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SoK Chapter 134
🕑 Added 2025-04-30 15:00:37 +0000 UTCAll Tutorials have been completed and the Integration has been completed throughout the entire world. No longer will there be boundaries between different parts of the planet, nor between the original scopes of those tales influenced by Participants and Deities past. As Participants and other entities within the bounds of the Integrated world are granted opportunities to claim Divine Authority, the surface, atmosphere, and interior of the planet will change. Depending on multiple factors, the planet may grow, shrink, divide, collapse, or change completely.
The wills of the Divinities that have passed from this world have been reincorporated. As such, monsters and other entities have been reintroduced to the world. While there are no safe zones currently established, no monsters will be found within the bounds of any major population centers. The highest tier of entity reintroduced to the world at this time is Gold (III) tier. Those few entities of that tier are not near any current population centers, and are limited in scope by how far they can wander, but they can continue to grow in strength and may pose a threat to individual and groups of Participants. For additional information regarding monsters and other entities that have been added to the Integrated world, consult with the System.
In order to create a safe zone, there must be an established leadership with sufficient guards to protect the area. After the rule of law and protection by the ruling force have been constant for 180 days, a safe zone will be established. The closer that a safe zone gets to being established, the more it will serve as a draw to other Participants as well as other entities. For additional rules regarding the establishment of a save zone, consult with the System.
Challenges to serve as Divine Trials have been placed all around the world. There will be no warning given to any Participant who enters the area of a Challenge. If a Participant explores, they may find things that will grant them greater power.
In 100 days, the System will provide all still-living Participants an invitation to join in an event to gain an advantage over others with their same Bloodline. No information will be provided on this at this time.
The System message faded from view, and TJ sighed as he finished reading it. The androgynous voice the System used when speaking continued in the back of his head, but his eyes had moved much faster than the voice had. What would this mean for him and the rest of the Participants?
Tempe was large enough to count as a major population center, he was sure. So, no monsters breaking down his doors right now, but they could easily make their ways into the city. How long it would take for them to arrive here was a mystery, given that the System had mentioned that there were monsters up to Gold tier somewhere out there. His confidence in going out wandering was entirely shaken at that point, though he was doubly reassured by having chosen Monster Slayer. Notably, the System hadn’t mentioned anything about any Silver tiered monsters or, Kukulkan forbid, Silver tiered Elites and how they might be able to wander around.
TJ shuddered and focused on everything else the System had said to him and, apparently, every other Participant in the world. He was curious why some things were considered “monsters” and others were merely called “entities”, but the System was unwilling to provide anything more for him at this point. As such, he changed his focus from freaking out about damned Gold tiers possibly living just down the highway.
Challenges would be interesting, but TJ wasn’t going to think about those right now. He’d experienced a Tribulation, and while that was hugely beneficial, if a Challenge was like a Tribulation, he also couldn’t trust his back to these two kids if something tried to kill them and him while he was stuck in there. Then, of course, if it was something else entirely, it would be better for him to better establish himself in the Integrated world before rushing off.
Safe zones, though… that was important. TJ needed one for Junior. The only potential problem with that would be the leader. It was obvious by how the System presented it that the leader of a safe zone would have no small amount of control over the zone. They’d have to to establish the place. Now, the question was if he wanted to establish one himself or throw in with someone else’s. He knew he didn’t want to rule over people. It just wasn’t what his ideal course of action would be.
That said, he knew that he could be a powerful leader. With Ritualistic Transfer, as well as any other rituals he learned or gained moving forward, he would easily make himself into a nearly unstoppable champion. If he had thousands of people who’d dedicated themselves to him, then he could throw hundreds of thousands of MP at any problem that approached. He could easily cut through the Wendigo Ritualist if he stood at the head of people like that. Maybe that was why so many paths towards the highest echelons of Divinity seemed to be focused on being your people’s god.
“I… maybe we should check out ASU soon?” Sam’s voice cut TJ from his thinking. “If that Sven guy is going to make a safe zone, maybe we should go there?”
“We need to check that out.” TJ agreed. “Do you think that there’ll be anyone there that you don’t want to see?”
They looked at each other, but it wasn’t long before Sam shrugged.
“If we need to choose between going back to being with them or having to protect ourselves constantly from monster attacks, I’ll choose to go back there.”
“I wouldn’t make you live with them or anything,” TJ protested, “I was just warning you that they might find their ways back to be in your life. I’m not about to hang you two out to dry. Don’t worry about that.”
TJ shook his head. “Anyways. I don’t know if I want to go there today, I want to keep an eye out on what’s going on here. This is further south, so we’re closer to the edge of the city. I’ll be able to evaluate what’s going on or what might be dangerous around here. Plus, I have good memories about my home. I’d like to stay here if that’s possible. If you both really want to get to campus as fast as possible, though, I’ll accompany you.”
