381 - The Power Evolution

Jack observed as Reina stepped forward. The [Arcane Diamond] was clenched in her right fist. She placed the stone against the obelisk.

The contact point instantly erupted in a pulse of white-colored energy. One that seemed to scrape her soul. Jack immediately activated his [Eyes of Judgement].

He could see that Reina also fused her primal sorceress and mystic scholar classes. Gaining a new unique class, the Mist Ranger.

She retained her [Absolute Blink] power and her power of illusion. Her grey fog ability turned into white mist though.

Jack frowned. He recalled that Reina acquired the authority of 'Fog' from Cloudfather's inheritance while Amaranth White acquired the authority of 'Mist' from Webmother's inheritance. But now, Reina's fog had turned into mist. Their power seemed to overlap.

He shook his head. Nothing he could do about that. He should re-focus on what happened to Reina at the moment.

The diamond in her hand cracked. Shards scattered like rain. Reina stepped backward. Her piercing, sky-blue eyes glittered in glee.

She drew the two handguns. They changed. Their barrels now glowed with a faint white light. And then, a mist-covered hawk materialized from the mist at her side. Its feathers were glistening with silver runes.

Jack's appraisal caught what happened very clearly. The mechanical hawk Jack gave her had fused with her grimoire. Turning into an animal companion. A Mist Hawk that she could control and was capable of casting spells.

And her handguns also evolved. They had turned into her personal artifacts. Gaining a substantial increase in quality and acquiring the ability to fuse with her body.

"I'll call these two... Meteor and Comet." Reina said. She turned to her new animal companion. "And you... Let's call you: Moonlight."

"Interesting names." Jack commented calmly.

After Reina, it was Baroness Artheim's turn. The baroness walked to the obelisk and lifted her hand. The [Mystic Topaz] she held resonated strongly against the obelisk when they met.

A clean metallic crack rang out. And a surge of crackling energy rippled through the baroness' body. When the pulse faded, the topaz had transformed into a scepter with jagged rod and a crackling crystal at one of its tips.

Jack could see lightning crawled up her arms. Illuminating the clearing. Thunderstorm now seemed to live inside her.

Baroness Artheim's grimoire had transformed into her personal artifact, the [Lightning Scepter]. And she had acquired the class upgrade into the Lightning Queen. A fitting class for her.

With the scepter, added with her noble demeanor, the [Tiara of Charm], and the [Cloud Weaver's Mantle], she did look like a queen.

However, what she had gained from the class change was actually more than just that title. Her primal sorcery power had significantly evolved. She could now summon and control about sixty lightning creatures at the same time. Turning her into a deadly one-man... er, one-woman army.

The next person after the baroness was Leon.

The [Blood Ruby] he held touched the obelisk. Immediately, the ruby dissolved into a cascade of amber light.

The man's primal sorcery reactivated automatically. A set of draconic armor covered his whole body instantly. And then, his grimoire also appeared and burst into flame. Turning into a single, bluish gemstone that was fused into his armor. Etched in the center of his chest.

Jack's [Eyes of Judgement] informed him that Leon's class had changed into the unique Dragonheart Champion.

Other than the fusion of his armor and grimoire, which allowed him to cast spells instantly, he also gained the [Lightning Breath] power. Turning him practically into a dragon in human form.

Leon's voice boomed from behind his helmet. "Now this is what I call a true treasure."

He inhaled, then looked upward as he breathed a thick, jagged crack of lightning energy to the sky. Filling the clear blue sky with countless sparks if electricity. The crew stepped back with wide eyes. That was one hell of a class evolution.

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Bell was next in turn...

Like Leon, he also used a [Blood Ruby] to touch the obelisk. What happened next was completely different though. The ruby flared a bright violet color.

When the light settled, his [Buckler of Retribution] transformed into a medium-sized round shield. His mystic grimoire had been fused with it. Turning it into his personal [Shield of Retribution].

As he activated his newly-formed shield, a faint dome of light blossomed around him. Pulsing in time with his heartbeat. He raised his shield. The dome expanded to a radius of ten meters. Flickering like a lantern in a storm.

Bell's mystic scholar class had evolved. He now hold a unique class, the Mystic Guardian. A class with incredible defensive capability and power to instantly cast various spells using the shield as the magical means.

Then, Ned gained his turn...

His [Magic Opal] shattered against the obelisk. Turning into scattering light. His form flickered as if it was caught in a faulty projection. When the flickering ceased, his presence seemed to thin out. Easily becoming undetectable.

He smiled. A thin grin that hinted at new confidence.

Jack noticed that Ned had evolved his power class too. Now, he was a Phantom Battlemage. A unique stealth-and-magic class with an ability to use the [Phase Shift] skill, one that granted temporary intangibility.

