Chapter 9: I’m Sivar (2)

Chapter 9: I’m Sivar (2)

The reason for the strong fandom of the Soul World lies not only in its appealing universe but also in the highly praised system. Its not a combat system infamous for being shitty but the growth system. While, at first glance, it may sound ordinary, what deserves attention is that the growth applies not only to the player but also to NPCs and even monsters.

Lets say theres a monster that you failed to hunt and fled. That monster could potentially become a stronger monster later on.

How do we know this?

The system informs us, and we can discern it through scars engraved on the monsters. It could be a missing eye or have a large wound on the chest, among other things. Thats one of the reasons why it was called a god game among enthusiasts.

But what the hell did that bastard do?

I looked at the Porori, who had grown to the size of a large dog, with a blue bolt adorning its body. Porori was originally smaller and didnt even have a lightning bolt.

However, during my absence, it achieved tremendous growth. Its a phenomenon unseen in the game. Many people have neither hunted nor released the Porori, but to think it could grow like this. Perhaps its because I lived in the wild.

Ive fought Porori countless times, and whenever I felt bored, we encroached on each others territories. As a result, both of us could grow. However, since my awakening of the crimson magic power, the intensity of our fights became incredibly fierce.

Its not like its a Pikachu.

Now I had to call it Pikachu instead of Porori. Its ridiculous.

However, I didnt have time for pointless thoughts. Just it controlling the lightning alone was dangerous.

In order to directly control the lightning the only answer is divinity.

There were gods I believe to have brought me to this place. Among them, there was also a god who helped one control lightning.

If Porori truly gained power from that deity, he could no longer be called a monster. It is highly likely that he evolved into a rare existence known in the Soul World universe as a Divine Beast.

Crackle!

As Porori took a step forward, blue sparks flickered. Its intention was clear.

It seemed like today was another battle for revenge. Since I marked my victory in our previous duel, it was only natural. So, when I took a step forward as well, Luna, who had been watching from behind, opened her mouth in surprise.

W-We should back off. Its dangerous to stay here.

But what about Sivar?

If you dont want to get struck by lightning and die, hurry up and get away!

Ah, okay! Dont die, Sivar!

With Ellies reluctant cheer as the last support, they moved away from me. Thanks to that, I felt at ease and ready to fight. Porori seemed to dislike being disturbed in the fight, as he quickly approached once they left.

I matched his speed. It started with a walk but gradually transitioned into a sprint.

And then, Porori charged at full speed on all four legs. I also vigorously moved my two legs and tightly gripped my axe. The closer I got to him, the more I felt my whole bodys hair standing on end, probably due to the lightning.

Kyaaang!

Finally, the Popori, as big as a large dog, jumped high and swung its tail , shimmering with blue lightning.

After the tail whip, it followed with a Tetsuzanko, which had caused my rib bones to shatter once before. I firmly gripped the axe and swung it with force. The axe glowed with a faint red aura.

Claaang!

(TL: Its basically a body check. I legit just spent 30 min researching what this damn move is, but imagining a giant squirrel doing it was hilarious enough to be worth it. Its from Virtua Fighter, heres a link /watch?v=Av05JGHIFtw )

The sound didnt seem like the tail and the stone axe colliding. It was clear and crisp, like iron striking iron.

Kwagwang!!

Apart from that, a massive shockwave occurred as the enormous force collided with another force.

Both Porori and I were thrown back. The moment of my body being suspended in the air felt incredibly long.

Thud!

My body collided with a solid rock. I was thrown quite forcefully, causing debris to rain down above me.

I quickly recovered from the shock and stood up. It seems like I flew inside the cave and collided with the wall.

All the wall paintings I carved out of boredom collapsed. It was a bonus that another entrance appeared in the cave.

Phew.

I brushed off the debris from my head and roughly assessed Poloris location. Since it was thrown as far as I was, it would take time for it to recover.

During that time, I also needed to take some time to recover. First, I focused on the axe I held in my left hand.

The tail, entwined with lightning, must have broken it, leaving only the handle behind. Its probably inevitable considering that its material after all.

In preparation for such situations, I created a spare. I grasped the neatly arranged stone axes and spears on the cave wall with both hands.

Its coming.

My senses were telling me. It has regained its senses and was approaching this way.

I didnt wait, instead, I moved my legs quickly. I spread magic throughout my body, enhancing my senses.

Eventually, when I escaped from the cave, I noticed a shimmering blue light in the distance.

Flash!

With a single flash, the light grew brighter.

Flash!

Once again, it flashed, narrowing the distance even further.

Every time the light burst like real lightning, the distance rapidly narrowed. That must be another newly acquired ability.

