Strings of messages pinged in as Delta’s body withered away for good. The last supporting piece of my leg crumbled away, no more than a few chunks of stone and my core left.

  Rest easy, Delta.

  {Level Up}

  {Level Up}

  {Level Up}

  {Level Up}

  {You have gained the skill }

  {Party Member has Leveled Up! Lv24 → Lv27}

  {Party Member has Leveled Up! Lv19 → Lv23}

  Whoa! Everyone levelled up so much from that, even I got some levels. Wait, I even got a skill out of levelling?

  {Obsidian Tomb}

  {Encases the target in a molten hot pile of stone that binds together as a prison. Deals damage over time}

  That seems really powerful… I'd better be careful who I use this on, it might just accidentally one-shot Hollow when we’re sparring.

  It was finally over. The fight I was sure I’d never survive, that took everything I had, everything Hollow and Veyra had too. We came out of it, though. We even have some hope on how to fix Veyra’s condition now.

  I didn’t want to wait, so I immediately turned to her to share the good news, but she looked completely absorbed in something else. Veyra’s brows lifted with concern at the crouched over Hollow. His body was pretty battered up, so it made sense why she was concerned for him.

  (I’m sure Hollow will feel better with some rest. Can’t you summon some lesser spirits to help heal him?) I extended the link to Veyra, but was met with silence.

  The wisp behind Hollow’s helm drew out of the armoured body and surrounded him with a rich white miasma. It coated his body with a thin layer that seemed to completely enthral him in that state.

  W-what the… Is Hollow okay?!

  {Target has met the requirements for evolution. Would you like to proceed?}

  Oh yeah, I remember it saying that I had full control over this process. I thought for a second that he had contracted something from Delta. Even though she’s gone, I’m still feeling a little jumpy.

  Four panels of light hovered in front of me, each with a different description and illustration of possible options. They all looked so diverse, but one in particular drew my attention.

  {Shadow Soldier}

  {Manipulating the depths of darkness into weapons and cover, this species is known for speed and adaptability}

  That’s a major upgrade! How’s this guy keeping maxing out on luck? I’m seriously jealous.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  My eyes lit up at the screen. I found myself glancing past it at Hollow, who was still kneeling down under the layer of the miasma and imagined him in the shadowy form this option would take. A smile warped my face.

  I’d choose this one personally. Definitely a winner! Is there even a point in looking over the others?

  “Atlas, I’m worried about Hollow. Something strange is happening to his body…” Veyra approached him cautiously.

  (Oh, I figured it out. He’s undergoing evolution right now. It says I’m able to choose his evolution path.)

  “Evolution?” Veyra held her chin as she examined him more closely. Are you sure that’s okay to choose for yourself? I know you’ll have his best intentions in mind, but usually it’s a very private and sometimes well-thought-out process for creatures.”

  Quite honestly, the whole thing did leave me feeling uneasy. I didn’t want to be the one to choose Hollow’s evolution path. It felt way too strange to give me that kind of control over someone else, but it was out of my hands. Thanks to the Master's Authority skill, it was forced on me.

  (Don’t worry, I feel the same way as you. I’m going to ask Hollow what he wants, then choose whatever he feels is best.)

  All the anxiety washed off her face, relieved by my words. She rested her hand over her chest, letting out a breath of relief, “Thank goodness. I’m really excited to see what Hollow comes out as.” She turned her gaze onto the short ball of miasma.

  Veyra’s absolutely right, this isn’t my decision, so I can’t get hung up on what I’d want. There are still three other options, and it’s Hollow's choice.

  {Mushroom Spore Guardian}

  {Poison and vegetation are the greatest weapons of this species. Commonly found in high-level swamps and forests, they are quite rare to encounter}

  This might be good for weakening enemies. It seems a little close to the Rose knight state we found him in, though… I’m not sure that’ll go over well when making his decision.

  {Spirit Lancer}

  {The final evolution of the Armoured Spirit species. Speed, defence and attack are all increased considerably.}

  This one’s the next step in his current path. Wait, it says it's the final evolution? As in, one and done? So, depending on whether he chooses the others, he’ll keep evolving stronger and stronger?

  I definitely wanted Hollow to grow stronger and stronger, and seeing as he wanted to beat me one day, I didn’t think this option would let him do that. It did seem like a safe option, though, since it didn’t come with any weird status or effects to worry about.

  Next is the last one, huh? Doesn’t it kind of seem out of place next to these other ones?

  {Ashen Spirit Knight}

  {The Ashen Spirit Knight makes use of its high-levelled magic to elevate its swordsmanship, not replace it. Although harder to master, their capabilities are near limitless in this form}

  My eyes hovered over the last words with a hint of curiosity. Limitless potential seemed way too good to pass up, but if it was that much harder to master, it meant there was a chance Hollow would be stuck with a handicap for the rest of his life.

  No matter how I look at it, choosing the Shadow Soldier seems like the best option. It offers a stronger boost in abilities and strength right from the start. Hollow has a pretty good affinity for illusion skills already, so I’m sure he’d be good at it, too.

  Even so, I couldn’t shake the excitement that raced through me when I read that description. Their capabilities are near limitless… Who wouldn’t get pumped up reading that?

  (Hollow, your evolution paths are quite varied. You should be able to see them too, right? So which one do you want to–)

  “I only wish… to serve Master… at my strongest.” His voice cut through my own thoughts.

  Somehow, I knew he’d put it on me to choose again. I gingerly turned back to the screens before me. My eyes wavered between the options, hesitantly flickering back and forth between them. Ultimately, my eyes narrowed in on one, and the selection was made.

  I hope I’m making the right choice here. So don’t hate me later for this, Hollow.

  {Evolution will now begin}

  {Party Member has evolved from to }