The empty void around me quickly filled itself with four stone pillars, just like it had the first time I evolved. Each one had the names and description of new classes I could choose. Before I could read any of them though, a screen appeared in front of me.

Congratulations for reaching your second evolution! The second evolution marks the first time one gains an Innate skill. Innate skills have no rarity, can not be upgraded by normal means, and are granted by the class selected upon evolution. An innate skill will upgrade at regular intervals throughout the evolution tier it was gained. An innate skill can not be lost, disabled, or otherwise impaired by any means. Upon reaching its maximum potential, an Innate skill will evolve and gain a powerful effect. When all else fails, the only thing left to rely on is ones innate skills.

The system really seemed to want me to understand just how significant this new skill would be. I took the hint and decided to not take said skill lightly when considering which class I would be selecting. I moved on to the first of the four classes I could select.

Auric Mage

The Auric Mage relies heavily on their aura for every aspect of their magic. They can reshape, condense, and bend their aura to their will. To an auric mage, their aura is as simple to wield and as effective a weapon as any other. Gain the Aura Shape (Epic) skill upon selection.

Innate skill unlocked upon selection: Overwhelming Presence

This class was definitely offered to me thanks to all the work I had done incorporating my aura into just about everything I did. While it was certainly the backbone of my magic, I didn’t see the need to turn it into the weapon I fell back on. I turned to take a look at the next one.

Master of the Metaphysical

A Master of all that is unseen. Through masterfully manipulating their mana, they can change aspects of the world around them to aid their efforts. Be it gravity, space, or time, the Master of the Metaphysical can exert his will on it. Grants the Gravity Well (Epic) spell upon selection.

Innate skill unlocked upon selection: Spacial Control

This class seemed so far off from what I was currently doing, and at the same time sounded absolutely awesome. It seemed to be nudging me back towards what my class was truly about, which was learning more about mana and what it could really do. I was almost tempted to pick this one right away, but I knew I had to at least look at the rest. Even while reading the next class, the idea of manipulating gravity and space was in the back of my mind.

Supreme Dimensional Duelist

The Dimensional Duelist excels while fighting alone, growing stronger when not having an ally to ensure their safety. The supreme dimensional duelist takes this a step further, fighting enemies far stronger than themselves and coming out on top to prove themselves the superior fighter. Grants the Ambitious Fighter (Epic) skill upon selection.

Innate skill unlocked upon selection: Dimensional Duel

This seemed to be building on what I was already doing for the most part. Most of my fighting up to this point had been with me fighting one on one, or in many cases one against many. Interestingly, despite being called a duelist, this class had no mention of needing to only fight one enemy to receive the extra power in a fight. It only required me to be fighting alone. This was definitely another class to consider. I now had two great classes occupying my mind as I read through the last of my four possible choices.

Unyielding Warrior of the Arcane

The Unyielding Warrior of the Arcane is an unmovable object on the battlefield. None can pierce their defenses, and all fall to their blade. Using magic to empower themselves, the Unyielding warrior of the Arcane is an unstoppable force in any conflict they take part in. Grants the Unmovable (Special) skill upon selection.

Innate skill unlocked upon selection: Unyielding

Seeing the special rarity assigned to the class skill threw me off for a moment. Was that supposed to be the rarity above epic? I had assumed it went straight from Epic to Legendary, but perhaps that assumption had been incorrect. That only made me marvel more at the gift I had been given by the King, a gift that I could actually use now thanks to reaching level 50.

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The fact that I had that staff is also what put me off of this class. This was clearly a melee fighters class, and even if I often found myself in close quarters, I did not need more reason to stay there. That just left two choices that really had me thinking.

Master of the Metaphysical, or Supreme Dimensional Duelist. When I had first chosen to become an Energetic Manipulator as my class, my reasoning had been that I wanted to learn more about magic and what it could do. In truth, my logic had been a bit flawed. I had not needed to class for that. I had learned so much about magic purely through using it in everything I did. This new class though, it seemed to be the next step on the path of a magical researcher, so perhaps I would learn even more by selecting that class.

As for the Duelist class, I think its benefits truly did speak for themselves. I had been fighting alongside Flynn these past few days, and even before I had fought side by side with some allies every now and then. In truth, I really preferred to be fighting alone. I didn’t like needing to worry about allies, and the thrill of having the enemies focus solely on me was just unmatched.

