-----

In the world of Kritias, all monsters are capable of 'Ranking Up' or 'Evolving' as Veronica likes to call it. ​ ​

The highest known Rank within Monster that had been reported in human's history was Rank 25… but there are countless tales in the Beastmen and Demon Nations where monster even more fearful had surged from within the Devil Continents, creatures whose strength could be compared to gods to a certain extent.

Usually, the weakest of monsters would be born within Rank 1 or 2, and raise through Ranking Up through Ranks… their strength increases exponentially with each evolution, but the required Experience Points also become wider.

Usually, just killing beings below the monster's strength would not net as much Experience as killing something of the same Rank or higher.

Veronica's fast progress is due to her always fighting monsters of either her same Rank or higher. Something that monsters would not usually do, as they would naturally rank up by hunting a small number of monsters or humans through their lives. Depending on how strong they are, they might be able to have higher chances of reaching a higher Rank in their lives… if they are not hunted beforehand by the intelligent races.

Veronica who had recently increased her Rank to 3, killed the Rank 4 monster, Armored Crab King through the abuse of cheap tactics and her strange and abnormal abilities.

Aqua released a barrage of water bullets towards the group composed of five Rank 3 Armored Crabs, aiming anywhere else than their eyes would be useless due to the density and hardness of their exoskeletons.

Veronica jumped over the corpse of the fallen Armored Crab King as she used 'Charge' to move incredibly swiftly. Running through the dark and damp corridor, she evaded the claws of one of the enraged crabs as she inflicted the same 'internal attack' into the crustacean's insides, by using her Soul Claw and materializing the area that bypassed the exoskeleton by being in an ethereal form and then crushing the insides with Unarmed Martial Techniques.

Clash!

"Hyshyaaaa…!" shrieked one of the Crabs, Veronica's new lethal attack was capable of crushing their insides without any previous warning. Shade followed by generating blinding Light Rays towards the crab, burning its wide-open mouth. The Crab's Health Points quickly depleted as it hit the wall and fell over motionless.

"Gishaa!" shouted another crab, closing in from Veronica's back, Aqua took over one of Veronica's gloves as it began to punch the crab through the air with an incredible speed and force, although almost no damage as done, it was enough to give some space for Veronica. Since Aqua obtained the 'Unarmed Fighting Technique' skill, she had been able to generate stronger and more impactful blows.

Another Crab started to spit spheres of corrosive saliva, which Veronica had to evade as she moved with the speed boost of 'Charge'. Another crab interrupted her rush as it came running with 'Charge' as well, trying to catch on Veronica's and send her flying through the air.

Veronica raised her shield, as she received the hit with the 'Iron Wall' and 'Iron Armor' Techniques.

"Now, Shade!" shouted Veronica, as shade appeared from within her dark soul, shrouded in the darkness and glaring at the crab with its large crimson eyeball body.

"Light Ray!"

Flash!

A highly concentrated ray of light pierced the Crab's entire body, the intense heat made its innards grill inside of tough exoskeleton, releasing a disgusting smell, which was attractive to Aqua.

Aqua followed with a powerful blow on the Crab's mouth, while Veronica threw a large Shadow Ball to make the Crab dizzy, raising her fist and forming a 'Soul Claw' once again, she slashed the insides of the resilient fiend.

"Giissshyaaa…!"

Thump!

Another crab fell as three remained, one of them realized that it was useless to fight against a being that could easily dispose of them, deciding to run away for its life.

However, Veronica was dead set on utilizing any Experience Points that appeared ahead of her sight, rushing towards the runaway Crab while Aqua and Shade made sure to distract the other two Crabs with their long-ranged attacks.

Veronica jumped as she raised her legs, and shrouded them with her shadow soul, which seemed to have become easier to move and mold when she obtained the 'Shadow Manipulation' Skill.

"Hammer Kick!"

Clash!

