#13 Rather, Become the Best
Seol-a suddenly looked up at Kang-ho. 'Can I go play?' Her blazing eyes burned with fighting spirit.
Kang-ho gazed at her, lost in thought. Yeah. That kid was born with a destiny that made her suffer if she couldn't fight.
So, should he let her fight? 'Can I fight?' Seol-a's eyes locked straight onto his. The thick demonic energy filling the air seeped deeper into her body. At the same time, the demonic energy around them grew noticeably thinner.
A being born to fight demonic beasts infused with demonic energy!
Sudden realization dawned. He couldn't stop her.
"......"
Kang-ho slowly nodded and took a step back.
Kiiing! Seol-a bounced up and down in joy right there on the spot.
Yeah. He couldn't stop her.
Kang-ho slowly unleashed the mana from his core.
Beast Master's Unique Authority
Mana enveloped his entire body before gathering at his fingertips.
"Seol-a, come here."
He extended his finger toward her.
"From now on, you're contracting with me."
Nng!
Beast Contract
Seol-a's eyes curved into crescents at the sight of Kang-ho's gaze. She leaped forward, bumping her forehead right against his index finger.
Flash!
The dungeon lit up brilliantly. Mana boiled from Seol-a's body.
Kyaaaaang! Seol-a let out a long howl toward the sky. At the same time, that mana surged outward, morphing into something like an accessory.
Soon, it became a dazzlingly beautiful silver ring.
Kang-ho slipped the ring onto his left middle finger. There was already another ring on his left index finger—a ruby one.
Kiiing! Seol-a trembled with surging power. Star shapes flickered in her diamond-like eyes before vanishing.
Kang-ho's mana glowed blue. That blue light swept over Seol-a's entire body once. A vibrant sheen settled over her fur. Her eyes sharpened with even greater intelligence, brimming with vitality.
"Go."
Tat! Seol-a instinctively kicked off the ground and charged.
Watching her, Kang-ho closed his eyes gently. He activated a unique ability usable only on contracted beasts.
He touched the silver ring symbolizing Seol-a and murmured.
Sensory Transfer
Silver energy filled his body.
Paang! Like burning silver flames, Seol-a's energy cloaked Kang-ho entirely.
He opened his eyes. Seol-a's pupils overlaid his own.
Thump thump thump thump! Boom boom boom boom!
Kang-ho's heart pounded wildly. No—more precisely, it was Seol-a's heart.
From now on, he could feel everything Seol-a saw, sensed, and felt. He could wield all her abilities too.
She just didn't have many yet.
This pounding.
'Excitement.'
Kang-ho smiled wryly. Seol-a was in a state of extreme thrill right now.
If he received her senses, he could send something back to his beast.
Kang-ho could share a portion of his power with her. Contracted beasts could then exert strength far beyond their own.
As Seol-a grew, she'd handle more. For now, just a tiny amount—her body couldn't take much.
A fingernail-sized bit of his mana transferred to her.
Kiiing! Seol-a leaped high. Adrenaline flooded her, muscles bulging temporarily.
Thump thump thump thump.
'Extreme excitement.'
Seol-a kicked off and charged straight at the raptor in front.
"......"
Kang-ho watched silently. If he couldn't stop her, then...
'I'll make you the best.'
Crunch! Seol-a's fangs sank into the raptor's nape.
The startled raptor thrashed. Seol-a released, rolled across the floor, landed on the other side, and eyed it.
The raptor lunged with sharp claws. She dodged leisurely. Its tail swipe? She hopped lightly over it.
After quickly gauging the raptor, Seol-a nodded and pounced again, biting its nape once more.
Shaaak— The raptor's demonic energy was sucked into her.
Chwaaak— Kang-ho felt satisfaction and power spreading through him.
'Absorbs demonic energy.'
The raptor's eyes cleared as the demonic energy vanished. It really looked like a live chicken now.
The purified raptor staggered up, glanced around, then plop! collapsed.
Chit chit! The remaining raptors' eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
They swarmed, encircling Seol-a.
Kiiing! Kiiing! Kiiing! Seol-a wagged her tail, glaring back.
Her thoughts flooded Kang-ho's mind one after another.
'Big.' At one raptor.
'Long.' At another.
'Small.' And so on.
She crouched low, eyes fierce, then sprang at one raptor.
