Ch.6 Evolution!

‘Home sweet home.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘No clue, seemed appropriate.’

The pair returned to the fields, having followed the river up to the point it vanished into the cliffside. From that point onwards they were able to find their way to the slime spot.

‘Do we take a look at the cave? To see if anything changed.’

‘I guess we can, but we have to be more careful and can’t go all the way in.’

After a short amount of searching Cinis found the crack in the rocky cliffside and went inside.

Upon entering the cave they had previously left involuntarily they noticed that the crystals had begun to emit a small amount of light again. Such little light in fact that it was only visible due to the total darkness that reigned otherwise.

‘Seems like the crystals are recharging.’

‘Sure looks like it, we are going to have to be careful around anything like these in the future.”

‘Do we? What happened wasn’t actually that bad it was only bad because you slipped.’

‘Well alright, I’ll admit that, however we have to be more careful around things that we don’t know!’

‘So will you let me out?’

‘What? NO! Absolutely not!’

‘Why?’

‘Beacause last time I did that I couldn’t talk to you for a long time.’

‘But it worked out.’

This went on for a while and when Aiden finally convinced Cinis, saying that it was after all beneficial, Aiden was let out. This time there were no streams of light. Possibly due to the crystals being depleted and not full or rather because Aiden was full and unable to absorb any additional energy.

‘Can I eat the crystals?’

‘I just told you, no experiments that we can’t be sure of.’

‘But I have a feeling like with those reeds!’

‘Are you sure it's the same?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then I’ll allow it.’

‘Thanks you.’

And with those words Aiden swept around the cave absorbing crystal after crystal having only stopped for a second after the first one to reassure Cinis that they were alright.

Upon Aiden absorbing the final crystal Cinis received a notification.

“Gained Skill [Lesser Mana Affinity]”

‘I think it's time to look at what we got now.’

‘Let’s do just that.’

Name: Cinis

Species: Lesser Red Lizard (4)

HP: 90/90

MP:60/60

Strength (STR): 7

Agility (AGI): 9

Dexterity (DEX): 9

Constitution (CON): 9

Intelligence (INT): 13

Magic (MAG): 6

Skills:

Hungering Flame (1); Lesser Flame Resistance (1); Instinct (1); Lesser Ice Resistance (1); Lesser Blunt Force Resistance] (1); Lesser Plant Resistance (1); Lesser Swimming (2); Lesser Regeneration (1); Lesser Mana Affinity (1)

Traits:

Sapient Monster; Evolution

Titles:

-

‘I’m not lesser anymore.’

If Aiden was able to cry, Cinis felt, they would have at this point.

‘Looks like you have advanced more than me buddy. Let’s see what your description says about you.’

Skill: Hungering Flame

Tier: 2; Lv.: 1

A Status Entity (SSE) that has the ability to absorb enemies to grant its host Stats, Skills or Traits. It can also absorb objects with magical properties to grant Skills. The host is able to slightly manipulate its form and can grant autonomy of movement. The host can temporarily increase the strength of the skills elemental properties for use in combat at an expenditure of mana.

‘Can you promise me you won’t force me to do anything I don’t want to do?’

‘Of course! You’re my friend, I would never do that!’

‘I guess the streams of light somehow increased my tier.’

‘That must be it.’

Skill: Lesser Mana Affinity

Tier: 1; Lv.: 1

Slightly increases the strength and growth of all Skills related to mana.

‘That seems much better than the other skill.’

‘You only say that because it affects you.

‘Maybe.’

‘But it’s still better.’

‘I guess so.’

Skill: Lesser Swimming

Tier: 1; Lv.: 2

Grants slightly increased endurance and speed while in water without contact to the ground.

‘That one’s self explanatory.*

‘Let’s move on quickly, you have to catch up with me.’

Although Aiden’s internal voice sounded condescending, Cinis felt that they were joking and went along with Aiden who had already begun moving out of the cave.

The slime hunting was barely challenging Cinis at all, by now they didn’t even need Aidens help. The two didn’t have much time left until the evening, but were still able to hunt for a short while. However this short amount of time seemed to have been enough to push Cinis over the edge.

“Level up - 1 to all stats”

“Gained Skill [Lesser Dark Resistance]”

‘Let’s just go back to our old hole, I don’t think we can stay in that cave’

‘I agree, let’s go back.’

While making themselves comfortable in their little hole in the ground, Aiden talked with Cinis.

‘You know I thought about it and I think we need to look for another hunting spot, the slimes aren’t good enough anymore. You didn’t even gain any stats from them today.’

‘I know, but we have to be careful. Just another day, and then we can look around. But until then let’s hunt slimes.’

‘Fine.’

After that Cinis quickly fell asleep.

The next day they repeated what was originally the plan for the previous day and hunted slimes the entire day. This amount of hunting was enough to cross the threshold once again and reach level 6.

“Level up - 1 to all stats.”

“MAX Level reached - unable to grow further”

“Trait [Evolution] interferes - undergo [Evolution]? - Y/N”

‘Wait, before you answer, go back to thehole, remember what happened to me? I don’t know how similar this is but as you say, we have to be careful.’

Hearing this Cinis hurried back to the hole and only after arriving did they decide:

‘Y!’

Choose [Evolution]:

[Evolution] Options:

Red Lizard

Conditions: Current species: [Lesser Red Lizard]

Description: A wyrm’s descendant. This race gives the Skill: [Lesser Fire Manipulation]

‘Looks like you don’t have much of a Choice.’

‘I hope I will have more later on. For now this is enough.’

‘I choose [Red Lizard]!’

As soon as Cinis exclaimed this in their mind they fell unconscious.

While unconscious they didn’t notice the restructuring their body experienced. In just the span of half an hour their body grew to double its original size and the red tint of their scales intensified. Their head grew more defined and now had slight protrusions towards the back of the skull.

Waking up a short amount of time after their transformation had finished, Cinis opened their eyes. Cinis’s eyes had also changed. The slits that were Cinis’s pupils were now even narrower than before and their Iris was now more Orange than yellow.

‘So, when does this “Evolution” start?’

‘I think it already happened, you look different.’

‘What!?’