The sky the next morning was a brilliant, washed-out blue, as if the two-day rain had scrubbed the world clean. Sunlight streamed into the Greyrat household, lifting everyone's spirits with the news that Paul's patrol was due back by sunset. A giddy, festive energy took hold.
"We must prepare a feast!" Zenith declared, hands on her hips, a militant glint in her eye. "Something hearty to wash away the mud and chill. A roast, vegetables from the garden, fresh bread, and honey cakes!"
Roxy, who had become more a part of the family than a mere tutor, nodded in agreement, a small smile on her face. "I can assist with preservation charms for the meat and perhaps a minor cooling array for the dessert."
Rudeus pushed up imaginary glasses on his nose. "I will calculate the optimal distribution of heat in the oven for simultaneous baking of bread and roast, accounting for convective currents and radiant energy loss."
I grinned. "I'll be on insect patrol. Can't have pests ruining the feast." It was the perfect cover.
And so, the machine of preparation whirred to life. The house became a symphony of pleasant chaos. Zenith commanded the kitchen with the authority of a general, flour dusting the air like snow. Roxy moved with quiet efficiency, her hands tracing glowing green runes over the large cut of beef to keep it fresh, then etching delicate frost patterns into a stone slab to serve as a cold plate.
My first targets were in the garden, revitalized by the rain. As I helped Zenith harvest carrots and fat, glossy cabbages, my [Keen Senses] were on overdrive. I could hear the rustle of a [Earthworm - Lv. 0] beneath the soil, feel the minute vibrations of a [Garden Ant - Lv. 0] colony under a stone, see the shimmering wings of a [Dew Beetle - Lv. 1] catching the sun on a leaf.
While Zenith's back was turned, inspecting a cabbage for slugs, I knelt and placed my hand on the damp earth. I focused on the worm, not to drain it, but to understand its simple, profound resilience. The crimson thread connected, not as a siphon, but as a scanner, imprinting the pattern of its moisture retention and pressure distribution.
<< Trait Analysis Complete. Pattern Imprinted. >>
<< Synthesized Minor Trait: 'Earthworm's Hydration (Minor)' - Slightly improves the body's efficiency in retaining and utilizing water. >>
Next, the Dew Beetle. Its trait was more obvious. A flick of will, a tiny drain.
<< Assimilated Minor Trait: 'Water-Repellent Carapace (Microscopic)' - Makes skin and hair slightly more resistant to absorbing water. >>
Not a powerful trait, but in a world of water mages and rainstorms, potentially useful. I could feel the microscopic changes on my skin, a faint, waxy sensation that vanished almost immediately.
Back inside, the real challenge—and opportunity—presented itself. Zenith was kneading a massive bowl of dough. Flour was everywhere. And where there was flour, there were [Flour Mites - Lv. 0]. To my enhanced senses, the tiny particles of flour almost seemed to move with their own minute life force. I couldn't target individual mites; they were too small, too numerous. But I could target the collective essence of the infestation, the concept of 'infesting resilience' within our own pantry.
I placed my hand on the sack of flour, pretending to check its weight. I focused my Devouring intent not on life, but on the niche, the biological signature of the mites as a group. A faint, almost invisible red haze seeped from the sack into my hand.
<< Assimilated Collective Minor Trait: 'Pest-Food Contamination Resistance (Minor)' - Slight resistance to toxins and irritants produced by common grain pests and molds. >>
A weird, but potentially stomach-saving trait. My intestines gave a faint, happy gurgle.
The kitchen was becoming a minefield of potential. A [Kitchen Gecko - Lv. 1], a helpful pest-eater that lived behind the hearth, watched me with beady eyes. I gave it a respectful nod; it was an ally. But the [Stale Bread Mold - Lv. 0] on a forgotten crust in the scrap bin? That was fair game. A touch, an analysis.
