Chapter 51: New organ
"Master, Alaric’s egg is trembling..." Azarex informed Dhruv with a concerned expression on his skull.
Dhruv halted his magical training and turned his attention to Azarex, displaying a mixture of surprise and concern. He inquired, "What!? How is that possible? It’s only been an hour since his evolution began..."
"I have no idea..." Azarex replied, his worry clearly evident in his tone.
Both Dhruv and Azarex hastened towards the location of Alaric’s egg, which was being guarded by Vexar and the undead. As Dhruv arrived at the scene, he observed that the egg was trembling noticeably. After focusing a bit, he could even see that there were some cracks that had begun to form on its surface.
Dhruv exhibited patience as he awaited the egg to open naturally. The wait didn’t last long, as a moment later,, Alaric emerged from the egg. Dhruv’s eyes widened in surprise as he observed Alaric’s transformation. Unlike Vexar, who hadn’t undergone any noticeable physical change, Alaric’s appearance had indeed transformed.
Alaric’s had notably transformed, now nearly matching Dhruv’s height at an impressive 1.80 meters. While his outer appearance hadn’t undergone significant changes, he appeared even darker than before. It seemed as if there was a void in the night where Alaric stood. The place where his eyes were supposed to be now has a slight white light instead of total darkness.
While Dhruv wasn’t overly concerned about Alaric’s physical changes, he swiftly posed questions about his evolution. Through their conversation, Dhruv discovered that Alaric had also acquired a rare rank species; unfortunately, he didn’t get the ability that let him pull any living being into his shadow. But the gifts were great nonetheless; he had acquired an organ and received a 30-level bonus in two stats—agility and magic power.
After learning about the use of his organ, Dhruv found himself thoroughly astonished. This organ wasn’t just for show; it possessed highly significant functionalities, primarily three of them.
The first was [Shadow Resonance], which is quite explanatory in itself. This ability improved Alaric’s connection with the shadows and let him control others shadows as a tangible thing, albeit on a very small scale. At the current point in time, he could only utilize the first function of this organ. However, as he continued to evolve and mutate this organ, two more functions would become accessible to him.
And the second function of that will be [Aegis Surge], which works as both a defensive and offensive skill. This skill allowed Alaric to create a protective shield out of shadow that could absorb energy from any attack that landed on it, be it physical or magical. Then the stored energy could subsequently be repurposed for various purposes, such as buffing the allies, replenishing his own energy, or even launching attacks infused with the stored energy.
Although this function is great, he has to at least mutate this organ to +5, then he can use the skill, As much as he wants.
The third function, and arguably the most intriguing one, is [Twilight Cascade]. This skill enabled Alaric to release a highly potent surge of shadow energy. Struck by this shadow energy, enemies would experience slowed movement, temporary blindness, and, most significantly, a notable weakening effect.
Although this skill might not seem extraordinary at first glance, its true value becomes evident when faced with scenarios involving multiple opponents. In such situations, [Twilight Cascade] definitely prove to be a highly advantageous skill.
"These functions are undoubtedly exceptional for an organ, wouldn’t you agree, Alaric? And to bring out the full potential of it, Mutate it as soon as possible," Dhruv commended.
"I’m definitely planning to, master," Alaric responded with determination. With that affirmation, Alaric set out to practice and refine his newly acquired skills.
Even though Alaric hadn’t acquired the ability to draw living beings into his shadow, Dhruv found himself happy with Alaric’s evolution. The absence of that particular ability wasn’t a concern, especially given that there were still three hours left before the fourth wave. Dhruv was confident that Azarex could complete his evolution within this time frame.
’If Alaric managed to evolve in just one hour, then why did Vexar take four hours for his evolution? Could it be due to his species? No, that doesn’t seem likely, considering both evolutions are of rare rank,’ Dhruv contemplated. Just as he was about to approach Vexar to inquire about the delay in his evolution, he noticed Azarex approaching him.
Coming to a halt in front of Dhruv, Azarex inquired with a hint of excitement in his tone, "Master, should I initiate the evolution process?"
"Yes, of course, Azarex. In fact, I was just about to mention that to you. So, Begin the process as soon as you can," Dhruv replied. With that, he proceeded to discuss potential evolution choices and the areas of focus Azarex should consider during the process.
"...However, remember, Azarex, your own choice is what truly matters in the end. So, keep that in mind," Dhruv advised, emphasizing the importance of his own personal decision.
"Yes, of course, master," Azarex replied with a respectful bow before commencing the evolution process.
As in the previous process, Azarex was enveloped within an egg-like cocoon. This time, the color of the cocoon differed once again. His egg was a deep pitch-black hue, adorned with subtle skull tattoos scattered across its surface.
Instructing both Alaric and Vexar to guard the egg, Dhruv delved into practicing his spell, but this time it was a spell of illusion magic. He became deeply absorbed in his training, so much so that he inadvertently forgot to ask Vexar the reason behind the delay in his own evolution.
Vexar, who was training with his sword and fire magic, suddenly got a chill down his spine. He instinctively scanned his surroundings, suspecting the presence of any lurking monsters in the shadows, ready to ambush his older brother’s egg. However, after searching for ten minutes, he found no evidence of any threat. Resuming his training, Vexar continued to focus on honing his skills.
