The World of Tactics

Chapter Nineteen I: Dear John, Off-Road, From Dork

Chapter Nineteen I: Dear John, Off-Road, From Dork

"In the Anuicia Kingdom, there is a chain of diverse class professions a person could of age become. Commoners may start with a simple base class as a workman and later change class to become more specialized. A blacksmith, a cook, a sculptor, a butcher, and the list goes on and on. Furthermore, the class chain continues on and on with, surprisingly, three routes. The three routes were the generalized route, the specialized route, and the forced route.

Today, we will discuss the route a base class could become using the militia class as an example. A base class of militia could change classes into a wide variety. Such as the soldier class, knight class, cavalry knight, archer, and so on. However, what most did not realize is that within those classes were just the generalized classes. Furthermore, a militiaman could become an armored soldier or a heavy soldier. Those are the specialized classes of a soldier. The last was that a militia could be forcefully changed into a slave-based class using slave magic. That is just one type of forced class. Those are the three routes to the class system.

Some research included a few things. The generalized classes would often not have any visual advantages, but they do not have any disadvantages either. The specialized classes would be able to obtain some form of advantages in battle along with some drawbacks. A heavy soldier is known for having higher amounts of defense than a generalized soldier, but a heavy soldier loses out on one point of movement along with being vulnerable to blunt-type weapons such as hammers.

While the forced classes were changing from a base class to another base class, the only result was just the disadvantaged being stacked above the other disadvantages. It was fine to change a base class to another base class (at the loss of some maximum levels). However, if a base class (A) is forced to change class to a higher grade base class (B). There would be a notable decrease in potential in the observable future (Decreases in maximum levels and a permanent decrease in some stat). In some of the worst cases recorded, it is that the forced class change would no longer have a way to gain higher promotion (that is if the number of maximum levels was reduced by 11 levels or more).

[Another note for all routes: When a class changes into a higher grade class, whether a base class or a grade two class (or higher grade class), the new class that they gain needs to level up at least ten or more levels before the class is qualified to change into a higher grade class. Hence, if someone is unlucky and rolled 11 or more after the forced class change. That person could not fulfill the basic requirements for future class promotion. There were also other ways for a person to lose their maximum levels. In cases like losing limbs, the only way to recover the lost levels is to use the expensive elixir that costs around 5000g or more. An elixir only has one use and could help the body completely recover along with fully restoring health points.]" From a research record of the class system.

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John Smith did not rush to dig out the soul cores within the corpses laid in a mound. He always felt that other than in battle, he could not summon Goon or Uzi. He wanted a helping hand from the two. It would be easier for him and would not take too long to clean up the battlefield. Even so, he was much more prepared than before in regards to his wilderness tools. He got a sharp carving knife that was razor-sharp, which surprisingly, had no physical might except the fact that it got a crit plus thirty. The other tool was a spade made of iron. Because it was something new, he got the spade practically for free (10 gold coins). However, he just missed the chance of making gold coins out of it. It doesn't matter though.

He took out a canteen from his inventory and took a few mouthfuls. Dork was also thirsty from the battle, so he gave some water to Dork as well. He did not mind giving Dork some water, because Dork was a bit useful during the battle. The fact that Dork sacrificed four health points to cast four fireballs. He could tell that Dork was strained since Dork's current maximum health points were only fourteen points. Losing four health points is the same as losing close to one-third of Dork's health points. He did not bother to give his bronze lance some maintenance. Instead, he put the b****y bronze lance away first.

He then took out the razor-sharp carving knife because the fun parts started from there. He immediately starts with the three direwolves. He first pried off the two front fangs that contained mana and, as for the other, sharp teethes. He did not bother collecting them because they were barely worth a gold coin. After all, the other remaining sharp teethes did not contain any mana. He did the same to the sharp claws of the direwolves. The fangs of the alpha male direwolf were roughly around five to six inches long, while the claws were six to seven inches long. The other two direwolves' fangs were about four inches long while the claws were also the same length. He guessed that the reason why it was so was because of their difference in a single innate weapon mastery rank.

Afterward, he starts prying the fangs and claws that contain mana from the carcass of the remaining wolves. Sadly, the gains for the wolves' fangs were a bit off because Goon's fist destroyed a whole body of wolves along with those wolves that Goon punched in the snout. The impact easily destroys the fangs. After thirty minutes of harvesting, he got quite the gains of wolves' fangs and claws. For the hobgoblins and goblins, he did not bother them yet and stored them in his inventory. His main priority is the direwolves and wolves.

Before he decided to work on the hide, he made sure to dig a deep pit with his iron spade. He wants to make sure that he drains off the blood from the wolves. He did not want to taste the nasty blood of the wolves when cooking it or eating it, so draining the blood from the direwolves and wolves was a must. This is why the pit was dug out in the first place. Luckily for his inventory, he was able to store non-living things in it. As for the limits of the inventory, he had not tested it out, so he did not know how many items he could store within his inventory. It does not matter much at the moment because he got enough inventory spaces.

After that, he quickly removes the head of the alpha male direwolf first and starts the process of draining blood. Once the alpha male direwolf is properly hung downward for blood drainage, he moves on to the next direwolf. Then to the last direwolf. At the moment, there is only enough space for three direwolves at the same time. So, he had to wait for the alpha male direwolf to be drained of blood first. He did sit around because he also began to dig another pit. This time, the pit that he is digging is twice the size of the blood pit. This second pit was to bury the heads and guts of the direwolves and wolves.

