When I hit the ground, let’s just say it wasn’t pleasant. Well, hitting it face-first without bracing yourself never is. A lot worse this time, though. Despite my last roar, such an ungraceful ending wounded my pride a little, not to mention that my heart stopped for a moment. Perhaps for more than a moment, it’s hard to say. Anyway, when I opened my eyes again, I had a heartbeat again, and the heartache of my wounded pride slowly passed as I let the beast go.

Well, I had to. There was no other way, even though [Beast] gave a solid boost to my constitution and therefore provided a solid foundation for my regeneration. Just as all my strength left me, leaving me lying here like a dead fish, there was nothing for my body to regenerate from. The hunger it caused was driving me crazy, and not just the beast part of me. That part, though, was....how should I put it? Hmm…‘very noisy’ were the right words.

To top it all off, ever since I hit the ground, perhaps since the roar, my head was buzzing, my ears were ringing as the crowd of city guards erupted in cheers, and did I mention hunger?

Damn, I was starving so much that neither the pain of a dozen cuts on my body nor the hurt caused by the changes reverting was anything compared to the agony I felt now. 

“Color me impressed, girl,” Deckard said as he squatted down next to me. He was first, followed by the healer, who immediately turned me onto my back, quite wary and gentle to my wings. Really grateful as I didn’t have to face others butt first. 

And they came, rushed in actually, but stayed a few steps away. Not that they didn’t want to get closer, it was in their eyes. They wanted to...I don’t know, touch me? Touch the freak? Or perhaps it was seeing me half-naked. The shirt, though torn, remained fairly intact, whereas my pants were in tatters. What was left of them was basically a belt and a few scraps of cloth on it. At least it covered my private parts as I was unable to lift my wings or move Sage to do so right now.

For that reason, I was grateful to Rayden for keeping others, including the members of Squad Four, at a respectful distance. Her aura warned them otherwise.

“Food!” I murmured softly, as my strength would not allow me any louder.

“She is severely malnourished, sir,” the healer informed him and anyone who might have heard him as if to explain the meaning behind my strange request. 

The next moment, a grilled steak landed in my mouth. Rare, the way my taste buds loved right now. No cutlery, no hands, no problem. I devoured the piece of meat before anyone could say a word.

Licking my lips clean, I whispered louder. “More!” 

“You know what to do, Jayden. And you, lass. Stop using that skill of yours. Your regeneration is eating you up from the inside right now.”

What? Regeneration can be...turned off. What kind of bullshit is that?

Another steak landed in my mouth as Deckard’s words reached my ears. “I don’t think she’s capable of it, Marcus.”

“Then, with a skill like that, she should have learned it pretty damn quick,” he replied. “Otherwise, she’s going to suffer a hell of a lot.”

“No doubt, it looks fucking painful.” My food source nodded his head. “You’ll think twice about going that far next time, right girl?” That was a dumb question. Who the hell would want to suffer like this? On the other hand, wasn’t he the one who wanted me to do my best? I frowned at him.

He smiled back. “Another piece?” 

Ah, that was the right question.

“Yes, and yes!”

With another steak in my mouth, relief began to spread through my body. The pain numbing my mind and tormenting my body eased. Not the work of the meat in my stomach, though. The healer did his magic and, frankly, more than I expected. He healed my wounds.

Something that every healer I’d met so far was reluctant to do if one had good regeneration. It wasn’t a complaint, though. I suppose it was a way to stop it from hurting me because if it did; it worked. That and whatever he did to relieve me of starvation. 

The thought of Esu crossed my mind, the way he made me eat moss after every fight, the way his healing worked, nutrition. That was what the healer was now supplying my body with.

How? Don’t ask me. I didn’t see a drip anywhere. Skill, if I had to take a guess.

What mattered was that it fucking worked.

Together with the third steak devoured, it allowed me to think about something other than food. Don’t get me wrong. I was still starving. Only it was no longer the painfully terrifying hunger that clouded my mind. I was even able to move, so I did, covering my waist with Sage and reaching for another steak.

