My would-be killers got done in by the virus engineered by my ex-enemy. It happened in a matter of minutes as the virus ate them, leaving not even their bones behind. I had already made a run after breaking the vial. But the pain in my left hand reminded me that I was also affected by the virus.

The pinky of my left hand was etching a lot as it was turning silver every second. It was the effect of the virus multiplying below my skin. I just wanted to get away from this place. This virus had a very high-contamination range. It can use any method to travel from one victim to another. With the amount I had used, which was a vial worth, it would be dangerous if I didn’t leave this place.

The wound on my back, the pain I have suffered due to that man’s beating, and the virus, due to these factors clouding my mind, I wasn’t aware of my surroundings and where I was going. Somehow, unconsciously I have arrived at the goblin lord’s residence.

Curled on the stone bed, I could only grit my teeth and endure the pain till the effects were gone. Thankfully, just after I reached the place, my weak period passed. Just when my HP was about to touch 0, it refilled to its maximum, which was 200.

With my physique restored, the wound on my back also started to heal at a rapid pace. At the same time, the pain in my ribs also vanished. It was only after that I regained my cognitive thinking as before it I was too much in pain to care about anything.

Though my body has healed, the infection from the virus didn’t. It made me wonder why the infection wasn’t as fast as it was with others. I have seen this thing devastating a bunch of orcs and goblins in a matter of seconds.

Should I cut my finger? As the infection has only affected the pinky finger, there was still time. If I sever my finger now, I might save myself from becoming a cripple like Logier. Thinking of the consequences and the dread of the virus in my heart, I resolved to amputate my pinky finger.

I didn’t need a tool to sever my finger as my claws were more than enough. Those things could cut through goblin flesh, like a hot knife through butter. My 30+ strength attribute wasn’t for the show. Gritting my teeth, I closed one of my eyes and carefully inched my right claw towards the finger meant to be severed.

Just then!

[Achievement Quest has finished.]

My saving grace arrived right on time. After the initial tune, many more notifications followed.

[Quest ‘Reap what you sow’ is officially over]

[Your completion score is: 80]

- 10 points deducted because you lost your closest ally.

- 10 points deducted because you couldn’t tie the loose ends.

[Due to your outstanding performance, you will be given one more option for your evolution.] [You have unlocked Title Effect.]

[As a quest reward, you will be allowed to evolve instantly regardless of your accumulated EPs.]

[You have the following paths to choose from]

1. Juvenile Dreamwalker

2. Adult Dream Devourer

3. Juvenile Plague Bearing Imp

4. Juvenile Oni

So many different options came this time. But I knew only one of them and heard of another. Putting aside Oni and Dream Devourer, my attention shifted to Dreamwalker and Plague Bearing Imp.

Since I was already affected and was suffering from the Flesh-eating virus, the first option I chose to read about was this Plague Bearing Imp.

[Plague Bearing Imp]

- The servant of Pestilence and will of death and despair, you will be the bearer of plagues that would devastate the living beings.

[Perks] 1. Passive: Pestilence’s servant

a. you will be immune to all forms of diseases and plagues.

b. Instantly gain knowledge of all the diseases/disorders inside a living being you come in contact with.

c. You will have absolute control over all the disease-causing microbes inside your body and others you are physically touching.

2. Active skill: Plague Bearer

a. You can create, manipulate, and improve a pathogen you already have knowledge of.

b. MP cost varies according to the use. Creation needs 50 MP/use. Manipulation costs 10 MP/second, and Improvement costs 100 MP/use.

c. The created pathogen will remain in the area for 10 minutes without any host.

d. Cooldown time(CD): 1 hour

3. Active Skill: Poison Mist

a. Create a mist filled with deadly bacteria and compounds around 20 meters area that could take the life of any living being.

b. Deals 50 HP/sec damage to enemies inside the mist and 2 HP/10sec to enemies outside the mist for five minutes.

c. Cost: 50 MP/use

d. CD: none

The moment I saw that, I didn’t waste time reading about others. I selected it and chose to evolve right then and there. The deadly virus created from the goblin lord’s unholy experiment had already spread to my wrist during the time I wasted reading about the evolution path. There was no time to waste.

