I had made clear to Cellestra that we could practice the barrier spell indoors while she was cooking.

But first…

I was going through my list of skills.

Name: Kealyna

Race: Large Green Resica

Level: 1/10

Experience: 0/60

Evolution Points: 25

Enhancement

Cost in EP

Advanced Venom

20

Strong Venom

35

Very Strong Venom

50

Improved Paralytic Venom

10

Advanced Paralytic Venom

20

Strong Paralytic Venom

35

Very Strong Paralytic Venom

50

Jaws and Teeth

5

Improved Jaws and Teeth

10

Weak Toxin Resistance

3

Toxin Resistance

5

Improved Toxin Resistance

10

Advanced Toxin Resistance

20

Strong Toxin Resistance

35

Very Strong Toxin Resistance

50

Language Comprehension - Human

5

Language Comprehension - Dwarven

5

Language Comprehension - Orcish

5

Language Comprehension - Demonic

10

Language Comprehension - Goblin

5

It looked more or less as I expected. The green evolution hadn’t added any new spells, only higher spell ranks.

My goal would be to get at least venom to its highest possible rank before going for the rainbow evolution path.

Speaking about evolution path…

Elysa, does the Ixcent evolution path also have an evolution that allows for speech?

Negative.

So it’s only the rainbow path?

Affirmative.

Another question, how is this paralytic venom different from my normal venom? If I use enough of it, will it kill the target?

Negative. Paralytic venom cannot kill, no matter the dosage.

Paralytic Venom is drawn from separate reserves that will be created in your abdomen as soon as you enhance the skill.

Separate reserves?

This might be more useful than I had initially thought. This would give me even more tools. I’d have magic, lethal venom, and non-lethal venom that each seemed to be mostly separate resources.

I liked this evolution so far.

Next up, let’s bring up the list for possible evolutions after I hit the level cap. I already knew what I was going for, but I wanted to get as many evolution points as possible, so I wanted to look at what achievements would need to be completed.

Giant Green Resica

Evolution that specializes in camouflage in forest areas. In addition, toxin resistance and venom are improved.

Giant Rainbow Resica*

*Special Evolution

** Requires currently unearned achievements

Evolution that allows any already learned enhancements to be leveled to the same level as your current highest enhancement.

Unlocks a special evolution path.

Giant Black Ixcent*

*Special Evolution

** Requires currently unearned achievements

Evolution that provides extreme defense. Exoskeleton hardening and regeneration are enhanced to “Superior” without the need to spend EP when selecting this evolution.

Unlocks a special evolution path.

Giant Aloidia*

*Special Evolution

** Requires currently unearned achievements

Evolution that allows one skill to be upgraded to its maximum rank for free for each evolution after this one is selected.

Unlocks a special evolution path.

Well… Damn…

That Aloidia evolution was amazing…

Every evolution after it, I’d be able to upgrade a spell to its maximum rank. That would save so many evolution points in the long run.

Elysa, can I select the Alodia evolution first and then go for the rainbow path?

Negative. Special evolutions each unlock a different evolution path. Within this path, You can choose different evolutions, but you cannot select evolutions from a different special path.

Crap.

I was not going to give up speech. That skill would be far too important.

The good thing about this was that an additional evolution had popped up, which should mean there are more achievements that I can see.

Elysa, show me the goods.

Achievements required for Giant Rainbow Resica evolution:

Wolf Wrecker

Kill any Wolf. (0/1)

Massacre

Kill 10 of any non-insect adversary with a single attack or spell. (Complete)

Achievements required for Giant Black Ixcent evolution:

Size Matters

Kill any 5 adversaries classified as “Large” or bigger. (2/5)

Damage Denied

Successfully nullify or dodge a spell cast at you. (0/1)

Achievements required for Giant Aloidia evolution:

Helping Hand

Use an effective, beneficial spell on any humanoid species.

Giant Slayer

Killed an enemy that is considered “Extremely Dangerous” to your current race. (Complete)

Allied

Acquire an ally. (0/1)

A wolf?

I’d have to kill a wolf?