Mimi shrugged. “I’d probably be able to get more experience there than here. There isn’t much to heal if you’re here, and I bet there’ll be more things to work on there. We’re both Crafters, so we need more material.”
As he heard that, TJ was struck by how that had to be a very basic Occupation, given how Tessie and Molly had gained it. Even so, he only grinned.
“I have some materials for you both to try out, then.”
—-
Mimi and Sam had smelled something weird about the house, but given TJ’s presence, they hadn’t been free to explore. Beyond that, it’d been dark, and the mound of black fur in the corner of the family room had gone largely unnoticed. When TJ had explained what it was, his two visitors/protegees? or whatever he decided to call them, had opened their eyes wide and gaped. He didn’t hide the fact that he found some amusement in that. Even so, the Copper Elite hide that was curing was a draw for them. Something they didn’t know and needed to have better explained was the effect of what they’d achieved and how it would give them better Skills and evolutions.
“You didn’t notice those things during the Tutorial?” TJ asked. “You’ve both gotten plenty of additional Skills since then, so… why didn’t you know?”
Sam flushed and snapped back, “We were going through the end of the world, in case you forgot! We saw people die!”
“So did I.” TJ ground his teeth, something inside of him revolting at a child talking back to him. “200 people started in my Tutorial. Only 36 survived. So I don’t wanna hear it. You had an easy Tutorial. I don’t know why, but I’m asking you a damned question. Why didn’t you ask? Did the System not answer? Or were you just not curious? You not able to ask a damn question?”
Both of the children in front of him went quiet at that and TJ sighed as he knuckled at his forehead.
“That’s not exactly what I wanted to say. I apologize. I’ve been tense and angry since all this began. Again, I’m sorry. Have you not asked the System?”
“I didn’t.” Mimi offered. “I’m sorry.”
“Me neither.” Mumbled Sam.
“I didn’t want apologies.” TJ explained. “Frankly, you’re doing pretty well, all things considered. I’m genuinely happy that your Tutorial wasn’t like mine. Watching dozens of people die while you can’t do anything, even though you’re the strongest person around… It’s a terrible experience. I wish you teens didn’t have to go through anything like this. The two teenagers who survived my Tutorial… they saw some shit. More than anyone should, especially at your age. But, if you’re going to survive through the Integrated world, you’ve gotta be curious. I’m not good at it myself. I forget to ask questions, I forget to do stuff, and I’ve paid the price. I don’t want you two to go through that.
“So, let me explain what you’re going to need to do to keep growing. I want you to be able to take care of yourselves, because this is going to be our lives from now on. Got it?”
Both nodded.
“Great. The leather won’t be ready for a while. I don’t know how long, because the System has—actually, it’ll be a week. Skills are cool. Anyways. I’ll get you both my tools that’ve been forgotten and we’ll see what we can do about getting you practicing your crafting. Before you get to your next Skill selection, I’ll make sure I get you some good materials to work with.”
Immediately, TJ gathered the metal bits and bobs from every corner of the house to carry them to the back porch. There, Mimi and Sam stood, awkwardly waiting for him to get there and give instruction.
“Well, here’s stuff I won’t use because of my Occupation. I can explain later, but for now, tell me about what you’ve already made, and what materials you’ve used. We can work from there.”
Explanations of makeshift clubs and shields were unimpressive, and after they both trailed off, TJ asked, “And have you worked with any of the materials from the monsters?”
“A little.” Sam answered. “They’re gross, and they spoiled really quickly, so we quickly decided they weren’t worth working with. We… don’t think that any more.” Sam said as he looked at the bracer TJ had passed on to Mimi.
“Yeah, you think?” TJ asked, laughing. “I mean, you’ve got your Vestments and a Sacred Weapon, as far as I can tell. You never thought that you could make something else like them?”
Sam opened his mouth to argue, but he closed it. TJ chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, kid. I’m not mad at you. You were just thinking of making things out of metal, weren’t you? But, as far as I’m concerned, it’s way easier to work with already ‘divine’ materials, like the monsters we kill. So we’ll have you two tinker around with the things that I have around the house, but before that, I have one more question: Do you two want to be Crafters?”
“That’s our Occupation.” Mimi shrugged. “We can’t choose anything else, can we?”
“Not until you evolve.” TJ replied, and both teens’ faces lit up as they understood what he was saying.
“We can change our Occupation when we evolve?”
“Yeah.” was TJ’s entire response. “So, if you want to be something else, maybe you should use your Occupation Skills to do that. But it’s up to you, and you’ll have some time to choose, because I can hear there’s something out front that’ll need our attention real soon. Come along.”
He didn’t say anything else as he picked his Spear up from inside the house and carried it to the front of the house, where several pairs of feet were approaching.
