Chapter 537 Evolution! Evolution! (11k)
“Let’s start with Ditto!”
After “Pride IV” was off cooldown, Dark immediately recalled the Magical Beast: Ditto back to his side.
Ditto’s adaptability was extremely strong; any “Capital Sin Card” above Level 1 could enhance its star rating.
Using Ditto allowed Dark to directly observe the energy contained within a Capital Sin Card.
“Hurry up!”
Once summoned, Ditto stretched its body to become long and thin like a bamboo pole, then began to excitedly sway.
It was clear that the little imp beast had been boasting about its new evolution form all over the classroom.
As for the dangers during the evolution process… of course, Ditto didn’t mention a word!
Judging by the time, the mana spirits probably only knew that the little imp beast evolved from “Pride IV” to a Seventh Tier Mana Spirit.
“Hurry hurry!”
Dark pulled Ditto’s cheeks outward and laughed, “Why are you so eager? You can’t evolve.”
Ditto: (->__<-)
Dark chuckled and activated the "Pride IV" in his hand.
A dark gold beam shot out from the card and illuminated Ditto.
Ditto basked in the light of "Pride," clearly enjoying it.
Unlike the little imp beast, Ditto was indifferent to the light-dark attributes of "Pride IV."
The "Pride" emblem that appeared in the center of its abdomen grew deeper, and its internal energy level visibly surged.
Starting from one star, it continued to rise.
In an instant, Ditto crossed the threshold between the first and second tiers and continued to grow, eventually reaching the barrier between the second and third tiers.
Then, its edges suddenly began to wriggle.
No doubt, it was striving to break through the second tier.
Dark focused intently.
However, Ditto fell short of breaking through the second tier.
After a violent tremor, it suddenly collapsed, unable to pierce through the hard barrier.
"Failed."
Dark frowned slightly.
After reaching six stars, the Magical Beast: Ditto completely stopped evolving. Its mana, attack, and defense all became 600 points.
Although this was slightly higher than the 400 points at four stars, there was no fundamental change.
Unable to break through to seven stars, Ditto couldn't transform into a Third Tier Mana Spirit.
This significant leap ultimately ended in failure.
Dark shook his head, not discouraged.
"Hurry—"
But Ditto clearly looked dejected.
He picked it up, rubbing his cheek against it to comfort it.
Only when Ditto regained its smile did he put it down.
Ditto waddled back to the classroom.
...
"From this, it seems that 'Pride IV's' energy level should be between six and seven stars, very close to seven but not quite breaking through."
"The little imp beast's evolution into 'Zombie Tyrannomon' might be due to the conflict between light and darkness."
"The intense conflict led to a stronger energy burst, allowing the little imp beast to break through its limits."
Dark recorded his experimental results and analysis, then closed his notebook and put it back into his small bag.
Next, he would represent the Duke's Mansion and go with Olivia to attend the entrance feast for Joie and Jon.
The entrance feast for Joie and Jon was also a family-style banquet, inviting only family members and some close friends. This was in line with Demon's family's一贯低调方针.
Dark boarded the dragon horn carriage, arriving at the twins' residence in just about ten minutes.
Though not as grand as the Duke's Mansion, Joie and Jon's residence was still luxurious.
The dragon horn carriage drove straight into the mansion and stopped before the steps.
Dark got out of the carriage and entered the mansion with Olivia.
He had been here when he was very young, but naturally, he no longer remembered the exact route.
But surprisingly, Olivia was very familiar with it.
She dismissed the maids who came to greet them and took on the role of leading the way.
Not long after, Dark arrived at the banquet hall.
By evening, the banquet hall was already full of people, mostly those he had met at his birthday party, though a few were personal friends of the hosts.
Dark glanced up and saw the bright banners hanging high up — similar to the ones hung throughout the city when a top scorer in the college entrance exam appeared.
The atmosphere was subtly reminiscent.
Dark attracted many glances as soon as he entered, but most of those present were his elders, so they merely nodded from afar.
