POV: Kaito
Age (Kaito): 5
Date: April, X770
Season: Spring
Location: Rosemary Village → Forest Ridge → Old Quarry Path
---
Daily routine evolved.
Not by accident—by design.
Hunting wasn't just about meat anymore.
It was about materials.
Kaito chewed through breakfast—dense, heavy, deliberate—then added a second portion without blinking.
> "Predator"
Intake registered.
Energy surplus allocated.
Secondary function unlocked: Material separation & storage (non-organic / processed organic).
"Good," Kaito muttered. "We're upgrading."
Erza lifted a brow. "You say that like it's normal."
He glanced at her weighted vest, the reinforced bracers, the calm fire in her eyes.
"It is. For us."
She smirked. "Then lead."
---
They moved past the usual routes—toward the old quarry path where monsters wandered less frequently, but resources were richer.
Broken stone. Iron-veined rock. Monster carcasses with tougher hides.
Erza took point again—blade ready, posture aggressive.
"You're scanning," she said without looking back.
"Always," Kaito replied.
> "Grate Sage"
Material density detected ahead.
Targets of interest:
— Ironhide Boar (reinforced hide)
— Razorhorn Stag (bone quality: high)
— Low-grade mana-reactive ore (trace)
Recommendation: Prioritize clean kills to preserve integrity.
"Three targets," Kaito said quietly. "We hunt smart."
Erza grinned. "Always do."
They struck fast.
The boar went down first—Erza drove it into position, Kaito finished with a clean joint break. No damage to the hide.
The stag tried to flee.
Erza sprinted.
Kaito didn't chase—he cut off escape, predicting its route before it made the turn. One precise strike. Done.
They didn't celebrate.
They worked.
Kaito knelt beside the carcass, hands steady.
> "Predator"
Separating materials…
— Usable muscle tissue stored
— Dense hide isolated
— Bone marrow preserved
— Waste discarded
The process was quiet. Efficient. Almost surgical.
Erza watched closely. "…You're not even rushing."
"I don't need to," he said. "Predator handles separation. I decide priority."
She crouched beside him, eyes sharp. "This hide—"
"—will reinforce your future armor," he finished. "Flexible. Durable. Layered over metal."
Her lips curved. "You're planning far ahead."
He met her gaze. "So are you. You just don't say it."
She didn't deny it.
They moved to the quarry edge next, prying loose iron-veined stone and trace ore. It wasn't magical—not yet—but it reacted faintly when Erza held it.
She froze. "…Did you feel that?"
"Yes," Kaito said calmly.
> "Grate Sage"
Observation: Mana sensitivity detected in companion.
Status: Dormant, responsive.
Recommendation: Continued exposure + physical conditioning.
Erza clenched her fist around the stone. "So it's real."
"It always was."
She looked at him—eyes intense, not afraid.
"Then make something with it."
He smiled. "I already am."
---
They returned heavy-loaded—but not slowed.
Predator stored processed materials cleanly. Nothing wasted. Nothing damaged.
By the time they reached the village, Erza rolled her shoulders, eyes bright despite the fatigue.
"You realize," she said casually, "people are going to start asking questions."
Kaito shrugged. "Let them."
She leaned closer, voice low. "You really don't hide anything."
"Not from you."
She stopped walking.
He stopped too.
She looked up at him, expression sharp and honest. "Good. Because I'm not hiding either."
He stepped closer, close enough to feel her heat.
"Then we'll be obvious together."
She smirked. "Bold."
"You like that."
She didn't argue.
---
That night, the shed filled with promise.
Hides stretched. Bones cleaned. Ore stacked.
Kaito sketched again—armor contours matching Erza's stance, weapon balance tuned to her grip.
Erza leaned over his shoulder, close enough that her hair brushed his cheek.
"Too close?" she asked.
"Not close enough," he replied.
She laughed softly. Then—serious—"Don't stop building like this."
He met her eyes. "I won't. And neither will you."
They worked until their arms ached and the stars burned bright overhead.
Meat dried. Ore waited. Designs sharpened.
Tomorrow would bring more.
Hunt.
Gather.
Grow.
And when the time came—
Erza's armor wouldn't just protect her.
It would answer her will.
---