Absolute Craft-Chapter 57: Evolution (1)

Chapter 57: Evolution (1)

A new day dawned.

Blake returned from work more exhausted than ever. The cause of his fatigue was Joel, who had taken Blake’s words far too seriously. Joel had researched the Eternal Winter Dungeon and the Eternal Winter Graveyard so extensively that he bombarded Blake with countless theories, rumors, and speculations, overwhelming him like an avalanche.

When Joel mentioned that the entire graveyard might be built atop a kingdom buried under the snow, Blake was reminded of the Ashen’s words. Though Joel had gathered bits of information from every possible source, there was a grain of truth in what he’d found.

Blake thanked and praised Joel for his effort, then promised to meet him today.

"But before that..." Blake set his helmet-mask on the workbench and examined its features.

It wasn’t famous online because his facial structure had changed during Superbia’s Fusion, yet it still bore a slight resemblance to his old appearance. More importantly, it shared the same demonic origin. Anyone who followed social media or kept track of events in the tutorial zones could recognize him. He couldn’t simply hide his nickname, and if he happened to kill someone, his name would be exposed anyway.

"Sol, heat up the furnace," Blake said.

Flapping his wings, Sol landed in front of the furnace’s opening, peering inside with uncertainty. He seemed worried his dragon husk might melt in the flames—not that he was prepared to leave his cockpit, regardless.

Blake tapped the dragon’s jaw. "See? Your jaw is perfectly intact, and your dragon form has kept your fire resistance. You can do whatever you like in there."

Encouraged by Blake’s words, Sol waddled into the furnace and spewed flames, quickly bringing the heat to the right level. Soon, Blake’s helmet, along with its demonic contours, had softened enough to be reshaped.

Using his Volcanic Mold and its unique blueprint-absorbing skill, Blake converted the demonic mask into a standard helmet. With a chisel, he refined its appearance into something chivalrous—worthy of a black knight or even a heroic figure.

He would have liked to add a flowing streak of hair reminiscent of Beatrix’s old look, but he lacked the necessary materials. All in all, the helmet now suited a black knight.

"This should do," Blake said, putting it on.

It was purely a cosmetic change. Despite the striking new appearance, the item’s stats—and Blake’s prideful spirit within—remained intact. It was still the same piece of gear, a crucial part of Pride’s Second Coming.

"Not bad," Blake remarked, glancing over his shoulder.

Emerging from his shadow, Beatrix gave him a thumbs-up, and Sol exhaled a brief gust of flame in agreement.

Satisfied with their approval, Blake pulled out a ticket to another zone and tore it.

<What tutorial zone would you like to head out to?>

<A Birchshade Village (0-15)>

That familiar teleportation sensation took hold. He felt himself rising, even though the floor still seemed solid beneath him. His vision blinked out, then swirled with colors—thankfully without giving him a headache—until he reappeared in a new zone.

"BRO!" Joel’s voice rang out instantly.

Clad in scruffy leather armor and carrying a silver spear on his back, Joel filled Blake’s line of sight, robbing him of the chance to admire the fresh scenery that many players dreamed of seeing.

If Blake weren’t a beta tester, he might have been annoyed.

Sol, not being a beta tester himself, was eager to hunt monsters and level up alongside Blake and Beatrix. Irritated by Joel’s interruption, he spat out a burst of flame, forcing Joel to jump back.

Only then did Joel notice the grayish stone dragon held against Blake’s arm. Blake was holding Sol against his armor, keeping him from escaping.

"You’ve got a pet?! As expected of my bro!" Joel exclaimed, attracting the attention of nearby players.

They stood in a common respawn area—a wide circle engraved with ancient markings, typically crowded at all hours. It had no walls or service kiosks, just ample space for players to scatter in every direction. The village’s only church stood nearby, where healers sold their services for a modest fee. In this world, especially for loot-earning players, nothing came free. NPCs had learned how to profit from players’ looting prowess, charging high prices for their help.

No NPCs were in the immediate vicinity—only players. Most of them stared at Blake as if he were some rare curiosity, and for good reason. His armor looked like a unique drop from a hidden boss, and Sol, though tucked into the dragon husk, was clearly an animated creature. Many players couldn’t hide their envy.

Inevitably, Blake became the focus of opportunists who all wanted something from him.

A brash-looking man approached with a cocky stride. "Name your price, and I’ll buy that pet right now. I’m talking a million dollars."

Joel’s eyes went wide with disbelief, and he began to tremble.

A million dollars for a pet in the tutorial zone? Was this guy out of his mind, or was he trying to scam Blake? That kind of money could change anyone’s life, especially someone scraping by on minimum wage.

Blake just shook his head. "He’s not for sale."

"I insist," the man pressed.

Pets were extremely rare in this game, apparently reserved for beta testers or those with strong social connections. Only a handful were known to the larger community, each tied to a prominent figure. The man believed there had to be some hidden mechanic behind Sol’s existence.

Blake shrugged. "Sol’s my baby, and he’s staying with me."

Sol whimpered, his eyes shining.

The man snorted in frustration and stomped off, only for other groups to replace him. Some flirtatious women tried to charm Blake into handing over Sol. Certain men even threatened to kill Blake repeatedly—"zero" him—until he dropped to level one and lost Sol in the process. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Joel stepped in against the male threats, doing what he could to support Blake, although he was too shy to confront the attractive women.

As for Blake, his response was simple: "No."

He refused everyone without exception.