And, instead of mystic grimoire, he could now summon [Phantom Beads] to instantly cast spells or to infuse any of his bullets with magic.

Moby was next.

He used a [Mystic Emerald] to make contact to the obelisk. As the emerald touched the relic, the ground beneath his feet trembled.

And then, a surge of granite rose up. Coalescing into an armor of stone that wrapped his huge body. Everyone there could feel the huge weight that seemed to settle within his body, even when the stone armor disappeared.

Moby had experienced a class upgrade into a Mountain Archdruid. His mystic grimoire had fused into his body. The spells were forming various mystic tattoos all over his body. And he gained a terrifying area of effect skill, the [Earthquake Pulse].

Chloe stepped up next.

Her [Spatial Amber] fizzed as it touched the monolith. A dark plume rose. Encircling her in a cloak of darkness. Her leather armor darkened. Her mystic grimoire transformed into a sleek pitch black longsword.

She stepped backward and closed her eyes. A pair of dark feathered wings suddenly burst out from her back. Lifting her to the air as they flapped.

Jack's appraisal showed that the class evolution she gained was called the Shadow Valkyrie. She retained her power of fortune and acquired the convenient power of [Shadow Wings]. And her spells were now channeled through her sword, no longer through her grimoire.

Following its master, Sparkle also joined in the upgrade.

The lightning kirin cub bit a piece of [Eldritch Onyx] and walked to the obelisk. When the piece of gemstone touched the relic, it broke into pieces.

The cub leapt back in vigilance. Lightning sparks covered its whole body. The cub's mane flared. It roared. Emitting a crackling sound that seemed to split the air.

Jack's [Eyes of Judgement] showed that the cub had gained two skills, the [Lightning Speed] and the [Lightning Armor]. It didn't gain class evolution, as it had no class in the first place.

Jack looked at Barnaby. He was the one who would go next.

The bard walked to the relic and took out a [Mystic Topaz]. He used the topaz to touch the obelisk.

The topaz burst into a blazing flame. One that bathed Barnaby whole body. It was a terrifying sight. But surprisingly, his body and clothes were fine. When the flame disappeared, the bard was standing in his position, unharmed. Dumbfounded, but unharmed.

Jack's [Eyes of Judgement] showed that Barnaby's power class was now a Purgatory Bard. His [Crimson Torch Mace] had fused with his old lute. Turning the lute into a crimson musical artifact, the [Purgatory Lute].

Barnaby's power had changed drastically. His music could now do more than just providing buff and de-buff. He could now create and control a fire elemental creature through his music.

Afterward, Mirella followed him. She used the same [Mystic Topaz] to access the obelisk's power.

The gemstone dissolved in a flash of golden light. And the light moved in incredible speed. Piercing her forehead. A swirl of colorful paints spiraled around her body. Forming a tiny, animated sprite that danced in the air before disappearing into nothing.

Through his [Eyes of Judgement], Jack noticed that Mirella's class was now the Spriteworld Artist.

She retained her ability to unveil her painting to provide both buff and de-buff. And she gained the [Sprite Summoning Art] power. An ability to temporarily summon any creature within her original paintings as a sprite combatants.

Don stepped up next.

He slapped his [Phantasmal Garnet] onto the stone. Instantly, it dissolved into smoke and a fragrant steam rose. Sparkling starlight shimmered all over his body. Covering him with what seemed to be constellations of stars.

Don had acquired a unique, yet fitting power class for his profession. He was now a Celestial Chef. His [Celestial Gourmet Wok] and [Bracelet of Protection] fused and turned into a bound personal artifact, the [Celestial Wok of Protection].

Jack noticed that any dishes created by Don after this would carry various types of buff. And Don himself could use his wok artifact as a shield and a tool that enhanced his fire manipulation power.

After the ship cook, the navigator stepped forward.

Argust brought his chosen [Moonlight Aquamarine] and let it touch the [Obelisk of Evolution]. The gemstone instantly broke into pieces. Spilling a glistening water that surged up the obelisk... then fell in a cascade that enveloped him.

Argust's outfit turned into deep navy color. And faint scales appeared along his forearms. He lifted his hands. A small whirlpool of water immediately formed in the palm of his left hand.

The [Ring of Water Bending] and his old mystic grimoire melt and fused into his scaled forearms. Argust had acquired the upgraded power class... the Ocean Sorcerer.

Now, he had acquired incredible control over plain or ocean water within fifty meter radius. An ability that was truly suitable for a navigator like him.

The remaining crew members looked at each other. Only Aella and the healer sisters left now.

After hesitating a little, Serene walked to the obelisk...