Chapter 9

The reason the Soul World has such a dedicated fanbase isn’t just its appealing lore but also its well-received system.

Instead of the chaotic combat system it’s notorious for, it’s the growth system that stands out. At first glance, it might sound pretty ordinary.

What’s noteworthy is that growth applies not only to me but also to NPCs and even monsters.

If a monster runs away after I fail to catch it, it could come back later as a stronger enemy.

How do I know this? The system informs you, and you can tell by the scars etched on the monsters.

Like if it’s got a missing eye or a big gash across its chest. This is one of the reasons why it’s considered a “god game” among fans.

“But what the hell did that thing do?”

I stared at Porori, who had grown to the size of a large dog, crackling with blue lightning.

Originally, Porori was smaller and didn’t have any lightning at all. But in the time I hadn’t seen it, it made an incredible leap in growth.

This was something I hadn’t witnessed in-game. Many people had caught Porori only to release it again.

In those instances, it grew but never transformed like this. Could it be that I helped it adapt to the wilderness?

I’ve fought Porori countless times, often invading each other’s territories when we were bored.

In the end, we both could grow. However, after I awakened my Red Magic, the results were severe.

“What is this, a freaking Pikachu?”

Should I start calling it Pikachu instead of Porori? This is ridiculous.

But there’s no time for pointless thoughts. Managing lightning is hazardous enough.

“If I want to control the lightning directly… it must be through a divine being.”

The god presumed to have brought me here. One among them helps wield lightning.

If Porori really has received power from that god, it can no longer be called a “monster.”

In the lore of the Soul World, it has a high chance of having evolved into a rare being known as a “spirit creature.”

Crack!

As Porori took a step forward, blue sparks flew. Its intent was clear.

It seemed today would be a day of blood vengeance. I left my mark in our last contest.

So when I took a step forward as well, Luna, who had been watching from behind, spoke up in alarm.

“W-we should fall back. It’s dangerous here.”

“But Sivar… ”

“If you don’t want to be struck by lightning, get back now!”

“Ah, okay! Don’t die, Sivar!”

With Eli’s not-so-optimistic support, they retreated. Now I could fight without interruptions.

Porori, perhaps not wanting to be disturbed, quickly closed the distance as soon as they left. I matched its speed.

It started with a walk but gradually turned into a sprint. Soon Porori was charging at me on all fours.

I too moved my legs swiftly, gripping my axe tightly. Perhaps because of the lightning, a tingling sensation ran through my body as I got closer to it.

“Yank!”

Finally, the large dog-sized Porori leapt high, whipping its tail. Blue lightning flickered along its tail.

Tail smacking was one of its signature moves next to Cheolsan-go. I remembered getting hit by that once and ending up with shattered ribs.

I swung my tightly gripped axe hard. The axe, glimmering with a gentle red magic.

Clang!

The sound didn’t seem possible for a clash between a tail and a stone axe. It was clear and pure like metal clashing against metal.

Blam!!

Despite that, the collision of tremendous power resulted in a massive shockwave.

So strong that both it and I were flung far away. Time seemed to stretch as my body floated through the air.

Wham!

I collided with something hard as a rock. I must have been thrown quite far since debris began to rain down upon me.

I hurriedly got up despite the pain. It looked like I ended up flying into the cave wall.

The wall paintings I had carved out of boredom were completely destroyed. Plus, one more entrance to the cave was a bonus.

“Whoa.”

Brushing off the debris from my head, I searched for Porori’s location. It surely would take time to regroup after being tossed around like that.

In the meantime, I needed to get myself ready as well. First off, the axe I had clutched in my left hand.

Because it collided with the tail wrapped in lightning, only the handle remained. Given the materials, that was to be expected.

I had prepared an extra for situations like this. I picked up a stone axe and a stone spear neatly placed against the cave wall, one in each hand.

‘It’s coming.’

My senses told me. It too was regaining its composure and heading this way.

I walked slowly but then quickly moved my legs. Spreading magic throughout my body heightened my senses.

Eventually, as I exited the cave, I spotted blue light flickering in the distance.

Flash!

One flash made the light grow brighter.

Flash!

Another flash, and the distance shrank even more.

Like real lightning, every time it burst with light, it covered the distance rapidly. That must be yet another ability I’ve acquired.

It had grown stronger—way stronger than before. From what I could see, it seemed to be sharpening its fangs and honing its skills.

‘This is incredible.’

I still clearly remember the day it fell in this forest when it dumped on my face.

Until now, we had only ever drawn, but I finally had a chance to settle the score. It must be why it was so determined.

In the past, I would have had a carefree mentality, thinking it was do or die. But after meeting those two, my mindset had shifted.

‘I can’t die here.’

I finally found hope, so giving up now was not an option. I steeled my left hand while stepping forward with my right foot.

Then I pulled my left arm back, preparing my stance just as it arrived in close range, and hurled the stone spear with all my might.

