I sat there, eyes glued to the pulsating blood cocoon in front of me. The damn thing shimmered and throbbed like a living heart. But, after half an hour of waiting, it hadn't changed a bit.

  "Great," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Just take your sweet time."

  A soft meow drew my attention. Luna nudged my hand with her tiny head, her eyes wide and questioning.

  “Hmm, alright, I look through stuff and make something for you too," I said, scratching behind her ears. She purred in response, curling up like she didn’t have a care in the world.

  Standing up was harder than I'd anticipated. My legs felt like jelly, and the lingering light-headedness didn't help. I stumbled over to the bed, nearly tripping on a loose floorboard.

  "Smooth move," I grumbled to myself, collapsing onto the mattress. I grabbed my water flask and took a long swig, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat.

  "Comfy?" I teased.

  "Meow," she replied, not even bothering to look up.

  "Figures."

  I rummaged through my storage ring, pulling out items I'd neglected for far too long. First was an old book with a cracked leather cover. Flipping it open, I was greeted by pages filled with some alien script—jagged lines and symbols that made zero sense.

  "Well, that's just fantastic," I muttered, flipping through the pages in the vain hope that something would click.

  "Not a damn illustration or anything."

  “Huh,” I muttered, flipping through the pages. Every single one was filled with jagged, irregular writing. No illustrations, no diagrams—just endless lines of incomprehensible text.

  Frustrated, I snapped the book shut and tossed it back into the ring. Next, I unrolled a bundle of parchments, carefully smoothing out the creases.

  The first parchment was covered in intricate diagrams—ritual circles, runes, and notes scribbled in a cramped hand.

  I squinted at the writing, trying to decipher the old dialect. The handwriting was cramped but precise, with symbols and runes filling every inch of available space.

  “Looks like summoning stuff and about rituals," I muttered, setting it aside.

  The next three parchments were more of the same—ritual circles, runes, and instructions written in an old dialect I could barely make out. They all seemed to follow a similar theme, though—summoning or binding something.

  Finally, I unrolled the last parchment.

  "Well, hello there," I said, leaning in.

  This one was different. It was a map, roughly sketched but detailed enough to get the point across. It depicted a single mountain dominating the center, with a totem-like symbol drawn at its peak. Surrounding the base of the mountain were 3 smaller markings that looked like camps or outposts.

  Luna stretched lazily, batting at the edge of the parchment.

  “Hey, stop that,” I said, pushing her paw away. She meowed in protest but settled down, watching me with wide, curious eyes.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  I looked closer at the map. I muttered, "The final destination is probably the mountain peak, where the totem is drawn. I got one of three keys for the totem from the shaman. The other two keys should be with similar beings."”

  “These outposts are probably where I’ll find those keys."

  “Great,” I sighed. “Rest is over, Luna; once we prep everything, we move."

  “What do you say, Trouble?” I asked, grinning down at her. "You're ready for some chaos?”

  “Meow, meow!”

  “Of course,” I said, smirking. “But first food. That’s all you care about, isn’t it? Eat, meow, act cute, and repeat.”

  “Meow,” she said again, louder this time, like she was offended by the truth.

  “Alright, alright,” I chuckled. “Let’s get something cooking. You win, you little glutton.”

  She purred loudly, stretching out on the bed like she had just conquered the world.

  The scent of cooking meat soon filled the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of the forest outside. As the food sizzled, I sat at the workbench, fiddling with the Moon's Blessings Pendant.

  Ever since that fiasco with the Chaos monster and my dabbling in Mutation Essence, the pendant felt... off.

  Like it didn't quite mesh with me anymore. It was more of a paperweight than a protective charm at this point.

  "Maybe it'll help," I said, watching Luna come back in, her nose twitching at the dinner smell.

  I adjusted the chain, shortening it to fit her tiny frame. The work was delicate, each snip of the metal links requiring steady hands—something I was sorely lacking at the moment.

  Once the pendant was resized, I turned to the little ball of fluff sprawled lazily on the bed.

  "Alright, Trouble," I called, holding up the resized pendant. "Come here."

  She trotted over, eyes locked onto the shimmering charm. As I knelt down, she placed her paws on my knee, stretching up to sniff it.

  "Hold still," I chuckled, slipping the pendant over her head. It settled against her fur, the small moonstone catching the light.

  She sat back, pawing at it curiously before looking up at me with those big, expressive eyes.

  "How does it feel?" I asked.

  “Meow!” she replied, sitting up proudly. Her tiny paws fumbled at the pendant, batting it lightly before looking up at me with wide, sparkling eyes. Then, without warning, she dove into my chest, purring so loudly it was like a tiny motor revving up.

  "Whoa there!" I laughed, nearly losing my balance. "I'll take that as a yes."

  “Alright, alright,” I said, setting her down. “Luna, let me go check on the food before you start clawing at my boots.”

  She squirmed out of my grasp, landing gracefully on the floor before darting toward the meat being cooked.

  Dinner was simple but satisfying. It was grilled meat and foraged greens. Luna sat on the table next to me, tearing into her own small portion with enthusiasm.

  After dinner, exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks. I barely managed to stumble over to the bed before collapsing. Luna was quick to join me, curling up by my side.

  Hours passed in silence, the world outside bathed in moonlight. But somewhere deep in the night, a sharp sensation jolted me awake.

  "What the hell was that?" I muttered, sitting up.

  It wasn’t pain, exactly. It was a ping, a sudden pulse of energy that rippled through my mind.

  The armor.

  The cocoon was calling to me.

  I got up carefully, not wanting to disturb Luna, but she stirred anyway, blinking up at me with groggy eyes.

  “Go back to sleep,” I whispered.

  “Meow,” she answered softly, curling back into a ball.

  I approached the blood cocoon. It had changed. The once grotesque, pulsating mass had shrunk. Its surface had hardened and cracked in places.

  “It’s almost ready,” I said under my breath, the anticipation thrumming in my chest.

  I waited, leaning against a tree as the final stages unfolded. The cocoon pulsed one last time before collapsing inward, its surface flaking away like ash.

  What emerged was nothing short of stunning.

  "Well, I'll be damned,"

  The armor stood before me, and damn, it looked cool.

  The chest plate was wholly remade. Its design was eye-catching. It had a deep, blood-red hue with dark veins. A massive diagonal line ran from waist to the shoulder. Running my hand across it, the texture felt like leather.

  The gauntlets had also been reforged, their edges sharper and more aggressive. The boots followed the same pattern, built for both speed and brutality.

  The mask was the final touch, resting atop the armor’s collar like a sentinel. Its design was devilish. It was a mix of elegance and menace. It had curved horns and intricate carvings that pulsed with dark energy.

  “Well, shit,” I said, unable to hide my grin. “I really outdid myself, didn’t I?”

  “Meow!”

  I turned to see Luna trotting over, clearly awake now and eager to inspect the new addition. She circled the armor, sniffing at it cautiously before sitting back and looking up at me.

  "What do you think?" I asked. "Too much?"

  She meowed in agreement—or so I thought. Then, she jumped onto my shoulder, perching there like she owned the place.

  “Well, Luna,” I said, staring at the armor with a mix of pride and awe, “looks like we’re ready for whatever the hell comes next.”

  |

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