Ch.99. Animal Friend (2)

As a druid who had just completed my first animal companion contract, the first change I noticed was, naturally, the mental connection established between Corin’s soul and mine.

This was different from the vague theoretical understanding I’d been taught. Sharing a part of my soul, binding and connecting with each other, linking with a thunderbird that was infinitely close to the spirits called living mysteries—the impact on me was immense.

Thunder reverberating within me… an indescribable spiritual fulfillment gradually filling a part of my soul. The mystery of the thunderbird, the mystery of lightning, imprinted in my mind, elevating my spiritual hierarchy.

Right now, I had transcended one level of celestial magic. Though this achievement might lag behind my exceptionally talented wild magic, it would be fair to say I’d shed my beginner status.

Meanwhile, this change didn’t seem to be limited to just me.

[M-Master…! This, this is amazing!]

‘Indeed… who would have thought it would be this significant.’

As Corin’s thoughts naturally transmitted through our mental connection, several intense and visible changes occurred in Corin’s physical form.

The thunderbird’s wing feathers, which had a slight golden tint, now began to turn completely golden toward the tips. Golden lightning patterns etched themselves across the body feathers that had been almost completely white.

The previously round feathers near the ears on the head section rose sharply like wings. The beak, which had been closer to yellow, not only turned a beautiful golden color but also emitted a subtle golden aura from the body.

And because of our soul connection, I could tell. Corin’s internal mystery—or more precisely, the magical energy that could handle that mystery—had increased to 150% of its previous level.

Considering that recovering spent magical energy typically required extended rest without using magic, a 50% increase in maximum magical energy was clearly an enormous benefit.

I’d heard that animals or magical beasts who become animal companions grow and change according to the druid’s wild magic capabilities… but I never expected such dramatic changes.

After this delightful transformation occurred, my master finally granted me permission to freely wander and explore the Aleinos Forest.

While forests in this fantasy world are like living hells where creatures capable of fighting tanks roam freely, this Aleinos Forest, directly managed by my master, was safe. More precisely, no hostile creatures that I couldn’t handle existed in this forest.

Of course, interpreting this statement in reverse would mean that hostile creatures I could handle definitely did exist…

“GRRRRRR!!!”

‘—Shoot!’

-CRACKLE-ZZZZZZZZZAP!!!

Since entering the Aleinos Forest with Corin to gain practical experience, we had encountered these Shadow Wild-Dogs several times—precisely the “hostile creatures I could handle” mentioned earlier.

These magical beasts typically hunt in packs of three to five, and due to their abnormally aggressive nature, they were the hostile creatures I encountered most frequently.

As their name suggests, these “Shadow” Wild-Dogs possess shadow-related special abilities. They have the unique ability to become transparent when hiding in sufficiently dark shadows… but aside from this, they have no other special characteristics.

In other words, their combat capabilities were similar to those of ordinary wild dogs.

Even when attacked by a pack of five Shadow Wild-Dogs, I could handle them easily by calmly assessing and responding to the situation.

Taking advantage of the abundant vines in the forest environment, I made them grow to bind the dogs, then instructed Corin through our spiritual channel to shoot lightning, dispatching them in one go.

Though it was a brief moment, the result was five black dog corpses sprawled on the ground, electrocuted.

[Eat, nature. Consume the bodies of the dead and continue the cycle.]

Leaving animal carcasses unattended would be unthinkable for a druid. I had no intention of eating them, and their hides were too thin to be particularly useful. As I recited an incantation to magically decompose the bodies… I looked at Corin.

‘Corin, are you still okay?’

[Hmm… Yes, I think I’m fine. I still have more than half my magical energy left, so following you around a bit more shouldn’t be a problem.]

“Good. Shall we hunt some rabbits for your dinner then?”

[Rabbits? Yes, I’d love that!]

I gave Corin a curious look as his voice brightened at the mention of his beloved rabbit meat… but only briefly.

“Let’s go. You take the lead.”

