Desolate World

Ace and everyone had to wait until Doom finished his checking. He was very curious about what could make the lich so surprised like that. However, he didn't have to wait much longer. Doom then took out 5 translucent stones. Each of them didn't have the same shape, but they were the same size as each other.

"I believe they are the evolution stones," Doom then showed them to Ace and the others.

Ace then took one and checked it. 

[Evolution Stone]

Grade: SS (magical)

Description: Created by integrating 1,000,000 extracted souls. Can be consumed to get one of these effects:

1. Prolonged life for around 200 to 500 years.

2. A material in creating SS-grade equipment or other kinds of item.

3. Evolving an elite creature into a Lord creature.

4. Reinforcing a spell up to 1,000 times either in the aspects of damage, range, and effect.

5. Summons a random powerful creature as a contracted creature from a selected different realm.

"It's a good thing," Ace commented.

"Yes, especially the number 4 function. With this, no lord creatures will survive after being hit by an attacking spell that is enforced by this stone," Andrea said.

"It is really a weapon of mass destruction," Cloud said.

Andrea then looked at the old woman and nodded. She said, "Well said. That's an appropriate term for it."

"Okay. As Mars had said that we can have two of them. You can get one and we will take one," Ace said.

Andrea then smiled weirdly and said, "You seem to be anxious about it, Elder Ace."

It made Cloud frowned, and Doom's aura also became fierce. However Ace appeared to be calm even after hearing it. As he knew that Andrea just teased him, not denounced him.

With a poker face, Ace said, "Because I think, this is the best moment for someone to advance into a lord. You can imagine, it will be suspicious if after we went home, two people suddenly become Lords the next day. 

And if we consider the unity of our town, we can't make weapons using them, as one or two people will definitely know. So, for the best of all, I ask you to use it right now, before removing your masks. So the people who were fighting with us will be our witnesses that two people advanced after the fight against ghoul lord."

For a note, headwear like helm, tiara, crown, and mask, bandana, and accessories like ring, earrings, necklace, and bracelet could be hidden for a convention. As at the moment, although Ace and others appeared not wearing masks, they actually were. It was just they had set it hidden, so the masks didn't hinder their view. The shortcoming of doing it was that they couldn't enjoy, the blocking function of it. But, as it meant to only be used for hiding the wearer's information, they didn't mind of the shortcoming.

After some moments of delay, she finally nodded. She said, "You are right. I'm sorry if my earlier words offended you."

"It's okay. I don't think that you meant badly," He said to Andrea.

He then asked, "So, who will you give the evolution stone to? If I may ask."

"We three decided to give it to Peter. Because, he will be the one that always fights to confront our enemies in the front. He needs more power to protect himself and all people. If he becomes a lord, he will be able to do more," Andrea said.

Ace nodded. He then looked at Geo and Cloud said, "As for us, we have many options here. They are Jumpy, Silver, and the 10 elite skeletons. So, what do you think?"

Geo seemed to want to say something, but Cloud patted his shoulder. As Geo looked at his grandmother, she smiled at him and said, "Geo, you know that Jumpy and Silver are guaranteed to evolve, right? As your mother had said what we need to do to make them evolve.

But, Doom and the other skeletons are different. They are difficult to level up, even more so to evolve. So, I suggest you give the evolution stone to Doom. With him go stronger, the skeleton army will become stronger too. How's about that?"

Geo thought a little and then said, "Okay. Give it to Doom."

Ace nodded. He had the same view as His mother in law. He thought that, at the moment, Geo's skeleton army was the strongest force that they had. So, Doom's role would be more vital, as he was the leader of the army. The stronger he was would make the skeleton army stronger.

Ace then gave the evolution stone to Doom. 

"Use it now! The faster the better," Ace said.

Doom's light orbs in his eye sockets then flickering. He then receive the stone and said, "Thank you. I will protect master the best I can, from now on."

Ace smiled, "Then, that's good."

Doom then held the stone with his right hand and said inaudible words. Then the evolution stone glowed and entered the lich's body. His body glowed a little.

