Most everyone remembers their first class selection, it’s so novel the first time, seeing your life and achievements all laid out like that. Curiously, most cannot remember so clearly the moments that led to class achievement. The most common theory is that the system just likes talking.

-Class Selection Section on System.gov, the widest source of non-restricted system information ever amassed.

Congratulations on reaching Level 1, your various life experiences have been quantified into a list of class options for you to choose from.

You have 6 classes to choose from.

Note: You may have noticed natural status gain for various achievements after activating your system.

This effect will be applied to your life and become your base stats, you may choose to do this now or after your class selection.

“Oh, like the +1 to Intelligence and Willpower I got? Cool!”

“Lets do it now, I wanna see what I’m working with.”

Analyzing Life…

Analyzing Achievements…

Applying Stats…

Adjusting Essence Totals…

Generating Status…

Basics Name Li Salatur Health 40 Mana 110 Stamina 30 Status System-Induced Stasis (Mental) Title Operator Level 1 EXP 12/125 Class TBD Stats Strength 2 Intelligence 11 (+5 T) Toughness 4 Perception 4 Wisdom 9 (+5 T) Dexterity 3 Charisma 10 (+5 T)

Ok, not great, by better then I expected. Those title bonuses are really helping out. If the things Jayce’d told me weren’t bullshit then this is pretty alright for a noob.

Skills (3) Analyze (Active) 1 Command Knowledge (Passive) (Title) 1 Lesser Linked Telepathy (Active) 1

Huh, stats are imported from life but not skills?

Skills are not imported as to not grant an unfair advantage to those who’d trained from birth. However, such training would grant an affinity to that skill, making it easier to gain and level.

This applies to you as well, Mr. Li Salatur. Analyze is one such example, for what young child didn’t scan the world around them with curiosity?

Jeez the system can answer me? Kinda creepy not gonna lie…

Do not worry, the system is most active in states of System Stasis, such as class selection. This gives the system much more freedom and flexibility when answering questions relating to the system.

Outside of System Induced Stasis, the system will have to rely on your Rank and Intelligence to answer queries.

Hm, does that mean you can only answer stuff I already know?

No, all it means is that the system will rely on those 2 variables when it comes to flexibility and locked information.

Locked information?

Yes, such as the existence of ranks in the first place, your increased intelligence allows the system to inform you of them.

Speaking of ranks, what are they? Why don’t they show up on my status?

As you now are aware of Ranks, they shall now be included in your Status Sheet.

Did Jayce know about this?

The system cannot answer that at this moment, please increase your Intelligence or Rank to reveal hidden information.

“What’s rank?”

The system would have answered, provided you let the system finish its explanation…

“…sorry.”

The system takes no offense, both because the system has no emotions, and that new system-users are often curious and excited.

Your Rank is a metric for individual power as expressed by a letter grade. While this is an expression of individual power, your base rank is the same across your species.

Your rank is; D-

D-! That’s awful!

Do not be alarmed, sapient species often have a lower Rank to account for the raw strength lost to increase intelligence.

“So… what Rank would like… a dragon have?”

A dragon, as in a shifter, a kin, or a true-blood?

“A true-blood, obviously.”

It is in fact not obvious, you must be specific about these things. At your current Rank and Intelligence the system would not be able to question your intent outside of Stasis.

As for your question, your current abilities do not allow the system to answer that.

Damn it.

Considering why you are in stasis, the system can perceive of a simple fix.

Oh damn, right, show me the classes please.

Generating Classes…

Hunter The wilds reach out to your soul, are you ready to answer the call? As your arrow draws back and you rush to kill, may the thrill of the hunt drive you forward still.

+3 Dexterity

+3 Perception

+1 Toughness

+1 Strength

+1 Wisdom

Tracking Skills and Affinity

Archery Skills and Affinity

Dagger Skills and Lesser Affinity

Stealth Skills and Lesser Affinity

…huh?

Is something the matter?

I have no idea how I got this class… When have I ever went hunting?

If you would allow it, the system could show you the action that earned you each class. Would you be interested?

Um, sure?

Generating Memory…

***

“Ok, are you gonna tell me what we’re doing in the woods or do I guess?”

Li had gotten fed up with the silence after he’d tripped on a root for the 4th time. Jayce didn’t have this problem, his dexterity allowing him to avoid the tripping hazards as if they weren’t there. Jerk could probably walk backwards if he wanted…

The superhuman glanced backwards to grin at his annoyed boyfriend, before spinning around and boisterously yelling.

“We’re going hunting!”

Jayce’s eyes were star bright, Li could bet his [Showmanship] had just leveled up, too.

Ever since he got that skill he just got more and more dramatic, and he’d quickly begun being able to drag Li into his antics.

Such as now, when he picked Li up and dragged him into the woods.

“Hunting? Seriously? Jayce look at my arms do I look like I have the strength to hunt? Also- IS THAT A FUCKING BOW?!”

