Side Chapter: Ervas Second Evolution!

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[The Levels of the [Botanist; Level 2] Skill have increased!]

[Experience Points have reached the required level!]

[Individual 'Rank' has increased from level 55 to level 100!]

[Furthermore, the Individual's 'Job' has increased from level 1 to level 65!]

"Haah… I'm so good at handing plants, I should really just set my farm and have the good, carefree life" said Ervas.

"Muh?" asked Gaia.

"You're right, I am already the son of a farmer… and I can't do any of that because I'm sure that humans won't let a half-demon have a leisurely life…" said Ervas, throwing his delusions away.

"Ervas? Muh!" said Gaia.

"Rank Up? Yeah, I should… But my father is about to get home, so let's wait for him… and, this Giant Demon Rat is delicious" said Ervas, biting over the butchered corpse of a Giant Demon Rat, a Rank 2 monster, which despite its grotesque appearance, had a very tender and greasy flesh, which sold quite pricey in human societies… of course, Ervas didn't have any idea of that, in his previous life, Giant Demon Rats had no value at the Demon Nations.

Unlike Humans, Demons liked to eat strong monsters, monsters below Rank 4 were often seen as 'food of the weak' and usually had no value. The ones who hunted them were weak demons, who ate them for themselves without selling their flesh in the Demon Market.

In her previous life, Ervas was feed with high Ranked Monster flesh, as the demons that raised her had hopes that she would become physically stronger, grow scales, or spit fire if she ate a lot of wyvern meat. She was so talentless in their eyes that they had hoped for her to somehow awaken powers by eating the flesh of very strong monsters. Ervas wondered who was truly the delusional one in such a situation.

Ervas quickly finished eating his meal, which was nothing but a snack. He was multi-tasking by using Telekinesis, chopping carrots, sweet potatoes, and meat, and then creating a few simple preparations.

Today he prepared pure carrots and sweet potatoes, sprinkled with the salt that Gnome was capable of creating by refining soil. There were also grilled hamburgers that Ervas prepared by mincing Giant Demon Rat and Horned Rabbits flesh.

He did not have any starch or flour to make the meat stick together easily. But he managed to mince an amount of flesh into very thin mush, and then mixed it with larger pieces, reaching a state in the meat which gave it the ability to stay together as it was slowly grilled.

Ervas had managed to create some types of aromatic herbs by using the special skill of the Devil Grass named 'Herb Production'. The Devil Grass was quite weak as a monster, but it was capable of assimilating other types of non-monster plants and replicate them to an extent.

Some of such herbs were very similar to oregano, which gave the hamburgers a very unique flavor and fragrance. The smell was so appetizing that the entire village was wondering where the smell of grilled meat with herbs was coming from. They never imagined that it came from Jason's house, as he was too poor to even eat meat.

Ervas plants, led by Ivy had diligently hunted Rank 2 Monsters for three days in a row, managing to gain enough experience for Ervas to reach Max level on his Rank.

And in the meantime, they also brought him the corpses of such monsters, which Ervas ate happily while sharing them with his father. Of course, the plants also feed on them, Ervas did not like to starve his plant companions.

The 'Plant Party' had come across a few strong Blade Horned Rabbits, but they had managed to defeat them without receiving many injuries… although one of the Sprouts was cut in half. But because I was a plant-type monster with no visible vital point, as long as Ervas feed it his Mana, it would regenerate.

Creak…

The door slowly opened as Ervas was greeted with his father's face.

"I could feel that scent from the outside! You are making hamburgers again? My son, isn't it too dangerous? You are two years old, you shouldn't cook! What if you end up burning yourself with the stove?" said Jason, he had already given up on trying to force his son to stop doing dangerous things. He had to leave home for several hours a day, so Ervas always had the rest of the day to do as he pleased anyway.

"I just wanted to surprise you with a nice meal because you're my father, what's wrong with that?" asked Ervas.

Jason sat down in a chair, sighing.

"Sigh… I know that you have lived many years before and are a responsible adult in your mind… but you still have the body of a child. You need to comprehend my concern… At least, wait for me next time so we can cook together, okay? How is that?" asked Jason, carrying his son with his strong and muscular arms.

"Okay," said Ervas. He understood his father's concern, although he could easily heal any wound, he had with Gaia… it was better to not risk making his father panic like crazy.

"The hamburgers will be done in a few minutes; I am going to evolve now," said Ervas.

"Evolve? Again?!" shouted Jason.

"Yes, father. I do not evolve only once in my life… Ranking up is something common… I don't know how many Ranks are there, but I think the highest Rank ever reported in a monster was above 20, and I am just Rank 2, there is a long path for me… so let me do it, I will prob no change much anyways" said Ervas.

"Okay… I understand that you do it to get stronger…" said Jason, comprehending the situation and trying to be open with his son.

"Thanks, dad… though, if I end up changing too much, don't get scared," said Ervas.

