Hunger has a way of simplifying the world, and as I gobbled up the rest of the egg, I felt the primal satisfaction of a need fulfilled.

With the remnants of the egg now just a memory, I turned my attention to the notification hovering at the edge of my vision.

Experience +50

First Emerald Pincer slayed, experience has been doubled

Warning

Unable to add experience points due to no class being selected. Please select a class from your status panel.

No class selected huh… I guess this clarifies a few things.

"Status," I murmured, and the panel expanded, revealing the list of statistics that described my new existence.

Name

Juniper

Race

Dragon

Growth

Cub

Body

2

Classes

Level

Reflexes

2

First

none

-

Cool

1

Second

none

-

Mind

1

Third

none

-

Mysticism (racial)

1

Fourth

none

-

I looked at the section labeled “Classes” and just as I was about to reach out with my claw to tap it, a new panel popped open in front of the old one.

Does this thing recognize my intentions? I don’t know whether to like this or not.

I looked at the new section as the options unfurled before me.

[Common] Fighter - A class that prided itself on strength and endurance, perfect for those who wish to face their challenges head-on with steel and shield.

[Uncommon] Phytomancer - A master of plant life, able to communicate with and manipulate the flora of the forest for protection, sustenance, and offense.

[Common] Explorer - Agile and keen-eyed, an explorer is adept at navigation, survival, and uncovering the secrets that the wilds wish to keep hidden.

I paused, considering each choice, each class shimmering with potential. A Fighter seemed straightforward, reliable. Explorer promised to reward with bonuses related to adaptability, which was admittedly also a great choice considering where I found myself.

Speaking of where I found myself, I looked at the Phytomancer description. Manipulation of plant life sounds awfully convenient given that I find myself in a forest so thick that it may as well be called a jungle.

“Screw it, and it’s also uncommon so it must mean it’s better right?”

As I muttered to myself, almost to justify my choice, I mentally willed the status to pick Phytomancer as my first class.

The panel glowed, and a warmth spread through my being. My senses expanded, and I could suddenly feel the life in the plants around me, a network of existence so complex and so profound it overwhelmed me. I shut my eyes and held my head between my paws in pain trying to filter all of the information that was going through my brain. It was like being suddenly hit by a high fever as I felt myself almost faint.

Damn it all, why did I pick this cursed class?

I gritted my teeth.

Alright Juniper, think, there must be a way to contain it.

I curled up in a fetal position, my head still within my paws. I felt the heat of the energy going through my head. I grunted as I attempted to feel it.

I knew, without knowing how, that I could tap into this network, that I could encourage growth, heal, or even cause the vines to lash out if needed. But right now my only focus was on shutting down the stream.

I focused all of my remaining energy on my own mental barriers, envisioning a dam within my mind to hold back the flood. Slowly, the deluge of sensations began to dim. The overwhelming cacophony of the forest's life dimmed to a dull murmur, and I could feel individual threads of life, separate and distinct, rather than a crushing tide.

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My breathing came out in heavy, ragged gasps as I fought for control. This power was a double-edged sword, offering untold connection and influence over the forest, but demanding a mastery and discipline I had yet to learn.

Gradually, the feverish sensation subsided, leaving behind a gentle thrumming, like the beat of the forest's heart. It was manageable now, a background pulse that I could focus on or ignore. I loosened the tight coil of my body, my muscles aching from the tension.

With a deep, shuddering breath, I opened my eyes. The world looked the same, but I felt different, as if I had touched something ancient and vital.

“Damn you Phytomancer, that was so uncalled for.”

I pushed myself to my feet and finally had the time to look over my updated status.

Name

Juniper

Race

Dragon

Growth

Cub

Body

2

Classes

Level

Reflexes

2

First

Phytomancer (1)

1

Cool

1

Second

none

-

Mind

2 (+1)

Third

none

-

Mysticism (racial)

1

Fourth

none

-

It looked like choosing the class had given me an extra point in my Mind stat… although I did not feel any different. Everything else seemed in order except for that (1) that looked like a notification. I focused on it and a new window appeared.

Class

Phytomancer

Rarity

Uncommon

A master of plant life, able to communicate with and manipulate the flora of the forest for protection, sustenance, and offense.

Please pick one ability

Green touch - Plants in the immediate vicinity grow slightly faster and healthier due to your presence. This passive can be activated at will.

Herbal intuition - You gain the ability to discern whether a plant is safe to consume.

I looked over the new information displayed.

First off, uncommon rarity? does this mean that every class has a different rarity?

As if on cue with my thoughts, a new panel once again appeared, covering the previous one.

Clarification.

