9
Chapter 9
I successfully completed the Evolution without any issues.
From the Truly Teddy Bear species to the Vampiric Teddy Bear species.
This Evolution was all thanks to the Vampire.
If not for that clump of blood, this Evolution route wouldn't have appeared. I wouldn't have even been able to Level Up in the first place.
I felt sorry for secretly giving her the cold shoulder at first.
She was an uninvited guest, but at the same time, a noble benefactor.
Thank you, beautiful Vampire.
Facing the direction the Vampire had left in.
I offered two deep bows filled with gratitude.
Bow, bow.
Ah, wait a minute! Are you not supposed to bow twice?
Hmm... Well, she is a Vampire, so it probably doesn't matter.
Feeling awkward, I opened my Status Window.
[Vampiric Teddy Bear lv.9]
┗Pw.9 (+2)
┗Rnk.Normal
By undergoing Evolution, my level decreased.
Naturally, my base power dropped along with my level.
Base power is proportional to rank and level, after all.
The only thing unaffected by my level was my bonus power.
My bonus power became 2.
Just like my first Evolution, I received power as a reward.
And this time, there wasn't just one Evolution reward.
Not only did I get bonus power, but I also acquired a new skill.
[Skill]
[Helper lv.1], [Evolution lv.1], [Action lv.2], [Feeding lv.1], [Magic Chef lv.1], [Teddy Bear Camouflage lv.1], [Bloodsucking lv.1]
Wow! Two Evolution rewards!
Today must be an incredibly lucky day.
Or maybe this was also the effect of that blood clump?
Since that was a possibility, I bowed twice more in the direction the Vampire left. Thank you.
I immediately checked the description for the Bloodsucking skill.
[Bloodsucking lv.1]
─You can use your bloodsucking fangs to rapidly absorb the target's blood.
─When using Bloodsucking, the Mana evenly distributed throughout the target's body is concentrated into their blood and absorbed. However, a Mana Stone is an exception.
─Pure blood is converted into Consumption Mana.
─You will be able to distinguish between the two types of power contained within Mana.
└Consumption Mana: Mana that can be expended.
└Reinforcement Mana: Mana that grants permanent power.
Wow. The description is really long.
It took me a while to read and understand it.
So, for now, this means I have fangs, right?
Let's check this out first.
I used the Helper skill to bring my appearance into view.
It's exactly the same.
There are no visible changes to my outward appearance.
It seems only my fangs have grown sharp.
Putting on a fierce expression, I opened my mouth wide.
Roar!
Oh! They're definitely there!
I can see that my fangs have grown long and sharp.
It makes me look like a fierce beast. How cool.
Outward inspection complete.
Next, I need to test out the Bloodsucking skill...
Ah, should I test it on that?
A carcass suddenly caught my eye.
It was the Venomfang Rat I had caught as a gift for Jjokkomi.
It should be fine if I just suck out its blood.
The real gifts are the meat and the Mana Stone, after all.
Roar! Crunch!
Like a starving beast, I sank my terrifying fangs into the carcass.
Slurp, slurp.
Blood gushed steadily out of the carcass.
It felt like vigorously slurping a drink through a straw.
Gulp, gulp, ahhh!
Absorption of Mana-infused blood complete!
The Bloodsucking was finished in a flash.
The carcass shriveled up like a mummy.
Once I pulled the Mana Stone out of the carcass, I could no longer sense any Mana from the creature. It seemed all the Mana distributed throughout its body had been absorbed through its blood.
For the record, my body didn't fill up with blood.
It was entirely converted into Mana without any need for Decomposition through Feeding.
Thanks to that, I felt completely topped up on Mana.
Excellent, the Bloodsucking skill works perfectly!
***
The power contained within Mana.
Consumption Mana and Reinforcement Mana.
I had fully grasped the concept of these two types of Mana.
To summarize it in my own way:
Consumption.
Mana that can be expended.
Required for using things like skills.
Reinforcement.
Mana that likely cannot be expended.
Possesses the incredible effect of causing a Level Up.
Its power diminishes significantly when transferred from one accumulated source to another. For example, absorbing all the Reinforcement from a level 10 monster won't instantly boost you by 10 levels. In other words, its power cannot be fully absorbed.
This was how I could define the concepts.
And based on my findings:
A living creature's body contained an overwhelmingly higher amount of Consumption Mana compared to Reinforcement Mana. Conversely, a Mana Stone held a massive amount of Reinforcement Mana, while its Consumption Mana was relatively low.
Of course.
This might not be true for all creatures and Mana Stones.
It likely varies by creature, and different types of Mana Stones could yield different results.
Regardless.
That was the case for my own body, as well as the Venomfang Rat's carcass.
That was why I couldn't Level Up.
Because the majority of what I absorbed was Consumption Mana.
To Level Up, I would need to ingest the Mana Stone currently in my hand. The Mana contained within it had a high concentration of Reinforcement, after all.
I hesitated for a moment.
