Elydes

Chapter 310 - Evolution

Water dripped from the stalactites in the cavern ceiling. Kai stared at the scroll window before his eyes. Ignoring the icy droplets that ran down his neck, his gaze focused on the words and numbers summarizing his entire life.

Maxing the profession skills wasn’t necessary to evolve his profession, but it was the surest way to improve his options for advancement. General skills and experience also played a part, but the benefits were nebulous to gauge. A single milestone might improve his choices or he might spend years without any gains.

I don’t know if it’s great timing or terrible.

This time, there would be no do-overs or gods exerting their divinity to fit his needs. Whatever he picked would affect the rest of his life.

“What is it?” Rain whispered, scanning their surroundings. “Have they already found us?”

Kai jolted from his thoughts and moved forward to hide his embarrassment. “Hmm… no. Just thinking.”

Hallowed Intuition hummed a somber tune in his mind. They might have evaded their pursuers for the moment, but they weren’t safe. The cultists would soon realize what happened and look for their tracks; by then, they had better be far away.

We can’t stay put.

Following Hobbes’ direction, they sneaked past a corridor hosting the sleeping quarters and several warded chambers. This section of the underground was nearly deserted. Hopefully, the cultists were on a wild goose chase away from the escaped prisoners.

I hope they’re okay.

He had done everything he could to help Kea’s group escape, though a knot of anxiety still gnawed at him.

If half the nonsense Derrell spewed about his Luck is true, they’ll already be out…

There was nothing he could do for them except escape himself. His status still hung in the corner of his vision, tempting him with promises of power.

Maybe just a peek…

He had long waited to advance his profession, not wanting to obsess over the options before they were final. In his plans, he’d sift through his options with a notebook and a warm cup of tea instead of the cold and damp underground, but wishes had to bend to practicality.

The lair of a crazy cult will have to do.

Evolving his profession to Orange wouldn’t net him any attributes till he leveled it, but upgraded skills and a potential new boon were immediate benefits. There would also be a feat if he recalled correctly. He couldn’t discard any point in Favor when his life was at stake.

And it’s not like I need to make a decision immediately if I see the options…

Curiosity burned his last shred of hesitation. Kai split his attention to keep track of his surroundings and sent the mental prompt.

*Ding*

Favored Son of the Isles [Red] has reached level 10. You’ve met the requirements to advance your profession to the next grade [Orange]. Do you wish to proceed?

Show me!

In a blink, several windows scrolled through his vision. Kai quickly folded them and increased their transparency to read while walking. He counted over a dozen options, following no particular order.

Do people really struggle to get a couple? This is gonna take a while…

Checking the turn of a corridor to ensure the way was clear, he began reading the first window.

Profession: Blessed Crafter

Main Requirements: Thrice Blessed;Mana Manipulation skill [Yellow]; Crafting skill [Yellow]; Knowledge skill [Yellow]; Enchanting skill [Orange]; Alchemy skill [Orange]; Favor 30+

Description: Blessed by three divinity, you’ve strived down the path of mystical artisanship since a young age. Continue to hone your mana and arcane knowledge. Perfect your creations through blessings and Fate.

Attributes: 1 Dexterity; 1 Mind, 1 Spirit, 1 Perception per level.

Boon: +1

Skill slots: +2

Hmm… not a bad start.

Split Mind wavered as more of his attention was pulled to understand what he was reading.

Blessed Crafter sounded like a general crafting profession with a unique twist: using his blessings and Favor to improve his creations. It was a fascinating idea, made all the more appealing by not being bound exclusively to Enchanting or Alchemy.

Experiments, runes and recipes swirled through his mind. He could spend days theorizing the potential applications. Not that he would ever pick it in the end. Even if he weren’t in a hostile land, he had long resolved that the life of a crafter wasn’t for him.

The window faded with a thought, together with a myriad of possibilities.

No point whining. What’s next?

Profession: Subject of the Spirit Beasts

Main Requirements: Mana Sense skill [Yellow]; Blessing of the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi; Familiar skill [Yellow]; Contracting a Spirit Beast

Description: You’vestruck a familiar bond with a spirit beast, a feat requiring equal parts Luck and skill. Travel the land to contract more spirit beasts and share their power.

Attributes: 1 Mind, 2 Spirit, 1 Perception per level.

Boon: +1

Skill slots: +1

Uh…

Another intriguing option. Kai wasn’t certain what a spirit beast was—something to do with elemental magic if he had to guess.

What do you think, Hobbes? Would you like to have some new friends—

A sharp and irked No severed the thought at the root. Hobbes filled the bond with an outrage that bordered on murderous.

Just kidding, bud. It was a joke. No new siblings for you. Let’s focus on getting out of here.

Hobbes sent a last imperious wave before turning to scouting. Clearly, the furball liked being an only child and wasn’t keen on sharing.