Everyone saw the scene with interest. The glow was happening for some minutes and then dimming before stopped completely.

Ace then found that Doom's physique didn't change at all. Only his aura became more majestic. Although it couldn't be compared to Mars, he was definitely stronger than Vesper. Ace then checked his information.

[Doom] (Lord)

Race: Skeleton (Lich)

Level: 39/40

"How do you feel?" Ace asked.

Doom then looked at Ace and said, "Better. I have a new trait and a new skill. My new trait will make the skeletons that I lead to be more durable. Their defense will be 50% stronger than before. And my new skill is an ultimate skill. It is…."

Doom then explained his ultimate skill. It shocked all people that were there. The skill was so abnormal. Ace thought they had chosen the right choice for giving the stone to the lich.

After knowing that the evolution stone was working. Peter then used it. Like Doom, his body also glowed for several minutes before dimming. Peter successfully became a lord.

"Now, we have three, no! Four lords in our town. Boss Mars, Peter, Doom, and after being resurrected, Vesper. Today's harvest was so bountiful," Andrea said with a smile. 

"Excuse me. But I think you are wrong about that. You forgot about the content of this ring," Doom then said while stroking his new ring.

"I almost forgot about it. What is the content of it?" She asked.

"It deserves its name. It's a treasure vault. Diracs, skill crystals, equipment, weapons, and what interested me most was, there were dozens of very rare humanoids' corpses." 

Ace became interested in what Doom said. But he was being clear-headed. They had gotten many things. So besides the corpses, Ace suggested giving the rest to Mars. After all, he must give their boss some face, right? Despite his presence wasn't needed in the previous battle.

Everyone agreed. So Ace told Sofia that the battle basically was done. About the chasing after Lander, Ace was sure Jordan and Uriel would get back soon bringing good news.

To his surprise, she said that his brother had told her and Mars the process of the war. And by reading the general chat of the guild channel, she had known the general situation there. And about the barbarian training guide, Mars asked her to give some quotas to the town guards. Sofia agreed to it readily. Mars then said he didn't have an opinion about giving the book to Nightglow Guild.

Ace smiled bitterly. It seemed he didn't have to explain anything about the barbarian training guide's matter to Mars. After all, it was a strategic item in Ace's eyes. By using it, the power of the guild would increase further. As barbarian was a good job for war. He wanted to build a shock troops unit in his guild. A unit that could penetrate deep into the enemy's line, and make havoc in it.

It also meant that, Nightglow Guild had become the 'official guild' of Laketown. After all, all people weren't blind. With so many preferential treatments that were received by this guild, it meant no one could offend it, if they wanted to mix well among the townsmen. Even if some guardians didn't want to join it, they were forced to make a good relationship with it. 

Of course, Ace always emphasized on peaceful approach. If he could, he didn't want to make trouble with anyone from the town. And he would punish his guild members who wanted to use the guild's name for their own interest or oppressed other guardians in the town. After all, either Nightglow Guild or Laketown had special places in his heart. As he had participated in building them.

Ace then told her about death's vault ring. About its curse that either risked the town's safety and was useful to detect important figures of the undead. He also told her about the wealth inside the ring. And his and Andrea's decision to use two evolution stones for Doom and Peter to become lords.

Sofia then asked if he had asked Geo to enter Doom into his ring and saw if it could seal the curse temporarily or not. 

Ace said he hadn't. He then asked Doom what he thought about it. 

Doom said, at the moment, he could feel and know the location of 17 rings that were spread all over the continent. Some of them moving, while the others being static. He could even find that a ring had moved in their direction at high speed. But, he believed it needed a few hours to arrive. By then, they would long go. 

It alarmed Andrea and the rest. But Ace assured them, that they would be fine. He agreed to Doom, it needed some time, for the undead to gather their forces so they were sure could defeat the ones that had killed Vesper and the army that he brought.

After that, Geo started the experiment of entering Doom into his ring, and whether Doom could detect the other rings while he was inside the ring. 

***