< Chapter 98: Four Divine Beasts (8) >
―The brainwaves are very stable.
―This improvement seems to be successful.
I opened my eyes amidst numerous researchers.
Curious eyes bustling around. I remember the cold eyes, devoid of any warmth.
―We don’t need to dispose of this subject.
That was my first memory.
A time when I did not even know myself properly.
―Not bad. We can increase the load a bit more.
―It’s fine if it dies. We have the data anyway.
White Tiger’s first sensation was pain.
It hurts.
It hurts so much.
No one told me, but White Tiger knew what the sensation was all by herself.
Next was the cold sensation of metal.
The sensation of something being injected into the body.
The sensation of skin being cut.
And the voices of the researchers.
―It’s holding up well.
―With this test subject, research will accelerate.
―Indeed, adding the Pegasus factor from Black was a good idea.
Their voices sounded monstrous.
I didn’t know what a monster was, but that was what it felt like.
I’d rather die than live like this. That’s what I thought.
―It held on for a year.
―This is a miracle.
A year passed like this.
―Good. Let’s try a higher-level experiment.
―Take it to Monster Park. I want to see it hunt on its own.
That day, White Tiger saw the world outside the lab for the first time.
The sky, trees, ground, sunlight.
White Tiger felt sensations other than the cold touch of metal for the first time.
The scent of forest grass, the warmth of the sun, the coolness of the wind.
White Tiger felt happiness for the first time.
―Go. That’s your prey. Kill it.
And that day, a miracle occurred.
―Director! Monsters in Monster Park have gone berserk!
―They seem to have resonated with White Tiger’s emotions and broken free from control!
The unique attribute of the Four Divine Beasts is ‘resonance.’ Sadness, joy, pain, anger. A power that shares all these emotions.
The happiness White Tiger felt influenced the monsters in Monster Park.
―Stop it! Input the new control code!
The monsters, who had been controlled by emotion, went berserk in response to sudden feelings.
―Hey, Director!
―White Tiger has disappeared!
White Tiger escaped in the chaos.
It ran and ran with all its might.
It felt joy in stepping on the ground with its feet.
It felt tears at the sensation of the wind brushing its fur.
It was happy.
But it was also scared.
If caught by the researchers, this happiness would end.
It felt a tremendous fear of that fact.
White Tiger kept running.
To avoid them.
Not to be caught.
Fortunately, White Tiger’s genetic strength was very advantageous for escaping.
It could sense nearby presences, and its legs were very fast.
The device around its neck was only to prevent escape. It couldn’t track its location.
―If we can’t find it in a month, it’s dead. Let it go.
―Even if it’s alive, it’ll be caught soon. The visitors to Monster Park will serve as bait, so leave it be.
That’s how White Tiger gained freedom.
Desperately avoiding the superhumans exploring Monster Park, it did what it wanted.
It was half-freedom, but it was happy enough.
It felt and learned a lot.
It realized its strength.
With exceptional intelligence, it learned many things.
And one day,
White Tiger first realized the emotion of loneliness.
5 years passed like this.
―Goldie, well done!
White Tiger met Goldie.
Fur as bright as sunlight.
A smile as warm as sunlight.
A heart as cozy as sunlight.
―Growl!
White Tiger fell in love with Goldie at first sight.
The first meeting turned into a threatening pose due to too much energy.
The face was stiffened by tension.
There was fear of approaching a human after 5 years.
But it mustered the courage.
And that day,
White Tiger became happy.
It was a short time, not even a week, but it was happy.
Goldie’s embrace was warm,
Its owner was kind,
And the owner’s girlfriend, although silly, was considerate.
I saw the world.
It was a sparkling world.
That’s enough.
“Growl.”
White Tiger smiled.
Fweeeee-!
Listening to the sound of magic twisting, White Tiger wore a wistful smile.
Life of 6 years,
The past 4 days were happier.
That’s enough.
White Tiger looked at Kang Seo-yul who had surprised rabbit eyes, and softly smiled.
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry for constantly avoiding your hand.
I was still afraid of the touch of a human hand.
Thank you.
Thank you for saving me, even though I ran wildly like a fool.
Thank you for treating me as normal, even knowing my true form.
Thank you for letting me be with Goldie.
Fweeeee-!
The twist of magic grew stronger.
White Tiger felt that twist and concentrated magic in his body.
The goal was to absorb the factors of the Four Divine Beasts twisting from this body into herself.
Was it wild instinct?
She had the certainty that this way she could suppress the explosion to the fullest.
“White Tiger!”
Kang Seo-Yul’s voice was heard.
A cry full of worry.
Thank you.
“White Tiger-yah!”
