Evolution and Job Change (4)

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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. Evolution is now available.

Your Job level has reached the required value. Job change is now available.

Your tamed monster's Race level has increased.

Your tamed monster's Job level has increased.

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We continued walking toward the center of the 'Ancient Ruined City,' but after advancing some distance, we were forced to stop. The reason was, of course, the Harpies. The farther inward we went, the more ferocious their attacks became.

"Tch! They just won't stop!?"

"Uuugh! More of them are coming!"

"GROOOOAAAN!"

"Gegyoaaah!!!"

As Jigoro let out a complaint, Ruby shouted a warning. Karu reacted first and let out a threatening 【Roar】, but the Harpies showed no fear, as though declaring that they had nothing to fear from attacking us together. Instead, they answered with a chorus of hoarse cries.

Their numbers kept increasing, and the Harpy Leaders commanding them began launching coordinated wave attacks. There was no way we could deal with everything. We were being steadily driven into a corner.

"Astral Magic Circle, activate—Holy Shield!"

Protecting everyone with magic was all I could manage. There was no chance whatsoever of finding an opening for a counterattack. It would not be an exaggeration to say that we were completely checkmated.

"What do you suggest, Izam-kun?"

"...At this rate, we'll be worn down. Let's retreat for now."

"Retreat? We have nowhere to run!?"

Iris was right. We were completely surrounded, so it appeared that there was nowhere to escape. However, it was still too soon to give up. Fortunately, our enemies were only Harpies—cowards who did nothing but cast magic from the safety of the air. If that was the case...

"We're going into that building!"

"...I see!"

It was simple. We just had to get inside a building. In a narrow place where they could not take advantage of the high ground above us, we should have had a good chance!

"Astral Magic Circle, activate—Flash! Now! Run!"

"Gyo-gyaaaaaah!?"

I used Flash, from 【Light Magic】, the precursor to 【Holy Magic】, to block all the Harpies' vision at once. Their sight was painted over by the intense light, and the Harpies cried out and halted their attacks. Taking advantage of that opening, we dashed into the nearest building whose ceiling had not collapsed.

"Gyoah! Gyoah!"

"Gegyaaahhh!"

"...Phew. Looks like they won't come in this far."

Outside the building, the Harpies were shrieking noisily. Their cries sounded somehow frustrated. At least we had managed to escape.

"We got away, sure, but what now? We can't get back like this!"

"No, returning will be easy because I have 【Space-Time Magic】. More importantly..."

I possessed Base Teleport from 【Space-Time Magic】. With it, I could bring the entire party back to Birdy Perch whenever I wanted. But I found myself hesitating over whether we should return immediately. The reason was the underground passage right in front of me.

"A large city having an underground district wouldn't be strange... right? From a Japanese person's perspective."

Tokyo and Osaka have enormous underground malls, so expansive that first-time visitors are highly likely to get lost. It would be troublesome if this place were the same, but if the underground passage truly covered the entire city like blood vessels, it might be useful. By using it cleverly, we might be able to explore the ruined city while ignoring the Harpies!

"We're getting nowhere like this, so I think it's a good idea."

"Indeed."

"That's right."

The three who understood what I wanted to say without my having to explain it nodded. For Jigoro and the others, who were already sick of fighting the Harpies, my proposal must have been a godsend.

"...Even after coming to a floating continent, we ended up going underground again."

"...Yeah."

Iris was presumably in favor of the idea, but she seemed somewhat conflicted about going underground again. The movements of her tentacles lacked their usual sharpness, so even though she was trying to hide it, I could see right through her.

However, it was impossible for us to continue aboveground in our current state. The Harpies were too strong to force our way through, and there were simply too many of them. We would have to ask her to endure it for now. I would have to make it up to her later, both as compensation and as thanks for all her usual help.

"In any case, we've been worn down quite a bit getting this far. Let's take a break here. Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be any sign of monsters nearby, so this should be fine. ...Ruby?"

We had made exploring underground our immediate goal, but considering how much stamina and magic power we had expended, as well as our playtime, I decided that we should rest here. I searched the surrounding area with Magic Echo from 【Void Magic】, but nothing was detected, so I believed this place to be safe.

At some point, the Harpies' cries had also stopped. Perhaps they had given up. However, there might be someone skilled in concealment who could evade my detection abilities. That was why I asked Ruby, the specialist, to confirm it.

"Um... yeah. There shouldn't be anything here."

"I see. Thank you. Karu and I will take the first watch, so everyone else, log out."

"Sure, leave it to us."

"Thank you very much."

"I'll be back ASAP!"

"Sorry, Izam-kun."

The four of them thanked me one after another, left their avatars there, and logged out. Karu and I remained on guard in case of an emergency—or so I said.

"...Heh heh heh. I managed to get everyone else out of the way."

"Grrr?"

Seeing me suddenly begin to chuckle knowingly, Karu let out a puzzled growl. Even after growing so large, Karu still retained some childishness, making behavior like that incredibly adorable.

"No, I can save the adoration for later! I have to hurry, or everyone will be back!"

What was I trying to do? Obviously, evolution and job change. More specifically, what I wanted to do alone was modify my body before evolution—or rather, modify my bone body.

So far, I had undergone bone-body modification twice. The first time, I added more arms, and the second time, I increased the bones themselves. Both changes had succeeded in greatly shocking my companions.

