I end up spending the rest of the day resting. I also ponder the future. I remember quite vividly how badly it went when I put off my Evolution last time, so I'm quite hesitant to wait a long time with it.
However, I have guests, and I have no idea how long it will take for me to Evolve. It's varied greatly between each of the three times I've done so, and I fear that it might take a long time this time. World Knowledge is unable to give me a good estimate, since no record of anything like me has ever been made.
But, on general terms, the more powerful the monster, the longer the process takes. As I'm currently somewhere between a strong high tier Dragon and the weakest Elder Dragon, I'm betting it's going to take a bit, indeed.
I'm also a bit iffy on my choices.
*Evolution options:
- ??? Monarch, ??? (EXUnique)
- Usurper Emperor, ??? (EXUnique)
- Benevolent Tyrant, ??? (EXUnique)
- ?????? ???????, ??? (????????) - Conditions not yet met*
I'm most interested in the unknown one. World Knowledge, is there any information on this one?
*Error*
*Oh hi, it's me, Lyf. I thought I'd just help out a bit. Don't worry, this is all Divine-Sanctioned of course. That last option could be considered the ideal option, at least in Our eyes. I'll even give you a list of the conditions you need to fulfill for it!*
*- Obtain Skill: Divines' Favored - Done
- Obtain Skill: Death Lord - x
- Obtain Skill: Shadow Creep - x
- Obtain Skill: Refracting Shell - x
- Obtain Skill: Sky King - x
- Obtain Skill: Water Dancer - x
- Obtain Skill: Crystallize - x
- Obtain Skill: Blaze Coat - x
- Obtain Skill: Frigid Presence - Done
- Obtain Skill: Combustion/Vent Heat - Done
- Obtain Skill: Verdant Body - x
- Obtain Skill: Electric Charge/Discharge - x
- Obtain Spell: Miracure - x
- Obtain Spell: Death - x
- Obtain Spell: True Raise - x
- Obtain Spell: Soul Chaser - x
- Obtain Spell: Ray of Heaven - x
- Obtain Spell: Tornado - x
- Obtain Spell: Tidal wave - x
- Obtain Spell: Earthquake - x
- Obtain Spell: Hellfire - x
- Obtain Spell: Flash Freeze - x
- Obtain Spell: Pyrocumulus - x
- Obtain Spell: Control: Plant - x
- Obtain Spell: Lightningbolt - x*
*The Skills and Spells can be sourced from these monsters:
- Grand Lindorm/Necromancer: Death Lord, Death, True Raise.
- Nightcrawler: Shadow Creep, Soul Chaser.
- Carbuncle: Refracting Shell, Crystallize, Ray of Heaven.
- Roc: Sky King, Tornado.
- Grand Urobach: Blaze Coat, Hellfire, Pyrocumulus.
- Stygian Medusa: Water Dancer, Flash Freeze.
- Grand Coppercoil Eel: Electric Charge/Discharge, Tidal Wave, Lightningbolt.
- Oasis Tortoise: Verdant Body, Miracure, Earthquake, Control: Plant.*
Hm, this is nice and all, but isn't there a massive flaw in your plan?
*Is there?*
Well, I'll be able to defeat maybe one of those monsters, and then have to Evolve to keep from Desperately Evolving.
*Ah, no need to worry about that, as long as you stay as a form of Monarch, you should be able to Evolve into this special form once the requirements are met.*
Alas, there goes any illusion of choice. 'A form of Monarch' implies the ??? Monarch, and not any of the other choices, right?
*Correct. I apologize if this causes you any distress, your Highness, but it is the Will of the Mother.*
I'll be content, I guess. Hey, if you've got all the inside info, how long will it take to Evolve into the ??? Monarch?
*... If you start now, you'll be done by tomorrow morning. Now, I've got to go. Farewell for now, dear Monarch.*
UGH! I'm so tired of them lording over me! I just want to pick on my own!
