There’s a class for just about everything.
Wanna be a farmer? Class.
Wanna be a merchant? Class.
Wanna slaughter millions? Pretty weird, but there’s probably a class!
Classes take something about you, and make it more.
This is why it’s not a good idea to force a class, that is to say, Rarer paths most likely equate to a lower affinity with that class.
Try as you might, not everyone is cut out to be a [Ruler of the Damned], and the system will know either way.
Of course some classes are just inherently stronger than others, but a lower class affinity always leads to a weaker class with worse stat and skill gain.
But remember, Paths only document how likely you were to have received the class, it takes some introspection to figure out if it’s something you are.
Mutations are the opposite, you have such an affinity with a class that it evolves from its base state to something more personalized.
(Note; Mutations are very rare past the second evolution, this is just a result of more individualized classes.)
Sure, achievements are what make it mutate, but with a low affinity nothing short of a Obsidian-ranked quest will make a class you’re unsuited for mutate.
Please, don’t sell yourself for power, even a [Miner] can become something amazing if you let it, I’d know.
-Excerpt from System.gov. Written by Hanor Zalt, Titanium-ranked adventurer and founder of the Hollowed-Earth Guild, class self-reported to be Level 91 [Molder of the Earth] at the time of writing.
Oh… gods.
Congratulations, you are the 6th to receive this class option!
Operator (Common Path) Whether to be an obedient servant or a never tiring sex-toy, you got yourself a Golem. You don’t care about the runeology, you just want a better one. And this class will help you get the best.
+15 Charisma
Golem Handling Skills and Major Affinity
Is something the matter?
“I just didn’t think they’d offer a class for this.”
Well, considering the notification… I don’t think they normally do.
“HOLY SHIT!”
Did you not see it before?
“I WAS DISTRACTED, OK? But… 6th???”
There must have been some hidden requirement most normal Operators don’t fulfill… odd.
Anyhow, I assume we can skip the Class Memory?
“Uh, yeah, I think I remember Gol.”
So…?
A gate appeared before Li, as before.
Beyond it… was odd.
It felt… small, in a way. Li could feel a golem, one he’d trained to be the best at what it did.
But it wasn’t Gol, hell, it wasn’t even a Perfect Boyfriend.
It was wrong.
Li almost recoiled from the class, before the System spoke up.
“Ah, don’t turn away just yet, look.”
Hm?
Class Mutated.
2 Mutations Available.
Generating Mutation…
Oh no, wait-
But it was already there.
Operator of the Simulacrum
(Common Path)
It wasn’t supposed to be possible, remember? You’d need their soul at least, right? Jayce Vian is dead, and yet not dead… all thanks to you.
Show them that the ads don’t lie, and that your Sun-Knight has risen again.
+10 Charisma
+5 Intelligence
Golem Handling Skills and Greater Affinity
Golem Control Skills and Affinity
Tier 1 Reflection Spell Skills and Affinity
Before the full impact of the description hit him, Li felt a shiver at the separation of Golem Handling and Control, the implication made him uneasy…
Then he reread the above part.
Li closed the gate as soon as it opened, not needing what lay beyond to know that this WASN’T him.
“Oh… Li… I-”
“Please just… show me the other one so we can move on…”
…As you wish, but I promise it’s better.
Generating Mutation…
Operator of Friendship (Epic Path)
Fuck servitude. Fuck recreation. Fuck MarvaCorp.
Gol isn’t a thing, and you’ll wait however long it takes to prove it.
The two of you will fight to make him sentient. Together.
You’ll prove the ads right, because you know Gol deserves it.
You know your friend deserves it.
+10 Charisma
+5 Intelligence
+5 Wisdom
Tier 1 Golem Buff Spell Skills and Major Affinity
Teamwork Skills and Greater Affinity
Golem Handling Skills and Affinity
The 2 descriptions were weird, they seemed much more personal, even the Tiger-Soul hunter had been much more abstract than this.
It was nice, in a way.
Li felt the possibility before the gate opened.
Him and Gol, side by side, working to take down a monster.
No Operator, no golem.
Only two people who cared about each other.
Li turned away, not because he didn’t want that future, no.