Yikes.

Although, I guess I had grown fairly strong.

On second thought...

Wolves seemed to be common in this area. If I used my ranged spells from the safety of a tree, I could do this.

I definitely could.

The next achievement should not be too hard. It was just a matter of finding creatures that were considered “Large”. The spider in the cave and the hawk counted. Anything like that spider would be easy to kill. Maybe there were fish large enough that would count too?

Then, there were three achievements that, for me, should be easy to acquire. I already befriended Cellestra. I didn’t actually know why she didn’t count as an ally for progression towards this one achievement. Would I have to explicitly ask?

For the next of the three achievements, I could simply have her cast a fireball at me and jump out of the way. I’d make sure to use the magical barrier that I’d recently acquired just to be safe.

And the last one… well...

“Cellestra?” I wrote after the elf returned from turning around the chicken inside the stove.

“What is it, Kealyna?”

“Want ask about achievement.”

“Ask away.”

“Need use beneficial spell on humanoid species...”

“You can do that on me if that’s what you’re asking,” She said with a frown.

“Problem. Need to have effect. Only beneficial spell I have I can use on you is Healing Light.”

“Oh,” She exclaimed. “I see what you mean. In that case...” She stood up and walked to the kitchen where she retrieved a knife from a drawer.

“Could you use your healing light on me once before I start cutting myself?” She said as she sat down in her chair again.

Unbelievable… Just like that, she was prepared to cut herself.

“It will also give me some idea as to how your healing magic’s mana flow works. I can’t say I’m not curious about it.”

Of course, there was the part where this would also benefit hers, but still, she just seemed so… eager?

Cellestra cast her magic on me that allowed her to track my mana flows, and I cast my healing light spell on her arm. I saw her eyes light up the moment my mana left my body and flowed into hers.

“It’s so… warm,” She said softly. “I simply cannot believe this blessing of yours...”

I would have never believed it either… until I was changed into this spider…

She created a small cut in her arm, causing some blood to flow out of the wound. She then held her arm down on the table and cast her magic on me with her other hand once more.

I cast the healing light spell a second time. This time, I felt my mana concentrate on her fresh wound and close it.

“A healing spider...” Cellestra said in utter amazement while staring at the ceiling. She quickly turned her head to me before speaking again. “Oh shit, I’m sorry...”

“It is fine,” I wrote.

Her wound was closed quite quickly.

Achievement Earned: Helping Hand

Use an effective, beneficial spell on any humanoid species.

You have been awarded 30 EP.

Hidden requirements for future evolution complete.

As I had hoped, the achievement popped up.

“Cellestra?” I wrote again.

“Hm?” She mused as she looked at her healed arm after observing me write.

“Can I call you ally?”

“You’re a friend, no? Isn’t that a step higher than ally already? But sure, I’ll be your ally.”

Achievement Earned: Allied

Acquire an ally.

You have been awarded 30 EP.

Hidden requirements for future evolution complete.

She was right. In my mind, a friend was a step higher. However, I imagined that this wouldn’t count for everyone. Maybe this was a piece of the goddess herself that I got to know? Did she differentiate between the two so much?

In any case, explicitly stating it is what got me the achievement.

Also, why did it still say hidden requirements complete? I could see them now. That was odd.

“Thanks,” I spelled again. “Got achievement for that.”

“You got an achievement for me calling you an ally?” She frowned again. “How strange.”

“Agreed.”

“In any case,” Cellestra continued. “You got me more than intrigued by your magic now. I hope you’ll have some time to try to teach me.”

I didn’t know how much time I would have for that. I had no idea how many evolutions I would have to go through before I would acquire the speech ability.

I simply didn’t know…

“Will be fine,” I wrote.

I only wrote that because I didn’t want to upset her. I also didn’t know if I should tell her that I’d be fine with having her travel with me. We hadn’t known each other for long. It may look… strange…

Cellestra stood up and opened the stove before checking the chicken with a fork.

“Chicken’s done. I hope you’re still hungry,” She said before turning to smile at me.

I sure was. I was starving…