I bury my head in the pile of pelts I'm using as bedding. Letting out a low whine, I decide, fuck it, might as well go with the flow. It's more or less what I've been doing up until this point, and it seems to have been working out so far.
"It's not like any of the other choices were any good, though? An evil Emperor form, or a good Tyrant form? Staying neutral seems the best, no?"
Yeah... Let's just get this over with, I should be able to focus better on the future once I get rid of this uncertainty about my Evolution. I inform Huldr about what's going to happen. I barely manage to get through the second part of my instructions because she's so happy about me Evolving.
Seems Evolution is a big deal to normal monsters... I've been alive for what, three-four months, and I'm already beginning my fourth one?
*Your rate of growth is currently over 10 times faster than the fastest growing monsters on record.*
Oh boy.
I finally manage to tell the Huldr to inform Mina about me. I bet she's gonna want to observe or something. I stretch and get comfortable. Then, I select the ??? Monarch for Evolution. I get drowsy, and as my consciousness fades, I'm enveloped in a white, shimmering glow.
I wake.
A quick glance at my time display tells me it's morning. Seems everything went all right with the Evolution? I try getting up. Oh, okay... Seems, we've done some major restructuring of my build. I'm currently laid on my side, flailing my... lower body's feet around... Okay... Ah, um, Shadow, you're meant to be the one with the instincts, right?
"Let's see... Here we go."
My body manages to get its feet under it, and I'm up on all fours. I look myself over. A humanoid looking torso, in place of where the neck would begin on a quadruped monster... I've got a centaur build! Hm... something to get a better look at myself with... I try casting Slick Ice on the cave wall.
A glassy layer of ice covers the cave wall. I somehow manage to stumble over to it, still not used to this new movement configuration. Let's see...
My face is fairly normal? I guess, for a monster? I finally got working lips again, my mouth is filled with sharp teeth, my tongue long and pointy. I have two sets of eyes, one pair is large, without any discernible pupil. The other pair is smaller, placed above the others, and have intense, slit pupils.
My face is framed in a mane, out of which several horns poke, like some sort of crown. The mane continues down to my shoulders, where it floofs out, covering my upper torso, creating the illusion of breasts. I check, nope, no tiddies here. My arms and lower torso are covered in scales, laid like those of a snake. My fingers end in claws instead of nails, but otherwise look fairly human.
Where my lower body joins together with my upper body, some more fur, before going over into more scales. These are bigger and sharper, and if I flex just the right muscle, they bristle outwards. I still have my wings, they're folded onto the back of my lower body. My two tails have become one, tipped with a blade-like stinger.
Other than that, my legs seem to more or less retain the form they had before my Evolution. The front pair might have beefed up a bit though. I'm also shorter, it seems. I'll have to confirm that with comparing myself with Huldr or Mina.
Now, for the fun part... I steel myself for the influx of information, and inspect myself.
