[This individual has a 4.23% probability of awakening spell-like abilities upon transformation into a familiar.]

  Looking at the feedback from the Eye of Omniscience, Pierce couldn't help but shake his head. Over the past few days, he had scanned no fewer than six or seven hundred crows. The highest probability he had encountered so far was a measly 33.59%.

  According to The Encyclopedia of Familiars, every time an Arcanist contracts a familiar, they suffer a permanent loss of their maximum spiritual capacity, typically between 0.5 and 1 unit. If the resulting familiar turned out to be weak or useless, that precious spiritual capacity would be wasted for nothing. For any caster, every point of maximum Spirit was invaluable.

  Therefore, Pierce had no intention of making a move unless he found a candidate with at least an 80% probability.

  "Next."

  Pierce reached into a nearby cage, pulled out another squawking crow, and initiated the analysis. He expected another fruitless attempt, but the information returned by the Eye left him stunned.

  [This individual has a 98.34% probability of awakening spell-like abilities upon transformation, and a 68.31% probability of awakening two distinct spell-like abilities.]

  98.34%! That was practically a guaranteed awakening. Furthermore, there was a better than two-thirds chance of it manifesting dual abilities!

  A surge of joy erupted in Pierce’s heart. He immediately lowered his gaze to the crow clutched in his palm. It was larger than the others, about 40 centimeters long with a sharp, slightly curved beak. Its feathers were thick and glossy, shimmering with a heavy, obsidian-like luster. In the unlit living room, its eyes gleamed like faint jewels.

  As Pierce examined it more closely, he realized this specimen was far healthier and more robust than its peers. A delighted smile spread across his face. He had truly struck gold—finding a candidate that was not only a near-certainty for awakening but also a prime candidate for dual abilities.

  Once his initial excitement subsided, Pierce pulled out the Familiar Contract Scroll. The vellum surface was covered in an intricate ritual array of complex, arcane patterns. As he unfurled the scroll, the array began to glow with a faint, shadowy light.

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  Pierce first cast a Daze spell on the crow to ensure compliance. He then placed the incapacitated creature into the center of the array, pressed his index finger against the edge of the ritual circle, and chanted a few low syllables.

  A wave of invisible energy rippled outward. Wisps of abyssal mist rose from the array, wrapping around the crow like spider silk until it was entirely enveloped in an oval, pitch-black cocoon.

  A few seconds later, the arcane patterns faded, and the scroll ignited into cinders, vanishing into ash. Pierce watched the black cocoon with unblinking intensity. After about ten minutes, the cocoon trembled. The black shell dissolved like ice meeting fire, revealing the motionless crow within.

  Pierce slowly reached out to stroke its dark feathers. It looked no different than before, but to his touch, it felt like a mass of thick, viscous liquid. It felt as though his fingers might sink right through if he applied too much pressure. There was no breath, no heartbeat—no sign of biological life at all. It was something else entirely, merely wearing the skin of a crow.

  Suddenly, the crow’s eyelids flickered. Pierce’s fingers instantly lost all tactile resistance, plunging into the shadowy torso. It was empty—no blood, no organs, no bone. It felt like reaching into a pool of icy water.

  In the next instant, the crow’s body collapsed into wisps of black mist that drifted onto Pierce’s shoulder. There, they coalesced back into the shape of a crow, perched firmly upon his robes.

  Mistform!

  Through the empathic link, Pierce immediately understood the familiar’s newly awakened ability.

  And Mist-Crow Conjuration—two spell-like abilities!

  The crow’s eyes shifted with a keen intelligence, finally settling on Pierce’s face. It gave his cheek a gentle peck. It didn't hurt; it was a prickly sensation that carried an undeniable sense of affection and loyalty.

  Pierce chuckled, stroking its neck softly. "Little one, you need a name. Let's call you Mist Raven."

  Having transformed into a familiar, the crow now possessed intelligence comparable to a human child. It gave a low caw in acknowledgement.

  "Show me your other ability," Pierce commanded.

  The Mist Raven raised its head and cawed, transforming into a swirling black vapor that surged into the nearby cage. Under Pierce’s astonished gaze, the mist enveloped an ordinary crow. After a moment of writhing, the mist withdrew, and a second 'Mist Raven' slowly separated from the original. This secondary entity was composed entirely of energy and shared the Mistform ability.

  "Turning its own kind into similar lifeforms..."

  Pierce mused. If he could convert them on a large scale, wouldn't he have an entire army of Shadow Crows at his beck and call?

  Through their empathic link, Pierce felt a wave of indignation from the bird, a sentiment equivalent to 'Don't underestimate me.' He broke into a laugh. As the familiar grew stronger, more powerful traits like shared vision and remote command would likely manifest.