Alchemists and beast tamers would pay fortunes for substances that could deliberately evolve their companions or mounts. The bottles of blood they'd collected could be worth exponentially more than just attribute-enhancing treasures.
But those were concerns for after they escaped.
"Are you ready to move?" Moon asked Mirage directly. "We need to swim through those blood vessels to reach the gills. It's going to be difficult and dangerous."
Mirage responded by diving back into the blood pool and performing an agile circle, his new fin propelling him effortlessly.
The message was clear: I'm ready. Let's go.
Moon couldn't help but smile despite everything. "Alright then. Let's get out of this monster."
He looked at Selene. "We follow the main vessel like you suggested. We will ride Mirage since he is our strongest swimmer, he should still be able to move faster than us."
Selene nodded agreement with the formation. "Sounds like a plan."
