Well, this is certainly an unexpected find.
I scanned the cave I found myself in. It wasn’t very deep, you could say it was more of a big room under a hill, but large enough to make for a good lair.
My eyes lingered on the purple grass and mushrooms that dotted the floor and walls. I activated my Phytomancer abilities and interfaced with a single strand of grass. This was the first time I had connected with such a small plant and it was incredibly hard to find the right connection in the midst of the intricate web of strands that was the purple grass.
Eventually I managed to get a hold of the strand I was focusing on and found out that this was… just grass, but purple.
What a surprise
There were no particular differences other than its coloration, however I did notice that every strand was connected to the purple mushrooms, generally the closest to it. In fact, the patches of grass seemed to only grow near the mushrooms.
I went to have a closer look at the mushrooms and activated my “Herbal Intuition” ability. Sure enough, these mushrooms were safe to consume.
Name
Lumishroom
Description
A mystical mushroom that emits a soft, purple glow.
Safety
Safe to consume (for a dragon)
Weaker creatures may feel itchiness if in contact with the spores.
Special properties
Nutritious (minor)
It will retain its glow for a while even after being plucked.
I didn’t get much else from interfacing with the mushrooms so I just assumed that their color was somehow affecting the grass surrounding them.
Suddenly I remembered about my Phytomancer level up from the fight with the baboon.
Status
Name
Juniper
Race
Dragon
Growth
Cub
Body
2
Classes (1)
Level
Reflexes
2
First
Phytomancer
3 (+1)
Cool
1
Second
none
-
Mind
4 (+1)
Third
none
-
Mysticism (racial)
1
Fourth
none
-
Another point into Mind huh… I guess that is the only stat I’ll be leveling with Phytomancer.
Suddenly I noticed a (1) notification next to the classes.
Well that’s new…
I mentally clicked on the notification and a new panel opened up.
Conditions to acquire a new class achieved. You may pick a new class from the choices below:
[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.
[Common] Explorer - Chart the uncharted, mapping out the mysteries of the land with a keen eye for detail and a knack for getting out of sticky situations.
My eyes widened in surprise as I read through the new options.
“That is certainly good news! System, what conditions did I achieve to unlock a new class?”
Answer. The condition for the acquisition of a new class was achieved by obtaining a total of 10 or more points into the user’s personal statistics.
So that is how new classes are unlocked…
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“System, why are “Fighter” and “Explorer” my only choices?”
Answer. Class choices are awarded to users based on personal achievements, special conditions or specific attribute points.
That is interesting, so doing some crazy stuff has a chance of unlocking a new class choice… wait a second…
“System! You are actually answering my questions today! Are you finally in a talking mood?”
Silence.
As the system went back to its usual quiet behavior I looked back at my choices. Both were compelling options. Fighter was just a solid choice in general. I had only been born for a few days and already had quite a few dangerous encounters with the local wildlife. Explorer on the other hand was also a very good choice. From the description it appeared that it would boost my orientation and survival capabilities. Finding myself in an unknown forest would be incredibly beneficial to my long term survival.
After a few minutes of consideration, I decided to go for the “Explorer” class.
“After all, if I can map out the area I can then avoid dangers and therefore avoid fights!”
What a delusional statement, as if I will be able to avoid the crazy animals that live in this weird forest.
I mentally selected the Explorer class and opened my status again.
Name
Juniper
Race
Dragon
Growth
Cub
Body
2
Classes (1)
Level
Reflexes
3 (+1)
First
Phytomancer
3
Cool
1
Second
Explorer (1)
1
Mind
4
Third
none
-
Mysticism (racial)
1
Fourth
none
-
I took a mental note that the explorer class boosted my reflexes attribute by one and turned my attention to the notification (1) that was next to the Explorer class.
Class
Explorer
Rarity
Common
Chart the uncharted, mapping out the mysteries of the land with a keen eye for detail and a knack for getting out of sticky situations.
Please pick one ability
Trailblazer - Slight increase in speed on natural paths and the ability to identify common safe routes.
Forager’s Eye - Identify common edible plants and clean water sources.
