Evolution and Job Change (2)

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Your Race level has increased. You acquired 1 SP.

Your Job level has increased. You acquired 1 SP.

Your Race level has reached the required value. You can evolve.

Your Job level has reached the required value. You can change Jobs.

【Staff】 level has increased.

【Mana Control】 level has increased.

【Earth Magic】 level has increased.

【Storm Magic】 level has increased.

【Dust Magic】 level has increased.

【Smog Magic】 level has increased.

【Dark Magic】 level has increased.

【Void Magic】 level has increased.

【Summoning】 level has increased.

【Enchantment】 level has increased.

You learned the new Quadruple Enchantment spell.

【Magic Circle】 level has increased.

【Necromancy】 level has increased.

【Curse Magic】 level has increased.

【Trap Magic】 level has increased.

【Spirit Summoning】 level has increased.

【Evil Arts】 level has increased.

【Alchemy】 level has increased.

You learned the new Transformation and Duplication spells.

【Ambush】 level has increased.

【Ambush】 has reached its growth limit.

Based on your past actions, you acquired the 【Assassination】 Skill.

The 【Light Attribute Vulnerability】 Skill has been mitigated.

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Whew, I'm exhausted! What was I doing? After the discussion ended, I went on a high-speed leveling spree all day Friday!

It wasn't that I didn't feel like I had to catch up to Jigorou, but my main reason was to prepare for tomorrow's Ratman General battle. Even though our numbers have increased and we've all gotten stronger, the fact that Jigorou is the only one who has completed his second evolution is a little worrying. So I worked hard to raise my level, since I was the closest to evolving.

During that process, I learned new spells for 【Enchantment】 and 【Alchemy】. As for 【Enchantment】, it seems that, just as the name suggests, I can now stack more enchantments onto a single target.

As for 【Alchemy】, Transformation is a spell that lets me freely change the shape of any item that isn't indestructible, while Duplication lets me instantly create any item I've made at least once, skipping every step of the process. At my current 【Alchemy】 level, it seems I can only produce items of 'Junk' quality, but by raising the level, I can apparently reach 'Good' quality at most. Mass production is going to be much easier.

However, Transformation was the spell I had been eagerly awaiting. What for, you ask? Well...

"Now I can modify myself!"

To turn myself into a Chimera Skeleton! Well, when creating a Chimera Skeleton with multiple arms from magic bones, all I had to do was add more shoulder blades. But in the case of a living Skeleton that already exists as a single monster, I couldn't add any.

However! With Transformation, I can directly reshape my bones! I can now modify my own body! Let's try it right away!

First, the shoulder blades. I used the spell while carefully imagining those of the Chimera Skeleton Warrior that the Undead Mage had controlled. Then the area around my shoulders began to writhe. What a strange sensation.

But it seems to have worked. When I checked my appearance on the menu screen, the shoulder blades on both shoulders had been reshaped properly.

"Heh heh heh, it worked...!"

Then I attached the new arms I had prepared in advance. Naturally, these were specially made too. After all, their raw material was a fusion of the bones of a Lesser Small Naga and my own bones.

While experimenting, I learned that Skeleton-type monsters can keep functioning even if several bones are removed. However, their maximum health is penalized by a percentage equal to 'the weight of the removed bones ÷ total weight × 100.'

At the moment, I have removed a mass of bone almost exactly equal to that of a Lesser Small Naga. As a result, I am missing all of my ribs and lower jaw, as well as several small bones from my hands and feet.

I must look incredibly pathetic from the outside, but it doesn't matter. It's three in the morning, and nobody is logged in!

I carefully fitted the arms into my shoulder joints. Yes, they fit perfectly. Now, how about this...?

"Hnn... Hmm? Whoaaa!?"

A few seconds after I fitted the arms in place, my shoulders gradually began to grow warm, and I felt nerves extending into my third and fourth arms. It was an incredibly ticklish sensation, but I had no time to worry about that.

