Ch 71 - Three Chosen Warriors

Jester opened the system panel and checked the three names that had already qualified for the humanoid form upgrade. After a quick look, he found Goruk, Korak, and Drina.

Well, at least Goruk was one of those chosen to receive the upgrade too. After that, Jester checked the other two, Korak and Drina.

Two Bullkin stepped forward from the group. Korak turned out to be much younger than the others. He had only recently qualified as a Bullkin warrior and had just started joining the hunting parties. Compared to the others, he still looked like a kid. And now, he had already evolved into a High Bullkin.

More than that, Korak had already qualified to unlock his second form as well. Well, it looked like he had even greater potential if Jester trained him further. Who knew what he might evolve into beyond the High Bullkin stage?

Next came Drina. It was a female Bullkin with a strong, muscular build. Even with her powerful physique, her feminine features were still easy to recognize, from her hair and facial features to the curves of her body and the size of her chest.

The upgrade cost 55 Chaos for each Bullkin. Okay, 55 was not exactly expensive, considering activating one of his skills usually cost around the same amount. Even so, gathering Chaos still took careful planning, and Jester could not afford to waste it.

He really needed to find a more reliable way to farm Chaos. Right now, most of the Chaos he had earned came from the positive influence the citizens of Necroton felt as the city continued to grow.

If he could keep expanding Necroton, build more facilities, attract more players and residents to settle there, and turn it into a proper city, then he should eventually gain a steady supply of Chaos.

He knew just how valuable Chaos was. Even so, Jester planned to keep saving it and only spend it when absolutely necessary. Still, he could not help but wonder what kind of upgrade would cost 10,000 Chaos. Or even one million Chaos. Just imagining that amount was enough to make him curious.

"Goruk, Korak, Drina. Step forward and stand before me," he said.

Jester then deactivated his Harvest Mask. His body gradually shrank back to its normal size until he was once again standing at the same height as Lucia beside him.

The three Bullkin immediately dropped to one knee before him. The rest of the Bullkin in the area quickly followed, kneeling in the same respectful manner.

"I have another gift for the three of you," Jester said. "A reward for your loyalty and for everything you've done for the tribe. Accept it with pride, and prove that my trust in you was not misplaced."

[165 Chaos consumed.]

Seriously... losing 165 Chaos in one go felt painful.

For some reason, the more Chaos Jester accumulated, the more expensive every upgrade and every offer from the system seemed to become. Still, this one should be worth it.

If the Bullkin could use humanoid forms, they would be able to move around Necroton far more naturally. They could live among the city's residents without drawing too much attention, then switch back to their original Bullkin forms whenever brute strength was needed.

[Goruk, Korak, and Drina have successfully awakened their Humanoid Forms.]

[While in Humanoid Form, mobility, speed, agility, and precision are significantly increased.]

[Overall physical strength, durability, and raw combat power remain greater while in their original Bullkin Forms.]

As soon as the notifications disappeared, the bodies of the three Bullkin began to glow.

Their massive frames gradually shrank, their thick muscles becoming more compact while still retaining their powerful physiques. Their rough gray skin gradually changed into human-like skin with a lightly tanned complexion.

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Their once beast-like faces became far more human, with defined jaws, sharper eyes, and clear facial features, though their heavy brows and imposing expressions still gave them a fierce appearance. At the same time, the armor they wore shifted along with their bodies, reshaping itself until it fit their new humanoid proportions perfectly.

For a brief moment, the entire training ground fell silent. Then the Bullkin erupted into chaos.

"Wha...! Look at Goruk! He shrank!"

"Hahaha! He doesn't look like a walking boulder anymore!"

"Hey! How come they get to become humans first?! I want that too!"

"Chief! Pick me next! I'll hunt twice as many monsters if that's what it takes!"

"No fair! Korak only became a warrior recently, and he already got something this amazing!"

"Damn it... I want that upgrade too! Even if I have to fight ten monsters by myself!"