<< Trait Analysis Complete. Pattern Imprinted. >>
<< Synthesized Minor Trait: 'Fungal Spore Awareness (Microscopic)' - Grants a minuscule sensitivity to airborne spores and molds. >>
As I carried firewood for Roxy's cooling array, I brushed past a beam where a [Common Hornet - Lv. 1] was investigating the sweet smells. Too dangerous to drain fully. But as it buzzed near my face, I focused on its wingbeat, its hovering stability. I imprinted the pattern of its flight mechanics.
<< Trait Analysis Complete. Pattern Imprinted. >>
<< Synthesized Minor Trait: 'Hover Stabilization (Microscopic)' - Improves balance when stationary or in mid-air maneuvers. >>
The traits were piling up, a torrent of microscopic improvements. My body was becoming a library of biological adaptations. I could feel them integrating, settling into the framework of my being. The System was quietly notifying me of synergies.
<< Minor Traits 'Rodent's Resilience,' 'Pest-Food Contamination Resistance,' 'Earthworm's Hydration' show synergy. [Basic Durability] evolution possible with 2 more related traits. >>
<< Minor Traits 'Insect Chitin Density x2,' 'Water-Repellent Carapace,' 'Gnawing Strength' show synergy. [Basic Fortification] evolution possible with 1 more related trait. >>
The hunt was on.
The afternoon was a whirlwind of activity and laughter. Rudeus, in a rare moment of non-analytical joy, was put in charge of decorating the main room with magical lights. He created dozens of tiny, silent-cast [Light Orbs] in various pastel colors and set them to drift gently near the ceiling like captive soap bubbles.
"A little to the left, Rudeus!" I called, standing back to assess. "That cluster is looking a bit clinical. You need chaos! Joyful chaos!"
"Chaos is just entropy awaiting analysis," he retorted, but he smiled, making the orbs bob and weave in a more playful pattern.
I decided to help by gathering wildflowers from the garden's edge. There, I found my next two prizes. A [Bumblebee - Lv. 1] was busy pollinating the clover. I carefully imprinted its tireless energy, its vibration.
<< Synthesized Minor Trait: 'Pollinator's Stamina (Minor)' - Slight reduction in fatigue from repetitive, precise tasks. >>
Then, beneath a flat stone, a [Centipede - Lv. 0]. This time, I didn't just imprint. I needed something for my Fortification package. I focused on its segmented, armored body, the concept of distributed impact resistance. I drained it fully.
<< Assimilated Minor Trait: 'Segmented Plating Sense (Minor)' - Slight improvement to distributing and absorbing blunt force impacts across the body. >>
<< Conditions Met! >>
<< Minor Traits: Insect Chitin Density x2, Water-Repellent Carapace, Gnawing Strength, Segmented Plating Sense are merging. >>
<< Evolving… >>
<< Evolution Complete! >>
<< New Basic Trait Acquired: [Resilient Hide] - Provides significant innate damage reduction against slashing, piercing, and low-level elemental effects. Skin, muscle, and bone density are enhanced. >>
A familiar wave of physical change washed over me, deeper this time. My skin tingled, feeling momentarily thicker and tougher before the sensation normalized. I flexed my hand, and the knuckles seemed… denser. I gently pressed my thumb against the edge of the stone—it would have stung before, but now it was just pressure. Perfect.
One evolution down. I needed two more related traits for [Basic Durability]. I looked at my list. I had Rodent's Resilience (disease), Pest-Food Resistance (toxins), Earthworm's Hydration (endurance). I needed something for physical shock and maybe temperature.
My chance came during the most chaotic part of the preparations: the Great Honey Cake Incident.
Zenith was pulling her famous honey cakes from the oven. The smell was divine, caramelized sugar and flower nectar. Rudeus, attempting to 'optimize' the cooling process with a gentle [Wind] spell, accidentally created a minor vortex that snatched one of the delicate cakes from the tray and sent it flying towards the floor.
