Ch 13

  Available paths:

  Improvisation (Who needs a weapon when anything can become a weapon when used wrong)

  Terror (Why be loved when you can be feared)

  Unyielding (Pain is meaningless before your will to survive whatever stands in your way.)

  Regeneration (It’s just a flesh wound, it will heal.)

  Rage (You wouldn’t like you when you’re angry.)

  Counter (It’s not who hits first, but who hits harder.)

  Defiance (Wealth and power are meaningless if they require you to compromise.)

  Solitude (Who needs others?)

  Savior (Saving others when you can, is just something you do.)

  Survivor (What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.)

  Rogue (Shadows are silent and so are you.)

  Kicking (It’s up, it’s good.)

  Matt surveyed the twelve options available to him, frowning in uncertainty since none of them were familiar enough for him to feel confident in his choice. Worse yet, the short descriptions provided were, at best, vague and, at worst, laced with sarcasm and mockery. Still, he knew he had no choice but to select one and face the consequences. Methodically, he began eliminating the options that failed to spark his interest.

  Immediately, Kicking, Savior, Rage, Counter, and Terror were crossed off his list. Yet, seven possibilities still remained—a number that felt overwhelmingly burdensome when only one could be chosen. Determined, he embarked on a second round of eliminations based on which option best aligned with his personal path. Rogue was dismissed first; he wasn’t inclined to the idea of skulking in shadows. Next, he abandoned Solitude, recognizing that while it might have reflected his past self, it did not suit the future where he could no longer simply ignore the vibrant, moving world around him. He then ruled out Defiance, concerned that its uncompromising nature would create more problems than it would solve, especially after his unsettling exchanges with the deep-voiced observer, whose opinions of those aspiring paths clearly influenced the powerful.

  This process left him with three options: Improvisation, Regeneration, and Survivor. Improvisation resonated with his tumultuous past; it evoked the spirit of resilience, suggesting that even if it meant enduring more physical punishment in ensuing battles, it offered a flexibility that balanced his inner strength with a willingness to adapt. Regeneration, on the other hand, promised a lifeline—a possibility of self-healing that he found especially appealing as the path ahead might preclude the ease of leveling up health in the conventional sense. Finally, Survivor captured the essence of his history, embodying everything his life had been about up to that moment.

  The choice grew tougher, but ultimately his desire for self-reliance narrowed his considerations to Improvisation and Regeneration. Both were clearly defined; one favored the use of makeshift weapons while the other focused on self-healing. In the end, Regeneration prevailed in his mind. He reasoned that although he might eventually discover a weapon he wished to master, the ability to heal himself would remain invaluable regardless of the road he traveled.

  The moment of selection struck him like a physical blow, unleashing a fresh wave of pain as something within him fundamentally shifted. First, he felt his muscles bulge and then contract repeatedly, forcing him onto his hands and knees. Next, a strange sensation overtook his bones as they shifted unnaturally, his joints audibly popping and grinding as he stifled a scream. Finally, just when he thought the ordeal was over, a searing heat ignited within his blood, as if it were boiling, and his eyes teetered on the verge of bursting—then, the world faded to darkness.

  In those agonizing moments, time seemed to stretch into eternity while all he could do was strain his ears for any hint of an impending attack. Fortunately, no assault came, and gradually, Matt’s vision began to return. However, as his eyes adjusted, he realized that the world itself had changed—not in shape, but in the very quality of light. The sunrise bathed everything in a richer spectrum of colors than he had ever seen before. There was little time to marvel at this newfound vibrancy before a new screen materialized before his eyes, marking the next chapter in his altered existence.

  Matthew Pierce.

  Level 3

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  Strength: 21

  Dexterity: 13

  Durability: 16

  Stamina: 19

  Spirit: 15

  Mind: 9

  Species Human (G)

  Bloodline: (Not evaluated at this level)

  Path: Regeneration (Increase Durability by 30% and Stamina by 15%)

  Titles: Integrated, Front runner of species (5% boost to all stats).

  Skills: Auto translate, Minor regeneration.

  Matt blinked in disbelief as he noticed that his new stats were nearly double what they had been at level 2. In some cases—durability and stamina, for example—the improvements were astonishing. He couldn’t quite grasp why this had happened, though he suspected it had something to do with his species evolving into what they now called the G rank. Still, it made him wonder why fighting goblins had once seemed so easy, leaving him with a nagging feeling that he was missing a crucial detail. Just then, as if to distract him further, a new screen materialized before his eyes.

  "Congratulations on choosing the first step of your path. Moving forward, while you will still receive six stat points each level, they will now be allocated according to your chosen path rather than being distributed evenly as before. Each time you increase your species rank at levels 3, 5, 9, 17, 33, 65, and beyond, you will be able to add a new facet to your path that will alter this distribution."

