kscans

Chapter 87 - The Super Evolution Soup and Our Final Evolutions

All those days of battle were for this very moment.

After defeating five mighty monsters and gathering the ingredients at the risk of our lives, we had finally returned to the shrine of the ancient witch, Merlin.

A spooky wooden hut stood alone on a small hill. Strange talismans and herbs hung from its soot-stained door.

As the door creaked open, gii..., we saw a single wrinkled old woman stirring a pot in front of the hearth in the back.

"...Well now, you lot, go and gather the ingredients. The ones who make it back alive can have the first taste." We had spent days gathering ingredients from S-class monsters after being told this.

Her voice had been quiet, but it had surely lit a fire in our hearts.

"Witch Merlin... we're back."

"...What did you come here for?"

"Huh!? You forgot!? You've got to be kidding me! There were five ingredients, five!!" Koni-chan screamed.

"She's senile! Completely senile!!"

"...Hee hee, just kidding. Just a joke♪ A beautiful witch's joke♪" Merlin chuckled wrinkly and pointed to a pot.

"Now, hand over the ingredients."

One by one, we offered up the ingredients we had carefully stored.

・"Eye of Obsession" from Barugurumu
・"Sclerite Nerve Core" from the Spardio insect
・"Discharge Feather" from Kurubaku
・"Reverse Scale" from Rugan
・"Tremor Hoof" from Gorumāda

"Hmmm... Now these are some ingredients I haven't seen in a while," Merlin said, narrowing her eyes as she opened the lid of the pot.

Gutsugutsu... doro... bokoo...

With eerie sounds, the witch's pot pulsed with light and shadow, causing space itself to throb.

"Now drink up! This is the Super Evolution Soup!"

We accepted the obsidian cups offered by the witch.

◆ Super Evolution. Our bodies glowed, and our final evolutions now begin. ◆

● Mamoru → Goblin Lord (Final Evolution)
With his well-forged sword in hand, he ascended from knight to king.
・Height increased by 1.5 times. Eyes gained a majestic air.
・A black mantle billowed, a golden crest on his back.
・"I will lead this tribe."
→ Skill 《Intimidation Array》 ... Increases defense for all allies.
→ Skill 《Thousand Spear Sword Dance》 ... Multi-hit, wide-area skill.

● Tiris → Abyss Elf (Final Evolution)
A sniper of the abyss who balances both light and darkness.
・Hair turned from gold to an inky black. Eyes became golden.
・Wore a robe like a celestial garment, with wings of darkness on her back.
→ Skill 《Arrow of Phantom Sun》 ... A sure-hit, homing, piercing magic bow.
→ Skill 《Shadow Cage》 ... Obstructs enemy sight and provides an auto-evade buff.

● Defray → Orc Lord (Final Evolution)
A king-class "gourmand sage" who has mastered food and healing.
・His belly remained, but he now had a majestic presence.
・Cooking runes carved all over his body began to glow.
・His ladle evolved into a staff, allowing him to use both cooking and healing magic.
→ Skill 《Recook Resurrection》 ... Can reheat cold food.
→ Skill 《Blessed Stew》 ... A "super-healing plus buff-granting soup" that restores all allies' HP, increases attack power, and grants status immunity.
→ Passive Skill 《Divine Gastronomy》 ... Can extract buff effects from all ingredients. Can also mimic the skills of eaten enemies (unsettling).

● Amy → High Lizard (Final Evolution)
A wise dragonkin. A fusion of magic and nature.
・Scales turned a faint purple. Body became slender, with a magic crest on her tail.
・A jewel floated over her chest, emitting magical essence.
→ Skill 《Dragon Vein Resonance》 ... Natural magic recovery and amplification.
→ Skill 《Breath of Blazing Tree》 ... Area-wide healing and status effect removal.

● Koni-chan → Troll Inferno (Final Evolution)
An explosive troll cloaked in scorching fury.
・Skin was crimson, hair blazed like fire.
・His axe explodes when thrown. He himself is on the verge of exploding.
→ Skill 《Exploding Sumo: Hell's Gate》 ... A one-hit-kill throwing technique plus explosion.
→ Skill 《Flame Vein Roar》 ... Stuns all enemies and weakens their fire attribute.

When everyone opened their eyes from the shock of evolution, Merlin was closing the lid of the pot with a satisfied look.

"With this, you all now have 'potential.'"

"...Potential?"

"The future. The power to change the world, and... to become legendary monsters."

With those words, Merlin turned her back.

"The next time we meet, we might be 'enemies.' Hee hee, it pays to live a long life."

"Hey, Witch!? What do you mean!?"

But she had already turned away, disappearing into a cloud of smoke.

When we left the witch's shrine, Gil, the intermediary from the dark guild Dreadbind, was standing there.

The thin man, his face hidden under a deep black hood, surveyed us all and spoke.

"It seems... you are ready. The reincarnators of Hero Ares are waiting for you in the Hobgoblin's cave."

We all felt the air change. Mamoru, now a Goblin Lord, stared intently at Gil.