Ha Si-Yeon showed tears.
Thank you.
“Kwaang!”
Goldie cried.
Even a wrinkled face is attractive.
Thank you.
Fweeeee-!
She felt grateful for everything.
She could feel the twist of magic getting stronger.
She gritted her teeth at the sensation of something flowing into his body.
Absorbing the Four Divine Beasts’ factors into the body was strenuous, it was natural.
…It hurts.
But compared to the pain she felt 6 years ago, it’s nothing.
…It’s painful.
But it’s happy.
White Tiger took one last look at Goldie.
…You, who are like the sun.
“Growl.”
…Thank you.
Boooooooooom-!
The next moment, an explosion occurred beneath White Tiger’s body.
* * *
“Ugh!”
A bright light exploded, and a ringing sound echoed in my ears.
I felt a tremendous surge of magical power that shook my brain, and I clenched my eyes shut.
The light was so intense that I couldn’t open my eyes even if I wanted to.
After 3 seconds, the light gradually faded.
Whiz…
I opened my eyes instantly.
“White Tiger-ah!”
At the center of the explosion, a crater had formed.
A very small crater, about 10 meters in front of me.
Considering the amount of magic I felt, it was a very minor explosion.
In the center of it lay White Tiger, fallen. Burns covered his body, and his once beautiful white fur was scorched black.
“White Tiger-ya!”
We ran toward the center.
Squish squish.
White Tiger was still alive.
Her breathing was faint, but she was breathing.
“Seo-yul-ah! What should we do?”
Ha Si-yeon was fretting, looking back and forth between White Tiger and me.
“Healing, healing! You’re an angel, Seo-yul! If you use something like holy power….”
I gritted my teeth.
“…I can’t.”
I don’t have that attribute.
I’m not an angel.
“Ah….”
Ha Si-yeon collapsed to the floor. Her face was consumed with grief.
I must have looked the same.
White Tiger looked at us like that, as if saying it was okay, not to worry too much. She faintly smiled.
That slight movement might have strained her body.
Blood gushed from White Tiger’s mouth.
“Don’t, don’t move!”
I trembled as I stopped White Tiger from moving.
What should I do! What can I do!
“It’s all…”
If I hadn’t devised a plan to send the Blue Dragon into a rampage.
No, if I had just considered the possibility that the rampage could resonate, this wouldn’t have happened…
“It’s all my fault…”
As I was biting my lips like that,
“Groan.”
Goldie took a step toward White Tiger.
Wobble wobble.
He smiled with a very dignified expression.
He looked at White Tiger, whose breathing was gradually stopping, very gently.
“Goldie-ya….”
Goldie’s feelings were transmitted directly to me.
Goldie wanted the last thing his friend would remember of him to be a happy smile, not a face consumed with sorrow.
He can mourn later.
For now, just give his friend the best farewell.
Struggling to suppress his trembling expression, Goldie was smiling.
“…Sniff.”
At that moment, tears gushed out.
Perhaps because Goldie’s gentle heart was conveyed without any filter.
“Goldie-ya…”
It seemed that Si-yeon instinctively felt Goldie’s heart.
She, too, was welled up with tears.
It was then.
Flash-!
A light flowed from Goldie’s body.
A very bright light.
A light as bright as the sun.
“Se, Seo-yul-ah! Goldie is!”
Ha Si-yeon seemed startled by this sudden phenomenon.
“…Could it be.”
But I wasn’t.
Somehow, I felt like I knew what this phenomenon was.
Full embodiment of the Guardian Contract.
Goldie had fully matured as my guardian.
His nearly depleted magic power had somewhat recovered.
Probably a boost in power due to the completion of the dragon trait.
That means…!
“White Tiger-ah!”
It means I can make an additional Guardian Contract.
With a feeling of grabbing at straws, I approached White Tiger.
Looking directly into White Tiger’s eyes, which were gradually losing their light, I put both hands on his body.
“If you want to live with Goldie, nod your head!”
“……”
At my sudden words, White Tiger very slowly, but surely nodded his head.
Flash-!
“Ugh!”
At that moment, the magic power that burst from my body began to flow into White Tiger’s body.
Ding-
My head felt light in an instant, and severe dizziness overcame me.
And immediately after.
“Seo-yul-ah!”
Thud-
I lost consciousness.
* * *
“You’ve woken up.”
“Seo-yul, are you alright?”
Upon opening my eyes, the first thing I saw was the calm face of Yu Hwa and Ha Si-yeon’s face, filled with concern.
I’ve lost consciousness, haven’t I?
I looked around.
From the looks of the surroundings, it didn’t seem like a hospital.
“Where… is this?”