Millibelle
Species: ??? Monarch (???) (EXUnique)
Gender: Female
Status: Marked for Death (True)
HP: 14.000/14.000
MP: 18.000/18.000
SP: 14.000/14.000
Attack: 2405
Armor: 2620
M.Attack: 1825
M.Armor: 2140
Speed: 1800
STR: 1602 (Max: 5000)
CON: 1747 (Max: 5000)
INT: 1214 (Max: 5000)
WIL: 1424 (Max: 5000)
DEX: 1169 (Max: 5000)
Skills:
(Language Skills)
L. C: Goblin (Great) - L. C: Kobold (Great)
L. C: Common (Great) - L. C: Harmekian (Great)
L. C: Ayvin (Great) - L. C: Accan (Great)
L. C: Photian (Great) - L. C: Minars (Great)
L. C: Pyrean (Great)
(Defensive Skills)
Damage Immunity: Fire (Lesser) - Damage Immunity: Heat (Lesser)
Damage Immunity: Physical (Lesser) - Damage Immunity: Cold (Lesser)
Damage Resistance: Earth (Lesser) - Condition Resistance: Poison (Great)
Condition Resistance: Disease (Great) - Condition Resistance: Burn (Grand)
Condition Resistance: Paralysis (Grand) - Condition Resistance: Overheat (Grand)
Condition Resistance: Hypothermia (Grand) - Condition Resistance: Suffocating (Normal)
Status Shield (Lesser) - Steel Shell (Great)
(Passive Skills)
Malleable Body (Great) - Regeneration: HP (Grand)
Regeneration: MP (Grand) - Hardy Digestion (Normal)
Cellulose Digestion (Great) - Rapid Digestion (Great)
Terrible Talons (Lesser) - Megalodon Jaw (Lesser)
Focusing Horn (Normal) - Strong Legs (Normal)
Stealth (Normal) - Keen Sight (Normal)
Keen Hearing (Great) - Keen Smelling (Great)
Geovore (Great) - Weapon Affinity: Sword (Normal)
Weapon Affinity: Shield (Great) - Terrain Affinity: Marsh (Normal)
Teamwork (Normal) - Leadership (Normal)
Vitaephagy (Normal) - Heat Drain (Normal)
Magical Flux (Normal) - Divergent Mind (Normal)
True Nightvision (Great) - Weapon Affinity: Hammer (Normal)
Sense Aircurrents (Great) - Weapon Affinity: Hand to Hand (Normal)
Weapon Affinity: Staff (Normal) - Tongue Action (Great)
Tail Action (Great) - Boon of Fertility (Normal)
Plaguebearer (Normal)
(Active Skills)
Wide-Casting (Great) - Remote Body Control (Normal)
Great Swallow (Great) - Phagocytosis (Great)
Poison Stinger (Great) - Flight (Great)
Draconic Flight (Normal) - Spit Attack: Paralysis (Normal)
Thick Mucous (Normal) - Telepathy (Grand)
Fire Breath (Great) - Napalm Breath (Normal)
Serene Presence (Lesser) - Terrorizing Presence (Normal)
Selective Presence (Normal) - Commanding Presence (Normal)
Combustion (Normal) - Vent Heat (Lesser)
Boiling Breath (Normal) - Spit Attack: Poison (Normal)
Thread Manipulation (Normal) - Shed Shell (Lesser)
Aimed Strikes (Normal) - Hypnotic Gaze (Normal)
Nameds' Call (True) - Hover (Great)
Echolocation (Great) - Hivemind (Grand)
(Spell Affinities)
Elemental Expertise: All (Lesser) - Spell-Casting Affinity: Bolster (Great)
Spell-Casting Affinity: Weaken (Great) - Spellcasting Affinity: Illusion (Normal)
(Unique Skills)
Innate World Knowledge (True - Unique) - Power Osmosis (True - Fated - Unique)
Hidden Space (True - Unique) - Guard Share (Normal - Unique(Goblin Shaman)) -
Complex Shape Body (Normal - Unique(Doppelganger)) - Viscous Body (Normal - Unique(Celluloid))
Web Sense (Normal - Unique(Arachnoid)) - Spider Climb (Great - Unique(Arachnoid)) -
Lustrous Fur (Normal - Unique(Emperor)) - Jagged Scales (Normal - Unique(Tyrant))
Web Geyser (Normal - Unique(Arachnoid)) - Spider Silk (Great - Unique(Arachnoid)) -
Divines' Favored (Grand - Unique) - Frigid Presence (Great - Unique(Morke))
Temperature Shift (Normal - Unique(Pyrean)) Shed Magic (Normal - Unique(Pyrean)) -
Crafting Skills:
Weapon Crafting (Apprentice) - Weapon Twisting (Apprentice)
Magic Tool Crafting (Adept) - Trapmaker (Novice)
Armor Crafting (Novice) - Armor Warping (Novice)
Spells:
Great Heal (Normal) - Recover (Normal)
Blind (Normal) - Dark String (Lesser)