"I can move them!"

It was a huge success! See? I could do it after all! Heh heh heh, with more arms, it looks like I'll be able to do more things too!

"So, has anything changed...? No?"

Oh? I expected something to change about my Race, but as far as I can tell from the menu, I'm still an Abyss Skeleton Mage. I was wrong about that. Then perhaps it will change after I evolve. All right, let's check my evolution options!

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Chimera Abyss Demi-Lich

A variant of the Demi-Lich, a skeleton mage capable of using all Abyss magic.

Far more powerful than a normal Demi-Lich.

It has additional arms thanks to 【Alchemy】.

Chimera Abyss Dragonbone Demi-Lich

A rare species of Demi-Lich that can use all Abyss magic and has parts of a dragon incorporated into its body.

Its strength is incomparable to that of a normal Demi-Lich.

It has additional arms thanks to 【Alchemy】.

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Whoa! Amazing! It was properly reflected in my Race name! Does that mean it only affects the Race name once I evolve? In that case, I should probably modify my body right before evolving next time too.

So there are two evolution options, but the answer is obvious... It has to be Chimera Abyss Dragonbone Demi-Lich, right? Chimera Abyss Demi-Lich seems to be nothing more than the Chimera version. All right, let's evolve!

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Chimera Abyss Dragonbone Demi-Lich has been selected.

Evolution into Chimera Abyss Dragonbone Demi-Lich will now begin.

【Undying Wisdom】 level has increased through evolution.

【Abyss Dweller】 level has increased through evolution.

【Abyssal Aura】 level has increased through evolution.

You acquired 【Dragon Factor】 through evolution.

You acquired the Title 'Dragon's Bloodline.'

Along with your evolution, the Hourai Staff, Skull Mask, and Moon's Feather Robe have each grown by one stage.

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Hmmm? D-dragon... 【Dragon Factor】? And a new Title too? No matter how I look at it, the cause must be that I used the bones of a Lesser Small Naga.

More importantly, after evolving, the bones I had fused with the bones of the Lesser Small Naga returned to normal. So evolution repairs bodily damage too? I've learned something new.

As far as I can tell from the menu screen, there don't seem to be any visible changes besides the extra arms. I still have that mysterious feeling of omnipotence, and my bones seem even thicker, but... I can't tell anything more on my own. I'll have everyone take a look this afternoon—or rather, later today.

I'll put off checking everything else for now. Before that, I need to change my Job. Now, what options are there...?

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Abyss Mage

A mage who has mastered evil arts.

Moderate bonus to Abyss magic.

Sage

A mage capable of using a great many types of magic.

Bonus to all magic.

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These were the two that caught my interest. The other options were mostly Jobs corresponding to magic evolved from Skills, such as Fire Caster and Dark Caster.

It would be boring to choose a Job that someone else has probably already taken. I know becoming Number One through sheer ability is almost impossible, so I might as well aim to be Only One.

That narrowed it down to two, but in reality, there was only one choice.

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'Abyss Mage' has been selected.

The Title 'One Who Delves into the Abyss' has changed to 'One Who Reached the Abyss.'

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Oh-ho, my Title changed again this time. And it became 'One Who Reached the Abyss'?

From 'knowing' to 'delving' and then to 'reaching,' huh? So I suppose this means I'm now a full-fledged Abyss Mage. That said, I wonder if any other players have reached the Abyss Mage Job. Probably not.

In that case, I'll master Abyss magic as thoroughly as possible. My goal is to become a specialist in Abyss magic!

That concludes the updates to my Race and Job. Now I'll move on to analyzing my new Skills and Titles.

First, 【Dragon Factor】. Hmm... this might be a little difficult to use. It seems that under normal circumstances, all my stats increase only within the margin of error.

However, its true power manifests when I'm near death. Specifically, when my health falls below ten percent, all my abilities increase, I gain a constant Regen effect, and I can use 'Dragon Breath' once.