The Sun Knight’s just continued to smile as he pulled out a whole BOW from his spatial bag thing.

“Who said anything about strength? I… may have stolen this from Rei when he wasn’t looking.”

…Rei was a Umbral Ranger, apparently a Ranger sub-branch focused on tracking and stealth.

Namely, someone you don’t wanna steal from, lest you want an arrow to the head.

“The one that has tracking skills?”

Li must have looked a bit peeved, because Jayce scratched the back of his head with his free hand, smile turning slightly nervous.

“Heh… maybe?”

Li sighed loudly, cursing his choice in boyfriends.

“Ugh, if he comes storming in here I blame you.”

Jayce brightened once more at the exclamation, rushing forward and pulling Li into a much too tight and much too enthusiastic hug.

“Ok, let’s start with hand placement…”

***

Li could hardly breathe.

After half an hour of “training” in which Jayce had gone up behind Li to personally adjust his hand positioning time and time again. The smirk on his boyfriend’s face told him it hadn’t been a coincidence the Warrior’s hands had lingered more then they platonically should. His cheeks had also flushed in the same very friendly, platonic way.

After that, Li had been deemed passable and sent to try out his new skills.

Right now, he was staring at a poor little rabbit, unaware of the arrow drawn on it. He might’ve felt worse if this wasn’t the 5th one he’d found. The others had sensed the man rustling in the bushes and had escaped.

Now on the hunt, everything about him seemed so loud. His heart seemed to echo through the woods, he was sure Jayce felt it as he’d frequently place an arm on Li’s back to steady him.

Just breath in.

The air rushing into his nose felt like it was 1000 decibels.

Drawn back the arrow.

How did the bunny not hear the bowstring tightening?

Breath out and…

Li mentally steadied his frazzled mind, he was not finding a 6th bunny.

RELEASE!

The dying scream of an innocent animal replaced all the tension with guilt.

Li couldn’t help but stand up and stare at the newly created corpse. The light left it’s tiny little eyes so quickly. The arrow looked so big in it.

It wasn’t trying to hurt him, it was just… living.

What if he were that rabbit? His life ending that quickly. Had the thing even known it would die? Oh gods…

Was he a monster?

Fear tightened around Li’s through as he looked back through his actions and could only see the callousness he’d acted with.

Jayce embraced Li from behind, sensing the buildup of a panic attack. Wasn’t the first time he’d done this.

“Hey…”

How did he have the audacity to be upset, he had KILLED SOMETHING.

“Hey, Li.”

He ended its little life, and for what?

“Li.”

For fun.

“Li!”

He was disgusting-

“LI!”

The murderer stilled.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn't have pushed this on you.”

No, he wanted to do this, he was excited! He had even been annoyed at how long it took to kill something!

“You can value innocent life, but this doesn’t make you a bad person.”

How didn’t it? He killed a cute little bunny, he was a MONST-

“Do you think I’m a monster?”

Li’s mind quieted at the murmured question. Had he been talking out loud?

“W-what?”

Li chocked out, confused.

“I’ve killed more little bunnies then I can count, and deer, moose, boars. I’ve slayed monsters intelligent as you or me. Perhaps I’ve even killed a person too, I wouldn’t know nor do I dare to. That said, am I monster to you?”

“N-no, of course not…”

“Then stop being so hard on yourself. Please…”

A rustling was heard behind the two, something loud and unafraid of being heard.

A Dire-Tiger exited the bushes, long and sleek and muscular.

His eyes landed on the rabbit, and the cat licked its lips.

Furiously, it tore into the free meal, small as it was. The arrow was easily broken by the large jaws, barely even a factor. This beast even had the gall to take its eyes off the two, they weren’t seen as a threat.

It ignored them til it was done, a quick endeavor given its size.

It growled at them, intelligence gleaming in its eyes. It was still hungry, clearly.

Jayce rose away from Li, and drew his sword from the pocket space his bag was connected to.

“Li, I get you don’t wanna take the life of something that won’t fight back, and I respect that. But please don't hesitate when it’s something that will actually try and kill you.”

Li hesitantly rose with the bow, Jayce was right after all, he didn’t wanna die.

Unfortunately for Li’s newfound bravery Jayce immediately pushed him down and out of the Dire’s sight.

“As much as I love your bravery, telling you not to die is not a go ahead to fight this thing, stay the fuck down!” Jayce hissed, blocking Li from the tiger’s view.

Before the tiger could realize that Jayce was hiding someone, he charged the behemoth.

Jayce was fast, his strength stat allowing him to push the muscles in his legs hard. The toughness allowed said muscles to handle the strain and not tear anything.

The problem was his dexterity, it may be enough to walk backwards and avoid tree roots, it wasn’t enough for speeding through a forest.

That is to say, Jayce was much slower then the tiger.

The cat lazily clawed at the small enemy, almost bored.

Jayce didn’t have the same leisure, having to use all of his experience and dexterity to duck and weave from the brutal swings.

