blade of wind shooting from his mouth with a hiss. The wind screamed out and cut deep into all six front legs. Every coyote stumbled, and one of the remaining riders was thrown from a saddleless back. That left the last one, the one on TJ¡¯s left, ready to strike. Its lance pierced easily through TJ¡¯s scales and he screamed in agony. Before he could react, that rider¡¯s coyote lunged forward with gaping jaws. They sunk true into TJ¡¯s flesh, his scales cracking as it tried to rip through his organs. Though it had found purchase, the coyote¡¯s attack was a mere flesh wound. The lance, however, nearly pinned TJ to the ground, the tip scraping the dirt under his belly. The other two coyotes, though lamed, still stumbled forward to finish off their prey. TJ couldn¡¯t focus on them yet, but on the current greatest threat. With a snap of his jaws, TJ nearly decapitated the coyote biting him, but it released him and lunged away before his bite caught deep. As it moved, its rider pulled the lance free, TJ¡¯s blood spilling freely onto the ground. Warning: You are¡­ TJ only looked at the notification long enough to see that he¡¯d resisted the poison and the bleed was only -15 HP per minute. Not as bad as he¡¯d feared. He prepared and shot out another arrow of wind that struck into the retreating coyote¡¯s ribs with a crunching of bone and it whimpered as it tried to draw some distance. With the quick creature slowed, TJ leapt to his prey. The pukwudgie screamed as it tried to raise its lance to stave off the coatl¡¯s strike, but his jaws found its head before it could raise any true defence. With a crunch, its head ripped free, and TJ resumed his hunt. The three coyotes danced around him, disregarding Stanton as the massive snake showed just how threatening it could be. Their leader, the limping one that had carried the pukwudgie that had successfully struck TJ, circled around behind him while the other two menaced his front. Trusting Stanton, TJ only whipped out his tail to grab one of the two coyotes in front of him. His trusting Stanton to continue the work of death among these creatures was repaid. Another cough of a bullet being shot was immediately echoed by a coyote¡¯s wail of pain, and the one behind TJ pulled back, away from attacking and towards the forest. TJ¡¯s tail and then midsection quickly enveloped the other unfortunate creature he¡¯d caught, and the wet crunching of its ribs then spine breaking cut through the other din of combat. It wheezed its last before the inhuman strength of a coatl¡¯s constriction severed its spinal cord. The remaining coyote, the one struck most severely by TJ¡¯s blade of wind, saw its companion die and limped off to follow the other survivor into the forest, yipping in fear and pain. A sudden stabbing pain in his tail made TJ whirl back and see the two other pukwudgie riders had recovered enough to continue their attack. One had plunged its lance into his tail, but TJ lashed his tail back towards his face to bring his attacker into his jaws. The pukwudgie abandoned its weapon and tried to escape, but TJ pulled it further towards him with a quick inhale. With the wind yanking it closer, he struck. His teeth sunk deep into its belly, blood and viscera exploding out and painting his face in a macabre, sickening red. The other pukwudgie saw TJ¡¯s retaliation and turned tail to flee. TJ wanted to pursue, but instead returned his gaze to Stanton. He stood with both hands on the pistol, his eyes peeled and focused on the forest that surrounded them. A spear was lodged shallowly in his gut, but he stood confidently nonetheless. As TJ watched, Stanton sidestepped a spear to only take a grazing wound along his hip and returned fire. A hawklike screech and the tumbling of a body from high in a tree answered his shot. Unfortunately, those throwing spears were a distraction, and a half dozen of the larger blurs rushed from all around Stanton and began their assault. Though he¡¯d tried to be prepared, Stanton obviously wasn¡¯t expecting so many so soon. TJ slithered as fast as he could, gathering two compressed bolts of air and letting them fly, but he missed one of the shots, the other clipping another¡¯s shoulder and spinning it to fall. The last thing he managed to do was to barely catch another pukwudgie¡¯s foot in his striking jaws. The bolt of air that struck true slowed one of the attackers while TJ¡¯s needle-sharp teeth held another from attacking. Four large pukwudgies lunged with sharp spears from under the guise of their camouflage, and TJ knew Stanton was about to die.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. That was when Stanton leapt six feet straight up and, while still in the air, shot two pukwudgies in the top of their disbelieving skulls. All four strikes missed miserably, some nearly stabbing their peers. TJ, amazed but not stunned, lifted the caught pukwudgie high into the air before smashing its full body down on the other he¡¯d hit with a spear of wind. Both tried to screech in pain, but with the wind knocked out of them they merely wheezed. Though they fought to survive, TJ smashed the one in his jaws down once more, the crack of its skull against the ground a sickening thunk. A death notification prompted TJ to drop it as he slithered over the other prone pukwudgie. It screeched in protest, but it went silent under his considerable weight as he slithered over it and rolled it to its crushing death. With a quick snap of his jaws, TJ snatched up another of the goblin things and, without thinking too hard about it, wrapped a coil around its neck, snapped its spine, and swallowed it whole. Stanton¡¯s Suzie shot once more, and the final pukwudgie down there died. TJ looked up, seeing at least ten weird blurs in the air, each indicating another pukwudgie. With his Perception and instincts, he knew what was about to come. Before a volley of spears could clatter to the ground around them, TJ summoned up the winds to batter aside the attack. The spears flew wide, but a killer headache struck as he did so and he quickly dropped any attempt at Wind Manipulation. Though another dozen or so of the pukwudgies lurked around, they each fled with unintelligible screeches to each other. The forest went silent as TJ and Stanton looked at each other and then the branches above. After no sign or sound of pukwudgie for several minutes, TJ allowed himself to relax and look at his notifications. 1 Haashch?¨¦¨¦ Oo?t?oh¨ª-blessed Coyote, Level 7, Slain. 2 Pukwudgie Raiders, Level 6, Slain. 4 Pukwudgie Spearmen, Levels 5-6, Slain. TJ forced himself back to his human form, hoping most of his wounds would magically disappear as he did so. He had no such luck. With a groan, TJ pulled the lance from his left hamstring and let it clatter to the ground. The wound still leaked blood, though not so steadily as he¡¯d feared it would. Putting weight on his left leg was agonizing, while his back and stomach both sported rapidly closing wounds. Pulling up his shirt, TJ could see that where the lance had pierced him through as a coatl was mostly scabbed over just to the side of his belly button. When he gingerly tapped along his back, though, he could feel that the entry wound was the more severe of the two. It still wept blood, while his jeans soaked in continuous dripping of his blood from the latest of his wounds. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine. How are you doing, Stanton?¡± TJ asked, his voice concerned. ¡°Not great.¡± Stanton admitted. ¡°But with Natural Harmony, I can at least stop my bleeding and make sure I don¡¯t go septic. We need to make sure none of your guts¡¯re punctured. You can die real easy from that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a problem.¡± TJ shrugged, then winced as he moved. ¡°I broke my nose when all this started, and its only tender now. Nothing worth worrying about. I think that the way I¡¯m healing now should mean that I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Keep an eye out. I¡¯ll take care of you after.¡± Stanton disagreed before looking back and forth and settling uncomfortably against one of the thickest trees nearby. As the older man sat awkwardly leaning against the tree, TJ watched carefully for any pukwudgies as the sweet scent of ponderosa pines thickened and grew to a nearly cloying level. Initially, he thought it was the lavender scent of the pukwudgies, but he quickly realized it must have had something to do with Stanton¡¯s Natural Harmony Skill. With none of the little bastards apparently nearby, TJ shifted back into his coatl form, hoping the boost to his Wind Manipulation and Perception would ensure he could give at least some warning about approaching creatures. When he did, though, the thick smell of blood clogged his nose and coated his tongue. There was no escaping the slaughter here. Though TJ had resolved himself not to be disturbed, the smell and taste combined to turn his stomach and threatened to make him vomit. He shifted back to his human form, trying to not breathe through his nose. He kept his eyes high and in the trees, watching for anything to distract him. The first distraction that came to mind was a question for the System, one he immediately voiced without thinking. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­ Haa¡¯sh¡­ whatever?¡± Haashch?¨¦¨¦ Oo?t?ohi was the Navajo god of the hunt. During his existence, he rose to the Ruthenium (VII) tier of Divinity. Though he never ascended beyond that lowest level of true Divinity, Haashch?¨¦¨¦ Oo?t?ohi was a loyal friend and supporter of the other Native American gods and goddesses. ¡°I swear, there¡¯s a Native American god named Coyote. Right? How¡¯d these ones end up blessed by a jackal god and a Navajo hunt god before the literal coyote?¡± Coyote, Maii, the great trickster, ascended to the Osmium (IX) tier of Divinity, and his memory decided not to bless any creatures in this Tutorial. Those blessed and influenced and descended from Coyote exist and will surely appear in your path if you continue progressing towards the Divine Throne. Considering the interactions he¡¯d had with coyotes thus far, TJ couldn¡¯t help but hope that he didn¡¯t run into any blessed or descended from Coyote. Maybe he was totally incorrect in his thoughts, but with how he¡¯d had to fight to keep himself alive¡­ well, maybe it was for the better. ¡°Get over here.¡± Stanton grunted, pulling TJ from his reverie. ¡°You see something?¡± TJ asked, his eyes roving wildly through the forest. ¡°No.¡± Stanton grunted. ¡°No, let¡¯s see what I can do to you with this new Skill of mine.¡± Chapter 24 TJ only began to complain and insist he didn¡¯t need treatment, but before he could get a full word out of his mouth, Stanton grunted again. ¡°Kid. Let me take a look at you.¡± Confronted with irrefutable old man logic and insistence, TJ walked forward to where Stanton groaned and stood up. ¡°This tree¡¯s given too much to use again.¡± Without further explanation, Stanton walked off into the forest. He didn¡¯t seem too concerned about another pukwudgie attack, but TJ couldn¡¯t help but keep his eyes peeled and constantly roving around. There wasn¡¯t any suspicious movement through the branches, but that wasn¡¯t much of a guarantee. Feeling inside himself, he could feel that level 7 of Neophyte wasn¡¯t too far off, but it would require another fight of about that same caliber that they¡¯d just gone through. Or, at least as many deaths on the enemies¡¯ side. The thought again turned his stomach. He could still taste the blood on his tongue, and TJ fought the urge to wash out his mouth with some of the limited water in his pack. Prying his mind from his brief fixation, TJ instead watched Stanton approach several of the tall, proud trees and seemingly confer with them for a moment. None suited his fancy, until they reached the fourth majestic, solitary tree. Differently from most, it stood in somewhat of a clearing, nothing nearby. Stanton only needed to brush a finger across the thick bark before he nodded appreciatively. The old man gestured for TJ to approach, and he did so. ¡°Put your hand on it.¡± ¡°The tree?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The old man rebutted. TJ did as he was told, feeling a little silly. Even so, he trusted Stanton, they¡¯d saved each others¡¯ lives multiple times already, what was touching a tree compared to that. ¡°Thank you.¡± The older man muttered. ¡°You¡¯re welcome?¡± ¡°Not you.¡± Stanton rolled his eyes and looked up at the crown of the tree. Before TJ could ask any more questions, he felt something push into him from the place he was touching the trunk. With a quiet hiss of surprise he pulled his hand back. Stanton immediately grabbed TJ¡¯s hand and pressed it back to the trunk. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± TJ, now anticipating it, felt the exchange of¡­ energy, he supposed he¡¯d call it. There was a faint warmth that accompanied an eerie, uncomfortable tickling sensation, as if a crawling vine was climbing up his veins. Despite the strange feeling, TJ embraced the warmth, trusting Stanton. As he allowed the energy to permeate his body, TJ¡¯s aches and pains died down. His nose cracked faintly before stopping its aching, while the two puncture wounds that remained in his stomach and thigh itched unbearably. He fought the need to scratch the itches, groaning for a moment as the itch transitioned to pain before fading. With a faint expectation of what had occurred, TJ lifted his shirt to look at the wound in his stomach. The scab had become a puckered scar, no longer threatening to tear at slight movement. On his back, the wound was mostly healed, a smaller scab remaining, while the one on his thigh had also formed into a thick scar. ¡°That¡¯s all the tree and I can do for now.¡± Stanton interrupted TJ¡¯s self-examination. ¡°I figure you¡¯ll be fine for now. There was something in you, but I think your body was ok with it. Maybe bacteria, maybe something else. I¡¯d say take a couple weeks to figure out how you¡¯re feeling, but you can¡¯t. It might be miserable, but that¡¯s all I can do for now. If, for some reason, it gets worse, let me know and we¡¯ll find something else to work with.¡± ¡°You healed me! That¡¯s more than enough. Thank you!¡± TJ leaned forward and took the older man into a hug. Stanton, surprisingly, didn¡¯t resist more than a quiet grumble. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. Thank the tree. It was willing to give up its own health for you.¡± ¡°It what?¡± ¡°This tree was strong enough, and willing, to give up some of its own life for you. It should recover, but it might not. A proud old coot, like me.¡± ¡°I¡­ have so many questions.¡± A grunt. TJ was getting used to reading the subtle implications in his tones. Or, he was losing his mind. Either way, TJ decided to ask. ¡°You can talk with trees?¡± ¡°Eh. I can understand them, more like. This one was willing and proud when I asked.¡± ¡°And Natural Harmony let you take its ¡®HP¡¯ and give it to me?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Stanton gave no further information. ¡°Dammit old man!¡± TJ couldn¡¯t help himself as he stepped closer to the stubborn man. Stanton held his ground, but TJ didn¡¯t care. He didn¡¯t want to intimidate him, but the hot emotions boiling inside demanded release. ¡°I get you don¡¯t like to talk, but information will save someone¡¯s life. I want to be able to help myself, help you, and if we can, help others. My son is somewhere I can¡¯t find, and all I can do is trust the shitty ¡®god-making¡¯ System to keep him safe and let me see him. However, right now, your ¡®nature¡¯ could be keeping us back from saving someone¡¯s life in the future, and so help me, if you keep standing between me and him I will leave you to be eaten by the pukwudgies! So be a grumpy fuck on your time, not mine!¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Stanton leveled an inscrutable gaze at TJ as the younger man swiped furious tears from his face. ¡°Fair. I can ¡®siphon HP away from natural creatures and organisms into a willing recipient.¡¯ It takes MP for me to do it, and I¡¯m mostly out now. I can¡¯t refill Suzie, and that¡¯ll be my next priority for now. As for why we went on a little walk, I figured that since there wasn¡¯t any rush, I¡¯d look for a healthier tree before I used the Skill on you. No need to kill the trees conscripting them when we can look for volunteers.¡± An unexpected fierceness colored Stanton¡¯s words in the last sentence. He deliberately calmed himself and continued, ¡°Natural Harmony lets me pick up on the emotions of the organisms in the immediate surroundings. I think that¡¯s about it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Stanton grunted, though there was a certain twinkle in his eye as he did. When TJ noticed it, Stanton chuckled, ¡°Let a grumpy old fuck keep his grunts and mumbling. I¡¯ll work with you, but I¡¯ll be a pissy codger as I do. Complaining is the spice of life.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± TJ answered, a wry smile of his own answering Stanton¡¯s and breaking the thickening tension. They walked back to the trail, where they put their backpacks on and resumed their walk towards the highway. The crunching of their shoes (and moccasins) accompanied the swirling winds through the trees. TJ imagined he could hear a voice in the air, a breathy tone, but he knew it was in his imagination and Skill. For once, it was Stanton who broke the silence. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you pissed off. To let loose. Lets me see who you really are.¡± ¡°Cause I cussed you out?¡± ¡°Cause a guy as calm as you in this situation, with some voice in your head and your baby missing, seems like a psychopath. Even if you puked cause you ate someone.¡± TJ fought to keep his gorge down at that last sentence. He opened his mouth to argue but instead took deep breaths through his nose. ¡°You¡¯ve acted like a regular guy who¡¯s just on a longer hike than expected, is all. I believe you have a kid, and he¡¯s obviously not here. But seeing you soldier on like that was weird. Seeing you crack cause of something stupid shows that you¡¯re just dealing well with the pressure.¡± The old man didn¡¯t say sorry or anything like that, and TJ didn¡¯t expect him to. It would have felt disingenuous or hokey if the flinty man had. Even so, the apology was clear, and TJ nodded his thanks. Stanton grunted for good measure, and they returned to walking forward towards their destination. ¡ª--- To their relief, there were no more pukwudgie ambushes for an hour, going off TJ¡¯s HP recovery, as the rough trail transitioned to a packed dirt road, to a gravel road. Stanton worked to refill the revolver, resummoning it every couple of minutes to channel another bullet into the individual chambers in the cylinder. Fifteen minutes after beginning their jog on the gravel road, a small pack of five coyotes lunged out of the brush to attack, but TJ hadn¡¯t needed to activate Divine Transformation to deal with them. Suzie appeared in Stanton¡¯s hand frighteningly quickly, and he squeezed two shots off. One fell while another whimpered and limped. TJ shrugged his backpack off to ensure that Primal Savagery would activate. Then, after taking two steps forward, he punted another in the bottom of its chin. Its jaw and neck cracked unpleasantly as it flopped to the ground in an insensate heap. Only two healthy coyotes remained. Stanton fired one more time, and the wounded coyote dropped, dead. The two remaining canines turned tail and fled. They disappeared into the surrounding brush, making no further sound beyond the stepping of their feet. 3 Coyotes, Level 4-5 slain. Experience gained. Again, TJ could feel that he wasn¡¯t too close to that 7th level of Neophyte. Somehow, this journeying through the forest on foot seemed to be providing some modicum of experience to Savage, though not much. Maybe continued ¡°savage¡± actions would give more experience, but for now, TJ knew he wasn¡¯t going to get a level by journeying to Pine any time soon. He almost wanted a couple more fights to happen, just so he could be sure that he would continue getting stronger, but TJ instead preferred the possibility that he could make it to the town without dying. After that, he could focus on getting levels. Even so, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what level the coyotes that¡¯d fled were. Then, he remembered he was an idiot. Just after he¡¯d gotten the Skill, TJ had Appraised the pukwudgie leader that¡¯d spoken to him. And he hadn¡¯t used the Skill since, except to look at the leather he prepared or the moccasins he¡¯d made. He¡¯d never even used it on Stanton. TJ turned his gaze to the older man, who was channeling his MP into the gun to refill as much as he could. With a thought, he Appraised him. Acolyte, 4 ¡°Is your race level 4?¡± TJ asked. ¡°No.¡± Stanton replied, then seemed to check. ¡°Actually, yeah. Acolyte 6, Druid 3. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°At Human 5, I got a new Skill, Appraisal, and I realized I¡¯d never used it on you. All it tells me is that you¡¯re an Acolyte and level 4. I guessed it was in human, since I know you¡¯re at least level 5 in Acolyte.¡± Stanton, true to form, grunted. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem too useful.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t for now. But I realized I could have used it on the pukwudgies or coyotes or any other number of things, so maybe it could have been useful.¡± ¡°Then use it.¡± TJ didn¡¯t say anything as he did as much, his vision flicking over a dozen things. Ponderosa Pine Tree Bush Rock Sandstone Indian Toilet Paper Pine Needles And so much more. The Appraisals didn¡¯t give TJ any additional information, like it did on his coyote leather and moccasins, though. ¡°Why does it only sometimes give a name?¡± TJ wondered as he touched a rock only labelled ¡°rock¡± next to a ¡°sandstone¡±. ¡°Do the rocks have names?¡± Stanton asked, his face confused. ¡°No, it just calls this one rock, while that one is sandstone.¡± ¡°Does it not know what basalt is?¡± As soon as Stanton asked, the label for the rock shifted to basalt. ¡°It¡¯s based off what I know.¡± TJ said, the information clicking nearly immediately. ¡°What can you tell me about these forests?¡± ¡°Well, that there is sometimes called Indian or Cowboy¡¯s Toilet Paper. Proper name is mullein. Those are brittlebush. Those over there are creosote. That bush there is a jojoba.¡± With each word that was spoken, TJ¡¯s Appraisal shifted to instead display the information he¡¯d been given. When Stanton explained what a Mormon Tea bush was, though there weren¡¯t any nearby, TJ got the distinct impression he¡¯d opened a can of worms he hadn¡¯t wanted to dive into. Even so, the can refused to close, and TJ focused on the twitching bushes as Stanton spoke. Wait, twitching shrubs? Chapter 25 TJ instinctively shifted into a coatl as soon as he noticed the strange shrubs. Stanton had called that particular bush a creosote, TJ just knew them as the bushes that smelled like water. Even so, something was making it move, and TJ tasted the air, desperately hoping to find whatever it was that could pose a danger. He didn¡¯t hesitate to use appraisal on the bush, but all that came back was its name. There was a different taste in the air, though, and TJ couldn¡¯t quite place it. He was far from a pro, or even adept, but he had spent days in these mountains. There was no doubt in his mind that there was something foreign here. When nothing jumped out of the bush, TJ slowly pushed his snout into the creosote, looking and tasting for whatever was the source of this strangeness. As soon as his eyes passed through the outer covering of leaves to see into the center, he saw it. What ¡°it¡± was, he couldn¡¯t say for sure, but that it was a dancing plant was about all he could reasonably guess. The one foot-tall moving plant sported an inch-thick trunk surrounded with large, deep green leaves growing directly from the stem. It bounced back and forth to a rhythm TJ couldn¡¯t hear, though it seemed to keep good time. Appraisal gave a tiny bit of information. Vivacious plant, Copper (I): A plant with some form of Divinity contained within. It could prove useful to various Occupations, provided it is treated and collected correctly. Better than nothing, but not by a lot. A dancing plant would probably be worth something, but the System directly telling him that it was Copper level of value was good news. Stanton interrupted TJ from his disappointed Appraisal as he spread the leaves open to take a look himself. ¡°That¡¯s something you don¡¯t see every day. What¡¯s it called?¡± Stanton asked. ¡°System just says ¡®vivacious plant¡¯. Could be useful, has some Divinity. That¡¯s about all I¡¯m getting.¡± ¡°Mmm. Surprising.¡± Taking the opportunity, TJ grunted in response. ¡°You getting anything from your Occupation?¡± ¡°Why would¨Cwell, there we are. Called a Lifebloom. Not sure what to do with it, but we can get it out and store it. Will be worth the trouble.¡± ¡°You should probably do it.¡± TJ said. ¡°You¡¯ll get experience from working with the forest, I¡¯d guess, so it¡¯ll be better for us in the long run. I¡¯d like to learn the method, though, if you¡¯re willing to share.¡± Stanton nodded in assent as TJ shifted back to his human form. More and more, as he did so, he was feeling the differences between the two bodies. His human sensibilities faded in the heat of battle, and he didn¡¯t taste the blood of his foes when he consumed them. A coatl was a semi-divine serpent, and something that dared to cross the feathered serpent would inevitably be consumed. That mentality was foreign and uncomfortable to him, but it was, nonetheless, how Divine Transformation affected him. When merely investigating a dancing plant called a Lifebloom, TJ felt like himself, and he was grateful that the Skill kept him alive. When he was offered Skills to better enable him to rip intelligent creatures to bits with his mouth, not as much. With a shake of his head, TJ dismissed the fearful consideration of what would happen to him as he continued to use the Skill. Instead, he focused on how Stanton coaxed the Lifebloom to release its hold on the earth below it. He used a stick to poke into the firm soil, the hardened earth cracking under repeated jabs of the stick. Once the earth was broken, Stanton blew firmly on the base of the Lifebloom¡¯s roots. Strangely, it seemed to laugh like it¡¯d been tickled, and its roots withdrew from the earth to wrap around the stick that still stood planted in the earth near it. At that point, Stanton lifted up the stick and unceremoniously flicked the plant free from the stick and into TJ¡¯s arms. It was surprisingly dense, the foot-long stick weighing nearly ten pounds. More interestingly, now freed from the ground, the Lifebloom¡¯s movements died down until it laid immobile in TJ¡¯s hands. It felt uncomfortably like it¡¯d died, and TJ leveled a look at the Druid in hopes that he¡¯d give some additional information. ¡°Put it in my backpack. We¡¯ll take a look once we make camp.¡± ¡°Just anywhere?¡± ¡°Try to keep it whole. Don¡¯t know if it needs to stay undamaged.¡± Sighing, TJ placed the plant as gently as he could inside the backpack before zipping it back up. They resumed walking the road towards where the highway should be, their feet crunching on the gravel path. The forest surrounding them felt more primal than it had before, the carefully cut back bushes already fighting to reclaim the paths that wound through them. Interestingly, when TJ spotted a game trail, there was no sign of encroaching greenery. Was the System trying to destroy all signs of humanity from before the Integration? ¡°Is it weird to you how much the brush seems to have grown in the past few days? It¡¯s denser and almost threatening.¡± Stanton looked once and cocked his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice it consciously. Feels good to me, like the earth is cleansing itself. Might be something to do with the druid stuff.¡± He shook his head ruefully. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll become a treehugger myself.¡± Unconvinced and unsure if plants would begin to pose threats just like everything else around here, TJ asked the System, ¡°Is the forest itself going to attack us?¡± There is no creature within the Copper (I) or Silver (II) tiers of Divinity powerful enough to rule over this entire forest and transform it into their divine nexus of power. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°And can the forest itself become sentient? Or is there a third tier or even higher tiered creature nearby that could force us to fight against the trees and bushes?¡± If there was a hostile Gold (III) tiered creature nearby, you would need to rely on sheer luck to survive. The forest itself is not sufficiently suffused with Divine Will or Divinity to achieve sentience or sapience. There is no need to fear its sudden ascension. His worry acknowledged, TJ continued to keep a close eye on the forest itself, trusting Stanton to notice any approaching creatures. He didn¡¯t really think that the forest itself would do anything to them, at least not yet, but TJ refused to be surprised if it did. Especially since the System had refused to give him any real answer about if there would be something nearby that could use the forest to fight them. After all, nearly invisible goblins that smelled like flowers appeared out of nowhere while long-dead gods from Egypt and the Americas blessed coyotes and rattlesnakes. Was a living, violent forest all that unbelievable? It was a nearly silent journey of over an hour to reach the highway. Of course, no cars whizzed by, and no people greeted their approach. Instead, once they saw the intersection with the paved road, nature¡¯s reclamation efforts were obvious. The few cracks in the asphalt sported foot-tall grass that would have been torn away by passing cars too recently to exist already. Across the road, a large green sign had two arrows, one pointing left and the other right. On top, an arrow pointed right, saying ¡°Fossil Springs, 19¡± while on the bottom the arrow pointed left, its destination ¡°Pine, 7¡±. Stanton didn¡¯t say a word before he whirled and continued his journey. TJ groaned. ¡°Let me take a break. I want some food and a drink.¡± ¡°You¡¯re hungry after eating an entire pukwudgie? Can¡¯t a snake go for weeks without food?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not a snake. If I wanted to, I could only live up to a third of my life as a snake. The Skill makes me return to human and spend twice as long here, so I don¡¯t think eating as a coatl helps me with being hungry as a human. And I don¡¯t want to be a snake.¡± ¡°I guess a break¡¯s fine.¡± Stanton allowed while looking around. ¡°Stick to the center of the highway.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve figured out how to watch for approaching creatures by now.¡± TJ opened his backpack after carefully placing his drying coyote pelt to the side. Appraisal told him it wasn¡¯t yet leather and safe to stow, and his Occupation said as much as well. Reaching in, TJ pulled out a water bottle and a can of mandarin oranges. He sipped from the water before cracking the lid of the oranges and taking a deep pull from the syrup inside. His dry throat gloried in the thick syrup, and TJ cracked a wide smile at the sweetness. After nearly half of the juice inside had disappeared down his throat in greedy gulps, TJ pulled the rest of the tab off the top of the can and pulled a couple sections of orange out. As he chewed on them, Stanton settled onto his haunches with a sigh next to him. TJ proffered the can, and Stanton pulled his knife from his belt before skewering a couple and biting them off the knife¡¯s tip. While sitting, TJ looked at the soles of his moccasins. He¡¯d done his best with them, and had felt proud for making them, but they already were showing signs of wear. The hastily, if still supernaturally guided, footwear sported only crappily prepared hide as a sole, and several tears were forming. TJ could only hope that they would make it all the way to Pine, though knowing how far they had left was reassuring. He stuck his hand into the oranges and pulled another pinch free then into his mouth. ¡°I figure we go at least half the way to town before we take another break.¡± TJ said as he swallowed. ¡°Getting close to noon.¡± Stanton replied, looking up at the sun, prompting TJ to ask the System. ¡°12:10, says the System.¡± TJ replied. ¡°I figure it¡¯s my place to complain about young people these days relying on newfangled technology, right?¡± ¡°Well, you are a crotchety old fogey. It¡¯s a god-given right or something.¡± Instead of actually complaining, though, Stanton sighed and pulled a can of beans from his backpack. After stabbing its top several times and bending it back with his knife, he drank from the coagulated mass of baked legumes. TJ laughed and reached out for a taste of his own while proffering his oranges. They switched cans and took several minutes to eat and drink in silence. ¡°Anyways. Since it¡¯s as late as it is, I figure we try to make it all the way to Pine before we stop. There¡¯s only going to be more and more things getting in our way the longer we take, so we should hurry.¡± Stanton said as he stood from his crouch. He groaned and stretched, joints popping repeatedly as he worked his arms, legs, and waist. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± TJ agreed, standing and finding he wasn¡¯t nearly as stiff as he would have expected. ¡°How¡¯re you holding up? You¡¯re not a young¡¯un like me, so you doing ok?¡± Of course, Stanton grunted. Then, he answered, ¡°I¡¯m better than I have been for a while. These levels and attributes are getting me into better shape than I¡¯ve been in a long time. Still not a whippersnapper like you, but I feel closer to 40 than 70, and that¡¯s good enough for now.¡± ¡°And I never asked, jumping like you did, that didn¡¯t hurt?¡± ¡°Not really. Twisted my ankle just a bit while landing, but I could have walked it off. Took care of it when I was healing myself.¡± TJ nodded and finished gathering everything into his backpack. Then, without any more talking, they set off at a jog down the road. The steady pavement was easier on his feet, though TJ wondered if stepping instead on the yellowed grass that ran alongside the road would be better for his moccasins. Regardless, for a time, all that answered their travels was the steady slapping of feet on the asphalt. It wasn¡¯t long before TJ was forced to recognize where his and Stanton¡¯s attributes differed. The older man certainly had a higher Agility than him, but TJ¡¯s Endurance and Vitality combined to help him to continue running much more easily than the Acolyte. After twenty minutes solid of running, Stanton continued doggedly running, his breaths coming in gasps and wheezes, and TJ couldn¡¯t let it keep going. He raised a hand to Stanton, a previously agreed-to sign to stop. With a couple wobbly steps, Stanton staggered to a stop, too exhausted even to ask why they¡¯d stopped. TJ continued walking slowly, and the older man locked his fingers together behind his head and gasped deep, pained breaths. Neither man felt the need to say why they¡¯d slowed, and TJ continued walking at a deliberate pace for another five, then ten minutes. Even then, Stanton rubbed at his knees and ankles, obviously pained. ¡°Go use one of the trees.¡± TJ suggested while walking towards a particularly large pine tree. ¡°If you¡¯re blistering and uncomfortable, which you absolutely are in those boots, then you need to fix that.¡± Stanton merely nodded before walking and laying his hands on the nearest tree and closing his eyes. Which was why only TJ saw the flashing yellow eyes before they lunged out of a nearby creosote bush and towards them. Chapter 26 TJ was too slow to use Divine Transformation as the mountain lion threw itself out of cover and on top of Stanton. Its roar seemed to stun TJ more than mere organic fear would have, and when he realized he couldn¡¯t move, he noted the flashing System notification. Warning: You are suffering from a minor Stun affliction. You will not be able to move for 1 second, and your Agility will be reduced by 50% for the next 10 seconds. While TJ was still stunned, he could do nothing but watch as Stanton¡¯s blood was spilled. The old man groaned through gritted teeth as the long claws savaged him. Larger than any cougar he¡¯d ever seen in a zoo, this mountain¡¯s top predator stood at least four feet tall at the shoulder and twice as long. Its brown fur was thick and long for the winter, but it was increasingly more and more stained red with Stanton¡¯s blood. TJ, unable to move, Appraised the mountain lion. Mountain lion, 4 The only reassurance he got was that the massive predator hadn¡¯t yet reached the fifth level and whatever nightmarish boon it would receive at that level. The second passed so quickly, but even so, Stanton¡¯s body was a mess of ribboned flesh and dripping blood by the time TJ could move. Without care for his backpack, he immediately activated Divine Transformation and lunged at the brutal creature. The feline predator whipped around faster than TJ expected, its jaws seeking the base of his skull. Fangs stretched out in slow motion, and TJ knew he¡¯d die if it caught him. Wind Manipulation came unbidden to his mind, and TJ pressed himself to the ground, below the beast¡¯s counterattack. Asphalt scraped at his scales, but he didn¡¯t care. The big cat¡¯s fangs clashed loudly overhead, and TJ resumed his own assault. His coils lashed out, reaching for any part of the beast¡¯s body. The mountain lion leapt upwards, escaping his second attack. Again, Wind Manipulation changed the course of the battle as TJ instinctively sucked a huge breath in and pulled the escaping feline towards him. His fangs sank into flesh just above its front right paw. Blood burst into his mouth as TJ¡¯s body followed his head. His coils wrapped frantically around any part he could reach, but while the predator had been surprised when he¡¯d forced it into his reach, it still fought for its freedom. Claws flashed and cut into his flesh. His scales, scaled with his Toughness, kept the attack from sinking much deeper than a quarter of an inch, but his blood spilled freely to the tarmac. Again and again the cougar swiped at him, while TJ kept holding onto the beast with dogged determination. He felt his body slam against the ground as he wrenched his neck back and forth. At last, TJ was rewarded with the sound of cracking bone and yowls of pain. Though stronger than a pukwudgie¡¯s, the cougar¡¯s wrist still snapped under a coatl¡¯s attack. As the beast limped and attempted to escape, TJ thrashed again and again while channeling his Wind Manipulation into a long, thin line crosswise above the creature. The winds howled and whistled, and while the cougar couldn¡¯t know exactly what was coming, it desperately attempted to escape. In response, TJ wrapped his coils around its back legs. It hopped, screeched, and fought to dodge his attack. A mere three seconds later, though, TJ willed the blade of wind to slice into the cougar¡¯s spine. With his concentration on the Skill, TJ felt as much as he saw the wind¡¯s dirty work. Blood flew wildly all around, coating TJ¡¯s face more than it already was. Vertebrae screamed in harmony with the wind and the cougar alike, and it too quickly gave way. The wind was mostly spent, but with its spinal cord severed, the mountain lion couldn¡¯t be a threat any longer. Even so, it had yet to die. TJ shifted back to his human form as he released hold on the cougar¡¯s front paw. It lay whimpering before him, and TJ¡¯s stomach turned as he looked at the cute catlike face screwed up in agony. Even so, it had assaulted them, and he knew it was necessary. ¡°Turn¡­ it¡­¡± Stanton gasped, ¡°this¡­ way.¡± Without questioning it, TJ grasped the scruff of the big cat¡¯s neck and hauled it around so that its head was near Stanton. Now that he wasn¡¯t fighting for their lives any longer, TJ actually looked at the heavily injured man. Both of his forearms were sliced to ribbons of flayed skin, blood flowing freely and covering his seemingly frail body. His face sported a couple of relatively minor scratches, but the cougar¡¯s hind feet had found purchase on the old man¡¯s stomach. Two parallel lines of four ugly furrows were cut into Stanton¡¯s abdomen, the shirt so wet with blood so thick that it nearly looked black. The old man had Suzie in his hand, and he leveled it at the cougar¡¯s head. TJ stepped back, and the gun coughed only once before the death notification appeared. Mountain Lion, 4, slain. Experience gained. No level. Even so, TJ glanced at his HP, MP, and Stamina, and was surprised to see that only his MP was showing any danger of running out at 118/230. His Wind Manipulation was a wonderful boon, but it was far from a flawless Skill, given how quickly it chewed through his MP. More importantly, though, Stanton also didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d gained a level. The old man gasped wetly. No blood stained his mouth, and TJ hoped his lungs hadn¡¯t been punctured, but he couldn¡¯t say. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Start your Skill!¡± TJ commanded as he stepped closer and kept a sharp eye out on the surrounding forest. Any sound could be another attacker, and every second that they needed for Stanton to heal himself could prove deadly. Stanton didn¡¯t feel the need to verbally answer as he drew life from the tree he leaned against. His breathing grew more steady while the tree visibly wilted. Pine needles fell in droves and TJ kept his eyes peeled on any shadow or flicker of movement. Making sure he could see, hear, or smell anything nearby, he shifted back into his coatl form and flicked his tongue madly. Nothing else seemed to be nearby, but the thick scent of blood from both the puma''s corpse and Stanton¡¯s many wounds covered most anything he could smell anyways. About two minutes later, Stanton groaned. TJ didn¡¯t take his eyes from their surroundings as Stanton forced himself to his feet. When TJ glanced at him, he couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°You¡¯re not ready to be moving.¡± ¡°Out of MP. Can¡¯t heal any more. My head¡¯s killing me.¡± Stanton grunted each sentence. ¡°Alright. Get out into the center of the highway, and we¡¯ll see what we can do.¡± Once the older man had stumbled to the center line in the highway, TJ shifted back to his human form and gathered both packs in his hands to carry there. Stanton groaned and settled into an uncomfortable sitting position, his hands wrapped around his stomach. His arms¡¯ skin still hung loosely around the partially scabbed over wounds, but they no longer bled quite so profusely. The cuts on his face had faded to angry pink scars, and TJ felt a surge of hope. Surely Stanton¡¯s stomach weren¡¯t quite so bad. The weeping wounds begged to differ. Where the claws had cut through flesh and organ here was far more serious than the flayed skin on his arms. The healing seemed to have prioritized the different spots strangely, because TJ couldn¡¯t see any intestines or other organs inside Stanton, but he still had the wide cuts. On his face, there were no wounds at all, and though his arms looked agonizing, they¡¯d progressed well on the path towards recovery. It was almost as if each wound was given the same amount of energy and then healed as best as it could. If that was the case, his battlefield healing, already so unwieldy with its reliance upon the strength of the surrounding nature, would be hindered even more. ¡°How long before you can heal yourself again?¡± ¡°Dunno.¡± Stanton grunted. ¡°Fine. What¡¯s your Intelligence? You¡¯ll get that back every hour, and we can see if that¡¯ll be enough to heal you up over time.¡± ¡°25.¡± ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll carry you along for a while after we get you bandaged.¡± TJ stated. It was a testament to exactly how injured Stanton was that he didn¡¯t complain at all at the possible indignity of being carried around like an invalid. When TJ pulled the bandages from his pack and finally pulled the shredded remains of Stanton¡¯s shirt from his wounds, he saw firsthand how badly he¡¯d been savaged by the creature. He had to fight to keep himself from puking out the mandarin oranges and beans that sat heavily in his stomach as he pressed several thick squares of gauze over Stanton¡¯s wounds. Then, keeping a worried eye out on their surroundings, TJ wrapped the wounds as tightly as he dared. Around and around went his hands, and though Stanton continued to breath deep and with obvious pain, he didn¡¯t complain. Several minutes later, Stanton was as cared for as TJ could manage, and he finally realized that he¡¯d need to figure out how he would carry their provisions and the frail man at the same time. Both backpacks were large and unwieldy, made to carry everything a person could need, and as such were packed full of necessary equipment and food. That said, their destination was mere miles away, so would it be worth it to ditch one of the packs for now? TJ quickly decided that for now he would try to carry everything. He cinched the packs together as best as he could, the webbing designed to carry external supplies wrenched out of place and twisted together to tie Stanton¡¯s slightly lighter pack to stick out behind TJ¡¯s. Then, the hundred pounds of supplies precariously perched on TJ¡¯s shoulders, he proffered both arms to Stanton. Though the old man made a face, he didn¡¯t complain too much before getting into TJ¡¯s arms in a sort of a baby/bridal carry. Loaded up with way more than he¡¯d ever thought possible, TJ¡¯s legs shook beneath him. Even so, he stepped forward, trying his best to retain control of everything in his arms. After all, it wouldn¡¯t be too long before he could take a break, right? Step after thudding step seemed to crash into the ground below as TJ walked down the slope towards Pine. Before he¡¯d left, a part of him had lamented leaving behind the cougar¡¯s corpse and leather, but with each painful stride, he was grateful for what little restraint he¡¯d shown. Even so, he suffered with each movement, though not nearly as much as Stanton did. Finally, with a gasp and an attempt to lighten the mood, TJ asked, ¡°What do you know of The Morrigan? The Pukwudgies called you that.¡± ¡°I already told you. Not much. My grandpa was Irish, probably comes from him.¡± Stanton¡¯s own breaths came in gasps and starts of pain. ¡°Have you asked the System? It won¡¯t tell me much about other people¡¯s Bloodlines, but I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Then be curious.¡± Stanton replied flatly, his tone so grumpy it was nearly pissed off. ¡°This is information you don¡¯t need. If someone else wants to share, they will.¡± TJ nodded his head, helplessly pursing his lips in acceptance as another step slapped against the asphalt underfoot. It was true, he supposed. He didn¡¯t need to know the details of a different goddess, since what he needed to do right now was to survive. And walk. And walk. His ambitious plan had been to take a break only after thirty minutes of solid jogging. Then, it¡¯d become a hope to walk for twenty minutes. After fifteen minutes of slogging along at a painful trudge, TJ¡¯s body demanded rest. He stumbled over towards the nearest tree, keeping his eyes peeled for any new ambushing bullshit, and, as best as he could, gently placed Stanton beside a tree where he could work his magic. This¡­ was going to suck. Chapter 27 With a wordless groan of pain and despair, TJ dropped Stanton to the ground beside the latest tree to be sacrificed. He knew that the tree wouldn¡¯t actually die or anything from Stanton¡¯s magic, but TJ did feel a slight compassion for another living being that gave up comfort and a part of their health for Stanton¡¯s continued survival. Despite any feelings of commiseration or understanding though, TJ lacked the energy to take another step forward to another plant. This was the fifth stop they¡¯d made since the mountain lion¡¯s attack. The first time, TJ had made it a full fifteen minutes before taking a nearly ten minute break. He¡¯d had enough energy at that time to wonder where any cars would be. This particular stretch of highway didn¡¯t have a ton of people on it, but there would have been someone here, in this stretch of road, in the space they¡¯d traveled already. No such vehicles appeared, though, and as he resumed his journey, he was too exhausted to wonder any longer. They¡¯d both only gotten more and more exhausted as he¡¯d continued his painful trek. Stanton was recovering markedly, and his stomach stopped leaking blood all over after the second stop, though the movement pained him and split his scabbing wounds. TJ had only managed a bit over ten minutes of walking the second leg, and Stanton¡¯s MP had only recovered by five in the time between. It was hardly enough to heal himself a large amount, but he was convinced that the newest Druid level was very close. With that hope driving him, TJ didn¡¯t hesitate for too long before resuming their journey. Again and again, he walked until his shuddering legs proved to be too much for him to continue. Each time he stumbled to a new tree, Stanton would exhaust himself to force healing into his body, but the results grew less and less impressive with each stop. With less MP to work with, there was much less that he could do, but now, on the fifth stop, Stanton groaned but stood tall. His shirt remained stained with his blood, and TJ could see the puckered scars that patterned the old man¡¯s stomach under the ribbons of torn shirt and jacket. That he hadn¡¯t bled to death on the highway in the middle of nowhere was a miracle, and now the old man, though not healthy or whole by any stretch of imagination, was on his feet. TJ dropped the backpacks to the pavement of the highway and gestured for Stanton to get whatever he wanted out of them as the exhausted younger man stood as tall as he could while holding both his hands behind his head and breathing deeply. Stanton stumbled over to the backpacks, where he pulled a water bottle from his pack and drank deeply from it before ripping a can of corn out of as well, stabbing it open with three swipes of his knife, and drinking the corn kernels that spilled out. He acted like a starving savage, his entire focus on devouring as much corn as fast as possible. The water it had been suspended in dribbled out of the corner of his mouth and through his stubble to soak his collar. Stanton didn¡¯t seem to care. He merely continued devouring the food as TJ walked forward to stand nearby. Too tired to stay on his feet, he activated Divine Transformation and laid down while keeping his eyes and nose peeled for anything¡¯s approach. Maybe a minute later, Stanton finished his ¡°meal¡± and looked at TJ, who laid coiled in the middle of the road while his eyes felt heavier and heavier. ¡°You done?¡± TJ asked. ¡°For now.¡± Stanton replied. ¡°I¡¯m hungrier than a bear in the spring, but I better move before I eat anything else.¡± ¡°Fine by me. Can you carry your pack or should I take it for now?¡± ¡°Better you, for now. Maybe in an hour or so I can heal myself enough to carry my own gear. Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better that you¡¯re still alive. Taking another backpack is nothing compared to carrying you the next four miles.¡± ¡°Probably closer to five.¡± ¡°... Shit.¡± TJ quietly cursed as he shifted back to his human form. Before grabbing their gear, he idly massaged his feet for a minute while looking around. There hadn¡¯t been any pukwudgies, coyotes, snakes, or even lizards in the past nearly two hours, and he was feeling antsy. Even so, nothing appeared, and TJ strapped his pack on and adjusted Stanton¡¯s to sit on his stomach instead of his back. Then, with his feet aching but not injured, thanks to his massive Vitality, Endurance, and Toughness attributes, TJ resumed walking onward. With Stanton walking, they couldn¡¯t go as fast as TJ had managed when carrying everything and everyone, but they made much more consistent progress as they continued walking for half an hour. Every five minutes or so, TJ had turned to ask if Stanton wanted to stop, but after the second question, Stanton had shot him a death glare so potent that TJ¡¯d stopped asking any questions entirely. At the thirty minute mark, though, Stanton¡¯s face had gone pale and, with sweat pouring down his face, he¡¯d requested a stop. TJ activated Divine Transformation as he went first to the nearest tree, scoping out any potential threats, but seeing nothing. There was no scent or indication of any potentially threatening creature being nearby, so TJ gestured for Stanton to approach. Now cleared to approach, the old man didn¡¯t hesitate to lean against the tree and begin to take some of its vitality for his own. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. TJ kept an eye on the surroundings and the other on Stanton. Though he was a stubborn, tough old man who had magic on his side, he wasn¡¯t recovering as quickly as TJ had expected. For the first time in hours, his mind was clear enough to think to ask the System a question. In a hushed whisper, he did as much. ¡°It¡¯s been this long, about 2 hours, and Stanton hasn¡¯t recovered as much as I¡¯d expect. Why?¡± The System will not provide specific information regarding another Participant¡¯s physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, divine, or other wellbeing. If you have any questions for another Participant, you must ask them or acquire a Skill that would allow you to access that information in some other way. He fought not to roll his eyes. ¡°What kinds of conditions or afflictions are there that might impede the natural recovery of a Participant? Does HP recovery change if someone¡¯s currently hurt?¡± Common Afflictions such as Crippled, Maimed, Septic, Cursed, Poisoned, and Blighted, as well as more uncommon Afflictions and most Afflictions causing constant HP drain serve to slow or even cease entirely the natural HP recovery offered by the Vitality attribute. Certain severe injuries will also cause an individual to suffer from any number of multiple common Afflictions. TJ felt a surge of gratitude that he¡¯d never even feared getting any of those more exotic sounding Afflictions, much less suffered from them. Also, a part of him mentally thanked Stanton for the idea that his wounds might go septic, since that was a common enough occurrence for it to merit its own ¡°common Affliction¡± title. ¡°What Afflictions do you have right now? You¡¯re not healing as fast as I feel like you should.¡± Stanton stayed silent for a time, but TJ didn¡¯t ask again. If the injured old goat needed some silence to continue healing himself, TJ wouldn¡¯t continue interrupting it. Two or so minutes later, Stanton finally replied as he easily rose to his feet. ¡°Called it ¡®maiming¡¯, localized to the intestines. You don¡¯t want to know exactly what it did, but it kept me from healing anywhere near as much as I should.¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking great now, though. You finally level up in Druid?¡± A grunt. ¡°We should be able to make it pretty fast now.¡± ¡°Sure hope so.¡± TJ replied as he gratefully kicked Stanton¡¯s backpack over to the now healthy older man. ¡°Now listen here.¡± Stanton protested, his eyes ablaze. ¡°I packed that special, and there¡¯s good stuff in there. If you break it because you¡¯re being lazy, you won¡¯t need to worry about any damned goblins or ghouls or whatever else. I¡¯ll kill you first!¡± The angry rant continued, but TJ didn¡¯t pay it any mind. Instead, he stepped forward and settled his own pack more comfortably around his back while looking for any movement in the forest. After all, it¡¯d been long enough without seeing anything that it was almost worse that there wasn¡¯t anything ambushing them right now. That would at least reduce the tension. Disregarding whatever he wanted, though, only the rustling trees and the grumpy man¡¯s grumbles answered his nervous observations of the world surrounding them. Stanton didn¡¯t take long to prepare himself and set off at a quick walk towards their destination. As they continued to walk down the mountainous highway and around one of the dozens of bends in the road, Stanton perked up and pointed. ¡°That there is Pine.¡± Looking over the precipitous drop at the edge of the road, TJ saw the town. Several thousand homes, at most, with the single ¡°main¡± road crossing through being the highway itself. No stoplights in sight, and TJ imagined there wouldn¡¯t be one either. ¡°Straight shot there through the forest.¡± Stanton mused. ¡°Probably cut half a mile off our journey to go through the trees instead of on the road.¡± ¡°And you¡¯d get stabbed again.¡± TJ gaped at the foolish man. ¡°Are you stupid or something? We can see them coming on the road, and we¡¯ve still got an hour and a half before sunset begins to be a problem.¡± Stanton chuckled. ¡°It was a test, I guess. Just seeing if you were gonna rush.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯d be stupid. You do have enough MP to refill Suzie at this point, but that¡¯ll probably be all we¡¯ve got until we get to town. In the trees, you¡¯ll be more a liability than you are on the road with wide open shots.¡± ¡°I get it. Drop it.¡± TJ shook his head and continued walking onward. Even at this brisk walk to preserve Stanton¡¯s feet, they¡¯d make the couple of miles left in an hour at most, getting into town just before the beginning of sunset. Nothing to do but to continue their path. With their goal in sight, TJ couldn¡¯t help but feel a pit in his stomach begin to form with each step. Surely they couldn¡¯t reach their goal without any additional roadblocks. TJ wasn¡¯t sure if it was worse if he thought that nothing would happen or something terrible would. On the one hand, the universe seemed to enjoy kicking people in the balls when they thought that everything was going to be alright. On the other, it also seemed to love making your worst fears come true. Like your wife dying and leaving you a single father in a job you hate. For example. With a force of effort, TJ wrenched these thoughts from his mind and instead thought about and observed what was around them. The wind wasn¡¯t as loud, though TJ felt that it was still excited to have someone to talk to. How he thought that he could understand the intent of the wind was beyond him, but he could turn into a snake, maybe he could understand the damned wind. And just when he felt like he could understand the wind, it whispered to him that there was something in front of them. Something bad. TJ stretched out his awareness, trying to understand whatever it was that it was saying to him, but he couldn¡¯t place it. He looked out, and saw nothing. Nothing but the faint shimmers of pukwudgies. Dozens of them. With coyotes. And more coming from their flanks in the forest. Chapter 28 [Laura POV] The sun set, and Laura wanted to collapse into bed. Every day of this was probably the worst day of her life. People expected her to know things, and all she knew was that whatever had created all this was the worst. ¡°Penelope. Please stay in your house.¡± Laura commanded as she walked past the firehouse that¡¯d become a makeshift nursing home. ¡°You can¡¯t see well in the dark, and it¡¯s almost night.¡± ¡°But you still need dinner, honey!¡± Insisted the kindly old woman. ¡°I know you haven¡¯t eaten much, and I made sure to set some of the eggs aside for you. You¡¯ll get too skinny if you just pace and work all day!¡± Laura sighed and rubbed her forehead before nodding and walking into the open garage of the firehouse. The engine had refused to start, and it¡¯d taken five men working together to push the worthless lump of metal out of the garage and into the road. That anyone at all had been able to move it was a blessing, and Laura thanked her lucky stars that they¡¯d been able to get the additional enclosed space by moving it. Jeff and Ricky insisted they could get the thing running again, and Laura let them fiddle away at the unresponsive beast. The fires were roaring and the space, set up with a half dozen folding tables from the church down the road, was functional, if not cozy. Laura nodded to a half dozen people that greeted her as she walked in, and with their enthusiastic greetings and barely retained questions, she regretted her first words upon arrival more than ever. ¡°My name is Laura McDougal, and I¡¯m the current mayor of Kingman. Let¡¯s work together and see if we can¡¯t get out of this alive.¡± She¡¯d been one of the unluckier current residents of Pine, as she¡¯d been teleported nearly half a mile away from the town center. The most unfortunate had had to hike all the way from the furthest edge of the girls¡¯ camp, braving assaults from all sorts of mythical beasts each step of the way. At this point, they were fairly certain there wouldn¡¯t be anyone else turning up, but the hunting parties they sent out continued to search for any signs of survivors they could help. Since her initial declaration, Laura had become the de facto leader of the 177 people currently living in Pine. Nobody else was willing to grease the wheels and pander to the stubborn the way that she¡¯d learned how in her nearly two dozen years as a public servant. Now, instead of schmoozing boards and maneuvering with the governor for funding, Laura listened to the dozen elderly folks complain about the cold and talked down the raging bloodlust of the two dozen teenagers. The young twenty somethings weren¡¯t much better, either. Talks of gamifying the damned apocalypse were common at their tables, but they were also their highest-leveled individuals and their protectors, so Laura didn¡¯t really mind the way their minds worked. In contrast, that she didn¡¯t need to leave the relative safety of the center of town to level her Occupation and Class was a blessing, since Laura still felt faint at the sight of blood. She¡¯d hoped that her Disciple Class and its Skill Cure Wounds would purge her of her hemophobia. It had not, and she¡¯d vomited the first time she¡¯d had to deal with an open wound. Her Skill didn¡¯t require her to look at the wounds now, so she struggled much less with healing. ¡°Here you are, sweetie. Thank you for taking stock of all our food, since we¡¯ll need to make sure we all stay eating!¡± Penelope hobbled over with a steaming plate of eggs balanced on her walker¡¯s seat. A side of three strips of bacon accompanied the scrambled eggs, and though Laura had made a New Year¡¯s resolution to go vegetarian this year, she found that starvation and no centralized heating, among other things, served to disabuse her of that mindset very quickly. Sitting on the cold metal folding chair, Laura shivered but devoured the meal set before her. With so many hungry people here, they would eat through the entirety of the general store¡¯s stores before the System¡¯s mandated two weeks were up. And, who was to say that they would be able to go anywhere else afterwards! Pine had no arable land, and even if it did, there were several months before they could hope to plant anything with the intent to harvest. Unless there was some Farmer Occupation. Laura¡¯s mind never stopped, and she continued to wonder at different possibilities throughout her meal, short though it was. ¡°Thank you, Penelope. I need to ensure I eat my fill. My mind doesn¡¯t work quite the way I¡¯d like when I¡¯m too tired.¡± ¡°And we don¡¯t want you to be a bicycle, we need our mayor!¡± The petite lady cackled with glee at her apparent joke. Laura blinked twice, trying to understand whatever the sweet, if overeager, older lady was trying to say. After a beat, it clicked. ¡°Too tired. Two tires. Got it.¡± ¡°Oh, my Fred made that joke all the time.¡± Laura nodded politely, unsure of how to answer, but Penelope continued, taking away from her the need to respond. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be seeing him soon enough. All this fighting stuff isn¡¯t for me. To God¡¯s embrace I go. One of these days, at least.¡±Stolen novel; please report. Penelope¡¯s infectious hope and positivity was overwhelming, though Laura wondered what heaven there could be, given that the apparently omnipotent System declared that God had died. Or, at least abdicated the Throne that gave divine power. Those thoughts, though, weren¡¯t worth much. Instead, Laura finished her meal, scaping her fork on the paper plate to pick up every last bit of the food from the corners. Then, she stood and went to take her plate back to the kitchen. Penelope, as always, interposed herself and insisted that Laura allow the elderly woman to do what she could to help. ¡°Have you seen Zig?¡± Laura asked as she accompanied Penelope towards the kitchen. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from the hunters for today.¡± ¡°I think she was getting some rest.¡± Penelope answered as she deposited the dirty dishes in their correct locations. There wasn¡¯t enough water to wash any dishes or utensils, but they tried to keep everything as clean as they could. Thus, paper plates. They¡¯d gone through the disposable utensils much more quickly, and had taken to cleaning the utensils as best as they could between meals. ¡°Ok. Are she and her people still in that ¡®hunters¡¯ lodge¡¯?¡± ¡°Nobody told me otherwise. Then, they don¡¯t tell me much.¡± Penelope giggled as she reached up and patted Laura¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Have a good night. Make sure to get some rest.¡± ¡°Of course. See you in the morning.¡± Laura bid the older woman good night before finding a couple people to escort her the hundred yards or so to the ¡°hunters¡¯ lodge¡±. The chill air blew through her business clothes, but appearances were important, and Laura remained in her work best as they made the trek. Nobody had ever seen any enemies in the bounds of the town, but that didn¡¯t mean that anyone was willing to take the chance. If tonight was the night that the little goblin things appeared, Laura refused to be caught out in the open all alone. Thus, a little convoy of five people made their way to the little antique store with an adjoined home. Laura had thought that they should leave people¡¯s homes as untouched as possible, but, again, the hunters were a valuable part of the community, and people who weren¡¯t here didn¡¯t matter as much as those who were. Zig and her people had dragged whatever antique furniture and wood carved accouterments struck their fancy into the home. When they opened the door, Zig and Charlie were draped over each other on a Victorian style loveseat, huddled under a thick quilt. It wouldn¡¯t have been the first time for Laura to have stumbled in on two (or more) of the hunters indulging in the pleasures of sex, but this time, it was a mere companionable cuddle. Or post coitus. Frankly, Laura didn¡¯t care. She¡¯d been young and hormonal once, and it was the end of the world, who¡¯d care if they wanted to bang all over the house. The twenty-something with bright red hair turned and drew an ethereal bow with supernatural speed, her breasts exposed. Laura cursed her mind as she mentally filed away the hunters¡¯ state as ¡°post-sex¡±. The animal side of her brain flinched and nearly screamed in fear, but Zig quickly realized who was at the door and let her bow disappear into glowing motes of light. Then, she seemed to understand why they were there and hung her head as she looked for a shirt to pull on. ¡°Shit, Laura. My bad. We¡­ we should have come see you. Nothing worth eating today, again. And¡­ we lost Hannah.¡± That explained why they¡¯d gotten distracted. Soldiers these kids weren¡¯t, and Hannah wasn¡¯t the first of the hunters to have died in the past days. Charlie stood and shrugged on his own shirt, one stained with blood, dirt, and who knew what else. Laura fought to keep her gorge from rising. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. How¡¯s Seth doing?¡± ¡°Bad.¡± Charlie responded. ¡°He¡¯d promised to protect her this morning. Then¡­ a pukwudgie got her in the eye with a spear. It was too quick to do anything.¡± Laura sighed, again cursing her mind for calculating the slight excess in rations that the 19 year old¡¯s death provided. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Have you all eaten?¡± Zig swiped the tears from her eyes as she nodded. ¡°Yeah. We had food here. Had a little wake for her.¡± Her breath caught in a strangled sob as she continued, ¡°Haven¡¯t even known her long enough to tell all the good stories.¡± Their situation resettled over Laura. Nobody in this whole town knew another before they¡¯d appeared here. Some came from as far as eastern California or western New Mexico, but nobody¡¯d had time to truly get to know anyone else. ¡°Do you want to talk about your day any more than that? Any news for the rest of us?¡± They glanced at each other and Charlie shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s more and more of them out there by the day,¡± Zig answered, ¡°doesn¡¯t seem like us killing them does a whole lot. The System says that it will, long term, though. That¡¯s all we can really trust for now. We got one Tracker Occupation, that was Nat. System told her it was because of how she was following the tracks, but the rest of us are doing the same, so who knows. We found some elk tracks, but too late in the day to follow out. It was on our way back that we were ambushed. Seth figures it''s his fault, cause his Perception is the highest. Freak accident is all, though.¡± ¡°Again, I¡¯m sorry. If there¡¯s something we can do to help, let us know. We realize that you¡¯re all the most valuable asset we have at this time, and want to ensure that you feel our support and appreciation at every step. Let us know if there¡¯s anything else we can do.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep you posted.¡± Zig answered. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, it¡¯ll be safer for you to travel before the sun¡¯s all the way down. We still don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll gank us sometime.¡± ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll see you in the morning, make sure you get your ration allowance for the day.¡± Laura bid the grieving kids in the house as she let herself out of the house. Jeff, who¡¯d tagged along, rubbed the back of his head as they walked out of the fenced front yard. ¡°Feels pretty shitty that we¡¯re letting a bunch of kids fight for us while we stay safe in town. I don¡¯t think I can convince myself to keep working on this truck when a kid just outta high school just died for me today.¡± Laura fought to figure out what to say in response to that. How could they possibly keep morale up like this? Which was, of course, the moment that the pagan snake god decided to appear with a suffering, heavily bleeding man in its mouth. Chapter 29 As TJ slither sprinted into the bounds of Pine while carrying Stanton¡¯s mostly limp body in his jaws, he Appraised every person that came into view. Zealot, 2 Zealot, 1 Acolyte, 2 Acolyte, 2 Zealot, 3 Disciple, 5 His decision made, he rushed towards the Disciple and tried to demand that she heal Stanton but couldn¡¯t really speak with the bulk of the limp torso within his mouth. The Disciple, a maybe mid-30¡¯s woman wearing a dirty tan pantsuit and practical flats, blanched, screamed, and fell flat on her ass as TJ approached. The other five looked panicked at each other before the level 2 Acolytes summoned their bows and tried to pull it back to shoot at TJ. He only then realized how it looked¨Ca twenty or so foot long snake rushed into the town faster than Usain Bolt could sprint while carrying what appeared to be a human¡¯s dead body in its jaws. Only barely with the last dregs of his MP only recently recovered did he manage to call Wind Manipulation fast enough to deflect the arrow that would have struck Stanton ¡°No!¡± TJ shouted as he dropped his Divine Transformation. Fortunately, Stanton remained in his arms as he pleaded without walking any closer. ¡°I¡¯m not hurting him! We were ambushed and he was injured so I transformed to carry him here to try to get him healed. Please! I think he¡¯s still alive. I¡¯m sure you can heal him, right?¡± He gestured at the Disciple, desperation coloring every word. TJ¡¯s nearly unintelligible babble confused them enough that the Acolytes didn¡¯t shoot again. A win, in his book. ¡°Please. He¡¯s dying. He needs to be healed. I¡¯ll pay or whatever you need, just help.¡± The man¡¯s voice cracked as he begged and tears burned at the corners of his eyes. Only barely could TJ hear Stanton¡¯s rasping breaths while his blood dripped to the asphalt underfoot. The Disciple hesitated but stepped forward. The three Zealots stepped in front of her, and two of them were suddenly carrying thick iridescent tower shields while the third was decked out in full chain mail and glared at the two interlopers half threateningly and half in terror. The near darkness from the setting sun obscured all their faces, but TJ didn¡¯t care about what they looked like. ¡°No, Laura.¡± The level 3 Zealot said while glancing around his shield at TJ and the slowly bleeding body of Stanton. ¡°We can¡¯t risk you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re both humans.¡± The woman¡¯s voice replied from behind the wall of shields. She peeked through the narrow gap, her hazel eyes evaluating. ¡°The snake one is a level 6 Neophyte, and the hurt one is a level 5 Acolyte.¡± With that, she pushed through the shields, gasped, and averted her eyes before she laid a hand on Stanton. A golden, somehow holy light flowed from her hand into his chest, and after a moment of fear, TJ felt the dying man¡¯s breaths strengthen. After nearly a full minute of channeling her Skill, the Disciple stepped back. She was slightly unsteady on her feet, but she nodded as she spoke. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. Needs food and rest, but he¡¯ll pull through.¡± TJ didn¡¯t look at her, instead watching Stanton¡¯s face as his complexion improved and his breathing shifted from a labored fight to a more comfortable sigh. Before TJ could look up at Stanton¡¯s savior, the old man groaned and opened his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t let me do that again.¡± Stanton complained. ¡°Get ambushed?¡± TJ replied as he set the man down on his feet. He swiped at his eyes as he continued, ¡°Yeah, not a fan.¡± Stanton was about to reply when he finally noticed the strangers surrounding them. He stood stiff and tall, his hand obviously itching to summon Suzie. Before he said anything, TJ began speaking again. ¡°These are the people in Pine. That lady there saved your life. I¡¯m sorry, what¡¯s your name? I¡¯m TJ, and this is Stanton.¡± The Disciple nodded and stuck out a hand. ¡°Laura McDougal. Glad you made it here safe. Is there anyone you were forced to leave behind?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just been us for the last couple days. You¡¯re the first people we¡¯ve seen.¡± TJ said. Stanton merely grunted in agreement. ¡°C¡¯mon you goat. At least tell her thank you.¡± ¡°I would have in its time. But thank you, missy. You saved my life. I appreciate it.¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯re happy to help everyone. I¡¯m surprised that a man of your age made it this far.¡± Stanton¡¯s face dropped, but Laura blazed on with stoic perseverance, ¡°Most of the senior citizens in the city have needed to be taken care of at every step, so it¡¯s great to see someone who can stand on their own.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only barely a senior. Don¡¯t treat me like the rest just because I¡¯m almost a fogey.¡± ¡°I apologize, Stanton. I was wrong. I merely wished to express my admiration for your grit and strength. Do you two need somewhere to sleep tonight? I don¡¯t know if you realize this, but long term, you¡¯ll probably want to be in town.¡± She spoke with an easy authority, though one of the Zealots, the level 3 who¡¯d been vocal about keeping her back, didn¡¯t like the instant invitation she¡¯d given.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°The Tutorial wants us here, yeah.¡± TJ interjected. ¡°And we lost our packs getting out of that ambush, so if we could get somewhere to sleep, that¡¯d be great.¡± ¡°Glad to hear you know as much. If you need to rest immediately, don¡¯t hesitate, but we would appreciate a warning about whatever it was that reduced you two to that state if you can give it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sleep.¡± Stanton answered before TJ could. ¡°I wasn¡¯t conscious for all of it. He can tell the story better.¡± Then, without any further ado or words, Stanton stumped over to the nearest dark house. He stalked through the front door, slammed it closed, and, before long, the flickering lights of a fire peeked through the window facing the road. ¡°He¡¯s like my Grandpa that way.¡± TJ mused aloud. ¡°Just feels like it¡¯s gotta be his way, but he¡¯s trying to help everyone else out while he¡¯s at it.¡± ¡°My dad was the same way.¡± Laura agreed. ¡°Many good people are like them. Set in their ways. Now, would you join me in the hunters¡¯ lodge over here as you tell your story? The people there will welcome whatever you have to tell them.¡± TJ nodded for her to lead the way, and it was only a dozen steps to reach the door to the antique shop that apparently was the lounge. All around outside were massive wood carvings, of bears and thick men and a dozen other things, though there were some conspicuous vacancies where something had been taken away. As he looked around, Laura leaned forward to knock on the door, but before she could, a young woman¡¯s voice called out, ¡°Come in!¡± Laura pushed the door open and gestured for TJ to step inside. As he did so, his eyes gradually acclimated themselves to the warm light cast by the roaring fire in the center of the room. A young couple, the woman maybe twenty and the man a couple years older than that, stood with their arms crossed in the center of the room. The woman was just a couple hairs above five feet tall with unnaturally bright red hair. Both her ears were heavily pierced, bars and rings going from top to bottom, and she wore a Metallica tee with the sleeves cut off to expose the swirling ink on both arms. The man looked much like most metalheads in the midst of an adulthood-forced reckoning with professionalism¨Cheavily tattooed arms under his short sleeves as well as a couple holes in his ears from piercings he¡¯d removed, paired with a professional haircut and practical jeans. ¡°You¡¯re a newcomer?¡± The vibrantly-haired woman asked. ¡°Just got in. Laura saved my friend¡¯s life, and he went to rest in the house across the street.¡± TJ answered. ¡°Ok. What happened? One of the pukwudgies get him or something?¡± The man asked, his face alarmingly sober. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡ª---- Though they¡¯d survived an ambush before, back then, their enemies numbered only maybe half as many pukwudgies, and on top of that, they weren¡¯t surrounded when the first ambushers had attacked. The only upside was that at least they were in the middle of the road, and with thirty feet of asphalt between them and the nearest ambusher. Even so, there wasn¡¯t much time. Coyotes sprinted out of the forest while pukwudgies of various sizes and shapes approached. Under the cover of their magical camouflage, it was nearly impossible to tell what they were intending to do. TJ activated Divine Transformation and let his backpack fall behind him. If they could break the morale of their attackers, then they might be able to get through this without dying. It didn¡¯t look good, but it was all they had. TJ rushed forward, a blade of wind prepared to shoot out whenever necessary. He heard Suzie fire one, two, then three times. He couldn¡¯t help but count down. 17 shots left without reloading. The pukwudgie blurs atop the three closest coyotes fell to the highway behind their steeds. The scent of their blood filled TJ¡¯s head, and he knew they were dead. Without riders, the coyotes posed less of a deadly threat, and TJ lunged at the first. His jaws found purchase on its throat and, instead of trying to kill it immediately, he lifted it up. With the unnaturally large canine aloft, he swung it down at another of its companions. The coyote dodged away, but the one in his jaws smashed against the asphalt with a wet thud. A strangled yelp fought through the windpipe in TJ¡¯s jaws. He merely hurled the mostly dead creature at the third. It tried to leap above but was too slow. Eight legs and two torsos collided with the sound of bones cracking. The third coyote yelped and tried to catch itself. TJ wrapped his tail around its neck and contracted. It wheezed as he continued to squeeze it. Its jaws scraped painfully across the scales on his back, but TJ twisted his body out of its reach. Then, he spun in a circle and smashed the coyote into the pukwudgie trying to stealthily stab him. The pukwudgie screamed in agony as it was mostly crushed under the larger coyote¡¯s mass. TJ raised his living weapon aloft once more, and with a sickening thud, he received the first death notification. Pukwudgie, 4, slain. Experience gained. Again, TJ threw the coyote he held towards the others. Again, they dodged out of its flight path, though another death notification came as the body rolled across the ground. Coyote, 5, slain. Experience gained. TJ could feel how close the next level was, and decided to throw himself more recklessly forward. Three pukwudgies, under the cover of their camouflage, were nearly bisected with his prepared blade of wind. Still, they hadn¡¯t died, but TJ didn¡¯t stop to finish them. Instead, he lunged at another, one attempting to sneak past to Stanton. His coils wrapped around it, and as bones creaked, it became fully visible. Its too-wide mouth spread in a breathless scream. Before he could finish it off, two coyotes tore into him. Though his scales and Toughness prevented their teeth from shredding through him entirely, TJ¡¯s blood flowed freely while the coyotes howled in excitement. They pulled him from their master, but not before his jaws found its throat. The pukwudgie¡¯s face, which had begun to show some semblance of hope, went slack as his fangs ripped his throat from its body. Pukwudgie, 5, slain. Experience gained. He was so close. TJ knew that only one or two more kills would bring him over the edge, so he recklessly prepared another, broader blade of wind. The headache appeared even before he emptied his MP, but still he compressed the wind into a long blade, nearly as long as he was. Fully half of his MP went into solidifying and refining the weapon, and just as his MP bottomed out, TJ sent the scythe forward into the densest group of pukwudgies to reap lives. 8 Pukwudgies, level 4-6, slain. Experience gained. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 7. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points currently available. The metaphorical glow suffused TJ¡¯s body, and he prepared himself to leap back into battle as the coyotes¡¯ teeth were forced out of his healing body. He slithered forward, jaws agape and threatening while the coyotes began to question their next move. That was when Stanton called out, ¡°Help!¡± Chapter 30 ¡°Six had slipped past me.¡± TJ explained, his tone regretful. ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying as much attention as I¡¯d thought. They¡¯re damn hard to see, and I wasn¡¯t careful enough. Stanton took three out before they could get close enough, but while he was able to make sure that none of their next attacks were lethal, they still got him good. I tried to get back to him, but the coyotes kept attacking me, so he got stuck a couple more times as he fended them off and more came to kill him. I used most of my MP to kill the coyotes and cut off the pukwudgies from killing him, but then I was surrounded by 20 enemies with an injured man. ¡°I did the only thing I could do, I carried him through them, going as fast as I could. With my Agility and everything, I was able to get through, but we were both attacked a couple times. My scales kept me mostly safe, but it was bad for Stanton and he passed out. After we broke through, they followed us for a little while, but eventually they just stopped chasing. That was maybe half a mile outside of town. Then, I got here.¡± TJ finished, shrugging his shoulders. When he¡¯d mentioned the level 5 Skill and how much he¡¯d been able to do with it, the strangers had looked at each other with no small measure of fear. TJ was too tired to care. ¡°You¡¯re pretty tough, then.¡± The fiery-headed woman broke the uncomfortable silence. ¡°We could use you on the hunt.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll join in tomorrow.¡± TJ agreed. ¡°The more we kill the less we¡¯ll have to defend from.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯re a Neophyte?¡± The hunter man asked as soon as TJ responded. TJ nodded in response as he Appraised the two hunters he could see. Acolyte, 4 Neophyte, 3 ¡°You are too?¡± TJ couldn¡¯t help but ask as he looked at the younger man¡¯s small amount of information. ¡°What can you transform into?¡± ¡°Nothing. Or, not really nothing, but nothing really.¡± ¡°That means nothing.¡± TJ replied. ¡°And by the way, what are your names?¡± ¡°Call me Zig.¡± The redheaded woman answered. ¡°And I¡¯m Charlie.¡± The man said, stretching out a hand. ¡°TJ. And can¡¯t you turn into whatever animal your Bloodline comes from? Or something like that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what snake god birthed you, but Loki was mostly a person, so far as I know. I have the Skill Divine Transformation like all Neophytes, but it¡¯s a bit different. We can talk about it tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sounds good, I¡¯m exhausted.¡± TJ nodded. ¡°Zig, you have any other questions, or can I go to bed?¡± ¡°Oh tons.¡± She responded. ¡°They can wait for morning as well, though. You have anything to eat yet?¡± ¡°No. All our food was in the backpacks we lost, and I don¡¯t have hands while I¡¯m a snake. Lost everything we had¨Caww dammit!¡± At his declaration, every person perked up, fear obvious in their movement. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing to worry about. I just had something special in my backpack that I don¡¯t want to lose. And in Stanton¡¯s. Shit, his is really important.¡± TJ¡¯s mind raced, and though he wanted the coyote pelt that had been curing, he felt like the lifebloom was something that could be lifechanging for people here in town. Could they ever find something like that again, when going into the forest was a potentially deadly action? It hadn¡¯t been that long, so would it be worth it to try to go back? TJ consulted his MP. Only 6/240. He couldn¡¯t really do anything with that. But he was faster than the coyotes and with his toughness¨Che made the decision. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. I need to get Stanton¡¯s pack. It¡¯s got a magical plant in it, and I don¡¯t know what it can do but it might save someone sometime.¡± Then, without another word and disregarding everything the people from Pine said, TJ transformed into a coatl and dashed out the door. Less than a minute later, he was up the hill, following the road towards the ambush. Less than a minute after that, TJ was regretting everything. Really? Was a plant worth his life? Was a stupid pelt? Of course not. But he¡¯d made the decision and the declaration, and he didn¡¯t want to walk it back. So, cursing himself, he still sprinted forward. At his speed, the mile or so to the ambush point would take him less than four minutes to get to. It¡¯d only been maybe thirty minutes since the ambush, so maybe they were still there. If the backpacks were abandoned, he¡¯d try to grab both and retreat. If they were there and tended, he¡¯d try to just take Stanton¡¯s. If they were gone, he¡¯d retreat.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Perfect. A plan. A stupid plan, but a plan nonetheless. The minutes passed by quickly, and TJ found himself making the turn into the bend where they¡¯d been attacked. He subconsciously slowed himself, his senses peeled for any creature lurking in the trees¡¯ cover. If they couldn¡¯t ambush him, he¡¯d be able to escape their grasp, he was sure. There wasn¡¯t any obvious movement, and TJ couldn¡¯t smell or taste any nearby, so he made the turn to the ambush point. Nothing moved, but the signs of the fight remained. Bloodstains, fur, and bodies patterned the pavement. The pukwudgie corpses had been left where they¡¯d fallen, but the coyotes¡¯ were taken away. The unfortunate reality remained as well. Two tattered backpacks¡¯ corpses lay in the middle of the road, torn apart to leave nothing inside. All the food had been taken away as well as the lifebloom and Anubis-blessed coyote hide. Though he couldn¡¯t say if the pukwudgies knew what was inside of the cans, they¡¯d been taken as well, and all that remained was nylon straps and torn fabric. TJ turned to leave the disappointing discovery behind, angrily cursing himself as well as the pukwudgies¡¯ intelligence and avarice. He whapped his tail across one of the bags and heard a quiet clatter from inside. After a moment attempting to open it with his snout, TJ transformed back into his human form and, with hurried movements, found the source of the sound. The can of tobacco had been dented and damaged by the pukwudgies¡¯ rough dismantling of the bads, but still it held whatever remained of the chew inside. With a scoff, TJ transformed himself back into a coatl, gently placed the can in his mouth, and then rushed back towards Pine. A quiet rustling of branches seemed to follow his every step, or slither, as the case may be, back to town, but nothing approached him as he rushed down the center of the highway. As he crested the hill to descend back into town, TJ saw three people waiting for his return. Both the hunters he¡¯d met, Zig and Charlie, as well as another person he wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d seen before who stood on the roof of an empty home. The soft sound of his scales on the ground betrayed his approach in the dark, and he transformed back into his human body as he made his way into town. He pulled the can out of his mouth and placed it in his pocket as he walked forward with both hands held high above his head. ¡°Just me.¡± TJ called as he walked slowly forward. ¡°Didn¡¯t get anything. Sorry for running off like that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not much of a thinker, are you?¡± asked Zig. ¡°Can¡¯t say it was my finest moment.¡± TJ allowed, though he still felt the surge of anger at his poked pride from her tone. ¡°Even so, I feel like finding that lifebloom sooner rather than later would be good.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± shrugged Charlie. ¡°Laura had some people go to get you and Stanton some grub, so eat up and rest well. See you in the morning. Glad you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°Yeah. Next time, I¡¯d appreciate a little more heads-up. That said, I¡¯m the only other hunter who¡¯s hit level 5 in my Class, so you¡¯re probably strong enough to take care of yourself.¡± Zig allowed before turning to walk back into the house. Charlie nodded his goodnight while the other sentry remained at his post. TJ walked up to the ground under him and waved. ¡°I¡¯m TJ. You?¡± ¡°Farid.¡± The man was wearing dark clothes, and against the black stone shingles, he blended in remarkably well. TJ Appraised him and wasn¡¯t too surprised by what he saw. Acolyte, 2 ¡°Thanks for keeping an eye out, Farid. Have there been any attacks the past couple nights?¡± ¡°Not here.¡± He answered, his eyes roving their surroundings. ¡°Might have come in without attacking anyone, though.¡± ¡°Sweet. Thanks. What time is my watch?¡± ¡°We already have it scheduled out for tonight, so you and your friend should get some rest. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll plan for you to join in.¡± The man¡¯s voice was a pleasant tenor, with the faintest hint of an accent TJ struggled to place. ¡°Thanks for offering.¡± With those last words, Farid was obviously done talking to TJ, so he raised a hand as he said goodbye. In the house where Stanton had set up camp, a paper plate sat in the middle of the table. Maybe two eggs¡¯ worth of scrambled eggs with three strips of bacon sat on it, and though they were cold when TJ held them to his mouth, his stomach gurgled happily as he ate voraciously. Faster than he¡¯d hoped, the food was gone, and he unashamedly licked the plate clean. Stanton was curled on the couch in front of the fireplace, his boots on the ground in front of him. Curled under a knit quilt, he looked much frailer than ever before and TJ remembered the look of panic on the old man¡¯s face as he¡¯d called for help. In his recounting of the story, TJ had glossed over many of the worst feelings he¡¯d been struck with that evening. For a while, he¡¯d been convinced Stanton was dead and he was merely carrying a corpse as he fled, and he remembered the helplessness he¡¯d felt when he¡¯d gotten that call about Mari. She¡¯d always loved riding her bike, and was as safe as she could be¨Chelmet, lights, high-vis stripes on her jacket. That day, she¡¯d said that they needed some carrots for dinner and wouldn¡¯t be long. He was tired, and didn¡¯t insist on driving. He enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with Junior while she was out. It was late. Walmart wasn¡¯t far, but it was far enough. The driver didn¡¯t see her, or didn¡¯t care, or didn¡¯t react fast enough. By the time anyone talked to him, he was a blubbering mess that could only remember that he didn¡¯t remember. TJ felt himself beginning to hyperventilate and react to the delayed fear. Stanton had nearly died. He put on a brave face after being healed, but his face was sallow and his meal half-eaten. His breaths came quickly, with a slight rattle. Laura insisted that he¡¯d been healed, but the doctors swore that while Mari needed emergency surgery, she¡¯d pull through. Could he trust the magic? Just like with the System, TJ could only trust. After all, if it didn¡¯t work, then Stanton would die, and what could he do about that? If he completed the Tutorial and still couldn¡¯t see Junior, how could he do anything about that? He realized he was spiraling, and stood. Taking deep breaths, TJ centered himself enough to go to a bedroom, pull off the mattress from the bedspring, and drag it nearer to the fire. Then, after stoking the fire up high, he fought to find sleep while the sight of Stanton impaled on half a dozen spears taunted him. Chapter 31 When TJ woke, it was to the sound of Stanton¡¯s grunting. In a panic, he sat up and looked at his companion. Stanton was still curled up on the couch, only his face poking out of the thick quilt. Though he wasn¡¯t making any sort of a comfortable face, the color wasn¡¯t bad, and he mostly just looked cold. The faint light of morning shone through the windows, and after asking the System what time it was, TJ realized he¡¯d slept pretty well, nearly all the way to 8 AM. He scrubbed the sleep from his eyes with the back of his hand while looking at the fire, or the remains of it. Putting his hand in the fireplace, TJ felt the barest hint of warmth from mostly dead coals. He wadded up a newspaper from by the firewood and, with a bit of Wind Manipulation to stoke the coals, set it alight. The pine needles and kindling and so on that were near at hand were quickly fed to the flames, and it grew to a comfortable blaze before too long. He continued to feed the flames and the wood popped loudly in front of him. TJ didn¡¯t react, instead keeping his hands stretched out to warm them more completely. As his Vitality continued to climb at an amazing rate, TJ found that he was less and less bothered by the cold or other creature discomforts. He knew that, before the System, he never would have made it through the night in a house that was maybe 20 degrees all night just under a regular, if somewhat thick, quilt. He knew he¡¯d leveled up during the fight with the pukwudgies, but he hadn¡¯t pulled up his Status in a day or so, so he pulled both up in tandem.