Dark enjoyed this restrained form of social interaction. He followed the invitation number to find the main table where Jon and Joie's parents were chatting.
After a brief greeting, Dark sat at the main table.
Soon, the banquet officially began.
Amidst the melodious piano music, Jon and Joie made their grand entrance.
The siblings both had golden hair and blue eyes, with faint traces of Dark's features visible in their faces.
One could say they were truly Dark's cousins, equally handsome and beautiful, though slightly less refined in demeanor.
But when they saw Dark in the audience, their expressions froze, and their smiles stiffened, making them appear even less refined.
...
Halfway through the banquet, Dark said something to Jon and Joie's parents, then stood up from the table and exited through a side door to the balcony.
Olivia followed, closing the balcony doors, cutting off much of the noise from the banquet hall.
On the balcony, Dark took out "Pride IV" and Magical Beast: Eevee, preparing to conduct an experiment here.
"At this time, Lil'Eevee should be reading in the bedroom, right?"
Dark guessed Eevee's actions and initiated the summoning here, then brought it out from the Mana Card.
"Buu ee!"
Lil'Eevee jumped into Dark's arms as soon as it materialized.
Dark stroked its head and rubbed its neck, then said with a smile, "Even though it's night, could you please evolve into Eevee (Sun)?"
"Eee buu!" Lil'Eevee nodded vigorously, excitement evident on its face.
Unlike Ditto, even a simple upgrade to six stars could significantly boost Eevee's strength.
It had been looking forward to this since returning from Ditto's test, and now it could finally fulfill its wish.
Under the starlight, Dark used a regular summoning spell to call upon "Pride IV."
This manor was very safe, and the family-style banquet wouldn't attract any troublemakers.
He smoothly activated "Pride IV," and Lil'Eevee evolved into "Eevee (Sun)" under its light!
Eevee, a Pokémon, only has one stage of evolution.
Unlike some Pokémon that have a second stage of evolution, or even Mega Evolution afterward.
Although it has the potential for Gigantamax.
But Gigantamax isn't considered a true evolution; it's a special technique that makes Pokémon larger. It's unlikely that a "Capital Sin Card" can achieve this.
In contrast, "Mega Evolution."
It's possible to achieve this through the subsequent levels of "Capital Sin Cards."
While Dak was pondering, Lil'Eevee had already completed its evolution.
The Mana Card of the Magical Beast: Ibut had now transformed into the Mana Card of the Magical Beast: Eevee (Sun)...
And indeed, there were six stars on the Mana Card symbolizing its level!
[Card Name: Magical Beast (Eevee Sun)]
[Type: Elemental Card]
[Level: ????]
[Race: Avian-beast Kin]
[Attribute: Psychic]
[Mana: 3000]
[Attack: 2600]
[Defense: 1300]
[Ultimate Skills: Mana Reflection, Telekinesis, Future Sight, Trickery]
"Mii—"
After evolving, Eevee (Sun) did not become overly aloof due to "Pride IV."
Although it turned its head away, it did not struggle to escape from Dak's embrace.
Magical Beings with sentience can adapt to their environment.
For Magical Beings gradually getting accustomed to "Capital Sin Cards," they developed some resistance to emotional interference.
Dak injected Mana into the Mana Card, deeply understanding the information about the six-star Eevee (Sun), and couldn't help but smile slightly.
Compared to a four-star [Magical Beast: Eevee Sun], a six-star [Magical Beast: Eevee Sun] not only saw a proportional increase in stats but also gained more ultimate skills!
From having three ultimate skills to now having four, this made the [Magical Beast: Eevee Sun] a rare Gold Card!
And the additional ultimate skill was "Trickery"!
...
Dak was not very familiar with this ultimate skill, "Trickery."
He was more familiar with other ultimate skills with similar effects, such as "Huhu's" "Power Trick" and another ultimate skill from "Mana Nightmare Demon," which included "Trickery Space."
"Power Trick" swaps attack and defense values.
"Trickery Space" distorts space, making targets within it move slower despite their higher speed.
