85 Evolution (4)
" Time for Evolution. "
Ramiel's hand landed on Rascal's green muscles. He had never paid attention to it before, but his subordinate, despite the fact that he was a low-class monster, looked surprisingly good.
His steel-hard muscles positively surprised his superior. Moreover, his understanding of the fire and earth elements was at a decent level, and it was steadily improving.
We mustn't forget about the green monster's melee combat and leadership skills.
Goblin Chief
As the name suggests, he managed his subordinates well, but that isn't the end of his advantages. Rascal manifested interesting abilities as a commander of troops. If Ramiel hadn't been limited by time, he would have devoted more of it to training the goblin in this direction.
When it comes to close combat without the use of magic. Rascal is right behind Caera, who is second only to Ramiel.
The world would have to collapse for her skills to surpass those displayed by a man, or Ramiel would have to die, which isn't that far off.
" Damnnnnn... I'm jealous, seriously. " No matter how strange it sounds, Ramiel maced Rascal's battered biceps, unable to get out of admiration. As someone who used to spend a considerable amount of time in the gym, he appreciated a well-built physique, and the one displayed by the goblin is enviable.
He could calmly employ himself as a model or make a furore on instag***.
" Since when do you have a taste for goblins ? It's not that I have anything against them, but Asme and Caera won't like it. "
Avi covered her mouth with her hands, holding back a choking laugh. Any opportunity to taunt Ramiel was a good one, especially if it could upset him. Nothing worked better than offending his male pride.
" Pff... keep trying, maybe someday you'll succeed. " Although on the outside Ramiel looked like he didn't care, but on the inside he was seething, already planning sweet revenge on the unsuspecting fairy.
I don't know how yet, but you'll regret it....
" Hmpf..." Avi, seeing the obvious lie, pretended to be offended.
Ramiel shook his head, laughing slightly at his bond's sweet reaction.
" That's enough of the good stuff. Let's see what we have here. "
Two rays.
Two rays appeared behind Rascal's back. The first one was nothing special. Its diameter was less than six centimeters, and its pale green color was a deterrent by its very appearance. Compared to the selection from the first evolution, it looked poor. It didn't even have any special features.
Ramiel felt sincerely disappointed with the first of the possibilities.
Is their potential really that limited ?
The man cast a short glance at the other two goblins. He hoped that at least in their case it would be better.
The creatures, feeling the Master's gaze fixed on them, reflexively swallowed their saliva. The pressure Ramiel was putting on them was too much.
Cap
Cap
A few drops of oily liquid fell to the ground from the goblins' fingertips.
" Maybe it will be better with you. "
Ramiel peeled his gaze away from them before the poor monsters died of a heart attack. His attention focused back on Rascal.
" At least the second option looks better. "
Ramiel was wrong, the second option looked phenomenal compared to the first. He was simply the one who was warped. Because of his excessive love for the goddess of fortune and luck, his system of judging what is good and what is bad is disturbed. Things that should be mediocre seem weak to him, and those that are weak aren't worth even a little attention.
Second ray.
The diameter of the second ray of light exceeded the landmark ten centimeters. The diameter of the second ray of light exceeded ten centimeters. However, it was wrong to call it a ray. It was one hundred percent ashen mist, with shadows born of darkness dancing within it.
Ramiel, at 99% percent, was sure what it could mean. He overlooked the obvious fact of the unbearable attraction he felt for the mysterious object. He felt as if he was deeply connected to it.
" Are you ready ? "
" Rascal, always be ready. "
" And I like it ".
A moment later, Ramiel groaned " Ygh... ".
Within seconds, astronomical amounts of internal mana stored by Ramiel's body left him. His vision blurred, and thin trickles of blood painted a red trail from his nose to his jaw.
Exhaustion hit him with even greater force than a speeding truck meeting an obstacle in the road whose driver had fallen asleep at the wheel.
