POTLS - Chapter 16: Evolution

Unlike the Blood Courtier, the Crimson Court Noble possessed far superior reaction speed.

Only now did Paul understand the vast difference between himself and the monster—and how lucky he'd been during his previous run. If not for the creature's claws getting stuck between his ribs, the sheer physical strength disparity would have been insurmountable.

A single swipe from the monster sent Paul flying backward, rendering his [Blood Barrier] nearly useless despite being at level 4 with enhanced resistance. The defensive layer trembled, threatening to shatter completely.

Properly chastened, Paul began moving with greater caution.

Minion monsters poured in from all directions. While they did present an obstacle to Paul, they primarily served as raw material for their leader.

As blood pooled at their feet like a crimson stream, the Crimson Court Noble followed its nature, absorbing power through its [Noble's Feast] skill. Even while savoring its meal, it never failed to launch Blood Lances at Paul, forcing him to dance like a jester.

These Blood Lances proved far more devastating than those cast by Blood Courtiers. Paul mainly wanted to determine if the damage was strong enough to break through his defenses. Once confirmed, he prioritized evasive maneuvers. Fortunately, the deadly projectiles were fired from a distance and from above, giving him time to observe and formulate counter-strategies.

He threw [Lunar Flares] at critical moments. This skill proved incredibly effective against Shadow Hounds and Ghouls, sending them into frenzied disarray. [Shattered Memory] was employed with precision, causing the creatures to turn on each other. Clearly, this skill had no effect on the Crimson Court Noble.

Between the monster's swooping attacks with its powerful claws, Paul found opportunities to inflict damage. Yet his efforts showed minimal results. Holy Marks were dispelled quickly, let alone [Shattered Memory].

He'd once hoped to turn the Crimson Court Noble into an ally. One such creature would be sufficient to slaughter an entire horde of monsters.

Blood had spilled abundantly, and [Noble's Feast] had given the monster what it needed.

It smiled with jagged teeth, arms spread wide as it hovered in midair.

Paul narrowed his eyes, assessing the situation.

The Crimson Court Noble had chosen Blood Storm instead of summoning Nosferatu Hunters. Likely because it witnessed Paul's efficiency in dispatching hordes. Leaving blood on the battlefield would only enhance [Blood Resonance].

Red clouds materialized in the air, gathering around the monster, enveloping its form that flickered in and out of visibility. Once its preparation completed, it flapped its wings once and charged.

Paul braced for impact.

With a thunderous crash, he was sent flying as before. His vision filled with red lightning arcing off his [Blood Barrier]. He spun around, hoping to land a strike on the monster but only hit one of the clouds. Red electricity traveled up his silver blade, shocking his arm.

Groaning through the sudden stiffness, Paul still managed to drop to his knees, dodging a punch from the monster.

They locked eyes for a moment.

The Crimson Court Noble splayed its fingers, pointing all five downward.

Paul tensed his leg muscles and leapt sideways.

The explosion left his ears ringing with a high-pitched whine that reverberated painfully through his mind.

Before he could regain his senses, red lightning tore through his [Blood Barrier] and struck his body.

He gritted his teeth against the involuntary convulsions, unable to keep from falling.

The monster approached, fingers clasped into a makeshift sword, thrusting forward.

The newly regenerated [Blood Barrier] shattered instantly.

Another storm of red lightning enveloped him. This time, however, it had weakened considerably. Paul only felt a tingling heat rather than the flesh-searing pain of before.

With practiced dexterity, he twisted the sword in his hand and drove it into the monster's chest from his prone position, making it cough and stagger backward.

He sprang to his feet, threw a [Lunar Flare], and unleashed a barrage of attacks combining [Silver Strike] and [Crimson Echo]. Though the monster could track his movements by sound, the phantoms from [Crimson Echo] were nearly indistinguishable from Paul himself.

The result: he successfully severed one of the monster's wings. Its noble attire lay in tatters, deep wounds weeping blood.

Even without the 100% damage buff from [Last Stand], he could now wear the monster down.

It stumbled backward, arms flailing helplessly. Its power spent, with nowhere to run. Irrational frenzy consumed its mind.

In a final desperate attempt, it lunged forward, its claws coated in blood magic.

A flash of silver light, and its hand was mercilessly severed.

Before it could even scream, its head was separated from its body.

Paul drew a deep breath, feeling somewhat fatigued. The constant fighting had reduced his stamina to 60, having spent a full 100 to overcome this challenge. He felt grateful for having taken time to adjust to his new stats. Otherwise, he would have needed a Stamina Potion like last time, despite being Rank E.

Even more gratifying was the experience shard that materialized from the headless corpse.

A Crimson Shard.

The very thing he'd been unlucky enough to miss last time. His Luck stat seemed to be working at full capacity.