Both ultimate skills are worthy of the word "Trickery," possessing subtle changes.
Therefore, when he saw "Trickery" as an ultimate skill, his anticipation was high.
And Eevee (Sun) did not disappoint him.
[Trickery: Seize the opponent's opening, use psychic power to exchange items between you and your opponent.]
At first glance, this seemed like an ordinary ultimate skill.
It appeared to be of the same type as "Desire" from Ibut or "Steal" from Meow.
However, upon closer analysis, it was fundamentally different from skills like "Desire" and "Steal."
The key point was the definition of "items."
"Items" could be held objects, equipped armor or weapons, or even worn armed cards!
Further investigation revealed:
Dak realized this was a skill that could force opponents to "hold" something!
If it were armor or weapons, it would force opponents to equip the swapped armor or weapon.
If it were an armed card, it would force opponents to wear it!
Yes...
Dak discovered he finally had a skill that could make targets forcibly wear an armed card — "Sour Plum Hero."
This meant he could instantly turn targets within range into useless beings with 100 points in both offense and defense!
Moreover, they couldn't dodge or defend against it!
Typically, wearing an armed card required gestures or activation words, such as "Eat sour plum, become a superhero!" for "Sour Plum Hero."
"Moon Goddess" required a longer activation phrase for its armed evolution.
"Light Emissary" needed to use "Magic King" to launch the "Light Badge."
The basic activation phrase for armed cards was usually "Armed, transform."
Even if one couldn't say it out loud, they needed to silently recite it to wear the card.
Thus, unless the armed card had erosion or plunder properties, it couldn't force someone to wear it.
Even if forced to wear it, it could generally be immediately removed.
But "Eevee Sun's" ultimate skill "Trickery" could break this rule, forcing the opponent to "hold" something!
The main issue now was whether "Eevee Sun" needed to transform into "Sour Plum Hero" itself to use "Trickery" and swap with the target?
If it needed to transform, firstly, the transformation requirement for "Sour Plum Hero" was that the wearer must be in human form.
Secondly, once transformed, the ultimate skill would be sealed — making it impossible to use "Trickery"!
So, for "Eevee Sun" to use "Trickery" to force targets to transform into "Sour Plum Hero," it might require specific training to adjust the use of "Trickery."
As for whether "Eevee Sun" could exchange without the target having any "items"?
Of course, it could.
The information in the Mana Card clearly stated this.
And if the opponent carried special items, "Trickery" would fail.
...
Dak didn't conduct too many experiments on the balcony, exchanging just one pebble with "Eevee Sun" before returning to the banquet hall.
People in the banquet hall weren't surprised to see an additional Mana Being on his shoulder.
When he sat back at the main table, Jon and Joie were brought by their parents to Dak, who kindly entrusted him to look after them at the academy.
Parents always worry about their children traveling far.
Though being admitted to Saint Maryann Academy was something to boast about, nine months of separation would cause great concern.
Perhaps two more frequent figures would appear in the Saint Maryann Academy's duel branch in the capital city.
Dak gently agreed to their request, holding Jon and Joie's hands, and said, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of them."
Jon and Joie's parents were overjoyed.
...
By the time he returned to the Duke’s Mansion, it was already 9:30 PM.
Standing by the window in his bedroom, Dak looked at the night scenery before taking out "Pride IV" again, looking between "Lion Beast" and "Deoxys."
"Lion Beast" and "Deoxys" were both second-tier Mana Beings, increasing the likelihood of their successful evolution.
Dak would try to evolve the Imp Beast into a Demon Beast first before using "Pride IV," but the result might not be significant.
As he turned around, he saw Lion Beast and Deoxys standing behind waiting.
Whether it was Lion Beast or Deoxys, they knew their turn was coming next.
Unlike the two Magical Beasts, Lion Beast and Deoxys had the possibility of obtaining new evolutionary forms. Their extreme "pride" hoped to maintain their powerful combat strength in the front line of the team.
