Several more hours passed.
The green light began growing brighter.
Waspy and I both noticed the change.
"Is it waking up?" Waspy asked.
"Should be."
The light grew brighter and brighter, then—
Slowly faded.
Brownie opened its eyes.
I immediately noticed the changes.
Its size had clearly grown, nearly double what it was before evolution.
Its fur had become more lustrous, with a faint green sheen that shimmered with the colors of life in the sunlight.
Its tail had become fluffier, like a cloud of green.
Its eyes also carried a faint green tint, looking very gentle.
Overall, it gave off a gentle, vitality-filled feeling.
And...
I caught a faint plant fragrance.
It was emanating from Brownie.
"Brownie!" Waspy excitedly flew over.
Brownie slowly stood up.
It tried moving its body.
"Feels... so strange." Brownie said. "But very light."
It tried jumping.
Jumped much higher than before!
But the movement was more graceful, landing almost silently.
"You did it!" I said.
Brownie nodded, eyes sparkling with excitement.
I immediately pulled up Brownie's system panel.
[Forest Spirit Mouse] [Brownie]
[Level 1/20]
[Experience: 0/100]
[HP: 100/100]
[MP: 60/60]
[Strength: 8]
[Defense: 8]
[Speed: 10]
[Luck: 8]
[A rodent-type magic beast in deep symbiosis with plants, can obtain nutrients and shelter from plants while feeding back to them, gentle temperament]
[Traits: Plant Symbiosis, Light Constitution]
[Skills: Life Drain, Leaf Camouflage, Vitality Bestowal]
Strength and defense both improved, but speed actually decreased somewhat—was that due to the species?
But HP and MP both increased like ours, and there were two new skills—"Life Drain" and "Vitality Bestowal"!
"I want to try my new skills!" Brownie excitedly ran out of the tree hollow.
It walked to a large tree and placed its paws on the trunk.
"Life Drain."
I could feel magic power flowing.
From the tree toward Brownie.
Brownie's eyes lit up: "I can feel it! I'm drawing strength from the plant!"
I looked at its panel—
Magic power was slowly recovering.
Though not fast, it was definitely increasing.
"This skill is so practical." Waspy said. "After using up magic power, you can recover from plants, and maybe HP too."
Brownie nodded, then released its paws.
"There's another skill." I said. "'Vitality Bestowal' should be a healing skill."
"Let me try!" Brownie said.
We found an injured Glowbug nearby.
Its wings were damaged and it couldn't fly.
Brownie walked over and gently placed its paws on the bug.
"Vitality Bestowal."
Pale green light flowed from Brownie, enveloping the bug.
I could see the bug's wings slowly healing!
The damaged parts were regrowing!
A few seconds later, the bug's wings had completely recovered.
It took flight, circled once in the air as if expressing thanks, then flew away.
"It worked!" Brownie said excitedly. "I can really heal!"
But I noticed Brownie's magic power had depleted considerably.
[MP: 40/60]
Healing one Glowbug consumed 20 magic points.
"The consumption isn't small." I said.
Brownie nodded: "But if it's just minor injuries, it probably won't consume that much."
I observed Brownie.
Compared to Waspy's post-evolution changes, Brownie seemed to have become gentler.
Movements more graceful.
Voice also softer.
"Brownie." I said. "Do you feel any changes in yourself?"
Brownie thought: "It seems... I like plants even more?"
"And when I see injured creatures, I want to help them."
"Just now when I saw that bug, I couldn't help wanting to heal it."
I nodded.
As expected, evolution really did influence personality.
Waspy became fond of toying with prey.
Brownie became gentler, wanting to heal others.
These all matched their species descriptions.
What about me?
After evolving into a Hoarder Squirrel...
I did seem to like collecting things more.
Seeing special items made me want to put them in the space.
I shook my head, thinking no more of it.
"Now all three of us have finished evolving." I said.
I checked my own panel.
[Hoarder Squirrel] [Gray]
[Level 2/25]
[Experience: 35/100]
While helping Brownie and Waspy level up, I'd also gained some experience and reached level 2.
Waspy: Mindtwist Wasp Level 1/25
Brownie: Forest Spirit Mouse Level 1/20
"We've all gotten stronger." I said. "Next, we need to keep leveling up."
