Energy Eater - Chapter 17 - Quick Tier 1 Evolution (Patreon)

It didn’t take long for me to arrive back at the cave along with the remains of the lion. Unfortunately, it was hard to call this a body since everything was torn into pieces. If I could get a bag, I might be able to bring more of the pelt, bones and claws, but complaining wouldn’t do anything.

Once inside, the first order of business was drinking water. A lot of water. I had some with me for the hunt, but that was long gone. After that, the meat was placed on the crate, and I started working on tanning the lion’s leather. There were a lot of holes over the pelt, but maybe I could make some clothes. Tailoring was never my strong suit, and without tools, that became even harder. Still, even a complete newbie should be able to make some bracer and leg warmers. And since the Lion broke one of my shin guards, it was only fair that it became the replacement.

“Ok Sys. Lay it on me. How does this work?” I spoke out loud, it was the middle of the day, and staying quiet was starting to annoy me. It was one thin when I was up.

[Why is user referring to System as Sys? Does user wish to change System designation?]

“What? No, I don’t want to change your name. Can I even do that? Sys is just a nickname. Saying System all the time will get annoying. Sis is easier. Like calling me Cass instead of Cassandra,” once more I started preparing the leather, shaving the fur and creating that mushy paste by using the lion’s brain. It was a good thing I brought its head here. The most interesting part of it where the fangs, and maybe the possibility of turning the entire thing into a helmet, but something told me doing that was much more complicated that I imagined.

[Acknowledged. To answer user’s question, System requires a clarification. What information is being requested?]

“How do I get stronger now? Tier up and what not. Like I’m level 10, and I can’t go to level 11, right?”

[Correct, the only way user can reach level 11 is by going from tier 0 to tier 1.]

“Right, and how do I do that?”

[The process of advancing tiers is divided into three steps. First, user must decide the type of evolution user’s particles will go through. Second, user is required to take the necessary actions to prepare the particles for evolution. Third, user must pick a class. Once all these steps are completed, user will advance to the next tier the next time user sleeps.]

“Oh? So I have to sleep to finish everything? Is there a reason for that?”

[The process of advancing will include System moving all the SP inside user’s body. This is not a task that can be done while distracted, or be interrupted. Hence, System must wait for a moment where user is in a safe location and is not interacting with System to perform that upgrade.]

“Right. Ok, that makes sense, I think. But what about the first step? I have to decide the type of evolution of the SP?”

[Correct. User Cassandra has three options. First, user can simply tell System the desired path of upgrade. Will the SP be focused on a specific attribute? Will they enhance user’s physical capabilities, or be geared towards the use of skills? Does user wish to make the SP work better with a specific skill or ability? Any and all desires can be accommodated to a certain extent. The second option is a more direct control of the particles. System can show user a representation of a single SP and user can tweak said image to perform specific tasks. Both the first and second options are conceptually very similar. However, tweaking the particles themselves can have better or worse results than telling System user’s wishes and letting System modify SP. This happens because the second option depends on user’s understanding of SP and its intricacies.]

“That’s interesting. But why? I mean, why can’t you make better results instead of having me modify the particles themselves?” I finished part of the leather and used another set of climbing spikes to stretch it, just like I was doing with the boar skin. Which was looking pretty good already. Maybe tomorrow I already could make something with it.

[System is bound to some restrictions. Said restrictions require any particle modified by System to have a certain degree of balance. In addition, System does not possess imagination or creativity. It is possible, if not likely, that modifications created by System will not utilize the full potential of the SP.]

“I disagree with that statement. You are plenty creative. Anyway, is that the kind of thing that I can only choose one option? Or could I start by asking you to make a type of particle and then edit it to try to make it better?”

[That is possible, yes. However, editing particles is a highly complex task. System recommends to first learn more about SP before attempting any drastic changes.]

“Oh, I will. Trust me, I just kind of wanted to see them. More out of curiosity than anything.”

[System can show the representation of SP to user. However, System advises user to take the third option related to upgrading particles since it will speed up the advancement process considerably.]

“What is the third option?”

[User possesses the skill {Quick Tier 1 Evolution}. Said skill also comes with a blueprint for an improved system particle. All the necessary data related to that blueprint was already acquired by user Cassandra during the hunts performed in the past days. By following this path, user will skip the second step on its entirety, allowing user to advance a tier quickly. The drawback is the lack of customization of the particle.]

“Fuck… really? I can skip that? Like everything?”

[Correct. Skill {Quick Tier 1 Evolution} had one more function aside from showing System a more effective way to create SP. It also stored the information related to the blueprint for tier 1 particles.]

I started shaving the next piece of leather, “Hang on, that is a bit confusing. What is the second step? Like, what would I have to do?”

[The second step can only be initiated after user decides the type of particle user will create while on tier 1. Once that decision is made, System will create a quest asking user to find particles that have some relation to the function that was decided. If user wants a specific power, the quest will be related to said power. Every time user acquires SP that originated to something related to said power, the quest will progress. What this quest does is function like a data bank that will be utilized by the new particles once it’s complete.]

