Six days after the massacre, Tyler stood in his bedroom in Veridia, staring at Joy, the small green goblinth standing on the wooden floor. He muttered, "This thing says it boosts attack power by 40 percent. But what does that mean, exactly?" His mind swirled with questions. Did it increase strength, speed, or both? Strength boosted attack power, but he knew it was useless without speed to back it up. Yet, faster attacks could hit harder too.

After thinking it over, he concluded the boost likely increased Joy's strength.Joy looked up at him, her wide eyes blinking, a small smile on her face, as if quietly amused by his pondering.With a thought, Tyler summoned the system panel showing Joy's stats.

It confirmed his suspicions. He rubbed his chin, murmuring, "Just as I thought." Her strength had risen from 50 to 70, a 20-point increase, matching the 40 percent boost.Suddenly, the panel was overlaid by another smaller one reading: Shadow Ring's effect has decreased Joy's visibility in shadows by 20%.Tyler's eyes widened. He'd almost forgotten about the ring's effect.

"But wait," Tyler muttered, his brow furrowing. "Didn't this effect only work when I wore the rest of the shadow armor?" He tilted his head, questioning himself.

Joy just looked at him, then placed both small hands behind her back, her gaze sweeping around the room as if she was assessing the ceiling.

Tyler muttered, "But it's just 20%. I'm pretty sure it was a bit higher when I was wearing the shadow armor. Anyway… it doesn't matter. Let's just be glad the effect works."

He clapped his hands together, the sound echoing in the room. Joy immediately redirected her attention, her wide eyes snapping back to Tyler. "All right," he said, extending his hands. "Time to go out. Come here."

The little goblinth readily leaped into Tyler's arms, and he caught her, bringing her close to his chest as she hugged him. He turned and walked out of the room, passing the doorway where the door had been. The splintered remains of the door lay scattered on the wooden floor. As Tyler lifted his foot, the leather of his boots shimmered into existence, magically materializing from his inventory.

He paused on the threshold of the house, a sudden realization hitting him with a jolt, causing a small, almost painful jolt to his heart. "Oh, crap," he said, his eyes widening.

Joy let out a confused squeak "Hmm?" looking up at him, her smile still in place. She was just happily looking at him, she didn't know what was going on.

Tyler muttered under his breath, "I forgot… they don't allow pets in Veridia. Shit. What the hell am I gonna do now?" He looked down at Joy, who was still smiling, completely oblivious.

Tyler's breath hitched, his mind racing. "Okay, um…" He glanced at Joy, cradled in his arms, and said, "What if I put you back in the inventory? You came from there, right?" With a focused thought, he willed her to vanish into the inventory. Nothing happened. Joy's hands hung limp at her sides, her wide eyes blinking up at him, mouth slightly open, revealing a flash of red tongue. Tyler's voice tightened.

"What? Why isn't it working? Come on, work!" He gave Joy a gentle shake, her small body swaying. Her eyes squeezed shut, and a childish chuckle bubbled out, high and fleeting, before her eyes snapped wide, as if startled by her own laughter.Panic clawed at Tyler's chest.

"Why can't I put it back in the inventory?" he said, voice rising. A system panel flashed before him, its text cold and clear: Living entities cannot be stored in the inventory. Tyler's jaw dropped. "What? But you were in there yesterday! Why can't I put you back now?" The panel vanished, replaced by another, its words blunt: The inventory space has been erased. Its purpose was to eradicate any essence of the demon god of the user's chosen pet.

"Huh?" Tyler's voice cracked, disbelief flickering across his face. "So it's not there anymore?" The panel disappeared, then reappeared with a single word: Yes. Tyler's shoulders slumped, his voice slow and heavy. "So I can't put you back." The panel vanished again, replaced by another, stark and final: No. A spark of surprise flickered through him, the system had answered his muttered question, its bluntness almost mocking. He sighed, a weary exhale, and muttered, "Well, I've gotta find a way to hide you, Joy."

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A spark of inspiration flared in Tyler's mind, his eyes lighting up. "Right, that's it," he said, voice sharp with resolve. "I'll hide you and slip out of Veridia before anyone spots you."

He gently set Joy on the ground, her small feet brushing against the short, brittle grass with a faint crunch. "Wait here," he said, darting back into the house with a quick stride.Joy tilted her head, her green face creasing with confusion as Tyler vanished inside.

She took a tentative step, her foot scuffing the dry blades, as if to follow. In a blur of speed, Tyler reappeared, clutching a coarse brown blanket. "Here," he said, "I'll wrap you in this." With a swift motion, he draped the blanket over Joy's head, its heavy folds swallowing her small frame.Joy let out a muffled groan, her hands tugging the blanket off, revealing her wide eyes and a flicker of annoyance. Tyler crouched to her level, his gaze earnest.

"No, listen," he urged, voice low and urgent. "You've gotta wear this, okay? If you don't, we're in deep trouble. Pets aren't allowed in Veridia." Joy stared back, her green lips curling into a bright, oblivious smile, unfazed by his words.Tyler sighed, scratching his head, frustration etching his face. "Right, you don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?" he muttered. His mind raced, a knot of worry tightening in his chest.

