Evolution
"I hope we meet again someday,"
After reverting to my original form, I felt a wave of exhaustion course through my body, causing me to take a knee.
I checked my status once again and noticed how I had pretty much no mana left after shapeshifting just once.
"Ugh… I need this evolution badly," I muttered before looking up at the string of notifications.
[Evolution Options have been presented]
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[Evolution: Skeleton Mage]
[Description: You have become proficient with the usage of magic, and your resonance with other undead has drastically increased. Becoming a skeleton mage will lead you down a path full of magic and wonders.]
[Requirements: Some Proficiency with Magic | Undead Race ]
[Class Bonus: +5 Magic | +5 Defense]
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To be honest, this option isn't that bad, seeing how it is related to magic which I'm very proficient in. Plus, this evolution would most likely allow me to learn even greater magic skills… no, it might even grant me a few magic abilities.
Though, when compared to this class… yeah, I can't not pick it.
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[Evolution: Skeleton Ninja ]
[Description: You have become proficient with the usage of magic, and your resonance with other undead has drastically increased. Becoming a skeleton ninja will lead you down a path full of assassination and darkness.]
[Requirements: Class Related to Smoke | Some Proficiency with Magic | Undead Race ]
[Class Bonus: +5 Magic | +5 Speed]
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It's just that much better than everything else since it also seems guaranteed that I'll be acquiring more smoke-related skills that I'm very familiar with.
[You have selected your next evolution]
[Evolution will commence]
This city of tall buildings, beeping cars, and absolutely overworked people was more than enough to drown out the sounds of my groaning as my body began to contort.
My flesh was sapped back into my skeletal body, and my bones slowly began to break and reform, creating pure black bones that hid perfectly within the shadows I was groaning in.
What felt to be an hour slowly passed, and I was left back in my own flesh, huffing and puffing; each breath felt like a gallon of lava was being poured down my throat.
My bones were still sore from the transformation, so I just lay there, hiding in the shadows and watching the people of my city pass by.
Once I had finally recovered, I was going to correct my mistake of not asking for the date earlier, and if there wasn't much time that had passed, then I was going to reclaim my apartment.
…
『Status』
[Name: Helu]
[Race: Undead]
[Class: Disciple of Smoke]
[Level: 1/20] (1/75) XP Needed
[HP: 25/25 MP: 25/25 SP: --/--]
[Strength: 5]
[Defense: 5]
[Magic: 7]
[Speed: 10]
[Skills: [Empower] [Haste] [Eagle Eye] [Darkness Manipulation] [Conjure of Darkness] [Stealth]
[Pentagram: [Hand of The Souls] [Soul Eater]
[Passive Skills: [Undead Influence] [Dagger Proficiency]
…
The evolution was decent, but I was nowhere near my previous power, which left me with many worries, but first of all…
"Uh, yes, it is currently December thirty-first, the last day of 2221," The woman responded before leaving with an awfully grim look.
She probably smelt the disgusting sweat that had drenched the clothes that I had just formed on my body.
Just because I can create them doesn't mean they don't apply to the normal world and natural laws.
As I walked down the street, feeling the realization that not much time had passed since my death, multiple thoughts suddenly flooded my mind.
Should I really return to my apartment? Wouldn't the guild be there, packing up my shit after throwing me in that dump of a dungeon… or was my soul transferred into this skeletal body while my real body was lying around, dead somewhere?
"Maybe the boss left some fire around to clean up all the evidence of his wrongdoings and such?" I muttered before quickly running to the main building near the center of the city.
My breath was heavy, but my eyes were even heavier as a wave of exhaustion ran through me.
"Shit… this evolution is really taking a toll on me," I heaved before placing my hands on my knees and looking up at the massive building with the penthouse completely burned to ashes… just as I had thought.
My corpse is probably no more… and is taking my usual form smart? Won't others come after me- ugh… what am I even thinking… of course, they'll come after me.
As I slightly groaned, I felt the piercing eyes of a watcher slowly graze the back of my neck, and their signature beady pupils that I just barely managed to catch slowly slipped away from my body as I slowly walked away.
But, just as it turned around, my silent footsteps quickly snapped behind it, and as I grabbed its shoulder, the thing slowly turned around, its beady black pupils almost glaring a hole through my head.
"Who is your sponsor?" I asked, my voice unwavering despite my power being incomparable to my absolute pressure.
Just because I lost my stats doesn't mean I can't give off the same threatening aura that would normally bring a lower-tier adventurer to their knees.
"I don't have to tell you that," It replied before suddenly disappearing, leaving me frozen in place as I felt another pair of eyes dig into the back of my skull.
One thought came to mind, and that was,
"I need to get stronger. I'll eat, sleep, and drink in the dungeons once I've cleared everything up here," I muttered before slowly turning away and feeling the second pair of eyes slowly shift off of me.
First, I went to the bank to obtain a new debit card, but upon seeing my bank account completely drained of almost all my money, I shook with anger.
I wanted to get my revenge against those arrogant bastards for killing me and my associate… but it was still too early.
And finally, my last but not least action was visiting my apartment, which somehow hadn't been cleared yet.