#46 What's this? Why does it feel familiar?
Light poured from Seol-a's entire body. Choi Kang-ho knew exactly what that meant.
'Skill unlocked.'
Activating Beast Eye, he saw that Seol-a now had one more skill in her possession.
Guardian of Nature (Acquired) – This beast excels at absorbing natural energies. Absorption efficiency for herbs rich in natural essence is 1.5x better than others of its kind.
No, it wasn't added. It had evolved.
The description for Guardian of Nature faded gradually, then sparkled! transforming into an evolved skill.
Great Guardian of Nature (Acquired - Evolved) – This beast excels at absorbing natural energies. Absorption efficiency for herbs rich in natural essence is 2x better than others of its kind. Absorbing high-quality natural power may grant a third tail.
A third tail.
Kang-ho nodded slowly.
'Looks like it.'
This was the second time he'd heard the legend about the tails of Silver White Fang subspecies. Once from Phantom, once from Johanna.
In other words, the more tails it grew, the more the Silver White Fang's power resembled the 'Eternal Crystal' of that dimension in a bizarre way.
The Eternal Crystal's power on the Mu continent was currently 'creation and evolution.'
As Kang-ho pondered with his chin in hand, Seol-a shuddered all over, then excitedly dashed around him.
"Looks like she got a new skill," Niva murmured in quiet admiration.
"I've only heard legends of Silver White Fangs—never seen one myself."
Niva gazed at Seol-a, then spread her arms wide. As if waiting, Seol-a dove right into her embrace.
Seol-a stared intently at Niva's face, then turned to Kang-ho and tilted her head with a ki-ing.
'Why's it different?'
Kang-ho smiled faintly. This little one still had mountains of things she hadn't seen. Plenty to show her, plenty to teach.
Anyway.
Kang-ho sensed Seol-a steadily absorbing the forest's energies and nodded.
"Mind if we stay a few days?"
"It seems like she's taking in natural energies."
"Yeah. Just recently, she devoured demonic energy and grew a tail."
Niva couldn't hide her surprise at Kang-ho's words.
"Demonic energy?"
"Yeah. Super pure stuff."
Purity. That seemed to be the key.
Theo’s demonic energy was utterly pure and refreshing. Demonic, yet not quite. He’d said it was thanks to his family’s cultivation method.
Perhaps that even influenced Theo's personality. He hated fighting, was purely defensive—a demon race trait contrasting sharply with monsters corrupted by demonic energy, whose instincts went into overdrive.
"Pure, right?" Niva asked suddenly.
"Yeah."
The forest brimmed with exceptionally pure natural energy everywhere. Seol-a was sucking it in like she hadn't eaten in days. It sparkled.
"It's thanks to this tree."
At the forest's heart stood a massive oak—the druids' Tree of Life.
"It saved my life and the spirits, and you found us this perfect forest for it to thrive. I'm always grateful."
Kang-ho had led them here. Niva treated him like a benefactor, but it sometimes made him a bit awkward.
Niva placed the Eternal Crystal against the Tree of Life.
Crackle—
The massive oak embraced it like a living thing. Bark shifted, drawing it in and absorbing it deep inside.
Soon.
Groooong!
The Tree of Life shone even brighter. The forest glowed in every color of the rainbow, filling with vibrant life force.
Seol-a slowly looked around, then stretched contentedly, head held high.
Ki-ing! Ki-ing!
She yipped loudly, flipping somersaults wildly in the air.
Then she charged toward the spirits watching with curious faces.
"Rest as long as you like," Niva said.
Kang-ho smiled. "Thanks."
A dream?
Kang-ho pondered quietly.
'Similar to that old dream.'
It felt like peeking into someone else's dream.
Kang-ho slowly scanned his surroundings. First-person view shifted in and out.
Before his eyes loomed a massive mural carved in relief—a fox.
A nine-tailed fox. What stood out was each tail holding a strange hue.
One black. One green. One blue. One white.
Each tail glowed softly in its unique color.
'Nine dimensions.'
Kang-ho sensed it intuitively. Nine dimensions existed.
And at the fox's heart gleamed a white gem.
—Ki-ing
Seol-a's dream.
Seol-a gazed at the mural with fascination, then turned her head.
There stood a massive fox.
Kang-ho recognized her instantly.
'Seolhwa.'
It was Seolhwa. Seol-a approached as if they were old friends, nuzzling into Seolhwa's fluffy chest fur.
Seolhwa spoke. Kang-ho found himself listening, though it was just cries—somehow her voice reached his heart.
—Are you well?
—I'm well.
—Do you look happy?
—Dunno.
—I hope you are.
—She's sorry.
Kang-ho reached out unconsciously.
'Hwaya.'
Suddenly, Seolhwa looked down at him. Her features came back vividly. Her endlessly soft mane, her warm body heat.
Seolhwa smiled faintly.
