"You've Grown a Lot Since We Last Met...?"

"You, um, uh... You've grown a lot since we last met...?"

It hadn't even been a day since we last saw each other—or taking into account the time difference between the spirit world and reality, not even thirty minutes.

- Krrrng?

Cheonrang tilted its head at my dumbfounded expression, ears perked up. That look was so heartbreakingly cute that I wanted to grin like an idiot and pat its head.

...If only its head hadn't been way taller than me while sitting down.

"The fluffy little puffball that fit in one hand has turned into this..."

No, it was still cute now. If its spirit form was 100% cuteness, this grown ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bear-sized version was maybe 70% cute and 30% badass. It was just that seeing it explode in growth in less than an hour had turned my brain white.

I couldn't close my mouth as I immediately checked its status.

Was it because the 'Mark of Subjugation' was gone? The alien script in 'Skills Held' had finally normalized.

But what really shocked me wasn't that.

"Sub-adult...?"

Sub-adult was right after spirit form, just before full adult. Why the sudden growth spurt?

Whoa, it's the Druid uncle. Nice to meet you.

"Blessings?"

"......"

There's a saying that pets take after their owners' personalities. Familiars are the same. Not just from mimicking behavior, but because they share a spiritual bond with their loyal subject. So the owner's traits rub off inevitably.

So what the Druid uncle meant was...

"Can I take that to mean my soul is also upright and holy?"

I was already feeling self-satisfied, but Mom saying it made the embarrassment double for no reason...

My face heated up so much even I could feel it—maybe I shouldn't have asked.

Cheonrang gently licked my beet-red cheek with its tongue.

"If it was going to bless it anyway, it could've gone all the way to adult stage..."

True. Hoping for full adult was greedy. At least I could enjoy its cuteness a bit longer now.

"The mark's definitely gone. Now, let's handle the minor issues."

First, a nickname. 'Cheonrang' was cool, sure. But it felt more like a scientific species name than a pet name. You don't name a Maltese just 'Maltese,' right?

I want it to feel like my familiar for sure.

I didn't want to call it the same name that Diorque punk used. What nickname...

"Your fur's all fluffy, so Mongshil?"

"...You're the one who made my nickname 'Emperor,' so not your place to talk. And it seems Mongshil doesn't like it ei—."

"......"

Got it. I see you hate it, so don't back away like you're on guard.

"If not Mongshil... Oh, Vitamin? You're the vita—."

- Grr...

"Ah, got it! If you hate it, say it with... words, I guess you can't. Anyway, something else, so don't growl!"

Racking my brain, I tried another.

"How about Gift?"

If not vitamin for my life, then gift for my life.

...Saying it out loud, this felt meh too. I groaned.

But?

It wagged its tail and rubbed its head against me.

"...No. Both are similar, but Vitamin's bad and Gift's good?"

Why? I thought Vitamin was fresh and fun.

"Next up..."

Time to fix Gift's appearance. Simple reason.

If I walk around with it like this, Jin Soo-hyun will try to kill me.

Invading the ruins and stealing Gift? It'll be obvious it was me.

But the fix was simple.

"Gift. Can you use your Polymorph skill to change your form?"

- Gyawung?

"Anything's fine. Just not the current white wolf look."

- Krrrng!

Gift snorted like 'That's easy!'

Polymorph changes form as long as volume and weight don't differ much. Curious what it'd pick, I watched eagerly with sparkling eyes.

Fwaaah—!

A brilliant glow burst from Gift's body, and I shielded my face with my arm. As the light faded, I lowered it with a pounding heart.

"Holy shit."

I nearly jumped back like a '90s cartoon character from shock.

Why? "Dude, out of all forms, why a dragon..."

- Gyawung?

Wolf to dragon? The gap's too huge, kid.

***

- Grrrung.

Head, horns, body, tail, wings—all snow-white like a field of white dragon rubbing its head against my cheek, acting spoiled.

Ah... I loved that soft mink fur for healing, but now it's just smooth scales.

"...Is this a wolf or a dragon?"

"Flying dragon or whatever, that's not the point, Mom."

Look at it any way—it's straight-up dragonkin. No more suspicion from Jin Soo-hyun.

Problem is, "...I'll get tons of attention everywhere."

