Even After It Ends, There's More - 4
Samshik's wondrous evolution left me, Ak I-yeon, Jo Wi-cheo, and even the Baekryeon Cult Leader speechless. No matter how much we accounted for a world of martial arts and spirit beasts, this light-speed growth was utterly bewildering. It hadn't even been a day—no, not even the time to finish a cup of tea—and it had grown that much? How was that even possible?
- Bu, buooo?
- Ppiaeek?
Even the spirit beasts were stunned, not just us humans. Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i were off eating elsewhere, worn out from the trek from Geomju-bu to Shiwandaishan, but Buong and Ppiae were right by my side. Thanks to them, we all got to witness Samshik's evolution together and share in the awe of its mystery.
What do I do about this?
Samshik's transformation had shocked even the other spirit beasts. My mind went completely blank—this was no ordinary situation. Seriously, what now? How was I supposed to travel with Samshik from here on out? Hiding it in my sleeve was obviously out of the question. Wrap it around my neck like a scarf? But could I even be sure that size was the limit? There were still warehouses full of poison herbs left for it to process. Would it really stop at around 1 meter?
"At this rate, it'll outgrow the warehouse doors."
In the midst of this chaos, the Baekryeon Cult Leader, who had been silently watching, finally spoke. He seemed to be thinking the same as me, so I nodded without thinking.
It had only been a brief moment—generously, maybe half an hour—and it had grown to that size. If Samshik kept devouring poison herbs, how much bigger would it get? If we weren't careful, it might end up trapped inside a warehouse, unable to get out.
Should I tell it to stop eating?
The thought crossed my mind seriously, but I quickly gave up. Samshik had been overjoyed ever since the Cult Leader gave it free rein at the buffet. Even now, it was hissing happily like it was singing as it headed into the next warehouse. Telling something that ecstatic, "Stop eating, you pig," would crush it. And if Samshik stopped sorting the poison herbs, the Baekryeon experts would have to do it one by one. That sounded like a hassle.
"Samshik... Samshik... That tiny little Samshik..."
Meanwhile, Ak I-yeon kept muttering "Samshik" in shock at the storm of growth from its cute, petite form, unable to hide her bewilderment. I got it—I felt the same way.
Isn't this too much?
Children grow day by day, sure. But there were limits. Just an hour ago, it had been dancing nimbly in my sleeve, on the palm of my hand. Of course, as a living creature, I figured Samshik would grow someday. But not like this. I wanted it to grow bit by bit, fingernail-sized increments, so every time I picked it up, I could say, "Our Samshik feels a little heavier than yesterday!" Not this shocking evolution.
What would Nang-jung Wang say if he knew? Would he rage about how much I'd fed it? Or be pleased that it ate so well? Either way, it felt plausible.
Five hours passed. Everyone else had left, leaving me alone to watch over Samshik.
"Whoa."
In those five hours, Samshik's size had reached about 7 meters. I'd hoped it would slow down after a certain point, but no—it grew exactly as much as it ate. Was that even biologically possible?
- Shiiik, shiiiik.
- Sieeek?
- Shiuuuk!
Not only had its length increased, but its thickness too, so as it tried to enter the next warehouse, Samshik started hesitating. Luckily, since it slithered on the ground, it wasn't too big to fit through the door. But for a 7-meter body to move comfortably, the warehouse needed to be massive. Unfortunately, this one was on the smaller side.
It'll feel cramped in there.
The warehouse looked so tiny it might collapse if Samshik moved freely. And since it was small, maybe it was meant for humans to handle manually? Wait...
"What is that."
I muttered aloud without realizing. Samshik, which seemed about to give up on entering and was backing away, didn't head to another warehouse. Instead, all three heads chewed at once and spat something out.
Dark black orbs. Three of them, sticky-looking even from afar.
Inner core?
The thought flashed through my mind. Had our Samshik just spat out an inner core? It was an absurd guess—spirit beasts spitting out inner cores was like humans ripping out their own hearts or dantians. Any rational thought dismissed it as nonsense. Yet the idea stuck.
- Shiiiik!
- Sieeek!
- Shiuuuuk!
Samshik's body shrank rapidly after expelling the black orbs. From 7 meters, it reverted to the original size I knew.
- Buooo!
