Chương 57: Chapter Fifty Six

'Bored!'

'I know, but there's not much I can currently do about it. I'll toss some more crabs down when I find them.' The monster's only response was a slight 'huff'. Bob didn't take much offense to it though, fully able to feel how stressed and confined the creature felt. They hadn't lingered long at the last manor. Bob only grabbing the building's remaining gold and evolving his relevant Skills before he began trudging further into the valley.

Both feeling a desperate need to advance their Species levels as soon as possible. To attempt to make at least some headway towards fixing the situation they currently found themselves in. Luckily for their combined lack of patience, said Skill evolutions barely took any time at all. Though more because of an absence of options, rather than any purposeful alacrity on his part. Bob took a brief look at his most recently evolved 'Trait-Skills'.

Maw Path Skill Crushing Tongue (D) Level: 2 – EXP: 36/100% Evolved form of ' Lesser Crushing Tongue (E)' Power, Speed, and Toughness increased at Greater Level Capture Path Skill Greater Toothless Grasp (D) Level 1 – EXP: 76/100% Evolved form of ' Toothless Grasp (E)' Grip Strength, Malleability, and Toughness increased at Greater Level The system hadn't even given him any options when he chose to evolve the two 'Skills'. Pressing yes had simply activated the evolution.

Bob assuming he'd been right about them both requiring a greater Strength Stat to do so, given he couldn't think of anything else that would have tipped them over the edge. The new upgrades also hadn't brought with them any massive changes, easily being the most underwhelming 'evolutions' he'd seen so far. Instead of receiving any fancy extra features, each ability now simply seeming able to further progress. Still, on the whole, he couldn't find it in him to be that upset.

Especially considering each evolution gave him a decently significant attribute boost. An additional four Strength and four Dexterity from 'Greater Toothless Grasp' and an additional four Strength and four Constitution from 'Crushing Tongue'. The combination of them and his new 'Sub-Evolution' bringing his previous Strength total of fourteen to a healthy-seeming thirty-eight. A doubling of power which did not go unnoticed during his most recent encounters with lesser crabs.

His already frustrated tenant being less than happy when he accidently crushed its experience points into a fine paste. The gold he found was enough to level 'Treasure Hunter' at least, so he supposed he got the true 'evolution experience' from the Class Skill upgrade. Of course, given the options were exactly the same as last time, and Bob already had his heart set on a range increase, the process wasn't exactly drawn out.

'Left! Crab Left! Friend! Left!' A range increase that his companion was quite fond of, what with it now having access to the ability through their connection. Much to his continued annoyance. With a mental 'glance' he realized his permanent back-seat driver was right, however. What seemed to be a D-rank signal had popped up at the edges of his range; its actual form concealed from view by the tall grasses Bob was still moving through to avoid higher-tier opponents.

Previously, it would have been something he avoided. While he considered himself capable of defeating most D-rank crustaceans, the process was still costly and risky. His Dimensional Path Skills not exactly being Mana-efficient and the chance of them surviving the first hit and drawing in higher-level crabs being all too real. Still, since the bungled binding of his monstrous pal, things had changed. Both in their combined general capabilities, and in the needs that were currently driving them.

Which is why Bob made a quick change in direction. Wooden body now on a beeline towards the quickly identified form of their newest foe. Lesser Colossal Claw Mad-Crab (D) Level 19 Threat Level: High He ignored his Class Skill's evaluation of the monster as he began making his way through the thick underwater flora, as well as the excited chatter coming from within him; his still-unnamed ally quite pleased by the change of direction.

Instead, Bob used the ten or so minutes it would take to trudge across the seagrass bed to consider something which had been plaguing his mind since their last stop. That being the fact that he felt unwilling to waste a Trait pick on his latest screwup. Immediately after the octopus's disastrous attempt to exit the space inside him, Bob had been forced to spend a good deal of time both calming the creature down and offering it some form of hope for the future.

Eventually managing – through a mixture of 'words' and mental images – to convince it that their current problems could be solved by them simply becoming stronger. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Something that was no doubt driving its now desperate seeming desire to consume all life in their general vicinity.

Unfortunately, he had also rather firmly promised that even if they couldn't find a way to get the octopus out, that he absolutely knew a way to make the area it was in much larger and more habitable. A promise he still felt determined to keep, but perhaps not quite in the way he had originally intended it. At the time, he'd just been thinking of picking up the next level of 'Empty Vault. But while an E-rank 'Spatial' Trait wouldn't be the worst choice available, it also wasn't likely to be the best.

Nor, frankly, was it one he was even confident would pop up in the first place; the system frequently lacking certain options for multiple Trait picks. There was another way to expand his inner dimensions however. One which would likely allow him to increase his boundaries far past what he could expect to gain from a one-rank upgrade, in fact. And which he even had more than a passing familiarity with. It just happened to also be one with a decent percentage chance of blowing him to smithereens.

'Friend! More Crabs!' The excited exclamation drew him out of his thoughts, sensing ahead of him to realize that the octopus was right; the previously solo crab had been joined by two others. Or, to be more precise, his sensing range had finally reached their locations; all three seeming to be stationary at the moment. Bob frowned slightly at the sight of the additional monsters, before then mildly altering his path. Angling now for the newcomers, their forms being far closer together.

