No sooner had Alan fallen asleep than his mind was overtaken by graphically disturbing dreams. He was plagued with vivid images of the various pathogens hidden just below the surface. An overwhelming sense of foreboding struck him like a ten ton hammer.
Unable to move, and looking down upon himself from an off-putting outside perspective, Alan was completely at the mercy of the parasitic intruders. Disgusted with what he saw, yet unable to look away, Alan watched as his body became a mere host for their continued existence.
It was as though he were little more than a fleshy, man-shaped containment chamber for a wide array of deadly mycelia and bacteria. Powerless to slow the rate at which they were dividing and spreading out, Alan knew it was but a matter of time before they inevitably overtook, and consumed him from the inside out.
As the dream progressed, Alan saw himself transformed into a twisted and diseased monster. An abominable conglomeration of misshapen, root-like limbs hosting a thriving ecosystem of many-hued mushrooms. Feared and shunned by all, Alan staggered through a harsh wilderness trailing a noxious cloud of spores. Sowing plagues with each step he took. The depth of his bitter loneliness was cutting and harsh.
Feeling a sharp jab in his ribs, Alan woke with a start, gasping as if he had just surfaced from a deep dive. “What happened?“ He demanded in a confused daze. The dream was already beginning to fade, yet the knot in his gut was slow to recede.
Am I still dreaming?!
After rubbing at his tired eyes and doing a double take, nothing had changed. She was still right there. Frozen in place, looking at Su'ong's lithe form with conflicting thoughts going to war with one another just below the surface of his mostly-calm exterior, Alan almost got up and ran away screaming, yet he found himself enraptured by the way her silver hair was sparkling under the moonlight.
After taking a quick drink from his canteen to rid himself of his overwhelming cottonmouth, Alan sighed and laid back down, doing his best not to jostle Su'ong in the process. Trying his damnedest to ignore the temptation to get up and move, Alan turned his eyes to the sky. He briefly toyed with the idea of sifting through his Class notifications, but his eyelids were already drooping. Fuck em. They'll be there waiting for me in the morning… there's no ru… His thoughts crashed to a halt when Su'ong tossed her arm over his waist, somehow managed to scoot even closer, and plopped her head down on his chest.
Alan wasn't sure if it was his nervous mind, or his increased Perception, but he could feel Su'ong's heart beating on his shoulder. The faintest sounds seemed to be magnified. Each of her shallow breaths roared through Alan's mind like a tempestuous wind.
Her titty's on my arm! Alan realized with equal parts shock, excitement and embarrassment. Before he could get too worked up, Su'ong surprised him once again.
“You smell nice…” She mumbled sleepily. Unsure how to respond to such a statement, and curious as to what she meant, Alan sniffed at his arm hesitantly. It was faint, but his scales were emitting a slight scent of a humid forest. As if he had spent the day out in the woods, rolling around in fresh mulch. Which, when he thought about it, wasn't too far from the truth.
The warm body pressed up against him was growing increasingly distracting, yet at the same time, Alan found it to be comforting. With Su'ong this close, Alan could clearly feel the soul fragment he'd left within her resonating with his own. At the same time, the dominant, and currently active Beast-Folk half of himself positively hummed at being so close to its source.
Before he could succumb to his growing desire to glean what information his notices had to offer, of only to distract himself, Alan activated [Meditation] just long enough to clear his mind. It worked far better than he expected, and within seconds of deactivating the Skill, he was in the midst of another round of confusing dreams.
All at once, Alan was back in the depths of that blighted forest. Only this time, he was surrounded on all sides by grotesque creatures that had been twisted and broken by the same corruption that was eating away at the environment. A bleak symphony composed of the desperate cries of countless dying animals assaulted Alan's ears as the beasts bellowed out a gut-wrenching display of their pain, venting their frustrations upon him as if he could somehow take the suffering away. Although he didn't know what it could be that they were expecting him to do, he knew deep down on some instinctual level that there was something specific that these beasts wanted from him.
Before he could get a handle on the situation, he was sprinting headlong through twisting sandstone passageways, futily trying to escape a massive, shadowy figure with piercing red eyes and backwards facing antlers. Making turns at random, Alan was determined to escape, yet nothing he did seemed to be enough. Every time he thought he had finally left it behind, the crafty being was somehow right in front of him.
A familiar face framed with silver hair popped around the corner at the far end of the hall.
Su'ong was radiating a sense of safety and security that was in such stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere, that even from where he stood at the far end of the room, it felt like she was standing right next to him. Urging him forward.
Overcome by a sudden sense of surety, Alan waved back, and stepped forward, unflinching as he walked right into a dizzying burst of bright silver light that barreled down the tunnel. A deep sense of calm washed over him, sweeping away all traces of the hallway, as well as the being stalking him from the shadows, and carrying him away into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Alan opened his eyes slowly against the brightness, still reliving small flashes of the vivid nightmares that had tormented him in his sleep. He stretched, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, allowing himself a moment to gather his thoughts before sitting up. The harsh light of the Safe Zone's false sun was shining bright, casting a warm glow on the small clearing where he had set up camp.
