I Can See Evolution Paths

The cavern eventually became quieter. After the hunt, they stopped moving so aggressively. The last few territories had been empty, and the distant roars had faded behind them. The group continued through an ancient section of the underground complex where the natural cavern slowly merged back into ruins.

Broken pillars stood between enormous roots. Old stone roads disappeared beneath layers of earth. Every so often, Arthur noticed another ancient marking carved into the walls. But nobody stopped to investigate.

They had been fighting for hours. Even Vedas looked tired.

Arthur glanced at him. "You need a break?"

Vedas shook his head. "I can continue."

"That wasn’t my question."

He laughed. "Then yes."

Mithra stretched her arms. "Finally, someone admits it."

Sun dropped his staff against his shoulder. "I’ve been tired since we entered this place." Kong looked at him, and Sun looked down. "Don’t give me that look."

Kong grunted.

"You’re not tired?"

Kong puffed out his chest.

Mithra laughed. "He’s never going to admit it."

Arthur smiled. The atmosphere had changed. They weren’t just a group traveling through the ruins anymore. They had fought together enough times that their movements were beginning to feel natural. Arthur walked near the center, Vedas staying close, Eden floating above them, Melo moving alongside Mithra, Sun and Kong covering the rear, Athena and Luna continuing to examine the ancient surroundings.

Star bounced quietly beside Arthur.

Boing.

Arthur looked down. "You’re tired too?"

Star flattened itself slightly.

He smiled. "You don’t have to pretend."

Star immediately bounced.

Boing!

"Right." He shook his head. "Completely fine."

Star bounced again.

...

They reached an enormous stone bridge crossing a dark chasm that disappeared beneath the ruins. It looked ancient, but solid enough.

Sun stepped onto it. "It’ll hold."

Arthur followed, and everyone began crossing. Halfway through, he noticed something.

A crack.

It ran beneath his foot. His expression changed. "Stop."

The entire bridge groaned.

KRRRRRRR...

Mithra froze. "Arthur?"

"Back!"

Too late.

The stone beneath his feet collapsed.

BOOOOOOM!

Arthur dropped.

"Arthur!"

He fell into darkness, the sound of collapsing stone following him. Mithra rushed forward, but another section of the bridge broke away. Vedas roared. "ARTHUR!" He tried to jump, the ground beneath him cracking.

Sun grabbed him. "Don’t!"

"Let me go!"

"We don’t know what’s below!"

Arthur continued falling, stone fragments crashing around him. He tried to grab one of the broken ledges, his fingers catching it for half a second before the stone broke and he dropped again. He had only enough time to raise his arms.

Then—

Something flew past him. A small blue-white body.

Star.

Arthur’s eyes widened. "Star?!"

The slime didn’t hesitate. It launched itself directly beneath him, its body spreading outward, then changing. The soft, elastic surface hardened, stone-like properties flowing through it. Star became heavier, denser, a thick protective shell forming around Arthur.

The two crashed into the cavern floor.

BOOOOOOM!

Arthur felt the impact, pain exploding through his shoulder and back. He rolled away from the impact zone. "Ah—" He stopped. For several seconds, he couldn’t breathe.

Then he heard a faint trembling sound.

Arthur looked over. Star was lying several meters away, its body returned to its normal shape, but shaking.

Arthur immediately forgot about his own pain. "Star."

The slime didn’t move.

He pushed himself upright, his shoulder hurting, his back hurting, but he could move. He crawled toward Star. "Hey." It trembled harder. He reached out. "Star."

The slime slowly bounced once. Weakly.

Arthur felt something through their bond. It wasn’t like the normal sensations. It wasn’t a command. It wasn’t an image. It wasn’t language.

There were no words. Only emotion.

Raw.

Overwhelming.

Terrified.

Protective.

One feeling rose above everything else.

Don’t hurt him.

Arthur froze, his hand remaining above Star. He could feel it, the fear Star had experienced when Arthur fell, the panic, the desperate need to protect him.

Arthur stared at the little slime. "...You did that for me."

Star trembled.

He slowly smiled. "You were scared."

Star bounced weakly. Arthur carefully picked it up, and the slime pressed against his chest.