But it was still not enough. I felt that there still was not enough impact. I had no intention of straying too far from a humanoid form, but I possessed an animated Skeleton avatar that let me attach bones and similar optional parts freely. I ought to give myself an even more original modification.

"Heh heh heh! I already have the entire modification plan in my head! All that's left is to turn it into reality!"

"Gwoooon?"

I neatly arranged the items I planned to use for this bone-body modification across the floor. There were more items there than the total number I had used during my previous two evolutions. That was how extensive an overhaul I was planning. Naturally, I was brimming with enthusiasm.

Come on, let's begin! My third—and greatest—bone-body modification!

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"Fufufufu... Hahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!"

The modification was complete! Ah, that went beautifully! I had added organs that humans did not possess, but thanks to the system's assistance, I could move them freely, just like my third and fourth arms, as though they had been there from the beginning.

Fufufu! The Skill needed to make use of this only cost 4 SP, so I had already acquired it! There was no doubt that this would greatly improve my ability to fight from close to mid-range!

"All right, next is evolution."

Now then, were there any evolution options available?

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Chaos Abyss Dragonbone High Lich

A new species of High Lich capable of using all Abyss-type magic, incorporating parts of a dragon into its body, and adding various other body parts through 【Alchemy】.

It is expected to possess strength incomparable to that of an ordinary High Lich, but its exact combat power cannot be measured because it is a new species.

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...Chimera has changed into Chaos, hasn't it?! Did I mess with it too much? I'm pretty sure there were options when I added the arms... Adding this must have been the cause.

And it's a new species, too... Well, I was already aware that this clearly was not a form that could be born or evolve naturally, so it is not all that shocking. Anyone who saw me would take me for nothing more than 'a monster someone had tampered with.' They certainly would not guess that the monster itself had done it, though.

"But it is definitely stronger. There is no reason to hesitate!"

Although I was surprised, I selected evolution without hesitation.

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You selected Chaos Abyss Dragonbone High Lich.

You will now evolve into Chaos Abyss Dragonbone High Lich.

Your 【Undying Wisdom】 level has increased through evolution.

Your 【Abyss Dweller】 level has increased through evolution.

Your 【Abyssal Aura】 level has increased through evolution.

You acquired the Title 'Unique Monster.'

As a result of evolution, the Hourai Staff, Skull Mask, and Moon Hagoromo each advanced by one stage.

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Nnngh. This happens every time—the indescribable sense of omnipotence. Even though this is already the fourth time, I still have not gotten used to it. It makes for a nice effect, so I would be a little sad if it disappeared. I am a troublesome user, even by my own admission.

Now then, there was something else I needed to check. First was the addition of a Title for the first time in a while. And it was 'Unique Monster.' I might as well take a look.

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'Unique Monster'

Proof of a monster that is the only one of its kind in the world.

All abilities increase.

This Title is lost if another monster of the same Race is born.

Acquisition condition: Be the only monster of your kind in the world.

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Hmm, I see. Apparently, I too have reached a one-of-a-kind Race. It seems my wish to be the only one, rather than number one, has come true. I could not be happier.

The reason I was not particularly moved was that one of my companions already possessed this Title. That companion was, of course, Iris.

Normally, she was a Rock Tentacle-type monster that would never make tools. That was why she had obtained this Title the moment her first evolution turned her into a Lesser Roper Worker.

I only learned about this very recently. Apparently, she had thought that I already possessed 'Unique Monster.' When the topic came up of Titles one should acquire while still at a low level, as advice for Shio, Iris naturally said to me, "'Unique Monster' is pretty powerful too, isn't it?" The shock of hearing that was tremendous. Yes, it really was.

Other than that, they had all merely leveled up. The Trial equipment had not manifested any new equipment effects, either. But they had undoubtedly grown stronger. Would the day ever come when I deliberately removed these from my equipment?

"All right, next is the job change."

I opened the list of Jobs available for me to change to. As usual, an enormous number of candidates appeared. The abundance of my Skills was definitely the cause. Even so, there were very few that interested me. This time, these two caught my eye.

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Abyss Sage

A mage ascending toward the heights of wicked magic.

Major bonus to Abyss-type magic.

Apostle of Chaos and Death

One who embodies the doctrine of Iifa, the Goddess of Chaos and Death.

Bonus to Abyss-type magic and missionary activities.

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'Abyss Sage' was probably another Job in the same Abyss Mage line as before. Under normal circumstances, choosing this would unquestionably be the correct answer, and people would probably find it unusual for me to hesitate.

But 'Apostle of Chaos and Death' was attractive enough to make me hesitate. The effects listed in its description were not very impressive, and the latter half made no sense, but this Job was actually part of the cleric line.

That meant choosing it would make 【Healing Arts】 available to me, something we had been lacking. For us, who possessed no means of recovery other than potions, my ability to use 【Healing Arts】 should greatly improve our ability to continue fighting. I could not possibly ignore that.

If I prioritized my personal preferences, 'Abyss Sage' was the obvious choice. But 'Apostle of Chaos and Death' would let me contribute more to the entire party. It felt as though I was being asked to choose between my own interests and the party.

"The answer to that should be obvious."

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You selected 'Apostle of Chaos and Death.'

You acquired the 【Divine Power Channeling】 Skill through job change.

You acquired the 【Chaos and Death Demon Eye】 Skill through job change.

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...This isn't what I expected.