After the long walk back, the group finally reached the town in the warm afternoon light. The sun had dipped from its peak, casting a golden glow over the streets as they made their way through the bustling crowds.Their steps were heavy but they are satisfied. They'd made it out of the Dungeon in one piece, prize in hand, and they had managed to teach Gervas and his team a lesson, a very valuable lesson that is.Once they arrived at the inn, they gathered in the room shared by John and Marik with quiet excitement hanging in the air.This was the moment they'd been waiting for — a chance to see the Emberfruit in action and to watch their Beasts grow stronger from the treasure.Just as they were getting settled, Irene hesitated at the doorway. She flashed them a small smile, though John couldn't help noticing the hint of sadness in her eyes.She cleared her throat and said, "I think I'll go take a look around for a bit. You guys have fun feeding the Emberfruit to your Beasts, alright?"Amel and Marik exchanged a knowing glance. They could see through Irene's attempt at cheerfulness — she was putting on a brave face and hiding the disappointment of having no Beast of her own to share in this experience.Before leaving, Irene pulled her own Emberfruit from her pack. She stepped over to John and held it out."Here," she said softly with gentle tone. "Take this. You've got two Beasts to feed so you can use mine."John blinked in surprise, shaking his head."No way. I got this for everyone; it's yours. You can sell it if you want — it's valuable enough. You earned it, too."But Irene just shook her head, offering him a wistful smile."It's better used on your Beasts than sitting in my pocket or being sold. Besides... they deserve it after everything we went through." Her gaze softened, and she added quietly, "Just... make good use of it, alright?"John hesitated, seeing the genuine sincerity in her eyes. He didn't want to take it but Irene also insisted.Irene pressed it into his hand, he realized he didn't have a choice. With a small nod, he accepted the fruit."I'll make sure I'll use it well," John said.With one last smile, Irene nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her quietly.As the latch clicked shut, the silence felt heavier somehow.Amel sighed, folding her arms as she looked down at the Emberfruit in John's hand."She really wanted that, didn't she?" Amel murmured.Marik nodded, his face troubled. "It's rough... having no Beast of her own. She hides it well, but I think it gets to her more than she lets on."John looked down at the Emberfruit, feeling a pang of guilt. He knew this moment would mean so much more if Irene could be a part of it but he also understood the depth of her generosity.She'd sacrificed her own reward for the sake of his Beasts, showing the strength of her kind hert. Even though they just met yesterday.He turned to Miki and Inky. "Let's not waste this."They looked at one another, nodding in agreement.Marik went first. He take a small piece of his Emberfruit and approaching his turtle on the floor. He held the Emberfruit piece up, allowing his turtle to sniff and sense its energy. Then, with gentle hands he placed it in his Beast's mouth.The turtle's eyes glowed faintly, and a shimmering aura began to form around it as it absorbed the power of the fruit.Marik watched as the strength of his companion seemed to grow right before his eyes.This is the first time for them using the Emberfruit cause its so rare. And they didn't think that they will see the change this clear.Amel followed, cradling her yellow bird in her hands. The bird blinked up at her, chirping softly as she brought the Emberfruit close.Following the same process, Amel offered her bird a small piece then channeling her bond with it as it nibbled the Emberfruit.A radiant glow enveloped the little bird and it chirped in delight as its feathers shone with a brighter, more vibrant hue. Amel couldn't help but grin with excitement shining in her eyes.Finally, John turned to Inky. The black hound Beast's eyes shimmered with a deep glow, understanding that something important was about to happen.John repeated Amel's steps. He hold up the Emberfruit and letting Inky sense its energy before breaking off a small piece and placing it in his mouth.The Emberfruit's warmth pulsed as he channeled his bond with Inky, focusing on the connection they shared.Inky's fur rippled with power, turning even darker and richer, and his body tensed with new strength as the energy took hold.Miki watched the process with wide sparkling eyes, his tail flicking in eager anticipation.When Inky's turn was over, John turned to the rat and chuckling at his barely contained excitement.He trotted over, his nose twitching as he sniffed at the Emberfruit.John broke off another piece from the fruit Irene gave him and carefully feeding it to the rat as he channeled their bond.Miki's eyes glowed with a wild and primal light and his fur seemed to shimmer with subtle sparks, reflecting the Emberfruit's fiery essence. He let out a happy squeek.As each Beast absorbed the Emberfruit's power from each bite until the fruits was consumed fully, a subtle but palpable change filled the room.The air felt charged with energy and their Beasts now seemed somehow more stronger.The group exchanged glances with smiles of satisfaction passing between them.John felt a gentle warmth in his chest, then his vision blurred slightly, followed by the familiar glow of a bunch of text screen flashing before his eyes.-----Beast Strengthening Complete!Inky: Strength +10, Agility +15, Endurance +15Miki: Strength +10, Agility +15, Endurance +11-----Each line giving him more insight into the transformations his Beasts had undergone.John felt a surge of happiness as he read through their updated stats — both Inky and Miki had gained a significant boost so now they become much stronger and faster than before.He could feel it, too; there was an unspoken power emanating from both of them.-----Achievement Unlocked: Emberfruit Adept!Congratulations! You have successfully used an Emberfruit to enhance your Beasts.Effect: Increased familiarity with rare Beast-enhancement items. Your Beasts respond better to power-infused items, so a slight boosts will be added upon future uses.-----John's eyes widened. This wasn't just a one-time benefit — the achievement promised a slight edge whenever he used Beast ehancement items again.He grinned, a feeling of satisfaction in his chest. He had taken a first step towards something greater, a potential path he hadn't even expect when he first entered this world.---