NOVEL NEXT Chapter 180 - D-Grade Evolution
"So, you're telling me there are tiers of godhood?" Archie slurred, eyes half-lidded as he lazily shook his mug toward Bralmir, only to flinch as some of the glowing drink sloshed dangerously close to the rim.
Bralmir chuckled, catching the near-spill with a glance. "Aye. And just as an FYI, the Elven Mistress beer in your mug costs the same amount as a planet."
Archie snorted, cradling the mug more carefully. Too drunk to give more of a reaction. "Noted."
Bralmir popped a cube of cheese, still skewered on its toothpick, into his mouth and continued. "But yes. Godhood has tiers. Just like your system Grades go from F to S, godhood has its own levels of progression. The only difference is, there's no known end to it. No final tier anyone's found. You just… keep leveling."
"Huh," Archie blinked, placing down his mug on the table. "I assume it's still very much exponential in terms of XP needed, right?"
"Definitely," Bralmir grimaced. "The longest dry spell I had to gain a single level was just under half a cycle."
"Yeesh," Archie let out, eyes wide as he flopped back into the couch.
A pause settled between them, broken only by the quiet hum of the ship and the faint clinking of Bralmir refilling his mug.
Archie glanced over. "So, how were you able to super heal me and get rid of my curse? I mean, I'm pretty sure my heart exploded just before I passed through the teleporter, which means that I should have died."
Bralmir leaned forward with a sigh. "You felt that, eh?"
"Kinda hard not to, when I felt it all in slow motion while blanking out, only then to suddenly wake up feeling better than I ever have in my life. My scars are gone, I don't feel exhausted in the slightest, I can talk, hell, I'm pretty sure most people would consider what I'm describing as being reborn."
"You can live without a heart, but that's besides the point. The moment you passed out and made it passed through the spatial rift of the teleporter, you had enough single-digit health for me to drop you into an old healing tank I made a while back." Bralmir nodded.
"Thank you for that," Archie said with a smile, turning to see Arsenic and Volos munching on slices of meat and cheese at the table, their eyes still faintly red.
According to Bralmir, who was always monitoring the ship, the moment they woke from their naps, they had sprinted across from the other side of the vessel straight to him. Once reaching him they let out enough tears to fill a pool and buried themselves in his hair, refusing to let go, at least until a few minutes ago, when hunger finally won out.
Bralmir waved a massive hand dismissively, leaning back into the couch. "No issue at all."
Archie chuckled, but Bralmir wasn't finished.
"Anyway, now that you're all patched up, when were you planning to evolve to D-Grade?"
Archie blinked. "...Oh shit. I completely forgot about that."
Bralmir raised a thick brow. "How in all the Multiverse do you forget your own evolution?"
"Pain. Curse. Near-death. Teleporter-induced heart explosion. I've been a little busy."
"Eh, fair point," Bralmir admitted, then reached behind the couch and pulled out a small wooden box. With a flick of his thumb, it clicked open, revealing several oddly pristine slices of ginger.
"Here. Chew this. It'll sober you up."
Archie stared at the ginger like it was a cursed artifact. "Seriously?"
Bralmir grinned. "Unless you want your evolution to come with projectile vomiting and fragmented consciousness, I'd recommend it. Being drunk and evolving is not a nice feeling."
"Ugh, fine." Archie grabbed a slice and shoved it into his mouth.
The effect was immediate. He gagged, cringing so hard his shoulders rose to his ears. "Ugh, ginger still tastes like spicy… soap."
"That means it's working," Bralmir said cheerfully.
Archie grimaced as the heat made its way through his mouth, throat, and stomach, clearing the fog in his brain in an instant. In just a few seconds, the warmth of the alcohol was gone, replaced by a crisp alertness that made him blink in surprise."…Oh wow, that actually worked."
Glancing at the notifications that he pushed away and the screens that popped out in front of him, he let out a long exhale.
Skill Upgrade: [Mana Smithing Mastery (Uncommon → Rare)]
Mana Smithing Mastery (Rare):
Mastery over the forge begins with understanding the basics. Now you have learned to channel your mana into your smithing, enhancing both the physical and magical properties of your craft. This skill allows for the crafting of various Rare-quality mana imbued items.