—That person always said stuff like that.
Her eyes curved like crescent moons.
—Wonder what she's always sorry for.
"......!"
Kang-ho opened his eyes to dawn already breaking. Emerald light sparkled everywhere in the quiet predawn hush. Grass and trees slumbered in silence, broken only by Seol-a's breathing.
Sak— sak—
Feeling his pounding heart, Kang-ho let out a soft sigh. Warmth brushed his cheek; he touched it to find Seol-a asleep there.
He poked her cheek without thinking. He'd peeked into her dream again.
Kang-ho realized he was growing mentally closer to Seol-a. Sharing dreams. Maybe she peeked into his too.
"......"
Suddenly.
Sparkle!
Seol-a's eyes opened. Her diamond pupils stared straight into his.
They curved like crescent moons.
Ki-ing—
Kang-ho smiled unconsciously.
In that moment.
Whoosh—
Natural energy gathered around Seol-a's body, concentrating at her tail. He'd seen this before—when she'd gorged on Theo's demonic energy for her second tail.
Seol-a looked at her tail area and whined ng-.
Swoosh!
Soon, a third tail appeared.
Now Seol-a had three tails total. The new one was pale emerald.
Seol-a checked it out, wagging it in satisfaction.
Kang-ho smiled.
Third Tail (Acquired) – This beast has absorbed enough natural energy to gain a third tail. Special ability activates when conditions are met.
As expected, another skill added like with the second tail.
The curious part was 'when conditions are met'—what did that mean?
As he tilted his head, spirits began stirring from sleep across the way. Seol-a's gaze turned there.
Over the past three days playing here, she'd become fast friends with them.
Staring at the spirits, Seol-a tilted her head once.
Soon, emerald radiance leaked from her body.
Kang-ho knew intuitively.
'Conditions met...!'
Boing!
Seol-a flipped in the air.
Pop!
Her body flashed, form shifting—like turning human.
"......!"
Kang-ho's eyes widened. Niva, watching from afar, spoke up.
"Indeed... the legend holds true."
Kang-ho blinked, then asked, "Legend...?"
"Ah—"
"Among Mu continent druid legends, there's one about Silver White Fangs living among humans. I thought it mere myth..."
Kang-ho stared at Seol-a, a bit dazed.
She now looked like a five- or six-year-old child. Long silver hair matching her fur trailed to the ground, so lush it draped over her whole body.
Her huge eyes sparkled like diamonds. Arms and legs were chubby. A plump-cheeked little girl with porcelain skin.
The fun part?
Flap flap flap!
Her three tails poked through the hair, flapping wildly.
Seol-a looked down at herself, then at Kang-ho, and beamed.
'Hi!'
Her smile seemed to say.
Kang-ho reached out without thinking.
"......Hi!"
She resembled the spirits around her—mimicking young spirit kids perfectly.
Seol-a tilted her head repeatedly at her odd new form, peering at hands and feet, then whoosh! jumped.
She dashed into Kang-ho's arms but flinched back. Bigger now, no longer fitting snugly. Disappointment welled tears in her eyes.
Kang-ho burst out laughing and hugged her tight.
[You’re surprisingly good at cooking?]
Theo said.
And he wasn't wrong—King's skills were top-notch. He whipped up scrambled eggs and steak with a grin.
"I do a mean breakfast, bro."
[Kang-ho sucks at cooking. You've tried his, right?]
True. Kang-ho saw food as fuel—nutrition and purpose over flavor. His cooking for Theo was mostly bland or mysteriously tasteless. Too salty's bad for health, etc.
"Yes. Brother Kang-ho has no talent for it."
King nodded solemnly in agreement.
[Right. This how you do it?]
Theo's smartphone showed a new SNS account.
"Yep, bro. Now post the pic."
Theo uploaded his photo.
"Add hashtags here."
Theo poked awkwardly at the keyboard.
[#Breakfast]
"Perfect."
Theo nodded, pleased.
[Excellent.]
What satisfied Theo more was life without Kang-ho. No more tiptoeing—he ruled now.
[Heh heh heh...]
Of course.
Screech—
Paradise didn't last. Kang-ho walked in right after.
[......]
Theo deflated instantly.
King greeted warmly. "Welcome back, bro! Where've you been? No calls."
"Had some business."
"Huh?"
King tilted his head at the silver-haired kid in Kang-ho's arms.
"Secret daughter...?"
"Uh......"
Seol-a perked up, spotting Theo—she liked him a lot.
Whoosh!
She leaped down but tripped on her long hair.
"......!"
Seol-a's eyes widened in shock, mouth agape in pain, tears brimming.
[What, you pick up a stray kid?]
Theo grumbled, helping her up and patting her head. Seol-a sniffled, then chomped his wrist.
Chomp!
[Ouch.]
"......"
Kang-ho smiled awkwardly.
[What's this? Why's it feel familiar?]