Other than the unpredictable "secondary炼成" (secondary refinement), evolution was the only way for them to continue growing stronger!
"Who goes first?"
Dak shook his hand with "Pride IV" and asked.
Lion Beast and Deoxys looked at each other.
Before Lion Beast could make a gesture of yielding, Deoxys stepped back half a step.
Dak understood immediately: "Then let Lion Beast go first."
Lion Beast shook its mane, showing joy.
The other Mana Beings gathered around with sunflower seeds, milk cookies, and cherry tomatoes, each with a joyful expression.
Enthusiastically.
Under the watchful eyes of his family, Lion Beast felt a surge of power within his heart, sensing each cell pulsating with energy.
Yet, Dark watched such a Lion Beast and had already prepared the "Soul of the Moon Goddess I."
Should Lion Beast evolve erroneously due to the疯狂因子, he would immediately intervene.
...
That hint of worry amidst the general joy made Dark very cautious.
He raised his hand to press down as Lion Beast approached.
Lion Beast understood, sitting down directly on the carpet.
His imposing figure diminished slightly.
Dark aimed the "Pride IV" at its forehead and chanted, "By the name of Dark Dimon, Mana Summoning—'Pride IV'!"
Instantly, dark golden light filled the view.
The other Golems promptly closed their eyes, experienced enough to know that closing them could mitigate the effects of the residual light.
After all, the eyes are the windows to the soul.
But some Golems did not close their eyes.
For instance, Deoxys, who was intently observing Lion Beast's reaction, clearly preparing for its own evolution.
Lion Beast stared unwaveringly, even as the "Light of Pride" shone directly upon him.
A crimson "Pride" emblem quickly appeared on his forehead, with his eyes reflecting the dark gold hue.
Dark held the Golem Card of "Lion Beast" in his palm, constantly feeling its changes.
Sources of light appeared within Lion Beast's forehead, spreading rapidly until his entire body glowed.
Evolution began!
The light from "Pride IV" did not split within his body but converged inward like a collapse, shrinking to his brain core, forming an extremely deep dark golden orb.
Then, a starkly incongruous red emerged from within that dark golden orb!
"As expected!"
Dark flicked his finger, bringing the "Soul of the Moon Goddess I" to his fingertip.
The physical form of the "Soul of the Moon Goddess I" also lowered the seeds it was holding.
"Pride IV," with its inherent flaw.
The indelible疯狂因子.
The叠加 of these two uncertain factors caused Lion Beast to evolve not incorrectly, but towards a corrupt form!
Lion Beast's eyes suddenly burst open.
The veins rapidly spreading across his face from the corners made his already lion-like visage appear more bestial and terrifying!
"Roar!"
Lion Beast lowered his head, emitting an extremely suppressed roar.
Having experienced狂化 before, he likely realized his transformation instantly.
The "Heart of Justice" shining at his chest made his will even stronger, actively resisting the侵蚀 of chaotic darkness.
But the darkness from "Pride IV" mixed with the疯狂因子 and spread wildly, infecting his entire body.
Lion Beast opened his arms wide, his already massive arms seeming to explode, becoming even thicker and harder.
Black and red light wrapped around his body; his spine bulged, his mane grew long and curled backward, his facial features became coarse and savage, his eyes covered in scarlet light.
Dark took a slight breath, staring intently.
The Golems also put down the seeds they were holding, holding their breaths in anticipation.
Lion Beast's transformation intensified.
But his arms, now incredibly thick, lifted and then dropped, his fists clenched tightly, pounding the ground, causing the floor to sink bit by bit.
Clearly, his will had not given in.
...
This tension lasted several minutes, Lion Beast occasionally roaring, the dark golden orb in his brain core gradually transforming into a purely golden sphere.
Black and blood-red light completely detached from it, integrating into his body.
"Roar!"
Lion Beast, whose head had been hanging low, suddenly raised it, his roar filled with madness and explosion.
But when the Golems thought he was about to fall, he unexpectedly calmed down after his roar.