Time seemed to slow. With my [Agile Frame], I moved in a blur of motion. I dove, not to catch the cake—that was doomed—but to place the wooden bucket we'd used for leak-catching beneath it. I succeeded, but in doing so, my shoulder slammed into the leg of the heavy oak table.
THUNK.
Everyone froze. Zenith gasped. Roxy's hand flew to her mouth.
I lay there for a second, the bucket now containing a sad, splattered honey cake. My shoulder throbbed, but it was a dull ache, not the sharp pain of injury. [Resilient Hide] had turned what should have been a nasty bruise into a mild bump. I'd also, in the impact, absorbed the kinetic energy of the collision. My body had analyzed the blunt force trauma instantly.
<< Trait Analysis Complete. Pattern Imprinted. >>
<< Synthesized Minor Trait: 'Impact Dissipation (Minor)' - Slight improvement in dispersing kinetic energy from blows. >>
"Leon! Are you alright?" Zenith rushed over, pulling me up.
"I'm fine, Mother! Just clumsy." I rotated my shoulder, demonstrating its full function. "See? Good as new. Sorry about the cake."
Rudeus looked from the cake carcass to my shoulder, his mind working. "The impact force should have been sufficient to cause a soft tissue contusion. Your musculoskeletal resilience is… statistically anomalous."
"I'm just tough," I said, grinning and thumping my chest lightly. "Must be all that healthy eating."
The final trait came from an unexpected source: Roxy herself. As evening drew near, she was finishing the cooling array. A faint, persistent mist of ice magic hung in the air around her workstation. I brought her a cup of tea, and as I got close, I could feel the biting cold of the enchantment. My body, sensing the environmental shift, subtly adjusted. My [Keen Senses] analyzed the cold, the way my skin tightened, my blood flow redirected. I didn't absorb anything from Roxy, of course, but from the environmental effect on my own body.
<< Environmental Adaptation Analysis Complete. >>
<< Synthesized Minor Trait: 'Thermoregulation (Microscopic)' - The body learns to slightly more efficiently regulate core temperature in response to mild environmental extremes. >>
It was the last piece.
<< Conditions Met! >>
<< Minor Traits: Rodent's Resilience, Pest-Food Contamination Resistance, Earthworm's Hydration, Impact Dissipation, Thermoregulation are merging. >>
<< Evolving… >>
<< Evolution Complete! >>
<< New Basic Trait Acquired: [Hardy Constitution] - Provides strong resistance to common diseases, toxins, and environmental hazards. Improves stamina recovery, hydration efficiency, and overall bodily resilience. >>
This evolution was an internal flood of well-being. I felt more solid, more enduring. The minor aches from the day's activities faded. My breath came easier. I felt, fundamentally, healthier.
As the sun began to dip, painting the sky in fiery hues, the feast was laid out on the large table. The roast, charred and juicy. Glazed vegetables. Fresh, steaming bread. A salvaged, re-frosted honey cake. The magical lights glowed warmly. The house was spotless, festive, and filled with incredible smells.
We all hid, giggling like the children we physically were, when we heard the familiar, tired tromp of boots on the porch. The door creaked open.
"I'm back! And I'm soaked to the—whoa."
Paul stood in the doorway, muddy and bedraggled, his jaw slack. He took in the clean room, the floating lights, the groaning table, and his family—Zenith beaming, Roxy smiling, and his two sons popping out from behind furniture with a shouted "SURPRISE!"
His exhausted, rain-weathered face underwent a transformation. Confusion melted into awe, then into pure, unadulterated joy. His eyes grew suspiciously bright.
"You… you all did this? For me?"
"Welcome home, Paul," Zenith said, walking forward to kiss his muddy cheek.
"The patrol was successful, I presume?" Roxy asked politely, though her eyes were warm.
"Father! Your boots exhibit a mud viscosity indicative of clay-heavy soil. The western fields must be flooding," Rudeus reported, his analysis ruining the moment in the most Rudeus way possible.
