Crisis and Opportunity

The energy transformed from the magic core was incomparably scorching, rampaging through Moss's body and wreaking destruction everywhere!

The Golden Finger continuously battled this mana, trying to forcibly convert it into Moss's innate abilities!

The mana within her body was completely mobilized by the Golden Finger, yet it was exhausted in the blink of an eye, forcing it to begin drawing upon her body's magical essence!

Hungry! Ravenously hungry!

An incomparably intense hunger surged up from within her body in an instant!

"Ugh!"

Bang!

Moss fell straight to the ground, her entire body seeming to shrivel as if it had been wrung dry.

In less than ten seconds, Moss had shrunk by two full sizes!

"I was careless..."

Moss's expression turned ugly as she hurriedly called Little Ball over in her mind!

The notification sounds in her mind rang out incessantly, battering at what little consciousness Moss had left!

Talent: Golden Finger (Activated)

Activation Effect: Talent Construction and Optimization

Talent: Mana Resistance (Constructing) → II (Optimization in Progress)

Talent: Minor Injury Recovery VII → VIII (Optimization in Progress)

Talent: Heat Resistance → V (Optimization in Progress)

Talent: Omnivory VIII → IX (Optimization in Progress)

Talent: Hunger Resistance I → IV (Optimization in Progress)

Moss gritted her teeth and forced open her increasingly heavy eyelids, wriggling toward the Flame Marsh Lizard beside her!

This distance of barely over ten centimeters seemed incomparably far away to Moss in her current state!

Every inch of muscle in her body trembled uncontrollably; even her blood seemed to boil from the high temperature!

Moss knew that if the Golden Finger inside her body had not been continuously consuming magical essence to raise her talent levels, she might have dropped dead the very next second!

But this was only a delaying measure. If all the magical essence in her body was exhausted, she would definitely die.

Right now, she was truly racing against death, every second counting!

"Just a little more..."

Moss was frantic, but her wriggling grew slower and slower as an increasingly heavy drowsiness overtook her!

"Damn it... I can't hold on..."

Moss's consciousness gradually dimmed, and her body slowly came to a stop...

Plop!

At the edge of consciousness, Moss heard the sound of something bouncing. A cool, soft touch slipped into her mouth!

'Master, magical essence!'

Little Ball's anxious voice echoed through Moss's mind, rousing her consciousness just as it was about to sink into sleep!

Moss's mind cleared. Feeling the sensation in her mouth, she did not hesitate before taking a fierce gulp!

A large amount of magical-essence-rich slime poured into Moss's body as she swallowed!

Little Ball had been raised by Moss since only a few days after its birth. Thanks to this, Little Ball's slime contained a great deal of Moss's mana!

After being transformed by Little Ball, this mana had become its own mana!

But to Moss, this mana still carried her own aura, so consuming it caused no rejection whatsoever!

Moss gulped it down greedily. Her shriveled body immediately swelled, while Little Ball, on the other hand, gradually began to shrink!

Before long, the ten-centimeter Little Ball had shrunk by a full size!

Moss recovered somewhat at this moment, and she knew this was the only opportunity Little Ball had created for her!

She tore the tentacle from her mouth, then scrambled up from the ground and charged toward the Flame Marsh Lizard!

Eat! Eat desperately! Gnaw frantically!

She was thankful that this Flame Marsh Lizard had been cut open. Its scales were hard, but the flesh inside was soft!

Moss burrowed into the Flame Marsh Lizard's body, continuously tearing into every part she could see!

As Moss ate in huge quantities, it seemed as though there was a furnace within her body. The food was instantly burned away, leaving not even a trace of residue!

Large amounts of flesh were instantly converted into magical essence by the Golden Finger, replenishing her depleted body!

Moss felt her body become abnormally active and excited; even the mana within her seemed to grow violent!

Her mana continuously launched attacks against the invading mana, while notification sounds nearly flooded her mind!

After an unknown amount of time, Moss stopped eating, and the mana rampaging through her body gradually calmed down.

She lay atop the Flame Marsh Lizard, more than half of which had been devoured, and closed her eyes in exhaustion!

However, Moss's body was far from as quiet as she appeared to be!

The Golden Finger's notifications continued flashing!

Talent: Flame Manipulation (Constructing)

Talent: Mana Resistance II → Mana Resistance V

Talent: Minor Injury Recovery VIII → Minor Injury Recovery IX

Talent: Heat Resistance V → Heat Resistance VIII

Talent: Omnivory IX → Omnivory X

Talent: Hunger Resistance IV → Hunger Resistance X

Talent: Golden Finger (Activated)

Activation Effect: Talent Construction and Optimization

Talent Optimization: Omnivory X → Foul Feeding

Talent Optimization: Hunger Resistance X → Thirsty Eater

Talent: Golden Finger (Activated)

Activation Effect: Talent Plunder and Adaptation

Talent Adaptation: Foul Feeding + Thirsty Eater → Glutton

Talent: Glutton (Constructing)

A faint crimson glow continuously flowed across Moss's body, transforming it!

Talent: Hibernation III (Activated)

As the final notification sounded within her body, Moss twitched her tail, a faintly contented smile appearing on her face.

"Mmnnn..."

Sparkling mana particles gathered around Moss, shining like a river of stars!

Puyo! Puyo!

Mana! Mana!

Having returned to its six-centimeter size, Little Ball happily bounced around Moss, constantly absorbing the mana particles in the air!

Little Ball's previously shrunken body gradually began growing again!

However, compared to the small portion absorbed by Little Ball, most of the mana particles still flowed into Moss's body.

Gradually, the mana particles within Moss reached a critical point!

Congratulations, Awakened One. Your level has increased!

Name: ???

Job: Warrior

Level: Bronze Level 3

Constitution: 3

Spirit: 3

Job Points: 1

Mana! Mana...

Little Ball had no idea about the changes taking place within Moss's body and continued bouncing around her!

Only after it had played enough did Little Ball quietly stop beside Moss.

A tiny transparent tentacle extended from Little Ball and gently touched Moss's body.

Master is asleep!

A childish murmur echoed through Little Ball's innocent mind.

It stood there thinking for a moment before turning into a flat puddle of liquid and slipping beneath Moss!

Puyo!

The next moment, Little Ball suddenly sprang up, lifting Moss onto its head!

Master sleeps! Little Ball, bed!

As though it felt it had made the right choice, Little Ball's voice brimmed with joy.

"Mm... ngh..."

Moss seemed to sense something as well. She murmured unconsciously in her sleep and reached down to stroke Little Ball beneath her.

Puyo!

'Master, praise! Happy!'

Little Ball happily bounced up, then immediately stretched out its tentacles carefully to support Moss!

The crisis had already passed, and peace once again settled over the surroundings!

The light gathered from magic essence flickered continuously throughout the cave, blooming with brilliant yet tranquil radiance!

Master and pet remained quietly in the cave, spending this peaceful and secure night together...