Crunch! The smallest, weakest one. Nape bitten precisely again.
Shaaak— Demonic energy gone, Seol-a lost interest and dashed to the next.
'Strong against foes with demonic energy.'
These raptors were bottom-tier mobs at a glance. No trouble subduing them.
Soon, Seol-a dispatched them all and stood tall with a click!
Empty cornstalks littered the ground—the raptors, stripped clean of demonic energy.
Kang-ho gazed at them, then beckoned Seol-a.
"Come here."
Nng! She hopped into his arms.
A blue collar-like mark had formed around her neck from the contract—symbolic, form without texture.
"Well done."
Kang-ho smiled at her. Seol-a stared up, nng nnging.
'Gonna praise me?'
"You did great."
Ecstatic, she nodded vigorously and rubbed against him. Fluffy fur brushed his chest.
Kang-ho addressed the fallen raptors.
"All of you, rise."
Flinch! The playing-dead raptors shot up.
Impressively, she'd subdued without killing—then absorbed the energy.
Liking that, Kang-ho stroked her head.
"There's much I don't want to teach you."
But on this path, she'd eventually learn not just subduing... but killing.
By now, the dungeon's faint demonic energy was fully absorbed by Seol-a. It seemed to purify inside her.
Soon.
Shaaak— Her mana increased slightly, spreading evenly.
Moments later.
Twinkle! Seol-a's body shimmered.
She'd grown a bit—legs longer, teeth sharper, tail extended. Now like a fluffy baby fox doll.
About half a handspan taller than before. Kang-ho hoisted her up.
Attack up one rank, from FF to E.
Beast growth was normally slow. Even Kang-ho's contracts grew fast, but battle-triggered like this? Rare.
'Combat growth rate 1.5x.'
And.
'Demonic energy absorption.'
That fueled it, clearly.
The dungeon felt empty now. Demonic energy gone, just a cleared dungeon.
Lifeless cleared dungeons soon.
Ku-gu-gu-gung— The gate closed and vanished.
* * *
Exiting, Kang-ho saw the raptors huddled together.
'New species monsters.'
New species were amusing. Demonic and predatory before, now? Total pushovers.
Mob-tier stats made them perfect first foes.
Kang-ho touched the ruby ring on his left index finger.
Soon, a massive figure charged from the distant snowy plain.
Furball.
Krreung! He skidded to a halt, ruby eyes flashing, tongue lolling as he panted.
"Furball. Take those guys back to the cabin. No eating them."
Krreung! Furball nodded.
He loaded the near-fainting raptors onto his back and departed. Kang-ho headed home with Seol-a.
New species in Cheorwon? Potential problem.
But after searching, no other demonic energy.
Only then did he return home with Seol-a.
. . . . . .
[The world... Raptors, Lord Absolute?]
I asked just in case, and it was right.
Johanna knew about raptors.
"You know about raptors?"
[Of course! They were useful workers in our country!]
"Workers......?"
[They eat weeds so well.]
"Weeds...... You guys were herbivores?"
Kang-ho clicked his tongue at the raptors. Yeah, they looked like live chickens. Sharp claws, but blunt beaks—herbivore vibes.
[We train them for weed control. Wild ones everywhere.]
"Oh."
Kang-ho nodded. Johanna spotted Seol-a and her eyes sparkled.
[Oh? Lady Silver White Fang grew!]
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
He'd wondered too, so he asked.
"How common are White Fangs in Fairy Tale?"
[White Fangs are... extremely rare. Huge territories.]
Johanna blinked, adding,
[But Lady Silver White Fang feels legendary. As a kid, I only heard stories from Father King. Thought it was myth. But I saw her once...]
Kang-ho perked up; sweat beaded on Johanna's forehead.
[Uh...... Um.]
"......?"
[Y-You're staring so intently, Lord Absolute. I'm too nervous; words won't come.]
Never gets used to it. Kang-ho plopped down behind her. She relaxed and continued.
[About a hundred years ago?]
"......?"
[When I was little.]
"How old are you now?"
[Around... a hundred... hundred years old?]
Surprisingly old.
[Anyway, I'd seen White Fangs a few times, but I knew her instantly! She had traits unique from other White Fangs.]
Johanna gushed excitedly,
[The Lady Silver White Fang I saw had—amazingly—five tails!]