Thump-thump-thump. Baaaaaa. Thump-thump-thump.
"Who the hell is walking on the roof?" I grumbled, dragging myself out from under the covers.
I stepped outside to find a very stupid, very large sheep stuck on the shingles of my cabin.
"From now on, your name is Roach," I told the pathetic-looking Pal, wondering how a wooden roof was even supporting a half-ton of fluff.
I recalled it into a Pal-sphere and released it near the feeder. Problem solved.
After a quick dip in the lake and some breakfast, I checked my new Ice Make Magic tree.
Level 20 unlocked a branch where the first buff was already active—a 15% mana reduction. I haven't even spent points yet.
"Did I trigger this with an Enhancement Card?" I wondered aloud. "Note to self: those cards are getting more valuable by the second."
The tree has options for ice durability at Level 40 and "Mobile Creation" later on. It's simple, but effective. Just like me.
Base defense is the next priority. The "Lustful Lizard" raid proved my current Pals are too weak. I need heavy hitters.
I checked the incubator. The Large Ice Egg was shaking.
Five seconds later, the shell shattered. Out stepped a blue penguin the size of a man, wearing a tricorne hat, a navy frock coat, and three glowing red gems on its chest.
"This world is a fever dream," I muttered.
[ Pal: Penking ]
According to the Pal-deck, he loves attention and showing off his "moves." He has Level 2 skills in almost everything: Handiwork, Transport, Watering, Mining, and Cooling.
"You're too good for base work, pal. You're coming with me."
I loaded a Huge Grass Egg into the incubator, stocked up on spheres, and headed toward the coast.
Today was a marathon of capturing. Flame-throwing foxes, seed-spitting monkeys, telekinetic deer, and tail-slamming dinosaurs.
I was flying back to base when I saw a shimmering blue blur on the ground.
I hovered, scanning the creature. It was long, sleek, and baby-blue with "anime eyes." It stood on its hind legs to look at me.
Alpha Pal Analysis
Name: Dancer of the Plains
Titles: Alpha Chillet, Guardian of the Iron Mountain
Type: Wriggling Weasel, Ice, Dragon
Level: 11
HP: 5742
MP: 3798
Level 11 with nearly six thousand HP? My System's power scaling is officially broken.
I dropped down, hit the Rabbit Talisman, and chucked a regular sphere. The Chillet dodged it while I was in super-speed.
"Wait... you can see me move?!"
It turns out some Pals can react to the Talisman's speed, even if they can't move as fast.
The Chillet unleashed an ice-slash that cut a foot-thick tree in half like a hot knife through butter. I stopped posing and got serious.
I blasted it with repulsors, then rushed in for a flying kick.
BOOM. The Chillet countered with an energy explosion. I woke up upside down in a pile of branches, head spinning.
"Okay, I underestimated this world."
I summoned Penking. He slid on his belly like a race car, leaving a trail of frost as he slammed into the Chillet.
The two of them turned the clearing into a miniature Ice Age. Snow and blizzards everywhere.
I jumped back in, coating my fists in ice. I landed a double-punch and a spinning kick, then threw a Green Mega-Sphere.
One... two... three... CLICK.
[ Quest: Alpha Pal Captured! ]
Dancer of the Plains is now mine. He's technically a "fridge" Pal for farming, but as an Alpha, he's a beast.
Back at base, I hit a wall. To repair my Iron Man armor, I need Refined Metal, Polymers, and Ancient Civilization parts.
I won't be able to craft those until Level 35. My suit is going to be dented for a long time.
I also realized I need to tear down the cabin. My new Pals are too big for the doors. I'm basically living in a dollhouse now.
Night fell. I saw a purple light floating in the woods.
I blurred over and found a Tombat—a humanoid black cat in a cape, hovering and posing for an invisible audience.
I "applauded" his performance, then hit him with a vertical high-kick and shoved him into a sphere.
[ Luck increased +1 ]
[ Chinese Martial Arts increased. ]
Turning around, I saw a blue cat walking slowly through the dark. It had a fluffy tail and the most miserable expression I've ever seen on a living thing. It radiated pure "Monday morning" energy.
"Is your name Depresso by any chance?"
[ Skill: Intuition increased. ]
"No way. You're actually named Depresso."
The cat looked at me with soul-crushing boredom.
"Look, buddy, your name fits perfectly, but I'm still catching you. It's part of the grind."
Michael's Stats
Level: 21 (Estimated)
Pals Captured: 18+ species
Mood: Meta-annoyed.
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