I just grinned. "We saved you the crispiest bits of the roast. And I didn't even use any magic to steal them first."
Paul laughed, a great, booming sound that filled the house. He shrugged off his wet cloak and swept both Rudeus and me into a massive, muddy hug. "You magnificent little monsters. I don't know what I did to deserve this." He looked around, his voice thick with emotion. "This… this is everything."
The feast that followed was loud, messy, and perfect. Paul told (slightly less exaggerated) tales of the patrol. Rudeus debated the hydrological cycle of the Fittoa region. Roxy shared a quiet story of a Migurdian celebration. Zenith glowed with happiness. And I sat there, eating heartily, surrounded by my family, feeling the thrum of my new Basic Traits within me: [Keen Senses], [Agile Frame], [Resilient Hide], [Hardy Constitution]. I was a fortress being built, one joyful, secret brick at a time.
Later, as the fire died down and Paul dozed in his chair, utterly content, I pulled up my status screen. The day's grind had been immensely productive.
---
STATUS
Name: [Leon] Greyrat (Twin Eldest)
Age: 3
Title: The Devouring Twin, New Game+
Level: 8
Experience: 102/800
TRAITS
Basic:
· [Keen Senses]: Enhanced vision (low-light, detailed), tactile spatial awareness, minor magical aura sensitivity. (Effect: +WIS to perception checks, negates low-light penalties.)
· [Agile Frame]: Significantly improved movement speed, reflexes, balance, kinetic efficiency. Reduces effective body weight. (Effect: +3 effective DEX for movement/reflex, +10% base movement speed.)
· [Resilient Hide]: Innate damage reduction vs. slashing, piercing, low-tier elements. Enhanced skin, muscle, bone density. (Effect: +5 flat damage reduction, +10% to base HP.)
· [Hardy Constitution]: Strong resistance to diseases, toxins, environmental hazards. Improved stamina recovery & hydration efficiency. (Effect: +50% resistance to common ailments, +20% Stamina regen, +2 effective VIT for endurance.)
Minor:
· Night Crawler's Vigor: Slight stamina boost.
· Earthworm's Tolerance: Slight pressure resistance.
· Multi-limb Coordination (Dormant): Potential for complex task handling.
· Fungal Spore Awareness: Minuscule spore sensitivity.
· Hover Stabilization: Improves stationary/airborne balance.
· Pollinator's Stamina: Reduces fatigue from repetitive tasks.
Microscopic:
· (Various absorbed essences, fully integrated into Basic Traits)
HP: 245/245 (Base 225 + 20 from Resilient Hide)
MP: 62/62 (+50% Regen)
STR: 11
VIT: 18 (Base 16 + 2 effective from Hardy Constitution)
DEX: 20 (Base 17 + 3 effective from Agile Frame)
INT: 22
WIS: 19
LUCK: 10
Unallocated Stat Points: 40
System Points (SP): 1,860
---
SKILLS
· Language Comprehension: Lv. 5
· Identify: Lv. 3
· Mend: Lv. 4
· Observation: Lv. 6
· Stealth (Child): Lv. 4
· Mana Control: Lv. 7
· Waterball: Lv. 5
· Fireball: Lv. 4
· Earth Pillar: Lv. 4
· Earth Shape: Lv. 2
· Wind Cutter: Lv. 5
· Heal: Lv. 3
· Swordsmanship (Novice): Lv. 4
---
ACHIEVEMENTS UNLOCKED:
· Domestic Guardian: Successfully complete 10 household quests.
· Trait Archivist: Evolve 4 Minor Traits into Basic Traits.
---
Dismissing the screen, I looked around at my sleeping father, my brother dozing with his head on the table, my mother and teacher chatting softly as they cleaned. The warm light, the full bellies, the feeling of safety and love.
This was the grind worth fighting for. Not just for power, but for moments like this. To protect this laughter, this warmth, this messy, wonderful family. I closed my eyes, listening to the symphony of their breathing and the crackling embers