[Okay!]

We set off through the forest for rabbit hunting, something we’d done a few times before. Our target was the rabbit—or more precisely, the hare—which occupied the lowest tier of the Aleinos Forest ecosystem.

In my previous life as a modern Korean, what I thought of as a rabbit was the cute domestic rabbit (Rabbit). In contrast, what we were hunting now was a hare (Hare).

And these hares had evolved through adaptation to this fantasy world’s ecosystem, growing to an enormous size.

Roughly measuring about 70cm in height. To put it bluntly, they were ferocious and violent wild animals far exceeding the size of most medium-sized dogs.

Of course, the fact that even after growing to such a size they still remained at the bottom of the food chain proved how abnormally harsh the natural environment of the Aleinos Forest—and indeed this world—truly was.

Anyway, hunting these hares wasn’t particularly difficult.

‘Corin, up ahead.’

[Got it!]

I would use druid magic to detect the life force of a hare, then Corin would charge forward like a bullet, easily ending the hare’s life with magic-infused claws.

[Can you ask your master to make stew with this?]

‘Of course, it’ll make a good dinner. You can’t eat it all by yourself anyway, right?’

Although Corin had grown to the size of a decent bird of prey, as a sub-adult (lower rank), it would be difficult for him to devour this entire giant hare.

Since he was a magical beast who could eat the same food as humans without issue, he had recently developed a taste for cooked food and was now excitedly shaking his head from side to side…

‘…?!!’

As I was watching him fondly, I suddenly froze upon sensing a powerful life force that had appeared within my detection range and was rapidly approaching.

Strong. Powerful. Though not reaching the intermediate level my master had shown me before, but still a formidable lower-rank life force—yet this didn’t diminish its danger in the slightest.

No, the situation was even worse given that we were caught unprepared and about to be ambushed.

In a world that seemed to slow down as my concentration reached its peak, I considered my options.

What could I do to deal with the owner of that life force?

Druid magic… would be difficult. Hunting a magical beast with that level of life force would require a lengthy incantation, and my throat would be torn out before I could finish the spell.

[M-Master…! What should we do? What should we do?]

Additionally, the panicked Corin couldn’t help right now. Whatever Corin might do, it would be virtually impossible to act faster than the owner of that life force attacking me.

Of course, considering the “insurance” my master had provided, I wouldn’t die even if I failed to respond… but insurance should remain just that—insurance.

So while I was momentarily frozen in deliberation, the owner of the life force emerged from the undergrowth. It was a Dreadwolf, one of the representative mid-level predators of the Aleinos Forest.

Though it possessed no special abilities or magical powers that directly aided in combat, its innate physical capabilities alone were sufficient to place it at the top tier of lower-rank magical beasts.

Almost as large as a black bear, with the ability to induce fear when making eye contact—powers too subtle to be called special abilities. This magical beast leaped with all its might to close the distance, apparently intending to pounce and hunt me—

“—GROOOOAAAR!!!”

What greeted the Dreadwolf was my front paw attack, as I instantly transformed into a massive black bear by summoning the power of the wild.

-SLASH!

My downward swipe with claws extended left a huge gash on its neck, while its attack was almost nullified thanks to my tough bear hide and thick layer of fat.

Of course, befitting its status as a top-tier lower-rank magical beast, despite the wound I inflicted on its neck, it still growled and lowered its stance to launch another attack—

-BOOOOM!!!

A lightning bolt summoned by Corin struck the Dreadwolf’s head.

This powerful magical electricity instantly pierced through the Dreadwolf, ending its life. Corin had caught the signal I sent and dropped the lightning bolt the moment he saw an opening.

[M-Master! Are you okay? Are you hurt?]

‘I’m fine, Corin. Calm down. You were just startled.’

As I tried to reassure Corin, who was clinging to me in my black bear form and panicking, I reached one conclusion:

‘A vanguard… is essential.’

The next time we ventured into the forest, I would definitely need to bring along at least one vanguard.