Lord Evolution: Starting With SS-rank Skills

"Rowan is not a mere mortal, Riela," said Laverena.

Riela could only stare into empty space, slightly confused by why a goddess would say such a thing.

"What is he then?" she asked almost immediately.

"I can't tell you everything about your husband, but just be aware that he is special enough for a goddess like me to be envious. I'm sure you understand," Laverena replied, attempting to close the topic as quickly as possible.

But Riela was already too curious to let the subject drop so easily.

"Why can't you tell me, Laverena? You know I can't let go of anything once I'm this curious about it, especially when it's concerning my beloved Rowan."

Riela heard Laverena heave a tired sigh.

"I can't release such information right now. But I will tell you something that will help you understand and believe me."

After saying that, Laverena gave Riela a brief mission to complete when Rowan returned from the hunting expedition with his soldiers.

"Upgrade my skills? Is that even possible?" Riela asked, sincerely confused by the whole situation.

Laverena told her not to worry and to try it out when Rowan returned.

Riela agreed, even though she didn't believe it would actually happen.

---

Meanwhile,

Inside the dark forest, Rowan and his men had fiercely completed raids on three different monsters.

The first raid occurred a few hours after they entered the dark forest.

After Rowan activated his hunter call, the monsters in the area drew closer, and they began a legendary battle for survival.

The battle ended quickly as the first horde of monsters was significantly weak.

Rowan didn't even bother stepping in to help his soldiers, as there were no E-rank monsters among the horde.

His soldiers fought in harmony and anger—the battle harmony came from experiencing the same scenarios before, while the anger stemmed from the events that took place at the village that day.

They poured all that anger into slaying the monsters that came before them, sparing none and killing them in the most brutal ways possible.

Rowan watched the ferocious battle with a smile on his face.

This was the passion he needed from his soldiers.

Among everyone, Rowan noticed one person in particular.

This time it wasn't Bryce—Bryce fought exceptionally as usual, but he didn't capture Rowan's attention.

Winston—the one with a makeshift sword shaft—stole Rowan's interest.

With his sword in hand, Winston zigzagged through the battlefield, claiming the lives of monsters from left to right.

His eyes were cold and filled with resolve.

Rowan took note of him and observed how his evolution points grew much faster than those of the other soldiers, including Bryce.

He was the most exceptional during the first horde.

After it ended, the soldiers harvested monster cores as usual.

Once the first horde was defeated, Rowan moved his soldiers to another clearing and used his hunter skills once again to draw out monsters from the surroundings.

This time, the monsters were stronger and more ferocious than the first.

Rowan observed a brief hint of fear in his soldiers' eyes as the monsters poured out.

These monsters looked more bloodthirsty, their screams shrill and soul-chilling.

Most of the breeds had not been seen before, even to Rowan.

However, while the others were cowering, Winston dragged his sword out from his sheath attached to his back and attacked.

He slayed two monsters, igniting the passion in the hearts of his comrades, who quickly engaged in battle to assist him.

Rowan watched as Winston methodically took down the second horde. Each strike was calculated, every movement deliberate.

Unlike the frantic energy of his comrades, Winston moved with a serene precision that was both intimidating and mesmerizing.

The monsters of the second horde were indeed tougher, their attacks more vicious. They lunged with renewed ferocity, but Winston remained unshaken.

He anticipated their moves, countering with swift, effective blows that left the creatures incapacitated in moments. His calm demeanor began to influence the battlefield.

Soldiers who were once hesitant found their courage rekindled, inspired by Winston's unflinching presence.

As the second battle drew to a close, Rowan observed the transformation in his troops.

The fear that had lingered in their eyes was being replaced by resolute determination.

Without wasting any time, Rowan led his men to another clearing. He activated his hunter call once more, and the air thickened with anticipation.

This third horde felt different—more intelligent and coordinated. The monsters approached with a strategic precision that mirrored Winston's own fighting style.

The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the upcoming battle pressing down on them.