"Scared?"

"Never mind…"

Ervas glanced at his Rank Up or Evolution Tab as he checked his available choices.

[Evolution Choices]

[High Spiritual Half-Demon], [Hollow Mana Half-Demon]

"Hmm… the options are kind of similar to the previous ones… well, I cannot expect many varieties, I am not a highly mutagenic monster that can get crazy evolution choices. Intelligent races cannot even evolve, to begin with, so not much logic applies, I should just go with the flow," said Ervas, inspecting both choices in detail.

[High Spiritual Half-Demon]

This evolution is given to a Spiritual Half-Demon who has created a strong bond with a Spirit. It specializes in magic and mana.

This evolution can strengthen the 'Spirit Magic' Skill.

[Hollow Mana Half-Demon]

This evolution is given to a Spiritual Half-Demon who has trained the use of his no-attribute mana to greater heights, far surpassing his body limits and common sense. It specializes in magic and mana.

This evolution can strengthen the 'No-Attribute Magic' and 'Automatic Mana Recovery' Skills.

"Sorry Gaia but Spirit Magic will have to wait a bit before it levels up…" said Ervas, choosing the second option.

Flash!

His body was covered in bright white light for a few seconds, as Ervas felt that his soul slowly began to strengthen.

"Is this…?"

When the evolution finished, Ervas has not changed much, his hair had gained a few hair strands of white color for some reason, but that was all. Not even his horn grew larger.

However, inside of his flesh body, Ervas felt that his soul had become different… it was filled with vitality and overflowing with Mana. However, there was a strange feeling, a feeling of a 'void' inside of it, alongside the feeling of 'life' as well. Strangely, both feelings converted together harmoniously.

[You have Ranked Up to [Rank 3: Hollow Mana Half-Demon]!]

[The Levels of the [Soul Form; Level 1], [No-Attribute Magic; Level 3], and [Automatic Mana Recovery; Level 1] Skills have increased!]

As Ervas glanced towards his father, he saw him covering his eyes.

"Father?"

"Ah! Did you finish?" asked Jason, without uncovering his eyes.

"Yes… I didn't change at all; I am still your child" said Ervas.

"I-I'm sorry, I got a bit frightened��� I never expected to have an evolving son, it's hard to get used to it… Sorry if it seemed as if saw you as a monster, you're my son, I shouldn't be such a coward, or things such things…" said Jason, apologizing, he saw that the only thing that changed on Ervas where a few strands of hair becoming white.

"It's okay, it is natural to have some concern, but I am fine," said Ervas, forcing a mild smile on his expressionless face.

As father and son hugged, the two began to sense the smell of burning meat…

"Ah! The burgers are burning!" shouted Jason, rushing towards the stove.

"Oh… I guess we'll have charcoal burgers," said Ervas.

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[Name: Ervas Igni

[Race: Hollow Mana Half-Demon (Mother: Dagvaarder Demon)

[Age: 2

[Titles: Mysterious Child of the Evergreen Village.

[Type: Demon/Human.

[Rank: 3 (Rank Up!)

[Level: 001/100

[Job: Mana Nucleus.

[Job History: Apprentice No-Attribute Mage, No-Attribute Mage.

[Level: 001/100

[Health Points: 63/63 > 85/85

[Mana Points: 342/342 > 664/664

[Strength: 58 > 72

[Defense: 47 > 68

[Magic: 236 > 422

[Resistance: 92 > 144

[Agility: 50 > 75

[Passive Skills]

[Memory Retention; Level 4]

[Special Five Senses; Level 6]

[Soul Form; Level 2]

[Mana Enlargement; Level 6]

[Magic Enlargement; Level 5]

[Automatic Mana Recovery; Level 2]

[Demon Metabolism; Level 3]

[Night Vision; Level 1]

[Abnormal Status Resistance; Level 1]

[Mana Control; Level 5]

[Chant Revocation; Level 3]

[Commanding; Level 2]

[Strengthen Followers; Level 2]

[Active Skills]

[Hardworking; Level 7]

[Appraisal; Level 6]

[Mana Drain; Level 4]

[No-Attribute Magic; Level 4]

[Spirit Magic; Level 3]

[Botanist; Level 3]

[Crafting; Level 2]

[Butcher; Level 2]

[Cooking; Level 2]

[Surpass Limits; Mana Usage; Level 1]

[Befriended Spirits]

[Gaia, Young Spirit of Life and Nature]

[Commanding (Monster) Plants]

[Rank 1: Demon Sticky Grass] x7 > [Rank 2: Diabolic Sticky Grass] x7

[Rank 1: Devil Tree Sprout] x3 > [Rank 2: Malicious Tree Sprout] x3

[Rank 1: Venomous Spiky Vine Serpent] x1 > [Rank 2: Devilish Venomous Spiky Vine Serpent] x1