The massive form of the Greymantle Elk was consumed by the silvery-gray energy, its pale coat rapidly dissolving and reforming into gold.
The transformation was violent, the immense bone-white antlers cracking with light before fusing into structures of glowing, ethereal gold.
Just as the conversion was about to settle into its final Rare-Tier form, the Elk's essence resisted, drawing a deeper well of energy from the surrounding Null field.
'Another damned monster stealing my free stat points.'
The golden light intensified, resisting the final shift, forcing the newly acquired energy to coalesce internally, not for a jump in Tier, but to forge a new, primal capability into its being.
- - - - -
Race: Solarmane Elk
Tier: Rare
The elk's pale coat has shifted to a deep warm gold that radiates faint heat. Its antler crown, once bone-white, now resembles hardened light, each time glowing faintly at the tips like cooling embers. The air around it is warmer than it should be and looking directly at its crown for too long is uncomfortable.
Traits:
[Solar Crown – antler strikes burn on contact, and anything caught in the arc of a full charge feels the heat before the impact arrives]
[Unbroken Sovereignty – Will never retreat regardless of injury or odds. The more wounded it becomes, the stronger it grows physically and the stronger its heat]
Skills:
[Solar Flare – creates dense molten orbs that it launches from its crown. On impact they don't explode outward but burn inward, concentrating the heat at the point of contact rather than scattering it.]
[Pride's Arena — when the Elk has taken damage from a single opponent and is clearly weaker than them in that moment, it can tear open a private solar domain and pull them both inside for a 1v1. No interference, no escape. The domain closes only when one side loses. No mana cost.]
- - - - -
Cohen found himself staring at the status.
"It has the most abilities for a Rare Trait. Is it because it was the highest level? And a no-mana-cost skill? Well, it's a conditional skill, but still exceptional."
As he said that, the Elk stepped closer.
A deep, unexpectedly beautiful voice echoed.
"No. It is simply because I am better than the rest of them."
Cohen had heard a voice in his head earlier, but had assumed it was a thing that could occur during conversion. After all, he felt like he was conversing with Bobby sometimes too.
But this was a full-blown voice. He couldn't help but pull his head back and raise a brow.
"Fascinated by me? Of course, you would. My once beautiful self has become even more beautiful."
The Elk shifted its head from side to side, as if displaying its beauty.
'This beast will be a damn handful.'
"I won't even bother with you. I'll name you Blight," Cohen added inwardly, 'Which is just glorified 'Bright' cause you're annoyingly bright!'
"Blight?" The Elk's bestial features formed a frown. "What poor naming abilities, but you are responsible so I shall take it like that."
'How audacious.'
Cohen sighed and then looked down the hill, to the concluding battlefield where most of his monsters laid.
A lot of them had injuries, some Lynxes even had their arms completely crushed.
"Bobby?"
At that moment, he saw Bobby, like a dissolving ball, resting on the small Ram.
He was about to move to it when he felt pain coursing through his body.
Every muscle fiber was strained from the suicidal charge, his ribs protesting under the lingering ache of the Elk's blows.
Cohen fell to his knees, spewing blood on the floor.
His vision flickered, the world tilting as his body threatened to shut down entirely.
Blight stood tall above Cohen, nodding its head in understanding
"Indeed. There's no way an attack from a being such as myself won't leave you utterly damaged."
Cohen's red eyes glared at Blight.
"Aren't you supposed to offer to carry me?"
"Hmm, being watered down to a mount doesn't fit me… But I guess I should–"
"Nevermind."
He then took out his last three body recovery potions. It recovered about 45% of his stamina and greatly accelerated the healing of his smaller wounds.
'This should do it for now.'
Ignoring the lingering pain, Cohen stood and darted down towards Bobby.
Bobby was low on mana and its size had shrunk after its body had taken damage while it protected the small ram.
While Cohen frowned at the sight, Blight said.
"This slime, to take down those two, you are quite impressive and strong. I acknowledge you."
Although suppressing the feeling to beat up this annoying elk, Cohen had to agree.
"You really really helped me here, Bobby. Thank you."
He turned to Nox and the remaining rams too with an acknowledging gaze.
Cohen quickly assessed the wreckage of the battlefield—the price paid for his victory against the Elk.
The Obsidian Lynxes, masters of evasion, were now battered and drained from relentless counterattacks.
While the majority of the Nebula Rams were either unconscious or struggling with broken limbs from head-on collisions.
Only the two highly-skilled brother Rams, the small ram and Nox, retained enough functionality to move unassisted.
'I need to learn when to retreat. I was unable to convert two monsters of this zone and I have most of my beasts dysfunctional.
'I even burnt through my NP reserve, leaving way less than I wanted.'
Acknowledging the necessity of retreat and recovery, Cohen didn't hesitate.
He willed his skill to tear open five shimmering, black-and-yellow Gates of the Baptised across the clearing.
With a mental command, he directed the exhausted remnant of his entire Primordial army to withdraw instantly back into the safety of the void domain.
"What are you waiting for?" Cohen turned to the Elk.
"Hmm, I am not weak like the rest of them," Blight replied, but before Cohen could reply, he added, "But the inside of that Gate is quite alluring, so I shall go in of my own volition."
Blight immediately darted into a nearby Gate.
Cohen stood speechless, raising his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
The deep silence of the grove settled once more, leaving Cohen alone.
"When was the last time I felt this lonely?"
He took one last glance of this bloody zone and mangled corpses.
"This definitely won't sell for much."
- - - - -
Cohen stood before the empty, swirling gate, his silhouette a testament to the brutal hour he had just spent.
His scaled armor was now scored with scratches, dented in multiple places from the Elk's immense strikes.
He was smeared with a mixture of his own blood and the pale crimson of the Grove's monsters.
A piece of the scale plating on his left forearm was completely cracked, and the material covering his bruised ribs was heavily stressed.
His hair was soaked with sweat, and a trickle of blood ran from a cut above his left eyebrow, staining his cheek. He looked less like an awakened beginner and more like a survivor pulled from a collapsing mine.
Ignoring the pain, Cohen walked the few paces to the door. His finger, trembling slightly from exhaustion, stabbed the 'Call an Attendant' button.
He leaned against the cold wall, waiting.
When the door opened, the skinny man with the brown ponytail stepped in, his awkward smile freezing instantly as his eyes scanned Cohen.
The man's system-inspection was almost palpable as he took in the Level 12 human standing before him, covered in the unambiguous signs of a high-level brawl.
The attendant's composure shattered.
"Mister. How far did you go?"
Sitting on the floor, Cohen smiled. "I should have taken your advice seriously. The third zone was very difficult."
The attendant's voice was laced with disbelief and a tremor of genuine fear.
"Did you… kill the boss? No, forget that. Are you alright? Let's get you treated."
Cohen offered a wry, blood-crusted smile.
"I'm perfect. Just a bit tired. I used the recovery potions earlier. Could you cash my kills now? I think I need to head back."
The attendant stood above Cohen, momentarily silent.
'Poor kid. He must've lost most of his tamed beasts… all that progress, gone.'
Unfortunately, Cohen wasn't someone who could be measured even by so-called "extraordinary" standards.
This made the attendant's analysis inherently flawed.