Theo, covered in blood and reaching the limits of his endurance, collapsed onto the ground as he read the notifications.
He was familiar with such notifications; they were similar to the ones he received when he and Lilith had formed their partnership.
There was no doubt in his mind about what was happening: somehow, the Demonic Farm had not only subdued the Abyssal Eternal Bloom but also aided its evolution. Now, the transformed entity sought to form a pact with him, a 70-30 Bond of Unity.
Lying there, gazing at the eerie sky tinted by the chaos of recent events, Theo contemplated the offer before him. This unexpected alliance with the Abyssal Eternal Bloom could significantly shift his capabilities and alter the balance of power within the Demonic Farm. He recognized that forging this pact could resolve many of his challenges and provide him with a powerful assistant.
Despite his reservations—stemming from the recent unpredictable and crazy behaviors of the Abyssal Eternal Bloom—Theo now had a pact that assured its loyalty. With a deep breath, trying to set aside his doubts, Theo decisively clicked [Yes].
As soon as he affirmed the pact by selecting [Yes], the dark crimson fog around the still-budding Abyssal Eternal Bloom intensified, taking on a deeper shade of crimson, as if it were drenched in human blood.
Suddenly, the bloom began to transform. It started to glow, its sinister dark red hue shifting into a vibrant mix of emerald and strawberry, signaling a profound transformation.
As this transformation unfolded, more notifications began to chime in:
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[System Notification: Initiating Sovereign Guardian Beast Pact Formation…]
[Status Update: Establishing Sovereign Guardian Beast Pact with Abyssal Eternal Bloom…]
[Processing: Aligning core energies and synchronizing with the Abyssal Eternal Bloom's life force…]
[Verification: Confirming mutual recognition and pact conditions…]
[Success: Sovereign Guardian Beast Pact Successfully Forged with Abyssal Eternal Bloom. You are now bound in mutual pact.]
[This pact aims to enhance synergies and share powers, positioning the Abyssal Eternal Bloom as a key guardian within the Demonic Farm's hierarchy. It pledges to safeguard and enhance the well-being of the farm and its master.]
[Maintain close proximity to your Guardian Beast to maximize energy synchronization and effectiveness of pact abilities. Enhanced protective abilities and access to unique powers derived from the Abyssal Eternal Bloom's essence are now activated.]
>>>>
As Theo read the details of the notifications, he began to feel an increasingly strong connection with the Abyssal Eternal Bloom. Each passing second seemed to intensify this bond.
His attention shifted to the changes occurring before him. The once dormant Abyssal Eternal Bloom had stopped emitting and absorbing energy but was now vibrating subtly.
Suddenly, the vibrations ceased, and the connection he felt deepened. Theo could sense a heartbeat synchronizing with his own—the heartbeat of the entity in front of him.
Gradually, the flower bud began to unfurl, much like a flower blooming to greet the sun. As it opened fully, the entire figure of a humanoid creature came into view, standing at a height of one foot.
It resembled a young girl, with a head crowned with petals of a strawberry shade. Below the floral head, emerald eyes sparkled, and a small, delicate nose complemented the subtle pink of her lips. Her body and limbs were a vibrant green, mirroring the stalk of the flower from which she had emerged. Her attire was crafted from flower petals, consisting of a skirt and top, both adorned in the same strawberry hue as the petals on her head, integrating seamlessly with her ethereal form.
Theo looked back into the eyes filled with puzzlement that were staring intently at him. However, he was in no condition to go and greet the one-foot-tall creature just yet, so he allowed it to gaze at him as much as it desired.
Exhausted from the intense fight, Theo prioritized rest. He retrieved a high-quality healing elixir and quickly gulped it down, then closed his eyes to rest right there on the crunchy soil. The elixir began to heal his wounds, but it wasn't sufficient to restore his depleted stamina fully; he knew he needed some natural rest to recover properly.
Lying there, Theo focused on stabilizing his breathing and gradually eased into a deep meditation, allowing himself to recover while remaining semi-conscious.
After an hour, Theo slowly opened his eyes and immediately met the emerald gaze of the Abyssal Eternal Bloom, which had moved to stand uncomfortably close to his face, no longer at its earlier place above the Flowerbud platform. Gazing back, Theo could discern no emotion in its questioning eyes, just a curious and perhaps innocent scrutiny.
He didn't mind the close inspection, understanding that this flower-like creature was now bound to him—though calling it a 'pet' might not quite capture the nature of their relationship. Was it wrong to think of it as a pet? He wasn't entirely sure, but he felt a sense of safety now that it was under a safely pact.
As Theo activated his Leywin’s Gaze, detailed information about the creature materialized before his eyes:
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[Abyssal Eternal Bloom]
[~ The Abyssal Eternal Blossom is a mystical flora-type guardian beast, evolved within the Demonic Farm through the absorption of abyssal energy pervading its environment.
