Eddie's dream of striking it rich shattered as he discovered a tiny crack in the egg he had risked so much to steal.
The once potentially valuable nine-headed beast's egg, now just an expensive omelet-to-be, symbolized a squandered opportunity.
Resigned to his fate, Eddie decided to turn his frustration into sustenance. At the foot of the ancient oak tree, he lit a fire and roasted the egg, indulging in a feast that felt more like a consolation than a triumph.
While Grey Wolf relished the meal, seemingly rejuvenated by the egg's potent nourishment, Eddie couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.
Hours passed, and there was still no sign of his sister Sophia or Yehken and the Ly brothers.
Climbing onto a large branch of the ancient oak, Eddie settled in for a nap, half-hoping for a comforting visit from his sword spirit, but she remained elusive.
During his training in the dream, Eddie's frustration caused his energy to churn tumultuously within him, disrupting his usually smooth flow of sword energy.
This was a new challenge for him; the energy, possibly derived from the nine-headed beast's egg, seemed ready to explode.
Faced with this dilemma, Eddie had a flash of insight: Why not harness this volatile energy?
This could be a test in his training, a hurdle to overcome for further growth.
With renewed determination, Eddie prepared to channel and release this tumultuous force, viewing it as a crucial step in his journey.
In a moment of intense focus, Eddie brought his hands together, fingers interlocked, uniting his heart, form, and energy.
The culmination of his internal energy, poised on the brink of explosive release, burst forth in a resounding cry as he channeled it through his hands. This resulted in a sword energy half a meter long, slicing through the air with an unprecedented force, ten times more powerful than his usual strikes.
After unleashing this formidable energy, Eddie felt a draining sensation, more intense than ever before, leaving him dizzy and weak.
To his astonishment, he realized he had inadvertently created a new sword technique, a product of his own comprehension.
Although it drained all his energy and could only be executed once, the sheer power of this new move filled him with a deep sense of accomplishment and exhilaration.
He pondered whether the release of the pent-up energy or his uplifted mood was the catalyst for this breakthrough.
Regardless, he felt invigorated, as if he could roar like a tiger and dance like a dragon. He mused that if the Sword Spirit were to witness his progress, she would surely share his joy.
As Eddie slept, unaware, the residual energy from his sword strike transformed into a dark energy sphere.
The ancient oak tree bathed him in a gentle green light, absorbing the dark energy.
Unseen to Eddie, this energy was drawn into Grey Wolf, who underwent a remarkable transformation, growing an additional head and becoming a two-headed wolf, all while writhing in pain in its sleep.
Under the gentle cascade of the ancient oak tree's green light, the tumultuous changes in Grey Wolf eventually subsided, returning it to its original form, as if the bizarre two-headed appearance had never existed. In its sleep, Grey Wolf yawned contentedly, and a faint wisp of black mist, like a bubble, emerged from its mouth.
This mist, seemingly exhausted of its energy, vanished into nothingness under the final shower of green light.
The oak tree's glow faded into the quiet of the night, leaving Eddie and Grey Wolf in peaceful slumber, oblivious to the night's extraordinary events.
The next day, Eddie awoke to find Grey Wolf had undergone a curious transformation.
It still resembled the Iron Ridge Demon Wolf from the day before, but upon closer inspection, Eddie was shocked to discover it had evolved into a Two-Headed Demon Wolf. Despite only having one head, the transformation was undeniable.
Puzzled, Eddie wondered if this change was a result of consuming the egg of the Nine-Headed Beast.
Eddie was relieved he hadn't morphed into a two-headed monstrosity himself after eating the egg, but the incident served as a cautionary tale about the unpredictable consequences of consuming such powerful entities.
He couldn't help but worry about Grey Wolf's future transformations; the thought of it becoming a Nine-Headed Demon Wolf was unnerving.
Eddie checked on Grey Wolf, who appeared to be in good health, with only a single soul present for a potential contract.
However, the wolf's internal energy was a strange amalgamation of three distinct forces: the dominant evil energy from the Demon King Hasin, representing the fire attribute, and two new energies, one chaotic and the other pure and natural, forming a delicate balance within.
The pure, natural energy within Grey Wolf, though less dominant than the evil energy, had astonishingly transformed its dark attribute into a serene life force. This tranquil energy infused Grey Wolf with an indescribable vitality.
Eddie couldn't comprehend how the dark attribute could undergo such a transformation, nor could he pinpoint the origin of this pure, natural energy. Half-jokingly, he wondered if a passing deity had taken pity on Grey Wolf for being bullied and granted it this power.
However, Eddie was certain that the third type of energy, the chaotic and strange energy, originated from the Nine-Headed Beast, harmonizing with the wolf's metal attribute.
Although Grey Wolf hadn't leveled up, Eddie sensed it had grown significantly stronger. He anticipated a substantial surge in Grey Wolf's strength once the three energies fully integrated.
Eddie, curious about Grey Wolf's new form, asked it to transform into its two-headed version. However, Grey Wolf, unaware of its newfound ability, hung its head low in confusion. Eddie was about to reprimand the wolf when he suddenly noticed a bloodied figure staggering towards them in the distance. It was Yehken.
Eddie's heart sank as he rushed to support the badly injured Yehken, anxiously inquiring, "What happened to you? How did you get like this? What's going on?"