I Can See Evolution Paths

Arthur was still standing in the arena. Cassian had just challenged him.

Before Arthur could answer, the hallway behind Cassian suddenly erupted with noise as his followers came rushing out.

A Black Hawk screaming behind them, a Deer releasing a brilliant pulse of light, a Spiky Ape pounding its chest, a Flameback Crocodile roaring, and Taurus walking behind them all, carrying its massive axe.

The students watching immediately reacted.

Arthur looked over, his expression brightening, and he raised a hand. "Hey!"

The followers froze.

And then they began shouting.

"THERE HE IS!"

"Damn it, where have you been?!"

"Don’t you know Cassian has been looking for you?!"

Another follower pointed at Arthur. "We’ve been waiting for this!"

Arthur laughed. "Sorry about that." He looked over them. "But it’s good to see you guys looking good."

The followers immediately puffed their chests out. "Of course!"

"We’re always great!"

"Especially with Cassian!"

Cassian sighed. "You’re making this sound worse."

One follower grinned. "We’re praising you."

"I know."

"Then why do you look annoyed?"

"Because you’re shouting."

Sun watched from nearby. "Are these guys okay in the head?"

Eden giggled. "I think they’re happy!"

Vedas looked at the group.

Unlike Sun, his expression softened. He remembered what these people had been like before. Back then, they had looked at him with doubt. Now they were standing here, excited to watch him fight.

Vedas smiled faintly. "...You’ve all seemed to be doing well."

One of the followers blinked. "Of course we have!"

Another immediately pointed toward Taurus . "Especially him!"

Taurus proudly raised its axe.

Cassian sighed. "Don’t encourage him."

The follower grinned. "Why? He’s gotten strong."

Vedas looked toward Taurus . "Yeah." His smile widened slightly. "You have."

Taurus walked toward the arena, and Vedas stepped forward, the two staring at each other, Taurus’s grip tightening around its axe.

Vedas smiled. "Long time," he said.

Arthur looked between them. "You remember each other?"

Vedas nodded. "Yeah."

Cassian looked at Vedas, and then his eyes widened slightly. "You evolved again?"

Arthur answered casually. "Of course."

Cassian’s expression changed.

Arthur smiled. "We’ve kept getting stronger."

That caused the surrounding students to react. "Again?"

"Wait."

"That Goblin was already a Goblin Commander!"

A professor looked toward another. "Arthur entered the Academy with a Goblin Commander."

"And now it evolved again?"

"Four months."

The realization spread through the crowd that they weren’t simply watching Arthur’s Beast, they were watching an evolution rate the Academy had never seen before.

Vedas didn’t react to the attention. He simply raised his spear, and Taurus raised its axe.

Arthur looked across the arena. Cassian stood opposite him, sword lowered at his side, and beside him Taurus scraped one hoof against the stone. For a moment neither moved. Then both smiled.

They rushed forward.

At the same instant, Taurus charged Vedas, the enormous Beast lowering its horns and accelerating, and Vedas raised his shield.

BOOM!

The axe crashed against the shield, and the impact sent Vedas sliding backward several meters, his boots carving lines across the arena floor. His expression changed. "...Strong."

Taurus didn’t give him time to recover, twisting its body and swinging again, and Vedas barely raised his shield.

CLANG!

Another impact, and Vedas slid backward as Taurus followed, its bronze aura suddenly gathering around its legs.

[Power Charge]

The Beast exploded forward and the axe slammed into his shield. Vedas was sent sliding backwards and then Taurus came charging once more.

At the same time, Cassian reached Arthur.

CLANG!

Arthur blocked the sword, his arm pushed backward, and his eyes widened slightly. Cassian immediately followed with another slash, and Arthur stepped aside, the blade passing his chest before Cassian turned with the motion and attacked again. Arthur blocked.

CLANG!

This time Arthur was forced back a step, and a smile slowly appeared on his face. "You’re faster."

Cassian grinned. "I trained."

"Good."

Arthur suddenly disappeared forward, Dusk sweeping toward Cassian’s shoulder, and Cassian raised his sword.

CLANG!

He blocked, but Arthur’s spear immediately twisted around the sword and struck toward his ribs, and Cassian jumped backward, the attack missing by inches. He landed and immediately glanced toward Taurus , still pressuring Vedas, and Cassian smiled.

Arthur noticed. He’s using Taurus to control the battlefield.

Cassian rushed forward again, and Arthur met him, their weapons colliding several times in rapid succession.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Arthur blocked the first strike, redirected the second, and dodged the third, but Cassian wasn’t attacking randomly anymore, every movement pushing Arthur closer to Taurus .

Arthur noticed the trap just before it closed.

Taurus swung its axe toward Vedas, and Vedas blocked, the force pushing him sideways, and that opened a path. Cassian immediately attacked through it, and Arthur twisted his body, but the sword scraped across his uniform, and he landed several meters away.

The audience went silent.

Arthur looked down at the mark across his uniform. Then he smiled. "That was good."

Cassian’s grin widened. "You’re not disappointed?"

Arthur looked up. "Why would I be?" His eyes brightened. "This is exactly what I wanted."

Taurus roared and its bronze aura gathered around its axe.

[Shockwave Strike]

The axe slammed into the ground.

