I wanted to rest,
but the world won't let me rest comfortably.
Before the wound on my head could fully stop throbbing, another flock of wood gnawing birds came to attack the face tree, the size of the flock not much different from before, around 2 dozen of them.
I won't go into the specifics of what happened during that battle, since it went only slightly better than the last time. Basically, I just waved my tentacles with my back to the face tree, preventing myself from getting surrounded, helping the face tree as it waved its branches to drive away the wood gnawing birds.
This defensive method of fighting didn't net me as many kills or exp.
I do still have the ax left behind by the ape that I directly killed, who speaking of which, I buried under the face tree's roots, but although that ax is pretty strong for something made out of stone, it's too heavy for me to wave around quickly or accurately.
It's easier to just strike with my tentacles.
That also got me a level in whack.
After collecting the corpses of the handful of tree gnawing birds that we did manage to kill, while I was dissecting them for their meat, I had an idea, and began plucking their feathers for safekeeping.
Quite a few of their feathers fell off during the battle too. I pick those up and store them away. I want to build a bed, something more comfortable to sleep on than just leaves and grass.
Suddenly,
You have gained the trust of a nameless Facis Arbor. Do you want to acknowledge it as your pet?
such a notification appeared.
"Meow?" ...pet? Facis Arbor?
What are those?
I look around.
There is no monster here except me and... the face tree.
The face tree is looking at me with an expression that exhibits trust... maybe. Its eyes are still blank, so it's hard to tell, but its expression towards me does look gentler.
Is the face tree... the facis arbor?
Now that I think about, we been through 3 relatively big or dangerous battles together, all to defend the tree. It's no wonder that it gained some trust in me. It'd be weirder if it didn't.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
But I didn't expect there to be a pet function in this world's system.
"Meow. (Yes, baby)"
A nameless Facis Arbor has become your pet. You may now view its status.
Name: Species: Facis Arbor (Stage II) Level: 32 (43%) Innate Abilities: Photosynthesis, Nutrient Absorbing Roots, Flexible Wood, Spirit Vision Acquired Skills: Whack level 8, Endure level 7, Poke level 1, Lift level 0
This tree has the highest level of any monster I've ever met.
...In that case, why is it always being picked on by those wood gnawing birds?
I guess it's because no matter how high level it is, it's just a tree, with no legs, muscles, nor any particularly lethal body parts, as evidenced by its limited number of acquired skills.
Its name... is empty.
Not surprising that a tree does not have a name.
"Meow... Meow! (Let's see... I'll name you Sara!)"
Its face is female. So, I gave her a female name.
Rustle Rustle.
Sara, the facis arbor, waves its branches energetically while giving me a smile.
"Meow meow? (Did you actually understand what I said?)" I tilt my head in surprise.
"..." Her smile remains unchanged. I can't tell whether that a yes or no.
Anyway, now that I've gained the Sara's trust, there's something really important that I have to do.
Extending my small retractable titanium claws, I try to climb up Sara's back.
"..."
But as soon as I climb a few feet, Sara moves one of her branches, picks me up gently and drop me on the ground.
"Meow? (Still no?)"
Sara shakes her head,
or rather, it shakes the female face on its trunk,
and made scratchy motions with the tips of its branches.
"Meow meow, meow? (You don't like my claws poking you, so you won't let me up?)"
Sara nods.
Don't ask me why I understand her. I don't know why either. I bet the system must have done something when I accepted her as a pet.
I retract my claws and extend my tentacles.
Hugging her trunk, I wiggle up until I stood on top of her biggest branches.
I stood up, raised my forearms and cheered. "Meow~!"
Top of the world~
Or just top of the tree.
Sara isn't the tallest tree around, but neither is she very short. The view from atop her is not bad, even though it's just grass, soil, ground, and the trees beyond the clearing.
Yeah, I'll build it from here. My treehouse.
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Introduction of the Pet Function by the Tamers' Guild:
"The existence of the Tamer's guild, and the popularity of the Tamer profession among civilized species, is based on the capability to tame monsters given by Aberna's system, turning them into pets. This gives people who have weaker combat talents another route to becoming a powerful force and being able to protect themselves."
"The stronger a wild monster is, the harder it is to tame them. Feeding them the foods they like and saving them from definite danger are the most effective methods. Raising a monster from its birth is the easiest way. That is why fertilized eggs of strong monsters are priced so high."
"The benefits to taming monsters are an unconscious bettering in communication with the tamed monsters, and opportunities to decide their evolutionary path in place of the monsters."
"Unfortunately, there are some monsters that can't be tamed, no matter how much effort a tamer puts in. We believe this is due to these monsters having higher inborn intelligence. For example, the infamous Faux Kat. Even if you raise it for a long time starting from when it hatches, the system message asking you whether you want to turn it into a pet will never appear. Instead, it is likely that once it grows up, it will run away from you... Damn it."
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