I stood there for a while weighing the pros and cons of each choice, wondering which would be the most beneficial in the long run. Both innate skills sounded extremely useful, even if they didn’t tell me what they did.

After a lot of contemplation, I made my choice, my breath catching for a moment as I felt the sheer difference in strength that my body now held. My stats had all gone up thanks to the evolution, and I was already feeling the difference.

Before I could read through all the changes, another screen appeared before me showing that my subclass had evolved.

Your subclass Arcane Artificer has been upgraded to Arcane Creator! Mana-Festation (Epic) has been upgraded to Arcane Arsenal (Special)

Would you like to gain a second subclass?

I remembered back when the tutorial said that gaining another subclass was not recommended. It had been one of the first things it had said when explaining my stat sheet, so I took its word for it.

After dismissing that screen, another appeared.

Would you like to reassign your stat focuses?

For a while now I had already known the answer to that question. I chose to reassign them, switching Aura to the primary focus of my Spirit stat and Perception to be the secondary focus. I didn’t change any of the others, as I had kind of built my fighting style around my agility being my primary focus for the body stat.

After that selection had been made, one final screen appears in front of me.

You may now review your updated status screen. Upon closing your status screen, your evolution will end.

I opened my stat screen, seeing that it now displayed the change my stat had gone through.

Name: River Banks

Race: Human

Level: 50

Class: Supreme Dimensional Duelist

Subclass: Arcane Creator

Trait: Planes Walker

Displayed title: King Killer

Statistics:

Body: 525 => 805 (Agility-Strength-Constitution)

Mind: 777 => 1057 (Potency, Capacity, Recovery)

Spirit: 525 => 805 (Aura-Perception-Soul)

Class skills: Mana Conversion (Epic), Accumulate (Epic), Superior Mana Manipulation (Epic), Mana Harvest (Epic), Ambitious Fighter (Epic)

Class spells: Mana Blast (Rare), Mana Splinter (Rare), Arcane Fortification (Epic), Arcane Arsenal (Special)

Personal Spells: Empower (Epic), Inspect (Common)

Innate Skills: Dimensional Duel (1/5)

Titles: S+ tier pioneer, S tier populous, King Killer

I’ll admit, it wasn’t as dramatic of a jump in stats as I had been hoping. I checked both my race description and class description to see how many stats I would be gaining now with each level, and my frown was immediately turned upside down.

For each level, my race now granted me 6 in each stat. My Class would grant 50 to my mind stat, 35 to my body stat, and 30 to my spirit stat. A bit of mental math told me that my mind stat would be over double what it was now by the time I reached level 63. I also quickly read through the description of my innate skill.

I read through the description of arcane arsenal as well, only to find that the only that had changed was the fact that I could make multiple items at once with far more ease than before. The description of my innate skill though was quite a bit different than I had been expecting.

Dimensional Duel (1/5)

Effect 1: +20% to all stats while fighting with no outside assistance

That was just another increase to my stats, and I was a far more formidable opponent than before. The sheer amount of multipliers granted by my titles, my empower skill, and now this skill all worked to make me just that much more potent, and I highly doubted there were many people who would be this strong upon reaching level 50. Remembering the other skill I’d gained, I check out my new Lone Fighter skill.

Ambitious Fighter (Epic)

Grants a bonus to all stats when fighting an opponent of a higher level. The bonus increases with the difference in levels between you and your opponent.

This skill truly settled it. I was tailor made to punch above my weight class. It was a damn good feeling.

I close out my stat sheet, and the darkness around me fades. I once more find myself standing next to Flynn, who looks annoyed.

“If you are done with all of that now,” Flynn says, his voice a bit harsh. “Do you think you could help me get to a healer?

I only then remember that Flynn had in fact had his arm cut off in the fight with the Pirate Lord. I quickly grab his sword and carry it for him while he carries his arm. I quickly snag all of the valuables off of the Pirate Lord before we return to the first floor.

After getting Flynn to a healer and dropping off his loot from the fight, I leave to head back to the outpost. The leaders of the great city already hadn’t been thrilled when somebody at level 39 had entered their city. I didn’t imagine they would appreciate somebody who was now level 50 and could probably level the city if I truly wanted to.

I wasn’t too upset about leaving though. Right now all I could think of was the legendary staff I could now use, and how I was about to go on a spell upgrading spree.