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Kael stumbled through the shattered corridors of Veyra-7's derelict sector, every breath searing his chest. Each step sent sharp pain from his cracked ribs, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on. Behind him, the distant echo of collapsing rubble reminded him of the Flame Raptor's violent demise. Its remains, charred and broken, smoldered in the ruin.
In his pouch, carefully wrapped in old thermal cloth, lay the faintly pulsing Monster Egg Fragment. Its surface was warm, veined with flickering blue energy. Kael didn't know why he had taken it, but the System's messages made its importance unmistakable. Which contributed to his reluctant compliance for now...
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
New Item Acquired: Monster Egg Fragment (Lesser Variant)
Status: Dormant – Incubation Incomplete
Beast Companion Slot: Locked
Estimated Growth Cycle: 50–70 Solar Days (Environmental Factors Dependent)
The sky above flickered with Rifts lightning up. The atmosphere tasted of metal and void energy. Kael forced his aching legs to keep moving, dodging fallen beams and twisted steel, heading toward the safer inner zone, the Scavenger Shelter where Lira waited.
Minutes dragged like hours.
When the shelter's reinforced hatch came into view, Kael's knees nearly buckled with relief. He slapped the control panel, and the old steel doors groaned open, hissing as stale air rushed out.
"Lira... I'm back," he gasped.
No reply. She was likely unconscious again.
Inside the dim shelter, Kael leaned heavily against the wall, dragging himself toward the medical cot. Lira lay pale and sweating, her chest rising weakly. He frowned, her condition had worsened while he was gone.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
Host Health Critical: Fractured Ribs, Bruisings and Fatigue Detected.
Recommended Action: Rest – 6 hours (Minimum) OR Consume Basic Healing Stimulant (Unavailable).
Warning: Prolonged neglect may result in permanent injury.
Kael ignored the warning for now, then he placed the glowing egg fragment on the old workbench. The moment it touched the surface, the System flared again.
[NEW QUEST – EGG INCUBATION PROTOCOL INITIATED]
Objective: Begin Stabilization of Monster Egg Fragment.
Requirements:
– Feed 3x Common-Tier Beast Cores
– Maintain Thermal Chamber (Stable 28–32°C)
– Provide Void Crystal Exposure (Minor)
Progress: 0%
Time Limit: 15 Solar Days before Mutation Risk Increases.
Kael stared, stunned. "Are you kidding me right now.....it needs food too?"
Anyways if I get to keep you and feed you too I can't keep call you egg...sigh.
'Maybe I should just call you Nyx', i think that sound nice....just then.
The system chimed coldly in response.
[WARNING: Incubation Energy Critical: 0%]
Mutation Risk: 5% and Rising
Recommended Immediate Action: Infuse Common-Tier Beast Core (0/3)
He cursed softly. He had no spare cores left, all spent surviving that damned Raptor.
The system wasn't done.
[OPTIONAL SUB-QUEST AVAILABLE]
Scavenge Nearby Beast Nest (1.2km – SE Ruins)
Potential Reward: 2–4 Common-Tier Beast Cores.
Risk: Moderate (Fang Rat Den Detected)
Kael wiped sweat from his brow. His body screamed for rest. His sister needed medicine, but now, the egg, Nyx is now also depended on him too.
"Great.....one more mouth to feed," he muttered bitterly.
He slumped against the bench, exhaustion closing in, the system's cold mechanical voice lingering in his ears.
[NOTICE: Survival Phase Continuing...]
Next Mandatory Quest: Imminent.
Prepare for Beast Raid in: 23 hours 12 minutes.
Kael exhaled slowly, staring at the pulsing fragment.
Somewhere in that egg, a new life stirred.
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