And Dark, who was about to cast a spell, revealed a relieved smile.
"Well done."
...
Obviously, Lion Beast successfully resisted the darkness's侵蚀 with a more resolute will than Imp Beast, not losing consciousness to madness, completing his breakthrough at the last moment.
And his body underwent its final evolution.
When the light faded, a black Lion Beast with extremely long mane reaching his waist appeared.
His body was damaged, as if artificially modified, with scars covering his skin, his muscles presenting a decaying purple, his spine naturally curved, his chest cavity cracked revealing white bones, those bones even breaking through his shoulders, emerging as two pale bone horns.
His arms and tail were wrapped in pitch-black iron bindings, his nails sharp and blood-red.
Clearly, this was an Undead type, an abnormal evolution product, where the original consciousness should have been devoured during evolution, turning him into a savage Digital Monster attacking indiscriminately.
But Lion Beast stubbornly held onto his clarity with his iron will and "Heart of Justice."
Despite still emitting a mad aura, he did not lose consciousness.
Dark extended his hand toward him.
The "Crazed Lion Beast," after a brief pause, retracted his large paw gently onto Dark's palm.
This cute action akin to a puppy made Dark chuckle involuntarily.
He clasped Lion Beast's two fingers in return and said, "Congratulations on overcoming the madness within your heart."
[Card Name: Crazed Lion Beast]
[Type: Elemental Card]
[Level: ????]
[Race: Undead Type]
[Attributes: Dark/Combat]
[Mana: 2900]
[Attack: 3300]
[Defense: 2800]
[Ultimate Skills: Beast King Fall Fist, Corrupted Poison Claw, Crazed Heart of Justice]
Although he did not break through to Six Stars and enter the third tier, "Crazed Lion Beast" still saw a significant increase over the original "Lion Beast."
A Five-Star "Lion Beast" only had an average of 2300 points for its stats, while a Six-Star "Crazed Lion Beast" had stats comparable to a typical Seven-Star Golem.
Its ultimate skills were three, just like "Lion Beast."
The first ultimate skill was similar to "Beast King Fist": "Beast King Fall Fist."
[Beast King Fall Fist: The ultimate technique of Crazed Lion Beast, releasing a lion-shaped scarlet energy wave from the right hand to finish off enemies.]
The second ultimate skill was "Corrupted Poison Claw."
[Corrupted Poison Claw: Crazed Lion Beast coats its sharp claws with rotting poison, dealing extra damage to organic targets and causing continuous decay.]
An ultimate skill对标 with "Lion King Maru" but with different effects.
Although it didn't directly increase attack, "Corrupted Poison Claw" caused opponents to be poisoned and lose health continuously.
Both had their merits.
But the core ultimate skill of "Crazed Lion Beast" remained the final "Crazed Heart of Justice"!
...
Upon seeing the name of this ultimate skill, Dark felt a stir of excitement.
Would Lion Beast, who had successfully overcome the darkness's侵蚀, retain his "Heart of Justice" and become a "Hero of Darkness"?
He eagerly delved into the details of this ultimate skill.
[Crazed Heart of Justice: The ultimate skill of Crazed Lion Beast, embodying his indomitable spirit and justice.]
The beast was in darkness, but its heart shone with light; even as its body decayed, its will remained as unyielding as steel. It possessed an unwavering sense of justice, and when faced with evil, it could unleash a wild and terrifying power!
"Solitary Sword Sheath!"
Dark excitedly called out.
"Clang!"
The Solitary Sword Sheath quivered and flew towards Dark in response to his call.
Dark grabbed the hilt and looked up at the Crazed Lion Beast.
At that moment, the Crazed Lion Beast also became aware of something, focusing intently on the Solitary Sword Sheath.
Whether it retained its "Hero Qualities" and continued to wield the "Holy Sword" would be key in determining the value of the Crazed Lion Beast.
Dark said, "Test the sword."
The Crazed Lion Beast solemnly extended its hand, taking the Solitary Sword Sheath from Dark.