*How the hell do tamers control pets that don't speak human?* He thought of dogs in his old world, trained to sit or roll over through patient commands. But Joy? There was no time to train her, and he hadn't a clue where to start. He stood, pointing at the goblinth. "Okay, you-" He froze, slapping his forehead with a groan. "No, that's not how it works."

Tyler cleared his throat. "Ahem… Okay." He pointed at himself, then at Joy. Then, pointing at the door, he said, "Here." He moved towards the door, demonstrating.

Joy just looked at him, then followed, standing right in front of him in the doorway.

"No," Tyler said, his voice a little exasperated. "You… you're not supposed to come here." He scooped her up and gently placed her back outside by the door, trying to explain it. "You," he said, pointing.

He sighed. "I don't have time for this." He crouched down, his mind racing. "Now… how do I…"

He hesitated, then, with a quick movement, smacked her lightly on the back of the neck.

Joy let out a sharp, surprised squeak, her eyes widening for a moment before she crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

Tyler was taken aback. "Huh," he muttered, surprised. "It actually worked." He knelt beside her. "Sorry, Joy. I'm just gonna… put you in this blanket here."

He carefully lifted her still form, placed her gently in the blanket, and wrapped her securely, tying it tightly to ensure no part of her was visible. He then looked towards the town, and seeing the sight made him grin. The settlement was about half a mile away, and seeing that sight filled him with joy. He didn't want to live right in the middle of town. He preferred to be a bit further out. He disliked places that were lively, places where people were always passing by, but at the same time he didn't want to be totally alone.

Tyler hefted the blanket-wrapped Joy, her small form snug in his arms, and took a step forward. He froze, a jolt of realization hitting him. "Oh, crap," he muttered, "almost forgot to lock the house." Opening his palm, he summoned the house key, its metal glinting as it shimmered into existence.

He locked the door with a quick turn, then willed the key back into his inventory, where it vanished in a flicker of blue light.With a burst of astonishing speed, Tyler sprinted forward, the blanket cradled tightly in his grip. The world blurred past, and he skidded to a stop just beyond the marketplace, where cobblestones gleamed underfoot, stretching into alleys, shops, and the main road.

His mind raced as he navigated the winding paths, thoughts sharp with caution.* If I visit Hector first, Joy might wake up. Wanted to show him this pet, but it's a bad idea. Better train her outside town* The town's hum grew louder, clattering carts, murmured voices, the clink of coins, as he wove through narrow alleys, emerging between the warm, flour-dusted air of the bakery and the rowdy chatter spilling from the tavern.

To his right, Veridia's exit loomed in the distance, where wagons and carriages stood waiting, their wooden frames creaking softly. Tyler strode toward the exit, Joy still bundled in his arms, the blanket's coarse weave brushing his hands.As he moved through the crowd, curious glances flicked his way, eyes lingering on the mysterious bundle. Tyler's jaw tightened, ignoring their stares, his steps quickening toward the town's edge.

He passed by the wagons, leaving the marketplace, leaving Veridia behind. He followed the road, the same route the carriages took. As he walked, he pondered: *Why doesn't Veridia have guards like Aria? Or… is it because Aria is bigger, thus has a stronger defense? He paused, considering. *I suppose it makes sense. I mean, Lyria didn't even have a wall that the other towns have… Well, it is a village, after all.*

He picked up his pace, jogging, and then broke into a run. In moments, he reached his destination, far, far away from Veridia. He was back in the vast green plain where he had trained with Grone. He found himself near the fallen tree, and his gaze lingered on it. Memories of Grone flooded back, their combat, the grueling training, the heavy rocks he was made to carry. A wave of nostalgia washed over him, and the memory of their combat filled him up. He began to miss Grone even more, the memory causing fresh ache in his chest. He sighed, a heavy sound.

He gently placed Joy on the ground, then slowly, with a dramatic pause, uncovered her.

He jumped back, startled. Joy's eyes were wide open, staring at him.

"Whoa, you startled me," he said, laughing.

She pushed herself up, sitting, and then scrambled to her feet.

He was surprised. "Were you already up this whole time?"

He grinned, his mood brightening, his excitement bubbling over. "Okay," he said, rubbing his hands together. "It's time for your training. I want to see what you can do!"

The steel-fang dagger shimmered into Tyler's hand, its blade glinting under the morning sun. He spun around, palm outstretched, and muttered, "Room." With a surge of energy, his room skill activated. Ten steps ahead, a structure materialized, blue light flickering as steel bricks stacked themselves, forming walls that gleamed with a metallic sheen.

The flat roof capped it, smooth and reflective, mirroring the grassy expanse around it.Tyler strode to the room, his boots crunching on the brittle grass. Clenching his fist, he let out a small grunt and slammed it into the wall. The structure erupted in a deafening crash, steel blocks and scraps scattering across the ground. Joy's jaw dropped, her mouth forming a perfect O, eyes wide with awe at Tyler's raw strength.

He knelt, gathering silvered steel bricks, their weight heavy in his hands. A sly grin spread across his face as he thought, *If I copied the steel dagger with this room's metal, it's got all the ingredients, right? I should be able to craft more daggers without hunting for materials.* He grinned, weighing the bricks in his hand. "They're heavy enough."

He met Joy's gaze, his smile taking a predatory edge. Then, with a flash, a green vine shimmered from his inventory onto the grass. "Ready for your first training session?" he asked, excitement bubbling in his voice.

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