After explaining Meditation, Divine Authority, and the two requirements for evolving to Copper tier that he'd discovered to everyone in the building, as well as the importance especially of the Disciples to gain Meditation quickly, TJ nodded and turned to leave the front of the room. He would listen to everyone else's words before he went out and began slaughtering as many of the creatures that were findable nearby.
"Hey! Everyone wants to know what happened to you yesterday." Stanton's voice cut through TJ's attempted escape. When their eyes met, Stanton smirked. TJ ground his teeth and looked at Laura, who raised her eyebrows. Though she tried to hide it, the woman obviously wanted to hear as well.
"Fine." TJ said with a sigh. "Here's the short of it. When I gained Meditation and Divine Authority, I was taken away into a vision. There, I saw a lot of people using Skills like mine in different ways, and it gave me some ideas. I don't know how many, maybe twenty people like that, and then I was put in the Tribulation. I was attacked by a bunch of monsters and died, then I was… I was shown visions of everyone I know and love dying." TJ swallowed and pushed through. "Then I was told I had another chance and was put back in the Tribulation. I succeeded that time.
"If you get the opportunity, I'd say you should do any Tribulations that come your way. It gave me a lot. I don't know if there'll be enough time for people to do them before the Tutorial ends, but if it comes up, you should do it. Not like I had much of a choice, though."
Then, the last question answered, TJ stepped away from the front of the room and back into his corner. He couldn't help but feel the eyes on him and sighed. It was weird that being in front of people bothered him so much now, though. His job as a real estate manager had involved plenty of talking in front of people and he'd never been too bothered by it then. So why did he not want these eyes on him? It simply didn't make sense, and as Laura subdivided people into different roles, TJ decided to ask the System if there was a reason for it.
The discomfort you are feeling comes from the dissonance between your mortal mind and the Divine as it is incorporated with your soul. As a mortal, unaccustomed to the world of the Integration and the Divine, your subconscious recoils at the idea of being worshipped as a hero or god. As a Participant, a Successor of Kukulkan's path, it is in your nature to seek and strengthen worship in others. Thus, two halves of your deepest self are in direct opposition.
His knee jerk reaction to the statement was to say that there was no way that he was going to let these people worship him, but then, TJ tamped that sentiment down. There would be a reason to seek out worship from others, otherwise, his soul wouldn't long for it. What would the benefits be?
Though he extended the thought out to the System, it gave no response, so instead, he wondered for a moment. Would there be requirements for progressing to higher tiers be something like gathering a certain amount of followers? If that was the case, then there would still be other things a worshipped individual would need to do in order to progress to the next tier. That wasn't counting any Skills that came about because of the worship of people, because TJ could guarantee that those existed.
Then, though, there were the feared, barely worshipped gods. TJ couldn't say that he knew any of them, but there were sure to be possibilities for ascension to the Divine Throne that didn't require worship so much as overwhelming power. Someone was sure to pursue strength at the abandonment of all else, and that would be permitted, he was sure. All the System wanted was to put someone in the Throne. More frightening, was Lovecraft onto something? Would there be eldritch monstrosities in the world outside of the Tutorial?
With a shake of his head, TJ put his mind back on the present. The future was still unknown, and he wasn't going to lose himself in fear. Instead, as the teams of people filtered out of the firehouse, TJ too looked to make his way out. There was so much left that he had to do, and the timer in the corner of his eye continued ticking down, uncaring of his personal feelings. Before he could escape, though, Laura caught his hand.
"If you would, it might be better to try to teach people how to use Meditation before you leave. Helping people recover faster will do better the sooner everyone else has it."
"I can do it." Farid interrupted, walking forward and placing his arm around TJ's shoulders. "I don't have the Skill, but I've practiced some form of Meditation for my whole life. I bet if I lead some people in getting the Skill, it will help me as well."
TJ shrugged as Laura looked at him. "I bet he's right about that. If he can gain a Skill at the same time that he gets other people to get that same Skill, the System will benefit him. You have my blessing to do it, whatever that counts for. Just… I don't know. Maybe focus on feeling the world around you? Or going inside yourself? Never mind. I know nothing. I was just exploring my Skill when it happened."
"That's more than enough. Thank you, TJ. See you soon!" Farid grinned widely before jogging away and calling for all Disciples to come to him. Laura sighed but didn't show any additional sign of frustration or unhappiness.
"I'll see you later, Laura."
