5. Let's Find New Friends
“Mae! Isn't this too much?! Can't you fly a little more comfortably?!”
“...This is faster.”
“This one has lived its whole life on the ground and in the sea. Going up this high gives me vertigo!”
This turtle and hawk had popped up out of nowhere and were bickering right in front of me. Ground and sea, huh. Nice ring to that. I should use it sometime, I thought, filing it away in my mind.
The turtle and Mae sat politely before me, looking completely unrelated yet both waiting expectantly, like they were up for selection.
“Two companions showing up at once? Can I pick both?”
At my words, both Mae and the turtle shook their heads.
“No. You can only choose one of us.”
“That's right!”
So it was decision time. “Alright, then. Tell me what each of you does best.”
The choice was mine. Salespeople have to hustle, right? The turtle and Mae exchanged glances, and the turtle stepped forward first.
“Ahem. Allow this one to introduce itself.”
The turtle spoke with a grave expression, pouring out its pitch. “Above all, I must mention my tremendous defensive power and combat strength. This sturdy shell can block even a god's attacks. I'm a bit slow, true, but I make up for it with various ranged attack options. Think of me as a natural fortress.”
Hmm. Got it. Pretty obvious from the looks alone.
“Next.”
Mae, unlike the turtle, tossed out a casual line. “...I can fly. No need to scout on foot.”
“Okay. Mae it is.”
“What do you mean by that?!”
Before the turtle could protest, I'd already sealed the contract with Mae. Sorry, turtle, but I'd decided the moment I saw them. I was already worried about leaving the house empty during scouting runs. Having someone handle recon would make life way easier.
“Okay, turtle, thanks for your efforts. What happens now? Do you vanish?”
“Well, I'll hang around the house until the next choice. You may not command heaven and earth, but you're no mere insect feeder.”
“This'll be fun.”
I'd worried unchosen beasts might die or disappear, but nope. Looked like I could pick again once my Taming level went up. Better to grab the most urgent ones first from now on. One less worry off my chest.
The chosen Mae spoke with a solemn face. “...My falconer. I shall do my utmost.”
“Your what?”
“Falconer. The one who raises hawks.”
Whoa, did it think I didn't know that? Taking my joke seriously showed its personality loud and clear. But that rigid demeanor might be exactly why I could trust it with important stuff.
“Nyangnyang turns into a huge tiger. What can you do?”
“Something like this, perhaps.”
Mae's body began to grow impressively. Not quite White Tiger size—more like the massive pterodactyls I'd seen in museums. But Mae's real edge was elsewhere.
“It vanished?!”
“Right in front of you.”
It could go invisible.
“Transparent Mae!!!”
“Indeed.”
Power and brute force from Nyangnyang. Utility and speed from Transparent Mae. Perfect harmony.
“With this one added, it'd be offense and defense in one. The ultimate combo.”
I ignored the turtle's interjection. Best defense is a good offense—just strike first. Picking Mae felt like the smart move no matter how you sliced it.
“First mission: Scout for any threatening monsters or humans nearby!”
“I shall do my utmost.”
Mae shot up high into the sky and sped off around the house at incredible velocity.
“Wow, no more worrying about recon.”
I'd planned to tame an extra companion just to watch the house while I wandered, but now I had a dedicated scout. Beyond ideal—straight-up perfect.
With Mae on recon, time to focus on farming.
“May this one watch?”
“Sure!”
Living solo in the apocalypse is a battle against loneliness. I'm not super sociable by nature, but after a month without a soul to talk to, it was wearing me down. Nyangnyang was strong and cute, sure, but it slept all day. Transparent Mae seemed quiet. This chatty turtle was just right.
“Then help out. He who does not work, neither shall he eat.”
“As it should be.”
True to its talking-turtle creds, it was capable even without a contract. It strapped on a box of seed potatoes and crawled along steadily. And fast—unbelievably so for a turtle.
“No wonder the hare lost.”
“Haha! Turtles are the strongest!”
All I had to do was hoe the dirt and plant. It even fetched potatoes from the box. A turtle with real work experience, huh.
“You've got good instincts.”
“My thanks.”
We finished planting at even intervals. Next: watering.
“Leave that to this one!!”
The turtle stepped up grandly and spat water from its mouth.