It was just that he wasn’t wasting a class on something he already planned on.
Right before the gate faded away, it shone brighter. As if smiling upon his decision, contradictory as it was.
Congratulations, you hav-
Let’s save that for later, hm? There’s another class waiting for you.
Hm? I… huh… I guess I can see it. Gonna have to explain Paths again though.
Healer (Certain Path)
In your heart, you want to help. How else better then to help their bodies?
A broken leg, dooming a rising-star adventurer to a life of complacency.
A collapsed lung, poised to kill an innocent child.
A thousand little invisible cuts that send people to an early grave.
Save the flashy swordsmanship and devastating spells to others, you just make sure they come back alive to brag about it.
That’s how you choose to help.
Tier 1 Healing Spell Skills and Greater Affinity
Medical Skills and Affinity
Tier 1 Buff Spell Skills and Lesser Affinity
+2 Intelligence
+2 Wisdom
+2 Dexterity
+2 Toughness
+2 Perception
+2 Charisma
Yes, I guess I do. It’s like a percentage.
60% and above is common. 59-26% is uncommon. 25-11% is rare. 10-2% is epic. And 1% is legendary.
“Ok, but what does the percentage… mean?”
It’s very complicated, but… Say there’s a 100 timelines, 100 paths that all converge at that one point.
How many times would you have done what you did?
Of course, it is far more complicated than that, but it’s a good explanation.
“Jeez that’s trippy, but what about certain?”
100 lives lived in 100 different ways. In almost every single one of them you chose to help.
Because that’s simply who you are, Li. Nothing life could throw at you would change that.
For better or worse, you’re a [Healer].
“A-ah.”
You don’t believe me.
“I didn’t say that, it’s just-”
Look at the memory, and you’ll see.
Generating Memory…
***
Aidan Goss was one lazy motherfucker.
“Too tired to get up” he says, what a crock of shit.
Unfortunately Li had been hanging in Aidan’s dorm, so he was guilt-tripped into snack duty.
But he’d already planned his revenge! First he’d-
“Urggggghh…”
Li froze.
Gods, please say he hadn’t wandered into the D-ward by mistake, people fucked there all the time.
Li remembered his tour guide that showed him around on his first day…
“Get it? ‘Cuz D… you get it.”
Li, regrettably, did get it. What had been that guy’s name again? Turner was it? Maybe Tiger… Eh, who knows.
He had been about to turn away when the voice spoke up again.
“Fuck, Coach is gonna get on my ass about this.”
Li froze once again… maybe he should invest in a sweater.
He knew that voice.
Li had begun walking into the classroom before his brain could even think to stop it.
That was the voice of Jayce Vian, the school’s golden boy and betrayer extraordinaire.
Li didn’t know why he wanted to see Jayce with some girl, but hey, when had he ever been rational when it came to Jayce.
As he turned the corner, Li gave a small gasp.
Jayce turned around quickly, shirt off and displaying his bruised body to the world.
And Li.
“Li?!”
“Jayce…”
They both just stared in silence for a moment, as if seeing each other for the first time.
The last time they’d hung out was Freshman year, and they were Juniors now. Did that sophomore year project count?
Either way… Gods, was it awkward.
Li broke the silence first, hoping taking the initiative would shake off some of the tension in the room.
“What happened to you? Why are you all… hurt.”
Li mentally facepalmed, way to show tact and grace, dumbass.
“It’s nothing.” Jayce quickly said, obviously lying.
Li took a tentative step forward to inspect the damage.
Jayce’s face heated up with embarrassment, but he didn’t say anything, which Li took as an OK.
As Li approached, he noticed that Jayce, rather unfairly, had a 6 pack.
Then it was Li’s turn to blush, with embarrassment and something much less innocent.
Li forced himself to be respectful.
Bruises dotted Jay’s carved body, all at different stages of healing.
So this wasn’t new.
Jayce had obviously tried to treat himself.
Various herbs was plastered against some of the nastier injuries, but he hadn’t known to crush the Irmira into a poultice, nor to dry the Girvire vine, crush it, and drink it mixed with water.
