The moment we stepped into the pavilion, I knew this wasn’t just any marketplace.

Everything about it felt different.

The air was crisper, infused with a subtle, lingering mana—like the entire place was built on a natural leyline. The floors weren’t made of simple wood or stone but something smoother, polished, almost reflective, yet soft underfoot. Enchantments hummed in the walls, woven so subtly that if you weren’t paying attention, you’d miss them.

Even the scent of the air was distinct—fresh, herbal, almost refined. No overwhelming spices, no mixed scents from too many beasts. Just a faint, lingering coolness, like stepping into a different world.

I had never been here before.

Neither had my friends.

And from the way their eyes widened, I wasn’t the only one who noticed the difference.

“Whoa,” Chia whispered beside me, staring at the ceiling. “Even the lamps are mana-infused…”

One of the boys—Kiro, I think—grinned and said, "I heard the cheapest thing here costs more than a month’s worth of food.’"

Another kid nodded in agreement. “My parents say this place is for nobles and big-shot summoners.”

Lina, ever the loud one, gasped dramatically. “So Mom brought us to an elite pavilion? Does this mean we’re rich now?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Not exactly.”

But it was clear that this place was different from the usual markets.

And I had a feeling… this wasn’t just any store.

Unlike the open markets where vendors shouted their prices, everything here was orderly, elegant, almost… ceremonial.

Glass display cases lined the walls, each one housing treasures instead of simple goods.

Inside them, I saw earth-born treasures—not infused items, but things that had been born from nature itself.

A glowing sapphire lotus, its petals shimmering with an internal light. A black stone pulsing with slow, rhythmic energy, almost like a heartbeat.

A crimson fruit, surrounded by thin wisps of smoke, as if it had been plucked straight from a burning mountain.

These weren’t just rare.

They were legendary.

“Mana-infused items are common,” Chia murmured, eyes scanning a row of shimmering leaves. “But these… these are things that grow in mana-drenched environments. Natural treasures.”

I nodded slowly.

Mana-infused goods could be created—a fruit soaked in mana, a blade reforged with mana circuits.

But these?

These were born that way.

And they were far more valuable.

We were still taking in the sight when my mother suddenly walked ahead, straight past the counters—ignoring the shopkeepers who looked like they were about to tell us to step back.

Instead of stopping at the displays, she called out—

"‘Anya! Where’s that useless woman hiding?’"

The store went silent.

For a second, nothing happened.

Then—

A voice from the upper floor.

“Who’s calling me useless in my own pavilion?”

The sound of heels clicking against polished stone.

And then—a woman stepped into view.

She was tall, elegant, dressed in a sleek outfit that screamed wealth but not excess. Her long dark hair was pinned back, accentuating sharp, intelligent eyes.

At first, her expression was neutral—the usual coldness of a store owner handling customers.

But then she got a good look at my mother.

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And her entire face changed.

“Oh. My. Gods.”

Before I could even process it, the woman practically teleported forward, grabbing my mother by the arms.

“YOU?! Here?!”

Mother grinned. “In the flesh.”

“It’s been YEARS!”

“And you still haven’t found a husband?”

“Oh, shut up!”

The entire pavilion’s staff stared in shock.

The woman—Anya—was notorious for being strict, composed, and professional to an almost extreme degree.

But right now?

She was laughing, hugging my mother, throwing insults and receiving them just as fast.

One of the clerks whispered, “I—I’ve never seen Boss smile before.”

Another one muttered, “I didn’t even know she had friends.”

I raised an eyebrow.

So Mother knew the boss of the pavilion.

And judging by the reaction, they were very close.

Anya finally pulled back, eyes scanning the rest of us.

“These your kids?”

Mother nodded proudly. “This one’s Akul. My eldest.”

Anya looked me up and down. “Hmm.”

I tensed slightly.

Then—she smirked. “He’s handsome.”

Chia made a weird choking noise.

“Careful,” Mother said, teasing. “He’s only twelve.”

Anya laughed. “Fine, fine. What brings you here?”

Mother gestured to my monkey. “My son needs the best nutrition for his contracted beast.”

Anya’s eyes flickered with understanding.

“Say no more.” She turned, calling out—“Everything they pick is half price.”

More gasps from the staff.

Then she turned back, smirking. “Actually, scratch that. Everything’s on me.”

Mother grinned. “Still a fool, still reckless with money—as always."

Anya snorted. “Consider it repayment for the good old days.”

With VIP treatment, we moved through the pavilion picking the best food for my monkey.

I focused on things that weren’t just nutritional, but things that would maximize its physical growth.

A fruit known as Titan’s Heart—said to fortify the muscles and triple stamina reserves.