Looking at the two abilities I could pick the choice was easy. My Phytomancer class already gave me a useful ability to identify edible plants, and while it may be useful to find clean water sources I had already been drinking water randomly without checking without repercussions, so I guess dragons must have a strong stomach.
I mentally selected “Trailblazer” as my first Explorer ability.
Class
Explorer
Rarity
Common
Chart the uncharted, mapping out the mysteries of the land with a keen eye for detail and a knack for getting out of sticky situations.
Abilities
Trailblazer [1]
Slight increase in speed on natural paths and the ability to identify common safe routes.
Satisfied with my choice, I focused back on my surroundings. I wanted to make this cave more than just a shelter. I wanted it to feel like a home. The lumishrooms and the purple grass had already given the place a cozy, if somewhat otherworldly, ambiance. Now, it was time to add some personal touches.
First things first, I needed a proper place to sleep. The floor, while not uncomfortable, didn't exactly scream comfort. Glancing around, I noticed a particularly dense patch of the purple grass near a corner of the cave.
Perfect
Using my Phytomancer abilities, I coaxed the grass to grow taller and thicker, intertwining the strands to form a soft, cushioned bed. The grass responded eagerly, almost as if it was happy to be of use. In no time at all, I had a thick patch of purple softness that looked very inviting.
Next on my list was storage. I needed somewhere to store my… well, I didn’t have anything to store just yet, but I was sure I’d have something soon. I focused on the walls, encouraging the vines and roots to form into shelves and cubbies. It was a bit more challenging than the bed, requiring a delicate balance of growth and restraint, but I was getting the hang of it. Soon, I had a series of shelves carved into the cave wall, perfect for storing my future treasures.
Feeling quite pleased with myself, I took a step back to admire my handiwork. The cave was already feeling more like a home and I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. This was more than just survival; it was about making a life in this new world. And for the first time since waking up in this dragon's body, in this magical forest, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
Tired but content, I looked back at the softness awaiting me.
“Well then, now to test my creation…”
I sat on the bed and it was actually quite blissful. This was much more comfortable than any of the branches I slept in so far.
I could get used to this…
I started dozing off, feeling satisfied and ready to start a new day.
yes… I have decided! This will be my home!
A system panel popped up in front of my face just as I was getting relaxed, startling me into fully awake mode again.
Question. Would you like to set this location as your dragon’s lair?
Yes | No
I jumped from my bed at the sudden notification.
“System! I was just about to fall asleep here! Read the room a little…”
No response.
I’ll get you one day, I swear it on the noble name of Juniper.
I looked at the notification.
Dragon’s lair? This looks like more system shenanigans… alright then.
This seemed like a pretty straightforward question so I gave a straightforward answer and clicked on “Yes”.
I watched the pop up close without following up on anything so I opened my status once again. Sure enough, there was a new entry for my dragon’s lair, which I mentally selected.
Dragon’s lair
Current hoard value: Sparse (0%)
Body
+0
Reflexes
+0
Mind
+0
Cool
+0
Mysticism (racial)
+0
This was particularly interesting. While my current hoard was naturally non-existent, each of my stats had an entry that pointed to a +0 increase.
“System does this mean that as my hoard increases so will my stats?”
Answer. Yes
“Don’t hurt yourself with too many words, System!”
Clarification. The user posed a simple question to which I have provided a conclusive…
I closed the panel before it could finish.
Snarky system, I won’t give you the satisfaction.
I turned my attention back to the cave, my new lair. It was a comforting thought, having a place to call my own in this vast, mysterious world. The soft purple glow of the lumishrooms cast soothing shadows around the cave, and the bed of purple grass felt like a cloud beneath me. This was more than a shelter; it was the beginning of my domain.
As I lay back down, trying to recapture the serenity before the system's untimely interruption, I couldn't help but smile at the thought of what tomorrow might bring. More exploration, more discoveries, and perhaps, more treasures to add to my hoard. The thought of venturing out, with the forest teeming with secrets just waiting to be uncovered, filled me with a sense of adventure.
As I closed my eyes, the soft murmur of the forest outside my lair lulled me into a peaceful sleep, my dreams filled with winding paths, hidden groves, and the glittering promise of undiscovered treasures.