TJ shrugged as he looked at the notifications. Of course that was all it took. As he chuckled to himself, Sarah Appraised him.
"That was what it took? I mean, that was scary as all shit, but you were really that close?"
"Well, I killed three strong monsters at level 19. I don't know what else I could have done." TJ fought to clamber out of the pit, spitting dirt out of his mouth as he failed to get up the collapsing walls. That pillar of destruction was insanely impactful, but TJ also saw that, after a mere 15 seconds of boosting two Skills and using Wind Manipulation, he'd been under 100 MP. The cost from using Divine Manifestation was only 150 MP for those few seconds, so Wind Manipulation had been immensely costly in those few seconds.
"You've been holding out on us if you can do that." Sarah said as she extended a hand to pull TJ from the pit. "I don't know how you could ever get into trouble if you can pull that out of your back pocket."
"It took me 1,000 MP." TJ replied, his tone dry. "That's basically all I've got, and that's with all my Free Points in there and everything."
"Damn. That's a lot. But that doesn't matter, now you can evolve. You on any timeline for this?" Sarah asked as she helped him out but kept her hand outstretched. TJ quickly realized she wanted her hatchet back and offered it. As she slipped it into its case on her hip, TJ answered.
"Not sure." Then, he asked the System, "Is there a deadline for how long I have to evolve?"
No.
"No deadline." He told everyone else. "I'll still probably do it soon, since it says it'll take up to 12 hours. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot and end up sleeping through most of the last day to prepare."
"Makes sense." Stanton said, looking at the three corpses in the hole. "You need help getting these out of there?"
"They're probably worth something." TJ shrugged. "We have more in town, and probably more materials sitting around than we know what to do with, but I'd guess that, if we had time to cure these hides, they'd be better than regular leather, but that's no guarantee, I don't know how tough their skin would get. Then there's everything else. Maybe food? Maybe poison to use on the monsters?"
"They're worth bringing in." Peter agreed. "If we want everyone else to keep an eye out, I can go get a shovel and dig out a better path here into the hole."
"Go ahead." Michelle panted. "I need to get out of all this, and the sooner the better. Now shoo."
The Disciple stayed in her full armor she'd created, not even the helmet coming off, but she did slump to sit on the ground. Seth stayed alert, but asked TJ, "You feel any different? Did the System tell you anything?"
"All I've seen so far is it asking if I would like to evolve now. I can ask any questions you'd like me to, though."
"Nothing from me." Seth answered. "I'll ask questions after you've done it."
"I was gonna say that it's crazy that you're the first to get here," Sarah jumped in, "but thinking about it, I can't think of anyone who's been more on the ball than you have. Maybe we'll be able to get someone else at Copper before this all goes to hell in a handbasket, but I doubt it. I haven't heard of anyone else who's gotten any steps to evolve."
"Lailani does." Molly disagreed. "After her Tribulation, she got a Divine Affinity. It was… Rain, I think? Like, TJ's Storm, but gentle. Or nice."
The conversation continued, but TJ didn't pay it any mind, merely waiting for Peter to return, and when he did, it was surprisingly quick. He held a full-sized pair of shovels, and put one down as he set to digging a path that he could walk directly into.
"A couple people were coming to investigate already." Peter explained as his shovel continued cutting a deep swathe in the earth. "Sent them to grab the shovels."
As soon as Peter finished his explanation, two more of the citizens that TJ couldn't remember the names of jogged in. With Peter's Occupation and Strength combined with two other workers, it was less than three minutes before a foot-wide trail was dug out and tamped down all the way to the three corpses. TJ couldn't bring himself to help, his focus instead on getting to where he could evolve. As he continued to glance at everyone that made their cautious, slow way out with the prey they'd all gathered, Stanton walked forward, clapping TJ on the shoulder.
"Go on, git. You're no help to us with how you are now."
TJ didn't need any further encouragement and he sprinted off towards the general store. There were people all over the walls, working on every last detail as the sun set. Darkness was falling, and looking at his timer, TJ saw that there were a mere 39 hours remaining until the siege began. People called out to him for news, but TJ only barely responded, his focus remaining singular to evolution. He could feel that much of this single-minded obsession came from his Bloodline, but at this moment, TJ didn't mind. Looking around, there wasn't anywhere that particularly struck him as a good place to begin his evolution, and he asked the System, "Is there anything that I need for this? Do I need space or will I be dangerous?"
There will be no particular danger to you nor those around you during the process of evolution, though you will still be vulnerable and exposed during that time.
His answer received, TJ went to a quiet corner outside of the general store. There was a pile of the debris from some of the destroyed homes, and TJ figured nobody would care if he sat up there as he evolved. As soon as he found a somewhat comfortable spot, he sat down, closed his eyes, and told the System he was ready to evolve.
Evolution of Participant Thiago Jorge Harris IV initiated. Due to Participant's current presence within the bounds of his Tutorial, Tutorial 107.48.891, typical Systemic Audience will be delayed until after the completion of the Tutorial 107.48.891.
TJ wasn't able to question what the notification was meant to refer to, because instead, he was taken to a place just like where he'd broken his nose at the beginning of all this, only 12 days before. This time, he sat on the round, just as he had been before beginning this evolution. He had other questions, but the first one that came was idle curiosity.