Light (Great) - Radiant Beam (Great)
Barrier (Normal) - Empower (Great)
Weaken (Normal) - Crumple Defenses (Normal)
Fireball (Great) - Red Hot Claw (Great)
Create: Water (Normal) - Water Beam (Great)
Control: Water (Normal) - Wind Blade (Great)
Earth Spike (Normal) - Mesmerize (Normal)
Withering (Normal) - Curse (Normal)
Command (Great) - Lure (Normal)
After-Image (Great) - Double Vision (Normal)
Chime (Lesser) - Gravel Cannon (Lesser)
Memento Mori (Normal) - Lightning Cannon (Lesser)
Earthen Stomp (Normal) - Slick Ice (Lesser)
Ice Lance (Normal) - Hail Cannon (Normal)
Glaciate (Normal) - Shadow Grasp (Lesser)
Microburst (Normal) - Quicken (Lesser)
Social Titles:
Compassionate - Makeshift Midwife
Lifesaver - Innovator
Sole Survivor - Backstabber
Ruthless - Boss-Slayer
Heart-Eater - New Life
Tyrant - Emperor
Named Monarch - Lifemaker
Reckless - Unnerving
Dagger Breaker - Gatherer of Blessings
Man Hunter
(~Decided to start grouping Skills, at least for Millibelle, since she has like, a thousand of them~)
O-oof... my head... Well, at least my stats are looking good!
...
But I'm real worried about that Marked for Death Status lingering even after I took care of those assassins... I hope I'm not mistaken for some nuisance monster and attacked? Let's try Recover!
*Error, no Status in need of healing, Spell not cast.*
EH? What'cha mean, no Status in need of healing? I've got a big sign saying 'kill me' on it hovering above my head! Not literally though, but still. UGH! There's always something, isn't it?!
"Master, you're distressed?" Huldr makes contact with me. "Ah, no, I'm just... Well... I'm still marked by the Aurellium, even though I took care of them yesterday." I try to calm down. Seems my outbursts make my Servants worried.
"Yeah, We don't want to pop a vein, now do we?"
Shush, you.
I decide to practice walking for a bit before going outside. I'm wobbly, and sometimes I start moving my arms or my wings instead of my front feet, but after a bit I get the hang of it.
Walking outside of my cave, my Servants rush over to me, oohing and aahing at my new form. "Master looks well!" The biggest Jotun nods in satisfaction. Mina approaches as well, notebook in hand. Doing some quick comparisons, I'm more or less head height with the Jotun, and as such, I'm about a head taller than Mina. I really shrunk, huh.
"Well, Millibelle! You look stunning!" Mina smiles. "How's moving around? Big structural changes tend to cause some issues." She asks. "Ah, well, it took some getting used to, but I should be steady now." I tell her, telepathically. Although my mouth is relatively normal now, I've yet to try speaking. Don't want to make a fool of myself.
Mina nods. I walk over to her, and let her begin measuring me. "Why Master let her do that again?" One of the Gyger asks. "Well, they're here to learn about us. Humanoids tend to be afraid of things they don't understand or know well. So if we let them learn about us, they should become less afraid of us." I explain whilst Mina measures my wingspan.
The others nod, a general feeling of 'smart thinking' emanates from them.
Once Mina finishes measuring me, we start discussing the next expedition. The presence of the Servants in the marshy area haven't moved, so I'm guessing the Gasts, like the Draugr, are incomplete?
*Reminder, due to the Users recent Evolution, shapeshifting is highly discouraged. Time before users form has settled: 25 h 40 m*
Oh right.
Well, I need the practice walking. I spend the time before we depart making more silk thread for the Huldr and the Gyger. Seems they too have a fondness for it. Not that I mind, We can use the woven fabric to barter with the nearby village.
