[Level: 50]
[Select equipment to upgrade or skill to get:]
[Bow] [Quiver] [Arrows] [Helmet] [Chest Armor] [Bracelets] [Boots] [Skill]
[Or spend 20 points to evolve "Boney Stark" twice]
"I'm really torn... What do you think, Boney? Would you prefer me to evolve you once and upgrade your equipment, or evolve you twice?"
Boney made a "2" sign with his fingers.
"I'm spending 20 points," Boran said with a decisive voice.
[Points spent: 20]
The blue crystal in Boney's chest suddenly began to glow. The light was so bright that Boran had to close his eyes. A few seconds later when the light dimmed, he opened his eyes and looked at Boney.
The first change had occurred in Boney's bones. The metallic sheen now covered his entire skeleton. His bones had taken on a completely silvery color, adorned with blue vein-like lines in places. These bones looked much sturdier than normal bones.
The second change was in the blue crystal in his chest. It had now grown much larger, expanding to fill his entire ribcage. The crystal was filled with complex energy patterns, and with each pulse, a blue wave of light spread throughout the skeleton.
Finally, a thin blue energy aura had formed around Boney's hands. This energy followed his every movement, crackling like electricity between his fingers.
"Wow," Boran whispered in admiration. "Boney, you look incredible!"
Boney examined his new body, opening and closing his hands. The blue energy rippled between his fingers. Then he turned to Boran and bowed in greeting.
[Boney Stark has evolved twice]
[Boney Stark is now a Mana-Infused Skeletal Archer]
[New Abilities Unlocked:]
Arcane Bones: Boney's bones are now empowered with magic, gaining 50% resistance to physical damage.
Mana Core: The crystal in his chest continuously produces mana, regenerating 5 mana every 10 seconds.
Boran's eyes sparkled as he read the new abilities. "We should definitely check out your new skills in the next levels!"
Boney proudly puffed out his chest, making the blue crystal glow brighter.
"Everything looks great. I think my armor will evolve too when I gain new levels. That's what Thorin said."
[Leather Helmet]
Bonuses:
Endurance +10
Physical Resistance +2
[Leather Chest Armor]
Bonuses:
Endurance +20
Maximum HP +20
[Leather Bracers]
Bonuses:
Endurance +10
Maximum HP +10
[Leather Boots]
Bonuses:
Agility +2
Endurance +4
Maximum HP +10
"Definitely better than my previous armor, but there's no set bonus," he said and checked everything he had newly acquired one last time.
While looking through his inventory, he saw the Wyvern Egg. He took it out of his inventory and held it in his hands.
The Wyvern Egg in his hands was a bright reddish-orange color with a thick shell. It was slightly warm, and weak vibrations like a pulse were coming from inside the egg.
Boran gently turned the egg in his hands. "I wonder when it will hatch? And what should I feed it?" he thought. He could sense the presence of the creature inside the egg – as if the being inside the egg had sensed him too, there was a slight movement.
After carefully examining the egg, something occurred to Boran. He looked at the information about the egg in his inventory and read its description.
[Wyvern Egg: A rare egg of a Wyvern. Requires proper incubation to hatch. Recommended to use a specialized incubator or maintain constant heat source.]
"So I need an incubator," he murmured. "Or a constant heat source... I wonder if I can find one of these in the Hub?" he said and put the egg back in his inventory. He touched his ring and sent Boney back.
Boran returned to the Hub. There was the usual dense crowd around.
"Now I need to find an incubator," he thought, looking around. "Maybe in a magic shop or somewhere that sells exotic items."
He moved from the center toward the trading district of the Hub. Various shops were lined up side by side here.
His first stop was a shop called "Exotic Critters." Various types of eggs and small creatures were displayed in the window. When he entered, a middle-aged man with graying hair and glasses greeted him.
"Welcome, young man! I'm Albus. How can I help you today?" said the shop owner.
Boran explained, "Hello, I have a Wyvern egg and I'm looking for a special incubator to hatch it."
Albus's eyes widened. "A Wyvern egg? Wow, that's a very rare piece! Yes, we have incubators, but a special model is needed for Wyverns. They are creatures that need fire, you know. Normal incubators can't provide enough heat."
Boran nodded. "What exactly do I need then?"
"You need a Dragonfire Incubator," said Albus, heading toward the back of the shop. "It works with dragon fire and provides a constant high temperature. You're lucky, we have one in stock."
When Albus returned, he was carrying a copper device adorned with a red crystal. The incubator contained an egg-sized chamber and a small fire crystal burning underneath.
"Here it is," said Albus, placing the device on the counter. "This Dragonfire Incubator will safely incubate your egg. The crystal continuously emits fire magic, so the egg always stays at the ideal temperature."
Boran examined the device. "How long does the incubation period take?"
"Wyvern eggs usually crack within 2-3 weeks," Albus explained. "But this depends on how mature the egg is. If you just got the egg, it might take a while to fully open."
"And what's the price?" asked Boran.
Albus coughed slightly. "1500 gold. I know, it's a bit expensive, but it's a rare item. And the fire crystal inside continuously renews itself, you'll never need to replace it."
Boran checked his gold. He had enough, but it would be a serious expense. He thought for a moment, but then considered that the Wyvern could be useful to him.
"Okay, I'll take it," he said decisively.
After paying, Albus gave him the incubator and usage instructions. "Place the egg inside and activate the crystal. The rest will be handled automatically. When the egg starts to crack, the crystal will change color, so you can be prepared."
Boran thanked him and left the shop. Now he had both his valuable egg and the device to incubate it.
After spending a few more minutes in the Hub, Boran decided that the most suitable place to put his newly purchased incubator would be his own headquarters. "That will be the safest place," he thought.
He quickly teleported back to New Dawn Headquarters.
Then he took the Wyvern egg out of his inventory and gently placed it in the incubator's chamber. The egg fit perfectly into the chamber. The crystal inside cast a pleasant orange light around the egg and began to provide the ideal temperature.
Boran looked around the room and considered the most suitable place for the incubator. The egg needed to be safe and able to develop comfortably.
"Hmm, if I put it on the desk in my room, it will be both visible and safe," he murmured.
He carefully placed the incubator on the desk. The warmth and orange light emanating from the crystal had added a pleasant atmosphere to the room. Boran checked the settings one last time to make sure the incubator was working properly.
"There we go," Boran said with satisfaction. "Now I just wait. But before that, I need to check out that newly opened gateway. After seeing the creatures inside, I'll take on the mission."
Boran returned to the Hub and used the "Follow" feature to find the location of the gateway. As he approached, he noticed more people than usual waiting in front of it.
He had heard that those waiting in front of the gateway were helping people with their missions for a certain fee.
But he didn't care.
[Bloodveil Crossing 50-100]
The portal standing before him was within reach if he extended his fingers. The gateway called Bloodveil Crossing was glowing in a dark red color that lived up to its name. Crimson veins that seemed to writhe as if alive extended around the portal, and when looking inside, indistinct shapes could be seen behind a light veil of mist. The portal seemed to pulse slightly with each breath and emitted a metallic blood scent around it. The red light filtering from its edges cast an ominous shadow on the face of everyone standing nearby.
Boran could feel the tingling that the energy around the gateway created on his skin. This was different from the gateways he had seen so far—more intense, more threatening, and instinctively feeling more dangerous.