After the system notified Akun about the beast soul, he was taken aback. "Whoa, there's a powerful dragon beast soul in this grimoire? That's pretty intense," he mumbled to himself. However, he quickly realized that it might not be the best place to evolve, with all the curious eyes of the orc tribe on him. "System, hold off on the evolution for now. I'll find a more suitable place later."
As Akun kept the grimoire safely in the system's inventory, Azara approached him, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Um, thank you, Akun, for stepping up back there with Keleora," she said nervously. "I really appreciate it. If you ever need any help in the future, just let me know. I'll be there for you."
She then handed Akun a small green stone with ancient carvings. "Take this communication talisman. You can contact me by infusing mana into it," Azara explained. "Call me whenever you need me."
With the communication talisman in his hand, Akun couldn't help but feel pleased. "This is great," he thought to himself. "Having someone with healing spells I could call could really come in handy in case of emergencies. Plus, Azara could give Ivy some tips on casting spells. It's a win-win situation."
Akun then smiled and nodded, feeling grateful for Azara's offer. "Thanks, Azara. I'll keep this safe and make sure to call you if I ever need your help."
Azara blushed even more and hurriedly excused herself, saying, "Call me soon, okay?" before running off.
As the cheers of the crowd gradually subsided, Akun looked around and spotted Ember and Ivy. He called out to them, "Ember, Ivy, let's head back home." The two faithful companions nodded and quickly made their way to his side.
Ember grinned and patted Akun on the back. "Great job, boss! We knew you could do it!"
Ivy chimed in, "Yeah, you showed them what you're made of!"
Akun smiled, feeling grateful for their unwavering support. "Thanks, guys."
As they started to walk away from the Colosseum, Ember and Ivy continued to shower Akun with praises. They were proud of their boss's courage and determination.
"I have to admit, I was a bit worried there for a moment," Ember confessed, "but you really pulled through!"
Ivy added, "You showed them that you're not someone to be messed with!"
Akun chuckled, appreciating their enthusiasm. "Well, you know me, I never back down from a challenge."
Ember and Ivy laughed in agreement. The trio made their way back home, their spirits high after the eventful day.
Meanwhile, as Keleora and Devon made their way back home, Devon couldn't help but express his frustration. "Are you really just going to let that guy walk away with the grimoire like that?" he asked his sister, his voice filled with agitation.
Keleora looked at him calmly and replied, "Devon, you need to calm down. The grimoire is linked to me, and when the time is right, I will track him down and defeat him. I'll bring both him and the grimoire back home."
Devon sighed, still uneasy about the situation. "You know how important that grimoire is to our family, Keleora. Mom will not be happy about this at all. I can already imagine the look on her face when she finds out."
Keleora put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I understand, but I have my reasons for letting him go for now. Trust me, I will handle this and make sure the grimoire is returned to us."
Devon nodded reluctantly, trusting in his sister's abilities. "Alright, but just promise me that you'll be careful. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
Keleora smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. And I promise you, I won't rest until I get that grimoire back."
With her words, Devon felt a little more at ease. He knew that his sister was strong and determined, and he had faith that she would fulfill her promise.
Devon then looked at Keleora with concern. "If you're linked to the grimoire, can't you try tracking it now?" he asked, hoping for a way to find it.
Keleora closed her eyes and focused, trying to sense the grimoire's presence. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked dejected. "I can't feel its presence," she admitted with a sigh.
Devon's face fell. "Well, I trusted you to handle this, and now you've doomed us both," he said with a hint of sadness.
Keleora shook her head and said, "Don't talk like that. It's not over yet. I'll find a way to get the grimoire back, I promise."
Devon fell to his knees, feeling defeated. "We're doomed," he muttered. "I'll see you in our next life, sis."
"Stop talking like that," Keleora scolded him gently. "We'll figure this out, together."
Just then, one of the kingin guards approached them, trying to offer some comfort. "Young master, please don't despair. I'm sure the Highnesses will understand your circumstances," the guard said.
Devon looked up at the guard, feeling a glimmer of hope. "You really think so?"
The guard nodded. "Of course. The Highnesses are wise and understanding. They'll surely help you find a solution."
Meanwhile, as Akun, Ember, and Ivy found a suitable spot to camp far away from the orc tribe, Akun suggested that they rest here for a while as he wanted to undergo his evolution. Ember and Ivy nodded enthusiastically, saying, "Sure thing, Boss!"
Akun took out the grimoire from the system's inventory and held it in his hands. "Alright, it's time to consume the beast soul for my evolution," he said to himself.
[Ding!! Beast Soul Consumption Initiated.]
[warning!!: Consuming a powerful beast soul will trigger an intense evolution process. Are you sure you want to proceed?]
[Yes] [No]
Akun took a deep breath and clicked on [Yes], knowing that this evolution was crucial for him to become stronger and face the challenges ahead.
Suddenly, Akun's vision went completely black, and he felt himself being transported to a different space.
In this mysterious black room filled with dark mana swirling like mist, Akun felt an overwhelming pressure on his body. A deep, resonant voice echoed around him, saying, "You want to consume me, a mere ant? How dare you!"
Akun turned around and saw a massive black dragon, radiating with dark energy. He tried to use his appraisal skill to identify the dragon, but to his surprise, it didn't work.
[Appraisal failed!!]
"W..w...what!?" Akun asked dumfounded.