Gods, had he not taken a single herbology class? At least he chose things that would actually help, methods aside.
Li took another scandalous glance at Jayce’s midriff and the lines that guided the eye towards his-
There were some cuts too, some scabbed, some needing bandaging or even stitches.
Thankfully he hadn’t gotten to the last part, Gods only know the havoc Jayce would’ve wrecked on himself.
Li gave a deep sigh, Jayce was hopeless when it came to first aid, it seemed.
“Is it that bad?” Jayce asked after, a bit of concern in his voice.
Li shook his head and sighed. “No, you just really suck at this, why didn’t you go to the nurse?”
Jayce glanced away. “I…” Li tried to busy himself with taking inventory of the medical supplies and pretend he hadn’t noticed the sheen in Jayce’s eyes. “You know I’m in the Dueling club, right?”
“I think the entire school knows at this point. You’re pretty popular nowadays.”
Jayce gave a small, proud grin.
“Smug bastard.” Li then realized he’d interrupted. “Ah, sorry, go on.”
“Well… there’s this little thing… it’s dumb and dangerous but… they say it’s weak to need a [Healer] after practice, that the small injuries build… character.” Jayce explained, voice softer as if just now realizing how insane that sounded.
Li didn’t respond immediately, finishing his count of what they had on hand… not enough.
“We’ll need to go to the nurse’s office… J-just for supplies” Li added at Jayce’s grimace. “I need a mortar and pestle, some Vorta as a pain killer if we can get it… Zirtu should work raw, if you can stomach the taste.”
Jayce eyes softened and he took Li’s hand gently.
“Li, I just sai-”
“I’m not a [Healer].”
“Yeah, so why do you care?”
Li thought he’d need a minute to think on it, but his heart apparently already knew.
“Because we may not be friends anymore but unfortunately for you, I know you.” Li took a deep breath.
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“You’re still the same reckless idiot, and someone needs to make sure you don’t get yourself killed. So i-it might as well be me.” Li stammered off quickly, face burning.
Jayce stood there, mouth slightly open, stunned.
He appeared to have an epiphany, as that surprise broke and-
Li’s face was then crushed against a pair of man-boobs that had no right to be that big.
Li’s mind was seared clear by the feeling of those big, powerful arms holding him tight enough to slightly hurt.
Save for the desperate hope that Jayce didn’t notice what this was doing to Li.
“I…thank you, Lily…”
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.” Li screamed in his head.
“Mmrpphhh!”
Jayce released Li at the impromptu-medic’s muffled pleas, a horribly delicate expression on his face.
“Jeez Jayce, it’s not even that… serious.” Li faltered at that intense look on Jayce face.
Jayce, quicker then Li thought someone so bulky could move, gripped Li’s shoulders with barely contained strength.
“No. This means more to me than you can even imagine, I owe you for this… just say the word and it’s done.” Li stared into Jayce’s star-bright eyes and saw only sincerity.
“I…I… need text Aidan.” Li murmured, throughly flustered.
Li scooted back several steps to breathe in some air not infected by Jayce.
“…huh?” Jayce said, tilting his head to the side a little.
“Well um, I’m not good at sneaking and you’re…” Li looked up and down Jay’s body… fuck he was even more obnoxiously huge then last year. “You stand out.”
The head tilt got more pronounced.
“How do you mean?” Jayce looked down at himself as if his shirt was the reason he was a head taller then most of the adults.
“You’re big.” Li put it bluntly.
“Ohhh.” It clicked for Jayce. “Thanks!” He said, a wide smile on his face.
Li schooled his face into neutrality as Jayce flexed a bicep at him.
“Those fucking arms- No, bad Li, you can’t thirst for your patient.”
Jayce looked vaguely disappointed at Li’s lack of a reaction, the attention whore.
“Well, go on then, Aidan’s that scrawny guy who hangs around you, right?”
“Jayce… I’m scrawny too, hell, half the school is scrawny compared to you.”
“Good.” Li tried so very hard not to react as Jayce bounced his pecs, that same cocky grin on his face.
“He really wants a reaction outta me, huh.”
“Now text him already, my butt is sore.”
