Chapter 47
With so many notifications plying him, TJ realized that there was a question he'd had for a while and hadn't ever gotten an answer for. Ever since he'd killed the wendigo, he'd gotten a similar notification, but then forgotten about it in the panic of rushing back to safety and warning the rest of the town about what he'd learned. Thus, the small additional phrase had escaped his scrutiny. Now, however, TJ finally paid it attention and asked the System.
"What is a Divine Trial?"
All those who achieve any measure of Divinity must overcome Trials set by the heavens themselves. What comprises a Divine Trial or which Trials which Participant must overcome will vary, but overcoming Trials is a vital part of the path towards the Divine Throne. Though the exact use of Divine Trials cannot be revealed at this time, it can be explained that eight Minor Divine Trials carry the same weight as four Moderate Divine Trials, two Bitter Divine Trials, or one Celestial Divine Trial. Would you like to have your Divine Trial completions recorded in your Status Page?
As he idly agreed to allow the display, TJ felt a faint smile crack his face at another realization. He had, effectively, completed a Moderate Divine Trial, and though he couldn't say he had any clue what that could do for him, the achievement carried some weight. That there were Divine Trials for various types of achievements also assuaged some measure of worry as well. Now that he knew what it was, though, he grew more and more curious as to what the purpose of the Trials was meant to be. More importantly, though, was the result of this completed Trial. TJ turned his appraisal to his knife, curious what it could be that gave him more than a full level's worth of experience.
Item: Wendigo Blade (Copper, (I)). An amateur's honest attempt at creating a sharp tool from the materials gathered from a wendigo slain by their hand. Using the extended claw of a wendigo, the Wendigo Blade is a serviceable knife, though the method of securing its tang was mediocre. The true value of this knife is instead found in its materials and specialized preparation. Whether by skill, coincidence, or pure luck, the blade was perfectly prepared by the creator. By using primarily Wind Manipulation and the wendigo's own claws to construct the blade and prepare its materials, the creator subtly shifted the purpose of the claw and horn to better respond to the creator's Wind Manipulation Skill. As such, the Wendigo Blade's wielder can channel Wind Manipulation through the blade with an improved efficiency, thus lowering the cost of using Wind Manipulation while wielding the blade by 10%.
TJ whistled under his breath as he read the description. Though he wanted to complain at the obvious disparagement regarding the quality of his work, he also couldn't bring himself to disagree. More importantly, the explanation that he'd managed to somehow shift the magical or divine nature of the claw to suit him perfectly was a blessing in disguise that he'd never expected. In his mind, he'd only expected the knife to serve as something to better prepare other materials for his use with. Learning that it could potentially serve as one of those gas-exploding knives that he'd seen on the internet was a surprise, but a welcome one. If it was inside of an enemy, TJ could imagine that, with the additional reduced cost of being at the Dirt tier combined with the bonus from the blade itself, the Wendigo Blade could easily serve as a deadly weapon for him, disregarding the build quality.
The thought of making something explode with wind inside of it was disgusting, but TJ shoved it out of his mind by pulling up his Status.
Status Sheet
Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV
Race: Human – lvl 8
Class: Neophyte lvl 8
Occupation: Savage lvl 8
Level of Divinity: Dirt (0)
Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan
Health Points (HP): 570/570
Mana Points (MP): 360/360
Stamina: 550/550
Attributes
Strength: 26
Agility: 25
Endurance: 55
Vitality: 57
Toughness: 47
Wisdom: 31
Intelligence: 36
Perception: 37
Willpower: 48
Fixation: 39
Free Points: 2
Skill List: Hidden
Titles: Irregular
Elite Hunter
Current total maximum Divine Transformation time: 49:45
(End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4 Current cooldown: 0:00
Status Sheet
Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV
Race: Coatl – lvl 8
Class: Neophyte lvl 8
Occupation: Savage lvl 8
Level of Divinity: Dirt (0)
Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan
Health Points (HP): 1140/1140
Mana Points (MP): 360/360
Stamina: 1100/1100
Attributes
Strength x2: 52
Agility x1.5: 37
Endurance x2: 110
Vitality x2: 114
Toughness x2: 94
Wisdom: 31
Intelligence: 36
Perception x1.5: 55
Willpower: 48
Fixation: 39
Free Points: 2
Skill List: Hidden
Titles: Irregular
Elite Hunter
Divine Trial Records
2 Minor, 0 Moderate, 0 Bitter, 0 Celestial
Compared to how weak he'd once been, TJ enjoyed seeing how much he'd progressed in just these days, since each additional attribute point was another step up the path to truer power and the ability to protect himself and his future. He looked at his Free Points and nearly threw them immediately into Intelligence as he had been, but he decided to consider a bit deeper for a moment. His Strength as a coatl had always seemed to be more than enough, but between its frost and claws, the wendigo was nearly impossible for him to kill.
Yes, it was an Elite, but TJ had exhausted its MP through protecting the pukwudgies from his initial assault, and it had wasted its energy in killing the first pukwudgie theatrically. Even then, TJ had only survived because he had fully exhausted his MP killing the pukwudgies and managed to level up by doing so. Doubling his MP barely brought him to being level with the wendigo's expenditure. Would another two points of Intelligence do more for him, or Strength? Maybe even Agility, as it was falling behind his other attributes, at least, during Divine Transformation. He almost certainly wouldn't have been able to escape last night with his Agility as it was, and that terrified him.