Should I eat the Mana Stone or not?
This is a gift for Jjokkomi, after all.
Since I am not in a rush to Level Up right now, should I hold back?
Just as I was wavering like that.
┗Rnk.Normal (Limit Breakthrough possible upon reaching lv.10)
Huh? What is this?
Limit Breakthrough is possible once I reach level 10...?
.......
...Woooooah!!!
My jaw dropped.
Shocked, I jumped up and down on the spot.
Finally! I can do a Limit Breakthrough!
I belatedly noticed the text written next to the rank.
Why hadn't I seen this until now?
It does not really matter since I know now, though!
Upon learning this fact.
I immediately decided how to use the Mana Stone.
I am sorry, Jjokkomi.
Your only gift will be some dried-up meat.
Sob, sob. Please forgive your incompetent Oppa.
Ahhh- munch.
I swallowed the Mana Stone whole.
***
I am currently extremely excited.
[Vampiric Teddy Bear lv.10]
┗Pw.10 (+2)
┗Rnk.Normal (Limit Breakthrough possible)
[You have reached the level required for a Limit Breakthrough.]
My hypothesis that I might eventually become a species capable of a Limit Breakthrough if I kept undergoing Evolution turned out to be correct.
[Upon Limit Breakthrough, your rank will increase from Normal to Uncommon.]
As expected, the Limit Breakthrough was a promotion ceremony.
That guess was spot on as well.
Hehe.
Goodbye to the trivial Normal rank.
I will advance toward an even higher state.
Hoping for a Mecha Teddy Bear!
Ah, for the record, my Physical Adaptability has significantly decreased right now.
Was the Vampiric Teddy Bear species slightly too much for me?
Even after undergoing Evolution and completing a Level Up, my Physical Adaptability was only at 12.
But it still did not matter.
Because I already confirmed that Physical Adaptability has nothing to do with the Limit Breakthrough.
And I had roughly guessed that even before confirming it.
[Upon promotion to Uncommon rank, your level will decrease to 5.]
A Normal rank level 10 has a base power of 10.
An Uncommon rank level 5 also has a base power of 10.
It seemed the level was dropping to match the base power.
[Calculating the time required for the Limit Breakthrough.]
[It is estimated to take approximately 12 hours.]
[It is recommended to proceed with the Limit Breakthrough in a safe location. During the Limit Breakthrough, a sturdy Mana Orb is generated to protect the user, but once the Limit Breakthrough ends, the Mana Orb immediately undergoes Annihilation, leaving you defenseless against external attacks. Please note that you will be highly vulnerable to surprise attacks immediately after the Limit Breakthrough is completed.]
I plan to proceed with the Limit Breakthrough right here.
Because I do not know of any place safer than this.
[Upon a successful Limit Breakthrough, there is a high probability of undergoing an Evolution into a new species, and a low probability of maintaining your current species. In either case, your rank will be promoted.]
[If the Limit Breakthrough fails, your level will be randomly decreased. Afterward, you may attempt the Limit Breakthrough again once you reach the required level.]
[Will you attempt the Limit Breakthrough now?]
Carrot!
Proceed immediately!
[Attempting the Limit Breakthrough.]
Flash-!
Blue Mana burst forth from my body.
Soon, the Mana formed a sphere that surrounded me.
This must be the protective shield known as the Mana Orb.
Just like that, I instantly became a Teddy Bear trapped inside a blue sphere.
I looked just like a Teddy Bear figurine inside a capsule.
[In the event of an Evolution, the species will be determined at random.]
What, it is random?
They should have let me choose the species I wanted.
The moment I was inwardly expressing my dissatisfaction.
Bzzzt-
[■□ Evolution■ in the event of ?▲, species□ ■ran△◇ deter■■□ed.]
The words before my eyes shattered as if an error had occurred.
The voice that had been reading the text aloud abruptly cut off and was no longer heard.
What is this? A bug?
What suddenly happened?
I was deeply panicked.
Thump, thump, thump!
I desperately pounded on the protective shield surrounding me with my front paws.
If something has gone wrong, let me out of here!
Somebody help me!!!
A cute, adorable, and cool Teddy Bear is going to die!!!
While I was shivering in anxiety, having no idea what was going on.
Very fortunately, normal text appeared once again and the voice resumed.
[The [Helper lv.1] skill is intervening in the Limit Breakthrough.]
[The Limit Breakthrough will absolutely not fail.]
[Upon Limit Breakthrough, you will undergo an Evolution. You may select an available species for Evolution.]
[Displaying the list.]
================
[Available Species for Evolution]
◎ Boss Teddy Bear - Uncommon
◎ Self-Destruct Teddy Bear - Uncommon
◎ Thief Teddy Bear - Uncommon
◎ Gourmet Teddy Bear - Uncommon
◎ Spicy-Sweet Fist Teddy Bear - Uncommon
◎ Venomfang Teddy Bear - Uncommon
◎ Undead Teddy Bear - Uncommon
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