Reincarnated With A Glitched System: Why Is My MP Not Running Out?

Chapter 2054: The Evolution Begins

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Beelzebub absorbed all the evolution materials while floating at the center of the formation. I made sure to include the Dungeon Core and the Skill Scroll, allowing him to devour everything at a rapid pace. Power surged through his body as the system’s prompt appeared before my eyes.

[Your Familiar: [Beelzebub] has begun his evolution!]

[All Materials offered in the Evolution Formation shall be absorbed.]

The Evolution Formation had been created by the System and later refined by me. Each time a Familiar evolved, a magic circle formed beneath them—this was the System’s assistance.

Familiars generally did not evolve as quickly as this. Most were simply allowed to grow naturally over time. Some might evolve once in their lifetime, or never at all. That was why it was always recommended to obtain a strong monster from the beginning.

Of course, if the master possessed powerful cultivation, the familiar would inherit a portion of that strength through their bond, and both could continue growing together. Building bonds with familiars, spirits, or beasts was an essential part of cultivation in this world. The stronger they became, the more power they could share.

With over nine Familiars, it was obvious why I stood so far above the rest. Yet because of my own strength, I advanced incredibly slowly unless my familiars kept pace with me. That was why I had to keep evolving them, constantly developing the elemental, magical, and spiritual powers we shared.

This special formation had first been created by the System and then improved by me. The earliest evolutions required no materials, but starting from D or C rank, they demanded massive quantities. We had therefore modified the magic circle into a true formation capable of absorbing far more materials than it originally could.

This created a loophole I had already exploited several times. My familiars absorbed so many materials that their evolutions—when stable—left them far stronger than they were ever meant to be.

This was exactly how Yggdra, Scarlet, Sapphire, and Naturia had gained their new, incredible forms. They had absorbed far more than they should have been able to, attaining immense power as a result.

And now I was doing the same for Beelzebub. I desperately wanted him to grow stronger right away, so I had poured in everything: the mutated corpse of Arachne fused with Lolth, a Dungeon Core, and even a Skill Scroll.

FLAAASH!

”T-This power...! It’s overwhelming! I’m going to explode!!!”

Beelzebub screamed in agony as he absorbed the materials. His body swelled rapidly, transforming into a giant cocoon that shook violently and began to bleed.

”Is it going to be okay?!” I asked, my worry deepening as I watched him suffer.

”I don’t know—he can’t handle it!” Alice panicked. ”Maybe we used too many ingredients?!”

”Wait, what?!” I gasped. ”Beelzebub, hang in there! What happens if the evolution fails?!”

”He’ll likely die,” Yggdra said, her eyes sharpening. ”But we can still stop it. Sylphy, give him your blood, along with as much mana, spirit energy, and soul energy as you can!”

”Will that work?!” I asked. I opened a wound on my arm and let my shimmering, slightly metallic golden blood flow toward him. At the same time, I poured in my mana and spirit energy without restraint. ”Beelzebub, you cannot die! Hang in there and survive!”

”Nnngggh! Aaaarrggh!”

Beelzebub roared in pain. The sound came out monstrous and distorted as the cocoon continued shaking and bleeding, with chunks of it falling away unnaturally.

No, no, no! This wasn’t supposed to happen!

Was Beelzebub going to die because of my greed? Was the formation not strong enough?

”By all means, that should have been more than enough!” Alice said. ”Why is Beelzebub struggling? This isn’t a problem with the formation or the materials—it’s him...!”

”Wait, what?!” I asked. ”Beelzebub, what’s wrong?! Why don’t you want to evolve?!”

”I... I do! I want to evolve...!” Beelzebub cried out. ”What are you even talking about?!”

”It’s you! You’re the one resisting it! Why?!” I demanded.

RUMBLE!

Black and purple lightning erupted from the cocoon, shattering the ground and hurling massive boulders into the air.

”Beelzebub, it’s too unstable—you have to evolve! Why are you making this so difficult?!”

I flew toward him with everything I had, pushing through the raging thunder and demonic energy. I reinforced my body to its limits, forming armor with my combined powers and Draconification as I tanked the onslaught.

”Beelzebub! Hang in there! You can do this!”

”...”

”BEELZEBUB!”

”...Anna.”

”!!!”

”I... Am I good enough?”

In that moment, his voice lost every trace of the brave, charismatic Demon Lord. The mask fell completely. What remained was raw self-doubt, fear, and the trembling heart of a man who had been betrayed by the world—whose only family had been torn away from him.

I had never truly realized it before. Perhaps because I had lived such a blissful second life. Because I had been selfish. Because I had grown so strong that nothing seemed to matter anymore.

Beelzebub had endured a terrible life—one I would never wish upon anyone. He had suffered, lost his family, lost his second family, and even the new one he tried to build afterward had been destroyed.

And now he lived on after death, bound as a spirit to the child of those who had taken everything from him.

It was a heartbreaking story.

”I’ve lived my entire life afraid, you know?” he whispered. ”I fear everything.”

”What...?”

”I lost my mother when I was just a little child... The Demon King adopted me and gave me a new life... only for him to sacrifice himself for all of us. The companions I thought I had left died one after another—seeking revenge, or hiding only to be slaughtered...”

”And my disciple, my beloved Arachne, whom I raised and gave all the attention I never received when I was young, orphaned, and lonely... she became a monster. Manipulated by the evil gods, she was forced to die fighting the very ones who had already killed my mother, my king, and... my friends...”

”...”

”Even now that I’ve been promised such power, such a title, and the chance to protect my people... I don’t think I’m cut out for it... Sylphy...”

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