Chapter 2 – Evolution Pending
I collapsed onto my back after the battle, drenched in sweat, muscles aching in places I didn't even know I had.
"Damn... that was rough—and that was only a D-rank."
I lay there a moment, heart still hammering like I owed it money. No matter how many deep breaths I took, I couldn't calm down. Adrenaline had me wired.
Nyla took that as her cue to flop down on top of me.
"Really? You comfy?" I asked, sarcastic.
She gave a short huff, and our link passed along a smug little thought: You bet.
She was putting on a brave face, but I could feel her pain radiating through the bond. I gently placed my hand on her injured side. She let out a soft, stifled yip.
"Easy, girl. I got you," I murmured, trying to sound soothing.
This little creature was my only lifeline right now. I needed her healthy. Hell—I needed her alive if I was gonna make it to sundown, let alone tomorrow.
"When it rains, it pours," I muttered, staring at the sky.
Nyla barked once—agreement, empathy, or sarcasm, I couldn't tell.
"You really get me," I sighed. "Like a fluffy, dangerous therapist."
⸻
Eventually, I moved her off my chest and forced myself to my feet. The Vorax's body still lay where we'd dropped it. Honestly, I half-expected it to vanish into light particles like in every monster game I'd ever played.
Nope. Still there. Big, heavy, and real as hell.
I knelt beside it and gave it a once-over. No weapon drops, but the thing had claws—long, curved, and sharp. Not long enough to pass for swords, but maybe good enough for knives.
I wasn't exactly a survivalist, but I had a decent grasp on knife handling. Just basic stuff—meat prep, some old Boy Scout nonsense. Good enough to work with.
Nyla watched curiously, ears perked. I gave her the rundown of what I was doing, and she padded over to help.
Surprisingly helpful, too. With her claws doing most of the work, harvesting the Vorax wasn't that bad. We pried out two of the beast's claws, and I lashed them to my waist using a length of wire I'd forgotten was in my hoodie pocket.
Don't ask me why I had it—but hey, praise pocket RNG.
New problem: big pile of lizard meat and scales, no clue what to do with it.
Nyla gave the corpse a long look—then looked at me.
"You eat lizards?" I asked.
Sharp bark. That was a yes.
"You're gross," I said, heading back toward the stream.
She growled low and dove into the carcass like it owed her money. Disturbingly enthusiastic.
I sat down on a smooth rock and opened my status screen, trying not to focus on the wet crunching behind me.
⸻
Level: 4
New Skill: Savage Partner
Skill Proficiency Increased: Champion Hook
Not bad. Savage Partner gave me a passive buff whenever I fought alongside a tamed monster—20% bonus to strength and speed. Huge.
Champion Hook also leveled up. Which probably meant my punches hit harder. Cool. I'd take every edge I could get.
I checked the CHOSEN skill—no level bar, no visible stats. Maybe it didn't level up. Or maybe it was just maxed out from the jump.
Whatever. I was close to Level 5, which meant a new unique skill soon.
RNGesus, don't fail me now.
⸻
Next, I pulled up Nyla's screen.
Her stats had gone up—speed, strength, reflexes, mostly. No new skills, but she looked sturdier overall. Progress.
Then I opened her evolution tab.
And froze.
The list had changed. Before, there were five color-coded paths. Now only three. Two were still marked with ???. Only one showed a name:
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Beowyrdraco – D+ Rank
A monster evolved from a Beowyr pup that has defeated and consumed the flesh of a reptilian foe stronger than itself. Beowyrdraco exhibit extraordinary physical strength and the reflexes of a battle-hardened wolf. Their bodies are armored with hardened scales beneath dense fur. These creatures are unintelligent brutes—if one crosses your path, expect a fight to the death.
Habitat: Unknown
Evolution Requirements:
– Defeat a reptilian opponent of higher rank (✔)
– Consume flesh of a defeated reptilian (✔)
All requirements met. Monster Nyla is a tamed companion and cannot evolve without master's approval.
Would you like to add this form to the approved evolution list?
Warning: Once approved, tamed monsters may choose from any approved path. Final decision rests with the monster.
⸻
"So she gets the final say, huh? But I control what's on the menu..."
That worked for me. I could curate her options. Keep the trash off the table, make sure she only picked the good stuff.
Still, Beowyrdraco didn't sound like the move. Strong, yeah—but dumb and violent? Nah.
I scrolled to one of the ??? branches. And to my surprise—partial data:
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??? – No current data
Evolution Requirements:
– Be the first monster tamed under the power of CHOSEN (✔)
– First to submit to CHOSEN (✔)
– First to challenge the wielder of CHOSEN (✔)
– Battle alongside tamer (1/30)
– Defeat 10 aquatic monsters (1/10)
– Defeat 10 reptilian monsters (1/10)
– Defeat 10 beast-type monsters (0/10)
– Assist in taming another monster (0/1)
– Reach Level 10 (2/10)
⸻
I stared at the screen, letting it all click together.
This path was tied to CHOSEN. It wasn't random. This was something special—earned through our bond, our fights.
A true evolution.
I checked the last option—still full mystery. Just lines of ??? and locked data.
I closed the screen, my mind made up.
That hidden evolution was our goal.
⸻
Still, first things first.
I needed food. Nyla had her lizard dinner, but I needed something not raw or reptilian. Preferably not poisonous.
Shelter too. This clearing wasn't bad. The stream gave us water, the open space offered visibility. Downside? Anyone—or anything—could spot us too.
I looked around. The suns were dipping low, casting long shadows across the glade.
"Alright, Nyla," I muttered. "Let's set up camp. First night in fantasyland... let's not die."