Jester let out a laugh as he watched the three Bullkin standing in their human forms. Even so, each of them still had their signature golden horns, along with their Bullkin tails swaying behind them. Anyone who saw them up close could still tell they were far from ordinary humans.

Goruk flexed both arms, his muscles bulging as he threw his head back with a booming laugh.

"Hohoho! Just look at this pale skin! Hahaha! I look so much weaker now!" He clenched his fists a few times before suddenly widening his eyes. "But... this body feels so light! I can move so much faster than before! Hahaha! This is incredible!"

He quickly knelt before Jester once more, placing a fist against his chest.

"Chief, thank you for this incredible blessing. I swear I'll serve you with even greater loyalty and become strong enough to deserve this gift!"

Korak, who now looked no older than a fifteen-year-old boy despite still standing much taller than most humans, stared at his own hands with sparkling eyes. His lean, muscular frame made him look like a young warrior full of untapped potential.

"Chief! This is amazing!" Korak said excitedly. "I never thought I'd look like this! I can already tell this form is much easier to move in. I'll train even harder from now on so I can become worthy of your expectations!"

Then there was Drina...

Jester blinked for a moment when he saw her.

Her transformation was on a completely different level. The fierce Bullkin woman from before was now standing there with smooth, lightly tanned skin and a face that was almost entirely human. She was genuinely beautiful, making it hard to believe she was the same Bullkin from just moments ago.

Her toned, curvy figure was backed by well-defined muscles, giving her a powerful presence without taking away her feminine charm. With her wavy black hair framing her face, she somehow managed to look both strong and incredibly attractive at the same time.

Drina admired her arms before flexing one bicep with a wide grin.

"Hahaha! Look at my skin now! I bet plenty of human men are going to fall for me!" She laughed loudly before cracking her knuckles. "If any of them get too close, I'll just punch them across the street! Hahaha! Still... It'll be fun walking through the city looking like this!"

Jester gave the three of them a few moments to admire their new appearances before calling them forward once more. Around them, the other Bullkin remained on one knee with their heads lowered.

"You have all shown remarkable growth today," Jester said. "I believe every Bullkin standing here today can reach the same height one day."

His eyes swept across the kneeling warriors before settling on Goruk.

"Goruk, you will continue leading this tribe. Train every Bullkin under your command and make sure they become worthy of earning this evolution through their own strength and loyalty."

Goruk immediately struck his chest with a fist.

"I will not fail you, Chief!"

Jester then turned toward the other two Bullkin.

"Korak is already Level 145, and Drina has reached Level 165," he said.

Jester could only smile bitterly to himself. Their levels were absurdly higher than his own. The gap between them was so wide that, in a direct fight without relying on his skills, they could surely defeat him with little effort.

"You two will come with me to Necroton. From this day onward, you will help defend the city, adapt to life among its people, and be ready to carry out any mission I assign to you."

Korak straightened his posture and answered without a hint of hesitation.

"Understood, Chief! I won't waste this opportunity. I'll keep growing stronger and complete every task you entrust to me!"

Drina placed a fist over her chest and gave a confident smile.

"It will be an honor, Chief. I'll protect Necroton with everything I have, and anyone foolish enough to threaten our city will answer to me."

It seemed that Jester's trip to the Bullkin settlement had been more rewarding than he had expected. Not only had Goruk, Korak, and Drina successfully unlocked their humanoid forms, but Korak and Drina would also be joining him in Necroton. He was confident many more Bullkin would earn the same evolution in the future.

Before that happened, however, he knew he would need to stockpile much more Chaos.

Once everything was settled, Jester headed back toward Necroton. As for Korak and Drina, he instructed the two of them to make the journey on their own. Their strength was more than enough to handle the trip safely.

With everything he had planned for the day finally completed, Jester decided it was time to log out of the game.

“I wonder what Zetia is doing right now…”

She did say she wanted to go out for a walk tonight, didn't she?