Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Became the Gallery's Only Reptile
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-Imoogi?
Silpi tilted her head at my question.
Her face showed curiosity about why I wanted to know that.
To be honest, I thought Silpi would have already figured out that I was aiming to become a dragon.
Well, if she didn't know, I had to tell her.
"Sha."
'I want to become a dragon.'
So I told her the truth.
I shared my heartfelt desire to become a dragon.
Of course, I knew it wouldn't be easy.
I'd roughly guessed as much before, but reading that earlier post made me realize it was even harder than I'd imagined.
'But that doesn't mean I'll give up.'
That's why I asked Silpi for help, and she gladly shared her knowledge with me.
-Do you know what kind of spirit beast an imoogi is?
"Shaa."
'A spirit beast that passes through to become a dragon?'
-Well, that's not wrong. But more precisely, it's the spirit beast that lays the foundation for becoming a dragon.
It diligently builds its foundation to advance to the next stage.
That is the very purpose of an imoogi's existence, and my immediate goal.
-So, what foundation does an imoogi build to become a dragon?
Here, Silpi posed a question.
She must have been inwardly curious about how much I knew.
"Shaa. Sha."
'Supernatural powers? Or since it's a dragon, the ability to control the weather?'
But perhaps my answer didn't satisfy her.
Silpi's head quietly shook side to side.
Then, a piece of information brushed through my mind.
An imoogi creates a yeouiju, and a dragon wields it.
"Sha?"
'Could it be the yeouiju?'
-Correct!
Whoosh.
A cool breeze swept through the cave along with her exclamation.
From Silpi's words, I realized that the earlier info about imoogis creating yeouiju was literal.
-All imoogis possess their own yeouiju. Once they fill it with power and fully absorb it, only then do they become a true dragon.
"Sha. Sha."
'So, once I become an imoogi, I have to create a yeouiju.'
-No. It's not that you become an imoogi and then make it.
Whoosh.
-You create the yeouiju before becoming an imoogi, and then become one. You got the order wrong.
The order was wrong.
At those words, I wondered if the Dragon King's offer to lend power was related to the yeouiju.
-You know well. You're right. The Dragon King creates a yeouiju using his own power.
So, becoming an imoogi isn't that hard if you catch the Dragon King's eye.
-Of course! Though that's got nothing to do with you, El.
Unfortunately, I had no connection to the Dragon King, and I didn't live in the sea.
That's why it's so hard for a snake like me to become an imoogi.
Unlike those sea creatures, snakes have to create their yeouiju with their own power.
"Shaaa."
'Then, do you know how to make a yeouiju?'
-Of course!
At this point, she might as well be an all-knowing encyclopedia.
What doesn't she know?
I blinked, struck by the illusion of a halo shining behind Silpi.
Ah, maybe Silpi isn't a wind spirit after all, but a light spirit.
-The yeouiju is closely related to the energies commonly known as the five elements.
Fire. Water. Wood. Metal. Earth.
These five properties balance each other, and by adding the properties of wind and lightning, they produce supernatural power.
That is how the yeouiju is formed.
I tilted my head at Silpi's explanation, harboring a question.
"Sha. Shaaa."
'There are wind and lightning too, so why call it the five elements?'
Shouldn't it be the seven elements then?
-Well... no. You're right, it could be seen that way. Yeah, actually, understanding it this far is impressive.
But why is she looking at me like that?
-Ahem, anyway. To create a yeouiju, first you need to infuse your body with the energies of the five elements. Once the five powers accumulate in your body, you release them outward using wind and lightning, shaping them into an orb. And ta-da! Oh my, a yeouiju is born!
"......"
-I just explained it all, and that's the face you make?!
No, it just sounded way too simple.
Infuse the energies of the five elements? Easy to say. But I have no idea how.
Is it like harboring mana? But the problem is I can't even harbor mana right now.
-Oh, don't worry. You already have two energies in your body.
"...Sha?!"
'...What?!'
This was news to me.
I stared at Silpi with a face demanding an explanation, and she clapped her hands, immediately switching to explanation mode as if understanding my gaze.
-First off, you have wood and metal. So, the power of trees and the power of iron are within you. The reason is probably Amrita and Cheong.
Amrita and Cheong contributed greatly to me gaining wood and metal energies?
Whoosh.
