Chapter 11. Choice*

Let's go over the upgrades one by one, a lot was happening at the same time, and taking all that at once was a little too much.

First is [Body tempered to perfection], is it something like cultivation and the removal of impurities or something else entirely, I had no idea. I wanted to ask the guide but that was something I decide to hold on for later, to ask everything all at once.

The next in line were some of the more pressing matters. The attempt at awakening the bloodline was an event that had occurred while I was in the forest, and it had happened naturally.

But the change in class was what I did not expect.

My bloodline awakening had somehow affected the class-up process, changing it from a combatant to a Demon Fighter.

And my bloodline, 'Demon of ???'.

I was a demon or something else entirely because my species now showed a '???'. It did not even show demon as it was not sure of what I exactly was and just put up some question marks instead of being wrong like last time when it said human.

'Looks like even the Records is not omnipotent and all-knowing, maybe it's just some old man, with a god syndrome.'

The skills had changed and not one, not two but every single one of my skills had upgraded. The masteries and [Observe] were the simplest upgrades that took place.

The mastery grade went from novice to competent and [Observe] leveled up to identify. The details would get even clearer when using them later on but for now, these were the simplest changes to my skills.

The fighting instincts upgraded to martial arts, with the demon still there, but now it was more leaning towards martial arts or something. I did not know what but the description would maybe somehow clear it later.

The issue was with mana circulation. It was already an upgraded version of meditation, but now it changed into something even more confusing. Mantra, from my understanding, was something to chant, something used to concentrate while meditating.

The only way to find out was by meditating and that would also help in finding out more about the newly advanced masteries.

But just as I was about to enter my 'mind palace', the guide interfered. "We don't have much time, as you were the last person to finish the ground floor of the tower that has to be cleaned out for the next trial takers. The time given for you to rest is almost over so pay attention to what I say next."

"Sorry, I got engrossed in everything that was happening."

The guide nodded and continued, "A storage item, everyone would get a lesser one by the time they get out of the tower but this one is of a higher quality. After you are able to use mana, you will see a token inside the ring. That token is an opportunity, a limited one and after that duration is over the token will turn to dust."

"An opportunity? For what?" I was confused, a person that I had just met for the time, knew nothing about was giving me an opportunity and by the looks of it, the 'event' or whatever it was should be a big deal.

Either he wants something from me, recruit me because he probably knows about my bloodline and all, or he just has too much time on his hands.

"That is something for you to find out if you want. This space won't hold on for long, select your path carefully."

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I felt something pulling me as the guide finished speaking, the force increased as seconds passes by and the guide started flickering and the last thing I heard before everything went black was, "Teleportation. After some time when you get used to it, you won't blackout."

I stood above a pond, the water as black and deep as the abyss. I started walking but with each step, the water rose, or was it me that drowned?

I could only walk forward as the water tried to consume me.

I woke up with black all around me, not a single soul or thing in sight. A prompt from the 'Record' silently waiting to be noticed as my senses came back to me.

[Crossroad of Choices]

[Select the path you wish to take]

[1. Medicine]

[2. Craft]

[3. War]

[4. Conqueror]

[5. Peace]

[Objective: Clear the path of your choice]

[Rewards: Unlocking a second class]

[Failure: None]

[Note: You will not perish if you die in the trial tower but dying may affect your reward]

"A path huh," these quests or missions, whatever the system gave never felt real. The last time it sent me to fight a D-grade creature while locking me in a dome with the monster itself.

And now a journey on one of the five paths that it gave.

My body felt different after the class up, the change was huge even if there was no increase in stats, it was more of a quality change. I knew how to use my strength or body more 'correctly?' if that makes some sense.

I started to concentrate on each of the paths, wanting to know more about them.

[Medicine]

[Healing through mana, medicine, pills, and other methods. Poison, the other aspect of medicine, is the opposite side of the same coin. The one walking through this path holds healing in one and poison in the other.]

[Craft]

[The art of making weapons, formations, talismans, and other items, useful in every situation imaginable, that are crucial items important for every being or settlement be it small or large. An asset where ever you make your presence known.]

[War]

[Fought many battles and lived to tell their tales. A person who lives on the border of life and death and emerges as the winner every time. Can change the tides of war on their own.]

[Rule]

[The shepherd to the sheep, guiding them towards their shelter, showing them their purpose. Leaders, Kings, and Emperors are all born to lead and shoulder the joy as well as the grief their subjects go through.]

[Peace]

[Liking the silence that comes with a normal life, you chose to live a life away from the struggle of power. From farmers to merchants, tailors to cooks every profession that requires certain skills to utmost perfection.]

"Wow."

Every path sounded awesome, except the peace one. That was a path that put me right into the thing that I had hoped off. I was tired of living like a machine that did one thing just for the sake of doing it. There were other people who liked those things, teachers that love teaching, artists who cry tears of joy when they create a masterpiece, and many more.

Many people love such a life, nothing against them, but this path was not for me.

Even though it was not my first choice, thirty percent or more regular folks might have made this choice and the reason was simple. All the blood and violence that they might have experienced on the ground floor of the tower might leave them paralyzed forever, even though I had to go through much more. Some people were just not made for it.

Another popular choice would be the path of rule. That first line, 'The shepherd to the sheep', that thing probably had another thirty percent of the people feel motivated in the heat of the moment and choose it straight outright before even thinking properly.

Who didn't want to be a leader, leading thousands maybe even more people, and living as their king?

The medicine and craft might be next most selected after peace and rule. The people who thought it properly and did not want to be dependent on others for the rest of their lives might choose one of these. There had to be cities on Earth if it was not overrun by monsters, I hope not, and meds and weapons would be the most desired goods in those places.

And now finally came War. The most dangerous of the paths. The path that was walked upon by those who were always in the middle of a battlefield fighting for one thing or another. Family, revenge, satisfaction only they know why. It was a path that tied every other path together.

Why or who would you need medicine and a weapon? Someone who regularly fights. A king needs an army that he leads and what is that army made of? Warriors. The people who peacefully live behind a wall in its shelter, who protects them? The people who chose the path of war.

Every path was equally important, but for me, the war path was the most, why? I liked fighting and I did not want to be sitting in a room experimenting, making a weapon, farming, or sitting on a throne and commanding from a high place.

I wanted to feel that rush once again.

So I chose the Path of War and felt a pull on my back.

[Selected the War Path. Teleporting to the first floor.]

"Ah shit, here we go again."