The effect ends automatically after three minutes have passed since activation or my health rises above ten percent. Once activated, it cannot be activated again for a full day in real time—that is, ninety-six hours of in-game time. It really is a last resort in the truest sense.

Still, I'm a mage. When I was solo, that would have been one thing, but now that traveling in a party is the norm, activation would practically mean that the party had already been wiped out. All I can do is pray that I never have to activate it. Though I am curious to see what it feels like!

Next are the rewards from 'Azure Moon's Trial,' which was strengthened along with my evolution. As expected, new effects have been added here too. Let's take a look.

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Hourai Staff Quality: Divine Rarity: G (Divine Grade)

A staff made from the sacred tree of Mount Hourai. Indestructible. Bound to its owner.

Its true power will be unlocked as its owner grows.

Equipment Effects: 【Magic Effect Increase】 Lv3, 【Mana Boost】 Lv3

【Magic Stone Ejection】

【Magic Stone Absorption】

Moon's Feather Robe Quality: Divine Rarity: G (Divine Grade)

A feathered robe worn by the gods and their servants who dwell on the moon. Indestructible. Bound to its owner.

Its true power will be unlocked as its owner grows.

Equipment Effects: 【Color Change】, 【Magic Resistance】 Lv3

【Flight】 Lv3

【Ability Enhancement: Moonlight】 Lv3

Skull Mask Quality: Divine Rarity: G (Divine Grade)

A mask that amplifies the power of death. Indestructible. Bound to its owner.

Its true power will be unlocked as its owner grows.

Equipment Effects: 【Necromancy Enhancement】 Lv3, 【Curse Magic Enhancement】 Lv3

【Disguise】 Lv3

【Evil Arts Enhancement】 Lv3

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All the level-based effects have risen to Lv3. The new effects are 【Magic Stone Absorption】, 【Ability Enhancement: Moonlight】, and 【Evil Arts Enhancement】. Let's check them in order.

【Magic Stone Absorption】 is the opposite of 【Magic Stone Ejection】: it makes the staff absorb magic stones, increasing the power of magic. The effect only lasts for the one use immediately after absorption, and the magic stones available right now are such poor quality that it has little practical value. However, as the game progresses, it may become possible to greatly increase my burst damage. I look forward to seeing what it can do.

【Ability Enhancement: Moonlight】 seems to grant a bonus to all stats while I'm bathed in moonlight. I should go outside whenever possible at night.

【Evil Arts Enhancement】 is probably the easiest to understand. It simply boosts the effects and success rate of 【Evil Arts】. In other words, it should make instant death easier to inflict.

Finally, there are the Titles: 'Dragon's Bloodline' and 'One Who Reached the Abyss.' Let's check their details.

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'Dragon's Bloodline'

A mark of one who has reached dragonhood or incorporated part of a dragon.

Favorability toward dragon-type monsters increases enormously.

Acquisition condition: Evolve into a Race with 'Dragon' in its name, or incorporate the body of a dragon-type monster.

'One Who Reached the Abyss'

A mark of one who has mastered arts considered evil.

Having reached the Abyss, you will be feared by humans, respected by monsters, and treated with affection by the dwellers of the Abyss.

Moderate increase to the effects of Abyss magic.

Acquisition condition: Change Jobs to Abyss Mage.

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'Dragon's Bloodline' is meaningless for now. However, I have the Dragon Orb, an item dropped by 'Obsession with the Moon.' I intend to return it to its rightful owner, the Dragon God, someday, so perhaps this will make it less likely that any unnecessary conflict will arise then. I hope that's the case.

'One Who Reached the Abyss' is simply an enhanced version of 'One Who Delves into the Abyss.' Just like when 'One Who Knows' became 'One Who Delves.' It means Abyss magic has become even easier to use.

That's all the checking done! I-I can't go on any longer! I'm sleeping until noon today! Once I wake up and eat something, I'll log in! Good night!