The Solitary Sword Sheath transformed directly into its weapon form.
The Crazed Lion Beast grabbed the hilt, drew the sword, and then concentrated fiercely.
Blood instantly welled up in its eyes, making its face appear more ferocious. Its long, black mane fluttered without wind, and dark energy drifted out.
Black energy burst forth from the beast's claws gripping the sword hilt.
But almost simultaneously, the Holy Sword responded.
Scorching sacred energy erupted fiercely from the body of the Solitary Sword Sheath, clashing with the Crazed Lion Beast's savage aura.
In the palm of the Crazed Lion Beast holding the sword, light and dark powers clashed violently, emitting a scorching aura.
"The attributes clash and the Holy Sword activates simultaneously?"
Dark's eyes showed surprise. Soon after, he noticed that the Crazed Lion Beast's mana was plummeting at a rate of 6 points per second, only to be restored by the Paradise.
"6 points per second, 180 points per round, 360 points per minute..."
Although the Crazed Lion Beast could indeed wield the Holy Sword, it came at a significant cost. Was it worth it?
Dark couldn't help but ponder.
But the Crazed Lion Beast did not seem to care about this side effect after grasping the sword.
It seemed to have grasped something, raising the sword and standing up.
Its posture, though no longer straight, appeared taller overall.
The Crazed Lion Beast's gaze turned serious as it activated the附加必杀技 of the Solitary Sword Sheath— "Sword Dance"!
In the next moment...
A crimson whirlwind rose beneath its feet.
An extremely fierce and wild aura exploded instantly.
More crimson whirlwinds entwined around the Crazed Lion Beast's body.
On the blade of the Solitary Sword Sheath, a crimson storm appeared!
"What is this?"
Dark couldn't help but exclaim.
The Crazed Lion Beast's tone was filled with fervor as it murmured, "Dance of Madness!"
...
Dark frowned slightly and immediately pulled out the魔导卡 of the Solitary Sword Sheath, injecting mana to check.
Soon, information flowed back.
He was surprised to find that the effect ⑤【附加必杀技 "Sword Dance"】 of the Solitary Sword Sheath (weapon form) had changed to 【附加必杀技 "Dance of Madness"】!
The conflict between the Crazed Lion Beast and the Holy Sword had resulted in the Holy Sword gaining a new ultimate skill after being eroded!
【Dance of Madness: The Crazed Lion Beast releases its madness, significantly increasing its attack! The more frenzied the aura, the higher the attack boost.
Minimum increase of 50% of base attack, maximum increase of 150% of base attack, with additional rotten poison. For each second maintained before release, 100 mana points are consumed.]
The already terrifying "Sword Dance" had further improved after the anomaly.
The original cap of a 100% increase in base attack had been forcibly pushed to 150%, and it could now come with additional lethal poison!
This rotten poison clearly inherited the "Rotten Claw," having the same effect.
Dark was amazed, quickly calculating the Crazed Lion Beast's potential attack limit.
Originally 3300 points of attack could rise to a maximum of 【3300 250% + 300 6】 = 10050 points when performing "Dance of Madness"!
If performed during the final strike of "Triple Slash," it could further boost the attack by 3300 points.
Combined, it would reach 13350 points!
"One blow shatters everything!"
While pure attack power might not always be effective, the deterrent power after reaching a certain threshold was very direct.
Dark's "Big Milk Jar" could achieve remarkable feats due to the cumulative "Rolling" ability, causing over 10,000 damage after five rolls.
Now, the Crazed Lion Beast also had the capability for a maximum single hit.
Though there were many limitations in practical combat, it truly increased its upper limit.
Dark couldn't help but smile excitedly.
Suddenly, he felt a scorching gaze focused on his cheek.
Turning his head slightly, he saw Deoxys looking unaffected.
Dark couldn't help but chuckle.
Clearly, after sensing the strong, frenzied aura emitted by the Crazed Lion Beast after activating "Dance of Madness," Deoxys couldn't wait any longer and wanted to quickly try the injection of "Pride IV."