Ramiel's eyelids weighed him down, inviting him to a blissful dreamland where he would forget all the worries that plagued him. As he stood on the thin line between waking and reality, the peculiar sensation of pin-sharp teeth digging into his exposed neck sobered him up better than the world's strongest coffee.
" Ygh... thanks " Through clenched teeth, Ramiel thanked Avi. If it hadn't been for her sober reaction, God only knows how this would have ended.
At best, the destabilized mana will blow everything up, taking the entire dungeon with it. At worst, a long and painful death will await them.
Having your body slowly drowned by mana while remaining fully conscious isn't one of the most pleasant sensations. No matter which way Ramiel looked at it, neither option seemed appealing. Although he was going to die anyway, he wanted to live a few more days.
Not only did the ability to evolve provide irrational benefits, but it also had the other side of the coin. In a way, it was a double-edged sword. The amount of mana it required defied all human logic.
Ramiel wouldn't have complained if it had slowly sucked him dry, but the immediate depletion of his reserves held great danger. The shock to the body caused by the sudden disappearance of mana could lead to unconsciousness.
With complex spells, where it was necessary to control every molecule of energy, this was no different from putting a noose around the neck or jumping from an airplane without a parachute. In both cases, it couldn't end well.
Regaining his sobriety of mind, Ramiel couldn't get out of his awe. The spectacle he witnessed took his breath away.
Avi reacted similarly. Her jaw dropped to the floor and her eyes shone with excitement.
" Beautiful... " A quiet sigh left her humble lips.
What impressed them so well was Rascal's evolutionary process.
Mana particles floated in the air, shimmering with millions of colors. Even an amateur would recognize the thousands of elements that filled the space.
Particularly prominent were the elements of shadow and darkness, which together form an inseparable whole. The former cannot exist without the latter, and the latter cannot survive without the former.
As if by the wave of a magic wand, they came together to form something like a mountain river whose destructive flow swept away everything in its path. In this case, there were fragments of other elements.
Together, three such creations were created. In each of them, the remaining elements drowned in the uninterrupted depths of darkness, becoming fuel to feed the rushing stream.
Like a hungry dragon, the three rivers circled around the helpless Rascal. Despite not knowing what was happening, the Goblin remained calm. He fully trusted the skills of the Master. If he was to entrust his life to anyone, it was only to him. Many people would give up everything for such trust.
Suddenly, like an ethereal blanket wrapping a sleeping figure in the middle of winter, particles of the element of darkness clung to the goblin's green body, forming a cocoon as black as night.
Ramiel felt at home there. His beloved element of darkness surrounded him on all sides. Even breathing, his nostrils were teased by the pleasant tart smell of the shadows. (A/N Yes, darkness and shadows have a sour smell here. Ramiel doesn't like it at all, because I like it...) But nothing good lasts forever.
Ramiel was kicked out together with Avi.
" Ygh... fuck, why is it always me who has to suffer. "
Both of the man's hands rubbed his sore buttocks. When he was forcibly expelled from the place he briefly called home, he landed on the hard ground.
In a brutal way he was pulled out of the clouds, reminding himself what real life is like.
Real life is a whore. - A brief thought like lightning ran through his hazy mind.
" I ... wake up me in an hour ... I need a break. " Ramiel fell like a corpse. He didn't even wait for Avi's reply. The fatigue that washed over him like water in Venice at high tide had knocked him off his feet.
It was already a miracle in itself that he had made it to the end of the evolutionary process. All that remained was for him to wait for Rascal's body to adapt to the changes. This could have taken days, months, years, or simply lasted a few hours. The timing isn't further known.
~~~~~~
A few hours later.
Ramiel was awakened by an overwhelming thirst that had been with him since yesterday, the moment he woke up after his last adventure. The strangest thing was that no matter what he did, the annoying dryness in his throat wouldn't go away.
In the end, he didn't worry too much about it. He considered it part of the quirks of a decaying soul. After all, all problems would soon disappear anyway. If it is something so trivial, he can ignore it.
