Sael stood over the massive corpse of the guardian beast, its hulking form still radiating an eerie presence even in death. The sheer size of the creature made harvesting it a daunting task, but before anything else, he had an idea.

  "Let's see if I can store this thing," he muttered, reaching out with his system interface.

  A blue notification flickered in his vision.

  System Alert: Object exceeds storage capacity. Unable to store.

  Sael exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Figures. It’s way too big."

  Rhea crossed her arms, staring at the beast’s unmoving form. "So, what now? We can’t exactly drag it with us."

  A thought formed in Sael’s mind. He looked over the beast’s armor-plated hide, the thick tendrils ending in vicious claws, and the jagged, bone-like protrusions along its back. It was built like a fortress, monstrous and terrifying—yet incredibly powerful.

  "We don’t take all of it," Sael said, stepping closer. "We take the best parts."

  He summoned his exo-suit, the familiar bear-like construct materializing before him. The adamantite and mithril frame gleamed in the dim light, its pistons and springs still in perfect working condition. The cannon on its right arm, salvaged from a previous battle, had served him well, but it was time to push the design further.

  Using his tools, Sael began extracting the guardian beast’s natural weaponry. The chitin plating, nearly impervious to regular blades, came first—large enough to reinforce the armor of his suit. Then, he cut away several of the clawed tendrils, noting their incredible flexibility and strength. If he could integrate them into the exo-suit, they could act as additional melee weapons.

  Piece by piece, he started incorporating the modifications. The first test was reinforcing the bear suit’s existing frame with the guardian beast’s plating, reshaping and affixing it to key points for added protection. The dark, organic armor meshed eerily well with the metallic construct, giving it a more monstrous silhouette.

  Next, he focused on the tendrils. By connecting them to the suit’s arms and reinforcing them with enchanted wiring, he managed to create a set of appendages capable of extending and retracting. A few experimental swings proved they were strong enough to puncture through thick bark with ease.

  Rhea watched with a mix of fascination and unease. "You’re really turning that thing into a monster."

  "That’s the idea," Sael said, tightening the last set of fastenings. He took a step back, examining his work. The suit was still in its testing phase, but already it felt different—more powerful, more menacing.

  "This is just the start," he murmured. "Let’s see what else we can do."

  Sael stood before the massive corpse of the guardian beast, his mind racing with ideas. The bear exo-suit had served him well, but this was something different. The guardian beast had been fast, powerful, and terrifying in its movements. If he could replicate even a fraction of that design into a new suit, he wouldn’t just be wearing armor—he’d be wearing a predator.

  He summoned his tools and got to work.

  The first step was the core structure. Unlike the bear suit’s bulky, humanoid frame, this new suit needed to be something sleeker, something that leaned forward as if it were always sprinting toward its prey. He carved away the most intact portions of the guardian beast’s chitin, shaping them into overlapping plates to form an armored shell. The organic plating melded together seamlessly, the dark surface black as night.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Instead of two legs, he constructed four, jointed in a way that mimicked the beast’s own powerful limbs. The forward lean of the design made it look like it was perpetually mid-charge, ready to lunge at a moment’s notice. Each foot ended in razor-sharp claws, meant for digging into surfaces and keeping balance while moving at high speed.

  The front of the suit bore two heavily reinforced arms, each fitted with segmented claws that extended and retracted like a natural weapon. He wanted raw power in those strikes—something that could rip through armor like paper.

  For the final touch, he turned to the guardian beast’s most terrifying feature—its tendrils. He harvested the best ones, modifying their bases to connect directly to the back of the suit. Six in total, their ends still tipped with jagged claws, flexible enough to lash out like whips but strong enough to pierce armor.

  When he stepped back, he could feel a deep satisfaction settle in his chest. This wasn’t just a suit. It was something alive. Something monstrous.

  Before activating the suit, Sael turned back to the fallen guardian beast. If this new creation was going to function, it needed a power source strong enough to drive it. He placed a hand against the beast’s ruined torso, feeling the residual energy still pulsing within.

  With careful precision, he carved into the thick plating, peeling away layers of hardened flesh and chitin until he reached the core. The mana core was massive, its swirling energy still potent despite the creature's defeat. He wrenched it free, the pulsing glow illuminating his face as he held it up.

  Guardian Beast Mana Core

  Taking a deep breath, he worked quickly to install the core into the suit’s chest cavity, integrating the energy channels to align with the chitinous armor. As soon as the final connection was secured, the core pulsed brighter, sending a ripple of energy through the suit.

  [System Message]

  Guardian Beast Suit Crafted:

  A monstrous exosuit made from the remains of a powerful guardian. Its organic armor and tendrils grant high mobility and devastating melee capabilities. Powered by the Guardian Beast’s mana core, it enhances reaction speed and strength beyond human limits.

  Journeyman Crafting skill has leveled up! (Lv. 5)

  Monster Crafting skill has leveled up! (Lv. 5)

  Sael felt the shift immediately. The suit wasn’t just activating—it was coming alive. The tendrils twitched, the plating adjusted, and the entire frame seemed to settle into itself, awaiting a pilot.

  Taking one last look at his work, Sael climbed inside. The organic plating sealed around him, the suit’s systems syncing with his movements. He flexed his arms, feeling the unnatural speed and power coursing through him. This wasn’t just armor. It was something entirely new. Sael reached out, watching as the chitinous plating shifted, the tendrils curling and twitching as he got acquainted with his new creation.

  Rhea whistled low. "That thing looks like a damn nightmare."

  Lyra took a cautious step back. "It’s… organic. Almost like you’re wearing a living creature."

  Sael flexed the suit’s new limbs, feeling the power surging through the design. "Good," he said, his voice filled with quiet excitement. "That’s exactly what I was going for."

  With a significant portion of the guardian beast harvested, Sael turned his attention to what remained of the massive creature. He placed a hand on the towering corpse and focused, attempting to store as much as possible into his system inventory.

  System Message:

  Storing guardian beast materials...

  Large chunks of dark, resilient hide vanished into storage, alongside numerous chitinous plates and razor-sharp tendril claws. Though the entire body was far too large to store, he managed to secure an ample supply of high-quality monster materials—more than enough for future crafting.

  Satisfied with his haul, Sael stepped back and stretched his arms. "That should do it. We can use the rest if we need it later."

  Rhea glanced at the fading remnants of the beast, then at the ruins around them. "So, what now?"

  Sael exhaled, looking toward the metallic structures still humming with faint energy. "We set up camp. We’re going to be here a while."

  As night approached, they worked together, clearing a space in the middle of the ancient ruins. The eerie glow of dormant technology cast dim light over the area, mixing with the soft luminescence of glowstones. Sael summoned the portable tent from his inventory and watched as it assembled itself into existance. The ruins felt both abandoned and alive, their presence now an intrusion into a place long forgotten by time.

  With supplies laid out, a fire burning low, and their makeshift campsite secured, the trio finally had a moment to breathe.