Skill Upgrade: [Advanced Runic Mastery (Uncommon → Rare)]
Advanced Runic Mastery (Rare):
Runes open the door to enchanting and imbuing objects with various properties, surpassing the object's inherent properties. This skill allows for the creation of simple runes with various effects. Grants the ability to better comprehend moderate-leveled runes when studying them. Appropriate materials and tools are necessary for etching runes.
*Your Profession has reached Lv 98 – Points allocated, +4 Free Points*
*Your Profession has reached Lv 99 – Points allocated, +4 Free Points*
Flawless Evolution
Objective: Reach max level in Race, Class, and Profession before evolving ✔
Class Requirement: Kill a formidable opponent ✔
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Profession Requirement: Forge an item that pushes you to your limits ✔
Reward: Flawless D-Grade Evolution title.
D-Grade Race Evolution Requirements Met!
Your journey through E-grade was not a common path – you were torn from your Tutorial with your soul and body heavily damaged, only to then be suddenly thrust into a new world surrounded by countless dangers. Yet you endured, pushing yourself beyond your limits time and time again.
Do you wish to evolve your Race to D-Grade?
Warning: It is advisable to conduct this within a secure environment.
"Yes," Archie muttered before immediately blacking out and slumping on the sofa.
Bralmir raised a brow at him as he caught both Volos and Arsenic from leaping onto Archie's unconscious form and interfering with his evolution. "Could have given me a heads up before you accepted the thing."
He stood in the void of racial evolution once more. Surrounded by darkness, devoid of both heat and cold, and senses, but it was… comforting in a strange way.
Like before, he began to envision his body, starting with his limbs, tracing the lines of his arms, his legs. Then his torso, his veins, then his heart.
But this time, it felt… clearer. Like his awareness was more finely tuned, like he had the framework already made.
As he focused, a faint warmth began to spread through his chest. He glanced down.
Spirits, elemental wisps, streaks of ambient mana – what he could only categorize as miscellaneous energy – all began to snake their way toward him. But unlike during his E-Grade evolution, the multiversal energy flowing towards him was far more numerous, denser, and a lot more refined.
As they seeped into his body, he could feel it not only his body shifting, muscles and bones growing, but something deeper. The way his mana flowed, the way his body processed energy, it was all being reshaped quietly, like a craftsman fine-tuning a blade.
His muscles tensed and then relaxed ever so often, like they were learning how to move all over again. Bones creaked softly but didn't ache. Everything felt… aligned.
In the center of his chest, a familiar sphere of energy formed. The condensed essence orb then made its way toward his heart, and as it hovered above it. Then, as though a pistol had been fired, it shot toward his heart without meeting any resistance from his flesh and bone.
As the condensed essence orb began to be absorbed by his heart, his heart began to thump, each beat reverberating through his entire being. With every pulse, more of the essence fused into his heart. Bloodline Evolution baby, Archie mentally smirked.
When the final bit of essence fused into his heart, the changes that occurred within his body stopped.
As a result, the void that surrounded him disappeared, and he found himself back on the couch.
He sat up slowly, only to catch himself from falling by creating a mana platform beneath his hands. Blinking owlishly, Archie steadied himself on the mana platform for a second before letting it dissipate. He pushed himself upright, back pressing into the couch, and ran a hand down his face.
Everything felt… off, but not in a bad way. He felt lighter, and a hell of a lot stronger.
He looked down at his hands; they were still his own, but the muscles beneath the skin had tightened subtly, more defined. His limbs didn't feel strained or tense, just ready, like every movement would require a little less effort than before. His breath came easier, deeper, like his lungs were drawing from a cleaner, denser source.
Then he shifted his legs on the couch, and in doing so, his knee bumped the table in front of him.
Hard.
"…The hell?" Archie muttered, glancing at the table and then at his legs. He stood up slowly and immediately noticed the change.
The couch felt shorter. Or more accurately… he was taller.
He glanced down at Bralmir, who was still lounging on the other end of the couch with an amused look tugging at his mouth. The size difference between them was still huge, but it wasn't as huge.
Archie held his hand up beside Bralmir's much larger table.
"...Did I grow?"
Bralmir chuckled. "A bit, yeah. Happens to most physical fighters during their evolutions, your body's restructuring itself. D-Grade is one of the two foundational grades after all… well, in your case, one of three."
Archie took a step, then another, rolling his shoulders, stretching his arms behind his back.
"Everything seems to be in order," he mumbled as he looked toward the new notifications that popped up.