There are tons of tamers like 'Taming Master' Jin Soo-hyun, but zero with a dragon familiar.

A guy walking a white dragon bigger than an adult man in broad daylight?

"...Can't just yell 'It's actually a wolf~' everywhere."

- Auwung...

"And Polymorph cooldown is a month to reuse."

I tried asking Gift to do it again, but it coldly said 30 days.

- Kkeung...

Then Gift looked at me pitifully, like 'Did I mess up?' with those sad eyes.

...Dragons are pretty cute too? Whatever, no point agonizing over this minor thing.

I grinned and patted its head. "Nah, you didn't mess up. Good job. Might as well rock the 'Dragon Tamer' title!"

- Kkyang!

It brightened instantly, accepting my touch.

See? It's the inside that counts, not the looks.

"Why the sudden rivalry? Thanks for the sponsorship, though."

"Like pet treats costing more than human food...?"

I checked the floating cylindrical vial in the air.

Double growth speed. Worth the price.

Sensing it was for it, Gift's eyes sparkled like a pup with a chicken leg. But one sip later, it turned to a neutered dog's face.

- Kkyaaang...

"Bitter, huh..."

Gift grimaced but gulped it down diligently. Impressive.

Couldn't just watch. One hand fed the potion, the other grabbed Diorque's horn from the floor.

"Gotta test this directly to know."

Unclear effects were iffy, but it said it'd grant Diorque's power—not bad. Die? Nah.

'Absorb power by ingesting' means eat it, right?

A body part, but eat it? No choice. Grimacing, I crunched the horn.

"Gross..."

- Kkeung...

We sniffled through the agony together. And when it ended, we grinned together too.

- Gulp.

Gyau!

Gift drained the vial, tail flapping with energy.

I couldn't hide my excitement seeing the system messages. No quest like Phase 2—just instant awakening!

The horn must shatter power limits.

"Diorque, you punk. Gave me everything and left..."

Recalling crushing its spine, I eyed the new Ether ability: Field. Name didn't click.

Enchant stuff too—weird, Explosive Ether skills never show info windows.

No window? Test in battle. Over-relying on system is a disease.

Finally, I told Mom about the Storm Slash skill from the Central Plains trial.

"...Why diss Dad outta nowhere? Anyway, got any ideas? Can't unlock due to low comprehension..."

"What? How... No way?"

True. Not wrong. Raise comprehension to fix it.

Best way? Learn from the skill's creator—Mom.

I'd asked before if she could sponsor Storm Slash. Impossible.

Basically, 'War Incarnate' holds exclusive rights.

Lucky chance to learn it now. Time to shine.

"Teach me outside later. I'll learn hard."

"Mom's training's always harsh..."

Example: Skipping school for PC bang with friends, caught by Mom—horrors I endured, but space short, omitted.

***

We parted with the Druid uncle and finished the gate.

...Too easy to call conquering.

Papapapow—!

- Krrrarar!

Gift went wild like an untamed horse; Red Goblins died without resistance. Body slams alone exploded them.

Yeah. Stupidly strong. Swats Red Goblins like flies.

EXP comes full too.

Familiar kills gave 100% EXP—great, no worries.

Thus, no blood on my hands, I gathered EXP to the boss.

Of course,

Puuuush—!

- Kkaaya!

Red Goblin Champion boss took one tail swing and became a guest in hell.

Then it bounced over happily, lowering its head for pets.

"Wipe the blood off your cheek first."

- Kkiuuu...

I pulled a handkerchief from Igor's Necklace and wiped it.

Liking the touch, Gift closed its eyes with a grrrung.

"Dude, you're not a cat—you're a dragon... Ah, no, wolf."

- Kuuwu.

Anyway. Cleared in under 10 minutes, exited the gate.

But?

"My thoughts exactly."

The Association staff who should greet us was collapsed at the gate entrance. Not asleep—eyes rolled back, foaming at the mouth from a pressure point strike.

Brow furrowing at the bad vibe, then

Kang—!

Gift's tail blocked a rear attack on my head.

...What?

I turned to see the attacker.

And, "You..."

My head throbbed without even getting hit.

"Why the hell are you here?"

Lee Ji-yoon stood before me.