A new evolution path centered on the mechanical attribute was born.
[Locust (juvenile, Common life form) > Mechanical Locust (adolescent, Unique life form) > Mechanical Locust Dragon (adolescent, Lord life form) > Mecha Wyvern (perfect, King life form) > Machinedrasprite (ultimate, Microcosm life form).]
[Mechanical Locust Dragon: Mechanized frame built based on the Locust Dragon. Skills: Dragon Breath, Super Self Detonation]
[Mecha Wyvern: Mechanized frame built based on the Wyverns. Skills: Wyvern Slash, Wyvern Breath]
[Machinedrasprite: Mechanized frame built on the Pseudo-Machinedrasprite. Skills: Turbo Claw, Infinity Arm, Infinity Cannon]
This mechanical evolution path was expensive because its final stage was the Machinedrasprite. It had cost Han Wu a total of 1.2 million evolution points, making it the most resource-intensive path he had created so far. It was also the strongest in terms of ultimate-tier power.
Because of its immense strength, summoning a Machinedrasprite required 10 million energy points. Han Wu currently had fewer than 5 million. He still needed to keep farming.
Below, the Pseudo-Machinedrasprite’s Infinity Cannon continued to decimate wave after wave of Chess Soldier formations. The casualties were staggering.
At that point, the Chessboard Lands’ ruler stepped forward. The Chess King, an ultimate Digital Sprite, approached Han Wu to surrender. It promised that if Han Wu stopped the attack, it would provide satisfactory compensation.
Han Wu agreed to hear the Chess King out, and the two met in a checkered plaza paved with alternating red and black tiles.
Despite being an ultimate Digital Sprite, the Chess King couldn’t escape the inherent weakness of the Chess Soldier species. Its individual combat power was so poor that its strength only reached the High Lord rank, making it the weakest ultimate Digital Sprite Han Wu had ever seen.
When Han Wu checked its two skills, however, he immediately went on guard. The first, Scepter of the King, allowed it to command any Chess Soldier Digital Sprite to obey its orders. The second, King’s Wrath, was a self-destruction skill whose power scaled with the number of Chess Soldiers in the vicinity.
Han Wu glanced at more than 100,000 Chess Soldiers surrounding him. He needed little imagination to understand how devastating King’s Wrath would be in a place like that. He even suspected that the Chess King hadn’t invited him to negotiate, but to lure him into a trap.
Running was no longer an option, so Han Wu ordered all his avatars to stay on high alert and be ready to gift him another 1 million Divine Essence at a moment’s notice. He wanted to ensure he would have enough barrier durability to survive.
The Chess King received Han Wu warmly and offered a string of pleasantries. Han Wu had no interest in any of that. He only cared about the compensation.
The Chess King picked up on that and presented its offering. It was a box containing an egg-shaped artifact covered in intricate patterns. Han Wu scanned it and learned its name and function.
[Digital Spirit Authority]
It was a tool capable of storing evolutionary power. Any Digital Sprite that evolved with a Digital Spirit would advance beyond the standard five evolution tiers, which was known as the Armored Form.
Han Wu’s eyes lit up. Digital Spirits could grant an additional evolution to an ultimate Digital Sprite that had already reached its growth limit. That was effectively a rank-up. He started imagining what would happen if the Microcosm Pseudo-Machinedrasprite absorbed Authority and entered its Armored Form.
Of course, not every Digital Sprite could use a Digital Spirit. Compatibility was essential. Forcing an incompatible Armored evolution would lead to disastrous results.
The Chess King watched Han Wu expectantly. It understood the cost of this battle and knew it couldn’t defeat Han Wu’s forces. It hoped that he would accept the compensation and leave as quickly as possible.
Han Wu was thinking something else entirely. Authority was undoubtedly valuable. However, compared to the energy and evolution points that over 100,000 Chess Soldiers represented, it wasn’t enough.
“Not enough,” Han Wu said bluntly.
The Chess King’s expression stiffened. Authority was the most precious treasure it could offer, yet Han Wu was still dissatisfied! Its face gradually turned red, a telltale sign that King’s Wrath was activating.
Han Wu quickly spoke up. “It’s not impossible for me to leave. I just need one more thing besides the Digital Spirit.”
The Chess King’s anger eased slightly. “What do you want?”
“A special material infused with Holy Energy, one suitable for ultimate evolution,” Han Wu replied.
He already possessed the Holy Ring and the Devout Crucifix. Both contained Holy Energy and could guide mature and perfect evolution respectively. If he could obtain a third material for ultimate evolution, he could develop a powerful holy evolution path. After all, holy power excelled in both support and defense.
The Chess King’s face reddened again, and Han Wu immediately retreated behind the Iron Abyss Bug, worried the Chess King would detonate on the spot. Thankfully, reason prevailed over rage. The Chess King didn’t want to die, nor did it want its death to drag countless Chess Soldiers down with it. It could meet Han Wu’s demand.
The Chess King hurled its scepter toward him and declared, “I’ve fulfilled your request. Now leave the Chessboard Lands immediately!”
Han Wu caught the scepter and examined it.
[King’s Scepter: A special material imbued with Holy Energy and sovereign authority, set with precious gems. It has a special effect on Royal Digital Sprites and can serve as a material for ultimate evolution.]
This material exceeded Han Wu’s expectations. Satisfied, he stowed both treasures away, gathered his Digital Sprites, and left the Chessboard Lands as fast as he could before the Chess King changed its mind.
The materials required for the holy evolution path were now complete. All he lacked were enough evolution points to develop it.
Han Wu instructed his avatars to search the broadcast for a suitable area to farm evolution points. In the meantime, he took out Authority and tested his Digital Sprites for compatibility to determine which one would undergo this additional evolution.