After absorbing the first spatial gem and unlocking my internal storage ability—now officially called *The Klou Space*—life felt just a bit... lighter.
Imagine this: I used to roll food, rocks, and my kids around like an unpaid delivery truck. But now? One cubic meter of freedom, full of memories and potential.
Well… it's still a little cramped.
"Cimut, you can't go in with the boulder!" I shouted, pulling out a big rock that nearly crushed my child.
"Dad… this place smells like a shoe cabinet soaked in shrimp paste," Cimut complained while slipping back out.
I sighed. This wasn't gonna cut it in the long run. I needed an upgrade.
Luckily… there were *more* spatial gems in that treasure pile.
Bigger. Brighter. And definitely more tempting.
> [Corrupted System Speaking…]
> "Spatial Gem detected. Larger than previous one. Warning: Not recommended for sensitive digestion."
Sensitive?
Please. I'm a rotten egg. My digestive system died before I even hatched.
I absorbed it without hesitation.
It felt like swallowing a piece of cold light.
My Klou Space trembled… then expanded.
> [Spatial Gem Absorbed.]
> [Internal Storage Space Lv.2]
> New Capacity: 3 cubic meters
> Status: Persistent stink. Do not store soft goods near food.
"Woohoo! I can carry a whole rock family and a full meat stash at the same time!"
The kids stared at me, half impressed, half concerned.
"If Dad can store a lot now, can we sell the stuff later in the city?" Oyen asked with hope in his voice.
I nodded. "That's the plan. If we're gonna disguise as solo golems for the tournament, we'll need emergency funds."
And so began our biggest experiment yet.
---
We started collecting the scattered crystals inside the cave.
Some glowed red like fire, others blue like ice, some yellow with a soft buzz... and one of them felt… weird.
Like it was twisting time itself.
"Ayah… this one makes time feel slower," whispered Putih, nervous.
"Don't touch it," I said seriously. "That's high-level stuff. Let's stick to the basics for now."
I tested a small fire crystal—leftover from some melted stones.
As it merged with me, my body warmed up slightly, and...
> [Fire Crystal Absorbed.]
> [Potential Skill Unlocked: Stinky Fire Breath Lv.1]
> Status: Manual activation required. Risk: May burn off your signature stink.
Wait. What?!
I can... breathe fire? But smelly?
While I was still processing that disaster of a skill name, the kids got curious.
"Can I try this one, Dad?" asked Hitam, pointing to a buzzing brown crystal—earth type.
"Go ahead, but be careful. You can only absorb crystals that match your natural element."
Turns out I was right.
- Oyen absorbed a small fire crystal, causing little sparks when he rolls.
- Hitam absorbed earth, boosting his shell.
- Putih could only interact with ice crystals—he got a bit frostier.
- Belang failed with anything except camouflage stones.
- Abu took in a wind crystal, so now he bounces farther.
- Cimut touched a sound crystal, which boosted her voice tremor powers.
- Lurik… said he's waiting for a shadow or dark-type crystal. Classic Lurik.
I took notes.
Each kid can only absorb their elemental match—but they can grow with the right crystals.
---
That day, we weren't just disguised golems anymore.
We were crystal collectors, aroma researchers, and future shady merchants in a monster city.
As night fell, I stared into my upgraded Klou Space.
It was filled with rocks, meat, and... a stale piece of bread I'd somehow kept for two days.
"One gem at a time. One stink at a time. We'll conquer this world... rolling with style."