I stared at the radiant pink form of Herja and the intricate, glowing blue rendering of my own body. I was genuinely moved by the sudden reality of this digital space. Instinctively, I reached out a hand to shake hers. To my shock, our hands didn't simply phase through each other in a glitch of data. They met! I could feel the surprising solidity and the faint, vibrant energy of the handshake. The sensation was real. Herja smiled genuinely at this reaction. "I'm not just a projection, Ash. This is both of our minds. It's as real as you want it to be."
I was a head and a half taller than her in this form, my powerful, silver-striped frame towering slightly over her hot-pink digital elegance. "I... I can't believe it," I said, pulling my hand back slowly, flexing my taloned fingers.
"This is a privileged interface, a mental bridge. We are communicating mind-to-mind, bypassing the sensory filters of your physical body. Here, we can operate faster than the real world, and I can show you things impossible to display on a simple system menu."
I was still captivated by the vibrant, pink-striped glow of Herja, when she directed my attention to her personal skill tree. It was a complex network of luminous pink nodes and pathways, a direct map of her digital potential.
"I brought you here to show you my skill tree, Ash. I have 5 AP points that I can spend," Herja explained. She traced a path along one of the branches, her hand stopping at a prominent, pulsing node. "And I wanted to show you... my nodes." She focused the light on a node that dwarfed the others in its immediate vicinity.
Node skill: 'Save crystal generate' " Price 5 AP. Creates a localized Save Crystal that binds the active team's data to a fixed point in the physical world. If the team is annihilated, they are digitally restored at the last Save Crystal location."
I was stunned. "Save crystal generate," I echoed, the concept hitting me with the force of absolute battlefield dominance. This wasn't just resurrection; it was an override of mortality. "This node costs all five of my points," Herja stated. "But it allows me to instantly manifest a Save Crystal in the physical world. It's a digital anchor for your consciousness and the bonded assets."
I didn't hesitate. The threat of annihilation from the Lunar Cry was real, and the ability to wipe the slate clean was worth far more than any minor stat buff. "Invest it, Herja. Immediately," Ash commanded. "I don't care about the others. Get the save point." Herja smiled, the digital pink light of her hands flowing into the node. The node flared bright white, and the 5 AP resource pool immediately zeroed out.
"It is done," she confirmed. "The power is unlocked."
"There is one caveat, Ash, that is crucial to your mobility," Herja noted, her gaze sharp. "The Save Crystal requires tremendous energy to maintain a perfect data link across the world grid. Each time I create a new Save Crystal, the old one shatters."
I absorbed this information, immediately grasping the tactical limitation. "So, we can't leave a trail of safe houses," I mused. "We stay traveling, always anchored to our current forward position."
"Exactly," Herja confirmed. "It encourages movement and forward momentum, preventing complacency. It is a powerful tool, Ash, but it ties your team's survival directly to our current position. Choose when and where to anchor your reality wisely."
We now had a 36-hour safety net before the Lunar Cry, a trump card to override final defeat.
My vision snapped back from the blazing, crystalline landscape of Herja's cyberspace to the dull, metallic reality of the Forge. The incredible feeling of my blue-striped avatar and the reality of the new Save Crystal were replaced by the cold, familiar weight of the physical world, and the grim countdown.
I didn't waste a second. I sent out a sharp, high-pitched orgone enhanced whistle, it sliced through the Gutter Nest. It was the command signal, instantaneous and unmistakable. The hand came galloping.
"Okay listen up crew! It's grind time!" My voice was firm, carrying the absolute authority of a Beast Master. "Mothman, Marla, Koba, you're with me. We are going on a Cultivation Session to power up and cover our bases in these 36-some-odd hours we have left."
I pointed toward the nearest exit leading into the tunnels. The task was clear. I had 6 more unique Genome Beast essences to collect for my Brood Mother Palm cultivation (4/10), and my team needed the combat experience.
"We need diversity, not just bulk. I want new genetic profiles. Herja, guide us to the deepest, most isolated pockets of the Nest. Focus on sectors we haven't touched yet—I need six new beast types. We hit fast, we hit hard, and we keep the rotation tight. We will be testing out a new team synergy on this run, Mothman into Marla into the finisher. Let's move!"