The Ultimate Evolution
chapter-781

(Beginning of volume 11!!)

Sheyan whispered lightly into Zi's ear upon hearing her question.

"My final ace is a secret, you absolutely cannot say it out."

Zi scoffed.

"Don't tell me if you don't trust me then."

Although she said that casually, her countenance suggested a devastating calamity if Sheyan didn't divulge.

Under such circumstances, he earnestly answered.

"My final ace is being able to breakthrough the 50 point boundary and becoming a Reserve-duty Growth-Hunter anytime. However, that will utterly ruin my current plans. Once I transcend as a Reserve-duty Growth-Hunter, I dare not say I can defeat them both, but I can definitely delay them."

As Sheyan's warm breath brushed against her ear, Zi felt an unexplainable feebleness. She blushed once again from such a foreign, unprecedented sensation and hastily retreated several steps back with a complicated expression. Then, she turned to leave, but after walking a few steps, she turned around and spoke with hesitation.

"You take care too."

Before they separated, Sheyan also gifted her the socket gem – 'Lionheart'. He then reunited back with Reef.

Next, Sheyan inspected the properties of his dark-gold grade necklace. That unknown ability still indicated '? ? ? ?', however, there were now new requirements of awaken it. To awaken this active ability, Sheyan needed to plunder three powerful souls as an offering.

Moreover, a special instruction revealed minor differences in awakened ability based on the type of plundered souls. If one plundered the soul of a long-range/close combatant, the awakened ability will lean towards close combat. If one plundered the soul of a mage type, the awakened ability will lean towards a mage type ability. Hence, it was best to plunder souls of similar type creatures.

In addition to that, a contestant's soul was similarly equated as a powerful soul. Therefore, Sheyan reckoned that if he plundered the soul of a contestant, the ability would pertain towards contestant warfare.

At this moment, Reef asked.

"Boss, haven't you noticed we have yet to receive the notification of our next world?"

Sheyan nodded and replied.

"Based on my conjecture, the realm should be evaluating me as a Reserve-duty Growth-Hunter now. Adding you, a Growth-Hunter, and only two members in our party, the difficulty of our next world should be comparatively easy. Therefore, with the delay in notifying us of the next world, it is highly likely due to the world difficulty being easy."

Reef nodded and inquired.

"Why did you let Zi go? And didn't even attempt to retain her?"

Sheyan chortled and replied.

"Because she will return. You probably told her about our present situation right?"

Reef asked curiously.

"How did you know?"

Sheyan pensively replied.

"A haughty woman like her possesses three reasons for leaving the party. First, she probably wishes to advance to the Awakener realm. Still, she lacks confidence and does not wish to affect us. By leaving the party, her failure will go unnoticed by us."

"Second, she knows I've reached the threshold of advancing as a Growth-Hunter, needing merely three attribute points to attain my goal. If she joins us, our mission difficulty would undoubtedly increase. By leaving, she hopes that we can breeze through the next world, letting me acquire three attribute points with ease before charging to the realms of Growth-Hunter at optimum state."

"Third, I'm guessing she owes a debt to someone. She feels that she cannot contribute much to the party now and isn't willing to ask for assistance. Thus, she wishes to repay her debt on her own, so don't worry, she will naturally return after settling her affairs."

Reef was enlightened and uttered.

"I see, also boss, our harvest is pretty bountiful this time, how should we settle this?"

Sheyan browsed through the stock-take, and realized the party storage was indeed abundant.

'+7 Chieftain's Hobby', 'Voldemort's Allure', 'Bioguard Rite', 'Aberration Horcrux'.....apart from those, the items were like glittering jewels that delighted the eye.

'Pandora's Egg', 'High-energy Crystal x1', 'Soul Crystals', 'A' rank raw material 'Shadowdrill Claw'.

If the trio did not learn the 'Flesh Explosion' ability, Sheyan believed their reserves would be even wealthier.

Of this array, Zi undoubtedly left behind the 'Bioguard Rite' for Brother Black. Reef and Sheyan possessed the 'Life-link' ability and didn't care much for that equipment. Only the risky marksman, Brother Black, would require it to toy with his rivals.

Furthermore, for the sake of warming Zi's lonely heart, Sheyan had given away most of his utility points. Thus, he decided to earn some back now.

