[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully evolving.]
[Since the player DerpyKitty has chosen to join the Undead faction, the host's evolution path has been set to the Undead route.]
[You have evolved into a Wraith. HP increased by 100, MP increased by 100, Attack increased by 10, Defense increased by 5, and Agility increased by 10.]
[You have obtained the Wraith's weapon: Reaper's Scythe.]
[Detected: Explosive Slime Goo has evolved. Automatically upgraded to Explosive Reaper's Scythe.]
[You have acquired a new skill: Quick Slash.]
[Next evolution requires 1,000 evolution points.]
A surge of warmth coursed through Ethan's otherwise intangible body, and he could feel his very existence undergoing a profound transformation. His form gradually became translucent, like a shadowy wisp floating in the air.
The numbers on his stat panel skyrocketed, with even his agility seeing a significant boost of 10 points.
His weapon had undergone a dramatic upgrade as well. The once-gooey Explosive Slime Goo had transformed into the Explosive Reaper's Scythe, its blade gleaming with a metallic sheen that shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight.
What excited him even more was the new skill he had unlocked—Quick Slash.
Character Stats:
Name: Ethan
Level: 3
Race: Wraith (Bound to Player: DerpyKitty)
HP: 220
MP: 100
Attack: 14 (+30 from Explosive Reaper's Scythe)
Defense: 14
Agility: 10 (Attack Speed: 1 hit every 2.9 seconds; Movement Speed: 1 step every 2 seconds)
Weapon: Explosive Reaper's Scythe (Uncommon)
Skill: Quick Slash
Evolution Points: 0
Enhancement Points: 20
Skill: Quick Slash (Level 1)
Effect: Consumes 10 MP to increase attack speed by 30% for 10 minutes.
Ethan stared at his updated stats, his heart brimming with anticipation. "This is just my first evolution, and my stats have already improved so much. What kind of monster will I become in the future?"
He knew that at this early stage of the game, most players were still stuck at levels 1 or 2. But not only had he reached level 3, his evolved stats were already absurdly overpowered.
In Dark Scrolls, players only experienced a major boost in their overall stats after reaching level 10 and completing their class advancement. Until then, leveling up only granted minor increases: +10 HP, +1 Attack, and +1 Defense per level.
On top of that, the game's notoriously low drop rates meant that most players were struggling to survive in "Purgatory Mode" with barely any decent gear.
But Ethan was different. At level 3, his evolution had already pushed his stats to rival those of a level 10 player post-class advancement!
"The Forest Wolves only have 10 Attack, while my Defense is 14. They can't even scratch me. Even if I get swarmed, I'll be fine."
"And let's not forget—my Attack is already at 44!"
He tightened his grip on the Explosive Reaper's Scythe, the blade radiating a chilling aura that sent shivers down his spine.
Item: Explosive Reaper's Scythe (Uncommon)
Attack Power: +30
Critical Rate: +8%
Description: A weapon enhanced through evolution. Extremely powerful.
In Dark Scrolls, equipment was divided into eight tiers:
Common (White)
Uncommon (Green)
Rare (Blue)
Epic (Purple)
Legendary (Orange)
Mythical(Gold)
Divine (Silver)
Supreme (Red)
Although Ethan's Explosive Reaper's Scythe was only of Uncommon (Green) quality, it was already considered top-tier gear at this stage of the game.
"If I put this weapon up for auction right now, it'd easily sell for a few hundred dollars," Ethan calculated silently.
Dark Scrolls was a game he had helped develop, so he knew better than anyone just how brutal its difficulty was and how abysmally low the drop rates for gear could be.
Uncommon-tier equipment could only drop from Uncommon-level monsters or higher, and with the game having launched just thirty minutes ago, almost no player had the strength to take down such creatures.
At this moment, most players were still struggling with basic white-tier weapons, while the Explosive Reaper's Scythe in his hands was nothing short of a god-tier weapon that put him leagues ahead of everyone else.
"A head start means staying ahead."
Ethan understood that this weapon's value far exceeded a few hundred dollars. If the wealthy guilds caught wind of it, they'd probably be willing to shell out thousands to get their hands on it.
But Ethan wasn't in dire need of money right now, and there was no way he'd sell it.
Besides, this weapon was the cornerstone of his newfound strength.
He glanced down at his stat panel and then at the weapon in his hand, feeling a surge of uncontrollable excitement welling up inside him.
The rush of power made him eager to test his new abilities.
"Swish… Swish…"
Before Ethan could think further, the small floating creature beside him, Floaty, suddenly let out a faint whistling sound and darted straight toward a nearby Forest Wolf.
"Hey! I didn't tell you to go over there! That's dangerous!"
A voice called out from behind him—Lily's, tinged with a mix of urgency and confusion.
She stood frozen in place, staring wide-eyed at Ethan's ghostly figure as he charged toward the enemy without hesitation.
From a simple slime to a Wraith, the transformation of her summoned creature left her completely baffled.
"What's going on here? Why hasn't he disappeared after the summoning time ran out?"
Lily frowned, her mind racing with questions. She had no idea what had just happened, nor could she understand why Ethan had suddenly become so powerful.
"Did he… evolve?"
She had a vague guess, but it didn't clear up her confusion.
Still, even if he had evolved, wasn't he getting a little too cocky?
Watching Ethan's ethereal form drift toward the wolves, Lily couldn't help but feel a pang of worry.
Forest Wolves might be low-level monsters, but their speed and pack-hunting tactics made them a serious threat.
With Ethan's current speed and defense, if he got surrounded, he might not even have a chance to escape!
She tried to check Ethan's stats, but to her frustration, she couldn't access his status at all.
"What the hell is going on with this guy?"
Gritting her teeth, Lily realized she couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
She quickly began chanting a spell, her voice low and urgent:
"Dark Lord, heed the call of your servant. Grant me the power of the undead!"
As the incantation ended, a swirl of black energy materialized in her hands. Moments later, ten ordinary slimes appeared out of thin air in front of her.
"Go! Help him, now!"
Without hesitation, Lily commanded the slimes to rush toward Ethan's location.
Her face was tense with worry as she silently prayed, "Little Wraith, you better not die on me! My rent money for this month depends on you!"
Meanwhile, Ethan was completely oblivious to Lily's concerns.
His focus was locked on the Forest Wolves ahead of him.
"Alright, let's see just how strong this 'Explosive Reaper's Scythe' really is!"
He gripped the weapon tightly, the blade emanating a chilling aura that seemed to freeze the very air around it.
His translucent figure shimmered under the sunlight, appearing ghostly and otherworldly, like a shadow drifting through the forest.
The Forest Wolves, sensing the danger, growled low and lunged toward him.
Ethan's lips curled into a confident smirk.
"This is just the beginning."