One of the techniques I had gained while living in this forest was ‘throwing.’ Quite literally, the act of throwing an object.

A highly ordinary skill, but taking it to the extreme could change the game dramatically.

Would you believe that a pebble could pack the punch of a gun with just a throw?

There’s a power and skill that makes that possible.

Wham!

With a sound like the wind bursting, the stone spear flew towards it. The speed at which it soared could only be described as lightning-fast.

Of course, it seemed it had anticipated this attack as it dodged dexterously with a flash! I had seen that coming as well.

The limitations of the stone spear were clear. It’s better to think of it as a consumable when fighting that thing.

After all, it couldn’t even properly contain Red Magic, which makes fighting bare-handed a lot more efficient.

Boom!

As the missed spear hit the ground, it erupted into a massive explosion. Surrounding terrain was blown apart and scattered everywhere.

Thanks to me infusing my magic, it exploded with just a minor impact. I’m not entirely sure why, but Red Magic acts like gunpowder.

If I’m not careful, I could hurt myself in no time. I have to be cautious at all times. Thankfully, I now find it easy to control.

Anyway, back to business—

Crack!

Using the speed of lightning, it had closed the distance. It was wrapped in blue lightning from head to toe.

I felt like I’d seen that somewhere before, but it didn’t matter. What mattered now was hitting it.

Honestly, I don’t even think I could lose. Up until recently, I was often in and out of its territory.

But I wouldn’t let my guard down. I’d learned my lesson after being bitten by a decapitated snake because of carelessness.

Vroom—

Once again, the axe surged with red energy. I only injected as much power as the axe could handle, but it felt like it would explode at any moment.

Meanwhile, Porori spun around and jumped high. Then it swung its tail down powerfully.

Using the centrifugal force from its spin, that tail smack was even stronger. I infused more magic into my stone axe and swung vigorously upward.

Clang!

Once more, a clear and bright sound resonated.

Boom!!

With that massive explosion, my vision was flooded with light.

******

The warning roars of beasts, chirps of insects, and songs of birds—sounds that one would hear in the forest, far from any noise.

The roar wouldn’t spread throughout the whole forest unless it was nighttime.

Roar! Smash! Bang! Bam!

But right now, the forest was filled with a cacophony of noises. Sounds of lightning ripping through the air, explosions like bombs, and the breaking of something could all be heard.

The silence that once enveloped the area was pierced by the tension of the noise, causing the forest creatures to be on high alert. They were all worried about that noise getting closer.

The birds perched on branches flew away, and both predator and prey distanced themselves from the source.

Luna and Eli were no different. They had been waiting in a relatively nearby spot.

-Graaah!

-Kyaaah!

“······”

A shout from one human and one beast echoed throughout the forest. Luna’s face turned rigid upon hearing that sound.

The roar was so intimidating it made one instinctively take a step back. It was hard to believe that the cries came from a creature and a squirrel.

‘That squirrel must be handling lightning…’

Luna recalled the lightning that the squirrel had used. Only by embodying divinity could one wield lightning.

For beasts, handling divinity was practically impossible. Beasts are more driven by instinct than rational thought.

To obtain divinity, one needs patience, meaning they must endure abstinence and hardship. It’s not something a creature led by instinct would undergo.

Yet this squirrel was different. It effortlessly used lightning, a sign of divinity. After which, it was battling Sivar.

‘Could it really be a spirit creature?’

Spirit creatures, only arising in legends. If it is indeed a spirit creature, the Academy cannot easily overlook it.

Just existing as a spirit creature is rare, and they’re stronger than anyone could imagine. They hardly pose a threat to humans, but there are rare exceptions.

And those exceptions often cause massive damage. Spirit creatures don’t simply seclude themselves in nature.

In the distant past, spirit creatures were objects of worship, but now they’re mere monsters. They are just monsters with whom basic communication is possible.

Thus, once we returned to the Academy, I intended to report this immediately. If that happens, it will surely create chaos for a while.

“Are we allowed to be here?”

“······We need to see how it plays out.”

Still, the reason they waited nearby was simple. They wanted to witness the outcome.

No matter who wins, they would exit the forest, but the reports would differ.

Even if Sivar won, there wouldn’t be a major change at the Academy.

“What if Sivar dies? He’s the one who saved us.”

“He won’t die easily.”

“Can you be sure? What if… ”

As Luna listened to Eli’s passionate monologue, she sensed something odd. Eli’s mouth moved, but no words reached her ears.

It looked as if she were merely mouthing the words. At first, Luna thought she was just fooling around.

Flash!

Until a towering pillar blending blue and red colors sprang up in the heart of the forest. They turned their heads towards the light.

It was a pillar so bright it might blind anyone who laid eyes upon it. As lightning flickered along its length, it was easy to deduce who was responsible.

Graaah!

Before long, the pillar began to grow larger. The area around it was slowly consumed.

Simultaneously, a deafening explosion struck their ears, explaining why Eli’s words were drowned out.