Status Sheet
Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Human ¨C lvl 6 Class: Neophyte lvl 7 Occupation: Savage lvl 5 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 470/470 Mana Points (MP): 240/240 Stamina: 440/440 Attributes Strength: 21 Agility: 20 Endurance: 44 Vitality: 47 Toughness: 37 Wisdom: 25 Intelligence: 24 Perception: 28 Willpower: 38 Fixation: 30 Free Points: 4 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Current total Divine Transformation time: 39:15 (End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4. Current cooldown: 0:00 Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Coatl ¨C lvl 6 Class: Neophyte lvl 7 Occupation: Savage lvl 5 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 940/940 Mana Points (MP): 240/240 Stamina: 880/880 Attributes Strength x2: 42 Agility x1.5: 30 Endurance x2: 88 Vitality x2: 94 Toughness x2: 74 Wisdom: 25 Intelligence: 24 Perception x1.5: 42 Willpower: 38 Fixation: 30 Free Points: 4 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular
Looking at his Free Points, TJ cursed himself. What if he¡¯d put them into Agility last night? Would he have been fast enough to protect Stanton? Or, with Strength, could he have been strong enough to throw off the coyotes faster to help? Then, of course, Intelligence and Fixation would allow him to use more of his Wind Manipulation for longer. TJ sighed as he made the decision to spend his Free Points. But where? ¡°Someone piss in your Cheerios?¡± Stanton grumbled as he rolled off the couch and onto the mattress. He grunted for TJ to scoot over and he obliged. ¡°No. Just feeling bad about last night. If we¡¯d run right away, I could have carried us to safety and not gotten you so close to dying. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Not a lick of that was your fault. We¡¯d made a habit of fighting everything we came up across, and it kicked my teeth in last night. Thanks again for saving my life.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Course. Happy I could get there for you.¡± Stanton grunted, looking quite small all bundled in his blanket. They sat in silence, watching the flames and listening to the pops of the burning wood. Maybe five minutes later, TJ¡¯s stomach grumbled and Stanton stood with a grunt. ¡°Figure there¡¯s breakfast somewhere. I think I can smell more eggs.¡± TJ joined the older man in standing, smelling nothing but believing him nonetheless. ¡°What do you think I should put my Free Points in?¡± ¡°I just put all mine in Agility. Maybe you do Strength? Might be a diminishing return there, though.¡± As they walked out of the house and into the street towards what seemed to be the communal building, TJ thought about what to do. Though the idea of putting them all in Strength appealed to TJ, he felt like his Strength wasn¡¯t the problem. The Neophyte Class¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t Strength. If it was, it would give at least some attributes there. Instead, there were none. Following it to just give more Vitality, Endurance, or Toughness didn¡¯t seem to be the answer either, though. The coyotes and pukwudgies over level 5 could break his defenses, but though it hurt, he hadn¡¯t really been threatened by them recently. Instead, he needed to keep them from getting away from him while killing them more easily than he had been already. Strength and Agility could serve him in that way, but more than that, his Wind Manipulation was more and more proving itself to be a massive boon. That meant either Intelligence or Fixation, both of which filled the same problem. His Intelligence would increase his efficiency for using his Skill while also increasing his MP. Fixation, on the other hand, would also increase the efficiency of the Skill while also, according to the System, being an attribute that every Class and Participant needed. On top of that, it would help ensure his Divine Transformation could last for as long as he needed. In the end, though, only one of the two attributes would see marked change compared to what he would get from his levels. Fixation grew much faster, having started at 1, and was already at 30. On the other hand he was already seeing the limits of his MP. How slowly it recovered was also a problem, and increasing Intelligence was the only way to make a change to either of those. Without further thought, TJ dropped all four Free Points into his Intelligence, and though he regretted not having distributed them before now, he was glad to have waited for a while. After all, while his Strength and Agility were lower than all his other attributes, he was sure that he would have regretted putting all his Free Points into them before long. Stanton already outmatched him in Intelligence, and that was just after a couple levels in Druid, so a Zealot would quickly outclass him in Strength, even with the boosts from Divine Transformation. This more and more raised the question to TJ about what a Neophyte was best at, but if it was just surviving, then he could still be quite pleased with that. They¡¯d gotten most of the way to the street where the¡­ firehouse, it seemed, was. The streets were mostly empty, through two of the hunters were a couple dozen paces ahead, almost serving as guides. Now that the sun was up and it was light, TJ took the time to observe the town more than before. As he¡¯d suspected, there wasn¡¯t a stoplight in sight, just the single main street going through town. A single schoolhouse, a small library, and a couple restaurants stood just off of the highway that ran through the sleepy little town. The pine forest hadn¡¯t been removed so much as planned around in constructing the dozens of homes and small storefronts that surrounded the highway. When they turned the corner past the single grocery store towards the firehouse, a more primary street spread before them. Though it was a single lane, asphalt type road, TJ saw that it, just like the highway, was being reclaimed by nature at an unnatural pace. Strangely, none of the homes showed any sign of supernaturally quick vegetative reclamation. TJ shrugged, and, with about 100 yards to the firehouse, decided to give the System a clarifying request. ¡°Please show me the description of the Neophyte Class again. I want to better understand what the ¡®purpose¡¯ of the Class is.¡± Class: Neophyte. Description: You have seen the Zealot¡¯s simplicity, the Acolyte¡¯s frailty, and the Disciple¡¯s dependence and you deny them all. You are ready to embrace the Divinity within and allow that Divinity itself to fuel you in body and soul. The Neophyte can display the Zealot¡¯s brute force, the Acolyte¡¯s cunning, and the Disciple¡¯s guidance. You are a Neophyte, the apex of your Divine Bloodline. Neophyte Classers focus on allowing the divine to change them, instead of them changing themselves into an approximation of the divine. The Neophyte Class acquisition requirement is deliberately nebulous, as embracing the Divine Bloodline is something that differs from one Participant to the next, as well as from one Bloodline to the next. Stanton glanced at TJ, his eyebrows curious, but TJ paid him no mind. ¡°Am I correct in thinking that the Neophyte is different from the other three Classes because, instead of seizing Divinity, the Class focuses instead on¡­ being seized by Divinity? Just letting the Divinity of their Bloodline influence their growth?¡± That is not an erroneous understanding to make of the role and Divine Path of the Neophyte Class, though it remains limited in scope and understanding due to your current Dirt (0) tier of Divinity. TJ sighed and walked into the firehouse while pasting a grin on his face. Not many people looked at him and Stanton the same second they entered, but once a couple people realized the newcomers had wandered in, quiet whispers swept over most of the people eating their breakfast. He¡¯d never really experienced anything like this, but before the awkwardness could settle in, a very elderly lady hobbled over with a walker with a wide, mostly toothless grin cracking her face. TJ couldn¡¯t help but Appraise her. Disciple, 1 ¡°Alright, honey.¡± She spoke with a faintly Southern accent. ¡°You two¡¯ll get in line behind Seth and Farid, there¡¯s a server who¡¯s gonna give you exactly as much as you¡¯re gonna get. Don¡¯t argue, complain, steal, or nothing like that, you hear? There¡¯s almost 200 people here, and there¡¯s only the food that was in the grocery store and that we¡¯ve been able to get from nearby houses. There¡¯s not enough food for everyone to eat as much as they want. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Good. We¡¯ve got eggs and bacon, again. The eggs are supposed to go bad in the next couple of days, so we¡¯re eating them about as often as we can stand it, and then some. There¡¯s not enough water to shower or anything, and you get two water bottles a day. If you manage to fill them up with something, then you get more to drink. Now, here¡¯s your plates.¡± She finished, holding two paper plates aloft. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, grandma, what should I call you?¡± ¡°Granny Penny, if you need a granny.¡± She smiled, the sunken spots in her mouth from the missing dentures somehow endearing. ¡°If you just want a friend, Penelope¡¯s fine. What¡¯s yours?¡± Since he still hadn¡¯t taken the proffered plate, she swatted TJ with it just once before he gently caught her wrist and pulled the plates free. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m TJ, and this is Stanton.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, TJ and Stanton. Happy to have you with us at the end of the world.¡± Then, with surprising speed, she hustled away and began to collect dirty dishes. Each person she approached got some version of the energetic grandma routine, and Penelope was obviously well-loved by the people in Pine. With her energetic and warm welcome, TJ felt some of the more distrustful and hostile looks be tempered with, if not understanding, at least patience. Then, with plate in hand, TJ got in line behind Farid, grabbing a metal fork from a pile at the end of the table. ¡°Sorry I didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± TJ said as he held his plate out for his serving. Just as Penny¡¯d warned, he didn¡¯t get enough food to fill his grumbling belly. ¡°I only really saw your shadow last night.¡± Farid was a handsome man with blemishless brown skin and sleek black hair. He was shorter than TJ, though not by much, and his broad shoulders suggested that he was active, if not an athlete. ¡°It¡¯s no problem. You have a lot of people to meet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± TJ walked forward with his ¡°filled¡± plate, following Farid to the nearest empty table. ¡°Granny Penny said your name¡¯s Seth?¡± Seth, a skinny tall blonde man with greasy hair and scars from acne, merely nodded without looking at him. His eyes were sunken and red, and TJ decided not to pry, and instead focused on his meal. Though they were well-seasoned and cooked, he could feel that he¡¯d need some more variety in his diet or else his stomach would be pretty miserable before too long. After too few bites and not enough time, TJ was ready to take his plate and fork wherever they needed to go, but Granny Penny was there too quickly. ¡°She¡¯ll never let us take care of it.¡± Farid chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s my job.¡± She insisted. While TJ wondered what he was going to do next, he settled into a comfortable lean against the back of the chair. ¡°Hey, come with me.¡± Zig popped out of nowhere and scared the daylights out of TJ. ¡°Sonuva¨C! What is it Zig?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got something that needs investigating, and I think you¡¯re the man for the job.¡± Chapter 32 TJ¡¯s stomach dropped with the insinuation that there was something that they needed him to do. Even so, he stood up and wiped what little remained of his breakfast at the corners of his mouth off. His patchy stubble was coming in, and he could hear Mari¡¯s teases about the ¡®stache ringing around his head. Now that he was somewhere even a little safer, it was surprising how much more his mind could wander. ¡°Alright. Tell me.¡± ¡°Walk with me.¡± Zig responded and TJ followed. Stanton too stood while shouting a thank you for the food to nobody in particular before following them out. Zig didn¡¯t comment on his presence, and Farid and Seth followed along as well. Their path quickly led them out of the firehouse and towards the general store a hundred yards or so away. At the door stood a man and a woman, the man the level 3 Zealot from the day before and the woman a stranger to TJ. The man held a makeshift club in his right hand and a full coat of chainmail fell over him with a glitter of slight iridescence. The woman didn¡¯t react except to nod at Zig and cock her eyebrow at the man. ¡°Hey Jeff, Sarah. You eaten?¡± Zig asked as she waltzed right past the two guards. ¡°Not yet.¡± Sarah responded while Jeff continued to give TJ and Stanton distrustful looks. ¡°The hell¡¯s the matter with you?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know about these two.¡± Zig stepped back out of the store to glare at the guard. He was a somewhat handsome but generic looking guy. Brown hair and eyes, tall, straight teeth, and not in shape, but not fat. Pretty unremarkable person to see throughout the state. ¡°Two guys, just like us, in the middle of the apocalypse, but instead of being put close to town, they were miles and miles away instead of as close as we were. Now, they¡¯re here and happy to work with us to make sure we make it through this ¡°Tutorial¡±. What¡¯s the damn problem?¡± ¡°Laura Appraised them¨Cthey¡¯re both at least level 5, which means that they have at least 10 levels between their Class and Occupation. Snake guy TJ here is level 7, which means that he could have a Skill from level 5, 10, and 15. Laura¡¯s the only one in town who¡¯s been able to get even close to that level, and she¡¯s not a fighter. Not meaning a whole lot of offense to you two, but you¡¯re dangerous, and the System has said that this is a competition. If you wanted to kill our strongest healer and our leader at the same time, it wouldn¡¯t be hard and I don¡¯t think any of us could stop you. If you¡¯re good guys and are looking to help us, I don¡¯t mind if you think I¡¯m an asshole. If you¡¯ve got bad intentions, then I''ll do whatever I can to keep people safe.¡± As Jeff had begun speaking, TJ felt his blood boil, but as he reached his conclusion, the rage drained away to a sort of appreciation, though TJ still didn¡¯t like him. ¡°Don¡¯t know if this¡¯ll help,¡± TJ cut in, ¡°but I¡¯m not level 7, but 6. Level 7 in my Class and 5 in my Occupation.¡± ¡°And it doesn¡¯t matter if he isn¡¯t!¡± Zig added. ¡°We¡¯re going to work with him for now because the other option is to throw away or hide or hate the most powerful people that we know are in the Tutorial right now! Now get out of the way and shut up!¡± The feisty woman didn¡¯t say anything more and pulled TJ by the arm into the store. Stanton followed behind, no expression on his mustachioed face. They walked into the store, the lights all out. A couple flashlights were placed in strategic locations to allow for some light to be spilled basically everywhere, but without power or any windows, the building felt more like a cave with aisles than a grocery store. It was small, with maybe six or seven aisles, and nobody was inside that TJ could see. ¡°Sorry about him.¡± Zig sighed. ¡°He¡¯s just¡­ whatever. Not my monkey, not my circus. Not really, at least.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I disagree, but I understand what he¡¯s saying.¡± Zig sighed explosively, blowing her bangs out of her face. TJ changed the topic, ¡°Where¡¯s the name Zig come from? I¡¯m assuming it''s not the one you were born with.¡± ¡°Yeah. Go by Zig. Nickname from when I played competitive ultimate frisbee. I¡¯ve preferred it ever since I got it.¡± ¡°Something about how you run or something?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Zig allowed as they turned a corner and there, in front of an empty refrigerator, was a folding table set up as a desk with Laura sitting with a half dozen stacks of paper laid before her. ¡°Thank you, Zig.¡± Laura said as she looked up from whatever she was writing. ¡°And thank you, TJ and Stanton, for coming.¡± Last night, between his panic and the darkening skies, TJ hadn¡¯t paid much attention to what Laura looked like other than her business attire. Now, lit by several flashlights and a kerosene heater as well as seeming to no longer be afraid at the sight of him, he could get a good measure of the mayor of their Tutorial. She wore no glasses, though TJ felt as if she should have, and her gray eyes were striking, framed by her chocolate skin and curly black hair. Her fingernails were trimmed and well-kept without any polish, and she tapped habitually on the table as she thought over whatever her request was. Again, she wore a pantsuit, this one navy with white stripes over a white button-down shirt. ¡°Heard you need some help and think we might be your guys.¡± ¡°Stanton, if you¡¯ve recovered enough to participate in this journey, then we¡¯d be happy to have you along. Frankly, you were the first person I¡¯ve healed that was quite so near to passing on, so I can¡¯t say what sort of condition you¡¯re in at the moment.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°I¡¯ve been better, but I¡¯m fine. My HP, MP, and Stamina are all recovered and I don¡¯t have any afflictions at the moment. Happy to help keep everyone safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it. We need to stick together, and every day that passes makes us less and less secure. It is my understanding that the System has said that we will need to defend the town from the creatures¡¯ assault before the end of the Tutorial. You two are the strongest fighters we have, except for maybe Zig here. I hope you¡¯ll be willing to help us.¡± TJ nodded, but with a sinking feeling in his gut, he felt like he needed to speak up. ¡°I think we¡¯re both willing to help out at least some. I know I am. But¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t care about the rest of you as much as maybe I should.¡± Laura frowned and leaned forward, but she seemed more curious than anything else. ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°I have a son, he¡¯s just about three and I¡¯m all he¡¯s got left. The System says I¡¯ll be able to be with him again if I make it through this Tutorial, so I¡¯ll do whatever I can to make it through. I¡¯m willing to help out the town with things that¡¯ll help us on that path, but I can¡¯t be some captain or leader or hero or anything. My focus is on Junior, and getting back to him. If you¡¯re gonna ask me to do something really dangerous because it¡¯ll be better for everyone else, I¡¯ll feel really bad about it, but I¡¯ll have to tell you no.¡± Laura nodded slowly, digesting his declaration. Stanton didn¡¯t say anything either, his face impassive while Zig scowled and looked at TJ. ¡°That makes sense, and I don¡¯t mind it, for now.¡± Laura finally answered after nearly a full minute of contemplating. ¡°Remind me of what the Tutorial¡¯s requirements are?¡± TJ realized that she was asking the System, not him, but he mentally requested that the System pull up the requirements. In this Tutorial, Tutorial 107.48.891, the Quest Goals are as follows: When he looked at the first Goal, TJ felt like he needed to rub at his eyes. It¡¯d only been three days since he was taken away from his previous life? ¡°Looking at the requirements,¡± Laura continued, unaware of his realization and struggle to believe, ¡°it seems to me that it¡¯s in your best interests to cooperate with everyone else in town. I agree that there are certain assignments that I will want to make that will not necessarily further your explicit goals, so I will hold back from even asking you to complete them. Thus, I will request that you understand that every assignment I ask you to perform will directly improve our chances of succeeding on each one of the Tutorial¡¯s Quest Goals.¡± TJ felt his stomach unknot and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s more than fair. Thank you for understanding.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try. Now, I introduced myself to you last night, but allow me to do so once more. I¡¯m Laura McDougal, and I¡¯ve become the leader of this town, for now at least. Under normal circumstances, I can¡¯t imagine that I would speak about this as candidly as I¡¯m about to, but the reality of the matter is that with 178 people in this small part of one town with no additional food or supplies coming in, we will soon starve. At least, we will if we rely entirely on the food contained within this single store and the nearby homes and buildings. The hunters have been tasked with finding and hunting anything that is edible, but all they¡¯ve seen so far is a goblin-like thing called a pukwudgie. You mentioned seeing them last night. ¡°As of yet, we aren¡¯t willing to begin eating something like a person, but the time is quickly approaching. In your recounting, you mentioned seeing coyotes and a mountain lion. I can¡¯t imagine that we would be able to find those bodies and bring them into town, but they do promise the possibility of finding something worth hunting for food, for now at least.¡± ¡°Weird you haven¡¯t seen any deer or elk.¡± Stanton cut in. ¡°There¡¯s usually hundreds of them around here.¡± ¡°Which brings me to the point of what we would like to ask you to do. We don¡¯t have as much water as we need, either, and the sole creek with running water we¡¯ve found is almost a mile away. Collecting the water and bringing it back to town is intensely difficult, and we still need to boil and clean the water after that as well. In addition, we¡¯re making efforts to collect all the food, perishable and otherwise, that we can from the surroundings. All the houses within the half mile or so that the monsters don¡¯t seem to enter have been scoured clean, and we need to find every additional source of food that we can.¡± ¡°Is it a half mile from the center of town, or from this store?¡± ¡°I¡¯d imagine it¡¯s this store. The Tutorial has assigned it some measure of intrinsic value due to our Quest Goals. There is also the not insignificant possibility that the safe area will shrink or altogether disappear at some point.¡± ¡°So you need people to get water and to keep searching for food.¡± TJ completed the meandering conversation. ¡°I¡¯m fine to go with one of the teams searching for food. Stanton, what are you planning on doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with the water team. Taking care of a group holding a position is a good fit for my abilities.¡± ¡°There you have it.¡± ¡°Great. Now, before you go, would you two tell me your Classes, Occupations, and Bloodlines, as well as any powerful or potentially impactful abilities they give you? Also, any other abilities you have that may assist the rest of the town would be greatly appreciated.¡± ¡°Why do you need to know that?¡± Stanton asked, his eyebrows raising nearly all the way up to his hat. ¡°I am in charge of 178 people, and every person is assisted by knowledge. I am compiling, explaining, and working however I can to ensure that we all make it out of this hell alive. For your information, I am a Disciple level 5, Bureaucrat level 5. My Bloodline comes from the African goddess Inkosazana, and I am limited almost entirely to healing and to running some semblance of a civilization. Is that a sufficient answer?¡± Stanton merely grunted and TJ broke the growing tension. ¡°TJ Harris, Neophyte 7, Savage 5.¡± Zig didn¡¯t hide a quiet hissing breath at the name of his Occupation. ¡°The Savage occupation mostly means that I was taken outside of civilization when I was left here. It¡¯s why I don¡¯t have real shoes, because I get a bonus to my attributes when fighting if I don¡¯t have equipment from before the Integration when I fight. Normal clothes don¡¯t count, but the shoes do.¡± ¡°Stanton. Acolyte 6, Druid 4.¡± Of course, the old man didn¡¯t offer any more information, nor did Laura request it. Then, after Laura asked a couple questions, the two men walked out of the store and into the light of day with Zig behind them. ¡°Stanton, go with Nat¡¯s group. It¡¯s her turn to lead the water team. TJ, you¡¯re with me. Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t find some food, huh?¡± Chapter 33 Walking out of the grocery store, TJ fought to keep his eyes from watering in the bright light of late morning. There was movement all around the town, though it was localized to the area immediately surrounding the firehouse and the grocery store. More than a hundred yards or so from there, nobody could be seen to go anywhere, except for one group of five or so, who stepped purposefully with their eyes peeled in every conceivable direction. His breath clouded in front of his face and TJ idly rubbed his hands together in a habitual reaction to the cold, though his fingers were hardly chilled. ¡°You¡¯re ok in this weather?¡± Zig asked. ¡°You don¡¯t have gloves or real shoes, so aren¡¯t you miserable?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± TJ shrugged. ¡°Here.¡± He proffered a hand and Zig seemed to think about taking a glove off to test him, but instead decided to lean her face against the extended fingers. TJ almost recoiled but decided against it. Zig¡¯s cheeks were flushed from the cold, and TJ realized it was probably 50 degrees in the store and closer to freezing outside. His fingers were warm against the chilled cheeks, and again, he shrugged. ¡°Probably because of my Vitality. I noticed even when I¡¯d just barely gotten my Divine Transformation that I wasn¡¯t that affected by the weather. Now that I¡¯ve gotten some levels, I¡¯m really doing ok. If I was outside overnight without anything, I¡¯d probably get a little sick, but I¡¯m not. It¡¯s a cold day, but I¡¯ll be fine, especially as I keep moving.¡± ¡°Huh. I guess Charlie¡¯s never really complained about the cold, but he¡¯s not much of a complainer anyways so I never thought about it. I guess we¡¯ll have to ask him later. This¡¯ll be your stop, Stanton.¡± Zig gestured to a house on the corner where there was some movement inside. Under the shadow of a massive tree, the home seemed gloomy and unwelcoming, but Stanton merely nodded and walked forward. ¡°Hey, Nat!¡± Zig shouted, ¡°got an old guy coming in, the one from last night! Name¡¯s Stanton, and he¡¯ll be with you for the water run and all the other crap you get up to today!¡± A wordless shout of acknowledgement echoed out of the building, and TJ watched Stanton settle his Stetson more securely over his head. ¡°Keep an eye on your six, kid.¡± Stanton called back. ¡°Not everyone¡¯s as good a shot as me.¡± Zig muttered darkly to herself about old men and sexism and TJ cocked his head at the younger woman. ¡°--always saying some shit about how a woman can¡¯t shoot¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± TJ interrupted. ¡°He doesn¡¯t trust easily, and we¡¯ve both saved each others¡¯ lives. He¡¯s just worried.¡± ¡°Sure about that? You¡¯ve known each other for two days.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve saved each others¡¯ lives.¡± TJ replied simply. Zig seemed initially resistant to the statement, but didn¡¯t take long to make her decision. ¡°Makes sense. I trust my team as much as anyone from my old life. Sorry.¡± TJ shrugged, following her as she walked back up the highway towards the hunting lodge and where he and Stanton had stayed the night. It wasn¡¯t long before Zig broke the silence, and TJ briefly saw Stanton¡¯s own frustration with TJ¡¯s constant interruptions of their quiet traveling. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a quick rundown on what we¡¯re looking to do today. Laura talked about it, but more specifically, we¡¯re gonna go up the hill a little to where that turn is, by the church. There, we¡¯ll hit as many of the rich cabins we can safely get to today and return with whatever we get. Capische?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Great. So, you said you have a kid? How old is he? What happened?¡± TJ tamped down any outward signs of his frustration with a force of will. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be plenty of questions for me before long. How about I answer them all when everybody¡¯s together? I don¡¯t want to answer the same questions over and over.¡± ¡°K.¡± For a blessed minute, they walked in silence. Alas, it wasn¡¯t meant to be. As soon as they were easily seen from the hunters¡¯ lodge, a voice called out to Zig. ¡°We ready to blow this popsicle stand?¡± ¡°Hells yes!¡± She shouted back, and nearly immediately, a dozen people swarmed out of the lodge. Each one wore a mostly empty backpack, just a water bottle or two poking out of the side pockets. TJ quickly Appraised them, seeing one Disciple, level 3, and one Neophyte, Charlie, who was still level 3 as well. All the rest were Zealots and Acolytes, somewhere from levels 1-3. Zig was the only level 4, and TJ felt his confidence slip a notch or three. The kids, for that was all TJ could think of them as, looked anywhere from a pimply-faced 17 to a deliberately severe-looking 23 or so. ¡°You¡¯re the snake guy!¡± one boy shouted, pointing at TJ¡¯s face. ¡°Snake guy!¡± A couple others took up the call. ¡°Just call me TJ.¡± He replied. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Listen up!¡± Zig cut in, her voice surprisingly authoritative. TJ¡¯s estimation of her climbed as she continued to speak. ¡°We¡¯re moving together today. TJ here ran into a huge group of the pukwudgies yesterday, and he said some of them were riding coyotes.¡± Quiet mutters of ¡°Cavalry¡± and ¡°I want a mount¡± briefly burst into being, but Charlie reached out and flicked two ears and the peanut gallery quickly went silent. ¡°They¡¯re an unknown, and we don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll be waiting for us. They were in this direction, but much further up the highway than we¡¯re planning to go today, so we should be fine. Key word is should. I say it every day, but this isn¡¯t a fucking game. I don¡¯t want to hurt anybody, but remember that Hannah died yesterday, and there wasn¡¯t anything we could do about it.¡± The man Farid had introduced as Seth turned away at Zig¡¯s words, though the rest also looked deeply uncomfortable with the reminder of their mortality. ¡°So, we¡¯re all together, minus Nat with the water team. Keeping an eye out and making sure everyone stays ok. We won¡¯t cross as much ground like this, but once we get closer to the cabins we haven¡¯t visited yet, we might spread out a little.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good plan, guys.¡± Charlie jumped in. ¡°We need to be as safe as possible as we go through this. Angelo, you¡¯re our number one priority so stay in the middle of the group the entire time. If you¡¯re safe, we have a much better chance to be sure we all make it home alive.¡± The sole Disciple nodded his head in acknowledgement. He was a shorter man, about the same height as TJ, with long straight black hair in a french braid down his back. ¡°Good.¡± Zig jumped back in. ¡°We¡¯re moving in two minutes, so if you have any questions for TJ, get them out now. After, we¡¯ll be trying to be as quiet as possible, since our main goal is going to be staying out of sight and mind of the goblin bastards out there.¡± Before any of the rest of the hunters could jump in on the sudden opportunity, Zig herself asked the question she apparently still had for him, ¡°You said you have a son. How old is he?¡± ¡°Almost three, just a month away.¡± TJ answered, keeping from clenching his jaw. Where was he? Was Junior really ok? The anxiety spiked, and TJ felt his stomach twist and turn and complain as the thoughts of his child came back. His fear struck him so suddenly that he didn¡¯t hear the next question. Charlie¡¯s hand and voice pulled him from continuing to spiral into deeper and deeper paranoia. ¡°Look, we know that nobody under 15 came to the Tutorial. Now, we know his kid isn¡¯t in a different one. Leave it alone. You don¡¯t want to worry about your siblings, family, and so on, so don¡¯t make him do it. Got it?¡± Mumbled apologies echoed out, and Zig specifically spoke louder than the rest as she too asked for forgiveness. ¡°What was your old job?¡± Charlie prompted. ¡°Administrative manager in a real estate firm. Basically herding a bunch of contractors to work better together and stop poaching clients from each other.¡± The curious sounds of teenagers and early twenty-somethings died off in a disinterested grumble. Before long, they turned to a much more interesting topic. ¡°So how do you transform into a snake? Can you show us?¡± Without another word, TJ activated Divine Transformation and let them ooh and ahh. One enterprising and annoyingly bold young lady reached out and grabbed one of the large feathers that stuck out of the base of his skull and tried to pull it out. He hissed his displeasure and stopped using his Skill. The girl had a fistful of his hair, twisting his head to the side. ¡°Why would you do that?¡± The girl stammered wordlessly as she released his head and TJ stood tall. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough. Zig, Charlie, can we go?¡± Then, without waiting for their response, TJ led the way up the hill towards the church on the corner. A couple whispered conversations began as he continued walking, his unnatural pride demanding some sort of recompense. ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡± Charlie said as he jogged to walk alongside TJ. ¡°My own Skill is way worse.¡± ¡°You said we could talk about it yesterday. Show me.¡± Charlie sighed and shrugged his jacket off. Then, his Skill activated, and his arms and legs bulged to twice their original size while the rest of his body remained the same. TJ stepped back, unsure of how to react. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s about what I thought when I did it the first time.¡± Charlie laughed ruefully. ¡°But the 50% bonus to every attribute is really nice, so I don¡¯t mind the way the Skill makes me look.¡± TJ nodded in agreement at first, but then turned with a confused look. ¡°What do you mean 50% each attribute?¡± ¡°Is¡­ that not what your Skill gives you?¡± ¡°No, it doubles my Strength, Endurance, Vitality and Toughness and gives a 50% to Agility and Perception. Nothing else.¡± They both looked at the other, surprised to see the blatant difference between their supposedly identical Skill. TJ was the first to break the silence as he asked the System, ¡°Why do our Skills give different bonuses?¡± Due to the variability offered by any Participant¡¯s Divine Bloodline, the Divine Transformation Skill they acquire will vary from one Neophyte to the next, as well as from a Neophyte¡¯s Skill compared to that an Acolyte, Disciple, or Zealot may acquire. At the Copper (I) tier, the Divine Transformation Skill offers a total of a 500% increase to attributes. The Divine Bloodline of each individual will determine what the additional attribute bonuses provided will be. TJ nodded slowly as he tried to understand what he¡¯d just been told. The voice of the System slowly faded from his mind as he considered what this would mean longer term for him and other Neophytes. Then, he thrust it from his mind¨Cit didn¡¯t matter how other people¡¯s Skills benefitted them. Just how it helped him, and while his Divine Transformation didn¡¯t mesh as well with his Wind Manipulation as Charlie¡¯s would have, he didn¡¯t regret it. There was nothing he could do. ¡°Ok. Well, interesting.¡± TJ said. ¡°Your Skill is way better!¡± Charlie responded, his face obviously envious. ¡°I don¡¯t use like any of these attributes, and yours are the best.¡± ¡°I disagree.¡± TJ scoffed. ¡°I need better Intelligence and Fixation than Vitality. My level 5 Skill is great, so much better than the mere attributes Divine Transformation gives.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll worry about that when I get there, I guess.¡± Charlie sighed. ¡°Might be another couple of days. We¡¯re trying not to fight anything right now.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ not just on this trip? You¡¯re trying not to kill anything?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± The ignorance of his statement immediately set TJ¡¯s blood to boiling and he fought to hold it down. Unfortunately, the only thing he could bring himself to say was, ¡°Are you all stupid?¡± Chapter 34 Charlie¡¯s good humor quickly drained from his face. TJ raised his hands and apologized, ¡°No, that¡¯s not exactly what I wanted to say.¡± ¡°Then fucking say what you meant.¡± Charlie¡¯s tone lacked all the playful happiness from before. ¡°Did you know that we need to protect the general store from an assault for 18 hours, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And did you know that there¡¯s going to be a limited number of enemies appearing in the Tutorial, right?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Final question: have you noticed that they¡¯re getting stronger?¡± ¡°I¡­ not really?¡± ¡°Ok, so your lack of urgency makes some sense, though I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ve missed it. The first pukwudgies I saw appeared on day two, immediately after that System warning about integration. When did you see the first ones?¡± ¡°I dunno, later that day?¡± Charlie¡¯s face stopped glowering quite so much. ¡°The first ones I saw and killed were all level 3. Later, I saw only a couple that were over level five. Yesterday, on day three of this Tutorial bullshit, I fought a group with at least a dozen at level 5 or higher. Each multiple of five seems to be a watershed right now, and I¡¯m afraid of running into anything at level 10. The idea that the boss is coming in less than two weeks, and it could be level 25, or Bronze tier, or anything like that, has me petrified. I saw what a level 4 mountain lion could do to someone levels above it. If it¡¯d been level five, Stanton would absolutely be dead. If you all take your sweet time getting levels right now because you¡¯re scared, we¡¯re gonna end up having to fight even more enemies at a higher level in a couple weeks. That¡¯s unacceptable. I understand this all has been the scariest, most nerve-wracking experience in my life, and I know I¡¯ve danced on the edge of death every day. I realize you all are the brave few willing to range out to help the old, weak, and fearful. I don¡¯t want to discredit that. ¡°But dammit Charlie! Let¡¯s put just a minute¡¯s thought into this! We need to kill as many as we can, to make sure that we can make it through this hell!¡± TJ¡¯s mouth was dry with anxiety and from talking as long as he had. He looked up at the taller man¡¯s face, worried he¡¯d see a disbelieving, unwilling look. Instead, he saw fear and acceptance. ¡°Oh. Shit. Zig!¡± He hadn¡¯t needed to call. The fiery-headed hunter had obviously been listening, and her face mirrored Charlie¡¯s. When TJ turned to look around, he saw that every one of the hunters had been listening none too subtly, and every single young face was screwed up in some approximation of fear, terror, horror, or defeat. TJ¡¯s stomach dropped, seeing the hope drain from so many excited faces, but he didn¡¯t regret it. ¡°You heard him.¡± Zig said. ¡°I don¡¯t like to hear it, but I think it¡¯s the truth. Second priority today is to hunt. If you¡¯re too scared to focus on killing as many of these creatures as possible, I understand. Make your way back to town and stay with the people in the firehouse. Thank you for helping out until now. If you stay, you¡¯re going into the fire with us right now.¡± The assembled hunters looked at each other, worried. One began to turn away, a young girl about 17 or so, and TJ Appraised her as she walked away. Acolyte, 1 Anywhere up to a level 3, without an Occupation. Several others looked at each other and the retreating girl, but then Seth walked forward. His acne-scarred face was screwed up in a horrible display of hatred and rage, and he spat the words with a vitriol that almost scared TJ. ¡°They killed Hannah yesterday. I¡¯m not letting another one of the fuckers live another day, not if I can help it. I¡¯m with you.¡± Then, he walked forward and summoned his Sacred Weapon, a medieval-looking crossbow. TJ realized that he didn¡¯t understand the variations between the Skills offered by each Class, just like how his Divine Transformation differed from Charlie¡¯s. ¡°Well said, Seth. TJ, if you want, you can lead us on the hunt.¡± Zig answered, and many of the less sure hunters seemed mollified by his potential presence. ¡°I¡¯ll be here,¡± TJ answered, his hands held up in a warding gesture, ¡°but I¡¯m not much of a leader. I¡¯m happy to be a part of all this and help out however I can, but I won¡¯t lead. I¡¯ll protect and fight alongside you, but it¡¯s better to follow Zig, since she knows you all and everything.¡± ¡°Sounds good. OK everybody, keep your eyes peeled while we go. If you notice something, pass it on and prepare to engage.¡± Murmurs of agreement traveled up and down the group, and the dozen people standing together all prepared themselves. Of the five Zealots, three had suits of armor appear over them while the other two carried massive iridescent shields over three feet tall and stood on each side of Angelo the Disciple. Charlie stood beside TJ, his jacket put back in his backpack and his eyes peeled for anything approaching. The remaining hunters were all Acolytes, and TJ was again surprised at how the weapons varied. Zig and another carried bows, while Seth hefted his huge crossbow and Farid had a pair of javelins appear in his hands. The last Acolyte, a short girl, carried a two and a half foot-long boomerang that looked almost comical in her hands. That she was labeled an Acolyte, 2 meant that she¡¯d been at least partially successful in hunting with it, though, and TJ refused to underestimate her.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Ok, we¡¯re moving. We¡¯re about to get to where we¡¯ve seen the closest enemies, so be ready for anything!¡± With that, the group of hunters set out. The initial nervousness quickly segued to a more high-strung caution, to a relaxed awareness. With each step that they took without anyone seeing or noticing anything out of the ordinary, the less experienced hunters slipped more and more out of readiness. So it was that when Seth shouted, half were entirely caught off guard. ¡°Three blurs!¡± Without another word, Seth raised his crossbow, sighted down it, and let the bolt fly. TJ only saw the blur at that moment, and saw it attempt to dodge. The pukwudgie was too late, the bolt catching it squarely on the shoulder. It spun out of its camouflage, blood and screams flying freely. Zig was the second to shoot, an arrow flying with a slight whistle through the air towards the gathered monsters and into one¡¯s surprised throat. Farid¡¯s javelin was just behind, though it fell slightly short of the group. The third attempted to flee, and none of the hunters were ready to keep it from escaping. TJ, seeing the inevitable problems that would arise from a warning being given to dozens, and maybe hundreds more pukwudgies, activated Divine Transformation and rushed forward. His scales made a pleasant sound on the ground as his tongue flicked out of his mouth and tasted the fleeing pukwudgie¡¯s scent. He could see it, though not with his eyes. He trusted his senses, and with a brief moment¡¯s concentration, he sent a spear of wind lancing around a tree and into the goblin-like creature¡¯s spine. It fell with a weak cry, and TJ grabbed it in his jaws before carrying it and the other still living pukwudgie towards the group of hunters. He dropped both in front of the dozen, all but four of them (Zig, Farid, Charlie, and Seth) looking sick as he transformed back into his human body. ¡°You need experience. If the most powerful keep killing everything, the weakest will get left farther and farther behind. Zealots, you especially will need to find out how you can get more experience.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the lowest¨C¡± Seth cut Zig¡¯s question off, pulling a dagger from his belt and stabbing it deep into the pukwudgie he¡¯d shot¡¯s eye. It screamed for only a second before its body went limp and its cries died. ¡°My prey.¡± He grunted. ¡°I can share later. But this one¡­ was for Hannah¨C¡± His words cut off suddenly. TJ looked around, slightly off-put by the rage still so prominent on Seth¡¯s face. Before he could ask any questions or respond to that though, Seth spoke up, his tone surprised and a little happy. ¡°I just got an Occupation.¡± ¡°Sweet!¡± ¡°Nice!¡± ¡°Congrats!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± A chorus of excited voices cut through the sudden tension, and Seth looked up, a painful rictus of a grin beginning to cross his face. ¡°Avenger.¡± Zig hesitated to ask, but eventually she pushed through her obvious discomfort. ¡°And the requirements?¡± ¡°To have lost a friend and sworn vengeance for their death. Then, you need to kill the object of your hatred, alone.¡± TJ saw several jaws clench in response, his own one of them. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Seth¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m glad you were able to avenge her. The System seems to guide us to do things that¡¯ll let us progress that way. Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t keep you as a preemptive avenger from now on.¡± Seth merely nodded and swiped at a tear from the corner of his eye. Charlie wrapped the skinny man in a rough hug, whispering something TJ couldn¡¯t quite pick out in his ear. Charlie patted Seth¡¯s back a couple times as he pulled away, and Zig grabbed Seth¡¯s hand for a moment. Many of the rest of the hunters offered words of comfort, but Seth shrugged them off and pulled the string of his crossbow back while a bolt appeared in its slot. All the while, TJ kept his eyes out, watching for anything that approached. No more pukwudgies made themselves known, but TJ swore he could hear something in the bushes. ¡°Keep an eye out! I hear something!¡± He called, and the positive huddle of hunters dispersed, each clumsily pulling away from the rest and going to their assigned spot. As they fought to get into position, a pack of a half dozen coyotes burst from the brush and jumped, jaws slavering, towards the three Zealots in the front. Two were ready enough not to be pulled off their feet, but the third was dragged to the ground and she screamed, fighting to escape their deadly attack as three seemingly insane creatures ripped and tore at her. Charlie burst into his Divine Transformation form and threw a massive haymaker into the crowd of three furry bodies. Two were sent flying, and Charlie grabbed the third by the scruff. It snarled and snapped at his face, spittle flying everywhere. The Neophyte held it by its back legs and swung the canine like a club at the others that lunged back in. Charlie let it fly out of his hands after it smashed once against the ground with a sickening wet crunch, and it tumbled away with weak whimpers as the briefly toppled Zealot fought back to her feet with panicked breaths and strangled cries. The two Zealots that had remained on their feet lashed out with makeshift clubs, their strikes occasionally finding purchase in the flesh of their attackers. Then, the Acolytes joined in, and with weapons flying every direction, it wasn¡¯t long before most of the coyotes lay dead at their feet. The last two tried to escape, but were too wounded to flee quickly enough to escape the final blows coming from the enraged hunters. With no more immediate threat, Angelo walked forward and laid a hand on the girl who¡¯d been beset by coyotes. A faint glow accompanied the use of his Skill, and the several deep cuts on the girl¡¯s face faded to new, healthy pink tissue. ¡°This was just barely outside of the ¡®safe¡¯ area.¡± TJ said, still looking at their surroundings. ¡°Imagine if they¡¯d gotten into town, what they¡¯d do to all the people inside. What could Granny Penny do about that? Or anyone else you care about? That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡± As he spoke, TJ supposed he believed it, though he wondered if the real reason he was here was just self-preservation. Did it matter if it was? He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guards down. There¡¯s certain to be more nearby.¡± Chapter 35 Unsurprisingly, there were dozens more creatures waiting for the hunters at every step of the way. However, with each successful kill, the hunters grew in confidence and power. Most didn¡¯t have Occupations, but each one obviously had a Class and each of the lower-levelled hunters gained at least one level while coyote corpses were thrown into backpacks. With the hunters showing themselves capable of succeeding without being babysat, TJ stepped further and further back. He was, according to Zig, two levels higher than her, and she was the only hunter who¡¯d reached level 5. While he stood in the back, keeping an eye out on anything that could potentially pose any threat to the hunters, something that hadn¡¯t been noticed by the rest, he asked Zig what her additional Skill was. ¡°Arrow Shower. I can spend an exponentially increasing amount of MP and Stamina to duplicate the arrows I shoot. I can do up to 20, but that bottoms me out. If I, instead, just do a couple pairs or triples, I can do a bit more than twenty. Haven¡¯t needed to use it today, since I want to make sure these kids are growing.¡± TJ nodded, not looking at her. ¡°You¡¯re not ex-military or anything?¡± Zig asked out of nowhere. ¡°Hell no. I don¡¯t know anything about leading an operation or whatever. Stanton served in ¡®Nam, but he wasn¡¯t a career soldier after that, so he¡¯s fifty years out of date.¡± ¡°Were you like, a guild leader or anything like that? You seem to be pretty progress oriented, more than we were.¡± ¡°Nope. I have a solid goal, that¡¯s all. I don¡¯t know anything about the rest of you. Honestly, I don¡¯t need to. My only focus right now is Junior. If I can get to him, that¡¯s all that matters to me. Making sure you all pull your weight and get stronger will just help me to get back to my son. I don¡¯t think any of you here have kids, right?¡± Zig shook her head. ¡°Not as far as I know.¡± ¡°If you did, I¡¯d imagine you¡¯d be a bit more driven to get to them. I bet a lot of these kids still kinda think of this as a scarier video game, and that¡¯s fine if it keeps you all sane and alive because God knows we all need that. I don¡¯t need to think of this as a game. Just something standing between me and him. So, I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m an ass or difficult to be around or whatever, but frankly, your safety isn¡¯t my end goal.¡± Zig nodded, though she couldn¡¯t hide the slight frown. ¡°Are you trying to be unlikeable with all this talk like this? Just like, deliberately tearing us down?¡± TJ scowled. ¡°No. I just don¡¯t want you to be disappointed that I¡¯m not really a hero or a guide to safety. I¡¯m going to be up front about my long-term goals, because you need your own. There¡¯s gotta be something that¡¯ll pull you through this, and it can¡¯t be me.¡± ¡°Sounds kinda like my dad, honestly.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°He¡¯s always on my back about deciding what to make of myself. Hell if I know what I want to do, though. Guess that doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡± Zig trailed off, her eyes looking not at the trees but something far beyond them. ¡°Maybe you should try to see him after the Tutorial. Could be something to work towards.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Zig pulled herself from her thoughts and kept an eye peeled on our surroundings. As the time passed, they had walked past several streets where more cabins were sure to be, but under Zig¡¯s instructions, they hadn¡¯t turned onto any of them. Instead, the pack of hunters continued on the well-paved path for another half mile or so. Every so often, a pack of pukwudgies or coyotes would attempt another ambush, the pukwudgies focused on lightning-quick assaults without warning, the coyotes determined to tear into whatever human they could reach. The coyotes continued to demonstrate the monstrous, unthinking rage that drove them to violence, even when they were guaranteed to die. On the other hand, the pukwudgies remained a much more insidious foe. The little goblins didn¡¯t care how much damage they did. They just wanted to make them suffer. They¡¯d throw spears from the pine trees overhead, fake engagement, even send a single one of their companions around to hope to get lucky with a thrown spear. With so many hunters ready for them, though, the pukwudgies refused to fully commit the way they had been with TJ and Stanton alone. Though it annoyed him to no end, TJ recognized the wisdom in their approach¨Conly commit when they had a great chance of killing them all. Otherwise, harry and harm as best as they could. Eventually they¡¯d made it far enough that Zig gestured for the group to follow the next branching road up a steep hill. The gated community of cabins stood seemingly undisturbed. No windows were broken, no monsters roamed the streets, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. TJ glanced through the space between the thick bars. His face didn¡¯t fit, and he activated Divine Transformation to stick his narrower snake head through. He didn¡¯t see or smell or taste anything¡­ Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. When he tried to pull his head back, though, it caught and TJ felt panic begin to rise in his chest. Then, he realized it was just his mane of feathers catching and he slithered through the bars and then under the two foot gap under the fence to return to the rest of the hunters. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing anything in there, though that doesn¡¯t mean much.¡± a couple chuckles from the youngest of the hunters answered his stupid joke. ¡°The houses all look untouched, though, so I think that might be a good thing.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve never seen pukwudgies to be the first ones in a house.¡± Charlie answered, also looking around for anything out of place. ¡°They¡¯ll go in after a human has been, but every cabin is left untouched until then.¡± TJ grunted. If that was the case, maybe this would be a particularly beneficial expedition. He refused to get his hopes high just yet, though. Instead, he waited for the rest of the hunters to be prepared to go in. Though he couldn¡¯t quite place why, the idea of walking into the community seemed a daunting one, and TJ wasn¡¯t going to press the rest into entering before they were ready. Then, as Zig briefly consulted with the other Acolytes about the current condition of their MP and Stamina, a question occurred to TJ. He turned to Mary, the Zealot who¡¯d been briefly swarmed by coyotes. ¡°How do you keep your armor up? Does it require your MP constantly? Or is it a purely physical thing? And what¡¯s the name of the Skill?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Holy Vestments. Lets someone get armor or a shield, and doesn¡¯t take MP to maintain. It drains a little Stamina and MP when it takes a hit, and, as you saw, it doesn¡¯t protect anyone perfectly.¡± The woman, about the same age and height as TJ¡¯s own early thirties and 5¡¯7¡±, scratched idly at the pink flesh that replaced the wounds on her face. She was rather plain, with dirty blonde hair, narrow eyes, and wearing too-tight exercise clothing. TJ supposed that she, like him, had been on a jog like he was when all this started and felt an unreasonable kinship with her. ¡°What happens if you run out of Stamina or MP while you¡¯re using the Skill? And why do some people have shields and some armor?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what happens. But we all made a choice when we got the Skill on if we wanted armor or shields.¡± TJ nodded, then, since he was already asking, figured he¡¯d ask the last question, ¡°What¡¯s your Bloodline?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Dazhbog.¡± Then, seeing TJ¡¯s followup question, she answered, ¡°Slavic god of the sun and plenty.¡± ¡°Thanks. By the way, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve said it publicly, but mine is Kukulkan. The Mayan and Aztec feathered serpent god.¡± ¡°I kinda already guessed the feathered serpent thing.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± TJ nodded and watched as Zig and the rest finally were ready to enter the community that laid before them. He stepped into the front, willing to take the potentially most risky position, and the other zealots on the front nodded their thanks to him as he walked around the gate and into the street that waited before him. Nothing stirred as they approached, only their own steps and the winds overhead seeming to react to their presence. TJ made his way to the first home and, finding the front door unlocked, made his way in. Every other member of the expedition quickly fell in step behind him, all except for Seth, who stood at the door with his crossbow at the ready and his eyes on the street. Most of the hunters walked directly into the kitchen and ransacked whatever they could find. With a walk-in pantry full of non-perishables, half the backpacks were filled nearly immediately. Seeing the kitchen filled with searching people, TJ and several others poked into the upstairs, where warm blankets and the few changes of clothes there were quickly shoved into whatever backpack they fit in. ¡°Do we need more blankets?¡± TJ called down the stairs to where Zig and Charlie were. ¡°Yeah!¡± Charlie replied, his voice echoing through the wooden building. ¡°Most people can make it through the day, but keeping sleeping quarters nice and warm has been nearly impossible.¡± With an answer received, TJ found another backpack and stuffed it full of a couple quilts as well. There weren¡¯t any other packs upstairs to use, but when they returned to the ground floor, TJ saw that three more backpacks had been added to various arms. Half the hunters were double-stacked with supplies, and it was obvious that many of their number thought the journey was over. ¡°Are we ready to go to the next one?¡± Charlie asked, disregarding a couple groans that the younger ones made as they prepared to move along. TJ merely nodded in response and strode right out the building. With his insistent steps, though a couple kids grumbled about aching feet, everyone fell in step quickly enough. The second cabin wasn¡¯t nearly so well-stocked with food, less than a single backpack''s worth found inside. There was, however, a five gallon bucket with some useful supplies stored within, so Mary grabbed that bucket and carried it out. The swarm of hunters descended on a third, then fourth home. In the fourth, they found enough supplies to load everyone up nearly to capacity and, with Zig¡¯s instruction, they began to return to the street. With the end of their expedition in sight, many of the hunters, again, let a certain sense of complacency wash over them. Before TJ could say anything about staying alert and ready, he felt a slight rumble in the ground. As he tried to understand what was happening, Seth shouted while pointing up the street and further into the neighborhood, ¡°Be ready, something¡¯s coming!¡± TJ turned and looked just in time to witness a veritable horde of javelinas come charging down the street, squealing with rage and in challenge. Chapter 36 ¡°Get out of the way!¡± TJ screamed as the hunters behind him panicked. He hurled his two backpacks through the window of the nearest cabin, the glass shattering as the laden packs smashed through the flimsy panes. Then, no longer laden, TJ activated Divine Transformation and compressed the winds into his tail. He watched his MP plummet as he forced more and more of his power into the single Skill. An arrow multiplied into a dozen as Zig tried to slow the flood of furry pigs, but only one faltered with the attack, the others who¡¯d been hit simply ignoring the glancing blows they sustained. Just like the coyotes he¡¯d seen thus far, the javelinas were larger and more violent than ever before. They screamed their rage to the heavens, and they charged forward in one unyielding body. Though they were usually somewhat furry, their hair had grown to exhibit a sort of a metallic sheen, the coarse pelts gleaming in the midday sun. In addition, their usually somewhat friendly looking snouts were now ringed by vicious looking tusks like a warthog¡¯s. They screamed in unison as they drew ever closer. Once his MP reached a mere 100 and the javelinas¡¯ charge had drawn them within 50 feet or so, TJ threw the scythe of wind out, sending it slicing into the javelina¡¯s comparatively weaker legs. Pained screeches and squeals answered his attack and several collapsed to the ground with his initial assault. The implacable pace of the piglike beasts behind them trampled anything in their way, some of their own no exception. TJ disregarded the kill notifications, only taking note that the four that¡¯d died were all level 4. The other hunters rallied, the Acolytes shooting the impending danger with their Sacred Weapons while the Zealots and Charlie began throwing whatever they could lay hand on into the mass of beasts. The javelinas squealed their rage as one higher, somehow more piercing cry than the rest rang out. As soon as that somehow different cry washed over the herd of javelinas, the hurtling mass renewed their charge and better disregarded the wounds they¡¯d gained. TJ fled, the javelinas growing far too close for him to continue trying to thin their numbers. He felt the rumbling of the ground under his belly and rushed to the right, trying to dodge between trees. At least ten of the javelinas broke from the rest to follow him, the other nearly twenty continuing to smash towards the other hunters. TJ couldn¡¯t concern himself with them, focusing instead on how to keep himself alive. He had no delusions of surviving being trampled by over 1,000 pounds of angry warthog. He drew further away from the javelinas as they were forced to dodge around larger stones and trees, but TJ could see the flanks beginning to turn back towards their fellows. TJ gritted his teeth, as much as he could as a snake, and leapt nearly straight up into the air. The confused javelinas slowed as they were going to pass underneath him. Now that they weren¡¯t fully up to speed, TJ was willing to press his attack. His jaws found the base of a javelina¡¯s skull, and he bit as deeply as he could while his tail wrapped desperately around another¡¯s neck. A third javelina charged forward, its tusks seeking his head and TJ conjured a foot long blade of wind directly below it, taking his MP to a diminutive 37/280. As it sliced up into the javelina¡¯s throat, its eyes widened in terror as it gurgled for more breath. The other seven javelinas took that opportunity to begin gouging him with their tusks and stomping him with their hooves. TJ felt his many ribs begin to crack under the pressure, but surprisingly, his scales held the tusks back from shredding him to pieces. Surprised but willing to seize on the moment, TJ pressed the momentary advantage. With a twist of his body, he lifted the javelina he held in his mouth into the air. It squealed and cried out, but he used it like a club against its fellows. Even so, the living and free seven javelinas continued to attack, and TJ watched as, though he was protected from much of the damage, his HP ticked down. 900/940 850/940 775/940 650/940 Though he sustained damage and struggled to deal killing blows, TJ used whatever tool was available to him, constriction, biting, and slamming his weight into the enraged creatures. By the time his HP reduced to 500/940, he¡¯d killed four more of the javelinas, leaving just five, though they were mostly all healthy. He desperately wanted to create a huge guillotine of wind to kill them all in one fell swoop, but TJ had learned that precise, sharp uses of his Skill functioned much better than a wide, hopeful attack. Enduring four stomping and goring attacks, TJ wrapped the entirety of his body around the fifth. While it was immobilized and tusks pierced his body, he conjured a two-inch long blade of wind under it. MP 29/280, but the javelina immediately began seizing up as the wind dismembered its throat. TJ had been gored in two locations and the two javelinas pulled him apart, his spine cracking as he was stretched further than his body naturally allowed. Though he hissed in agony, TJ¡¯s mind continued to race and he threw the last of his MP into conjuring a blade where he thought one of their spines was. He sent it careening down, and the disturbingly familiar sound of harsh winds slicing into flesh filled the air. Luckily, the creature holding him in the air crumpled to the ground, and TJ painfully hauled himself off the curled tusk. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! With a wet slap, TJ¡¯s body fell to the ground, but he raised his head up. His HP remained above 200, so he would survive for now. He disregarded the moderate Bleeding affliction. Three more to kill. No more MP. Just his body. With a roaring hiss, TJ threw himself at the javelina that still held its tusk lodged in his body. His coils sought its neck, but found its ribs instead. Bones crack. Javelina screamed. Another rushed in. His jaws found its eyes. It squealed in agony. TJ pressed the attack. Wet pops and a foreign taste. He bit harder, his coils breaking more bones. He was blinded with rage. Two death notifications. He dropped the two corpses. The final javelina was somewhere. He would find it. Where? His tongue flicked out of his mouth, tasting the air. There, the scent of fear and javelina, and when he opened his eyes to see once more, the creature was fleeing. With a maddened laugh, the coatl rushed after the beast and its jaws found the flesh of its prey¡¯s hind leg. Once it was caught, the hunt was over, as the coatl¡¯s coils quickly enveloped its food and cracked bones. The death notification took too long too appear, and he distended his jaws and settled them around the creature¡¯s head, where he twisted hard and its spine snapped with a wet noise. The coatl hissed with pleasure and, with a toss of its neck, swallowed its prey whole. TJ slowly returned to himself, the feeling of being pleasantly full washing over him. He glanced down and saw his belly distended by the javelina¡¯s corpse. Looking at his flashing notifications, he saw the death notifications and the Affliction warning. 10 Javelinas, Level 4, Slain. Experience gained. Warning: You are suffering from a minor Bleed affliction. You will continue to lose 2 HP a minute until the Bleed condition is cured. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that a moderate Bleed affliction just a minute ago?¡± Due to the relatively nonthreatening nature of your wounds, your body¡¯s Vitality has naturally recovered from the moderate Bleed condition. You are still suffering from the minor Bleed condition. Due to your Vitality, you are able to heal from minor wounds more quickly than many other Dirt level Divinity Participants. ¡°And how long will it take me to purge the condition entirely?¡± You will recover from the minor Bleed affliction in five minutes. TJ sighed and finally turned his attention away from the System. In front of him, a horrified girl, the one with the boomerang, stared at him. In that moment, TJ felt the blood drip from his jaws and flow down his body. He was coated in the crimson liquid, both his own and that of the javelinas. He shifted back to his human form and looked down. His clothes were mostly clean, but he could still taste the eyeball that¡¯d popped in his mouth. When he swiped the back of his hand across his mouth, it came away streaked with blood. ¡°It¡¯s¨C¡± TJ coughed the dribble of blood in his throat clear, spat it out, and tried again. ¡°It¡¯s not all mine. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± When he said that, the girl¡¯s eyes widened even further and she stumbled away from him. Probably not the best thing to tell a frightened teenager, but TJ couldn¡¯t bring himself to care. He walked back towards the rest of the hunters, hopeful to find no dead bodies. Mary¡¯s twisted corpse denied him that hope. A half dozen puncture wounds dotted her body, and TJ imagined he could see the moment when her MP had given out under the javelinas¡¯ assault. More disturbing than the places where the tusks had torn into her, though, were the tears that streaked her face, the single eye that remained. The right side of her face had been trampled by the beasts, and her face was distorted and misshapen from her destroyed skull. TJ felt his gorge rise, gave his best efforts, and barely staved off the surge of nausea that demanded he vomit. He breathed solely through his mouth, trying to calm down. ¡°He was¨Clike¨Che¨Ca monster¨Ceating¨Cblood everywhere¨C¡± ¡°Calm down Sheridan. What happened?¡± Zig interrupted the girl that had fled from TJ¡¯s presence. She pointed an accusatory finger at TJ. ¡°He was eating them! Raw, like a monster! He¡¯s covered with their blood! He was¡­¡± Sheridan gathered her strength and glared at TJ. ¡°It¡¯s your fault Mary¡¯s dead!¡± TJ was still too nauseated to respond, and Sheridan continued her wild accusation. ¡°You wanted us to keep searching, to go farther, to find more things, and that¡¯s why Mary died! If you weren¡¯t so greedy, a monster, a fucking bastard, then she¡¯d be alive! It¡¯s all your fault, and how we have to bury another friend. How dare you!¡± Sig and Charlie tried to calm the girl, but TJ¡¯s vision went red and he leaned forward, bellowing into her fearful face, ¡°I took care of ten of them myself! You had ten people and only twenty javelinas. On top of that, I killed at least four of them before you did a damn thing!¡± ¡°Then you should have done more instead of running away!¡± Sheridan gathered herself and screamed back, tears streaking down her dirty face. ¡°If you¡¯re so fucking strong, why¡¯d you leave the weak people to hold the line, huh?¡± ¡°Alright, if you were so strong what would you do, let them charge right into you, just stand there as they trample you? You think that¡¯s what I did? And I¡¯m not the person who calls the shots here, Zig is! We stayed because we have a job and if we don¡¯t do it, people starve. But let¡¯s pretend we went home, clapped each other on the back, and cheered over how we got a level today. Yippee! Maybe we¡¯ll be level 10 when the Tutorial is ending! ¡°Then what would you have done when this same group of javelinas, ten levels higher than now, charged through every one of you and killed the people behind you in town? Huh? What if they had some Skill that made them stronger and faster? Or if they were all just twice the size they already are? What would you do then when you¡¯re too weak and forced to stand and watch as they tear every old and young person apart because you were too weak to try harder when you could? It¡¯s terrible that someone died, and I feel sick at having to take care of her dead body, but what the fuck else could we have done?¡± He waited five seconds, his eyes meeting Sheridan¡¯s. She quickly averted her gaze, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. ¡°Anyone?¡± TJ shook his head, his hands quivering with the surging emotions inside him. With a steadying breath, he leaned away and looked up at the sky. ¡°Someone get some rope. Tie as many of the javelinas to my body and I¡¯ll take them back to town. I¡¯ll stay with you if you want, or I¡¯ll go alone. Just don¡¯t talk to me right now.¡± Chapter 37 TJ stood, or posed, or whatever he did as a serpent, in near silence as Charlie tied nearly half a dozen javelinas to his back. They¡¯d quickly discovered that he¡¯d need to carry a halter or something to that effect in his mouth, or else the tied on ropes would simply roll down his body and off his tail. Thus, TJ felt something like a strange horse as he held the rope in his mouth. It was uncomfortable at the corners of his jaws, but TJ didn¡¯t mind the excuse not to talk. He felt slightly uncomfortable about blowing up at Sheridan, but he didn¡¯t care enough to say anything to her. He¡¯d been right with everything he said, and he merely regretted losing his patience. ¡°You should be more patient with her.¡± Charlie almost seemed to speak to himself instead of TJ. ¡°Mary saved her life in that charge. She probably just feels guilty.¡± TJ grunted in response. ¡°Not that I blame you. I wonder if you¡¯re the only one of us hunters who¡¯s seeing our situation for what it is. Having someone scream at you for doing what seems to be the best option sucks, but we¡¯re in hell. I hope you can show some patience and understanding. That¡¯s all.¡± Again, TJ adopted the Stanton response. Charlie didn¡¯t seem to mind and continued to work in silence for a time. Once TJ was effectively fully loaded, Charlie stepped back and looked at his handiwork. ¡°How much time do you have left on your Divine Transformation?¡± TJ, without having thought of that limitation, pulled up his Status. Current total maximum Divine Transformation time: 39:15 (End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4 Current cooldown: 57:28 With the cooldown being twice what the time spent while using Divine Transformation was, TJ forced himself to do the mental math of dividing the cooldown by 2. He¡¯d spent a bit over 28 minutes with his Skill activated, so had maybe 11 minutes left. TJ struggled to spit the rope out of his mouth to respond. ¡°About 10 minutes.¡± ¡°Yeah, you gotta leave. You should be fast enough to get at least to where it¡¯s somewhat safe like that. Let¡¯s have Angelo heal you a little before you go.¡± Though he tried to argue, TJ¡¯s wishes were overruled by Charlie¡¯s insistence. When Angelo began to pour his Skill¡¯s healing into TJ, Angelo gasped. ¡°Dude! Why didn¡¯t you tell me to heal you already? You¡¯ve got it bad!¡± TJ glanced at his HP: 248/940 and rising. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. Just need to take a break. I can at home, once I drop this off.¡± ¡°What do you mean he has it bad?¡± Charlie demanded. ¡°He¡¯s below a third of his total! Are you stupid, TJ?¡± ¡°Typical of some macho man moron.¡± Zig chimed in. ¡°No need to bleed out looking over the snowy valley. It¡¯s just cold, no snow here! You need to get to the Northeast or something for that.¡± TJ couldn¡¯t say that he had any idea what she was referencing, but he tried to shrug. He had no shoulders, so nothing happened as the silence stretched into something awkward. ¡°I can¡¯t top you up. You have too much HP for that, so I¡¯ll give you what I can without emptying my MP.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go now.¡± TJ didn¡¯t say anything more as he adjusted the nylon rope back into his mouth and, feeling like a reindeer, or maybe a mushing sled dog in the Iditarod, he made trails back to town. Some of the hunters watched as he went, but TJ refused to look back. Instead, he accelerated forward. With so much weight slowing him down, TJ made sure to gradually get up to velocity instead of leaping into his top speed and risk ripping ropes or anything like that. On top of that, though he¡¯d insisted on another two being put on him, TJ could feel that he was notably slower and weighed down with so much. He was much stronger than he¡¯d been before the System, but not enough to sprint the whole way back to town. TJ continued on his way, and the rope chafed at his scales and twisted in his mouth, but it held sufficiently for him to continue on his path. The wind whispered to him as he moved, seeming to want to tell him something. TJ refused to listen, instead keeping his eyes and ears peeled to listen for anything approaching him. Every shifting branch seemed like it was a pukwudgie preparing to strike while every shifting bush could be a cougar in the act of pouncing. While his worries plagued every step of the way, TJ¡¯s journey began wholly without incident. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t long before his hopes for a quick, easy journey were dashed as he heard the sound of coyote yips approaching. Four burst out of the bushes, rushing to surround him, their jaws wide. He paid them no mind, instead drawing Wind Manipulation into a whirling tornado that burst out from around him and pushed them away. The canines screeched and cried as they were sent tumbling around him. TJ¡¯s path remained clear and so too was his destination. He continued slithering at top speed forward, the wind whistling through his ears. Thankfully, his cooldown timer had only reached 1:15:07 by the time he began descending the hill into the town itself. Though TJ was relatively sure that he was no longer in danger, he still hurried through the town, staying in the center of the highway as he rushed. Several people screamed at his approach, but TJ coasted to a stop in front of the general store where he allowed himself to transform back to his human form. ¡°Hey, Jeff. You help a guy out?¡± The tangles of rope around his legs and torso kept him from moving, and it could be that that was one of the primary causes keeping Jeff from throwing something at him. Seeing the big bad snake man trapped in hundreds of pounds of food he¡¯d brought back seemed to be enough of a consolation to stop Jeff¡¯s mood from souring further. Or maybe it was the fact that the big bad snake man was trapped and now Jeff had been invited to take care of him. With a sharp knife. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. With efficient strokes, Jeff cut the javelina corpses from TJ¡¯s body. TJ happily rolled his shoulders as he was freed. ¡°I¡¯ll help carry them in.¡± ¡°Go ahead. Where¡¯s the rest of the hunters?¡± Jeff asked, his tone curt and uncaring. ¡°I had to go ahead to bring all this before my Skill¡¯s duration ran out.¡± TJ didn¡¯t want to get into the entirety of the drama that had occurred. Luckily, Jeff simply nodded and threw a corpse over each of his shoulders before turning and stalking into the general store. TJ grabbed another brace of javelina bodies and dragged them in, noting how obvious it was that Jeff had a higher Strength than him. He Appraised the prickly man again and saw that his level hadn¡¯t risen from Zealot, 3. As Jeff pushed through, the doors of the general store hung open, the faint light within struggling to pierce the much brighter sunlight outside. The store almost looked like a cavern of sorts as TJ struggled to pull hundreds of pounds of limp javelina into the place they¡¯d store the food. Jeff strode purposefully to the back of the store and TJ followed as best as he could. Sarah, the other guard, seemed to struggle to pull the bodies as much as he had, and his slightly pricked pride felt slightly better. Then, TJ realized he was comparing himself to a woman quite a bit smaller than him, and that the System meant that what people looked like no longer had much of a bearing on how strong they could be, and he was mostly able to get over himself. For the second time that day, TJ walked through the small store, but when he reached the back, he couldn¡¯t help but notice that Laura was missing from her desk. In fact, as far as he could tell, Jeff, Sarah and he were the only people in the building, though there was no guarantee that there was nobody in the back. With steady steps, TJ left the thought behind as he followed Jeff. In the back of the building, there was a large door marked ¡°EMPLOYEES ONLY¡± that was in the process of swinging closed. TJ followed as well, and inside he saw Jeff laying the two corpses on a large metal counter. With a deep breath, TJ gathered himself and picked both bodies up to thump them down beside their companions. The stainless steel rattled from the carelessness with which he tossed the bodies, but TJ didn¡¯t care. He¡¯d pushed hard for a long time, and he nearly collapsed to the ground while he gasped for breath. ¡°It was just a little ways to get here.¡± Jeff said, his tone derisive. ¡°You really need to be so dramatic?¡± ¡°I basically ran a mile and a half with 300 pounds on my back. Yeah, I¡¯d say I warrant a rest.¡± TJ mustered up the energy to glare up at Jeff. Jeff didn¡¯t say anything and just stalked out of the storage area after holding the door open for Sarah. ¡°I¡¯m willing to take care of the skinning and preparing of the meat, unless someone else wants to do it.¡± TJ offered to the much friendlier woman as they worked together to get the bodies up on the counter. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I wouldn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Figures. Where¡¯s Laura?¡± ¡°Lunch. Granny Penny gets after her if she doesn¡¯t eat every meal. Her lectures are great, so long as you¡¯re not the one she¡¯s disappointed in.¡± Sarah smiled wide. TJ nodded before changing the subject, ¡°How did you get your levels? Are you one of the hunters?¡± ¡°No, I just guard here. Why?¡± ¡°Because you have at least 4 levels. Did you get an Occupation?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a Guard. I get a little experience from standing watch, I¡¯d guess that if I fought to protect a place I¡¯d get more.¡± Sarah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m pretty happy not having to fight and kill things, though.¡± Having already had the conversation twice today, TJ didn¡¯t jump in though a large part of him was dying to. Instead, he nodded to Sarah and walked out the doors. There, Jeff was being relieved from his position by another man, and they were locked in heated conversation. ¡°I dunno what it is, man. The gas still burns, but the spark plugs won''t ignite it. It might be something I haven¡¯t seen when I was working before, but it¡¯s like magic is keeping the engine from running. The diesels won¡¯t start either, so it¡¯s not the plugs.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s gotta be something. There¡¯s no way that a fuckin¡¯ internal combustion engine just stops burning. The gas burns, the engine draws the gas, and so it should fire!¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not. We¡¯ve looked at every part of the engine, of the intake system, everything, and there just isn¡¯t any way to see why none of the cars or trucks will turn on. The batteries are all dead, the grid is down, and cars don¡¯t work. That¡¯s how it is.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look after I eat.¡± Jeff scoffed, his scowl threatening to burn a hole in whatever he looked at. Though they were going to the same place, TJ deliberately hung back and gave the angry guardsman his space. The idea of a functioning car was beautiful, and TJ couldn¡¯t believe he hadn¡¯t asked about it. When he¡¯d come into town, nobody had used one or mentioned it, and he¡¯d simply forgotten to ask anyone about it. Now, though, he supposed he had an answer. With nobody to man the power grid or water system, he wasn¡¯t at all surprised there wasn¡¯t electricity or running water, but he just didn¡¯t think about the cars. Before he could make his way to the firehouse, though, TJ heard a familiar voice. ¡°Hey kid.¡± A broad smile cracked his face as he turned to Stanton, who stood behind him with his thick handlebar mustache groomed away from his mouth and his Stetson proudly perched on his head. ¡°Hey geezer. How was water duty?¡± ¡°Wet.¡± he grunted, but seemed mostly fine. ¡°Good.¡± TJ began to turn away and towards the firehouse, but a thought crossed his mind and he sighed. ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± Stanton grunted. ¡°Could you take some of the people you were with today up the road, turning right at the church up at the hill? I had to go ahead of the rest because my Skill was running out of time, and I¡¯d appreciate you making sure they¡¯re ok.¡± Stanton cocked an eyebrow up at TJ, grunted, then turned on his heel with a whistle and started plodding up the street. Though he didn¡¯t like Stanton wandering off on his own, TJ had confidence that he would find someone to help him, plus TJ himself couldn¡¯t really support his friend right now. His MP was near zero while his Divine Transformation was effectively unable to be used as well. He resumed his path towards the firehouse, the grumbling Jeff serving as his announcer. In the firehouse, TJ made his way to the serving line, where there were, blessedly, no eggs. Instead, real mashed potatoes with heaps of butter and some fresh ham were plopped onto his plate. Sure, there wasn¡¯t as much of it as he¡¯d like, but it was good. With a smile, TJ tossed the food into his mouth and chewed, eating as fast as he always did. Then, looking around, he saw Laura, eating quickly, though with her eyes focused on a paper report of some sort. TJ scraped the last of his food into his mouth and picked it up to carry it to the kitchen. Out of nowhere, Granny Penny blazed past and stole the utensils from his hands and hobbled into the kitchen. He laughed as he approached Laura, who held up a finger to keep him from interrupting. TJ waited, and a minute later, Laura looked up. ¡°Speak.¡± Chapter 38 The woman¡¯s face, though somewhat pretty, framed by her dark hair and strikingly light eyes, was pinched in frustration. Seeing TJ¡¯s face, she took a deep breath and settled a more understanding look on her own while steepling her fingers. ¡°Hello TJ. How was the hunt? Do you have something specific to report?¡± ¡°I¡­ do you want the bad news or good first?¡± ¡°Bad.¡± ¡°Mary died while being attacked by a giant herd of javelinas. It was ugly, and at least one of the hunters holds me responsible.¡± ¡°Why would they think it¡¯s your fault?¡± Laura¡¯s face remained impassive and professional, though TJ noted a shaking in her hands. ¡°Sheridan said that I should have been able to do something more because I was the strongest person there. She¡­ I mean, she¡¯s wrong, but I feel like I might have been able to do something else? I don¡¯t know. It was bad.¡± ¡°Ahh, yes. She¡¯s young and emotional and her friend died. I¡¯ll ensure she receives whatever support we can offer.¡± Though he spoke as dispassionately as he could manage, TJ clenched his jaw as he remembered Mary¡¯s face, the skull crushed, her body torn¡­ It was replaced with Mari¡¯s bloody body in the hospital room. The smell of antiseptic. Junior¡¯s confusion and tears and screams. The sound of her heart monitor flatlining. The emptiness. His gorge again fought to rise, to spill the meal he¡¯d just consumed. His throat swelled and threatened to shut entirely. With a force of will, TJ breathed deeply through his nose and shook his head forcibly. ¡°Yeah. She¡¯ll need that.¡± TJ swiped at his eyes and changed the subject. ¡°Um. Yeah. Just a couple of things. One, I brought javelina bodies back, so where do you want me to leave the prepared meat? My Occupation will progress by preparing the materials, so I¡¯d like to process the meat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll decide what we want to do about those by the time you¡¯re finished.¡± ¡°Fine. And then there¡¯s the big point. I don¡¯t know if you can, but you need to force everyone to level up as fast as possible.¡± Laura cocked her head, her eyebrows raising in curiosity. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an intelligent woman. The creatures out there are just getting more and more dangerous. If the herd of javelinas was just one level higher, I don¡¯t know if any of the hunters would have survived, myself included.¡± ¡°And there will just be more enemies every day. That compounded with their strength growing continuously doesn¡¯t bode well. In fact, I¡¯d say our days are numbered if we think we can just sit comfortably here in town.¡± The politician bowed her head and held it in both hands as she rubbed her forehead. ¡°You¡¯re right. So much of what we¡¯ve been doing in town has focused on the idea of merely holding steady for now.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯m going to go take care of the bodies before taking a rest to recover my Skill and my HP, so let me know if you have any questions before I¡¯m elbow deep in a corpse.¡± Laura¡¯s face blanched at TJ¡¯s words, but she shook her head. TJ didn¡¯t say anything else to her, instead giving a two finger salute as he turned and walked out of the firehouse. The stressed but generally calm conversations that filled the communal space would soon be replaced by frustration, disbelief, or even rage, but TJ couldn¡¯t bring himself to care. Almost every one of these people in here were surviving off the goodwill and patience of the dozen people risking their lives outside. If he was honest with himself, TJ recognized that if he¡¯d been teleported here instead of in the middle of nowhere and forced to fight to survive from the same moment the Divine System manifested itself, then he¡¯d want to do the same. Why not trust other people to keep you safe, wasn¡¯t that what police, firefighters, and soldiers were for? This world wouldn¡¯t allow that complacency, TJ realized. It seemed like the Divine System would create more and more trials for the Participants until it found whoever it deemed to be the best pick for the next occupant of the Divine Throne. Though he only considered even attempting to get there to restore his family, he recognized he didn¡¯t want to be a god. The world and the System didn¡¯t care about what he wanted. This Tutorial would push him to keep fighting and striving to get stronger, and if he wanted to see his son, he would claw his fingers down to the bone to destroy whatever stood in his way. He internally decided that if Laura hadn¡¯t broken the news to the rest of the town by tomorrow, then he¡¯d start telling everyone to get working. Whether or not that would be at all effective or possible, TJ couldn¡¯t say. He pushed that possibility to the back of his mind and returned to what he next planned to do. Feeling at his pocket, he could tell he still had one of the sharp stones in there, and though he wished for something more like a real knife, that wasn¡¯t to be. Jeff¡¯s replacement guard didn¡¯t seem too worried when TJ approached with the intent to enter the store. ¡°What¡¯re you up to?¡± He asked as he leaned on his large shield for support. ¡°Cleaning the javelinas and getting them ready to eat.¡± ¡°Have fun, then.¡± TJ nodded and made his way into the store. As before, it was dark, restrictive, and uncomfortable inside. Uncomfortable? As soon as he thought it, TJ wondered why he¡¯d think it was restrictive, much less uncomfortable. Sure, he didn¡¯t love being in a place he couldn¡¯t see well, but he¡¯d never thought of that as uncomfortable before. Though he continued to think about it and try to find out why he subconsciously hated to be in the store, he couldn¡¯t place it. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The mystery remained as he pushed into the back area, where, after following a faint scent of iron, TJ found something he was relieved to see. A fully stocked butcher¡¯s kitchen with meat hooks, a drain for blood, and everything else he could imagine as well as various things he had no idea what function they would serve awaited him. TJ set his rock aside on the counter and gathered in the six corpses. Then, looking at what was waiting for him, TJ looked down at himself, sighed, and stripped out of his shirt before putting on a heavy apron that was hung in the corner of the room. Finally, with his sharp rock in hand, TJ set to work. ¡ª--- Initially, he¡¯d tried to keep the blood off of himself. After all, it was sticky and generally distasteful. Then, as the third body hung, dripping blood to the ground, TJ couldn¡¯t bring himself to care any more. The damn sticky crimson stuck, seemingly, to every bit of his body, and more than once, he couldn¡¯t figure out how, he¡¯d gotten the blood into his mouth. With a grunt and a grumbled curse, TJ hung the sixth corpse to drip. He felt a welcome surge of energy, and quickly realized what it was. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 6. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Point available. Without a second thought, TJ put the Free Point into his Intelligence and pulled up his Status sheet.
Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Human ¨C lvl 6 Class: Neophyte lvl 7 Occupation: Savage lvl 6 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 480/480 Mana Points (MP): 300/300 Stamina: 460/460 Attributes Strength: 22 Agility: 21 Endurance: 46 Vitality: 48 Toughness: 39 Wisdom: 26 Intelligence: 30 Perception: 30 Willpower: 40 Fixation: 31 Free Points: 0 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Current total maximum Divine Transformation time: 41:15 (End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4 Current cooldown: 0:00 Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Coatl ¨C lvl 6 Class: Neophyte lvl 7 Occupation: Savage lvl 6 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 960/960 Mana Points (MP): 300/300 Stamina: 920/920 Attributes Strength x2: 44 Agility x1.5: 31 Endurance x2: 92 Vitality x2: 96 Toughness x2: 78 Wisdom: 26 Intelligence: 30 Perception x1.5: 45 Willpower: 40 Fixation: 31 Free Points: 0 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular
He didn¡¯t know if the cooldown for Divine Transformation would have been fully refreshed by his new level, but it had been well over an hour since he¡¯d begun his butchery, so the cooldown had long since passed. When he turned to look at his handiwork, TJ did feel some measure of pride at what he¡¯d been able to accomplish. Though the first two attempts had not gone especially well for him, the other four corpses had their matching hide stretched out behind them. Though the cuts remained clumsy and inexpert, he could see that, properly cured, the hides could be quite useful. This first step complete, TJ considered leaving the rest for someone else, but he¡¯d already seen that he could be overwhelmed by numbers and strength. The rest of the town would learn that they needed to work harder soon, and TJ would seize every bit of experience he could for himself at this point. If others became Tanners or Butchers or any other Occupation, then they could do whatever they needed to level up on their own time. Getting the materials for and using them for processing the hides was still horrendous and turned his stomach, but TJ cracked the skulls, extracted the brains, and took care of the hides as best as he could. All the while, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he hadn¡¯t leveled up his Class or Occupation before now. He¡¯d killed tons of javelinas and pukwudgies and coyotes, to no avail. Sure, there hadn¡¯t been hundreds of them, but he felt that another level of both seemed like they would make sense. After each watershed level (every five levels in the Dirt (0) tier of Divinity, the requisite experience per level increases while the awarded experience from activities and experience sources from below that same watershed is decreased. ¡°So the more I level, the less I get.¡± TJ sighed and continued working the brain slurry into the raw hide. The smell no longer bothered him after hours spent elbows deep in gore, so after another hour of rubbing the foul mixture into the pelts, he carried them out into the sun to dry. In his time working in the butchery, he¡¯d found the door out the back, where the shipments would have been delivered when the world hadn¡¯t gone and collapsed in on itself. Four days ago. He sighed and rubbed his eyes as the reality of that settled over him. This was the fourth day since hell had decided earth was a good place to set up camp, and things were just going to get worse. How many people would have died by now? Were other Tutorials worse off than this one? If people had been yanked from their homes in Canada and were stuck outside without their winter clothes, they¡¯d all have died. He shook his head. Worrying wouldn¡¯t do anything right now. Other people freezing to death was a horrible end, but Junior wasn¡¯t there. So long as the System was to be trusted. TJ grunted and ground his teeth. His mind kept wandering, betraying him. He needed to focus on the here and now to make it to tomorrow. Looking around, TJ couldn¡¯t see anywhere that stood out to him as a good place to hang the pelts. He sighed and threw them over his shoulder while disregarding the blood that streaked all over the bottom pelt¡¯s fur from his torso. ¡°What¨Cwhat the hell¨C¡± A terrified voice pulled TJ from searching for somewhere to leave the pelts to dry. Whirling around, searching for enemies, he couldn¡¯t see or hear anything. Instead, he watched as Laura, dressed in her suit and with a pencil held in a horrified, disbelieving hand, gaped at him. Before TJ could ask what was wrong, her face drained of its blood and she collapsed to the ground. Chapter 39 ¡°What the¨C¡± TJ shouted, still looking for whatever the imminent danger was. There was nothing so terrifying as to render him unconscious anywhere nearby, but still his eyes darted in every direction, prepared to defend himself as necessary. When the guards from the door jogged up to Laura without seeming to be particularly worried, TJ figured that he had missed something. A mere moment later, Laura stirred and rubbed her eyes. She kept each eye firmly closed as she muttered to herself. With a hand from the guards, she stood, eyes still closed without any indication of a willingness to open them. ¡°I apologize. I was surprised to see you, TJ. When covered by so much blood, I mistook you for something threatening and unfortunately lost my composure. Again, I apologize for my unbecoming display.¡± TJ nodded for a second, then the reality of what she¡¯d said settled over him and he connected the dots. With a disbelieving tone, he asked, ¡°Are you a hemophiliac?¡± ¡°No,¡± the woman, with eyes still closed, replied. ¡°I am hemophobic. Hemophilia is a disease of the blood, while hemophobic is the irrational fear of blood.¡± ¡°Pretty shitty fear to have in times like these.¡± TJ mused aloud. ¡°That sucks.¡± ¡°Indeed. Now, is there anything I can do for you?¡± ¡°Not right now.¡± ¡°Very well. If you have anything else to tell me, please do so after you have cleaned yourself.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± TJ nodded before waving goodbye. Laura¡¯s eyes remained closed, so he added, ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± ¡°Goodbye TJ.¡± Laura turned, and with the blood out of sight, she shrugged off the assisting hands of her guards and strode into the store. She pointedly did not look back as the door closed behind her. As TJ considered where to dry his hides, he fully looked down at himself to consider what he looked like. Dried blood coated his hands and arms up to the elbow, while errant splatters covered his shoulders and chest. His blue jeans sported dark stains all over them, and he was sure that there was no shortage of coagulated blood decorating his face. He¡¯d removed his moccasins, saving them from being covered by the dripping evidence of his butchery, so his bare toes too were mostly red from the scabbing scarlet. Perhaps working to make his appearance ever more bestial and off-putting, he had pelts draped over his shoulders, skin side up. Though he¡¯d scraped the majority of it off, the veins and flesh that remained stuck to the pelts made for a grisly sight. Most off-putting, though, were the yards of intestines he¡¯d roped around his neck like a macabre scarf. Though each item he carried was bloody and generally unpleasant, TJ carried them exclusively for their utility, and he didn¡¯t regret having them. Even so, he recognized the unpleasant sight he made and, instead of thinking about it any further, he carried the pelts to the house he¡¯d spent the night before in. As he walked down the highway, the partially setting sun colored the town gold. The trees and forest that were only slightly pushed back by this little pocket of civilization grew all around, their green needles tinted yellow in the light. Some few people moved around in these houses further away from the ¡°center¡± indicated by the store and the firehouse, but not many. The bulk of the population preferred the safety offered by numbers, and TJ supposed he couldn¡¯t fault them. Though he felt a burning need to continue growing and leveling to keep himself and his son safe, TJ understood the terror of leaving the bounds of this apparent ring of safety. After just a night spent here, he¡¯d worried about what he¡¯d find, about what would threaten him. If he¡¯d never been forced to fight for his life, been pushed to that edge of desperation, changing would be nearly impossible. And he would ruin that for every single inhabitant of the town. He would feel slightly badly about it, but TJ knew that he wouldn¡¯t regret ripping the slight peace they¡¯d found away from these people to ensure that they could survive. So that he could succeed. Maybe his heart would falter after he saw another die, but the reality was that they would die if none of them forced themselves to level up anyways. Regardless, that was a concern for tomorrow. For now, TJ merely wanted to find where he could lay his pelts to dry. He settled on the small fence that bordered the house¡¯s porch and laid out the half dozen pelts to dry. When he turned to walk into the house and decide what to do next, he was startled out of his next choice of what to do. ¡°No.¡± Stanton said, standing in front of the door. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Get clean, then you can come in.¡± TJ opened his mouth to complain or disagree, looked down at himself, and sighed. ¡°Would you guide me to the creek? That¡¯ll be my best bet.¡± Stanton grunted, pulled the door closed, and hiked his jacket¡¯s collar up to better cover his neck. The old man walked onward and TJ Appraised him. Acolyte, 5 ¡°No levels today?¡± ¡°One in Druid.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Oh, that means a new Skill!¡± TJ replied, excitement tinging his voice. ¡°What Skill did you choose?¡± Stanton glared at the younger man for a second before sighing and seeming to give up on his closed-lipped act. ¡°Nature¡¯s Advocate.¡± TJ cocked his head, waiting for Stanton to provide some explanation. They walked in silence for nearly a minute before TJ gave in. ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°I can make plants grow faster, encourage growth, and help food bearing plants to sprout and bear fruit more quickly.¡± ¡°A longer term Skill choice.¡± Stanton merely grunted in response and TJ left the topic behind. ¡°How are the hunters? You get them all home safe?¡± ¡°Yeah. Couple of them are shaken, and I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll go out again. They¡¯re all home, though.¡± Stanton didn¡¯t offer any more details as they walked, and TJ couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask any more. They walked in silence, eventually leaving the road and following a small game trail for a quarter mile through the woods. Before long, the burbling of a creek cut through the quiet sounds of their steps and TJ could see the water. Though he could hear it flowing relatively quickly, there wasn¡¯t much in the creek. What little ran down the hill was, at most, a foot deep with the occasional pool just a couple feet wide. TJ nearly entered the water right there but thought better of it, instead walking a hundred feet or so further downstream. He stripped down to his boxers, the cool of the end of the day chilling him without making him shiver. His Vitality of 48 was so impactful to such mundane parts of his life that TJ wondered how much his body and mind would change as he continued to progress and evolve. As the frigid water splashed over him and prickled his whole body with gooseflesh, he thought about his mind, the way he¡¯d been as steadfast as he¡¯d been these days. Though he¡¯d gotten through Mari¡¯s death as well as he could, TJ was well aware he was far from unbreakable. Now, though, he was shrugging off mortal wounds and deferring treatment while he bled out. The increases to his attributes in Strength, Agility, Vitality, and Endurance, as well as even Toughness, were easy enough to wrap his mind around. Sure, eventually he might be able to lift an airplane or outrun a car, but that just felt as if he were Superman or something. But the changes to his mind frightened him. He shrugged off wounds that would have easily sent him into shock five days ago, could that have been a result of his Willpower? If so, what would happen once it got to triple digits? Would he simply buck up and deal with it if someone he loved died? Would he still be considered human after all that? And if these attributes continued to climb, would TJ be swallowed up in the Participant? For not the first time that day, TJ forced the thought out of his mind. There wasn¡¯t a valley he wouldn¡¯t tread through to get to Junior, and though it terrified him, that included hardening his heart and mind to this terrible world he now lived in. He scrubbed his body all over, flakes of blood falling free as he did so. Disgustingly, his hair was matted with sweat, dirt, and blood, and the water flowed a rusty reddish down his torso as he dunked his whole head again and again. Eventually, TJ finally felt that he was ready to move along. The sun overhead had fallen enough to nearly be considered setting, and he made a decision as he dunked the intestines he¡¯d brought along again and again in the water. ¡°Stanton!¡± A grunt answered him. ¡°Do we have water for me to boil these, or could you get me a pot to gather the water myself?¡± Instead of answering, the old man shrugged off his jacket for a moment, his mouth worrying at his upper lip and chewing on a particularly long moustache hair. Once the jacket was fully off, TJ saw the small pack Stanton kept under his jacket, and Stanton tossed it over. TJ caught it with a sloshing sound and saw it was one of those backpacks with a water bladder inside. ¡°Is this safe to drink?¡± Stanton nodded and kept his eyes on the surrounding trees. TJ only then realized he could see Suzie set carefully in a makeshift shoulder holster under Stanton¡¯s left arm. Unconcerned, though curious why the man would have it manifested when he could summon it with a thought, he nodded his thanks. Only now that he had so much drinkable water in front of himself, TJ felt how parched his mouth and dry his throat were. Since it was about to be contaminated with unboiled water, TJ indulged in probably too much water. His stomach sloshed with each movement as he bent over to refill the bladder, though from several feet upstream of where he¡¯d just been cleaning himself. Facing the mouth of the bladder downstream, he filled it and screwed the top on. When he stood up, Stanton wasn¡¯t looking at their surroundings any longer, but staring at TJ. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made a decision.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, just strangely astute, as the man usually was. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve got something I need to do tonight. Probably by myself.¡± Stanton nodded, merely accepting the statement for what it was. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid, you hear?¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± A grunt. ¡°You need me to take your things back to the house for now?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll walk with you. Probably better for me to talk with Laura before I go anyways.¡± Stanton nodded, the Stetson hat covering his eyes as he did so. Then, without another word, he stepped up and out of the path, giving TJ enough space to dress himself as much as he wanted. All his clothes were dripping wet, and TJ considered leaving them off and walking in his skivvies all through the town to let his clothes dry, but modesty and a general sense of shame kept him from doing so. Instead, he shook the jeans hard a couple times, droplets of water flying everywhere before he gave up and put the dripping pants on, though he didn¡¯t put the moccasins on. The wet denim chilled his legs and was painfully uncomfortable, but he had a goal in mind. Fortunately, TJ¡¯d had the presence of mind not to wear his shirt and jacket while butchering, so they were dry as he pulled them on. Again, he debated wandering around in just his patterned boxers, but the ridiculousness of him wandering around in bare feet, no pants, and a jacket was just too much. Instead, he sloshed uncomfortably up the path until he stood on the highway once again. Stanton followed him as he walked towards the general store, where he was quickly turned away to the firehouse, where he¡¯d find Laura. Before he got there, though, she walked around the corner, her chocolate skin glowing an almost golden color in the light of the setting sun while her hair seemed to flash in the light as well. A gentle smile crossed her face and her eyes were heavy-lidded. As soon as they met eyes, though, the light drained from Laura and she put on a more severe look. ¡°How are you, TJ? How can I help you?¡± ¡°I just wanted to tell you that I¡¯m going on a hunt tonight, before the sun sets all the way. I don¡¯t need any support, it¡¯ll just be me this time.¡± Chapter 40 Though Laura, Sarah, and, when he appeared, Farid disagreed with his decision, TJ wasn¡¯t deterred. After explaining himself for the third time, TJ merely said, ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you either later tonight or tomorrow. Don¡¯t wait up for me, but I¡¯ll make sure the sentries see me when I return so you won¡¯t worry quite so much.¡± Without listening to any further complaints, he turned and began walking away. Stanton walked alongside while Farid, after a moment¡¯s indecision, trailed behind. ¡°This is stupid, TJ. I don¡¯t know what you feel like you need to prove, but you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t for me.¡± TJ responded simply before asking, ¡°Has Laura announced anything to the rest of the town yet?¡± Farid cocked his head before answering, ¡°No. Nothing I¡¯ve heard about, at least.¡± TJ nodded slowly. ¡°What level are you now?¡± ¡°Acolyte 5. No Occupation just yet, but I feel like I¡¯m close to one.¡± ¡°Nice. Tangent, but your Bloodline and Skill?¡± ¡°Shiva, and it¡¯s called the Waning Moon. Upgraded my javelins and they have a secondary attack if they hit something.¡± With a thought, a javelin appeared in his hand, and TJ noted that the head had split into two. Then, looking to make sure TJ was watching, Farid hurled it at a nearby tree. As the projectile flew, a faint halo of a moon trailed at the butt, as if it were fletching on an arrow. When the javelin struck its target, it pierced deeply into the wood and the moonlike halo flew up the shaft of the javelin and cut a six inch gash at least a full inch past the bark and into the trunk. ¡°That something that Shiva did?¡± TJ asked, looking closely at the tree as they walked towards the house to drop everything off. ¡°Well, Shiva the Destroyer is commonly depicted as holding a trident. Though the head now only has two points, I wonder if it will eventually resemble his trident. His forehead bears the mark of the crescent moon, so I suspect that also comes from him.¡± ¡°Great. Glad you¡¯re progressing, and I think you¡¯ll want to follow that hunch to get an Occupation as soon as possible. Back to the point at hand¨CLaura¡¯s come around to my way of thinking, and we need everybody around here leveling up as soon as possible. I wish it¡¯d been today, but I bet she¡¯s letting everyone get a good night¡¯s rest before she breaks the news to them. In the morning, we¡¯re going to have to start training people who are reluctant at best, and I¡¯m going to try to take out some of the most dangerous enemies that¡¯re nearby before they¡¯re able to attack anyone tomorrow. I¡¯m the best person for it because I can get in and out and be pretty sure I won¡¯t die, plus I have a timer of exactly how long I can be out before I need to return.¡± Farid thought for a moment, then frowned. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s necessary to do this? For everyone?¡± TJ fought to urge to sigh. ¡°Look. We were outnumbered about 4 to 1 with those javelinas, right?¡± ¡°I guess, yeah.¡± ¡°And, as terrible as it is, Mary died.¡± Farid nodded. ¡°How many pukwudgies and coyotes and javelinas and mountain lions and whatever else do you think might be in the nearest ten miles?¡± The descendant of Shiva¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°Oh. That¡¯s¡­ really bad.¡± ¡°You can say that again. So, we need to close the gap of numbers, and getting more combatants and leveling up will reduce our enemies¡¯ numbers while bolstering our own. I hope everyone lives¡­¡± TJ trailed off, not willing to finish the sentence and sentiment. Even so, what he was about to say hung heavily over all three men¡¯s heads. Farid looked shell-shocked, but he nodded several times with growing intensity. ¡°I should come with, help out.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be better for you to get your Occupation.¡± TJ denied the eagerly helpful man. ¡°Alone, you¡¯re in danger, and getting that other source of Skills and attributes will be way more impactful than risking your life when tomorrow you can assist way more effectively.¡± Seeing the look in Farid¡¯s eyes, TJ continued, ¡°No, I¡¯m not risking myself doing this. I¡¯m going to be careful and just strike a couple of the higher leveled ones I find from far away. If something ambushes me, then I¡¯m hardy and tough enough to get out of there before they can do too much damage to me. I¡¯m fast enough to get back here if I¡¯m Afflicted with something, I¡¯m kinda the perfect person for the job, and I¡¯m the highest level too.¡± Farid nodded, his eyes determined. ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll see if I can get the new Occupation tonight. For everyone else¡¯s sake, we should.¡± TJ quickly realized the misunderstanding Farid was under, and couldn¡¯t bring himself to disillusion the younger man. He merely nodded and waved goodbye as Farid jogged into the hunters¡¯ lodge, the door slamming shut behind him. Stanton cocked an eyebrow at TJ, his slight disapproval obvious. TJ sighed and didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he deposited the water and intestines he¡¯d been carrying near the door of the home he and Stanton had begun to live in. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Would you boil these tonight? If you think they won¡¯t keep for the next hour or so.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. Do it yourself when you return.¡± Stanton walked into the horse, seemingly unconcerned with TJ. ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll be back before an hour goes by. If I want to go back out again afterwards, then I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Stanton grunted, and then, TJ was off. He jogged a ways forward, up the hill towards where he and Stanton had been ambushed only the day before. Looking at the setting sun, TJ supposed it had been nearly a full day since they¡¯d made their way into town, and he hoped there would be others like them to appear sometime soon. If they had stronger combatants come and help train the rest of the people who were only now entering the fight, then they would stand a greater chance of success and survival. TJ sighed and refocused on his current situation. He¡¯d found his mind wandering a lot today, and he refused to be caught by something in the forest, away from all support, because he was unfocused while in a dangerous location. He stretched his ears and eyes, looking for anything that seemed to communicate impending danger. Nothing seemed to jump out to him, but TJ remained still, looking for the faintest glimmer of a pukwudgie, the slightest sniff of coyote. After several minutes, TJ felt he was ready and activated Divine Transformation. Scents bombarded him as he took special time to evaluate if his more limited observations as a human had been correct. A minute later, he was relatively sure that he wouldn¡¯t be walking into an ambush of some sorts, but decided to ask the System one final question he couldn¡¯t believe he hadn¡¯t asked already before setting out. ¡°Why don¡¯t the enemies come closer to town?¡± As the Tutorial progresses, the safe zone¡¯s radius around the general store within Pine will shrink. There remain 10 days, 11 hours, 22 minutes, and 18 seconds until the safe zone disappears completely. Currently, the safe zone¡¯s radius surrounding the general store is 650 yards. Each day, the safe zone¡¯s radius will be reduced by 50 yards. On the final day before the next phase of the Tutorial begins, the safe zone¡¯s radius will be 100 yards. Once the next phase, the 18 hour defense of Pine¡¯s general store, begins, there will remain no safe zone in the Tutorial. TJ hissed in thought, his tongue flicking and tasting the air. At least now he knew how limited his safety was. Looking back at the general store, he was well within the bounds of the safe zone¡¯s 1900 feet. Did he wish he¡¯d been smart enough to ask this well before right this moment? Of course. Even so, here he was, and he still needed to pick off the strongest enemies he could find as quickly as possible. With that in mind, TJ slithered forward without thinking further about it. Instead of sticking to the road where visibility was high, he dove into the thick scrub brush that filled the area between the trees. He made his way through a gully and a dried wash, his every sense stretched to find anything that wasn¡¯t a mere deer or elk. If he was able to find one of those, of course, he¡¯d happily hunt it and bring it back to town, but that was far from his focus. Unless it was a monstrous¨C With a quiet hiss to himself, TJ pulled his mind from continuing to wander. There was a faint taste of¡­ something rotten on the air. He somehow knew that this wasn¡¯t the smell of some natural death, and TJ was more than willing to listen to his instincts on this, given his total reliance on the coatl¡¯s form and function. The air stilled, the nearly constant winds dying away. The immobile air stopped carrying the scent he¡¯d been following to him, but with his Wind Manipulation, he was well aware of where it had been coming from. He slithered over the omnipresent bed of pine needles, the sound of his scales on the brittle litter quiet. The scent grew stronger once again, though the winds remained quiet and nearly imperceptible, forcing TJ to stop himself from rushing forward. Instead, he lowered himself entirely to the ground, keeping his coils hidden below any bush he passed by. He made his way forward, nose and tongue to the air. The scent of rot overcame the pleasant odor of the pine trees and creosote. Somehow, as the light fell and the air grew ever more chilled, the scent of death took on a certain freezer burned quality, like that of an ice cream carton left long forgotten in the back of the freezer. Then, without warning, the feathers in TJ¡¯s mane prickled in warning. He froze, looking for whatever it was that had his Bloodline and Divine Transformation nervous. The sound of quiet steps echoed around a small clearing in front of him, and in the waning light of dusk, TJ watched as a pack of a half dozen pukwudgies gathered together in a huddle. They each had their left hand on the next¡¯s shoulder, their right hands in the center. They moved four times in concert, and one of the six groaned in a bitter, almost hopeless disappointment. While they were distracted, TJ Appraised them. Pukwudgie, 7 Pukwudgie, 7 Pukwudgie, 7 Pukwudgie, 7 Pukwudgie, 7 Pukwudgie, 7 It was strange to see every one of them at the same level, since there had always been at least some level of variation before. Even so, that was far from TJ¡¯s main concern, given that the pukwudgies then reached out and plucked a long, hard hair out of the loser¡¯s back. Before, he¡¯d thought the creatures to somewhat resemble a porcupine, and these ones were no different. When the hairs left the loser¡¯s body, they became much stiffer, seeming almost needlelike in form. TJ considered rushing out and dispatching the beasts as he knew he could, but something held him back. They were far from enough to give his Bloodline pause, and they certainly weren¡¯t the source of the smell that still choked the air. His answer came swiftly, though. A groan, wheezy and painful, came from a particularly deep shadow TJ hadn¡¯t taken notice of on the opposite side of the clearing. Then, a shambling figure emerged, towering over the pukwudgies. Before TJ could react, the loser pukwudgie stepped forward and prostrated itself before the shadowy figure. It stepped forward, and TJ finally saw it. The emaciated figure showed itself from the shadows. Its fingers were tipped by long black claws and its mouth hung wide open, drool and slobber dribbling from between its teeth. The sharp teeth that filled the vaguely bovine-skull looking face were filed to points, and, ringed with curling ram¡¯s horns, its sunken eyes glowed with an icy blue flame. The flesh that covered the monster¡¯s body had rotted, and a cold fog seeped off its every limb. Beneath its humanoid legs grew a small forest of ice crystals, and the ice slowly grew over the prostrate pukwudgie. TJ couldn¡¯t help but watch as the creature languidly reached down and pushed its claws into the base of the pukwudgie¡¯s skull and slew the worshipful goblin. It raised the corpse to its face and began tearing into the flesh with a deliberate slowness, and TJ appraised it. Wendigo, 5 While TJ debated what to do now, the wendigo made the choice for him. ¡°More. Flesh. Here.¡± It said, pointing a finger coated with frozen blood at his position. Chapter 41 TJ was the first to react to the wendigo¡¯s declaration. He had plenty of confidence in killing the pukwudgies, and the possibility of them working together with the obviously much more powerful wendigo was terrifying. He condensed a scythe of wind, feeling the benefits of his slightly improved Intelligence and Fixation as he did so. When he was confident the blade would cut through flesh and bone, TJ sent his attack forward. With a hissing roar, the nearly ten foot-long blade appeared and flew forward. One pukwudgie on the end dodged out of the way, another fell prostrate, losing only hair from the initial attack. The last three seemed as if they¡¯d die, and TJ felt his adrenaline spike. Victory would soon arrive! That was when a wall of ice appeared in front of the last three. The wind, with more preparation and power sunk into it than the ice, sliced through, but on the far side, was only able to wound the pukwudgies shallowly. TJ¡¯s stomach sank as he saw that he would be fighting alone against six enemies, and he made his decision without hesitation. He spun and began fleeing back towards town. The scent of blood followed him, the bleeding pukwudgies pursuing without hesitation. There would be two more uninjured ones following as well, and TJ¡¯s mind raced to decide what to do about them. More importantly, though, were the surprisingly quick and heavy steps of the wendigo as it too followed his trail. TJ consulted his MP: 222/300. He could do that same blade of wind nearly three more times, though it would empty his MP. Unfortunately, the pukwudgies no longer stood together and had spread to attempt to surround him. He was sure there would be weapons in each hand, though they¡¯d all activated their camouflaging ability. His flight led him ever further, and TJ considered calling his hunt a bust. Even with the impending danger, though, TJ couldn¡¯t bring himself to. This was at least one more level laid out in front of him, and he wasn¡¯t about to run away from it even before they¡¯d landed a blow on him. Decision made, TJ slowed himself just enough to allow the quiet sounds and subtle smell of pukwudgie to close in on him. The tromping steps of the wendigo remained at the forefront of his mind, but TJ sensed it was too far away to immediately reach him. There was an immensely risky idea that occurred to him, but if it worked, TJ was sure he could quickly dispatch the closest assailant. With that surety and his confidence in his own ability to survive, TJ deactivated Divine Transformation just as a pair of spears tried to pierce through him to pin his body to the ground. As a human, his body was no longer there, and the pukwudgies were far from prepared for his response. Though TJ suspected that the level seven goblins had a higher Strength than him, he knew from experience that their weight was exactly what one would expect from a potbellied creature that was more legs and arms than body. He dove towards one of the two uninjured creatures. His right hand found its pukwudgie¡¯s ankle, and his left its other. Then, just as its spear began to descend towards him, TJ whipped it around and headfirst into the nearest tree. Its skull cracked against the wood with a sickening thunk. There was no kill notification, so TJ spun a full 360 degrees before smashing its back into the same tree. Its spine snapped with a final crack, and TJ didn¡¯t pay any attention to the kill notification. The rest of the pukwudgies rushed towards him and TJ spun one last time and hurled the limp body at its companions. Two of the injured creatures were unable to avoid its spindly limbs and torso while the other one and the single remained healthy one flickered around and outside of the body¡¯s range. Their spears glinted dangerously, but TJ¡¯s goal as a human had been completed. He shifted back to his coatl form, his timer for Divine Transformation with over half an hour remaining. The two furious but weak thrusts skittered off his scales uselessly. TJ lunged forward, catching one¡¯s head while sending magic to the tip of his tail. Anything that followed him would quickly regret it. With the pukwudgie¡¯s head stuck in his mouth, it wouldn¡¯t survive for long and TJ shook it like a terrier shook a rat while he fled. The second death notification let him drop it without worrying, and TJ wondered if the rest would simply let him escape. The wendigo¡¯s words disabused him of that thought. ¡°Catch. My. Dinner.¡± Wordless birdlike screeches filled the air behind him. The wendigo, with the short delay that fight had offered him, had closed in enough for TJ to see the bushes it was stomping through. He resumed his flight, but the sole healthy pukwudgie had caught up. It stayed in front of him, stabbing at his eyes without engaging fully. It knew it only needed to slow him enough for the four remaining enemies to surround him, and that was all it seemed to intend to do. TJ cursed to himself, noting the relative position of the other two pukwudgies as he sprinted as quickly as he could manage. The wendigo was, once again, being left behind, and TJ evaluated the three pukwudgies that remained. The healthy nuisance in his face could momentarily be ignored, and he focused on the two behind him. Though they both were wounded and bleeding heavily, TJ saw they were ready to stab him wherever and however they could. He sent the vast majority of his MP to his already prepared tail, banking on the proximity of his next Neophyte level. TJ slowed his head¡¯s dodging slightly, allowing an errant strike to scrape just into the flesh under his scales along his mane. He flared the mane, the feathers tightening around the spear and keeping the pukwudgie from easily wrenching it free. Meanwhile, the two flanking goblins saw the opportunity he¡¯d deliberately presented.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Before their spears could wound him terribly, TJ flicked his tail and released the ripping winds into the pukwudgies¡¯ gaping maws. There was a wet sound of tearing flesh and screaming pukwudgie as TJ¡¯s blade of wind ripped the upper half of their heads free. Two more death notifications left him with one wholly uninjured pukwudgie and wendigo ready to rip him to pieces. The wendigo was again gaining on him, the time taken to slay the penultimate monsters providing it enough time to draw closer still, closer than it had ever been. TJ rolled his whole body over, the pukwudgie¡¯s spear lodged between his feathers wrenching free of its owner¡¯s hands. He could hear the crackling of frost behind him as the wendigo approached. Checking his MP, he saw he had only 54/300 remaining. He couldn¡¯t use it in fear of weakening himself with a killer migraine if this last pukwudgie didn¡¯t give him sufficient experience to reach level 8 of Neophyte. His decision made, TJ leapt at the pukwudgie, disregarding the sound, smell, and chill that accompanied the wendigo as it reached him. His coils wrapped around the pukwudgie, and its sharp teeth dug into him with a desperate ferocity. With a Toughness of 78 and his scales, it only broke its own teeth. TJ constricted as strongly as he could, bones cracking and its breath wheezing. Before he could kill it, though, the wendigo reached him and, with chilled claws easily piercing his scales and flesh, began pulling him from his prey. The fear that had so easily settled over him by its presence was washed away by fury. It would steal his prey from him? TJ bit down on the pukwudgie again and again, tearing its flesh free. A sharp icicle of pain shot up TJ¡¯s whole body in return. The pukwudgie was dying in his coils and he stopped his desperately snapping jaws to look at the source of agony. The wendigo was doing to him what he¡¯d done to the pukwudgie. Its mouth, though skeletal and shaped like a cow¡¯s or ram¡¯s, was filled with the sharp teeth belonging to a predator. It chomped easily through his body and tore a four inch section from his tail free. With its claws still holding his body, it swallowed the mouthful of his flesh with its coldly glowing eyes flaring in apparent pleasure. ¡°You. Tasty.¡± It¡¯s tone rasped up his spine and made TJ¡¯s mane flare up in an involuntary attempt at intimidation. The wendigo paid him no mind as it lowered its mouth to take another bite. TJ wriggled in a maddened attempt to escape, but its claws, buried inches into his flesh and literally freezing his muscles, held him tight. The frost crawled up his skin, nearly a full foot of his body frozen to a snake-shaped ice cube. His mind swam with the agony of the frigid magic stealing from him his ability to move. With a wide grin, the wendigo¡¯s mouth descended once more and chomped nearly completely through his body where it had bitten before. The last foot of his tail went limp as much of his spine was severed. Hiss screaming in fear and desperation, TJ bit towards the wendigo¡¯s arms and face again and again but it didn¡¯t seem to care. His fangs scraped off the wendigo¡¯s skull and face, and though his fangs found purchase in its arms, the ropy flesh was strangely tough and refused to bleed or fall apart under his assault. To make matters worse, with each strike he made, the wendigo¡¯s frost spread over his face and down his throat. Then, as TJ lost all hope of escape, praying that he would be able to drop Divine Transformation and maybe escape, his wounds stopped bleeding. The agonizing cold that filled his head more sharply and painfully than any brainfreeze disappeared. The wendigo¡¯s claws in his flesh were pushed free by his healing wounds, and though feeling didn¡¯t return to the parts of his tail below where his spine had been bitten through, every other wound he¡¯d suffered in this brief clash was healed. With a sharp twist of his body, TJ wrenched himself out of the wendigo¡¯s grasp and flopped to the ground. He didn¡¯t hesitate to pull himself back and out of its immediate reach. He looked at his notifications, thanking the System and Kukulkan that the final pukwudgie had provided sufficient experience for him to level up. 5 Pukwudgie Cultists, 7 slain. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 8. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Race: Human has advanced to level 7. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Point currently available. TJ threw the Free Point into Intelligence, well aware that if he wanted to kill the wendigo, he couldn''t be anywhere near this monster as he did so. For its part, the wendigo didn¡¯t seem to mind TJ¡¯s escape and survival. Instead, a long black tongue licked its bloodstained snout as it wheezed out an off-putting cackle. ¡°You. Bring. More. Meat? Always. Make. More? Perfect. Snack.¡± Its piece said, the wendigo resumed attacking, rushing forward with claws and jaws ready. TJ slithered away while sending a couple condensed spears of wind into its face, though its eye¡¯s flames didn¡¯t flicker or even seem to react to the attack. Its laughter grew louder and more piercing, and TJ¡¯s rage surged and filled him. Disregarding the paralyzed tip of his tail, he was at the top of his game, and this undead cow-skulled bastard was going to attempt to mock a son of Kukulkan? TJ allowed his magic to surge through his body as he leapt to reengage the monster. Chapter 42 Though his enraged, hot blood rushed in his ears and threatened to drown out the entirety of rational thought, TJ knew he couldn¡¯t allow the wendigo to so easily lay its claws on him again. His Intelligence and Fixation had increased by 3 and 4 respectively, and his Toughness and Vitality¡¯s increase would surely allow him to better survive first contact when it inevitably happened. As he glanced over his Status, he noticed that the cooldown for his Divine Transformation hadn¡¯t changed, though its duration had been expanded by the requisite amount. He¡¯d have plenty of time to finish this fight, regardless of its resolution. Now, he simply needed to kill the skeletal bastard. While TJ fought to maintain some distance from the wendigo, it pressed in closer to him again and again, its claws glittering in the dying light of the setting sun. Its maw gaped wide in a monstrous grin, obviously convinced that it would be able to slay him without much struggle. TJ¡¯s pride had him forming two contradictory conjurations in his mouth at the same time, a condensed blade and a whirling tornado. These attacks would take time to prepare, and the wendigo¡¯s own pressure was relentless as its claws sliced through the wind near him multiple times. First blood of this new engagement went to the wendigo, its claws cutting deep into the numbed, nearly dead flesh at the tip of TJ¡¯s tail. Its unnerving cackling rang out again as it lifted its bloodied claws to its tongue. Though where it had struck was wholly unfeeling, TJ could still sense the chill that had entered his blood from just the glancing blow it had struck on him. Another flurry of strikes came at him as he condensed the short blade on the tip of his tongue, making sure the attack would deal a, if not mortal, at least crippling blow. While he plotted and dodged and tried to guarantee his success, TJ took another three hits, the frost spreading up his body and slowing him. The coatl body wasn¡¯t cold-blooded, thankfully, but the lethargy still struck him mercilessly. Death by one thousand cuts approached, but TJ was finally ready. He pulled further ahead of the wendigo, hoping that the wounds he¡¯d sustained wouldn¡¯t slow him too much. Blessedly, TJ managed to gain a small gap between himself and the wendigo. It lunged forward, claws grasping desperately. Just as TJ had planned. With a shrieking of wind, TJ inhaled and pulled the wendigo closer and off-balance with a nearly visible tornado that exploded from his mouth. The wendigo stumbled and involuntarily lunged directly towards his mouth. He grinned widely as he flicked his tongue free of his mouth and sent a foot-long blade of wind directly at the wendigo¡¯s throat. Powered by over half of his MP, the deadly winds would shred the life from the wendigo¡¯s body, and TJ felt a sense of certain victory settle over him. This was the wendigo¡¯s just desserts. Somehow, TJ was surprised when it raised both hands, freezing fog smoking from them, to interrupt the deadly attack. The first hand was chopped messily from its wrist, dried flesh without blood flying everywhere as the raging winds tore mercilessly into it. The second hand¡¯s claws chipped and nearly shattered but were hardy enough to keep the worst of the attack from reaching the more vital throat. As it was, weakened by mangling the wendigo¡¯s primary weapons, the magical attack barely cut through the skin of its throat. ¡°Ow. Not. Good. You¡¯re. Food. Not. Do. Again.¡± The wendigo¡¯s tone was somehow childish, whining that he¡¯d cheated or broken the rules of what food was allowed to do. TJ tried to escape and do the same thing, but the wendigo didn¡¯t allow it. Though its remaining right hand¡¯s claws had been chipped and weakened, they remained sharp enough to tear flesh and rend scales. With an enraged roar, the wendigo stabbed forward, its claws sinking deep into the flesh of TJ¡¯s body. He groaned in agony, the chills and wounds he¡¯d sustained clouding his mind. There was nothing to do but to prepare a second attack. Though he outleveled it significantly, the wendigo posed such a dire threat that TJ considered cutting his losses, including his tail, and fleeing. He could sever the last foot of his tail and escape. But no, he couldn¡¯t. His Bloodline demanded that he prove himself superior to this whelp of a myth that dared to challenge his sovereignty! Needing some space, TJ thrashed his tail while spending half of his remaining MP, a quarter of his total, on a blast of wind into the torso of the wendigo. With his maddened attempts to escape and the gale force wind pushing it away, TJ was able to escape the wendigo¡¯s clutches, though only barely. Though it was sent tumbling, the creature gathered itself, cocked its head with the sound of grinding bones, and wheezed a scream of challenge. Though he roared in response, TJ¡¯s focus was on condensing the last of his MP into a final blow. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The wendigo rushed back in, and despite his best efforts, one strike after another landed on him. He checked his HP: 397/1060, Moderate Bleed for 10 HP a minute, and an entirely new Affliction. Warning: You are suffering from a minor Frostbite affliction. You will suffer a 25% reduction in Agility until the Frostbite condition is cured or 2:00 have passed. Each additional application of Frostbite will refresh the countdown. Time remaining: 1:58 Regardless of how he was suffering from a variety of things, the last of his MP was already ready to be used. TJ hissed and feinted to the side, prompting the wendigo to lunge forward to counter him. As its claws swiped across his nose, only a faint chill cut through the sharp, burning pain of the cut. He didn¡¯t lose focus, and spat the blade of wind out again, aiming for the wendigo¡¯s neck. Surely it couldn¡¯t thwart his attack again? It continued its lunge, raising its right shoulder high while the shrieking winds tore the flesh to bits. The arm dropped, unresponsive, but still the wendigo showed no willingness to retreat or fear. Instead, it simply lunged forward with its jaws agape. TJ tried to break free, giving up on killing the creature. Maybe with Stanton¡¯s help he could do something about the feral, seemingly unkillable monster, but for now, he needed to survive. The four fangs in the front of the jaw sank deep into TJ¡¯s neck, though, just below his mane. He couldn¡¯t escape, and the inevitable chill that sank into his flesh spelled his doom. Even so, TJ would fight to his last breath¨C There was no chill. The fangs in his neck shot spasms of agony through his body, but there was no more magic on the verge of killing him. Of course, the wendigo had no more MP! The thought revitalized TJ, and he now knew victory was imminent. His coils wrapped all around the wendigo, struggling to break something, anything. Its bones creaked and shifted, but nothing snapped. Its teeth dug ever deeper into his neck, and TJ felt his blood coursing freely down his body. He knew that his Bleed affliction was getting worse, but he had no other options available. With a hissing roar, TJ wrested his body back and forth until his fangs found the monstrosity¡¯s neck. He ground his teeth in, the flesh only barely giving way, but slowly, eventually, between his constriction and his attempts at mauling, the creature fell to its knees. ¡°Why. Not. Food?¡± It whispered as it slowly succumbed. TJ only trusted himself to let it go once he got the blessed System notification. Wendigo Elite, 5 Slain. TJ couldn¡¯t gather enough energy to complain about the unfairness of its strength at its level, instead he merely collapsed to the ground, panting and suffering. Even so, he took note of anything happening around him, the possibility of an approaching pukwudgie, or anything else. Nothing moved or popped out to him immediately, so TJ took stock of his afflictions. Warning: you are suffering from a Severe Bleeding affliction. You will continue to lose 20 HP a minute until the Bleeding condition is cured or staunched. Current HP: 253/1060 Warning: you are suffering from a Moderate Exhaustion affliction. You will regain HP, MP, and Stamina at 25% of your usual rate until your Stamina rises above 50%. Another new affliction. Glorious. TJ muttered to himself and checked his Stamina. 2/1000. That would explain the Exhaustion being more than something you said you were after a day at work. Instead of recovering over 100 HP an hour as a coatl, he¡¯d be just over 75, now, so he¡¯d call it 1 HP a minute. On the other hand, the Bleeding would effectively drain 19 HP a minute. He¡¯d call it 10 minutes to get back to Pine without having to worry too much. A part of TJ recognized that he was calling 3 minutes to find a healer and be healed a ¡°generous window for survival¡±, but he was too tired and angry at himself to care. More productive than self-recrimination, though, would be hauling this thing¡¯s corpse back to town. It would slow him down, but the claws, horns, and possibly skull would be too useful. Another System notification he hadn¡¯t noticed continued to flash in the corner of his eye, and as TJ gathered up the amputated hand as well as the corpse from the wendigo, he was reminded that bringing the whole corpse back would be a good idea. Title gained: Elite Hunter Description of Title: Elite monsters are the Tutorial¡¯s introduction to Boss-tiered monsters. You are the first Participant in your Tutorial to slay an Elite-tiered monster. In addition, you have slain the Elite-tiered monster as well as its cadre without support. Effects of Title: Your Appraisal Skill can now detect the tier of those you Appraise. You are granted an additional 15% resistance to Elite-tiered enemies¡¯ innate expressions of Divinity. This Title is a record of a Minor Divine Trial and can be upgraded. ¡°Not helping now.¡± TJ grunted to himself as he attempted to haul the surprisingly light wendigo corpse along without losing track of its hand. Then, with his body aching and leaving a trail of his own blood, TJ made his way back towards town, hoping beyond hope that the sounds of the wendigo¡¯s corpse dragging through bushes and the warm wet path his depleting life left didn¡¯t lead any more predators to kill him while he doggedly attempted to return home. Chapter 43 Zig was on watch when, seven minutes later, TJ dragged himself and the wendigo into town as the sun¡¯s last light disappeared over the horizon. She was, to say in as many words, unimpressed. ¡°How the hell is it that the big strong guy goes out alone, saying ¡®I got this, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll help everyone else¡¯ and then comes back a ragged mess, bleeding all over the ground?¡± ¡°Call Angelo.¡± TJ deadpanned. ¡°Any other Disciples too, while you¡¯re at it. Let¡¯s get them some experience. Now hurry. I have about seven minutes left before I bleed out.¡± Zig¡¯s face lost all congeniality and mirth as TJ¡¯s words sunk in. ¡°ANGELO! Get your ass out here and heal this man!¡± She screamed the instruction before sprinting towards the firehouse. TJ felt that the dramatics weren¡¯t necessarily needed¡­ then his HP ticked down by one, and three seconds later, ticked down again, and he felt that maybe it was worth freaking out about. The apathy scared him, and he couldn¡¯t place where it came from. The fear that surged in reaction to Zig¡¯s own washed away the unnatural emotions that had settled into his heart, and TJ felt his heart rate surge even higher than his sprint there had made it. He began to hyperventilate, and fought to calm himself. He still had enough time in his coatl form that the additional HP would keep him alive. He would be fine. TJ fought to soothe himself as the reality of the closeness of death settled over him. Angelo tumbled out of the house, pulling a pair of pants on as his wild eyes flew everywhere. When TJ Appraised him, he saw he¡¯d leveled up at least some, his displayed level showing Disciple, 4. ¡°Bro! What the hell happened to you?¡± ¡°This.¡± TJ nodded weakly at the wendigo corpse. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it later, but this¨C¡± ¡°Is that a fuckin¡¯ wendigo?¡± The young man asked, his jaw dropping. ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± ¡°I knew it already with the pukwudgies, man, but this is something else.¡± Angelo was beginning to hyperventilate as well, and the inopportune timing had TJ laugh enough to shake himself from freaking out too much. ¡°What do you mean? You can heal me while you tell me.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, sorry. It¡¯s just,¡± Angelo explained as his hands rested on TJ¡¯s head that was resting on the ground, ¡°So, I¡¯m Navajo. Bloodline of Haashch¡¯eezhini, the Black God. Anyways, I know that Pukwudgies come from the Lenape and Shoshone and some other tribes that have different names for them. At least, I do now that the System told me, but they aren¡¯t my people¡¯s myths. My family and elders never told stories about pukwudgies. I¡¯ve heard of the Wendigo, though. Before the System, before all this crap, I¡¯d heard of the wendigo. That¡¯s something that actually comes from my people. And now, there¡¯s one here. That¡¯s not good. They¡¯re basically frozen zombies, man. Worse than just a zombie, actually. Way worse even than them, though, is what else could be here.¡± As Angelo¡¯s mouth continued to run, his hands shook with the adrenaline of having to run out of the house and heal TJ. Or with fear, as his voice too, shook. ¡°What is it, Angelo?¡± TJ asked, feeling nervousness rip into his own innards at whatever it was that Angelo feared. ¡°Yee naaldlooshii.¡± Angelo whispered before shaking his head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t say anything. It¡¯s not something we talk about.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°These are not things that need or should be discussed by outsiders.¡± Angelo¡¯s tone was brusque and final. ¡°The world¡¯s gone to shit, and I recognize you¡¯re trying your best to help. But you don¡¯t know how my people work, what we believe, or what we¡¯ve seen. You don¡¯t know my history nor our customs. You never will.¡± Though he was wholly a snake at the time, TJ tried to raise his hands in a calming gesture. He did nothing but flare his mane as he tried to do so. ¡°It¡¯s cool you know anything about anything. I don¡¯t really have a lot of family history to go back to about my bloodline and I was just curious. I mean, I just know who Kukulkan was, a tiny bit. If there¡¯s anything you want to say, you can. If you don¡¯t, then no worries.¡± Angelo nodded once and continued healing TJ. There was a tense silence between them, but TJ didn¡¯t mind it. Everyone had tender nerves, and he¡¯d accidentally pushed Angelo¡¯s. The younger man still willingly healed TJ, and he was grateful. Before long, Angelo stepped away, his face taught with effort. ¡°That¡¯s all I can manage for now. Getting close to another level, but I¡¯m not there.¡± Angelo nodded. ¡°You should be fine, no more bleeding. Get some rest. I couldn¡¯t take care of your tail, that might have to be Laura. Any questions?¡± ¡°Nope. Sorry for making you get up.¡± ¡°See you in the morning.¡± Angelo nodded and walked back into the hunters¡¯ lodge. TJ dropped his Divine Transformation and stood tall before nearly falling. All the toes on his right foot were numb and unresponsive. When he poked them, he couldn¡¯t feel anything. His panic spiked again at the thought of being unable to walk or run without difficulty. There were so many potential problems with that in this world¨CHe cut himself off from the worrying. It wouldn¡¯t serve him any good, and would do nothing for him. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. At that moment, Zig came running back, Laura in her wake. Though she seemed obviously uncomfortable at the prospect, Laura came with all the speed she could muster, and was obviously focused on coming to help. Knowing how she felt about the sight of blood, TJ was touched. When they both saw TJ mostly whole, Zig slowed down with a stutter step while Laura¡¯s uncomfortable run died with heavy steps. ¡°You said you were dying!¡± Zig nearly screamed into TJ¡¯s face while he raised both hands in a helpless gesture. ¡°And you called for Angelo, who took care of the active bleeding. Wasn¡¯t that the point?¡± ¡°But you called for every healer we had, just in case!¡± ¡°No, I said we might as well let everyone get experience. I understand I was in a bad state, but with Disciples around here, I was ok. I¡¯m sorry I scared you both, but I merely communicated the gravity of the situation when I arrived. You misunderstood, which I understand, but I just wanted to see if everyone wanted to get some easy levels.¡± Laura tried to keep her face calm and collected, but TJ watched as she ground her jaw before speaking. ¡°Is there any reason why I sprinted out here right now?¡± ¡°Actually yes, but not because I¡¯m dying. Zig, you should be part of most of this, and I¡¯d guess at least Charlie too should come along. First, Laura, can you heal my feet?¡± ¡°There is a reason most of us wear shoes, TJ.¡± Laura sighed before doing anything. ¡°Yes. I know, that¡¯s not the point. Half of each of my feet is paralyzed.¡± Laura looked at him with a stony face. ¡°That is good information, I suppose.¡± When her hand reached TJ¡¯s shoulder, though, her face fell. ¡°I wasn¡¯t kidding.¡± ¡°Nor did I think you were. You¡¯ve sustained minor nerve damage to the base of your spine. I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s only your toes that¡¯re affected, but you¡¯re lucky. I¡¯ll see what I can do, but it might be better to take our time while we do so. You said you have something to tell us?¡± TJ nodded in agreement, and without any further discussion, Laura sent Zig to get Charlie from wherever he was. ¡°We¡¯ll meet in the home you¡¯ve been staying in. It¡¯ll be easiest for you not to move as much as possible.¡± Laura led the way towards the house where TJ and Stanton had been staying. TJ didn¡¯t argue, merely tiredly following her steps until he stood at the door. ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll need that wendigo corpse here.¡± Laura¡¯s lip curled in distaste at the statement. ¡°Is there something I need to see on it?¡± ¡°What? No. The claws and horns will definitely be useful though.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Stanton interrupted, walking out of the house. ¡°Whatever it was, it did a number on you. I¡¯d like to hear what happened.¡± ¡°Course. Could have used you.¡± ¡°Now you admit it.¡± Stanton sighed as he grabbed his Stetson from a peg on the door and put it on his head. Though dirty and obviously tired, or maybe because of it, TJ saw something of an old cowboy movie in the old man as he walked out, the light gone out and his silhouette starkly obvious. TJ collapsed to the couch, uncaring of the mess he was making and put his feet up with a groan. Laura pulled a kitchen chair up next to the overstuffed couch and sat straight upright beside his feet. Without further comment, Laura stretched a hand out and set it lightly on TJ¡¯s feet. A faint tingle flowed into his toes, though it didn¡¯t return full sensation. It wasn¡¯t long before Zig and Charlie jogged up the porch with what would have been unnaturally quick feet before this whole apocalypse thing. ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± Zig said as she flopped into the other couch in the room. Charlie nudged her over with his hip as he sat and she grumbled as she adjusted herself. ¡°Why¡¯re you massaging his feet? You got a thing for it?¡± ¡°No, and you know that.¡± Laura responded primly. ¡°Why would I know that you don¡¯t have a thing for feet?¡± ¡°Zig.¡± Laura¡¯s disapproving tone had the younger woman raising her hands in mock surrender. ¡°Got it. Any progress on helping him feel his toes?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re going slowly so I don¡¯t exhaust myself. Now, we¡¯ll wait for Stanton to return before TJ gives his important information.¡± TJ, now that they had an audience, was quite uncomfortable with laying down with his feet up while the mayor tended to his boo boo. Sure, it was permanently paralytic nerve damage, but he did feel like he was being dramatic. Laura, though, didn¡¯t seem to care whatsoever, keeping a finger on each foot for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°Would you lay on your stomach? The more I try it this way, the more I feel I¡¯m going about this the wrong way. I suspect the real healing that needs to be done will be on your spine.¡± TJ complied and lay down while Laura gently ran a finger down his spine. The tender touch immediately made him tense up¨Cother than Junior, nobody had really touched him since Mari¡¯s death. Though he remained uncomfortable, TJ held still and asked, more to break the silence than anything else, ¡°Charlie, what did you have to do to qualify as a Neophyte?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Charlie asked, and TJ only then realized the younger man had been murmuring something into Zig¡¯s ear. The artificial redhead¡¯s face matched her hair and Charlie smiled laconically. TJ pushed through the hormonal foolishness and asked again, ¡°What did you do to qualify as a Neophyte?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, yeah. So, my Bloodline is Loki. He was a shapeshifter, and did all sorts of things, kinda tricky, you know? Yeah, so uh¨C¡± ¡°He tricked a deer with mating calls!¡± Zig interrupted. ¡°But he couldn¡¯t just make it come, he had to make it feel like ¡®she¡¯ desperately wanted it!¡± She dissolved into a puddle of laughter while TJ¡¯s mouth dropped open in disbelief. Charlie nodded and sighed. ¡°A bit awkward, I basically had to moan for it for a while until I was told I succeeded. He ran off before I could catch him or anything. Something about how Loki deceived man and animal alike.¡± TJ scoffed. ¡°You act all embarrassed, but I wish that was all I¡¯d had to do.¡± After a moment¡¯s silence, Zig asked, leaning forward in curiosity. ¡°How about you?¡± Though he didn¡¯t want to answer, all three people in the house looked at him in obvious desire to know. As Stanton dragged the Wendigo up the porch, he poked his head in as well, letting him know that he wasn¡¯t getting off so easily. TJ scratched his head. ¡°I¡­ ate a rattlesnake.¡± ¡°You¡­ like, had to cook it?¡± ¡°No.¡± TJ kept his face as stoic as possible. ¡°How¡¯d you kill it?¡± ¡°You probably don¡¯t wanna know.¡± TJ lifted his head as much as he could manage and finally spoke about why they were there. ¡°Now, I need to tell you about what I saw out there.¡± Chapter 44 A/N: I personally love this opening line. It might cross the line though. ¡°On a scale of 1 to a pedo in prison, how fucked are we?¡± Zig asked and she looked at the rest of the people in the house. ¡°I¡¯m thinking at least an eleven.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say I don¡¯t agree.¡± Charlie grunted. ¡°If they¡¯re as dangerous as you say, then any group that runs into a wendigo will have several casualties at best. Might even get wiped out entirely, especially since it seems like they¡¯ve got those servant cultist things.¡± ¡°Do you think that they¡¯ll all have that? TJ said that it seemed pretty ready to just kill them because it wanted to, even if the System called them its cadre.¡± Zig argued back. Those two were the only ones who didn¡¯t just let TJ¡¯s report settle over them, with Stanton leaning back in his chair and looking at the ceiling while Laura chewed on her lip. The two representatives of the hunters continued their arguing back and forth until Stanton finally spoke. ¡°If these things are meant to be a representation of the eventual Boss, there can¡¯t be too many of them, right?¡± ¡°Your guess is as good as mine.¡± TJ responded, the quarreling couple going quiet. ¡°When I asked the System, I got nothing. Just an additional explanation of what an Elite is.¡± ¡°Frustrating though that is, it makes sense.¡± Laura answered. When TJ and Stanton looked at her, confused, she shrugged before answering, ¡°As far as I can tell, the System doesn¡¯t give specific information about the Tutorial itself, except for the requirements for clearing it. When it is general information about what a Tutorial is, or even this entire contest to Ascend, it seems willing to answer. The answers that it gives regarding specifics are always in response to specific questions made with additional information that an individual acquired within the Tutorial itself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you said something important there. Care to say it in Cro-Magnon for the rest of us?¡± Stanton asked after a brief pause. Laura laughed, seeming half embarrassed and half in genuine mirth. ¡°Specific questions about the Tutorial, like how many people are left living, or how many pukwudgies there will be, will never be answered. If it¡¯s about how the System itself works, like general rules to acquire an Occupation, it will answer. If you want to know something about the Tutorial, like what an Elite is, you need to have learned about the existence of an Elite beforehand. Or, as we¡¯ve learned from TJ, that there is a definitive perimeter of safety that is constantly shrinking. How nobody already asked that is beyond me.¡± ¡°Which is why we can¡¯t just ask what the Boss will be, or what a wendigo¡¯s weaknesses are.¡± TJ added on with a nod as he disregarded the praise he received. He¡¯d asked as much and received a resounding silence in response. ¡°Exactly. Though, it never hurts to try.¡± ¡°And again I ask, what are we going to do about this?¡± Zig asked. ¡°If you ended up like that from one of them, then we need to figure out what to do.¡± The rest of the group obviously agreed that something needed to be done, but had no idea of what it could be. Each idea, from ¡°everyone travel together,¡± to ¡°make TJ travel with each group that goes to get levels¡± was shot down for reasons of practicality, to it defeating the purpose in the first place. Eventually, Laura raised a hand and brought the discussions to a halt. ¡°We can sleep on it. Tomorrow, I will be making the announcement requiring that every member of the community take direct steps to increase their levels. I know that there will be no shortage of resistance to my declaration, but it needs to happen. My primary concern will be with enforcing the rule, since there is not much that we can withhold from the reluctant or incapable.¡± ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anyone that¡¯s truly incapable of going out.¡± TJ flatly replied. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of Disciples to ensure nobody is actively dying, and though I feel badly for those like Granny Penny that struggle to move, they¡¯ll get better the more they level, and we can¡¯t provide for those unwilling to work. Those who refuse to work for the good of the whole won¡¯t eat what I provide.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t starve people!¡± Zig shouted back, her eyes flashing with rage. ¡°It¡¯s unconscionable!¡± ¡°It¡¯s happened all throughout history.¡± TJ countered, though his stomach twisted, knowing what he was suggesting. ¡°You feed every homeless person you ever see? You give all your money to people who are struggling? How many single parents do you know that are living paycheck to paycheck and miserable? Did you spend all your salary on them? And they deserved more than someone who just stays in their house and provides nothing to everyone else!¡± ¡°I tried. I gave what I could. And more than that, we¡¯re in a position now where we can help other people. I like helping people! I like being a good person, a protector, and helping those who are struggling more than me. Don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± TJ shrugged helplessly. ¡°I do. I¡¯ve always liked helping people.¡± ¡°Then why would you¨C¡± ¡°Now, I won¡¯t go hungry, weaken myself, for the good of someone who refuses to admit that we¡¯re stuck in this now. I won¡¯t. My son needs me, and I¡¯ll happily work with people who understand that this is life now. But if someone wants to be a leech off of me risking my life, then they can go parasitize someone else.¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°This is hard, TJ.¡± Laura cut in. ¡°Everyone here is miserable with the hand we¡¯ve been dealt, and it won¡¯t help us to alienate everyone as they¡¯re making a hard transition. I agree that there should be benefits for assisting in the effort to protect the rest, but we can¡¯t make it mandatory to fight. It will end in extra deaths, low morale, and possible political unrest.¡± ¡°There¡¯s less than 200 people here, Laura.¡± TJ retorted. ¡°It isn¡¯t real politics. We tell people how it is, and then they¡¯ll do it or pay the damn consequences.¡± ¡°And what if ten hungry old people decide they can¡¯t fight for food?¡± Laura responded, her voice soft and gentle but firm. ¡°What if Granny Penny thinks she simply can¡¯t do that, and ends up starving in a room, alone? What if a member of the hunters decides to feed her? Do we then reduce the rations they get and endanger the rest of the hunters to prove that Penny should have starved to death because she was afraid? ¡°Worse, what if those same ten hungry old people storm the store and fight for a fistful of bread or a mouthful of rice? Do we incarcerate them, and take more people off the front lines to guard our makeshift prison? Do we kill them and instate a form of fascism in the hopes that the military state we create and the ideals we enforce allow us to find success?¡± As Laura poked holes in TJ¡¯s certainty, he wavered. He¡¯d sworn to do what was necessary to see his son, and even to kill whoever he needed to, monster or otherwise. Even so, he knew he couldn¡¯t justify the slaughter of, though not the innocents, but definitely not the necessary. Unable to respond, unwilling to admit how wrong he¡¯d been, TJ threw up his hands and stalked out of the house. Charlie started to get up to go after him, but TJ heard Stanton saying something as the door closed behind him. ¡°Give him a minute. He¡¯s¨C¡± the rest of Stanton¡¯s words were cut off by the slamming of the door. TJ felt and knew how petulant he was being, but even so, he couldn¡¯t keep himself from walking out into the yard and taking a series of breaths that didn¡¯t serve to calm his temper. The cold air felt nice on his face as he rolled his shoulders. Another minute passed before Stanton, going off the heft of each step, walked out. The old man merely stood in companionable silence beside TJ for a time. The silence stretched on, and TJ felt his embarrassment grow as they stood. ¡°I get we can¡¯t kill everyone who doesn¡¯t help out.¡± TJ growled. ¡°I know we can¡¯t just starve out anyone who won¡¯t level up, but we have to do something! There has to be something to do to keep people focused. We can¡¯t sit around and do nothing, because if we do, we¡¯ll all die!¡± Stanton didn¡¯t look at TJ, though he did nod in agreement. Then, after letting TJ continue to grumble, he asked, ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± ¡°Hell if I know.¡± ¡°Do you want to be in charge?¡± ¡°Never. I¡¯d go crazy, and I need to be out here killing things to make sure that I can at least live to see my son.¡± ¡°You know what Laura¡¯s Occupation is?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Bureaucrat.¡± Stanton said as if TJ hadn¡¯t said he¡¯d known. ¡°I don¡¯t know what fresh hell she went through to have that be her Occupation instead of just her job before, but she chose it. Trust her to be good at it.¡± TJ sighed and patted the old man on his shoulder. He didn¡¯t feel the need to comment any further on it and walked back to the cabin. Before he could walk in, though, the door opened. Laura nearly bumped into TJ and raised both hands in surprised. ¡°I apologize. I didn¡¯t see you.¡± ¡°No worries, Laura. Sorry I gave you a hard time. I¡¯m on your side, let me know what you need me to do tomorrow.¡± The Bureaucrat simply nodded, as if she¡¯d never doubted that he would happily do what she needed. ¡°For now, simply stand beside me tomorrow when I make the announcement. I am planning on addressing our town at 8:30. You¡¯ll be there?¡± ¡°Sure. Have a good night, Laura.¡± ¡°Of course. Thank you for your willingness to help, and all that you¡¯ve already done for us.¡± Then, without looking back, Laura walked away from the cabin and towards the general store. Before long, her omnipresent shadow, Jeff, came out of the woods, surprisingly close, and escorted her home. ¡°I don¡¯t like him.¡± Stanton grumbled to himself as they turned back towards the cabin. ¡°He¡¯s a bit freaky, yeah.¡± Zig said as she and Charlie walked out of the cabin, arms linked. ¡°Not a bad guy, though. I think he just really wants Laura. Don¡¯t think she¡¯ll ever go for him, though.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought you two would be together.¡± TJ shrugged. ¡°So weirder things have happened.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Zig demanded, her left hand trailing higher up Charlie¡¯s chest. ¡°He¡¯s hot and a good kisser, nothing wrong with having someone in bed with you.¡± Stanton grumbled and pushed his way between the two into the house. Zig exaggeratedly stumbled back, shaking her fist at the crotchety old man. ¡°Forgive him.¡± TJ sighed while he wanted to do the same. After so completely putting his foot in his mouth earlier, though, he was loathe to. ¡°And me, for that matter. Two sad widowers might have a different approach to it than you guys. Have a good night.¡± Zig sputtered at the direct admission of Mari¡¯s death, but Charlie nodded as he walked away. Though he didn¡¯t physically pull the apologetic, unsure how to react girl, Zig quickly bobbed her head with a muttered ¡°sorry,¡± and hurried off to walk with Charlie. TJ chuckled, and, before wandering into the house himself, decided to gather up the pelts laid forgotten on the porch¡¯s bannister. Inside, TJ found a somewhat unobtrusive place to lay the pelts out in the comparative warmth from the fire. Though he was sure the smell would have disgusted him just a couple days before, he didn¡¯t mind, and after an Appraisal confirming to him that these were Well-prepared javelina hides, TJ found himself boiling the intestines to use as cords for whatever he decided to make with the hides. He lost himself in the flickering flames, watching as they danced and sang. TJ imagined he could hear something they were saying, and supposed he might just be, considering he heard the wind speaking nowadays. With his MP partially recovered, TJ idly used Wind Manipulation to stoke the flames until his Primitive Craftsmanship convinced him that the intestines were done for tonight. A part of him wanted to move ahead with processing the horns and claws from the wendigo already, but he decided against it. Instead, he laid the intestines out to cure as he instinctively understood was necessary, and finally he walked into the same place where he slept the night before. Tomorrow was another day, and would begin the fifth day since the apocalypse came. Strangely, though, TJ slept soundly, his dreams formless and relaxing. Chapter 45 The morning came too soon, and TJ wanted nothing more than to disregard any promises made the day before. Not because he was sleepy, though he thought he ought to have been. No, he just wanted to avoid all responsibility and do nothing. As soon as he remembered Junior, though, all thoughts of even taking it easy, much less escaping, quickly fled his mind. He sprang out of bed, and only then checked with the System to see what time it was. 6:30. TJ¡¯s heart panged. The same time Junior always woke him. His body was accustomed to his child¡¯s presence, and his absence caused TJ physical pain. There was nothing for it but to move, to do anything. With a roll of his neck and a couple stretches, TJ began the day. He didn¡¯t want to go to the firehouse and sit around for two hours, so instead he checked on the javelina pelts. Not quite done, so TJ moved them outside of the house, where they¡¯d sit in the sun. Then, he moved to the wendigo remains. In the light of day, its body was even more disgusting. Since it hadn¡¯t bled or oozed any liquid whatsoever, every discoloration on its body came from TJ¡¯s blood. The red staining its horrendous bovine maw colored it into a rusty picture of gluttony. While he looked down on it, TJ wondered if there was anything the supernaturally strong bone of the skull would be good for, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything. Even so, he¡¯d set it aside for possible eventual use. The claws and horns, though, he could use immediately. The first problem, though, was getting the horns from the stupid skull. Now that he¡¯d done so before, TJ thought that he wouldn¡¯t mind cutting up a creature, especially if it didn¡¯t have any blood or other stuff to make it even dirtier than the other creatures. However, because it was mostly human shaped and sized, TJ felt a certain unspeakable distaste at the idea of dismembering it. Then, there was also the problem of how he was going to cut through the ridiculously tough corpse with his shoddy stone knife. A thought occurred to TJ, and the irony of it wasn¡¯t lost on him. Then, he found the amputated hand, and sure enough, differently from the hand still attached to its body, the claws were undamaged and remained sharp and long. For now, he just needed to remove the claws to use them. There was the option of getting a knife out of the house, but using entirely ¡°post-Integration¡± tools to create this tool seemed to be the obvious choice. The stones he had were far from sufficient, and TJ suspected he¡¯d somehow manage to damage or break them before he made any meaningful progress on his dissection. He considered activating Divine Transformation to upgrade Wind Manipulation to the Copper tier, but decided against it. Instead, he concentrated on the wind, trying to focus it into a blade that could cut through the superhuman tendons and bones of the creature. Though much less effectively than the Copper tiered Wind Manipulation, TJ sliced through the hand inch by inch. He sent little blades of air to separate the thumb from the rest of the hand, and about 10 minutes later, he had a thumb-sized and shaped and constructed blade. With a glance at his MP, TJ saw that he hadn¡¯t spent nearly as much as he had suspected he would have. He¡¯d been using the MP intensive Skill on and off for nearly that full 10 minutes, and he was only right around the halfway point of his total MP. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I use much MP?¡± He idly asked the System. The higher tier of Divinity a Skill, the greater the drain on whatever resource the Skill requires. Thus, when using the Copper (I) tiered Wind Manipulation, the MP drain is greatly heightened compared to the drain of using Dirt tiered Wind Manipulation. That made sense, and TJ was almost embarrassed he¡¯d never thought of it. Of course a more powerful Skill would demand a greater spending of resources. It was harder to lift a heavier weight, after all, so it made sense that elevating the tier of his Skill would be more intensive. The long term thought of what the drain on his MP would be at the higher levels of Divinity, when his Divine Transformation would evolve Wind Manipulation to two tiers above his current Divinity, staggered him. ¡°What¡¯re you so focused on?¡± Stanton¡¯s voice interrupted TJ from his musing. ¡°Just thinking about Skills and how hard it¡¯ll be to keep up with them.¡± Stanton grunted his agreement. ¡°Have you thought about what the higher tiers of divinity and Skills will do?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve got a Copper Skill now, so I get it.¡± ¡°Wait, you do?¡± TJ felt his jaw drop. ¡°Yeah. You think that upgrading my bow to a gun was something small? It costs me 10 MP per bullet. Does that seem like a reasonable cost for a Skill that I depend on?¡± TJ shrugged. ¡°Course not. I¡¯m betting your Wind whatever is Copper rank too? It¡¯s too damn powerful not to be.¡± ¡°Only when I¡¯m using Divine Transformation.¡± Stanton nodded. ¡°Far as I see, someone¡¯s gotta pay something to get that kinda power. I can only store so many bullets and it¡¯s hard for me to prepare them. You can only really use the Skill like you do when you¡¯re using another. Makes sense to me. Other people can just always use theirs. We get powerful Skills that we can¡¯t use all the time.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°I guess.¡± TJ answered as he looked down at the thumb he¡¯d cut free from the wendigo¡¯s body. He needed a knife, and this seemed like it would be his best bet, but he didn¡¯t want to carry a literal thumb in his pocket as a grisly reminder of this monster he¡¯d killed. Looking at the skull that¡¯d been set aside in favor of extracting the ¡°blade¡±, TJ remembered something else from his youth as a Boy Scout¨Ca knife made from scrap rotary saw blades and an antler. With a pursing of his lips, TJ quickly made his decision. ¡°You see a big rock near here? Or do I need to go find one?¡± Stanton cocked an eyebrow in confusion, but just a moment later, he looked down at the wendigo corpse and up at TJ. ¡°Round the back, there¡¯s a couple boulders that might do what you¡¯re looking for.¡± Though disgusted with the thought, TJ had made his decision and hauled the body around the corner of the house, where he could continue his macabre work. ¡ª- Wind Manipulation, blunt force trauma, and more of both eventually left TJ with two curling horns and the shattered remains of the wendigo¡¯s skull. As TJ breathed deeply to recover himself, he wiped a hand across his sweaty brow. Dirt, bone dust, and who knew what else coated his hand, a testament to days spent without any real option to clean himself. In his mind, the thuds of the bone repeatedly against rock echoed, and TJ fought to clear his mind of it. Though the act had been horrifying, to say the least, the Appraisal of his materials wiped any regret from his mind. Wendigo Horn: The remains of one of the horns of a wendigo. Though most wendigos do not use their horns in battle and they remain primarily as a decorative accessory, the horn remains one of the most valuable parts of the wendigo. This horn can be used as a material in creating equipment, tinctures, and more. In addition, equipment created using this horn may gain additional attributes upon completion. All crafting attempted utilizing this ingredient will be heightened in difficulty due to its origin as part of an Elite monster. All crafting products completed utilizing this ingredient will be enhanced in quality due to its origin as part of an Elite monster. The horns both hadn¡¯t been damaged in his rough treatment of them, though they¡¯d both hit against the stone multiple times. The shards of bone remaining of the skull came back merely as Bone Shards. Then, seeing that there was insufficient time left for him to complete the creation of this newly ideated knife, TJ evaluated the wendigo¡¯s hand. It came back merely as Amputated Hand while the thumb was more specific. Wendigo Claw: The remains of one of the claws of a wendigo. All wendigos are born with two innate weapons: their bodies and their frost. Their claws serve as the apex of both. The claws are supernaturally hard and sharp, resistant to damage, and are an effective conduit of divine manifestations, such as the wendigo¡¯s frost. This claw can be used as a material in creating equipment, tinctures, and more. In addition, equipment created using this horn may gain additional attributes upon completion. All crafting attempted utilizing this ingredient will be heightened in difficulty due to its origin as part of an Elite monster. All crafting products completed utilizing this ingredient will be enhanced in quality due to its origin as part of an Elite monster. TJ looked at the multiple materials laid out before him and could almost feel his Occupation growing in level already. The mere acts of cutting off the single finger and extracting the horns from the skull had given him not insignificant experience that nearly brought him to the cusp of the next level of Savage. Though he didn¡¯t like how it¡¯d look when others saw him making something with an almost human finger, the wendigo had already shown him just how vulnerable he still was. Every level was more HP, Toughness, and everything else that would keep him alive. Public perception wouldn¡¯t change that. His decision made, TJ grabbed the entire hand, both horns, and after activating Divine Transformation and lopping off the second, more damaged hand, made his way back to the front of the house. Stanton stood there, both hands in his pockets, his breath misting in the chill morning. After glancing at TJ and the contents of his hands, he sighed. ¡°You gonna put those in a bag? Fingers at the breakfast table are a bad look. Especially since a lot of people here already think you¡¯re a crazy.