Chapter 161: Evolution!

-----

"Well, it seems that we are even then," said Frank.

"Even? Wait, no! I… It wasn't my fault that your soul almost died!" said Aaronarra.

"It was obviously your fault! And well, I was irresponsible for not worrying more… But you should have still given me some advice or warn me…" said Frank.

"Hmph… I really thought you might have a strong soul… But I guess you did not," said Aaronarra.

"Is there any concept of Soul Cultivation in this world?" asked Frank.

"Yes, it is related to the Mana Core Cultivation, after reaching a certain stage your Soul becomes a Mana Soul and-" muttered the dragon.

"I guess you don't," sighed Frank.

"What? Of course, we do!" said Aaronarra.

"The techniques I know are different then, as my soul has different cultivation separated from Mana Core, it even has its own Soul Core, something that you guys don't have the luxury of having… But yeah, I did had a weak soul, so weak that your power alone almost destroyed it…" said Frank.

"I… see… I guess you wouldn't be alive if the Dragon Orb weren't used?" asked Aaronarra.

"Indeed, I would be dead, now for real. My soul would have shattered and that would have been the rest of my story…" sighed Frank.

"Hm, I guess I cannot really argue against that, if it helped you save your own life, I have to accept it… I guess you have become even more crucial for me now, as you are essentially my Dragon Orb!" laughed Aaronarra.

"I don't like how that sounds…" sighed Frank.

"Well, get used to it, you literally just became it now! …And can I get some Divine Power? Your Dungeon should already be getting the benefits," said Aaronarra.

"Oh right… I do feel stronger now, and even some of my Skills leveled up… Ah! Monsters are beginning to grow way faster now!" said Orb in surprise, using her Divine Senses to see through the entire structure of the Dungeon.

[Dungeon Maintenance Status: Dark Lair Dungeon (Rank 1)]

[Owner: Frank James.

[Assigned Dungeon Core: Rank 1 Dungeon Core: Orb.

[Dungeon Rank: 1

[Converted Divine Power: 13735

[App Points/Converted Divine Power Needed for Upgrade: 10000 App Points.

[Dungeon Structure: Labyrinth-type.

[Energy Gathering Efficiency Grade: F > E

[Available Treasure List Grade: F > E

[Dungeon Size Grade: D

[Hastened Monster Multiplication Grade: F > E

[Special Abilities: [Lesser Monster Multiplication Enhancement: Level 4], [Energy Transmutation: Level 4], [Automatic Dungeon Regeneration: Level 3], [Hastened Monster Reproduction: Level 2], [Hastened Monster Growth: Level 2],

[Dungeon Functions: [Dungeon Manipulation], [Dungeon Transformation], [Dungeon Treasure Creation], [Dungeon Trap Creation], [Teleportation Gate Creation], [Dungeon Master Energy Conversion]

[Dungeon Traps Available: [Arrow Trap], [Arrow Trap Wall], [Boiling Oil Trap], [Falling Net], [Pitfall], [Scything Blades]

Frank glanced at Orb's status, realizing that she had gone pretty strong.

"Amazing Orb, you really did become stronger," said Frank.

Not only her Energy Gathering Efficiency, Available Treasure List Grade, and Hastened Monster Multiplication Grade increased levels, but also many other Skills.

Alongside this, she had gotten three new Dungeon Functions, seemingly inherited from the powers of the Dragon Orb.

Such Functions were the ability to create Traps in exchange for Divine Power, the ability to create Teleportation Gates to connect one place with another, and the ability to convert energy created by the Dungeon Master into Divine Power for the Dungeon.

This conversion was incredibly convenient as well, as it not only included the ability to just use App Points now, but Frank could theoretically eat a lot of food or monster meat and convert it all slowly into Divine Power.

These abilities were amazing!

Especially because he could not only create them inside the Dungeon, but the beauty of this was that he could bring such abilities whenever he went to!

