When he was a child, Achram's parents told him that there was a secret item in this world that held tremendous power. This item, whatever it was, could unlock the secret latent talent within someone and push their limits to break and go into the next level. It could make a lowly Thall live for more than a hundred years, it could make a cripple walk and conquer mountains, and it could give you powers to conjure water out of nothing.
Of course, this was nothing more than a fairy told to children so that they would behave better. He even taught this to his children. It taught the lesson to little children that they were meant to be something more, something greater. It taught them to hope for a better future.
The name of this magical item was Ether.
Legends told them that if you were to consume Ether, then you would break the limits of your own body and transform into something much better. However, fairy tales remained fairy tales till the end. No one in his village had ever seen an Ether, much less held it in their own hands. Of course, some Thalls bragged about seeing it in human settlements, but the elders declared it as nothing more than lies and punished the Thall who dared get near humans.
As Achram grew older, he thought that Ether was a hoax, a lie his parents told him so that he would strive to survive and find this mythical Ether. And he never believed it after that, until today that is.
Hovering just above his head was a red flat oval sphere that had a very coarse texture like that of sand. It was glittering a rainbow color in the sunlight, and there was an ethereal aura around it that made it seem like it was a gift from the heavens.
Achram's hands subconsciously moved up to catch the Ether. He didn't know why, but he was tempted to just take this Ether for himself. However, his gratitude and respect for the God of Icy Rock prevented him from doing anything shameful. This Ether was a treasure that cannot be replaced. It was not intended for the likes of a lowly Thall.
He lowered his hand, thankful for just getting the opportunity to see Ether in real life. That, in and of itself, was a blessing that he would treasure for the rest of his life.
"What are you doing?" asked the Slime.
"My apologies," Achram said as he stepped back from the Ether.
The Diplomatic Slime then jumped and pushed Achram's back into the Ether, forcing him to touch and take hold of the glinting treasure in front of him. As soon as he did so, the pillar of light from up above disappeared and all the things went back to normal.
"That's for you, you Neanderthal! Master has bestowed upon you this as a gift! It is your responsibility as his citizen to be thankful and take whatever he gave you."
Achram couldn't believe what the Slime was saying. He was given this priceless treasure even though he did nothing for the God? All he did was take the blessings for granted. He was not even competent enough to gather iron in the mines, but the God was still so generous that He gave this mythical treasure to a nobody.
"I don't deserve this," Achram said as he offered the Ether back up to the skies. But no matter what, the God didn't take back the gift that he was given. "I will accept this gift by offering my life to the God."
It was then that Achram decided to give his life for the God. He would do anything, even sacrifice his life for the prosperity of the God's kingdom.
Achram then took the Ether to his mouth and took a bite. As soon as the Ether was broken down into red sand-like particles, it suddenly turned into a liquid that flowed back out of his mouth and surrounded his body into swirls that looked like vines climbing a tree.
A warm sensation filled his body and he felt as light as a feather. Achram closed his eyes. He couldn't explain what was happening to his body. It was hot on the outside but cold on the inside. It felt like his organs were burning, but being soothed by a cooling salve at the same time. His mind felt like it was swelling to twice its size to the point of explosion, but his mental capacity seemed to increase so much.
Back in the real world, Patty was witnessing all of this on the system screen. There was a new popup window on the screen.
[You have used 100 Ether to evolve Achram (Thall) to the next stage of their species]
[Teks yellow sapiens neanderthalensis ====> Lazeus HoboThall]
[Lazeus HoboThall]
• This is a new evolution branch for the species of Yellow Thalls that is specifically indebted and loyal to the God of Icy Rock. Upon this new evolution, the Thall will earn a Trait that will give them power based on the hidden talent in their genes.
• Their physical and mental capacities have improved at least double their initial evolution stage to accommodate this new power.
• They are now more similar to humans except for their skin color and the inherent markings on their bodies.
[You have invested in Achram]
[You will now earn 0% of his cultivation]
Patty looked at Achram and saw that he was levitating a few inches from the ground. He was covered from head to toe in a swirl of red powder, completely obscuring his body. After a few seconds, rays of bright light seeped out from the cocoon of red powder. It wasn't long until the red powder exploded into nothingness, revealing the new evolution of Achram.
He was now six feet tall, with his back completely straight, and his spine no longer curved. Previously hair covered his entire body, but now, his body hair was akin to that of a normal human man. His jaw lost its bulk, making it more sharper and thin like that of a human. Even his features were less crude and 'animalistic', becoming more similar to modern humans.
The only things that didn't change were his muscular body and his skin color. His body remained large, but it was more defined, and lost a lot of excess fat. His skin color was more of a refined yellow, making him look glowing under the bright light of the sun. there weren't any blemishes or spots in his skin.
One very obvious change in his face was the markings around his eyes. There were sharp, angular, and geometric shapes indented around his eyes and the bridge of his nose. These marks were the color of darker gold, making it stand out among his bright yellow skin.
Achram opened his eyes and he saw the world in a new light. Literally. It felt like he was looking at the world for the first time. He could see things from far away as if he was looking at them just a few inches away from his face. He could smell everything in his surroundings. His feet felt light and jumpy. He could move his body like a teenager, with no aching bones or tendons.
He could think much faster than before, think much deeper than what was possible, and even understand things he could not before. Was this what it felt like to be superior?
The first thing he saw was the Diplomatic Slime in front of him. Before, he could see nothing but a blob of green goo inside the slime. But now, he saw the power and intense magic hidden underneath the Slime's unassuming body. It was only now that he understood how powerful this Slime was. Even in his evolved state, he knew that he stood no chance against the Slime.
He could see a magical aura around everyone. It felt like seeing a new color. He instinctively knew that this aura told him the powers of the being in front of him.
"So this is an evolution…" Even without anyone explaining to him, he instinctively knew what happened to his body. He felt the difference in his body. It was like day and night. He was so much stronger and smarter than he was before.
Not only that, there was an extra power in his head. He felt his eyes burn a warmth that only he could understand. He knew how to use it like it was as easy as flipping over a rock. As soon as he used his power, he could see things that he couldn't see before. He could see the hidden iron ores under the ground and he could even see little Flamie hiding behind the Treant, afraid of the change that happened with Achram.
He could see everything!
"Lazeus Piercing Eyes," he muttered. He knew about his Trait's name subconsciously. He also knew that any Thalls that underwent the same evolution that he did would also get a Trait, but their powers would be different from his.
He smiled. This was his new power, his rebirth!