However, Ramiel didn't know how terribly wrong he was to ignore the desire, but that's a story for another time.
Returning to reality, the man stretched. A few hours of sleep had worked wonders, putting Ramiel back on his feet. He felt like a newborn.
The mana deposits that had scrubbed the bottoms were completely regenerated. The fifteen vortexes of mana circulating inside the man's body could be categorized as cheats in a computer game. The speed at which it processed the mana was a gross overkill.
Crackle
Crackle
" Huh ? "
Slam
Crackle
Numerous cracks appeared on the surface of the cocoon inside which Rascal's body was undergoing metamorphosis.
Crackle
Crackle
With each passing second, their number doubled at an alarming rate.
Crackle !
Like the shell of a broken egg, Rascal's protective layer disintegrated, revealing the world of a completely transformed monster.
" Avi, do you see what I see ? " Ramiel couldn't believe his own eyes. Although evolution had always surprised him, this time it had surpassed itself. What stood there can't be longer called a weak and frail goblin.
" The dumb one is always lucky... " Ramiel let slip a sideways remark from Avi. If what he sees is true, he can let go of this once.
" Rascal, are you sure it's you ? " He bit his tongue to be sure. The burning pain reassured him that he wasn't daydreaming.
" Yes, Master. I am Rascal, the first of that name. The brave leader of the Shadow Goblin Tribe, to whom you gave this name. I will treasure and cherish it for the rest of my life. "
Ramiel's head tilted gently to the side, trying to grasp what had actually happened here. Only after a while, a fact came to him. Rascal could put sentences together.
Curiosity was eating him up from the inside. He couldn't wait for the secrets that the goblin status window would reveal to him. With a hand gesture, he ordered him to come under.
At first, Ramiel wanted to run toward the monster, but he remembered Seraphine's words. " You should act more like a ruler Master ... ".
In the long run, she was right. Even though he knew it made no sense in his situation, he complied with the necromancer's words anyway. A peculiar voice in his head told him that he wouldn't regret it.
Ramiel was pulled out of the maelstrom of thoughts by Rascal's rough voice.
His Amethyst eyes pointed down at the figure of the kneeling goblin.
The gray skin underneath massive muscles made a good first impression. Further, Ramiel's gaze shifted to the monster's robes. As it evolved, its modest armor had been transformed into a black cloak with a hood that effectively hid the monster's form.
The broken sword that had accompanied the goblin since the beginning of the adventure underwent a metamorphosis, turning into a large and heavy sword that perfectly matched the creature's size. It was nothing spectacular, but compared to its predecessor, the difference was colossal.
Hidden behind the belt were two curved daggers.
With inquisitive fairy eyes, Ramiel once again assessed the goblin. His amethyst eyes lit up with a subtle glow, shining through to the monster's figure.
" About 160cm... You have grown Rascal. "
Rascal bent his head even lower, thus showing respect to his Master. Being aware of his actions, he couldn't allow the slightest insult.
" Thank you, Master, your words are an honor. "
' Ramiel, you'd better not check his stats... it's for your own good... '.
Avi's words further stimulated Ramiel's dormant curiosity. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he touched Rascal's hairless head.
| Status |
| Name Rascal |
| Race Shadow Goblin |
| Direction of Evolution Chief of the Shadow Goblins |
| Age 20 |
| Strength 18 > 62 |
| Endurance 13 > 55 |
| Vitality 10 > 44 |
| Agility 14 > 54 |
| Defense 12 > 50 |
| Mana 15 > 55 |
| Enriched mana 0 |
| Intelligence 12 > 50 |
Ramiel felt blood dripping from his nose. What he saw bordered on the absurd. From an inferior goblin, Rascal had turned into something on par with a low - intermediate rank hunter.
Ramiel regretted not listening to Avi.
(A/N Today a little shorter chapter, I'm tired... Ps. leave some sort of comment trail. I'm curious to know if anyone made it here at all. You can share your opinion if you like the novel, I would appreciate it. )
