It was going to become difficult to get a grasp on everything in his list. Too much was going on to affect him and Aegaeon appreciated and also feared it. Taking a look at his Status Screen, Aegaeon considered his options for another path.

Status Screen: Aegaeon

Class: N/A

Level: N/A

Skills:

Sprinting Lvl:10, Deep Thought Lvl:25, Water Blast Lvl:18, Careful Climbing Lvl:7 Swimming Lvl:16, Water’s Respite Lvl:15 Dagger Work Lvl:15, Water Manipulation Lvl:16, Water’s Emissary Lvl:14

PP: 55

Paths:

Path of the Racer 0/10, Path of Ideologies 0/25, Forest Traveler 0/20, Path of, Path of the Stream 0/40

Completed Paths:

Path of Water 30/30, Path of the Initiate Mage 10/10, Path of Bloodshed 45/45

Being happy with the thought he’d take a more combat based role, and loving the impact of choosing the Path of Water, Aegaeon looked at his options. He immediately gravitated towards the Path of the Stream. He had enough PP to immediately finish the path. And so he did.

Congratulations! For completing Path of the Stream you feel your body begin to change. Like the Stream moving through the meadows you feel yourself more capable of bending and shifting. Your adaptability to situations has increased.

Definitely not as cool as getting water manipulation. But not all paths award the same it seems. Aegaeon was still happy with what this meant. Instead of just skills boosting everything it seemed his body was also adjustable by the system. That was just fine as long as those adjustments were positive. Maybe there were negative affects from the system on his body, or could there be? Maybe other people’s skills could affect it.

Thinking about this made Aegaeon tired. This world was still taking time to get used to. But for now worrying about what other people could do did nothing for him, so Aegaeon turned his attention back to swimming. Aegaeon spent time working on the speed of his swimming. The swimming skill made it so swimming at slower paces didn’t tire him at all, and bring in water healed and invigorated him.

Searching for a challenge, Aegaeon pushed himself to accelerate faster. To maintain higher speeds for a longer period of time. His muscles screamed against his motions but putting thoughts of muscle pain aside he pushed forward. Time seemed to slip from his grasp as all that matter was pulling himself faster through the water.

His arms were a blur in the water shooting forward, grabbing water, and pulling/pushing it behind him. He found early on that while kicking can help stabilize him, there was no speed to be gained. So he ignored this sector of growth. And so he continued to swim.

Time stretched out to hours spent and hunger of all things is what pulled Aegaeon from his focused approach to swimming he checked to see that his Swimming had gone up by 12 levels and that Water’s Emissary was up 5. Aegaeon was growing quickly, and thoughts of his potential and his limits filled his mind while he climbed out of the water and dressed himself before returning to camp.

When Aegaeon entered their camp she couldn’t help but notice that he’d seemed more sure of himself. Not in an arrogant way, but just a subtle confidence. He was filling out and the arms that use to look normal to her now seemed more muscularly defined. He seemed strong. Catching herself staring she blushed and moved around to appear busy.

“How was the lake Aegaeon?”

“It was good... I worked a lot on swimming, I really like the leveling aspect that this world offers. It’s kinda cool don’t you think?”

“Yeah! I’m getting a bunch of levels in gardening and potion making. Speaking of, I combined some of those mushrooms and berries together in a paste and it’s made a salve that’s supposed to fix minor wounds and illnesses.”

“So are you focusing your skills on plants? Or potion making?”

“I’m not sure. I think I want to focus on plants and growth. But I think that there’s a lot of potential with potion making.”

“Sounds interesting. Let me know what you find in your paths. I’ve had a lot of success with water, and I don’t see any limitations on the possibilities.”

“So what are you seeing with water besides shooting it out of your finger?”

I can pull and push water and move it around and I can get boosts to water related skills like swimming. It’s kinda of interesting seeing how this’ll all play out.”

“Sounds like a lot. Maybe I could get to that point with plants.”

“Have you tried making plants grow with your energy? Or making them move? That’s how my water started, that and completing a path related to water.”

“Interesting.”

“Oh, and I get energy and rest and healing from water too. I’ve had limited experience with it, but I can actually breath water now....”

The shock on Clarissa’s face made Aegaeon worry for a moment before she exclaimed,

“WHAT?!? You can breath water?!?”

“Yeah, it felt really weird at first but now it feels almost.... right. Ya know?”

“No! I have no idea what you mean! How can you breath water?”

“It came from completing a path. It converted my skill Holding Breath to Water’s Respite. It heals me and energized me, and I can breath underwater.”

Clarissa sat and pondered what this meant. Had she been stupid to not avidly train? What kind of amazing things could she do if she paid attention? She resolved herself to train more and to study plants more to boost her PP.

