Thanatos found himself in a state unlike anything he had experienced before.
In this trance-like dreamscape, he was awake, yet not in the physical world.
His consciousness was suspended in a vast emptiness, devoid of light or sound, yet somehow not threatening or unpleasant.
He stood there, alone, feeling strangely at peace in the midst of this otherworldly realm.
This, he realized, was evolution—not just a physical transformation, but a journey into the heart of his being, a confrontation with the essence of what he was.
A system that he created and yet, experiencing it now for the first time, left him in awe.
And then, without warning, he saw it.
As the glow of the void slowly faded, Thanatos' gaze drifted to the space before him, where two weapons materialized from nothingness.
A sword, its blade a mesmerizing blend of steel and magic, and a staff, its intricate carvings hinting at a power that seemed almost alive.
These artifacts were familiar to him, their presence not a source of confusion but a testament to his evolution.
He understood, in that moment, that their appearance was a part of the journey he had undertaken.
'This,' he thought to himself, his expression inscrutable, "must be where I choose my path.'
As he stood there before the weapons placed in front of him, he contemplated what to do.
'Being either a warrior or a mage has its advantages. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, but which one will serve me best?' He thought to himself.
Thanatos' mind replayed the battles he'd fought since his reincarnation into the world he created, battles in which he had fought like a warrior, wielding the stone spear and the magical blade formed around his fists.
'I've only fought like a warrior since my reincarnation,' he pondered. 'While it's not an innate part of me, it's what I'm used to.'
His gaze lingered on the gleaming staff, considering the benefits of learning to fight like a mage.
'Charlotte is already a skilled mage, and with my expertise, I could mold her into a force to be reckoned with' he thought, his mind racing with possibilities.
'Long range attacks and a wider arsenal of spells could be useful, especially given that I already have some knowledge of magic. But, in the short term, becoming more proficient in close quarter combat would be more beneficial.'
'If I choose the warrior's path,' he mused, his brow furrowed in concentration, 'it doesn't mean I'll be locked into that role for the rest of my existence.'
'Future evolution could still lead me down a different path, and there's nothing stopping me from continuing to learn and practice magic, regardless of which weapon I select.' He finally came to a conclusion.
With his decision made, Thanatos stepped forward and reached out a hand, his fingers closing around the hilt of the sword.
As he grasped it firmly, a brilliant light erupted from within, enveloping him in a burst of radiance.
A sense of searing heat filled his entire being, before everything faded into darkness once again.
****
"Ahhhhh!" Thanatos screamed, startled awake by the unexpected sight of Charlotte's face mere inches from his own.
"Ahhh!" Charlotte echoed, jumping back in alarm as Thanatos scrambled backward, equally shocked and disoriented.
The two of them sat frozen, each taking in the other's reaction, a momentary mix of fear and confusion clouding the air around them.
Thanatos, still reeling from the unexpected encounter, snapped at Charlotte, "You scared the hell out of me! Don't sneak up on me like that again!"
Charlotte, recovering quickly, shot back, "What about you? You suddenly started glowing like a beacon in the night, and now you look…different. I didn't know what to do!"
'What the heck is she talking about?' Thanatos thought, his expression a mixture of confusion and exasperation.
Then, catching a glimpse of himself in the cave's reflective surface, he froze, stunned by the sight of his own altered form.
Thanatos gazed down at his body, his eyes widening in disbelief.
The skeletal skin he had become accustomed to was now sheathed in a sleek, lightweight armor, its surface shimmering in the torchlight.
The armor clung to his form as though a part of him, protecting his body with its impenetrable strength.
And in his hand, he clutched a sword that seemed to have evolved from the one he chose moments earlier.
Its blade, shimmering with magical energy, radiated a powerful aura that reverberated through his arm.
Thanatos clenched his fist, feeling the strength flowing through his body.
With the sword in his hand and the armor upon his skin, he sensed a newfound power, one that was as unfamiliar as it was exhilarating.
'This evolution…I feel more powerful than ever before,' he thought, his thoughts racing with the possibilities that lay before him.
As he reveled in his newfound power, a wistful thought flitted through his mind.
'If only system novels had been popular when I wrote this world,' he mused.
'A visible system, complete with stats, would have been a godsend. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be. Still, I can tell that my strength and abilities have increased. I suppose that will have to suffice for now.'
Thanatos, taking in his new form, turned to Charlotte, his expression a mixture of curiosity and concern.
"How long was I out for?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her face.
"Nearly a week," Charlotte replied, her own features a blend of awe and anxiety.
'A week?!' Thanatos' his rang out in alarm as the realization of the time that had passed settled upon him.
Gazing upon his transformed form, he studied his armor and blade with a critical eye, analyzing every inch of his new appearance.
'What else has changed?' he wondered, his curiosity and concern vying for dominance as he tried to understand the full extent of his evolution.
The revelation hit Thanatos with the force of a physical blow.
"Now I understand!" he thought, the pieces of the puzzle coming together in his mind.
"I didn't just evolve—I skipped a rank. Instead of becoming an Undead Infantry, I've become an Undead Knight!"
His eyes glowed with newfound understanding as he took in the changes to his body, his mind racing with questions and possibilities.