Having my mouth full again, I finally took a good look around and what I found was a wall of people still standing at the distance Rayden had allowed them. Whether city guards, healers, or my squadmates, every one of them stared at me. Most of them were thrilled, for some reason. Some gaped in disbelief, others in admiration. And then there were those with envy in their hearts and few with fear in their eyes.

“Better?”

I nodded at Deckard’s question. “I’ll live, I think.” I mean, even if I die...

He laughed, and he wasn’t the only one. “Great. You gotta get yourself together enough by tonight to handle a few beers.”

“I would recommend at least a full day of rest, sir,” the healer argued, and I couldn’t disagree. Right now, I didn’t even want to get up off the ground as the packed sand seemed unusually comfy. 

“Just my recommendation,” he added with a sigh, shaking his head after seeing the looks he got from the others. “Try and sit up, miss.”

“Do I have to? Didn’t you say I should rest?”

“See, chief?” the healer said, gesturing to me. “That’s the proper patient.”

“Nah, lass just hit her head hard,” Marcus replied, waving him off. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

Did I? Sure, I hit my head so hard it buzzed, but...by using [Indomitable Will], I’d removed any confusion that might have lingered in my mind. And by doing so, I realized I took Marcus’ words too seriously. 

I wasn’t babbling nonsense and knew very well what I was talking about. The idea of getting up from the sun-warmed sand, fluffed by the struggle, was still something I was unwilling to do.

“Don’t listen to him, miss,” said the healer, helping me to sit up. “Come on....”

“Why do I have to, again?” Of course, I didn’t have much strength to resist, not when Deckard decided to help too, so I ended up sitting cross-legged, whether I wanted to or not. “Can’t you carry me to the infirmary or some shit like that?”

Genuine confusion flashed across his face. “Do you really want to be carried away? After a fight like that?” 

Hmm... he had a point. I fought, pushed my limits, and this was how it was supposed to end? To be carried off on a stretcher like a loser. Hell no! Even though most of my beast part had gone to slumber, there was still a bit of pride left, telling me to walk off on my own and with my head high.

Only it was so damn hard just to sit. The exhaustion and hunger were killing me.

“That’s the spirit, girl,” Deckard said as I straightened up, letting them know I could sit without their help, though with some regret. The sand seemed to be talking to me to lie back down, its call almost irresistible.

“She’s going to need it tonight,” Rayden said, standing behind my food provider with her hands behind her back and an unusually wide smile plastered on her otherwise serious face. I must have fared better than I thought. There was no other explanation for her...joy?

“I’m curious how many rounds she’ll last before she ends up face-first on the ground, again.” Marcus’s remark made me question why they seemed to be so hell bent on...what, actually? Party? Celebration?

“Is my fight something to drink to?”

Rayden let out a slight chuckle. “Didn’t I tell you that after a fight like this, it’s best to sit down for a beer, talk it out, and laugh it off?”

“Yeah...?” She told me that. I just assumed it would be with the ones I was fighting, whereas now it seemed like everyone present was suffering from acute alcohol deficiency, and I meant everyone.

All I had to do was listen.

“Is she joking?! Something like that calls for a drink.”

“Absolutely, and not just one.”

“I remember nothing of my night.”

And so it went on. The murmur was annoying and made me think that this place was full of drunks. Or did I miss something?

I looked at Deckard. “Did I actually do that well? I lost.” I mean, I still felt like a winner, but Clay was the one who stayed on his feet. Ah, perhaps it was his victory they wanted to celebrate.

“It’s no longer about who won,” he said, deliberately keeping the reason to himself and glanced around. “Try to listen a bit more, girl.”

A growl escaped my throat at this annoyance. However, I did as he said. I hated being kept in the dark, that feeling of being the only one out of the loop.

“Do you remember Heather?”

“Which one?”

“Redhunter, who else?”

“Oh, you mean...?”

“Yeah, she got so drunk that she picked the wrong class.” Chortled the guardswoman with a somewhat nasal laugh while I froze.

