Time had not been kind to the Briarwatch ruins. Crumbling walls peeked out from curtains of thorny vines, thicker and more vicious than any found in the grove, suggesting a long-lost outpost now surrendered to nature. What remained were skeletal remnants, sighing into the endless twilight of the Whispering Woods. The air hung heavy, saturated with the musty tang of decay and echoes of long-buried sorrow.
"Charming place," David commented, his new [Guardian's Bark Shield] feeling reassuringly solid on his arm.
"It was a border fort, ages ago," Katrina explained, her voice low as she scanned their surroundings. "Meant to keep watch over the deeper, more dangerous parts of the Woods. The corruption consumed it, like everything else around here."
Hailey shivered, despite the cloying warmth of the grove. "Creepy. I keep feeling like there are a hundred invisible eyes watching us. My [Danger Sense] is all tingly, but not like 'imminent-monster-attack' tingly, more like 'this-place-has-seen-terrible-things' tingly."
Isaac, still sulking but forced to cooperate, was poking at a moss-covered stone with his axe. "Probably just rats. Or oversized spiders. Let's just find whatever salvageable junk is here and get out. This place gives me the creeps worse than the Treants."
They began to explore, moving cautiously through the dilapidated structures. Most buildings were caved in, their interiors filled with rubble and more thorny overgrowth. Occasionally, they'd find rusted weapon fragments or broken pottery, but nothing of real value. The EP gains from the occasional mutated rat or oversized beetle they encountered were minimal, barely worth the effort.
David, however, was using the relative downtime to experiment. He had 150 EP from the Grove Guardian, plus a few more from the smaller fry. He focused on his system panel.
"Hey, Katrina," he began, "you've been doing this for a while. Do you know much about how different systems work? Like, is there a limit to how many times you can evolve something?"
Katrina paused in her examination of an old, weathered carving on a wall fragment. "Systems are… varied. Mine is tied to my archery, 'Path of the Arrow.' It unlocks new shot types and enhances my bow's capabilities over time. Hailey's is 'Whispering Echoes,' enhancing her senses and granting her insights, though she mostly just says it gives her 'the tingles'."
Hailey grinned. "It's very scientific!"
Katrina continued, "Most evolutions or upgrades require specific materials or achievements, not just raw experience or points like yours seems to. Yours is quite unique, David. The 'Ultimate Evolution System'… it implies a broad range of potential. As for limits? I haven't encountered a hard limit with my own, but progression certainly gets more demanding."
David nodded. That made sense. His system seemed more fluid, driven by the EP he gathered. He decided to test it further. He looked at his [Guardian's Bark Shield]. An option shimmered: [Evolve (Cost: 75 EP)].
Half his current EP. A significant investment. But the last evolution had been a huge leap.
"Here goes something," he muttered, selecting the option.
[Evolve [Guardian's Bark Shield]? YES/NO]
[Potential Evolutions:]
[1. Enhanced Resilience (Passive): Significantly increases Defense and Durability.]
[2. Bramble Barrier (Active): Conjure a temporary wall of thorny vines. Cooldown: 5 minutes. Cost: 20 Mana.]
[3. Party Defense Aura (Minor - Passive): Grants a small defensive bonus to nearby party members.]
David's eyes widened. An active skill for his shield? A party buff? That third option was particularly enticing, especially now that he was, however tentatively, part of a party. The idea of contributing to everyone's defense appealed to him far more than just becoming a better personal tank.
He chose option 3.
[Evolving [Guardian's Bark Shield]... Please wait.]
The shield on his arm pulsed with a soft, earthy light. The intricate bark patterns seemed to deepen, taking on a richer, more vibrant hue. When the light faded, the system text updated.
[Livingwood Aegis (Uncommon - Evolved)]
[Defense: +15 (+5)]
[Durability: 100/100 (+25)]
[Property: Minor Thorn Retribution - 10% chance to reflect 5 physical damage.]
[Property: Aura of Protection (Minor) - Grants +2 Defense to party members within 10 meters.]
[A shield infused with the protective spirit of the living wood. It watches over its allies.]
Plus five defense for himself, and a +2 defense aura for the party! He could already see faint, almost invisible motes of green light drifting from his shield towards Katrina, Hailey , and even Isaac.
"Whoa," Hailey said, her eyes wide as she looked at her own hands. "I feel… sturdier! David, did you do that? My skin feels tougher, like tree bark, but not itchy!"
Katrina raised an eyebrow, a subtle shift in her own stance suggesting she felt the difference too. "A defensive aura. Impressive. That's a valuable asset, David."
Even Isaac grunted, a hint of something unreadable in his eyes as he flexed his arm. He wouldn't admit it, but the small defensive boost was noticeable.
David grinned. "Just sharing the love. Or, you know, the bark."
He still had 75 EP. He pondered his options. His [Trainee's Blade] could probably be evolved again, but he felt his defense and utility were more pressing needs for the team. He looked at his base stats. Strength 5, Agility 6, Endurance 4. That Endurance was worryingly low, especially after the Grove Guardian's wallop.
An option appeared on his main status screen: [Evolve Base Stats (Cost varies)].
He focused on Endurance. [Increase Endurance by 1 point (Cost: 20 EP)].
It seemed like a good investment in not dying. He spent 20 EP, and his Endurance ticked up to 5. He immediately felt a subtle but definite shift, a sense of greater resilience, a little less ache in his ribs.
He spent another 40 EP to raise it to 7. Now he felt noticeably tougher. He had 15 EP left. Not enough for another stat point, but maybe for his blade?
He checked his [Trainee's Blade (Evolved)]. [Evolve (Cost: 30 EP)]. Not quite.
As they delved deeper into a crumbling barracks, Hailey suddenly stopped. "Hold up! I hear something… like crackling. And whispers, but not the usual woods-whispers. These are… angry."
They all fell silent. David could hear it too now – a faint, erratic crackling sound, like dry leaves burning, and an undercurrent of guttural murmurs coming from a collapsed section of the wall ahead.
Katrina nocked an arrow. "Stay alert. Sounds like Riftspawn."
"Riftspawn?" David asked.
"Creatures that spill out from tears in reality," Isaac explained, a grim look on his face. "Unpredictable, often unnatural. And always hostile."
As if on cue, several small, shadowy figures, no taller than David's knee, skittered out from the hole in the wall. They moved with jerky, insect-like motions, their bodies wreathed in faint wisps of purple-black smoke. Their eyes were pinpricks of crimson light.
[Skittering Riftling (Level 2)]
[A minor creature from a fractured reality, weak but often found in swarms.]
"Just Riftlings," Isaac said with a sneer, though he readied his axe. "Hardly a threat."
"Don't underestimate them in numbers, Isaac," Katrina cautioned, her bow already trained.
Several more Riftlings scuttled out, then more, until at least a dozen were twitching and chittering in the cramped space, their crimson eyes fixed on the party.
This alliance was about to face its first real test. And David, with his newly buffed shield and slightly less squishy self, was ready for it.