Chapter 53 - Evolution (2)

The blinding glow slowly disappeared and a new beast, one Zok had never seen before, was standing in front of him. The system might have said the creature in front of him was the same Cero he had always known, but Zok was having a hard time believing that because the beast in front of him looked nothing like Cero.

For starters, the creature was almost twice as big as Cero had been. Also, his skull had expanded upwards like a shield and he now had five horns instead of three. Two horns above either eye and one on the snout.

Rocky armour on his back looked even sturdier and had a huge ball-like structure at the end of his tail. He was still as white as he had been before with a shade of black covering huge feet that could crush Zok into a paste. Zok stood there in disbelief when Cero decided it was time to lick the tamer's face which snapped him back into reality.

"Woah... you look great!" Zok smiled and began caressing Cero's ginormous face, "Seems like you have become more docile after evolving. Alright, alright, that's enough love for today. Stop drowning me in your drool."

Saying so, Zok decided it was time to see just how much had Cero changed after evolving.

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Basic Information:

Name: Cero

Age: 1.2 years

Species: Andesite Abyssal Titanotops

Gender: Male

Potential: ???

Level: 23

Exp needed to level up: 0/24000

Stats:

HP: 4700 ---> 6000

Strength: 35 ---> 50

Defence: 86 ---> 99

Stealth: 0 (Can not be increased)

Stamina: 89 ---> 96

Agility: 50 ---> 61

Accuracy: 50% ---> 55%

The beast is evolvable.

Unallocated Stat points: 25

Abilities:

• Charge

• Rock Stomp

• Whip

• Berserk

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"Woah, you can evolve again?!" Zok's eyes were shining brighter than the stars he so eagerly watched at nights, "Your stats have grown quite a bit as well. Not to mention you got two new abilities! it must feel so nice to evolve, doesn't it? We'll have to test these out in the dungeon later."

[You have received additional rewards. Would you like to open them?]

"Oh? Today might be my lucky day!"

[You have received a new title: <Novice Tamer>]

[Novice Tamer (Level 1): A unique class-specific multiple affect title.

• Allows you to view hidden 'potential' stat of your familiars and help them train better. However, you'll only be able to activate the potential skill of a familiar if hidden conditions to do so are met.

• You also get 10% more exp whenever a familiar levels up.]

[You have received a passive skill: Taming Mastery.]

[Taming Mastery (Lvl Max): This skill allows you to give Exp preference to one of your familiars. In other words, the title allows you to divide the exp ratio between your familiars as you please. However, you can only use this skill twice a day for a duration of one hour for each activation.]

"Huh... nothing too good but at least I'll be able to have more control over the Exp," Zok said while once again looking at Cero's details, "Hm... it's just like it said. I can see a potential or something, but it doesn't show anything to me as of now. Hidden conditions... that sounds like a pain in the butt. How am I supposed to find the hidden conditions to unlock the potential?"

Zok gave Cero a look as if he could tell him what the hidden conditions were. But with or without the hidden conditions, Zok was happy to have a new and stronger ally to help clear the dungeon and earn him some control points. Then he might be able to learn a skill or two as well as try and tame something as well.

"I should probably try to level up Kaira once I get back too. And with the [Taming Mastery] skill, it should be easier than digging a hole." Zok rubbed his hands together in excitement, he couldn't wait to see what kind of beast will she evolve into, "But first we should make our way back to the instance dungeon. The suns will go down soon enough, and I need to prepare a couple of things as well."

Saying so, he climbed on top of Cero, with some assistance from the beast himself, and rushed towards the tree. He couldn't wait any longer to test Cero's new skills out.

***

Meanwhile, back in the tribe, Ahuli was busy arguing with Skah. It had been a few days since the tribe along with the shamans started looking for Zok like a bunch of bloodthirsty direwolves. Thanks to his father, Zok had been branded as a traitor with a kill upon sighting order given to the tribesmen.

Ahuli, just like his Mother, was against this idea. First of all, he still wasn't on board with the idea that Zok had killed anyone and he didn't trust the Shamans, not even for a second. In his eyes, Zok was too innocent and as harsh as it sounded, too incompetent to kill someone on his own.

Maybe his direwolf could have killed someone while defending Zok. But Zok couldn't kill anyone. But his pleas were falling on deaf ears. It was like Skah had made up his mind not to listen to a thing Ahuli had to say. Just like he had been ignoring Mirelia's cries to stop the manhunt.

"But Father-"

"We'll talk about it when the traitor gets caught." Skah dismissed him and went inside to discuss things with the Shamanka.

"How will he get caught alive when you have told everyone to kill him!!!"

However, Skah didn't turn back even once. He simply didn't care about Zok. Never had and never will. But Ahuli knew he had to do something. Anything to stop the tribesmen from killing Zok. Even if it meant he would have to desert the tribe.

'No, leaving the tribe would be the worst possible decision. I can still help Zok from here... that is if he is really alive like father is telling us.. It's good to have some friends I can depend upon.'