‘She picked the wrong class,’ these words echoed in my mind. Class! It couldn’t be! Not so soon after, I gained the last level, right? Or have I been fighting the guardsman for so long? 

Acting like a coward, I refrained from looking at the system clock for fear of glimpsing notifications. 

If what others have hinted at and what I now suspect was true, I gained a level, meaning only one thing, class evolution. Something I hoped would free me from my fate of a slave and give me a chance at a different life. Sadly, that was only my wish, and the system didn’t work on those. Thus my dread.

That it’s gonna go wrong, and when I look, I only get a choice of regular Slave evolutions. If so, I wasn’t sure what I would do, if I would be able to keep my resolve and just not give up.

Deckard’s hand on my shoulder took me by surprise. I’m not gonna lie, I did yelp a little. “That bad, huh?”

Did he know? I never told him about my fear.

“There’s no one who wouldn’t feel some jitters.”

“You too?”

“You may find it hard to believe, but yes.”

Well, his confession, despite his honesty, didn’t put me at ease.

“Is it true, then? I...” the words stuck in my throat.

He gave a warm smile. “I’m afraid so. You leveled up. Congrats on reaching evolution, girl.”

My mind blanked out, literally. For a moment there, I just stared into space, unable to form one coherent thought before I realized I should take a breath. Then, without really realizing what I was doing, I looked.

 

• Indomitable Will reaches lvl 118

…

• Painless Agony reaches lvl 26

…

• Tireless Machine reaches lvl 28

…

• Swift as a Whip reaches lvl 25

…

• Spatial Domain reaches lvl 21

…

• Beast reaches lvl 30
• BEAST REACHES TIER III

…

• Never-Dying reaches lvl 40

…

• Master’s Shield reaches lvl 19

...

• Inner Perception reaches lvl 13

…

• You died of starvation.

Notifications list longer than I expected for one fight, among them even tier up of the [Beast] whose description I was dying to read during my battle, and word of my starvation death, yet it was the following notifications that kept my heart gripped in dread and had my full attention.

•  [YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 100]

I held my breath.

•  [YOU HAVE MET REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASS EVOLUTION]

There it was, in black and white. I mean, in my mind, clear as day. The evolution, a milestone I’ve longed for ever since I knew it was possible, I reached it.

Sure that if I spoke aloud, my voice would tremble as much as my hands right now, I was glad to be sitting. I was one look away from finding out what fate had in store for me.

On second thought, that wasn’t true. It was about me, not some destiny, about what I accomplished and what I didn’t. It was a question of whether my efforts to break free from my shackles were enough or came to naught. Well, honestly, that’s what scared me, that I failed to achieve anything, condemned to be a slave and out of fear to keep running.

With a tighter grip on my shoulder, Deckard let me know he was still there with me. “So, how does it look?”

Ah, he was curious too, probably wondering if I was still worthy of being his apprentice. Thoughts that I banished as soon as they crossed my mind. He didn’t choose to train me to be the next Void Walker, but for reasons that were still not entirely clear to me.

“I did level up,” I said, my voice quivering as I worried. “....and I’ve met requirements for evolution, but...” I stopped short, unsure of what to say next. That I’m too chicken to look? I’d faced madmen in the lab, slavers, mercenaries who tried to kidnap me, mind mages, and beasts the entire Empire held in respect. So how could I be afraid of a few lines of text in my head?

Without saying another word, I peeked, and my heart skipped a beat. There were more than three options, and that meant one thing, I had at least one class to choose from outside of the slave tree.

With more confidence but still shaking, I hugged Sage regardless of where I sat and took a good look.

 

 

• Obedient Slave

Requirements met for class evolution: [Obedient Slave].

Obedience above all, the master can’t ask for more. Has followed orders to the letter without talking back. Without being forced, you went above and beyond to fulfill your master’s wishes. Has the Slave class at level 100

The Obedient Slave puts their master’s needs and satisfaction first and foremost. Their wishes are what they are looking to fulfill, no questions asked. With compliance in their nature, coercion is a thing of the past. 

