Tiny thought about this option and decided he liked it. He liked it a lot. With this, he would get stronger and tougher and would be able to shoot lightning out of his hands even better than before!
If there was one thing Tiny liked as much as hitting things, it was hitting them with lightning at the same time. This evolution would help him do that and then some! What about the next one?
[Rare Evolution: Thunderstrike Mountain Kong (Rare). -10 bonus to Cunning, +10 bonus to Will, +220 bonus to Might, +75 bonus to Toughness. As enduring as the mountains themselves, the Thunderstrike Mountain Kong is the physical embodiment of where the earth meets the sky. The bones will be remade to Earthblood Basalt, a self-healing, flexible, and tough material, and will allow the Mountain Kong to endure extreme forces. In addition, a Lightning Ignition Gland will be added to both Lightning Mana Affinity glands, allowing the Kong to release larger bursts of lightning in a shorter time frame.]
Tiny’s eyes widened. The bones? This was exactly what he wanted. He was a little sad to miss out on the metal-infused skin, but he supposed having rock-infused bones would be just as nice. Also, he got even more Might!
He happily selected this option, only to frown when a whole new set of windows and menus filled his vision. Anger stirred in the chest of the great ape, but he smothered it with a sigh and started flicking through the lists, ignoring his growing headache.
This would take a while.
73. A Horrific Evolution
By the time her master returned, her perfect, wonderful master, Crinis was practically vibrating in excitement. What a wonderful day! What a precious opportunity! To have her dearest master devote his care and attention to her evolution on a personal level, it was far more than she, a mere servant, deserved! She would happily accept, in fact, she wouldn’t dream of saying no! Such a chance wasn’t to be squandered.
Her master walked toward her, his carapace shining so beautifully as the darkness Mana washed across that perfect form that she nearly didn’t realise when he spoke to her.
[—ready to go, Crinis?]
[Ah! Yes, Master!] she squeaked.
[Great. I’m a lot less worried about your evolution than I am about Tiny’s. I trust you to not make any dumb decisions.]
I trust you. I trust you. I trust you.
The words rattled around in Crinis’ head, drowning out anything else that was said until she snapped back to reality a minute later and found they were already inside the room. Crinis shook herself to drive away any distractions. She had to focus and not let the master down in her evolution. She slapped herself on the side of her little ball form with two tentacles, the little impacts sending waves through her jelly-like shadow flesh. Her master looked at her curiously before turning back to the conversation and she herself began to listen more attentively.
[Shadow creatures can be a little tricky, particularly at this level of evolution,] the golgari Shaper, Granin, was saying.
[You mentioned something like that with Tiny as well,] the master noted with perfect intuition. [What is it about shadow monsters?]
Granin frowned and Crinis huffed. How dare he show such a displeased expression when faced with perfection? Did he need educating? Her blades extended ever so slightly before she retracted them. Now wasn’t the time.
[The trick is that shadow monsters are such different beasts compared to first or third stratum monsters. Shadow Flesh is in a category of its own in terms of core body components. It can be hardened into an almost chitinous material or be as spongy as your pet Crinis here has made it. When it comes time to reset, it’s hard to get something that will perform remotely the same function.]
[Hmmm…] Her master didn’t sound pleased, so she released her claws again. [Crinis could reset her shadow flesh into… I don’t know… demon flesh or some other third stratum equivalent, but it wouldn’t be able to serve the same function?]
[Correct. There’s no reset available from the third stratum that would allow Crinis to remain as malleable as she currently is. If she were to reset, she wouldn’t be able to compact herself down to her current size,] the Shaper gestured toward her current, cute, ball-sized shape, [or glomp onto your carapace the way she does.]
[Rejected!] Crinis declared before thinking.
[Uh… What was that, Crinis?] the master asked.
[Um. I like my current shape, is all I meant… Master,] she stammered out.
[Which is fine,] Granin said. [The issue is that the flesh is both the strength and the weakness of the shadow monsters. It’s malleable and flexible, compressible and easily regenerated, but it’s not very tough, no matter how many mutations you pile onto it. As you go deeper, it’ll become harder and harder to avoid taking significant damage, or inflict damage, because everything you run into will be able to carve through your tentacles with ease.]
[Is there a solution?] Master asked, and Crinis felt a warm glow at the clear concern in their mind.
[There are plenty, just none that are guaranteed at this stage of evolution.] Granin appeared frustrated. [That’s the issue with shadow creatures. Demon stuff from the third stratum isn’t suitable, you really need stuff from the fourth, which is rare for tier six. Which is why I bring this up. If Crinis gets a choice to reforge her shadow flesh into something from that low in the Dungeon, she absolutely has to take it.]
[How exactly will she know?]
[It usually isn’t hard to tell from the name. If it’s not demonic or poisonous, it’s probably fourth stratum. Just keep in mind that getting such an option would be exceptionally lucky. The System is fickle with things like this. In the much more likely event that she doesn’t get an option like that, I recommend we focus on these areas…]
The discussion went on for some time after that, and Crinis was diligent in listening to every point that was made and every option discussed, asking a few questions herself when she needed clarification. She was determined to do her best and make her master proud! Later, when the talking was done and she’d attached herself to the master’s carapace once more, she received the best advice.
[When you evolve, just make sure it’s something you’ll be happy with,] the master said. [You don’t need to worry about being useful or looking after me or anything like that. As long as you’re happy, that’s all I want, alright?]
She felt warm and fuzzy at the care her master gave and patted him on the back with a few tentacles.
[Yes, Master.]
When they arrived in the evolution chamber, the ape was already there, fast asleep. She assumed his evolution had begun and he hadn’t just gotten bored reading through the menus. Eager to begin, she parted from her master and made a comfortable home for herself in a dark corner, nestling her body half into the shadows and half out as she prepared to undergo the greatest change of her life to this point.
[Good luck, Crinis!] the master encouraged her.
She wouldn’t let the master down! She engaged the menu, her attention riveted on the details.
[Would you like to use the evolution menu?]
[Congratulations on reaching the maximum Level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.
Warning! Evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.