I Can See Evolution Paths

The camp was already active. Unlike the first few days, nobody was panicking about the environment anymore. Students were eating breakfast. Beast Partners moved around. Some students were already discussing where they wanted to explore.

One student complained about having to collect herbs. Another was excited because their group had found a rare resource yesterday.

Arthur walked through the camp with Eden sitting on his shoulder. Eden watched everyone. "Everyone looks happy," she said.

Arthur smiled. "They’re getting used to this place."

Vedas walked beside him. "A week ago, everyone thought they’d die here," he said.

Sun overheard. "Some of us still think that."

Arthur looked at him. "You survived a Silver Rank Beast."

Sun immediately pointed at him. "Because Roland saved us."

Arthur nodded. "Exactly."

Sun paused. "That wasn’t comforting."

Mithra laughed.

While the group was traveling through the outer region, they encountered a small herd of Wind Boars, fast energetic Beasts with short bursts of wind around their legs. One of them suddenly ran past Arthur.

Arthur watched it. Then watched it again.

Vedas immediately noticed the expression. "No."

Arthur looked at him. "I didn’t say anything."

"You don’t have to."

Arthur approached the Wind Boar.

Sun immediately realized what he was thinking. "Arthur."

Arthur placed a hand on the Beast’s back. The Wind Boar looked at him. Arthur looked at it. Then he smiled.

A moment later Arthur was sitting on its back.

Sun’s mouth fell open. "You actually did it."

Arthur laughed. "It’s friendly!"

The Wind Boar suddenly launched forward. Arthur nearly fell off. "WHOA!"

Eden burst into laughter from Arthur’s head. "Faster!"

Arthur grabbed onto the Wind Boar. "You heard her!"

The Wind Boar accelerated. Wind exploded behind it as Arthur rode through the Everglades, Eden standing proudly on top of his head, holding onto his hair for balance. "Faster!"

Arthur laughed. "You’re enjoying this way too much!"

Eden said, "Again!"

Sun watched them disappear. "They’re both insane," he said.

Mithra laughed. "They’re perfect for each other."

Vedas sighed. "Unfortunately."

Kong immediately ran after them.

Sun looked at him. "You’re not seriously joining them."

Kong said, "Fun."

Sun said, "Of course."

Kong ran after Arthur.

Arthur eventually looped back around. Another student saw him riding the Wind Boar. "How did you get that to let you ride it?"

Arthur looked confused. "I asked."

The student stared. "You asked?"

Arthur nodded. "Sort of."

The Wind Boar suddenly charged past another student, and that student’s Beast chased after it. Soon several students were laughing and racing their Beast Partners through the open area.

A professor noticed from a distance. He sighed. "I leave them alone for five minutes."

Another professor laughed. "At least they’re exercising."

Later the group reached an open marshland. A loud crash suddenly echoed across the trees. Arthur immediately turned. Two Beasts were fighting.

A Thunderhorn Elk, enormous, antlers made of condensed lightning capable of generating electrical shockwaves through the ground, faced a Mudscale Crusher, a massive amphibious Beast with thick mud covered armor, an enormous jaw, capable of launching compressed balls of mud and water.

The Elk charged. Lightning exploded from its antlers. The Crusher dove into the swamp. Boom! Water erupted everywhere.

Eden cheered. "The deer is fighting the crocodile!"

Athena immediately corrected her. "It’s an Elk."

Eden paused. "The big deer."

Athena sighed. "Yes."

Arthur watched carefully. The Elk’s lightning spread through the water. The Crusher responded by diving beneath the surface.

Arthur’s eyes shone. "That’s clever," he said.

Vedas nodded. "The water makes the lightning more dangerous."

Arthur smiled. "And the Crusher knows it."

The fight ended when the Mudscale Crusher retreated into the swamp. The Elk didn’t pursue.

Arthur watched. "Neither of them wanted to actually kill the other."

Athena wrote something down. "Probably territorial."

Arthur smiled. "Even better."

Sun immediately said, "Don’t."

Arthur looked at him. "I didn’t say anything."

"Your face did."

Later the group encountered two students practicing. A male student was fighting alongside Flint, his stone coated Ironhide Wolf. A female student was fighting alongside Luna, her Moonclaw Lynx. They were practicing coordinated combat.

Flint charged. The student followed behind him. Luna disappeared into the surrounding vegetation.

Then the student shouted, "Now!"

Luna leaped from the side, and the two attacks landed together.

Arthur watched closely. "They’re improving," he said.

Vedas nodded. "Their timing is much better than it was at the beginning."

The male student noticed Arthur watching. "Arthur!"

Arthur waved. "That was good."

The student smiled proudly. "We’ve been practicing every day."

Arthur looked toward Flint. "You two are starting to move together naturally."

The student looked at his Beast. "It used to wait for me to give commands."

Arthur smiled. "Now it knows what you’re going to do."

The students challenged Arthur to a friendly spar. Sun immediately protested. "Don’t do it."

The student looked confused. "Why?"

Sun pointed at Arthur. "Because he’ll somehow turn a friendly spar into a research project."

Arthur laughed. "I won’t."

Vedas said, "You absolutely will."

Arthur accepted anyway. He and Vedas demonstrated coordination. Not a stomp. Not a major fight. Just enough to show how much their teamwork had improved.

Arthur noticed Vedas anticipating his movements. "You’re getting better," he said.

Vedas smiled. "So are you."

Eden cheered from the side. "Arthur! Again!"

Arthur laughed. "See? I have a fan."

Sun said, "You have one very loud fan."

Eden proudly raised her hand. "Me!"

Everyone laughed.

After the spar, Arthur discovered a strange plant growing beside a stream. It looked like an ordinary flower, but whenever someone spoke near it, its petals opened.

