I'm Sivar (2)

The reason Soul World boasts such a solid fanbase isn't just its captivating worldview—its growth system also earns rave reviews. At first glance, it might sound ordinary. But the key is that growth applies not only to me but to NPCs and even monsters.

Suppose you fail to hunt a monster and it escapes. That monster could return stronger later. You can tell because the system notifies you, or you spot scars etched on the monster—like a missing eye or a massive gash across its chest.

That's one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reason fans call it a god game.

'What the hell did that thing do to grow like this?'

I eyed Porori, now the size of a large dog and cloaked in blue lightning. It used to be smaller, without any lightning. Yet in the time I hadn't seen it, it'd undergone insane growth. Something I'd never witnessed even in the game.

Countless players had spared Porori instead of killing it. Even then, it just grew—it never transformed like this.

Is it because I adapted to the wild? We'd clashed endlessly, constantly invading each other's territories. That let us both grow. But the growth exploded after I awakened my red mana.

'What, it's not Pikachu or something.'

Should I start calling it Pikachu now? Ridiculous. But no time for nonsense. Controlling lightning alone makes it dangerous.

'To wield lightning directly... only divinity could do that.'

The god presumed to have brought me here. Among them, one grants control over lightning. If Porori truly received power from that god, it was no longer a mere 'monster.' In the Soul World lore, it was highly likely an extremely rare spiritual beast.

Crackle! Blue sparks flew as Porori took a step forward. Its intent was clear. Today, it wanted revenge. I'd won our last bout and left my mark.

I stepped forward too. From behind, Luna spoke in a flustered tone.

"W-We should back off. It's dangerous here."

"But Sivar..."

"Don't wanna get zapped? Then move it!"

"O-Okay! Don't die, Sivar!"

With Ellie's half-cheer, half-worry, they retreated. Now I could fight freely. Porori, hating interruptions, charged faster once they left. I matched its speed.

We started with steps, then broke into a run. Soon, Porori barreled toward me on all fours. I gripped my axe tight and charged, legs pounding.

Lightning made my fur stand on end as we closed in.

"Kyaaang!"

Porori, massive as a large dog, leaped high, swinging its tail wreathed in blue lightning. Its second-best weapon after Iron Mountain—tail ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠strike. I'd taken one before; all my ribs shattered.

I swung my axe hard. Red mana shimmered faintly along the blade.

Clang! Not the sound of tail on stone axe. Clear and pure, like metal on metal.

Kaboom!! Massive forces collided, unleashing a shockwave. It hurled us both back.

Flight felt eternal.

Rumble! I slammed into something hard like stone. Debris rained down from the impact.

I ignored the pain, scrambling up. I'd flown into the cave, hit the wall. My bored etchings—gone. Bonus: a new cave entrance.

"Hoo."

I brushed rubble from my head, scanning for Porori. It flew far too; it'd need time to regroup. Perfect for me.

First, my left-hand axe. Tail clash charred the handle bare. Cheap materials, inevitable. Good thing I made spares.

I grabbed stone axe and spear from the wall, one per hand.

'Coming.' Instinct screamed. Porori recovered, heading my way.

I walked slowly, then bolted. Mana flooded my body, sharpening senses.

Exiting the cave, blue light flickered afar.

Flash! It grew.

Flash! Distance shrank. Like real lightning, each burst closed the gap insanely.

New ability, no doubt. Porori was stronger—unimaginably so. It'd clearly trained hard.

'Impressive.'

Still, I remembered clearly: falling into this forest, it shat on my face. We'd been tied until recently, when I finally got revenge. That must've lit a fire.

Old me? Die or not, whatever. But after meeting them...

'No dying. Not now.'

Hope dawned; no quitting. I gripped my left-hand spear, right foot forward, left arm back. As Porori neared, I hurled.

Throwing—a skill honed in this forest. Just tossing stuff. Mundane, but mastered? Game-changer. Imagine pebbles hitting like bullets.

I had the power and technique.

Whoosh! Spear rocketed, wind exploding. Arrow-fast.

Porori anticipated: Flash! Dodged easily.

Expected. Spears have limits. Against it, consumables. Can't hold red mana well; bare hands better.

Boom! Spear hit ground, exploding huge. Terrain shattered, debris flying. My mana triggered it on impact.

Red mana acts like gunpowder. Nearly hurt me before; caution key. Now? Controlled.

Anyway—Crackle! Porori closed in on lightning speed, body electric.

Familiar sight, but irrelevant. Beat it—that's priority. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠won't lose. I'd raided its turf constantly lately. Still, no slacking. Learned after snake bite: headless vipers bite.

Hummm— Red aura surged on my axe. Max safe capacity; ready to burst.

Porori spun, leaped high, tail slamming down. Centrifugal force amped.