As he climbed to his feet, Alan realized that Su'ong was nowhere to be found. He frowned, his heart sinking slightly. “Already gone huh…” He scanned the area, looking for any clues as to where she might've gone. That's when he spotted a piece of paper lying on the ground, covered in shapes and symbols hastily scribbled out in charcoal. Directly next to it was a pile of freshly-peeled Golden Plantains.
Their sweet, and enticing aroma were all it took to make his mouth water.
His mouth packed with Mystic Fruit, Alan picked up the letter and squinted, rotating the page, trying without success to decipher what he could only assume were supposed to be words. They were jagged and unclear, written in a hurried scrawl that he couldn't make heads or tails of.
Remarkable! Your Skill (C)[Multiversal Language Comprehension 2.0] has grown to Level 2!
All at once, the indecipherable mess marring the page came into focus, arranged into another type of script that he had never seen. Despite being sure this was the first time he had seen this particular language, Alan had no issues translating it into words he could understand.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
He couldn't be sure, but a lot of the note seemed to have been lost in translation. By the time [Multiversal Language Comprehension 2.0] had gotten through with it, what had started off as a full page of scribbles had been reduced to a few short lines.
“Alan, I grew tired of waiting for you to wake. I've left you some Plantains. Finish them quickly, and then come to the Island. I think we have a problem.
P.s. Pillows aren't supposed to snore.
“I only just woke up, so of course something would already be going wrong…” Alan grumbled.
With an objective in mind, Alan shoved another Plantain into his gullet, and pulled up his unseen System notifications.
Remarkable! You have withstood your Class Trial! Illéa, Ancestral Spirit of the Blighted Realm has judged you worthy of the [Warden of Blight] Class!
Initiating Class features… Success!
Initiating Class Weapon/Armor Lock… Success!
*WARNING* Multiple Races Detected! Attempting to initiate Class features in [Human (Variant)] Race… ERROR! Retrying… Failure. Unable to establish stable connection.
Incorporating Nature Attunement… ERROR!
Retrying… ERROR! Cultivation Core detected.
Querying System Database for potential Attunement incorporation procedures… 156 methods located.
Scanning energy signature to dictate proper Attunement incorporation procedure… (Celestial Energy) detected.
*WARNING!* Your Cultivation Core harbors an Unorthodox Energy source (Celestial Energy). Unable to incorporate Nature Attunement.
Querying System Database for alternative methods… 1 method located.
Incorporating [Nature Affinity]… Success!
Remarkable! Due to gaining the [Warden of Blight] Class, you have received the [Nature Affinity]!
[Nature Affinity]- Your body is becoming one with the Nature Element. Physical attacks can now deal a small amount of Nature Elemental damage. Reduces damage recieved from all Nature-based Spells and Techniques. Increases damage caused by all Nature-based Spells and Techniques. Reduces cost of all Nature-based Spells and Techniques. Casting and Cooldown times for all Nature-based Spells have been reduced. Slight increase to cost of all Non-Nature-Related Spells.
Remarkable! Due to gaining the [Nature Affinity] you have gained the (Uncommon) Skill [Nature Manipulation]!
(U)[Nature Manipulation] Lvl 1- Upon activation, this Skill provides the ability to shape, alter and manipulate the Nature Element at a basic Level.
Shaping, Alteration, and Manipulation of the Nature Element increase with Skill level.
*WARNING!* The [Warden of Blight] Class is limited to (30) Non-Class Skill slots. You have exceeded this limit. Now integrating Class Skills and searching for any synchronicities and/or redundancies to alleviate this complication…
Caution! Alterations to Skills can only be applied to [Beast-Folk (Variant)] Race.
Synchronicities detected! Your Skills [Fire Manipulation], [Earth Manipulation], [Water Manipulation] and [Nature Manipulation] have merged, creating the (Rare) Skill [Elemental Manipulation]! All further Elemental Manipulation Skills will be incorporated into [Elemental Manipulation].
(R)[Elemental Manipulation] Lvl 1- Upon activation, this Skill provides the ability to shape, alter and manipulate the Listed Elements at a basic Level. (Fire, Earth, Water, Nature)
Shaping, Alteration, and Manipulation of the listed Elements increase with Skill level.
Remarkable! You have gained the Class Skill [Pathogenic Accumulation]!
[Pathogenic Accumulation] Lvl 1: 0% - Through the guidance of the Ancestral Spirit, A Warden of Blight has learned to cultivate and harness the power of Beneficial and Deadly pathogens, using them to bolster their attacks and Skills. This Passive Skill improves the bodies ability to house and nurture these pathogens, allowing for greater potency, pathogenic combination, and increased frequency of use in combat. Additionally, grants the ability to absorb, and attempt to nurture, new types of fungi and bacteria, expanding the Warden of Blight's pathogenic arsenal. Passive increase to the effects of Constitution and Endurance when imbuing abilities with pathogens, allowing for increased resilience in battle. (Current Pathogens: Life Cap, Repulsive Secretion.)
