In Dante's hand appeared the Elixirberry.
|| Elixirberry ||
>> LV.1
>> 1 000 000 gil
>> Radiates a soft, emerald glow
>> Restores a significant amount of health and stamina
>> Grants a temporary boost to vitality and regeneration
>> If consumed by a pet, instantly increases its chances of evolution.
|| END ||
Dante stared at the glowing Elixirberry in his palm.
It shimmered with raw vitality—an iridescent crimson core swirling inside its translucent skin, pulsing with condensed life essence.
Any trader worth their salt would drop dead at the price this thing could fetch. A single Elixirberry could buy an entire village. Maybe two.
But Dante wasn't planning to sell it.
He could have. Easily. But that would draw too much attention. He wasn't in the business of flashing his cards this early in the game.
He also had no intention of eating it himself. He didn't need it. His [Master Fusion] class had already elevated his resistance and stamina beyond what most high-tier adventurers could dream of. And he thought that the SSS+ tier was already the highest class he could achieve.
Not to mention the stockpile of high-grade health potions he kept tucked in his dimensional satchel—souvenirs from the last world he barely survived.
No, this berry wasn't for healing. And it wasn't for profit.
It was for testing.
Dante glanced at Bluenose, who was currently looking at the Elixirberry in his hand.
Bluenose wasn't brave. He wasn't strong. But he was still here—despite the venom vipers, despite Dullowmarch, despite all logic telling him to run. That counted for something.
And Dante wanted to know: what would happen if a "normal" gnome took in a world-class item?
Would he explode? Maybe.
Mutate into a monster? Hopefully not.
Or . . . would he evolve?
That was the question. And Dante, more than anyone, loved finding answers.
Besides, Dante could always make another Elixirberry.
It was time-consuming, sure. But with Grassberries growing like weeds in this region, the hardest part was just having the patience.
And right now, curiosity outweighed patience.
He pulled the Elixirberry from his pouch. It glowed faintly, pulsing with life—sweet, vibrant, volatile life.
Bluenose noticed immediately. His ears perked. "W-what's that?" he asked, inching back like a squirrel spotting a trap.
Dante tossed the berry into his hand with a blank expression. "Eat it."
Bluenose stiffened. "I-Is that . . . poison?"
"Maybe. That's part of the mystery," Dante said flatly, then reached out and—without hesitation—shoved the berry right into Bluenose's open mouth.
"Mmph—?!"
Bluenose flailed, gagged, and—choking slightly from the shock—gulped it down.
Silence filled the room.
Dante crouched there with arms crossed, observing like a scientist watching an unstable potion.
Bluenose trembled. "W-what was that? Am I gonna die? Wait . . . that actually tasted really good. Sweet . . . juicy . . . fruity?" He blinked. "That wasn't poison, right?!"
And then it happened.
Light erupted around him—soft at first, then brilliant, cascading like rippling water. The messy, dirt-covered gnome who resembled a forgotten street urchin was now glowing from the inside out.
His clothes didn't change, but his blue skin looked healthier, shinier—less murky, more vibrant. He stood a little taller, back straighter. His nose, while still impressively blue, still looked oversized. His eyes widened in awe as he looked down at his own hands.
"I—I evolved . . ." Bluenose whispered.
Then louder, "I evolved! Hah! Look at me! I actually did it!" He spun in circles like a child on too much sugar. "I can feel my stats going up! My back doesn't even hurt anymore!"
Dante nodded slightly from the corner.
So it worked.
No explosion. No melting. No disfigurement.
He'd half-expected the gnome to turn into a puff of smoke or grow a tail or something, but this was clean. Functional. Dull.
"Good," Dante said under his breath. "Now you might actually survive the trip."
[You formed a real relationship with Bluenose!]
|| B L U E N O S E ||
Relationship Level: MAX
Class: Runegnome
Skills & Perks:
🔷 Trap Glyph – Places hidden elemental glyphs that explode, freeze, or bind.
📜 Rune Channel – Can amplify an ally's next skill or weapon.
🔮 Rune Decoder – Can decipher ancient symbols, hidden doors, or cursed artifacts. Can write runes.
🌟 Ultimate Skill:
Sigil Barrage – Unleashes all stored glyphs in an area, causing chaos and disruption to enemies while buffing allies.
|| E N D ||
Dante found himself nodding, almost amused.
This felt oddly like leveling up a pet. Not that he'd ever say that aloud.
Still, the experiment had proven more valuable than expected. If a single crafted item could trigger evolution and a relationship level . . . then maybe, just maybe, this world's creatures could be influenced through the right gifts—key items that triggered growth, affinity, or even loyalty.
Another theory worth testing later.
He looked at the still-glowing Bluenose. "Congrats. You finally evolved."
Bluenose stood in stunned silence, then abruptly dropped to his knees and pressed his head to the floor with a loud thud.
"Master! From now on, you're my master!" His voice trembled with emotion. "Because of you, my lifelong dream—something I thought impossible—is now real! I evolved!"
Dante raised a brow and waved a dismissive hand. "Don't get all dramatic. You had the potential to begin with." Then, with a sharper tone, he added, "And don't tell anyone about that berry or your evolution. Especially not what it could do. Got it?"
Bluenose looked up, eyes blazing with newfound resolve. "Even if they torture me or carve out my spleen, I'll take it to my grave! My loyalty belongs to you, Master!"
Dante chuckled. Even Bluenose's cowardice seemed to be gone now. His energy was different now—steadier, more focused. His voice didn't squeak. His knees didn't shake.
"Good. Now that you can fight, I'll be counting on you."
Bluenose straightened proudly, puffing his small chest. "Leave it to me, Master. Not even a mosquito will dare touch you—"
"Actually," Dante interrupted, "I was hoping to catch a few mosquitoes."
"Oh." Bluenose coughed. "Then I'll capture them. Alive."
Dante nodded. "Better."