*Your Race has Evolved Successfully*
Human (D-Grade):
*Your Race has reached Lv 100 – Points allocated, +15 Free Points*
Title Gained: Flawless D-Grade Evolution
You have reached the maximum level in your Race, Class, and Profession as an E-Grade. Thus, granting you a flawless evolution to become a D-Grade human. Effect: +150 all stats.
"What!" Archie exclaimed as he saw the amount of status points he received from his newly gained title. "150? Am I seeing this right?"
"Yup," Bralmir nodded as he took another sip from his massive mug. "Now look at your bloodline notification. It should be popping up right about… now."
Just as Bralmir said, he received yet another System Notification regarding his bloodline.
*Your Bloodline has Evolved Successfully*
Adrenaline Junkie (Unique):
A unique bloodline originating within Archie Gracefield awakened due to an overwhelming rush of adrenaline. Your unending adrenaline courses within you; throughout your life, adrenaline has been a constant companion. When adrenaline courses throughout your being, your physical prowess and mental fortitude are enhanced. Enhancing Strength and Willpower: +15% to Strength and +15% to Willpower.
He received yet another 5% increase to both Strength and Willpower.
Archie let out a steadying sigh as he remembered what followed after an evolution.
Skill downgrades.
He then opened his Status Page.
Archie Gracefield
Race: Human D-Grade Lv 100
Class: Nature-Attuned Pugilist Lv 99 [Evolution Pending]
Profession: Novice Forgesmith Lv 99 [Evolution Pending]
Health: 15052/15052
Mana: 8905/8905
Stamina: 16660/16660
Stats:
Vitality: 1115 (1505)
Strength: 1480 (2294)
Endurance: 1190 (1666)
Agility: 800 (1040)
Intelligence: 660 (858)
Wisdom: 685 (890)
Willpower: 487 (706)
Perception: 764 (993)
Free Points: 23
General Skills: Identify (Common), Nature's Meditation (Epic), Vital Sight (Radiant), Spirit Link (Epic), Botanokinesis (Initiate)
Class Skills: Leeching Strikes of Fury (Uncommon), Savage Charge (Rare), Adrenaline Rush (Rare), Vital Metabolism (Uncommon), Retaliation (Rare), Relentless Flurry (Rare), Primal Roar (Radiant), Thornscourge Expansion (Epic), Spirit Bond (Uncommon), Last Stand (Rare), Earthen Grasp (Uncommon), Sixth Sense (Uncommon), Hyper Impact (Common)
Profession Skills: Forgesmith's Flame (Uncommon), Mana Smithing Mastery (Uncommon), Advanced Runic Mastery (Uncommon), Material Insight (Rare), Gaze of the Forgefather (Epic), Core Resonance Forging (Uncommon), Runic Amplification (Rare), Whispers of the Forge (Radiant), Runic Archive (Epic), Elastic Sizing (Rare), Runic Mending (Uncommon), Runic Cloaking (Uncommon)
Bloodline: Adrenaline Junkie (Unique) [+15% to Strength and +15% to Willpower]
Affinity: Greater Nature Affinity (Epic)
Blessing: Blessing of the Forgefather (High) [+10% to Strength and +10% to Endurance]
Titles Collected: Bloodline Progenitor [+10 Vitality and +5% Vitality], Flawless E-Grade Evolution [+10 all Stats], Legendary Innovator [+20 to all Stats and +10% to all Stats], 72nd Universe's Harbinger [+20% to all Stats], Flawless D-Grade Evolution [+150 to all Stats]
Archie winced as he saw a large chunk of his skills downgraded.
For his Class skills: Savage Charge dropped from Epic to Rare, Adrenaline Rush dropped from Legendary to Rare, Vital Metabolism dropped from Epic to Uncommon, Spirit Bond dropped from Rare to Uncommon, and Hyper Impact dropped from Uncommon to Common.
For his Profession skills: Mana Smithing Mastery and Advanced Runic Mastery were back to being Uncommon rarity, Gaze of the Forgefather dropped to Epic rarity, and Core Resonance Forging dropped from Rare to Uncommon.
"I just had Mana Smithing Mastery and Advanced Runic Mastery upgrade just before evolving…" Archie muttered as he stared at the screen in front of him.
"It's always a bittersweet moment when you evolve," Bralmir solemnly nodded.