The powerful blow hit the defenseless crab as it was running for its life, small cracks blossomed on its exoskeleton as the crab thought for a moment that it could be able to survive, however, before this hope could develop anymore, sharp pain filled its insides. Its entire innards were being crushed and minced.

"Hisshhyaaa…"

Having most of its important organs crushed, the Crab began to vomit blood as it spasmed on the floor, dying a few seconds afterward.

"Now, two more!"

"Blob!"

"It seems that Aqua is about to evolve again, Veronica!" said Shade.

"Oh? Alright, let us go for your next evolution, Aqua! Use all your might!" shouted Veronica, commanding Aqua to use all of her strength against the two last Crabs.

"Blooobbb!" shouted Aqua, as she expanded her body into firm water tentacles, wearing both of Veronica's gloves she started a barrage of jabs against the two crabs, who used 'Charge' and their natural strength to try and find an opening.

Clash! Clash! Crash!

"Hishyaaa…!"

"Even without my gloves, as long as I have my soul with me!" shouted Veronica, as she similarly extended her soul to Aqua, creating two long arms with sharp and dark claws, slashing the two Crabs.

"Let me assist you!" shouted Shade, firing a rain of Light Rays against the two crabs.

"Husshyaaa…!"

Flash!

The two Crabs were overwhelmed by this incredible team combination of attacks, their innards were already crushed and even their exoskeleton was showing large cracks by Aqua's attacks!

The two crabs were sent flying through the corridor, hitting the walls, and falling motionless over the floor!

Ding!

[Experience Points have reached the required level!]

[Individual 'Rank' has increased from level 54 to level 65!]

[Furthermore, the Individual's 'Job' has increased from level 54 to level 65!]

"Blooob!"

The very moment these two fiends were slain, Aqua began to shine once again.

"She's evolving already! So fast…"

"It must be because of the Crab King, it was a Rank 4 monster, after all, the shared experience was probably enough to reach the required level after slaying these last crabs," said Shade.

"In what would she evolve now?" wondered Veronica.

Aqua's body became bright like pure white light, her body grew a bit more in mass now, and a new core appeared inside of its body.

"Oh? Two Cores?" asked Shade.

"Interesting… this might mean that it will be able to store and produce more Mana," said Veronica.

As Aqua's bright light finally dissipated, her body has not changed as much, she had become more crystalline and 'purer' in color, while she obtained a new Slime Core.

"Bloob! Guubo!" she said, bouncing around, she moved towards the delicious-looking corpses and began to slowly dissolve them.

"She had become a… Spring Water Slime! I never knew that there was such a Slime with a name like that…" muttered Veronica, as she began to absorb the exoskeleton of the Crab King.

"See? What did I tell you before? Aqua is an incredibly talented slime!" said Shade, as if he were proud of his own daughter.

-----

[Name: Aqua

[Race: Spring Water Slime

[Titles: Tamed Monster

[Type: Slime/Water

[Rank: 3 (Rank up!)

[Level: 001/100

[Health Points: 77/77 > 110/110

[Mana Points: 58/58 > 83/83

[Strength: 52 > 64

[Defense: 57 > 71

[Magic: 62 > 82

[Resistance: 78 > 98

[Agility: 96 > 121

[Passive Skills]

[Special Five Senses; Level 3]

[Dark Vision; Level 2]

[Abnormal Status Resistance; Level 2]

[Strengthened Flexibility; Level 3]

[Physical Damage Resistance: Level 3] (Level up!)

[Body Form Manipulation: Level 3]

[Starvation Resistance; Level 1]

[Self-Enhancement; Tamer (Veronica): Level 2]

[Water Attribute Resistance; Level 2] (Level up!)

[Liquid Manipulation; Level 2] (Level up!)

[Active Skills]

[Charge; Level 2]

[Projectile Fire; Level 3]

[Absorption Healing; Materials; Level 2]

[Stealth; Level 2]

[Unarmed Fighting Technique; Level 1]

[Unique Skill]

[Camouflage; Level 2]