A rare Thunderleaf Vine, which stimulated nerve function, allowing faster reflexes and coordination.

A Redstone Berry, a powerful energy booster commonly used to raise combat-type beasts.

And, most importantly—

A concoction specifically made for young, developing summons.

Elixir of Prime Growth.

Not a potion, not a temporary stimulant—but something that would enhance the monkey’s foundational development.

It was normally too expensive for common summoners.

But today?

I wasn’t paying a single coin.

By the end of it, the we were overjoyed.

Mother was chatting away with Anya, catching up on old memories. Lina was bouncing in her seat, stuffing her face with sweet pastries she had guilt-tripped Anya into giving her. Chia and Kiro were arguing over some ridiculous bet, and the staff of the pavilion were still throwing glances our way, whispering about my mother’s unexpected connections.

But me?

I had only one thing on my mind.

I glanced down at my new companion.

The golden body monkey was perched on my lap, clutching the Titan’s Heart fruit in both tiny hands, nibbling away at it happily. The shimmering golden-red flesh of the fruit was already working its magic, subtly enhancing its physique. But I knew—I could push it further.

I had been waiting for this moment.

I wanted to see what I could really do.

Slowly, I exhaled.

And with a flick of my wrist—

I summoned my grimoire.

The moment my artifact materialized, a wave of golden light pulsed outward, subtle yet undeniable.

The grimoire hovered beside me, pages shifting, responding to my intent. I reached out, fingers brushing over the dark pages laced with golden script, and focused on the ability I wanted to use.

━━━ ◇ ━━━

Skill Activated: Adaptive Growth Factor

━━━ ◇ ━━━

A soft hum resonated from the grimoire.

A faint golden glow spread from the artifact, trailing down my fingertips, extending toward my monkey.

The moment the energy touched its body—

Something shifted.

The monkey froze mid-bite, its tiny body stiffening as the energy flowed into it.

And then—

It began to change.

It wasn’t instant. It wasn’t some dramatic, explosive transformation.

But it was visible.

Slowly, the tiny, palm-sized creature started expanding—its limbs stretching, bones thickening, muscles refining with every passing second.

Its fur, once a slightly dull gold, deepened into a richer, shinier hue, every strand taking on a more vibrant luster. Its eyes became sharper, clearer, shifting from soft amber to a more intense, intelligent gold.

Claws elongated, becoming stronger, more defined, while its tail—previously thin and delicate—became sturdier, more robust, more balanced for combat and movement.

And as all this happened—

I felt it.

I could see its internal structure shifting—bones reinforcing, muscle fibers condensing, heart pumping stronger, faster.

Everything was becoming denser, more optimized, more efficient.

This wasn’t just growth.

This was refinement.

Then, suddenly—

The monkey let out a sharp cry.

Not in pain.

In hunger.

A deep, instinctive, overwhelming hunger.

Its tiny hands gripped the Titan’s Heart, and it started tearing into it like a starving beast, devouring chunks at an insane pace.

Juices dripped from its mouth, staining its golden fur as it devoured the fruit down to the core.

But even then—

Its stomach rumbled.

The transformation was still burning energy at an insane rate, demanding more fuel to sustain it.

It needed more.

I clenched my jaw, immediately cutting off the skill’s effect.

The golden glow faded.

The monkey panted, still shaking slightly, but the desperate hunger in its eyes began to settle.

Even so—

It lunged toward the remaining food on the table, snatching up another Titan’s Heart fruit and shoving it into its mouth.

I watched, wide-eyed, as it devoured an entire second fruit in mere moments.

And then another, only then… did it finally stop.

It let out a long exhale, eyes half-lidded in satisfaction.

Then it stretched, testing its new body, flexing its fingers, flicking its tail.

And just like that—

It looked completely different from just moments ago.

Bigger. Stronger. More… complete.

The entire pavilion had gone silent.

I turned my head.

Everyone—my friends, my mother, Anya, the workers, even complete strangers nearby—was staring.

One of the clerks had actually dropped a stack of rare herbs onto the floor.

Another was halfway through pouring a drink, but his hand had frozen, liquid spilling over the cup’s edge.

Even Anya, who had been so composed earlier, looked like she had just witnessed a miracle.

“…What did I just see?” she murmured.

Mother’s expression was unreadable.

She knew I was powerful.

But even she hadn’t expected… this.

I swallowed.

The monkey looked up at me, its golden eyes gleaming with newfound strength.

It didn’t just look better.

It looked evolved.

And the crazy part?

This was the first step.

I was still at the beginning of my journey.

But now, I had everything I needed to make sure my beast wouldn’t just grow—

It would thrive.