40 Education (2/2)
His body shrunk and grew more solid, almost as if it was now condensing itself.
stopping after he reached his original height at a hundred and eighty five centimeters, The skin and tissue started to give of a unimaginable pain.
The black clothes he usually wore fused with the organ covering his body, turning into a dark fur which laid itself over him.
While the thin yet compact black layer covered every body part expect the feet, hands and head, his ears crackled togheter, forming two sharp edges on their tip. A little smaller, but very similar to the ones Jenkins had.
The black nails grew a little longer and sharper, while his eyeballs started to emit a strange light.
The two bulbs became corrupted by the sudden radiance, and turned pitch black. As for his slit pupils, they took on the old color belonging to his irises, and started to give of a golden light. Shining within the void space like two vertically shaped lanters.
His transformation finished after the rugged black hair on his head grew in lenght and thickness, stopping after reaching the neck.
At last, the pain stopped. And he was allowed to gaze upon his new form thoroughly alongside the elf.
Jenkins was the first one to comment on his new looks, satisfied with the new form.
”Good. I can sense that your body has grown stronger! Try and get used to it for a day before we try and evolve you again.”
Michael stroked the palm of his hand over the fur layer on his arms. Sensing the metallic feeling emitted from it.
”Looks pretty good. But there is one thing I wish to ask you about, Jenkins.”
”Go ahead, houndman”
”Well, if I gaining proficiency in either a spesific class or a type of essence, then what use do my abilities hold?”
Jenkins nodded at Michael. Notting that this was a very good question.
”You see, abilities and skills are usually inborn. Like, every creature is born with some sort of skill, right?”
”Yeah, I get that. But what are they? How are they acquired?”
”Well, some may be gifted through the blessing of a god, or randomly distributed by the system.”
”As for gaining them... Lets try an example. Remember when you evolved into that silver armoured chicken?”
”Peacock. And yes, I do.”
”I am sure you got several new skills then! Beasts usually gain ones when they evolve, as they are inherited into their bloodline.”
”Gaining skills for humans, thereby, is much more difficult! If someone, for example, wanted to gain a stronger regeneration factor, they would have to push the existing one to the limit! Meaning they'd have to work hard! Not everyone can just fuse different abilites togheter like you, right?”
”I see.”
”That answered all your questions?”
”No, I still have one more.”
”Bring it on then!”
”Why don't you have a system? Do you still possess your skills after losing it?”
”Well, long story short. You usually stop using the system after reaching a high enough level of power. As for retaining skills after losing it...”
Jenkins scratched the back of his head before starting to talk again. Seeming to need a short brake.
”You can and can not”
”What do you mean?”
”Well, skills can usually only be properly accessed with the help of the system. And to still keep them after breaking out of the cocoon, you have to master, and fuse them with yourself.”
”Uhm..”
”The crusader hen you previously had would still be able to keep all the newly gained skills if it ever reached that level, for they were all inherited in it's blood.”
”I don't really get what you mean..”
”AAARGGHH! A [Death dealer ape] is born with poisonous spit! And that will not change even if it threw the system away!”
”While the abilites you combined with [Skill assimilation] are not inborn. They will be almost impossible to use again if you don't have the system. Same goes for those you have to train to get!”
”What about the ones I retain from my previous evolutions?”
”They don't disappear. Don't worry”
After taking in all the information Jenkins had given him, Michael started to smile.
”Thank you.”
He was given a pat on the shoulder back by a very satisfied Jenkins.
”It's good that we properly go through these things now, so that you won't mess up in the future.”
Michael stood up from the chair he sat on, rubbing the storage ring equipped on his index finger.
A small cluster of regular clothes made up of a pair of leather shoes, some grey pants and one black robe with red flower petals spread on it flew out.
A little suprised by this sudden course of action, Jenkins questioned him what this meant.
”What are you doing?”
After covering himself properly, Michael turned back towards the elf.
”We are buying clothes for tomorrow. Go get Nemesis out of the dungeon.”
A enlightening glow erupted out of Jenkins's amber eyes, remembering what the boy before him had told him about the other day.
”For the banquet?! I already have hundreds of clothes in my storage... But I'll get the goblin woman, just give me a second..”
Jenkins summoned a familiar orb in his hand. And by only willing it, a strong purple radiance emitted outwards, turning itself into a two meter tall door of light.
Shortly after it appeared, a figure emerged from the opening, causing the glow to dim and disappear.
----------
[Familiar status displayed]
[Level: 0/30]
[Name: Nemesis][Race: Hobgoblin Lord]
[Title: Familiar Of Michael]
----------
Nemesis now had a lighter skin color, similar to a regular human. Her nails had contracted a little, and were not as sharp as they used to be.
Some more noticeable changes also included her more well developed body, the more feminin facial features, golden black hair, and two curved horns resting over her eyebrows.
She was much more beautiful than before, easily triumphing over Firnell in ever aspect.
'that dungeon portal thing is really useful. too bad you can only use it to retrieve and not send. Well, he could just will the things into the treasury like me.'
Michael looked into the two green eyes while smiling brightly at her.
”You look well! Ready to leave?”
Not wanting to waste any time, she just nodded while positioning herself beside him. The girl had not grown taller, but mabye because he had shrunk, they now seemed to share the same height.
Jenkins looked disdainfully at her, sickened by this animal.
'Should have fried her bones like the rest of those green rats. Tsk, Tsk.'
”Let's go then!”
Wanting to end this as soon as possible, Jenkins walked towards the door alongside the two others.
*Crack
”What was that?”
Michael turned around, searching for where that strange noise came from.
*Crack
Again, he heard it, and immediately found himself looking at the shaking incubator holding the egg.
The trio forgot about leaving and all quickly jolted towards the incubator. Surrounding it in a half circle made up of their heads.
”To think it would finally hatch!”
Michael was overjoyed when he saw the shell breaking apart. Almost fainting frome excitement.
”You may thank this great lord now!”
Looking at the happy and aloof elf, Michael smiled even brighter.
”Thank you. However, there is one thing I wish to ask you..”
”Ask away while you eat some shapeshifting pills.”
A handful of white jellybeans appeared Michael's palm. He threw a couple in his mouth while finishing his question.
”You never told me what kind of duck the egg is from.”
While waiting for his answer, Jenkins excluded a powerful aura of pride and earnestly. Warming up the mood.
”It's from every single duck found in this territory!!!!”
A little confused and scared Michael wanted to further question the guy, but was interrupted by Nemesis's voice.
”Sir Michael, it's breaking through the shell.”
The egg was hiding behind the glassy walls of the red incubator, twitching madly as the shell cracked more and more.
And at last, a small part of the creature inside poked out from the breaking white ball.