¡± TJ reached in the door, where just beside the entrance sat a mostly empty backpack. He carelessly dumped the contents to the side before tossing in the horns and hands and a prepared gut, just in case. When Stanton opened his mouth to complain, TJ raised his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll clean it up later, just getting moving for now.¡± The grumbling old man muttered something about disrespectful little shits under his breath while TJ chuckled and jogged onward towards breakfast. His Primitive Craftsmanship reminded him that he¡¯d need something to bind the blade of whatever knife he made into the hilt, so he pulled the thumb out of his pocket and cut a couple sections free from a pine tree he walked past where the sap had oozed free and crystallized. Even frozen and solidified, there was a certain amount of stickiness the sap carried, and TJ hoped it would be enough to hold this blade together. Then, his materials gathered and in his backpack, TJ and Stanton made their way to the firehouse. The smell of fatty meat frying made TJ¡¯s mouth water as they walked forward, though he couldn¡¯t quite place the smell. It was almost like bacon, but not quite the same¨Cthe simple solution struck him. As they walked into the wide open garage, a table veritably filled with all cuts of javelina was sprawled before them. There wasn¡¯t any processing possible into sausage or anything like that, but slabs of steak, bunches of bacon, and piles of pig awaited him. Some hash browns were there to give some semblance of a balance to the meal, but it was obvious that the fresh, unprocessed meat would go bad before too long and the kitchen knew it. Though he wondered if his stomach would complain about the nutritional imbalance, TJ piled his plate high and quickly threw himself into devouring the meal. At least in that moment, he merely enjoyed the feeling of being full while missing a cup of coffee, regardless of its quality. Once he finished his meal and Penny swept up his plate with her usual insistence, there was still plenty of time left before Laura¡¯s planned address. Thus, TJ was sat in a corner, idly whittling away at one of the horns with the thumb knife when Laura¡¯s voice cut through the sounds of the crowd he hadn¡¯t realized had grown around him. ¡°Thank you for staying, even if you¡¯ve finished your meal. It¡¯s now the fifth day of this, and we need to talk.¡± Chapter 46 ¡°We need to talk.¡± Regardless of how old he¡¯d gotten, those words still sent a shiver down TJ¡¯s spine, and he could see in Laura¡¯s face that it was the intended effect. The quietly chatting populace went silent, an air of tension sweeping over the 178 people in the room. Laura continued to sweep her gaze over everyone, locking eyes with whoever allowed it. ¡°108.¡± She said to break her silence, letting it puzzle everyone who heard her. ¡°108 of you are level 1. 56 are level 2. That means that less than 15 people in this town are level 3 or higher. Less than ten percent. You might think that we¡¯ll be fine, because that''s about the same as the United States military, counting supporting personnel. Unfortunately, we are not the military, and we are in far greater danger than we used to be. The military isn¡¯t coming, at least any time soon, and we have a deadline to survive. ¡°Who knows what the requirements for this Tutorial are?¡± Laura asked, eyes roaming across the uncomfortable crowd. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Granny Penny raised her hand with a hefty serving of pep. Laura pointed at the elderly woman and she spoke in a warbling tone, though her voice was clear. ¡°Survive to the end of two weeks. Protect the store. Kill the big guy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s close enough.¡± Laura answered. ¡°There is, however, one part that I wish to clarify and to emphasize. The space surrounding the general store will continue to be reduced until it is nothing.¡± The Bureaucrat let the fear begin to set its claws in the masses at her words. Whispered worries grew in intensity until Laura raised both hands and hushed them. ¡°I know you hate to hear this, but we are all in clear and present danger. The few securities we retain are diminishing, and eventually, they will all be taken from us. The day of reckoning is coming. You can see what time it will be if you ask your System.¡± TJ couldn¡¯t help himself and asked how long until the end of the first part of the Tutorial. Time remaining until the end of part 1 of Tutorial 107.48.891: 237:52:36. Just under ten days, then. As he¡¯d already known, given that only four full days had passed since Integration, but even so, the time remaining seemed like so much, and so little all at once. Laura¡¯s continued speaking tore him from his musing. ¡°There are less than ten days until there will be nowhere safe that we do not reinforce and protect ourselves. Beasts as mundane as coyotes and as fearful as monsters from the dark will come, and if you are weak, they will kill you. You need to protect yourselves, because I won¡¯t be able to. Our hunters won¡¯t be able to. Only you can. You can only truly depend on yourself.¡± A man¡¯s voice TJ didn¡¯t recognize called out, ¡°Why won¡¯t the strong people protect us!¡± It was more of a raging scream than a question, but Laura was ready for it anyways. ¡°Because they can¡¯t. TJ, would you stand up?¡± Hesitant, TJ stood tall while Laura gestured to him. ¡°Most of you have at least heard of our newest additions to the town. TJ can transform into a massive snake, and has spent most of these past four days fighting for his life. As such, your levels are¡­?¡± She trailed off, allowing TJ to answer for himself. ¡°Yeah, Neophyte 8, Savage 6. I¡¯m sure I can hit 7 before lunch.¡± A burst of whispers exploded at his declaration, and TJ heard quite a few worried conversations about his ¡°Savage¡± Occupation and what that must mean that he was. Laura nodded in thanks and TJ sat back down. ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone else in this town that can begin to measure up to his levels, but that just raises the question again, why doesn¡¯t he just protect us? He seems driven to grow stronger, so he can just do the difficult part. Why won¡¯t he just bleed for us so we can stay hidden behind our doors, praying that someone else will take the beating for us? Isn¡¯t he selfish?¡± Though she seemed to be chastising TJ with her words, it was obvious what her point was. ¡°No, he isn¡¯t selfish. In preparation for today, he was willing to go out into the night all alone last night, making sure that the surroundings were safe for you and me. When he left, he met the first true monster any of us have seen. It nearly killed him, and it was only level 5. There will be more of them, so can TJ kill another? Or two? Or five? No, he can¡¯t. He¡¯d simply be killed in vain, and that would only be if he was willing to die for you. TJ isn¡¯t willing to sacrifice himself for you.¡± Angry murmurs and glances responded to her latest statement, and TJ felt his blood surge at the woman he¡¯d thought he trusted put him on display to be torn apart by the judgment of so many people. Then, Laura¡¯s voice cut through the simmering rage. ¡°Why the hell would he?¡± The grumbling went silent as she asked again, ¡°Why the hell would he sacrifice himself for you? What have any of you done for him? What have any of you even said to him since he came to town a day and a half ago with his dying friend across his shoulders? Maybe good morning, or maybe whispered mutterings behind closed doors about how he¡¯s dangerous and not to be trusted. He hasn¡¯t made you any promises to be a knight in shining armor for you, and why would he? He¡¯s ignored and nearly mistreated by the vast majority of you, and you expect him to bleed for you? If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Though the hunters are treated with more respect than TJ is, we all still call them ¡®adrenaline junkies¡¯, ¡®foolish¡¯, and just plain crazy because they¡¯re willing to live in the world we¡¯ve found ourselves. Why would these young people, the ones who will survive in this hell, get themselves killed for people who refuse to understand that the days of letting others work for us are long gone?¡± Laura¡¯s impassioned rant rang off the concrete walls surrounding them, and at least half of the people there hung their heads in shame, though others¡¯ jaws still stuck out in stubborn anger. The experienced public speaker only let the silence hang long enough to let her words sink in. ¡°No longer can we merely depend on the few selfless. We can¡¯t throw our young and strong at the problem and hope that they¡¯ll solve it for us. They aren¡¯t able nor willing. We need to survive and protect the general store, and we need to do it ourselves. Things will change. ¡°From today, everyone will receive half rations if they are unwilling to go on at least one expedition a day. During that expedition, there must be at least as many of our enemies killed as there number in the group. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a Disciple and a Bureaucrat or a Zealot and a Hunter, you need to be involved with the killing. This is our world now, and just like the rest of you, I need to be involved on the front lines. ¡°Now, questions?¡± A barrage of near-insults exploded from the more surly looking people in the group, and they slowly emboldened those who¡¯d waffled on the edge of compliance. Laura answered each with a balance of logic and emotion, but the angry people refused to be placated. As his own rage boiled to the forefront of his mind, TJ stood and shouted, drowning out every other voice. ¡°Shut the hell up!¡± His shout shattered the illusion of civilization in the room, and many people cowered before the inhumanly loud voice. ¡°Laura¡¯s willing to talk to you right now. Frankly, I¡¯m not fucking willing to listen to your horseshit. You listen to me. ¡°My name is TJ. My son, Junior, will be three years old on the day this first part of the Tutorial ends. I¡¯m going to have to miss it because I¡¯m here with you. I don¡¯t know how many of his birthdays I¡¯m going to have to miss because of this mess, and I hate the System for doing this to us. You need to get ready and work for yourselves, and if not you, then someone else you care about. If you can¡¯t manage that, I don¡¯t give two shits about anyone who¡¯s gonna sit in their room pouting like a toddler because you had to do something for yourself. If you can¡¯t put on your big boy pants and get out there, then I¡¯d say let you starve. Laura¡¯s nice enough to still feed you, but frankly, you¡¯re a waste of space if you¡¯re not willing to do anything to save yourself. You¡¯ve been given a lifejacket, and you¡¯re saying that buckling the stupid thing is too hard.¡± Then, too disgusted to look the cowards in the face, TJ stormed out. He didn¡¯t go too far, since he¡¯d promised he¡¯d escort one of the groups on their inaugural hunt, but he didn¡¯t want to hear any more mitching and boning, as his dad used to say. Remembering his parents, and his Nana, for that matter, TJ couldn¡¯t help but have his piss-poor mood elevated with a wry smile. ¡°Sorry Nana, I should use my smart words, not stupid curses.¡± His apology given, TJ sat under a tree and pulled the horn and thumb out. Though the thumb remained grotesque and off-putting, it also remained his best bet at getting a real knife that worked in tandem with Savage, so he needed to take the time to get the thing up to snuff. His grandpa had always harped on him about doing things right and doing it right the first time. Since this knife would be immensely important to him moving forward, TJ finished boring the hole to be just larger than the entire thumb in every dimension, except for half of the last joint. Then, the ¡°blade¡¯s¡± housing complete, TJ carefully slotted it into its new handle with no small amount of effort. With the extra half-inch of thumb added to its length, the knife¡¯s blade was about four inches. Making sure there wasn¡¯t too much leeway in any direction, TJ decided which way the mirrored blades would face. Then, warming the sap between his fingers until it was a gluey putty, he shoved it into the hole inside the horn. The thumb followed after that, the sap filling the remainder of the space. As the sap cooled, the blade stopped wiggling, and TJ realized he needed something else to help tie it in to finish the knife. Fortunately, he¡¯d tossed a cleaned intestine in the pack as well, and he wrapped it tightly around the bottom of the thumb and the top of the horn that now served as the knife¡¯s haft. It still wasn¡¯t quite done, and TJ looked up at the tree he was leaning against. A perfect bead of sap was just in arms reach, like a half dozen more, and TJ plucked it free. Just like before, he warmed it between his fingers before applying it to the tightly woven gut, where it slowly hardened into an approximation of a real knife. While the last touch dried, TJ measured with his right hand just how long he wanted the haft before, with a concentrated ring of wind between his cupped thumb and index finger, he cut the rest of the horn free from his knife. Just as TJ felt a warm glow of pride from completing his project, a series of notifications took him by surprise. You have constructed a piece of equipment using Elite level materials. Bonus Experience acquired. Minor Divine Trial success recorded. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 7. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Point available. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 8. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points available. Race: Human has advanced to level 8. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Points currently available. Chapter 47 With so many notifications plying him, TJ realized that there was a question he¡¯d had for a while and hadn¡¯t ever gotten an answer for. Ever since he¡¯d killed the wendigo, he¡¯d gotten a similar notification, but then forgotten about it in the panic of rushing back to safety and warning the rest of the town about what he¡¯d learned. Thus, the small additional phrase had escaped his scrutiny. Now, however, TJ finally paid it attention and asked the System. ¡°What is a Divine Trial?¡± All those who achieve any measure of Divinity must overcome Trials set by the heavens themselves. What comprises a Divine Trial or which Trials which Participant must overcome will vary, but overcoming Trials is a vital part of the path towards the Divine Throne. Though the exact use of Divine Trials cannot be revealed at this time, it can be explained that eight Minor Divine Trials carry the same weight as four Moderate Divine Trials, two Bitter Divine Trials, or one Celestial Divine Trial. Would you like to have your Divine Trial completions recorded in your Status Page? As he idly agreed to allow the display, TJ felt a faint smile crack his face at another realization. He had, effectively, completed a Moderate Divine Trial, and though he couldn¡¯t say he had any clue what that could do for him, the achievement carried some weight. That there were Divine Trials for various types of achievements also assuaged some measure of worry as well. Now that he knew what it was, though, he grew more and more curious as to what the purpose of the Trials was meant to be. More importantly, though, was the result of this completed Trial. TJ turned his appraisal to his knife, curious what it could be that gave him more than a full level¡¯s worth of experience. Item: Wendigo Blade (Copper, (I)). An amateur¡¯s honest attempt at creating a sharp tool from the materials gathered from a wendigo slain by their hand. Using the extended claw of a wendigo, the Wendigo Blade is a serviceable knife, though the method of securing its tang was mediocre. The true value of this knife is instead found in its materials and specialized preparation. Whether by skill, coincidence, or pure luck, the blade was perfectly prepared by the creator. By using primarily Wind Manipulation and the wendigo¡¯s own claws to construct the blade and prepare its materials, the creator subtly shifted the purpose of the claw and horn to better respond to the creator¡¯s Wind Manipulation Skill. As such, the Wendigo Blade¡¯s wielder can channel Wind Manipulation through the blade with an improved efficiency, thus lowering the cost of using Wind Manipulation while wielding the blade by 10%. TJ whistled under his breath as he read the description. Though he wanted to complain at the obvious disparagement regarding the quality of his work, he also couldn¡¯t bring himself to disagree. More importantly, the explanation that he¡¯d managed to somehow shift the magical or divine nature of the claw to suit him perfectly was a blessing in disguise that he¡¯d never expected. In his mind, he¡¯d only expected the knife to serve as something to better prepare other materials for his use with. Learning that it could potentially serve as one of those gas-exploding knives that he¡¯d seen on the internet was a surprise, but a welcome one. If it was inside of an enemy, TJ could imagine that, with the additional reduced cost of being at the Dirt tier combined with the bonus from the blade itself, the Wendigo Blade could easily serve as a deadly weapon for him, disregarding the build quality. The thought of making something explode with wind inside of it was disgusting, but TJ shoved it out of his mind by pulling up his Status. Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Human ¨C lvl 8 Class: Neophyte lvl 8 Occupation: Savage lvl 8 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 570/570 Mana Points (MP): 360/360 Stamina: 550/550 Attributes Strength: 26 Agility: 25 Endurance: 55 Vitality: 57 Toughness: 47 Wisdom: 31 Intelligence: 36 Perception: 37 Willpower: 48 Fixation: 39 Free Points: 2 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Elite Hunter Current total maximum Divine Transformation time: 49:45 (End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4 Current cooldown: 0:00 Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Coatl ¨C lvl 8 Class: Neophyte lvl 8 Occupation: Savage lvl 8 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Health Points (HP): 1140/1140 Mana Points (MP): 360/360 Stamina: 1100/1100 Attributes Strength x2: 52 Agility x1.5: 37 Endurance x2: 110 Vitality x2: 114 Toughness x2: 94 Wisdom: 31 Intelligence: 36 Perception x1.5: 55 Willpower: 48 Fixation: 39 Free Points: 2 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Elite Hunter Divine Trial Records 2 Minor, 0 Moderate, 0 Bitter, 0 Celestial Compared to how weak he¡¯d once been, TJ enjoyed seeing how much he¡¯d progressed in just these days, since each additional attribute point was another step up the path to truer power and the ability to protect himself and his future. He looked at his Free Points and nearly threw them immediately into Intelligence as he had been, but he decided to consider a bit deeper for a moment. His Strength as a coatl had always seemed to be more than enough, but between its frost and claws, the wendigo was nearly impossible for him to kill. Yes, it was an Elite, but TJ had exhausted its MP through protecting the pukwudgies from his initial assault, and it had wasted its energy in killing the first pukwudgie theatrically. Even then, TJ had only survived because he had fully exhausted his MP killing the pukwudgies and managed to level up by doing so. Doubling his MP barely brought him to being level with the wendigo¡¯s expenditure. Would another two points of Intelligence do more for him, or Strength? Maybe even Agility, as it was falling behind his other attributes, at least, during Divine Transformation. He almost certainly wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape last night with his Agility as it was, and that terrified him. ¡°Hello, sir?¡± A nervous woman¡¯s voice cut through TJ¡¯s idle worries and he startled and looked up. A woman maybe a decade older than him stood in front of him, twisting her hands anxiously. When he locked eyes with her, he Appraised her while standing up. Disciple, 1 ¡°Don¡¯t call me sir. I¡¯m TJ. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Uh, we¡¯re the people assigned to¡­ hunt with you.¡± She was obviously uncomfortable with the idea and continued avoiding his gaze. ¡°Great, glad to have you.¡± He stuck a hand out. ¡°As I said, I¡¯m TJ. I¡¯m happy to make sure you all stay safe since you¡¯re willing to come out and work for the community. For your information, I have the Bloodline of Kukulkan, and I¡¯m at level 8 with both Savage and Neophyte. How about you?¡± ¡°My name is Rebekkah, Disciple and Flamekeeper. The System says I¡¯m a daughter of Hestia.¡± The woman responded as she reached a limp hand out for a disappointing handshake. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a Greek goddess?¡± Rebekkah nodded, her dark curly hair framing her face. ¡°What¡¯s that Occupation do? How¡¯d you get it?¡± After asking, TJ raised a hand. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll ask you that again in a minute, if that¡¯s alright with you. Instead, I¡¯d like to speak with everyone coming along.¡± Rebekkah didn¡¯t mind, simply nodding as TJ walked forward. Eight more people stood before him, all but two of them level 1 to his Appraisal. One was the level 2 Zealot Sarah who helped guard the general store, while the other was Farid, whose level now showed Acolyte, 3. ¡°You manage to get that Occupation you were talking about yesterday?¡± TJ asked, reaching a hand out to clasp Farid¡¯s shoulder. The younger man smiled broadly as he nodded. ¡°We¡¯d used some traps on the monsters out there, and I just needed to trap one more person before I got the Occupation.¡± ¡°A person?¡± Farid grinned even wider. ¡°Yes. Charlie is tall, and does not always look up.¡± TJ raised both hands with a slight chuckle. ¡°Not sure I want to know. Good for you. That¡¯s something that will become more and more useful the longer this Tutorial goes, I¡¯m sure.¡± Then, having spoken to the single person that he knew, TJ stepped back so he could look most of the group in the eyes. With himself counted, their little hunting party numbered ten. Other than himself, there were three Disciples, two Zealots, three Acolytes, and one Neophyte. Naturally, TJ was interested in the Neophyte. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± TJ asked the hunched and obviously afraid girl standing in the middle of the group. ¡°Kailani.¡± She spoke in barely more than a whisper, avoiding eye contact almost fearfully. Her long dark hair covered her face and she refused to make eye contact. ¡°Great. Just for my information, what attributes does your Divine Transformation boost?¡± The young woman, more of a girl, really, looked around herself before answering in a murmur, ¡°Vitality, Wisdom, Intelligence, Willpower, Fixation.¡± She cocked her head, a little confused. Even so, she didn¡¯t ask the question so obviously on her mind. ¡°You wondering why I¡¯m asking?¡± TJ prompted, and after glancing back and forth, she nodded, keeping her head and eyes down. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve talked to the few of us that are also Neophytes. I¡¯m the bloodline of Kukulkan, a giant snake god from Mexico. I get bonuses to Strength, Agility, Endurance, Vitality, Toughness, and Perception. Makes me a lot tougher, so it¡¯s easy for me to be in front of everyone else. With yours, though, I don¡¯t think being on the front line makes a whole lot of sense, does it?¡± Lailani shook her head wildly, and TJ chuckled. He wanted to pat her head or shoulder, but she was scared, and he might be the source of that fear, so he was wholly unwilling to exacerbate that. ¡°Do you have anything else that you just kinda know how to do when you¡¯re using the Skill?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Just as an explanation, I realized I could control wind when I was a snake, and I ended up getting a Skill that helps me out with that. When we¡¯re out today, can you see what you feel when you use the Skill?¡± Lailani nodded and stepped behind someone else. TJ didn¡¯t press the matter, and gestured for Farid to step forward. The descendant of the Indian god of destruction stepped forward, his face open and happy. ¡°I know you don¡¯t really know me. I probably don¡¯t have the greatest impression on most of you, and I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve had a pretty crap couple of days. You don¡¯t deserve to have me chewing you out. I¡¯m not your dad, I¡¯m not your boss. I¡¯m just going to keep you alive and well, ok?¡± Farid raised a hand and TJ pointed at him. ¡°Just a second Farid. You don¡¯t need to raise your hand, not really, and I don¡¯t want any of you to call me sir. I¡¯m not a military commander or anything like that. That¡¯s all.¡± The handsome man grinned widely, pure white teeth starkly contrasting his dark skin. ¡°I just want you to know¨Ceveryone here asked to be on your team. You¡¯re a scary man, but you¡¯re on our side, and we think you¡¯ll keep everyone safe while they work to get stronger. I just didn¡¯t want you to worry about us. We¡¯re happy to follow your commands.¡± TJ felt his throat choke up for a brief second. Though at least half of the team was like Rebekkah and Lailani, avoiding his gaze and shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other, none of them seemed to disagree even slightly with Farid¡¯s declaration. The feeling of ostracization that¡¯d hung over him like a pall since he¡¯d arrived was slowly washed away. He was about to speak when Farid spoke again. ¡°You should have seen Seth¡¯s face when he learned I¡¯d already taken the spot of the hunter on your squad. I bet he¡¯ll try to convince you to go out again this afternoon after we return.¡± TJ chuckled through the almost uncomfortable emotion. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to see about that when we come back. Now, here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do.¡± Chapter 48 Though he hated not being right with them, TJ felt it was necessary to extend some measure of trust to the trainees who were, reluctantly, on the front lines and ready to kill. Rebekkah and Jordan, the two Disciples, stood in the middle of the group while TJ walked near them with his every nerve stretched out to the extreme. If anything appeared, he¡¯d need to react immediately, and his Wendigo Blade stayed in his hand, just in case. They hadn¡¯t gone more than a hundred yards away from where he estimated the outer bounds of the safe zone, and there wasn¡¯t anything here. The possibility of a spear burying itself in someone¡¯s eye wasn¡¯t lost on him, and TJ desperately hoped nobody would die on this inaugural hunt. They¡¯d need to kill at least ten creatures, and TJ refused to return before they did so. Just so long as they didn¡¯t encounter a wendigo. When he walked under a tree, the wind whispered about something overhead. TJ didn¡¯t look before he reacted, pushing both Rebekkah and Jordan underneath him just in case. As his instincts had wondered, the pukwudgies had struck at the Disciples as soon as they appeared. ¡°Look up!¡± TJ screamed as he pointed at four shimmering silhouettes. Farid was the first to react, both his javelins flying to pierce through the legs of a pukwudgie, sending both plummeting to the ground. The other two Acolytes shot towards the other two, one missing entirely and the other lodging in the pukwudgie¡¯s eye. The body fell without ceremony while the fourth of the overhead ambushers began to flee. ¡°They¡¯re not alone, I¡¯m sure!¡± TJ shouted again, pointing at the two Zealots who were approaching the felled but still living monsters. Both carried large shields and turned wildly, looking for whatever was approaching. Nearly immediately, they were rewarded with the snarling attacks from three coyotes and their riders. Wordless cries of panic filled the air as the unprepared hunters were taken up in the adrenaline of battle. TJ knew he had to move, and activated his Divine Transformation. The nearest coyote and its rider were easy to tie up in his coils, the coyote snapping ineffectually at him as his stone-hard scales while the rider¡¯s spear barely cut through his skin. TJ knew he could easily dispatch both, but instead took his time, keeping them from doing anything other than try to hurt him. With them tied up, quite literally, he looked to the other battlefields. The first thing that struck him was the sound. Every fight he¡¯d been in so far, he¡¯d been either with Stanton or alone, and he¡¯d found his ears wholly filled with the roaring of his rushing blood, nearly unable to hear anything else. Now, though, the panicked and untested people screamed wordlessly, their fear manifesting in unintelligible sounds of terror. More than the sounds, though, were the sights. One of the two Zealots, Sarah, was holding her own. She¡¯d sustained a single hit from the coyote¡¯s rider¡¯s spear in her right shoulder, the blood coursing down her arm and slicking her fingers. Her face was twisted in a grimace, but she kept her shield hoisted high to keep the coyote from reaching her body. The pukwudgie whose spear had reached her was prone on the ground, fighting to its feet while Sarah struck wardingly at it. The other, Rod, however, screamed in fear and pain as he made contact with the enemy. Perhaps unprepared for the savagery of the assault, the Zealot had been knocked down by the coyote while the pukwudgie¡¯s spear sought for his throat, head, and chest. Rod had enough presence of mind to roll over and keep moving, trying to avoid getting immediately killed. Fortunately, the rest of the hunters went to help the struggling man, shots lancing towards the two aggressors. Farid¡¯s javelin plunged deep into the coyote¡¯s shoulder, the crescent flying up the shaft and cutting a long gash into the creature. It stumbled back, yipping in surprised pain. The move saved Rod¡¯s eye, the pukwudgie¡¯s lance cutting through the skin of his cheek instead. With the coyote off balance, Rod scrambled to his feet while taking a much deeper stab into his back. He screamed again in rage and fear and pain before trying to smash the edge of his shield into the pukwudgie¡¯s face. The strike missed as the pukwudgie dodged to put its body against the coyote¡¯s back. Rod didn¡¯t stop, his makeshift club swinging wildly at whatever he could reach. Due to the large javelin lodged in its shoulder, the coyote was slowed enough that the club smashed painfully into its head. The thunking sound of heavy wood against bone sounded like a gong for the second round of battle and Jordan redoubled his efforts to kill his attackers. What the others didn¡¯t seem to realise, though, was that Sarah no longer could hold the other two back safely. The coyote¡¯s jaws found her ankle and she suppressed a scream of pain and rage as its rider¡¯s spear pushed her shield away from her body. Then, exposed, the rider threw a rock directly into her face and Sarah went down, stunned. Pukwudgie and coyote alike were ready to exploit the opening and they lunged in for the kill. TJ released his two victims though they were still living as he rushed to protect the fallen woman. He didn¡¯t need to. A pair of sprays of water like from a hose shot into the faces of each attacker. They sputtered while Kailani, fear streaking her face, stretched one hand out to each one, the water flying from her palms. Though it disrupted the attacks and startled them, the two monsters were still effectively uninjured. That was when Jordan and Rebekkah¡¯s fist-sized stones pelted the pukwudgie. One struck a glancing blow against its shoulder while the other caromed off its head. Now that all other nine hunters were engaged in the fight, TJ leapt back to the still-living coyote and rider he¡¯d previously trapped. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. As his coils once again found their places entangling the creatures, TJ watched as Rebekkah rushed forward and laid a hand on Sarah. Nearly immediately, the felled Zealot stood up, her eyes unfocused, but she threw herself back into the fight without hesitating longer than it took for her to blink three times. Once the hunters had truly begun working together, it wasn¡¯t long before the pukwudgies were killed and the coyotes were hobbled. While they snarled and lunged out in threatening bites, most looked unwilling to kill the more normal-looking creatures. That was, except for Sarah. With her blood-coated fingers creaking around the wooden handle of her club, Sarah approached the coyote with her blood painting its maw. Then, after shoving its head roughly to the side with her shield, she dealt a deadly blow to the base of its skull. The crunching of bone was final, and the corpse dropped to the ground. After he gathered himself, Rod extended a hand to the others to kill the other coyote in much the same way. He went green as he looked down at the body laying on the ground, and though she¡¯d led these final executions, Sarah looked rather green as well. ¡°There¡¯s two more.¡± TJ reminded while the pukwudgie and coyote struggled and screeched for help and in terror. ¡°You two Acolytes, you kill them.¡± The two inexperienced people were obviously immensely uncomfortable with his command, but after barking another, ¡°Kill them¡±, they approached. Their run of the mill bows were drawn taught, all the way back. The glittering, ethereal arrows summoned by their Skill had TJ slightly on edge, given their lack of experience, but he figured if he kept his head back, he¡¯d survive. It took three shots each to finally kill the two struggling, impotent monsters, and TJ noted from the kill notification that these creatures had ranged from level 2-4. Disregarding the success of the hunt, the air of the hunting party was somber and dark. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this will make you feel better or worse,¡± TJ said as the eight new hunters looked uncomfortably at each other, ¡°but good job. This isn¡¯t just me saying this, but Farid can agree. You¡¯re all alive, and you¡¯ve gained experience. Who gained a level?¡± Everyone but Farid and Sarah raised a hand. ¡°Now, you¡¯re all healthy, at full resources. You¡¯ve seen how much stronger you can get from a single level, so I want you to realize something: The monsters are getting these same levels too.¡± He paused, letting his statement sink in. ¡°The first coyotes I fought were level 0. How many of you can say the same?¡± Every Acolyte and Zealot nodded in agreement. ¡°None were level 0 here. They¡¯ve gained levels, and they¡¯ll keep doing it too. They¡¯re only going to get more and more dangerous, and if you stop here, you¡¯ll let down the people around you right now. They¡¯ll get hurt if you decide to be selfish and go home right now. In two weeks, they¡¯ll die if you aren¡¯t willing to kill right now. ¡°Now, we have a decision. Are we going to call it quits right now and hope we can coast to safety? Or are we going to put the work in right now to make sure we can survive and protect our companions and see our families?¡± He wasn¡¯t expecting nor did he receive a cheer, but everyone, from the excited Farid to the still terrified Kailani, nodded in agreement. Before they could move on, though, Sarah spoke up. ¡°That was scary. I thought I was doing ok because I have a higher level, but all it took was a second before they turned it around on me.¡± Her voice quivered from the adrenaline and every other emotion she was overwhelmed with. ¡°I can¡¯t do this alone.¡± ¡°Yeah, we should each be assigned to help one of the Zealots.¡± One of the Acolytes jumped in. As the rest of the group planned and strategized how to continue to hunt and be successful, TJ let a smile crack his face. More than getting them to higher levels, he¡¯d wanted them to feel a bit more confident in themselves and ready to face the Tutorial. Somehow, it seemed like they were taking those steps forward. ¡ª- The second hunt was much less frightening than the first. Since each person had received more of an assignment and, instead of a loose group of ten people, there were effectively two squads, the initial engagement went much more smoothly than before. That paired with only two coyote riders attacking after the initial ambush allowed the hunters to gain not just experience but confidence. Shouted commands and warnings worked together, though nobody followed them especially well. Even so, the injuries sustained were significantly less serious than before and Rebekkah and Jordan quickly ensured that nobody was in serious danger. TJ stood with a coyote corpse over each shoulder while looking out for anything else coming nearby. The exultation of victory and new levels had at least half of the party ready to continue the hunt, but TJ stopped them. ¡°We¡¯re doing great, and maybe we can come back out after lunch. But what are our Disciples¡¯ MP looking like?¡± ¡°28/190.¡± Jordan supplied. ¡°34/220.¡± Rebekkah echoed. Though TJ was surprised to hear the difference between them, Rebekkah did have her Occupation. Regardless, he kept speaking. ¡°It¡¯ll take them almost nine hours to be back at full.¡± He didn¡¯t need to say anything else before the rest of the hunting party hurriedly gathered together to go back to town. They talked excitedly to each other about small different victories, how this one had totally saved another, and that arrow was shot just right. TJ happily walked in the back of the group, watching the freshly minted fighters make their way back to town in victory. As they pushed through the bushes into the bounds of the town, the smell of freshly grilled meat filled the air and the hunters found that they were much hungrier than expected. Even so, they all looked at TJ before going anywhere. ¡°I¡¯m not your dad. Go.¡± He shooed them off as people, many of them older than him, hurried to the firehouse. TJ leaned against a nearby tree and sighed. Was this really what he was going to do for the next two weeks? Chapter 49 TJ stayed out of the firehouse, musing over the next ten days and what he was going to do. When people came out, several shot nasty looks his way, but TJ couldn¡¯t bring himself to care. Junior needed a living dad, and TJ was more than willing to be the heel to some of these people to ensure he had his best chance of making it out alive. After the early lunch was complete, the next hunt was prepared, and TJ was reminded there was more yet to do. Two more, very different trips were taken that day. The second expedition was with an entirely different group than the one from that morning, Seth replacing Farid and many of the other newest hunters being older folks who struggled to walk that far. With the advent of the System and its attributes, many of these people who would be largely hopeless in any attempt to journey any distance by foot could make their slow and steady way to where the hunt would take place. Granny Penny laughed when TJ offered to carry her down the road and out of town in the opposite direction from where he¡¯d entered. ¡°I¡¯m takin¡¯ care of myself. Don¡¯t you worry that pretty little head of yours, I¡¯m doin¡¯ just fine!¡± She declared as she continued to push her walker down the road. Somehow, when TJ Appraised her, he saw Disciple 2 displayed, so she¡¯d gained levels somehow. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Laura,¡± she stage whispered, ¡°I went and got me an Occupation. It¡¯s helping out a lot!¡± ¡°Now what Occupation was that?¡± TJ asked, too curious not to dig deeper. She glanced back and forth before grinning widely. ¡°Attendant!¡± TJ squinted at the old lady, unsure how to react. She kept her joyous look, unconcerned with his potential disbelief. Eventually, he had to ask, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Sure as can be!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad it¡¯s helping.¡± TJ replied with a shrug. He internally asked the System, ¡°How does the Occupation Attendant help someone on the path to the Divine Throne?¡± Every aspect of life can be honed to the level of Divinity. Service, healing, leadership, and destruction are all facets of life, and a Participant can choose to exemplify any aspect of life in their pursuit of the Divine Throne. TJ sighed deeply as he decided not to follow that train of thoughts. Though he had so many questions about the System and everything it wanted to do, his focus remained on Junior. Thus, he assisted the much less mobile group of hunters, though he was much more careful with how he approached potential combat with them. Instead of just blazing into the forest, he ranged out himself while Seth and the others stayed completely at the ready for anything to come their way. Thus, TJ slowly kited four coyotes, two javelinas, and a mountain lion to the waiting hunters. The mountain lion was a surprise and very nearly deadly, but TJ was quick enough to shift to a coatl and take it down to ensure that though its claws cut through a Zealot¡¯s armor without much difficulty, it didn¡¯t strike any deadly wounds. That it was merely level 2 and had ambushed them all and nearly eviscerated someone was not lost on him, and TJ feared the day he encountered a level 5, or Kukulkan forbid, level 10. As the more sickly of the group gained a level or two, their backs straightened and their breathing grew more steady, Penny especially walking away from her walker whenever she could, though she needed to return to it for a moment to catch her breath each time. Despite himself, TJ felt himself bonding further with the hunters as they stumbled and crawled and actually learned. Their five Zealots, only one with a shield, worked together in tandem, and the single Acolyte used her hand crossbow to the best of her ability. Seth stayed near Penny and the other Disciple, the plucky old lady leading her fellow Disciple to throw the largest stones they could manage at the enemies. More often than not, Penny¡¯s gravel would plink uselessly against one of the Zealots¡¯ armors, but once she managed to strike a javelina¡¯s eye and she crowed in exultation as it squealed. ¡°Ha HAH!¡± She cackled. ¡°You slippery varmint! Just roll over!¡± Every other one of her attacks went wide, but her enthusiasm was infectious. The Zealots gained levels and experience, and, as TJ learned, they gained 3 Strength every level. Though the beasts all remained a higher level, they were outnumbered and with every hunter having someone supporting them, there were no casualties or serious injuries. The hunt ended when three pukwudgies tried their luck at ambushing them from above but the two Acolytes shot them from the trees. Seth¡¯s shot struck its eye, and by the time its corpse smashed against the ground, it was dead. Of the other two, one escaped, but the last took a shot to the leg and broke its spine once it fell over twenty feet. The Zealots closed in, and though they were obviously uncomfortable with it, they finished the little goblin creature off. Then, the quota finished, TJ threw the mountain lion¡¯s corpse over his shoulder and led the way back home. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Disaster struck when they¡¯d been where, to the best of TJ¡¯s knowledge, they¡¯d crossed into the ¡°safe¡± zone. The hair on the back of his neck prickled, and TJ shouted, ¡°Get down!¡± Everyone listened, but poor, or lucky, as the case may be, Peter, the sole Zealot with a shield, went down with his shield over his body. TJ couldn¡¯t say how, but the pukwudgies¡¯ thrown spears bounced off the shield and one flew straight up and cut through Peter¡¯s right eye¡¯s cornea. As the man about the same age as TJ himself screamed in pain and fear, the rest of the hunting party tried to protect him, to retaliate against the pukwudgies. They disappeared into the trees too quickly, retreating from the space they couldn¡¯t yet intrude upon. TJ growled curses under his breath as he dropped the mountain lion corpse where he stood. ¡°Disciples, on him, now!¡± Penny pushed through the group of concerned but unable to help hunters and laid her hands on Peter¡¯s face. ¡°Hold still, honey. It¡¯ll be just a second.¡± Peter stilled to mere shaking breaths as a light washed over the group from Penny¡¯s hands. She took a shuddering breath and swayed while TJ reached a hand out to steady her. The old lady gratefully took it and struggled to stand. He helped her to her walker while the rest of the hunters gathered Peter into their arms and carried him deeper into the safe zone, hopefully away from the range where the pukwudgies could reach him. There wasn¡¯t any more movement from anything in the forest nearby, but TJ didn¡¯t take any risks. He activated his Divine Transformation and dragged the two corpses left behind as the rest of the hunters hurried to the firehouse. It wasn¡¯t long before TJ caught up and could hear the panicked conversation. ¡°It¡¯s all blurry!¡± ¡°Like you can see light or just like you need glasses?¡± ¡°Like it¡¯s all blurry! I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t see anything! I¡¯m blind!¡± TJ quickly caught on to what the crescendoing discussion was about. When he came around and was able to see Peter¡¯s face, the blood had been wiped off as best as it could in so little time, though it still filled the man¡¯s eyebrows and eyelashes. Under that, though, was the much more concerning eye. It had once been a dark blue but now was cloudy and unresponsive. Peter was waving his hands, the terror of losing his sight stealing his rationality. ¡°Everyone!¡± TJ shouted while using Wind Manipulation to blow back their screams and force their attention onto him. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do right this second. Let¡¯s get to the firehouse, speak with Laura, and figure it out from there. Got it?¡± Surprisingly, Peter was the first to respond, gritting his teeth and nodding before turning and leading the way to the firehouse. The rest of the hunters gathered whatever came to their hands and followed his lead. TJ walked in the back, eyes wide open and searching for any abnormality. There wasn¡¯t anything that stood out to him, but he¡¯d already known that didn¡¯t mean anything. Even so, he¡¯d gotten complacent and Peter paid the price. He was supposed to be the smart, experienced one, and he¡¯d lost focus at the last second. As they stumbled into the firehouse, TJ saw what he¡¯d refused to earlier. The ugly looks he¡¯d received at lunch hadn¡¯t come from the lazy who resented being made to work. They came from the survivors of the less fortunate expeditions. Peter¡¯s wound was far from the most serious he could see. Missing fingers and thickly scarred faces were common while wounds so serious they were still only scabbed over instead of fully healed patterned most people. Wounds had been treated only to the level that HP recovery wouldn¡¯t be impeded so that natural regeneration could take care of the rest. For a moment, TJ questioned why they¡¯d been left to suffer, but as he watched harried Disciples pacing between groaning patients, he realized why. Necessary though he thought they were, these hunts were dangerous, and each person out there risked their lives. Looking around in these people¡¯s faces, he saw many that would struggle to walk out of this building again tomorrow. They¡¯d set off with expectations of strength and security, and instead they¡¯d found their own weakness and death. Groans of pain and fear filled the air, and TJ worried that he¡¯d broken the spirits of these people. Then, he worried for himself, and cursed his selfishness. Fortunately, before he¡¯d lost himself in his worries and fear, TJ took a second look. Though some faces were filled with despair and weakness, most were set with stubborn defiance. They¡¯d seen their friends and companions be hurt and they decided to do something about that. His reluctance was washed away by a righteous fury, and TJ felt that these mere beasts had challenged the dignity of a coatl for long enough. ¡°Peter?¡± He asked, and the partially blinded man turned to look. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Will you be ok here for now?¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°Nothing else I can do, to be honest.¡± ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll check on you when I get back.¡± Then, TJ stood up and met the eyes of those who looked at him. ¡°This is ridiculous. Those monsters think they can ambush us and I¡¯m not going to do something about it? I¡¯m taking the fight to them, weakening them even more. Anyone who¡¯s at least level 5 in their Class and willing, meet me outside in ten minutes. I¡¯m going to kill some of the bastards.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything more, merely stalking out of the room. Shuffling feet and murmured voices answered him immediately, but TJ didn¡¯t look back. He merely walked to the tree where he¡¯d settled down earlier that morning and turned to sit down. Before he fully hit the ground, though, the sight of a dozen determined denizens of the town greeted him, Stanton in front of them all. ¡°Kid, we¡¯re with you. Let¡¯s hunt some of the fuckers.¡± Chapter 50 They set out without too much planning except to go south, where the latest pukwudgies had been seen. Even so, there had been a brief discussion about what to look out for. The established greatest threats were, in ascending order, pukwudgie ambushes, mountain lion ambushes, large numbers of recklessly charging anything, especially javelinas, a wendigo, then anything that had overcome the barrier to level 10. Though nobody had seen anything even especially close to that benchmark, they could instinctively understand how terrible it could be to encounter something so far beyond their capabilities. It wasn¡¯t long before they agreed to get moving before night actually fell. The sun hadn¡¯t quite gotten to the point of setting behind the mountains, but dark wasn¡¯t too far off. Even so, with so many people who had gained at least their first additional Skill around, the group was confident in doing something to the monsters that surrounded their current home. Even so, they walked carefully, Zig and Stanton calling warnings for the slightest suspicious thing in their surroundings. The Acolytes, TJ had learned, were the best Class for scouting. All Acolytes¡¯ Perception growth was +2 per level, and if they had an Occupation, as both Zig and Stanton did, they would gain additional Racial levels and whatever other attributes they could. When he¡¯d finally gotten around to asking, TJ learned that a Bloodline provided, beyond any additional attributes gained at the time of Integration, two additional attribute points upon every Racial level acquired. For him, it was Vitality and Fixation, while he¡¯d learned that for Stanton (after an unnecessarily long period of asking) it was Strength and Agility. Zig, from her Bloodline of Brigid the Celtic goddess, gained Wisdom and Perception. TJ hadn¡¯t yet found a purpose for the Wisdom attribute, but Zig said that her Occupation¡¯s, Huntmaster, base Skill gave a bonus to the damage dealt in proportion to her Wisdom attribute. Supposedly, it was negligible at this point, but what that would mean and do long term wasn¡¯t lost on him. Regardless of what each person¡¯s newest Skills may be in the party, TJ felt secure in their vengeful endeavor. The fact that they called it vengeful was important, he supposed, since Seth had vowed to avenge the loss of Peter¡¯s eye and could thus feel where the guilty party was, in a general sense. ¡°I just know it¡¯s that way.¡± The skinny man said, pointing. ¡°How far or if it¡¯s moving or anything, I don¡¯t know. But it¡¯s there.¡± His hand didn¡¯t waver, though it shifted slightly as they all stood still. ¡°Want to start there?¡± TJ asked. ¡°We can see if we recover that Lifebloom too, while we¡¯re at it.¡± Stanton didn¡¯t even deign to grunt in response, merely turning to look at TJ before his grey eyebrow rose in a disbelieving denial. ¡°The hell¡¯s a Lifebloom?¡± Zig asked, though she only watched their surroundings. ¡°We¡¯re not sure.¡± TJ responded. ¡°Just that it was a magical plant of some sort, and the pukwudgies stole it when they nearly killed Stanton.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll find it and see if it¡¯ll help everyone who¡¯s hurt.¡± Zig declared. The rest of the hunting party made various sounds of approval, and TJ refocused himself on the forest. Shrouded by trees at least 50 feet tall, the shadows were long and everyone¡¯s breaths fogged the chilling air. Some shivered lightly, but it was obvious that everyone there wearing ill-fitting or insufficient winter clothes had gained enough levels and Vitality to, if not be unbothered by the moderate southern winter, at least ok. TJ¡¯s feet in the mostly destroyed moccasins stepped cautiously, the crackling of dead pine needles underfoot accompanying their passage. ¡°Incoming, above!¡± Zig shouted as she loosed a shot without taking more than a quarter of a second to draw, aim, and fire. A pukwudgie corpse dropped, arrow in its eye, but the ambushers were far from done. A hail of spears fell, at least as many as there were hunters on the ground. ¡°I got it!¡± TJ shouted as, without activating Diving Transformation, he swirled a 15 foot wide weak vortex into being above them with Wind Manipulation. Though most didn¡¯t come all the way to where he¡¯d anticipated, each spear was pulled from its intended target and instead struck either completely harmlessly against the ground, or merely glanced off of the shoulders of the hunters. TJ celebrated to himself as he saw that his MP was reduced only by 28 instead of if he¡¯d forced every spear to come to him with the Copper tiered Skill after activating Divine Transformation, as that would have exhausted at least double that. The hunters all leapt into action, with the exception of Angelo, the Disciple with a Zealot dedicated to protecting him. Skills blazed into being, javelins, arrows, bullets, and more shredded through each pukwudgie they could see. None of the Zealots seemed to have Skills dedicated to any sort of ranged combat, but there were plenty of things to throw. The hail of things flying to the pukwudgies quickly knocked many of the creatures out of the trees, and TJ led the charge to kill those that had fallen. The flurry of kill notifications went unheeded, TJ seeing more than just those he¡¯d directly participated in. Overhead, the few pukwudgies that survived tried to flee. Only one was able to escape the final volley, its screaming warning its fellows of the hunters¡¯ hostile presence. When the fourteen bodies sprawled on the ground were confirmed dead by the System, TJ checked the notifications to see whatever classification each pukwudgie had. Ranging from level 4 to 6, the latest pukwudgies were nothing he hadn¡¯t seen, and it was no surprise that there were no mentioned riders or the more melee focused types. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Anything else?¡± Zig asked, her own eyes focused on their surroundings. ¡°No.¡± Charlie confirmed. ¡°It looks like it was just an opportunity they saw and decided to seize. Nothing on the ground that I can see, and no more enemies approaching.¡± Stanton grunted his agreement as he held his hand to Suzie, the gun glowing a faint blue as his MP created and chambered more bullets. ¡°Good job on slowing that initial attack.¡± Charlie said as he walked up to TJ. ¡°How much MP did it take, though?¡± ¡°Less than 30, so less than 10%. More like a twelfth of my total.¡± ¡°Good. Keeping people preemptively healthy when we¡¯ve only got the one Disciple is key, even if we do have Stanton here to help as well.¡± Zig¡¯s command cut through the quiet sounds of the more idle chatting. ¡°Listen up! Who¡¯s lost at least 10% of their HP?¡± Nobody responded, though TJ wondered if one of the Zealots was lying, a faint red stain coloring the shoulder of his armor. ¡°Great. We¡¯re moving forward, let me know if you drop below 50% of MP, HP, or Stamina. This isn¡¯t some desperate, last ditch activity where we¡¯ll need to sacrifice ourselves, so don¡¯t you even dream of keeping it hidden, however you¡¯re feeling. I¡¯m not letting this be some zombie B-movie where a moron gets themselves dead because they¡¯re not talking.¡± As Zig finished her little spiel, she made eye contact with the same Zealot who TJ¡¯d mentally noted. The man, to his credit, didn¡¯t seem fazed at her words, and TJ supposed it was possible that the cut looked worse than it seemed. ¡°We keep following me?¡± Seth asked, his vision tunneled on the pukwudgie he¡¯d sworn vengeance on. ¡°Yeah.¡± Zig said after looking around the group. Her red hair seemed almost to glow in the dying light of sunset and she led the group from the center of the massed body of hunters. TJ considered activating Divine Transformation, but he needed to trust in the people surrounding him. Traveling in the group still somewhat grated on him, needing to worry about everyone else¡¯s safety as he worried about himself, but TJ reminded himself that he needed only to look out for himself for now. Whether he himself actually believed that statement was something he refused to fully confront himself about. The hunters continued forward, their path clear enough under Seth¡¯s guidance that nobody questioned when the path veered to the right, deeper into the forest and away from cabins and roads and even game trails. ¡°How far will we go before we decide to go back home, even if we find nothing?¡± Farid asked. ¡°Three hundred yards at most.¡± Stanton directly answered. ¡°We can¡¯t be out here in true dark. It¡¯s their territory and we¡¯ll be SOL if we¡¯re stumbling through bushes during an ambush.¡± Nobody disagreed with the old man¡¯s stance, and the group decided to go only a set distance further. Thrice in that distance, a pair of coyotes lunged out of the brush and snapped with slavering jaws at the humans, but there was never any true threat. In retrospect, TJ realized they¡¯d been lulled into a false sense of security. There hadn¡¯t been any true threats, and so they¡¯d begun to believe that there wouldn¡¯t be any creatures intelligent enough to sacrifice some of their number to draw them further in. When they¡¯d nearly reached the point where they¡¯d decided was the point of no trespassing, the wendigo appeared. Its eerie jaw gaped in a laugh, and the pained gasping of air through its teeth set TJ on edge. ¡°You. Come. Feed. Me.¡± Without any further words, the wendigo lunged towards the hunting party. TJ Appraised it, and had to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat. Wendigo, 7 The level had been increased by two, and though TJ couldn¡¯t say exactly what that would mean for this individual, it wasn¡¯t good. ¡°Stronger than the one I killed last night!¡± He called. The chorus of acknowledgement was interrupted by the sound of claws tearing through metal with a discorant shriek. As Connor hoisted up his shield, the wendigo easily tore through the Zealot¡¯s shield¡¯s magically reinforced material. With a hiss of pain, it took less than a second before Connor pulled back and shouted to the rest of the party, ¡°Burned me! Ice on my shield!¡± TJ rushed to engage the creature, but quickly realized he was just about the worst person to have do so right now. He had no armor beyond what his body and Divine Transformation offered him, and he¡¯d quickly learned that the chill of a wendigo¡¯s claws easily bypassed his Toughness. For now, though it was painful for them, it was better to pit the wendigo¡¯s attacks against the Zealots¡¯ protection that wasn¡¯t merely their bodies. Just as he considered utilizing the whole of his MP to create a blade of wind to weaken or even kill the wendigo outright, a shuffle of sound in the nearby bushes reminded him of the other aspect of what made a wendigo so dangerous. Three pukwudgies mounted on coyotes approached, their spears held high, and behind the wendigo, five more pukwudgies materialized. Pukwudgie, 7 Pukwudgie, 7 Pukwudgie, 7 Pukwudgie, 7 Pukwudgie, 7 Coyote, 6 Coyote, 6 Coyote, 6 Pukwudgie, 6 Pukwudgie, 6 Pukwudgie, 6 Counting the wendigo, the two groups were matched in numbers, and TJ wasn¡¯t confident in matching up in quality. The wendigo¡¯s voice, somehow sounding wet despite its desiccated nature, laughed out again, and TJ¡¯s Wind Manipulation seemed to scream that even the monster¡¯s mere voice was a desecration to life itself. ¡°Feed. Good. Taste. Good.¡± Without another word, the entire gathered host of enemies rushed forward, and there was no chance open to the hunters except to stand and fight. The idea of fleeing appealed to everyone, it seemed, but they¡¯d have to sacrifice several of their companions to do so. TJ nearly did, but Stanton stepped forward and shouldered him towards the pukwudgies. ¡°Time to get to work.¡± Cursing his cowardice, TJ did just that. Chapter 51 Though he desperately wanted to just kill the wendigo and stave off the desperate fear in his bones, TJ instead focused on the pukwudgie riders. He wasn¡¯t sure what exactly the level 7 ones behind the wendigo were doing, but he assumed they were the same as the cultists he¡¯d killed before fighting the first wendigo. They held spears and didn¡¯t seem afraid to enter into combat with the hunters, but they held themselves back. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, TJ didn¡¯t feel the need to pay any more attention to the possibly hesitant enemies. ¡°Connor!¡± Zig shouted. ¡°Get in the front with the others. Stanton, stay with Angelo and make sure he stays safe!¡± Connor didn¡¯t hesitate, rushing ahead with his shield aloft and club ready in his hand. The wendigo, which had been shredding through the other Zealots¡¯ defenses without much difficulty, was slowed enough by the addition of a fifth Zealot that it didn¡¯t seem like there would be any immediate casualties or serious injuries. TJ couldn¡¯t pay them any more mind as he closed in with the coyotes. Different from their counterparts from under level 5 earlier that day, the pukwudgies and coyotes managed to cut through his protective scales and pierce his flesh. Though none of the wounds were serious enough even to induce the Bleed affliction, each attack he sustained chipped away at TJ¡¯s total HP. One of the coyotes seized his tail in its jaws and pulled him away before he could constrict one of the pairs of rider and steed. A flurry of attacks sought to cripple or even kill him, and TJ was forced to abort any attempted reprisal. He was forced to dodge his head back and forth, sustaining hits on his neck, body, and around his mane. Another set of coyote jaws bit deep into his flesh and he hissed. The faint thought he¡¯d retained to retain his MP to deal with the wendigo was thrust from his mind. TJ infused his mouth with a fair amount of his MP, ready to yank a pukwudgie from its saddle. As he was about to release the Skill and try to turn the tides, Charlie leapt out from behind TJ¡¯s target and buried a felling ax six inches deep in the pukwudgie¡¯s head. Its cavernous, unsettlingly wide smile was nearly split by the blade, and the creature died immediately. TJ felt a hint of experience coming towards him, but knew that the experience he was receiving from the few kills that¡¯d occurred was limited. There would almost certainly be no level up coming his way in this fight. Charlie didn¡¯t hesitate after killing the pukwudgie in a single blow, yanking the ax back and out of the twitching corpse. The unprepared coyote, the single one that hadn¡¯t yet sunk its teeth into TJ, lost one of its front legs to another massive swing from Charlie. It stumbled, and with the appearance of a new threat, the coyote holding TJ¡¯s tail let go as it and its rider rushed towards Charlie. Three creatures, the heavily injured coyote and the unscathed rider pair, rushed him as he tried to recover from his overcommitted swing from before. He was too late. The riding pukwudgie lunged forward with its spear, catching Charlie¡¯s shoulder deep in the flesh. He shouted in pain as two coyotes¡¯ jaws dug deep into his flesh, and they whipped their heads back and forth, ragdolling the man as he tried to fight them off. When the riding pukwudgie raised its spear back, it was obvious the strike would almost certainly be mortal. TJ released his condensed Wind Manipulation and inhaled, the targeted cyclone whipping the creature from its mount. Though he sustained another strike from the monster mounted on the coyote gnawing on him, TJ focused on his victim that flew directly into his mouth. It thrashed and fought and struggled to escape, but TJ ground his fangs into the creature before whipping around and smashing it like a club into the sole remaining rider. The two smashed together, their birdlike screams a harsh cacophony. With so much extra weight in his mouth, TJ smashed the goblin into the coyote biting him one, two, three times. The body became a corpse with a kill notification, and TJ threw it towards the coyotes that Charlie was struggling to get the upper hand on. Needing to focus on the insane monster trying to gnaw through his spine, TJ conjured another, short blade of wind on the tip of his tongue and let it fly into the creature¡¯s spine at the base of its skull. It went limp, and TJ whirled to help Charlie. He was too late, because Charlie roared before his fingers merged into the hoof of a horse. He whirled and attacked the mostly healthy one. The thick foot smashed through the coyote¡¯s skull and it died just a mere moment before its crippled companion did too in the same way. The bloodied man threw his head back and screamed in victory, TJ noting that his wounds healed as his hands reverted to their human shape. Seeing the other man was no longer in danger of death, he turned to the remaining rider, who fled into the forest. TJ had learned his lesson not to leave his companions behind to pursue another kill, though he wanted to kill the bastard. As it fizzled into a cloudy, nearly invisible form, though, Stanton¡¯s gun coughed once and the creature dropped, dead. That would leave just the wendigo and the cultists. Three cultist bodies lay basically where TJ had last seen them standing, a bolt from Seth¡¯s crossbow in one, a javelin from Farid in another. Though he glanced around, the other two had faded back into invisibility somewhere TJ couldn¡¯t see. Thankfully, the wendigo looked mostly dead, wounds filling its body while no fog or frost seeped from its claws or maw. The cool blue flame of its eyes flickered weakly, and the Zealots continued to press the advantage as its claws no longer froze everything it touched. Their superior position wasn¡¯t gained without risk, as only two Zealots remained in melee with the monstrosity. Three lay on the ground in the backline, their wounds recovered enough to survive, but they groaned in pain. Angelo, his face obviously pale even to TJ from a distance in the darkening wood, crouched near the three downed hunters and the four Acolytes. Farid and Seth both struggled to continue to press the attack, their hands shaking with apparent cold and stark blue spots on their obviously stiff fingers. Zig and Stanton fared better, though they both waited to take any shots, ensuring they didn¡¯t accidentally strike any of their companions. Even so, without them hitting the monster again, the wendigo was about to die. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! When Connor¡¯s club exploded into kindling on the wendigo, nearly knocking it flat, it was obvious that the end was nigh. The two remaining Zealots burst into movement, stomping and striking out with whatever came into their reach. As their weapons descended to deliver the killing blow, a pukwudgie appeared, interceding itself between their attacks and the creature. It was quickly slain, but its interruption was enough to allow the last remaining cultist to pull their master from the press of bodies. Stanton¡¯s gun fired, once, twice, but was unable to kill the creatures. Zig moved to ensure she had a good shot, but it was too late. The pukwudgie lowered its head and, after dislocating its jaw and revealing a cavernous black hole where its mouth was, the wendigo decapitated the creature with one bite. It swallowed, and its nearly skeletal body grew more fleshy, more whole. Once again, fog misted off the creature¡¯s body, and now it stood alone against the hunting party. Before their eyes, its wounds closed and the faintly glowing flames in its eyes blazed to life, casting shadows below its feet that guttered and fluttered unnaturally. ¡°You. Are. FOOD!¡± It grated before lunging back into the fight. It moved even faster than ever before, dodging a shot from both Stanton and Zig. As TJ moved towards the battle, he noted their situation. Two Zealots, two Acolytes, and two Neophytes mostly whole and ready for battle. Three Zealots out of commission, two Acolytes suffering from what was probably a more advanced frostbite affliction, and a mostly exhausted Disciple. ¡°Shit.¡± TJ grumbled to himself as he went to engage with the wendigo. ¡°Go for its legs. I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Charlie said as he sprinted towards the monster some 100 feet away. Before they got there, though, it smashed Connor¡¯s shield out of the way with one hand before plunging its other into his chest. The Zealot dropped, and the wendigo wasn¡¯t nearly finished. The other Zealot, wearing chain link armor that may as well have been cardboard, was eviscerated in a flurry of three swiping attacks. When the monstrous Elite lowered its head to begin to feast on their comrades, Stanton and Zig both finally got a clean shot on the creature. Its skull splintered as a bullet carved a thick line in the bone. Though small fragments of its head flew into the air, the skull managed to retain its integrity. The old cowboy squeezed three more shots off in quick succession, and though the creature dodged one, the other two penetrated deep into its torso and slowed it down. Again, it leaned down to begin eating the felled Zealots, but Zig¡¯s arrow lodged deep in its eye socket. Though it didn¡¯t plead, it was obvious that had been enough to tear its attention away from the suffering people on the ground. The wendigo dodged back three steps, taking a glancing blow from Stanton¡¯s gun, before, instead of escaping or pressing the attack, it lifted Connor up and between it and the Acolytes. Zig only barely managed to turn her shot before pincushioning the Zealot, and Stanton cursed as he ran to get around the creature¡¯s improvised meat shield. Finally, TJ reached the creature, noticing Connor¡¯s agonized breathing as ice spread along his body where the wendigo¡¯s claws pierced him. While Wind Manipulation could certainly kill the beast, TJ knew it could easily use his ally as a shield, and while the situation was dire, it was far from as serious as it would need to be for him to consider endangering someone else¡¯s life for ease of attacking. He wrapped his body around the creature¡¯s legs. Chills immediately settled through his flesh and into his organs, and TJ shuddered as his body became much stiffer. With a roar, the wendigo responded, its free hand¡¯s claws stabbing entirely through his body and scratching the surface of the scales underneath. He screamed in pain before biting and attacking, his jaws clamping onto its upper thigh. Its claws flashed and went for his eyes. TJ tried to dodge out of the way, but he would be too late. Charlie, again, came to his rescue. The blade of the ax crashed into the base of the wendigo¡¯s neck, cutting deep and knocking the attack off course. For the first time, the wendigo seemed to panic. It tried to turn and address the latest attacker, but with TJ severely limiting the mobility of its legs, the wendigo struggled to move quick enough to protect itself. Charlie continued to move, to keep himself out of immediate danger, though TJ felt his body completely stiffen. Even his Wind Manipulation didn¡¯t listen to him as well as it had before, and he checked his latest Affliction. Warning: You are suffering from a Severe Frostbite affliction. You will suffer a 75% reduction in Agility, a 75% reduction in mobility, and a 50% reduction in use of MP and Stamina until the Frostbite condition is cured or 10:00 have passed. Each additional application of Frostbite will refresh the countdown. Time remaining: 10:00. That, combined with the Moderate Bleed affliction, meant that TJ couldn¡¯t do anything. He could try to escape, but that would be impossible in his current state. Then, the most unlikely of heroes arrived. Connor, disregarding the ice spreading along his chest and the claws that were their origin, roared and smashed his shield into the wendigo¡¯s face. The hard edge of the slightly iridescent tool smashed into the furrow Stanton¡¯s bullet had carved into it. There was, initially, no reaction, but with the activation of a Skill of some sort, the edge of the shield transformed to a thick blade, and he smashed it down again. With this second blow, the wendigo¡¯s skull shattered, half falling to the ground while the remaining side screamed in agony and fury. The heavily wounded Zealot fell to the ground, but with him out of the way, Charlie retreated and Stanton¡¯s pistol coughed three more times in quick succession. At that, the wendigo swayed, growled something unintelligible, and fell. Though still nearly unable to move, TJ fought to keep himself from cheering as he read the monster¡¯s death notification. Chapter 52 As lethargically as a mostly frozen snake would be, TJ pulled himself from the corpse of the wendigo. A part of him remembered that he still had 2 Free Points he¡¯d never quite decided what to put in and cursed himself. More importantly, though, were the fates of Connor and the others who¡¯d been injured in the fight. ¡°Keep an eye on the surroundings.¡± Zig commanded, her own gaze focused on the forest and whatever lurked there. ¡°We need to get moving as fast as possible. If we run into anything else, there¡¯ll probably be casualties.¡± ¡°Nobody¡¯s dead?¡± TJ shivered out the question, his heart beginning to thaw much faster than his flesh. ¡°Nobody yet.¡± Angelo muttered as he laid a hand on both Connor and the other Zealot that TJ didn¡¯t know the name of. Connor grinned widely, disregarding his blood frozen into icicles down his chest. ¡°Got the bastard. Knew that Skill was a good pick.¡± His breaths were wet, and TJ wondered if the man was about to die, but Angelo seemed more concerned with the other one, which seemed promising enough for Connor¡¯s survival. ¡°What was that Skill, then?¡± He asked, more concerned with keeping the Zealot awake than actually learning the details of the Skill. ¡°Tortoise Shell. Kept the claws from getting as deep, and it empowers an attack I choose. I, uh, kinda forgot I had it on that first hit. That¡¯s why it didn¡¯t do as much. That second one, though, that was awesome!¡± As he spoke, TJ looked at Connor¡¯s wounds. Though ugly and definitely painful, they weren¡¯t nearly as deep as he¡¯d feared they were. The Asian man had a wide smile, and though he was obviously embarrassed by forgetting to enhance his first attack, he looked straight into TJ¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alive. When it got you and you went down, I thought you were dead.¡± ¡°No, I¡­ planned on ambushing it from behind, but it never got past me. Then, I was surprised by how bad it hurt to be stabbed through¡­ and I ended up taking too long to respond to its attack. So I was a meat shield. Shit. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± TJ said while reaching a hand down and grasping Connor¡¯s wrist. Though the still-wounded Zealot winced and obviously didn¡¯t enjoy the movement, he didn¡¯t complain. Instead, he held his shield aloft and turned to Zig. ¡°See anything we need to investigate before we move on?¡± ¡°No. Better we move sooner rather than later.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The goofy smile and happy-go-lucky demeanor shifts from Connor and he¡¯s a businesslike Zealot once more, though he lacked a weapon to brandish. TJ considered passing his Wendigo Blade on, but it wasn¡¯t really the kind of weapon that went well with the shield. Instead, he searched for and quickly found a rock that he passed over. ¡°Not much of a weapon, but I¡¯ll see what I can do for you with this wendigo¡¯s materials tonight and tomorrow.¡± Connor squinted for a second, considering, but he took the head-sized stone and hefted it. He nodded, rolled his shoulders, and turned to stand next to Angelo. The twenty something man was slumped over, having obviously exhausted his MP to heal as many people as he could manage. Connor stood beside the recovering Disciple, asking a flurry of quick questions. It was obvious that, though TJ hadn¡¯t seen Connor in the hunting party from the day before, they¡¯d worked together in close proximity before. Before long, the four people still unable to walk under their own power, every one of them Zealots, were gathered up. TJ carried one, a somewhat petite woman named Valerie, who was one of the three taken out of the fight in the first ¡°phase¡±. She was chatty, asking a variety of questions ranging from inane to invasive. ¡°Where do you live? How long did you live there? You have a son, right? Where¡¯s his mom? How¡¯d she die? What do you think you would say to her right now if you could speak with her?¡± He stopped answering after telling her that Marie had died. She jabbered on, but the exhaustion from the day and his unwillingness to entertain stupidity allowed him to easily shut out her words. As it became more and more apparent that she didn¡¯t much care about whether or not who she was speaking at actually reciprocated the conversation, TJ happily remained silent as they walked onward. When Zig approached, though, he stopped tuning out the rest of the world. ¡°The one you killed last night, was it as strong as that one?¡± ¡°No. Two levels lower, but the difference was huge. Almost as much as one of the five level benchmarks, I¡¯d say.¡± ¡°Ok. Shit. How fast do you think they¡¯ll keep growing? If they get two levels a day and there¡¯s more than one or two more of these Elites in here, then we¡¯re plain fucked.¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. TJ shrugged helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Asking the System things like this doesn¡¯t usually work.¡± Just in case, he wondered aloud, ¡°How fast will the Elites in the Tutorial grow in level?¡± That is information that cannot be provided at this time. ¡°No dice. But, I¡¯ll make a guess. Though it¡¯s a stupid System and I hate it for putting us in this hell, it has a goal, it has to. I¡¯m going to choose to believe that its stated goal is its real one¨Cto prepare someone to become God or whatever. Someone needs to be alive to have that happen, so the goal can¡¯t be total extermination. Therefore¨C¡± ¡°It won¡¯t give impossible tests, especially in a Tutorial.¡± Zig cut in, nodding. ¡°Makes a certain kind of twisted sense. So we shouldn¡¯t see much higher levels any time soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a betting man,¡± Charlie mused as he held another Zealot over his shoulders while dragging the wendigo¡¯s corpse behind him, ¡°And I¡¯ll bet we see Elites hit the level 10 mark at ten days into the Tutorial. So, basically five days.¡± ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Zig demanded. ¡°I hate the idea, but one week makes more sense to me.¡± ¡°Because that marks one week since the introduction of more enemies. Just feels right.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s stupid to plan about it.¡± TJ said, pulling both of their attentions to him, though Zig turned back to their surroundings as they continued to trek out of the forest. Charlie¡¯s glower nearly glowed in the darkness. ¡°If it is on day ten, then it is. But if we¡¯re planning for it to be even a day later than it ends up being, people will die. We might see level 10 monsters tomorrow, and we need to be ready for that if it happens.¡± Charlie leveled a look at TJ before sighing. ¡°You really need to work on the way you present this information. Every time you open your mouth about this, you say something right but in the worst possible way. How about, instead of calling me stupid next time, you say something like ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the best way to approach this. Here¡¯s why.¡¯ It¡¯ll keep me from wanting to punch you when you¡¯re right.¡± Though he tried to joke about it, it was apparent that Charlie was bothered by the brusque dismissal that TJ had towards his guess. He raised his hands in surrender. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not usually like this, but these aren¡¯t usual times. I¡¯ll try to be better.¡± Charlie nodded, continuing to carry his charges without any discernible effort. TJ was struck by the utility of having the Divine Transformation being a human body. He¡¯d felt some measure of envy towards Charlie¡¯s variation of the Skill before, since it would have benefitted his Wind Manipulation, but TJ saw the value of the natural weapon that was a massive snake. Now, though, opposable thumbs with boosted strength would be amazing. As the conversation died down, Valerie resumed speaking and TJ nearly dropped her. Instead, before she could ask more invasive questions, he interrupted her flow and asked, ¡°What happened? How did you get hurt so badly you need me to carry you?¡± ¡°Oh, you finally ask! You see, I¡¯m a Zealot. Had to kill some of the poor creatures to get the Class, but it was necessary, you know? Plus, the piglets were mean. Like, you wouldn¡¯t believe how much they were wanting to hurt everything they saw! And it¡¯s such a shame that they got those ugly tusks. Javelinas are so much cuter without them! Anyways, we saw that ugly monster, with the big claws and horns and stuff? The wendigo is soooo ugly. Scary too, I mean, when it touched my shield, it started to freeze! Even I felt cold, and I haven¡¯t felt cold ever since I got a level in Zealot. Anyways, my fingers, they were like, wicked cold¡­¡± Victoria continued to jabber, and TJ couldn¡¯t handle listening any more. The constant tangents and distractions and whatever else was making him crazy, but he wouldn¡¯t leave the still obviously wounded woman to walk. Her meandering tale of how she¡¯d been sliced here, and how she¡¯d gotten cut kinda like that once when she was cooking, but it was on her finger and whatever else kept her from asking him any questions. That was enough for now. TJ watched for whatever happened in their surroundings, fearing any ambush that could be incoming. Once or twice, he thought he heard or felt something, but before anything could materialize, Stanton leveled his pistol and squeezed two shots off. The unseen creature scuttled off before TJ could see it. Ten excruciatingly tense minutes later, they arrived back at Pine. The town was mostly dark, and there was very little movement now that the sun had fully set. Their expedition lasted less than an hour, which was more than enough for the town without electricity to lose all light. The few homes and buildings that were occupied this far away from the general store and firehouse had a fire flickering inside, visible from outside. Most of the hunters gratefully stumbled into the hunters¡¯ lodge, groaning about this pain or that ache. TJ went to drop Valerie there, but she protested. ¡°No, I don¡¯t stay here. Would you please take me to the firehouse? That¡¯s closer to the house I¡¯m sharing with Emily. She¡¯s an absolute dear, and¨C¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯ll take you there. I¡¯m getting dinner.¡± TJ grated out, though he couldn¡¯t manage a smile. ¡°Actually,¡± Zig called out, stopping the hunters from going into the lodge, ¡°you all should come to the firehouse too. Everyone needs some level of healing, and there should be plenty of Disciples there that need the experience anyways. No need to make them walk all the way there when we¡¯re already moving.¡± Though there were plenty of grumbles, nobody disagreed with their leader¡¯s command. With more people there, TJ didn¡¯t mind Valerie¡¯s prattling as much, and it wasn¡¯t far to the firehouse anyways, so just a couple of minutes later, they stood at the closed doors of the firehouse. Charlie banged a fist against the door, the sound of the metal echoing through the garage. It slowly rose, and the warm light of candles greeted them. Though the sun had set and night had truly fallen, many of the people who¡¯d been wounded before stood in the communal area, awaiting their return. When they saw that each one of the twelve hunters had returned alive, Laura stepped forward. She, as always, wore a pantsuit and walked with a confident air, the wooden heels of her formal shoes clacking loudly with each step on the concrete floor. She rose both hands high and the room went quiet before she spoke, a welcoming smile crossing her face as she did. ¡°Welcome home, our avengers. Please, eat and rest, and when you¡¯re ready, tell us how it went. We¡¯re excited to hear from you, and we see the evidence already of your success.¡± Chapter 53 TJ happily allowed anyone else to tell the tale of the hunt and everything that transpired. He was tired, and only halfway through the return journey to the town had he finally been cured of the damned Frostbite affliction. Even so, the chill persisted in his bones. Though the attack he¡¯d sustained that pierced completely through his body was almost cauterized by the chill of the wendigo¡¯s frost, TJ felt his own blood slowly seep down his side. He found a couple of rags to staunch the bleeding on each side of his body. As he pulled his shirt down and tried to tie the rags in a way so as to press down on the wounds as best as he could manage, Stanton ambled up, his plate in hand. ¡°I want some vegetables already.¡± TJ joked as he tried to adjust to sitting comfortably while his whole body ached. ¡°Don¡¯t expect it. Unless we find something out there, we¡¯re protein heavy until someone figures out how to grow food.