I poured more mana, uppercut hard.

Clang! Pure ring again.

Kaaaaboom!! Explosion blinded.

Beast roars, insect chirps, bird choirs—forest sounds, never noisy. Roars don't echo unless night.

Boom! Crunch! Clang! Bang!

Now? Chaos. Lightning rips, bomb blasts, breaking wood. Tense silence shattered; creatures braced.

Fearing the source neared. Birds fled branches; predators and prey alike scattered.

Luna and Ellie too. They'd waited nearby.

-Raaaaar!

-Kyaaaaang!

"..."

Human and beast roars shook the forest. Luna's face hardened. Unbelievable cries from man and squirrel.

'That squirrel wields lightning...'

Lightning needs divinity. Beasts can't—instinct over reason. Divinity demands abstinence, asceticism. Unbeastlike.

Yet it wielded easily, fighting Sivar nonstop.

'A true spiritual beast?'

Legendary. If so, academy couldn't ignore. Rare, insanely strong. Rarely threaten humans—but when they do, devastation.

Spiritual beasts don't hide in nature. Ancients worshipped; now monsters. Just talkative ones.

Back at academy, report immediately. Chaos ahead.

"Safe to stay?"

"...Must see the outcome."

Reason for waiting: curiosity. Winner exits forest; report depends.

Sivar wins? Report, but no uproar.

"Really okay? Shouldn't help?"

"Wanna die zapped? Go."

"You're top admit. Do something?"

"Not from Hwan Empire. Can't."

Eastern federation, called Hwan Empire. Mystic arts—like deflecting lightning. Natural force rebound.

Luna heard tales, never saw. Academy's easterners average.

"If Sivar dies? He saved us."

"Won't die easy."

"Sure? Or..."

Luna caught oddity mid-rant. Ellie's lips moved, no sound. Like miming.

Thought joke—until

Flash!

Blue-red pillar erupted forest-center. They turned.

Blinding; lightning flickered within. Obvious culprits.

Kaaaa! Pillar swelled, devouring area. Massive blast assaulted ears.

Ellie's silence explained.

Whoooosh!

"Kyaa!"

"Ugh!"

Blast ignored distance. Gale nearly hurled them. Ellie tumbled.

As winds died, Luna lowered guarding arms, eyes opening.

"...My god."

Scene shocked her. Devastation understated. Pillar center: total annihilation. Trees, brush—vanished.

How much power? Closer, they'd be gone. Thought safe; wrong.

"Ugh... Huh? W-What? Where's the forest?"

"..."

"Sivar? Is Sivar okay?"

"Check."

Luna moved. Anxious Ellie followed.

Such blast? Neither survives. Maybe no bodies.

They reached crater. Huge from explosion. Cave debris nearby; suspicious murals gone.

"L-Luna! There! Look!"

"...Seeing it."

Crater center: unconscious Sivar, squirrel. Alive or dead? Forms intact. Tough bodies.

They descended carefully. Sivar first.

"Sivar! You oka—!"

Ellie gasped mid-word. Luna's face stiffened.

Dire. Beyond grave; dead on sight. Charred black from lightning, scarce intact flesh. Limbs twisted, crushed dents.

Corpse, obviously. Miracle: loincloth intact. Irrelevant now.

"P-Potion. Quick, potion."

"...Ellie."

"Potion'll fix it. So..."

Ellie yanked emergency potion from bag. Futile for this state—she knew. Desperate grasp. Couldn't let savior go.

"Stop. Too late."

Luna pitied too. Wall murals' secret—lost forever.

Ellie ignored, dousing Sivar. Couldn't feed; flesh fused. Best effort.

'That squirrel...'

While Ellie tried, Luna eyed squirrel. Less charred—self-lightning? But worse wounds. Tail, limbs grotesquely twisted. Chest: deep five-claw gashes, beast-like.

'How a mere squirrel...'

Unbelievable. True spiritual beast?

As Luna stepped closer—

Crack! Pop! Snap!

Weird sounds from 'dead' Sivar. Luna froze.

Turning: impossible sight.

"Wh-What?"

"What in the..."

Reversing. Beyond 'recovery'—reverting perfectly. Charred skin sloughed like molt, pale new beneath. Shattered bones realigned.

Lightning-burnt hair, beard? Regrew sharply defined.

Pop! Crack! Soon, original form.

Inhuman speed, regeneration. Potion effect?

"Ugh..."

As they gawked, recovered Sivar groaned. Blinked through bangs, head turning—to Ellie.

"Si-Sivar! Conscious? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠H-How many fingers?"

Ellie waved two, forgetting he barely spoke.

"Shit..."

Predictable response. Simple, but meant: 'Dizzy. Fingers away.'