But Winston stood ready, his presence a beacon of calm in the chaos. As the monsters surged forward, Winston moved first. He engaged the creatures with cold efficiency, his every move a study in tactical brilliance. He didn't just fight; he outmaneuvered, outsmarted, and outlasted each opponent with ease.

Rowan took notice of this and wondered just how much development Winston had undergone since the death of his loved ones.

It was already common for main characters and side characters to receive sudden boosts of courage and strength after losing their loved ones.

But the strength and courage displayed by Winston at this moment were just too different.

It was far higher than Rowan had expected.

At this point, he had gathered as many evolution points as Captain Roland and the other captains, except Bryce, who had given everyone a significant lead.

Not only Rowan, but the other soldiers also began to take notice. They watched as Winston deftly neutralized threats, turning what seemed like an overwhelming force into manageable skirmishes.

One by one, soldiers started to follow Winston's lead. They began to mimic his movements, adopting his techniques and cold tactics in battle. Your next journey awaits at empire

Very soon, every one of Rowan's soldiers exuded a different battle aura—stronger and more courageous than anything Rowan had ever experienced.

He could not help but feel a surge of pride as he saw his men rally behind Winston.

Just like that, the soldiers pulled through the third horde.

The fourth horde began soon after, and they fought with even more ferocity.

Although the monsters this time were stronger, more intelligent, and even more numerous, the soldiers still defeated them, doing so in a much shorter time frame than the smaller hordes.

By then, evening had already dawned on them.

The soldiers could be seen using the last light to harvest the monster cores from the creatures they had slain.

Rowan, Blaze, and the other captains stood behind and observed.

"Did you notice him, Lord Rowan?" Roland asked, pointing at Winston, who was currently stabbing the skull of a gigantic snake to harvest its core.

"Yeah, I noticed him," Rowan nodded.

How could he not notice the soldier who slayed the most monsters and gathered the most evolution points?

"His youngest and only brother was one of the people who lost their lives today. I guess it affected him badly and pushed him during the battle. I feel bad for him," Roland said, observing Winston with pity in his eyes.

'Oh, he lost his younger brother? I didn't even notice that in the morning. That is sad, and it's all the fault of that bastard dark creature,' Rowan thought, shaking his head before turning to his captains.

"Keep an eye on him. He will become an important guardian of the village when the day finally arrives," Rowan instructed.

The captains nodded and offered their suggestions.

Roland agreed to train him personally after the hunt and impart all the swordsman skills he possessed that Winston hadn't yet mastered.

Bryce suggested that it would be good to train him in martial arts.

According to Bryce, one could easily channel their emotions through their own body rather than relying solely on external weapons.

Bryce explained with so much energy that it felt as though he was about to fight the other captains.

After he was done, the captains of the archer group also agreed to train him in archery skills if he was interested.

All the captains noticed and accepted Winston.

Rowan was glad.

A few minutes passed, and the soldiers finished harvesting the monster cores and handed them over to Rowan.

Rowan then complimented them on a good first day of the hunt and encouraged them to do more.

While speaking to them, he did not forget to mention the best fighter—Winston.

"If you continue fighting so exceptionally, after the hunt, I will gift you a new and more formidable sword," Rowan promised Winston.

"Thank you so much, Lord Rowan," Winston bowed his head slightly to show his appreciation.

But his expression remained cold.

Rowan didn't mind.

He spoke to them more before moving forward to scatter the corpses of the monsters. He then asked Blaze to burn them.

After Blaze finished burning the corpses, Rowan brought out wood, and they made campfires in different spots at their current location.

More than one hundred campfires were set up.

Once the campfires were made, the soldiers found clear spots to rest their heads.

They weren't accustomed to a luxurious lifestyle, so sleeping in such a setting wasn't much of a problem for them—this was a huge relief to Rowan.

After they had found their spots, Rowan went around the group at peak speed and distributed raw meat, fruits, and water to all of them.

The soldiers roasted their meat over the fire while enjoying their fruit.

Rowan sat down far away from the group and watched over them.

He could not wait for tomorrow's hunt to begin—he planned to take his soldiers through at least six raids, considering their slaying speed had improved.