Chapter 234
When evolving, the first thing to decide is whether to add Skills or strengthen existing ones. Of course, I won't decide on my own. I should ask Kal, too.
"Kal, is there any Skill you'd like to have?"
"Gwooon."
Kal shook its head, indicating that it had no such preference. In that case, let's focus on enhancements.
"Then let's decide which ones to enhance. You use 【Fang】 often, so how about enhancing it? And for the other one... Well, you like fighting on the front lines, don't you? How about 【Vitality Enhancement】, to prioritize survival?"
"Gwooon!"
This time, Kal cried as if in agreement, so those two were decided. Now, let's begin the evolution!
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Your tamed monster Karnagtur's 【Fang】 has evolved into 【Dragon Fang】.
Your tamed monster Karnagtur's 【Vitality Enhancement】 has evolved into 【Super Vitality Enhancement】.
Your tamed monster Karnagtur has begun evolving.
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"Grrrr... Gwoooon..."
Kal didn't let out a roar, but it let out a low growl. As usual, its old scales peeled away with a rattling sound, and its body grew even larger, reaching the size of a small bus. When it spread its four wings, its imposing presence was no less overwhelming than Claude's when Claude was huge.
The ridges on its scales had grown larger all over its body. Rubbing against someone with that hide would probably scrape them raw. Its claws and fangs had also become serrated, making tearing flesh apart effortless.
And its most distinctive feature, its tail, had grown sharper and thicker at the same time. Its blade was now long enough to pass for a giant's greatsword. It would surely continue serving as a powerful weapon.
Although its ferocious air had grown stronger, it was still just as affectionate as ever. The way it kept nudging its head against me reminded me of when it had been small. Its head alone was now larger than its entire body back then, yet I still couldn't help thinking it was cute. Was this what they called being a doting parent?
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Your tamed monster Karnagtur has evolved into a Destruction Dragon.
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Oh! At long last, Lesser has fallen away! This must be the starting line for being a Dragon. Let's keep evolving and growing stronger together!
After evolution, a Job change naturally comes next. As for Kal, though, it can only take a Job with the same name as its Race, just as always, so I don't find this part particularly exciting.
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Your tamed monster Karnagtur has changed Jobs to Destruction Dragon.
As a result of the Job change, Karnagtur's 【Non-Elemental Magic】 has changed into 【Dragon Magic】.
As a result of the Job change, Karnagtur's 【Dragon Scales】 have changed into 【Destruction Dragon Scales】.
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I see? So 【Dragon Magic】 and 【Destruction Dragon Scales】, huh? Apparently, 【Dragon Magic】 is an evolution of 【Non-Elemental Magic】 available only to Dragons. 【Destruction Dragon Scales】 is the evolution of 【Dragon Scales】. I wonder exactly how it differs from 【Void Magic】. I'm very curious. I'll have Kal try out all sorts of things!
"You've grown strong, Kal... I'm proud of you."
"Grrrr?"
"Heh heh heh, good boy. Now then, let's see the power you've gained."
I lightly swung onto Kal's back, and together we took off into the open sky. As we flew around looking for prey, we somehow ended up at 'The Great Meridian River Encircling the Land: Middle Reaches.'
This was upstream from the river mouth where Shiratsuki had first moored. If the monsters living here were about as strong as those at the river mouth, this would be a good way to see how much stronger we had become. Let's pick something at random... Yes, that one should do.
What I spotted was a Great Rock Crab, one of the more defensively powerful monsters living along the riverbank. When we'd fought one before, its tough shell had deflected our physical attacks. I clearly remembered that even Kal's attacks hadn't gotten through, though I eventually finished it off with magic. Let's get our revenge!
"Kal, let's ambush that monster with everything we've got. Can you give it your all, without holding back?"
"GROAR!"
Kal dove toward the Great Rock Crab and slammed its tail down while spinning once in midair. At that instant, there was a wet crunch, and Kal's tail sank into the Great Rock Crab's shell.
"Whoa... Is it dead...? What power!"
The Great Rock Crab died when its shell was shattered and the damage reached its insides. Even allowing for the successful ambush, to instantly kill an opponent that had given us so much trouble before... That's Kal for you!
I landed on the riverbank and stroked Kal's neck as it devoured the Great Rock Crab's flesh. The crab seemed delicious, shell and all, and Kal was chewing away with complete absorption.
"Even accounting for the surprise-attack damage bonus, the power of that tail is on a completely different level. Yes, yes, you've grown strong."
"Grrrrrr..."
As I gently patted Kal's neck, it raised its head and growled threateningly at something ahead. When I looked in that direction, I saw three Great Rock Crabs approaching in a group.
Kal looked eager to fight, so let's face them head-on and see how strong it is. This will also be my first proper battle since evolving, so I'll take the opportunity to try out various things.
"Kal, I'll leave the front line to you. Can you try using some of your new Skills?"
"Grrr! GROOOOOOOOAR!"