Definitely not this one. Spirits, how many more are there?

Profession: Lucky Swordsman

Profession: Mana Scholar

Profession: Elemental Conjurer

…

Oh boy, this is going to be painful…

Kai quickly flipped through a dozen pages. He would have loved to pour his mind over every detail and word in different setting, but circumstances didn’t allow him to dally on options he knew he wouldn’t pick. His academic curiosity must be put on hold.

While the Guide allowed him to push his path in multiple directions—especially in the early grades—the further away he went from his original profession, the weaker the evolutions got. He understood himself enough to know he wouldn’t be happy with a suboptimal pick.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Whispers of danger lingered at every turn of the underground—it wasn’t the time to hesitate. Hardening his resolve, Kai discarded any profession that wasn’t a direct evolution of Favored Son of the Isles.

I’ve still got four left…

It wasn’t too surprising since the scope of Favored Son of the Isles was quite broad. Skimming through them, their attributes, skills slots and boons were noticeably higher than the other choices.

Let’s see the good stuff.

Profession: Champion of the Isles

Main Requirements: Favored Son of the Isles; Weapon skill [Yellow]; Body Enhancing skill [Yellow]; Danger Skill [Yellow]; Battle 100+ Yellow foes; Defeat 10+ Yellow foes in solo combat; Favor 50+

Description: Recognized by the Great Spirits, Kahali and Yatei, and tempered in Zervathi Hidden Sanctuary, you’ve survived every trial and repeatedly defeated the odds. Test your skills against mortal foes to grow stronger. Balance your life at the edge of a blade, slip through death and triumph.

Attributes: 1 Strength, 1 Dexterity, 2 Constitution, 1 Perception per level.

Boon: +1

Skill slots: +3

Now we’re talking.

Three additional skills and one boon. In addition, he’d likely receive upgrades to those he already had when picking a direct evolution.

It’s a martial profession….

From the requirements and description, Champion of the Isles focused on melee combat and survival over spellcasting. He didn’t overly mind that—it might even be ideal in the situation. A physical profession didn’t prevent him from cultivating elemental magic on his own. The issue was the attributes. The numbers were good, but the lack of Mind and Spirit would affect the growth of his mana skills.

I still can’t exclude it in this situation.

Profession: Favored Scholar of the Isles

Main Requirements: Favored Son of the Isles; Mana Sense skill [Yellow]; Analysis skill [Yellow]; Knowledge skill [Yellow]; Decipher the basics of a Language of Power on your own; Favor 50+

Description: Recognized by the Great Spirits, Kahali and Yatei, and the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi, you’ve explored ancient ruins and delved into forgotten knowledge. Uncover and decipher the myriad of paths of the arcane.

Attributes: 1 Constitution, 3 Mind, 1 Spirit, 1 Perception per level.

Boon: +1

Skill slots: +3

Another solid option with solid benefits. The attributes were even higher—at the upper limit of what Orange could offer. From the description, Favored Scholar of the Isles would help grow his mana skills and expand his knowledge. He might even be able to decipher the cultists’ jagged enchantments and make sense of their journals he stole.

But it has no direct combat application…

That was the biggest flaw. Knowledge might be power, but it requires time and planning to be useful.

Scholarly knowledge couldn’t save him when the cultists held a blade to his throat. It was a pity, but the circumstances didn’t allow him to take this choice into consideration.

A flick of his finger made the scroll window disappear like the others. His eyes moved to the last two options.

Profession: Favored Mystic of the Isles

Main Requirements: Favored Son of the Isles; Water Magic [Yellow]; Nature Magic [Yellow]; Space Magic [Yellow]; Mana Sense skill [Yellow]; Mana Manipulation skill [Yellow]; Water, Earth and Space Affinities 50+; Favor 50+

Description: Recognized by Great Spirits, Kahali and Yatei, and the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi, you’ve learned to deftly shape the Essence of the World to your purposes. Attune to the elemental forces of the isles and unleash its forces to bend the laws of nature to your will.

Attributes: 1 Constitution, 2 Mind, 2 Spirit, 1 Perception per level.

Boon: +1

Skill slots: +3

Kai exhaled a relieved breath, glad to see an evolution focused on mana. The benefits were equal to the previous choice but aimed in a much more palatable direction.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Steps echoed from the corridor behind them, pulling his attention away from the Guide. Rain stiffened on his back, a stream of mana twisted around his arm, ready to be unleashed.

“Hold,” Kai whispered, raising his hand to halt him.

By coincidence or skill, the cultists were getting closer. He stilled in the crook of a cavern and tightened the cloak of Shadow. Seconds slowly ticked by; it seemed an eternity when the patrol finally passed them.

