"Mino, how does the little Black Tortoise compare to the fierce beasts you’ve seen before?" Luciel asked, tilting his head thoughtfully.
He needed a reference point to judge the strength of a level 2 Rock Tortoise.
"Little Black Tortoise?"
Mino blinked, startled, before realizing he meant the tortoise by name. She bit her lower lip, furrowed her brow, and said hesitantly, "Well... in terms of body size, Black Tortoise should be smaller."
Luciel nodded. The tortoise’s size was its greatest advantage, but also its biggest weakness: slow, cumbersome, and not very flexible. Luckily, its talent, Earth-Rock Piercing, compensated for the shortcomings caused by its bulk.
"Luciel, can I... climb on its back and take a look?" Mino asked eagerly, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Of course," Luciel said with a chuckle.
He focused his thoughts and sent the idea to the Rock Tortoise. Almost instantly, it responded.
A low, resonant cry rumbled from its throat. The long rock thorns along its shell contracted, and the ground beneath them shifted upward, forming a sturdy staircase made of stone.
"Wow! Little Black Tortoise... understands us?" Mino gasped, eyes wide as she stared at the two-meter-high rock stairs.
"It understands me," Luciel said, stepping forward first. The center of the tortoise’s back had flattened into a spacious area of seven or eight square meters, while half-meter-long spurs along the edges formed a natural fence.
"Impressive," Luciel murmured, mentally praising the tortoise.
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The tortoise responded cheerfully, as if basking in the praise.
"Little Black Tortoise is amazing," Mino said as she climbed up, glancing back just in time to see the rock staircase retract seamlessly into the ground.
She examined the flat shell with a mischievous grin. "Luciel, do you think we could... build a house on the little Black Tortoise?"
"It... might not be impossible," Luciel said thoughtfully.
With more domesticated animals likely joining them in the future, staying in crowded settlements would be inconvenient. Sleeping in the wilderness wasn’t ideal either. And with the tortoise’s size, it could eventually serve as a mobile home.
Mino’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. "You’re not seriously thinking about building a house on its back, are you?"
"Not yet. This space is still too small," Luciel said with a small smile. "But a wooden shed could work for now."
"Could we actually live on the tortoise’s back in the future?" Mino asked, practically bouncing with excitement.
"What do you think of a mobile house?" Luciel raised an eyebrow. "No need to rush."
"A!" Mino jumped with delight. "Then we could travel around like adventure hunters!"
And maybe she could search for her sister along the way.
"Luciel, let’s make a firepit on the tortoise’s back! Will it burn the little Black Tortoise?"
"Nope, stone protection," Luciel answered calmly.
"Luciel, what if we pile a lot of stuff on it? Won’t it feel too heavy?"
"Even if a hundred of you were on it, it wouldn’t feel heavy," Luciel said, leaning against a rock thorn and watching her excited scheming.
With such a lively, cheerful girl around, life suddenly felt... pleasantly chaotic.
"Luciel, let’s head back to the camp quickly! I want to take down the wooden shed!" Mino shouted, her voice crisp with determination.
"Don’t worry," Luciel said with a chuckle. But he couldn’t resist a reminder: "And don’t forget the rogue attacking the camp."
"Uh... I was so excited I almost forgot!" Mino admitted, sticking out her tongue. She shuffled closer, clutching the hem of his clothes. "If it’s too dangerous, maybe... we should leave tomorrow."
Mino was kindhearted but self-protective; she cared deeply about those close to her. She didn’t want Luciel to take unnecessary risks, especially when they were just starting their new life.
"There’s no danger," Luciel said, glancing at the gray sky. A distant ray of sunlight pierced the clouds, only to be swallowed again moments later.
He was merely reminding the camp. If they didn’t take it seriously, fine. Tomorrow, he could leave with Mino. In a world , one had to act with kindness whenever possible.
"By the way," Luciel asked, "how’s your relationship with the people in the camp? Any friends?"
Mino looked off into the distance, nonchalant. "A few people I caught little lizards with. The relationship’s... okay. I hide from the others."
"Little buddies?" Luciel asked softly.
"Probably... sort of," Mino admitted with a sly scratch of her cheek. She remembered the few who had tried to snatch her lizards. Being a mutant, she had predictably overpowered them—but only after being robbed a few times first. Since then, those people had kept their distance.
"So... not exactly partners," Luciel said quietly, understanding the unspoken story.
It was clear her previous life had been tough. And now... he was Mino’s first true friend.