Chapter 88: Evolution
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 88: Evolution
[Excellent. You have won a duel against a very strong human. A special class is unlocked. A special entity is unlocked! You will rank up. Please select the entity to evolve into.]
[1. Ancient Orc Superior Gladiator]
[2. Minotaur Intermediate Gladiator]
[3. Half-Ogre Intermediate Gladiator]
[4. Lesser Demon Intermediate Gladiator]
[Special. Ancient Orc Ancient Warrior]
[Special. Ancient Twin-Headed Orc Intermediate Gladiator]
‘Why are there so many options...’
The problem was that there were too many choices. I had expected some decent classes and races to open up after such a long time, but I never imagined there would be six. And one of them was even a special option. It seemed this was the point where my evolutionary tree began to branch off, given that three of the options were clearly superior species.
The presence of the Half-Ogre option suggested that Goff had evolved faster than me. The absence of Troll or other special entities likely meant the system had determined that the Troll path wasn't a good fit for me.
This was a decision that required careful consideration.
First, I decided to check the description for the special Ancient Warrior class. The condition for unlocking it must have been defeating a superior enemy with the Ancient Flame. It seemed like a special class that appeared because I hadn't used my unique ability much.
[Special. Ancient Orc Ancient Warrior]
[Ancient Warriors never retreated in battle. Though human, they knew the value of honor and loyalty, always fighting on the front lines and charging into battle with the companions they would spend their entire lives with. Your swordsmanship proficiency will increase dramatically.]
Just as I expected. The "lifelong companion" was most likely my Ancient Flame. A massive boost to swordsmanship proficiency was obviously a good thing, but not receiving a proficiency bonus for other weapons was quite... a shame.
“Hmm...”
After deciding to put that on hold for now, I turned my thoughts to the special entity: the Ancient Twin-Headed Orc.
[Special. Ancient Twin-Headed Orc Intermediate Gladiator]
[Among Ancient Orcs, the Twin-Headed Orc is treated as an incredibly rare species. It is an entity born with a probability of one in several hundred million. Its Strength, Stamina, and Agility are superior to an Ancient Orc's in every aspect. It has a wider field of vision, can handle weapons well, and its proficiency with all weapons will increase.]
This one was truly perfect. A flawless entity, so much so that I was at a loss for words. I thought that evolving into this and seeing it through to the end would be quite efficient, but the problem was, of course…
‘Fuck...’
It had two heads. I had no way of knowing if my consciousness would be split or if a new personality would be implanted. I didn't want to take such a huge gamble by evolving into this thing. I had heard stories of monsters with two heads, but every single one of them was said to be anything but normal.
Still, it was a waste. If I evolved into this, I had a feeling that not only Choi Seulgi but even Baek Ahyeon would lose their faith in me and run away.
That left the Superior Gladiator, Minotaur, Half-Ogre, and Lesser Demon.
For the same reason as before, I had no desire to get a bull’s head, so the Minotaur was an immediate pass. A larger body could be advantageous in a fight, but the bigger guy doesn't always win.
In fact, my fighting style was better suited to a smaller body.
A Half-Ogre was only slightly larger than an Orc, but if I chose that path, the logical next step would be a full Ogre. That made the choice feel a bit ambiguous.
Ultimately, my options were down to two: Superior Gladiator or Lesser Demon.
The immediate advantage of advancing to Superior Gladiator was obvious: I would become stronger. Right now, I would unconditionally become stronger. My proficiency and understanding of weapons would change, and my Strength and Agility would naturally grow.
I slowly began to think about the Lesser Demon.
[4. Lesser Demon Intermediate Gladiator]
[Demons are entities born and raised in the cursed lands. The prevailing theory is that they are corrupted humans who became Green Skins, but the reason for their appearance in the cursed lands remains shrouded in mystery. Their Strength and Stamina are slightly lower, but they are more specialized in wielding magic. Contrary to the prejudice of other Green Skins, who believe them to be poor weapon users and physically lacking, they possess respectable physical abilities.]
It was ambiguous. There was no other way to describe the situation. The best choice might be to remain an Ancient Orc. The difference, however, was the potential for growth.
Though I believed I had improved, I was still feeling the limits of my talent. I would certainly get stronger by training as an Ancient Orc. I could see that from the Green Goblin who had maxed out his potential as a goblin, and the Great Tribe Leader who had done the same as an Orc.
But the problem was that I would no longer be able to receive the benefits of evolution. The Lesser Demon clearly offered the potential to evolve into Intermediate and Superior forms, but the Ancient Orc did not. I didn't know if another path for Orc evolution would open up, but if it was something like a Twin-Headed Orc, I would have to refuse.
“Kngh...”
As I continued to rack my brain, Baek Ahyeon looked at me with a worried expression. My Strength and Stamina would definitely be lower than they were now. But that was a gap I could close with enough training and discipline. There were certainly humans with strength equal to or greater than mine.
