[Species: Kitsune]
[Name: Tama(Can be evolved)]
[Tier: 5]
[Level: 1]
[The Kitsune are characterized by the number of tails one possesses with 9 being the utmost. A new tail is only gained after sufficient growth in either power or age. Usually 100 years for every tail is the general rule. After having gained their ninth tail the Kitsunes fur will turn white or golden color and ascend the heavens. Kitsune are known for their illusions powerful enough to be indistinguishable from reality and their ability to transform into humanoids. Other notable abilities are their ability to take on a ghost like form, possession of others, invisibility, and their control over lightning and fire]
Looking at her status I saw the 'can be evolved' button in her status.
It was only with a mental click and command of 'evolve' that the next screen popped up.
Her status disappeared only to be replaced with another screen that showed me the options for her evolution.
[Choose a path of evolution]
[Illusion: The Kitsune is put into a situation wherein the only way to survive is to use illusions. The Kitsunes Illusions have grown powerful enough to fool reality and manifest illusions that can deal physical harm ]
[Stealth: The Kitsune is deprived of all physical and magical attacks and put in a situation wherein they must deceive using their transformations, possessions, illusions and invisibility to survive. The Kitsune has evolved to be a master of stealth, able to infiltrate almost any civilization]
[Elemental: The Kitsune is put into an aether rich environment aligned with fire and lightning. The Kitsune has given up on all abilities other than fire and lightning, in return they have gained an understanding so deep of said abilities that it costs them little to no energy to use large scale fire and lightning abilities that might have once taken them out of battle.]
I looked over from the options, my eyes focused on them as I intently read through all of the different choices.
It seemed like they were all equally good choices however I couldn't really decide on one without Tama's input. I personally thought that the illusion option was the best seeing as how Kitsunes are generally known for that but without asking Tama I couldn't decide.
It would be cruel of me to force her onto a path that was not of her own choosing. It was for that reason that I looked over from where I was focusing on the options to where Tama stood. Her hand behind her and her gaze on me as she waited for what I was going to say.
I took a deep breath before I opened my mouth to address her.
"Tama"
"Yes, my Lord?" She questioned with a tilt of her head, I couldn't help but find extremely cute but I couldn't focus on that. I needed her input on this and it could not be delayed.
"My talent, evolution, can allow you to evolve but the thing is… that there are a couple of options that you could evolve towards."
"What are these options then?"
"There are three of them. Illusion, stealth, and elemental."
Tama nods at that, her eyes gazing to the sky as she thinks them over.
"I would assume that they specialize me."
"Yeah… most likely at the detriment to your other abilities."
"Detriment, it seems like I would only grow in the others. Was there something that said I would be unable to use my other abilities, my lord?"
"None of that, it just seems that… that you would outgrow them?" I paused at that looking for the right words.
"Yes, outgrow your other abilities. Or something similar that would make your other abilities obsolete."
Tama nodded at that, growing silent as she contemplated her options.
I watched as she sat down in the sun's dying rays, her golden ears falling to her head as she closed her eyes.
Her chin was raised as she thought over the options.
I couldn't help but find it profoundly beautiful, in a picturesque way.
It was something that you would of only seen in a painting. It took my breath away, for enough time that I was standing there awkwardly. Just watching.
Eventually though I broke my reverie. A leaf falling to the ground as I turned from the sight.
Parting words were on my mouth, only voiced with my leave.
"It is all your decision, this is your future. Please choose wisely… not for my own sake but for yours."
With those words I walked off, my gaze set onto the horizon. Where Amelia had set up.
The future of our kingdom. For it was ours as much as it was mine.
…
Evolution, it was an absurd talent. Something I had never expected for my lord to have. I had thought that him summoning me was the most of his luck but now I couldn't be sure if it was luck or fate.
The way that he casually talked about evolution as if it was something ordinary that he could do.
It was enlightening. Not only in how he talked about it but in the way that he so casually told me that he could evolve me.
For a talent to be able to do that it would need to be at the very least tier 2. Something that is not seen for centuries at a time and even then waiting that long would not be a guarantee.
But I wasn't even sure that tier 2 would be enough to describe it, it could be even higher or even ascended tier. Something that was never seen even in the ancient records.
The power and strategic value behind this was enormous. I couldn't help the frown that graced my gestures at that thought though.
It was one of both worry and contemplation. The power and value of this was beyond money, it was beyond even the greatest items.
Many would covet what we had. They would force him into service. Into slavery. I needed to protect him.
I needed the strength that he could give me. Not only do we need to grow and grow fast. Before any other empire or kingdom finds out.
It hurt my heart. For such a bomb to be dropped upon me. But for now I could not think about that. Here and now, I needed to decide on what would I specialize.
By the way that he talked about it, it seemed that I would be able to jump tiers or at the very least gain a significant amount of strength.
Enough that I wouldn't be challenged in my own tier. If anyone else had told me that such a simple decision and offer would help my strength that much I would have laughed in their faces.
However this was my lord, I had this inherent trust in him. It wasn't something from the summoning that changed me but he just had this aura around him.
I shook those thoughts out of my head, the speculations and praise that I raised him meant nothing right now.
What I really needed to do was to decide on my path.
Right out of the gate stealth was out. I would not be like those stealthy bastards that engaged in the shadows.
'Cowards' I snorted, raising my nose in superior thoughts.
'Although I couldn't really call them that could I?' The thought had just occurred to me but my signature illusions were just another facet of those cowards.
I grit my teeth at that thought. I would not want to be like them but even then… those illusions were my pride. The very thought of abandoning them for stealth or even elemental strength was heretical.
It was something that was for my subordinates, not me.
I nodded to myself. I had decided. I would not be the personification of fire in my elemental strength, nor would I be the master of stealth.
No I would be both. The illusions that I prided myself in were flawed. Inherently they were just that. Illusions but what if they could be more.
The sun had gone down, my legs kicked over the dirt that I had sat in while deciding.
My eyes gazed into the nights moon. A smile falling upon me as I watched the moonlight illuminate the forest.
A beautiful sight that was only marred by duty. I needed to get back and prepare dinner for Darwin.
It was why I kicked the dirt under me and stood up, a flash of light and I was invisible to all eyes that may have looked upon me.
I walked off into the forest in search of prey. Not only for dinner but for fun.
…
I found myself in the outskirts of the forest that parted our territory.
There were no prey, nor signs of them around here but that was no matter. I had not only come here for food but for the distraction that it gave me.
It was nice, to be away, lost in my thoughts. No duties just me and the forest.
My nose sniffed while I walked further towards the territory from where I was. I was going to just circle the territory until I found a prey but it seems I was lucky.
The scent of piss. Of markings. It showed to at I was in the territory of another animal.
Most likely a wolf. If not some other pack animal.
It mattered not though. All that mattered was that I had found prey.
Snarls broke me from my thoughts, wolfs with fur as green as the foliage around us surrounded me.
They had sniffed me out despite the inherent invisibility that I had cast on myself.
It made sense, I had not done anything about my smell, not seeing the need to go to such lengths.
But now that these wolves were here, I cast that upon them. Their noses and eyes gong blank as they panicked.
A swift claw to their necks and each of them died of blood loss.
A whistle and I found myself surrounded by my subordinates.
I pointed to each of the wolves and a kitsune. They grumbled for a second before putting them into their backs and following me back home.