Monster Jousting Book 3 - Chapter 22 (Patreon)

It took Krall an entire week to tunnel to the mainland. He had tried to help at the beginning, but there was no room. Krall was like an excavator on the front-lines. His mighty hands clawed the rock, sundered the earth, and not to mention, it was hot. 

Because of his evolution, the fire ignited from his claws. It helped Krall with digging through rock as they sliced through like a hot knife through butter, but it resulted in the entire tunnels becoming a furnace.

Noah could handle it, but there was no reason for him to just sit there and watch. Instead, all he could do was Level.

He ended up fishing the time away. When he wasn’t fishing, he was trying to gain inspiration with his current Shards. During the morning, he’d fish. When the light was turning shy, he’d use his lance, trying to improve his Thrust Shard. After the 6th day, he felt a little improvement. Like he had just stepped foot onto a new path. He didn’t know what that path was, he just knew it was there.

The time after that was spent trying to gain inspiration into his new Hallowed abilities. If he could gain a Shard from using his spear, or gaining an understanding into his tamed monsters, then he could also do the same with his new skills. But unlike Thrust, there was no path to tread on. 

Noah guessed that the power of the Hallowed was just too new. He had no experience in using it in combat, or any other way, for that matter. But he didn’t become impatient. Not long ago, he was just a regular young man with no prospects. Now, he was a superhuman with vast magical capabilities.

And now, it was the 7th day. Noah had raised his fishing Level to 89 from 51, granting him a huge boost to his already rapidly increasing stats. He was nearing 1000 in his Will Stat, which considering he had started at 6, was an incredible increase. He imagined his friends looking at him now. Were they gazes of admiration, shock, perhaps?

Noah rubbed his nose as a childish grin appeared. He’d like to see them looking up at the great Noah.

He had also gained a few titles, as well. He gained one from being the first to catch a colossal sized fish above Level 100. 

He was met with a decision. During the whole time he had spent fishing and training, Gluttony was always by his side. Looking at him with expectation pinning in his eyes. Noah knew what he wanted – the Hallowed Fragment he had obtained from the Knight. 

Noah wanted to wait until he got across to the mainland, maybe to find a rare beast that he could consume to improve Gluttony’s bloodline. But it was clear that his friend didn’t – or couldn’t – evolve that way like Krall could do. The only thing he was interested in was the fragment. It led him to believe that Krall’s way of evolving was consuming a beast's heart. And Gluttony’s way was consuming fragments?

Not knowing what threats were now on the mainland, Noah decided to feed Gluttony the fragment now. Any amount of power he could gain would prove to be vital.

Fishing the fragment out of his pocket, Gluttony had already sat in front of him at the ready, eyes practically gleaming. 

Noah chuckled. “You ready, boy?” 

Gluttony nodded in clear understanding. 

“Alright then,” Noah said, chucking the fragment in the air. Gluttony caught it, swallowing it down in one. He stood up on all four legs. Noah, attuned to the power of the Hallowed, felt the energy swirling inside of Gluttony.

Noah, for some reason, thought it would be a painless event. He was wrong. Just like when Krall had evolved, Gluttony was placed under immense pain. Connected by mind, Noah could feel that it wasn’t as simple as just ‘pain’. It was something more. The Hallowed within his body was threatening to consume him from within.

Eyes widening, Noah did the only thing he could think of. Lurching forward, Noah placed his hand upon Gluttony’s chest. With the power of Hallowed at his command, Noah urged it to calm down. And it listened. Gluttony relaxed, but it was Noah’s turn to feel the discomfort.

It wasn’t pain he experienced. But because the energy was boundless, and wild, it took everything he had to keep it under his control; to make it listen. 5 minutes had passed, and Noah’s arm had long turned numb. But he could feel something deep within him move. It was hard to describe, but a path was forming. He stepped onto it, and then kept on walking.

Another 5 minutes passed, and the inspiration within him practically exploded. Gluttony had settled. The Hallowed energy within the fragment had entirely evaporated. Noah knew his evolution was a success, but he had no time to worry about the differences in his mount's body.

Noah was entirely focused on his own.

Gazing within himself, another Shard had formed. It was a black diamond, but deep within was a vivid green. It was a Shard of the Hallowed. And right on time, the System notification arrived along with it. 

You have formed a new Shard - Hallowed ( Early ): Increases the power of the Hallowed by 25% when activated. 

Oh damn, that’s awesome, Noah thought as he fell, back striking soft sand. He was lying in front of the golden beach in front of his home. The sun was beating down on him, but unlike when he first arrived here, it had no effect on him anymore. 

Activating the new ShardNoah flexed his muscles, and as he thought, he was a bit stronger now. Hallowed Body was always with him, just like the previous it had evolved from – Shadowed Body.

Gluttony, on the other hand, and undergone a strange mutation. His eyes, a previous golden purple, were now a bright green. Not only that, but a dark grey smoke ring with a line of green through it, rotated around Gluttony’s chest. 

The golden lines throughout his body, namely his wings – were now also green instead. Speaking of wings… They were now much smaller than before.

There goes the hope of him flying… Noah thought with a sigh. Well, Gluttony seemed happy. Noah smiled as he watched him hop and dance on the spot, spinning around. His long tail caught his attention as he spun faster in an attempt to catch it.

Just as Noah was about to catch it for him, both of their ears twitched. From the ground, Krall blasted out from below, landing on the sandy beach. Blazing smoke smouldered from his mouth and claws, but the next moment, he retracted them. The heat dissipated. 

He looked happy.

“All done big guy?” Noah asked with a smile, standing up, brushing the sand off his trousers. Krall nodded enthusiastically. He put on his helmet. 

“Time to leave then,” Noah said. “Don’t want to wait any longer. Signal the others, Krall.”

Krall turned to the island, stomped his paws on the sand, then let out a monstrous roar. It rumbled the trees, sending birds flying up in the air. A few minutes later, Pillow, and Thraz arrived.

Pillow’s hair was frazzled. The stench of herbs and burning wafted forwards. Noah held his nose. It stung. 

Was he making some sort of poison? 

Thraz on the other hand reeked of nature. The smell of tree sap made up for the stench of created potions.

“Finally time?” Pillow asked with hazy eyes.

“I can’t tell if you’re high or just tired,” Noah said.

“I think I feel both.”

“Why do you smell like burnt trash?” Thraz said, moving his nose away.

“And why do you smell like you’ve gone around having sex with every tree on the island?” Pillow shot back.

“Ah.” Noah smiled. “It’s good to have the team back. Now let’s get to the mainland.”