As long as he had his Dragon Orb connected to the domain of his dungeon, he would be able to summon the dungeon's powers even from far away.

This could even mean that he could slowly create teleportation gates around, giving him the ability to connect various places together.

It was as if he had some kind of low-level teleportation now!

Although he needed to set a gate whenever he went to and hide it from other people if he did not want to provoke chaos.

And creating a Gate was rather costly, so he would only create them when necessary.

Aside from this, Frank also noticed that Orb was now overwhelming with Divine Power, she was ready to Rank Up into a Rank 2 Dungeon!

She had already gotten a lot of strength, but now, if Orb ranked up… she would be able to harbor stronger Monsters never seen in this Town, Rank 2 Monsters!

And thanks to Aaronarra, all of those monsters would appear even faster now due to the new Skills that hastened their reproduction and growth!

However, before Frank could even help Orb evolve, he was being pestered with something else by the System.

"Master, can I rank up now?" asked Orb with enthusiasm.

"Yes… but let me see something first…" said Frank.

Since his soul reformed itself from the fragments and stuck itself together by the power of Aaronarra and the fusion of the Dragon Orb that his nature had changed.

His Undead powers had merged with those of the Dragons, and he had become something akin to an Undead Dragon Lich, or Dracolich.

He was now able to cover himself on a dark armor with white bones and sickly green and dark blue flames resembling the armor made of the bones of a dragon, but this was something akin to his draconic scales, to an extent.

He was also able to create enormous draconic claws on his hands, which secreted a deadly corrosive miasma, typical of the Dracolich of fantasies.

And lastly, he held the power to damage souls through his new fighting style.

However, there was also the new Dracolich Progenitor Transformation Skill that was born from many Skills combined together.

This power was also created through his old Undead Progenitor Transformation Skill, and let him transform into a large Dracolich, a powerful and intimidating Undead Dragon with Lich powers.

Through such transformation he could even unleash an even stronger breath attack, upgraded from his fire breath skill that formed this Skill, and even shape his tail as some kind of second head to attack enemies easily.

However such form was very monstrous and could take ahold of Frank's mind, so he decided to not employ it for the moment, although he discovered that he could use it to take over a humanoid form, and even to switch back to a human… although he wasn't planning in doing that without a heart.

Such a new beastly way of fighting, Frank not only had good long-ranged attacks and magic, but now he had strong physical attacks that could be more reliable, and a beastly form to go all out as well, although it seemed that it could drain him out of his sanity if he underwent it for too long, so he decided to not abuse it if there was ever the time when he needed to use it.

Although the transformation did not consume his soul like the damned Wrath, it still held its dangers.

Aside from this, he had also acquired what seemed to be an evolution of a Domain, by combining several Skills automatically, the [Wrathful and Gluttonous Dracolich Progenitor Domain] Skill was created.

This was like an even greater and stronger version than an Aura Skill, and it created a powerful domain around Frank where he could expand his powers and even use them to affect a wider range, it could also be said to be like his own Domain as a Dragon, which he could set somewhere to call it his 'Territory' which was one of the Dragon's perks of being able to set their territories and draw power from them.

However, aside from all these wonders, there was something else as well.

Ding!

[Requirements have been fulfilled]

[Evolution is now possible]

[Trigger Evolution into a [Ancient Dracolich Progenitor (Human/Dragon)]?]

[>YES NO]

"I can now… evolve?" said Frank in disbelief.

"Evolve? What do you mean?" asked Aaronarra.

"Evolve? You already evolved into an Undead Progenitor, what else could you become- Oh! A Dracolich?! Is this the power you absorbed from the Dragon Orb? Incredible…!" said Hades.

"Through my special abilities, I can evolve and become a greater being… It seems that I can now become a part dragon," said Frank.

"Part… dragon?! That's… Really something else…" muttered Aaronarra.

"I expected a bigger reaction, but I guess I have already surprised you a lot…" said Frank with a bitter smile.

-----