Chapter 159: Sumaru
Haah…
Even though the sun was shining high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the wintery landscape outside the windows, Lina couldn’t help but sigh to herself as she began her daily duties as a maid.
The day was picture-perfect, yet the atmosphere within the room felt heavy, weighed down by an unseen burden.
Her routine had always been simple: cleaning, meticulously assisting her young lady, and tending to her appointed master.
Usually, by this time, her young lady would be either engrossed in a book or enjoying the morning coffee Lina prepared.
But now, everything was different. Her young lady, Seo, wasn’t herself.
“Lady Seo, good morning!” Lina greeted, her voice lively and cheerful as she gently pulled back the blanket covering her young lady.
With a graceful and energetic smile, she tried to infuse some warmth and light into the room, hoping to lift Seo’s spirits.
“…Good morning, Lina…” Seo’s voice was soft, almost a whisper, lacking its usual firmness.
Lina’s hand trembled slightly as she observed her young lady.
Seo had always maintained a unique, almost enigmatic, apathetic expression. It was challenging to discern her true thoughts or emotions.
But Lina, who had been by her side since the first semester at the academy, knew Seo well enough to see the cracks in her demeanor.
Seo was deeply troubled, perhaps even depressed, and the realization pained Lina more than she let on.
“I-I’ll clean the bed. Why don’t you have your breakfast for now, Lady Seo~” Lina suggested, forcing a bright tone despite her concern.
“…Ok,” Seo replied, her voice barely audible, as if she were moving through a fog.
As Seo slowly got up, Lina couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.
Her once uniquely vibrant, composed young lady seemed too distant than she already was, lost in a world Lina couldn’t reach.
These past few days, Seo had started acting strange after the punishment imposed on her by the academy.
The consequence was straightforward—she was suspended from all academic duties for an entire week and confined to her room during that time.
While the punishment wasn’t excessively harsh considering the damage she had caused, it certainly wasn’t pleasant.
Even Lina, herself, wouldn’t have wanted to be cooped up in a room, no matter how luxurious it was.
“This can’t go on!” Lina resolved, clenching her fists tightly as she nervously smoothed the already straightened bed sheet.
She wasn’t a fool; it was easy to see what was happening with her young lady.
Seo’s recent behavior had been troubling, and the cause of it all seemed to point to one person.
“Riley Hell! That’s it—it must be him!”
Although Lina lacked all the details, she had pieced together enough from the rumors and official reports.
Riley Hell was supposedly involved in the incident that had led to her lady’s fight within the academy grounds.
Lina knew Seo was strong-willed, but seeing her in such a state was unsettling.
There was no doubt in her mind that whatever had happened, Riley was at the center of it.
Determined to protect her lady, Lina’s thoughts raced.
She had to do something, anything, to help Seo out of this situation.
She wasn’t going to let her young lady suffer in silence.
“Lady Seo…” Lina whispered to herself, determination blazing in her eyes. “I’ll make sure you get through this, no matter what.”
…
[Note: Remnant energy of the celestial stars located]
[Note: User’s mana resonance is not compatible to host the celestial mana….]
[Note: User is advice to not breathe in the mana lingering in the air]
“Can you focus?”
“Ah, yes, sorry…”
I muttered, tightening my coat around me and adjusting my scarf against the biting cold.
The frost troll’s massive club swung toward me with terrifying speed, but I sidestepped it effortlessly. Twisting my body mid-air, I executed a precise slash.
Woosh.
A silvery trajectory streaked through the air as my sword severed the troll’s head cleanly.
The gigantic creature’s body crashed to the ground with a resounding thud, shaking the earth beneath us.
Kagami, who had been standing nearby, clenched his fist, causing the wolf’s head he had been holding to explode into a thousand pieces.
His eyes narrowed, and he raised a brow at me.
Despite his intentions being good, his naturally stern expression, combined with his buzz-cut hairstyle, made him seem more like a bully than a concerned companion.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, his tone gruff.
I shook my head, offering him a reassuring smile. “No, I’m fine.”
He grunted in response, clearly unconvinced. “Then stop acting so out of place. We’re getting closer, right?”
“Yes,” I replied, nodding.
We were on our way to the location of the Star Rippling Dungeon, a place of great importance to Kagami.
The air around us grew colder as we approached, the frost-covered landscape becoming more treacherous with each step.
It was the weekend, and the perfect time to finally upgrade Kagami’s specs, especially with all the free time I had.
It was crucial to act quickly before any other ordeal could arise and disrupt the development of another key supporting character in the future.
Right now, we were trekking up a steep, inclined hill that led to the top of Sumaru, a gigantic mountain revered by the people of this land.
Sumaru this mountain was named after by a certain tiger also known as the Tiger God of Lightning Sumaru.