His expression softened. He had known Star liked staying near him. He had known Star followed him. He had known Star became protective whenever something threatened him. But this was different. Star wasn’t simply following him anymore. Star was attached to him.

Deeply.

The realization made Arthur’s chest tighten. "I’m okay."

Star trembled again. He gently patted its head. "I’m okay."

The slime slowly stopped shaking, and Arthur felt the bond between them change, something inside it growing stronger. Warmer. Closer.

A faint light appeared.

[Star Sync: 20% → 30%]

Arthur stared at the notification, then smiled. "That much?"

Star bounced once.

He laughed quietly. "Thank you."

...

A few moments later, the others reached them. Mithra dropped down beside Arthur. "Are you hurt?"

"Nothing serious."

She immediately noticed Star, her expression softening. "That little guy jumped after you."

"I know."

Vedas crouched beside them, and Star looked at him. "You protected him," he smiled, and Star bounced.

Kong grunted, and Sun translated automatically. "He says that was reckless." Kong glared at him, and Sun sighed. "Fine. He says it was impressive." Kong nodded proudly, and Mithra laughed.

Arthur looked down at Star. "You don’t have to do something like that again."

Star immediately bounced.

He frowned. "I’m serious."

Another bounce.

"You’re not listening."

Star bounced harder.

He sighed. "Of course."

Eden floated down beside them, looked at Star, then at Arthur. "Star really likes you."

He smiled. "Yeah." He gently patted the slime. "I think I finally understand how much."

Star pressed against his hand. For a moment, Arthur simply stayed there. No fighting. No ancient mysteries. No Mirrors. Just the little Beast that had thrown itself into a dark chasm because Arthur had fallen.

...

They eventually continued. Arthur was slower now, the fall hadn’t seriously injured him, but exhaustion was catching up.

Eden noticed, having watched him for several minutes. "You’re tired."

He glanced upward. "I’m fine."

"You said that before."

He smiled. "And I was fine then too."

"You’re walking slower."

He looked down at his feet. He was.

Eden crossed her arms. "You should rest."

"We don’t know what’s ahead."

"That doesn’t mean you have to walk into it exhausted."

He laughed. "You sound like Athena."

"I heard that," Athena called over.

Eden smiled, and Arthur shook his head. "Fine. I’ll be careful."

They continued. Then Eden suddenly stopped, her golden eyes widening. "Arthur."

He looked up. "What?"

"Wait." She activated Sharing, her perception spreading through the group, the battlefield suddenly visible through her eyes in a completely different way. Movement. Shadows. Distortions. Positions.

Arthur felt the shared perception for an instant. Eden’s voice became urgent. "Three ahead."

He immediately looked forward. He saw nothing.

She pointed. "Above the pillar."

He focused. Still nothing.

Then he noticed it. A tiny movement. Something was waiting above them.

"There are two more behind the left wall."

His expression sharpened. An ambush. The enemies weren’t attacking yet. They were waiting for the group to enter the center.

Arthur changed direction. "Everyone, move right."

Mithra looked at him. "Why?"

"Trust me."

They shifted. A second later—

BOOM!

The place where Arthur had been standing exploded, stone fragments flying everywhere, and the hidden enemies emerged.

Arthur looked toward Eden, still sharing her vision. "Good catch."

Eden beamed. Arthur moved forward. The ambush had failed, and this time, he hadn’t been the one who noticed it. Eden had.

He smiled. "I couldn’t have done that without you."

Her entire face lit up. "Really?"

"Really."

The bond between them suddenly pulsed.

[Eden Sync: 24% → 30%]

Eden blinked. Then another pulse followed.

[Eden Sync: 30% → 35%]

Her eyes widened.

Arthur laughed. "Looks like you liked hearing that."

She smiled proudly. "I did."

Arthur looked at her. Her level hadn’t changed. Her body hadn’t evolved. She was still at Level 30. But something else was changing.

Their bond. Her connection to him. Her ability to understand him.

Arthur glanced toward Star, then back toward Eden. Two different Beasts. Two different paths. Both becoming closer to him.

He smiled. "Let’s keep going."

Eden flew ahead, Star bouncing beside him, and Arthur realized something important. Not every kind of growth could be measured by a level. Sometimes the strongest changes were the ones that happened between people.

Or between a Beast, and its Tamer.