Walking up I look around defensively to check for enemies, only then do I remember what happened. I wish someone told me evolution would knock me out. Calming down I now notice a flashing window in front of me.

[evolution time : 48 hrs]

‘Shit!’

I was out for 2 days??! I angrily glare at the message and it disappears.

Luckily nothing came out from the new cave while I was evolving. Looking at my stats I see that evolving gave me a new form as unique as my base form with its own slot, Combat form: Gray wolf. 

Trying to change into it with [transform] confuses me when I don't feel the skill activate, wonder why it failed. I look down only to realize I'm already in the new form. I didn't notice because it doesn't have the uncomfortable feeling all my other forms give me. Looking into the lake, more specifically my reflection, following my form's name I look like a gray wolf. I should be around the same size as the bulls, but if that's the case shouldn't the species be named giant gray wolf? My eye color still didn't change from purple. Now that I think about it, my eye color is the same as my mana color and Pride's eyes were the same, but the other monsters don't follow this pattern so… I hope it's not just a demon thing. 

 

Drinking from the lake brings my mana up to full from the pitiful 3 evolving left me, and testing out my skills in this form brings me a pleasant surprise. Seems like my wish was granted, I can now use all my current skills as innate(without speaking the name) in this form. After my preparations and unexpected gains I think I'm ready to explore the surface.

 “Let's go!!!” I shout letting my excitement take over I sprint up the stone stairs.

…

…

…

Fate is not a kind mistress, only now can I understand that saying a gambler would say to the fullest. I ran up the stairs thinking it led to the surface, but to my distress it was another open cave area, the worst part after entering the wall closed behind me so I can't go back if I wanted to. This has led to the current situation. I’m [stealthed] behind my new pal bolder number 2 in my base form depressed. Why the switch? I found out I’m unable to use [stealth] in my combat form, but I would have switched anyway because as the wolf I'm too big to be hidden behind the bolder. If this place works the same as before after killing all the monsters I'll be able find the stairs. Hopefully they lead to the surface this time.

 

*sigh*

 

This new area is the same size as the old one but instead of red now yellow crystals line the walls and ceiling. Same as before a giant crystal above the lake is dripping water down. The difference between this place and the old area are the number of caves and the monsters. There are a lot more caves than before, 13 to be exact. On the other side of the lake I see three creatures that look like pythons but at least 12 feet long. Their bodies are black with yellow lines starting from the crown the lines spiral down the body ending at the tail.  

 

After some time has passed, I see some mice coming out of caves to my right,but they don't immediately head towards the lake, but spread out about the cavern. The mice seem to not mind the presence of the snakes as some start to drink from the lake, yet they always stay away from the side of the lake the snakes are at.

 

Lucky I have [stealth] or the ones running near me would have noticed my presence, looking at them I can tell we are about the same size. From the caves to my left 4 monsters that resemble boars walk out, looking to be around 3 feet tall and 4 feet long. They trot up to the lakeside and the mice move out of their way, the boars position themselves on the side of the lake closest to me. I can see they have the same pattern of spiraling yellow lines on their tusks. A strange balance is formed with boars on one side, snakes on the other, and all the mice in between the two. 

 

The huge snakes leave after a few minutes each entering a cave on the back side of the lake, and the mice fill in the space left. After the time it would take for the monsters to switch from the old area the snakes come back out to drink and the other monsters disperse into their caves. Looks like there's no time for me to drink from the lake. Hmm. I thought of a plan but I need to be fully rested before starting it as it's kind of risky. Since I don't have my cave anymore I can probably just dig a burrow to sleep in like normal foxes. right? Fortunately this caves floor is dirt instead of rock so I can dig one. I start making my burrow right under the boulder, and after digging out a space big enough to fit me, I fill in the hole above so no one can find me while I sleep.

‘Being in complete darkness without the light from the crystals is strangely calming’

 The warmth of the ground and darkness around lulls me to sleep.

…

…

…

After a nice rest I'm ready to go! My plan is to wipe out one of the monster groups and take their place at the lake in disguise. The mice seem to be the weakest followed by the boars and then the snakes at the top. But I think it will be hard to fight multiple enemies when I'm not used to combat yet, so let's go for one of the boars. I activate [stealth] before crawling out of my burrow. The snakes are the only group around the lake, a perfect time to attack one of the boars. I head over to the first cave on my left. Going inside is a long tunnel that opens up in the back to a space about half as large as the central cavern. The target is sleeping near the back.This time I don't want to start with a surprise attack, if I never had [stealth] I don't know if I would have made it this far. It's bad to keep relying on the skill to win my fights, if it ever gets seen through in the future I need experience actual fighting in my new body. Firming my resolve I switch into combat form, canceling [stealth] in the process. However.

“…”

The boar is still asleep even after I have revealed myself. let's try this. I feel the familiar sensation of heat gathering in my mouth as I shoot a [fireball] at the boar. 

 

“Guurrff”

 

It flies right into its face as the boar awakes with a squeal, noticing me it starts to charge. The lines on its tusks glow and I flinch when lightning shoots out of the boar heading across the ground in all directions. With no way to dodge I activate [firerush] and rush at the boar hoping my skill will somewhat protect me from the lightning. As I'm hit sparks travel through my body and my movement stops as my limbs freeze, shit. My momentum carries me forward, right into the boars tackle. I skid across the floor stopping when I lightly impact the cave wall .

