Leon's POV

The night was silent, as the hazy moonlight washed over the calm surface of lake. Slow ripples interrupted this calmness, as Leon moved barefoot in the shallow waters of lake, washing his gauntlets.

The painful expression on his face became more visible, as he scrubbed the gauntlet with a tattered piece of cloth.

"Damn it!"

His slow trek back, tracing the path the caravan once followed, was unsuccessful in getting any clues regarding his missing pouch. He didn't find it anywhere and decided to call off the search as wandering alone deeper into the forest at night might not have been the right choice.

Even now, the lake he was washing his gear in, was infested by hydroples, lesser water elementals. They were large, fish like creatures with transparent cobalt bodies, known to be living in depths with eventual surface visits to breathe in natural mana. But Leon wasn't too concerned, as elementals were cowardly creatures. They wouldn't dare approach an enemy, equal to or more powerful than them.

"Damn it!" Leon yelled, as he punched the water surface, causing calm water to stir chaotically, splattering all over his face.

"I think I'll just have to apologize to that damn vampire once I return. Damn it! I even need to pay him back for those-"

His speech was interrupted as he heard a soft rustling, accompanied by a soft splattering sound. By the trees over the shore, his jade eyes glistened as he picked his crossbow, whispering a chant as he activated a skill.

"Vision Of Darkness."

[Shadow Sense]

Sharing the senses with shadows around him, he moved, whispering another chant.

"Breath of Sacred Aneragan."

[Wind Shield]

Mana whirled around him before forming a thin barrier all over his body, causing him to float over the shallow water surface. He moved stealthily over the lake surface, towards the source of sudden sound behind the giant rock obscuring his vision, clenching a black metallic crossbow in his hands.

Rushing past the giant stone formation over the lake shore, conjuring an arrow inside his crossbow, his eyes widened as he gazed at the source.

A girl in a brown robe, long silver hairs fluttering as wind passed through them, big azure eyes glistening under the moonlit night, reflecting the starry void.

"Jury?", Leon sighed as he looked at the girl, sitting over a rock by the shore, as lake water washed over her feet, "What in the doors are you doing here?"

"Oh!" Jury said, as she smiled at the man in front of her, "I came looking for you."

"Me? I just came here to wash my gear, and besides, you do know that we're much deeper inside the forest, how careless must you be to come here all be yourse-"

He was suddenly interrupted as a small leather pouch, started levitating in her hands.

Leon's eyes widened.

"Where did you find that?", Leon said slowly approaching the girl, creasing his brows as sweat ran over his forehead.

Jury just smiled as she started unveiling the contents of the small sac.

"HEY-", Leon shouted before he was interrupted once again.

"Midnight Phantasmagloria, a rare flower", Jury said, taking out a crystal like substance. "Usually found in the shadow forest. Quite useless by itself."

"What in the Sylveos' name do you think you're doing?", Leon asked as he clenched the hilt of his crossbow.

Jury, without even listening to the man, smiled as she took out two more crystals, "Phantom heart and Kalazaar amethyst fragments, known for their mana disruption properties, still useless by themselves. But", Jury said, putting everything back into the leather pouch, "Combine these three together and bam! Now, let me ask you something."

A cold sweat dripped off his face as Jury opened her mouth, "Why in the doors would a knight of all people, himself try to smuggle illegal materials inside the city, especially the ones required to perfrom the forbidden death rituals."

"...I-I have no idea what you're talking about...", Leon said, trying to keep a straight face as he took his crossbow behind his back, silently infusing the conjured arrow with wind mana.

"I would be careful if I were you.", Jury said, as she stood up, "Think carefully before doing anything reckless. I still haven't reported anything to your seniors."

Leon lowered his crossbow, gritting his teeth as moved towards the girl in front of him.

Leon met her just two days ago, he didn't know anything about her except the fact that her father was closely related to one of the lieutenants. Reconnaissance company found her, lying unconscious at the dungeon site and later Corey was tasked to escort her back, safely to the city. She has been silent since the journey started two days ago, yet watching her being so different than her usual self, even threatening him, certainly caused him lose his calm for a moment. No matter how hard he looked, this girl in front of him was unawakened. But she was skilled enough to cast simple levitation spells.

Despite being no match for him, he couldn't kill her. Even if he made something up, like she was killed a monster for being reckless. Skilled diviners from the association would eventually figure everything out. Besides she hadn't even reported anything yet.

"What do you want?", Leon finally asked, as he reached the lakeshore.

The question drew a malicious grin from Jury.

"Tell me everything you know about the man, reported to be alive inside the dungeon. And", she said, as she approached Leon, pausing for a moment before she whispered in his ears, "Help me enter the dungeon."

***

Evolution Category Rank Change Requirements Primary Stats Primary Affinities Description Sanguis Antitheus Feles [Blood Demon Cat] (Aleph) Physical-Mental Hybrid (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank F Blood affinity

-High Mind/Strength Stat

STR, MIN, AGL Blood

-Grants user high blood affinity. Blood affinity skills are more easily accessible.

- A hybrid form: Equally increases the gain in Physical and Mental Stats.

Stiriacus Antitheus Feles [Frost Demon Cat](Baraf) Physical (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank F Ice affinity

-High Strength Stat

STR, END, VIT Ice

-Grants user high Ice Affinity. Ice Affinity skills are more easily accessible.

-Reduces overall MIN Stat by 20%

Obitus Antitheus [Death Demon Cat] (Duren) Mental (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank F Death affinity

-High Mind/Strength Stat

MIN, WIS, CLR Death

-Grants user high Death Affinity. Death Affinity skills are more easily accessible.