To do better, the efficiency of skills related to your strength, dexterity, and obedience to your master is increased by 30%.

 

Seeing this class was not a surprise but still unpleasant. As far as I understood it, it took away a person’s free will and twisted it in a horrible way. The thought of what that would do to me made me sick.

 

 

• Bloody Slave

Requirements met for class evolution: [Bloody Slave].

You’ve seen blood, most of your own. Pain has clouded your mind countless times, agony so strong it would crush others, yet you endured to your master’s satisfaction. Has the Slave class at level 100.

Pain is not something to fear. The Bloody Slave revels in it, welcomes it as it gives them satisfaction as well as to their master. The more they endure the more they crave. 

For that, more efficiency of skills related to health, endurance, dexterity, and obedience to your master is needed, increased by 30%.

 

This one sent more shivers down my spine than the previous one. Who in their right mind would enjoy pain and torture. Never!

 

 

• Masterless Slave

Requirements met for class evolution: [Masterless Slave].

 

You defied the orders given to you, fought them with everything you had. Has found your way to freedom, and masterless you thrived. Has the Slave class at level 100.

The only order acceptable to them is their own. Strong-willed they are, dead set on freedom of their own and others. Anyone who tries to pry it away from them will find it’s not so easy to do in their presence as their will, yearning for liberation has crossed the limits of their mind. 

The efficiency of skills related to will, intelligence, and wisdom increased by 30%.

 

I honestly didn’t know what to make of this class. It wasn’t what I expected. Mr. Sandoval spoke of [Noble Slave] as the third common evolution of [Slave]. The class that I would imagine slaves in palaces had. Not the likes of me, who came out of the cellar.

No, this was a class I got on my own for fighting Dungreen’s orders and doing that for over a year. I should be proud of that, yet it rubbed me the wrong way. I would still be a slave. What more description hinted at the possibility of the will affecting another. It smacked too much of Mind Mages, and I hated those. 

So, no, I didn’t want to become one, even if not in name.

 

 

• Skill Changer

Requirements met for class evolution: [Skill Changer]

An indecisive mind unparalleled. Changed skills over a thousand times. Has at least three skills below level 10. Has at least ten skills below level 30. Has class at level 100.

Skill Changers do not know the fear that others suffer all their lives. While juggling the amount they were given at the outset of their journey, they embrace change without losing the experience gained. 

 

Had I changed skills over a thousand times? Dungreen sometimes ordered me to take this and that skill. Surely it couldn’t have been that many times, though? 

Ah, my language lessons. I switched skills several times with each new word I was learning. Which reminded me, I may have to cancel my lesson with Ria today. It seemed I wasn’t going to get out of this upcoming celebration, not when I was supposed to be the party girl.

The class itself was interesting, though, aimed at skill swapping, if I understood correctly.

However, the description did not make it entirely clear whether I’d be left with six skill slots as of now or had access to eight as I should have after evolution. Clear was that it would give me access to all skills without the fear that changing one will take away all my experience. 

That sounded sweet, and unless I come across a better class, this one Wouldl do.

The very fact that I had other classes to choose from was such a relief that I stopped shivering.

 

 

• Tumbler of Labyrinth

Requirements met for class evolution: [Tumbler of Labyrinth]

You visited one of the labyrinths and made it your own playground, a stage to perform your feats. Has class at level 100.

While for many, a labyrinth is a place where one must be mindful of one’s life, Tumblers find it lively and suitable for acrobatic stunts. So even though their audience consists only of beasts and monsters, they are more than keen to show them their prowess.

In the labyrinth, Tumblers will find the efficiency of skills related to agility, speed, and spatial orientation increased by 40%.

 

I can definitely thank Deckard for this class evolution. He was the one who found Fallen’s Cry an excellent place to train and made me jump through the hoops.

For the class itself, while the bonuses were higher than the previous classes and thus tempting as so far, my combat was based on speed, among other things, the restriction to the labyrinth didn’t appeal to me. Most of my troubles had happened to me outside of it, and likewise, the most danger was waiting for me out here.

