42
Chapter 42
I used the Evolution skill.
As expected, a list of evolutions popped up right before my eyes.
Ruin Dragon Teddy Bear.
Lucky Dragon Teddy Bear.
There were two options like this.
Hmm. Ruin and Luck.......
Ruin doesn't seem too bad.
It probably doesn't mean I'll be ruined myself.
It must be a species with terrifying power capable of ruining my opponents.
If I chose this species, maybe the power of Chaos Breath would become even stronger.
Yeah, it doesn't look bad, but....
Sorry, Ruin, but you're out!
My mind is already leaning towards Luck!
Lucky Dragon Teddy Bear.
This is the second time a species with the modifier 'Luck' has appeared.
At this point, it felt like it was urging me to just pick it already.
Anyway.
I still had lingering regrets, so this turned out well.
Because when I evolved into a Dragon Teddy Bear, I was a little disappointed to give up the Lucky Teddy Bear.
Dragon Teddy Bear and Lucky Teddy Bear.
I had agonized over those two choices.
[[Would you like to select [Lucky Dragon Teddy Bear]?]]
No. Hold that for a moment.
I only used the Evolution skill to check the route.
I plan to evolve once I return to my base.
I don't want to be the center of attention for all these rabbits here.
Three or four would be fine, but having this many eyes on me was too much pressure.
The festival was now coming to an end.
The residents were cleaning up the messy plaza, and the Luna Rabbits had created a Moonlight Bridge to return to the moon. I don't know why they bothered using a bridge when they could fly.
"Uwoom? Ancestor, what are you planning to do with that head?"
"I'm going to take it to the moon and use it to play ball, uwoong."
One Luna Rabbit wrapped its long ears around the Azure Human's head.
It had a Black Badge attached to its other ear.
It seemed to be planning to carry it around as Spoils of War.
"We'll be heading back first, uwoong."
"Tosuni, let's see each other again next time! Uwoooong!"
"Uwoong. Let's see the Teddy Bear and Baby Doll again, too. Come visit often."
The Luna Rabbits gave our dolls tight hugs one by one and said their goodbyes.
Then, after saying goodbye to the other rabbits as well, they returned to the moon.
Ailee and the Baby Doll.
And I, too, exchanged farewells with several rabbits and left the village, leaving my regrets behind.
Ah. Tosun's Mom and Tosuni saw us off all the way to the Portal.
They said we might get lost on the way back.
"Uwooom. Are you sure you don't need us to take you all the way back to your base?"
"Yes, we're fine. I remember the way back from the entrance."
Ailee is so smart.
I was in trouble because I couldn't remember the way back.
It seemed like I could use her as a guide when hunting in the future.
***
Ailee and the Baby Doll.
And I returned to the base.
She must have remembered the path perfectly, because we successfully returned without getting lost even once.
There were no signs that Jjokkomi had come by to visit.
It seemed like a busy day today.
The sky was slowly starting to grow dark.
Ailee lay down next to the crushed Boxwood, and it wasn't long before she fell asleep.
I leaned my back against Ailee's body.
And as I looked up at the starry night sky in this position, I belatedly remembered a plan I had been putting off.
Right.
I was going to use Evolution.
Do I have Dementia? I had forgotten about it for a moment.
Now that I remembered, I immediately used the Evolution skill.
[[Would you like to select [Lucky Dragon Teddy Bear]?]]
Sure.
[Evolution is complete.]
[The destined fate of Annihilation bestowed upon the Helper has been removed.]
[Helper level has increased.]
[Lucky Dragon Teddy Bear lv.16]
┗Pw.48 (+11)
┗Rnk.Superior (Limit Breakthrough impossible)
[Consumption Mana: 4,247/10,520]
[Domain: Luck]
[Skills]
[Helper lv.2], [Evolution lv.2], [Action lv.2], [Teddy Bear Camouflage lv.1], [Bloodsucking Enhancement lv.1], [Flame Manipulation lv.3], [Synthesis lv.1(unusable state)], [Rolling lv.2], [Gourmet lv.1], [Dragon Mimicry lv.1]
I immediately checked the changes that had happened to me.
Level reduced by 1.
Obtained 3 additional power.
Helper skill level increased.
As for changes in appearance, the buttons serving as my eyes were dyed gold.
There were no new skills...
Oho? It shows the Consumption Mana numerically now?
It seemed to be thanks to the Helper level increasing.
It will be much easier to manage Mana from now on.
More importantly, what is a Domain?
And what about the destined fate of Annihilation bestowed upon the Helper that popped up when I finished the Evolution?
Just as I was harboring these questions.
Helper's text popped up before my eyes.
[What is a Domain. What is the destined fate of Annihilation. Confirming two questions.]
[Shall I provide the answers to the questions?]
Huh? What the?
Our Helper, did you get smarter because your skill level went up?
[.......]
Helper?
[.......]
There was no reply.
I guess we can't actually converse.
It seemed all it could do was provide answers to questions.
And only to questions it could answer, at that.
Sigh.
I thought Helper had gained an ego.
[.......]
Helper.
I have a question.
First, tell me what the destined fate of Annihilation is.
[What is the destined fate of Annihilation. Question confirmed.]
[Commencing explanation.]