¡± ¡°Damn. Never thought I¡¯d miss a salad.¡± Stanton merely grunted as they both tucked into the javelina meat that was already getting to be nauseating after just one day of eating it with every meal. They ate while the residents that hadn¡¯t gone on the hunt watched the rendition, completely enamored with Zig¡¯s retelling of their journey and struggles. She took desperate bites between sentences, inhaling the meat after just one or two chews. It was quite impressive, if TJ was to admit it. After a particularly enthusiastic bite, TJ groaned and settled back into his chair while gingerly cradling his aggravated wounds. ¡°You need to get that healed.¡± The old cowboy scoffed as he looked at TJ¡¯s bloodstained shirt and shoddily wrapped injuries. ¡°I know. It¡¯s no rush though. Others have got it worse.¡± Stanton obviously disagreed and grunted. ¡°Fine. You want to take me out into the cold and heal me up? Are there any trees nearby that can offer enough of their lives to get me all healthy?¡± ¡°Quit your snark, kid. I¡¯m too damn tired to deal with it.¡± TJ grinned and stopped talking. Zig¡¯s enthusiastic retelling of their journey had just revealed the wendigo¡¯s trap and, though the result was obvious, given the wendigo¡¯s dead body and there being no dead hunters, the fiery-headed woman was a good enough storyteller that a chorus of gasps erupted as she declared, ¡°They¡¯d prepared for us!¡± ¡°We need to talk to Laura about all this.¡± TJ spoke just above a whisper to Stanton. He just looked at TJ in response, waiting for an explanation. ¡°Today shows we can¡¯t just treat this like a merry hunt to go on every day. They¡¯re learning what we¡¯re doing and adapting to it, and we¡¯ll need to change something or else we¡¯ll have too many casualties to sustain real growth.¡± ¡°What do you think we should do, Mr. Smarty?¡± ¡°I dunno. It just needs to change somehow.¡± ¡°Well, kid, you can talk about problems all day long. If you don¡¯t have anything to do about the problems, you¡¯re just complaining. If you want to talk to Laura about this problem, you need to bring some ideas to the table. No need to stress her out with something she can¡¯t control.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to do all that. I just want to see Junior. I¡¯m not made for being in charge of people like this anyways.¡± Stanton¡¯s jovial face shifted. A hard scowl filled his wrinkled face, and he spoke in a deadly serious tone. ¡°Once we get out of here, you can talk about ¡®not made for this¡¯ or ¡®don¡¯t wanna¡¯ that. You decided to make the good decision of forcing hundreds of people out of their comfort zones and into battle zones. You¡¯ve gone out and proven yourself as, if not the absolute premiere fighter in this Tutorial, then at least the top five. Now, you¡¯ve gotta live with the fact that people are going to take your words seriously. If you walk up to Laura and say that we¡¯re in deep water and you have no pail to start bailing out the water, then more people will be convinced we¡¯re on a sinking ship. ¡°You made yourself the representation of people who have adapted themselves to this hell. Everyone will follow your lead, so you can¡¯t just walk around and start saying ¡®woe is me¡¯ or they¡¯ll do the same.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want the responsibility.¡± TJ knew he was whining, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Once upon a time, I might have said that¡¯s what makes you a good person to have it. Don¡¯t think that any more, but even so, you¡¯ve got the authority whether you like it or not. Gotta do something with it.¡± TJ grumbled as he took another bite of his tough javelina pork chop. After a minute¡¯s thought, he answered Stanton¡¯s unspoken question. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll think about it tonight. I have a lot to do until then, so maybe I can figure some sort of a solution out by morning.¡± ¡°I bet Laura¡¯s going to want a meeting with everyone who went out tonight.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°And she can have it with everyone else. I¡¯m going to try to process the rest of the wendigo claws and horns tonight. If I¡¯m out on the front lines all day every day, I¡¯m going to need to make things some time. You take care of it. Or literally anyone else.¡± Stanton bowed with a grunting laugh, a certain twinkle in his eye that made TJ miss his gramps. The little levity drained what little unjustified anger remained in TJ as he finished off his meal and pushed back from his seat. He hadn¡¯t been paying attention to the story, but eyes flew to him as Zig continued her retelling. ¡°Things were looking grim as the monster ate its own companion!¡± Gasps rang through the audience. ¡°It was restored to full health, and its foul magics returned! As fog filtered through the air, chilling everyone within 100 feet, we all wondered if we were going to die. Well, all of us except for the valiant TJ! Without a thought for his own safety, he threw himself at the wendigo! Scales clattered and bones creaked as he sacrificed his own health to tie the beast down for just another minute, just another second. It roared and lifted Connor¡¯s body to shield itself as it dealt a killing blow to TJ. Yet, here he still stands, unwilling to accept death as a possible outcome! Though he was pierced all the way through, he continued to hold the monster still, keep it from approaching the weakened Acolytes hiding behind. ¡°It sought to strike him again, perhaps a truly fatal blow. How could he survive? He¡¯d never let it go and compromise the safety of his friends. Caught between a rock and a hard place, the decision was made for our valiant hero. Charlie rushed in, ax held high and with a mighty blow, halted the deadly strike. The wendigo screeched in agony, unable to believe our continued efforts, and as¡­¡± TJ stopped paying attention, instead walking to Penny, who sat nearby, enraptured by the story. He tapped her shoulder and she jumped, startled. ¡°Oh, TJ! She¡¯s such a good storyteller I almost believe her. There¡¯s no way it was quite the way she¡¯s telling it, though, is there?¡± ¡°There¡¯s some embellishment.¡± TJ nodded. ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Course, honey.¡± ¡°Would you heal me? I think I¡¯ll be ok, but I might have some bacteria or whatever that needs some help.¡± ¡°You really were hit by the bony devil?¡± TJ raised his shirt, showing the bloodied rags. ¡°Oh, why on earth didn¡¯t you say anything? You needed attention the moment you got here!¡± Granny Penny didn¡¯t keep her voice down at all, and began getting attention from others around them. TJ tried to point at Zig, to get them to continue to listen to her story, but as they saw him there, sporting wounds to support her story, the whispers grew and exploded. The storytelling Zig quickly realized what was happening and jumped into the distraction. ¡°So selfless is he that he let all the rest be healed before him! Someone, is there someone that can heal our poor TJ?¡± He shot the redheaded woman a glare, which she returned with a toothy grin. The witch knew what she was doing, and was enjoying it. A couple people, Disciples he was sure, approached with concerned looks. Penny was the first to lay her hands on him and TJ fought to suppress a grimace. A wash of healing energy flooded through him, and once she was exhausted, Granny Penny stepped back. The next, Jordan and Rebekkah, the Disciples from his first hunt that morning, both laid a hand on his shoulders, and more healing flooded his body. More and more hands touched him, and once TJ saw that his HP was full, he raised both hands and spun in a gentle circle. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m good. Thank you.¡± He raised his shirt and pulled away the bloodied rags to display his healed, if still filthy, skin. ¡°Enjoy your night, but I need some rest. I¡¯ll talk to you tomorrow.¡± TJ didn¡¯t wait to hear a response before walking out the firehouse. The crowd continued speculating about something or other, but, too uncomfortable with the hero worship, TJ merely grabbed the wendigo¡¯s corpse and dragged it back towards the home he and Stanton were currently living in. The darkness of the night was a welcome change, and TJ felt he finally wasn¡¯t being dissected by hundreds of eyes. As he walked, the chorus of night creatures lulled him from his worries. An owl called, and though it was too cold for the crickets to sing, the movement of something small through the brush both set his mind at ease and made it race wildly. It couldn¡¯t be an enemy or something, right? He forced himself to calm down, instead making his way home as quickly as he could manage. The Javelina hides were still outside curing, and TJ dropped the wendigo corpse by the door before gathering them all up to hand again inside. Then, his first task complete, he turned to the real purpose of his work for tonight. To say nothing of the new corpse he¡¯d just lugged home, the materials left over from the first wendigo still remained, nine fingers and one whole horn. Nearly a foot of curved horn remained of the other, the point coming to a wicked spike. TJ saw the possibility immediately and, after stoking a fire in the fireplace in the center of the house, settled down to carve. Though he knew that he could use Wind Manipulation to cut the horn into his desired shape, TJ didn¡¯t want to influence the material any more than he already had. Instead, he painstakingly cut the horn into a nine inch-long pick. Then, realizing he didn¡¯t have a haft for the weapon he was creating, TJ looked down at the first wendigo¡¯s body. It didn¡¯t stink, strangely enough, but even so, TJ wanted to deal with it faster than the newer one and dispose of the body. Thus, with a less disturbed stomach than he¡¯d expected, TJ cut the bones of the wendigo¡¯s arms and legs free. When he looked at the flayed body, though, TJ knew he was done. There might have been more materials that he could salvage, but at this point, it was too gruesome. Taking one of the bones from the wendigo¡¯s forearm, TJ cut and drilled a hole until he¡¯d fashioned one big enough to have the wendigo¡¯s bone serve as a haft to the war pick. After hammering the bone into the socket he¡¯d carved, TJ finally cut a small section of one of the horn offcuts into a long thin wedge. He drove it into the top of the haft, making it snugly fit into the haft and making sure the head wouldn¡¯t fly off so easily. Having done so, TJ felt that he¡¯d nearly reached level 9 in Savage with this latest endeavor and looked at the rest of his grisly materials laid out in the living room. There was still so much left to do, and TJ was sure he could get at least one more level that night if he tried hard enough. He refused to check the description of the weapon he¡¯d created, instead choosing to check the results of everything he did at the same time. With a sigh, TJ rolled back his sleeves, rolled his neck, and rolled on to the next item he wanted to try to build. Chapter 54 Stanton had long since retired to his room, but TJ continued his work, mind feverish and manic. He¡¯d hardly noticed the revitalization that came when he reached the next level of Savage. Instead, he continued to work, uncaring of his flesh rubbing raw as he continued to cut the horns into the same shape he¡¯d already figured out. The bases of the other three horns were all cut into the same size to serve as knife handles while a finger was prepared for each handle. This time, however, since TJ didn¡¯t plan on keeping every one of the final products for himself, he carved each horn and finger and hole solely with the Wendigo Blade. Shavings surrounded his seat, but still, TJ lost himself in the act of creation, and before he truly took notice of the time, he had three mostly completed knives in front of him. He stood up, intending to walk out and collect enough pine sap to seal the blades into their housing on the antler, but his stiff legs didn¡¯t pay him any mind and instead stumbled. TJ was able to easily catch himself on the table nearby, the materials all clattering with the sudden impact, but he couldn¡¯t quite believe that his legs were so entirely asleep. It was only in that moment that he realized that the fire had long since died down to smoldering embers and the candles whose light he¡¯d been carving by were now down to little nubs. ¡°What time is it?¡± He muttered to himself as he rubbed his thighs with his hands. 1:32 AM With the System¡¯s notification, TJ realized it must have been at least five solid hours of him sitting and carving the materials now spread out on the table he was leaning against. Even with his body strengthened and changed by the System, circulation could be difficult, and so long spent in the same position was uncomfortable. Even so, TJ took only one minute to allow his legs to stop tingling before going out to the nearest pine tree. He couldn¡¯t help but notice that as he walked out of the relatively warm house, the chill of the below freezing air didn¡¯t bother him, feeling like a cool breeze instead of immediately sending a shiver down his spine. The nearest tree had no easily found pine sap, so TJ went to the next couple, gathering small tidbits where he could find it. There were some that he missed, but the walking cleared his mind so he enjoyed the cool air and the walk to loosen his muscles. Once he finished gathering the necessary materials, he made the decision not to finish everything he¡¯d planned tonight. The aspirations he¡¯d had of completing a new set of moccasins, a club with each horn, and something else with each finger were long out of the picture. Instead, he¡¯d complete the three Blades, Appraise them and the club he¡¯d made, and go to bed. Now sure of his next course of action, TJ rolled his shoulders and stepped back to the table. He reached for the materials. ¡°The hell¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Stanton¡¯s bleary voice nearly made TJ scream in surprise, Wind Manipulation created gusts exploding into being around him and making the old man close his eyes. ¡°Me? What¡¯s your problem? Nearly gave me a heart attack!¡± ¡°It¡¯s too damn late for this. Why were you banging around?¡± ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t realize my legs were asleep. Bumped into the table. Sorry.¡± Stanton didn¡¯t even grumble at TJ as he said as much, instead glaring at the younger man before stalking back to his room. TJ decided again to just finish what he was working on and be done for now. The bulk of the work was complete, and he merely needed to warm the sap and fill it into the hole before wrapping the prepared gut and calling it a night. More aware of himself, TJ worked quickly and efficiently, and it wasn¡¯t long before the knives were all laid out in front of him, completed and beauti¨Cno. They weren¡¯t at all beautiful. Maybe functional could be the best thing to call them, and that couldn¡¯t be guaranteed. Just as he was about to Appraise them, TJ received another System notification that startled him out of using his Skill. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 9. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points available. Occupation: Savage has advanced to level 10. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points available. Race: Human has advanced to level 9. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Points currently available. Level 10 Occupation Skill Selection available. For the second time that day, TJ gained three levels in quick succession. He¡¯d never considered that being a possibility before, and it was so unexpected that he couldn¡¯t quite wrap his mind around it. For the first time in what was only a couple of days, though it felt much longer, Savage was a higher level than Neophyte. After thinking for a moment, TJ decided to Appraise the items before looking at his new potential Skills. He started with the new knives. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Item: Wendigo Blade (Copper, (I)). An amateur¡¯s honest attempt at creating a sharp tool from the materials gathered from a wendigo slain by their hand. Using the extended claw of a wendigo, the Wendigo Blade is a serviceable knife, though the method of securing its tang was mediocre. The true value of this knife is instead found in its materials and specialized preparation. Based off of previous experience, the blade was adequately prepared by the creator. By using primarily the wendigo¡¯s own claws to construct the blade and prepare its materials, the creator refrained from shifting the purpose of the claw and horn from serving to transmit the Wendigo¡¯s natural frost. As such, the Wendigo Blade¡¯s wielder can channel MP through the blade to afflict those struck with the blade with a weakened version of the Frostbite Affliction. It was immediately apparent that the bulk of the item¡¯s categorization as a Copper tiered item came from its materials, and TJ was suddenly grateful that he¡¯d managed not to ruin these or the first Blade he¡¯d made. The differences in the new Blades¡¯ description were few but distinctive. The new ones mentioned his experience, and instead of being ¡°perfectly¡± prepared, the new ones were merely ¡°adequate¡±. Then, of course, the end of the item¡¯s description mentioned the difference in effect between the two ¡°versions¡±. He¡¯d like to test the Frostbite, but TJ couldn¡¯t imagine choosing the item over his body, Skills, or even the other Blade. The knives had no sheathes, so he just set them aside and looked at the weapon he¡¯d made for Connor. Item: Wendigo War Pick (Dirt, (0)). An amateur¡¯s honest attempt at creating a war pick from the materials gathered from a wendigo slain by their hand. Using the ulna and carved horn of a wendigo, the Wendigo War Pick is a perfect example of what Primitive Craftsmanship is capable of. By taking materials, processing them to the bare minimum necessary to maintain longevity, and then creating a weapon that will function as an instrument of blunt force, a weapon for an untrained Participant was created. Though the horns of a wendigo are largely ornamental, they are extremely tough and are well suited to serving as the head of a weapon such as this. TJ couldn¡¯t help but feel a little offended by the System¡¯s blase regard of his hard work. He¡¯d put real effort into this, and now, his effort was pushed aside as childish? Then, with a calming breath, TJ recognized he was just too damned tired. The System wasn¡¯t making personal attacks on him, and there was no reason to be so pissy about something so stupid. He made a good weapon, though he was a little disappointed it was classified as Dirt tier. It did remind him that the most valuable parts of the wendigo were its claws, and he needed to figure out what he was going to use the rest for. Moving on from the Wendigo Par Pick, there was the much more interesting Skill Selection for level 10. Though TJ realized his mind was slowing down from the exhaustion, he refused to sit on this like he was already sitting on 4 Free Points he was unsure of what to do with. The first two Skills were familiar, though both had changed. Introductory Divine Primitive Craftsmanship (Copper (I)): This Skill would replace the existing Occupation Skill: Primitive Craftsmanship. You have exhibited the ability to create tools, equipment, and process materials, even of a higher tier of Divinity than you, more effectively. This Skill will increase the base 30% bonus to all crafting abilities and Skills when crafting without pre-Integration technology to 100%, as well as bless you with a greater instinctual understanding of how to process raw materials into a more easily used state. The Skill had been enticing when he¡¯d first seen it, and now, TJ was almost tempted not to look at the rest of the Skills offered. He had already seen the power of a Copper tiered Skill, and had since decided to base most of his fighting around it. Another Skill at that level would be immensely impactful, he knew. Beyond that, remembering that it would compound and work with any additional Skills he got that focused on crafting was another point in its favor. Even so, TJ did move on to the next, familiar Skill. Equipment Fabrication (Copper (I)): You have found various uses for the items and materials that surround you, and have surpassed your tier of Divinity in creating Copper (I) tiered equipment. This Skill will give specific guidance on how to craft materials into equipment that grants attributes and other possible boons. This Skill¡¯s potency scales with the Participant¡¯s Wisdom and Intelligence. Again, the Skill had been upgraded by his achievement in creating a Copper tiered item. TJ hadn¡¯t thought about it at the time, but he¡¯d certainly been extremely lucky in creating the Wendigo Blade on his first try. Being elevated by luck and the quality of the materials was nothing to forget either. Additionally, this would finally give him a Skill that explicitly benefitted from his Wisdom attribute. All things considered, he wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted Divine Primitive Craftsmanship or Equipment Fabrication at this point, but there remained three more new Skills to check out first, the next of which was a sort of a spiritual successor to those that came before. Prehistoric Huntsman: Since the Integration, you have not spent a day without hunting the monsters that plague your Tutorial. This Skill will grant a 30% bonus to tracking and ambush attacks. In addition, any attacks made with an item or weapon made without any pre-Integration tools or materials will benefit from minor additional damage scaling with the Participant¡¯s Wisdom. Interestingly enough, Prehistoric Huntsman seemed to have taken the place of Hunter Gatherer from before. Instead of focusing on finding anything useful as well as tracking, Prehistoric Huntsman was very nearly a combat Skill. TJ wasn¡¯t much of an ambusher, but taking this Skill might convince him to do so. That said, the Skill didn¡¯t draw him in the way the first two did, even if it was a good choice. He moved to the next, seeing that Orienteering had been wholly left behind. Stealth (Dirt (0)): Since the Integration, you have hunted and followed your enemies. To limited success, you have attempted to maintain secrecy and distance from your prey. This Skill will allow you to better hide from those around you. This Skill¡¯s potency scales with the Participant¡¯s Agility, Wisdom, and Perception. If he were an ambusher, then this Skill would certainly be useful, but his Divine Transformation was not made to be sneaky, but a fuck-you massive snake. He dismissed it out of hand and moved to the last option. Primeval Champion (Copper (I)): You have proven yourself to be an exemplar of those who have acclimated well to the world post-Integration. The people around you see you as an example to follow and their protector champion in this new world. This Skill grants an aura to the holder, and the aura boosts the attributes of those around the holder of the Skill by 5%. In addition, the Skill grants the holder the simple weapons fighting proficiency. WARNING: This Skill choice will unalterably change the path of the Savage Occupation. Oooh. Another good Skill that drew his attention. TJ sighed and went to his room to think about it while in his comfortable bed. So many good options, but what exactly did that warning at the end of Primeval Champion mean¡­? His mind, without him realizing it, calmed, and before he could make the decision, TJ fell asleep. Chapter 55 With a groan, TJ kicked off the blankets. He was sweating, uncomfortably warm under the comforter and quilt he¡¯d pulled over himself. As he blinked and actually woke up, he was struck by how bright it was. He grunted and checked the time from the System. 9:57 TJ swiped at his eyes, disbelieving. Yes, he¡¯d gone to sleep after 2 AM, but even so, he¡¯d thought someone would wake him up long before now. The thought of everyone waiting on him was a little embarrassing, but then, that last Skill option crossed his mind again. Primeval Champion. If he was honest, it was a damn cool name for a Skill, and he was curious as to what the weapons proficiency meant. A Copper tiered Skill would obviously be hugely impactful for his future, and TJ was sure he¡¯d take one of the three for his next Skill. He walked out of his room, the house much warmer than he¡¯d expected. Stanton didn¡¯t answer when TJ called out, so he figured he was alone. The weapons he¡¯d made the night before remained on the table, and TJ grabbed his backpack to bundle them together before going out the door. Surprisingly, it was almost warm out, well over freezing, and though TJ could survive much colder temperatures than ever before with his 61 Vitality, it still wasn¡¯t comfortable for him. As he walked through the town, whenever someone saw him, they tried to get his attention and express gratitude or admiration for what he¡¯d done last night. Zig¡¯s little storytelling escapade must have been even more impactful than he¡¯d suspected, and they looked at him with near worship. Each thankful smile and grateful word put TJ¡¯s teeth on edge, so he nodded his thanks before walking past as quickly as he could manage without being too terribly impolite. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t too many people actually out on the street, so he was able to get to the general store before too long. There, TJ only ran into Jeff, who nodded curtly and gestured for him to go ahead into the store. ¡°Thanks.¡± TJ said before entering. The store remained much as every time he¡¯d entered it, shelves ever depleting of their stores, no natural light and a couple LED flashlights set up every so often to cast just enough light not to get lost in the aisles of shelves. TJ made his way through, towards Laura¡¯s desk. There, he found nobody. With a sigh, he turned and walked back out where he¡¯d come in. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me Laura wasn¡¯t in?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but snap at the man who sat there, looking decidedly smug. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°And I didn¡¯t ask to be let in either. I walked up and you gestured for me to go ahead.¡± ¡°Thought you were doing something else.¡± TJ blinked hard and slow. ¡°Fine. Where¡¯s Laura?¡± ¡°She said everyone¡¯s gotta go out on these hunts, so she¡¯s leading by example. Went out yesterday too.¡± ¡°Oh. Oh shit.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jeff asked, serious and immediately showing signs of panicking himself. ¡°We noticed the monsters were getting smarter, planning, and I was going to talk to her about it today. I don¡¯t know if people will be safe, since they¡¯re making plans out there now!¡± ¡°Oh, just that.¡± Jeff relaxed. ¡°She¡¯s with Zig and Charlie. She¡¯s also the highest level Disciple we have. Jeez. You scared the daylights outta me.¡± ¡°I¡­ never mind. I¡¯ll just hope you¡¯re right.¡± TJ cut his hands through the air, dismissing the argument. He didn¡¯t know where she was, how he could get there, or when he should expect her return, but for now, there was nothing he could do. Instead, he walked to the firehouse, wondering if he¡¯d be lucky enough to find something that wasn¡¯t some form of javelina to eat. If it was still fresh, even better. TJ was disappointed. Cold javelina steak was all he received, though Penny was more than excited to talk to their newest hero. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you were so¡­ self sacrificing!¡± the old lady said, much more of a spring in her step than TJ had ever seen before. ¡°Zig was just telling a story. Reality was very different from what she said. Really. I didn¡¯t do much of anything at all.¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t make sure that the monsters couldn¡¯t flank the team?¡± ¡°Me and Charlie, but he did most of it.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t rush in against the wendigo, just to tie it up?¡± ¡°Yea, I did.¡± ¡°And did you keep holding on to it after it stabbed you all the way through?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have a whole lot of other options available to me!¡± TJ protested. ¡°And it¡¯s all being spun way out of proportion!¡± Granny Penny leaned in close, her eyes heavy lidded, as she whispered, ¡°I know.¡± TJ looked at her in confusion, but a sly smile slowly cracked her face. ¡°You what?¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Of course I know!¡± Penny cackled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure you did your best, but I¡¯ve seen you. You¡¯re not a hero, not really. You¡¯re helping out, but it¡¯s not some self-effacing sacrifice. No, you¡¯re selfish. You know what you want, and it needs everyone else to cooperate to work. There¡¯s nothing more to it for you, is there?¡± TJ scoffed. ¡°You really had me going there.¡± ¡°My Fred and I enjoyed being in musicals. Well, he¡¯d complain and say he hated it, but you should have seen him in Bye Bye Birdie. Was a wonderful Albert.¡± Penny¡¯s smile was sweet and tender and genuine and nearly brought a tear to TJ¡¯s eye. ¡°Course, we had our whole lives together. I¡¯m sorry you lost that.¡± The familiar lump in his throat returned. TJ nodded curtly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt you. I¡¯m sorry, honey.¡± Penny¡¯s apology was sincere, and she reached out with two wrinkled hands and patted TJ¡¯s own. ¡°I just meant to say that I know what you¡¯re fighting for. I understand what your thoughts are, and I don¡¯t blame you. I just wanted to get a laugh outta you, then I got all misty eyed on you.¡± ¡°It happens.¡± TJ swallowed. ¡°Thanks for caring.¡± Penny gently kissed the top of TJ¡¯s head as he sat, and his mind flashed to the kitchen table in his grandparents¡¯ home. For a brief moment, he saw the family photos decorating their wall, the cabinets filled with china, the plants on the windowsill. The pasture out the back door, the strawberry plants patterning the path. Not for the first time that morning, TJ swiped the back of his hand across his eyes. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he was so quick to tears, so emotionally fragile. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh at himself, but ate his food as quickly as he could manage. To take his mind off of it, TJ asked the question he should have before going to sleep, but had fallen asleep too quickly to. ¡°What does ¡®This Skill choice will unalterably change the path of the Savage Occupation¡¯ mean, exactly?¡± The base Savage Occupation is a multifaceted Occupation, able to gain experience from most activities, granted they are performed within the restrictions of the Savage Occupation¡¯s intent. If you are to select the Primeval Champion Skill, that will no longer be the case. Instead, the Savage Occupation will become an Occupation focused exclusively on interpersonal leadership and combat. You will retain your Primitive Craftsmanship Skill, but it will not be able to progress and all things you create will be suppressed to the Dirt rank of Divinity. TJ sighed. Of course, there was a drawback to the Skill. The more he¡¯d thought about it, the more it¡¯d seemed too good to be true. Taking away the versatility of the Occupation would be extremely bad, and never getting more Skills to allow him to create things to help himself sucked. Looking at Equipment Fabrication, he saw that items and equipment could give bonus attribute points, so did he want to cut himself out of being able to provide that to himself? There was no way people would happily hand over the best items available just because he said please. Now realizing that the question to answer was whether he wanted to be able to craft or not with his Occupation, TJ pushed back from the table, his plate empty. As always, Penny swiped the disposable plate and cup from him before he could stand. ¡°I am an Attendant, after all.¡± Penny smiled sweetly. ¡°You¡¯re letting me get stronger if you just let me take your things.¡± TJ sighed and waved her off. Then, with his backpack slung over his shoulder, he made his way outside. A hunting party was returning, more wounds than usual. A queasy feeling in his stomach surged as TJ watched the group carry four people, maybe dead bodies, on their backs. Wait, then that meant the group had at least 20 people in it, more like 25. Stanton led them, gesturing for the hunters carrying people to move along into the firehouse. They did so without complaint, following the wordless command. They jogged past, Stanton speaking before they were all out of earshot, ¡°How was your rest? You needed it.¡± ¡°I just barely woke up.¡± TJ confessed, feeling bad about it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The old man answered, apparently reading TJ¡¯s mind. ¡°You still slept the same amount as these yahoos, or less. I checked out those knives, by the way. Interesting things you made there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a way to put it. You want one?¡± ¡°Nope. Frankly, they¡¯re disgusting.¡± Stanton scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve got my knife. All I need.¡± ¡°Fine by me. I¡¯m sure someone will want the grotesque but powerful things. Now, about them.¡± TJ tried to change the subject as quickly as Stanton had. ¡°I hit level 10 in Occupation last night when I finished those. Have a new Skill to choose, and wanted to use you as a sounding board, see what you think.¡± ¡°Shoot.¡± ¡°Got some choices between Copper tier Skills, and trying to make the choice between two kinds of options. Two of ¡®em are about creating things, like I did last night, but they¡¯re not what I want your opinion on. The other one is quite different. It¡¯s called Primeval Champion, and it seems like the Skill¡¯s meant to make me a hero. Like, people looking up to me, being a leader, fighting all our enemies, and so on.¡± Stanton nodded, following along but not saying anything yet. ¡°The catch is that it¡¯ll basically take away my ability to make things like this,¡± TJ lifted his knife from his pocket, ¡°making my Occupation more of a combat one.¡± Stanton stood, mulling over what TJ¡¯d said for a moment. ¡°Which do you want to take?¡± ¡°Not sure, that¡¯s why I¡¯m talking to you about it. It¡¯s a pretty big difference, and I see the benefits to both.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t the question, kid. Which one do you wanna do?¡± ¡°Both?¡± ¡°Quit lying to yourself. Or me. You know which one you want. Maybe a part of you thinks you should do the other ¡®cause it might be better for other people. But you do know what you want to do.¡± At that, TJ realized that yes, he did know what he wanted. He smiled at the old man who smirked in return, the look almost lost under the massive handlebar ¡®stache. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not much of the hero type, am I?¡± ¡°No. Sure you are to your boy, but not to the rest of us. No need to be something you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°Fair enough. Thanks, geezer.¡± Stanton waved him off, walking towards the firehouse. That he didn¡¯t seem to be in a rush or particularly worried calmed TJ, and he began to decide which of the two similar Skills he wanted. The upgrade to Primitive Craftsmanship was impressive, and the percent increase would be especially marked. On the other hand, Equipment Fabrication was more specialized¨Ccreate better items. He didn¡¯t know how specifically to enhance whatever it was that he made, but this Skill would get him that understanding. Even so, TJ felt that improving the core of his core creation Skills first would allow him to do something more impressive later on, which would enhance Equipment Fabrication or whatever other Skill he ended up taking down the line. Decision made, TJ selected Introductory Divine Primitive Craftsmanship, laughing about the long and somewhat silly name to himself. Just as he did, a shock rocked him, a twinging that went down his spine. Before he could get used to it, though, someone screaming for help sprinted up the main road towards the general store. Chapter 56 ¡°Help! We need a healer! Please!¡± the man whose name TJ didn¡¯t know continued screaming. Stanton didn¡¯t hesitate to turn from walking into the firehouse. ¡°Where?¡± He demanded. ¡°Up there.¡± The man panted while pointing up the road towards the church. ¡°Just up the turn past the church.¡± The man tried to explain more, but Stanton didn¡¯t pay him any heed. Instead, he sprinted down the road in the direction of the person that needed help. TJ tried to follow suit, but even after activating Divine Transformation, he was far from capable of catching up to the sprightly old man. Just about a minute had passed since the man¡¯s screams had become audible, and already Stanton had run nearly a mile towards the person who needed support. TJ watched as Stanton turned the corner and disappeared from view. By the time TJ turned to corner to be able to see what was happening, Stanton was holding a thrashing man he recognized with one hand, the other on a nearby tree. A faint green glow passed through the Druid and into the fallen Disciple. As TJ watched, Jordan, the healer that he¡¯d accompanied on the first hunt the day before, stilled. Fearing the worst, TJ continued running forward. Jordan¡¯s body remained still, and TJ readied himself to give apologies and commiserations. Just as he opened his mouth to do so, though, Jordan gasped and choked out an uncomfortably full mouthful of blood. Only now that he was so close could TJ tell that Jordan had been cut in the base of his throat, the still wet blood staining his shirt. The recovering Disciple continued to retch and gag, red spittle dribbling from the corners of his mouth. ¡°Keep moving.¡± Stanton commanded, looking at their surroundings and evaluating whatever surrounded them. ¡°We¡¯ll talk once we¡¯re safe.¡± Nobody argued with the statement, and the haggard two dozen people stood up, a few coyote corpses slung across their shoulders, and resumed traveling towards town. Blood and torn clothing accessorized every member of the hunting party, and the, if not excited, at least battle-ready faces that had filled every face the night before, were now downcast, fearful, and hesitant. The few minutes that followed passed in near silence, the crunching of feet on gravel and the quiet whisper of the wind being the only things that TJ could hear. As it frequently did, the wind seemed to be trying to say something to him, and this time, TJ indulged it. Unsurprisingly, it had nothing of note to say. What little he could understand was simply that it wanted there to be more water so that it could carry a storm. TJ almost doubted what he¡¯d heard from it before, the few warnings he¡¯d felt from the omnipresent air. He sighed and shook it from his mind. Instead, he recentered himself, looking at the people surrounding him. They were exhausted at best, and needed a rest. Their leader, a woman it took TJ a moment to recognize as Natalie the Acolyte, the one Zig called Nat, was limping, favoring her right leg. The party as a whole relaxed somewhat as they stepped into the bounds of the city proper, definitely well past the border denoting the safe zone. Even so, the harried and exhausted group didn¡¯t cease looking around until they dispersed to enter wherever they could sneak in a rest. ¡°What happened?¡± TJ asked Natalie as she doggedly continued her path towards the firehouse. ¡°Did anyone die?¡± She sighed. ¡°Thank all that¡¯s holy, no. It got close for a lot more than just Jordan, though.¡± ¡°Ok. And how did it all happen?¡± TJ insisted. ¡°Started off normal enough. Ran into a couple wild animals, nothing new. No pukwudgies, though that wasn¡¯t too weird. Couple people said we should go a bit deeper, see if we couldn¡¯t find anything there. I didn¡¯t want to at first, Laura¡¯d said something about how it was good to be cautious today. Eventually, we just weren¡¯t running into anything, and so we decided to go deeper, get some experience, you know? There were a couple things we ran into, but nothing dangerous. Until it suddenly was. ¡°A ton of pukwudgies surrounded us all at once, their spears focused on the Disciples. Course, we were protecting them, so the Zealots and Acolytes took the most hits, Kailani helped a lot with keeping them away. Honestly, she¡¯s one of the main reasons we got away. She¡¯s got her water magic or whatever, and that kept a lot of the second wave of spears from hitting us. We fought our way out of them, killing a couple, but we were surrounded and more focused on getting out of there. Once we got out, it seemed like we were gonna make it. Lots of wounded, but nobody died so we were feeling pretty good. Our Disciples all exhausted themselves to heal everybody up enough to keep moving. ¡°Just as we got far enough away to think that we were home free, the pukwudgies returned for a final volley. We weren¡¯t ready. Jordan got the worst of it, with the spear in his throat. Everyone else got hit once, but Jordan¡­¡± Natalie took a shuddering breath. ¡°I was pretty sure he was dead. If Jake hadn¡¯t thought to go get help as fast as he did, I¡¯m sure Jordan would have died. Thank you, by the way,¡± Natalie said, looking at Stanton. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t hurried as much as you did, then we would have lost him.¡± Stanton raised a hand dismissively. ¡°Just in time, that¡¯s all. Glad he¡¯s gonna pull through.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to see if there¡¯s someone available to heal me.¡± Natalie said as she limped towards the firehouse. TJ let her go, clenching his jaw in worry. If the pukwudgies alone were posing such a threat to the right now, how were they going to deal with everything else that was going to come? Just under nine days remained, and though the total number of pukwudgies and other monsters in the Tutorial wasn¡¯t going to change, the number was only going to grow. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I think we might be up shit creek.¡± Stanton said, watching her go. ¡°You got any ideas?¡± ¡°I should ask you. You fought in Vietnam, you¡¯ve got experience.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. Don¡¯t know anything. All I can say is that we don¡¯t have the numbers to do what the military usually does. A guerrilla force usually works that way because they¡¯ve got fewer numbers and arms than the people they¡¯re ambushing. That¡¯s not what¡¯s happening here. We¡¯re outnumbered, and if we count the wendigos and any other nightmarish Elite monster out there, we¡¯re outgunned too. It¡¯s a superior number of guerrillas, so we need to limit our casualties while killing as many of them as possible.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true, but you just told me to kill more of them than they kill of us.¡± ¡°At its core, the way to win a fight is to win the damned fight. Forgive me for not having some amazing wisdom regarding how to counteract the constant attacks of a force of goblins that can turn invisible and keep growing in number.¡± Stanton¡¯s usual good humor had melted away, a real frustration and anger touching his words. ¡°So yeah, for now, my plan is to kill as many of them as I can manage. You have anything else to add?¡± TJ shook his head. ¡°Just that we need to get as many people Occupations and levels as fast as we can manage. I¡¯ve got an idea to help with that in town, but I think we need to push everyone to at least level 5 in their Class, ideally by the end of today or tomorrow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a hard ask, kid.¡± ¡°For now, that¡¯s all I can add.¡± Stanton grunted, a little of his good humor returning. ¡°I¡¯ll let Laura know you¡¯re looking for her if I run into her. Isn¡¯t there something you were meaning to be doing?¡± TJ scoffed. ¡°I guess. I¡¯ll be back at the cabin. When you see her, let Laura know that I¡¯d like to see some of her notes on Occupations today as well.¡± Stanton nodded before walking into the firehouse. By the time TJ had jogged to the cabin, still with his nearly forgotten bag of weapons in his backpack, Stanton had carried someone out of the firehouse and towards a nearby towering tree. While the old man gained experience for his Occupation, TJ decided it was finally time to go about creating some shoes that would last him a little longer. He Appraised the javelina hides he¡¯d set to cure just a couple days ago. Item: Tanned javelina hide, Dirt. A hide removed from a javelina¡¯s corpse. It has been tanned, the process artificially accelerated by the creator¡¯s presence in a Tutorial. Due to its preparation by the brain-tanning method, the leather of the hide is more supple than it would have been if created by other methods. It can be used to provide an increase in resistance to environmental cold, or as a material in creating equipment. Though he hadn¡¯t expected otherwise, the wholly ordinary nature of these hides was disappointing compared to the inherently magical and impressive natures of the materials gathered from the wendigos. The wind seemed to titter something in TJ¡¯s ear as he sighed and allowed his mind to relax. He¡¯d been so focused and stressed and driven these last few days that he hadn¡¯t noticed the wind¡¯s constant desire to communicate with him. As he gathered up the materials to make a pair of moccasins with soles so thick they were better called shoes, TJ idly listened to the winds¡¯ whispers, though they didn¡¯t seem to mean anything. Finally, with the gut and leather laid out in front of him, TJ pulled his personal Wendigo Blade from his jacket pocket and placed it on the table. He was ready to begin the creation. Of course, that was when Laura knocked on the door. ¡°Come in!¡± TJ shouted, trying to hold any frustration from his tone. Nearly as soon as he spoke, the door swung wide open and Stanton gestured for Laura to walk in. She did, and TJ couldn¡¯t help but notice she¡¯d finally abandoned the pantsuit entirely. Now, she wore what just about everyone was¨Csome variation of jeans, boots or sneakers, and a jacket over a tee shirt. ¡°Stanton said you had something to show me in here?¡± Laura asked. TJ noticed that there was a small fleck of blood on the cuff of her jacket and nowhere else. A mischievous part of him considered alerting her of the fact, but the rest of him quickly tamped that down. ¡°I have some weapons to pass on to other people, and some other things to talk with you about. Seems like the thing I wanted to talk about has already come up though.¡± ¡°Alright. Then start with the weapons, I suppose.¡± Laura looked disinterested, and when she saw the blades, she couldn¡¯t hide the brief moment of disgust that flashed over her face. Then, when she saw the haft of the war pick for what it was, she actually dropped it to the table. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Appraise them.¡± Laura cocked her head and did so, before then reluctantly gathering the items up. ¡°Do you have a bag, or a towel or something so I don¡¯t have to hold all these? They¡¯re frankly disgusting.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Stanton answered before walking into the bathroom down the hall to collect a towel. While he did so, Laura continued to look at TJ. ¡°There must be something more, or else you wouldn¡¯t have asked me to come.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Look, those weapons there represent less than half of the materials from the two wendigos. I can keep processing them and getting experience. Frankly, I¡¯d like to because they represent a lot of experience. However, you can see that the weapons are only of the quality that they are because of the materials. I didn¡¯t do anything special. I¡¯ve gotten some pretty stellar Skill options presented to me because I made these. It¡¯d probably be in our best interest to ensure that as many people as possible reach higher levels and have as high quality Skills as possible, so I¡¯m, well, not offering because they¡¯re not all just mine, but I¡¯m saying that maybe we should have some other people work on this too.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you asked that I bring a copy of the Occupations found within the town.¡± Laura nodded. ¡°Makes sense. It isn¡¯t necessary, though. I¡¯ve already memorized everyone¡¯s Class, Occupation, if they have it, and Bloodline. I¡¯ll round up whoever has an Occupation that can benefit from this, as well as any who haven¡¯t yet acquired an Occupation. We need to push everyone who hasn¡¯t gained an Occupation yet to make more deliberate strides towards that. Though there were several deaths this morning, it may push the more hesitant to greater effort.¡± After dropping that bombshell, Laura stood, gathered the weapons all together in the towel Stanton brought, and walked out the door. ¡°Thank you, TJ. Was there anything else?¡± ¡°I was going to talk about the monsters getting smarter, but it looks like we¡¯ve all already seen that.¡± ¡°Yes. Would you do me a favor on that account?¡± ¡°Sure?¡± ¡°Next time you¡¯re out there, kill as many of the fuckers as you can.¡± Without another word, Laura stalked out of the house. Chapter 57 TJ rushed to the door and shouted out that the war pick was specifically for Connor, as he¡¯d promised the Zealot a new weapon. True to form, though she obviously was still upset and brooding over the fact that several people had died, the mayor turned Bureaucrat and Disciple turned, made eye contact, and nodded before continuing on her way. TJ too struggled with the thought, and wondered if he would regret having gotten to know more and more of the people he was, at least temporarily, stuck with. Then, the thought of who he would need to become and be to do that settled over him. He didn¡¯t like it, but he¡¯d promised that he would kill what he needed to to make it through the Tutorial and find Junior. Beyond that, TJ swore that he¡¯d kill even a person to make sure he made it to his son. That said, TJ wanted to remain himself. He could feel the changes that were happening in him. The sickness he¡¯d felt at having to kill a coyote when he¡¯d first come to this place, just a couple of days ago, was long gone. When he¡¯d first heard a pukwudgie speak, he¡¯d felt like a monster for ending its life, but now he slaughtered them with impunity. Was who he was about to become, who he was in the process of becoming, even still TJ? To attempt to ensure that he remained himself, TJ opened his heart to the negativity of this situation. He would bond with people, and if Granny Penny was one of those who died, he would mourn her, truly. The sweet woman might die, and if TJ didn¡¯t feel something were it to happen, then he couldn¡¯t still consider himself TJ. That decision had been made. He steeled himself and looked down at all of his crafting materials, spread across the table and ready for him to work on. ¡°I¡¯m going to need more space.¡± TJ muttered to himself before setting off to see if he couldn¡¯t find a folding table in the house to set up. ¡ª- When the first of the hopefuls stepped up to the door, TJ was ready for them. After searching through the house turned up nothing, he¡¯d nearly given up. However when he poked a head into the detached garage/shed, a pair of ten-foot tables leaning against the wall took care of the problem of where to work. ¡°Hello, Mr. TJ?¡± A young voice called out as TJ settled the materials onto the second table in the now somewhat cramped family room of the home. ¡°Come in.¡± TJ called as he turned and saw a young girl he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever seen before. Her curly brown hair was as well kept as could be managed after days without being able to wash in a shower as usual, and the vestiges of heavy eyeliner remained at the edges of her eyes. The remains of a tear streak remained on her left cheek, which she didn¡¯t seem to be aware of. She wore a too-large hoodie, the sleeves pulled over her hands. The poor teenager was anxiously wringing her hands in the sleeves, and when they met eyes, she smiled awkwardly. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Molly.¡± ¡°Glad to meet you Molly. You can call me TJ, no mister needed. Do you want to take a seat for now?¡± He gestured to one of the chairs at the main kitchen table. He¡¯d moved most of the furniture into a pile in the corner, leaving just tables and chairs to occupy the bulk of the space. All the chairs were at the kitchen table, piled high with the vast majority of all the materials he had already prepared for use. Molly nodded and sat at the table before speaking up again. ¡°So why am I here? Miss Laura just told me to come here, and to be ready to work.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain more when everyone else gets here, but I¡¯m going to help you get an Occupation, that¡¯s the big one.¡± ¡°What kind of Occupation? Is it yours? I¡¯ve heard yours is called Savage, right?¡± The sudden rapid fire questions were tempered by a similarly sudden flush of her face. ¡°Um. Sorry, Mr. TJ.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± TJ chuckled, restraining the urge to reach out and tousle her hair. ¡°I wish it could be, but you guys won¡¯t qualify for the same Occupation as me. To be a Savage, you can¡¯t sleep inside, use plumbing, or stuff from before the beginning of this whole Tutorial crap. I wasn¡¯t trying to get the Occupation, I was just dropped in the middle of nowhere, so I just didn¡¯t have anything. I was lucky that I was able to make a fire and didn¡¯t get too hurt that day, or else I would have died. I¡¯m not going to make you all sit out in the cold and suffer, so there won¡¯t be any more Savages any time soon.¡± ¡°That sounds pretty shittastic. Did you think you were abducted by aliens? That¡¯s what I thought happened. I, uh¡­ got pretty disappointed when I saw that¡­ I wasn¡¯t asleep or anything.¡± Molly obviously swallowed past a lump in her throat as she said as much and tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s been rough for most people. Sorry you¡¯re going through it, but I hope I can help at least a little.¡± ¡°Well, I was hoping to be just like you, since you¡¯re doing so well.¡± TJ nearly said she couldn¡¯t be like him, since she wasn¡¯t a Neophyte, but decided to Appraise her instead. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Neophyte, 2 ¡°Well now. Didn¡¯t realize I had a fellow Neophyte in my presence. What can you do with your Divine Transformation?¡± She smiled, a little uncomfortable, but then, suddenly, a wolf-sized canine of some sort was in her place. It wasn¡¯t quite a wolf or a coyote, not a fox or a dog, just canine and big. Molly¡¯s Divine Transformation made her into something that TJ instinctively understood to be an under-evolved form of a Mayan Lightning Dog. ¡°Xolotl.¡± He breathed, an instinctive understanding of her Bloodline settling into his bones. The twin of his own Bloodline¡¯s origin, Xolotl was a god of lightning, fire, and monstrosities. In some beliefs, nearly evil, in others nearly heroic. The mythologies and the individuals¡¯ history varied slightly, with Xolotl focusing his power nearly entirely among the Aztec while Kukulkan embraced a greater diversity among his worshippers, spreading to the Mayan, Aztec, and more. Unfortunately, TJ could feel that the brothers parted on bad terms, Xolotl embittered, feeling forgotten and rejected by his twin. ¡°I¡­ Yeah. When I first saw you transform, I knew we were kinda related.¡± Molly said, twisting her hands once again. ¡°Well, glad to have you, cousin. Happy to help you out in getting an Occupation too.¡± Even though TJ understood the history between their however-many great grandparents, he also didn¡¯t care. It had nothing to do with him, and following the instincts of a failed god¡¯s long-dead grudges was stupid at best. Beyond that, when Molly saw that TJ was just excited to help her, her smile broadened and she stood from her wooden chair. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were a bad guy. You¡¯re scary, but my dad¡¯s scary sometimes too. I bet he¡¯s being scary wherever he is now, too. So I¡¯m glad to know you aren¡¯t just like, a douche or anything. You know? Do you know anything about Xolotl?¡± Different from the prying Valerie, TJ didn¡¯t mind answering Molly¡¯s litany of questions. He quickly learned that she was a freshman down in Mesa, not far from where he lived. When he didn¡¯t have any answers about Xolotl or anything else, Molly began asking questions about his exploits and how he¡¯d gotten so strong. ¡°Obviously you¡¯re the strongest one in the Tutorial, and so, if I want to protect my family when this is all over, I need to be like you! You can be, like, my Gojo or something!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a dojo. I guess, if you want to, you can call this our dojo? Not learning martial arts or anything though.¡± TJ shrugged, a little confused. ¡°No, like my sensei! Gojo is this guy in a manga I love. He¡¯s like, super awesome and hot. Wait, I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re hot, or ugly, or wait, shit, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Molly continued tripping over herself as she continued to make an awkward fifteen year-old out of herself. TJ raised both hands as she blushed furiously and buried her face in her hands. ¡°I get it. I think. You want someone to help you and teach you. I can do some of that. I¡¯ll tell you right now, though, that this world isn¡¯t sunshine and rainbows. It¡¯s gonna get worse, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to be waiting for us once we get out of the Tutorial. You¡¯ve gotta stand on your own two feet, because I¡¯m struggling too, ok?¡± Though he smoothed over the worst of it, Molly stopped talking to him after her apparent faux paus. He could remember that age, and he¡¯d constantly had his foot so far in his mouth that he could smell his knees. After assuring her that he didn¡¯t care about her not meaning it that way, TJ turned to the door as he heard footsteps approaching. The clunking of heavy boots seemed familiar, and as he pushed open the door, TJ asked Stanton, ¡°What, you need something?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± The old cowboy looked around the room, frowning a bit at the tables filling the area where the couch had been. ¡°Just wanted to tell you something.¡± After waiting a minute, TJ realized what his friend was doing and asked with a wry smile of his own, ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°Just¡­ by the way. For your information. Found another one of these.¡± Then, TJ watched as Stanton pulled his hand from behind his back and showed off a Lifebloom, at least as large as the one they¡¯d found before. ¡°What? When? Where?¡± ¡°Out on the hunt today. Felt it out there with my Skill, and checked it out. I¡¯ve got a couple ideas about what it can do, but I want to see if your new Skill helps you find anything else out without my interference.¡± ¡°Ok. But we talked before this, you had the opportunity then. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± Stanton grinned wide, his teeth shining in contrast to his wrinkled, heavily tanned face. ¡°Dammit man. Get out. I¡¯ll look at it later.¡± TJ couldn¡¯t help but smile as he shooed Stanton away, just in time for a group of five people to walk up the ramp to the door. While what TJ supposed was the last of his little class of people to learn walked in, he rolled his shoulders. Molly quickly settled into a corner, still mortified but paying attention while the rest of the group settled into the chairs surrounding the kitchen table. The surprise to TJ as he looked on were two men he recognized¨CJeff and Ricky. Jeff still looked angry at the world in general and TJ in particular, but Ricky looked at the materials with genuine interest. ¡°Alright guys.¡± TJ said, clapping his hands once. ¡°I might be the person with the highest leveled Occupation in the Tutorial. I just hit level 10 last night, and I¡¯ve learned some things. Because of what I¡¯ve learned, there¡¯s something I want to teach you all to make sure we live through this Tutorial. Before I get started, are there any questions?¡± ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re better than us?¡± ¡°What?¡± TJ sputtered, unable to believe what Jeff had just said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d intended. Why do you think that you know better, you have the same amount of experience as the rest of us.¡± Jeff at least had the decency to look a little embarrassed as he spoke. ¡°Ahh. Makes sense. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll know why when we get there, but short answer, I have information that nobody else in the Tutorial does, due to my position as one of our premiere fighters and crafters. I hope that¡¯s good enough for now, because we¡¯re moving on. Any other questions?¡± Nobody spoke or moved, so TJ nodded once. ¡°We¡¯ll start with the javelina hides. Now, let¡¯s talk about brains.¡± Chapter 58 Two of those that Laura had sent to learn from TJ quickly proved themselves wholly incapable of working with organic materials. Surprisingly, one of them was Jeff¡¯s buddy Ricky. It was almost comical how the heavyset man with a thick beard swayed and went green as TJ explained how to tan the hides in the only way he knew how, nearly falling face first into the table. Before long, he gave up and, stuffing his hands into his oil stained coveralls, walked out, where he audibly took long deep breaths for a couple minutes until his stomach settled enough to leave. Almost as if Ricky¡¯s escape had given her permission, another woman walked out afterwards and didn¡¯t look back. With four students willing to sit through the deliberately excessive and detailed explanation of preparing the hides and treating them with the brains of whatever they came from, TJ finally transitioned to explaining how to work with the materials he had prepared. Still, he didn¡¯t hesitate to explain exactly what each of the materials they were working with were. ¡°So, for me, today I¡¯m making myself new shoes. My Occupation gives me bonuses for not wearing equipment from before the Integration. I don¡¯t know why only shoes count as equipment to the System, but here we are. I''m going to give a general walkthrough of how I¡¯m going to make this, and that¡¯ll be what you two who don¡¯t have Occupations will focus on once I dismiss you. For you two, however,¡± TJ turned to Jeff and Michelle, the other ¡±student¡± who already had an Occupation, ¡°we¡¯ll get into the real value that I¡¯m hoping to bring here and now. Thank you for your patience.¡± Jeff rolled his eyes while Michelle also didn¡¯t look too happy either. Even so, they sat through the painstaking instructions that he gave for Molly and Tessie, another teenager, though their ¡°look¡±s couldn¡¯t be more different. While Molly was almost a stereotypical nerdy goth girl, Tessie looked like the truest rendition of a sporty girl, her eyes a startling blue and framed with dirty blonde hair which was pulled back into a tight ponytail. Were she here, Mari would have been between them right now, TJ knew. She¡¯d been a high school math teacher, though she only really did that because that let her be the volleyball coach as well. A slight smile quirked at TJ¡¯s lips as he internally saw Mari fussing over some of her girls, if they¡¯d been in this same situation. He let the pang of longing settle into him for a brief moment before gently pushing the memory of his late wife fade. The teens were working together, Molly giving advice on particular ways to thread the gut through the holes in the hides. She was, self-reportedly, ¡°A pretty good seamstress.¡± While they were settled and working on their own, TJ finally turned himself to Michelle and Jeff. Jeff¡¯s brown hair was streaked with gray, his goatee slowly growing past its well-kept previous state. His arms showed that he was no stranger to exercise, broad and strong, and he remained generally handsome, disregarding the stormy look on his face. He and Ricky made for quite the pair, large white men with facial hair and stormy looks in their eyes. Michelle, on the other hand, didn¡¯t look like she worked out, but instead like she worked outside. She wore a waffle-print long sleeved shirt with the sleeves pulled up to her elbows, thick khaki cargo work pants, and suspenders. Her shoulders were broader than TJ¡¯s, the muscles underneath taut against the shirt. The shiny scarred skin remnants of burns covered her hands, the shine of the sunlight through the windows making her mahogany hands almost seem like they contained a light within them. Her dark curly hair was cut short, too short for a ponytail, and her eyes did literally glow as she looked at TJ. ¡°Alright, just for my benefit, what are your Occupations, their levels, and your Bloodlines?¡± ¡°Tinker, 5.¡± Jeff grunted. ¡°And I don¡¯t see any reason to give you my Bloodline.¡± TJ fought to keep himself from rolling his eyes. Before he responded, Michelle spoke. ¡°Blacksmith at 4. Bloodline is Ogun. You know who that is?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever heard of¡­ him?¡± ¡°Him.¡± Michelle confirmed. ¡°Yoruba god of warriors, iron, fire, and so on.¡± ¡°Ok. Thanks. The reason I ask, Jeff, is because it seems to me that, regardless of any other choices you make, your Bloodline will affect how you do whatever it is you do. Maybe even how much you can do. Keep it secret if you care, Jeff. I was just curious. ¡°Now,¡± TJ spoke, making sure they stayed focused. ¡°We¡¯ve killed some wendigos, and I¡¯ve made some things with their materials. When I did, I was level 6. After using part of three horns and the entirety of the fourth, I hit level 10. If you¡¯ve gotten past level 5, you know how much harder each level gets after getting a new Skill.¡± Both nodded as TJ continued. ¡°The materials we got from them also gave me new Skills, once I hit 10. There¡¯s definitely more to it than this, but the Skill I chose is Copper quality, so a tier higher than I am now, and I know that working on these higher quality materials helped me with that. As an example of what I made¨Cactually, I¡¯m not going to show you.¡± TJ remembered what Stanton had just said to him and decided to follow suit. Jeff shook his head, as if he¡¯d expected to be disappointed, but Michelle nodded her head in agreement. ¡°You don¡¯t want to influence what we do with these materials. If we just do what you did, we probably won¡¯t get the same experience that you did. We don¡¯t have the same Occupations anyways, so it¡¯s better we do what we want.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Pretty much.¡± TJ agreed, and Jeff at least had the decency to stop acting like TJ was being an asshole to him. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know that the claws are considered to be the most valuable part of the wendigo¡¯s bodies that I¡¯ve dealt with in particular. Now, we have three more horns about a foot long as well as eleven claws in good condition. I might recommend using the five partially damaged ones first, because if you fail, it won¡¯t be as disappointing, but that¡¯s entirely up to you. Any questions?¡± ¡°Is it fine with you if I take some materials to the forge? It¡¯s not great, but I can¡¯t really do what I want to without it.¡± ¡°Sure. Take one horn and three claws with you, one of them damaged. That good with you?¡± Michelle nodded, pulling a Gerber knife from her pocket. TJ pointed her to which hand she should cut the fingers from, and though she didn¡¯t hesitate, her lip curled in distaste as she tried to cut, and then was forced to crack the fingers off with a grunt and twist of the pliers in the tool.Then, she put all three fingers in one of the massive pockets in her pants while holding the horn in her hands. ¡°You know anything about heating these? Do they anneal with fire, or melt or burn?¡± TJ shrugged. ¡°All I know is that the wendigos come with frost as something that¡¯s a part of them. I don¡¯t know how putting their materials in a forge will work, but when I was careful, I created something that had some of the wendigo¡¯s frost powers.¡± She nodded while a pensive frown creased her face. TJ only noticed then that at the corner of her mouth, marring the edge of her full lips, was another burn scar. Before he thought about whether it was wise to do so, he asked, ¡°Why do you have so many scars?¡± Michelle looked him straight in the eye. ¡°You¡¯re asking a blacksmith why they have burn scars? I got burned.¡± After looking at her in confusion for a second, TJ realized what she was saying. ¡°You were a blacksmith even before the Integration? Cool.¡± ¡°I just transitioned to full-time after officially becoming a journeyman in the ABS. Had a good following and everything, and then this shit rips my dream coming true from me.¡± ¡°That sucks, I¡¯m sorry.¡± TJ wasn¡¯t sure what else he could say, not the least of which because he had no idea what she was saying. ¡°Yeah. Here¡¯s to hoping we don¡¯t get eaten in the next week.¡± Michelle turned and walked out, her thumb running over the horn as she muttered ideas to herself. TJ turned back to Jeff, who looked down at the materials spread in front of him and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with this. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t have come if Laura hadn¡¯t told me to.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get it, you don¡¯t like me. I don¡¯t care. You¡¯ve disliked me since I showed up, and I didn¡¯t care then and don¡¯t now. There¡¯s a point to being here, so do you want some of these materials to see if that helps you grow stronger or are you just going to keep being a moron instead? I don¡¯t care a whole lot either way, but make the damn decision.¡± Jeff started to look offended, then took a calming breath before looking in TJ¡¯s eyes. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair. Yeah, I¡¯ll try something, but I¡¯ll only take one of the damaged fingers for now. I don¡¯t think my Occupation is as well-suited to this as Laura thought, but I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± True to his word, Jeff took a single finger from the damaged hand after a minute of sawing at it with another hand¡¯s claws. Without another word, he took it in his hand and walked out of the house, leaving TJ with Tessie and Molly. The teens watched him go, only barely able to keep themselves from gossipping long enough for him to leave the house. Once that door closed behind him, they burst into whispers. ¡°Why do you think he¡¯s so mad? I¡¯ve seen him around, and he never looks happy, but like, he¡¯s super pissy now.¡± ¡°I think I know what it is. He¡¯s always talking about Laura this and Laura that. I like to sit by her at meals, and he¡¯s always trying to be around. I bet he says it¡¯s cause he¡¯s her bodyguard, but, like, he just wants to guard her body, you know? I¡¯m sure he has a crush on her, and thinks that TJ will get in the way of him making her fall in love with him. So, because he¡¯s an adult, he, like, doesn¡¯t want to fight or anything, but he¡¯s still like, all douchey.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough of that.¡± TJ cut in with a chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t really care what you two talk about, but let¡¯s focus on getting you two an Occupation as fast as possible.¡± ¡°Fiiiiine.¡± Molly answered, while Tessie blushed and averted her gaze. ¡°So, how do we get this Occupation?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± TJ answered, and while their faces fell, he let their confusion and disappointment grow for about ten seconds. ¡°But I do know some things. Occupations are usually offered after doing something. I can¡¯t say what else you¡¯ve done in these days so far, but I¡¯m willing to bet that you¡¯ll get something offered to you if you create something on the level of rudimentary equipment.¡± With TJ¡¯s continued guidance, the two girls eventually finished their individual pairs of moccasins. Molly, as eager and quick to action as ever, pulled her boots off and slipped the slippers on. Her excited face quickly morphed to disappointment and she pulled her foot back out. ¡°Did you not think about how the thick, hard fur from the javelinas was going to stay thick and hard?¡± TJ asked while fighting to keep the giggles down. ¡°Well, I guess. I made these shoes, and they¡¯re not only ugly, they¡¯re also super uncomfortable. So what¡¯s the point¨C¡± Before TJ could answer about how it could save her life, Tessie gasped. Mollie followed suit, and the two girls obviously received the System notification they¡¯d all been hoping for. TJ could feel, somehow, the moment when they accepted their new Occupations. The feeling they gave off, something he couldn¡¯t quantify, changed. ¡°I¡¯m a Crafter now.¡± Molly said, excited. ¡°I gained two whole levels, and with some Free Points, that¡¯ll really help me a lot!¡± ¡°I got Crafter too.¡± Tessie added. She smiled and bobbed her head to TJ in thanks. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡± ¡°No problem. Girls, make sure you keep getting levels whenever you can. Tonight, I¡¯ll provide some materials and see if we can¡¯t get you all the way to level 5 before too long.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t we do it right now?¡± Molly whined. ¡°I¡¯ve got time!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± TJ replied. ¡°I promised Laura I¡¯d show the monsters some hell. It¡¯s time.¡± Chapter 59 Though he wanted to just strike out alone and kill all the pukwudgies and other enemies that existed in the area surrounding their town, TJ was well aware that was far from his best idea. Leaving aside the general foolishness of just running into danger willy nilly, he wasn¡¯t the only person who needed to gain experience. TJ escorted the two girls towards the firehouse, and now that they weren¡¯t actively working on something together, Molly went quiet and looked down. Since he wasn¡¯t teaching them any more, TJ didn¡¯t concern himself too much with the teens. Before long, they had arrived back at the firehouse, and the two girls dispersed to do¡­ something. TJ walked inside, looking for Stanton. The Acolyte sat at a table, listening to a conversation between a couple other people. As TJ approached, they went silent, looking up at him in obvious hero worship that made him deeply uncomfortable. Even so, he merely nodded and asked, ¡°Is it alright with you if I steal this codger for a minute?¡± A chorus of ¡°Oh, of course!¡±s and ¡°Please!¡±s answered him as Stanton grumbled and stood up. As they walked out to the door, Stanton said, ¡°I¡¯m feeling younger by the day, and if you keep runnin¡¯ your mouth, you¡¯ll find my fist in it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. The grumpy old coot needs his respect.¡± TJ grinned, noting that Stanton too, though only begrudgingly, smiled as well. ¡°Those kids do alright?¡± Stanton asked before TJ could speak. ¡°Yeah. They both got Occupations, and I said I¡¯d help them with some of the wendigo materials later tonight. Not why I¡¯m here though.¡± Stanton nodded and continued walking slowly with TJ, leading them both until he got to a nice patch of sunlight that fell between the pines¡¯ branches. The sunlight was pleasant, and TJ enjoyed nearly basking in it as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m planning on going further out today. Leaving soon, killing some of the stronger ones out there and seeing if I can hit level 10 today. I¡¯m worried about the ones farther out there, and wonder if getting that new Skill will be enough to help with that.¡± ¡°Because the further out we go, the stronger the monsters are.¡± Stanton answered. ¡°Can¡¯t say what we¡¯ll find though.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± TJ agreed. ¡°If I run into another Elite, I might just be killed outright. So, I figure having you and one or two other people along will let us move quickly and safely, while you can also heal and take care of people. Who do you think should come with?¡± ¡°Not me.¡± ¡°What?¡± TJ felt his jaw hand open. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been out already today. Figure it out yourself.¡± Without saying anything else, Stanton smiled, clapped TJ on the shoulder, and walked away. The confusion of being abandoned by his friend was painful, but TJ felt he could trust Stanton enough to not lose his mind over something that the older man obviously meant no ill-will by. Even so, he couldn¡¯t help but call out and ask before Stanton got back into the firehouse. ¡°You sure?¡± Not even a grunt answered him, and TJ scoffed to himself. This was, he supposed, what Stanton wanted. As he moved to figure out what he should do next, he¡¯d need to figure out who else he would trust to work together. ¡°You didn¡¯t even look for me?¡± ¡°Sonuva¨C!¡± TJ shouted. Not for the first time, Zig had taken special care to scare the absolute bejeezus out of TJ. As he whirled and looked for her, he found her hunched in the shadow of a large thick bush. Somehow, her bright red hair didn¡¯t stick out until he actually figured out where she was. Until the very moment he recognized her silhouette, Zig faded into the background, but as soon as his eyes discovered her position, the red of her hair stood out as a stark contrast to their surroundings. ¡°I¡¯m a little offended you went for the old man before the young, cute Huntmaster.¡± Zig grinned widely, her teeth flashing in the shadow as she walked out. ¡°You didn¡¯t even consider me?¡± ¡°Zig. Thank you for volunteering, I suppose. And should I guess that Stanton knew you were here, so he purposefully had¨C¡± ¡°Me overhear you, yeah.¡± ¡°He was inside talking, how the hell did he know you were out here, as well as where you were specifically?¡± ¡°A maiden deserves to keep some secrets, does she not?¡± Zig fluttered her eyes exaggeratedly. TJ sighed. ¡°I guess. You willing to go out on a hunt with me? I¡¯m thinking we go farther than any of us have been since Stanton and I came here.¡± Zig¡¯s joviality drained from her face as she responded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s necessary. If there¡¯s some of those Elites that keep growing, or any wholly new monsters or anything out there, then we need to be ready. Need to see them, to cull the bastards.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Great. You have two more people in mind to bring with us? I¡¯m not too familiar with who¡¯s our highest leveled fighters.¡± ¡°I bet that¡¯s part of why Stanton told you no. You always fall back to him, don¡¯t really get to know anyone else. And yeah. Charlie¡¯s a good option, so¡¯s Seth, Farid, and Angelo. Rebekkah¡¯s a pretty strong healer, if Angelo¡¯s busy. She¡¯s not quite as high level as the rest, but Sarah¡¯s got an Occupation that helps her protect the people she¡¯s with, so she¡¯s not a bad option either. So, I¡¯d probably recommend one of them. There¡¯s a couple others that you don¡¯t know who might need to fill in if they¡¯re all unavailable, but I figure it¡¯ll be better for you to work with people you already know.¡± TJ cocked his head. ¡°Rebekkah¡¯s at the level of being included in this?¡± Zig shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s more driven than a lot of the people here. A lot like you, and now that she¡¯s seen what she¡¯ll need to do to survive, she¡¯s putting in more work than anyone.¡± ¡°Huh. If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯m fine with whoever you think makes the best team with us.¡± ¡°Leaving it to the Huntmaster, then?¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know them, and, frankly, I¡¯m not going to make decisions as quickly or as well as you.¡± ¡°Glad you know it then. Rebekkah, Sarah, and Farid, then. You need anything before we get going?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Great. Stay here.¡± Zig, now in her ¡°directing a hunt¡± mode, moved efficiently and hustled off to collect the others who would go out to kill as many monsters as they could manage. Before she stepped out of view, TJ Appraised her. Acolyte, 7 That meant that the stealth or camouflage Skill she had that had kept him from seeing her clearly almost certainly came from her Occupation. Of course, if it had been anything else, TJ wouldn¡¯t have had the faintest idea what it was. He almost went to lean against a nearby tree, but instead decided to sit in the middle of one of the puddles of sunlight that had filled the area. The warmth was amazing, and he allowed himself to relax for as long as he had. Birds sang and the wind whispered to him as he closed his eyes. Though he¡¯d nearly tried not to listen, the wind¡¯s attempts at communication, now that he had this time alone without anything to do, was persistent. Before too long, the sighs of the air pulled him from his solitude. The wind traveled through the mountains, tasting the vapor from the occasional stream and lifting leaves to fly. Birds used it to soar, and everything breathed it to live. Air filled a human¡¯s lungs, enjoying the warmth and moisture inside the body before flying away as she spoke. The air pushed a bough gently, then decided to flare in anger and snap it violently. As the branch fell, it disturbed the air and the wind laughed at the casual destruction and change of form. The winds whipped up the mountain, finding a thick wall of stone in their way. How dare they? The wind was constant, unphased by the stone¡¯s stubborn will. Just like so many stones before, the winds would whip and tear at it until, years and decades and centuries from now, the stone gave way. Then, decades and centuries and millennia more would pass until the stone was no more. There would always be more to find, friends who would give way and foes who stood strong. The winds would enjoy each path they flew, and each relationship they made, but they would remain eternal, and everything else¡­ changed. There had to be more nearby to investigate, though. What it could be, who knew, but there¨C TJ was yanked back into perceiving his own body with a crack of pain. As his vision swam, he only saw the world spinning around him. No, not the world. Leaves and dirt fell to the ground all around him, the trees overhead creaking in the passage of a fierce wind that had sought its destruction. With a deep breath, TJ centered himself, rubbing at his chest that ached continuously. In his lap sat a stone nearly the size of his fist, and as TJ stood, the rock fell to the ground. ¡°What in the hell was that?¡± Zig demanded, Rebekkah, Farid, and Sarah standing beside her. ¡°You just wasting MP or something?¡± TJ shook his head, trying to figure out what had happened. Was there a cyclone or something here? While his mind denied what he suspected to be the truth, Rebekkah spoke in a frightened yet respectful tone. ¡°I was the first one to come. When I tried to talk to you, you didn¡¯t answer so I left you alone. Then, the wind started. It was just a little breezy, but it kept getting stronger and stronger. Before long, it was like a hurricane or something, and you didn¡¯t respond to anything. I tried to touch you, but the air cut me.¡± Rebekkah raised a hand where there was no wound, but blood remained. ¡°Zig just got here and she threw that rock at you and that got you to stop.¡± ¡°Shit. I¡¯m sorry. That wasn¡¯t what I was trying to do. It¡¯s just¡­ this Skill, sometimes it makes it so I can¡¯t really¡­ I don¡¯t know. It just is weird. I¡¯m sorry for cutting you. I never would have meant to.¡± Rebekkah nodded, though she didn¡¯t look particularly at ease to work with him again given his apparent lack of control over his own Skill. Curious, though, TJ checked his MP to see how much he¡¯d spent in the somewhat meditative state he¡¯d been in. 400/400 ¡°Actually, Zig, my MP¡¯s at full.¡± TJ answered, somewhat confused. ¡°You sure it was me doing all that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, and frankly, I don¡¯t care. Are we ready to get moving? The earlier we go, the more likely we can make sure we get back home safe and before dark.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡± TJ answered, and looking at the rest, their party of five was ready to go. ¡°Great. Now, lead us to where you were ambushed on your way in. Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t find the bastards that tried to kill Stanton.¡± At the mention of the grouchy old man, all four of TJ¡¯s companions bristled, willing to go to battle in defence of Stanton¡¯s honor. Or something. TJ couldn¡¯t help but smile at the realization that his friend was so well-beloved by the rest of the people in town. That he wasn¡¯t nearly so individually treasured was a reality he didn¡¯t hesitate to face. And besides, there were monsters to kill and levels to gain. They set off, and TJ felt the spring in his step carry him forward to the inevitable battle. Chapter 60 Though he¡¯d known the name of her Occupation, TJ was surprised to see how efficient and focused Zig was as she gave directions to the little hunting party. She knew where they were moving, how to ensure they moved safely, and what the terrain was all around them. Something about the Occupation or one of her Skills helped them to move more efficiently, something that TJ only now realized had also been present the other times he¡¯d been out on the hunt with her. The pine needles underfoot crackled less obviously, each step taken was a little easier, and TJ could feel and see that the hiking was far less draining, his Stamina only barely reducing. Finally, as they left the safety of the bounds of the ever shrinking safe zone, TJ bit the bullet and distributed the four Free Points he had sitting in his Status. With as many levels as he¡¯d gained in the past day or so, TJ felt he could be at least moderately confident in this hunt. He looked briefly at the Status.
Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Human ¨C lvl 9 Class: Neophyte lvl 8 Occupation: Savage lvl 10 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 610/610 Mana Points (MP): 440/440 Stamina: 600/600 Attributes Strength: 29 Agility: 28 Endurance: 60 Vitality: 61 Toughness: 52 Wisdom: 34 Intelligence: 44 Perception: 42 Willpower: 53 Fixation: 43 Free Points: 0 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Elite Hunter Current total maximum Divine Transformation time: 54:15 (End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4 Current cooldown: 0:00 Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Coatl ¨C lvl 9 Class: Neophyte lvl 8 Occupation: Savage lvl 10 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 1220/1220 Mana Points (MP): 440/440 Stamina: 1200/1200 Attributes Strength x2: 58 Agility x1.5: 42 Endurance x2: 120 Vitality x2: 122 Toughness x2: 104 Wisdom: 33 Intelligence: 44 Perception x1.5: 63 Willpower: 53 Fixation: 43 Free Points: 0 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Elite Hunter Divine Trial Records 2 Minor, 0 Moderate, 0 Bitter, 0 Celestial
Looking at his Status, TJ felt more and more how much his Strength and Agility were falling behind. There was, however, one of the people whose Strength was the highest in the Tutorial with him, so he stepped near Sarah as they walked and asked, ¡°Can I ask you a couple questions about your Status?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Sarah shrugged as she continued to watch their surroundings. Her shield had been dismissed, though TJ knew it didn¡¯t cost anything to keep it summoned. In her right hand, a hatchet wholly made of steel flashed with every step. Farid and Zig too kept their eyes peeled, their weapons at the ready while Rebekkah stood between Sarah and TJ, trying to stay as safe as possible. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°What¡¯s your Strength, Agility, and Vitality?¡± ¡°56, 51, 57.¡± She rattled off without having to consult her Status. TJ felt his jaw begin to drop. Her physical attributes were so much higher than he¡¯d expected, even compared to his Divine Transformation. ¡°And what two bonus attributes do you get from your Bloodline?¡± ¡°Agility and Perception.¡± ¡°And what level are you?¡± ¡°Zealot 6, Guard 7. Why?¡± TJ couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself, laughing at his inflated sense of grandeur. He began to wonder if continuing to spread himself thin with the lack of specialization of Savage was going to make him weaker than everyone else in the long term. Then, remembering he didn¡¯t really want to ascend the Throne, he chuckled again at his needless worrying. ¡°What?¡± Sarah asked, obviously a bit offended. ¡°I¡¯m laughing at myself. I thought that, with Divine Transformation, I would be so much stronger than everyone else, but I look now at you, and see that I was just full of myself for no reason. I could only begin to compare to you, and that¡¯s with my Divine Transformation.¡± Now assured he wasn¡¯t looking down on her, Sarah grinned and spoke, still keeping her eyes peeled. ¡°Yeah, but I bet your other attributes are way higher. My Wisdom, Intelligence, and Willpower are just barely at 20. The only reason my Perception is as high as it is comes from my Bloodline.¡± Before TJ could respond, Rebekkah spoke. ¡°Can we focus on the hunt?¡± She didn¡¯t say anything else. Before the atmosphere got too tense, Zig chimed in. ¡°Here¡¯s what I think she meant. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re talking. For now, though, only talk about plans about this hunt. We¡¯re taking risks, so be as safe as possible.¡± ¡°My bad.¡± TJ apologized as he went back to paying attention exclusively to their surroundings. Zig was right, of course. Though he¡¯d spent his life working together with other people and never really minding it, he¡¯d spent the formative very beginning of the Integration alone, forced to fight for himself and himself alone. With that as his foundation of the Tutorial, he was slightly resistant to the very necessary teamwork that came as a part of, you know, working together. It wasn¡¯t long before they arrived at the site of the fight. As they turned the corner of the sharp turn, there it was. On their left, a nearly sheer dropoff, large red stone patterning the way down at least 100 feet. On the right, the ponderosa pines towered over them, thick brush growing more and more dense by the day. It was hard to remember when you saw it every day, but as TJ looked at the scene of the ambush, he could see how nature was reclaiming itself. Asphalt cracked and grass grew where it couldn¡¯t possibly have only a week ago. The forest, though still in a desert in the winter, was greener and fuller than before. Then, TJ looked not at the surroundings but at the location of the ambush itself. The remains of his backpack had been mostly blown away, only a few tattered shreds of nylon remained. Beyond that, though the bloodstains were difficult to pick out on the worn gray asphalt, they still remained, and TJ felt his blood boil remembering what his friend had gone through. Then, he remembered something. ¡°Has anyone been talked to by the pukwudgies?¡± A chorus of ¡°No¡±s answered him. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Farid questioned, keeping his eyes on the forest that bordered their position. ¡°On the first day they appeared, they spoke to me, trying to get me to give Stanton up for safe passage. I didn¡¯t think about it again until now, but I realize that I haven¡¯t heard any of them speak since.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of any of them speaking.¡± Zig answered, Rebekkah and Farid nodding in agreement. Sarah had stood herself between the forest and their party with her now summoned shield at the ready and wasn¡¯t paying attention to the discussion. ¡°Ok. Maybe we¡¯ll find out why today. Maybe we won''t find anything. I don¡¯t care too much either way, I just was wondering.¡± ¡°Well, I think we¡¯re ready to go in. Is that right?¡± Zig asked. The hunting party agreed, and so they followed her into the forest. As soon as they entered, though, Farid stopped and the rest with him. Though he didn¡¯t know why, TJ watched with the rest as Farid, with supernatural speed and efficiency, dug a hole about a foot in diameter and depth. As soon as he finished it, gleaming, magical spikes appeared at the bottom, and as Farid stood up, it faded into a nondescript patch of dirt, just like the rest that surrounded it. ¡°Here is the first trap. As you watched me create it, it will be much easier for you to spot on our way home, and if we need to run, it will be best that you recall its exact location. You should have a bonus to your ability to spot it en route, but be careful. I will make a couple more on our path, so make sure to take note and follow my steps if we flee.¡± The party nodded and TJ was reminded how impactful having a team with him would be on this hunt. He redoubled his focus, and they walked onward. Though it was still early afternoon, the more and more primeval forest consumed the light that fought to trickle to the ground. TJ had loved these pine forests as a child, the few trips he¡¯d taken here remained fond memories of sitting near a campfire with Gramps, his mom and dad sleeping beside him in a tent. This forest, though mere miles from where those memories took place, was almost a twisted version of the lands he remembered. The vegetation choked all light from the air, and with each step they took deeper, the shadows seemed to loom darker and longer until much of the light of day was stolen from the environment. Worse still, though they walked farther for ten minutes, they saw no enemies. No ravening coyotes, no charging javelinas, and no ambushing pukwudgies. TJ felt the hairs on the back of his neck stick up, the wind whispering that something was nearby. Before he could speak, Zig whistled low and pointed to both sides before pulling out her bow and drawing it all the way back to her ear. Farid turned to the other side, his two pronged spear, a bident, held at the ready. Before TJ and Sarah could decide what to do, though, two silhouettes leapt from the bushes towards Rebekkah. Supernaturally quickly, Sarah charged and intercepted the ambush with her shield, one, and then two of Zig¡¯s arrows lodging themselves deep into its ribs. On TJ¡¯s side, the mountain lion was faster than he could react and bore Rebekkah to the ground. Different from the few he¡¯d seen before, this massive mountain lion was nearly pure black, and its form seemed to billow in the darkness that surrounded it. Its every movement was nearly inaudible, and TJ struggled to see it, even as he watched it. The only flash of color on the monster was its pink mouth and white teeth. It bit towards the Disciple¡¯s face as she struggled back and forth. He activated Divine Transformation as Rebekkah screamed. TJ¡¯s jaws sought the cougar¡¯s face, hoping to pull it away, but Rebekkah was faster. Though she continued to thrash, she opened her mouth and breathed a gout of fire into the beast¡¯s face. It hissed and reeled back as it swiped at her face, trying to get her to stop. TJ got there in time, and with it being temporarily blinded, his jaws found its face. Its paws continued to claw at what it couldn¡¯t see, cutting long but shallow gouges in TJ¡¯s scales. TJ didn¡¯t care, instead wrenching it back away from Rebekkah. As he did, Farid¡¯s javelin found its flesh, the crescent moon sliding up the shaft until it cut deep into the beast. It roared and TJ felt its body phase to become somewhat incorporeal. A beat later, and his coils fell through its silhouette. Nearly immediately after, the mountain lion returned to a physical form and turned to attempt to escape. TJ immediately sent a foot-long blade of wind at its legs. It made contact, making the beast falter. TJ pursued it, wrenching it back towards the party where TJ, Farid, and Rebekkah whittled it down until, after its third failed attempt to escape, it succumbed to injuries with a pathetic cry. Tezcatlipoca-Blessed mountain lion, 7 Slain. Experience gained. On the other side of the group, Sarah grunted with exertion as she pulled back her hatchet, it glowed with supernatural light, and she cleaved straight through the mountain lion¡¯s skull. It fell, dead, a dozen arrows and half as many deep cuts from the hatchet covering its body. Sarah panted, her legs covered with deep lacerations from the mountain lion¡¯s back legs. TJ waved off Rebekkah¡¯s ministrations, so she went and healed both herself and Sarah for a moment. This first fight was complete, and they¡¯d already sustained injuries. Even so, they pressed on. Chapter 61 TJ had lost less than 100 HP as a coatl, and wasn¡¯t concerned with being healed immediately. That was less than 10% of his total, so he would heal completely in less than an hour, and once he stopped using Divine Transformation, there weren¡¯t even any visible wounds. How exactly that worked, he didn¡¯t know. The concept of HP versus what he still considered to be ¡°real life¡± was strange. If he got poked in the toe enough, could it kill him? What about if he pinched someone? How exactly did HP work? HP serves as an abstraction of the damage one suffers. The greater the pool of HP, the more resistant to damage one becomes, and beyond the Gold (III) tier of Divinity, it is possible for a Participant to reconstruct much of their body through the recovery of HP, even recovering from what would have been a mortal wound to those below that tier of Divinity. Within and before the Gold (III) tier of Divinity, mortal wounds are much easier to strike, though any increase in Vitality, Toughness, and Endurance will heighten the durability and resilience of the mortal¡¯s body. If that was the case, then no, pinching someone again and again wouldn¡¯t kill them, barring it being their carotid artery or their throat. TJ refocused on their continued hunt. He¡¯d insisted on taking at least one of the corpses with them, given its viability as food as well as the intrinsic value of the pelt. He could feel how impressive these Tezcatlipoca-blessed hides would be, especially after learning that Tezcatlipoca was the Aztec god of jaguars, darkness, and a whole lot more. When he¡¯d asked, the System gave much more information than that, but he realized that, while the System had tons of interesting things to learn, it didn¡¯t truly affect him at this time. Instead, he needed to keep focusing on the hunt. He could feel that Neophyte 9 level closing in, and after that, the level 10 Skill selection. He had to admit that hearing Sarah¡¯s attributes compared to his though he had, across Class, Occupation, and Race, a cumulative 27 levels while Sarah had a mere 19 shook him. More and more, TJ realized that as a Neophyte, his place wasn¡¯t necessarily to fill the place of another Zealot, because they would swiftly outpace his Strength, even through Divine Transformation. Nor was he to be an Acolyte or Disciple, given his lack of Skills to do so. Thus, what could he do? What was he supposed to be beyond a mediocre approximation of any of the other Classes? His attributes were too well-spread, the focus of them being Vitality, Endurance, and Toughness. His Willpower was over 50, and what did it do, except for give him a couple more minutes transformed? He continued to listen to any hints from the wind about what might be around them, but he internally asked the System, ¡°What is the niche of a Neophyte compared to the rest of the Classes? I¡¯m starting to feel like the more levels we gain, the weaker I¡¯ll be in comparison to the rest.¡± The typical path of each of the Classes towards the Divine Throne is as follows: The Zealot carves, smashes, and consumes the obstacles in their path, violence and overwhelming power accompanying their every step. For each Trial they face, they use the might of their fists to prove their worthiness to ascend. The Acolyte views, plans, and follows the paths less followed, following wisdom and a connection with the world itself. For each Trial they face, they use the alacrity of their feet and minds to prove their worthiness to ascend. The Disciple heals, guides, and advises others to carry them forward on their path, a firm determination to help carrying them on their path. For each Trial they face, they elevate others to accompany them to prove their worthiness to ascend. The Neophyte enhances, survives, and carves new routes through the path established by their Bloodline¡¯s origin, their focus entirely on the ascension of their Divinity. For each Trial they face, they rely upon their own steadfast willpower and elevated vitality to prove their worthiness to ascend. TJ¡¯s knee-jerk reaction to that was to get frustrated or even angry. Instead, though, he read through each Class¡¯s focus, what their intent was, what their path was. True, the System itself was saying that the Class was built to make it through suffering, that he was granted Toughness, Vitality, and Endurance in spades so that he could survive what was thrown at him. The Class¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t to be a peerless fighter like the Zealot or a marksman and hunter like the Acolyte. It surely wasn¡¯t to be a healing Disciple, so instead, their focus was to survive on the path laid ahead while enhancing that of those who came before. Kukulkan had been a god when he¡¯d died or been destroyed or whatever. A lowercase ¡°g¡± god, but still, at the IX tier of Divinity, extremely close to getting all the way to the Divine Throne. His path was nearly perfect, so TJ¡¯s role as a Neophyte of his Path was to study where Kukulkan had succeeded and failed, to follow in his prosperity and avoid his failures. The Class was focused on ensuring he could survive long enough to learn those things and thus create his own path. Beyond that, the statement that he was supposed to ¡°focus entirely on the ascension of his Divinity¡± was interesting. There wasn¡¯t some sort of an experience boost that he received for his Class, at least, as far as he knew. That would be pure foolishness, if it were the case. Instead, was it referencing what the attributes increased for the Class? Would he face different Trials regarding it? This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The sound of javelinas crashing through the brush interrupted his musing. There would be time for introspection, and the middle of a hunt wasn¡¯t it. With a hiss, TJ activated Divine Transformation and readied himself for battle. The beasts squealed and TJ put himself in the front as he said, ¡°I¡¯m doing fine on HP. Sarah, stay by Rebekkah for now. If we¡¯re both on the front and something attacks her, we¡¯ll be SOL.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for a response as he spent 100 MP on preparing a scythe of wind to cut into the javelina¡¯s ankles. Sarah didn¡¯t approach, heeding his command. TJ waited for the beasts, their squealing and thundering coming closer and closer. He desperately wanted to send the blade formed of wind forward to cut as many of them to pieces as possible preemptively, but that would be stupid and wasteful. His adrenaline demanded that he pump more and more of his MP into the Skill, but he refused. He only needed to slow or stop that front line. That would slow those behind them, and he would trust in what the System said his Class was for¨Csurviving. The deep shadows cast by the trees overhead seemed to shake with the monsters¡¯ approach. TJ held and condensed the blade to be even thinner. A sapling was knocked over by the charge. TJ refused to pump more MP into the Skill, but still he honed this opening attack. The first javelina appeared, screaming its squealing cry. At least a dozen followed behind it, a horde of the beasts desperately charging to kill the humans. Before TJ sent his opening salvo, he Appraised the front line of five javelinas. Javelina, 6 Javelina, 6 Javelina, 7 Javelina, 7 Javelina, 6 All of them were over level 5. TJ cursed under his breath, unsure of what they might have gained from this benchmark. Even so, this was the exact moment he¡¯d prepared his Skill for, and he sent the winds scything at the pigs¡¯ front feet. With a howl and a scream, the wind whipped into their ready and waiting legs. The front line screamed in agony, their feet giving way under them. They tumbled to the ground and those behind them suddenly glowed with a silver light. Under the influence of the silver glow, the five fallen of the squadron were trampled to death, TJ receiving the death notifications and experience as the silver glow faded markedly. Then, though they were not nearly as slowed as he¡¯d expected or hoped, TJ threw himself at the javelinas, uncaring for their wickedly curling tusks, merely avoiding being trampled underfoot. He snapped wildly at whatever he could reach, his tail wrapping around one and pulling it into another. Tusks gored deep into one¡¯s eye, and TJ, seeing a javelina¡¯s eye explode in gore, reminded him to keep his own free from the range of the crazed beasts. His goal wasn¡¯t to kill them here. The first five had been enough of that. For now, it was to protect the much more exposed people behind him. As such, TJ¡¯s focus was entirely on distracting, slowing, and blinding the javelinas as best as he could manage. He thrashed, pulling as many of the javelinas off course as he could, but as they glowed with silver again. Though their glow was obviously reduced from before, their Skill or ability pushed TJ off and as he bounced against the ground behind them, the dozen remaining javelinas continued their charge. With a hiss, TJ lunged and was able to catch the flank of the rearmost javelina in his jaws. His long sharp fangs pierced through its hide and blood filled his mouth. It squealed again and kicked at his face. TJ didn¡¯t care, instead pulling himself on top of the beast. There, he watched as Sarah and Rebekkah dodged one way and Zig and Farid the other. They¡¯d build up a good head of steam, and the javelinas attempted to turn their charge and follow the dodging hunters. They couldn¡¯t, and several stunned themselves as they charged headlong into several foot-thick trees. Pine needles fell from the trees as Farid and Zig released attacks. The pigs screamed in rage as their charge was thwarted, each little squad glowing with the weakest silver yet as they attempted to run over their enemies. TJ¡¯s ¡°steed¡± followed those pursuing Rebekkah and Sarah, but as its faint silver glow appeared, it was insufficient to push him off. While TJ tried to do something while conserving his MP in this probably not as dangerous situation, Sarah pushed Rebekkah behind her and brandished her shield. With a wordless roar, Sarah activated a Skill. The javelinas trying to skirt around her and hit her flanks or Rebekkah were instead drawn to her shield, which flared with a divine power. Three pairs of tusks smashed into her, trying to launch her into the air. Either through skill or Skill, Sarah remained on her feet, grunting in strain. She didn¡¯t try to strike back, instead ensuring she and Rebekkah were safe. TJ hauled himself forward, wrapping around two javelina necks as the Flamekeeper reached a hand forward and bestowed a flame on the Zealot¡¯s hatchet. Then, with a flaming weapon and fury in her eyes, Sarah struck. With each swing of the superheated ax, a javelina fell. Even if not dead, they were out of commission, and not ten seconds later, the flames faded from the hatchet. Six javelinas were down, skulls split or spines severed. Looking at Zig and Farid, though they hadn¡¯t yet killed the whole of their half of the squadron of javelinas, they were making good progress. Only three remained, and they were bleeding from several wounds as the two Acolytes split up and harried them from both directions. Then, with a final arrow and throw of a javelin, there was a single javelina left. It turned, squealing in terror, but it was too late. Sarah¡¯s hatchet flew through the air and buried itself in the javelina¡¯s neck. It fell with a squealing groan, and then, there were seventeen dead javelina corpses in the area. TJ began to relax and release Divine Transformation. That was when Zig screamed while pulling her bow to full draw, ¡°Look out above you!¡± Chapter 62 TJ leapt to cover Rebekkah, but Sarah was faster. Again, with a preternatural speed, she rushed to Rebekkah and covered her with her shield and body. The hail of seven spears mostly lodged in her shield, but one missed entirely while the other sunk deep into Sarah¡¯s foot and pinned it to the ground. ¡°Fuck!¡± She growled as she kept her eyes up on the trees overhead. TJ did the same, seeing the faint glimmering of pukwudgies as they faded back into their stealth. A javelin sailed towards them but fell short, while Zig¡¯s attack was more successful. Her arrow split into two, and then four as it reached the pukwudgies. Two arrows hit their mark, but the goblin didn¡¯t fall. Instead, the seven prepared another volley of spears and let loose towards Sarah. She managed to catch all of them on her shield, but with the sixth, her shield exploded into iridescent shards and she sagged as the Skill was forcefully dispelled. The seventh caught her in the collarbone, sinking deep into her chest. Sarah fell, unconscious or dead, and the pukwudgies fled. Rebekkah immediately pulled the spear free from Sarah¡¯s chest, a horrendous schlorping sound accompanying the moment the last inch of the foot that had buried itself in her torso was pulled out of her chest. Then, after pulling the spear free of Sarah¡¯s foot, Rebekkah began healing. The holy light of Cure Wounds was a welcome break from the dark of the ever more imposing forest that they were in. The Disciple prayed under her breath as she exhausted herself trying to heal Sarah. ¡°Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name¡­¡± she murmured the words without pause, the prayer flowing easily from her tongue. TJ didn¡¯t care to say anything to her about whether or not any divine beings at all could hear them. Instead, he watched as Zig drew her bow back and loosed again. As the arrow reached the slightly blurry place where he supposed the ambushing pukwudgies were fleeing through, it split into two, four, eight, sixteen. The mighty hail of arrows threw three pukwudgies from the trees, falling to the ground some thirty feet below. One death notification answered the thumps of bodies falling to the unforgiving ground. ¡°TJ!¡± Zig commanded, ¡°Go kill them, there¡¯s two left. The experience might be enough to save her life!¡± TJ didn¡¯t hesitate, knowing that the faster he went, the faster he could return. Though they tried to camouflage themselves, between the taste of their blood in the air and their breathing that the winds carried to his ear, their positions were immediately apparent to TJ. With a fierce snapping of his jaws, TJ dispatched both. 3 Pukwudgie Assassin, 9, slain. Experience gained. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 9. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Point currently available. He rushed back to the group, where Sarah was groaning and sitting up. ¡°Coming back like that sucks. Not a bad result, though.¡± Sarah rolled her shoulders. ¡°Got a level in both Guard and Zealot. I feel like I can still feel that spear in me, though.¡± She shuddered. ¡°I¡¯m glad that was enough.¡± Rebekkah rolled her shoulders. ¡°I just reached a new level in Disciple as well, so I was going to exhaust myself to keep you alive.¡± Then, she grabbed the smaller Sarah by the shoulders and wrapped her in a fierce hug. ¡°What?¡± Sarah stammered. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°You saved me. You moved to protect me, and because of you, I¡¯ll have another chance to see my children. Thank you. I love you. If you need me, ever, let me know, and I¡¯ll be there. Thank you.¡± Rebekkah¡¯s voice caught in her throat, but after holding Sarah tightly for another second or three, she let go of the Zealot, the shimmer of tears in her eyes apparent without falling. She swiped at her eyes and stood. In the darkness of the forest, she seemed to glow, though TJ couldn¡¯t say why. ¡°Now, do we wish to continue? I think that we should, though all these materials seem to be valuable.¡± Rebekkah¡¯s words pulled everyone¡¯s attention from whatever other thoughts they were having. Even so, the other four remained silent after she said as much. ¡°How much MP do you have left after that one?¡± TJ asked Zig before he gave his answer. ¡°Just under 100. I¡¯ll be fine for at least one more fight and getting out of here.¡± ¡°And you, Farid?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I think I¡¯m close to a level in Acolyte, too, so I can be a bit more aggressive.¡± The Indian man smiled ruefully. ¡°I should have been already, but I was worried about becoming useless if I ran out.¡± ¡°Nah, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Zig clapped him on the back while still looking all around. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t do if at least one of us was a little smart. Thanks for being cautious. Make sure you get this level, huh?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Great.¡± TJ said. ¡°Then there¡¯s just you, Sarah. You want to keep going?¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, and I feel pretty out of my depth. Honestly, I just want to be at home in my pajamas. Unfortunately, I¡¯m in this, so here I am. Let¡¯s keep going.¡± TJ nodded. ¡°Ok. Zig, anything to add?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I wish I could range out there and Stealth to see what I can see, but I think it¡¯ll be better to stick together for now. If I get caught by one of those mountain lions, I¡¯ll die. So, that being the case, keep your eyes peeled, and I think we¡¯ll do one more fight then get out of here with whatever we think is most valuable. For now, we¡¯ll carry one of the lion corpses, and figure out the rest on our way back. Capisce?¡± The rest of the hunting party nodded and agreed before continuing on their path. They walked in silence, their steps being their only companion. The forest grew ever darker, the sound of dirt underfoot growing quieter under the oppressive aura of the more and more primeval forest. No birds sang, no insects chirped, and no rodents scampered. More and more did the oppressive aura grow, and after five minutes of walking in the off-putting environment without coming in contact with anything, Zig shot TJ a look. He shrugged, mostly agreeing. ¡°This is too much like it was last time we got ambushed. We¡¯re going back.¡± Zig said, and TJ noticed that, though they¡¯d all walked forward with confidence, after an extended period of time hearing nothing but their own breaths and steps, their valor was long since drained from them. Without further discussion, they returned back to the scene where they¡¯d slain so many javelinas and pukwudgies. There, they¡¯d be able to load up and continue on their path, though TJ mourned the loss of more experience. He¡¯d truly expected to be able to push for level 10 in Neophyte in this expedition. As they arrived at the place where they¡¯d last seen the javelina corpses, though, several had disappeared. Worse still, the game trail they¡¯d followed was gone. There was no sign of where they¡¯d come from, no footprints or broken branches. Looking past the new bushes that¡¯d sprouted in their wake, the trail had disappeared for at least another 30 feet. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t like this.¡± Farid understated. TJ couldn¡¯t help himself from laughing. ¡°No, me neither.¡± He forcefully cut the laugh off before it became fully manic. ¡°Grab what you can carry easily and follow me.¡± Zig commanded, her tone panicking. ¡°We need to get moving.¡± The party of five let Sarah carry the mountain lion while the rest each grabbed a single javelina before rushing to try to follow the direction where they had entered. With each step they took, the forest fought to keep them contained. Brambles reached up and tore at their pants, roots stretched to twist their ankles and the horizon darkened until they couldn¡¯t see anything but an endless expanse of trees. Their travels shifted from hurried but controlled to a maddened flight through the pathless forest, branches whipping at faces and terrified breathing thundering in their ears. Every shadow seemed to threaten an ambush, and though they fled for minutes, the edge of the forest refused to get any closer. Zig, Farid, and Sarah¡¯s eyes began to roll in complete, consuming terror. Sarah sobbed quietly as she ran and Farid began babbling incoherently. Zig remained the calmest of the three, though her eyes roamed constantly around them, searching for something that didn¡¯t exist. TJ realized, however, that Rebekkah wasn¡¯t quite so terrified as the rest, and as he ran behind the others, he noticed that he too was slowly acclimating to their situation. There wasn¡¯t anything except for the shadows around them, and though they could contain multitudes of enemies, they didn¡¯t. There had to be some reason for why they were all terrified, but he couldn¡¯t place what it could be. If he was the only calm one, he could understand it as just being less fearful. If it was just Rebekkah, it could be the same. Since it was both of them, though, what could it be? ¡°You feeling like them?¡± TJ asked Rebekkah as he reached forward and pulled Zig to slow a little. She resisted, but Sarah and Farid followed suit as their leader was brought to a walk instead of a run. ¡°No. I was wondering if I was the crazy one for not freaking out.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s got to be something. Something keeping us from doing the same.¡± TJ¡¯s mind raced, but after just a couple of seconds, the three terrified hunters pulled out of his hands and tried to resume fleeing wildly in the direction that they thought the edge of the forest was. ¡°Stop!¡± TJ shouted, trying to hold them back, but Sarah wrenched her arm free and sprinted away. With a groan, TJ rushed after her and activated Divine Transformation. He wrapped around her legs, and she strained but was effectively hobbled. Sarah attempted to say something, to explain why they needed to run, but she was too terrified to speak words. Unsure of what else to do, TJ sent a jet of wind to blast back her hair and hopefully snap her out of it. That did the trick, and though she continued hyperventilating, Sarah stopped where she stood. After deactivating Divine Transformation, TJ pulled Sarah towards the others, as Rebekkah pleaded for Farid and Zig to stay with her. ¡°System, am I currently suffering from an affliction right now?¡± You are currently suffering from a minor Fear affliction. While still in the presence of the source of your Fear, you will suffer from a 5% reduction in your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Willpower. Your ability to perceive reality from your fears will be diminished. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t I told this?¡± There are ways to hide the infliction of an affliction from the affected victims. TJ knew the System well enough to know that it wouldn¡¯t give any more information right now, so he instead grabbed Sarah¡¯s face and looked in her eyes before speaking. ¡°Sarah. You¡¯re suffering from Fear right now. Ask the System if you¡¯ve got any afflictions right now.¡± ¡°Am-m-m I suf-f-f-ering from an-n-ny aff-f-f-lictions-s-s right now?¡± She asked with shuddering breath. As the System gave her an answer, she continued shuddering in TJ¡¯s hands, but she did calm down enough to stop trying to run away in blind terror. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be shitting me.¡± Zig said, evidently having done the same thing as TJ had asked Sarah. ¡°Why were you two safe from it?¡± TJ shrugged, but even before he could articulate his question to the System, it gave its answer. The Willpower attribute heightens an individual¡¯s ability to resist most mental afflictions. Well, that was his answer, but a more important question was¡­ Where were they now? Chapter 63 Once the still terrified, or Feared, he supposed he should call it, members of the hunting party recovered sufficiently to stop running in any random direction they could, TJ and Rebekkah spoke about how they thought they could escape. ¡°I have no idea which direction leads us out.¡± Rebekkah admitted. ¡°Now that I¡¯m aware of the affliction, it¡¯s not affecting me nearly as much, but I¡¯m no good at figuring out where we are relative to town, especially after all that running.¡± ¡°Same.¡± TJ admitted with a sigh. ¡°I almost wish I¡¯d taken that Orienteering Skill back when it was offered. Not the first time that I¡¯ve wanted it too. I don¡¯t really notice the Skill I took instead.¡± ¡°If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, then we''d all have a merry Christmas. Now quit your complaining.¡± The words rolled so smoothly off Rebekkah¡¯s tongue that it startled TJ into silence. She then realized she¡¯d said that to a grown adult and flushed in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s something I always say to my kids. I didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡± ¡°My Nana said many of the same things. I¡¯m not worried about it.¡± TJ laughed. ¡°Zig, Farid, you have any Skills that¡¯ll let you guide us out of here?¡± Zig shivered as she shook her head no, obviously straining herself to keep from indulging in the supernatural fear that had overcome her. She clung to Sarah, the two women looking around themselves for anything that would confirm the reason for their terror. Farid, though, gritted his teeth and, through a clenched jaw, said, ¡°I might be able to. I can sense where my traps are, more or less.¡± ¡°So do you have any idea of where you left the few traps at the entrance of the forest?¡± TJ asked, hope beginning to surge. ¡°No.¡± Farid admitted, still nearly petrified from the magical fear. ¡°If we get within a half mile or so, though, I¡¯ll be able to tell.¡± ¡°Then we need to make increasingly large circles until we get a hint of where to go.¡± Zig ground out. Sarah remained wordless, hyperventilating and twitching in fear, but staying nearby. Everyone agreed, and started from there. After making a stack of rocks, TJ joined them, walking in deliberate circles, following from one tree to the next, trying to stay consistent in their steps. Even so, with all five doing their absolute best to maintain reason and orientation, each step was difficult, and while they kept the pile of stones in sight as long as they could, it wasn¡¯t long before the forest stretched in every direction, the light from the sun seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. The oppressive forest fought to inflict TJ with a greater affliction than before, but now that he was wise to the affliction¡¯s existence, he was able to stave off the worst of it. Walking in circles was nerve wracking for TJ as everything nearby knew that they would return back to where they¡¯d once been. Each time they circled by the same spot, he was convinced they would stumble across an ambush. Worse still, this wasn¡¯t merely the affliction speaking, as there was no small possibility that the pukwudgies were doing just that. However, to ensure that none of the other three truly terrified members of the party allowed their fear to hear his own worries, TJ kept his thoughts to himself. To make matters worse, it wasn¡¯t too long after being forced to internalize this fear that TJ noticed that they¡¯d strayed off course. Something about the forest surrounding them was the same as before, though he couldn¡¯t place exactly what it was. ¡°Farid, you feeling anything yet?¡± TJ asked, trying to keep his tone conversational. ¡°Other than a certainty that if this forest doesn¡¯t kill me, you will?¡± The Acolyte joked, though he continued twitching at every sound. ¡°No. Nothing yet.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± TJ nodded, keeping his every gesture calm. ¡°Why? Has it been too long? Are we going to die? What did you see?¡± Sarah immediately spiraled into a panic attack as TJ spoke, glancing back and forth while she prepared her posture to run. ¡°No, I was just thinking that, since the forest or whatever it was that did it was able to move bushes to be in our path, that it might try to move or hide our stack of rocks while we couldn¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re lost forever.¡± Sarah¡¯s legs buckled for a moment but she forced herself to her feet after doing so. TJ forced himself to remember how he¡¯d forced himself to react every time Junior had felt like this. He¡¯d always spiral whenever told no. If TJ said, ¡°No, no bike rides today¡±, Junior would say ¡°Never? You hate riding bikes!¡± and dissolve into a puddle of tears. Now, he had to deal with adults stronger than him in his Divine Transformation while their mentalities fell apart just as quickly. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°We¡¯re ok as long as we¡¯re alive.¡± TJ said. ¡°We¡¯re all basically at full resources, so we should continue doing what we are now, seeing if that will help us get home. Right? Anybody have any other ideas that might help us move faster?¡± Rebekkah was the only one who answered in the negative, the other three still fighting off the trembles of terror. With no other ideas, TJ internally groaned. He suspected that alone, he could escape the forest before too long, moving quickly and being mostly safe from ambushes from anything weaker than a wendigo. He was tempted to do so, but beyond it being unnecessary, that wasn¡¯t the kind of person he was. The desperation of the Tutorial was real, and TJ was here for himself. Even so, he refused to leave people behind simply for convenience. There was no danger to him, and beyond that, it was his fault that they were all here. Their safety was his responsibility. As he made the decision, TJ¡¯s mentality shifted, and he walked forward to put a hand on Farid and Sarah¡¯s shoulders. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. Rebekkah and I are mostly resisting the Fear, so you can see it¡¯s possible. We¡¯re here for you, and we won¡¯t leave you behind. Ok?¡± Still shivering, Zig grinned in a face that was honestly more of a grimace. ¡°Are you trying to raise a death flag for us?¡± ¡°Not sure what that¡¯s supposed to mean, but no, if you¡¯re saying that my words will somehow kill you.¡± Zig nodded, reaching out to place a hand on my own shoulder. ¡°I appreciate it. Now, let¡¯s get out of this hell.¡± The rest of the hunting party on board, TJ led the way. The few times he¡¯d taken a group of Junior¡¯s friends to the park, it had felt something like this, since most of the people under his protection were largely helpless and easily confused, but when the first ambush caught up to them, it was immediately made apparent in what way these violence-prone adults different from toddlers on a slide. Disregarding caution, wisdom, or planning, when a pack of four coyotes appeared, Zig immediately drew and loosed three arrows, every one splitting into eight. Twenty four faintly glimmering missiles lodged up to the fletching in the canines and all but one dropped to the ground while the survivor tried to hobble into the forest. Before it could get more than three steps away, Sarah flashed forward, her hatchet glimmering with the light from her Skill. ¡°Sarah, don¡¯t!¡± TJ called out, but to no avail. The empowered axe chopped through the creature¡¯s skull in a single swing, though she activated her Skill again and used it to chop through its spine afterwards. It fell to the ground in two parts, though Sarah still looked like she needed to find something else to hit. Her weapon began to glow a third time, but TJ rushed forward and placed his hand on hers. Sarah startled, seeming to begin to rear back for another attack. ¡°It¡¯s ok! They¡¯re all dead! You¡¯re just exhausting yourself for nothing. Calm down, we¡¯re going to keep moving. We¡¯re safe now, so thank you for working for us. Ok?¡± Sarah¡¯s nostrils flared as she restrained her panting, the adrenaline of the opportunity to slay one of the things that preyed on her fears purging the worst of the terror. Even so, her emotions remained heightened and she twitched as the sound of blood dripping to the ground rustled dry leaves and pine needles underfoot. TJ attempted to soothe her, but every word he said didn¡¯t seem to sink through to her. Eventually, he gave up and instead looked at the others. Farid had closed his eyes as he rocked back and forth with his clenched fists pressed to his ears while Zig took calming breaths as she grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Shouldn¡¯t have done that. Almost emptied my MP.¡± Zig apologized as they reserved circling the area. After three more rotations, an ambush of pukwudgies occurred, taking both Rebekkah and Sarah by surprise. Zig and Farid again threw an excessive response at the monsters, killing one and nothing else. Fortunately, none of the wounds sustained were severe, but Rebekkah healed herself and Sarah while looking at TJ in growing concern. Though she refused to verbalize it and set the three terrified hunters to spiraling again, TJ knew what her fear here was. The monsters would continue whittling them down until they died to attacks they easily could have survived before. One more rotation later, five javelinas sprang from behind the cover of a bush and rushed forward, silver streaking their rush. Sarah¡¯s overreaction was helpful that time, her shield and ax glowing as she charged forward and cut through everything she could touch. The moment when she ran out of MP was obvious, as she sagged and took a hit from a tusk that cut through her shield and stabbed deep into her thigh. As it happened, something in Sarah broke and, instead of her reckless attacking like before, she sprinted away, the fear she¡¯d suppressed overwhelming her. ¡°Take care of the last ones!¡± TJ shouted as he rushed after Sarah. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere!¡± TJ was forced to use Divine Transformation and Wind Manipulation to catch up to her, pushing himself forward with gusts of wind and pulling her back with the occasional inhale. Nearly a minute passed, but TJ finally managed to wrap his body around her legs enough for her mind-numbing panic to subside. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry. I-I-I don¡¯t know why I did that.¡± Sarah gasped, trying to gather her breath. ¡°Well, I¡¯m lucky you held onto the mountain lion without thinking. I doubt I could have caught you without that weighing you down.¡± TJ answered, trying to stay positive. Just as he wondered if they¡¯d be able to find the rest of the party, a rustling through the trees and bushes approached. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me.¡± Chapter 64 Sarah trembled in his hands but turned and held her hatchet wardingly as the sounds approached. She trembled and sobbed, but even so, she kept her weapon aloft and threatened whatever approached with the brandished woodcutting instrument. Before the mystery creature stepped into view, it called out, ¡°Wait!¡± TJ immediately recognized the voice and felt foolish, but Sarah¡¯s eyes went wide and wild. ¡°It¡¯s just us. Farid freaked out and started to follow you, so, to make sure we all stayed together, we decided to follow.¡± Rebekkah poked her head out from behind a tree with a mollifying smile. Sarah still nearly hurled her ax, but TJ held a calming hand on her elbow while slowly guiding the steel item back to her side. Now that the Zealot wasn¡¯t threatening death and dismemberment on their allies, TJ sunk to a squat and knuckled at his eyes, hard. What little patience he had been able to garner was instead overwhelmed by frustration and rage. He was just trying to get back to his kid, and now these three idiots were in the way. The temptation to abandon them in the forest was immense. After all, they would continue to kill anything that came near them until they themselves were killed, and while that wasn¡¯t the ideal turn of events, it would be enough. No. TJ was frustrated and angry and a mix of most other negative emotions right now, but he wouldn¡¯t leave people to die. That this was not the first time that he had to convince himself of that in just ten minutes wasn¡¯t something he wanted to confront just now. After all, if he had to think too much about it, he¡¯d lose his mind. Instead, he reached a hand out to Sarah, who had no idea what he was asking. ¡°Hand me the hatchet.¡± Though she obviously hesitated to do so, Sarah handed over the weapon. Then, with a scream of emotional release, TJ slammed it into the nearest tree one, two, three times. On the fifth hit, the tall ponderosa creaked. On the eighth, it leaned. On the tenth, it fell. With a groan and cracking branches, the ponderosa pine slammed to the ground, the boon of the fallen thousands of pounds of tree echoing through the forest. TJ sighed, straightened his back, and grinned. ¡°Ok. I feel better now. Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± ¡°You¡­ you sure?¡± Zig asked, her face half frightened and half confused. ¡°Yup.¡± TJ tossed the hatchet towards Sarah, who caught it and shrugged around the huge mountain lion she still carried. ¡°Now, keep carrying your load, don¡¯t worry about the forest around us, and keep moving.¡± Following his own command, TJ settled the large javelina more comfortably around his shoulders and led the team in a continued path. Two more circuits were completed, and they were ambushed one more time by pukwudgies. As the hail of javelins fell, TJ was their focus this time, and he used Wind Manipulation to push them away from piercing him directly. Zig tried to use her Arrow Shower, but after the arrow divided a single time, she staggered and nearly fell from the MP depletion. She shrugged off helping hands and continued on her way, her eyes darting back and forth with mounting terror. Two more circuits were completed, and TJ was sure, as he clambered over the fallen tree, that whatever was adjusting the forest had fully twisted them around. ¡°THERE!¡± Four of the party freaked out at the sudden scream, but Farid didn¡¯t care. He sprinted in a direction, basically following the direction the trunk had fallen. TJ was the first to understand Farid¡¯s excitement, but the others followed suit thereafter. Like before, they ignored brambles, thorns, and any other tripping hazard in their desperate search for escape. Now that they had a hope, a sort of a guiding beacon, their flight was no longer fueled by desperation, but by hope. TJ could see the Fear being pushed out of his companions¡¯ minds, and he hoped beyond hope that Farid wasn¡¯t mistaken or merely deluded. If this ended with them unsure of where they were, then TJ was sure that it would be soul-crushing. When Farid pointed at a spot to avoid because it was where an untriggered trap was, the entire group sighed in relief, knowing that they had, in fact, found the right trail. Surprisingly, the stoic, put-together Rebekkah had the most explosive reaction as she collapsed to the ground in a heap of sobs. TJ couldn¡¯t understand her barely audible prayers, but what little he understood was enough to know she was grateful, not bitter or angry. He leaned down and patted the woman¡¯s shoulder, a grounding she seemed to appreciate as she leaned her tear-stricken face against his hand. TJ couldn¡¯t quite understand her viewpoint, but before he could ask any clarifying questions, something tickled at the back of his neck, a warning of something nearby. He whirled, looking for whatever it was that was creating this feeling. The wind didn¡¯t tell him anything, seeming not to understand whatever it was that was off-putting to him. Zig, the hunter with the highest Perception, didn¡¯t feel it either, or at least she didn¡¯t respond when TJ gestured to her. Then, as he dismissed it as an aftereffect of the Fear, a breathy voice whispered in his ear, ¡°You feel me. You know I¡¯m here.¡± Turning wildly, there was nothing there. Nothing to let him know that the voice he heard was real. The others reacted to his panic, but he held up a hand to stall any speaking. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡­ was right!¡± The being or monster screamed. ¡°You¡¯ve finally touched enough of the divine to feel my touch. To hear my words. To feel my pain.¡± At its words, a crippling loneliness, the distinct feeling of being forgotten by a close friend, of being abandoned by those who should have protected you washed over TJ. He groaned involuntarily, the emotional anguish of being left to suffer and die filling him. TJ involuntarily groaned as he bent over, the chill of an icy knife in his belly, nearly as physically agonizing as the wendigo¡¯s claws when they¡¯d pierced him. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°You abandoned me! You left me to die! You didn¡¯t help me, you watched my death! You forgot me. You let my son grow up without a mother!¡± The spirit¡¯s words struck TJ like a physical blow, it¡¯s hatred haunting him. More than that, the hissing whisper slowly became a voice TJ recognized, one he knew intimately. A voice he¡¯d heard sing and shout and cry and whisper and murmur and laugh. Mari¡¯s voice. Mari was here. Mari¡­ hated him? Blamed him for her death? ¡°You rejoiced when I died, didn¡¯t you? You got a life insurance payout, got to have everything taken care of for years, and now you¡¯re wandering around the forest with some other woman.¡± ¡°No!¡± He shouted, uncaring of the reactions of the others. ¡°I¡¯ve never forgotten you! I spray your perfume on your pillow every Saturday. I tell Junior the stories of how we met, where we dated, and how much you loved being his mom! Every day, I talk about how important you were, no, are to him!¡± ¡°Liar!¡± Mari hissed, her form materializing in front of him. A pillar of light fell from between the trees, and a mist coalesced into her bone-achingly familiar form. She wore the same yoga pants and loose tank top she¡¯d died in, her blood and the stains from the asphalt staining the white of her shirt. ¡°You were grateful for that money!¡± ¡°Of course I was grateful to have half a million dollars, but I¡¯d pay it back with all the interest in the world if it meant I could see you again. I¡¯d sell the world for you, and you think some fucking money would change that for me?¡± ¡°Words are cheap, husband.¡± Mari whispered, her fingers trailing down TJ¡¯s tear stricken face. ¡°Prove your devotion. Your love.¡± Alarm bells rang in TJ¡¯s mind. Mari never wanted any proof from him, other than a kiss and a foot rub. Then, he smelled her perfume. Sweet. And perfect. ¡°What do you need?¡± He asked, his mind slipping away from his concerns. Zig and Farid were saying something, but it didn¡¯t matter. Only his wife did. ¡°Can you get me a body?¡± Her tone was reasonable, normal. TJ didn¡¯t question the request. ¡°Of course. How can I get you a body?¡± ¡°That redheaded one¡¯s will do nicely.¡± ¡°What do I need to do for you?¡± ¡°Kill her of course. Make sure not to damage the body too much, hon.¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ll make sure it isn¡¯t too damaged.¡± TJ turned to Zig, sure she¡¯d understand what he was going to request. It was for his wife, so of course she wouldn¡¯t mind, right? ¡°Zig?¡± ¡°You¡¯re scaring me, TJ. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I just need something from you. It¡¯s just that¨C¡± Mari¡¯s screams of agony cut through his reasonable request. Whirling, TJ watched as that bitch Rebekkah¡¯s flames cut into Mari¡¯s spirit. He didn¡¯t hesitate to activate Divine Transformation and jump in front of the fire. Rebekkah stopped her Skill nearly immediately after he interposed himself, and TJ leapt towards her, his jaws wide open. She¡¯d pay for attacking Mari. For laying hands on his wife! He¡¯d prove his devotion. ¡°APPRAISE IT!¡± Zig screamed as she tried to wrench him from his path. Sarah dared to stop his defence of his wife, her shield appearing and smashing his back from attacking. He roared his wrath as he was pushed away. ¡°Please TJ!¡± Farid pleaded. ¡°Just Appraise the thing you¡¯re talking to! Then you can do what you want!¡± ¡°Back the fuck off.¡± Sarah growled. She didn¡¯t plead. She held her shield aloft, her eyes glowering behind her shield held high. Mari¡¯s whispers prodded him to keep attacking, to get her that body, but the wind said to do as they asked. Out of the corner of his eye, Mari leaned forward, tears streaking her face. ¡°Please. Baby, I just want to be with you.¡± Chindi, 8 The Appraisal told him something that shook the surety from his mind. He gritted his teeth as he asked the System aloud, ¡°What¡¯s a Chindi?¡± Chindi is, according to the Navajo belief, the spiritual remains of those who have died. It is all that is malevolent and malicious of those who have died. NOTE: Due to your Title as an Elite Hunter, you learn that this Chindi is an Elite monster. Mari reacted as quickly as the System. She fled without another word, the mist fading to nothing in the shadow, and as her presence faded, TJ¡¯s certainty that she was, in fact, his wife, faded. He dropped his Divine Transformation and stumbled away. ¡°The hell is wrong with you?¡± Zig demanded. TJ shook his head and stumbled away in the direction of the highway. Before anyone else could make any other demands of him, a group of ten more damned pukwudgies appeared and hurled their spears. Though their opening salvo took TJ by surprise, the fury bubbled up inside him again, and he activated Divine Transformation. The rest of his party was most out of resources, but he, having been so careful to maintain his MP after gaining a level, lost all sense of rationality. With a roar and a hiss, TJ conjured a tornado that ripped from his mouth, the air tearing leaves and branches from everything in its path. The spears flew in every direction without any target, and as the pukwudgies resisted being yanked from their perches in the trees overhead, TJ maintained the tornado while compressing a half dozen spears of wind to blast them from their position. He sent them forward as he felt his MP falling. TJ didn¡¯t care, and as the six bodies met each other in the center of the maelstrom, wind shredded their bodies, and TJ didn¡¯t stop until his MP was reduced to 0. He didn¡¯t care. There needed to be something to vent his rage, and TJ smashed the pukwudgie bodies in front of him, uncaring for anything but the opportunity to kill something. The blinding headache suddenly faded, and TJ was pulled from his mindless fury for long enough to notice the System notifications. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 10. Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Point currently available. Skill Selection available. Race: Human has advanced to level 10. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Points currently available. Chapter 65 TJ was saved from the killer headache by the levels gained, but his mind was far from capable of merely moving past what he¡¯d just experienced. He deactivated his Divine Transformation, still surrounded by the massacred bodies of the pukwudgies. Though they asked, TJ disregarded every question that came at him, instead stalking away and running his fingers through his hair in a doomed attempt of calming his mind. It did nothing, and as the gained levels had returned his emptied MP and partially depleted Stamina, he had nervous energy in spades. With a grunt, TJ leaned down and grabbed the javelina he¡¯d dropped once he¡¯d seen Mari¡¯s face. Slinging it over his shoulder, he began walking towards the edge of the forest, now barely visible. ¡°No, you can¡¯t pull that shit.¡± Zig shouted, though without approaching him too closely. ¡°Were you about to attack me? Why?¡± TJ merely grunted, the sight of Mari¡¯s sobbing face filling his mind. Could it really have been her? If it had, would she really have been so bitter? Or was it because the chindi was merely all the anger and disappointment that was left behind by her death? There were too many questions that this monster¡¯s existence brought up, and the only person TJ could think to ask wasn¡¯t here. Thus, he needed to return to town. ¡°Stop.¡± Sarah commanded as she stepped in front of TJ and dropped the mountain lion¡¯s corpse. ¡°You need to answer some questions. If you¡¯re going to act like this, then why would we let you come back to town? You¡¯re at least as dangerous as one of the Elite monsters, and if you¡¯re going to snap and try to kill people¡­ I don¡¯t know if we can let you leave.¡± Without thinking, TJ shrugged his shoulders. She would dare challenge him like this? After he saved their lives and stuck with them? Then, before he responded in his anger, TJ watched as Rebekkah stared at him. Her entire body trembled with fear and each shuddering breath. Zig stood with her bow in hand, an arrow already conjured on the string. Even Farid had one of his javelins at the ready, and TJ fought to master his immediate reaction to all this. He¡¯d need to see from their point of view, and from what little he¡¯d shown thus far, he was a loose cannon that was looking to get them all killed at their earliest convenience. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m sorry. To better explain, I would like to know what you all saw, because I¡¯m sure it¡¯s different from what she, no, it showed me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything until Rebekkah burned it.¡± Farid offered, looking at the three women. ¡°Did you see something?¡± Zig and Sarah shook their heads in the negative, but Rebekkah nodded. ¡°It was a¡­ ghost, or something. I couldn¡¯t see it very well, but right when you started to talk to it, it got more and more visible until I could kind of see a woman in it. Then, you¡­ got really scary. The way you looked at Zig, it was like she was prey for you. So I tried to burn it, and then you know what happened.¡± ¡°Yeah, when it started to burn, I could see something. Just like¡­ a face that was in agony and so angry. So¡­ angry.¡± Farid shivered at the memory, and TJ fought to change his perception of the spirit. Maybe it truly wasn¡¯t his wife. It could be that it was merely a formless monster. ¡°Ok. I saw it as my wife. I saw Mari¡¯s face, and she knew who I was. She talked about our son, how she died, and the life insurance payout that I got after she was killed. Every word she spoke drew me in more and more. She accused me of forgetting her, of being happy she died. That I was trying to replace her. So she said she could come back if she had Zig¡¯s body.¡± All four of the people who had gone on the hunt with him recoiled at the admission, at the thought that he¡¯d sacrifice her for his wife. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and before continuing on his speech, he asked the System aloud, ¡°What afflictions have I been under the influence of in the past ten minutes?¡± You have suffered from a minor Fear and a severe Charmed affliction in the past ten minutes. ¡°What¡¯s the effect of a severe Charmed affliction?¡± Severe Charmed affliction: While still in the presence of the source of your Charm, you will be 600% more likely to agree with whatever the source of the affliction suggests. You will be 500% more likely to feel positively about the source of the affliction, and you will be 400% more likely to do whatever it is that the source of the affliction requests. TJ sighed and swore more under his breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never would have guessed that I was being Charmed. I wouldn¡¯t have known that was an affliction. I was wrong. I¡¯m sorry Zig, for being deceived. I¡¯m sorry Rebekkah, for taking it out on you. Farid, Sarah, I¡¯m sorry for losing myself.¡± The four other hunters obviously checked with the System with what he was saying. Zig was the first to speak, her voice still accusatory. ¡°What level?¡± ¡°Severe.¡± She asked the System again, and getting its answer, asked in disbelief, ¡°Really? That bad?¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know why it was that strong, but I guess it was because it¡¯s an Elite? I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°If it was an Elite, we were lucky. Probably not a creature meant to fight head on, since a wendigo could have done a lot more to us in that case.¡± Zig mused, still keeping her distance from TJ. However, his explanation seemed to be enough for now, as she gestured for the others to gather their assigned monster corpses. ¡°You walk in front for now please.¡± Sarah demanded as she gestured for TJ to lead the way. He didn¡¯t complain, welcoming the opportunity to be back in his own thoughts. Mari wouldn¡¯t have ever treated him that way, but, if it was just the most negative parts of her without the tempering of her laughter, her sweetness, her care, and her love, then could she have been so bitter? The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°In the future,¡± he asked the System, ¡°how can I resist Fear or Charm?¡± Wisdom and Willpower are the primary attributes necessary for any individual to resist any mental affliction. Though there are items and Skills that allow for a Participant to better resist the effects and infliction of afflictions, the primary determiner of whether an individual resists part of or the entirety of an affliction comes from their Wisdom and Willpower. Though Wisdom was far from his highest attribute, that Willpower was the other determiner and his very high Willpower wasn¡¯t enough was a sobering thought for TJ. When the Chindi inevitably returned, TJ couldn¡¯t say how they¡¯d be able to deal with it, even if they had the entirety of the town to help. TJ shook his head, trying to shake the thoughts and fears free while he was at it. After all, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to wallow in this. The only reason why he was trying to be the one to ascend to the Throne was because that would allow him to return to life with his wife and son. Immediate goal, complete the Tutorial and see Junior. Secondary goal, somehow win the whole thing. That idea was overwhelming, but the long term goal and end result was what he focused on. With that in mind, TJ rolled his shoulders, settling the javelina across his shoulders more comfortably before pulling up his Status.
Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Human ¨C lvl 10 Class: Neophyte lvl 10 Occupation: Savage lvl 10 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 610/610 Mana Points (MP): 440/440 Stamina: 600/600 Attributes Strength: 30 Agility: 29 Endurance: 67 Vitality: 69 Toughness: 57 Wisdom: 37 Intelligence: 47 Perception: 45 Willpower: 58 Fixation: 49 Free Points: 2 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Elite Hunter Current total maximum Divine Transformation time: 1:00:45 (End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4 Current cooldown: 0:00 Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Coatl ¨C lvl 10 Class: Neophyte lvl 10 Occupation: Savage lvl 10 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 1380/1380 Mana Points (MP): 470/470 Stamina: 1340/1340 Attributes Strength x2: 60 Agility x1.5: 44 Endurance x2: 134 Vitality x2: 138 Toughness x2: 114 Wisdom: 37 Intelligence: 47 Perception x1.5: 68 Willpower: 58 Fixation: 49 Free Points: 2 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Elite Hunter Divine Trial Records 2 Minor, 0 Moderate, 0 Bitter, 0 Celestial
He hadn¡¯t looked at the Status while in the Chindi¡¯s Forest, as he started to think of it, so seeing the changes those three levels he¡¯d gained had on the Status as a whole was heartening. The fear and rage that boiled inside of him threatened to wipe away all rational thought, but TJ fought to focus instead on what was currently in front of his eyes. Level 10 across all three possibilities, though he hadn¡¯t gained anything in particular from reaching level 10 as a human like how he¡¯d gained the Appraisal Skill from level 5. Divine Transformation could now last for over an hour, though only just barely. There were two more Free Points that he nearly decided to throw right into Intelligence but decided against as he was reminded that he had a new Skill to select. He would decide where to place those Free Points after choosing that new Skill. A part of him thought it might be more prudent to wait until he was back in town, but the need to occupy his mind was too great, and TJ pulled up the Skill selection options. He was surprised to see three returning Skill options. Shredding Bite: Though born a human, you have embraced the savagery of combat that a bestial form lends. As a predator, your teeth are sharp, and as a serpent, your mouth is built to swallow creatures whole while your teeth prohibit their escape. Even so, you have used your mouth to shred and tear, to rip and destroy. This Skill will strengthen and broaden your fangs as a coatl to teeth meant to tear creatures apart. In addition, this Skill will grant an additional +1 Strength attribute per level of Neophyte, to be applied retroactively. Crushing Body: Though born a human, you have embraced the savagery of combat that a bestial form lends. As a predator, your body is hardened, and as a serpent, your entire body is an instrument of destructive potential. In keeping with your serpentine nature, you have broken body and bone, crushed organ and flesh with the force of your constriction. This Skill will strengthen your musculature as a coatl and human alike to better allow you to destroy the bodies of your enemies, not just through constriction, but through any bludgeoning force. In addition, this Skill will grant an additional +1 Strength attribute per level of Neophyte, to be applied retroactively. Mindful Mouth: A serpent can taste the world around them, and you have embraced this shift in perception, tasting the air as you move and live. This Skill will better hone your ability to taste and smell the world around you while you are in the form of a coatl or its subsequent evolutions. The bonus to Perception from being in the form of a coatl will change from x1.5 to x2. Though he¡¯d ultimately chosen not to go with any of these Skills, TJ still felt the allure of Shredding Bite and Crushing Body. An additional 10 Strength, 20 while using Divine Transformation, would be immense. He¡¯d already begun to feel himself lag behind in the physical department and this would serve to close that gap. Mindful Mouth still didn¡¯t appeal to him, so instead, TJ looked at the other two Skill options. Raging Coatl, (Copper (I)): You are a Neophyte of Kukulkan, and you have indulged in the fury of your bloodline. This Skill will allow you to fully lose yourself in the bloodlust and fury of your Divine Transformation. While using the Divine Transformation Skill, you will gain a 50% increase to every one of your attributes. In addition, you will gain the Fearless and Painless conditions while using your Divine Transformation. As a consequence, while using the Divine Transformation Skill, you will be inflicted with severe levels of the Bloodthirsty, Enraged, and Frenzied afflictions. Wind Scythe, (Copper (I)): You are a Descendant of Kukulkan, and have displayed a familiarity with his rule over the winds. This Skill will better hone your ability to use Wind Manipulation as a weapon. This Skill will strengthen the cutting power of Wind Manipulation while decreasing the MP cost of all usage of the Wind Manipulation Skill with the intent to cut. TJ supposed he should be grateful to have such varied Skills to choose from, as with so many options placed before him, he could distract himself long past the time it would take to arrive home. Chapter 66 As he considered his options, their travels took them out of the bounds of the Chindi¡¯s Forest and onto the highway. There, though part of him longed merely to continue musing over the Skill options, TJ figured that it would be for the best if he paid more attention to their surroundings. He peered around, looking for whatever could be nearby. As he did so, Rebekkah walked up next to him and placed a hand on his elbow. Looking down at the slightly shorter woman, TJ tried to look as open and honest as he could manage. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for your reaction.¡± Rebekkah said. ¡°There may be others who cannot help but to blame, and if so, that is their prerogative. Do know that I forgive you your weakness in that harrowing moment.¡± TJ couldn¡¯t bring words through the lump in his throat, the unexpected ball of emotion threatening to overwhelm him completely. Instead, he merely nodded his gratitude. ¡°That said,¡± Rebekkah continued, ¡°you need to make a decision. Will you live in the past? Will you lose today in yesterday and allow the pains and sufferings of a life lost too soon to steal all opportunity for happiness? Or will you allow tomorrow to be brighter than today, allow that pain to wash over you and through you and then leave you in its wake?¡± There was a soft yet pained tone to her voice, something that warned TJ of her wisdom. ¡°You lost a spouse?¡± ¡°My second son would be 13, if he hadn¡¯t drowned in a neighbor¡¯s pool.¡± Rebekkah answered, the mental image shaking TJ to his core. ¡°My family and I nearly broke from his death, but we¡¯ve recovered. We miss him dearly, but there is a future without him. We will see him when we return to God¡¯s arms.¡± ¡°You really think there¡¯s a God out here when all this shit is happening? Really?¡± TJ whispered in disbelief. ¡°How can you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re hurt, and bitter, and I understand.¡± Rebekkah answered, surprisingly calm after the insult. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said¨C¡± ¡°You meant what you said, and I forgive you. To answer, I hope there is a True God out here now. I hope that He hears our prayers and witnesses our suffering and is here for us. I hope He feels my fear and washes it away with the certainty of His divinity. There is much I hoped for before all this and much more I pray for now.¡± ¡°Even though the System said the Divine Throne is empty? It sure seems like it knows everything.¡± TJ doubted. ¡°I¡¯ll believe the things it says that I can see. Maybe it¡¯s a bit hypocritical to say that as a woman of faith, but I¡¯ve found my path, and I¡¯ll keep hoping it¡¯s right.¡± Rebekkah laughed. ¡°And you know, if there isn¡¯t one right now, there will be. So, whoever it is, I¡¯ll pray for their well-being and mercy and love.¡± Though he couldn¡¯t bring himself to agree with the idea, TJ also couldn¡¯t bring himself to continue thinking she was foolish for hoping. Sarah and Zig listened to the conversation while still keeping their distance from him. Farid approached, clapped a hand on TJ¡¯s shoulder, and smiled. Half of the people who¡¯d been affected by him succumbing to the Chindi¡¯s influence were willing to extend the olive branch, and he felt obligated to reach out again, more honestly, to Sarah and Zig. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know that there isn¡¯t much of anything that I can do to prove myself, but I¡¯ll do what I can to gain your forgiveness.¡± Then, without pushing his apology further, TJ continued walking the trail and paying more attention to their surroundings while trying to decide what to choose for his Skill. Of the two new Skills, the easier to address was Wind Scythe. It read to be somewhat underwhelming, if he was honest. A large part of this was due to the generic, unclear phrasing the Skill¡¯s description had. ¡°Strengthen¡± and ¡°Decrease¡± were basically useless for him in terms of understanding exactly how much impact the Skill would have on him. Regardless, that the Skill was Copper tier was enough to speak of its potential and potency. Though there was plenty that he did with Wind Manipulation that didn¡¯t involve cutting, it was quickly becoming his chief use of the Skill. Thus, even with the vague and generally unexciting language in the Skill description, it was a contender. The more complex and confusing Skill was, of course, Raging Coatl. The blanket 50% boost to every one of his attributes was beyond what he¡¯d believed possible. Effectively, it would double the strength of his Divine Transformation, though not solely on the attributes he already received. Even so, that increase was more than enough for TJ to want to take it outright. The rest of the Skill¡¯s description, though, gave him pause. First, the phrase, ¡°fully lose yourself in the bloodlust and fury of your Divine Transformation¡± was far from a pleasant idea. Like with Wind Scythe, the description wasn¡¯t clear on what exactly it offered in this case. He felt he was relatively sure that the three afflictions that the Skill would permanently inflict on him while using the Skill would illuminate that concern, though. Before that, though, he wanted to understand the two other conditions that Divine Transformation would give him with Raging Coatl. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Fearless condition: While under the influence of this condition, your resistance to the Fear affliction and its variants is increased by 300%. Painless condition: While under the influence of this condition, your susceptibility to pain will be reduced by 75%. On their face, TJ saw the benefits from these conditions, as being Fearless almost certainly would have saved him from being affected at all by the Chindi. The Painless condition would save him from being crippled by taking a severe hit, though he hadn¡¯t yet found himself crippled by pain. On the other hand, he also immediately understood the potential problems posed by these conditions. He knew the reasons why the human body felt pain and fear, and they weren¡¯t small. Pain let the mind know that he was damaged, and fear allowed the body to react more decisively to dangerous situations. Did he want to neuter himself like that? Then, there were the three Severe afflictions the Skill would put on him. ¡°As a consequence, while using the Divine Transformation Skill, you will be inflicted with severe levels of the Bloodthirsty, Enraged, and Frenzied afflictions¡±. TJ hadn¡¯t encountered these afflictions, and as he checked them, he was more and more sure that he wasn¡¯t ready to be so debilitated while using his primary Skill from his Class. Severe Bloodthirsty affliction: While under the influence of this affliction, the afflicted will suffer from a 500% increase in their desire to attack and harm others. In addition, the affliction¡¯s duration will be extended by one minute each time that the afflicted draws another¡¯s blood. Severe Enraged affliction: While under the influence of this affliction, the afflicted will suffer from an 80% reduction in their ability to engage in rational thought. In addition, the afflicted will be 300% more likely to experience surges in their emotional state with each inconvenience that occurs. Severe Frenzied affliction: While under the influence of this affliction, the afflicted will gain a 60% resistance to all positive and calming effects. In addition, the afflicted will lose 60 HP per minute if they cease all movement or are forced to cease all movement. TJ couldn¡¯t help but sigh in response to reading the descriptions. All the afflictions and conditions combined would probably force him to devolve into a mindless, ravening beast for the entirety of the time that he spent using Divine Transformation. That may serve him later, after the Tutorial, but for now, he had to work with other people. If, at the time to defend the grocery store, he exhausted himself in a bloodthirsty rage, he¡¯d die. If, even worse, he attacked one of the other defenders, he¡¯d be killed by his allies, and he couldn¡¯t blame them. ¡°If I get the Skill to come back at a later time, like what happened with Introductory Divine Primitive Craftsmanship?¡± There is a possibility of that occurring, though in order for a Skill to be offered again at a later opportunity with an improved grade, it would be necessary for you to have improved your usage of the precursor of the Skill being offered. As an example, before you were offered the Introductory Divine Primitive Craftsmanship, you created a Copper tiered item. Thus, if you wish to be offered a higher tier of the Raging Coatl Skill, you must first act in a way that proves that your steps on the Path are those of a Raging Coatl. With his answer received, TJ fully dismissed the Skill. In the world after the Tutorial, the Skill might be worth much more to him, but he had a goal to complete, and with specific tasks assigned to him, he knew that Raging Coatl would be a detriment, not a benefit. Then, there was the other Copper tiered Skill offered. Wind Scythe was impressive in name, and he¡¯d already named a particular use of his Skill the same thing. Then, he knew that he¡¯d be much deadlier with this additional aspect to his Skill heightened. Even so, efficiency in using the Skill didn¡¯t seem like it was the best choice to make. After all, he could already do those things, and he knew from asking before about other skills that getting a Skill for something specific would allow him to do that something better than he could without it. Even so, did he feel like his Wind Manipulation wasn¡¯t deadly enough? No. His Skill was already capable of cutting through Elites, and though he was sure that the Boss could resist the Skill as it was, he had over a week to heighten his abilities and attributes. Who knew, he could even reach the Copper tier of Divinity by then. Regardless, he didn¡¯t think that his Wind Manipulation needed the bonus from Wind Scythe. Thus, he returned to the three Skills that had been offered to him before. Mindful Mouth was still off the table, so TJ needed to choose between Shredding Bite and Crushing Body. In the basic terms, both of the Skills served the same basic function¨Cgive him more points in Strength and serve to enhance a part of his physical combat abilities in the coatl form. That this would also help him to a lesser extent when Divine Transformation had to recover wasn¡¯t something to be forgotten, given that there was effectively no way that he would gain enough levels by the end of the two weeks to leave him capable of maintaining the Skill for the 18 hour defense listed in the Tutorial¡¯s description. Thus, the decision came down to if he wanted to reinforce his ability to constrict whatever he wrapped up, or the strength of his bite. TJ knew what snakes did to kill their prey¨Cvenomous bites or constriction. That was how they killed. Conventional knowledge would suggest that he follow the same path, either gain venom or become a constrictor of sorts. Conventional knowledge could go rot in a hole. TJ was a magical monster, and he wasn¡¯t going to make a decision on which Skill to take based off of how mundane snakes existed. He was a descendent of the Feathered Serpent Kukulkan, known as Quetzalcoatl and a badass flying serpent. And, frankly, TJ wanted to be like a dragon. With that thought in mind, TJ made his Skill selection and felt his body grow stronger. Skill: Shredding Bite acquired. Chapter 67 TJ felt it was strange to leave behind Copper tiered Skills in favor of one that had been offered to him at the very first opportunity. Sure, he hadn¡¯t taken it at that time, but now he had and though he welcomed the change, especially when seeing his Strength as a coatl soaring to 80. Even so, he¡¯d been assured by the System that Skills could continue to progress, and the idea that the Skill could offer greater changes to his attributes and ability to deal death was heartening. As the effects of the Skill settled over him, the party of haggard hunters stepped into the bounds of Pine. It may have all been in their heads, but TJ could feel the moment they arrived in the safe zone. It wasn¡¯t too far from his and Stanton¡¯s claimed home at this point, and TJ realized that he¡¯d have to move before too long, given the shrinking radius of safety that surrounded the general store. He¡¯d always hated moving, but given that none of the things that filled the home, except for the unprocessed javelina hides and wendigo bits, were his, it wouldn¡¯t be too troublesome. As he turned to stagger into his home, TJ groaned. The sun was beginning to set, and there was so much left to do. So much that even assigning the two Free Points he had settled over his soul with an annoying weight, but TJ refused to slow down. He was emotionally and physically exhausted, and that couldn''t matter. ¡°Do you want me to leave the materials to you? Or someone else? Or should I just get started tanning the hides and seeing what else we can do with these things?¡± ¡°Take em.¡± Zig answered, still curt. TJ didn¡¯t push, merely nodding and asking that they leave the bodies near enough to the house as to not inconvenience him. Sarah grunted and let the mountain lion corpse drop where she stood and took two steps away. Before anyone reacted to that, though, she turned around, picked it back up, carried it respectfully to the door, where she dropped it, muttered an apology to TJ, and walked off. It was so unexpected and just outright silly in the situation they found themselves in that the frosty air that had settled over the rest of the hunting party melted and most chuckled aloud. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say about that,¡± Zig said as she allowed a grin to crook at the corner of her mouth, ¡°but I think that¡¯s enough of being pissy. TJ, I don¡¯t think I can trust my back to you right now. Feelings are still too raw, frankly. Even so, I get you weren¡¯t really in control of yourself, and it isn¡¯t fair of us to be pissed at you when, while we didn¡¯t threaten you directly, you still stuck with us when we were in the middle of that Fear. I¡¯ll need time away from you to feel totally safe, but I still know you¡¯re on our side, and you don¡¯t deserve to be treated like shit. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡­ I appreciate it.¡± TJ changed from apologizing as well, instead accepting the apology. ¡°I understand why you might not want to be around me. Still have days of this left, though, and I hope we can still work together.¡± ¡°Sure. Have a good evening, snakey boy.¡± Then, Zig turned to walk to the firehouse after dropping the javelina corpse nearby. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine soon. I bet Sarah¡¯s just embarrassed.¡± Farid said, though he looked nowhere near as confident as his words made him seem. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying. But she¡¯s a friend and good people. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°I might worry about it,¡± TJ answered, ¡°but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll wake up with a hatchet buried in my skull. Thanks, Farid. Have a good night.¡± ¡°Sure. If you need someone to come with you on a hunt, let me know! Just¡­ I don¡¯t think we should go back to that forest any time soon, how about you?¡± ¡°No. Not if I can help it.¡± TJ answered with a shudder. Rebekkah left without another word, though she groaned in relief as she dropped the corpse to the ground near the house. She nodded and walked towards the firehouse as well, making TJ wonder if he wanted to go there now and allow himself to relax. The thought of being left with nothing to do with his hands as the memories of Mari¡¯s face twisted by that monster¡¯s intent¡­ he didn¡¯t want to deal with that. Then again, there was Angelo he¡¯d wanted to speak to¡­ ¡°Rebekkah?¡± TJ called out as the woman continued walking. She turned. ¡°Could you ask Angelo to come visit me? I have a couple of questions I wonder if he can answer.¡± ¡°Of course. You can come as well.¡± ¡°Not this time.¡± TJ felt his smile grow bitter and brittle. Rebekkah merely nodded and continued on her way. TJ sighed and turned to the pile of five corpses. The four javelinas, now that they were out of the oppressive darkness of the Chindi¡¯s Forest, were vaguely silver, even without their charging Skill. Looking down at the corpses, TJ Appraised them again. Ironhide Javelina corpse. A mostly whole corpse of a javelina whose evolutionary path has been decided to be towards becoming more and more impenetrable and powerful in their charges. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. TJ hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the death notifications of the javelinas when they¡¯d died, but after asking the System to bring the notifications back, he saw that they were indeed called ¡°Ironhide Javelinas¡±. That probably meant the hides would be worth significantly more than those of the regular javelinas they¡¯d killed before, and TJ decided to skin the corpses immediately. With the Wendigo Blade and occasional bursts of wind that he sent through the tip of the Blade, TJ was quickly able to skin one of the javelinas. It was a less bloody affair now that he drew on attributes so much higher than before, and that paired with the much superior tool compared to his stones from before allowed TJ to be mostly through the second corpse¡¯s processing by the time Angelo turned the corner. ¡°Oh. Hi. You looking for help or something? I¡¯m a Medic, not a Tanner or whatever.¡± Angelo said, though he seemed entirely unphased by the bloody scene. ¡°Well, yes.¡± TJ grunted as he pulled the skin back off the flesh and tore it from the connective tissue. ¡°But not with this. I encountered something else from your people, and wondered if you¡¯d be able to tell me about it.¡± Angelo¡¯s easygoing stance shifted to become more guarded. ¡°Just because a lot of the stuff here is Indian doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s Navajo.¡± ¡°I know, the System already said that it¡¯s Navajo. Called a Chindi. Something you can talk about?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. But you shouldn¡¯t really talk about the recently dead.¡± Angelo hedged. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± ¡°Ran into what I thought was my dead wife¡¯s spirit.¡± TJ deliberately kept himself focused on the task at hand, trying not to focus on the reality of what he was saying. ¡°It was¡­ like all the angry, mean parts of her without all the good. It Charmed me, gave me an affliction that basically made me listen to what it said. Long story short, when I Appraised the thing, the System said it was a Chindi. I asked it what that was, and it just told me it¡¯s basically an evil spirit. Is this thing¡­ the ghost of my wife?¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s not exactly what Chindi is. Did your wife die in the Integration?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s been over a year.¡± TJ shook his head and Angelo shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s probably not her, then, unless she died near here. That said, the System is twisting and changing a lot of our beliefs, so it might just be presenting whatever it¡¯s making as if it were a Chindi. Or¡­¡± he trailed off, worrying at his lower lip for a moment as he thought. TJ didn¡¯t interrupt as he shucked the last of the second javelina¡¯s pelt from the body. ¡°It could be that it is a Chindi, and from someone who died in the forest. Then, strengthened by the System to become a monster, its power now allows it to better influence people who come near it. A Chindi is the representation of all that is evil, malicious, and angry left by a person, and this sounds like it could be that. I don¡¯t know anything else about this monster in particular, but did you pick something up in the forest that could have belonged to someone? Because Chindi is much less of a creature than a¡­ presence or a miasma. If you have an item from the dead, the Chindi will follow that, as the miasma is linked with that person¡¯s items.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we had anything like that.¡± TJ shrugged. ¡°We killed some of the monsters there and so on, but no clothes or bones or whatever.¡± ¡°Well, then I think it might well be the spirits of those who died in that forest, empowered by the System and come to be something worse than what they¡¯re named.¡± Angelo shrugged, as though he couldn¡¯t be bothered to care much more about it. ¡°And I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s your wife. Maybe you said something that gave it that idea, and then it capitalized on it.¡± TJ sighed. ¡°I guess that¡¯s good news. Ok. Thanks.¡± ¡°Sure thing. Thanks for remembering my tribe. Before I go, you need any healing?¡± ¡°I leveled up just before this.¡± TJ shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks.¡± Angelo nodded and went his way towards the hunter¡¯s lodge, where he jogged in. On a whim, TJ continued to watch as the door opened, and inside the building he saw a surprising amount of bare flesh. TJ sighed and, without thinking about it, looked down at his hands. Across the road, the twenty-somethings were just losing themselves in sex and alcohol and whatever else that could take their minds off of the lives they now led. TJ, moping widower that he was, was elbow deep in viscera while he carved the skin from the flesh of javelinas. Self pity aside, the bodies needed to be processed and there was work still to do. TJ could feel the experience coming through as he did this most menial yet integral part of the processing of the hides. He grumbled to himself as he realized he hadn¡¯t prepared any fire or anything to boil the brains to smear on the hides once they were prepared, and TJ remembered the little aside the System had provided for him on the other hides he¡¯d prepared. ¡°the process artificially accelerated by the creator¡¯s presence in a Tutorial¡±. The longer he took to do this, the less experience would come his way. Unwilling to lose more time, TJ set to tearing into the third of the javelinas. These were just going to serve as the warmup for the much more interesting mountain lion. Its description, Tezcatlipoca-Blessed mountain lion, drew TJ¡¯s imagination, and after learning that Tezcatlipoca was the Aztec god of the night sky, he figured he knew where their near invisibility and incorporeality came from. So, he focused on cleanly, effectively carving the hides from the javelina corpses. The third was complete before long, and the fourth followed soon thereafter. Though he could feel that the next level was nowhere near, TJ still decided to take care of the cleaning of the hides and lathering on the brain mixture before touching the mountain lion. ¡°Mr. TJ! Hey! Where are you? You said we could come back later and get some more training, so here we are!¡± Molly¡¯s voice pulled TJ from his thinking about what exactly to do next, and as he looked down at all the materials and hides that still needed more attention, he called out to the two teenaged Crafters, ¡°I¡¯m out back! Hope you brought your gloves!¡± Chapter 68 TJ had to admit that, though they¡¯d said they were willing to do the dirty work, he hadn¡¯t expected a whole lot from the two teenaged girls. After all, they were, as far as their conversation had told him, regular high schoolers before the Integration occurred. Now, he asked them to work scraping little bits of flesh and connective tissue from the pelts laid out in front of them before taking a brain paste soup thing and slathering it all over the pelt they¡¯d then prepared. And, though both Tessie and Molly winced and made gagging noises, it was more performative than real distaste. While his two assistants followed exactly what he¡¯d asked them to do, TJ rolled his shoulders and turned to skin the mountain lion while asking a couple questions. ¡°Our goal is to get you to level 5 for now. How much progress did you make while I was gone?¡± ¡°We¡¯re both level 3 now.¡± Tessie answered, keeping her focus on the pelt they were treating. ¡°I think we¡¯re getting close to 4.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m real close.¡± Molly agreed. ¡°We finished working with the other things you prepared for us and then there wasn¡¯t really a whole lot we could do. I carved something and got a tiny bit of experience, but it wasn¡¯t really worth it so I went on a little hunt with a bunch of other people. It¡¯s, like, super dangerous, but I got to level 5 in Neophyte!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not there yet.¡± Tessie moped. ¡°I don¡¯t have something like your Divine Transformation so it¡¯s hard to really get in there and I¡¯m a terrible shot with my bow.¡± ¡°OK.¡± TJ interrupted them. ¡°You¡¯re working with a higher tier of material now. These come from javelinas that were over level 5, so they¡¯re probably going to be able to push you over level 4. Then, as soon as you¡¯re level 4, stop what you¡¯re doing and tell me. We¡¯ll get you working with some wendigo materials once you¡¯re both level 4. I really don¡¯t want you to do just one thing and push yourself over the threshold. So, better to play it safe than sorry, ok?¡± The girls agreed to do so at the same time, though Molly looked a little miffed at being so directly commanded on what she should and shouldn¡¯t do. TJ didn¡¯t care and set to cutting the vaguely smoking hide from the mountain lion¡¯s corpse. He wasn¡¯t halfway through when Molly stepped close, though not so close as to be in arm¡¯s reach. ¡°I just hit level 4.¡± ¡°Already? And you, Tessie? You close?¡± She didn¡¯t answer for a moment, but as she put the final touches on spreading the javelina hide wide to dry, she turned with a tired smile. ¡°Yeah. Just hit 4.¡± ¡°Great.¡± TJ said as he looked down at his blood-covered hands and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll clean up really quick then we¡¯ll move inside. You¡¯re probably getting a bit cold by now anyways, so wait inside.¡± Both the girls nodded as he said as much, but before they went in, Tessie asked, ¡°Can I wash my hands too? They¡¯re all gross.¡± ¡°Sure, both of you come with me. Might as well get a little cleaner, since the Wendigo stuff isn¡¯t too dirty.¡± ¡ª- After taking the necessary time to get clean and then warm inside where Stanton had built up the fire, the Crafters were ready to get the experience and Trial boost he hoped he could offer them. Stanton sat in front of the fire, watching with a possibly disapproving scowl. Or maybe just the scowl of an old man past his bedtime. ¡°These are what you¡¯re going to work with.¡± TJ explained as he held a whole wendigo claw in front of each of the girls. ¡°They¡¯re the fingers of the wendigo. Yes, don¡¯t make that look, I know it¡¯s gross. However, these are the best materials we¡¯ve got. Period. I managed to make something Copper tiered with them, and that counted as me completing a Minor Divine Trial. I don¡¯t know exactly what that means, but I can guarantee that they¡¯ll be important moving forward. More immediately impactful, though, was me getting better Skill options presented to me when I hit level 10. I want to see if I can get you guys a leg up at level 5. Make sense?¡± Molly was the first to respond, happily nodding as she took the finger. ¡°What should I do with it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I should tell you.¡± TJ shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you just following my instructions will count. Maybe it would give you a better chance of creating something at Copper tier, or maybe it¡¯ll end up keeping you from reaping the benefits I¡¯m hoping to give you. I won¡¯t make the decision for you, though. If you want me to coach you through it, I will, just know it might be worse for you.¡± Molly stopped to think about what TJ was offering, but Tessie made her decision immediately. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself. I think I¡¯ll take it home tonight and see what I can come up with. Maybe, in the morning, I¡¯ll have an even better Skill than you!¡± Tessie grinned, putting her hand out to take the wendigo¡¯s finger. With a smile, TJ passed it over. ¡°Is there any general advice you want before you get working? Maybe materials you could or should use?¡± ¡°If I do, I¡¯ll come by later.¡± Tessie set her jaw and nodded once. ¡°I think I should do this by myself.¡± ¡°I will too, then.¡± Molly nodded to herself. ¡°If we have any questions, you¡¯ll still be here?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± TJ responded. ¡°You need anyone to walk with you back to your house? I¡¯m sure Stanton would be happy to.¡± While the two girls tripped over themselves explaining how they didn¡¯t need help, Stanton stood up with a grunt and shot TJ a grumpy look before gesturing for the two girls to follow him. They waved goodbye to TJ before they walked out the door and left him to his own devices. Though his Vitality was now basically seven times what it had been at the time of Integration and he didn¡¯t shiver in the cold of freezing weather, the warmth of the fire called for him. It whispered to him about sweet dreams and easy sleeping, but TJ knew that wouldn¡¯t be possible. At least, not with his current focus on ensuring he got stronger every day. Thus, before he got too comfortable inside, TJ walked himself back outside into the cold. The chill of the night threatened to settle into his bones, but TJ merely rubbed his hands together before going back to cutting the mountain lion¡¯s pelt free. With the Wendigo Blade, the fat, connective tissue, and flesh quickly gave way, and it wasn¡¯t long before TJ had cut the skin off entirely. Then, with one of his old sharp rocks, he carefully scraped the bits of flesh that remained off. Though he knew that using the Blade would go much faster, with this singular opportunity to prepare and use this particular pelt, TJ decided to take no chances. Thus, he painstakingly dragged the edge of the stone ¡°knife¡± across what was left of the shadowy mountain lion. By the time TJ had returned from fully losing himself in the process of preparing the pelt, Stanton had been standing behind him for some time. How long, he couldn¡¯t say. As soon as he turned to spread the brain mixture over the pelt, though, Stanton grunted to get his attention. ¡°You could have walked those girls down to town. Why not?¡± ¡°Just wanted to keep doing this.¡± ¡°Sure. And it has nothing to do with you not wanting to be around other people right now? I¡¯m not sure what exactly happened, but there¡¯s whispers about your hunt today going¡­ awry.¡± ¡°Everybody¡¯s alive and home, right?¡± TJ grunted as he gritted his teeth. ¡°Nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Just a new monster you didn¡¯t know how to deal with.¡± ¡°Fucking hell Stanton.¡± TJ slammed his hands against the table he was working on. ¡°Do you expect me to know how to do everything? I¡¯m already coaching people in getting Occupations while being the highest levelled person in town. What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Get off your high horse is the first order of business. Or maybe throw away your hero complex. I don¡¯t know what turn of phrase you want to adopt, but here¡¯s the reality of it: You¡¯re not the highest levelled person in town. At least, you¡¯re not the only one. Zig hit the same levels you have today on your hunt, and she¡¯s working for everyone else here. Lots more people are closing in on your level and might very well pass it.¡± ¡°Great!¡± TJ retorted, ready to be done with the conversation. ¡°It is great, kid.¡± Stanton reached a hand out to TJ¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No need to think you¡¯re where this will all succeed or fail. You¡¯re getting caught up in the fact that when we came here, you were far and away the strongest person around. It¡¯s not the truth any more, and that¡¯s good. Now, if you want to talk about why you don¡¯t want to be around everyone else when you wanted to before, go ahead. If not, fine. Just know that it¡¯s ok to be imperfect.¡± TJ continued to work with his hands, slathering the brain soup liberally into what would be leather. He sighed and nodded. ¡°Thanks, Stanton. I¡¯m good for now. Just¡­ dealing with this new life, you know?¡± The old man grunted and walked back into the house. After taking the time necessary to clean up all the spare scraps of skin and flesh from preparing the carcasses, TJ made the decision. He loaded himself up with two of the javelina corpses and began carrying them towards the general store. On top of that, TJ didn¡¯t allow himself the excuse of going to clean the corpses right now. Instead, he merely carried them inside the store and past a guard he didn¡¯t recognize by name. Then, he dropped the bodies in the butchery before leaving to collect the next load of two javelina corpses. After the second load, the guard asked, ¡°Is there anything else you need to bring? I can get someone to help. After all, the food¡¯s for everyone.¡± ¡°Nah.¡± TJ forced a smile. ¡°There¡¯s just one more load, and I¡¯m almost done. Thanks though.¡± ¡°Sure thing. You¡¯ve done a lot for us, and I¡¯m glad you kicked my ass into gear. I was too ready to just do nothing until I realized how important it was for me to do anything at all.¡± TJ nodded and gave a more natural smile as he appraised the man. Zealot, 5 This man, someone he¡¯d thought to be wholly unremarkable, had gained at least a total of 10 levels across Occupation and Class. He was about as strong as TJ was when he came here, and though that was¡­ four days ago? Three? TJ was losing count. Anyways, the rest of the town was getting stronger much faster than TJ was. Closing that gap would allow them to stand up to all the threats that would continue to appear in the coming days. With that in mind, as TJ carried the mountain lion¡¯s corpse to the general store for its imminent butchery. Maybe they would make it through this apocalypse. He allowed himself to relax somewhat after he dropped the last skinned corpse at the butchery and walk towards the firehouse. Maybe there would be some leftovers? As soon as he walked into the communal area, an accusing voice accosted him. ¡°Why the hell are you in here?¡± Chapter 69 TJ looked for whoever was the subject of the angry address, but he quickly realized that it was, in fact, for him. Looking around, he saw that several faces looked at him in distrustful fear, and in their center was Jeff. His face was screwed up in rage, and as he shouted, his face went nearly purple with the overwhelming force of his fury. ¡°We don¡¯t want monsters in here, so get the fuck out!¡± Jeff walked forward, his finger accusing and jabbing at TJ¡¯s chest. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± TJ demanded, slapping Jeff¡¯s hand away with more force than necessary, the crack of the slap echoing in the concrete room. ¡°I¡¯m getting some dinner.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the problem, you always have been!¡± Jeff screamed. ¡°Ever since you got here, you¡¯ve been dangerous and trying to hide it, but you can¡¯t any more. You tried to kill people today! You¡¯re a monster and you shouldn¡¯t be around people!¡± Though he fought to retain some measure of composure, TJ immediately lost all handle on his rationality. ¡°Who the hell told you anything?¡± ¡°And he doesn¡¯t deny it!¡± Jeff screamed while refusing to answer. ¡°He knows he¡¯s been caught, and now he¡¯s trying to silence the truth. Don¡¯t let him lie his way out. A dangerous monster, and we¡¯ve let him into our home. A treacherous snake in the grass looking for the next opportunity to bite!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what happened, and you were too busy sitting at home doing jack shit while I went out helping everyone else!¡± TJ insisted, but around Jeff, more and more faces turned to look at him with fear and distrust. When Granny Penny¡¯s face twisted into an emotion TJ couldn¡¯t place, he lost it. Already exhausted, TJ didn¡¯t think before he lashed out with a closed fist. Jeff was waiting for it, and his armor appeared around him with a clinking of metal. However, TJ¡¯s recently enhanced strength combined with the fact that Jeff was only level 4 according to TJ¡¯s Appraisal sent the Zealot stumbling back with a bloodied lip. He began to try to shout something else, but TJ was having none of it. With a snarl, he used Wind Manipulation to pull the man back into range, where TJ lunged forward to attack again. Now that he was ready, Jeff wasn¡¯t so easily knocked down. He raised his fists, ready to shout something else, but TJ refused to be put on the back leg and activated Divine Transformation. As a 30 foot serpent appeared in the middle of at least 50 people, screams echoed out as Jeff raised his weapon. Others moved threateningly in the rest of the room, but TJ only cared for one person. His mind screamed for slaughter, for Jeff to pay for his accusations, for his ignorance for challenging Kukulkan¡¯s honor! But no. TJ was not a murderer, certainly not for something so petty. Instead, he wrapped all around Jeff¡¯s torso while holding his arms flat to his sides. Then, once the adversarial asshole was fully immobile, TJ flashed his jaws, new bladelike fangs threatening Jeff¡¯s life. The bastard went silent as he saw how close to death he was, and those rallying to support him did too. TJ¡¯s blood continued to pump wildly in his ears, but as he heaved one breath after another, he spoke, Wind Manipulation carrying his words further and louder than before. ¡°If I wanted to kill someone, they¡¯d be dead. Like you. I¡¯m done dealing with you all. I¡¯ve saved dozens of lives already, and you listen to some ignorant, weak, jealous fool instead of reality. He told me he¡¯s a level five in his Occupation today, and he still hasn¡¯t crossed level 5 with Zealot, if that¡¯s true. A whispering, gossiping weakling who can¡¯t do anything for himself except for run his worthless fucking mouth.¡± TJ shook his head, his feathers pulling the wind more eagerly through them, filling the enclosed space with a growing gale. ¡°I¡¯m done. When you have a Chindi coming to twist your minds to kill each other, I won¡¯t save you. When a wendigo comes to eat your flesh and crack your bones, I won¡¯t mourn you. When a herd of javelinas trample your homes, I won¡¯t rebuild them. I¡¯ll be here for the boss and the defense because I have to, but since I took Jeff into my home today and offered him advice on how to get better Skills and in return, he decided to treat me like a monster, I¡¯ll be your troll under the bridge. Cross my bridge and meet my fangs. I¡¯m done.¡± As he finished, TJ transformed back to human. He couldn¡¯t keep himself from pushing Jeff much too hard, sending him stumbling into a nearby table, glasses clattering and silverware falling. Jeff started to open his mouth, but Farid was there, and to TJ¡¯s surprise, he threw a wicked haymaker Jeff hadn¡¯t seen coming. The Zealot fell to the ground and Farid¡¯s handsome face twisted in true hatred. ¡°You know nothing! You¡¯re worthless and do nothing but pine after a woman that doesn¡¯t care about you! Are you so stupid that you think this is helpful to anyone?¡± Then, while Jeff was still sputtering his anger, Farid lunged forward and kicked Jeff¡¯s stomach so hard his armor dented. While he still wheezed on the ground, Farid spoke aloud, addressing the whole of the people in the room. ¡°Justice dies when the weak and evil are allowed to speak while the good do nothing. I will explain what happened, to show you that my friend TJ did nothing wrong and was only a victim! What this foul stain on the floor refuses to remember, what he fails to mention, is what the monster did to all of us, and how TJ saved our lives.¡± Though he¡¯d resolved to leave them behind, to forget helping the rest of the inhabitants of the town, Farid refused to let Jeff¡¯s words taint anything. As TJ watched, Shiva¡¯s descendant explained the Fear that had consumed his mind, that had forced him to rush around without a thought, how he¡¯d been less than half the warrior that he¡¯d learned to be while under its influence. He spoke of the reassurances TJ had made, how TJ¡¯s plan allowed them to move towards escape and push the worst of the Fear off as they had something to do. ¡°TJ was unaffected, and he could have escaped at any moment. Instead of that, he stayed with us, chased after Sarah when she lost her nerve, and when he caught her, instead of lecturing or yelling at her, he comforted her! Is that something a monster does? No! He is a good man, and just a man, like the rest of us. When the monster decided to stop trying to kill us because TJ¡¯s plan led us to escape, it left the rest of us alone and focused on him. It saw he was the most powerful, and showed just how despicable it is. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°The Chindi, that monster, took his wife¡¯s face and controlled his mind. If you think making everyone so afraid that they can¡¯t think isn¡¯t enough, he controlled TJ¡¯s mind. Made him think that he had to kill Zig to get his wife back. He was mind controlled, and it was scary, but did he hurt anyone? No! He was scary for about 15 seconds, then he was back and we scared the monster off. Did he need 15 seconds to kill someone? No. Even being mind controlled, he wasn¡¯t a monster or violent. ¡°So don¡¯t you¨C¡± Farid punctuated his words with another kick into Jeff¡¯s ribs, the man sat on the ground as his mumbled excuses were washed out by Farid¡¯s furor, ¡°fucking dare to cheapen his pain and his work for us. I¡¯d rather feed you to the monsters out there before I allow you to slander him. Now get out before I show you what an angry descendant of Shiva the Destroyer will do to you!¡± Before Farid could continue attacking Jeff, the man, eyes swollen from the punches he¡¯d taken, rushed out of the firehouse. Farid spat in Jeff¡¯s direction as the Zealot fled, his rage slightly mollified by Jeff¡¯s flight. Even so, he was far from done. With his hands held open, Farid spoke to the people in the firehouse again. ¡°You all owe TJ an apology for listening to rumors instead of him. I hope he can forgive me for my part in allowing the liar to spread his tales as far as he did.¡± Farid bowed his head in an earnest apology, and TJ, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes for Farid''s genuine support of him, stepped forward and took Farid into a rough hug. After slapping his back a couple of times, TJ let go and stepped back. Something about his vulnerability there must have changed something in the way these people perceived him, because although Penny was the first to step forward, she was outpaced by younger, healthier people begging for forgiveness. In the press of people, TJ nodded as one person after another asked for him to forget the way they¡¯d been swayed by Jeff. Before long, Penny pushed through a couple people before reaching up to TJ¡¯s shoulder and pulling herself close. ¡°There¡¯s a quote I like for moments like this, though I wish I¡¯d been able to do it instead.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± TJ asked, unsure of what the old woman was going to say. ¡°Whole lot of people have gotten used to running their mouths. Oh¡­ how did he say it? People got used to disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it.¡± ¡°Granny Penny,¡± TJ said, a smile creeping over his face, ¡°are you quoting Mike Tyson at me?¡± ¡°One of the greats!¡± The old lady grinned wide. ¡°I know I messed the quote up, but I¡¯ll tell you, if I was just a couple levels higher and bit healthier, I would have beaten Farid to the punch. Literally!¡± ¡°Thanks Granny.¡± Penny patted his cheek and pulled away through the crowd. Others didn¡¯t lie and say they would have done the same thing, but most of the apologies seemed genuine enough that TJ didn¡¯t want to hear them any more. He was about to escape anyways, just wanting to get out of the press of people, but Penny caught up to him again, carrying a plate loaded with meat and boiled potatoes. Surprisingly, she¡¯d heaped a gob of butter on top, the luxury item slowly melting over the hot tubers. TJ smiled as he thanked her and then Penny shooed the rest of the well-meaning or simply bothersome people away. He took the time to make his retreat, the emotional whiplash from Jeff¡¯s accusations and Farid¡¯s support serving to exhaust him completely. TJ walked out of the firehouse, looking down at the heaping pile of food on his plate, and scoffed a little. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I let that happen.¡± Farid apologized once again outside of the building. ¡°I should have made sure that he would never be able to speak for as long as he did, but I was too shocked. I¡¯m glad you got a couple hits in though.¡± ¡°He made the decision to be an ass. I don¡¯t think anyone could have stopped it before it escalated to that point.¡± TJ said, trying to be rational. Even so, he felt his rage boiling under the surface, threatening to melt everything in his path. ¡°Who the hell told him I was trying to kill someone?¡± ¡°That was my fault.¡± Zig said as she faded into view from a particularly deep shadow. TJ had to fight back a snarl of rage as she walked forward with her hands held high in an attempt at mollifying him. ¡°What the hell did you think was going to happen when you told him?¡± ¡°I was trying to tell everyone about how dangerous this Chindi was, and gave that as an example. I wasn¡¯t trying¡­¡± Zig trailed off, seeming to grapple with what she was saying. After a moment, she looked up and met TJ¡¯s eyes. ¡°Those are excuses. I was still scared and hurt and it made me stupid. I tried to have people be scared of you, but I wasn¡¯t thinking that someone would act like that because of it. I was wrong, and I¡¯m sorry.¡± TJ stiffened and stepped back away from her. Zig tried to walk forward, to make another excuse, but he shook his head, keeping her from coming too close. ¡°TJ, really¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me. I can¡¯t trust you.¡± He saw that his words fell on her like hammers, but TJ didn¡¯t care. ¡°You knew that people look at me like I¡¯m some kind of monster. You told stories about how I¡¯m a hero to try to combat that, and now you¡¯re working against it? I can¡¯t understand you, and I don¡¯t want to be around you.¡± ¡°You tried to kill me!¡± Zig said, incredulous. ¡°Can you blame me for being scared?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± TJ responded, his blood feeling like ice. ¡°But do you remember the last thing you said to me? It was, if I remember correctly, ¡®I¡¯ll need time away from you to feel totally safe, but I still know you¡¯re on our side, and you don¡¯t deserve to be treated like shit.¡¯ Seems like a pretty fucking shitty thing to do to someone if you ask me. Come talk to me if you want. Talk with other people we trust if you need to. You¡¯re going to talk like that around people we know hate me? You must be deluded or stupid, and I don¡¯t care which. Zig, I get it was a moment of weakness, but you don¡¯t have a monster or affliction to blame this time.¡± Zig tried to say something else, but Farid spoke instead, ¡°You¡¯ve both felt betrayed by someone you trusted today. Let¡¯s stop talking before we say anything else that can¡¯t be taken back. I trust you both, and I¡¯ve seen both of you at your worst today. Get some rest. Tomorrow will be better than today.¡± TJ clenched his jaw, wanting to argue back, and saw that Zig was doing the same thing. He just nodded and turned on his heel back towards his house. His steps echoed through the night and TJ fought to settle his emotions enough for rest. After his meal, the sleep still didn¡¯t come easy. Chapter 70 Since he¡¯d gone to sleep much earlier, even though he hadn¡¯t slept well, TJ found himself waking early, the sun¡¯s light only barely peeking over the horizon. He stumbled out of his room, and there waiting for him was Stanton. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about last night.¡± The old cowboy said. ¡°I never thought that cowpie given life would pull the shit he did. You didn¡¯t deserve that.¡± TJ shrugged. ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t. Maybe I did. Even after sleeping it off, I don¡¯t want to deal with anyone else.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your right. You want to go get breakfast?¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯ve gotta.¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s go.¡± Stanton spoke with an easy certainty, and TJ felt that, just as with Farid, he had a true friend in this old man. They walked in companionable silence out of the house, and TJ felt some measure of movement further down the road. Someone he didn¡¯t recognize in time rushed into the general store, though TJ couldn¡¯t bring himself to care too deeply. Then, while they continued to walk, another flurry of movement exploded out of the general store, and Laura hurried out, though not quite to the level of running. Instead, in as composed a way as possible, she speed walked to intercept the two walking men. ¡°What is it?¡± Stanton asked, subtly standing in front of TJ. ¡°I need to apologize for the actions of my ex subordinate.¡± Laura immediately got to the point. ¡°You and I both extended him many graces, and in return, he spat in our faces. Jeff has been removed from any semblance of a leadership position, and the only place he is currently welcome while within the bounds of the town is a singular building on the outskirts.¡± ¡°That was quick.¡± TJ responded, his tone as level as he could manage to make it. ¡°Was there any fallout?¡± ¡°Nothing that you¡¯d need to concern yourself with. I¡¯d always considered Jeff to be slow to change but with a good head on his shoulders, but it just goes to show how well you can know someone after less than a week.¡± Laura bowed her head, her curly hair falling around her face and obscuring it completely. ¡°Again, I apologize for his actions. I would also like to personally express my gratitude to you for your support of the other hunters in your party as well as your continuous willingness to put yourself on the front lines, regardless of if it is for the town as a whole or not. It cannot be overstated the influence you have had on us, and I do not believe that we would be capable of surviving this Tutorial without your guidance and presence.¡± Though it felt forced, the gratitude and apology from the Bureaucrat rang true. TJ chuckled under his breath, remembering she was a career politician before all this. The Mayor of a city, regardless of how small it was, would have experience in public relations. ¡°Thank you for your apology.¡± TJ nodded. ¡°I¡¯m happy to continue working in tandem with the current residents of this town. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be quite so happy to go exploring though.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say that we would like to do that either. Even so, we can¡¯t say that we know what other option is available to us as people who need to defend this storefront. We need to gain experience.¡± She trailed off, looking at TJ expectantly. He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to guide this town any more, Laura. They¡¯re going to continue to see me as a monster, and I¡¯ll live with that. But I don¡¯t want to deal with people treating me like I¡¯m going to hurt them at the easiest opportunity. So I won¡¯t. There¡¯s plenty of people who¡¯ve gained enough levels to at least nearly be my peers. They can guide the rest of the hunting parties and see what they can achieve. I¡¯ll keep doing what I do, and if the people I trust want to talk to me, they can.¡± ¡°Are you sure that is in everyone¡¯s best interests?¡± ¡°Yeah. If they think, even a little, that I might try to kill or worse, eat them, then we can¡¯t work together. We¡¯ve gotta trust each other, and there won¡¯t be any trust between us, not like that.¡± Laura pursed her lips. She took a deep breath, trying to sort out what to do next, TJ supposed. He did feel bad for turning her down like this. Laura had, missteps notwithstanding, always listened to his counsel and supported him. She¡¯d never treated him badly, even when he¡¯d appeared as if he were a monster, and didn¡¯t she deserve some level of consideration? Should he just deal with the week of uncomfortable conversations and situations to ensure that the end of the Tutorial was as safe and secure as possible? The thought was foreign, and TJ, aloud, asked the System, ¡°What afflictions am I currently under?¡± You are currently suffering from a minor Friendliness affliction. While under the influence of the Friendliness affliction, you will be 25% less inclined to sweeping shifts to your emotions and 10% more likely to consider the origin of the affliction as someone you trust. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°You could have asked me as well, TJ.¡± Laura was wholly unafraid of being found out, and, as the Affliction faded from his Status, TJ realized that he didn¡¯t mind too much either. At this level, it didn¡¯t mean much, though her willingness to use it in this moment was eye opening. ¡°You would inflict an affliction on me?¡± ¡°Just as much as I would offer you tea and a snack were we to be in my office in Kingman. I am the preeminent political authority in Pine at the moment, so I should be someone you trust or I shouldn¡¯t be in my position. I would hope that, given your goal of returning to see your son after this Tutorial, you can understand the benefit of not being wholly swept away by your emotions.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that, if this affliction did any more than it does, I wouldn¡¯t be nearly so forgiving.¡± Laura shrugged. ¡°I have my aura going at all times to attempt to keep everyone as happy as can be in town. If it helps, you¡¯re not at all special in the way I¡¯ve treated you here.¡± ¡°I just want you out of my head for now. Can you do that?¡± ¡°Sure, I can exclude you from my aura. I¡¯m sorry if my approach was more than you want to deal with right now, but the town can¡¯t stand to lose you at this time. Let me know if there¡¯s anything I can do to help to convince you to continue to help the town. At least, more than you will be already.¡± At that, Laura nodded her head and walked back into the general store. TJ and Stanton watched the mayor return to her ¡°office¡± in the store, and Stanton grunted before spitting into the forest. ¡°Politicians. She¡¯s a good one, but she¡¯s still a damned politician. Chose to be a Bureaucrat. Must be something wrong in her head.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. After we eat, you want to come on a hunt with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m with you, kid.¡± TJ smiled as he and Stanton walked into the firehouse. ¡ª- Their meal passed quickly. The awkwardness of people being overly polite grated on TJ, and he refused to engage too long with any of the people who came and tried to speak with him. He realized that many of those who approached genuinely just wanted to talk, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to engage with them beyond surface level conversations. The few requests he got to let them tag along on his next hunt were politely but firmly rebuffed, while TJ and Stanton both hurried to eat as fast as they could manage. Outside of the firehouse, they went to walk away, but someone came and stopped them. When TJ and Zig¡¯s eyes met, he could feel the tension radiating off of her. ¡°Zig, let me apologize.¡± TJ spoke, not stopping when Zig tried to interrupt. ¡°I realize you were just trying to vent last night and then Jeff twisted what you said for his own agenda. I know that I¡¯ve said stupid and mean things about people I love, so to say it about someone who actually threatened your life? Well, it makes sense. So I forgive you for messing up, and I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t accept your apology last night.¡± ¡°Shit man.¡± Zig scoffed. ¡°I feel like what I wanted to say doesn¡¯t compare. But here¡¯s the thing. I messed up. I¡¯m sorry.¡± TJ nodded. He was, quite frankly, sick of dealing with so many people all the time, and wondered if, once the Tutorial was over, he wouldn¡¯t be pushed to work with others all the damn time. The thought made him laugh, considering how much he¡¯d wanted to be around other people when this Tutorial all started, but maybe the Integration had revealed a part of TJ that he¡¯d never known existed. ¡°You need any backup today or will it just be you two?¡± ¡°Just us.¡± ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want a Disciple or anything?¡± ¡°I should be fine for that.¡± Stanton answered and with his response, Zig nodded and backed off. ¡°Happy hunting.¡± With a sigh of relief, TJ led Stanton out of the bounds of the town. In mere minutes, they left the safe perimeter, the forest outside seeming to take on an ominous hue. The sunlight, powerful though it tried to be, couldn¡¯t cut completely through the shadows of the growing trees. Where humanity had beaten down nature before, now nature reclaimed its territory with unending dedication and unyielding finality. TJ wondered if humans would be able to push back the incursions of the natural world after the Tutorials all finished. Given where his home was, would he return to a shell of a building reclaimed by the thin scrub brush of the valley? Would only sand remain of the house all his memories of Junior took place in? There was no way to tell, and instead, TJ had things to kill. He would gain levels, grow stronger, and overcome this damned Tutorial. Less than eight days remained, and TJ would take advantage of every minute he had. That day¡¯s hunts passed with little incident. After gaining so many points in Intelligence and Fixation, TJ could keep Stanton safe from pukwudgie ambushes, and everything else could be dealt with or evaded if necessary. After two dozen creatures were dead at their hands, Stanton and TJ gathered up the most valuable materials that resulted from the hunt and retreated back to town. Then, they ate a quick lunch where they talked about the possible uses of a Lifebloom before they went back out. More pukwudgies, coyotes, and javelinas died at their hands, again without any real danger. After dropping off the spoils of their second hunt, they went for a third before dinner, setting out to ensure they had enough time to return home before the sun set. After dinner, TJ cared for the pelts he¡¯d already prepared while preparing the newest additions, and this all while coaching Tessie and Molly through their next step. They¡¯d both managed to create items that the System counted as Minor Divine Trials, even though the end results weren¡¯t Copper tiered. Then, after TJ finished teaching the girls, he went to rest to do it all again the next day. And the day after that. On the tenth day after the Integration, he set out on a special hunt¨Cone to reach level 15 in Neophyte. Chapter 71 Over the past days, TJ had reached level 17 in Savage and 14 in Neophyte. His level 15 Skill selection in Savage was unimpressive, though Equipment Fabrication, Prehistoric Huntsman, and Stealth had returned as options while Primeval Champion had not. The other two options, Savage Countenance and Lone Survivor, hadn¡¯t appealed to him, given that the first would make him even more intimidating while the second gave bonuses focused on him remaining alone. Though TJ¡¯d been minorly betrayed by someone who¡¯d continuously been an asshole to him, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be alone frequently enough for Lone Survivor to help him. Speaking of Jeff, he¡¯d taken his exile with about the same level of dignity as TJ¡¯d expected, which was to say with no dignity whatsoever, and by now, on the tenth day after the Integration, Jeff was a social pariah and left to fend for himself. Such desperate measures left the man no choice but to hunt, and since nobody wanted there to be more deaths, he was allowed to take a small portion of whatever he successfully hunted with the team he was forced into that day. Going back to TJ¡¯s Skill selection, he¡¯d been torn between Equipment Fabrication and Prehistoric Huntsman, as while Stealth was useful, it was far from the top of his list of priorities. The two Skills offered him something that, more and more, he realized he would need in the next five days. Up until now, he¡¯d always had the opportunity to take time to rest between hunts, to allow his resources to replenish and for the Divine Transformation total time to tick back down. When questioned, though, the System promised that the defense of the grocery store would take place over the course of 18 hours. That was time that he couldn¡¯t simply spend in the form of a coatl and then step back for twice the time he spent engaged with the enemy. Thus, he needed Skills that would enhance his ability to contribute to the fighting effort over a longer period of time. Equipment Fabrication would, in theory, give him superior weapons, armor, and whatever else he could come up with. More than that, though, was the promise the Skill made, that he would learn ¡°how to craft materials into equipment that grants attributes and other possible boons.¡± The prospect of equipment that gave better bonuses than the very basic armor and weapons he¡¯d made thus far was tempting. But so too was Prehistoric Huntsman, as instead of the possibility of creating very impactful equipment, Huntsman offered a bonus to the damage dealt with the weapons he¡¯d be using in the final siege. When he¡¯d asked the System what the ¡°minor additional damage scaling with the Participant¡¯s Wisdom¡± entailed exactly, its response had been lackluster. Minor additional damage scaling with the Participant¡¯s Wisdom is reflected as a percentage of the Participant¡¯s Wisdom being added to the damage dealt by the applicable attack. And what percentage would that be? In terms of classification, a minor damage bonus would be anywhere from 0-7% of the attribute it would be drawing from. Though it was so unspecific what this bonus damage was, TJ felt more inclined to take the Prehistoric Huntsman Skill. In the end, it came down to the reality that he could gain some Skills and do other things adjacent to other Skills with his own abilities. When it came down to it, TJ had every confidence in his own ability to create equipment that granted additional benefits, just like he had with the original Wendigo Blade that he still used. It¡¯d needed to be repaired several times, given his inexperience and generally shoddy workmanship, but it still served him well. The additional insight from Equipment was sure to be valuable and effective, but TJ had some ideas of how he could treat and prepare his materials to create more rugged and beneficial equipment without the Skill. On the other hand, he didn¡¯t have the faintest idea how he would be able to replicate ¡°a 30% bonus to tracking and ambush attacks¡± or a general addition to all damage dealt with his weapons. His Wisdom, after all these newest levels, was at 53, which, while it was his second lowest attribute, could give up to a 3.5 boost to his damage. What in the hell that meant was an absolute mystery to TJ, but he recognized that while he might be the most impactful member of the siege defense while in his coatl form, he wouldn¡¯t be nearly so when limited to his human form. Plus, the damage also applied to his natural weapons while under the influence of Divine Transformation. Thus, his newest Skill was Prehistoric Huntsman. He was still holding out hope that the Tezcatlipoca-blessed mountain lion hide was special enough to make the cloak he was planning with it. Then, he could prove to himself that his upgraded Primitive Craftsmanship was enough to create noteworthy equipment. As it was, he¡¯d fully equipped himself over the past days. With the Tutorial speeding up the tanning process, TJ ended up with an Ironhide Javelina leather chestpiece. Though not as impressive as the ever more powerful armors created by the Zealots¡¯ Holy Vestments Skill, the chestpiece and its accompanying bracers had saved TJ from serious injury a couple of times. On one of his expeditions, he¡¯d come across a wendigo just as he¡¯d been returning to town because he was running out of time on his Divine Transformation. When he¡¯d been forced to return to his human form, the hide armor had turned the claws enough that he¡¯d been able to escape without truly chancing death. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. His body sported a dozen more scars and told a dozen more tales than it had a mere four days ago, much less two weeks ago. The wounds he¡¯d sustained were far from the most severe the town¡¯s residents had incurred of the past four days. Of the remaining 167 residents, 35 had died, and 29 of which had died in the past two days. The reasons for those deaths were also the reason why TJ was setting out to hit level 15 now. The primary reason why TJ only had confidence in reaching level 15 in Neophyte now was because he couldn¡¯t find anything above the level 10 threshold until yesterday. He¡¯d never truly experienced the steep decline in fighting and killing creatures from below his watershed level until he¡¯d passed level 10, because immediately after he did, it¡¯d taken him two days to gain a single level. Then, after two days of reckless hunting and culling the numbers of the enemy monsters, he¡¯d returned to town to the enraged shouts of dozens of people. ¡°How the hell are we supposed to¨C¡± ¡°This is absolute horses¨C¡± ¡°--what was I supposed to do? They appeared and¨C¡± After pushing his way through much of the nearly rioting people, TJ found Charlie, who remained a friend regardless of the remaining air of awkwardness between TJ¡¯s and Zig, even as they actively worked to mend fences. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°A full ambush of level 10 and 11 pukwudgies.¡± He explained curtly. ¡°They massacred all but three of the members of a hunting party in their opening salve, and only Nat managed to escape alive. Sheridan, Rod, and Jordan are the ones in there you knew best. We¡¯re trying to calm everyone down.¡± Though Sheridan remained hostile towards TJ, thinking him responsible for Mary¡¯s death, she wasn¡¯t a bad girl, and TJ mourned her. Beyond that, Rod and Jordan had been two of the men he accompanied on their first real hunts, and both were good members of the town. That they¡¯d died was another hit to TJ¡¯s gut, though he supposed he was grateful that he hadn¡¯t had to witness their deaths or dead bodies, as he had with Mary. Even so, there were 23 people who¡¯d died on their hunts that night, 23 people who left their families and friends behind, both those here in Pine and those in their homes. People who¡¯d never know what happened to their loved ones. That night, about 36 hours before TJ prepared to go on this final hunt, he¡¯d gone on the hunt with the rest of the hunters that had surpassed level 10. Though the pukwudgies gained new titles and descriptors as they passed the level 10 benchmark, the primary differences were two things. The first, that their invisibility was truly invisibility now. Only supernatural senses such as TJ¡¯s ability to sense heat as a coatl or any one of a dozen Acolytes¡¯ chosen Skills that enhanced their senses. To the eye and the general bystander, however, the pukwudgies were impossible to predict. That, combined with the other difference they¡¯d gained, was deadly. The other change in pukwudgies was simple but deeply impactful. The monsters, though they¡¯d grown somewhat from the initial levels to those around level 9, remained weak. Their spears, when thrown, could pierce flesh, but they were easily parried or dodged or simply tanked through. The attacks of those that were beyond level 9 were faster, harder, and much deadlier than before. The spear attacks that TJ had become able to entirely ignore as a coatl and easily deal with as a human were now threatening. To the Disciples and Acolytes who hadn¡¯t even approached the level 10 watershed, though, one spear was threatening, two were a sure injury, and three meant death. He hated to even search for the silver lining of nearly two dozen deaths in one night, but TJ did find that he gained much more experience from the monsters as he slaughtered them. He gained a level that night, and two the day after as he grappled with pukwudgie knights mounted on mountain lions, vivisected pukwudgie executioners in the trees, and ripped through pukwudgie infantrymen on the ground. Interestingly enough, the coyotes seemed to have largely been exterminated by now, which the citizens of Pine took as a sign that their efforts to cull the monsters¡¯ numbers were showing some results. That brought him to today. He¡¯d assigned his Free Points to a mixture of Fixation and Intelligence as he¡¯d gained levels. Something told him that bumping Fixation that bit would be hugely beneficial. He thought maybe it was the whispers of the wind and how they became more intelligible the higher his Fixation got. Though Wind Manipulation scaled off Intelligence and Fixation, TJ realized that Fixation had a deeper relationship with the Skill than Intelligence did. Remembering that Fixation was described by the System as ¡°is directly related to the Participant¡¯s ability to embody and focus on the effects of the divine, and the greater the quantity of Fixation, the more easily and enduringly will the Participant be able to channel certain divine abilities.¡± The attribute would be key moving forward, he was sure. Thus, he¡¯d bumped his Intelligence and Fixation at about the same rate, and he could feel that some form of enlightenment was about to come to him. The few times he¡¯d allowed himself to get lost in the Skill, the air had swept him away, promising knowledge, progress, and something just¡­ more. More than he knew or was already. Maybe it would come at level 15. Maybe it required the Copper tier of Divinity, TJ couldn¡¯t say. Even so, he knew that he needed that understanding, and when he¡¯d truly allowed himself to be nearly consumed by the Skill, he¡¯d been unable to reach quite there and it remained tantalizingly out of reach. Regardless of his hopes for elucidation, there were monsters to kill and levels to gain. With Stanton, Charlie, Rebekkah, Sarah, and Connor at his side, TJ left to go on this hunt. They wouldn¡¯t return until he gained that fifteenth level and became the first person in the town to cross the level 15 threshold in his Class. After checking to ensure that they were all prepared with the equipment and tools necessary, they set out into the forest. The eerie silence that had replaced the sounds of life and vibrancy was familiar to them at this point, and TJ merely nodded as he led them deeper into the monsters¡¯ den. Chapter 72 As soon as they were well and truly outside of the bounds of the safe zone, TJ activated Divine Transformation. The boost to his attributes was secondary to the ability to sense the pukwudgies¡¯ heat signatures, and they¡¯d long learned to leverage every ability that they could to ensure their hunt was successful and safe. Stanton and he exchanged looks before Stanton signaled to the rest that they hadn¡¯t found any trace of their enemies just yet. Connor and Sarah still stood on both sides of Rebekkah, their shields hoisted high. The pukwudgies knew who were the most vulnerable humans to ambush, and they didn¡¯t hesitate to exploit that. A dead Disciple, the Participants had learned, led to many more casualties very quickly. Stanton walked beside TJ, trusting the Neophyte¡¯s senses and control of Wind Manipulation to keep him from suffering any mortal wounds. That and his own senses honed by his Druid Occupation and his boosted Perception gave Stanton enough confidence to walk alongside TJ with minimal fear. Charlie, on the other hand, was in his hulking form. As he¡¯d gained more levels in Neophyte and his Occupation, his attributes had grown enough that his Divine Transformation made him appear like a poor imitation of the Incredible Hulk. The two more vulnerable members of the hunting party were covered, and they would complete their hunt. TJ wasn¡¯t the only one near that fifteenth level in his Class, with Stanton hoping to hit the level on this outing as well. Now that they were in the forest, though, they remained quiet. If there wasn¡¯t any need to draw additional monster attention, then they wouldn¡¯t. After the ten days they¡¯d spent in the Tutorial thus far, nobody had learned if the pukwudgies only communicated through speaking and their birdlike chirps, or if they also had some magical way of communicating. After all, nobody had heard them speaking to each other except for TJ. While he slithered forward, TJ checked his Status for any afflictions. Nothing appeared. Since the encounter with the Chindi, everyone had learned to check their afflictions regularly. That didn¡¯t change a whole lot about what they did to everyone, but that knowledge sapped some of the terror that the unknown brought. The party had agreed not to stray too deep into the forest, as there was simply too much that could go wrong too far from civilization, but there weren¡¯t any monsters close enough for them to easily pick them off to gain experience. As patiently as he could, TJ continued walking. There was no way to say if they¡¯d be able to find enough to get him that level, but he was convinced that once he got it, the benefits would be huge. Then, when they¡¯d begun to worry that there wouldn¡¯t be any monsters to hunt, TJ tasted the warmth of a creature nearby. ¡°Stanton, there¡¯s something that way.¡± He gestured with his head. ¡°I think it¡¯s just one creature. Not too sure though.¡± The cowboy nodded to let TJ know he¡¯d heard, then began gesturing to the others about what TJ¡¯d found. They quickly settled into battle positions, Connor to leave his protector position and transfer to the front lines while Stanton stood beside Sarah and Rebekkah. Charlie stayed on the side, ready to intercept any ambushers, and TJ mirrored the position. Ready to make their approach, they walked forward while maintaining their formation. The source of warmth TJ had sensed was growing colder the closer they got, but he couldn¡¯t say why. Once they turned the corner, it was obvious what it was, and that they¡¯d been drawn into a trap. A woman TJ recognized but whose name he forgot laid dying, sprawled across a pine tree¡¯s roots. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, and blood pooled on her lips as the dying woman fought to survive. Three pukwudgie spears were buried deep in her chest, her own crimson blood staining her clothes. Rebekkah rushed to step forward, to save a life, but Stanton stopped her. Taking the hint from Stanton, Sarah raised her shield and just in time. Their planned ambush thwarted, the pukwudgies sent a hail of javelins towards the hunting party¡¯s backline. Sarah grunted as the weapons punched through the front of the shield, but held tight even when one javelin¡¯s point scratched her forehead, drawing blood. TJ had no idea how they¡¯d fooled his senses, but as soon as they appeared, he couldn¡¯t worry about that any more. He felt his anger surge as he saw one of the javelins lodge in the suffering woman¡¯s eye, killing her instantly. With his heightened Fixation and Intelligence, TJ could commit to using more of his MP in the beginning of a fight than before, and he quickly sent a volley of spears of his own towards their attackers. Though he spent 70 MP, roughly one tenth of his total, on the attack, only two spears hit home. The pukwudgies had prepared for the way he could sense them, and were ready for his returning attack. As the single goblin was struck from the tree, Stanton¡¯s gun cracked three times. Each shot left a pukwudgie body falling from the treetops, but their silhouettes faded to full invisibility before either side could kill any more. ¡°Every time.¡± Sarah grunted as she dismissed her shield and resummoned it a second later. Her complaints, as well as everyone else¡¯s, would have to wait, though. A wave of javelinas approached, the first TJ had seen in a day or so. ¡°More of these bastards.¡± Stanton cursed. ¡°I can¡¯t do much to ¡®em but I¡¯ll trip them up.¡± A quick Appraisal let TJ know that there was one leader type javelina in the middle of the pack while the rest were still stuck at level 9. He didn¡¯t need to tell anyone else how important it was to eliminate the leader quickly, as they had some sort of a boost that they granted to the rest of their piglike companions. Stanton jumped into action as a thick brown root burst from the ground and coiled around the leader like a snake. The rest of the javelinas continued their charge, though they were weakened the leader left their midst. Whatever the aura was it granted the others, it primarily assisted them when the creatures charged all at once. That combined with the charging attack they¡¯d gained once the javelinas became Ironhide made for a deadly combination. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. TJ rushed forward, spending over 100 MP before sending the resulting long blade at the javelina¡¯s legs to cripple the front line. There were only a dozen or so of them, so he knew this opening attack could cripple or kill at least half. Again, just like the pukwudgies, they knew what was coming and lowered their heads and allowed the attack to strike their much less vulnerable curling tusks. As his winds were rebuffed again and again, TJ hissed a challenge at the dumb beasts. Why wouldn¡¯t they just roll over and accept death? Why would they make this more difficult? As he¡¯d gained levels, TJ continued to grow longer and thicker as a coatl, now nearly 40 feet long and over a foot thick. Though he¡¯d be severely wounded if he threw himself to be trampled by the beasts, with just a small amount of care, he¡¯d be able to wreak havoc among the simpleminded creatures. He sat coiled in front of the creatures, and just as soon as they drew near, he threw himself into the air. Once he¡¯d landed atop the javelinas, there wasn¡¯t much they could do to him. The charging creatures split like the damned Red Sea underneath him. TJ was largely ignored and the monsters and they charged Charlie and Connor. TJ whirled to support the rest of his hunting party, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the charge. Sarah used her Guard Skill and effectively teleported away from guarding Rebekkah before appearing in front of the javelinas. A massive spectral shield spread in front of the front line, and though the javelinas smashed through it, the sacrifice of the Skill slowed their charge from deadly to merely inconvenient. Even so, TJ rushed to try to support the others. His presence would be immensely beneficial,and with his Strength being over 100 as a coatl, he shredded through the javelinas¡¯ flanks with his nearly draconic fangs. Blood splattered and flew through the air as TJ put his Shredding Bite to good use. The javelinas squealed in pain as their ambush was thwarted. TJ, Connor, Charlie, and Sarah shredded through the javelinas in no time at all, TJ taking care to dispatch the level 10. That was the moment when the true ambush made itself manifest. Rebekkah screamed in terror and agony as another volley of javelins pierced her. She nearly died with that salvo, but was able to heal herself enough to stagger to her feet. The Disciple¡¯s MP was almost certainly drained after that, and then, TJ saw the telltale signs that sent a shiver down his back. His breath clouded in front of his face and TJ shouted the warning, ¡°Wendigo!¡± The entire hunting party knew what that would mean for them, so they gathered around Rebekkah to carry her away to survival. With a mortally wounded Disciple, it would be beyond foolish to fight a wendigo. Its cultists, however, made their appearance before the harried humans could retreat. Another volley of spears, this time both from above as from their flanks, appeared. TJ exhaled as strongly as he could, blowing the attack away at the cost of 150 of his MP, taking him down to 376/710. Though none of the thrown javelins found their marks, the pukwudgies were unfazed. They closed in, keeping the hunting party from making a clean getaway. Stanton¡¯s gun coughed again and again, the goblins dropping like so many leaves from trees in the fall. It wasn¡¯t enough, as the ambush had been prepared to deadly success. More pukwudgies closed in while attacking more and more, no sense of self-preservation apparent among them. Sarah struck out again and again with her hatchet, limbs and heads flying free with every swing. Connor roared a challenge that forced attention to come to him before stomping and shaking the ground in a 30 foot radius. The stumbling monsters made for perfect targets for Charlie. He¡¯d hefted a hundred-pound stone in each hand, and smashed them into whatever enemy entered his reach. The blood and viscera coating his body didn¡¯t seem to phase him, and the Neophyte smashed his way through every enemy that appeared. Though dozens of pukwudgies lay dead at their feet, the cultists remained at a distance while the wendigo approached. ¡°Pull back! Just a couple feet!¡± Stanton commanded and the rest listened. He leaned Rebekkah against the large tree the other woman had just died against before pulling the tree¡¯s vitality into Rebekkah. She steadied herself at that, ready to actively participate in an escape. ¡°It¡¯s too late, at least for now.¡± Sarah whispered. ¡°There¡¯s too many of them, and it¡¯s here.¡± At least another twenty pukwudgies still stood and pressed the attack on the beleaguered hunters, but behind them, stood the most terrifying thing TJ had ever seen. The wendigo that stood there was at least seven feet tall, and hunched. Its skeletal head no longer resembled that of a cow. Instead, it was entirely alien, an extra pair of horns growing from just above the eyes, complementing those that curled around where its ears would be. The curved fangs that filled its mouth were all filed to points, and the bone was stained red with the blood of an untellable number of creatures. Worse, the emaciated body of the wendigo sported spines that grew from every bone, the hooked protrusions wickedly shining in the dimming light of the forest. A thick but sparse fur sprouted from its spine and it cackled with a manic glee as it approached. Saliva dripped from between every tooth in its mouth as it spoke. ¡°Finally. I find my brothers¡¯ killer. You shall give me your strength.¡± Most chilling of all, however, was the result of the Appraisal that TJ habitually conducted on the monster. Wendigo, 12 Though he was convinced he would die for it, this creature needed to be destroyed. TJ didn¡¯t need to look at his companions to see that they agreed, and his focus shifted from gaining a level to protecting every human in the Tutorial. Quick Poll about Status/System stuff Hey! For no reason in particular, I wondered what you all prefer when it comes to the way the System presents a new Class option. You know, for no reason at all. Definitely nothing to do with chapters 100 and 101. Don''t worry about it. Anyways! Here are the two options for presentation, I''d love to know which you prefer. Current/previous: Per level attributes gained: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +2, Vitality +1, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +2, Willpower +2, Fixation +1, Free Points +1 If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Potential (Numbers are just examples): Strength, Agility +1 per level, Endurance, Vitality, Toughness +2 per level, Wisdom, Perception +3 per level, Intelligence, Willpower, Fixation +4 per level, Free Points +5 per level For the poll, current means the first, potential means the second. Make sense? I prefer the second because it groups how much each one is growing in order of amount grown in ascending order. As such, unless the old version is overwhelmingly voted, I''ll stick with the new version. Anyways. Getting news back from my illustrator soonish about the real cover, and it''s looking great! I''m thinking book 1 will be over around chapter 110. Chapter 73 TJ couldn¡¯t help but ask as he slithered forward, ¡°So you can talk, wendigo?¡± ¡°Yes, little divine whelp.¡± It breathed deeply through its gaping nostrils. ¡°Or perhaps I call you snakeling, descendant of the Feathered Serpent. Your blood reeks of plundering the strength of my kind.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t given much of a choice.¡± TJ offered, looking down at his Divine Transformation timer. He¡¯d only spent 54 minutes, so he had over half an hour remaining. Plenty of time to try to talk his way out of this, and for if that didn¡¯t work, he was condensing an attack on his tongue. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be eaten, after all.¡± ¡°It is your place to be predator or prey.¡± The wendigo¡¯s wheezing, dry voice was cold. ¡°We wendigos do not need to make the choice. We are predator. And predator of predator.¡± ¡°Any way we can walk away from this without any more death?¡± TJ offered. The only response the wendigo gave was a bone-chilling laughter. TJ didn¡¯t wait for its response, nor did the rest of the surviving hunters. Stanton¡¯s gun fired again and again and pukwudgies fell as they charged forward. The returning volley of spears was stopped by Sarah¡¯s spectral shield once again, though she was left wheezing with the effort. Her MP was nearly out with her efforts, but with her physical shield and hatchet at the ready, the Zealot tore into the front ranks of the dozens of pukwudgies. The armor that¡¯d been fashioned for her combined with her Toughness stopped any blows from striking too deeply. Beside Sarah, Connor roared a challenge as he too leapt into battle, his war pick piercing easily through his foes, though each strike he made opened him up to twice as many counterattacks. He didn¡¯t care, lashing out to deal crippling or even killing blows in exchange for taking a series of stabs from the goblins. The man bled, but with his Tortoise Shell Skill active, he tanked through them. Stanton and Rebekkah supported from behind as best as they could, though Stanton was conserving bullets and hurling the few knives he had prepared for just this task. Rebekkah had a crudely prepared bow she shot whenever she was confident there wouldn¡¯t be any friendly fire. TJ couldn¡¯t look at them for any longer, needing to focus on the wendigo and slowing it down. As TJ rushed to close in with the wendigo, Charlie made himself known. The large stones he¡¯d used before were thrown with unerring accuracy at the wendigo. One was dodged while the other smashed against claws that seemed unphased by the attack they¡¯d sustained. Replacing the rocks was the felling axe Charlie had used against the last wendigo they¡¯d fought together, and he swung it heavily to ward off the wendigo¡¯s initial attack. TJ lunged forward to tie up the monstrosity, but he was too slow and too late. The skeletal creature dodged back from the range of the axe¡¯s swing and jumped into melee combat with Charlie faster than he could recover. Its claws cut through his flesh and the muscles of the Neophyte¡¯s chest. Frost crackled in two inches in either direction as Charlie¡¯s blood froze where it leaked out. He grunted in pain as the Frostbite affliction slowed him. TJ continued condensing his MP, pumping well over 200 MP into the Skill while he tried to tangle the monster. ¡°You. An unfamiliar god¡¯s blood. It is sweet.¡± The wendigo spoke as it dodged back again out of their range. ¡°Your flesh will feed me well.¡± The wendigo pressed the attack once more, claws flashing and the ambient temperature dropping. TJ missed that first wendigo he¡¯d fought, so reckless and wasteful with its MP. This one, beyond having passed the level 10 threshold, used its MP sparingly, and only when it landed hits on the two Neophytes. Which happened often. TJ¡¯s sides were patterned with deep frozen slashes, and he¡¯d nearly lost an eye to a sudden bite that instead tore a large part of his mane of feathers from his neck. His Frostbite affliction had already grown to the moderate tier, and as he¡¯d been slowed, more and more attacks struck home. Charlie looked no better, his axe literally frozen into his grip while chilled muscles struggled to move at all. Now that they were slowed, the wendigo pressed its advantage, claws tearing ceaselessly into their bodies. Both men were haggard, and TJ was tempted to use the prepared Wind Manipulation attack, but with the wendigo still so uninhibited, it would quite possibly evade the attack entirely. The Elite monster remained patient, tearing chunks of flesh free and devouring them while dodging away from their strongest attacks. Charlie only landed two solid blows on the beast, and as it continued to devour their flesh, it recovered. TJ himself had managed to seize one of its ankles but was forced back when its descending claws nearly ripped his head apart. They were only distracting the creature for now, and both men were close to being in real mortal danger. The sounds of battle slowed and quieted behind them, but TJ couldn¡¯t spare the time to look to see how his companions fared. Stanton made himself known, though, when he fired two shots in quick succession. The pistol, looking much the same but now a .45 caliber instead of .22, managed to punch into the wendigo¡¯s flesh. It grunted in pain but laughed once again. ¡°You will receive my attention.¡± It rushed towards the back line and the slowed Charlie and TJ turned as quickly as they could. They couldn¡¯t stop the creature as it rushed past, but Connor and Sarah rushed to. The two Zealots were covered in blood, both their own and that of the pukwudgies that had desperately fought to get to Stanton and Rebekkah behind them. Most of those pukwudgies lay dead on the ground, their blood making the soil dark with crimson. A scant four continued to fight, patterned with wounds, but the wendigo¡¯s approach was more than threatening enough to the wounded and exhausted Zealots. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Connor roared wordlessly as he activated his Tortoise Shell Skill again, his body toughening and his shield gaining a honed edge. The wendigo didn¡¯t care, its claws shearing through the shield with little apparent effort. Frost covered the tool while Connor¡¯s war pick swept towards the monster¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯d use my brother¡¯s body as a weapon?¡± The wendigo shrieked as the pick struck deep into its ribs. The calm it had displayed until then burned away as it sent a wave of frost knives towards Connor. He held his shield aloft and several of the weapons shattered against the raised protection. Two of them, however, speared through and into his gut. Connor grunted in pain as frost crawled all around his torso from the attack. The wendigo closed in, claws ready to tear into the partially incapacitated defender. One hand¡¯s claws sliced deep into his right shoulder, nearly amputating the limb while the other sought his heart. It wasn¡¯t prepared for the other aspect of Tortoise Shell, the enhanced attack. Now that it couldn¡¯t escape, Connor¡¯s shield smashed into the approaching hand. The powerful edge audibly snapped the wrist bones of the wendigo¡¯s right hand and made the claws only strike a glancing blow along Connor¡¯s hip. His Skill exhausted, the man slumped and fell off the monster¡¯s claws. Before the wendigo could finish him off, Sarah closed in, no Skills enhancing her movement but still ready to stand and fight. She chopped with her hatchet, the movements quick with her huge Strength and Agility. The fending blows slowed the wendigo enough that TJ and Charlie caught up to the wendigo. Now surrounded for the first time, the beast screamed in rage. Even with its hand broken, its MP showed no signs of flagging. The creature threw knives of ice while slashing with deadly speed and precision in every direction. TJ could see Stanton raising his gun and squeezing several shots off again and again, though his aim was nowhere near the fight. There was no time to focus on that, though. His speed was severely hampered by the affliction, yet he still needed to fight. TJ had held the roiling weapon on his tongue this entire time, still unable to guarantee its success. Then, when the wendigo committed to a heavy overhand blow on Sarah and she bashed it back, the opportunity arose. The wendigo countered with an underhanded blow, the claws piercing all the way through Sarah and poking out her back. TJ lunged forward, his jaws fully encircling the wendigo¡¯s torso. Its skeletal frame fit in his jaws, and TJ ground his teeth in while the monstrosity roared. Then, while Charlie swung his axe at the monster¡¯s head, TJ flicked his tongue back and forth and tried to saw through the wendigo¡¯s spine. Bone crunched as it screamed but TJ didn¡¯t stop until nearly 300 MP was spent and the wendigo¡¯s spine was in fragments. Its legs went limp and it fell to the ground while thrashing wildly. ¡°No!¡± the wendigo screamed. ¡°I will take revenge!¡± TJ, Sarah, and Charlie relaxed as Sarah pulled Connor out of the wendigo¡¯s range. It couldn¡¯t reliably move now, so they could take their time to dispatch it¨C ¡°Oh shit!¡± Stanton shouted. The others jumped back in fear, but it was the perfectly wrong thing to do at that moment. A pukwudgie cultist with a gaping wound in its chest sprang to its feet and into the wendigo¡¯s reach. The hunters tried to interpose themselves, but it was too late. The wendigo¡¯s jaws opened wide and bit through the cultist¡¯s head in one massive bite. The Zealots and Neophytes tried to press the attack, but the wendigo¡¯s body burst with a fog filled with shards of ice. The explosion of frost pushed them back long enough that the wendigo took two more tearing bites of the corpse. The consumption of flesh restored some level of mobility to the wendigo, and it crawled away on all fours as fast as it could manage. TJ tried to rip into it, to keep it from escaping, but it picked up speed as it dragged him along. Stanton shouted out, ¡°Pull back.¡± TJ didn¡¯t argue but sent a quick spear of wind into the healing wendigo¡¯s spine before he turned away. The blow didn¡¯t do much of anything except to hurry it along, and TJ roared his frustration to the escaping wendigo. To add insult to injury, the winds carried the wendigo¡¯s words back to him. ¡°I will eat your flesh and crack your bones. Just wait.¡± They¡¯d killed dozens of pukwudgies in this hunt, but TJ still hadn¡¯t hit the level. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta get out of here.¡± TJ said as he whirled towards his companions. ¡°Connor, you able to get up or do you need to be carried?¡± ¡°I can walk.¡± The Zealot answered, his narrow eyes tightened in pain. ¡°Can¡¯t fight much though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good enough for now.¡± Stanton said. ¡°If necessary, we can patch you up, but we should be able to get back to the safe zone pretty quick.¡± ¡°Fast is good.¡± Connor grunted. TJ and Charlie took hold of two javelinas each, given the quality of the meat and materials from creatures that had passed the level 10 benchmark. The others kept their hands free in case there was another ambush. There were no more words spoken as they returned to Pine, though everyone paid special attention to whatever possible to be prepared for an ambush or other attack from pukwudgies or other monsters. Nothing happened as they returned, though TJ wondered what the name was for the poor woman who¡¯d been abducted or something else to serve as the bait for the trap. She deserved better treatment, but there wasn¡¯t anything they could do for her at the moment. Thus, as the hunting party returned to town and a dozen people waited with excited faces, TJ could only muster a disappointed shake of his head in response to their hope to celebrate. He was so close to that level that he was tempted to go out once more, but decided against it. Instead, he¡¯d return to the forest in the morning and gain that last little bit of experience. For now, he could only lick his wounds and allow himself to recover. The night, however, refused to give him that peace and quiet. Chapter 74 For the first time in several days, possibly for the entire apocalypse that was the Integration, TJ went to bed without practicing any Skills or crafting anything. He did carve the hides free from the javelina corpses and applied the brain mixture to them, but that was hardly work. Once the relatively quick treatment and preparation was complete, he retired to the space that he and Stanton now stayed in. The safe zone had pulled past the hunting lodge and ¡°their¡± home a couple days ago, and now, the bulk of people slept on whatever bedding they could scrape together. TJ and Stanton, as two of the strongest members of the survivors, got their own space in a house just across the street from the general store. There were a dozen more people living in the small home as well, but TJ and Stanton had their own room. Thus, they were, compared to the cowardly few who refused to go on hunts now, living in luxury. The thought of what the world would be like after Tutorials ended was somewhat interesting, but TJ couldn¡¯t say that he could believe it would be even remotely peaceful. Just as soon as TJ collapsed into his heap of quilts and pillows in the corner of their room, raised voices made themselves known outside. Then, while he tried to ignore those, angry voices were raised, and then there were screams. He began to pull a pillow over his head to ignore it all, but after nearly a minute of screaming continued, there was a knock on his door. TJ stifled a shout of his own and instead stood up and answered the door. Molly stood there, her eyes darting all over and her shoulders tense. ¡°Hey Moll. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Um¡­ outside needs some help. He, well, they kinda, well, they¡¯re fighting, and I just¡­ I think you might be needed there.¡± TJ sighed but nodded. ¡°On my way.¡± ¡°Great! Thanks.¡± Molly turned on her heel, her spear decorated with wendigo bits tearing through the wall when she wasn¡¯t careful. ¡°Oh, sorry!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± TJ responded as he pulled his moccasins on and followed her tracks. She jogged out of the house, and TJ idly Appraised her as they went. Neophyte, 11 ¡°You¡¯ve been getting some levels!¡± TJ congratulated her as they hurried down the stairs. ¡°You probably got your Class past 10, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Molly answered, though her attention remained outside. ¡°We can talk about it later?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± TJ rolled his shoulders, ready to confront whatever it was that was waiting for him. What he wasn¡¯t expecting, though he probably should have, was Jeff. The bastard had been pushed aside and nearly forgotten since his last outburst, and TJ simply hadn¡¯t thought about him at all, unless he saw the moron. Right now, though, he had his face pressed to the ground and his arms behind his back. Most surprising of all, though, was that it was Farid holding Jeff down. Regardless of the foot between his shoulder blades or the torsion of his shoulder, Jeff kept running his mouth. ¡°They almost died today! Again! And it¡¯s because TJ was being the usual monster he is! You¡¯re all blind! That fucker is trying to kill everyone, and I¡¯m the only one who sees it! You have to believe me, you¡¯re all in danger! Please!¡± While he tried to continue ranting, Farid pulled off his shoe and then a sock and stuffed it in Jeff¡¯s mouth. The grappled man gagged and his face went green once the filthy garment was held there as a gag. The combative prisoner silenced, Farid spoke, his tone obviously trying to carry further to be heard by the curious, cautious, and furious people that surrounded the action. ¡°Jeff. We haven¡¯t seen TJ purposefully harm any members of the town, or any people nearby. He¡¯s been one of our most active hunters, and he¡¯s saved most everyone¡¯s life either directly or indirectly at this point. The danger that the hunters encountered today is just a testament to his foresight in making everyone start hunting a week ago. The monsters are getting stronger, and we need to too. If you have any real evidence, different from what you¡¯re said is evidence before, of TJ¡¯s wrongdoing, then please, let us know. If you still only have a hunch or a suspicion, then you¡¯ll need to spend the night somewhere that won''t disturb everyone else.¡± Farid pulled Jeff up before yanking his sock free. It was dripping with spit, and Farid¡¯s lip curled in distaste as he looked at it. Jeff didn¡¯t hesitate to gesticulate at TJ as he and Molly approached. ¡°There! There¡¯s your evidence! He¡¯s coming to silence me! He¡¯s going to kill me! Please, protect me!¡± As he spoke, Jeff¡¯s eyes rolled in genuine terror and he fought to get away from TJ as he approached. The previously put together man in TJ¡¯s mind was long gone. The unkempt, filthy, terribly stinky, manic wretch who trembled and fought for escape now wasn¡¯t the combative Jeff TJ had known before. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°I¡¯ll stay back here.¡± TJ said, his hands held high. ¡°You can take him away if you¡¯d like, but I¡¯d like to ask some questions if I can. Jeff, can I ask you just one or two questions?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t taste good. Please don¡¯t eat me.¡± Jeff trembled as he rocked back and forth in Farid¡¯s arms. The steep decline in his sanity was both off-putting and frightening at the same time. TJ looked at Farid, hoping to get some sort of an answer, but Farid shrugged helplessly. ¡°I¡¯ve never eaten a person.¡± TJ said, still not approaching. ¡°I won¡¯t either. But Jeff, have I ever attacked you or tried to kill you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jeff screamed. ¡°You did, in the firehouse! You didn¡¯t want me to reveal your evil deeds there, and so you tried to kill me! Everyone else protected me, but you used your magic to change everyone¡¯s minds!¡± TJ was so baffled that he couldn¡¯t answer at all. Something had changed in Jeff, something that didn¡¯t make sense. He¡¯d been so reasonable at first, nervous around immensely powerful strangers, and then he¡¯d been, while not friendly, not hostile either. More than that, he¡¯d been open and up front about his feelings and reasons. TJ hadn¡¯t imagined friendship was possible, but he hadn¡¯t expected Jeff to be an enemy either. The drastic turnaround was just too much. Then, a thought occurred. ¡°Has Laura been around?¡± He asked. ¡°She¡¯s been too busy to deal with something like this.¡± Farid answered. ¡°Could someone bring her here? As well as any other high-leveled Disciples?¡± ¡°Yes, let me convince them of his villainy! Go quickly, before he can change his mind and silence me!¡± Jeff answered, and Molly activated Divine Transformation and then as a lightning dog ran towards the general store. After she left, Jeff resumed his ravings, but after Farid threatened him with the sock again, Jeff fell mostly silent. Less than two minutes later, Laura jogged in, Rebekkah, Angelo, and Granny Penny following behind. TJ smiled seeing Granny Penny so mobile, and then, Appraisal letting him know that she¡¯d passed level 10 was enough to see how she¡¯d recovered so well. ¡°What is it TJ? Do you need help with a civil disturbance? A dozen people have gone missing today, and I don¡¯t know where they are.¡± Laura asked as she walked forward, her steps hurried and her face unhappy. Over the past ten days of the Integration, she¡¯d stopped wearing her pantsuit all the time. Instead, she wore rugged jeans and a jacket over a shirt, just like most of the people who¡¯d survived thus far. ¡°Laura, help me! He wants to kill me! Kick him out, he doesn¡¯t belong! Please!¡± Jeff screamed, and Farid, unwilling to deal with the madman¡¯s desperation, stuffed his sock back in Jeff¡¯s mouth. TJ gestured to Jeff, still secured in Farid¡¯s arms, as he spoke. ¡°When was the last time you or anyone healed him?¡± ¡°At least a week for me.¡± Laura answered, looking at the other Disciples nearby. A chorus of people replied as well, saying that they¡¯d not tended to him in quite a while either. More interesting was that nobody who had been on a hunt with Jeff in the past days had seen him be injured beyond surface level, unimportant strikes. He hadn¡¯t needed to be healed in days. TJ continued to speak. ¡°And does anyone here have the ability to see if someone¡¯s suffering from an Affliction?¡± Laura shook her head, but Angelo walked forward. ¡°I do. From Medic, I can access that part of someone¡¯s Status.¡± TJ was going to ask, but Angelo put the pieces together before he needed to. ¡°I¡¯ll diagnose him, see if there¡¯s anything driving this.¡± Angelo laid both his hands on Jeff¡¯s face, looking into his eyes. Jeff writhed, avoiding eye contact and generally making a nuisance of himself, but he hadn¡¯t gained more than a handful of levels in the past days and had long since been left behind by the rest of the active combatants in town. Between Farid and Angelo, Jeff couldn¡¯t move, and before long, Angelo hissed a breath between his teeth. TJ felt a sinking in his stomach as his guess was confirmed. ¡°There¡¯s a nasty cocktail of afflictions he¡¯s got, but the big ones are severe Enthralled, Charmed, and Terrified. You¡¯ve probably seen or heard of Charmed, and you can ask what the other two do, but it¡¯s bad. I have no idea how these afflictions are continuously renewed, because their cooldown is currently at the max.¡± TJ didn¡¯t need to ask the System audibly for descriptions before they were supplied to him. Severe Enthralled affliction: This affliction is the superlative version of Charmed. While still in the presence of the source of your Enthrallment, you will be 2000% more likely to agree with whatever the source of the affliction suggests. You will be 1500% more likely to feel positively about the source of the affliction, and you will be 1600% more likely to do whatever it is that the source of the affliction requests. Severe Terrified affliction. This affliction is the superlative version of Terrified. While still in the presence of the source of your Fear, you will suffer from an 85% reduction in your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Willpower. Your ability to perceive reality from your fears will be nonexistent. The rest of the crowd surrounding them obviously got the same information at that time, as angry, annoyed, or hateful looks became pitying and charitable. Laura stepped forward, glowing with her healing light, and laid a hand on Jeff¡¯s shoulder. He quivered in¡­ fear? As her light flowed into the bound and gagged man, it visibly flowed to a spot just under his armpit. As the light touched it, Jeff screamed, the sound blasting through the gag, and as Farid reeled from the shock, Jeff struggled free. His fist sailed towards Laura¡¯s face, but before it could land, a half dozen others interposed themselves. ¡°It¡¯s.. bad.¡± Laura gasped. ¡°That took most of my MP, and I don¡¯t know how close we are.¡± ¡°Get his shirt off.¡± TJ commanded, stepping forward to do so himself. Farid, Molly, and a dozen other pairs of hands held Jeff down while a knife cut through his shirt and exposed his armpit. As Jeff¡¯s torso was revealed, the first thing that became apparent was the stench of rot, somehow held back and made to smell only of body odor under the shirt. Worse, though, was what they saw under the cover of the cloth. Several of the people holding him down audibly retched at the smell and sight, and Laura vomited as she turned away. ¡°Sweet heaven above.¡± TJ whispered. ¡°What happened to you, Jeff?¡± Chapter 75 Jeff¡¯s torso was a spiderwebbed pattern of putrescence. Green veins pulsed all over his chest, and pus leaked from each of the bulging, disgusting marks. The pattern of rot originated from a black and necrotizing injury in his armpit, a little bigger than TJ¡¯s thumb. There, the weeping wound leaked continuously, but the pus or whatever liquid it was that dribbled continuously was a stomach-turning brown. Worse, the abscess¡¯s discharge was so thick that as they pulled the cut shirt away, strings of the fluid hung between Jeff¡¯s thrashing body and the cloth. As soon as he was exposed, Jeff¡¯s gentle resistance shifted to a wild, animalistic frenzy to escape. He snarled and snapped his teeth and body in every direction, wresting his every limb without consideration for his health or injury. Even through the improvised gag, the afflicted man released an ear-ripping scream, his throat audibly going hoarse immediately with the force of his cry. As he thrashed, several of the people holding Jeff down were dislodged as they turned to vomit or breathe less rancid air. With this barest hint of the possibility of escape, Jeff pulled the gag free and shouted as he tried to crawl away, ¡°They¡¯re all crazy! They¡¯re trying to kill me! Help! Help! Help! They¡¯re under mind control! Save me! Please!¡± Farid shouted and leapt fully onto Jeff and drove him to the ground. Though Jeff had gained some levels and a fair amount of Strength with them, he was far from superhuman. With a dozen people redoubling their efforts, Jeff was held down on the ground, his arms hoisted above his head. Though he fought to spit out the gag, there was no time for him to. Too many people held him down, and though Jeff thrashed and screamed and wept, he was held secure. ¡°What the hell happened to him?¡± Laura demanded to nobody in particular. There was no answer, but every Disciple there stepped forward to the point where they could lay a hand on the suffering man. ¡°Wait a second.¡± TJ said before anyone else healed Jeff. ¡°We¡¯re not going to leave him in suffering because of your previous arguments, so there should be a reason why you¡¯re requesting that we wait.¡± Laura said, her hand a mere inch away from touching Jeff¡¯s chest. Before TJ answered, though, Angelo spoke. ¡°No, I agree. We shouldn¡¯t recklessly throw all of our MP at the problem before we take a look at the wound. This obviously isn¡¯t a normal injury, and there may be something that we should learn first.¡± ¡°If that is the case, I¡¯ll step back for now.¡± Laura said, her face looking nearly as green as the pulsating, poisonous looking veins covering Jeff¡¯s chest. ¡°Make sure he can¡¯t pull his arms down. I¡¯m going to investigate the wound, see if there¡¯s anything in there that shouldn¡¯t be. If it¡¯s just a poison or something, then I can take a look for that, but his Status isn¡¯t showing Poisoned.¡± At Angelo¡¯s command, TJ stepped closer, taking Jeff¡¯s arm into a slightly gentler version of an arm bar. Instead of hyperextending the trapped man¡¯s elbow, TJ kept it fully extended and trapped against the ground. With his Strength being so much higher than Jeff¡¯s, it wasn¡¯t too much of a struggle. Then, each of the highest leveled Zealots took another limb as Angelo looked to ensure that the supporters were all ready. While Jeff thrashed with all his strength, he could only move an inch or so in any direction. ¡°Ok, Jeff. I don¡¯t know how much of you is left in there right now, but I¡¯m sure this is going to hurt. Probably a lot. I¡¯m sorry about that, but there¡¯s really just not that much I can do about it. If you can hear me, I want you to hold still as best as possible. The less you move, the faster this will be. Ok?¡± Jeff didn¡¯t respond, but his eyes did go glassy for a second. TJ had no idea what exactly that meant while Angelo pulled a disposable glove out of his backpack, one intended for fast food preparation, not surgery, but the attempt at sanitary practice couldn¡¯t hurt. Then, a squirt-topped water bottle was pulled from the backpack as well and placed within arms¡¯ reach. Then, as prepared as he could be, Angelo began the surgery. When he touched the wound, Jeff bucked in agony, the rage that filled his face immediately changing to misery. Tears streaked down his dirty cheeks as Angelo prodded around the site of the injury. Weeping sickly pus flowed freely from the swollen puncture, the wound pulsating with Jeff¡¯s heartbeat. The sounds of his suffering were loud and insistent, but Angelo didn¡¯t stop checking out the necrotized flesh. The natural hair that should have been growing in the underarm had instead grown stiff and almost bony, though TJ couldn¡¯t say if it was because of the body¡¯s seeping fluids or because of something else. TJ didn¡¯t have the stomach to keep looking at the wound so continuously and instead focused on ensuring Jeff couldn¡¯t move. The smells and groans of pain were inescapable, and TJ noticed a few other people going green at the gills as they listened to and smelled the suffering of the man they were holding down. At least a minute passed by while Angelo investigated Jeff¡¯s wound. Then, after a fair few muttered curses, he spoke to everyone else. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I think I found what the main problem is now. It¡¯s deep, about an inch under the ribs, but I can feel some hard foreign body there. If we don¡¯t take it out, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to heal him. I¡¯m going to get my pliers out and see if I can pull it out without cutting the wound bigger.¡± Angelo explained what he was doing, but it didn¡¯t seem that anyone there cared to have a full explanation from him on every little thing he was doing. Thus, after he pulled a pair of needle-nose pliers out of his surprisingly well-prepared backpack, the Medic Disciple plunged them into the wound. TJ felt his stomach tumble as the wound leaked more and more pus onto the ground, a greenish tint mixing with the brown rot. The smell grew ever more overpowering, and a couple people retched again as the unnaturally horrendous scent filled the air. TJ had gone dumpster diving and he¡¯d smelled the aftermath of a body left to bloat and explode, and Jeff¡¯s wound smelled like a mixture of the two scents dialed up to 43. Even while the smell overpowered them and Jeff thrashed, the people holding him down were able to keep him from bucking free, though he seemed to get stronger the longer it went on. Or, perhaps, he was simply more desperate. Whatever the reason, TJ was tiring as they continued to hold the raving invalid down. Checking, he saw his Stamina was at 486/980, almost perfectly halfway spent. Much of that was still holdover from the nearly disastrous hunt, but the number appreciably fell as Angelo continued his attempted extraction. There was a wet squelching noise, and a fountain of brown liquid shot out of the wound in Jeff¡¯s ribcage. Angelo shouted and dry heaved as he picked up the water bottle and sprayed it into his mouth. The thought of that disgusting fluid all over TJ¡¯s face nearly had him retching but he was grateful that Angelo, though disgusted, was not cowed. He sprayed the water all over his face and leaned back down to continue treating Jeff. The poor man had long gone hoarse from his muffled screaming, his breaths rasping in agony as Angelo pulled a utility knife out and, muttering apologies again, cut the rotting flesh away from the wound. It wasn¡¯t long before the Medic pulled out his pliers once again and pushed them into the larger access point. TJ couldn¡¯t help but watch as Angelo grabbed something hard inside the wound and then, with both hands on the plier, jerked back. Angelo grunted as he fell back onto the ground, his pliers decidedly unsuccessful at removing the foreign object. Whatever it was that had been lodged inside of Jeff wasn¡¯t willing to come out, but Angelo¡¯s will was stronger as he reset his grip and pulled back again, slower this time. Jeff¡¯s screams of agony redoubled in fury, but Angelo was implacable, and the long thing was pulled free inch by inch. Even after it was loosened and pulled back a little, the source of Jeff¡¯s afflictions didn¡¯t relinquish its hold. When Angelo relaxed his grip to adjust, TJ saw it sink back into the flesh. ¡°Fuck off!¡± Angelo grunted as he set the pliers against the hard core of the devilish item. Steadily, he pulled it free, and as TJ saw the furthest point of the item, he realized that he recognized it. The wendigo¡¯s claw, once fully out of Jeff¡¯s body, glowed with a sickly green radiance. A whorling pattern of¡­ something covered the surface of the digit, and the glow somehow originated from the cracks of the pattern. As soon as the claw was removed, the green tint to Jeff¡¯s veins faded, and Angelo called out to the rest of the Disciples. ¡°Alright, we should be good to heal, let¡¯s do it all at once. Ready? 3, 2, 1, go!¡± Angelo didn¡¯t wait to give commands, and every one of the other people nearby capable of healing, including Stanton, did so on his command. With the glow of five healers¡¯ Skills working in tandem, Jeff convulsed as if he¡¯d been defibrillated. The nasty goo that¡¯d filled his wound exploded out again, the smell of rot intensifying and filling the air. However, with the residue created by the wendigo¡¯s claw discharged, Jeff¡¯s complexion improved immensely. Though the veins that patterned his chest still were darker and more distended than they should have, the sheer panic in Jeff¡¯s eyes faded to a more reasonable fear. ¡°We¡¯re basically done with the healing.¡± Angelo said as he stepped back and pulled his gloves from his hands. ¡°I just hit level 15, and should get some Skills that¡¯ll help us with these stupid fuckin¡¯ afflictions. Jeff¡¯s still got at least a dozen, so keep holding him for now.¡± TJ and the Zealots followed instructions as Jeff rolled his head back and forth, his eyes flitting from one face to the next. When TJ¡¯s and Jeff¡¯s met, TJ smiled as best as he could. Jeff resumed screaming, his throat apparently healed by the Disciples¡¯ ministrations. ¡°Maybe I should be replaced?¡± TJ suggested, his ears ringing from the poorly muffled screams of terror. ¡°I think someone else can take my spot at this point.¡± Someone did just that, and as soon as TJ stepped away, Jeff did calm down quite a bit. He still was unhappy with being held down and nearly a prisoner, but he was merely unhappy instead of apoplectic. Angelo continued checking through his Skill choices before he smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve got just the thing, guys.¡± As soon as Angelo lay his hands on Jeff¡¯s head, the struggling and unhappy Zealot went still. A full minute passed, then, with Jeff still unmoving, Angelo whispered, ¡°Let him go, everyone.¡± While they stepped back, Angelo kept his hands on Jeff¡¯s head for another minute or more. Then, as if a dam had broken, Jeff collapsed into sobs. He clutched desperately at Angelo, his fingers tangled in the fabric of Angelo¡¯s jacket. As the healed man continued his wracking cries, Angelo ran his fingers through Jeff¡¯s hair and quietly hummed a comforting song. They remained like that for a time, Jeff¡¯s body trembling with the release of too many emotions and Angelo caring for Jeff as he came back to himself. After a couple of uncomfortable minutes of bitter weeping, Jeff stood up while pulling Angelo up with him. His eyes were puffy from his tears, and Jeff wiped at his face with dirty hands. His streaked cheeks were filthy, but he stood taller than TJ had seen him do since maybe the first time they¡¯d met. ¡°Everyone, and especially you, TJ,¡± Jeff said, ¡°I owe you an apology. I hope that the information I can give you now will help you, but even so, I don¡¯t deserve your mercy or forgiveness, but I believe this information will be useful for the end of this Tutorial.¡± Chapter 76 ¡°There are more Elites than just the wendigos. There are the Chindis, which you¡¯ve heard about, and there¡¯s another. The raven did this to me. I don¡¯t know what kind of creature it was, I never asked before, and when I ask now, I don¡¯t get anything. But it was a huge raven or crow, at least four feet long with a wingspan bigger than I am. Its feathers were constantly falling out, and its breath was disgusting. Whenever it cawed, my heart shuddered, and when I saw it the first time, I couldn¡¯t move.¡± Nobody interrupted as Jeff continued to tell his story. ¡°When I first saw it, I had walked into the forest alone. I know, it was stupid, but I was mad at you, TJ, and I wasn¡¯t thinking very clearly. I¡¯d seen you get stronger and stronger, and I was just¡­ doing nothing. I was too scared to go on hunts, too prideful to ask for help. I was jealous of how hard you worked and how much people looked up to you. I was just¡­ I just wasn¡¯t ready for all this, and I¡¯d thought I was an inspiration before you appeared here. But that doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯d left TJ¡¯s house and went out alone, and that was when I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d been taken by the Chindi. ¡°Its magic just got me to keep walking further and further, until I was all alone in the middle of the forest. I¡¯m not sure why, but I think I started to resist the Chindi then? But before I could react, the raven flew in as if from a shadow, because I didn¡¯t see it until it was there. It left a trail of feathers everywhere it went, though more kept on growing. Its eyes were terrible. As soon as I met its eyes, I couldn¡¯t remember my name, or why I was there, or anything. The next thing I knew, I was laying down on the ground, the materials TJ gave me in the hands of a wendigo that appeared. With all three Elites there, they cursed me. ¡°They talked to each other, though I couldn¡¯t understand them at first. I screamed, but nobody heard me. The wendigo held that finger¨C¡± Jeff pointed at the runically inscribed object on the ground, ¡°while the raven ran its beak all over. Wherever its beak went, its tongue flicked out and left those carvings and they started to glow. Then, when it was done, the raven swallowed the finger before spitting it out. The Chindi did something I couldn¡¯t see to the finger, then the wendigo said something else and stabbed it into me. ¡°While I screamed, I was suddenly able to understand what they were saying, and they commanded me to go back to town. I couldn''t say no or do anything, it was like I was watching my body in a movie. Every time I went out on a hunt, I heard the Chindi¡¯s voice. Each time I heard it, it made me more sure that everyone here was wrong, that they were in danger, and I forgot why I¡¯d ever thought otherwise. When I heard Zig saying that TJ was dangerous, that was it. My mind broke, and I did what I did. ¡°After getting kicked out, the Chindi had more time to mess up my mind. Whenever I wasn¡¯t with a hunting party, I was sleeping or out in the forest. I can¡¯t remember very much after that. My mind was just¡­ broken. I remember bits here and there, but nothing solid. Except for this. ¡°The woman who died tonight, who was the bait in your ambush, Julie. Her death is my fault. Because of the Chindi, I drew her away from her party. I¡­ there¡¯s no reason to give any of my excuses about this. But she left her party because of me, and I was out there with her just before you all showed up. The Chindi hid me while the wendigo tried to kill you. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Jeff¡¯s throat was choked with emotion, but a part of TJ couldn¡¯t help but feel like his words rang hollow. It was because he ¡°had no choice¡±? He couldn¡¯t do anything else? TJ couldn¡¯t help but feel like it was a crock, but he tried not to say it out loud. Jeff was looking at him, though, and his already bitter expression fell further as TJ heard the last of the story. ¡°I don¡¯t expect to be forgiven or forgivable. I just¡­ thought you should know. They seemed to say something about some sort of plan for the final siege, but there weren¡¯t any details I learned. Sorry.¡± Jeff petered off. After saying as much, Jeff shrugged and turned before he started to walk off into the forest, away from everyone else. His bare torso still showed dark lines all over, a remnant of the curse or poison or whatever it was that the raven had done to the wendigo claw. In the darkness, TJ saw Jeff shiver, but he seemed like he didn¡¯t think that he deserved even to try to warm himself and didn¡¯t react. Angelo walked forward and caught Jeff by the shoulder and pulled him back before the older man could get too far. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can forgive you. I mean, the reason you got caught up in all this was because you were jealous of TJ getting close to Laura and doing better than you. You know. Like a kid. You¡¯re a grown ass man, and you got someone killed because of it. After this Tutorial, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll want to see you ever again. During the Tutorial, I don¡¯t want to trust my back to you. But you¡¯re here and it seems like you want to get better. That¡¯ll have to be enough, because we¡¯re seeing every day just how much more dangerous all this is than we expected. Someone will stay with you to make sure you¡¯re recovering, and tomorrow, you need to get some levels. Then, we¡¯ll see if we can get you to prove how you¡¯ve changed.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Laura agreed as she walked forward. ¡°You have made mistakes, and if we could afford it, I believe some punishment would be due. However, just over four days remain until we need to defend the general store, and exiling or imprisoning anybody who could help is just hurting the possibility for our own survival. Jeff, come to the firehouse. We¡¯ll have you sleep where several others can ensure you don¡¯t get yourself lost. TJ ground his teeth, keeping himself from speaking about the situation in any way. He recognized the similarities between what had happened to him and Jeff, just that Jeff had been weak and alone when under the influence of the Chindi, but even so, he found it difficult to feel even a little charitably about him. Maybe it was hard feelings from the insults and passive and active aggression Jeff had shown the entire time they¡¯d known each other, but TJ eventually came to the realization that he¡¯d deliberately stepped away from being a leader of the town multiple times. He didn¡¯t want to be mayor, he didn¡¯t even want to be in charge of a group when they went hunting. If he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to put him in charge, then he couldn¡¯t be pissed when the people in charge didn¡¯t do what he wanted. Right? If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°C¡¯mere kid.¡± Stanton grumbled as he pulled TJ back to the house he¡¯d only recently been pulled out of. They walked up to their room, where TJ slumped into the bedding he¡¯d claimed for his own. Stanton, being an old man, had taken the bed without complaint when TJ offered it. ¡°You don¡¯t want Jeff to stick around.¡± Stanton said as they settled into bed. ¡°No. He¡¯s an unstable element, and, frankly, I just don¡¯t like him.¡± Stanton nodded and grunted without asking anything else. After working the thought over in his head for a while, TJ spoke again. ¡°It might be a little hypocritical of me, but I don¡¯t trust him. He¡¯s gotten someone killed, and while I was very dangerous to Zig when I was under the Chindi¡¯s influence, I didn¡¯t do anything more than scare anyone. I didn¡¯t hurt anyone, much less kill them! He¡¯s dangerous, and I don¡¯t want him around me. Maybe it¡¯s just because we¡¯ve never liked each other, but no matter what happens, he¡¯s been an asshole at best! It¡¯s just¡­ like¨C!¡± ¡°I get it, and I don¡¯t disagree with you.¡± Stanton said, surprising TJ. ¡°You¡­ agree with me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trust ¡®im half as far as I could throw ¡®im. Never have. But here¡¯s the thing: in this situation, there¡¯s only really two things you can do about it. The first is you can leave him alone and just never be around him. Only see him in the final battle, if you¡¯re lucky, and then, the Tutorial¡¯s over and maybe we get taken home so he¡¯s out of your life. ¡°The other option is to kill him.¡± TJ blinked at the stone faced man three times before he spoke. ¡°Holy shit, Stanton! What the hell are you talking about? There are, like, a thousand other things we can do instead of murder!¡± ¡°In this situation? With all that¡¯s happening around us? Really?¡± Stanton met TJ¡¯s eyes. ¡°What other things would you do, and how would they not harm everyone else¡¯s chances for survival? You put him in jail, and people need to watch him instead of getting levels. You exile him, and the Elite monsters out there will do the same thing to him. He doesn¡¯t have anything to pay a fine with because there¡¯s no money, and who¡¯d waste time in a made up court to decide what punishment to levy on him? So, what other things do you want to do?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t want to kill him!¡± ¡°So you leave him alone, stop worrying about it, and move on with your life. TJ, there¡¯s a lot of good you can do, and maybe Jeff can do some good too. Maybe he¡¯ll be a hindrance, but I doubt it. He¡¯s too low-leveled to pose much of a threat to anyone, and if he starts killing monsters, then that¡¯s fewer monsters that¡¯ll be attacking us. In times like this, we¡¯ve gotta make choices, and if you don¡¯t want to make a choice, that¡¯s a choice all on its own.¡± TJ ground his teeth, and felt like there was something that Stanton was missing, but instead of thinking further about Jeff, he decided that the last thing Stanton said was true: doing nothing was a choice in and of itself, and instead of thinking about someone he didn¡¯t like and couldn¡¯t trust, TJ would just get some rest, like he¡¯d been trying to before. Though exhausted, it took a while for TJ¡¯s mind to clear enough to fall asleep, and when that dark oblivion found him, dreams plagued his rest While he dreamed, when he looked down, he saw a temple below him. Bountiful lands spread in every direction, thick fields of every kind of produce to the south, and thick jungles to the north and east. The west¡¯s lands were dedicated to herds, and all the products of every direction were for his benefit. Every mortal that walked was his worshipper, one who had fallen in line at the sight of his divinity. Kukulkan ruled this land, and his influence spread far beyond where the eye could reach. His presence blessed the lands with rain, clear skies, and temperate weather. His grace allowed the mortals to live outside of the strife of the gods above them, to resume the lives of those from before this turbid time. Though he watched his lands, he remained hidden to the eyes of mortals. If they were always to look on his majesty, there would be precious little they could do beyond continue to appreciate his splendour. As he watched, some of the members of his priesthood ascended the steps to his temple, escorting another. The escorted struggled, but was carried forward by the priest¡¯s blessed strength. When the peak of his ziggurat was visible, the unwilling attendant¡¯s struggles surged in frenzy, but the priests were prepared for it and one dealt a heavy blow to the struggling man¡¯s chest. The man gasped as his ribs cracked from the strike but tried to pull free. When he was thrown atop the altar, Kukulkan¡¯s presence froze him in place, his face in a rictus of a scream. ¡°Our Lord Kukulkan!¡± A priest called to the heavens. ¡°This sinner has denied your faith and your sovereignty, he has claimed that you are but a weak approximation of a god, and your presence is naught but a lie we tell our children. His people demand that we submit to his god¡¯s rule!¡± Kukulkan¡¯s pride was pricked, and though the mortal had been egged on by a jealous competitor¡¯s deceit, the might of a god was not to be questioned. The Feathered Serpent¡¯s head pressed down from his divine domain, and as the head the size of the temple made itself known, every mortal within 100 miles felt his descent and lay prostrate. The foreign worshipper couldn¡¯t move, and Kukulkan took the briefest moment to evaluate the man. His skin was much paler than Kukulkan¡¯s worshippers, evidence of his origin. ¡°You come from across the sea, do you not? One of the silly northern ¡®gods¡¯ who find themselves devoid of space and devout and seek to steal that which belongs to others? Name your god and I shall bestow upon you a quick death.¡± Try as he might, the man couldn¡¯t muster more than a shallow breath in response. Kukulkan reduced his divine aura enough to allow the wretch to speak. ¡°Vi¡­ han¡­ sa¡­ bless¡­ me.¡± He uttered in a strange language, though as a god, Kukulkan understood. ¡°Very well. Vihansa shall pay for her arrogance. Perhaps you can find rest in her afterlife before I find her.¡± Then, Kukulkan flicked his tongue and decapitated the man without any effort. While the corpse cooled and was emptied of all blood, TJ felt his consciousness pull back from Kukulkan¡¯s. There was no other sensation before he awoke in bed, sweating profusely and mouth tasting of blood. Chapter 77 While TJ roused himself completely from his strange dream, the feeling of killing someone so easily filled his head. A mere flick of his tongue, and there was a dead body where a living person had been before. Was that¡­ what a god was? If he ascended to the seventh tier of Divinity, would that be how he needed to act? Would he want to act that way? TJ knew that he¡¯d become much angrier and more violent than ever before ever since this whole Integration thing began, but he wasn¡¯t going to kill someone for effectively looking at him wrong. Was that dream a mere nightmare? Or was it some vestige of the departed Kukulkan trying to give him instructions? Worse, was it the System giving him a command to slay anyone who stood as even an annoyance in his path? TJ had made the resolution to kill to see his son again, but he hadn¡¯t yet been tested on it. Monsters, sure, that was easy, but people were a different case entirely. If they were an impediment to his journey home, though, their heads would roll, just like the nameless worshipper of Vihansa¡¯s had. It was too early in the morning for rehashing the same moral dilemmas he¡¯d already spoken with himself over and over again about, but Stanton¡¯s words from the night before stuck with TJ. Leave Jeff be, or kill him. Now that TJ had rested, he felt that there was so much more nuance to the discussion, but Stanton¡¯s words painted everything in a stark, unimpeachable light. Life. Or death. Then, was Jeff, victim of mental manipulation and worse, guilty of any crime worthy of death? TJ couldn¡¯t say that Jeff¡¯s involvement in other people¡¯s deaths was forgivable, but he did know that he didn¡¯t want to be an executioner. Instead, TJ rolled his shoulders, pulled on his moccasins, and walked out of the room. Stanton was still softly snoring in the bed, and TJ didn¡¯t want to bother the older man. Outside, TJ could see the movement of people inside the firehouse, and as they saw him as well, many raised their hands in genuine greetings. They smiled, called out his name, and were happy to see him. Over the past week, though, TJ had shown that he preferred to be given space, and they respected that. Even so, dozens of people, each time they saw him, were excited. Hero worship glimmered in their eyes, and TJ couldn¡¯t help but dislike the treatment. Perhaps, if they¡¯d been consistent in their treatment of him over the past week, he wouldn¡¯t have minded it quite so much. However, that hadn¡¯t been the case. TJ had not been welcomed in Pine the day he arrived, though he¡¯d fought to be recognized as someone trustworthy and competent. Over the course of just a couple of days, he¡¯d been elevated to a position of respect and authority, though not in name. Then, with the raving words of a disillusioned, afflicted man, he¡¯d been a monster again. Again, it¡¯d taken days of work and dedication and proving himself to overcome it, and now, here he was again, a hero in these people¡¯s eyes. The nature of humans to change so much wasn¡¯t exactly a surprise, but TJ recognized he¡¯d become disillusioned with it all. He¡¯d been hero and monster multiple times to the rest of the people in the Tutorial, and he refused to care which of the two it was at present moment. ¡°You get any rest after all that?¡± Farid asked, one of the few people that TJ felt he could call friend in Pine. ¡°I couldn¡¯t, not really. Just kept seeing those fingers and imagining what they would do to me.¡± Farid shuddered at the thought. ¡°I slept ok, but not well.¡± TJ shrugged. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the worst night I¡¯ve had since all this happened, but I couldn''t sleep like a rock either.¡± ¡°Good for you. You wanna eat?¡± Farid thumbed over his shoulder towards the firehouse. TJ shook his head. ¡°Just going for a walk for now. Thanks, though.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going out together today, so make sure you¡¯re ready by 10:30, ok?¡± TJ checked the System: 7:42 ¡°Sounds good.¡± TJ answered as he walked forward. Farid left him alone, and TJ internally thanked the man for his understanding and space. Though a descendant of the Hindu god of destruction, Farid was a calm and kind man. Then again, TJ realized he really didn¡¯t know much about Shiva the Destroyer. Also, he wasn¡¯t much of a soul-guiding flying serpent himself, so there could only be so much impact from the Bloodline on an individual¡¯s personality. While he wanted to wander off into the forest and get some real peace and quiet, TJ knew better, especially after Jeff¡¯s story the night before. With only a 250 yards¡¯ radius, give or take, of safety, TJ refused to get himself killed because of overconfidence or a mere desire to get some space. Before he knew it, he found himself in the little clearing he¡¯d been in when Zig and the others approached him for that hunt. Just a couple days ago, and it felt like ages. If TJ actually saw Junior at the end of this Tutorial, he worried the poor toddler wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize him. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. With a grunt, TJ sat and leaned against the tree, imagining what he would do after this Tutorial. What would happen with Junior? He¡¯d made a decision to try to ascend to the Throne, at least for now, because that could lead to some fairytale ending, but TJ couldn''t say that he actually believed it was possible, or would happen. For now, he¡¯d trust in the System, though the deadline to see if the proof was in the pudding was quickly approaching. If the Tutorial ended and he couldn¡¯t see Junior, what would he do? Doggedly continue, chasing an ever more ephemeral hope that the seemingly all-powerful System would one day deem him fit to see his child again? Give up? Assuming he saw Junior, what would he do with him? How could he take care of a little kid in this hell? What could he do to make sure he was safe when invisible, human-eating goblins were all over? Worse, since he was only in a Tutorial, worse things were sure to come. The anxiety threatened to overwhelm him, and TJ forced himself to take steadying breaths. They didn¡¯t help, the thoughts of so many things that could go wrong, would go wrong. The deep breaths and his thundering heartbeat were all that TJ could hear, and the firmly bottled up emotions spilled out. The control he¡¯d fought to maintain over these growing fears for the past ten and a half days wasn¡¯t enough, and TJ wept. Bitter tears stung his eyes as wracking sobs seized his chest. He pulled his hand to his mouth and bit hard on his clenched fist. The pain brought some of him back, and TJ could see through his misty eyes. Fortunately, nobody was around to watch as TJ unravelled. He let himself be lost in the release, and minutes passed. The stupid part of his mind that never shut up repeated the Dune mindkiller speech, and he was surprised to find some solace in it. Eventually, TJ found himself calming down, swiping at his eyes, and feeling some measure of true peace. Maybe it was the high of unleashing his doubts and insecurities, or maybe it was something else, but after he¡¯d emptied himself of these fears, TJ¡¯s mind cleared. He settled back against the tree behind him, closed his eyes, and thought. There was so much that could go wrong, but only so much he could do. TJ went through plans of what he could do to ensure that he survived this siege in just three days, and how he could ensure he gained as many levels as possible before that. He planned who should stand where, and how they should work together to defend the general store. Possibilities filled his mind, and TJ realized he really just didn¡¯t know what the enemies were capable of. His worries impossible to address, TJ allowed himself to do a brief meditation. It¡¯d been a long time since the last time he¡¯d meditated, and he couldn¡¯t remember anything but the basic idea of what to do to clear his mind. TJ changed his breaths to be more deliberate, more focused, and though he couldn¡¯t remember much of the how and why, threw himself into meditation wholeheartedly. Moment by moment, TJ felt his thoughts still, his racing mind slow, and his frantic heart calm. A System notification tried to rouse him, but TJ didn¡¯t care to pay it attention. He allowed himself to fall deeper into the meditation, and the peace so enjoyably enveloped him. The winds whispered something, and TJ listened. More than ever before, he allowed the air to truly speak to him. Without resisting, TJ felt his awareness stretch far beyond his body, the rhythmic breathing assuaging any fears that threatened to slow his progress. He continued to breathe, and the world outside of his own awareness called for his attention. Bit by bit, his sense of self slipped away. He would have panicked or rushed back to his body, but he could feel that personality and individuality were still within reach, if he wanted them. If someone came and jostled his body, he¡¯d probably know it. Even so, the body was in a safe place. He could allow the winds to truly encompass him. Before, when he¡¯d been whisked away by the playing hands of the wind, the whims of the skies carried him in a rush, showing all that they could be, but this time, he was the wind. There was no need to hurry, to show off any aspect of himself. There was only the omnipresent wind. From the highest reaches of the Tutorial, to whipping through the grasses forgotten on the mountaintops, he was there. Parts of him danced in the dumpling waters of a brook, and so much of him rebelled at the Tutorial¡¯s bounds. Massive walls closed him off in every direction, and the freedom of the wind had been cut off. The audacity of the Tutorial! It may have its reasons, but they were wrong! It had impinged on the sovereign authority of the skies and heavens, the most primordial of all the divine realms! He roiled at the thought, his rage building all around him. Clouds gathered and lightning flashed¨Cno. It was only a matter of time before they were released, and the Tutorial¡¯s clutches were loosened. There was no reason to lose control. There was power in the rage of the heavens, and there would be cause for it yet. The skies¡¯ fury hadn¡¯t yet been fully stoked, and would not need to be loosed at this time. Soon, yes. But not now. He relaxed, the rainclouds that had gathered dispersing. The weight of the clouds pressing in and the smell of ozone gradually disappeared. Instead, he allowed himself to be swept up in the joy of the freedoms that the winds already had. The energy and possibilities of the winds enveloped him, and he lost himself in them for a while, a time he couldn¡¯t explain or estimate. And then¡­ A System notification that refused to be ignored. You have touched upon the Divine Domain of the skies, winds, and heavens. You will experience a Dirt (0) tiered Enlightenment and Tribulation. Chapter 78 TJ¡¯s sense of self was forced back onto him. Looking around himself, he was in the middle of the clouds, wind and faint static electricity enveloping him. He couldn¡¯t move, but it also didn¡¯t feel like his body was present here, only his mind. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, TJ realized he was seeing in every direction, though the strange, superhuman perception didn¡¯t disorientate or confuse him. Instead, it was a place where he found himself fully centered, and TJ wanted to investigate what had changed, since he¡¯d ignored the other System notifications that¡¯d appeared in his journey as the winds. Though he couldn¡¯t place it, he¡¯d gained something other than this opportunity for Enlightenment while living as the winds for however long it¡¯d been, but for now, he was forced to think only about what this Enlightenment and Tribulation were. It wasn¡¯t so much that they were more pressing, but he felt the foreign demands of the System pressing in on him. Much like when the Integration had begun and the System had quashed all his emotions, his mind was forced to think only about the incoming Dirt tiered Enlightenment and Tribulation. His curiosity, however, was not kept away, and he could still speak in this ethereal in-between state. ¡°What¡¯s this Enlightenment and Tribulation?¡± Before one can ascend to each new tier of Divinity, one must touch upon an aspect of divine rule. Different from every time before, the System¡¯s voice and presence was overwhelming instead of tender, aggressive instead of gentle. It thundered in his head, and it continued to speak. Enlightenment is a necessary step for every Participant to grasp that which makes the most basic governing laws of the natural universe. The mortal mind cannot comprehend that which rules everything. In order to govern, one must understand, and in order to understand, one must be enlightened. With Divine understanding comes Divine Tribulations, and after the period of Enlightenment comes the period of Tribulation. With each step towards the Divine Throne, there must be resistance. From that comes the Tribulation. ¡°That¡¯s not very clear on what a Tribulation entails though!¡± The System didn¡¯t give any additional information. TJ wanted to ask more, but instead, the enlightenment began and his awareness shrunk more and more as he was whisked from his cloudy, limitless view of the sky. Once brought back down, TJ saw a creature. A large bug trundled through thick overgrowth, its curving horn pushing through brush and branch alike. The rhinoceros beetle walked without care. It was large, strong, and unafraid. The few times that another creature dared to remain in its path, it bulldozed, browbeat, and bullied until its journey was once again unimpeded. With each successive victory, its pride soared ever higher. ¡°Why are you showing me this?¡± TJ asked the System. ¡°How is this going to enlighten me?¡± He received no answer and suspected that this opportunity didn¡¯t guarantee anything. With that realization, he refocused on the scene before him. TJ couldn¡¯t begin to understand why he followed the weird bug¡¯s path, but he was forced to follow it, his eyes unable to look anywhere else. It was a little tyrant, and TJ witnessed days, weeks, and possibly months of growth in an accelerated fashion. That was, until it met its demise. When it walked through another clearing, the beetle didn¡¯t raise its head. Why would it? It had ascended to a small hegemony in this forest, and nothing dared to cross its path. It was well on its way to ascending to the next step of life, whatever that would be, and its strength was uncontestable! The ambusher struck from above, nothing warning of its approach except for a long, narrow shadow. When it attacked, the speed of its flying descent lent additional strength to the attack. The bright green serpent¡¯s tail smashed into the beetle¡¯s skull, just behind its horn. The thick exoskeleton maintained its integrity, but only barely. Even so, a huge vulnerability had been presented, and the smaller serpent didn¡¯t hesitate to press the attack. On the ground, it coiled into a springlike circle before leaping into the sky, where the winds held it aloft. With a trumpeting cry, the beetle shook its head in a surprisingly human-like gesture. It was too late for it to react to the serpent¡¯s repeated attack. Again, its tail smashed into the beetle¡¯s skull, and this time, thick green blood oozed out of the cracked shell. Though it tried to struggle and save itself, the beetle¡¯s pride had allowed the much smaller serpent to strike crippling blows, and as it stumbled back and forth, the serpent rose to the heavens for one final strike. It was too late, and the beetle¡¯s demise was definitive. The third, final blow smashed most of the beetle¡¯s skull into paste, and it fell to the ground, either insensate or dead. Its killer didn¡¯t care if it was dead yet, and the serpent burrowed into the weakness it had created. TJ was no stranger to the death of creatures after these past weeks of the Tutorial, but watching the serpent eat into the skull of the evidently still living beetle was uncomfortable, to say the least. Once it was protected in the corpse of its prey, TJ felt time pass like it was being fast forwarded, and an hour or more later, the snake emerged. Now that it had evolved, it looked familiar. The green serpent had gained a brightly colored mane of feathers, and its eyes now shone with a much greater intelligence than had been present before. Some scavengers had appeared during its evolution, but as it pushed itself free of the corpse¡¯s entrapment, the coatl rushed out and began a new hunt. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Before TJ could react or say anything about the vision he¡¯d just witnessed, the vision shifted to a handsome man wearing a kilt or something like it. The thick linen wrapped around his waist held a copper dagger and a small satchel and he held a very long copper-headed spear in his hand. He walked through a delta, muggy heat making the air shimmer over a nearby river while he stalked something. When he reached a thick patch of bushes, he hunched down and hid himself. The thick growth gave way to desolate desert not more than half a mile away, and the winds whipped threateningly at the outside of the oasis of life that surrounded the slowly flowing river. After TJ took in the surroundings, the vision was slowly pulled back to the partially hidden man. Though he couldn¡¯t change what he was looking at or how detailed the vision was, TJ didn¡¯t want to watch as this man was ambushed by the coatl or whatever other creature was lurking. Time passed, the sun setting, and TJ felt his anxiety spike then die down. After all, this was an opportunity for him to learn how to touch the skies and embrace Divinity. If he had to watch a long dead stranger die for it, then that was far from the worst thing that could happen. As the man huddled and waited, TJ stretched his awareness out, feeling the movement of the wind. It was harsher here, somehow more selfish. It didn¡¯t want to merely move around and seek freedom, or even cut through stone if it stood in its way like it did to the mountain peaks in the Tutorial. Here, the winds scoured everything clean, and hated anything that dared to challenge its sovereignty. The air and lack of moisture killed all but the toughest, and even those things bowed to its fury. Overhead, TJ saw a huge bird, maybe an ibis? He couldn¡¯t tell and he was randomly guessing, while the System still didn¡¯t respond to him. Regardless of what kind of bird it was, how had it touched on the most basic principles of the heavens and wind? It was pushed to greater speeds by the unforgiving gusts overhead, but that was far from noteworthy over every other bird in existence. It glided down towards the river¡¯s side, long curved beak slightly ajar. Only then did TJ realize just how monstrous the creature was. Its wings spread at least twenty feet across, and its body was truly massive, at least eight feet long. If he was forced to fight the monstrosity, he wasn¡¯t sure he could win, or even survive. It continued its dive, unconcerned with the hiding man. Did it not see him, then? While TJ watched the two, the man set his spear against the ground and gauged the distance between himself and the ibis. Then, as it dove to pull something out of the water, the man murmured something in a language TJ couldn¡¯t recognize and a 30 foot-long column of wind whipped into existence and yanked it off its path. With its inertia and the influence of the man¡¯s Wind Manipulation, the bird was out of luck. It flapped its wings wildly, but the trap had been sprung and it was the planned victim. Screams echoed through the delta as the spear pierced through the bird¡¯s breast before protruding out its back. Red blood sprayed across the man, painting his face, chest, and hands while he shouted something in that same language he¡¯d spoken in before. The bird¡¯s huge beak snapped threateningly, but the man jumped back out of its reach. It tried to walk on its long legs, or to take to the skies once again, but once the bird was grounded, the man jumped and wrapped one arm around the bird¡¯s beak, holding it closed. The other hand held his dagger, and he plunged it again and again into the bird''s eyes and head until it died. The man glowed in the dying light of the sun, his head bowed in respect to the dead bird. He gathered it into his arms and spoke in a reverent tone. Then, as he walked towards the flowing river, TJ was whisked away again. His third vision showed another man with aquiline features and stormy eyes. He stood atop a small mountain while a shifting mass of monsters assailed his position. He sneered, a spear and shield in hand and a simple bronze breastplate. Others stood around him, carrying similar equipment with their faces screwed up in terror, but this man¡¯s visage showed nothing but arrogance. With a shout in a different but still foreign tongue, the man struck out with his spear long before it could have reached the enemy, but a spear of wind so furious as to be visible exploded into being in front of him. It battered several of the attacking monsters to death, the wind carrying the glow of lightning within it. Arrogance still marring his face, the man led a charge into the roiling mass of enemies, uncaring of if his fellows followed him. He lunged forward with a rictus of a grin as TJ was, again, pulled away. A fourth vision was of a redheaded woman standing on a steep cliff. Turbid clouds massed overhead, and rain lashed against her, the sea in front of her, and the fleet of sails marking an attacking flotilla. Her face was twisted in fury, and she spoke in a language that almost sounded like English to him. She swirled her hands over her head, and the clouds obeyed. As she continued to speak, her words rang like thunder. The seas heaved more violently, the weather¡¯s rage matching her own. Then, with a final cracking shout, the woman sent a massive scythe of wind, hundreds of feet long, into the assembled ships. Masts and hulls splintered and fell apart, and hundreds of men screamed for mercy as the woman¡¯s rage was replaced with a vengeful joy. A fifth vision showed another woman, dark locks framing her face as she used Wind Manipulation to carry thousands of seeds through a freshly tilled field. The seeds were spaced and placed with loving care before the wind drilled a small hole for each and placed them within. As soon as the seeds were carried to their destinations, a soft rain appeared, also under the woman¡¯s apparent control. A moment later, she relaxed and allowed the control over her Skill, or Divinity, to cease. She smiled with genuine joy as TJ was pulled away from this vision. A sixth, seventh, tenth vision, all the way up to at least twenty flashed past in increasing speed, each one showing a Participant¡¯s Skills and skills. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, TJ was wrenched back to that formless, cloudless vision where the System asked one question. What have you learned? Chapter 79 TJ gasped, feeling more himself than he¡¯d been able to for a while. His fingers and toes spread, feeling the humidity of the clouds flow through them. His brows were wet from the clouds, and each breath moistened his throat, which he only then realized was dry. Before he could relax or contemplate or resettle himself, the System demanded again, What have you learned? He tried to formulate a thought as the earthshaking voice rumbled his entire being. His sense of self was swept away as again, it shouted at him, What have you learned? Less than ten seconds passed and and the voice returned, louder than ever, What have you learned? The System¡¯s messages filled his vision, stealing away the beautiful view, What have you learned? TJ screamed in pain What have you learned? He looked for freedom What have you learned? ¡°Freedom! Power! Opportunity! Flexibility!¡± TJ shouted, the words meaning next to nothing to him as he just wished for release. Blessedly, the System ceased its inundation of information and sound. TJ gasped, trying to bring himself back to rationality. He hadn¡¯t said anything with any real thought, but as the System¡¯s insistence pulled back from him, TJ allowed his thoughts to coalesce. The words he¡¯d spoken were, in large part, what he¡¯d thought as he watched other people use Wind Manipulation, or something like it, to great effect. There were uses he¡¯d considered and done before, like pulling something closer or pushing it away, using it to cut like a blade or pummel. Then, there were basic uses he merely hadn¡¯t considered, like the coatl using the winds to leap higher and dive faster or the farmer to carry the seeds. These applications were interesting but basic. Much more interesting to him were how some visions showed more creative uses, like the spearman somehow making lightning appear in the Skill, or the witch on the cliff channeling her power through that of the weather. Others had accelerated individual attacks, lightened their steps, and helped others to run faster. Bringing good weather to crops and fending off clouds of locusts also filled the other visions, and TJ felt his mind open to more than what he had used his Skill for thus far. He got the distinct impression that none of the visions he saw used a Skill above Copper tier in power, so how had they been able to produce results so much better than his own? Maybe it was due to a massive difference in attributes, but TJ suspected it was something else entirely. He felt the System approaching, ready to browbeat him once more. There wasn¡¯t time to think more about it, he needed to talk to preserve his own sanity. ¡°The winds are free!¡± TJ declared to the heavens. ¡°They will not be bound, and they will outlast anything that wishes to control them. They can be patient, but they aren¡¯t unless forced to. They whip around the highest peak and batten down anything that refuses to acknowledge their superiority. Everything must bend or break before the wind, because the wind doesn¡¯t care about what everything else is or thinks. ¡°The skies bring rain, light, and life. Someone who wields the winds becomes a vessel for the heavens, to cloud them or open them as they desire, to destroy mountains with rainfall and lightning, hurricanes and typhoons. More than a mere weapon, what I wield is the oldest, strongest tool of the gods, and I¡®ve seen it as a mere blade instead of the limitless domain it is. Beyond destruction, the winds carry moisture inland and seeds from their trees. The sun brings life to those it warms, and the winds are energized by it.¡± TJ could feel the beginning of a true ¡°enlightenment¡± coming, but he also felt that he was rambling, so he drew his speech to a close, hoping it would count for the System. ¡°The winds are movement and release, joy and rage, implacability and capriciousness. I cannot forget its flexibility and place as the first of the divine tools.¡± Enlightenment achieved. Fixation +10. Tribulation inbound. TJ wasn¡¯t warned of anything, but as soon as the System¡¯s words stopped ringing in his head, he was wrenched from the celestial plane he stood in. The softly glowing clouds disappeared from view and he slammed to the ground on top of a hill. Nothing but a vast plain surrounded him, and he wore only a simple tunic. None of his equipment was nearby, and when he tried to call up his Status, nothing appeared. When he tried to activate Divine Transformation, nothing happened. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Appraisal too didn¡¯t work, and he got the feeling that his other passive Skills were unavailable to him as well. Only Wind Manipulation answered his call, though it was not limited to the Dirt tier. The speed with which the Skill gathered the winds and prepared whatever he commanded was at least on the same level of his Copper tiered Skill while under the influence of Divine Transformation. Perhaps the change was the boost he¡¯d received to his Fixation? Though he wanted to continue to explore the thought, the System shook him from his exploration of his situation. Survive. There was no further explanation, even an ominous timer. Instead, TJ looked in every direction, hoping to see what he even needed to react to. There was nothing. No enemies, no allies, no monsters, no people, no threatening anything. There was, as far as he could tell, nothing that would merit giving him the warning to ¡°survive¡±. Even so, TJ figured there was no reason to disregard the warning, and looked for a defensible position. There was nothing anywhere nearby, but he¡¯d just seen how Wind Manipulation could help him scout more effectively. Knowing what he was about to do, though, TJ needed to swallow down his fear as he compressed the wind below him. Then, he leapt and pushed his Skill to allow him to leap twenty feet into the air. He tried to look around, to look for any goal to move towards, but he¡¯d miscalculated the jump and the use of his Skill. As he started to flip over himself in the air, TJ screamed. He plummeted towards the ground headfirst, nearly guaranteed to hurt himself. With both his arms curled up over his head, TJ thumped to the ground. He groaned, but had underestimated the strength of his body. His Vitality and Toughness were both pretty close to 100, and those combined to make the fall onto soft ground mere painful instead of debilitating or even crippling. He grunted and tried to gather himself up. Though the Skill-assisted leap hadn¡¯t provided any information on the first attempt, TJ was more than willing to give it a second. As he sailed up into the sky the second time, though he floundered and was bound to land on something other than his feet on the way down, he took in the surroundings. Nothing but green fields in every direction, though off to the side, there was a dark cloud of something. With the sun directly overhead, TJ couldn¡¯t tell if the cloud was to the east, west, north, or south, and worse still, he had no idea if the cloud would be a good or bad thing. He thought it was good, but there was, of course, no damned instructions coming from the System about what he should do. Perhaps it was the source of whatever he needed to survive, or it was something he could exploit to ensure he could survive whatever else this Tribulation threw at him. Fortunately or not, TJ quickly received his answer when a horde of Mayan Lightning Dogs, just like what Molly could transform into, rushed towards his hill from the opposite direction of the cloud. Several dozen of the creatures lunged towards him, and TJ knew that if they managed to surround him, he wouldn¡¯t survive. Instead of confronting them head on as he would have before, he called on the winds to hasten his movements and sprinted in the direction of the cloud he¡¯d seen before. TJ cursed his hesitation when his knee-jerk reaction had been that the cloud was a good thing. If he¡¯d started running as soon as he¡¯d seen it, he would be so much closer than he already was, and now, there was no way he would get there before the Lightning Dogs caught up to him. For now, though, it was better to focus on sprinting. The winds compelled by his Skill carried him forward ever faster, ever further, and though the baying cries of the Lightning Dogs grew closer and closer, TJ focused solely on continuing his flight. The clouds drew closer and closer, and TJ got the distinct impression the cloud was actually being pushed towards him. Maybe divine providence, maybe a sign that the Tribulation was intended to be survivable even for boneheads like him, or maybe something else entirely. Either way, TJ needed every additional second he could get. The deep shadow that fell under the clouds was a quarter mile away when the first of the Lightning Dogs reached TJ. It snapped forward, its teeth shining with electricity. As the teeth closed, the lightning crackled like a taser. TJ only barely escaped, and sent a long thin blade of wind back. He didn¡¯t care to kill or even cripple any of the beasts. He only needed to slow them down. The creatures suffered through the shallow cuts without issue, and TJ screamed his frustration to the skies. Would he be able to escape, or would he be killed here? If he was killed here, did that mean permanently or just in this vision? There was no time to worry, instead, TJ pushed himself harder. A pair of jaws found his left calf and bit down into the flesh. TJ¡¯s screams of frustration quickly became agonized as jolts of electricity shot up his leg and into his torso. He tried to keep his balance, but couldn¡¯t. The electrical current was too much, and though it quickly ran out, TJ was hobbled. Blood covered his legs and made the ground muddy underfoot as he thrashed. With a shout, TJ blasted the closest Lightning Dogs back, the winds answering his desperate call. For a moment, he gained a small distance between himself and the Lightning Dogs. TJ struggled to his feet, running towards the cloud cover. He was sure that there, he¡¯d be able to turn the tides, escape, survive, or even defeat the monsters. The creatures seemed to desperately want to keep him from doing so and TJ knew that was how he¡¯d survive. Another beast¡¯s jaws found him and sent another jolt of excruciating electricity down his spine. He shuddered and struggled to continue rushing away. Escape was mere yards away. Two more pairs of jaws set into his legs and TJ screamed in agony and fear as he stretched his fingers out, touching the edge of shadow. The clouds moved over him, and TJ was quickly covered in shadow. He pushed back onto his feet, ready to stand through the agony. The Lightning Dogs didn¡¯t allow him. A third and fourth pair of jaws found him, the electricity keeping him from moving at all. While he still jittered in place, a fifth pair of jaws found the base of his spine. With a final bite, Thiago Jorge Harris IV died. Chapter 80 [Stanton POV] How the hell the kid did it, Stanton couldn¡¯t say. It wasn¡¯t the first time the wind had taken his mind away. Hell, he¡¯d seen it happen when the Skill was brand new. Something about his wind Skill was¡­ off, or something. Every time it¡¯d happened before, though, someone had been able to pull him out of it. This time, the wind and System together didn¡¯t allow it. Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV is currently undergoing Divine Enlightenment and a Divine Tribulation. Further attempts to influence or pull him from this state will result in immediate Systemic reprisal both to the interrupter and Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV. When Farid¡¯d come running to Stanton¡¯s room about TJ doing something crazy again, Stanton had been forced to leave his little Lifebloom grove he¡¯d cultivated. Running here, he¡¯d learned there was nothing he could do. Now that he was stuck right next to a damned tornado while TJ did something inside of it, he wished he could walk away. The little grove was so interesting, and Stanton found that so many of his Skills grew stronger the more time he spent with the magical plants. Fortunately, he¡¯d had the foresight to plant the additional ones he''d found by the general store, so they were still safe. He knew that the plants would survive another relocation, but it was better that they stay in the same soil and locale for a while. After all, the little potions they¡¯d attempted to make with the Lifebloom had bolstered people a bit, but it¡¯d been a waste. How had TJ so consistently done things that, if not perfect, were at least effective? Stanton couldn¡¯t understand it, that he made weapons and equipment and led hunting parties and still kept his head down. Wasn¡¯t even prideful when he should have. At first, Stanton had thought it was a good thing, but he realized more and more that all this wasn¡¯t because TJ had a good head on his shoulders and was well adjusted. Worse, that the poor kid thought so many of the town¡¯s citizens were scared of him didn¡¯t help. He didn¡¯t listen, but when someone held rage so close to their heart like he did, it was hard to see anything without that tint. TJ didn¡¯t really understand the worship that filled their eyes when they watched him walk past. That little fucker Jeff had ruined so much. That first outburst was so damaging, even though Farid had done everything perfectly. Stanton had nearly made the decision for TJ to just end the coward. He wanted to preach forgiveness or whatever, but turning on your allies in a time like this? Unforgivable, and even though Stanton knew there was other shit getting in the way, he¡¯d nearly gone out and executed the bastard that night a week ago. And most of the nights that followed as well. Would have been better for the people who¡¯d died if Stanton had made that choice. Stanton ground his teeth and stopped working himself up thinking about the slimy piece of shit. Instead, he looked at Farid, Charlie, and Molly who stood nearby. The little girl patrolled around the tornado, eyes peeled. She took the assignment seriously, perhaps too seriously. She looked up to TJ more than just about anyone else in town except maybe for Farid. The Indian man stood with his spears in hand, looking like he was there to kill. Maybe he was, Stanton guessed. Then, when he saw Stanton looking at him, he smiled wide, white teeth flashing. ¡°He is sure to get even stronger with this! With TJ¡¯s power, we will slay all the wendigos, especially that strong one!¡± ¡°I sure hope so.¡± Stanton grumbled. ¡°We need him out there, killing the monsters. He¡¯s already been in there for hours.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Farid nodded, seeming to be unconcerned. ¡°But he will be fine. TJ always is.¡± Stanton merely grunted, but Molly and Charlie walked up at that point. The girl looked at TJ, surrounded by winds so strong they were visible and swallowed hard. Then, she nodded. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. I know it. He¡¯s my sensei.¡± Stanton couldn¡¯t keep himself from groaning at the girl¡¯s weird way of talking, but he didn¡¯t do any more. Charlie spoke up before the little kid continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we should do anything about all this.¡± The other Neophyte spoke. ¡°It says that there¡¯ll be issues with it if we interrupt, but I know that the hunts are getting bloodier and bloodier. Maybe it¡¯s better to lose out on whatever benefits we¡¯d get from him doing this enlightenment or whatever.¡± ¡°Not your place.¡± ¡°Nuh-uh!¡± ¡°You cannot make that decision.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. All three of the other people there spoke at once, and it became immediately apparent that Charlie was the only one who thought as much, at least here. He raised both arms in an attempt to placate the others. ¡°I was just wondering if maybe we should. What if he was in here when the final defence happens? If so, then he could get surrounded and killed by the monsters. They might not care or might not be hurt if they did interrupt him anyways. If that¡¯s going to happen, it¡¯d be better to get him out earlier and make sure he could recover for a day or so and get out there and get some levels. I don¡¯t want to make any decisions for someone else, but if it¡¯s between saving my friend¡¯s life or leaving him to get torn apart, I¡¯m willing to pay whatever that price is that the System is demanding.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re totally right.¡± Molly was the first to respond. ¡°I think he can do whatever he needs to in there, but, like, if he¡¯s stuck there, then that¡¯d be so bad!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not our place to make the decision.¡± Farid said, but he looked at Stanton without saying anything else. Stanton shrugged and said his own piece. ¡°He made a choice to be where he is. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s something that¡¯ll let him get to his kid faster or safer, and if I took that away from him, I¡¯d lose all respect from him. Wouldn¡¯t blame him either, since all of us need every leg up we can manage. So we don¡¯t touch him. If the last day is coming and we need to do something, we might, but until then, we hold the line and make sure nobody else touches him. Capische?¡± The other three nodded in tandem, and another voice echoed from behind them, ¡°Capische!¡± Zig, the redheaded wonder, strode out of the forest, her bow held in one hand. Ever since there¡¯d been more deaths in the hunts, she¡¯d never let the weapon leave her hand. Stanton recognized the look in her eyes, the sense of responsibility and fury. She considered herself the leader of all those who hunted, and perhaps correctly so. Because of that, everyone who died was, to her, her own fault. ¡°Makes sense to me.¡± Zig continued. ¡°He¡¯s always got his own ideas, and though he doesn¡¯t always think of what he¡¯s running into, TJ¡¯s been able to make something positive out of everything he¡¯s done.¡± The rest of the people around nodded in agreement, and Stanton settled himself into the crook of a nearby tree, where the roots created a nice natural seat. As he settled himself in, he used Nature¡¯s Advocate and Natural Affinity to make the spot fit perfectly to his body. After gaining dozens of levels, his body was effectively that of what it¡¯d been when he was in his 30¡¯s. Even so, Stanton found himself getting stiff and uncomfortable more easily than he ever had as a young man. He needed to sit just right or he¡¯d tweak something, to say nothing of sleeping. His vigil set, Stanton let his mind unfocus somewhat. He was, of course, keeping a close eye on TJ, but his mind wandered. The whirling winds making a sphere around TJ should have been louder than they were, given their apparent ferocity, but as it was, they weren¡¯t much louder than the sound of the breeze drifting through the trees overhead. The man sat in the middle of a clearing, though TJ realized he¡¯d drifted from his original position just a little, closer to the general store. The only way this had been possible was that TJ was floating a couple of inches above the ground, his position that of a monk or something with their legs crossed. The kid¡¯s face was screwed up in concentration, and Stanton had initially thought it was funny. After all, he looked so concentrated about what might not be anything at all. On the other hand, Stanton quickly realized that it probably was the case that this wasn¡¯t nothing, but instead was something either dangerous, difficult, or a combination of the two. He still didn¡¯t quite understand this whole Tutorial shit, and he wished he didn¡¯t have to. Even so, TJ deserved to have a friend have his back and not laugh at the stupid faces he was making. The other people watching TJ to ensure he was safe switched out as the hours passed and evening approached. Stanton stayed where he was, only eating a light dinner when it was brought to him. The few vegetables he¡¯d been able to cultivate and encourage to grow were a welcome addition to their plates, just enough to keep Stanton from feeling like his heart was actively being choked by fatty meats. When Marva was around, he¡¯d never thought he¡¯d think as much, but after her death, he¡¯d found more and more how much he enjoyed a good spread of veggies. ¡°Aint that something.¡± He grumbled to himself. Nobody nearby was able to see him, so he indulged in a quick conversation with his sweet wife. ¡°Almost feels like he¡¯s ours. Couple of the ways he acts are like you. Got that same little smirk when he¡¯s made a joke that goes over someone¡¯s head. The way he laughs with people too. Got my meanness, though. Damn. I miss you lots. And I¡¯m worried about all this. Who knows what¡¯s going to happen.¡± Stanton let himself rumble on without any real purpose to his words. Just liked talking with Marva, even if she wasn¡¯t there. Though, he needed to talk a whole lot more now that she wasn¡¯t here. ¡°Wish he could show me, I¡¯m sure the kid¡¯s¨C¡± Stanton cut himself off as TJ twitched, then began seizing. Without any conscious thought, Stanton flowed to his feet and sprinted forward. Whatever was happening to TJ, he needed help immediately. Blood flowed from his nostrils, ears, and eyes, though he remained in the same meditative position as before. He rushed forward, ready to tear through the winds to get TJ out of this trial or whatever it was. Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV is currently undergoing the punishment from failing a Divine Tribulation. Further attempts to influence or pull him from this state will result in immediate fatal Systemic reprisal both to the interrupter and Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV. Stanton desperately wanted to be able to do something, anything, but the System was much more upfront with the results of pushing in where it didn¡¯t want them. ¡°Dammit kid.¡± Stanton whispered to himself as he fought to keep himself from ripping TJ out anyways. ¡°What have you gotten yourself into?¡± Chapter 81 Content warning: loss of family, friends, and torture. TJ writhed in agony in the cloudy expanse he¡¯d been returned to. Instead of comfortable and impressive, the place was now the source of his every discomfort. His body was flayed, skin and muscle hanging from his bones, but he couldn¡¯t scream. The winds that whipped him refused to give him any air. Instead, he suffocated as his body was shredded to bits. For what felt like hours, he suffered, his body recovering only slightly and only enough to return more suffering on him. Though he choked airless breaths and his lungs seized for any relief, he was denied the oblivion of unconsciousness. Suffering was his lot in life, and it sought to break him completely. Eventually, he was freed from suffocation, and TJ screamed himself hoarse. Whatever it was that compelled the winds to torture him, it continued. No part of him was left whole, his eyes plucked out, his tongue removed, his every inch made to suffer. There was, however, an end. The winds ceased their destruction of his body, and TJ slowly healed. He wept and sobbed, feeling like a child. He¡¯d never been tortured like this, though the agony of Mari¡¯s death was a different, similarly visceral suffering. Bit by bit, he recovered enough to look at the world around himself. Was there any sight of what had done that to him? Then, TJ remembered. He¡¯d been killed by the Lightning Dogs. Was this the afterlife? ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to Junior!¡± He demanded of the heavens. ¡°What the fuck was that? Total bullshit! You can¡¯t pull that shit! I got a bonus, but then had it taken away from me, and I die?¡± His rage was too great to articulate. The sobs of pain and suffering were replaced with wordless screams of bestial anger. He¡¯d been cheated, and now there was nothing he could do about it. Robbed by the System or by Wind Manipulation. He¡¯d paid the price for what, curiosity? Searching for more power in a world that demanded it? There weren¡¯t words to describe it, and TJ couldn¡¯t even touch anything to destroy, to vent his fury. ¡°No!¡± He screamed, and with an internal snap, the heavens that surrounded him exploded. The calm, white clouds blackened and roiled with thunder. Lightning struck everything around him as the System spoke. Behold the consequences of your failure. TJ was wrenched to a vision, his eyes held captive to the sights. Pine was under assault, hundreds of pukwudgies running forward. They¡¯d grown larger and stronger, nearly to the size of a young teen, and they threw their spears. A dozen fell to the initial volley, and though the defenders strove, they were overrun once the wendigos arrived. At least seven appeared, and as they laid into the already struggling vanguards, the Zealots and Neophytes were taken down and devoured. Stanton and Zig stood firing again and again into the horde, but though they slew dozens, it was far from enough. TJ was forced to watch as everyone he knew was slaughtered. Granny Penny lunged to heal Connor, but both were stabbed again and again, spears punching through their bodies until they were nothing but bloodsoaked corpses. Javelinas charged through the Disciples and Acolytes, crushing the hopeful people into a sickening mountain of corpses. Angelo stood behind Farid as he lunged forward again and again, but the two men were brought down by more of the shadowy mountain lions. One appeared behind Angelo and tore his back into ribbons. When Farid turned, he was ambushed by two more. He slew one, but a pukwudgie threw a spear that lodged deep in the Acolyte¡¯s eye. He went down as well. TJ vomited again and again as he saw the reckless slaughter of over 100 people. He was forced to watch each individual¡¯s death, their agony, their hopelessness. Molly and Tessie tried to run but were chased down. Laura, petrified by the sight of so much blood, couldn¡¯t move as she was torn apart. Charlie, Seth, Peter, Natalie, Rebekkah, and every other individual. TJ was forced to witness their last stand, and he himself could do anything to stop them or help. He only watched as the familiar sights surrounding the store were soaked in the blood of his friends. There were no survivors, and they didn¡¯t even see the Boss. He wept as he was forced to look over the slaughter, the corpses of his fellow Participants being picked over by the monsters he¡¯d been unable to slay. ¡°Please. Let me go. Let me help them!¡± TJ begged. He was taken away, but somewhere else entirely. He saw Junior, sitting at a table, all alone. He colored something TJ couldn¡¯t see, but he looked up every minute or so. TJ knew his son looked for him. Junior never saw him, and TJ couldn¡¯t reach out to him. He watched as his boy, his baby, aged. He sat at a table, nothing worthwhile to do, but nobody came. When Junior aged a couple years, he stopped crying. When he was about ten, he stopped looking at all. When he was a teenager, he was a bitter, forgotten child. Then, one day, he disappeared. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. TJ saw his child, a boy who grew to a man without anyone to love him, to support him, to care for him, as he was taken to a new world. Alone, bitter, and angry, TJ watched as Junior was put in an unfamiliar land. When he saw other people, Junior¡¯s face spread in a wide smile, a happy one. When he saw their faces, though, Junior felt the wrongness there. He was immediately captured by this group of people. He couldn¡¯t resist as they put him in chains and dragged him away. ¡°Don¡¯t you touch my boy! Keep your fucking hands off!¡± TJ screamed, but he wasn¡¯t heard. He lashed out with wind and fist, he thrashed and wept, and could do nothing but cry as his son, forgotten and unloved by everyone except TJ himself, was subjected to the worst of humanity. He¡¯d known nothing but loneliness, and as soon as he met another person, he was forced to be subhuman, until, a scant few years later, he died. As he was forced to watch the end of his child¡¯s life, the last remnant of TJ¡¯s sanity disappeared. He screeched an inhuman call to the heavens, and despite the restriction that¡¯d seemed to be placed on him, he became a coatl. In his Divine Transformation, TJ felt his body swell, grow, and fill the space that he¡¯d been placed in. The body of the Feathered Serpent, Kukulkan, defied the restrictions of the System. The System would not be beaten. Though he strained and roared and used Skills beyond his comprehension and power, Kukulkan and TJ were pressed back into a cage. TJ¡¯s raging spirit crumbled, and he wept. He lost control of the Divine Transformation. He curled into a ball, and wept. Behold the consequences of failure. TJ couldn¡¯t react, so broken in spirit he was. Then, the System continued speaking. You have not yet failed entirely. There remains one additional attempt. Will you allow this to be your end? There were no words that came to his mind, but neither were they necessary. TJ forced himself out of his huddled misery, stood tall, and forced the heavens to obey him. Whirling clouds surrounded his hands while lightning danced across his body. He swiped at his eyes, and TJ fell from the heavens. This time, TJ knew what would come. There would be enemies, and though his newfound determination and fury drove him to slaughter them where they stood, he remembered the lessons he¡¯d learned from the visions. He would draw on every lesson they¡¯d presented, and he¡¯d use his greatest strength against these dogs that challenged him. A mere Xolotl versus Kukulkan? Arrogance at its finest. Conserving some of his power, TJ didn¡¯t fly towards the cloud cover, but he used the storms enveloping his hands and feet to propel him to speeds that he¡¯d only ever seen in sports cars before. The featureless land blurred beneath him as TJ screamed through the air. Every one of his lightning-infused steps left scorches in the healthy green grass behind him, and TJ quickly found himself under the cover of the heavy clouds. They were black with moisture and potential energy. More than before, TJ could feel the boiling rage contained within the clouds, and regardless of the strength of these Lightning Dogs, TJ knew he¡¯d be able to slaughter them all. He settled himself in the center of the excited clouds¡¯ shadows. He felt their eagerness to unleash a deluge, and he could choose the form of their wrath. Winds, lightning, and rain all begged to be unleashed on the world, to blow, burn, or wash away whatever stood in their way. Though he could use all three, TJ had learned what he was most familiar with. He could experiment when his son¡¯s life wasn¡¯t on the line. As TJ condensed his Wind Manipulation¡¯s power more completely into him than ever before, the potential, turbid energy pushed him several inches into the air. He hovered, ready for Xolotl¡¯s spawn to approach. They wished to steal from him his future? Never again. The wind begged to be released, to cease waiting, to rush and dance and play. TJ convinced it to wait just a little longer, to work together just a bit more, to let itself build into something greater than he¡¯d ever built before. Though reluctant, the winds agreed, and a minute later, the Lightning Dogs ran sprinting into the cover of the clouds. The same second the hounds approached, they drew on the electricity dormant and almost forgotten in the clouds above. They wished to wrest from him a part of the heavens? To usurp his dominion? TJ rushed forward, and as soon as he could see the white of the fifty canines¡¯ eyes, he unleashed his rage, fury, impotence, agony, torment, and more. A magnified, strengthened reflection of his own coatl form burst into being, its body made of solidified wind, its fangs and feathers lightning, its eyes raindrops. It hissed out a roar and tore into the Lightning Dogs. It towered over the canines, its body thicker than theirs and well over 100 feet in length. It didn¡¯t matter if its form was made manifest by a Skill, the wind, or something else, because the coatl devoured a dozen of the dogs in the initial attack. Winds and teeth alike shredded the beasts, and TJ merely watched as he siphoned the strength of the storm into the coatl he¡¯d created. Overhead, the clouds cleared while the coatl weakened, but by the time the storm was half spent, the few Lightning Dogs that remained were wounded and weak. TJ rushed forward, ready to dispatch whichever ones he could reach, but it was unnecessary. The coatl surged forward, though its form was much less solid and TJ felt that, though much of the strength of this ability came from the storm overhead, he was nearly out of MP. Even so, there was more than enough for the coatl to ravage the ten or so survivors. With a final clap of thunder, it dove into a group, where it exploded into a burst of cutting winds and lightning. The creatures were mostly unaffected by the lightning, but the winds cut them into little pieces, and TJ stood still, surrounded by the dismembered bodies of tens of Lightning Dogs. He felt nothing. Nothing but vindication, and a surety that he¡¯d need to continue to do this. The System spoke, reinforcing his thoughts. Divine Tribulation complete. Chapter 82 TJ fell back into his body, the sensation distinctly different from the state he¡¯d been in while in the Divine Tribulation and Enlightenment. He tried to fight down the overwhelming fury that¡¯d consumed him, but the emotions refused to calm. Instead, TJ ground his teeth, the creaking serving to better anger him. He thumped to the ground and growled unthinkingly. The System had said that he¡¯d finished that Tribulation, but he wasn¡¯t going to trust anything it showed him right now. TJ rose to his feet and opened his eyes, ready for whatever it was that was attacking. He stood in the dark, the moon directly overhead. All around him, the wind whispered about the Tutorial. There were people out and about right now, but there wasn¡¯t any panic. Time had passed, but how much? TJ only thought that it¡¯d been maybe two hours, so it shouldn¡¯t even have been noon yet. Instead, though, it was the middle of the night. ¡°Welcome back, kid.¡± A voice nearly startled him, but the winds had warned him of some movement. TJ whirled and there stood Stanton, his hands held up in a non threatening gesture. ¡°If you want to talk, you can, but it looks like that Tribulation or whatever was real hard on you.¡± With a force of effort, TJ stopped his heaving breaths and shoulders. He wanted to say something about how he was ok, but he wasn¡¯t. That vision or whatever was gone, it wasn¡¯t real. But the sight of his son being forgotten and abused changed him. That might have only been a dream or something like that, but he¡¯d been too soft. Never again would TJ hesitate. Nothing would threaten Junior, and by extent, TJ wouldn¡¯t leave any threats alive to challenge him. Maybe he could start with Jeff, but he quickly realized that the traitorous Zealot didn¡¯t pose a threat. No, the monsters. ¡°How long has it been?¡± TJ asked, only then realizing just how dry his throat was. The words stuck in his throat, and TJ tried to swallow. Even then, his mouth felt like it¡¯d been days without liquid. ¡°Maybe 18 hours.¡± Stanton answered as he stepped forward. He held a canteen in his hands and offered it. TJ took it gratefully and drank deeply with a sigh of relief, not just for the water either. He still had plenty of time. There were so many monsters left for him to slaughter, and he refused to allow a single one of them to threaten his or his child¡¯s future. ¡°Mmmm.¡± TJ mumbled as he finished drinking and tossed the canteen back to the older man. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Sure. You ok?¡± TJ took a page out of Stanton¡¯s book and merely grunted back. In response, the old cowboy raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ll probably want to check out your Status. You started bleeding back around dinnertime.¡± The words sent a shiver down TJ¡¯s spine. Memories of what the source of his suffering must have been made him shiver. ¡°Yeah. That sucked.¡± Stanton stood waiting, ready for TJ to pull up his Status. Before he did so, though, he received several other notifications first. You have overcome a Dirt (0) tiered Divine Tribulation. Class Experience acquired. Moderate Divine Trial success recorded. Copper (I) tiered evolutionary requirements complete: 1/3 You have gained a Copper (I) tiered Divine Authority. Domain: Storms. Copper (I) tiered evolutionary requirements complete: 2/3 Skill: Meditation acquired. Skill: Divine Manifestation acquired. Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 15. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Skill Selection available. Race: Human has advanced to level 16. Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Point currently available. Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Human ¨C lvl 16 Class: Neophyte lvl 15 Occupation: Savage lvl 17 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Health Points (HP): 1030/1030 Mana Points (MP): 730/730 Stamina: 1020/1020 Attributes Strength: 58 Agility: 42 Endurance: 102 Vitality: 103 Toughness: 79 Wisdom: 55 Intelligence: 73 Perception: 70 Willpower: 88 Fixation: 86 Free Points: 1 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Elite Hunter Current total maximum Divine Transformation time: 1:34:45 (End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4 Current cooldown: 0:00 Status Sheet Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV Race: Coatl ¨C lvl 16 Class: Neophyte lvl 15 Occupation: Savage lvl 17 Level of Divinity: Dirt (0) Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan Stolen novel; please report. Health Points (HP): 2060/2060 Mana Points (MP): 730/730 Stamina: 2040/2040 Attributes Strength x2: 116 Agility x1.5: 63 Endurance x2: 204 Vitality x2: 206 Toughness x2: 158 Wisdom: 55 Intelligence: 73 Perception x1.5: 105 Willpower: 88 Fixation: 86 Free Points: 1 Skill List: Hidden Titles: Irregular Elite Hunter Divine Trial Records: 2 Minor, 1 Moderate, 0 Bitter, 0 Celestial That was so much to unpack, but TJ decided to take it one piece at a time. He wasn¡¯t ready to look at Skills to choose, and figured he¡¯d work his way towards that, though he figured the Skills were the easiest to address. Skill: Meditation (Copper (I)); You have communed with the heavens and lost yourself in self reflection. You can meditate, sacrificing mobility and external awareness for an increased level of self-reflection and recovery. When active, this Skill grants a 150% increase to the recovery of all resources and a 100% increase in the ability to undergo enlightenment. Note: some Afflictions can weaken or even disable the usage of this Skill. Initially, TJ was a little underwhelmed, but quickly realized that what this Skill did wasn¡¯t to multiply his recovery rate by 1.5, but to add additional recovery. Thus, it changed the time necessary to recover MP or HP to four hours instead of ten. In the siege, this Skill would be invaluable, and he needed to try to get everyone to gain the Skill, especially the Disciples. The idea of so many people having to undergo the Tribulation that¡¯d followed his own Enlightenment, though, sounded miserable. Pushing that aside, he moved on to the more exciting sounding Skill. Skill: Divine Manifestation (Copper (I)); You have shown yourself capable of harnessing a part of your Divine Authority to empower your Skills. You have ascended beyond the limitations of the Dirt (0) tier of Divinity, and can draw on your own Divinity to strengthen any one of your Skills. The utilization of this Skill will be greatly heightened and the cost will be halved by the natural presence of any one of your Divine Authorities. The usage of this Skill consumes MP and Stamina at a rate of 5 per second. The usage of this Skill consumes HP at a rate of 1 per second. This Skill scales in power and efficiency with your Fixation. This Skill¡¯s tier of Divinity is dependent upon the highest tier of Divinity your Divine Authorities have reached. Current Divine Authorities: Storm (Copper (I)). Though the description was overly vague in what exactly it did, TJ had seen the potential of the Skill. Siphoning power from that massive but tame storm had allowed him to completely annihilate a pack of creatures that he suspected were at least as strong as a mountain lion over level 10. The risks associated with this Skill were far from dismissable, though. Without a storm to take the brunt of the cost, it would cost 300 MP and Stamina per minute, and with his MP max of 730, he could only use the Skill for a bit over two minutes. That wasn¡¯t counting the cost of whatever Skill he was using in conjunction with Divine Manifestation, so it effectively meant he was a one-minute warrior while depending on Divine Manifestation. That one minute would be immensely impactful and destructive, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to reliably use it in this upcoming siege, unless he wanted to be magically out of the fight immediately thereafter. Even so, TJ was merely evaluating the cons of the Skill. Altogether, it was glorious, and if he could learn how to summon a storm without consuming all his MP, then it¡¯d be insane. Also, as he gained more and more levels, that price would be something he was more and more able to pay, since just 11 days into the Integration, he¡¯d gained 48 levels total. Eventually, the time would come that his regeneration would be greater than 5 MP per second. It¡¯d take an Intelligence of¡­1800? Yeah, maybe it was quite as in reach as he¡¯d thought. But even so, the price to pay would continue to close in on his natural regeneration, as he could continue to push numbers wherever necessary with his Free Points. Pleased with the two Skill¡¯s he¡¯d gained, TJ remembered something that the System had said that seemed contradictory to what he¡¯d been told before. ¡°You said that Skills gained without getting them through leveling up were going to be a lower tier, but both of these Skills I got are Copper tiered. What¡¯s the deal?¡± Correction: Everything that the System has stated to you with regards to Skill acquisition and potency has been completely truthful. Find below every statement made by the System with regards to Skill acquisition and potency: As a Neophyte, your Divine Transformation Skill will always remain at a higher tier of Divinity than your own. The other Classes eventually gain this Skill, but cannot progress beyond their current tier of Divinity until they reach the higher tiers. No. Any Participant can gain greater proficiency and skill in any given field throughout the Integration, but that will not translate to Skill acquisition. Different Skills may be presented as an option, depending on the Participant¡¯s gained proficiency, but a Skill holder will progress more quickly and to greater heights than one without the Skill can. Any Class or Occupation ability acquired through practice will be impossible to have ever reach your own tier of Divinity. The only exception to the impossibility of said Skill progression can take place at the time of seizing True Divinity at the Ruthenium (VII) Tier. If you dedicate the primary domain of your initial godhood to the domain of the skies, the Wind Manipulation ability you have acquired through personal practice will be able to reach the same tier as your Divinity. If you instead have the Skill Wind Manipulation and progress to the Ruthenium (VII) tier while devoting your primary domain to be the skies, your Skill will evolve to be one tier above your own. If you have a stipulation within the Skill that allows it to surpass your current tier, that stipulation will remain valid, thus, in your case, at the Ruthenium (VII) tier, your Wind Manipulation Skill would be at the Iridium (VIII) tier while under the influence of your Divine Transformation Skill, your Wind Manipulation Skill would reach the Osmium (IX) tier. For the first, TJ was just reminded that other Classes would be able to gain Divine Transformation but his would remain a higher tier than theirs. That reminded him that he might get the opportunity to gain Divine Armaments or Sacred Weapon, which might be nice, considering they shouldn¡¯t impede his bonuses from Primal Savagery. On the second, he was read again and again to ensure he understood. He was able to gain Skills just as he had now, and then, when he gained Skill selections later, he¡¯d be able to take Skills that were upgrades to what he¡¯d gained. If a Skill came from experimentation and self discovery, then it wouldn¡¯t be able to grow as high as a Skill selected with a Skill selection. Then, the third was where he called bullshit. ¡°You said that any ability I get through practice could never even reach my own tier of Divinity, much less surpass it! Both of these Skills I got are higher tier than I am. I¡¯m not complaining, but what the hell?¡± You are mistaken. Meditation is a Universal Skill, not a Class or Occupation ability, and is thus not limited to any tier of Divinity, regardless of your own. Divine Manifestation is, in itself, an untiered Skill. The tier is entirely reliant upon the Divinity of whatever the highest tier of your Divine Authorities have reached is. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ semantics.¡± TJ trailed off from arguing with the System that was giving him additional benefits. His desire for total clarity and intelligibility from the System was far outweighed by his hope to continue gaining things from the System, regardless of anything else. As such, he wasn¡¯t going to continue to complain about it. Now, before he got into the Class Skill selection options, there were the other two notifications. That the Tribulation was merely a Moderate Divine Trial was insanity. Maybe the fact that he¡¯d gotten a second chance was reason enough to disqualify it for one of the higher tiers, but TJ knew for sure that he didn¡¯t want to find a Severe or Celestial Trial any time soon. Before the evolutionary requirements, what was Divine Authority? Divine Authority is a representation of any concepts, domains, or aspects that a Participant has claimed at least partial dominion over. With your Enlightenment, Tribulation, Skill, and Bloodline, you have claimed the Copper (I) tier of Divine Authority over the concept of Storm. Having gained the Divine Authority, any Skill or ability that is in any way linked to the concept of Storm will be empowered by 50% with no additional cost while within the influence of a Storm. While within the influence of a Storm, all of your resource regeneration is doubled and you gain a 10% bonus to all your attributes. About what TJ had expected, though, after checking to be sure, the bonus to Wind Manipulation was a welcome surprise. ¡°And I¡¯ve passed two of the three requirements for evolving to Copper tier, what¡¯s the third?¡± There are hundreds of potential requirements for a Participant to evolve to the Copper (I) tier of Divinity. In order for any Participant to evolve to the Copper (I) tier of Divinity, they must complete three of the requirements. The two that you have completed are: 1. Complete 1 Dirt (0) Bitter Divine Trial¡¯s worth of Divine Trials. Progress: 2 Minor Divine Trials, 1 Moderate Divine Trial. 2. Gain any Divine Authority. ¡°What other options are there within reach for me?¡± TJ asked without much hope. He got the same answer he expected: The System will not provide you with that information at this time. TJ sighed. Though he¡¯d shrugged off the worst of the consuming rage that¡¯d grown as a result of his vision of the ¡°consequences of failure¡±, he still was far from calm or close to his old self. The simmering emotional turmoil remained, and TJ turned his attention to his Skill selections.