...
After fifteen minutes.
The Lion Beast returned from its madness, still retaining a trace of madness on its face.
"How do you feel?" Dark asked with concern.
The Lion Beast raised its hand, fingers curling, and revealed its thoughts: "Surprisingly good."
The more steady and honest a person is, the more likely they hide their emotions inside.
After evolving into the Crazed Lion Beast, it had found a channel to vent its emotions, feeling a sense of relief.
"Remember this feeling."
After praising, Dark turned to find the Imp Beast among the Golem and said, "Learn from the Lion Beast."
The Imp Beast immediately pouted.
The bedroom was filled with joyful laughter.
...
An hour later, the cooldown for "Pride IV" was complete.
Before Dark could call out, Deoxys silently appeared at his feet, its face tight, but the deep look in its eyes and unusual movements clearly conveyed its urgency.
Dark seemed to hear its inner voice: "It's my turn, it's my turn!"
So he placed his hand on Deoxys' head, enjoying the soft touch as he said, "It's your turn, it's your turn."
Deoxys suddenly looked embarrassed, averting its gaze, with a blush on its cheeks.
And led by the Vampire Noble, the onlookers quickly gathered.
The Imp Beast hovered in the air, looking like it was enjoying the show.
Having experienced the body injection of "Pride IV," it was very clear about the light-dark conflict within it.
Even though the light within "Pride IV" was stronger than the darkness, it didn't mean there was no darkness attribute.
Pure dark-demons and pure light-angels would inevitably need to overcome a difficult barrier when accepting "Pride IV" for the first time.
Even the attribute-neutral Lion Beast struggled during evolution, let alone Deoxys.
"Hehehe, bear my pain!"
As the Imp Beast laughed inwardly, it suddenly sensed something amiss.
Then it lowered its head and found all the Golems staring at it, especially that hateful white cat, which looked at it as if it were a piece of paper.
It頓
Feeling a great sense of unease.
"Cough!" Dark coughed lightly and said.
"Little Imp Beast, I accept your concern for Deoxys on its behalf."
...
It was as if he was receiving the transmission of power from a supreme master, Deoxys sat cross-legged in front of Dark.
Dark picked up "Pride IV", aimed the card towards Deoxys, and asked, "Are you ready?"
Deoxys nodded solemnly.
Dark reminded him, "There might be some pain next."
Only then did Deoxys open his mouth, "It's fine, I can withstand it."
Dark responded, "Yes. The attribute of 'Pride IV' has already shifted significantly towards the Light Type, so the risk you face is weaker than that of Little Imp Beast. Of course, it might also be unexpectedly smooth. In any case, hold onto your will, believe in yourself, and also believe in me."
Deoxys's eyes moistened, nodding again.
"Then, let's start, I'm going to pour in!"
Dark paused slightly, reciting the incantation of the usual summoning spell.
"In the name of Dark Dimon, Mana Summon!"
In an instant, light burst forth!
The entire bedroom was dyed with dark gold radiance.
The aura of "Pride" surged like waves.
Alvaraite, Claire... the housekeeper and other strong individuals within the mansion, all turned their gazes towards Dark.
"Has it started again?"
They all murmured in their hearts simultaneously. Some continued to look over and speculate, while others turned back to continue sleeping.
The strength of "Pride IV" was powerful enough to shock the entire Duke's Mansion.
...
Deoxys endured Dark's infusion in the bedroom.
Just like when Little Imp Beast received the infusion, the light of "Pride IV" split into two upon entering his body.
Golden light and black light occupied their territories within Deoxys's body as the "Pride" emblem appeared.
As Deoxys's body gradually became a blurry luminescent entity, it transformed into a two-faced cat, one side black and the other gold.
However, at this moment, its appearance was not "left demon, right angel," but rather "left black cat, right white cat."
This coexistence of "Black Deoxys" and "Deoxys" even made Dark think that pulling out a "Fusion" card at this moment could cause it to fuse and evolve into "Bastemon."