“Unnie’s villa.”
Maiden Critines’s villa.
That tycoon even has a villa in Australia. I accepted that realization when…
Suddenly!
“Wh-White Tiger. What about White Tiger?”
Upon my words, Yu Hwa and Ha Si-yeon’s expressions turned gloomy.
“Ah…”
My arms went limp.
How could this be?
That’s when I heard laughter. It leaked from Yu Hwa’s mouth.
“Seo-yul, look to your side.”
I turned my gaze towards the corner of the bed Yu Hwa was pointing to.
“Meow.”
“Growl.”
Two cats were sleeping.
A cute golden cat.
A snobbish white cat.
“Ah…”
Goldie and White Tiger were leaning their faces against each other, sleeping.
“I’m sorry. The joke went too far.”
Watching me, Yu Hwa put her hands together and bowed her head.
Next to her, Ha Si-yeon was doing the same pose.
“… Don’t play such a prank next time.”
I thought my heart would drop.
“Yes. I’m really sorry.”
“I’m sorry…”
I sighed softly.
Then I looked at the two cats.
No, the small tigers, and smiled as I stroked them.
“I’ll especially overlook this because of their faces.”
Feeling my touch,
“Meow~”
Goldie instinctively purred cutely.
“Growl!”
White Tiger instinctively scowled.
Her frowning face seemed to be protesting, ‘How dare you touch me.’
“Pfft.”
You’re a consistently unique cat, aren’t you?
I laughed broadly.
* * *
This Four Divine Beasts rampage incident naturally attracted global attention at once.
[After China, now in Australia! Four Divine Beasts appear again!]
[The cause of the Four Divine Beasts’ rampage is the Beast Master!]
[Outer Black, ranked 3rd, discovered the Beast Master’s experiment report and reported it to the Superhuman League.]
[Admiration for Maiden Kritines and Bihon Guild’s quick initial response!]
[Prevented a disaster while on a school trip! Exclusive interview with South Korean Superhuman Academy first-year cadets!]
17 out of the top 20 topics on the portal site were about the Four Divine Beasts incident.
“Outer Black really pulled out at the last minute.”
This incident was treated as a runaway phenomenon of Beast Master’s solo experiment.
“Of course, he’s like that.”
Maiden clicked her tongue.
Outer Black seemed quite disagreeable to her.
Who likes a dark-hearted old man anyway?
I checked the next article.
[A miracle! Only 11 civilians died in this disaster!]
[A big thank you from the Australian citizens to the entire South Korean Academy!]
“11 people.”
For an incident that could have destroyed Australia, having only 11 civilian casualties was miraculous.
If you add the superhuman casualties, it’s less than 50 in total.
Compared to the estimated 100 million deaths in a future monster rampage, it’s a drop in the bucket.
“No, a speck of dust.”
“Don’t worry about the bereaved families. The Australian government is preparing a policy. If anything seems strange, I’ll take care of it somehow, so don’t worry too much.”
“Yes.”
But those 50 or so deaths were victims caused by my actions.
It’s almost the same as if I killed them.
That fact has been tormenting me.
“Kid.”
Maiden called me with a serious look on her face.
“I can’t say not to worry. This was your mistake.”
“Yes.”
My heart ached more at Maiden’s harsh words.
“But…”
Maiden patted my shoulder with a broad smile.
“You did well.”
Her eyes were full of goodwill.
“You scamp. Want to guess what I think? You should have thought and acted more deliberately. Right?”
“Yes.”
I hung my head low.
“Goodness. Usually, you act like an old wise man, but in this, you’re just a 20-year-old kid.”
She ruffled my hair roughly.
“If you could predict all that, would you be human? You’d be a god.”
It was a gentle voice.
“This is the best we could do at that time.”
And a strict voice.
“So don’t regret it.”
Maiden said with a teasing tone.
“Don’t regret what you could have done, should have done. Those useless regrets only eat at you.”
“…”
“If you must regret, regret the present and do better next time.”
I looked up at Maiden. Somehow, her warm gaze seemed to ease my heart.
“Got it? Remember your Unnie’s words, who has lived 10 years in the past.”
“Yes. I will remember.”
I smiled faintly.
“Good. As long as you understand.”
Maiden also smiled broadly.
“By the way, kid, what about that white thing?”
Maiden turned her gaze.
“Hmm.”
I followed her gaze to where the golden tiger was sleeping, and behind it, the white tiger was blinking.
“That’s right.”
One-eye.
One eye was still bright red, but the other eye had turned to a yellow reminiscent of the Blue
Dragon.
“What should we do with this one?”
< Chapter 98: Four Divine Beasts (8) > End.