This entity not only pledges allegiance to the farm and its master but also harnesses energy for its own sustenance and exerts command over other forms within the farm as it sees fit.
Endowed with the very essence of life and growth, the Abyssal Eternal Bloom stands as a beacon of power within the farm's hierarchy. It possesses extraordinary regenerative capabilities and an endless potential for evolution. Drawing upon the energies of heaven and earth, it nurtures itself and thrives, albeit with a peculiar fondness for consuming the life essence of other creatures as snacks.]
>>>>
The information displayed about the creature was consistent with its origins; it still matched the data of the Eternal Seed from which it had evolved. This wasn't surprising, but what intrigued Theo was the extent of its influence over his farm, especially since the data indicated it could now command other forms as it desired.
As he mulled over these details, a curious sound interrupted his thoughts.
“Mmm... nom-nom”
He turned toward the source of the noise.
“Nom-nom”
The Abyssal Eternal Bloom was making these sounds while displaying a visibly saddened expression.
"You can talk?" Theo was surprised, as the words, though somewhat clear, were baffling. He didn't understand what it was trying to say.
At his question, the one-foot-tall creature did not offer a direct response but simply repeated, "Nom-nom!!"
Theo's brows knitted in confusion, still clueless about what the creature was trying to convey.
At that moment, a notification appeared:
<<<<
[Alert: The synchronization with your Guardian Beast is complete. You can now access your Guardian beast's status panel to better understand and nurture your companion.]
>>>>
At this prompt, Theo's gaze shifted to the newly added options on his interface screen. Where previously there were tabs like [Profile], [Notification], [Demonic Farm], [Skill Book], [Quest Log], a new tab labeled [Guardian Beast] had appeared. Eager to learn more, He clicked on it.
The profile for the Abyssal Eternal Bloom appeared:
<<<<
[Name: Abyssal Eternal Bloom]
[Race: Mystic Bloom]
[Elemental Affinity Abyssal, Nature]
[Sentience: Emerging]
[Grade: Normal]
[Rank: 1]
>>>>
The status panel for the guardian beast differed significantly from Theo's own. Having evolved within the Demonic Farm, it had developed the same elemental affinity as him, which was unexpected given that the headmistress had mentioned it was a special element. However, considering the unique circumstances of its evolution, Theo could somewhat grasp why this had occurred. The terms "sentience" and its specific grade and rank remained unclear and somewhat perplexing.
Choosing not to dwell on these complexities, Theo left the guardian beast to continue its babbling.
“Nom-nom”
“Nom-nom”
"Nom-nom," it repeated, the soft sound echoing faintly behind him as Theo turned his attention to monitoring the outside conditions using the Dreamweaver's Pond ability.
The view that materialized before him revealed a different scene from before: no signs of battle remained. The land had transformed into a deserted wasteland, scorched and littered with only the lifeless bodies of once mighty creatures dotting the landscape.
The Hydra, Blazing Lion, Three-Headed Chimera, and even the Azure Primordial Terragon lay motionless, spread across the ground. As Theo panned the screen to survey more details, wherever he looked, he encountered more corpses of the fallen beasts. He zoomed in to search for any signs of life, but a closer inspection confirmed they were all lifeless.
It seemed safe to venture out now.
Opening the portal, Theo stepped through and was immediately assaulted by a foul stench, forcing him to hold his breath. He quickly retrieved a mask and covered his nose. The reality outside was far grimmer than what he had seen through the Dreamweaver’s Pond; the area was thoroughly decayed.
As he surveyed the surroundings, a dark void materialized beside him, and with a familiar "Nom-nom," the guardian beast leapt out of it.
Theo's attention snapped to the creature. Seemingly unconcerned by his presence, it began hopping around joyously, vocalizing “Nom-nom-nom” in a tone that expressed its happiness—a language Theo still struggled to interpret.
Having observed the creature's antics, Theo turned his attention back to the task at hand. "Although there are many beasts, I should at least retrieve the cores from the larger ones," he mused. Remembering that his Deathreaper Scythe’s efficiency could be enhanced by feeding it beast cores, he was eager to harvest them.
Approaching the immense, several-meters-long Blazing Lion, Theo drew his sword to begin the extraction. Just as he positioned the blade above the beast's forehead, ready to make his incision, he sensed a subtle shift in the air. Reacting instinctively, Theo activated his teleportation ability just in time to evade an incoming threat, reappearing safely a short distance away.
Right before his eyes, a gaping maw resembling an omnivorous Shadowroot carrot dramatically enlarged in just a few seconds before stretching toward the giant Blazing Lion and devouring it whole.
Theo stood dumbfounded by the spectacle. At the center of this bizarre occurrence was the one-foot-tall creature, whose right hand had transformed into the huge gaping maw.