The walk through the forest takes a while. For the same reasons as yesterday. We slow down even more once we reach the marsh. I end up having to carry them across it, three on my back, one in a bridal hold in my arms.
As we approach where the Servants are, a... village? Comes into view. It's more an assemblage of wood and debris stacked into a vaguely house shape, but it's definitively made, and not just a natural formation.
"What's this?" I ask Mina as she hops off my back and wades her way over to the 'buildings'. "Seems... like a Lizardman settlement? But they only make these if-" She's interrupted as a spear lands right in front of her.
I immediately move to protect Mina, almost shaking off my other passengers in the process. "Who's there!" I call out, telepathically. Anything with a language Skill should be able to understand me.
A tall, slender figure hops into view, landing on top of the hut closest to us. "Who's asking?" A subtitle appears. The language sounds like Kobold, but it's... richer? There's more noises, more meaning to it.
"The Owner of this Lair. I'll not let you attack my visitors." I tell the... Dragonewt?
*Dragonewt:
A rarely seen Evolution of the Lizardman, which again is an Evolved form of the Kobold. These proud and haughty Pseudo-Dragonoids only appear within Lizardman villages located in areas of high ambient Magic. Natural leaders, they train themselves tirelessly to one day achieve the dream of Evolving into a true Dragonoid.
Will not tolerate competition for the role of leader, but is quick to submit to an opponent that is much stronger than it.
Rarely hunted on account of its rarity and the detrimental effect its death has on the local Lizardmen. If someone or something slays the Dragonewt leader, it is hunted relentlessly by the village to exact revenge for their fallen leader.
Their scales are suitable for armor, though.
Rating: 4 Stars*
Right.
"Oh, that was not an attack! I'd never do something so dishonorable as attacking an unaware opponent! It was a warning." The Dragonewt hops down to retrieve their spear. Their scales are a dull green, covering rippling muscles. Digitigrade legs easily move them across the marsh, they probably have the Terrain Affinity for it.
They flap their wings once, leaping back up to the hut, which creaks under the stress. "Now, you are the Owner of this Lair? Then I suppose I have you to thank for setting the scene for my Evolution?" They make a theatrical bow. Looking around, I notice several pairs of eyes looking at us from the shadows of the huts.
"But! I am the true Leader of this place! I will not tolerate usurpers!" They shout as they leap for me. I quickly cast Barrier onto the researcher I'm still cradling in my arms, just in case. Just as I look back up, the spear hits me right in the forehead.
And it breaks.
Right, the damage reflection. The recoil sends the Dragonewt backwards, right on their ass in the mud. I gently set down the researchers, who are scribbling furiously in their notebooks. Even at a time like this? I guess they really trust me to take care of them, huh.
Mina is translating, at least what the Dragonewt is saying. I cast Barrier on the rest of them too, you never know. I then look over to where the Dragonewt is sprawled on the ground, dazed and confused. "How? It was a perfect strike, right to your weakest point!" They say, as they stagger to their feet.
"Actually, I think my weakest point might be here." I say, as I point to my neck. Their eyes narrow in anger. "Don't you mock me!" They leap at me again, claws at the ready, aiming right for my neck.
Please, I just wanted to look for my Gasts. I hit them mid-air with a Web-Geyser. The bundle of webs unfurl, envelop the Dragonewt, then constrict. I catch them as they fall towards me. The Dragonewt seems to be quite upset at this. I decide to undo the webs around their mouth, so they can speak at least.
"Hey, do you think they kept the Fire Breath Skill?"
I didn't inspect them, so I-
My face is bathed in a stream of fire. I cannot believe it, oldest trick in the book. Or something like that. I quickly web up their mouth when they stop to breathe. "Okay, you little bastard, I think you've made your point clear." I tell them, casting Recover to try to soothe my dry eyes.
