Re: Evolution Online

Liam wanted to ignore the ramblings of the elf and look at the new notification that had popped up in front of him but the thing was he couldn't really ignore the smell. The elf was right. There was a horrendous smell slowly enveloping them.

In fact, to call it horrendous wouldn't be doing any justice.

It was as if tentacles of something abysmal were crawling out of the mud they had slathered themselves with and slowly choking them.

Liam's eyes widened. Everything happened too quickly. Once the smell seeped out it explosively proliferated throughout the air, wrapping around them with an intensity that was nearly palpable. The initial allure of the mud's miraculous properties quickly soured as the group realized the dire consequences of their actions.

The mud that had once seemed like a blessing now felt like a curse. The energy and vitality it had imbued them with were overshadowed by the overwhelming stench that clung to their skin, refusing to dissipate. It was a smell that seemed to penetrate deep into their pores, an odor so vile that it felt like a physical entity assaulting their senses.

"What the hell is this? How do we get out of this?" Rey screamed.

"Fuck me. I knew these non-combat floors were mind fucks." Madan's face was pale and the hunter was shivering.

"Ruthless heavens! Ruthless heavens!" Eldrin screamed, taking back his earlier judgment that was clearly made in haste.

This definitely had something to do with the clay and they wanted to get out of the shit asap. But unfortunately… they just couldn't.

[Ding! You have gained +1 Strength]

[Ding! You have gained +1 Vitality]

[Ding! You have gained +1 Agility]

[Ding! You have gained +1 Endurance]

…

…

…

The notifications did not stop and kept coming.

Even though they felt as if they were being burnt alive in hell at the moment, none of them could bear to part with the damned mud. They were barely scraping by as is in the Spire. They could get kicked out any second now. This kind of stat boost could increase their chance of success even a little. Even if it didn't, how could they not utilize something like this completely. This was a treasure, damn it. It might stink like a god damn decaying buthole plugged with the worst smelling shit but it was still a treasure that improved their physique.

Heck, it might even be doing something better than simply raising their stats.

"Don't move. Continue immersing yourself in the mud." Liam ordered, as he told the group about his thoughts. Since Eldrin was there he did not divulge about his personal stat cap but he vaguely mentioned that the clay might be evolving their physique at a deeper level. Something like this was even more valuable than simple stat gain. In the Spire, where every advantage could mean the difference between life and death, the opportunity presented by the mud, no matter how repulsive, was too significant to ignore. They steeled themselves, trying to focus on the potential benefits rather than the immediate torment.

As the notifications continued to flood in, a mixture of despair and determination settled over them. The physical discomfort was extreme, but the prospect of gaining even the slightest edge spurred them on.

This insight gave the group a new perspective on their suffering. It wasn't merely a physical trial but a transformative process, one that might imbue them with abilities or resilience they hadn't possessed before. The thought was a small comfort in the face of their current misery but a comfort nonetheless.

"If we're going through hell, might as well come out the other side as demons," Madan grunted. Despite his efforts, the quiver in his voice betrayed the effort it took to remain immersed in the mud.

"If this is what it takes to survive here, then so be it," Rey looked up as if he was declaring his will to the heavens, his voice steady despite the tears caused by the smell. "We've faced worse. We can handle a little smell."

Everyone vented as the group settled into a grim silence, focusing on enduring the process. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as they remained in the mud, each notification ding a small beacon of progress in their torturous ordeal.

Finally, when it seemed they could bear no more, the stench began to lessen. The notifications slowed, then stopped. The group looked at Liam expectantly but Liam shook his head. It was better to wait for some more time to really confirm things.

All the faces immediately drooped, even the stoic Lan Deming's face but they couldn't disobey Liam and continued with the torment. Thankfully, at least the smell was a lot better now. It didn't help much because the memory of the torture was still fresh in their minds but it helped a little.

After a while, a golden sheen started appearing around everyone, indicating that the trial had ended. Soon, darkness descended and the whole group once again arrived together on the new floor, except for Dante who was still missing.

Not so surprisingly, the first thing that everyone checked when they opened their eyes was if that goddamned smell was still lingering. They even mentally prepared themselves, bracing for the smell to assault them anew. Fortunately, the smell had almost vanished. There was no comeback for that alien smell meant to eradicate all of the living. There was only a little bit of the faint odor left, which was just barely manageable. Everyone tried to take their minds away from it as they quickly took in their new surroundings.

The environment they found themselves in now was drastically different from the arid crater they had left behind. They stood in what appeared to be a lush forest, the air fresh and clean, filled with the sounds of nature. It was as if they had been transported to another world entirely.

"You all still stink?" Luna snorted from the side, grinning ear to ear, apparently enjoying the misery. Apparently, the legendary grade beasts and Luna were not affected by the smell almost as if the smell test was only for the lesser mortals.

And hence, the cheeky smile of the little fox. Everyone wanted to pound on the fox but they could all only give her a weak smile in return.