Without hesitation, he picked it up.

The system notification appeared instantly.

//

<<You leveled up! Skill evolution available!>>

<<Found 2 possible evolutions>>

<<Rolling>>

<<[Silver Strike] evolved into [Holy Strike]>>

<<[Holy Strike] inherited the level of [Silver Strike]>>

<<[Holy Strike] reached level 9, evolved into [Daybreak Executioner]>>

//

Paul rejoiced at his progression. Before encountering the Crimson Court Noble, he'd reached level 25. The Crimson Shard granted him another level, automatically triggering the evolution. He'd hoped for this outcome rather than [Immortal Defiance], as [Daybreak Executioner] had no cooldown, no need to wait hours for activation.

This was how evolution could reverse the course of a run. Power beyond normal limits.

Paul punched the air with a cry of elation. His first evolution, and a final-form one at that, made him eager to test its capabilities.

Just as he was about to swing his sword, applause rang out from somewhere nearby.

Goosebumps spread across Paul's skin. He froze mid-motion, his head turning toward the sound.

A man stepped out from the shadows, walking slowly toward him.

He wore a simple t-shirt with patchwork armor collected from defeated elite monsters, similar to Paul's. At his hip hung a small rod, indicating his weapon of choice was a whip.

When he came close enough for the moonlight to illuminate his features, Paul recognized him as the rude man from the end of his previous run. The long face and narrow eyes were almost hidden by his wide grin, a vague scar running across his cheek becoming visible upon closer inspection.

"Quite the performance," he said, his voice pitched slightly high, laced with mockery.

Paul remained silent, calculating his next move. This man's appearance here couldn't possibly herald anything good.

"What's wrong?" his opponent raised an eyebrow. "Did those Shadow Hounds bite your tongue off?"

Paul's entire body burned with anger. His eyes narrowed in fury.

"Oh! Scary!" the man raised his hands in mock terror. "I don't mind plucking your eyes out like I did with those Hounds."

"You're sick," Paul replied. "Torturing them after they rolled over for your satisfaction. Truly deranged."

"You fuckface!" the shaven-headed man roared. "I'm going to enjoy the process of killing you before finding my next prey."

"Oh! Scary! You must only be good at talking nonsense."

Without another word, his opponent lashed his whip toward him with lightning speed.

The whistle through the air startled Paul, but he managed to raise his sword in defense.

The silver-spiked whip coiled around his blade. His opponent pulled, trying to wrench the weapon from his grasp but met resistance.

Both men frowned simultaneously.

They were both Rank E.

The stranger's mocking expression suddenly turned serious. He realized Paul wasn't the easy target he'd assumed.

Paul pointed a finger forward, and a small white orb flew out, exploding between them.

[Lunar Flare] blinded his opponent. But the man still had his combat instincts.

He lashed forward with his whip. True to its name, [Whirlwind] kept Paul at bay as if he faced a storm. The whip might be difficult to master, but once controlled, it was formidable. The unpredictable trajectories made counterattacking problematic.

Paul focused, drawing an arc toward the incoming whip.

[Daybreak Executioner] activated. Tiny white particles lingered in the air around the sword's tip. A second later, they exploded into small bursts, deflecting the whip's head.

Paul seized the moment while his opponent's weapon veered off course, rushing forward with his sword poised to thrust.

He stabbed only air. His enemy had dashed backward, creating a safe distance.

The man had also regained his vision, red eyes glaring at Paul. He let out a battle cry, pulling back his whip before striking again despite the distance.

Paul sensed something strange. The whip's length shouldn't have concerned him, yet it seemed to extend infinitely.

He raised his sword to block, employing [Daybreak Executioner] during the process for good measure.

Yet it wasn't enough. This whip strike wasn't flexible like before but sharp as a blade, forcing Paul's sword aside. Worse, a shadow whip followed behind, passing through his [Blood Barrier] and landing an excruciating blow to his right shoulder.

The force sent Paul flying, tumbling across the ground. He struggled to regain his balance, looking at his wound with rising dread.

His opponent was truly formidable. The man clearly had extensive experience, showing no concern during the confrontation. He must have analyzed Paul's skills while watching him fight the Crimson Court Noble before deciding to attack. The only thing he'd misjudged was Paul's Rank. Otherwise, Paul presented no significant threat.

Most importantly, Paul realized his opponent also possessed his own evolution. Though not a whip user himself, Paul vaguely recalled relevant information. He was fairly certain what he'd just witnessed was [Double Edge], evolved from [Whiplash].

This made Paul tremble even more. His opponent wasn't just after his experience, which would be a substantial reward. He was after the Crimson Shard.

If Paul died, his enemy would gain what was essential for a second evolution.

The reverse was also true.

He faced both opportunity and danger simultaneously.