But there were no such good things in the world.
Dark suppressed the urge to try immediately, focusing entirely on observing Deoxys's transformation.
The golden light would ultimately overwhelm the black light.
This had been experimented with on Little Imp Beast.
Moreover, Deoxys himself was pure Light Attribute and possessed the "Sacred Ring." The golden light on the right side thus held an advantage in the field, making it more adept at crushing the darkness.
Furthermore, it was smoother and more peaceful.
Deoxys's eyebrows occasionally furrowed, clearly enduring pain during the struggle between light and dark, but his consciousness remained incredibly clear, unlike when Little Imp Beast evolved.
Dark flicked his fingers, feeling that his carefully prepared "bond" seemed useless.
Regardless of which path Deoxys's evolution would take, it didn't seem to be at risk of losing consciousness.
Perhaps this was due to the difference in nature between light and darkness.
...
The energy change within Deoxys lasted longer than that of Lion Beast, with a small twist along the way.
But the golden light eventually smoothly consumed the black light.
The "Pride" energy within Deoxys began to completely transform into Light Attribute.
The sacred aura gradually spread.
Immersed in this aura, the heart was purified, burdens were reduced, and moods became pleasant.
Ordinary maids who were not sensitive to these auras slept more soundly.
Alvaraite and Claire, who had been watching closely, guessed that this must be the aura emitted by Deoxys.
Both of them were more sensitive to this angelic aura than the wildness of Crazy Lion Beast.
After a brief thought, Alvaraite and Claire put on coats and left the room, smiling at each other.
But when they arrived, they found many people quietly gathered at Dark's door.
Housekeeper Jasmine, Olivia, Eve, Irina...
Many were only wearing thin nightgowns, but fortunately, the summer night wasn't cold.
With the arrival of Alvaraite and Claire, the maids moved to the sides.
Alvaraite raised her middle finger to her lips, "Shh."
Then she pointed at Dark's bedroom door.
Everyone understood and quietly stood guard at the door, not making a sound.
Inside the bedroom.
Deoxys's evolution finally reached its final stage.
The golden light on its surface had retracted, emitting pure white light from its core.
That kind of pure, indescribable aura, similar yet distinct from the holy aura of Solo Sword Sheath, made one feel refreshed yet dare not profane it.
At this moment, Dark clearly realized that Deoxys was evolving towards an "angel"!
In Deoxys's evolutionary path, there were many "Holy Beast-type" and "Angel-type."
But the "Holy Beast-type" had a very obvious posture, distinguishing itself from human form in outline.
And Deoxys had already elongated from a cat-like silhouette to a slender human form.
Feathers extended from both sides of its head.
White light also spread from both sides of its back.
Undoubtedly, these were the rudimentary forms of "angel wings"!
If everything went smoothly.
These white lights would transform into eight feathers, creating an "angel-type" Digimon with eight wings known as an "archangel," typically considered a high-ranking complete form like "Celestial Beast."
While an angel-type Digimon with six wings would be a lower-ranked "angel," such as "Angemon."
Dark was filled with nostalgia and affection for "Angemon" and "Celestial Beast," greatly loving them.
Therefore, he was particularly looking forward to Deoxys's evolution.
However, as Deoxys's posture became clearer, Dark suddenly noticed that the angel wings behind him only had six!
Instant confusion made Dark turn his head to look at Deoxys's chest, where he found the rise and fall, letting out a sigh of relief.
It was "Celestial Beast."
Not "Angemon."
If Deoxys ultimately evolved into "Angemon," it would be too strange.
Thinking this, he found that Deoxys's body outline had fully formed.
Through the surface of that luminescent body, he could completely depict the form of "Celestial Beast."
Seeing success within reach, Dark almost popped open a bottle of champagne, but the joyous moment seemed to stretch on...
He slowly opened his mouth, finding that the luminous body had already completely transformed into the form of "Celestial Beast."
Deoxys, having nearly evolved into "Celestial Beast," had gotten stuck!
