In Sage of Bacillus, no one evolves their monsters.
Why? Because no one knows how to do it. Even though the game has elements of Pokémon and Digimon, its core gameplay is still primarily Yu-Gi-Oh.
The closest thing to evolution are monsters that can level up on their own, but that's not what I need.
As someone who has played both Pokémon and Digimon, I know the evolution mechanic can definitely be applied here because this world is incredibly diverse.
If no one else can do it, then I'll do it myself. I'll create this playstyle!
Just like Fusion. Before Aelith fully utilized the potential of Fusion, almost no one here used Fusion cards in battle.
The way people used them was limited to fusing identical monsters to make them bigger or more detailed. Their power did increase, but only marginally.
That was until Aelith used Fusion. She basically fused two completely different monsters to create an entirely new one with unique power. It caused a huge shock, and people finally started to see its true potential.
It turns out that to truly maximize Fusion, you and your monster need a certain level of bond. Unfortunately, almost no one here values that bond — they only care about themselves.
That's why being close to your monster doesn't hurt you at all. In fact, it can even make you stronger than normal.
Hehe, "You lose because you don't believe in the Heart of the Cards." Thinking back on that line now, it's both funny and true.
Not believing in your cards is the same as not believing in yourself.
Stepping through the door, I saw many bookshelves filled with both new and old books. They had everything.
The academy's library had a lot too, but I could only borrow books there. I wasn't allowed to lose or keep them, so I had to buy them here.
"Welcome to the book stall…" A sleepy voice rang out. I turned to look at the shop owner.
It was a male elf with a child-like body, a bit taller than me. He was lazily reading a book.
"Excuse me, where are the books about… monsters belonging to users?" I walked over and asked.
He glanced at me and pointed in a direction.
"Over there."
"Thank you."
"Studying hard right from the first few days, huh? How old are you, kid?"
"11."
"11? And you're already diving deep in the first year?"
"Is there a problem?"
"No, it's good to be eager to learn. I like kids who like studying." He smiled and went back to reading.
...Should I call the police? This guy seems suspicious.
Ignoring the bookstore owner, I walked to where he pointed.
"Hm hm hm… Here it is."
I reached out, grabbed the book, looked it over, and smiled.
[The Intelligence of Summoned Monsters]
It wasn't as thick as some other books, but the knowledge was concise and easy to read.
'Good. One more left.'
I knew exactly where the other book was, so I went straight there.
It was on the top shelf, quite high up, so I had to pull out a stool to reach it.
"Ugh, dust… phew."
I blew away the layer of dust and looked at the book with a smile on my face.
[Darwin's Theory of Evolution]
After climbing down, I went to the counter to pay with credits.
"Huh? You want to buy these two?" The elf looked surprised at my choices.
"Is something wrong?"
"Hm…" He rubbed his chin, then stood up, grabbed another book, and handed it to me.
"This is…"
"Guide to Creating Special Type Cards"
I looked at him in slight surprise.
Special Type Cards were the fourth type of card, usually red in color.
Unlike Spell and Trap cards, these were like custom cards. They could create a small chair, change the user's clothes, or even perform grand magic that affects reality itself.
They were extremely versatile and essential for creating combos.
"Looking at the two books you chose, I can roughly guess what you're trying to do. I don't know what the result will be, but you'll definitely need Special Cards for this path." He smiled.
"…Thank you."
"No need to thank me. No discount though, so pay for all three books."
Just as I was feeling touched, reality slapped me hard. I sighed as I looked at my remaining credits.
All three books cost 50 credits, exactly what I had.
Painful. I paid in full while the shop owner looked delighted.
"It's fine. I have five classes this afternoon. Earning 50 credits back won't be hard. The problem is the materials are quite expensive… Ugh, I guess I'll have to raise my hand and answer questions a lot."
With that, I left Caesar Street and headed toward the library to read.