-Reduces the overall STR stat by 20%

Fatum Antitheus Feles [Doom Demon Cat](Girem-H) Physical-Mental Hybrid (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank F Doom affinity

-High Mind/Strength Stat

STR, MIN, AGL Doom

-Grants user high Doom Affinity. Doom Affinity skills are more easily accessible.

-A hybrid form: Equally increases gain in both Physical and Mental stats.

Fatum Antitheus Feles [Doom Demon Cat](Girem-S) Mental (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank F Doom affinity

-High Mind Stat

MIN, WIS, CLR Doom

-Grants user high Doom Affinity. Doom Affinity skills are more easily accessible.

-Reduces the overall STR stat by 20%

Umbra Antitheus Feles [Shadow Demon Cat](Breth) Physical (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank F Shadow affinity

-High Strength Stat

STR, CLR, AGL Shadow

-Grants user high Shadow Affinity. Shadow Affinity skills are more easily accessible.

-Reduces overall MIN Stat by 20%

Venenatus Antitheus Feles [Venomous Demon Cat] (Tarus) Mental (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank F Poison affinity

-High Mind Stat

VIT, MIN, CLR Poison

-Grants user high Poison Affinity. Poison Affinity skills are more easily accessible.

-Reduces the overall STR stat by 20%

Spatium Antitheus Feles [Space Demon Cat](Oritel) Mental (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank F Space affinity

-High Mind Stat

MIN, CLR, AGL Space

-Grants user high Space Affinity. Space Affinity skills are more easily accessible.

-Reduces the overall STR stat by 20%

Antitheus Feles [Demon Cat] Physical-Mental Hybrid (Offensive) _ - F -None STR, MIN, AGL -None

Allows user to have better control over all affinities.

-A hybrid form: Equally increases gain in both Physical and Mental stats.

Aspirantes Daemonium De Sanguine Gelida [Aspiring Demon Of Frozen Blood] (Eusper) Physical-Mental Hybrid (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank E Blood affinity

-Rank F Ice Affinity

-High Mind/Strength Stat

- Mind/Strength >50

STR, VIT, MIN, AGL Blood, Ice

-Grants user high Blood and Ice Affinity. Skills of both Affinities are more easily accessible

-A hybrid form: Equally increases gain in both Physical and Mental stats.

-Removes the restriction of Endurance from maximum SP.

Daemonium Propter Artitudinem Loci Sanguinem Spirent [Aspiring Demon Of Spatial Blood] (Seraph) Mental (Offensive) _ - F

-Rank E Blood affinity

-Rank E Space Affinity

-High Mind Stat

-Mind >100

MIN, CLR, WIS, AGL Blood, Space

-Grants user high Blood and Space Affinity. Skills of both Affinities skills are more easily accessible.

-Reduces the overall STR stat by 20%

-Removes the restriction of wisdom from maximum MP.

"Why did we run again?", Alec asked, moving his gaze from the green screens, towards the man sitting by the window of their safe zone.

"Sounds like you're quite eager to die.", Jace groaned as he opened his mouth.

"Not exactly, but we were one corridor away from them. We atleast could've heard what they were trying to say."

"You're underestimating Knights here, Kid. And didn't you say that you were eager to evolve. Where's the excitement?"

"You're avoiding the subject again. Whatever, I need to ask you something. What's a rank? I totally forgot to ask you before. Sounds like I was unranked."

"Everyone starts off unranked except monsters, so, it was no surprise that you have no rank either. So-"

"Wait wait wait- you just said except monsters. But I'm-"

"-Not a monster." Jace said, completing the sentence, "It's simple really. Why do you think that every race except human are monsters? Like I said, there are beings of even higher races than humans, even if they are not humanoid. Some prime examples that I can think of are Dragons, Qerneas, Carawants, Raysarphs and Aurorous. You're not a monster, Alec. I have never heard of a race called Ancesant, but one thing is certain, you're of a higher race than humans. But that doesn't mean that anyone would treat you any different than a monster.", Jace said as he closed his eyes.

"Well, obviously, It would be dumb to expect people to understand that a being of unknown race isn't necessarily a monster.", Alec drawled.

"So, which evolution did you decide on?", Jace asked, opening his eyes.

"I think the Seraph sounds quite appealing (what the hell is with that longass name? I'm not saying it, it's damn cringey). Not only does it has two of my most used affinities as primary affinities, but it also focuses on mental stats. -20% strength reduction doesn't even bother me that much. And the removal of restriction of wisdom over total mana points. Yeah, I don't even need to waste my time over wondering about the pros and cons of others. This is the one for me.", Alec said, his emerald eyes practically glistening with excitement.

"That's probably the wisest decision. As it even changes your base species to a higher one."

"Oh! I didn't even noticed, Feles is missing from the last two evolutions. So, am I going to change into something else?", Alec asked.

"Not necessarily. Your appearence is not affected by your species, but your race. So, I don't think that you'd change into a bird if you evolved. But there might be changes in your appearance.", Jace said.

"It's not like I care how I change my appearence, I just hope that it isn't too-"

"Are you doing this or not? It's been SIX FUCKING HOURS since we came here. How long are you going to stall?", Jace said, as he laid on the obsidian floor, "I'm tired, so, I'm going to take a nap while you evolve. Just don't ask any more dumb questions. Do it already!"

"... I was just making sure that I made the right choice."

The sun was already up in the sky. Soft morning sunlight was washing over his shiny black fur, as he moved, towards the window. Feeling the fresh morning breeze whistling past the barrier, he made up his mind.

"Alright then," Alec said, taking a deep breath as he took out his giant comfy cushion. "Let's do this!"