“Try not to think about Jayce’s butt. Try not to think about Jayce’s butt. Try not to think about Jayce’s butt.”
Li pulled up his phone before Jayce did something else attention-seeking and hot and embarrassing.
He ignored Aidan’s last message.
Alley cat
“wheres my snacks asshole”
Li
“can you steal me some things from the nurses office?”
Alley cat
“lol no you haveny even got me my snacks”
“havent*”
Li
“ugghhhh ill give you my pudding for a week”
Alley cat
“deal, what you need”
Li closed his phone after giving Aidan the list.
He turned to Jayce, who had somehow silently moved closer without a peep.
“You said your butt was sore, huh?”
“Sure is, wanna see?” Jayce winked at Li, who was fighting the losing battle of trying to determine whether Jayce was making fun of him or not.
“Ew, gross.” Li replied, not thinking either of those things, thinking the opposite actually.
“What?” Jayce laughed, a sound which created a funny feeling in his chest, considering that he hadn’t been directed at him in ages.
“Don’t you need to treat my injuries? Something about making sure I don’t get myself killed? What if I die of broken glutes Li, what then?” Jayce demanded, leaning in close, far too close for comfort.
“Then I’ll cry at your funeral.” Li replied snarkily. “Now, let’s go to my dorm, all my Herbology stuff’s there and your precious ass can have a break.”
“Y-your dorm?” Jay asked, finally breaking that smugness down to a wide-eyed stare.
Li didn’t see what the big deal was on Jayce’s end, it’s not like he was inviting someone into his most intimate space.
“Yes,” Li rolled his eyes. “My dorm, unless you’d like to put in some work and use those big arms to crush herbs.”
“Do you really think my arms are big?” Jayce asked excitedly, to which Li declined to answer lest he tempt Jay into more attention-seeking behavior.
Jayce frowned slightly at the lack of a response, but continued anyway. “I don’t feel like working, so dorm it is.”
And so they left the classroom behind them.
Li lamented his luck when he saw the sign that declared the ward they were leaving as the infamous D-ward.
Any [Gossip] worth their level who saw them leave would no doubt be shocked at the star duelist leaving the D-ward with his ex-best friend.
And then immediately level the heck out of [Rumor Mill] spreading it ‘round the whole school.
Jayce hadn’t seemed to notice, perfectly content to walk to Li’s dorm, a little too close to Li then he probably should… Jay didn’t seem to notice that either.
As they finally got to Li’s dorm and entered the room, Li blushed a dark scarlet.
Plastered over the walls was a number of posters befitting a 9 year old. It seemed extra-juvenile when he noted that Jayce made the sizable room look tiny with his bulk.
Jayce’s eyes caught on a duelist one first.
Li mentally snorted.
Jocks.
“You kept it…” Jayce murmured.
It was an old, gaudy thing… A duelist team from years ago who was famed for it’s high Strength-inclined warriors and tight, colorful outfits.
Jayce had somehow dragged him to one of their games hosted in Prioa, a bigger city an hour away from their smallish hometown of Scyiali, back in middle school. This was before they had gotten popular and started doing games at the Capital.
The poster was of the whole team in their signature outfits that were almost worse than nudity, posing with their huge muscles and big grins.
Li glanced at Jayce… it seemed someone took inspiration from them.
“Oh come on, like I was gonna throw out a signed poster.” Li didn’t know how Jayce had done it, but Jayce somehow got one of the members (one of the burlier ones too) to come and sign both their posters and take a selfie with the two star-struck preteens.
“And that’s why you kept the selfie too, huh?” Jayce chucked, noticing the printed out selfie of Li’s red face along with Jayce and the leader of the Mountain-Breakers, the smiling brute taking up most of the shot with his powerful frame.
It had been a good day.
Li hurriedly looked around the room for anything else embarrassing and was relieved to see nothing… before he remembered it.
He knew Jayce had seen it by the loud laughing and the large hand that was suddenly wrapped around Li’s shoulder.
The crown jewel of embarrassment.
A poster of Jayce’s dueling team.
“Gods I remember this! They sold these for like 20 bronze I thought? Did you actual…”
Jayce paused in his amusement at the sight of Li in near tears at the embarrassment.
