Free Web NovelChapter 5: The Assassin Crow path
The fifth evolutionary path on the line was the most interesting one he saw so far.
For five thousand system points, he could start the process of becoming a Mist Tiger!
Being a tiger was appealing enough, undoubtedly, but this path would help him turn into a ferocious mammal that could hide within its own Mist Ability. Simply disappear out of plain sight and pop up elsewhere if the situation gets tough.
Jimmy wanted to buy this option immediately. He preferred to turn into a human, yes, as he remembered being a human before, but evolving into a tiger wasn’t a bad option either.
"I could shred everyone... everything into pieces..." he zoned out, day-dreaming, "I want this one, system. I have 500 points, right?"
[Yes, but you’re a zero short from choosing the Mist Tiger path. You need 5,000 system points to choose this path, not 500.]
"Mutterficker!" He cawed, almost in agony, "How can I get 5,000 points, then?"
[By completing tasks, or killing others, animals or otherwise.]
"I can’t wait that long," he sighed, as best as a crow could sigh, "It would take forever, I think?"
[It would take you a while, yes. You’re not strong enough to reap points from big kills yet.]
Jimmy was distraught. He really wanted to be a Mist Tiger, but it wasn’t within his reach right now.
As much as it pained him, he had to swipe left, and see what other evolutionary paths the system had to offer him.
The sixth option pissed him off immediately. He could evolve into a human, apparently, for three-thousand system points even, but this option had a catch. He’d be too ordinary to ever adapt any valuable skills, nevertheless more advanced skills revolving around mana.
Jimmy wasn’t the fastest thinker right now, but he knew enough to avoid being average. This option was not worth the hassle.
"I can’t be average again," he said.
Jimmy then spent the rest of the night browsing the rest of his options. He went through all thirty-five of them.
Half of them were very expensive. These paths consisted of mid-tier beasts, and even a single superior beast, which was right under the legendary rank, which he found appealing, but alas, he wouldn’t be able to afford them for a while. Their prices ranged in the tens of thousands.
The rest of the options were nearly all horrendous. Affordable, but terrible creatures to evolve into. There were three types of goblin species which he swiped through, and even insects, like centipedes and ants, but he wasn’t so keen on any of those options for obvious reasons.
"I’m supposed to eat centipedes, not turn into one of them," he had said.
It was hard to narrow down a single, most beneficial path to choose, and he was the most focused he had ever been in this new life, trying to make the best choice, but at last, he decided on the only option that made sense to him.
It was the Assassin Crow path!
"I woke up as a crow, so I may as well stay a crow for now." He said, "A badass crow, hehe."
The description of this evolutionary path was quite appealing.
[Haunt the skies, the ground, and the waters by choosing the Assassin Crow path. This path promises a significant improvement of your wing-to-claw reactions, bodily durability, intelligence, flexibility, body size, flying speed, running speed, underwater adaptability, and it can even open paths to mastering the arts of the arcane!]
"An assassin..." he smiled a bit, "I could maybe grab a knife too... like that big crow I saw. Eh, maybe I can dig up worms with my sword too... or behead old men who mess with my family."
No one messed with his family so far, not based on what he’s seen so far, at least, but a little man could only dream. He craved to be hustled with, and have an excuse to lash out.
Jimmy’s mind was made up, but there was a catch.
The Assassin Crow path cost seven-hundred system points, so he couldn’t start that path yet. He was two-hundred points short, but he was willing to wait.
Jimmy pestered the system for more tasks, but she only had one new task for him at the moment, and it didn’t pay well. She didn’t budge, and only offered that task.
[Task 6: Fly for the first time.]
[Reward: 67 system points]
"Darn this nest," he sighed, "I can’t do shit until I get out of here."
Defeated by the hours of heightened concentration, he took a nap after the crack of dawn. The lack of points he had felt like a problem for later on right now.
...
All the way from when he first hatched into this new world, Jimmy was stuck in his comfortable, and yet boring nest for thirty days.
During these days, he kept himself busy by tampering his body as best as he could.
When he figured out that he could choose the Assassin Crow path, he spent several days practicing speed. He wanted to be fast on the ground, even if he was chubby, so that’s what he focused on. He basically ran circles around the nest.
Other than that, he flapped his wings as often as he could, trying to fly. He failed every time so far, but his muscles got a bit stronger. He was confident that they could support his weight.
On day thirty, his parents decided that it was time for him, and his siblings to fly.
"I’ve been waiting for this day..." he held his breath, shaking in excitement.
Jimmy saw his siblings drop out of the nest, one by one.
Each of them returned to their nest. Each of them crash-landed. Their movements were clumsy, as this was their first time in the air.
Despite their senseless disputes, Jimmy cared about his siblings, so he waited for them, until they returned to the nest, safe and sound.
Once they all gave it a shot, he felt more than ready to drop from the nest himself.
He stood at the edge of it, looking down on the massive stone house below the nest.
Taking a deep breath, he said, "I hope to fuck I don’t fall through that house’s ceiling."
