“What? I don't even know where I am?”

Bob was not being nice. I was transported somewhere, almost killed by a metric ton of energy, met fake-Charlotte, and now told that I should be there.

“As far as I'm concerned,” he said calmly, “you are still in your room at the Church.”

I gave him a look. A mean look.

“You are not asking the right questions,” he shrugged.

“Oh for fu-Saints’ sake! Where is here?”

“Now that’s a good question. Your energy—I believe you call it that—is in the Library. You will have to trust me here, this is a library in the literal sense. Normally, you would see shelves overflowing with books.”

“Normally?” I asked in the brief moment that Bob paused.

“Yes, normally. See, I am not saying books books. I am saying books.”

Bob had a certain tone to his speech, a mixture of arrogance and airs of superiority I would say. That flair that makes you want to punch someone’s face.

I sighed.

“What’s the difference between books books, and books?”

“For someone who was holding a book just a moment ago, you seem quite oblivious to what’s going on here.”

“Ah,” the puzzle clicked onto place in my head. “You mean that classes are evolved via books?”

“Why, of course! I gather, order, shake, mix, and make sense out of all your knowledge and experience, and condense it into books. The more distinct your experiences, the more books I can create.”

I hummed in understanding. So far, everything was within the realm of my expectations.

“You are relaxed?” Bob asked me all of a sudden.

“Should I be ready to fight?”

“I mean, maybe? I just told you that, normally, that’s what you would expect to find here.”

“But I did not find it,” I quickly added. My energy pulse had revealed nothing, at all. Certainly, no shelves, books, or books.

“That it did not.”

“So, why are there no books?” I left something unspoken. Do I have no evolutions?

That would make no sense, would it? The system, Bob, had told me there were evolution paths available. Why would then he tell me otherwise?

“I am not authorized to answer that.”

“You are not authorized?”

“I am not authorized to answer this either.”

“Who is no-”

“You are asking the wrong questions.”

I clenched my fist as hard as I humanly could. Bob, you are really testing my patience. But I still stopped for a moment. He could tell me some things. After all, he did tell me that, normally, there would be books.

So, if there are no books, it means something’s not normal. Obviously, I am not normal. I am corrupted.

“Say, if a non-corrupted human with a class and enough experience came here, would they get books?” I wanted to confirm my theory.

“They would.”

“What makes a corrupted person, like me, different from a non-corrupted person?”

“I am not auth-”

“Yeah, yeah! I get it.“

“Those books you create, can they be just any book?”

“No. All [Class books] must conform to system specification and follow pre-determined evolution paths.”

“How many evolution paths can a person have?”

“Thousands? Millions?”

Really testing my patience…

“Realistically?”

“A handful, perhaps a few hundred if you are within the peak of existence.”

“So, going back to track, me being a corrupted existence means you cannot create any [Class book] that conforms to the system.”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Maybe. Take a look at your [Class book] for [Corrupted Bloodshaper].”

“It's on my bedr-” No, it's on my hand?

Some system fuckery was going on, but I wouldn't discuss it and risk having everything reverted due to lack of authorization.

I turned the first page, and the second, and the third. They said the same they had before. How my life was in Bob's hands.

But then I turned to the forth.

[Herald of Corruption]

Wherever you go, corruption follows you. Embrace it, evangelize it.

“What does this mean?” I raised my head to look at Bob, even if it was unnecessary.

“I have always found it fun how your planet has decided to call individuals like you. Corrupted. My interpretation, as far as I'm allowed to think and explain, is that you simply are free from me.”

He stopped, and I contained my breath until he finally continued.

“I can create a [Class book] if it conforms to the System. You simply don't, right now. If you were to chose something that the System can model, then I would be able to help.”

“Why would I do that?”

“To benefit of the System enhanced amenities, of course. As you know, currently you are limited in what you can do.”

That didn't sound alright. None of it was. The system was a wrapper around the real thing. It was a nuisance if I could directly interact with the world. But it was trying to sell me the idea of using it?

“The book. My book. You don't have control over it, do you?”

The thought just came to my mind. Bob was manipulating me into abandoning the corruption and going back to the system.

“Not unless you give it to me.”