He moves the drained alpha male direwolf to the second pit and carefully opens up his stomach. He had to be a bit careful. In the end, he did not want to cut the intestines because he did not want to spoil the meat. He successfully passed the stomach down to the testicles and butt-hole. He did not want either of them, so he made sure to carefully cut those off. Ever since the previous battle a year ago, he already had prior experience and the alpha male direwolf did not prove to be a challenge other than the fact that it was a bit bigger than a normal wolf.

He had successfully gutted the alpha male direwolf without staining or spoiling the alpha male direwolf's hide or meat. It was a plus when he harvested the alpha male soul core before he moved on to the hide. The hide was a bit tricky, but his high strength enabled him to easily tear the hide just like when a roll of tape was used. Except for the hide that was stuck in the limb part, there were no other tricky problems if he were to cut around the joint part of the hide and another straight cut from the chest part to the limbs. This way, when he removes the hide, it would be much easier without the hide being stuck in the limbs, and he would only need a single pull to take it out of the hide.

With prior experience with the alpha male direwolf, the first and second direwolf was not much of a problem. Before moving on to the next direwolf, he also made sure that at least one additional wolf was hanged upside down for blood drainage first so that it would drain while he worked on those that were already drained of blood. This process was repeated many times over and lasted close to two full hours. It was easy to harvest, but he had to be careful when gutting, which is why it took more time than expected. Likewise, he did not intend on chopping up the meat of the direwolves or wolves because it was pretty late. So, he kept the direwolf and wolf's meat carcass whole.

It was only after he covered up the first and second pit did he feel more relieved from how smelly it was. He even knows that his current clothing is stained with some blood spots carrying along with a smell of blood. The second pit smells even worse with the gruesome smell of guts and heads of the wolves. It took him quite an amount of effort to fill up the two pits. After that, he turns his mind to the hobgoblins and goblin corpses.

He did not want to nor think of feasting on something that resembled a human. Anyway, he did not feel right eating a monster that looked humanoid and he intended to keep it that way. However, if there were a day when survival demands it. Rather than dying, he rather has some goblins as a meat dish. It's better than dying anyway. Otherwise, goblins' meat is not on the menu. Likewise, Dork is now considered a monster. He thinks about it since Dork has evolved into a fired miniature donkey. Dork now has a soul core that takes shape within.

The thoughts came back to the soul core. He moved on to removing the soul cores of the hobgoblins and the goblins. He harvested three hobgoblin soul cores and eleven goblin soul cores. He felt that it was a pain to dig another pit just to bury the corpses of the hobgoblins and goblins. So, he kept it in his inventory where it was stacked neatly in just two inventory slots. He almost forgot about the wolf that burst into pieces because of Goon's fist. For a while, he was searching through the grass for the soul cores of that wolf. It was hidden within a discrete part of a bush, he was lucky to see the glint of hardening blood on the leaves. In total, he got three direwolves' soul cores along with eleven wolves' soul cores.

This amount of soul core is quite a lot for him. By his estimation, he could get roughly three hundred or more gold coins. Tonight was a lucky night and it was all because of Dork. Just when he finishes cleaning up the area and returns to the campfire. The fire was already waning and sparse. He quickly added some smaller branches before it finally caught on fire and added the remaining dry wood to the fire. That was the last of it for the night.

Just when he was about to get comfortable and started his snack, Dork came over to him and nudged him a few times. At first, he thought that Dork was just playing around, but after a few more times. He realized that Dork needs to tell him something, but the language barrier does not allow them to communicate properly. It happens a few times throughout the year and he pretty much guesses what Dork wants. Usually, it would be fodder at times, but he would if he remembered it right. Dork had already quite the amount of fodder before they left.

He gave Dork a stare and Dork stared back at him. He began to rummage through his inventory and took out the dried biscuit along with the water canteen, but Dork did not want it. He had another thought. It may be that Dork prefers meat now that Dork has become a monster. So, he took out a normal wolf's carcass, but Dork denied it, even more, this time. He took the wolf's carcass back while deep in thought. It was not until his gaze landed on one of the wolves' soul cores did he realize what Dork wanted from him. The moment after, he took out one of the wolf's soul cores before Dork immediately gobbled it up leaving him in surprise. It seems that Dork's favorite new type of food is soul core.

He did read something about the tamer's class that uses magic to tame monsters. Tamer also needed a lot of soul cores to strengthen their tamed monsters. However, he had subconsciously thought that Dork was still just a normal miniature donkey even after its evolution because Dork looked practically the same except for a bigger size and a different colored mane. Since Dork wanted the soul core and it was already within Dork's stomach, he did not care about one soul core, since he had plenty of them within his pocket.

He sat down, exhausted, but excited because Uzi could finally evolve. With the [Inventory] tab already opened, he moved on to the [Evolution] tab. It is time to evolve Uzi. He moved Uzi's into the single square within half of the left side and chose the direwolf that had the least amount of level as the material. When he presses the [evolve] button, the same light animation happens again. Uzi's figure was covered in bright light. After a few seconds, Uzi’s figure grew half a size bigger. Unlike the first three direwolves that he encountered, Uzi has a slight difference in appearance.