As expected, it responded quite well to questions it could answer.
I didn't pay attention to its voice.
Since readable text was popping up right in front of my eyes anyway.
[Helper is a skill that exists to assist in the growth of a specific lifeform. And when that lifeform reaches a certain level, the Helper completes its mission and naturally faces Annihilation. This is the destined fate of Annihilation.]
Aha.
So Helper was something like a Beginner Helper?
It had the feel of a Tutorial Guide or something like that.
I guess it wasn't a skill meant to stay with me until I died.
[The destined fate of Annihilation was removed due to the user belonging to the Luck Domain. Luck activated, erasing the Helper's fate and increasing its level.]
Hmm. I see.
I don't know what a Domain is, but,
I fully understand that thanks to the Luck Domain, the Helper won't be leaving me forever.
Uh, wait a minute.
Then, could it be that constantly popping up Evolution routes with the modifier Luck was something like the Helper's Survival Instinct? Some kind of last struggle to avoid Annihilation?
...Nah, that can't be right.
It must just be a coincidence.
Because the Helper is presumed to have no ego.
Whatever.
Helper, explain about the Domain now.
[Commencing explanation regarding the Domain.]
[A Domain is a Cosmic Attribute and Fundamental Power Lineage to which a being belongs.]
What are you talking about?
Explain it simply, you punk!
[Shall I continue with a more detailed explanation of the Domain?]
My words were lightly ignored.
This guy, it doesn't know how to explain things simply.
It was definitely an idiot.
[Shall I stop the explanation?]
Who told you to stop on your own?
Continue with the detailed explanation!
[There are countless types of Domains.]
[Grades exist within Domains. This grade is unrelated to a lifeform's species grade, but the grade names and system are identical to the species grades.]
[Listing the Domain grades in order from lowest to highest.]
Bzzzt-
New text popped up before my eyes.
================
─Normal
─Uncommon
─Superior
─Rare
─Elite
─Unique
─Epic
─Legendary
─Mythical
─Divine
================
This must be the grades of a Domain.
And it said the species grades use this system too, right?
I unexpectedly came to know the exact species grade system as well.
I still have a long way to go.
Bzzzt-
[Continuing to the next explanation.]
[The majority of lifeforms do not have the right to choose their Domain.]
[Based on the current world time, if a lifeform does not belong to a Domain within one year after birth, they are forcibly assigned to a random Domain. It is impossible to continue existing without belonging to a Domain.]
[A Domain generally cannot be changed. The moment you belong to a specific Domain, you are bound to it until death. Even if your species changes through Evolution, your Domain is maintained. However, your soul is not bound to it, so you are freed from the Domain upon true death. Exploits such as resurrection as an undead do not work.]
Nod, nod.
I crossed my arms and nodded in understanding.
There was nothing too difficult to grasp so far, so it was easy to understand.
[Regardless of grade, Domains are largely divided into two types. They are categorized into Domains given a Forced Destiny, and Freedom-Guaranteed Domains unbound by destiny.]
[The Luck Domain is not given a Forced Destiny.]
Oh, really?
That is a relief.
I like freedom, after all.
But what kind of thing is a Forced Destiny?
I am curious, so could you give me an example?
[Question confirmed. Providing an example of a Domain given a Forced Destiny.]
[Domain: Chaos]
─A destiny of change, conflict, Destruction, mutation, and betrayal.
─A very strong urge to overthrow the existing Order arises.
─Can endlessly change and grow stronger, and is free from any shackles, but no rest exists either. It is a destiny of eternal wandering.
─[Domain Grade]: Mythical
[Domain: Order]
─A destiny to protect structure and law.
─A very strong urge to protect Order and maintain balance arises.
─Upon breaking a taboo, existence collapses or falls into Chaos (exceptional alteration).
─[Domain Grade]: Mythical
Wow. I was almost in big trouble.
To think Chaos and Order were like this.
It is a good thing I did not choose the Chaos Teddy Bear and Cosmos Teddy Bear earlier.
Because those were species names that obviously looked like they would be bound to the Domains of Chaos and Order.
Chaos is just crazy.
It is no different from a madness-tainted Demon whose very reason for existence is Destruction.
Of course, I do not want that kind of life.
I should refrain from using Chaos Breath in the future too.
They say a Domain does not change, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Order was also very terrible.
It feels like I would live a life no different from a Slave.
It means I would have to step up whenever I see injustice, right?
I wouldn't even be able to commit a minor deviation.
Chaos and Order.
Both have incredibly high Domain grades.
However, the fact that a Forced Destiny follows along with it is very awful.
Phew.
I let out a sigh of relief once again.
Praise myself for not choosing Chaos and Cosmos back then!
I would rather not have a Forced Destiny even if the grade is lower.
After all, being free is the absolute best.
Ah, come to think of it.
I still did not know what grade the Domain I belonged to was.
I decided to ask right away.
Since it answers these kinds of questions well.
Hey, Helper.
What is the grade of the Luck Domain?
Is it a bit low since there is no Forced Destiny?
It is fine even if it is low, but I still hope it is not just Normal.
Half expectation, half worry.
The moment I waited for an answer, text popped up before my eyes along with the Helper's voice.
[The grade of the Luck Domain is Divine.]