…But it was lunch time, so I changed plans and went to the cafeteria instead.
"2 credits to eat," the cafeteria lady said.
"…"
I knew I should have saved my credits…
Sighing, I went to the library, took off my Ushanka hat, and placed it on the table.
"Alright… Fluffy, come out." I pulled Fluffy out from under my fur coat and set it on the table.
"Wuu~~" Fluffy made its usual sound.
As expected of a starter monster, its intelligence was just high enough to know how to please its owner.
However… it still wasn't enough.
"I wonder what it'll be like when it gets smarter?"
After all, I had watched a lot of Pokémon. Every time I saw Pokémon surrounding the main character, I wanted my own monsters to do the same.
They could even make decisions that normal people wouldn't expect — emotions overpowering logic or sudden strategies.
And Digimon were literally best friends who could talk.
Imagining my monster saying something like "Yo bro, wanna go get something to eat? I'm bored staying home," would be hilarious.
The idea was so interesting that I wanted to start learning right away. I immediately opened [The Intelligence of Summoned Monsters].
After skimming through the content, I got the general idea.
Basically, summoned monsters have limited intelligence for many reasons. There's nothing stopping you from making them smarter — no one forbids it. The problem lies with the users themselves.
When a monster gains intelligence, it becomes aware of itself and the outside world, especially its owner.
This is the issue. Because they become independent, they can observe how others treat them and realize how their own owner has been treating them.
If treated well, there's no problem. But if they realize they've been treated poorly all this time, who knows what they might do to their owner?
"I can understand that…"
Even though the principal said summoned monsters are partner and friend, not every student would take those words seriously.
I remember that later in the story, the game also showed many people who didn't value their monsters at all, treating them as nothing more than tools or weapons.
It was only after the protagonist and her friends demonstrated overwhelming power through their deep bonds with their monsters that others started following suit.
However, their bonds weren't genuine like the protagonist's, so they could never reach the true peak.
"This is my advantage."
After all, I grew up with Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Digimon. Plus, this is my first real interaction with summoned monsters, so my feelings toward these creatures are genuinely full of excitement.
After reading and understanding the basics, it was time for the part about increasing monster intelligence.
To do that, you need intermediate-level alchemy skills.
"Hmm." I stroked Fluffy's head while it hugged my arm.
Alchemy was deeply integrated into life here. Without it, there would be no cards.
It was a required subject at the academy, and I had a class on it this afternoon.
"Alright. If there's a way, I don't need to worry. Now…"
I looked at [Darwin's Theory of Evolution].
This would shape my fighting style — my own unique path!
Igor Snowy's defensive playstyle? Throw it away.
From now on, it's Infinite Evolution of Igor Snowy!
…The problem was I didn't know how to do it yet. Well, I'd read first.
So I kept flipping through the book. My excitement made me read very carefully, and time flew by.
'…Has he been reading this whole time without noticing me at all?'
Mint Elexis had been sitting at the same table as Igor the entire time. She had a special ability that made her nearly invisible to normal people.
Well, calling it a "special ability" sounded cool, but she was just so unremarkable that no one noticed her if she stayed quiet.
But she didn't know that. She just thought her voice was too soft or something, and she was too shy to ask.
She tried to peek at the books Igor was reading and saw they were about monster intelligence and creating special cards.
'T-This is!!'
She then looked at the book she was holding and back at Igor's books.
She was also reading about summoned monster intelligence.
'Someone with the same goal!!!' Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him.
She loved summoned monsters very much. Coming to this academy was her dream.
Gaining knowledge and having her own monsters — what could be better?
But there was one problem: all summoned monsters had limited intelligence, making them soulless creatures without independent thoughts.
Her octopus was the same. Even though it was smart, she still wasn't satisfied.
She wanted it to be smarter! Wouldn't it be wonderful if it had consciousness and could express its feelings toward her?
'How do I start a conversation with him… I've never had any friends before, so I don't even know how to talk…' She cried internally, then looked back at Igor, who was still reading.