At the same time, Buong, who had been lying by my side, charged toward Samshik. It seemed thrilled that its precious friend had returned to normal size.
...I'll think about it after some sleep.
Buong nuzzled Samshik's body with its nose. Samshik hissed back at Buong. Watching them, I quietly turned away. Unlike these innocently cheerful spirit beasts, this puny human couldn't keep his sanity.
Growing bigger with every bite was incomprehensible enough by human logic, but shrinking instantly? Forget it. I'd take a nap and think later. After sleep, my mental state might recover a bi—
- Kkiiiieeeeek!
A piercing cry suddenly rang overhead, followed by something hitting the ground. Just as Samshik had reverted to original size, this new variable hit. The cry sounded like a bird of prey, so I whipped around, fearing some raptor targeting Samshik.
Pathetic bird. It stayed quiet when Samshik was 7 meters, but struck now that it was small?
What kind of bird is this?
Uncontrollable rage surged. Buong was there, so Samshik probably hadn't been snatched, but if it was being harassed, I'd rip off the bird's beak and wings.
- Kkiek, kkiiiik!
"What the—"
But what I saw wasn't Samshik being tormented or Buong defending it. It was a single bird pecking at the black orbs Samshik had spat out.
A heron? Not a fierce eagle or hawk, but a slender-necked heron.
- Buooo?
Buong tilted its head at the sudden heron intruder, mirroring my own feelings so perfectly I almost chuckled.
The heron, having greedily inhaled all three orbs, waddled around on the ground. I was getting surprised way too much today. Why eat Samshik's orbs? And after eating its fill, shouldn't it fly off? Where were its wings—why walk on two legs?
"That guy's finally shown his face first."
"Cult Leader?"
As I stared blankly at the heron, the Baekryeon Cult Leader, who had left earlier, reappeared. He'd probably heard the strange cry and come back.
"Han Un. Remember when I said I'd show my sincerity if you granted my request?"
"Ah, yes. Of course."
"That was him."
His gesture toward the heron only deepened my confusion. The sincerity was that heron? Not a wild one, but one raised here in Baekryeon? A spirit beast he planned to foist on me?
"That guy's been following you around."
"Pardon?"
"Even back in Geomju-bu, it watched you from afar. But you've only noticed now, so you know it's no ordinary bird, right?"
I nodded dumbly. If peak masters like me and Ak I-yeon, plus Jo Wi-cheo, hadn't sensed it, its concealment surpassed super peak detection.
"I planned to catch it for you once things wrapped up, but who knew it'd come crawling out on its own? Guess I'll need another gift."
Muttering regretfully, the Cult Leader turned to Samshik and chuckled softly.
"More importantly, when did that one shrink?"
"Ah, right before the heron appeared."
"Oh, really?"
Mentioning "heron" made it perk up as if it knew we were talking about it, and it waddled toward me.
"The three-headed snake knew it was being followed. And it shrank right before the heron showed."
"Samshik did?"
"Didn't it perch on your shoulder during travels, staring at the sky? That was because it sensed this guy."
Poisonous creatures sharing some bond? As he added that, I froze mid-reach to pet the heron.
Poison?
My mind raced. Samshik swells after absorbing poison herbs. Spits black orbs and shrinks. Heron devours them greedily the moment they hit the ground. Circumstantially, those orbs were concentrated poison.
But a bird casually eating concentrated poison...
"By the way, Han Un?"
"...Yes, Cult Leader."
"That's not a heron—it's a poison bird. Did you think this old man would pass off a mere heron?"
My worst suspicions were confirmed, as always.
"Son of a—!"
I instinctively leaped back. Poison birds were vicious creatures toxic by mere existence. Even proximity risked poisoning without direct contact.
"Pfhehehe...!"
The curse that slipped out made the Cult Leader laugh delightedly.
Damn it. I nearly touched a poison bird, and he's laughing?
"No need to panic. That poison bird's venom is weak."
Not convincing at all. I just stared at him silently. A weak poison bird? Like saying a fire that doesn't burn hot.
"It's true—don't look at me like that. If it had real venom, you and I would've been poisoned long ago."
But his follow-up was highly persuasive. True enough—in normal circumstances, a poison bird flying nearby would've thrown all of Baekryeon into chaos.
Is it a chick?
The most likely hypothesis. Like Samshik, maybe a juvenile with diluted poison?