BOOOOOOM!

A circular shockwave tore across the arena. Vedas jumped over the first wave, but a second pulse followed immediately behind it. He raised his shield and the impact forced him backward through the air.

Vedas landed and then saw Taurus charging again. He stepped aside at the last second, caught Taurus ’s momentum with his shield, and redirected the Beast past him. As Taurus passed, Vedas spun and drove his spear into the gap beneath its armor.

CLANG!

A small crack appeared.

Taurus stumbled before roaring out and rushing back to Vedas who simply swung his spear. At the same moment, Cassian attacked Arthur again.

CLANG!

Arthur blocked before Cassian immediately followed with another slash and then he evaded it.

[War Cry]

"FREEZE!"

A shout echoed outward and made Cassian’s body freeze for an instant. Then Arthur swung his spear which smashed into Cassian’s body and launched it backward, crashing onto the arena floor and rolling several meters before stopping.

The crowd erupted.

But Cassian slowly pushed himself upright, his uniform torn, blood running down his cheek, yet he was smiling.

Arthur stared at him. "You lasted through that."

Cassian wiped the blood away. "I told you." He raised his sword. "I trained."

Arthur smiled. "Then show me."

Cassian rushed forward again.

At the same time, Taurus charged Vedas.

The two battles collided across the arena.

CLANG!

Arthur blocked Cassian’s sword.

Vedas blocked Taurus ’s axe.

For one brief moment, both sides were locked together. Then Arthur and Vedas looked at each other.

They didn’t need to speak.

Arthur smiled.

[War Cry]

"Freeze!"

The golden voice exploded across the arena.

Cassian and Taurus both flinched.

Arthur immediately stepped forward and jis foot slammed into Cassian’s side. At the same time, Vedas drove his shield into Taurus . The two were knocked toward each other before a golden wave spread across the arena.

Both froze.

Arthur raised Dusk.

Vedas raised his spear.

Two golden points of light gathered at their tips.

[Magic Burst]

[Magic Burst]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A massive combined blast swallowed the center of the arena. The shockwave tore across the battlefield, ripping dust and debris from the ground and sending students in the stands scrambling for cover.

For several seconds, nobody could see anything.

Then the smoke slowly began to clear.

Arthur stood at the center of the crater, Dusk resting against his shoulder. Beside him, Vedas remained standing with his shield raised, armor covered in dust.

Across from them, Cassian was down on one knee, his sword planted into the ground as he struggled to remain upright. Taurus was beside him, one knee pressed against the arena floor, its shattered chest armor exposing several deep scratches beneath.

Blood dripped slowly onto the stone.

The entire Arena went silent.

Silence filled the King’s Arena.

Then Arthur smiled. "...That was fun."

And then the arena erupted in cheer and people speaking!

"He actually kept up with them!"

"That Taurus injured Vedas."

"Arthur had to use multiple skills."

"How much stronger did Cassian become?"

Arthur barely heard them as he headed over to his opponents. Cassian slowly pushed himself upright. His entire body was exhausted while Taurus was breathing heavily beside him. For several seconds, Cassian simply stared at the ground.

Then he laughed. "...I still lost."

Arthur looked toward him. "You did."

Cassian looked up. "But I got closer."

Arthur’s expression softened. "Yeah."

He extended his hand. "You did."

Cassian stared at it for a moment and then he grabbed it. Arthur pulled him back to his feet.

Cassian dusted himself off. "Next time..." He raised his sword. "I’ll win."

Arthur laughed. "Try to get me to use my full power first."

Cassian smiled.

Then his attention was on Taurus, the massive Beast still breathing heavily, one knee slightly bent from the final exchange. He walked over, and Taurus immediately looked toward him.

Arthur smiled, reached up, and tapped Taurus lightly on the shoulder. "Good fight," he said.

Taurus blinked.

Arthur grinned. "You actually kept up with Vedas."

Vedas walked over as well, looking at Taurus for a moment before giving a faint smile. "You are amazing," he said.

Taurus’s eyes widened slightly and then it puffed out its chest.

Arthur laughed. "You’re proud of that, aren’t you?"

Taurus gave a low, satisfied grunt.

Arthur smiled. Then something changed, a familiar sensation passing through his mind as he began seeing Taurus’s evolution lines, lines not only forming but multiplying.

[Species: Minotaur]

[Ironhorn Minotaur] → [Battle Beast] → [War King]

[Evolution Paths Analyzed: 28 → 29] [Evolution Paths Discovered: 38 → 39]

Then the first requirement appeared.

[Evolution Requirement]

[Reach Level 10: 1/1]

Arthur’s eyes immediately moved lower. Another requirement appeared.

[Withstand a terrifying attack from a terrifying foe: 0/1]

Arthur froze, his eyes beginning to shine. Taurus was already qualified for the first requirement. And the second requirement.

Cassian noticed. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

Arthur immediately closed the Evolutionary Path. He looked at Cassian. "Nothing much," he said.

Cassian frowned.

Arthur leaned slightly closer. "But," he said, glancing toward Taurus, "I think Taurus is close to evolving."

Cassian froze. "What?"

Arthur smiled. "Want me to help you?"

Cassian’s eyes widened. "W-What?"

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