Ultimately, I decide to go with ironwood turtle. While the snapping turtle was amusing, boxer would take me for a spin, and the pygmy fortress offered potential, ultimately, the ironwood forest turtle seemed to offer versatility, with the vines as well as stakes having played a rather vital role in combat up to this point. It just offered more in the long term, though pygmy fortress seemed to be close, given it's potential for the future.

Nonetheless...

I choose Ironwood.

[Very well then. Initiating evolution.]

[You might feel a slight sensation of pain. Don't worry, it is temporary, and will be over soon]

[Hold on to your butt!]

With the last statement having been uttered by Stolidus, I was rather worried, why would he say that? The system said it would be a sli-

Aaargh!

Oh my lord Anubis that hurts!

Ow,

oW

OW

OW

OW

[it will all be over soon]

WHy DiDN't yoU Say SOMEthing StOlIDus!

[AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH]

[You can't even roll over in pain! Oh my god, Hunter was right, this is therapeutic! I feel better already!]

GOOD FOR YOU, YOU SON OF A BITH! OH my LORD I JUTH Bith MYSEF, HOW DITH I DO THATH

I keep struggling, but all I can feel is pain. Oh lord this huuuuurrts. I hope I won't be evolving again. Why don't monsters roll around when they evolve!?

----------------------------------------

Oh, thank Isis, Anubis, whoever is responsible for its end, the pain is finally over.

[Shame. It t'was only a minute.]

Fuck you Stolidus. That really hurt.

All right, whatever. New body. I should be happy. All right, let's take a look.

Earl begins to look at his body, only to discover a tiny surprise.

I HAVE TWO HEADS

[Hi!]

IT TALKS.

[Well jeez Earl, you wanted the ore slime to survive the evolution, so we had to incorporate it somehow. What, did you think we'd just turn it into the tree on your back?]

I... said that didn't I. I mean, to be fair, that wasn't mentioned in any of the descriptions in regard to the evolutions though?

[That's 'cause all your evolutions were going to have an extra head. It was, the easiest solution.]

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Wait, that sounds rather sketchy?! Are you sure you didn't just get lazy when creating the options?

[Nah, I don't design the evolutions. The main system plucks design concepts from player 0's thoughts and then creates future evolutions for you. Of course, when the system needs more difficult evolutions, the system requests direct intervention from player 0.]

Eh? Player zero? Why would this player 0 be able to design evolutions though? That sounds like something god-level though right? Actually, player 0, that sounds like a prototype number. Or case zero like an infection. Who is he? Actually, never mind, a god recommended me to this, I shouldn't be surprised.

So, the rest of my body...

Earl's shell has changed, becoming flatter in nature, and the moss was gone, replaced by grass, like a tiny lawn, with the shell's marginal/edge having become something different.

In the center of his shell, a small birch tree had grown, more akin to a shrub in stature, the wood containing the occasional shimmering of metal, with two vine like appendages growing out of the small tree on his back.

Although they very much looked like vines, even wrapped around the tiny tree as vines do, the vines were metallic in nature, and not nearly as flexible as your average vine, trading flexibility for strength.

Both heads had a slight ridge above the eyes, and the ore slimes head was completely metal, unlike Earl's which was very much an organic head.

Fleck's of metal pervaded the rest of their whole body, and the tail had grown ever so slightly longer in proportion to his old body.

And speaking of his older body. He was bigger, just not by much. It seemed like a few inches taller at best, since his position next to a bush hadn't really changed. He could stare at a bush instead of looking up now. So a light change to be sure.

Looking at his new twin, Earl had to wonder...

'So what should I address you as?'

"ORE!"

I have been calling him an ore slime this whole time, so I guess he now assumes his name is ore from now on.

Alright. That works for me.

So, stats I suppose. I'd like to see how those turned out.

Stolidus.

[Species: ironwood forest turtle]

[lvl: 1/35]

[Hp: 765/765]

[Spd:72]

[Mana:360/360]

[ATK: 60]

[Moves: Photosynthesis, harden, vine lash, bite, Appraisal lvl 1 stake strike, steel imbuement, turtle launcher, vine tap, Vine Bash, Regeneration(f), telepathy]

[Shop]

Skill Points: 10

Points: 50

Wow uh, those are certainly something. They're at least triple my last count right? That has to account for something right?

[Eh, not really. Considering you merged with another monster for your evolution, the fact your stats only tripled is kind of sad actually.]

Oh shush you! At least it is an increase in stats. That's something I can say with pride at least. Though, I also noticed that my level requirement for my next evolution is 35. That seems to be a rather random number. So what's the reasoning behind that?

[Well, since you merged with another monster, the exp requirement is higher than other moss turtles at your stage. It should've been 20, but now it's 35 thanks to your new partner there.]

Ah, ore.

'ORE!'

So it's still a net gain then?

[I suppose so, yes. I mean, now you're a rare commodity, but whatever.]

Whatever indeed. I suspect that's inevitable as monsters become more valuable as they age. What's more, since I'm offered actual choices, I'm going to assume most of the choices are rare evolutions for monsters, no?

[Yeah, basically. In its path to making you stronger, the system will ultimately make you more valuable. Sigh, how tiring.]

Well, we're in the middle of nowhere, so that shouldn't be a problem.

[...sure.]

----------------------------------------

I was rather eager to test out my new powers, but I soon came to realize a real problem.

Nothing around here is that strong.

I did get to watch ore morph his head into a club and beat the living daylights out of a random salamander, so that was fun. It seems that while turtle head is his new preferred form, he can just morph into whatever he wants within reason. I think. I didn't make him do that after all, he just did that upon seeing a salamander spit fire at him.

This area, wherever it may be, doesn't seem to have that many strong monsters. That's great for my day-to-day life, but when I want to try this brand-new power I've attained, this actually works against me.

I could probably head deeper into the woods (wherever that is, still haven't gotten my bearings), but then I might make the mistake of jumping into the deep side. It's known that areas of mana do not consistently increase or decline in mana density. Places with low mana density can exist alongside locations of high mana density, so trying to find a new "zone" might be dangerous.

Whatever, I'm trying to enjoy this new life anyway, and I can still level by napping and photosynthesizing right?

Aah, sweet sunlight, tastes like sugar...