Now that I had the Ancient Flame, I needed more magic power. In that sense, evolving into a Demon was also the right choice.
Having roughly organized my thoughts, I slowly brought the choice to mind.
The other options were incredibly tempting, but a body similar to my original one would surely reduce this sense of dissonance.
And then…
I began to feel my muscles compressing. I was definitely changing into a different entity.
“Kuhp.”
Perhaps because of the difference in species, it was a rather painful process. My forehead, in particular, hurt immensely. How long had I writhed in agony?
A body completely different from before slowly came into my view.
“S-Savior...”
Startled, Baek Ahyeon was staring at me blankly from the side.
“Is... is this the Savior’s true form...?”
I couldn't see my own face, which made me extremely curious. What was certain was that Baek Ahyeon’s reaction wasn't bad. I glanced down and saw my arms and legs, which were definitely more compact than before. Something was bothering me on my forehead where the pain had been, and when I reached up, I could clearly feel two horns sprouting there. They weren't that large, as befitting a Lesser Demon, but they weren't shabby horns either. My fangs were much smaller. I had gotten used to the long fangs, but the smaller ones didn't feel bad.
My green skin remained, but it had become much darker. Far darker than my previous skin tone. I channeled my strength into my hand and swung the Ancient Flame once. Fortunately, since I had evolved into a superior species, my strength didn't seem to have dropped that much. I didn't feel my muscles bulging, but I was more agile than before. I could also feel a significant increase in my magic power.
I slowly looked around before my gaze fixed on the greatsword I had thrown earlier. My unique ability, Weapon Switch, originally had a limited range. I could only swap weapons that were barely within reach, but for some reason, I felt like I could now swap the weapon in my hand with that distant greatsword.
I gently extended my hand.
I activated my unique ability, pouring as much magic as I could into it.
I felt an unfamiliar energy, and in an instant, the sword in my hand and the greatsword stuck in the ground began to switch places.
[Unique Ability 'Weapon Switch' has ranked up.]
[Weapon Switch]
[Swaps the weapon you are holding. For a certain period after swapping, attacks made with the new weapon have an increased chance of dealing a critical wound.]
[The range at which you can swap weapons has increased. The probability of inflicting a critical wound on an enemy immediately after swapping has increased.]
Perfect. I could feel it clearly. I had gotten stronger. Not in some invisible way, but tangibly stronger within the limits allowed by the system.
“Savior... A-Amazing!”
“Krrk. Thank you.”
At this point, I became curious about my face.
“Do you have a mirror?”
When I casually asked Baek Ahyeon, she began to rummage through her bag. She was a woman, after all, so I asked on the off chance she had one, and thankfully, it seemed she did. The thought that she might have carried a mirror around to look good for me was a little amusing.
I activated my unique ability again, swapping the greatsword with the Ancient Flame, and then channeled magic into it. A small flame flickered to life. Unfortunately, the face of Kim Taesung was gone. I couldn't say it was a perfect face, but it wasn't bad. It blended well with the green skin, creating a strange atmosphere.
Only then did I understand why Baek Ahyeon had blushed.
“Not bad.”
However, from the goblins' perspective, it seemed a bit disappointing. As expected, the cartographer and the assassins started shouting.
“Kkireuk! Blood Dagger’s dignified face is gone! His handsome face is gone!”
“No! He’s still handsome!”
“He looks cool now. I want to be like Blood Dagger. I want horns on my forehead!”
The comment about me still being handsome was most likely flattery. If that was really the truth, then the Green Skin standard of beauty was truly incomprehensible. In any case, a change in my face wouldn't damage my authority, so I started to move on with Baek Ahyeon.
“We return to the clan.”
“S-Savior. What... what should I do...?”
“We should look for the human survivors as well. You will probably find them if you head for the exit. My believer, you will return to the city with them.”
“Yes... I... I understand, Savior.”
“Do not be sad. I, too, wish to keep you by my side. But you have a job to do, do you not?”
“Y-Yes! That’s right, Savior.”
When I added another word for the disappointed Baek Ahyeon, I could see her spirits lift a little. A cave this large was bound to have human survivors. There was a high chance a rescue operation was underway up above. If she returned alive by herself, she would likely be met with suspicion, so I had to send her back with other humans.
And so, Baek Ahyeon and I set out to find my clan members first. I figured we should all leave together and then find the survivors.
After backtracking for a long time, I began to sense a presence. Voices, too, slowly started to reach us.
“The Captain must be nearby! We followed the marks!”
“He’s... he’s definitely not dead!”
“Blood Dagger does not die! He is an immortal warrior!”
Just as I thought, they were all following the path I had taken. I let out a faint smile. Eager to see their comrades after so long, the goblins started to run ahead.