Chapter 106: Evolution!

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[Day 75]

Yesterday was an interesting day, a lot happened, way too much. It was an incredibly long day, in fact.

But now that things had settled down everything is more relaxed.

Yesterday after the slime attack, I acquired a bunch of Skills, which ended fusing into even more cooler Skills.

Devour and Body Transformation.

Devour seems to be something I already had, but I guess I can now level it up.

And Body Transformation is Mimicry + Body Size Alteration effects, but now enhanced, as I can take the shape of creatures I devour as much as I want as long as enough Mana is supplied.

Yes, I had tried using it yesterday a lot, I took all sorts of shapes, but I wasn't able to bring myself into anything remotely human-like, or well, ice giant-like at all.

Not even a lizardman shape was achievable, if I choose the rat gorilla and merged it with my scales, I only got a scaled rat-faced gorilla, nothing much.

And I feel way more comfortable as a pure ice dragon, so I simply decided to keep being like that.

However, I showed Benladann that I could change sizes now, although my limit was up to three meters. It was enough to be around her size, so we were able to be way closer now instead of her hugging me despite my tremendous size, now she could hug me better I guess.

And yeah, this is how I ended sleeping at her side once more, as she invited me to her bed, and I managed to get right in, she snuggled with me and covered me in the blankets... and we slept together.

Well, nothing else happened.

Eh?

What? I am not a pervert! What would I have done?!

Anyways, I was rather happy to feel her warmth better now, maybe I could take the shape of a wolf to give her heat too, but I preferred to not show that shapeshifting ability to her because she would begin to ask me to transform all the time.

But man, sleeping in a bed feels nice.

As a dragon, I was too immensely heavy, so it was rather impossible, I slept just over the cold floor, leather would easily tear down to my giant claws and scales.

But with this size and weight, I can enjoy a warm and soft bed better.

And honestly, being hugged by Benladann felt so nice…

A-Anyways, let's go back to the topic.

Erm… What was the topic today?

Oh right, evolution!

So the System just told me today, after I ate another pile of Mana Cores I got from hunted Slimes that we had been encountering lately this morning, that I suddenly reached my next stage of cultivation.

Yeah, we had just finished killing the second batch of slimes led by a Slime King and this happened.

But the thing is that when I hit the next stage I usually just evolve naturally, but now it gave me the choice.

Yeah, there are evolution choices now.

So to evolve I quickly flew down into the ground and created an ice igloo, closing it and telling Benladann to wait for my evolution.

And here I am now, time to check the System.

Ding!

<you have="" reached="" rank="" 2:="" upper="" stage=""></you>

<evolution is="" now="" available=""></evolution>

<evolution options=""></evolution>

</ice>

</phantom>

Two options. And both seem interesting.

I haven't even hit Rank 4 yet and I am moving away from being an Ice Dragon.

So there is the Ice Storm Dragon and the Phantom Freeze Dragon.

Tough choice, both seem to be interesting and carrying needed skills.

Let me check both in detail.

</ice>

An Ice Storm Dragon is a powerful Dragon that has reached Rank 2 Upper Stage, usually, these dragons roam over the near-endless icy fields of Niflheim.

It is said that their very presence brings forth a storm of ice, changing the environment to their advantage, and which icy winds they can employ to use a variety of powerful spells and attacks.

They possess slim and flexible bodies and disregard physical defense specialization for more speed and swiftness in the skies, their territory.

</phantom>

A Phantom Freeze Dragon is a powerful Dragon that has reached Rank 2 Upper Stage, usually, these dragons roam over the dark and cold depths of Niflheim, which connects to Helheim.

Phantom Freeze Dragons are terrifying and very rare evolutions of the Ice Dragon Evolution Tree, who gain the power to see and manipulate supernatural energies.

These Dragons have an inherent connection with supernatural energies originating from Helheim or who are closely related to Death. Their freezing powers are said to be capable of freezing the very souls of those that are near them, becoming powerful and dangerous dragons.

…

Both evolutions are nuts! What do you want me to even choose? I want both… Can I pick both, please?

<answer: user="" can="" only="" pick="" one="" choice=""></answer:>

Alright then.

This is a hard choice.

One of them is an amazing user of Winds and Ice, and also gives a swifter body in the skies. It is also said that they can even generate ice storms with their very presence? That's insane…

It could be a good way to boost my wind and ice magic perhaps.

And then there's the other choice, the Phantom Freeze Dragon, closer to… death.

It could enhance my Phantom Body Skill and perhaps even Split Phantom as well.

And even give me something new? I don't know.

I sure hope it could enhance the power of my soul…

Wait, what if it helps me see souls so I can pick them up and eat them?

Then that way I could actually enhance my soul a lot! I didn't think about it…

There was another way to cultivate the soul and that was through devouring souls and increasing soul density through this way.

But it is a difficult one because not even strong high Ranked Magus seems to be capable of actually seeing souls, you need some kind of special artifact.

Souls that could be seen could perhaps be Undead Monsters such as Ghosts or Zombies I imagine…

So… which option?

Hm…

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