Chapter 467: The Turtle Egg [Bonus 3/5]
Moon slept for roughly four hours before his body woke him naturally. It was enough. His constitution had long since passed the point where he needed a full night’s rest to function.a
He went to the restroom, hit the shower, brushed his teeth, and dried himself off. He pulled on one of the luxurious bathrobes that came supplied with the house, a small perk he wasn’t going to pretend he didn’t enjoy, and returned to the egg.
"Let’s try once more."
He sat on the edge of the bed and reached for the egg.
~Knock~ ~Knock~
The sound was gentle. As if the person on the other side wasn’t sure whether they should be knocking at all.
"Yeah?" Moon’s eyes landed on his door.
"Good morning!" Selene’s voice came through the door. "Me and Yara made breakfast. If you want to join us at the dining table."
On the other side of the door, a soft blush crept across Selene’s cheeks. She stared at the wood grain in front of her and willed it to open on its own so she wouldn’t have to stand there any longer.
Moon smiled softly. "Alright, I’ll be there in a moment!"
"O-Okay! Take your time!" Footsteps retreated quickly down the hallway.
Moon glanced at the egg. Breakfast could wait an extra minute.
He placed both hands on the shell and activated Beastmaster. The same gentle flow of mana as last night. He let it wrap around the egg and settle against the surface, waiting for the small life inside to respond.
Moon waited, patiently with an expression filled with hope.
Unfortunately, that hope was quickly shot down after the turtle provided no reaction.
Moon withdrew his hands and sighed. A bitter look crossing his face.
"Well, it can’t be helped."
He wasn’t going to force it. Pressuring the egg would only make things worse. The little turtle needed time to grow accustomed to the feeling of the contract. Rushing the process risked damaging whatever fragile familiarity he had built over their past interactions.
Moon reached into his storage ring and pulled out two buckets worth of Golden Fish blood. He poured them into the container and gently placed the egg inside, letting it soak. The egg began absorbing the blood almost immediately, faint ripples spreading across the golden surface.
At least its appetite was healthy.
Moon took off his bathrobe and pulled on a black t-shirt and grey sweatpants. Simple, comfortable, and nothing flashy.
He stopped in front of the mirror. The reflection staring back at him was noticeably different from the person who had entered the First Sanctuary for the first time, months ago.
"My body is getting bigger." Moon muttered, tugging at the t-shirt that stretched tight across his chest and broad shoulders. "These don’t fit me anymore."
Moon stood at six foot three now. A few inches taller than he had been before his awakening. His weight had climbed to roughly two hundred and five pounds, up from one sixty-five. The gain wasn’t fat. It was lean, defined muscle layered across a frame that had been sculpted by months of constant combat, and evolution.
Moon adjusted the shirt one more time, accepted that it was going to be tight regardless, and left the room.
He closed the door behind him and followed the hallway toward the dining table.
"Smells delicious." He inhaled deeply.
Selene and Yara were already seated, plates set, food steaming in the centre of the table. Both of them looked up when he walked in.
"Good morning." Moon said, taking his seat.
"Good morning!" They replied together, smiles on both their faces.
The three of them ate a light breakfast. Second Order beast meat, high in protein. Grains and vegetables on the side for carbohydrates. The meal was dense with nutritional value despite its modest portions, designed to fuel their bodies without weighing them down before a fight.
They ate in silence, occasionally talking to each other.
The tournament’s next phase was hours away.
After the meal, Moon pushed his chair back and stood.
"I’ll be in my room."
Selene watched him walk toward the hallway for a moment before saying, "Moon, I will be heading to the tournament in two hours. D-Do...you want to come with me and Yara?"
Yara’s face snapped towards Selene grinning. Selene immediately nudged the blue girl, removing the small grin off her face.
"Yeah, sure! I wanted to do that anyways, I will be there in time, just preparing some stuff, you know." He nodded before turning and disappearing around the corner.
Inside his room, Moon found the container empty. Every drop of the two buckets of Golden Fish blood had been consumed. The egg sat at the bottom, its shell gleaming a darker tint of its previous golden sheen, the heartbeat even stronger.
Moon smiled. He sat on the bed and placed both hands on the egg.
He activated Beastmaster.
The same gentle warmth flowed from his palms into the shell.
He would keep casting until the moment they had to leave. That was all he could do.
The egg pulsed beneath his hands. Moon closed his eyes and waited.
This time, something changed.
Moon felt the connection form. It was faint, and fragile, like a thread of silk stretching between his palm and the life inside the shell. For a brief moment, the turtle’s presence brushed against his, reaching toward the bond being offered.
Then it pulled back.
But it had been there.
Moon’s face brightened immediately. The turtle hadn’t accepted. But it had almost accepted. It had reached out, considered the offer, and retreated at the last second.
Progress was progress, no matter how small.
"The little one doesn’t hate me." Moon thought. "It’s just reluctant. Unsure whether to proceed or not."
Trust. That was what it came down to.
Moon understood trust better than most. He had spent his life navigating a world where misplaced trust got people killed and earned trust kept them alive to the next day.