For most people in this world, the god Sumaru was just a folktale, a story passed down to honor the great tiger that died protecting this mountain thousands of years ago.
However, in reality—or at least in the game—he was very much real.
Sumaru was a character you could interact with, and once we reached the summit, he would likely reveal himself to us in the form of a magnificent white tiger.
But this tiger wasn’t just any creature—it had a deep-seated disdain for trespassers.
Kagami, despite his imposing appearance, was a good-natured person at heart.
I was confident that the tiger would take a liking to him, especially considering the star mana coursing through his veins.
That connection would likely resonate with the deity.
As for me, though… I wasn’t so sure how things would go.
Sumaru’s hot headed nature was very straight forward, and I have this slight feeling that my presence might not be as warmly received.
‘Still, this was a risk worth taking.’
Kagami’s growth was essential for the challenges ahead, and this was the best opportunity to enhance his abilities.
To ensure he clears that dungeon safely, I’ll at least guard its entrance the moment he enters.
“By the way, Kagami, why did you bring so many supplies?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I glanced at the overstuffed backpack he was carrying.
The thing looked like it was bursting at the seams, with kitchen wares, makeshift tents, and even a pair of extra shoes poking out.
It was almost comical how overloaded it was. “Where’s your dimensional pouch?”
Kagami paused, looking at me with wide eyes, as if the question had caught him off guard. After a moment, he coughed into his hand, trying to compose himself.
“As a man, it is essential to always be prepared and ready to face the harsh world out there,” he declared with a seriousness that didn’t quite match the situation. “At least that’s what my father used to say. It’s ingrained in me… And, well, carrying a heavy backpack helps me train and exercise while on the go.”
“Is that so?” I replied, my skepticism evident as I eyed the bulging pack.
This gym rat… I guess each and every one of us has some weird quirk.
But lugging around all that stuff just to build strength? Kagami was definitely one of a kind.
All the clanking metals inside does attract monsters, but it wasn’t much of a problem the only thing we have to worry about in this mountain was that tiger.
…
In a dark cavern near the mountain’s peak, a crow darted through the shadowed expanse with speeds almost imperceptible to the naked eye.
Its blue eyes, wide with panic, reflected the fear coursing through its tiny form as it descended into the cave’s deepest recesses.
Upon reaching the cavern’s heart, the crow, a messenger of sorts, found the colossal beast within.
The creature, a massive entity with a tiger-like build and an aura of raw, untamed power, lay slumbering in its lair.
The crow, trembling, bowed its head in deference before taking a deep breath, expanding its chest dramatically.
“MASTER! MASTER! ALERT! ALERT! DANGER! TRESPASSERS FOUND!!!!”
The crow’s screech shattered the cave’s silence, sending tremors through the stone walls from the sheer force of its call.
“Shut up!”
The growling voice of authority rumbled through the cavern, accompanied by the sight of the beast’s immense fangs as it yawned.
The beast, known as Sumaru, stirred from its slumber, its eyes glowing a menacing blue as it regarded the crow with a mixture of annoyance and disdain.
“MASTER SUMARU DANGER! TRESPASSERS HUMANS FOUND ENTERING MOUNTAIN!!!!”
Sumaru sighed deeply, his voice a deep, resonant growl that echoed through the cavern.
“Quiet down, dumb bird. I already noticed.”
The crow tilted its head in confusion. “MASTER LET IT BE?”
Sumaru sniffed the air, his senses honing in on the humans’ presence.
His eyes, glowing eerily, scanned the surroundings with precision.
From the scent alone, they seemed like mere human children to him.
“What’s the point of harming kids? They probably just got lost.”
“NO HUMAN DANGER!!!”
“HUMAN DANGER!!!”
“HUMAN DANGER!!!”
“HUMAN DANGER!!!”
Sumaru’s brows furrowed in irritation.
The crow’s incessant warnings were growing tiresome.
It was just two human children, wasn’t it? Why the extreme reaction?
Though Sumaru desired nothing more than to return to his rest, his gigantic, feline-like body stirred with a low rumble.
Electricity crackled with each deliberate step he took, the very air around him charged with his growing frustration and the power of his awakening.
Karasu’s warning was not without reason
And….
There was no harm with checking thing’s out.
As Sumaru looked up at the sky, he summoned dark cumulonimbus clouds, forming almost instantaneously with his will, their ominous presence casting a shadow over the scene below.
The clouds swirled with an unnatural energy, crackling with intense electricity that danced across the sky, the air charged with an impending storm.
In an instant, a blinding light erupted from the clouds, and Karasu’s white form shot upwards, propelled by the sheer force of the electric surge.
He ascended into the heavens with a sudden, dazzling brilliance, the lightning illuminating his path.
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS
MCPG
Sorry for the late chapter…. I just caught a really really! bad cold, I was adviced to take more rest, so chapters may come out a bit later than usual.