Close enough that, if worst came to worst and he was spotted, he could likely still hit both with a singular use of 'Shattered Space'. Of course, he could only accomplish this due to the Skill in question being a horrifically unstable, brutally volatile, and singularly destructive magical ability. And one he would likely be forced to use as the foundation of his next Dimensional Path Skill. Something which didn't fill him with a great deal of joy considering he would be attempting to cast it inside himself.

Still, he had originally created it by trying to mimic what his Trait had accomplished. And the Skill even described itself as creating a small pocket dimension. Just… not one that was fated to stay around terribly long. And that's what he needed to change. To somehow manage to stop the space from collapsing inwards on itself. Or perhaps figure out how to bind an unstable dimension to the system-crafted magical structure holding his current one together.

Both the evolving octopus's tentative explorations and the System's own perusal of his physical, mental, and spiritual forms had given him a deeper glance at the magics at play there. And while most of what he'd seen just made him aware of how little he grasped of his chosen magical path, there were some things which felt somehow familiar and understandable. Things he hoped might become more understandable after his next Class Skill evolution for 'Dimensional Mage'. He was only two levels out, after all.

Even if each 'A' rank class level seemed to cost almost twice what its 'B' rank equivalent did. His primary Class looking like it was doomed to lag far behind 'Treasure Hunter'. Of course, the extra experience it gained every time he gobbled up another chunk of gold had pretty much already guaranteed that. Dimensional Mage also had its own experience gain perk, but until now, it had been something of a non-starter.

Gaining experience points through leveling Skills sounded great until you realized that the Skills in question cost oodles of mana. Mana he couldn't afford to be low on when he was surrounded by C-rank titans that could turn him to sawdust without really trying. Which meant getting to that next Class Skill evolution would be largely reliant on how efficiently he could slaughter the weaker monster population. Bob feeling lucky that the octopus only needed to eat the things to get its own share of the experience.

Not that he didn't toss the occasional living one down with it as well. Intelligent creatures need stimulation, after all. Especially house-bound ones. Bob's pace began to slow, now reaching the point where he was at risk of being spotted. Eventually, around thirty or so feet away, he came to a complete stop. Quickly activating 'Lifeless Disguise' as he decided on how exactly he wanted the forthcoming battle to play out. And very quickly just choosing to keep things simple. Ding!

Distant Temptation (E) Has Leveled up! 17 – 18 He had ended up not being able to pick an evolution for 'Calming Words'. Unwilling to choose anything other than 'Lesser Mantle of Domination' given its amazing potential, while also being similarly unwilling to permanently block-up another Skill Slot. At least not yet. It still being a major consideration for once he hit his next evolution. Until then though, it would have to wait on the backburner.

Bob already having too few usable slots as is, and the danger of continually switching Skills mid-battle being too high. Especially considering the Skill in question might actually hinder his current goals. The greater portion of his companion's consumed experience coming from 'E' and 'F' ranked crabs. Bob's thoughts focused themselves as he realized his illusion was doing as he'd hoped it would. First drawing the singular crab over to its fellows before then dragging all three closer towards his position.

The range on 'Shattered Space' being far smaller than he'd prefer. Or even felt personally safe with, honestly. In fact, maybe his next Skill acquisition should actually be a new combat-based dimensional ability. It would probably be safer than jumping straight to the creation of another stable pocket dimension, and he'd probably learn more about Dimensional magic in general during the process as well. If nothing else, the creation itself should gain him a bit of Class experience.

'Friend! Crabs!'

'I know. Don't worry, I see them.' The crustaceans were just becoming visible through the mass of seagrass. One with a single, massively over-sized claw leading the way; chasing after whatever illusory temptation was drawing them near. As they were about to cross past the edge of his range, Bob began crafting his spell. Something he had become far more practiced at than even just a few days ago.

The mana flowing smoothly through him as he observed it, trying to gleam some further understanding of how exactly it was doing what it was doing. And not really managing much before he was quickly forced to cast it away. The energy having reached critical mass. Ding! Shattered Space (D) Has Leveled up! 8 – 9 Ding!' Dimensional Mage (A)' Unique experience gain activated 27 Experience gained for ' Dimensional Mage (A)' The Skill impacted directly between all three monsters.

Formerly placid waters erupting in a mess of shattered chitin, crab guts, and shredded vegetation. Bob not having to wait too long before he received additional system alerts. Ding! You have slain (1) ' Studded Shell Mad-Crab (D)' and (1) ' Crimson Claw Mad-Crab (D)' 46 Experience gained for ' Dimensional Mage (A)' 29 Experience gained for ' Treasure Hunter (B)' At least for two of them. Bob feeling slightly impressed when he noticed the leading crab manage to tank most of the explosion.

Still running forward towards its goal, even if it was sans oversized claw.

'Friend? Mine?' Bob smiled slightly as the wounded monster managed to stumble its broken body to within ten feet of his own. The creature still having no idea what was even attacking it in the first place.

'Sure buddy. Knock yourself out' As Bob clicked his lid open he, for a moment, saw the beast react. Its form jerking to a ready position as it braced itself and prepared to scream out a battle cry. Before an enormous tentacle ripped out of his mouth to grab hold of it. Easily fifteen feet long and thick enough that it filled most of the space available. Its crushing grip shattering most of the crab's remaining legs on impact, before it swiftly drew the near-dead creature within the confines of Bob's 'vault'.

Its bulky body stressing the limits of his mouth's newly improved mailability. After which, his lid closed. The mostly-performative lock clicking shut with a sense of finality. If nothing else, the abilities his friend was gaining from its new evolutionary path were certainly impressive…