Class rarity determines how common it is to fulfill its unlock requirements.

Class rarity does not influence the potency or usefulness of its abilities.

Each class is unique in its boons and demerits and should be chosen after careful consideration based on the user’s circumstances.

Just as I finished reading the last bit it dawned on me.

Is this system roasting me for not taking my time to consider other classes. Wait a minute are you even a sentient system?

Answer.

What the user refers to as “system” is not a sentient being.

“But you just answered my question! System, explain yourself now!”

I waited a solid minute. No answer. I guess it will only clarify what it deems necessary.

“This conversation isn’t over System, it is only postponed” I grunted as I looked back at my choices of passive abilities.

“Green touch” would let me influence the growth of the plants around me. Honestly, I was surrounded by thick vegetation, I wasn’t sure I needed even more of that.

The second ability however seemed quite useful in my current situation. “Herbal intuition” would let me recognize edible plants.

I am stranded in an unknown forest. I am guessing this is a solid choice to secure some sort of food source.

I mentally selected “Herbal intuition”, and watched as the popup closed, uncovering the old one from my Phytomancer class.

Class

Phytomancer

Rarity

Uncommon

A master of plant life, able to communicate with and manipulate the flora of the forest for protection, sustenance, and offense.

Abilities

Herbal intuition [1] - You gain the ability to discern whether a plant is safe to consume.

I nodded in approval and closed my status. I scanned my direct surroundings and set my eyes on a large tree which had a purple vine plant enveloping one of its sides. Hanging from it I saw multiple of its fruits.

As I approached it I noticed that they looked a lot like dragon fruits from Earth. They were shaped like a flame, with bright purple skin and light blue scales, or leaves.. I extended a paw and touched one of the fruits, half-expecting some sort of feedback from my new ability. To my surprise, a subtle sense of the fruit's makeup flowed into my mind—its structure, its nutrients, and most importantly, its safety for consumption. It was edible.

I plucked the fruit from the vine, feeling its weight in my palm. It was firm, likely ripe and ready to eat. With a claw, I sliced it open, revealing the white flesh speckled with black seeds, just like the dragon fruits from my previous life. The familiarity was comforting. It was a small piece of home in this foreign world.

I took a bite, savoring the sweet and slightly tangy flavor as it burst across my tongue. It was refreshing, exactly what I needed after the ordeal I had been through.

With a newfound sense of security thanks to my new ability, I was confident I wouldn't go hungry here. This forest, with all its alien beauty, was starting to feel less like a prison and more like a trove of possibilities for a Phytomancer.

I chuckled at the thought, shaking my head. "Juniper, ruler of the unknown jungle, friend of plants," I said aloud, the title both grand and ridiculous.

I finished the fruit and wiped my snout with the back of my paw, feeling the sticky juice dry in the warm air. I had noticed the light starting to dim, and while the forest was too thick for me to spot the sun, it was a clear sign of it starting to set.

I need to find a way to spend the night.

Weariness seeped into my bones, a physical echo of the day's mental and emotional toll. I walked through the forest, my gaze wandering from the thick underbrush to the towering canopies above, searching for anything resembling a cave. But as the shadows grew longer, my search became more desperate, less focused.

The dense foliage and the sounds of the twilight forest only served to remind me of my vulnerability in this new form. I needed a refuge from the unknown threats that might lurk in the dark recesses of this vibrant world.

My eyelids started to grow heavy with the need for sleep. Every part of me longed to simply curl up beneath the nearest bush, but the instinct for safety was stronger. I couldn’t let my guard down, not on my first night.

Looking up, I saw the boughs of a massive tree, its limbs stretching out wide, creating a complex network that looked almost like a royal bedchamber designed by nature itself. That’s when the idea struck me.

Why am I looking for shelter on the ground when I can create my own in the sky?

With a deep breath, I approached the tree. My claws dug into the bark, their sharpness finding grip where I would have never thought possible. I began to climb, an action that should have been foreign to me but felt as natural as breathing. Up I went, higher and higher, until I found a branch wide and strong enough to support me.

The limb was covered in a thick bed of moss and leaves. “Would you look at that, there’s even a mattress waiting for me.”

I settled onto the branch, my tail curling around for balance, instinctively understanding how to secure myself. The rustling of leaves and the swaying of the branches were oddly comforting, like a lullaby sung by the forest itself.

As the final threads of light vanished, I closed my eyes. Despite the strangeness of my situation, I felt a profound peace settle over me. I was here, I was alive, and I was adapting.

With that last reassuring thought, sleep claimed me, and I drifted off into my dreams woven by the very forest that now cradled me.