Duo Leveling LITRPG | Post Apocalyptic | SYSTEM-Chapter 71 - The Forbidden Evolution

Chapter 71 - The Forbidden Evolution

Crunch, crack.

The sound of goblin bones being ground to dust echoed faintly through the boss room.

In that vast and chaotic space, the only sound remaining was the wet, horrific chewing of a monster.

From a short distance away, Jhin , eyes sharp with vigilance, muttered:

"...It looks like that thing has evolved."

"Evolved?" Caleb echoed incredulously.

"Yeah. Look at the system message... It’s clear. That thing’s now C-rank."

Through the gaping hole Lykan had torn in the ceiling, they could see his gigantic form looming above.

He was devouring the goblins around him like a kid plucking prizes from a claw machine.

Relentlessly.

Without pause.

It was a spectacle so grotesquely mesmerizing that even Trigger himself might have been impressed.

Lykan’s enormous hand scooped up struggling goblins, tossing them into his maw like snacks.

Every time his throat moved, one more life was swallowed and added to his grotesque mass.

Caleb shook his head in disbelief.

"...Is that even possible? For a boss monster to evolve without a dungeon break?"

"In theory... it’s not impossible," Jhin replied grimly.

"Even if it’s something that’s never once succeeded—even back in Exodia 1."

Lykan’s body kept growing without restraint.

With each step, the Ghost Train itself trembled.

He was already so massive that his legs were visible through the train windows.

And yet—

Strangely enough, the train kept moving.

Even with his colossal weight pressing against the ground, the Ghost Train didn’t stop.

Lykan’s position didn’t change either.

’Logic doesn’t apply here anymore. Even the system classified it as a bug.’

It was something completely unprecedented.

Jhin had never heard of a goblin inflating to such an absurd size.

And even now, Lykan’s form no longer resembled the normal evolution of a C-rank goblin.

He could say it with certainty:

"This isn’t a true, complete evolution.

That... doesn’t look like the Peculiar form I know."

"If anything..."

Jhin ’s gaze sharpened.

"It reminds me more of a Trigger."

"You mean... Jaden?" Caleb asked, bewildered.

"Yeah. The only theory that supports rapid evolution without a dungeon break is the Spore Virus."

It made sense.

The Spore Virus was a terrifying pathogen that infected humans, turning them into Grid monsters or even evolving them into Triggers.

It was researched as an alternative content path when players were stuck in bottlenecks in Exodia 1.

’But all those experiments ended in failure.’

’The Spore Virus couldn’t evolve monsters, only humans.’

But—

This wasn’t Exodia 1 anymore.

This was Exodia 2.

A place where unknown factors could apply.

What if Lykan had been infected by something even worse?

[Skill ’Soft skills’ (A)’ is activated.]

Jhin ’s eyes turned brilliant gold as he scrutinized Lykan’s body carefully.

And there—

Around Lykan’s thick neck—

Something grotesque was pulsating, like a tumor gone mad.

’That’s the source...’

And then—

"It’s moving!" Caleb cried.

Lykan, that monstrous behemoth, began to move.

Each step shredded more of the train’s ceiling,

his sheer force tearing apart the steel like paper.

But—

He wasn’t coming for Jhin ’s group.

Instead, he lumbered past them, seemingly uninterested.

He didn’t even bother with the nearby goblins.

He didn’t even bother finishing his feeding.

Instead—

Lykan’s massive head tilted toward something in the distance.

Drool dripped from his maw as he stared hungrily ahead.

Caleb asked, voice trembling:

"...What the hell is he after?"

Following Lykan’s gaze, Jhin quickly understood.

"It’s like..."

He narrowed his eyes.

"He’s found a buffet."

D-5 Safe Zone – Auction Hall

Amidst the chaos, suspicious eyes darted between the merchants.

One man—keeping to the shadows—was Walt, an agent of the National Intelligence Service.

Surveying the confused auction hall, he murmured:

"Things are getting out of hand."

Next to him, a man wearing a panda mask whispered:

"Chief, this wasn’t part of the plan."

"I know," Walt replied, frowning.

"I never thought someone with that kind of financial power would show up.

Have you identified him?"

"Not at all, sir. He’s not even on our watchlist."

The NIS had staked everything on this operation.

The appearance of Neon, the mysterious Dungeon Merchant ranked 9th, using a moving dungeon as a black market—

It was the lifeline Ark desperately needed.

Their plan had been simple:

Buy out the auction items. Earn Neon’s trust. Secure a vital alliance.

But now—

A completely unknown player had thrown everything into chaos with reckless spending.

"We can’t afford to fail this mission," Walt said darkly.

"We must make contact with Neon, no matter what."

"But Chief... the plan was to win him over by buying up the auction stock..."

"How can we do that now?"

"Forget the original plan," Walt snapped.

"Things in the field always change. Be ready to adapt."

"Then... what’s the new plan?"

Walt grimaced.

He didn’t really have one.

’There’s no time for a Plan B.’

Ark was on the verge of collapse.

The few remaining S-rank players like ling ling were barely clinging to life.

This operation had squeezed every last drop from their already depleted manpower.

And now, some nameless player had shattered their strategy like glass.

Walt bit down hard on his lip.

’Who the hell are you, really?’

It was almost impossible to believe.

How could a single player possess more wealth and influence than an entire national agency?

Was it a new undiscovered top-ranker?

Even considering the NIS’s financial ruin, it was still an absurd gap.

And then—

"Chief!

The goblins—something’s wrong with them!"

A report crackled over the comms.

The goblins that once patrolled the auction hall were now moving systematically—marching toward the next train car.

Their faces looked... frantic.

Almost panicked.

Walt stiffened.

"...Now’s our chance.

I don’t know what’s happening, but we won’t get another opportunity like this."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Attention, all agents!" he barked into the comms.

"Abandon your previous tasks! Proceed immediately to breach the goblins’ storage area! That is your new mission!"

The panda-masked agent hesitated.

"Chief, you’re not... seriously suggesting we rob their storage, are you?"

"What choice do we have?!" Walt snapped.

"We can’t afford to return empty-handed!"

"But what if we lose Neon’s trust completely?!

We might not ever recover from that!"

In response—

Walt grabbed the agent by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

The chaos of the auction floor covered their scuffle.

No one noticed.

Walt’s eyes gleamed coldly.

"There’s no going back."