No! This was her chance! If they shared the same interests, even if she stuttered, it would be easier to talk! She had seen this many times while observing people her age!
'Calm down, calm down. There's nothing to worry about. Just be brave and talk to him!!'
"A-Ababababah!"
THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY!!!! OH MY GOD, WHAT AM I DOING?!
Igor looked up and widened his eyes at her.
'Wait, when did she get here?' Igor broke into a cold sweat as she kept making strange noises. A creepy atmosphere radiated from her.
Looking closer, he recognized her as Mint Elexis.
'Oh, it's her. If I remember correctly, she's the minor antagonist who mainly tries to get in the way before eventually becoming an interactable ally.'
She mainly used Poison-type decks and was very skilled at creating deadly poisons. However, because of her extreme social anxiety and terrible communication skills, she was always passive unless someone asked her for something.
Someone like her would do whatever you asked, whether your relationship was good or bad. She was the type who could easily be taken advantage of.
'But her deck is basically sadist. I still clearly remember how she tortured me with waves of uncomfortable poison and paralysis effects.'
"Are you Mint Elexis?"
"H-Huh?! Y-Y-Y-You know me?!"
"Because your laugh in class left an impression on me."
"R-Really?!" She looked both embarrassed and happy.
"So, what did you want to ask me?" I tilted my head.
"I-I-I… I-It's nothing!! I'm leaving!!!" She suddenly stood up, her eyes spinning from extreme panic, and ran away.
"…" I watched her leave, then looked at Fluffy.
"Wu~?"
"Hm, she's a bit weird, but she'll become really strong later. You and I will have to fight her someday, so don't be lazy."
"Wu~~" Even though Fluffy didn't understand anything, it knew its owner was telling it not to be lazy. Of course, it ignored the parts that didn't sound nice.
I sighed and continued reading until time passed…
***
12 PM
No need to mention the heat. Even though I was used to working all day without rest, it didn't mean I had no complaints.
Luckily, my body was naturally cold, so I felt quite cool.
I arrived at the classroom and looked around. No one was there yet, so I sat at my seat.
Holding my monster card [Fluffy Snowflake], I thought about my future.
Even though I was confident and determined, it didn't mean I wasn't worried.
If I couldn't find a way to evolve my monsters, I'd have to switch to another playstyle. While easier, Ice-type monsters were too easily countered.
Therefore, I had to succeed. Otherwise, my card-playing options would be severely limited.
The sound of the door opening rang out. This time it was Kaiser.
Seeing me arrive before him, Kaiser widened his eyes and raised an eyebrow, then calmed down and went to his seat.
...Dude, arriving early or late isn't that serious. You don't need to look so competitive.
Time continued to pass, and everyone else entered the classroom with tired faces.
Not Lucas tho, who still looked cheerful despite the extreme heat.
"Huh? Why does everyone look so uncomfortable?" Lucas looked around in confusion and scratched his head.
Everyone immediately glared at him.
Not everyone had Fire attributes like him, and even those who did weren't as resistant as he was!
Alvin and Alice entered together, holding something in their hands with happy expressions, smiling at each other.
'Those two have already gotten close?' I thought, then looked away.
Ding dong~
The academy bell rang, accompanied by the sound of footsteps from outside.
A woman with white bob hair, glasses, golden eyes, and a lab coat-like outfit entered.
The most notable feature was the goat horns on her head.
'A beastman.'
"Hello class. I'm Meil, your Alchemy teacher. I won't say much and will start the lesson right away. Any objections?" Her expressionless face scanned the room. Seeing no one speak, she nodded and walked to the teacher's desk.
"Today we will learn the first lesson of Alchemy: Introduction to Alchemy and…"
Her eyes suddenly sparkled.
"The rules when using alchemy, especially Equivalent Exchange."
...Wait, Fullmetal Alchemist?