The arm around Li’s shoulder pivoted him toward Jayce for a hug.
“I’m glad you liked us… I wish you’d told me, I would’ve just gave you one. But hey! At least now…” Jayce turned and grabbed a marker from Li’s desk and signed the poster. “You have two signed posters!”
“I- um… just… sit on the bed Jayce.” Li somehow stammered out without collapsing in shame.
Jayce chuckled and moved to sit on Li’s likely-too-small bed before he stopped.
Li turned to see what the problem was and saw the supplies from Aidan neatly laid out in his bed.
Jayce looked at the supplies with a cold expression as he spoke.
“Aidan, right?”
Li hesitated at the dark tone but replied anyways. “Yeah, Aidan Goss, he’s my friend.”
There was a long, awkward pause as Jayce stared at the supplies.
“Just friends?” Jayce asked, voice low with something close to venom.
Li flinched at the tone despite knowing Jayce wasn’t mad at him.
“…yeah, he’s just my best friend.”
That seemed to be the wrong answer somehow, as Jayce furrowed his brows at the word “best”.
“So… as “best friends”… who would you say was better?”
“H-huh?!”
“Who do you like better? Me or him?” Jayce spoke clearly, as if Li’s confusion was over how he worded the question.
“Jayce I… uh… can’t answer that…” The words felt like a lie but he meant it, right?
“Why not?” Jayce tilted his head, the action far less cute then before with the stifling atmosphere.
“I mean, clearly I beat him in physical strength, he probably couldn’t lift you without falling over and dying and I could break you in half if I wanted.” The words came out quick and slicing, and despite the violent imagery, Jayce’s tone implied that he had a different meaning.
Li backed up a bit as Jayce turned around fully and placed that cold, intense gaze onto him.
Li backed up even more as he realized that Jayce had taken a step forward.
“Looks? Not to brag but I am definitely hotter then him.”
Jayce may be right, because it felt like Li was burning every time Jayce’s gaze wrenched over him.
It may be a matter of proximity, as Li quickly found himself pressed against a wall as Jayce slowly approached.
“Size? I beat him easily, I mean Gods he’s a fucking pebble compared to me.”
Li made a noise in the back of his throat at that, because it was very true.
Aidan was a lot of things, buff was not one of them.
It seemed Jayce took the noise differently however.
“What, don’t believe me? Fine, I’ll prove it.”
Jayce caught both of Li’s hands and… oh, um.
With a firm grasp, Jayce… He… dragged Li’s hands up his shirt, letting Li feel every curve of his abs. Li could feel the way the hard muscles shifted as Jayce breathed heavily.
With a slow casualness, as if daring Li to pull away, Jayce made Li’s hands move their way up to Jayce’s large pecs and squeeze.
Li’s legs wobbled at the sensation of warm muscle giving way under his fingers and Jayce gave a low groan.
“S-see?” Jayce asked in a breathless chuckle. “I’m definitely bigger than that twig.”
Li was literally stunned silent. Clearly Jayce wasn’t thinking platonically anymore, right. But was Jayce gay? Did Jayce like him? Was this a prank? Should he run aw-
“Do you need more convincing?” Jayce asked, a wild, excited smile tugging on his face.
Li tried to say no, to get Jayce to stop this before Li had either a panic attack or a boner… but his body refused to move.
“Do… uh… do you want me to stop?” There was a singular spark of doubt that marred Jayce’s smirk.
Li quietly said it before his mind, body, or soul could catch up.
“I still think Aidan’s bigger.”
And the doubt was gone.
“Well then! Does Aidan have this?”
And Li’s hands were one again taken from their place nestled in Jayce’s chest, and moved lower, and lower, and lower…
And every inch of the way Li was to feel all the clothed nooks and crannies of Jayce’s muscular body.
For a horny moment, Li thought Jayce would guide his hands towards Jayce’s crotch, but alas.
Before Li could feel even the slightest disappointment, hands touched ass.
Li flinched at the sensation, not having expected that at all. To be specific, not having expected the feeling of roundness.
Li hadn’t taken the chance to properly look at Jayce’s ass, considering the social repercussions of getting caught.
