The Glimmerwood was silent, the ancient skeleton of the altar now dormant, its purpose served. Lucas stood in the quiet aftermath of his trial, his mind focused on the two choices that hung in his vision. They were two futures, two distinct philosophies for his class, and the decision would define the rest of his journey in Arcadia.
On the surface, the choice seemed obvious.
[Option 1: Beast Master]
[Description: A commander of the wild. Focuses on the physical prowess of multiple tamed creatures, overwhelming foes with superior numbers and coordinated assaults.]
[Option 2: Spirit Shaman]
[Description: A conduit for the wild. Focuses on the spiritual connection with a single companion, enhancing its abilities with the power of nature spirits.]
The Beast Master path was the dream of every Tamer: an army of one. More pets, more power. It was the straightforward, brute-force solution. But Lucas had learned that the most obvious path in Arcadia was rarely the most effective. He activated his [System Insight], digging beneath the surface.
The green text shimmered, revealing the true nature of each path.
[Beast Master Hidden Note: Unlocks one additional, fully functional combat summon slot at Levels 10, 30, and 60. Skill tree focuses on direct damage buffs and threat generation. This is the public, expected path. Powerful, but predictable.]
[Spirit Shaman Hidden Note: Does NOT unlock additional combat summon slots. Instead, grants the ability to form pacts with Minor Nature Spirits that can be attached to your primary summon, granting it new skills and properties. This is a secret, high-difficulty path that enhances a single summon's versatility to an unprecedented degree. High INT is required to manage spirit pacts effectively.]
Lucas's decision crystallized. A Beast Master would win by overwhelming the enemy with numbers. A Spirit Shaman would win by having the perfect tool for every problem. He could analyze an enemy's weakness with [System Insight], then imbue Kael with the exact elemental counter. It was a path that rewarded intelligence, synergy, and strategy above all else. It was his path.
He made his selection. [Spirit Shaman].
The blue light that had flowed into him from the Ancient One's spirit flared. He felt not a surge of raw power, but a deepening of connection. The hum of the Glimmerwood grew clearer, and the bond with Kael shifted from a simple mental link to a shared spiritual space.
[Your class has advanced to Spirit Shaman!]
[New Skill Learned: Spirit Pact (Novice) – Allows you to form a pact with a Minor Nature Spirit, attaching its essence to your active summon.]
[New Skill Learned: Imbue Essence (Novice) – Channels the properties of a pact spirit through your summon's attacks and defenses.]
Then came the final, most anticipated notification.
[Quest 'The Tamer's Legacy' Complete!]
[A legend is not born from strength, but from the path they choose.]
[Reward Item Acquired: Tamer's Genesis Ring]
A simple, unassuming ring of what looked like carved silver wood materialized on his finger. To any other player, it would look like a common, worthless trinket. But when Lucas focused his [System Insight] on it, its true, world-shaking nature was revealed.
[Tamer's Genesis Ring | Grade: Gold (Legendary) | Tier: F (Growth)]
[Description: One of the seven SSS-Tier Growth Artifacts of Arcadia. Said to have been crafted by the First Tamer to hold the essence of his bond with the wild.]
[Bound to Player: Lucas]
[Current Effect (Tier F): +5 INT]
[Growth Condition 1: Reach Level 30.]
[Growth Condition 2: ??? (Requires further insight)]
He stared at the description, a slow, cold smile spreading across his face. It was real. The high-risk gamble on the Tamer class, the grueling hours of trapping and hunting, the desperate fights—it had all led to this. The ring was pathetically weak now, a mere +5 to his intelligence. But he wasn't looking at what it was. He was looking at what it would become.
He held in his hand a key, a direct path to the very pinnacle of power in Arcadia, a seat at the table with the "god-tier" players he had once competed against.
The journey was no longer just about survival or paying his sister's bills. It was now about claiming a legendary legacy that the rest of the world didn't even know existed.