After that fight, without Vefir or Etra’s ministrations, I expected to be wounded, or at least sore or achey, but my newest [Skill] was showing its worth. With [Victor’s Spoils], the few wounds I’d sustained had healed. The possibilities for me on the battlefield immediately filled my mind, and a part of me still preoccupied with one of my most frequent nightmares was slightly calmed at the immediate growth to my combative strength. Now, if I was surrounded by countless foes, so long as I could continue slaughtering my way through them, [Victor’s Spoils] and [Fanatic’s Fortitude] would offer me a nearly limitless well of strength to draw from.

My newest [Skill] evolution was the newest, next thing of great interest to me. I allowed the [System] notifications to reappear before my eyes.

[Skill evolution progress recorded. Skill evolved. Status updated.]

[Skill: Crippling Cry has evolved to Skill: Murderous Melody.]

[Skill Evolution progress: True Dominance; 3/5]

There was a small part of me that lamented that this new swarm was as “small” as it was. I looked at my oldest [Quest]: [-Subjugate or otherwise conquer a community of at least 1000 individuals. Base reward: Constitution +7, Strength, Agility +8, Intelligence +10, Magic +9. Possibility of additional rewards for greater difficulty.]

I wouldn’t consider a swarm as unremarkable as these to be worthy of granting additional rewards, but even more clarity of view for my future would be ideal. Additionally, I couldn’t be sure if there would ever be a final [Quest]. For the first time in a while, I asked the Administrator as much.

[Eh. The System’s function and purpose are obscured to the Administrators, and what little we know can’t be shared with mortals. I can say, however, that I’ve never heard of a single user finding a peak of strength offered by the System. The Quests will continue to become more difficult to complete as you progress, though. Just like how you couldn’t evolve your Crippling Cry by killing insects.]

There wasn’t any need for me to look back for specific answers to that. Obviously, that was so, and even the one [Quest] that continued to be offered to me would be more difficult as it was offered, given that there would be a finite number of creatures to kill, and I couldn’t imagine organizing expeditions to find new prey for my appetite. And why was that [Quest] the only one that followed me?

[That’s more complicated that I can openly communicate. What I can say, however, is that the Quests displayed will change depending on the user’s species, lifestyle, and circumstances. A keelish user who finds themselves locked in a gladiatorial arena wouldn’t receive Quests to subjugate groups like you have, though they can still complete the Quest without it being visible. I have spoken to you about this previously–the Quest display only presents a limited list to you at a time, though you can complete any one of those for your species at any time. If you complete a Quest that hasn’t been presented to you, you will merely receive the bonus stats without further explanation.]

Much more information than I’d expected or even hoped for, so I muttered a quiet “Thank you” to the Administrator before pulling up the description of my new [Skill].

[Skill: Murderous Melody; an active Skill whose bestowal indicates that the holder has learned not only how to influence and shape the world around them with their magic, but to rend, tear, and destroy with the sonic vibrations that make up the world. The acquisition of this Skill will bless the holder with an increase in the holder’s ability to influence all forms of sonic waves, even those nonmagical in origin, to disorient and destroy. The most basic usage of this Skill will allow its holder to rip through psyches, scramble the minds, and kill foes outright. This Skill cannot evolve, but it can be advanced.]

Like with the other [Skill] evolutions I’d acquired recently, this one offered a basic increase in the potency of my magic, while briefly describing the various ways I could utilize its new, shiny form. Again, it seemed like [Murderous Melody] was the peak of the [Skill]’s title, but further progress would fall on me to personally and individually improve my [Skills]. Again, I turned to the Administrator. Why wouldn’t the [Skills] evolve perpetually, if I could, supposedly, continue to grow through acquiring [Quests] and evolving?

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

[A good question, little fang!]

I could feel her exuberance through the communication.

[There is information that you do not currently have. Other species’ System holders start with that information, but those who do not begin as one of the enlightened races do not have access to that aspect of the System unless they make specific choices. I am reasonably sure that you will quickly find the answer to part of the question, but that which I can answer is as follows: The System is a guide, but at a certain point, it will stop guiding you quite so extensively. There comes a certain level of expectations from the System, and once you have progressed beyond the initial benefits of it, the System will assume a more hands-off approach. The additional Quests presented will show you how the System expects you to move onward. The Skills should become yours, and now that you have laid claim to the Skills themselves, you must tailor them to best benefit you.]

Again, she’d given me quite a bit of information, and I took the opportunity to digest it. As I did so, I pulled up my [Status] for the first time in a little while.

[Status:

Name: Ashlani

Race: Sonic Khatif Swarm Alpha

Titles: Disciple of Nievtala

Killer of Redael

Fahvalo of the Moonchildren

Current quests:

-Hunt 5 new species. Reward will vary depending upon the evolutionary level of prey. Base reward: Constitution, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Magic, +6. Progress: Oxfiend Bull Paragon, Indlovu Hunter

-Subjugate or otherwise conquer a community of at least 1000 individuals. Base reward: Constitution +7, Strength, Agility +8, Intelligence +10, Magic +9. Possibility of additional rewards for greater difficulty.

-Speak the entirety of the True Words of Power of Nievtala. Rewards: Upgrade to Title: Disciple of Nievtala; Acquisition of Skill: Voice of the Divine; Constitution, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Magic +8. Progress: Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth of the Phrases.

Stats:

-Constitution: 160

-Strength: 175

-Agility: 167

-Intelligence: 160

-Magic: 175+20=195

Skills:

Adversary: 9/10

Combatant’s Bloodlust: 1/4 (Imperial Bearing)

Conqueror’s Rebuke: 1/5

Evolutionary Exemplar (Cannot Evolve)

Exceptional Individual (Cannot Evolve)

Fanatic’s Fortitude: Unqualified

Perpetual Sonilphon: 0/2

-Murderous Melody (Cannot Evolve)

-Disastrous Discourse (Cannot Evolve)

-Innervating Address: 0/1

-Nurturing Enunciation: 17/50

-Destructive Wave (Cannot Evolve)

Imperial Bearing (Cannot Evolve)

Innate Leadership (Cannot Evolve)

Pack Tactics: 6/10

Pain Tolerance (Cannot Evolve)

Raptor’s Eyes (Cannot Evolve)

Tremorsense (Cannot Evolve)

True Dominance: 3/5

Victor’s Spoils

Evolutionary Possibilities

-Sonic Keel Zak’Tal: Speak the entirety of the True Words of Power of Nievtala. Progress: 0/1 Have a Swarm Leader level race. Completed.

-Khatif Heretic: learn how to bend the world’s governing laws and compel the divine to follow your will.

Other evolutions possible, but not currently foreseen. Progress further, and such possibilities will be presented to you.]

With the keelish here in the Indlovu’s Plains or Republic or whatever they called it being so different, I almost expected them to have counted as an additional creature I’d killed for my [Quest], but no such luck. Instead, they merely served as the catalyst for me to evolve one of my best [Skills]. I supposed I could live with that. Before I could relish the course of events, though, Foire and Sybil both shouted.

“Indlovu approaching!”

“Large bodies coming!”