(Fortress)
Ender leaned back, his muscles finally releasing all the tension from days of battling mobs, mining resources, and relentless crafting. The hot spring is surrounded by carefully placed stones, and a gentle steam rises from the water.
"Who would have thought making a hot spring for decoration would benefit me this much?" he muttered blissfully, sinking deeper until the warm water lapped just below his chin. The heat seemed to seep into his skin, washing away aches he hadn't even realized was there. With each passing moment, his body felt lighter, as if the hot spring was drawing out exhaustion and weariness if there was any, leaving only calm and contentment.
He looked around, admiring the subtle beauty of his surroundings. The natural stone platform he had crafted blended perfectly with the water, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a Japanese onsen, secluded and peaceful. It wasn't just the water that felt healing; the whole setting felt like a reward—a place to pause and reflect on everything he had built.
"This healing effect… man, it makes all those streams worth it," he said, a small smile playing on his lips.
As he leaned back, feeling the warmth of the spring wrap around him like a comforting blanket, his thoughts drifted to his previous world—the world he hadn't seen in so long, a place that now felt almost dreamlike. He had known exhaustion, stress, and the daily grind there too, but never had he felt the deep, peaceful stillness that this place gave him. Perhaps it was the spring's effect or perhaps the quiet solitude of this world, but he felt every worry and ache dissolve into the water, leaving only his memories and a deep, unfamiliar calm.
Sinking deeper into the warmth of the spring, Ender's mind began to drift toward new plans, ideas that stirred excitement and broke through the quiet.
Suddenly, as if struck by lightning, Ender jolted upright, the calm tranquility that had filled him moments before now vanished in an instant. He stood there, water dripping down his muscular yet lean physique, his expression shifting from serene contemplation to intense realization. It was as if a forgotten spark had been reignited deep within him, burning away every other thought and focusing his mind sharply on a single thought "If animals are alive in this world… my pets should be here too."
Without wasting another moment, Ender stepped out of the steaming spring, feeling the warmth linger on his skin as he 'equipped' his clothes.
Dressing swiftly, he made his way toward the small houses he had built for his pets, expecting to see the familiar creatures that had once kept him company in the game. However, as he approached, his steps faltered, his eyes widening in disbelief.
What once were simple, blocky pets had transformed into majestic, creatures straight out of fantasy.
A towering black wolf stood at the forefront, its luminous green eyes, it was exuding an aura of raw power. But despite its fearsome appearance, Ender felt an undeniable connection to the beast—a bond far deeper than before.
"That's definitely Fenrir," Ender murmured, recognition settling in. His loyal wolf had evolved beyond what he had ever imagined.
Next, his gaze landed on a sleek black cat, its fur shimmering with an eerie glow as it sat perched elegantly atop a stone pillar. Its slitted golden eyes met his, filled with intelligence and mystery. This was once an ocelot, a simple companion that had kept creepers at bay during his late-night construction projects.
"Bast," he whispered, watching as the feline flicked its tail, acknowledging him with a slow, deliberate blink.
Then his attention was drawn to the massive skeleton horse standing silently in the shadows. But this was no ordinary skeletal steed—its bones pulsed with an eerie green fire, the flames licking the air like ghostly wisps. Even more striking, it no longer had just four legs. Instead, eight powerful limbs carried its monstrous frame, making it look like something straight out of a nightmare or legend.
"Sleipnir…" Ender breathed, his voice tinged with awe. The once-simple skeleton horse had transformed into a spectral war mount, one that looked like it belonged to a ghostly rider from the Wild West, or perhaps something even more terrifying.
"Obviously he belongs to me," he chuckled.
Then he remembered something.
"Shit! Oh God, what have I done!" He realizes that he did name some animals for fun and jumps in horror making his pets look at him with concern.
Just then, he felt several auras approaching them, and each of them was powerful enough to cause panic across cities.
His pets transformed into their battle forms, sensing the approaching auras. Though none of them were more powerful than themselves, the numbers were alarming.
Ender calmly stood up, thanking himself that he didn't name all animals after legendary evil beings. That would have been a disaster.
Then he sees a hill 'running' towards him and as he looks closer he grimaces at the giant hill that was the white fox he found in the ice biome and decides to keep it as a trophy, and names it Kurama, be could not help but regret it now since now its snow-white fur had turned red, he just hope this guy hadn't inherited Kyubi's personality that would be a pain ass to deal, he could feel Fenrir growling the fox also stops at a distance growling at Fenrir.
He didn't have time to mediate between them as a horde of 'cows' reached them; Ender mentally sighed in relief that he didn't name all of them Tauros. Miltank milk was said to be delicious.
"This will take a long time to deal with." He pinches his forehead before deciding to abuse his authority.
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