"Honestly, we aren't even here to bother you, we're looking for the Gasts that should be around here." I tell them. Confusion fills their eyes. I sigh. "Looks like a waterlogged body, probably has kelp or algae instead of a head, or at least it looks that way." I explain. They nod, seems they've seen them.
"Now, if you promise to not try to attack me, I'll undo the bindings. Okay?" They nod again. I use a clawed finger to cut apart the web. I accidentally graze the Dragonewts skin whilst doing so. A large gash opens, just from that. Oh my.
I quickly cast Great Heal to close the wound. "Ah, I'm sorry!" I apologize. The Dragonewt gets up, and kowtows. "No, it is I who should apologize. To think such a mighty monster showed such restraint against a fool such as I." Their voice is shaking slightly. They seem to be submitting to my rule.
*Establish Servants Bond with this Dragonewt?*
Yes.
A light emanates from my chest, and enters the Dragonewts. They get up and salute. "I will do my best to make this village something the Great Monarch of monsters would be proud of!" They say, mud dripping down their face. The other Lizardmen come out from the huts, and salute similarly.
Seems the Lizardmen are too weak to be anything more than Minions, but they'll follow the Dragonewt. And who knows, maybe I'll end up with a Dragon on my side. That'd be cool. Clapping from behind reminds me of the presence of the researchers.
"Wonderful display, Millibelle. To think you're able to meet aggression with such restraint." Mina seems thrilled. My face turns hot. I quickly turn my attention back towards the Gasts. Seems they're somewhere behind this village.
We make our way around the huts, and there, in the distance, stand two figures. I know they're the Gasts, due to the Servants Bond, but like the Draugr, they emit no emotions or thoughts. Seems one of them's male, other's female. Looking at their Social Titles; which Undead seem to keep from their previous life as humanoids, they're eloped lovers?
How bittersweet. Together forever, though completely unaware of it. I guess they drowned in the marsh. Indeed, the spot where they're standing is a plunge right into the mire. I call them over to us, much safer than us coming to them.
"Fascinating, though I'd much rather study them somewhere else..." One of the researchers murmur. Honestly, same. The mire is not fun to traverse, and I have to carry you four as well. Seems the Gasts can walk the marsh just fine, so I order them to follow me, and we beeline for the closest bit of dry land.
Seems they don't like leaving the marsh, as they hesitate when I order them to move beyond it. "Seems this is as far as they want to go." I tell them. "You can't make them go?" One of them asks. "Well, I'd hate to make them upset, even if they're mindless puppets currently."
They pause for a moment, before realizing the implications of my words. "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't consider it that way." The researcher looks down in embarrassment.
I look over to the Lovers again, as I've nicknamed them. Huddled together, there seems to be a faint trace of their bond before death. "Well, we're burning daylight, let's get some measurements before we go. We could always come back later if we really need more information on them." Mina tells the others.
So that's what they do, whilst the Gasts are still ankle deep in the marsh, the researchers lean over to measure things, as I recount what I remember about them from the stories I was told as a child.
Born from sailors and fishermen who drowned at sea, they would often travel in half a row-boat, and merely seeing one was an omen of death, usually by drowning. Sometimes the Gast would even try to attack those who spotted them, but they'd survive by calling upon the protection of the Divine. (Actually the souls of Christian dead, but I decide to change this to better fit this World when I retell the stories.)
Mina looks from her notes about the 'real' Gasts and the Lovers, who merely stand around and let the others manipulate their limbs at will. Their facial features are entirely obscured by a thick covering of algae, making it look like they have a big mossy ball for a head.
"Not much of a resemblance, eh?" She notes. "Well, both of these new Undead are very dangerous when actually behaving like they should, so knowing more about them is important." She adds after noticing my look.
The researchers finish up their work, and we head home, leaving the Lovers by themselves. Seems most other monsters just avoid them, and I'm sure they can hold their own if they're attacked.
That night, I have many issues with finding a comfortable way to sleep. This new body of mine is rather troublesome, huh.