The apologetic ear-droop was long gone. His ears were sharp, alert, constantly swiveling, sampling the air, catching nuances Lloyd couldn't perceive. The slight awkwardness of his posture was replaced by a quiet, intense stillness, the coiled readiness of an apex predator completely aware of its surroundings.
And his eyes… Gods, his eyes. No longer the simple brown of a bewildered canine. They were a piercing, molten gold, burning with an unnerving intelligence that seemed to bore right through Lloyd, seeing not just the nineteen-year-old body, but the ancient soul trapped within. There was wisdom there, yes, but also a crackling, barely restrained energy. It felt like staring into the heart of a controlled storm.
Okay, Universe, point taken, Lloyd's internal monologue stammered for a rare moment. Note to self: assumptions based on first-life memories are potentially hazardous to my health. 'Weak wolf spirit'? What was I smoking? This… this is something else entirely. He tried to rationalize it again. Protein? Latent genetics? Magic? Screw it. It's magic. Powerful, scary, awesome magic currently staring at me like it knows my credit score.
Fang lowered his magnificent head, the movement fluid and deliberate, and nudged Lloyd's outstretched hand gently. The touch sent a jolt, like static electricity magnified tenfold, tingling up Lloyd's arm. Beneath the fur, he could feel the tightly coiled muscle, the thrumming energy.
"Right," Lloyd managed, his voice slightly hoarse. He retrieved the final offering – the whole roasted bird, looking suddenly inadequate compared to the creature before him. "Day seven, Fang. Compliments of the chef… and the System, apparently."
Fang accepted the bird with a quiet dignity that felt almost regal. He consumed it with focused efficiency, each bite precise, powerful. No frantic gulping, no tearing rush. Just controlled, effective demolition. When the last bone was cleanly stripped, Fang looked up, those intense golden eyes meeting Lloyd's. He gave a distinct, almost imperceptible nod – a gesture so intelligent, so deliberate, it sent another shiver down Lloyd's spine.
And then, the chime. Clear as a struck bell, resonating solely within the confines of Lloyd's mind.
[Task Complete: Operation: Canine Cuisine Upgrade]
[Objective Achieved: Spirit partner consistently nourished for 7 days. Result: Exponential improvement in vitality and potential unlocked. Subject now exhibits 'vaguely robust' status and significantly less existential angst.]
[Reward Issued: 5 System Coins (SC)]
[Current Balance: 8 (Previous) + 5 (Reward) = 13 SC]
Thirteen. The number glowed invitingly in his mental vision. Finally. Relief washed over him, quickly followed by a surge of fierce anticipation. The key. He had the key.
"System," he breathed, the word barely a whisper in the pre-dawn stillness, his gaze fixed on the empty air before him where the interface always appeared. "Access. Open the shop. Now."
The air rippled. Shimmered. The familiar translucent blue screen materialized, but it felt… grander today. More substantial. Edged with faint, pulsing lines of light.
[System Notification: Access Threshold Reached!]
[Processing Request: Accessing The Shopping Tree Primary Interface...]
[Cost: 10 System Coins deducted.]
[Current Balance: 13 - 10 = 3 SC]
Three left? Okay, cutting it fine, but worth it.
[Congratulations, User Lloyd Ferrum!]
[Welcome to The Shopping Tree! Your one-stop cosmic catalogue for all things Power!]
[Initializing First-Time User Protocols... Analyzing User Profile...]
[Profile Analysis: Active Bond detected with Primary Spirit (Designation: Fang). Spirit exhibits significant latent potential and untapped elemental affinity.]
[Welcome Bonus Activated!]
[Granting: One-Time Manifestation Empowerment Grant!]
[Value: 100 System Coins (SC)]
[Purpose: Purchase of a single Manifestation-level ability for Primary Spirit 'Fang'.]
[Restriction: Grant Funds applicable ONLY to abilities aligning with the Spirit's inherent elemental affinity.]
[Affinity Scan Complete: Spirit Designation 'Fang' possesses a Primary Elemental Affinity: Lightning.]
[Secondary Affinities (Dormant): Shadow, ???]
Lloyd blinked, rereading the message, his heart doing a startled leap. Lightning? Fang wasn't just some super-wolf; he was a Lightning Spirit? And dormant Shadow affinity? And a question mark? What the hell was this creature bound to him? The implications were staggering. And a hundred free coins? Specifically for a lightning power? It was like winning a lottery he didn't even know he'd entered.
"Lightning..." he murmured, looking at Fang, who stood patiently, radiating that low-level electrical hum. Golden eyes watched him, knowing. "Okay, Fang. Okay. That explains… a lot." The speed of the transformation, the crackling energy… it all clicked into place.
Another screen popped up, sleek, modern, vastly different from the basic text boxes he'd seen before. It pulsed with soft blue light, featuring intuitive-looking tabs labeled 'Spirits', 'Void Powers', 'Upgrades', 'Consumables', 'Misc'. Most were greyed out, likely requiring higher access levels or more coins. But one section glowed invitingly: 'Manifestation Abilities - Grant Applicable'.
And below it, a prompt field blinked expectantly: [Design Manifestation Ability (Lightning Affinity): Enter Parameters]
Beside it, a complex, holographic keyboard shimmered into existence, hovering in the air before him, waiting for his input.