 

 

• Traiana’s Herald

Requirements met for class evolution: [Traiana’s Herald]

You’ve heard the cry louder than others as if she were whispering her wails right into your ear. Traiana mourned your loss and equally wept with joy when she welcomed you back. Has class at level 100.

Heralds are those who hear and are heard. Their voices, led by the cry of Traiana, reach even the ears of those for whom the world had fallen into silence. They guide those lost in grief to the courageous path of their hearts as bravery is what will be needed in times to come. Battle has been lost, and more will be.

The efficiency of skills related to voice, perception, and will increased by 30%.

 

Another labyrinth related class and quite ominous one on top of that. Considering how much time I spent in that ancient structure, I would have expected none. And certainly not that Traiana’s cry that I hear every time I go there gives me one. It sure piqued my curiosity, made me think it might have been a way to uncover the secrets of the labyrinths. Perhaps I was the chosen one.

A ridiculous notion which I banished as soon as Deckard’s words came to mind. I wasn’t the only one who heard the cry so clearly, and I was under no illusion that others had been given the choice of this class. Labyrinths had been around for thousands of years, after all.

However, it made one wonder why, if such a class existed, no one had yet discovered the mystery beyond those ancient structures.

Although the thought of a louder roar brought a smile to my face, to hear more made me shudder. No, those bonuses weren’t something I was looking for, nor the class that would make me a herald of...the coming war? Maybe not in name, but it would make Traiana my master.

No, thank you!

Okay, I might have over-thought it, but if that was meant to be true, and some ancient war was coming, I wanted to be able to defend myself, not just guide others.

 

 

• Deviant of Humanity 

Requirements met for class evolution: [Deviant of Humanity].

In the pursuit of power, you diverge pretty far from what it means to be human. And in spite of that, you have come to call the changes your own and pushed forward, knowing there’s no turning back. Has class at level 100.

Even though the Deviants are still human at their core, they have transcended the limitations of the species. The newfound nature may not be easy to accept to their kind as it can inspire fright in their hearts. Yet hard to deny are the virtues of a body and the strength of fusing that gets them into places never seen by humans.

The efficiency of skills related to deviation, changes, and power increased by 30%.

 

Wow, I was kind of expecting one class related to my changes, mutations, but Deviant of Humanity went further than I expected. It almost seemed like I was rejecting my humanity, which was utter nonsense. I may have owned up to the beasts in me, though I never threw away the human part. I dare say I never will.

Otherwise, it didn’t sound bad at all, described what I was, and those bonuses included more of my skills than the previous classes. I mean my current skills, not the ones the Deviant would bring. For example, changes and deviation could affect [Beast], [Tail of Poison Empress], and perhaps even [Heart of Magic]. Likewise, power was a broader concept than strength.

So far, a winner. By wiggling happily in my embrace, Even Sage was showing his approval. That or the general joy over the fact that my class evolution was not the fiasco I feared. It was hard to say.

Not the last class I had to choose from, though.

 

 

• Mossbear Pup

Requirements met for class evolution: [Mossbear Pup].

In your veins runs the blood of these moss-loving beasts. You met your progenitor, faced his will, and just as he accepted you as his pup, you, in turn, have come to accept him. Has class at level 100.

Pup may not be the strongest of mossbears, but they are born with a talent for extraordinary healing, making them an adamant opponent should they grow to their full strength and an even worse foe to fight in their own domain. There they reign over nature with the same mastery as they wield over the moss on their bodies.

The efficiency of skills related to mass, moss, healing, and territory increased by 30%.

 

Okay, I was kind of hoping for some variation of this class ever since I met Esu. That is before my fears didn’t come true, and I had more evolution options than I ever dreamed of. It was my lifeline from a life of slavery, and it did not disappoint me. 

Yet, it put mossbears in a different perspective, making them more healing-oriented than I thought.