Whooooosh!

“Gyaah!”

“Ugh!”

The impact of the enormous explosion didn’t care about distance. A tremendous gust of wind barreled past them.

It was so powerful that it almost sent them flying. In fact, Eli stumbled and fell as she lost her balance.

When the violent winds finally began to calm, Luna, who had shielded her face with her arms, slowly opened her eyes.

“······Oh my god.”

And as soon as she took in the sight before her, her jaw dropped in shock. “Devastation” didn’t even begin to cover the scene.

The area surrounding the pillar was completely annihilated. Trees once towering high, even the shrubs, were utterly obliterated.

What kind of force could yield such destruction? If they had been just a bit closer, they might have been caught in the blast.

Despite thinking they were far enough from the impact, it turned out to be a misjudgment.

“Ugh… What? Where did the forest go?”

“··· ···”

“Sivar. What about Sivar? Is he okay?”

“We need to check.”

Only then did Luna snap back to reality and started moving. Eli followed closely behind, anxiety written all over her face.

With an explosion this massive, neither Sivar nor the squirrel could have come out unscathed. They might not even be able to find their bodies.

They soon reached the origin of the explosion. The sheer power had created a giant crater.

Near the crater lay remnants presumed to belong to Sivar’s cave. Naturally, all the suspicious murals were gone as well.

“L-Luna! Over there! Look!”

“······I’m watching.”

It didn’t take long to find Sivar and the squirrel, who lay unconscious in the center of the crater.

Whether they were merely unconscious or truly dead remained uncertain, but even under the explosion, their forms remained intact. Both of them seemed sturdier than one would expect.

The two cautiously descended into the crater to approach them. First was Sivar.

“Sivar! Are you okay…!”

Eli choked on her words, while Luna, following behind her, was left aghast at Sivar’s condition.

It was serious. More than just serious—was he even alive?

Having been struck by lightning, his whole body was charred black, and finding an unharmed part was nearly impossible.

His limbs were twisted, and several areas were visibly crushed. Rather than alive, he looked more like a corpse.

Strangely, the tarp covering his lower half was intact. But there was no time to worry about that.

“P-potion. Let’s give him a potion quickly.”

“······Eli.”

“If he takes a potion, he’ll be okay. So just… ”

In her panic over Sivar’s state, Eli hastily pulled a potion out of her bag. This was the emergency potion they brought along.

But upon seeing Sivar’s condition, it quickly became clear that a potion wouldn’t do him any good. Eli wasn’t unaware of that fact either.

Her instinct to cling to any possible salvation came from not wanting to lose the person who had saved them.

“Don’t. It’s too late.”

Luna felt sorrowful as well. Especially because she wanted to ask about the murals’ true nature—but now it would forever remain a mystery.

Despite her words, Eli ignored Luna and sprayed the recovery potion all over Sivar’s body.

It would have been impossible to feed it to him with flesh still intact. Yet she was determined to do her best.

‘What about that squirrel…’

As Eli continued her desperate struggle, Luna turned her gaze toward the squirrel. The little creature seemed less affected by the lightning and remained unburned like Sivar.

However, it had more visible injuries than Sivar. Its limbs were all unnaturally twisted, including its tail.

Most striking were the wounds across its chest. Five deep gashes resembling claws from a fierce beast marred its body.

‘How could a mere squirrel endure this?’

Even with her own eyes, it was hard to believe. Was it true what they said about spirit creatures?

Just as Luna was about to step in for a closer look…

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Strange noises began to emit from the seemingly lifeless Sivar. At that, Luna’s steps halted immediately.

As her eyes turned back to Sivar, she witnessed an astonishing sight.

“Uh, wh-what?”

“What the… ”

He was reverting back. It seemed downright inadequate to call it simple “recovery,” as Sivar was returning to his original state.

As if shedding his charred skin, the blackened exterior flaked away, revealing his white skin, while his bones reassembled.

His charred hair and beard didn’t return, but the new growth was clearly defined.

Crack! Crack!

With the sound of bones realigning, he soon returned to his prior form.

The recovery rate and regenerative ability were insane—one couldn’t even fathom imagining him as a person. Perhaps the potion Eli had sprayed on him had helped after all.

“Ughh…”

As the two watched, flabbergasted, Sivar emitted a low grunt.

Then, he blinked a few times, peering out from beneath the hair covering his eyes. He turned his head slightly towards Eli.

“S-Sivar! Are you conscious? How many fingers do you see?”

Eli waggled two fingers in front of him.

In her urgency, she had completely forgotten that Sivar couldn’t respond properly yet.

“Shit…”

As expected, Sivar retorted with nothing but a few curse words. Though it was a simple reply, the meaning behind it was clear.

‘Get your hand outta my face; I’m dizzy.’

That was the gist of it.

[You have miraculously survived a life-threatening ordeal! Your stamina increases!]

Well, how thoughtful of you.

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