[Life Cap]- These edible Mushrooms enhance the targets natural regenerative abilities.
[Repulsive Secretion]- This bacteria produces a toxin that emits a vile stench. Causes nausea and dizziness when inhaled.
Remarkable! You have gained the Class Skill [Light Weapon Mastery]!
Synchronicities detected! Your Skills (B)[Dagger Utilization] Lvl 3, (B)[Unarmed Combat Utilization] Lvl 3 and (C)[Throw Weapon] Lvl 3 have been assimilated into [Light Weapon Mastery].
Redundancies detected! Your Skill (B)[Staff Utilization] Lvl 2 is incompatible with the [Warden of Blight] Class… Skill dismantled!
Accumulated Skill Levels and dismantled Skills have been reverted to Potential Energy and stockpiled.
[Light Weapon Mastery] Lvl 1: 0% - With the guidance of the Ancestral Spirit, A Warden of Blight has focused their training on the use of Light Weaponry, allowing for greater maneuverability and precision in combat. This Skill unlocks (Basic) proficiency with One-handed weapons such as daggers, short swords and small axes that weigh less than 5 pounds. Passive increase to the effects of Agility and Strength when utilizing Light Weaponry, allowing for greater accuracy and power in combat.
•Assimilation of [Throw Weapon] provides increased accuracy, distance, and damage dealt when throwing weapons.
•Assimilation of (B)[Unarmed Combat Utilization] provides increased comprehension of unarmed combat and damage dealt when unarmed.
Remarkable! You have gained the Class Skill [Crossbow Mastery]!
Synchronicities detected! Your Skills (C)[Enhanced Cognition] Lvl 6 and (U)[Tenacious Concentration] Lvl 7 have been assimilated into [Crossbow Mastery]. Accumulated Skill Levels have been reverted to Potential Energy and stockpiled.
[Crossbow Mastery]- Lvl 1: 0% - With the guidance of the Ancestral Spirit, A Warden of Blight has been trained in the use of Crossbows, an essential tool in their arsenal. This Skill unlocks (Basic) proficiency with Crossbows, allowing for increased combat versatility, making them a formidable force in both close and long-range. Provides access to (Basic) Techniques and strategies allowing for more versatile, and effective use of Crossbows in combat. Passive increase to the effects of Agility and Perception when using a Crossbow, allowing for increased reload times, and improved aiming.
•Assimilation of (C)[Enhanced Cognition] provides increased rate of information gathering and processing.
•Assimilation of (U)[Tenacious Concentration] provides increased depth of focus when sighting down a target.
Remarkable! You have gained the Class Skill [Blighted Sense]!
Synchronicities detected! Your Skills (C)[Trap Detection] Lvl 2 and (B)[Stealth] Lvl 2 have been assimilated into [Blighted Perception] Accumulated Skill Levels have been reverted to Potential Energy and stockpiled.
[Blighted Sense] Lvl 1: 0% - Through the guidance of the Ancestral Spirit, A Warden of Blight has honed their senses, allowing them to detect the presence of living organisms in their vicinity, aiding in their mission to spread the Blight. This Skill grants the ability to sense the presence of life, even if it is hidden or camouflaged. Additionally, provides the ability to distinguish between different types of life, and assess their strength, allowing for more strategic, and effective attacks. Passive increase to the effects of Perception when sensing living organisms, granting greater range and accuracy in detecting potential targets.
• Assimilation of (C)[Trap Detection] Lvl 2 provides increased sensitivity to the presence of hidden traps.
• Assimilation of (B)[Stealth] Lvl 2 provides an increased ability to remain undetected and increases damage dealt while undetected.
Redundancies detected! Your Skills (C)[Stamina Conversion] Lvl 5, (C)[Mp Conversion] Lvl 3, (C)[Hp Conversion] Lvl 7 and (U)[Mana Management] Lvl 1 no longer serve a purpose. Skills dismantled! Dismantled Skills have been reverted to Potential Energy and stockpiled.
Caution! The accumulated Potential Energy of 5 dismantled Skills and 44 Skill levels have been stockpiled. Converting stockpiled Potential Energy into Class Upgrade Points… Success!
+2 Class Upgrade Points gained!
Remarkable! You have gained a (Rare) Class! As the first denizen of the (Human) Tutorial to gain a (Rare) Class, you have earned the Title Class President!
Class President- +3 All Stats, Slight increase to rate of Class Skill progression.
Alan groaned, prying his dried-out eyes away from his PSA. There was a lot of information to process, but his curiosity superceded everything else. With two Class Upgrade Points to use, and a brand new tab listed Class Skills, Alan had a sneaking suspicion that this first round of Skills had only been the beginning of the process.
It was time to discover what Class Upgrade Points were all about.