This class would make me even harder to kill and might have provided me with skills to make up for the shortcomings of my regeneration, and it had some. That wasn’t a hard thing to admit when my own regeneration could, and I suspect did kill me.

More healing. Did I really need it?

By the way, when did I accept Esu as my progenitor? Esu was...Esu. 

 

 

• Brute of a Woman

Requirements met for class evolution: [Brute of a Woman].

You proved those who thought a woman weak how wrong they were. You chose the path of strength and showed more than once the power of your bare fists. Regardless of the growing number of wounds, you pushed on, fearing neither pain nor death. Has class at level 100.

Life can be brutal, and so can they. Fearless, even when facing doom, they meet it with their bare fists. For them, injury is nothing more than another scar adorning their bodies and telling their story, warning others that they fear nothing and not shy away from anything.

The efficiency of skills related to strength, constitution, and instinct increased by 30%.

 

Ehm. What could I say? Largely the fault of my last fight. Hmm...not entirely true, though. Ever since I gained my freedom, I had fought in this brute way. How could I not, when I didn’t know any other way, no martial arts. There was no finesse in my fighting, hence this class. It described my style almost perfectly. The only thing missing was the speed I was so down on.

 

 

• Gale Walker

Requirements met for class evolution: [Gale Walker].

With speeds unmatched among your peers, even the wind has trouble catching up to you. Though not built for swiftness, you have achieved speed that has left many speechless just by the strength of your legs, flap of your wings, and through force of will. Has class at level 100.

Gale Walkers don’t race with the wind. They don’t wrestle with it. They walk with it. Instead of an obstacle, they find support in it that allows them to push further to greater gaits, covering longer distances in one stride. With a heartbeat in sync with the flow of gale, their perception of the world is more detached.

The efficiency of skills related to speed, perception, and agility increased by 30%.

 

There it was, speed. I couldn’t help comparing it to Deckard’s Void Walker class, even though there was no mention of him or it in the description. Actually, it shouldn’t. He hadn’t taught me anything of his fighting style yet. Gale Walker was a class I achieved through my own efforts, nobody else’s. 

Rereading the description and even though there was no mention of it made me think I could even fly someday. I know, wishful thinking. A girl can dream, right?

But even if not, it was still an enticing class that didn’t make me a savage nor a bigger freak than I already was. 

Yet, there was one last class to look at before I could start seriously considering a future course of my life. Trembling, this time with joy as anxiety and dread left my heart after reading so far, I looked.

 

 

• Overgrown Duster

Requirements met for class evolution: [Overgrown Duster].

Your tail precedes your reputation as you’ve been thought of and called that by more than 100 people. You’ve dusted off over a hundred kilos of dust and dirt. Has class at level 100.

The bushy tail is their pride and joy, a friend even. Their hair, be it the ones on the tail, the head, or elsewhere, is so soft that not even the finest dust will escape it and the touch of it warms the coldest of hearts. Only the darkest of minds can resist the cuteness they abound.

The efficiency of skills related to tail, cuteness, compassion, and understanding increased by 20%.

 

Looking up, I gritted my teeth. “Deckard?!”

“Oh, are you done reading, girl? Considering how long it took you, I’m guessing you have a number of classes to choose from, Congrats.”

He was standing a few feet away from me, talking to Rayden, Marcus, and a few others I didn’t know, yet that didn’t stop me from asking aloud. It didn’t matter anymore.

“How many people have you told about my tail being an overgrown duster?”

He paused at first at my strange question before thinking. “There was Razso, Zeranyphe, a few guys and gals I sat with over beer, maybe some others here and there. Why?”

“Because I got the class!” I didn’t miss the silence that fell among those who stayed after I growled.

“You mean you can choose a class, Overgrown Duster?” He asked, disbelief seeping into his voice.

Pissed at him, I clenched my fists. “Yes!”

The moment the word left my mouth, he burst out laughing along with everyone present. Though embarrassing to me at first, their laughter was like magic that dispelled the remaining tension on my shoulders. I was still mad at him but couldn’t help but laugh with them.