My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

Xiuqi leaned down and gently rested his cheek on her knee.

Her knees were warm, the fabric of her skirt had a familiar linen texture, and she could even smell the faint scent of lavender and soapberry.

This posture reminded him of countless afternoons when he was drenched in sweat, by the porch of the Shire estate, the fragrance of alfalfa mingling with the sun-kissed scent of her skirt.

He closed his eyes.

It felt like stepping back into an afternoon many years ago, the shadow of the old oak tree in front of the door stretched long, a long, melodious song slowly rose in my ears, and the faint warmth of the sun-kissed hem of my skirt lingered on my cheek.

This moment is so beautiful, like a dream.

Warm and peaceful, as if the past could be redeemed in this moment.

The gray mist flowed slowly around, and the gentle singing could melt the entire forest.

The blonde woman's hand landed on his head, her fingertips running through his slightly curly black hair, gently combing his hair just as she remembered.

Her humming began to deepen, becoming an almost lullaby-like melody.

"Sleep well, my child!" Her voice was filled with captivating love and tenderness. "Cast away all your worries and sorrows, and have a good night's sleep..."

Xiuqi's shoulders trembled slightly, her face still buried in the floral skirt, making it impossible to discern her expression.

The blonde woman's smile deepened. The gray mist silently gathered behind her, slowly condensing into a dense shadow, like a giant wing, appearing and disappearing in the darkness.

The hand that had been stroking Xiuqi's hair was raised and moved back, the fingertips gently caressing the back of his neck, seemingly with endless affection.

As the gentle touch came to his neck, Xiuqi smelled the sweet scent of alfalfa flowers again.

However, beneath the sweet floral fragrance, besides the faint scent of decaying leaves and earth, there was also a very faint fishy odor.

The enormous wings in the shadows, bent into a huge sphere, were slowly enveloping the boy.

Xiuqi felt the touch on his neck change from soft to cold and hard.

It was a rough, gritty feel, like hard keratin.

The pressure of the caress grew heavier and heavier, as if the gentle hand was undergoing a terrible change, becoming hard and bent.

It gleamed with a cold, metallic light under the dim moonlight, as if it were tightly gripped by the sharp talons of a giant eagle.

He could feel the burning sensation emanating from the purple card in his arms growing stronger and stronger, almost scalding his skin.

The longsword at his waist began to tremble, and a cold, clear light pierced through the scabbard, scattering the gray mist in front of him and illuminating a small patch of light around him.

puff-

A series of cracking sounds rang out, like the grating sound of iron mesh being torn apart.

The invisible protective barrier surrounding him is currently undergoing a trial.

The level four magic [Blade Protection] burst forth with iron-colored shards of light, like shattered spiderwebs, scattering and dancing like sparks, reflecting in the moonlight a pair of...

A curved, sharp, horny hand with hooked claws.

"You know what..." a clear voice came from the boy on her lap, "I recently learned a very interesting ability!"

The woman's fingers paused for a moment.

"I can turn the monsters I kill into monster cards," Xiuqi said calmly, as if sharing everyday trivia with family.

"Any monster I personally kill can be made into a card!"

"Isn't that amazing?"

"It's amazing...child," her voice remained gentle, "you've always been so wonderful."

"Yes." The boy smiled softly, his face filled with endless nostalgia and tenderness.

"I've been thinking about something..."

He raised his head and looked directly at her.

The blonde woman's face remained serene and gentle, and her gaze seemed to hold endless tenderness and love as she looked at him.

"If I don't want to be separated from you..."

"How...can I...get you to stay with me forever..."

"I've thought about it for a long, long time..."

The boy's expression was extremely serious, and his eyes became increasingly focused.

His fingertips slowly moved upwards, gripping the hilt of the sword at his waist, feeling the purple card in his arms burning like a branding iron, trying to break free.

"If I were here, I would kill you—"

"Make it into another card..."

"In that case, could you... be with me forever...?"

"...Stay with me!"

Xiuqi's eyes were crystal clear, without a trace of crimson.

The voice just fell,

The gentle smile on the face before the boy vanished, his loving eyes stretched out, and his pupils turned into two amber vertical pupils, like a ferocious beast from the abyss ready to devour its prey. Not a trace of the tenderness he had shown moments before could be found.

The color of her hair changed from golden to emerald green, her long, pointed ears stood up like an elf's, and her mouth was slightly parted, revealing sharp, closely spaced teeth.

Her body became hunched over, and countless fine cracks appeared on the surface of her white floral dress. A pair of huge, windmill-like wings emerged from the gray mist behind her, covered with metallic gray feathers.

"Bird demon..." His gaze dimmed, but the trembling of the longsword in his hand grew stronger.

"This is your true nature..."

call--

His response was a curved, sharp, enormous claw—a pair of claws like those of a raptor, capable of tearing apart any flesh and blood.

A cold, grayish-brown line flashed by, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound as the wind whipped up, its target the boy's neck.

The burning sensation in the boy's chest suddenly exploded! A violent and resolute will seemed to be tearing through space and breaking free from the card's restraints.

His eyes flickered slightly as he released the restraint.

"Woohoo—"

Unlike the previous crisp "woof" sound, a roar mixed with anger and anxiety rang out, and a silver stream of light shot out from the boy's chest, instantly solidifying in front of him.

The "princess" had silver fur standing on end, and a faint dark red light source was visible around her, making her look like she was covered in burning embers from a distance.

Those large eyes burned with a protective fire, their gaze coldly fixed on the female figure enveloped in enormous gray wings.

The stick in his hand was no longer the rough wooden stick, or rather, the original wooden stick had undergone a horrifying change.

On the thick clubhead, countless dark red nodules seemed to come alive, growing and solidifying wildly, eventually forming a hammerhead covered with vicious, sharp spikes.

A faint, dark red light seemed to flow across the surface of the hammer, radiating a scorching heat that even slightly distorted the surrounding air.

The bird demon was clearly unprepared for this sudden turn of events. Her pupils constricted to pinpoints, and a piercing cry, laced with shock and anger, rang out.

Without the slightest hesitation, the "princess" unleashed a terrifying burst of power from her diminutive frame, a power completely disproportionate to her size.

Its legs suddenly pushed off, its waist twisted and tightened like a bowstring, and it sprang up abruptly.

boom--

A dark red streak flashed by, shattering the midnight silence and tearing through the air with a muffled, thunderous roar. It ascended in a strange arc.

It slammed down on the bird demon's neck, which wasn't covered by gray feathers...