"Wait, TJ."
He turned back to the town's leader, and instead of seeing the put-together, pretty lady, he saw a scared, out-of-her-depth woman. Laura shuddered as she looked up at him, and TJ noted again that her hair had grown ever more curly, pulling in so tight it was nearly an afro at this point.
"What you saw… was it… did I… were we all there?"
TJ chewed on his cheek for a second before responding. Then, he nodded once. "I saw everyone here killed by monsters. Then I saw Junior."
"Do you think all this–" she gestured at the dozens of people walking towards buildings and trees, their eyes appraising, if not finding out how best to level everything, "--will do anything? Will it change that?"
"I hope." TJ answered simply. "I don't know what else we can do. Maybe me being here will change that vision. But if it doesn't, there's still nothing else I can do but fight until all the monsters or I am dead."
"Alright." Laura answered, her bottom lip quivering. "I'll do what I can. Be safe."
"As much as I can." TJ answered as he turned to walk away. Walking past people, he kept his head down, and with this newest, largest assignment, the people milling around the town were talking a lot more than they usually would be. He wanted to ignore them, but with his Perception, he couldn't help but overhear. Most of the people were generally accepting of this new reality, but one group in particular was complaining.
"This guy's thinking he's a hero or some shit. I don't get what the fuckin problem is with him, thinking that he can tell us all what to do." One of the men said. He was about the same age as TJ, but when he Appraised them, all he saw were unimpressive levels, Acolytes and Zealots ranging from level 8, all the way down to 4. They continued talking.
"Yeah, just walks in here, like 'I'm a giant snake and I'll kill you if you don't do what I say.' If I'd gotten a busted-ass Class like him, I could do twice of what he's done. Did you notice that he's always doing things for the other Neophytes? Just, like, he's always looking out for them or some shit?"
"Yeah, totally." A third voice, a woman's, answered. "First he gets a broken Class, then he helps the others like him."
TJ continued walking past, though he did take note of each of the faces he saw. The 5 dissidents weren't anyone noteworthy, and they were so consumed in their complaints and anger that they didn't notice the object of their envy walked past. To TJ's frustration, he saw Jeff walk up to them as well. He slowed his pace, and listened as Jeff spoke up.
"How about, instead of running your mouths, you do something?"
Jeff's tone wasn't combative, but he was far from kind in how he spoke. TJ was so surprised to hear Jeff at least obliquely defending him that he continued to listen for just a moment longer as he walked very slowly past.
"You're the guy that hates him most!" The first speaker poked an accusing finger in Jeff's chest. Jeff didn't mind it.
"I don't like TJ. That's not just what the monsters did to me, I think he's arrogant and thinks he knows best and isn't much of a listener, to say the least. But he's also worked damn hard every day for everyone else. I know that his reasons aren't exactly noblest, but he's doing this for his kid. I don't know who you chucklefucks care about, but maybe instead of being petty little children, you do something for the people you care about. Now, do what you've been assigned to do."
Jeff didn't keep talking to them, but he turned towards whatever it was that he was supposed to and continued walking past. TJ took his cue and did the same, finding himself at the border of the safe zone before long. The sounds of movement and destruction had already sounded out behind him, but TJ was ready to destroy something of his own, something that would put up much more of a fight than a building. For a time, he considered Stormcalling something to give him another leg up for now, but instead, he verified the effects of Divine Manifestation, then activated Divine Transformation and slithered into the forest without further ado.
While he traveled through the forest, all alone, TJ kept Divine Manifestation at the forefront of his mind. The Skill said that he could empower any other of his Skills with it, and while he'd experimented with Wind Manipulation in the Tribulation, he was looking forward to venting some of his rage with his physical body. How his coatl form would change with Manifestation would be great for him. The drain on his MP wasn't anything to forget, because he would only really be able to use the Skills in conjunction for two minutes at most. Even so, the idea of being a berserker of sorts and tearing through the monsters as soon as he saw them was appealing.
Fortunately, it wasn't more than a five minute search before TJ heard a rustling in the nearby bushes. He lunged forward, his jaws immediately finding a pukwudgie and tearing it to pieces. Its blood covered his face and it died. Nothing else nearby lunged out at him, and TJ kept himself from using his prepared Skill to empower himself. The allure was so strong, but he searched forward, looking for a group or an Elite so he could truly let loose.
Another five minutes later, TJ found his opportunity to fully loose himself.