"Hello, sir?"
A nervous woman's voice cut through TJ's idle worries and he startled and looked up. A woman maybe a decade older than him stood in front of him, twisting her hands anxiously. When he locked eyes with her, he Appraised her while standing up.
Disciple, 1
"Don't call me sir. I'm TJ. What's up?"
"Uh, we're the people assigned to… hunt with you." She was obviously uncomfortable with the idea and continued avoiding his gaze.
"Great, glad to have you." He stuck a hand out. "As I said, I'm TJ. I'm happy to make sure you all stay safe since you're willing to come out and work for the community. For your information, I have the Bloodline of Kukulkan, and I'm at level 8 with both Savage and Neophyte. How about you?"
"My name is Rebekkah, Disciple and Flamekeeper. The System says I'm a daughter of Hestia." The woman responded as she reached a limp hand out for a disappointing handshake.
"Isn't that a Greek goddess?"
Rebekkah nodded, her dark curly hair framing her face.
"What's that Occupation do? How'd you get it?" After asking, TJ raised a hand. "Actually, I'm sorry. I'll ask you that again in a minute, if that's alright with you. Instead, I'd like to speak with everyone coming along."
Rebekkah didn't mind, simply nodding as TJ walked forward. Eight more people stood before him, all but two of them level 1 to his Appraisal. One was the level 2 Zealot Sarah who helped guard the general store, while the other was Farid, whose level now showed Acolyte, 3.
"You manage to get that Occupation you were talking about yesterday?" TJ asked, reaching a hand out to clasp Farid's shoulder. The younger man smiled broadly as he nodded.
"We'd used some traps on the monsters out there, and I just needed to trap one more person before I got the Occupation."
"A person?"
Farid grinned even wider. "Yes. Charlie is tall, and does not always look up."
TJ raised both hands with a slight chuckle. "Not sure I want to know. Good for you. That's something that will become more and more useful the longer this Tutorial goes, I'm sure." Then, having spoken to the single person that he knew, TJ stepped back so he could look most of the group in the eyes. With himself counted, their little hunting party numbered ten. Other than himself, there were three Disciples, two Zealots, three Acolytes, and one Neophyte. Naturally, TJ was interested in the Neophyte.
"What's your name?" TJ asked the hunched and obviously afraid girl standing in the middle of the group.
"Kailani." She spoke in barely more than a whisper, avoiding eye contact almost fearfully. Her long dark hair covered her face and she refused to make eye contact.
"Great. Just for my information, what attributes does your Divine Transformation boost?"
The young woman, more of a girl, really, looked around herself before answering in a murmur, "Vitality, Wisdom, Intelligence, Willpower, Fixation." She cocked her head, a little confused. Even so, she didn't ask the question so obviously on her mind.
"You wondering why I'm asking?" TJ prompted, and after glancing back and forth, she nodded, keeping her head and eyes down. "I don't know if you've talked to the few of us that are also Neophytes. I'm the bloodline of Kukulkan, a giant snake god from Mexico. I get bonuses to Strength, Agility, Endurance, Vitality, Toughness, and Perception. Makes me a lot tougher, so it's easy for me to be in front of everyone else. With yours, though, I don't think being on the front line makes a whole lot of sense, does it?"
Lailani shook her head wildly, and TJ chuckled. He wanted to pat her head or shoulder, but she was scared, and he might be the source of that fear, so he was wholly unwilling to exacerbate that.
"Do you have anything else that you just kinda know how to do when you're using the Skill?"
She shook her head.
"Just as an explanation, I realized I could control wind when I was a snake, and I ended up getting a Skill that helps me out with that. When we're out today, can you see what you feel when you use the Skill?"
Lailani nodded and stepped behind someone else. TJ didn't press the matter, and gestured for Farid to step forward. The descendant of the Indian god of destruction stepped forward, his face open and happy.
"I know you don't really know me. I probably don't have the greatest impression on most of you, and I'm sorry. I've had a pretty crap couple of days. You don't deserve to have me chewing you out. I'm not your dad, I'm not your boss. I'm just going to keep you alive and well, ok?"
Farid raised a hand and TJ pointed at him. "Just a second Farid. You don't need to raise your hand, not really, and I don't want any of you to call me sir. I'm not a military commander or anything like that. That's all."
The handsome man grinned widely, pure white teeth starkly contrasting his dark skin. "I just want you to know–everyone here asked to be on your team. You're a scary man, but you're on our side, and we think you'll keep everyone safe while they work to get stronger. I just didn't want you to worry about us. We're happy to follow your commands."
TJ felt his throat choke up for a brief second. Though at least half of the team was like Rebekkah and Lailani, avoiding his gaze and shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other, none of them seemed to disagree even slightly with Farid's declaration. The feeling of ostracization that'd hung over him like a pall since he'd arrived was slowly washed away. He was about to speak when Farid spoke again.
"You should have seen Seth's face when he learned I'd already taken the spot of the hunter on your squad. I bet he'll try to convince you to go out again this afternoon after we return."
TJ chuckled through the almost uncomfortable emotion. "I guess I'll have to see about that when we come back. Now, here's what we're going to do."