327 Transformation
The little silver-haired girl rolled to the edge of the bed, hopped down, and ran up to me with her short, chubby legs.
"Pa!" she chirped and wrapped her little arms around my leg. A soft smile tugged at my lips as I scooped her up and settled her on my lap.
She beamed with joy as I gently patted her head and ruffled her hair, my gaze fixated on the strands of red on her head.
Yes, Sera had acquired a human form.
I was confused at first, but after I talked to my Master and indirectly inquired about the matter, everything fell into place.
He explained that many of the ancient Phoenixes and Dragons possessed the ability to assume different forms – they had a transformation ability.
Sera must have unlocked this ability when she advanced into the middle-tier ranks.
As for why she took a human form and not something else, it was clearly because her soul was linked to mine.
Just as I had gained a Phoenix Gene, she had also acquired a human form as her transformation.
It was a good thing, since in her base form, Sera had grown nearly up to my height after her breakthrough.
Yes, her Phoenix form had become quite large now. I could not even imagine how majestic she would become after hitting her peak.
"Pa!" Sera chirped once more, tugging at my t-shirt to get my attention. I glanced down at her, the gentle smile still present on my face.
Meeting her gaze, I said, "No. No 'Pa.' Call me big brother or uncle. Anything but Pa or Papa."
Sera pouted and vigorously shook her head in adorable defiance. "Nuu! Pa is my Pa!"
"Damn it, Sera! I'm too young and handsome to be a father!" I exclaimed, covering my face with my palm as Sera continued to shake her head like a child.
Well, technically, she was a child.
Letting out a resigned sigh, I relented, "Okay, okay! You can call me whatever you want."
It was only then that Sera flashed a victorious grin and ceased her adorable head-shaking. "Heehee!"
With a smile, I brought my smart bracelet up to my face and opened the messaging app. It was about time I left this city behind.
I needed to notify my Master to either come and pick me up or arrange a different meeting point since he was going to train me throughout the rest of the break.
At first, I wanted to run away, but now I understood that I needed to cultivate every ounce of power I could for the treacherous path that lay ahead in my future.
I sent Leo a short text message that read, "Master, my work here is done. I'm ready to leave. So, what's the plan?"
Then, I powered off the bracelet and began thinking about other things.
I still had to respond to Amelia, but I was uncertain about what to say. What should I tell her? Or perhaps more importantly, how much should I reveal to her?
Then there was the matter of Nero and the other main characters with him. All of them should be in Shaolin by now.
The Underground Auction should happen in a few weeks. They should be able to get the Petal of Ambrosia without any issues, right?
"I mean, it's a simple task. I swear to god, if they manage to fuck this up then I can just forget about leaving the fate of this world in their hands."
I closed my eyes, feeling weary, and leaned back in my chair. Seeing this, Sera climbed up onto my chest and pecked my cheek.
I couldn't help but smile again as I opened my eyes and met her concerned gaze. She asked in a troubled tone, "Pa is worried?"
"I'm fine, Sera," I reassured her before a thought crossed my mind. I looked at her and pondered out loud, "Hmm, I should get you some new clothes before we leave the city. I mean, just who knows where my deranged master will take us next for my training. A desert? A glacier? Hell, even an ancient dungeon is also possible."
Sera tilted her head, looking puzzled. "Can't Pa make more dress?"
I squinted my eyes in thought. "Well, I can, but it's better to buy them with Credits instead of using my Edit Points."
The thing is, I had created a pair of pajamas and a dress for her using my Edit Pen on different fabrics.
But that was only because I was caught off guard when she suddenly transformed and took a human form.
Now, I could simply purchase whatever she desired.
Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I turned to Sera, asking, "Hey, could you transform into your Phoenix form for me real quick?"
"Phoe... Wha?" Sera tilted her head in confusion, causing me to chuckle at her adorable response.
"Your other form is known as a phoenix," I explained with a smile. Maybe I should tell her some folktales about Phoenixes during our free time.
"Oh... oki!" Sera nodded enthusiastically, then jumped backward.
She closed her large blood-red eyes and concentrated. Not long after, a radiant silver glow began to emanate from her body, as if she were engulfed in heavenly flames.
Before I knew it, thin strands of silver flames burst from her body, reducing her white pajamas to ashes in an instant as the flames enveloped her in their fervent embrace.
For a brief moment, the silver flames formed a cocoon around her before they began to shift and expand into the shape of a magnificent bird.
As she reached her full size, the silver flames surrounding Sera were instantly extinguished.
And there she stood – a majestic bird with red feathers and silver fur around her neck, along with a gleaming golden beak and talons that looked sharp enough to cut steel.
Her red eyes locked onto mine, and she let out a cheerful chirp, "Kriek~!"
I couldn't help but smile, then glanced down at the smoldering remnants of her white pajamas.
While I could easily buy her new dresses, I think I should create something for her that could change its shape when she transforms.
With a nod, I said, "Alright, Sera. It's time to go shopping!"