“Ok… just to see if I understood, if I want to make particles that are better at healing, then I have to hunt creatures with healing skills, or eat things that have healing properties, like aloe? Then the quest progresses and eventually I’ll reach tier 1.”

[Correct.]

“What if I change my mind midway? Like during the quest, I realize that I picked something too hard. What then? Would I be stuck with that quest?”

[If user desires to change the path that the particles will take prior to the advancement, it is possible to do so. However, the progress of the quest will be wiped out even if the data present in the quest could help the new path.]

“Right. Is it because you have to remove the quest first before creating a new one? So the data of the first needs to be wiped in order to make room for the second quest?”

[Correct. However, that is only the case for advancement quests. Skill quests do not share that restriction since theirs scale is smaller.]

I smiled, “See, I’m getting the hang of things, Sys! Can you show me what the SP would look like?”

[Would user like an example, or to see the representation of the particles that will be created with {Quick Tier 1 Evolution}?]

“Show me the ones from the skill.”

In the middle of the terrace, an image started to appear. It was a small radiant creature with a translucent body that was constantly shifting colors. The body was a large ball with large black eyes that sparkled like stars. On its back were tiny delicate butterfly wings with a swirling pattern very similar to the painting The Starry Night from Vincent Van Gogh. A thin mist swirled under it, reaching out and moving like limbs. In a way, that reminded me of the tentacles of an Eater, but a version that wasn’t scary.

“They are really cute. I was thinking you would make like a building or something.”

[If user wishes, System can alter the representation.]

“You don’t need to. Not now, at least. If I make any modifications, the quest will start, right?”

[Correct.]

I finished setting up the last piece of leather, the smallest one, and walked inside the cave. For this next part, I wanted to give Sys my full attention.

“Now, about step three. Classes, are they like a video game? Is there a list to pick from?”

[Classes share some similarities with video games. By picking a class, user will direct the path of future skills and attributes. To better explain, System will show an example of the class selection screen.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Example Class - T1 - Unranked

This class is just an example, it cannot be picked.
Body + Mind
Energy - Memory +

This class can acquire skills related to example.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So classes also have ranks?”

[Correct. User will never receive a class with a tier above the tier that user is advancing into. In this case, user will not be able to receive a class above the rank of Fledgling. Unlike skills, the rank of a class is not related to its power. Instead, it is related to the complexity and specializations of the class itself. For example, if a class called ‘Hunter’ would be of the rank Fledgling. A class called ‘Tracker’ would be of the rank Aspirant. Since it is a more specific set of skills.]

“That’s easy enough to understand. The higher the class rank, the more specialized you are, while lower ranks are more generalists.”

[Correct.]

“And what about the attributes? It has a minus on Energy, does that mean it will be reduced?”

[Attributes will not be reduced when picking a class. The plus and minus signs indicate the attributes that will increase with level without the use of attribute points. In this example, the class says that the attributes of Body, and Memory, will increase more often. While the attribute Energy will be increased less often. Mind would have no change to its natural growth when leveling up since it is not like Energy and Memory which can increase by leveling up. That increase is not linear, attached to any other attribute.]

“Ok.. So I get more attribute points by increasing tier?”

[Correct. On tier 0, you get 1 attribute point per level. On tier 1, you will get at least 2 attribute points. Some classes may offer more points.]

“But how does that work? Does the whole idea changes? Because now, it’s a single point since a level means that an extra 10% of my body was filled with SP.”

[Once user advances to tier 1, all tier 0 particles inside user’s body will combine into tier 1 particles. User will return to level 1, while maintaining current attributes. This will reduce the amount of SP in user’s body to the equivalent of 10% of available storage. However, the new tier 1 SP is much more effective, which allows it to maintain the attributes and offer an increased amount of attribute points per level.]

“That sounds a bit confusing, but if I’m not losing anything I’m not going to complain. It might bet easier to understand when I’m leveling up again. What about the list? Is there such a thing?”

[Once user has completed steps 1 and 2, System will create a list with a few options. Said type of upgrade made to the SP will affect said options.]

“Really? That’s simple enough. Is there anything else I need to know about?”

[System explained everything that will be necessary for the advancement to tier 1. If user does not have any questions, user can start the process.]

“Ok, so let’s start. I pick the third option. The one that we use the particle in {Quick Tier 1 Evolution}.”

[The evolution in question falls under the generalist classification. The particles will not have any specific attribute or task that they will excel at. You can think of it as a linear progression from the current SP. Does user accept this evolution?]

“I do,” I nodded, sitting down on top of my bed.

[{Quick Tier 1 Evolution} already saved enough data to create a proper blueprint for the next tier of SP. System will now generate the classes available for user Cassandra to pick from.]

######Author's Note######
Yep, I'm making that kind of cliffhanger. But the next part is too big for this chapter.
A reminder. Going forward, Energy Eater chapters will come out on tue,thu, and sun at 10.A.M. GMT-3
Also, what do you all think of the story so far? Let me know in the comments.
#####################