  Still, nothing seemed to add up for Matt. As he absorbed the notice, trying to decipher the reason behind the change, another message promptly appeared.

  "Congratulations on reaching the next species rank. I’m sure you’re curious about what this means for you. I'll spare you the complicated numbers and exact details, but know that each tier increases your stats exponentially. Depending on your situation, you might even be offered the chance to change your species altogether."

  While this message clarified some points, it only deepened his confusion, as if the person in charge was deliberately withholding vital information. Though he was unsure if it was a person or just something trying to pretend to be a person. His suspicions grew when a subsequent message replaced the last one.

  "Well, would you look at that—you are among the first of your kind, one of the earliest individuals to achieve your current species rank among those integrated at the same time as you. There are additional bonuses and various ways to earn little boosts along the way, but fret over those when they come."

  For the time being, Matt chose to focus on the few clear details these messages offered, waiting in anticipation for more information. It soon became evident that no further notices would appear, leaving him to unravel their meanings on his own. It was frustratingly difficult—he couldn’t even scroll back to review them—and he found himself wondering if he was overlooking something elementary or if reviewing details between levels was simply forbidden.

  After about thirty seconds of pondering its importance, Matt finally decided to let it go. His stats remained static, and his skills were passive enough not to require active thought during combat. Instead, he shifted his attention to the pressing situation at hand: the three women he had managed to rescue and the three still held captive by the goblins. However, his progress stalled when he attempted to wake the three unconscious women—his efforts proving entirely futile.

  In the end, Matt had no choice but to pick up the redhead and the bow wielder, setting them down beside Maria as he settled in to wait. He believed that whatever influence they were under would have to work its way through their systems within a matter of hours at most. After all, it couldn’t be too powerful if it hadn’t posed the risk of death when used to capture the women. Still, a nagging anxiety gripped him over Emily, Elanor, and the other sword wielder—who, for all he knew, might already be suffering at the goblins’ hands, while he could only offer aid by abandoning the three he had saved.

  “Frustrating, isn’t it?” came the deep, resonant voice—a tone that Matt found himself despising more with every passing moment. “Having the power to make a difference yet still being utterly incapable of doing so.”

  “It’s decided you are the devil, and this is hell,” Matt retorted, his voice edged with bitter irony.

  “Ha, you might not be entirely wrong from your own perspective,” replied the voice coolly. “It’s always fascinating to observe the way primitive worlds interpret the ripples of realities beyond their own. That’s why we typically devote several centuries to studying and influencing promising worlds like yours before thrusting them into integration.”

  “Did you write all those descriptions yourself?” Matt asked, his tone laced with disbelief.

  “Not entirely,” the voice responded. “You see, the system that allows all of this is something none of us fully understand—even though we have managed to seize control of it.”

  “Then I can hold you responsible for shattering the peaceful life that I worked so hard to build.”

  “No, you can blame us for you ever having a life at all. Left to its own devices, your world would have been integrated by the year 1700, according to your calendars. In truth, those from that era may have been better prepared for what you all will soon face, but they were fewer in number—less than a tenth of those present when we pulled the lever, so to speak.”

  “So, you simply desired to have more of us to harvest, and what was so special about 1700?”

  “Essentially, yes. We plan everything for worlds teeming with life, for you are the greatest resource in the universe. And as for what was special about 1700—nothing, really. It was simply the year your world was discovered by the system. If you knew your history, you’d realize that it was the very next year that the seed drill was invented. After it took 1,700 years to go from roughly 190 million people to about 600 million, it only took 100 years to surge from that 600 million to nearly a billion. And then, everything accelerated from there.”

  "Are you claiming that you were the one who invented the seed drill?"

  "No, but we inspired the inventor in your world. Food is the first step, and from there, we continue to build until a world is near its peak. However, I want to be clear: we merely accelerate progress, as everything that has been invented was always possible, and many inventions occurred without our assistance."

  "Like what?"

  "Nuclear bombs. We always hate when a world develops those. It almost led to your world's integration in 1945, but we held back, choosing to observe and utilize the window of opportunity that would open if one were ever used again. You can thank us for implanting the concept of mutually assured destruction into the minds of as many world leaders as possible."

  "I see, you're both the devil, God, and everything in between, all rolled into one."

  "No, the entities you call the devil and God, as well as many other deities worshiped on your world and others, baffle even us. They clearly existed and possibly still do, but even we lack proof of their true nature."

  "Why are you telling me all of this?"

  "You mentioned that you can't trust me. While normally I wouldn't be concerned about such matters, I have a purpose for you and wish for you to accept my offer of assistance."

  "Just so you can kill me when it suits you?"

  "Perhaps, but I like to think you could be of more use to me than that. So, how about it? Will you accept my aid in exchange for your loyalty?"