Chapter 222: The Birth of Little Ni
A powerful light of evolution erupted in an instant, completely enveloping the small Chimera. It formed a dazzling cocoon of light that obscured any changes happening within.
After a few seconds, the intense radiance gradually faded.
A brand-new Chimera appeared before everyone.
Its body was a full size larger than before, now reaching almost to their knees, yet it still fell comfortably within the range of adorable. The main color of its fur had transformed into a vibrant orange intermingled with pristine white, making it look exceptionally striking and full of spirit.
Most notably, a diagonal red mark now slashed beneath each of its eyes. They looked like a warrior's medals, or perhaps cool scars, adding a touch of ferocity and unruliness to its otherwise cute demeanor.
"Whoa! So cool!" March 7th was the first to exclaim.
Paimon fluttered closer for a better look. "The colors are so much brighter! It looks so energetic!"
Stelle's eyes widened. "It even has a 'scar' on its face? That's awesome!"
Yet, amidst the chorus of praise, everyone looking at the newly evolved Chimera felt a subtle, inexplicable sense of familiarity. This color scheme, this aura, and especially those red marks… it felt so much like an old friend they had just fought alongside.
As its owner, Lumine felt it most clearly. She stepped forward curiously, extended her hand, and gently stroked the new Chimera's small head.
The moment her fingers touched its warm fur, a stream of information flowed naturally into her mind—the basic profile of her new companion.
For example: its name… Mhide La; it loved to drink pomegranate juice; it was extremely skilled in combat, having inherited some of the power of Strife…
'Mhide… La?' Lumine mumbled the name in her heart, and an expression of exasperated amusement immediately bloomed on her face.
This name… it was a little too on the nose.
Mhide was a comrade who had just gone through life and death with them. Naming her pet after a friend felt far too disrespectful. She couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.
Lumine's eyes darted around as an idea sparked.
She looked up and announced to the group, "Ahem! This little guy inherited some of Nikador's Strife Seed power! So, I'm going to call it Little Nila! And for short, just Little Ni! What do you think? Pretty fitting, right?"
Everyone was stunned for a moment before they understood her intention and nodded in agreement.
"Little Ni? Not bad, not bad! Very cute!"
"Mm, it suits it very well!"
Seeing that everyone accepted her naming choice, Lumine beamed. She excitedly turned to show off her pet's new abilities. "Little Ni! Come on, show everyone your new moves!"
The evolved Little Nila seemed to understand her words. It raised its small head and let out a sharp "Woof!" Its voice was much louder than before, carrying a hint of childish majesty.
Immediately after, a surprising scene unfolded.
The air beside Little Ni twisted slightly as energy rapidly condensed, instantly forming three majestic lions composed entirely of crimson blood-crystals. The lions weren't large, but they were lifelike, exuding a fierce aura similar to the one Mhide projected in battle. They stood as loyal guards at Little Ni's side.
"Whoa!!!" Stelle let out a huge gasp. "So cool! Those lions are awesome!"
Her eyes instantly turned into stars. Almost instinctively, she darted over to one of the blood-crystal lions and struck what she clearly thought was a very cool pose.
She shouted to March 7th, "March! March! Quick! Take a picture for me! I want a photo with this cool lion!"
March 7th looked utterly exasperated by her friend's sudden antics but reluctantly took out her camera, snapping a few quick "click-click" photos of Stelle with the crystal beast. Then she stepped forward and unceremoniously pulled the embarrassing girl back. "Alright, alright! Stop making a spectacle of yourself!"
At that moment, the others finally put all the pieces together. Looking at the three blood-crystal lions, combined with Little Ni's orange-and-white fur and the red 'scars' on its face, the resemblance was obvious.
This Chimera—from its color scheme and characteristic markings to these iconic blood-crystal creations—bore an uncanny resemblance to the Chrysos Heirs warrior they knew, Mhide.
The realization finally dawned on Lumine as well. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly commanded, "Alright, alright, Little Ni, that's enough. Put the lions away."
Little Ni obediently let out another "Woof," and the surrounding blood-crystal lions instantly dissipated into nothingness.
Lumine quickly took out the [Spirit Capture Capsule] she had received earlier and put Little Ni inside, hoping to prevent it from inadvertently displaying any more embarrassing "Mhide" elements.
The atmosphere became subtly quiet and amusing for a moment.
Just then, Stelle, whose reaction time had apparently taken a lap around Amphoreus, suddenly slapped her head and exclaimed in sudden realization.
"Eh?! Wait! Why do I feel like… that little… Little Ni… and Mhide are so similar! Especially those lions and that scar on its face!"
Everyone else fell silent.
March 7th, looking like she couldn't bear to watch, quickly reached out and covered Stelle's mouth, blocking any potentially more shocking words she might blurt out. She forced an awkward but polite smile.
"Oh, Stelle! If you can't speak properly, then just don't speak yet! Nobody will think you're mute!"
With her mouth covered, Stelle could only make muffled "woo woo woo" sounds, her eyes still filled with the innocent confusion of someone wondering, 'Did I say something wrong?'
The air inside the Garden of Life was thick with a cheerful, if slightly strained, atmosphere.
Stelle eventually struggled free from March 7th's hand. Though she didn't shout loudly anymore, she couldn't help but lower her voice, frowning as she continued to mutter.
"No, this is really strange! I clearly remember that in the Chrysos Heirs' plan, the Strife Seed was ultimately supposed to be given to Phaethon to complete Amphoreus's re-creation ritual."
"So how did your Chimera, Lumine, end up looking and having abilities so similar to Mhide after absorbing that Blank Seed? Shouldn't the Seed be associated with Nikador or Phaethon?"
Dan Heng, who had been standing by silently, now had a slight furrow in his brow, showing he was pondering the same question. It was indeed a thought-provoking contradiction.
By all common sense, an evolution guided by the Blank Seed—which was tied to Nikador's Strife—should have resulted in a form that resembled Nikador's core power or connected with Phaethon, the one in charge of retrieving the Seed.
Instead, the result pointed directly to Mhide—the fierce warrior who fought with blood-crystals.
"Could it be… because Mhide was the one who fought Nikador the longest and was most deeply entangled with him?" Dan Heng proposed a possible theory. "So, when the Seed evolved, it unconsciously captured and reproduced that strong combat imprint?" It was, however, just a guess.
Zhongli, sipping his tea, spoke slowly. "The connections between all things in the world are sometimes not as simple and direct as they appear on the surface. Karma and destiny are complex. Perhaps this seemingly 'incorrect' association has its own deep meaning."
Clearly, this was a question that couldn't be definitively answered by mere speculation. It might involve the deeper rules of Amphoreus's world, the fundamental essence of the Seed, or even the special nature of the chat group's reward items.
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