“We’re safe for now.” Careful to avoid brightly lit areas, Kai hurried to follow Hobbes into a cavern with a slight upward incline. They were getting closer to the surface. He didn't know where they would exit, but he needed to make a decision.

One more.

Profession: Chosen of the Isles

Main Requirements: Favored Son of the Isles; Intuition skill [lv50+ Yellow]; Defeat 10+ followers of a hostile divinity; Favor 80+

Description: Blessed by Great Spirits, Kahali and Yatei, and the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi, you've been lifted from your mortal coils to be their herald. Bring glory to the gods of your homeland and become Zervathi's envoy to spread his teachings throughout the land.

Attributes: 1 Constitution, 1 Spirit, 4 Perception per level.

Boon: +2

Skill slots: +2

Not in a million years.

Kai didn't care if this profession offered two boons; there was no world where he became the priest for some narcissistic god. The fact Chosen of the Isles specifically mentioned Zervathi aside from the others was already suspicious.

Over my dead body. Did he tamper with my options?

He clenched his fist, wishing he could curse out loud. That damn snooper must be spying on him. His temper was still flaring when Hobbes informed him he had found a way out.

Are you sure? Is it safe?

From their bond, the wards woven around the exit were too tight to see the other side without risking detection. Kai spread his senses through the cavern ahead. The way was clear of cultists, though he was too far to examine the exit, and Hallowed Intuition’s low hum hadn’t quietened.

Almost out.

If he wanted to advance his profession, he had to make up his mind now. It irked him to pick without breaking down every pro and con, but annoyance didn’t matter if they died. Until they were safe away from here, he couldn’t ignore even the tiniest advantage or he’d regret it.

There are only two options, really.

Champion of the Isles or Favored Mystic of the Isles. While he leaned toward the second, a martial profession was usually easier to use than finecky mana skills. The mention of escaping death was also a perk.

Kai chewed the inside of his cheek and raked a hand through his hair. He hated making these decisions.

Better attributes still win.

He was working with vague guesses, and the difference in advantages was too thin. If he had to carry this profession for the rest of his life, he’d pick what benefited most.

*Ding*

Are you sure you want to evolve Favored Son of the Isles (lv10) [Red] into Favored Mystic of the Isles (lv0) [Orange]? Warning: This choice is irreversible.

Go ahead.

A slight tingling spread from his chest through his limbs; his channels subtly shifted and grew in new directions. The evolution was so smooth and quick that it was already over by the time Kai realized it.

If Rain noticed the change, he didn’t say.

If this is so easy, why does advancing my race hurt so fucking much? He huffed, stretching the mana through his new veins.

A wall of notifications soon spread to crowd his vision.

*Ding*

Congratulations! Favored Son of the Isles (lv10) [Red] has advanced into Favored Mystic of the Isles (lv0) [Orange].

*Ding*

Your boons have been enhanced by Favored Mystic of the Isles (lv0):

• Gifts of the Earth: Increase the mana capacity of your body and your kinship to Nature.
• Kahali’s Retribution: Each wound received in battle fuels your power, letting you ignore pain and fatigue.
• Spatial Attunement: Improve your intuitive perception and understanding of spatial forces.

*Ding*

Your profession skills have been evolved by Favored Mystic of the Isles (lv0):

Natural Prodigy (lv100) >Natural Prodigy (lv1) - Your innate understanding of Nature allows you to grasp the use of herbs and enhance your Nature spells.

Rippling Echo (lv100) >Echoing Empath (lv1) - Improves your understanding of mana skills used against you, allowing you to more easily learn and improve them.

Astral Pathway (lv100) >Astral Pathway (lv1) - Allows you to connect with the sea of Space mana floating in the cosmos to refill your reserves wherever you are.

*Ding*

New Profession skill learned! Water Cannon (lv1) – Shoot a condensed ball of water with great destructive power.

*Ding*

New Profession skill learned! Nature Healing (lv1) – Allows passive recovery from wounds by absorbing the Nature mana in your surroundings. The skill can be exerted once per day for a quick bout of healing. The higher the concentration of Nature mana, the stronger the healing.

*Ding*

New Profession skill learned! Spatial Shift (lv1) – Allows teleportation to a nearby location based on skill level and affinity (currently 9 meters). The skill causes a heavy strain on your mana channels, requiring a prolonged recovery time that grows exponentially with repeated use.

*Ding*

Boon granted! Minor Elemental Attunement: Gain a minor boost to your elemental affinities.

*Ding*

New Feat: Professional Advancement [Orange]: For training your profession to the peak and advancing to Orange, you are awarded: +3 Favor!

Kai found himself grinning as his eyes flashed through the slew of information. His mind ran at lightspeed to digest all of it; how he wished to be sitting in a cozy inn with a notebook.

“Mat?” Rain poked his back, his tone unusually tense. “We’ve got company.”