"Mya mya mya~."
That guy over there rolling Amrita around for fun?
-Amrita is a fruit that strongly contains the power of wood. Since you've been eating it steadily, it's natural that wood energy has built up in your body.
Okay, I can sort of understand Amrita.
It was the first food I ate after hatching, and I still eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.
-And Cheong... I was surprised too. The metal energy is incredibly strong! I suspect Cheong's parents are spirit beasts closely tied to this power.
Silpi's subsequent mutterings had enough impact to reshape my view of Cheong once more.
-To be born with such strong metal energy, Cheong's parents might have ascended beyond spirit beasts to the rank of divine beasts.
Divine beasts.
Beings possessing strength on a whole other level among spirit beasts.
The dragons I aspire to become are cases that enter the divine beast category, not mere spirit beasts.
'And this guy inherited divine beast blood.'
This isn't some mutt; it's diamond-tier pedigree.
'Ah. Is that why my venom didn't work on him?'
I'd been baffled when my venom had no effect during our first fight.
If he innately had strong metal energy that suppresses poison, it all made sense.
"Shaa."
'So, what does Cheong being born with strong metal energy have to do with me having it?'
-Well, you two have been inseparable every day without fail, right? Even fighting sometimes.
So, Cheong's energy naturally rubbed off on me, and eventually I harbored metal energy?
-El, you only need to acquire fire, water, and earth now! The remaining three powers!
I'd unexpectedly acquired two of the five elements.
It would be great to quickly get the remaining three, but Silpi's following explanation forced me to put that on hold for now.
-Right now, your wood energy is too dominant. You're lucky Cheong's power is suppressing it to maintain balance, but even that has limits.
"Sha."
'Then what do I do?'
-You need to balance it first. Don't worry. As days pass, Cheong's power will grow stronger, gradually achieving balance. Just stick together for a few more days. Probably.
If she hadn't added "probably" at the end, I'd have trusted her completely.
Of course, I still trust her. It's just that a tiny bit of anxiety has been added to my heart.
-So, stick close to Cheong!
"Shaa."
'Got it.'
Yeah, hang out with Cheong.
I can just live as usual, but I should stick even closer.
Sss...
I started slowly approaching Cheong, who was playing with Amrita, but... I unwittingly stopped midway.
Even after all that rolling, his white fur still gleamed with luster. And when our eyes met—those beautiful sky-blue pupils—it made me feel like we lived in different worlds.
They say it creates a wall.
The bloodline upgrade incident was probably the decisive cause.
'That enviable guy. Making it even harder for me to catch up.'
But it's ironic that thanks to this special guy's heritage, I'm receiving this help now.
"Myang?"
Before I knew it, Cheong had shifted his gaze from Amrita to me and tilted his head with a "what are you doing?" look.
Seeing me hesitate awkwardly, Silpi flew over impatiently and shouted loudly.
-Cheong! El says he'll play with you!
"Myam?!"
"Sha?!"
'Me?!'
As I looked at her in shock too, Silpi winked lightly and whispered through the wind so only I could hear.
-You have to stick with Cheong!
Well, lately Silpi's been playing with Cheong a lot, giving me more free time, so playing together after a while isn't bad.
'While playing, I can chip away at this wall I'm feeling.'
So, what should we play?
"Myeong? Myaang!"
-Yeah! I promised we'd do what you like!
"Mya mya mya myeong! Myaaang!"
-Bet? That shouldn't matter, right?
"Myaang! Mya mya mya! Myung!!"
-...Huh?
But seeing Silpi start sweating bullets while talking to Cheong, I sensed something was off.
What did the guy say to make Silpi panic like that?
"Sha."
'What's wrong? What is it?'
I approached and asked, but Silpi was still frozen, sweating as she faced Cheong.
Pok. Pok.
Only after I impatiently poked Silpi's leg with my tail did she regain control of her body.
Though turning her head was still stiff.
"Sha."
'So, what is it?'
-Uh, Cheong says if he wins the fight, he wants to eat your tail, El.
......?
What? He wants to eat my tail?
-Cheong says it has this strangely addictive taste... If he wins, you have to offer your tail for a whole year...
Crack.
"Shaaaak!"
'This chunk-munching bastard! You think my tail is your snack?!'
"Haaak!"
Bring it. This time I'll really kill you!