"What happened to the people who were driving or on a bus or plane when all this happened? Did they just get splatted on the walls?"
All momentum was arrested at the time of Integration. You were running at the time of Integration and ran into the bounds of the administrative space you found yourself in at that time.
TJ shrugged, staying seated. He wasn't emotionally stunted while here this time, and focused instead on what was before him. The other questions that appeared in his mind were swept away as the System spoke.
Your mind has been brought to this space to select your Occupation, Class, and Race at the Copper (I) tier of Divinity. Be warned that your body remains where you last left it. Options will be presented in ascending order of importance, from the lowest (Race) to the highest (Class).
He rolled his shoulders, ready to see what options were presented to him. The first being Race was strange to have as an option. That hadn't ever felt like an option to him, but the System didn't wait for him to think about it before presenting his options.
All Copper tier Races provide +5 in every Attribute every level gained. The two bonus Attributes provided by the Kukulkan's Bloodline per Race level is increased from +1 to Vitality and Fixation to +5 Vitality and Fixation every Race level, and Intelligence is added to the Bloodline Bonus per level gained in Race.
NOTE: Each option below provides additional Attributes every level as listed after each entry. If a greater explanation of each Race is desired, then it can be asked for.
OPTIONS:
Human, Worshipper (Copper (I)): Wisdom, Intelligence, Perception, Willpower, Fixation +5 per level.
Human, Warrior (Copper (I)): Strength, Agility, Endurance, Vitality, Toughness +5 per level.
Human, Leader (Copper (I)): Strength, Endurance, Toughness, Wisdom, Intelligence, Willpower +4 per level, Fixation +1 per level.
Human, Semi-Divine (Copper (I)): All Attributes +3 per level.
Coatl, Juvenile (Copper (I)): Strength, Endurance, Vitality, Toughness +5 per level, Agility, Perception, Fixation +3 per level.
Serpent, Adult (Copper (I)): Strength, Agility, Endurance, Vitality, Toughness +8 per level, Perception +4 per level.
With these considered the least important of the evolutionary options presented, TJ couldn't help but wonder how big the differences presented in Occupation and Class were. Even so, he needed information about what these different Races would do.
The System had more words for him than a direct explanation, but it was pretty apparent what the two first Human options were. Worshipper for more magically focused, Warrior for physical focus. The Leader was an interesting mix of the two, with their bonuses being slightly smaller but spread mostly evenly between physical and mental Attributes. Even so, none of these three first options called out to TJ the way Neophyte had at the beginning of the Tutorial, even though the physical specialization made him drool. Then, a thought occurred to him.
"So me getting that one extra level in Neophyte instead of selecting my Skill in my Occupation cost me at least 80 Attribute points from my Race alone? Every level in Race gives at least 90 points now!"
The opportunity cost cannot be entirely calculated, as certain evolutionary items may not have been available to you if you had evolved through selecting one of the Skills that would push you through to qualify for evolution to the Copper (I) tier of Divinity.
TJ rubbed at his face, disbelieving. Even so, there wasn't anything he could do at this point, and he instead focused on the other three, more interesting evolutionary options. The first to appeal to him was the Serpent one. Though it was physically focused, it offered 14 more Attribute points per level than the next closest. TJ pulled up the System's explanation for more information.
Serpent, Adult (Copper (I)): A generalized large serpent without any inclination to any path of Divinity. As an adult, this Race will provide to any Participant with its Race more Attribute points than those of a lower developmental stage would be able to at the expense of being nearer to the culmination of its path.
TJ was smart enough to read between the lines. This was a trap, plain and simple. It stepped away from the magical strength of the Coatl and didn't become anything more than a big snake.
"Aren't the last things listed supposed to be the best?" TJ grumbled at the System as he threw the Serpent option far away.
There is no correlation between the relative strength of an evolutionary option and its position when listed. The presentation is in order of most similar to the Participant's current Race to least similar.
Though it made sense, he wasn't happy to have his expectations dashed like that. TJ pulled the definitions of the Coatl and Semi-Divine up at the same time.
Human, Semi-Divine (Copper (I)): Those who have truly set foot onto the steps of the Divine Throne before entering the Copper (I) tier of Divinity are few and far between. You are one of those and thus qualify as a Semi-Divine. This Race, along with providing an equal and enhanced distribution of Attributes, also strengthens those who select it to better understand how to step further on the path towards the Divine Throne. This Race's focus is eternity, and its every step will be towards that goal.
Coatl, Juvenile (Copper (I)): This race is currently extinct on this planet. Those who are capable of and choose to evolve to this Race will be capable of reseeding this world with the beautiful, divine feathered serpents of epochs long gone. As a Juvenile, this Race is still finding its place in this world, and though its Attribute growth is far from what it will become at its peak, it will continue to grow swiftly in the hopes of becoming a truly Divine Feathered Serpent. As a Neophyte of Kukulkan, you will permanently be under the influence of your Divine Transformation Skill.
With a deep breath, TJ looked at the two options and asked the question that would probably be more important for him in the long term.
"If I take coatl, will I actually become a snake? Will I… have a human body?"
No.
With that, TJ's decision was made. Though the allure of permanently having his Attributes boosted was great, TJ wanted to hold his son in his arms again.
"I choose Semi-Divine Human. Show me my Occupation options."