But I suddenly thought of a problem.
I recalled the experience from previous hunts.
Before evolution, defeating a Stone Beetle gave 3 experience, eating it added 2, totaling 5 points.
But after evolution...
I carefully recalled recent hunts.
Defeating Stone Beetles seemed to only add 2 points, eating them only 1.
"Experience decreased..." I frowned.
"What?" Waspy asked.
I thought for a moment and rephrased: "I've noticed that after evolving, hunting weak magic beasts slows our growth."
"Before, defeating Stone Beetles made me clearly feel stronger, but now... the feeling is very faint."
Brownie and Waspy both paused.
"Which means..." Waspy said.
"Right." I nodded. "If we want to keep growing efficiently, we must hunt more powerful magic beasts."
I looked toward the forest depths.
"It's time to leave the edge zone."
Brownie and Waspy exchanged glances.
"We're ready." Brownie said.
"Yeah!" Waspy also said.
I smiled.
Just then, Brownie suddenly remembered something.
"Oh right!" It said excitedly. "I can make your space beautiful now!"
"Hm?"
"Plant those plants properly and turn the space into a little garden!" Brownie said.
My eyes lit up: "Good idea."
I put Brownie in the Dimensional Cheek Pouch.
---
Brownie began busying itself in the space.
I could feel it moving the plants around.
Planting the sapling in one corner.
Planting the glowing mushrooms in another corner.
Planting the vines at the space's edge, letting them grow along the "walls."
And that recovered tree—Brownie planted it in the space's center.
Then Brownie began using "Vitality Bestowal."
Pale green light flowed through the space, nourishing these plants.
I could feel the space filling with the scent of plants.
The scent of life.
"How is it?" I asked.
"Great!" Brownie said excitedly. "The plants are growing well in the space!"
"And I'm using 'Vitality Bestowal' to help them—they're growing even faster!"
"The glowing mushrooms are already glowing. The space isn't pitch black anymore!"
I could feel it too.
The space had definitely become different.
No longer that empty feeling from before.
But filled with vitality.
"Well done." I said.
Brownie jumped happily.
Waspy and I waited outside.
"Gray, what do you think we should do next?" Waspy asked.
"Keep hunting, level up." I said. "And..."
I looked toward the forest depths.
"I want to explore farther."
Just then—
A massive sound came from the distance.
"BOOM—!"
The sound of trees falling.
And magic beasts roaring.
Waspy and I immediately became alert.
"What's that?" Waspy asked.
I released Brownie.
"What happened?" Brownie asked as soon as it emerged.
"Don't know." I said. "Let's go see."
"Carefully."
The three of us moved toward the sound's source.
---
We cautiously moved through the woods.
The sounds grew closer.
Through the bushes, we saw a shocking scene.
Two powerful magic beasts were fighting!
One was a massive boar covered in steel-like bristles.
I checked its information—
[Steel-Bristle Boar]
[Level 30/50]
[HP: 450/500]
The other was a black feline magic beast whose body could merge into shadows.
[Shadow Cat]
[Level 35/50]
[HP: 280/350]
They were fighting intensely.
The Steel-Bristle Boar's charging power was astonishing—each impact could knock down a tree.
The Shadow Cat's speed was extreme, attacks unpredictable, constantly ambushing from shadows.
Both were evenly matched, neither gaining the upper hand.
I signaled Brownie and Waspy to hide well.
"So strong..." Brownie whispered.
"We can't handle them yet." I said.
Just then—
I noticed a plant near the battle zone.
The plant was very special.
Emanating a faint golden glow.
Visible even in daylight.
I immediately checked the system.
[???]
The system couldn't display any information.
But the plant was obviously special.
I could feel it emanating intense magic power fluctuations.
Brownie noticed too.
"That plant..." Its voice trembled. "I can feel it—its magic power is strong! Very strong!"
Waspy said: "Are they fighting over that plant?"
I nodded: "Very likely."
"Should we take it?" Waspy asked.
I looked at the two fighting magic beasts.
The Steel-Bristle Boar's HP had already dropped below 400.
The Shadow Cat had also taken considerable damage.
Then I looked at that mysterious plant emanating golden light.
"When they've both exhausted themselves..."