You could argue staring at Jayce’s pecs was a mistake considering his considerable height, after all.
Butt? Not so much.
Jayce gave a loud laugh “I’m no slouch, Li, I exercise my whole body.”
Put simply, Jayce had a very nice ass, one built by squats aplenty to give some… developed glutes.
What’s more, the reach needed to feel Jayce’s butt meant that Li had to lean closer, almost face-planting in Jay’s pecs.
“And I did warn you… my butt is sore.”
Li’s heart stopped then as Jayce began having Li massage his ass.
Pressing into the area, Li was made to rub up to the start of Jayce’s spine back down to the beginning of powerful thighs.
Jayce bent down to whisper in Li’s ear.
“So, you like me better now?” Jayce smugly asked, hot breath coating Li’s ear.
At Li’s continued silence Jayce pressed Li’s fingers deeper, insistently.
“Does Aidan have this?” Jayce asked tauntingly.
“Oh d-definitely, I’ve felt it.”
Li really wished he’d kept his mouth shut.
Because even though they both knew that was a lie, Jayce’s eyes darkened with jealousy and he huffed.
“Well, there is one thing he definitely doesn’t have bigger.”
“Hm?” Li questioned, almost worried at what the menace was gonna pull this time.
“I absolutely have a bigger dick.”
Li’s blood ran blisteringly hot as Jayce swiftly shifted Li’s hand’s towards his crotch.
And he felt a fog take over him, despite the desperate want that pulsed through Li like blood.
***
The system knew it was a needless waste of energy, he could’ve sliced up the memory and just showed the healing parts. This was pushing the Memory to it’s limits and would surely have consequences.
But as the system’s gaze flickered over to Li and noted the tears coming out of the Astral Self’s eyes he couldn’t bring himself to regret it.
Warning: Energy Input of System Angel #1648292641 Increased by 2.1%. This May Impact System Access in the Short Term, Admin Access Needed.
Warning: Class Memory Showing Has Reached It’s Soft Limit. To Bypass the Soft Limit, Admin Access is Needed.
Admin Access Granted by WYNOS
At least Wynos was on the System’s side.
The system refocused on making sure the memory didn’t shatter.
And hopefully Li’s side.
Level Up!
***
Li woke up with a gasp.
“Oh… you’re awake.” Li heard Jayce say.
It was rather odd, as Jayce shouldn’t be in his room.
“So, do you like me more now?”
At least not in real life.
Li turned his head to see Jayce leaning against his dresser, a very peculiar expression in his face.
“…So… I’m sorry.” Jayce began, not looking Li in the eyes.
“Huh? No I should be sorry.”
“I have no idea what got int-”
“I fell asleep while you’re here, injured.”
Jayce blinked, confused, but recovered swiftly.
“Arn’t you mad at me?”
“…for what? If anything you should be mad at me, I don’t even know why I fell asleep to begin with…”
“I absolutely have a bigge-”
Jayce freezes and quickly moves over and places a hand on Li’s shoulder.
“Um…” Jayce takes a breath. “You… probably just were really tired last night, huh? It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”
For an odd second something in Li told him that Jayce was wrong, that something was wrong.
Then Jayce gave Li one of his dazzling smiles, and put it aside.
After all, Li had pulled an all-nighter… right?
Yeah… yeah he did.
Gosh how embarrassing, right in front of Jay. And to have a sex dream about Jayce too, what a pervert.
Li blushed as he imagined Jayce having to tuck him in, but got distracted by Jayce’s panicked expression.
He was staring off into space…
“Hey, you ok?”
Jayce glanced up as if he had forgotten Li was there.
“Oh… I just got a new skill, it’s fine.”
“Oh! What is it!” Li excitedly asked, he’d always been so fascinated with the system and skills and magic, and here he had an open source.
Jayce looked really uncomfortable and Li’s smile dropped.
“O-oh… you don’t have to-”
“It’s about you, that I’ll say.”
Li stopped in his tracks and blushed a little. A whole skill, about him? That seemed pretty… intimate.
“I’ll drop it…” there was a pause. “So what about your other skills? Tell me one, that was the deal… remember?”