“You can shoot water?!”
“Child's play. With a contract, I could unleash a heaven-splitting water cannon.”
“Amazing!! Incredible!!!”
“Ho ho ho! This is nothing!”
I'd been dreading running out of water until the next rain. Problem solved.
“Can I drink that water?”
“Such tastes you have.”
“Hey, world's gone mad. Clean water's drinkable.”
“Sturdy stomach. No issue—my water is pure.”
“Then top off the water tank sometimes.”
“Leave it to me!!”
Sweet. Bathtub soaks incoming. I could already feel it.
“Now...”
I knelt before the potato patch, clasped my hands, and focused. After a few High-Speed Growth casts, I could feel my mana draining. It flowed from my body into the soil, caressing the plants within. The mana-soaked seeds sprouted instantly. Sprouts shot up, stems surging skyward.
But that was it. With the front yard full of potatoes, growing them all to harvest-ready in one go was impossible.
“...Ugh. Rest tomorrow.”
“Indeed, such a large batch at once is no easy feat.”
“Still, I get better each time. Someday, maybe a whole field the size of a playground in one shot.”
“Naturally!!”
Nobody starts out a pro. Practice makes perfect.
“Gonna grow tons of potatoes and trade with survivors.”
“A Druid's duty. Reap massive profits with your special crops.”
“Problem is, no idea what to ask for. Money's worthless now.”
I'd planned on water, but the turtle handled that.
“Something'll come up.”
“Yeah.”
Not a big deal now, so I brushed it off. “What next?”
“Mana drained—I'm beat. Gonna wash up and crash.”
“I'll fill the tank.”
“Yes! Hurry!”
“Boiler working well?”
“How'd you know about the boiler?”
Come to think of it, all companions knew modern human stuff. How?
“Companion power.”
“Cool. Saves explanations.”
Convenience patch GOAT. Thanks, Awakener RPG! Better than exp bars.
Day's work done. Back inside for roll-around mode. Pre-apocalypse, I'd be YouTubing on my phone. Now, just cold bed vibes.
“Internet...”
Seola's words popped up. Satellite internet, she'd said. No clue how, but if true, I could check Korea's state.
...Kinda exciting.
“Whatcha doing, nyang?”
Nyangnyang hopped up, curling on my belly.
“Me too! Put me up there!!!”
The turtle waved from the floor. I rolled lightly, grabbed it, and plopped it next to Nyangnyang. Both curled on my stomach. I wasn't a bed, but... soft, cool. Sleep tugged at me.
Just weeks ago, monsters kept me from real rest. That fear felt ancient now.
Zzzzzzz—
I plunged into deep slumber. So peacefully.
Tap tap— Tap tap— Something knocked on the window. But deeply asleep Hayun didn't stir.
“...Mmm.”
She just hugged the cat tighter.
“......”
The cat slipped from her arms like flowing water. Now the turtle got hugged.
Mmph!!
Ignoring the protesting turtle, the cat padded to the window. Mae waited outside, expression grim. The cat opened the window to learn why, but Mae just nodded and flew off.
The cat checked Hayun was still out, closed the door, and followed.
Mae stared into the distance gravely. “...Humans spotted. Bad ones.”
He gazed north. The cat licked down its ruffled fur. “How do you know they're bad, nyang?”
“Heard them while invisible. Sensed powerful mana recently and tracked it here.”
“Threat to the master, nyang?”
“Yes.”
“Then we eliminate them, nyang.”
“I need your help.”
“Of course, nyang.”
The cat and hawk swelled huge. The massive beasts raced across the mountain. Soon, they reached an abandoned house 5km from Hayun's—about 3 miles.
Hiding in thick shadows, they observed. The humans had bloodied loot piled high. They'd fought countless monsters and people en route.
These were apocalypse raiders—the deadliest scum. A small crew of Awakeners, drawn by that recent intense mana pulse.
They'd stumbled on this remote survivor home. Who knew?
“This old guy's the naturalist from TV.”
“Explains surviving in the sticks.”
“Jackpot—ramen.”
Ignoring the old man's corpse, they looted. Ransacking the place, the companions reached a firm conclusion: If these met Hayun, it'd be anything but friendly.
“...Eliminate here, nyang.”
The White Tiger emerged from the dark.