 

“Urggggg”

 

I groan and look up as the pain hits me. The boar has scorch marks on its fur and a little fire still burning on its left ear, but its relatively unharmed. Standing up I shoot another [fireball] but it dodges out of the way. It charges at me again, but this time I have a plan. while charging, it shoots out the lightning.Right as I'm about to get hit I jump and [transform] into a form that's growing on me. As I fly into the air the lighting dissipates into the wall behind me, the boar is able to stop its charge in time before it hits the wall. Before it can look for me in the air I swoop down and grasp it in my claws, I try to carry the boar up into the sky, but I'm barely able to get it a few feet off the ground before dropping it from the struggle.

 

 As the boar lands I [transform] back to my combat form, I fall towards the boar and activate [firerush]. Digging into the boars back with my claws, my momentum is able to push it into the ground, and the coat of fire around me leaps into the boar roasting it. I rip at its neck with my teeth, ending it. 

 

“Wuuuh”

 

letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding in, I slump down next to my defeated foe, that was a lot harder than a sneak attack, I think a few of my ribs are broken from that charge I took.

At least I found out a new way to fight, dropping down on my enemies with [firerush] is a good combo. All I want to do right now is rest, but I still need to fight 3 more. I’ll have to be more careful with the next fights if I keep getting hurt like in this one I'm not gonna last 3 more rounds. Now that the battles over I can tell how large my combat form is compared to the boar, I should be double the boars is length so 8 feet long and a good foot taller than it so I'm 4 feet tall, That's huge!

Using [devour] on the carcass led to the black whirlpool coming out from before and after a few second It was done. Moving on to the next cave. This time to be more careful I decided to sneak attack the boar using my new move, I flew right above it, and drove it into the ground with my fall, biting at its neck afterward killing it. I opted out of using [firerush] unless needed since my mana was at half after the last fight. 

*ding*

My level finally went up after killing two of them. I [devoured] this one and beat the other two the same way.

*ding*

I got another level up off that, now let's look at my stats.

{

Name: NULL

Lv: 8

Hp: 18/26

Mp: 20/40

Base form: Black Fox Demon Beast (Chimera(demon))

Combat form: Gray wolf Demon Beast

Species absorbed: 

Raven Demon Beast, Flaming Phoenix Demon Beast, Bull Demon Beast, Boar Demon Beast

Skills: 

Stealth

Fire Rush

Fireball

Lighting Blast

Innate Skills:

Mana control

Language Translation(demon)(passive)

Devour

Transform

Titles: Reincarnator, Second Chimera, Chaos Conductor

}

Testing out [lighting blast] the skill takes 10 mana to use. After waiting for the boar to decompose into green particles I absorbed it gaining back the 10 mana that the skill took.

It should be just about time for me to head over to the lake.

…

…

…

I waited at the fourth tunnel entrance with [stealth] active in my base form to see when the mice would come out. When they did I [transformed] into the boar and headed over to the lake. Now the other monsters wont find out about me and just assume this something is wrong with the other boars. This will make it easier to sneak attack them while I adjust to fighting the different monsters that are left. 

I soon took up the same spot the boars did.The mice are not suspicious at all, and happy to take up the new space around the lake. The snakes seem more on guard, the one leading the trio looks towards the boar caves and then glares at me before they move back into their personal caves. After they leave I relax more and drink up water from the lake, a feeling of electricity moving through my veins appears as I drink the water. Closing my eyes and focusing on my core for a moment. Streams of electric yellow mana are forming rings around my core and slowly collapse into it. Using [mana control] I impose my will on the mana rings and make them collapse into my core faster. 

 I wonder if my mana control ever improves enough will I be able to control my skills during mid use, like a [fireball] that tracks my enemies. I open my eyes to stay vigilant of my surroundings around the lake while still controlling the mana in my core and calm down the mana remaining in my body, directing it towards my core. After all the rings are absorbed into my core I take another sip of the mana enriched water to repeat the process. When all the mana is absorbed the snakes start to come out of their caves, and the mice are starting to head back over into theirs. I similarly walk over to the cave I came out of. Looking at my stats lets me know my maximum mana increased by 2. In the cave, I shift back into my base form and decide to make a burrow again. This will protect me if any unwanted visitor comes in while I'm sleeping. I dig a tunnel behind one of the crystals on the wall. 

I want to attempt something before resting. Moving out of my burrow and in front of a different crystal, I use [devour] on it and look at the process while infusing mana into my eyes. I can see small lines of yellow mana get absorbed by the whirlpool and in a straight uniform line flow directly into my core. Closing my eyes and focusing, I wait till my mana pool is full and try to control the excess mana instead of drawing it into my core. I form a spear with the mana and wait till the shape is entirely filled. After I cancel my skill to cut the flow of mana, I open my eyes and direct the spear of mana from my core into my mouth, I imagine a lightning bolt in my mind and shoot the mana out of my now open mouth, similar to how [fireball] is launched. My vision is filled with yellow. I felt happy at my discovery before feeling ashamed, the yellow that filled my vision was just the lightning mana dispersing after it left my control.

 

“Damn!” I yell out my anguish. 

 

‘I thought I would have been able to shoot out a lightning bolt but I guess skills are more complicated than just moving elemental mana around.I crawl back into my burrow I go to sleep under the rhythmic pulses of yellow crystal filling the dark space with gentle light.

{

Name: NULL

Lv: 8

Hp: 20/26

Mp: 42/42

Base form: Black Fox Demon Beast (Chimera(demon))

Combat form: Gray wolf Demon Beast

Species absorbed:

Raven Demon Beast, Flaming Phoenix Demon Beast, Bull Demon Beast, Boar Demon Beast

Skills: 

Stealth 

Fire Rush 

Fireball 

Lighting Blast 

Innate Skills:

Mana control

Language Translation(demon)(passive)

Devour

Transform

Titles: Reincarnator, Second Chimera, Chaos Conductor

}