With the Obsidian Coil defeated, Adam used his powerful tail to fish the massive, cooling corpse from the edge of the magma lake. He consumed the serpent, the dense, mineral-rich flesh flooding his system with power. Two key notifications appeared.

[ Fire Breath Fragment: 1.0/1.0! ]

[ New Skill Acquired: Fire Breath (Active) - Cost: High Mana ]

Effect:Unleash a cone of searing flame from your maw.

[ Skill Fragment Acquired: Obsidian Shard (0.8/1.0) ]

[ Skill Synergy Detected: Obsidian Shard & Crystal Shard Shot ]

[ Skills have been merged and upgraded! ]

[ New Skill Acquired: Ember Shard Shot (Active) - Cost: Moderate Mana ]

Effect:Fires a shard of superheated, sharpened obsidian. Deals piercing damage and leaves a lingering burn effect on the target.

The Fire Breath was a classic, powerful addition, and the Ember Shard Shot was a direct upgrade, adding damage over time to his primary ranged attack. He was becoming a true master of fire and force.

But the victory was tempered by the memory of Ignis's recklessness. He turned to the Sun-Scale Lizard, his mental voice stern.

"Ignis, what you did was foolish. Charging in without a plan could have gotten you killed, or gotten one of us killed. We are a team. We move together, on my command. Do you understand?"

Ignis's proud posture deflated. Her head drooped, and she let out a low, sizzling whimper. "I... I just wanted to help. To be strong for you."

A distinct, mocking laugh echoed in Adam's mind. "Serves her right!" Alice chirped, her earlier frustration now replaced by smug satisfaction. "Let the stupid lizard feel bad."

"Enough, Alice," Adam chided gently before returning his focus to Ignis. "I know your intent was good. And your bravery was crucial in the end; you drew its fire perfectly. But bravery without discipline is just recklessness. Do not let it happen again."

Ignis looked up, her golden eyes wide. She nodded vigorously. "I understand. I listen. I follow."

Adam softened, coiling the tip of his tail to gently stroke the side of her head. "Good. You fought well."

The simple praise instantly revived her spirits, her scales glowing a bit brighter.

Their exploration of the cavern yielded one more prize. In a stone basin formed from cooled lava, they found a small pool of shimmering, ruby-red liquid that seemed to be condensed fire essence.

[ Discovered: Essence of the Molten Core ]

[ Effect: Greatly enhances the fire affinity and power of fire-aspected creatures. ]

"This is for you, Ignis," Adam said. "It will make you stronger."

Ignis needed no further encouragement. She eagerly lapped up the entire pool, her body flaring with intense heat for a moment before the energy settled. A quick check of her status confirmed it.

[ Companion: Ignis is nearing evolution! ]

[ Evolution Points: 95/100 ]

The familiar, grim routine of the hunt began once more. Leaving the oppressive heat of the Molten Deeps behind, Adam led his small party through a series of winding, crystalline caverns. The air was cool and carried the faint, electric tang of geomana.

A pack of crystalline scorpions scuttled into view, their bodies glittering in the faint light. It was a perfect opportunity.

"Alright, let's test this properly," Adam thought, focusing on the newly upgraded skill. He felt mana condense in his maw, not into a simple crystal, but into a shard of superheated, razor-edged obsidian. With a sharp exhale, he unleashed Ember Shard Shot.

FWOOM!

The projectile was faster and left a faint trail of smoke. It struck the lead scorpian not with a thud, but with a sharp crack, punching clean through its chitinous armor. Where it struck, the crystal shell blackened and glowed with embers, a clear burn effect taking hold. The scorpion thrashed in agony.

"It's stronger. Much stronger," Adam mused, satisfied. The piercing power was markedly improved.

"Good shot, Boss!" Ignis chirped, bouncing on her feet. She unleashed her own Solar Flare, finishing off a second scorpion. After the fight, she trotted up to Adam, her tail whipping back and forth excitedly. "My evolution! It's so close! I can feel it! Just a little more!" Her joy was palpable, a bright, eager flame.

From her perch on Adam's head, Alice let out a low, grumbling growl that vibrated through his skull. She stared down at the fire lizard, her void-like fur bristling.

'She gets to evolve so fast,' Alice projected, her telepathic voice a sulky whisper in his mind. 'I am your first. My evolution should be sooner.'

Adam could feel the heat of her jealousy. He gently nudged her with the side of his head. "Don't worry, Alice. Your time will come. Your void abilities are incredibly powerful. When you evolve next, it will be something spectacular. I'm sure of it."

'...Promise?'

"Promise."

His reassurance seemed to calm her, though she continued to watch Ignis with a possessive, competitive glare.

Suddenly, the routine was shattered. From a side tunnel, a large, six-legged badger-like monster burst into the cavern. It wasn't hunting. It was fleeing, its eyes wide with panic, ignoring them completely as it scrambled past and vanished down another passage.

Instinct took over.

"Deep Camouflage!"

Adam's command was a silent, internal one. His obsidian scales instantly darkened, blending seamlessly with the shadows of the cavern wall. The vibrant glow from his volcanic hide and Ignis's sun-scales dimmed to near invisibility.

They were hidden, but not safe. Adam immediately began moving, slithering with utter silence towards a large cluster of glowing mushrooms and fractured crystals, pulling his companions into a more defensible position.

Then, he felt it. A pressure. A predatory aura that made the very air feel heavy. His Acute Smell picked up a scent—wet fur, old blood, and ozone.

Something was coming.

From the same tunnel the badger had fled, a new predator emerged. It was a wolf, but a nightmare rendition of one. It stood as tall as a horse, its muscles coiled under a coat of shaggy, grey-black fur. And from its shoulders, not one, but two snarling heads grew, each with slavering jaws and intelligent, cruel yellow eyes. Curving from its brow, above each set of eyes, was a pair of jagged, bone-white horns.

The two-headed, horned wolf stopped in the center of the cavern, both heads lifting to sniff the air, searching for the prey it knew was there.

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