Remnants of Memory (2)
Emotions are chemical reactions that begin in the brain's limbic system and spread throughout the body.
Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin... countless hormones flow through the bloodstream, making the heart race and allowing us to feel.
But for the millennium nine-tailed fox, due to their race's curse, dopamine receptors gradually dull, serotonin reabsorption accelerates abnormally, and oxytocin glands shut down like they're hibernating through winter, slowly stripping away their emotions.
Of course, the hormones hadn't completely vanished—they were just frozen.
Like primitives trapped in deep glacial ice, life still stirred faintly within.
But the thick barrier of ice kept everyone at bay.
Until now. The Soul Orchid's black magic clashed violently with Baekseol's mana, triggering an unexpected chemical reaction.
The instant mana and black magic collided, explosive energy burst forth, and Baekseol's body instinctively unleashed its maximum ice aura for protection.
The entire room blanketed in pure white frost as the temperature plummeted.
And in that very moment—
The life force dwelling in the Soul Orchid directly stimulated Baekseol's frozen hormone glands.
What... is this...
Baekseol herself felt a profoundly strange sensation.
It was like the liberation of kicking off shoes worn too tight for ages, or the cool rush of fresh air in a suffocating room.
Something long-blocked was breaking through.
Not quickly, but steadily, without fail.
A warm energy from the depths of her chest spread through her veins, coursing everywhere.
Astra... why go this far to restore my emotions...?
Baekseol instinctively knew this was the feeling of emotions returning.
Then Astra's voice rang out again.
"Hang in there, Baekseol. If it's the you I know, you can overcome this."
In that instant, a faint spark of anticipation bloomed in Baekseol's heart.
If... if my emotions really come back...
She closed her eyes and tentatively imagined it.
I'd love for happiness to return. Or... love, perhaps.
Those warm feelings from centuries ago, the last she'd known.
Caring deeply for someone, smiling at their joy, heart swelling at small kindnesses... if those returned...
I could truly thank Astra.
The aura Baekseol unconsciously emitted was intense enough to freeze anyone solid in seconds.
The room's temperature dropped below freezing, thick white frost encrusting the walls.
Damn... didn't expect it this bad.
I first moved the potted Soul Orchid to safety.
Enveloping the pots in black magic to form protective barriers, I shifted them to the corner, then returned to Baekseol.
But even trying to endure, the intensifying, bone-chilling ice overwhelmed me.
Time to use the new ability added to my supernatural power from the remnants of the Absolute.
Enhance other stats using Charisma stat.
Can raise other stats using Charisma stat for 10 minutes per day. (Charisma stat +888)
Instantly, my black magic surged to 590, stamina to 520.
I'd invested stats in stamina, not just black magic, for several reasons.
First, stamina boosts magic resistance and physical durability—including cold resistance. No point in immense magic if the body can't handle it.
But that wasn't all. There was another reason.
With mana exploding through me like a burst dam, powerful energy enveloped my body.
Mana coursing through veins raised my body temperature, enhanced stamina shielding against the cold.
I immediately chanted, harnessing the surged black magic.
"Vitalis Barrier."
Black magic cloaked me, forming a thick veil.
Vitalis Barrier.
Translating to "life force shield," this was my advanced black magic spell, created after Life Plunder and Life Transfer.
Inspired by the advanced basic black magic, Abyssal Veil.
The life force from Life Plunder had all been used on the Soul Orchid.
Logically, I shouldn't cast life-based magic anymore.
So how could I use Vitalis Barrier?
Thanks to the stamina stat.
And this was one real reason I'd invested in stamina.
Stamina comprehensively represents life force itself.
Not just physical toughness, but the total fundamental life energy of a living being.
My enhanced 520 stamina meant amplified life force accordingly.
Using my own life force instead of plundered external sources imposed no burden.
The resulting Vitalis Barrier was at least three times stronger than Abyssal Veil.
Now I can breathe.
But relief was premature.
I could only maintain it for 10 minutes. Baekseol had to overcome it before then.
"Hang in there, Baekseol. If it's the you I know, you can overcome this."
Hearing my voice, something shifted in the agonizing Baekseol.
Her pain-twisted expression began to soften.
Then the surrounding ice started cracking.
With sharp cracks, icicles on the walls fell, frost on the floor melted.
The cold aura radiating from Baekseol visibly weakened.
Finally, Baekseol slowly opened her eyes.
The subzero chill normalized as if by magic.
White breath vanished, the piercing cold settled completely.
I deactivated Domain of the Absolute, approached Baekseol, and extended a hand.
Stats reverting brought faint emptiness, but her condition mattered more.
"Good work. Can you tell me what emotion returned?"
Baekseol looked up at me, then transparent droplets slid from her eyes.
Tears?
Startled, I peered closely at her face.
Definitely tears. She, emotionless for centuries, was crying.
"Sadness returned?"
But Baekseol didn't answer.
Instead, she took my offered hand, stood slowly, and stared intently.
Her gaze held something I'd never seen.
Not the void, cold emptiness of emotionlessness.
Nor sorrow or pain.
"What's wrong? Is there a pro—mmph!"
Before I finished, Baekseol closed in and pressed her lips to mine without hesitation.
"Astra went to Baekseol's territory again?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Hearing her subordinate's report, Sirka leaned back in her chair and sighed deeply.
Her fox beastkin ears twitched faintly.
She still couldn't forget.
The black magic Astra had unleashed against Azellia—devouring everything.
That overwhelming, despairing dark aura.
Gave me chills.
As a fox beastkin, Sirka's senses were keener than most.
So she felt it vividly: the eerie nature of the magic cloaking Astra.
Not mere black magic.
Despairing, overwhelming darkness—like an evil god's aura.
Devouring life, twisting souls, denying existence itself—it awakened her instincts with warnings.
Stay away. That thing shouldn't exist in this world.
Yet there was a strange pull too.
Danger only made foxes more entranced—that was their nature.
"So... what business this time?"
Since then, Astra—who she'd first dismissed as a unlucky bastard—haunted her thoughts.
Nightly dreams of that black magic afterimage, cold yet burning gaze, eyes piercing all.
What he planned, his ties to Baekseol, how he'd wield that dangerous power—each piqued her curiosity.
The more she knew, the more she craved—like an addiction.
"Sorry. We couldn't enter Baekseol's territory."
Sirka clicked her tongue softly at the apologetic tone.
Expected, though.
Baekseol's territory wasn't easily infiltrated.
"Whatever. Out."
"Sirka."
The subordinate, at the door, turned back hesitantly.
"What? I said out."
Irritation laced Sirka's voice, but the subordinate pressed on.
"There's... something odd in the territory."
"Odd?"
"Yes. Strange things started happening at Death Mountain."
"Death Mountain?"
Sirka looked more puzzled than surprised.
Death Mountain got its name because every creature and plant inside sharpened like blades—entering meant death.
No one went in, so nothing odd there...
"So what is it?"
Sirka crossed her arms, urging him on.
"The mountain's terrain keeps changing, like it's alive."