Excluding him, Mogensha succeeded in enhancing his dark-gold grade pants earlier. In contrast, Reef needed to satisfy the prerequisite advance ability 'Claw Weapon Mastery' for his 'Steelclaw' weapon.

Although a 'Claw Weapon Mastery' scroll wasn't hard to learn, it was rather uncommon. Since returning to the realm, Reef failed to locate any seller and once again attempted to tour around.

Meanwhile, Sheyan established a new stall in the marketplace with an extravagant name.

Massive Bleed Out!

He primarily promoted the '+7 Chieftain's Hobby', 'Voldemort's Allure', 'Aberrant Horcrux' and the rank 'A' raw material, 'Shadowdrill Claw'.

One didn't need to mention the exorbitant value of those articles. Anyone who could purchase them would definitely bleed out. Non-buyers would spread the news and crowd around the stall to look, which would naturally generate hype.

Following that, Sheyan also displayed two 'Deathmarsh Greatcroc Soul (horcrux)'.

Although the 'Aberrant Horcrux' and the rank 'A' raw material may not find capable buyers, the two lower grade horcrux were definite hot-sellers.

Moments later, Sheyan first sold of a set of arrows he obtained in the Storm Trooper World, which was sold to a bow-wielding contestant for 5,000 utility points. Following that, he sold off one 'Deathmarsh Greatcroc Soul' for 35,000 utility points.

Meanwhile, Reef managed to find a stall selling a 'Claw Weapon Mastery' scroll. As it turns out, this scroll was obtained after slaying a contestant, so Reef directly reached level 5 from learning it. It was truly of exceptional quality.

The seller was a Growth-Hunter that was about to venture into a dangerous world and urgently required battle enhancing items. Thus, after a long negotiation, Reef agreed to acquire the scroll in exchange for 30,000 utility points, a 'Deathmarsh Greatcroc Soul', Magic Oilbalm (gained in the Caribbea Sea world and can be used 17 times), and a single 'Honorary medicine'.

Nobody could tell who gained or loss from this transaction. Besides, claw weapon types were rather uncommon. Meeting a patient buyer and purchasing it for 5-6 times the valuation was also possible. For a seller in urgent need, this was undoubtedly a good deal.

Reef's combat prowess was upgraded substantially after learning the 'lvl 5 Claw Weapon Mastery' ability, earning a 10% damage boost when using claw type weapons and increasing blood loss damages by 33%. Apart from that, his blocking chance was raised by 3%.

Nonetheless, learning an advanced mastery ability burnt his pockets as well. Reef originally desired to enhance his shield and new weapon to +3. Yet when he saw the enhancing fee, he was utterly flabbergasted. That was probably because the weapon was counted as extremely rare. Without the support from the party, an awkward situation of being able to procure a weapon but not capable of employing it would've occurred.

At this moment, nearing the timely entry into a nightmare world, Sheyan and Reef finally received the delayed nightmare realm notification.

[ Present military rank: Major ]

[ Silver Prestige Party: Party Ace ]

[ Present party members: 1 Growth-Hunter, 1 contestant ]

[ Determined next venturing world: Lord of the Rings ]

[ Progress of world is hosted by party leader no.1018 and party members. Main features will be retained or substituted equally ]

[ After calculating, main mission difficulty: B+ ]

Upon realizing it was the Lord of the Rings world, both Sheyan and Reef exhibited rather odd expressions. Especially Reef, who glanced at Sheyan with a look of amusement as he blurted out.

"Luckily she left."

Sheyan ignored Reef's joke and mused after a while.

"Our main mission difficulty is 'B+' but why was the notification delayed?"

Reef suggested.

"Maybe the realm thinks we possess an overwhelming advantage to this world? Hence, the late notification is to prevent us from any preparations?"

Sheyan nodded.

"That is quite likely, still remember the arrangements we left before departing the world? To hide away those precious metals like mithril, and allow Melody to deliver them to an elder in Rivendell to elevate her status amongst the elves. Also, with her sacred identity as a twilight elf.....hoh, looks like she did an exceptional job."

Reef's eyes instantly brightened.

"That's simply wonderful, boss."

Sheyan smiled and nodded.

"Indeed, if that is really true, our journey in the Lord of the Rings this time, will be fairly relaxed and pleasant. However...…...it is hard to upgrade my 'Black Art Mix Technique' anymore, and based on the current state of affairs, Saruman is definitely still an insurmountable and unchallengeable existence."