Eden said, "Hello."

The flower opened.

Eden gasped. "It answered!"

Arthur crouched beside it. "Say something else."

Eden leaned closer. "You’re pretty."

The flower opened wider.

Arthur laughed. "It likes compliments."

Athena examined it. "It’s probably reacting to vibrations."

Arthur looked at Eden. "You just made a new friend."

Eden beamed.

While everyone was resting beside the river, Arthur suddenly received a notification.

[Cronwall Tribe Report]

[New Development]

[Goblin Rangers have begun patrolling the outer settlement.]

[Three new hunting routes have been established.]

[Goblin Hunters successfully drove away a group of Ironhide Wolves.]

Arthur blinked. "They’re organizing patrols now?"

Vedas looked over. "Another update?"

Arthur nodded. Another notification appeared. A Goblin Scout discovered a natural mana spring.

Arthur’s eyes brightened. "A mana spring?"

Athena immediately looked over. "Where?"

Arthur laughed. "I don’t know. The report doesn’t say."

Another notification appeared. The tribe has begun using the mana spring to improve crop growth.

Arthur smiled. "They’re already using it."

Mithra looked impressed. "They’re developing without you."

Arthur nodded. "That’s what I wanted."

Then one final notification. Goblin Scout Training Efficiency Increased.

Arthur smiled. "Looks like the tribe is getting stronger."

Arthur checked his other connection. Another screen appeared.

[Utopia Kingdom Report]

[Eastern Watchtower Construction Complete.]

Arthur blinked. "They finished another watchtower?"

Vedas smiled.

Another notification appeared. Stone Guardians have begun repairing damaged roads.

Another. Goblin craftsmen successfully produced their first batch of reinforced shields.

Arthur’s eyes brightened. "They made shields?"

Vedas looked proud. "They’re learning."

Then, A group of young Goblins has begun organizing a mock defense exercise.

Arthur laughed. "They’re playing soldiers."

Mithra smiled. "That’s actually a good sign."

Arthur nodded. "They’re not just rebuilding anymore." He looked at the notifications. "They’re creating a life."

Then one final notification. Utopia Kingdom Development: Stable.

Arthur smiled. "Good."

Eventually, after a long day of exploring and playing, Arthur and Eden ended up sitting beside a quiet river. Arthur rolled his pants up and put his legs into the cool water. Eden sat beside him with her own feet dangling in the river. Both were tired.

Eden leaned against him. Arthur gently rubbed her back. For a while neither said anything.

Then Eden asked, "Arthur?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you happy?"

Arthur smiled. "Yeah."

Eden looked at him. Arthur’s expression became slightly more serious.

"I’m just a little frustrated," he said.

Eden tilted her head.

Arthur looked toward the water. "I can’t tell everyone yet."

Eden understood immediately. Arthur had never been able to publicly reveal that she was his Beast Partner.

He looked at her. "I want everyone to know how amazing you are."

Eden’s eyes slowly widened.

Arthur smiled. "I want to be able to stand beside you and tell everyone you’re my partner."

Eden’s eyes began to shine.

Arthur continued. "That’s why I need to get stronger." He gently patted her head. "I’ll reach Silver."

Eden smiled through the tears beginning to gather in her eyes. She suddenly leaned into him. Arthur wrapped an arm around her, gently caressing her back. Eden snuggled closer.

[Synchronization Increased].

[Synchronization: 15% → 20%]

Arthur blinked. "Five percent?"

He looked down at Eden. She smiled.

Arthur laughed softly. "I guess you liked that."

Eden nodded enthusiastically. Arthur continued rubbing her back.

Then another notification appeared.

[Eden — Evolution Requirements]

[Second Requirement]

[Reach Level 15: 0/1]

Arthur’s eyes widened. "Level fifteen?"

He remembered the requirements for other Beasts. This was the highest first evolution level requirement he had ever encountered. For a moment he was surprised. Then he smiled. He looked at Eden. I can’t wait to help you evolve.

Arthur gently patted her head. "We’ll get there," he said.

Eden smiled.

The sun began setting. Arthur and Eden returned to the others.

Sun looked at Arthur. "You disappeared."

Arthur pointed toward the river. "We were resting."

Sun looked at Eden. Then Arthur. Then back at Eden. "You two were probably doing something weird."

Arthur laughed.

Eden proudly said, "We played in the river."

Sun sighed. "Of course you did."

Mithra smiled. "Sounds peaceful."

Athena was writing.

Arthur looked at her. "What are you writing?"

Athena closed the notebook. "Nothing."

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "That’s suspicious."

Athena smiled. "It’s research."

Arthur sighed. "That’s worse."

Students ate. Beast Partners slept. Some students talked about tomorrow’s plans. One group joked about who would find the rarest plant. Another talked about training.

Arthur looked around. Everyone seemed comfortable.

Then one professor casually said, "The Everglades has been unusually quiet today."

Arthur looked toward him. "Quiet?"

The professor nodded. "We’ve had fewer Beast encounters than usual."

Another professor looked toward the forest. "Perhaps the weather is changing."

The conversation moved on. But Arthur kept looking toward the trees. Something about the statement bothered him.

The next morning Arthur’s group left camp for another short exploration. At first everything seemed normal. But after walking for a while Arthur slowed down. He looked around. The forest was strangely quiet. No birds. No insects. No distant Beast calls.

Eden looked around. "Arthur?"

Arthur didn’t answer immediately. Athy flew upward, circling the area, then returned, her expression uneasy.

Vedas noticed. "What is it?"

Athy pointed toward the forest.

Arthur looked around again, then asked quietly, "Where are the Beasts?"

Nobody answered. The forest stretched ahead. Completely still.