When they were kids they’d stay up late and talk about how they were going to become [Heros], and always be together.
When they’d gotten a reality check about the realities of becoming [Heros] they still promised to tell each other their skills and stats, even though it was a rather taboo thing to do with anyone other than a partner.
But they hadn’t cared, because it was them. Who cared about societal norms?
Li hadn’t expected the way his voice and gotten all soft and… pleading.
Without talking they both knew this was the big question, that Jayce’s response would mean something.
“Are we still friends?”
Jayce broke into a small smile.
“Of course I remember. I’ll… tell you the one that’s making me not be all groaning in pain and uncool… it’s called [What Wounds?], it’s level 12 and allows me to ignore 24% of my pain.
Jeez, that was a good skill.
Li was suddenly hit by why it was so taboo to tell people your skills. This felt much too personal, too trusting.
“Double the level? What happens when it gets to level 50 and ignores 100%? What would leveling it do after that? Also, couldn’t you just never feel pain again?”
Jayce’s eye twitched and Li felt like an interrogator… but these were important questions!
“Thank the gods you’re the smart one of us, it took me weeks after getting to skill to think of that. It’s a pretty common skill so I researched it, there’s no exact answer but it’ll probably switch to lowering the cost. It’s 5 Stamina per second so I can’t exactly use it all the time, maybe someday.”
Li gaped at Jayce.
“PER SECOND?! Why are you burning stamina like that, doesn’t it make you tired?”
“I only use it when the pain gets bad, don’t shit your pants over it Lily.”
Jayce raised his hands in mock-surrender, rolling his eyes.
“Well then I gotta treat you quick before you run out of stamina and collapse on me.” Li sighed, and begun rummaging through the supplies on his bed.
“Who do you like better?”
Li was already talking before he could overthink it.
“Aidan Goss is my friend… but you are too, you know that right?”
Li couldn’t explain why, but he felt like it was a good thing to say.
Who knows, maybe he had prophetic dreams.
Li glanced behind him, a multitude of emotions passed over Jayce’s face, mostly unrecognizable.
One was relief.
If Li didn’t know Jayce as well as he did, he wouldn’t have noticed it.
“I know… I’m not jealous.”
Jayce’s voice became a bit edged with something not even Li could place.
As Li turned back to the herbology supplies that nagging feeling took over, telling him that something wasn’t right.
Then Jayce hugged Li from behind.
Suddenly none of that mattered.
“Show me how you’re gonna treat your favorite patient, Li.”
Li’s breath hitched as Jayce leaned in close. Jayce put his head on Li’s shoulder and was watching the amateur healer work.
“Only patient.” Li muttered, trying not to let his hands shake as he diced the Zirtu into 1-inch cubes.
“Can’t an injured guy watch his favorite [Healer] work without snark?” Jayce dramatically complained, but didn’t budge from his spot.
“But snark is why I’m your favorite!” Li countered, a bit surprised on how natural their back and forth felt, he’d assumed there’d be some awkwardness, but it felt like they’d never stopped being friends.
“True.” Jayce relented, a sweetness to his voice that Li couldn’t ever remember hearing before.
Li heated up the cubed Zirtu on his hot plate until they began to get gooey, scooped the mushy herb into a cup, and mixed the substance with water.
Now he began to deviate from the recipe a little.
Just Zirtu in water was enough for minor cuts, but real alchemists used enhancers to intensify the healing mana.
First he reduced the Zirtu-water until it became a weird jelly-like substance.
Half a Ginseng root, 3 teaspoons Rosemary, half a tablespoon of Sage…
They were the most common enhancers in an alchemist’s toolkit, and so were the most versatile whilst being the least effective.
It would have to be enough.
Li boiled the herbs in water until they began to resemble a clumsy attempt at tea, and added them to the Zirtu-jelly.
All the while Jayce watched with rapt attention, holding Li tight and smiling softly.
“You’re good at this.”
Jayce murmured, words muffled as his lips were pressed into Li’s shoulder.
“I have an A for a reason.” Li replied, voice still a bit shaky.
Jayce was acting like a boyfriend and it was more than a little distracting. But he couldn’t just admit that, that would open up a whole rabbit hole on Li’s crush.
