Chapter 82: Black Puddling [The EGG You Possess is ready to Hatch!] Xin found himself taken aback by the unexpected swiftness of the hatching process. He hadn’t anticipated that the Egg would reveal its little inhabitant so early. Yet, despite his initial surprise, an undercurrent of excitement coursed through him. With a sense of eager anticipation, Xin reached into his inventory and carefully retrieved the Egg, his curiosity piqued as he awaited the revelation of the creature that lay within. The hatching process unfolded before him, revealing the form of a small creature that left him utterly intrigued. From the confines of the Egg emerged a diminutive entity, palm-sized and undeniably adorable. The creature that emerged was a Black Puddling, an endearing cuteness of ooze. Its exterior was akin to a gelatinous blob, its body dark and shiny, resembling a smooth, ebony-hued pudding. However, what distinguished it from a mere puddle was the presence of a tiny, intricately designed helmet perched atop its gel-like head. The helmet, though minuscule, was a fascinating detail that spoke of both the creature’s uniqueness and its practical purpose. It was intricately crafted, featuring minute engravings that highlighted the craftsmanship that had gone into its creation. The helmet appeared almost comically large compared to the Black Pudding’s small size, giving it an endearing, almost comical appearance. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢 Beneath the surface of its cuteness, the Black Pudding held remarkable abilities. Its helmet, in addition to its visual appeal, had a functional purpose. It acted as a focusing tool, enhancing its natural forging talents. This tiny companion was a master of metallurgy in its own right. It possessed the unique ability to reduce the time required for crafting, refining, and shaping metals by 50%! Making it a boon for any blacksmith. Furthermore, the Black Pudding also had the remarkable capacity to generate specific metals from within its gel-like body. These metals were not just ordinary metals but were especially attuned to the creation of simple constructs, be they mechanical parts or components for crafting golems. It could essentially produce the building blocks necessary to bring a construct to life, a skill that made it invaluable for Xin’s endeavors in both forging and golem creation. At its current level, it could produce 100 simple materials per day to create construct. In short, this seemingly unassuming creature held a world of potential within its compact form. Recollections of Illyath’s words resurfaced in Xin’s mind, reminding him of the Egg’s potential to aid him as a Biomancer. A gentle and curious "Puu~?" emerged from the small creature, prompting Xin to recognize its unspoken request –– it sought a name, an identity to call its own. A whimsical idea struck Xin, inspired by the memory of their former feline companion. "How about Pudding?" he suggested, a touch of sentiment coloring his choice as it connected to their beloved Lord Schrodinger’s fondness for the dessert. The telltale rise of virtual hearts above the small being confirmed its satisfaction with the chosen name, and a sense of companionship began to cement between them. Without delay, Xin delved into Pudding’s attributes, eager to learn more about his newfound ally. Pudding’s progression commenced at Growth 1, accompanied by a suite of distinct skills that complemented its innate helpful nature and proficiency in crafting, making it a potential boon to Xin’s Biomancer class. ǁ P U D D I N G ǁ Name: Pudding Alignment: Unaligned Level: Growth 1 Description: Derived from the remnants of assimilates, enigmatic creatures are subjected to intricate biromantic manipulations to suppress their perilous adaptive capabilities. Through these meticulous procedures, their potential for havoc is curtailed. A notable consequence of their close proximity to skilled biomarkers is the development of an intense intrigue towards humanoids, particularly those embarking on daring exploits –– the adventurers. This fascination drives black puddlings to frequently mirror captivating individuals or endeavor to imitate remarkable displays of cleverness and might. The outcomes, however, span a spectrum from impressive to amusingly flawed, showcasing their earnest yet fluctuating attempts. PASSIVE SKILLS ❶ Forging Buddy All Crafting Time decreased by 50% ❷ Metalforge (100/day) Pudding could create simple materials for crafting. Scaled with Growth. ACTIVE SKILLS ❶ Armor Erode Upon striking a metal creature or a non-magical metal armor, Pudding can attempt to corrode or steal parts of the armor. The success rate improves with Pudding’s Growth. ❷ Assimilation Over a span of 10 minutes, Pudding can closely examine the remains of a creature that has been deceased for less than 24 hours. Through intricate biomantic processes, Pudding can adopt certain traits from the creature. The tamer can choose one of the following benefits: · Acquire up to two languages known by the creature and gain the ability to speak them. · Obtain up to two of the creature’s skills. · Develop resistance to a damage type the creature was immune or resistant to. · Gain one of the creature’s special senses up to a range of 30 feet. · Attain one of the creature’s movement speeds, growing necessary appendages like wings or flippers. The new speed cannot exceed Pudding’s walking speed. Pudding can only possess one benefit at a time. If another benefit is gained, the previous one is forfeited. Once Pudding studies a corpse using this method, it can’t do so again for the next 24 hours. The same corpse cannot be studied more than once. Scaled with Growth ǁ E N D ǁ Understanding the concept of pet leveling, Xin realized that pets progressed through different stages of growth rather than traditional numerical levels. Growth 1 encapsulated levels 1 to 50, Growth 2 spanned 50 to 100, and the apex of pet development was Growth 3, encompassing levels beyond 100. With each progression in growth, a pet not only transformed in appearance but also evolved its skills. This underscored the immense value of having a pet companion. However, as per Xin’s understanding, pets didn’t benefit from conventional experience points (EXP) like players. They had their distinct growth gauge that determined their advancement. The growth of a pet was influenced by factors such as interactions with their tamer, the frequency of their usage, and minimizing the number of times they fell in battle. Captured or summoned creatures that transitioned into pets could find it more challenging to raise their growth compared to creatures hatched from eggs. However, the advantage was that beasts and summoned creatures often began their journey as pets in Growth 2 or even 3, a fortunate occurrence for those who managed to secure them. Despite these nuances, Xin wasn’t particularly concerned. He had developed a fondness for his newfound companion.