He speech had become terse, rigid even. There was not trace of the initial smug and prepotent rhetoric.

“Why do I even need to be in here, then?”

I thought it was a valid question. If my book could offer me classes, and it was out of Bob’s control, what need was there?

“What I can tell you, is that the book needs me. Me, or what is found within this place. It's… leaching. Learning, maybe.”

I shrugged. I wanted to know more, but it was clear that Bob was not going to say anything more on th-

“Before you make a rash decision,” he interrupted me, “don't mistake my offer for what it's not. I'm here to help, I'm programmed to do as much. Corruption might, now, seem like a good idea. But corruption will come find you, and when it does, you'd better be prepared.”

There were many things to unpack in what Bob just said. Many.

“Are there more like me? Corrupted?”

“I am not authorized to answer that.”

“But corruption will come for me?”

“Yes. I am certain. Corruption calls corruption. Corruption spreads corruption. Corruption seeks corruption.”

“So, humanity will come kill me?”

“Yes? Your planet does seem to have a certain fixation towards… cleaning corruption. I don't blame them for that. However, that is besides my point.”

“But, the-”

“I believe my functions end here. Should you want the System to aid you more in the future, you might be able to accomplish so by evolving to a non-corrupted class.”

That's not going to happen.

My mind was set.

Maybe I will come to regret this decision. Maybe corruption will find me. But, by that time, I will be a powerhouse and defeat whatever comes at me.

“Let me know once you decide on your future.”

Bob was gone, and with him the overwhelming energy that filled the space. For the first time, I could fully expand my senses; only to find nothing.

I was left alone, still tightly holding my [Class book].

I had a decision to make, and too many options to chose from.

[Herald of Corruption]

Wherever you go, corruption follows you. Embrace it, evangelize it.

Your senses evolve to locate corruption and gateways that create it.

Your stats are increased while around corruption, but decrease when far from it.

Additional resistances against corruption.

The information had been extended with respect to when I first checked.

[Energy Shaper]

You have shown the ability to shape energy into multiple forms and states.

The system will grant you enhanced perception over energy.

Pass.

[Energy Mage]

The first step to become a reputable mage is being able to control one's energy, materliaze it, and perform basic actions.

You can compress the energy at the basic step, but with the system aid you co-

No. Corruption was a must. I didn't want any System aid whatsoever. So far, figuring things on my own had not only made me stronger, but also added additional boons like early evolution.

[Corrupted Catalyst]

A catalyst has the ability to induce fast change around it without actually changing itself.

You adamantly defended your views on the dungeon and brought it to a successful end.

Unknowingly, your presence in the expedition had ripples beyond what you observed.

That was… mysterious. I could guess it had something to do with corruption, but I eventually yielded and decided I would not find out what the last part meant.

Nonetheless, it was an intriguing option and, so far, the best.

[Advanced Corrupted Bloodshaper]

A proven class with proven results. You are given the option to continue exploring how your corrupted energy can be used to shape different kinds of attacks.

The description was short. Really short. And it basically told me everything would stay the same.

While at time the older man in me complained about change, this was one of those times I believe change was good. Necessary even, I'd venture to say.

[Error #132]

An attempt to further biologically modify your body to unlock yet additional features and abilities.

The system might decide to terminate your life if-

Not interested. Next.

[Energy Battle Mage]

In and out of combat. Nimble. Melee range with some ranged alternatives.

The Energy Battle Mage is a Energy Mage that specializes in close quarters.

While I thought seriously about it, ultimately I decided against. The idea was genuinely enticing, but betrayed my own vote to go with corruption as opposed to the System.

[Corrupted Divinator]

Divinators are praised for their ability to sense the System information and extract the hidden bits.

As a corrupted individual, you walk a fine line between extracting information and corrupting the item.

You have developed a unique sense to identify en masse, yet it's only a shell of what it could be.

Yasmin's ring immediately came to mind. I had corrupted it, not the System. Unknowingly, but only I was to blame.

The options this opened up were incalculable. I could craft, kind of, items that would be perfectly suited for me by providing corrupted benefits.

I hoped it would even let me analyze my oponents to a degree that they would never have expected.

It is good. For real.

“Hey, Bob! I've decided!”