Unholy Player-Chapter 154: Twilight Human

A twin-headed ogre wasn’t exactly a rare sight in this part of the district—Adyr had seen one earlier, lumbering between the vendor tents, both heads chewing on different ends of a burnt meat skewer. The Lizardman’s assumption didn’t surprise him. What did catch his attention, however, was the name Gemnarch. A race born with two entirely separate bodies governed by a single mind. That was new.

"No, he’s just like me. Not from some rare race," Adyr replied calmly, choosing not to spin a pointless lie. The truth was obvious—the race he referenced was far from common. But drawing attention to it was an unnecessary risk. The less the merchant speculated, the better.

The Lizardman gave a shrug and leaned back, his excitement vanishing. "I see..."

Adyr didn’t let it drop. "Then why’d you assume he was a twin-headed ogre? Or... what did you call it? Gemnarch?"

The merchant’s eyes narrowed slightly, his tone shifting to something more scrutinizing. "Isn’t it obvious? The only ones interested in evolving with that Spark are races like them—those with two bodies, or at least something similar. The Spark strengthens the neural and spiritual link between dual forms or extra limbs. It boosts reflexes and improves thought synchronization. For someone like you or me? Completely useless. Unless you’re planning to gamble on a third evolution with a doppelganger-type Spark or something, and let’s be honest, reaching Rank 3 isn’t exactly a given."

Adyr filed the information away, sifting useful grains from the merchant’s bluster. So there really are Sparks that let you duplicate or extend the body.

Still keeping up the mask of a curious amateur, he tilted his head slightly. "So what happens when someone actually evolves with it? Aside from gaining the innate Shared Cognition talent, I’m curious—what kind of physical trait do they get?"

By now, Adyr was already certain of one thing: Shared Cognition was locked in as the Spark’s innate talent. That alone made it a tempting choice. But before he finalized anything, he needed to understand the full cost, especially the kind that came in the form of permanent, physical changes.

If the Spark imposed some grotesque mutation or disfigurement, that would be a problem. But if the effect was internal and manageable, his decision was already made.

"Physical?" The Lizardman echoed, scratching lazily at his chin. "It’s an Aether-path Spark. So, the changes are more spiritual than bodily. Apart from a boost to regeneration—both physical and spiritual—there’s not much in terms of visible transformation."

The fact that he didn’t ask for payment made it clear this was considered worthless information. But to Adyr, it was anything but.

His knowledge of Sparks was still patchy—limited mostly to what Vesha had told him and what few books he’d skimmed. He hadn’t fully understood how the evolution process granted one physical trait and one innate talent each time. He’d always assumed "physical" meant an obvious visual change. But apparently, subtle internal changes—like improved recovery—also counted.

And that regeneration?

The thought alone made his mind settle. The Dawn Raven’s passive life-force-based healing was already a lifeline in harsh conditions. If this Spark layered another form of regeneration on top, especially one that sped up both tissue and soul recovery, it would drastically improve his survival odds in extended combat or hostile environments.

"I see. How much? I’m buying it."

The Lizardman blinked, clearly surprised. "You’re really buying it?" He didn’t argue, though. If anything, he looked relieved. This was probably the first sale he’d made in days. "60 energy crystals."

Adyr stared at him, silent.

"Just kidding, alright?" the merchant added quickly. "Give me 40, and it’s yours."

Still no reply. Not a twitch.

A muscle under the Lizardman’s eye jumped. "Okay. 20. But that’s my last offer. Take it or leave it."

Adyr held back a smirk. He hadn’t needed to bargain at all. Just a little silence—and the price had dropped by two-thirds.

"Okay," he said simply.

Without dragging it out, he reached to his Sanctuary, drew out 20 faintly glowing crystals from his Dawn Land reserve, and handed them over one by one. The Lizardman counted them eagerly, hands trembling slightly from either excitement or disbelief.

Without another word, Adyr turned and stepped out of the tent, leaving the flap to swing behind him.

There was no need to waste time hunting for a better deal. For a Rank 2 Spark, this was the lowest price he had seen so far. And more importantly, it was exactly what he needed.

After retrieving what he came for, he left the marketplace without delay, spread his wings, and flew at full speed toward Draven Mansion.

Upon arrival, he avoided unnecessary interaction with anyone outside. He went straight to his room, locked the door, shut the curtains, lit the candles, and sat on the edge of his bed.

In each hand, he held one of the Mindrake’s bodies, examining them closely. Both were slightly larger than his palms, limp, with root-like limbs dangling from his fingers. Their tongues hung out, eyes dim and unfocused, as if death were only moments away. But that didn’t matter.

For a Spark to use its skills, it had to be in good condition. But for evolution, that requirement didn’t apply. Once the fusion began, their life force would merge with his, rendering their current state irrelevant.

Adyr released a portion of his transparent energy, letting it seep into both bodies. The moment it made contact, the system message he’d been waiting for appeared.

[You have captured a Rank 2 Spark. Do you want to begin the evolution process?]

– Cost: 200 Energy

– Unlock:

Evolutionary Step: Twilight Human

"Twilight?" Adyr raised a brow as he read the system message.

His race, once known as Dawn Human, was now evolving into something new—Twilight. As he considered the logic behind it, the meaning became clear.

Twilight symbolized the coexistence of two opposing states—day and night—just as twin bodies shared a single existence.

"I wonder how my sanctuary will reflect the change."

Following the same principle, Dawn Land would inevitably transform into Twilight Land. Adyr didn’t know exactly what that would entail, but the thought stirred a quiet curiosity within him.

Without wasting time, he drew 200 crystals from Dawn Land, boosting his energy reserve, and initiated the evolution process.

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