Chapter 201: Mirage’s Evolution, Looking for Inheritance [1] They tried everything. Letting the cores touch. Separating them by different distances. Rearranging them in various ways. Moon even attempted to channel mana into all of them at once, but the result never changed. The cores absorbed his essence, and nothing else happened. Finally, Moon sat back with a frustrated sigh. "This isn’t going to work. There’s a missing link, something we don’t know yet." Selene nodded reluctantly, her own expression reflecting his disappointment. She placed her right hand on her slender jaw, her posture thoughtful as she considered alternative explanations. "Maybe there’s an artifact we need?" she mused aloud. "Something that acts as a vessel or catalyst for combining the cores? Like a specific container?" "Maybe..." Moon’s eyes swept across the forest around them, considering. "I guess we can only keep looking around. There aren’t many places left unexplored on this island." He turned toward Yara. "I think only the area beyond the Rotten Pine Forest is left, right?" Yara jolted slightly, surprised to be addressed so suddenly. "Ah, yes!" She nodded after a moment of thought. "The direction past the forest, we’ve never explored that far. The forest always blocked the way." "It’s settled then," Moon declared, planning their next move. "We’ll pass through the Rotten Pine Forest tomorrow after sunrise. Hopefully, Mirage is awake by then..." His gaze shifted to where his beast companion lay curled in an unnaturally deep sleep, his chest rising and falling. Before they’d ventured into the Rotten Pine Forest, Mirage had suddenly fallen unconscious. Initially, Moon had been worried—checking for injuries, for poisons, for any sign of what might be wrong. But when Selene examined the small creature with her more extensive knowledge about such things, she’d quickly identified what was happening. Mirage was undergoing an important growth phase. He’d reached level 25 through consuming the Dark Raven’s body. Now his body was processing all that accumulated power and energy, integrating it, evolving to accommodate the sudden influx of strength. It was a natural process, Selene had assured him. But it took time. "He’ll wake when he’s ready," Selene said, noticing Moon’s concerned expression. "And when he does, he’ll probably be significantly stronger. Maybe even gain new abilities." Moon nodded, though his eyes lingered on Mirage’s sleeping body for another moment before returning to the two cores still sitting on the ground between them. ♢♢♢♢ The island of Lunaris bathed in morning dew light as the sun slowly rose in the air, signaling the entrance of another day. Moon and Selene had yet to set off toward their destination. Initially, they’d planned to leave Mirage behind with the Savi warriors, letting him complete his evolution in safety. But as they prepared to depart, the small creature had begun showing signs of imminent awakening. His body was bathed in its own mana now, pale blue energy swirling around him in visible currents. His breathing, which had been slow and deep throughout his rest, had grown quicker. "He’s waking up," Selene said, excitement brimming on her face as she watched the mana around Mirage intensify considerably. Moon knelt beside his companion, his hand hovering near but not quite touching, unwilling to interrupt whatever process was occurring. A minute had barely passed before Mirage’s aura exploded outward. The burst of mana washed over everyone nearby. It was not harmful, but it was undeniably powerful. Mirage neighed as his eyes opened slowly, revealing irises that gleamed brighter than before. Those were the eyes of a creature that had crossed a threshold, evolved beyond what it had been. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖 Moon’s breath caught slightly as he looked at his companion’s new form. Mirage’s mane, which had always been amazing, now looked even more majesty. The mane was fuller, more elegant than before. The white horse had gained height too, not much, but it was certainly noticeable. Where before he’d barely reached Moon’s waist, now he stood closer to chest height. Mirage also appeared to have gained some more muscle mass, his legs looking more powerful and defined than ever. But what struck Moon most was the presence. Mirage had always been intelligent, always been loyal. But now there was something more, confidence. The white horse was confident in his power, not just as a mount, but as partner to Moon. "Look at you," Moon said softly, a proud smile rising his face. His hand moved to rest on Mirage’s neck, feeling the warmth of the strengthened muscles beneath the coat. "You’ve grown up." Mirage responded by nuzzling against Moon’s chest, a gesture that was both affectionate and somehow more dignified than his previous antics. There was understanding in that touch, an acknowledgment that they’d both changed through their own trials and tribulations Moon ran his hand through Mirage’s mane, appreciating the silken texture. "We almost left without you," he admitted quietly. "Good timing." Mirage snorted softly, as if to say he’d known exactly when to wake up. Selene watched the reunion with a smile of her own. "He’s definitely stronger now. I’d estimate he’s evolved to at least low tier A-Rank." "Can you tell what new abilities he might have gained?" Moon asked, still examining his companion with a mixture of pride and curiosity. Before Selene could respond, Mirage took action. His long, powerful legs struck the ground with explosive force, muscles coiling and releasing like springs. Launching forward without warning, his body blurring into motion. Whoosh! He passed them at insane speed, generating a gust of wind in his trail that left their robes flutter and send loose leaves scattering in his wake. Moon watched the scene in shock, Mirage’s speed had nearly doubled. "This speed...it’s faster than most A-rank beasts," Selene exclaimed in pure amazement as she tracked Mirage’s movement with wide eye. The white horse has managed to cross a considerable distance that even the best mounts in the first sanctuary couldn’t do. Moon nodded his head, proud of his companion’s growth that had even shocked himself. When he took Mirage in, he’d never expected him to grow to reach such potential, he had only wanted a mount to cross distance with. But Mirage’s intelligence and loyalty from the first minute impressed him, building a connection between them that he had never expected to form. "Mirage...you are so fast!" Moon ruffled the white horse’s mane affectionately. Neigh!