[You have chosen ‘Plague Bearing Imp’ to be your path of evolution.]

[Evolution will start in ten seconds, please find a secure place to sleep while the evolution happens.]

I didn’t know how much time passed since I was unconscious, but when I woke up, I found Urt standing guard near the stone bed. Scabbed wounds, healing cuts, and faint bruises adorned his body.

But before I could talk to him, my attention shifted to the new notifications.

[You have successfully evolved and now became a juvenile Plague Bearing Imp.]

[As you have chosen an Imp subclass, all your skills increased a level.]

[Skill Nightmare Seed has evolved.]

[Evolved Nightmare Seed]

- You can now plant the seed into the conscious of any living being up to 4 levels above your own.

- You can only plant 3 seeds per level. Its non-reusable.

[Your stats are as follows.] Name Alex Race Juvenile Plague Bearing Imp HP

500/500

30 HP/min MP 360/360 Regain: 8MP/min STR:40 INT:150 DEF:20 WIS:60 AGI:40 Evolution Points 300/10,000 Passives Nightmarish Body Shadow Meld Pestilence's Servant Title Effects

1. Lord of orcs and goblins(Not Equipped)(!)

2. Returnee(Not Equipped)(!)

3. Floor Dominator(Not Equipped)(!)

Skills Infrared Vision Lv 6 Cast Illusion Lv 8.03 Cost: 1 MP/use

Nightmare Manifest Lv 4.02

Cost: 40 MP/use

Metamorph Lv 1.02

Cost: 20 MP for activation and 10 MP/ hour to maintain.

Evolved Nightmare Seed Lv 0

Cost: 200MP/seed

Seeds planted: 1/3 Plague Bearer Lv 0 Poison Mist Lv 0 Special Condition Effects:

1. Overdrive

For ten seconds, your skills will gain a 100% boost, and the stats increased by 20 points each. Meanwhile, your maximum HP increases to 500, and the maximum MP becomes 1000. Their regain rate also increases by 200%. In this state, you can connect to and manipulate the natural or residual magic present in the air. After exiting Overdrive, you will enter into a period of weakness for an hour.

CD: 10 hours

After making sure of all the changes that happened to me, “How much time has passed?” I asked Urt.

“Three light cycles, lord.” Urt said emotionlessly, though his eyes scanned me from top to bottom. “We were worried because we couldn’t find you on the battlefield. After a long search, we finally found you here. I kept guard over you since then.” He talked more than 10 words, which surprised me more than the fact that I was unconscious for three days.

I wondered what brought the change.

“Congratulations, lord! You have become stronger.” Urt gave me a nod to which I returned with one of mine. After that, I inspected my body. I knew the overall abilities I had but not the physical changes. However, aside from elongated bat-wing shaped ears, I looked the same as what I did as a Dream Weaver. Also, my body’s color changed from black to dark green.

“You have also become stronger, Urt.” I can tell Urt had grown stronger before the war. Though he hadn’t evolved like me, he had achieved a greater height with his abilities than before. More importantly, that skill, Puncture, had also grown one step stronger than before.

“As expected of the lord.” Urt praised, “you can also tell that I have become powerful.” His eyes fixed on my form with a reverent look. Frankly, it disturbed me a little. I wasn’t used to getting looks like that. However, he had more to say.

“I have learned about new ways to fight from humans.” He transformed into a different goblin all of sudden. His usual dull eyes had gained a shine that wasn’t there before. “I learned how to command forces from this battle. Lord, I want to fight more battles like this. I want to feel this rush again and again!” Urt clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. His eyes were wide as he proposed these to me.

He turned into a battle maniac. Or perhaps it was his true nature.