“Will you help me train?”

Clarissa’s question caught Aegaeon off guard. Training had to this point been a very personal thing and he didn’t have any idea what to do with her and her plants.

“Sure, I can try. I don’t know how to help you or what skills you have, but I’ll do my best.”

“Awesome! Let’s start now okay?”

“Fetch! ... Alright let’s get this going.”

Clarissa excitedly hopped up and dashed to her garden. She didn’t know what to do either but she was bouncing with happiness nonetheless.

Staring at her plants Clarissa noted with happiness that the extensions she put in her garden were already starting to sprout. Aegaeon wasn’t sure what it was he was doing or how to be of assistance but he was happy to help Clarissa in any way he could. There was something infectious about her.

When Clarissa looked at Aegaeon expectantly he floundered. He had no idea where to start. So he simply asked,

“What kind of training did you have in mind? I have no clue how to help you garden and I have no idea what other abilities you have.”

“Okay, so I planted these, maybe if we water them they could grow more easily? Could you use your water abilities to get them a drink?”

“The only one I can really do without just bringing it from the lake is water blast and that would tear your garden apart. And the water starts to dissipate when I do, so I doubt it would help at all. Have you not been watering your plants?”

“No I didn’t think I needed to. But I guess that would probably help. Can you try and make Water Blast softer?”

“I’m not sure, but even if I could it evaporated quickly. Also, wouldn’t that just level me up? I don’t see how me watering your plants gives you training.”

“Your right! I wouldn’t get anything out of that. Okay, I have different skills I’d like to try then. I have an Acrobatics skill, how do you think I could level that?”

“Have you tried different muscle stretches and poses and what not? I think it would be leveled by performing actions it’s related to.”

“That makes sense. Okay, I have an idea, when you’re at the lake training I’ll do poses and stretches but when you’re here I want you to try and hit me with a branch. Your knife is too dangerous but let’s see if you get levels for using something like a dagger and working the techniques and I’ll try to evade the strikes. That way we can both level.”

“I’m worried about hurting you.”

As soon as he said it Aegaeon’s wars started to burn with embarrassment, he didn’t mean to sound so protective of her. Clarissa also realized what that sounded like and her face flushed.

“... you don’t have to worry about that. I think I can manage, and I trust you won’t hurt me intentionally.”

“How about you build Acrobatics first an then we’ll do the more... intense.. training. Okay?”

“I guess that will have to work then.”

With that Clarissa walked away dejectedly and Aegaeon felt like a jerk. Why was this so complicated? Training was supposed to be simple. Just build your levels by repeating its function.

Clarissa was mad that Aegaeon made excuses not to spend time with each other. They were the only people around! Who else did he want to be with? Why did she even care, it’s not like she liked...... Oh No! Why did that idiot have to be sooo... AGGHH!! Trying desperately to think of something else Clarissa turned her attention to her body position. The least she could do is train.

While Clarissa was stretching by herself, Aegaeon went back to the lake. He had to focus too or else he’d start thinking about the way her hair looked through the sunlight. Or how when she got nervous or embarrassed her face flushed the most beautiful mix of red and pink. Why did she have to be so ridiculous?!? Fetch me!

Aegaeon zoned into the lake and dove headfirst into the placid water disturbing its glassy surface. Aegaeon immediately inhaled the cool water and felt power rushing through him. Water was his home. He felt safe and secure here, unlike when he was stumbling up his words around that woman! Pushing her from his thoughts Aegaeon forced himself to swim further down.

The deeper water was primarily colder and darker. With less light filtering through to the depths he had a hard time peering through the lake around him. While trying to focus on a glimmering light Aegaeon received a notification

New Skill: Perceptive Gaze, your visual acuity increases and more around you is plain to your visage. Effect increases with skill...

Before Aegaeon could finish reading the notification a barreling mass hurtled towards him from the depths beneath him. This was much thicker than the barracuda and while Aegaeon struggled to figure out what it resembled, it charged straight towards him. Pulling Neptune’s Wrath to him Aegaeon swam towards the beast.

As it came closer to him and therefore closer to the light, Aegaeon was able to make out fins and a wide mouth with multiple rows of teeth. It was a shark! I looked about the same as a great white and probably as large but this was a lake, not the open oceans! How was this even here?!?

Aegaeon barely missed its trajectory through him and sliced at its side with Neptune’s Wrath. Hot adrenaline pumped through his veins as he felt power surge through him. The blade however did not resemble his feelings and bounced harmlessly off its thick skin.