No. Thanks.
Li strained out the used-up herbs, finishing the potion after quelling the minor tremors caused by Jayce’s presence.
Li could have just poured the potion into a cup, but he felt his first non-classroom product deserved a bit of ceremony,
He took out a glass vial and poured the mixture in, careful as to not to spill.
Jayce began to hold Li a bit tighter as he stared at the finished potion.
“A [Minor Potion of Healing]… You’re amazing.”
Li gasped as words appeared in front of him.
Minor Potion Created!
Granting Artisan EXP!
Artisan EXP reduced by 50% due to the lack of an Artisan Class!
3 (Rounded) EXP Granted!
“You just got experience for it, didn’t you.”
“I-I did… but why?”
“You’ve never done this recipe, have you?”
“No, usually we just mix with water and drink. I’ve never used enhancers in an actual potion before.”
“The enhancers probably pushed it from into the realm of a Created Item, and you got experience for it. It’s what allows non-combat classes to level. Fuck, you’re so cool.”
Li blushed under the praise.
“Says the guy who looks like he could benchpress cars.”
Jayce leaned in a little closer as he laughed.
“I don’t know about that… but even if I could, that’s easy with a class. Of course a [Minor] potion isn’t impressive while being a [Alchemist] or having the [Alchemy] skill. The fact you made it without one is impressive.”
Li held up the potion, still blushing, and examined his creation.
He couldn’t [Identify] it, but he could admire the pretty colors.
It was a dark brown with swirls of green in it, like a plant poking out of the earth.
“Shut up and drink.”
Li held the potion behind his head for Jayce to take.
“Yes [Healer]~”
Jayce took it, a dangerous undertone to his voice that Li was hesitant to explore the implications of.
Jayce finally let go of Li, and Li turned around to see Jayce chug down the potion.
“Huh… not bad.”
“It’s basically a tea, so not a surprise.”
“Y’know, I heard an alchemist’s potions taste a little like them.”
Li froze at Jayce’s grin.
“What does mine taste like then?”
Jayce stepped closer and raised Li’s chin with his fingers, forcing Li to look into his eyes.
They almost glowed with mischief and were a ruddy red, like the dawn of a new day… which was weird, considering his eyes used to be brown.
“I don’t know, maybe I’ll be able to tell you when I come back next week.”
Jayce then swiftly put down Li’s chin and began to walk out the door. Right before he left he turned a bit and said.
“And Li… thank you, really.”
And he was gone.
And Li was confused and horny.
***
“Question… if I healed Jayce with a potion, why is Healer a magic class and not an alchemy one?”
Well that’s easy, because while you may have liked making potions, you loved magic.
And plus medicine includes potions, if only to a lesser degree.
“I didn’t love magic that… ok maybe I did.”
A lifetime of performing bootleg spells not even involving mana on shady sites promising eternal youth if you signed a contract with a demon come to mind.
Thank the gods you had some sense, the terms on those contracts were horrendous.
“You can actually sign deals with demons??? Demons exist??? Those deals were real???”
Yes, yes, and yes.
“I… wanna try summoning a demon.”
Errrr try a spirit first, and do that after you pick a class.
“Ah, right.”
The gate opened, it smelled of chlorine and hospitals.
Of joyful reunions and horrible losses.
Life and Death and everything in between.
Li was bent over a patient, funneling magic into a man and reversing the ravaging of battle.
“One more, huh?”
One more, we’re close to the finish line now.
“I’m… gonna miss you a little. You won’t be able to talk like this outside of the Stasis, right?”
…I’ll tell you a secret if you don’t tell anyone.
“What is it?”
[Meditation] can activate the Stasis if you level it enough.
“Jeez, another skill to get and level, yippee.”
Well the only other way is to level up quick and evolve your class soon, right? But we’re getting off track, let’s pick your class before we worry about evolving it.
“Right… I’m nervous about the last one though.”
Why ever would that be?
The system had a tone of mischievousness in its voice.
“Because I get the feeling you’d save the most juicy for last.”
The system gives a bit of a snicker, but said nothing.
Generating Classes…