Alonso discovered by reading the books the stages of job evolution. It appeared that while humans possessed jobs, magical beasts could evolve to enhance their abilities. However, the methods of evolution differed greatly between the two.
For humans, job evolution was a distinct process. A human's appearance or DNA did not change; instead, it was their job that evolved. For instance, when a samurai killed a beast or another beings, they absorbed the mana from their slain opponent, which flowed into the birthmark on the back of their neck. This absorption caused the birthmark to expand in size. Over time, the mark would revert to its original size but would change from black to a vibrant red. This phenomenon was known as job evolution or advancement, which increased the individual's abilities, life force, strength, eyesight, and more.
Human job evolution followed three primary stages: Immediate Job Evolution, Average Job Evolution, and Superior Job Evolution. Beyond these lay a legendary fourth stage—nearly unattainable—known as Godhood. Throughout history, only ten individuals had reached this extraordinary level, gaining demigod status, unimaginable power, and a form of immortality.
In contrast, magical beasts underwent a more instinctual evolutionary process, akin to a Pokémon evolution. A weak goblin, for instance, could evolve into a hobgoblin after killing enough creatures or by defeating a high-mana opponent. From there, it could progress to a goblin king, a goblin lord, or even something entirely different, like a vampire or dragon, depending on the mana it absorbed. The pinnacle of magical beasts evolution was often a demon lord or demon king, whose power rivaled that of demigods.
While the human evolutionary path was limited to four stages, monsters could have anywhere from one to fifty stages, making their evolution more complex. However, it was crucial to note that low-ranking monsters had an incredibly slim chance of reaching demon lord status in just one evolution, as such an achievement often required immense luck.
Moreover, human evolution took significantly longer than monster evolution, presenting both advantages and disadvantages: humans had fewer stages but progressed slowly, while monsters could evolve quickly but faced many hurdles along their journey.
After finishing the books, Alonso breathed a sigh of relief. The knowledge he had gained calmed him; he now understood the world a little better. He couldn't help but chuckle at the RPG-like nature of this reality. The concept of absorbing mana from kills felt like a game mechanic—experience points in action. With a smirk, he thought to himself, "Ha! This is just like leveling up."
Yet, beneath his amusement lay a growing resolve. Alonso's plan was clear: he wanted to return to his old life on Earth, reclaim his lab, and become the custodian of knowledge once more, striving for perfection. To achieve this, he would need resources and allies, and for that, he needed money.
With purpose, he stood up, returned the books to their shelves, and left for the Adventurers Guild to register and begin earning.
Upon arriving at the Adventurers Guild, Alonso was struck by the size of the building. It boasted two floors and resembled a lively pub, with round tables and chairs filling both levels. The atmosphere buzzed with the sounds of boisterous laughter, clinking mugs, and animated conversations. Most of the patrons were brawny men, their faces marked by scars, while weapons were slung over their backs or rested at their hips.
As Alonso stepped through the double doors, the noise fell to an abrupt hush, and he could almost hear a pin drop. He felt the weight of curious gazes upon him, many of which belonged to non-humans. In fact, he estimated the crowd was about fifty percent human and fifty percent non-humans. This made sense to Alonso; with slavery just abolished, many demi-humans would be seeking employment, and adventuring was a natural choice.