Apotheosis of a Demon - A Monster Evolution Story

Chapter 35

No. 08's legacy, the final magic stone, had elevated me to a higher rank of existence.

The same thing happened when I assimilated No. 17's magic stone. I skipped the rank-up process entirely, while still gaining the appropriate magic power.

[Shedy] [Race: Mistral Neige] [Greater Demon (High-Rank)]・The demon of tempestuous mist that ravages the northern seas. A canny spiritual lifeform.[Magic Points: 4000/4000] 1760↑[Total Combat Power: 4400/4400] 1936↑[Unique Skill: <Reroll> <Cyber-Manipulation> <Absorption> <Materialization>] [Racial Skill: Fear][Simple Identification] [Human Form (Wonderful)] [Specialist Packer]

...well, let's leave the nitpicking for next time. Basically, I gained a ton of magic and combat power.

However, the most drastic change came from the new power I gained from No. 08: [Materialization].

Before, my human form was just a paper-thin, weightless veneer. Now, I had gained real flesh and blood, crafted from matter of this world.

My body handled a bit differently from before. To be honest, I thought a body with actual substance and weight was easier to use. I curled and flexed my fingers, trying to get a feel for my new self.

"...Sherry? Is that you?" I heard Weed calling from somewhere, bewilderment in his voice.

I grew up again. I looked around 13 now, about 150 centimeters tall. Ten centimeters taller than when I first got these clothes, which meant my navel would peek out from below the hem of my blouse whenever I moved, and my knee-length skirt was pretty much a miniskirt now.

Kids this age grew up so quickly, they could gain an adult's face in just a single year. Isaac, staring at me in amazement, came back to himself as he heard Weed's utterance. Just as he was about to speak...

*clang!*

My dagger flew into the head of a spider in a corner of my view, discouraging whatever it was about to do. The iron blade sank half-way into its shell and broke off.

So just normal iron wouldn't be able to stand up to the spider's carapace or my current power, then.

Now, I only needed to create a bit of mist in order to gain a full view of the surroundings. I continued examining myself, while still keeping watch on the carapace-spiders.

The spiders had been watching me, too, noticing my change. But not any more; they began to move. I responded with a quiet step forward.

Just as I passed by Isaac, mouth still agape and standing stock-still, I spoke.

"...my name's Shedy. Not Sherry."

"Eh..." He jolted in another bout of surprise.

I leaped, my step blasting away a patch of grassland and bringing me to point-blank range with a spider in an instant. The vigilant spiders immediately scattered and began firing magical bullets from all sides.

Mist burst out from me, weaving itself into a cloak to hide me from sight. Its winding tendrils wrapped around my target.

The range and thickness of my mist had improved by leaps and bounds. Once the mist cleared, the spider under me was nothing more than a frozen statue, wasting away as grains of light.

Two spiders instantly began shooting again, while two other slid around me, swiping their claws in a pincer attack.

I stretched my cloak of mist into a thin fog, sapping heat from the surroundings.