Kal nodded once, then let out a valiant roar that made the air tremble. Its thunderous voice, enhanced by 【Roar】 and 【Intimidation】, caused the three Great Rock Crabs to stop in their tracks.
Kal attacked the immobilized opponents without mercy. It tore their pincers apart with sheer force, while its fangs sank into their shells and looked ready to crush straight through them. Kal's physical attack power must now have surpassed the Great Rock Crabs' physical defense.
However, the enemies weren't going to let themselves be beaten without a fight. The other two Great Rock Crabs clamped down on both of Kal's forelegs with their pincers, trying to sever them.
"Grrr... GROOOOAR!"
The pincers squeezed with the force of a vise, but as Kal roared, its scales sprang upright. They were already razor-sharp, and with them standing on end, it was as if small knives had sprouted all over its body.
What's more, Kal's scales were extremely hard. The raised scales had dug into the Great Rock Crabs' pincers. The insides of the pincers were already in tatters, and Kal was thrashing so violently that cracks were spreading throughout them.
This must be the effect of 【Destruction Dragon Scales】. It seemed we could win if I just left things to Kal, but that would defeat the purpose of testing my own power. That wouldn't do, so I suppose I'll join in!
"Kal, I'll take one of them, okay? Star Magic Circle, activate; Wind Hammer!"
I fired Wind Hammer at the pincer of one of the crabs holding Kal. Thanks to Kal having already battered it, the pincer was destroyed with ease. I did feel it was a little wasteful to lose some of the materials, but we hardly had the luxury of choosing how to defeat them.
With one of its pincers destroyed, one of the Great Rock Crabs focused all its hostility on me. It raised its remaining pincer and came toward me, frothing bubbles from its mouth. Its movements were sluggish, but getting caught by that pincer—or even being struck with brute force—would pulverize me in a single blow.
"If I take to the air, nothing can touch me... But now, let's give it a reasonably serious blow. Magic Stone Absorption, Great Magic Circle, activate... Thunderbolt!"
At the same time as the spell activated, a massive lightning bolt fell from the magic circle that appeared overhead, accompanied by deafening thunder and a flash bright enough to sear my eyes. The Great Rock Crab it struck died standing with its pincer raised, smoke curling from its body.
Even though it had no speed with which to dodge and was weak to lightning, I never expected the attack to completely wipe out its remaining health. What? Isn't this too strong? Could this be some kind of king bonus?
While I was marveling at that, the battle continued. Kal was grappling with the other two crabs. This was no time for me to stand around dumbfounded.
"Kal, show me your 【Dragon Magic】."
"GROOOOOOAR!"
As if answering my request, Kal roared again. At the same time, a succession of white projectiles that looked like energy balls shot from its mouth. So this was 【Dragon Magic】!
At a glance, they resembled Light Balls, but their color was somewhat different, and their power was on an entirely different level. When Kal fired them at point-blank range into the Great Rock Crab it was pinning down, they pierced its shell and left it riddled with holes.
"Fsssshhh..."
"It can fire them in rapid succession, but the number it can fire in one volley is fixed, and after one volley, it can't fire again for a while."
Kal isn't the type to conserve its strength unless I specifically tell it to, so if it were still able to fire, it would have used 【Dragon Magic】 on the other surviving crab without mercy. The fact that it wasn't firing meant that it couldn't.
As an evolution of 【Non-Elemental Magic】, it should deal some damage to any opponent. The energy projectiles were also fairly fast, so they should be able to hit not only at point-blank range but from medium range as well.
It wasn't suitable for a sustained exchange of magic, but it was perfect for the opening blow of a melee or an ambush. That suited Kal's fighting style, so it would become a frequent part of its arsenal.
"It's a little wasteful, but let's try 【Chaotic King's Authority】."
【Chaotic King's Authority】 was a Skill I had gained by becoming a new Race. I wanted to see what it felt like to use and what it actually did. It really seemed wasteful to use it on the last remaining crab, but I felt I had to try it at least once.
When I activated it, a mysterious, sticky liquid began flowing from my eye sockets and mouth, as well as from my sleeves and the hems of my robe. It spread across a set area, forming a perfect circle. It was as if I were standing on a disk of polished obsidian.
If I took a step forward, the circle moved with me without even a moment's delay. There wasn't a trace of it left on the riverbank after it passed, which was deeply unsettling. As for how it worked... I could only say that it was because this was a game.
"It's within the area now, but...!?"
"Gwo?"
The instant the Great Rock Crab entered the area of 【Chaotic King's Authority】, its pincers and shell shattered into pieces with a light crack. Until then, even Kal's immense strength hadn't been enough to break that shell so easily, yet it had shattered in an instant... This had to be the effect of stat averaging.
The Great Rock Crab must have had extremely low Agility and Intelligence. That was the result. Its low Agility and Intelligence must have risen by a fair amount, but... this was a little too vicious.
In any case, I now had a rough understanding of our capabilities after evolving. After exploring the riverbank for a while, we'd head home.