This angered the shark that was reeling from the attack. Its jaws snapping with power that made the barracuda look like a flea. If this thing but Aegaeon he didn’t think it’d open his chances to attack. He felt that he’d be dead. Channeling the power coursing through him, Aegaeon hit the shark with Water Blast but it only seemed to push it aside. It was a powerful hit and stunned the monster, but only temporarily.

Reaching out with his dagger he stabbed at the sharks ribcage and the dagger slide through its ribs. Finally he had caused some damage; but the moment of joy was short lived as the beast was woken from its stupor. The shark twirled through the water with power that displaced Aegaeon a few yards.

He felt fear creep into him again, it’s powerful edge keeping him stalled while the shark ripped towards him. Aegaeon was able to gain control of himself right before the beast slammed into him. If it weren’t for Aegaeon trying to swim over the shark it would have bit him, but the attack struck him with a force he couldn’t comprehend.

Aegaeon heard and felt a few snaps that resounded slowly through the water. His ribs were definitely broke , as was his left arm that was twisted wildly after the blow. Coming to terms with his own death and thinking his last thoughts, Aegaeon remembered Clarissa’s face. The only other face he’d ever seen. Her beautiful smile and nervous giddiness. He’d miss that. Then a chilling thought ran through him. What if she came looking for him and ran into this thing?

Forcing himself to get up Aegaeon barely missed an attack from the shark, it flew past him probably thinking it was a easy shot to take. And it would have been had he not thought of her. Drawing strength to him, Aegaeon thought of Water Burst, thought of the power that it had to cut through trees and rocks. Surely it could cut through this oversized fish.

Refining his idea of his attack, he grabbed Neptune’s Wrath and hoisted it up between him and the shark. It was turning around to strike again, and Aegaeon had little time left to react. With the remainder of his strength Aegaeon poured his strength into Neptune’s Wrath imagining the blade to have the penetrating force of Water Burst.

The Shark charged toward Aegaeon with confidence, hunger apparent in its eyes. With his last thought he forced Neptune’s Wrath forward towards the shark that was charging in for its meal. He struck the nose of the Shark and tore straight through into it before the shark exploded backwards and Aegaeon was sent rolling over himself before blacking out.

Aegaeon woke up with a headache that pounded through his every thought. He screamed out heard only the muffled sounds of talking underwater. Remembering where he was Aegaeon stumbled to orient himself.

He kicked with his feet and held his hard as he looked around. The sharks carcass was floating around him, a few feet above him as either he sunk while unconscious or the corpse lifted up due to natural causes. He didn’t know which was the case and honestly it didn’t matter.

If it weren’t for thinking of Clarissa in the moment he would have died. It would have been his body floating around the water instead of the sharks. Aegaeon felt both relief and shame as he realized the likelihood of Clarissa swimming through the lake to find him was minimal. She wouldn’t have risked herself for that; what was he thinking?

Glad he had thought of her and also scared about his obvious feelings for her, Aegaeon grabbed the dorsal fin of the shark and dragged it back to shore. He figured he’d make use of the sharkskin and cook its meat. No point in wasting crucial resources right?

When Aegaeon got to the shore he checked his notifications for progress.

Deep Thought up 7

Water Blast up 8

Swimming up 6

Water’s Respite up 12

Dagger Work up 9

Water Manipulation up 3

Water’s Emissary up 6

Perceptive Gaze up 4

It seemed coming close to death pays off yeah? Aegaeon remembered his broken ribs and arm when he saw Water’s Respite in his notifications. He definitely had bruises on his ribs but his left arm looked totally fine. This water healing thing was really helping out. Aegaeon felt lucky to have his skills and reflected on the fact that he’d be dead without them multiple times over.

Aegaeon also noticed he had about 83 PP to spend. But the Aegaeon had new paths to consider

Status Screen: Aegaeon

Class: N/A

Level: N/A

Skills:

Sprinting Lvl:10, Deep Thought Lvl:32, Water Blast Lvl:26, Careful Climbing Lvl:7 Swimming Lvl:34, Water’s Respite Lvl:27 Dagger Work Lvl:24, Water Manipulation Lvl:19, Water’s Emissary Lvl:25, Perceptive Gaze Lvl:5

PP: 83

Paths:

Path of the Racer 0/10, Path of Ideologies 0/25, Forest Traveler 0/20, Path of the River 0/80, Path of the Hunter 0/40, Water’s Errant 0/100

Completed Paths:

Path of Water 30/30, Path of the Initiate Mage 10/10, Path of Bloodshed 45/45, Path of the Stream 40/40

Water’s Errant intrigued Aegaeon and he figured it’s reward would be significantly better than an 80 PP path so Aegaeon set aside the Path of the River for now. He would come back to it, but more opportune routes to growth seemed accessible.