Jayce closed in and gave a tentative slash, trying to test how powerful its hide was. Not strong enough, as his sword came away bloody as the Tiger roared in pain.

It jumped back and away from the Knight, an almost comical sight that physics shouldn’t support, but with stats physics was merely a suggestion. It looked wary, deadly serious now.

Jayce pressed the monster, unwilling to give up his advantage.

It dodged the slices from the God-Steel blade, unwilling to test the metal against fur once more.

Dodge, Counter, Dodge, Attack. A dance erupted between them, a deadly duet of bloody battle.

Cuts ran down both of their bodies, if only Jayce had brought his armor. His toughness was high, but not high enough to save him. The beast didn’t have metallic hide that the Sapients did, but it was a predator for a reason.

The tiger could simply outlast the human before it, it would win.

Unfortunately for it, there were 2 of them.

***

Twung!

Suddenly, an arrow sprouted from its shoulder, and it spun around to face the human with the bow. The bushes almost shook with how much it trembled. It clearly had missed where it was aiming, and didn’t expect the tiger to find it.

Even smaller then the other, it wouldn’t survive a swing.

The Tiger was king, it wouldn’t lose here, it was BETTER!

It had seen these small bipedals before, it had tasted their flesh. They were weak, especially without their detachable claws.

The Dire grew more and more angry as it felt the small cuts along its body grow, the bigger one still continued to slash into the tiger.

It’s mind grew hazy with pure anger as the trembling one shot another arrow into it. The two insects just kept attacking, arrow after arrow. Cut after cut.

It wanted so badly to gnaw on their bones.

Another badly aimed arrow, another expertly delivered cut.

HOW DARE THESE MEASLY INSECTS TRY AND RESIST IT!

IT WOULD KILL THEM, IT WOULD FIND WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND WIPE OUT EVERY SINGLE TRACE OF THIS WORTHLESS SPECIES!

ANOTHER ARROW!?

The Tiger was apoplectic, spinning around to sink its fangs into the weaker bipedal.

But the trembling one shook no longer. It was ready for the King.

An arrow now existed where it’s eye should’ve been.

It tried to fight on, but it’s body began to betray it.

Now the humans could outrange it. The big one could slash and retreat before the tiger could even react.

It danced out of the tiger’s grasp faster and faster, or was the tiger simply slowing?

The weak one shoot more arrows, aim steadying as it went on. An arrow hit it’s other eye and darkness consumed its already broken vision.

These puny bipedals had won.

***

You have slain a Level 22 Lesser Dire Tiger!

2x EXP Bonus applied due to defeating an evolved monster with an inactivated system.

x0.5 EXP Penalty applied due to inactivated system!

x0.15 EXP Penalty applied due to assistance by someone much higher leveled then you!

5 EXP Gained!

Note: EXP Decimals above 5 are rounded up for your convenience.

Note: Penalties and Bonuses are applied from top to bottom.

Note: These 2 penalties combine to form an bonus x0.01 EXP penalty, this is to reduce the chances of a low level leveling up rapidly with minimal effort, due to a higher level doing most of the work.

“I… huff… almost die, just to get 5 exp?!”

Li was a bit pissed his life was worth a 20th of level 1.

“Hey, ‘least you looked real sexy when you shot their eyes out.”

Bastard wasn’t even tired, that repelled all the warm feelings the compliment gave Li.

“Let’s just go home… wheeze …and never go hunting again.”

If Jayce refused, Li would literally walk home. The woods were now ranked 2nd in Li’s list of least favorite places.

Public bathrooms were still number 1, of course.

“Awww, but I wanna see your shoot out another tiger’s eyessss.” Jayce childishly complained…

“…Lily, wait up!”

***

How could Li have forgotten this? He literally had a blanket made from the Tiger’s hide!

Rei had made it after he’d tracked the two down and demanded to know why his precious bow was missing.

He’d been less mad after having a nice Tiger Steak. Expertly prepared by Jayce and totally not burned at all…

Heh… Li had to force Jayce to learn the cooking skill to cool Rei down.

As Li soaked in the memories, he looked over the text box with newfound appreciation.

Apparently the System liked the attention.

Class Mutated.

Tiger-Soul Hunter The woods sent you a trial, and you passed, The mighty tiger fell to your arrow. You have embraced the Hunter inside of you, and now it shall embrace you as well. May the wilds tremble as you draw back your arrow.

+5 Dexterity

+3 Perception

+3 Wisdom

+1 Toughness

+1 Strength

Tracking Skills and Affinity

Archery Skills and Affinity

Stealth Skills and Affinity

Dagger Skills and Lesser Affinity

Li felt he was standing at a gate, beyond it was the smell of the forest and the foreboding silence of a expert Hunter.

He saw himself stringing a bow, tracking down his prey, ‘leasing his deadly arrows.

Li smiled at the potential future, and turned away.

“What’s next?”

Generating Classes…