It has become stronger. Unparalleled compared to before. It seems Popri has honed and trained itself.

Truly amazing.

I still remember it vividly. The day I fell into this forest, that guy smeared dung on my face.

Until now, weve only had draws, but recently, I was able to get my revenge on him. Perhaps thats why its so obsessed with me.

I used to have a mindset of If I die, I die. However, after meeting other people just now, my thoughts have changed.

I will never die.

After finally having some hope, how could I give up? I exerted strength in my left hand and extended my right foot forward. Then, I pulled back my left arm and adjusted my stance.

When it was getting closer, I threw the spear with great force. One of the skills I acquired while living in this forest was throwing. It literally meant the act of throwing an object.

Its a very ordinary skill, but the story changes when you push it to the extreme. If I can produce the same power as a gun just by throwing a stone, wouldnt it be useful? I had both power and technique that made it possible.

Bang!

Wiiiing!

Ahh!

Ugh!

The impact of the massive explosion spared nothing in its range. A tremendously powerful gust that swept through them.

It was a gust so strong that it could have easily blown them away. In fact, Ellie couldnt maintain their balance and tumbled on the ground.

As the storm gradually subsided, Luna, who had blocked the gust with her arms, slowly opened her eyes.

oh my goodness

And as soon as she opened her eyes, she was amazed, her mouth agape. The expression reduced to ashes would be an understatement.

Everything around the pillar of light had completely vanished. Not only the tall trees but also the small bushes were all gone.

How strong of a force would it take to produce these results? If they had been just a little closer, they would have been caught in the explosion.

Luna thought they had stayed far away from the affected area, but she was mistaken.

Ugh What, what happened? Where did the forest go?

S-Sivar. Is he okay? Is Sivar fine?

We need to check.

Finally regaining her senses, Luna took a step forward. Ellie followed closely behind her with an anxious expression.

If it was an explosion like this, neither Sivar nor the squirrel could have survived. They might not even find their bodies.

Continuing on, they arrived at the epicenter of the explosion. It was such a massive blast that a giant crater had formed.

Near the crater, there were remnants that seemed to be fragments of Sivars cave. Naturally, all the suspicious murals had disappeared as well.

L-Luna! Look over there! Look!

Im looking.

It didnt take them long to find Sivar and the squirrel, both unconscious, in the center of the crater. It was uncertain whether they were unconscious or dead, but they still maintained their physical forms amidst the explosion. Both of them seemed unusually sturdy.

The two cautiously descended into the crater and approached them. Sivar was the first they reached.

Sivar! Are you okay!

Ellie swallowed her words and held her breath. Luna, who followed behind her, stiffened her expression upon seeing Sivars condition. It was serious.

Beyond being merely serious, it was even doubtful as to whether he was alive. His entire body was charred as if struck by lightning, and it was difficult to find an unburned area.

His limbs were twisted, and there were parts that seemed completely crushed. He looked like a corpse to anyone who saw him. Interestingly, the cloth covering his lower body was intact. However, there was no time to pay attention to such details.

P-Potion. We need to give him a potion quickly.

Ellie

If he drinks the potion, hell be okay. So

Having observed Shivars condition, Ellie urgently took out a potion from her bag. It was brought for emergencies. However, upon seeing Sivars state, one could quickly realize that potions or anything similar would be of no use.

Ellie knew that as well. It was a desperate act born out of the desire to hold onto even a shred of hope. She didnt want to let the person who saved her go like this.

Dont do that. Its already too late.

Luna felt equally sorry. She especially wanted to ask about the true nature of the mural, but it ended up becoming a lifelong mystery.

Ellie ignored her words and sprinkled the recovery potion onto Sivars body. Although she wanted to put it in his mouth, it was impossible due to the excessive burns. Nonetheless, she was determined to do her best.

That squirrel

While Ellie was trying her best, Luna looked towards the squirrel. Unlike Sivar, it was less affected by the lightning and didnt get burned like him. Instead, it had far more noticeable wounds than Sivar. Its limbs, including the tail, were twisted in a grotesque direction.

But what stood out the most was its chest. It had deep wounds, like those caused by a beasts claws, in five different places.

Just a squirrel, after all.

Even though she saw it with her own two eyes, she couldnt believe it. I guess divine beasts are really divine. It was the moment Luna was about to lift her foot because she wanted to get closer for a better look.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Strange sounds began to emanate from Sivar, who was lying as if dead. Lunas footsteps abruptly halted at the sound. Then she turned her gaze towards Sivar and witnessed an astonishing sight.

W-What?

What is this

He was reverting. Sivar was returning to his original form so completely that even the word recovery seemed underwhelming.

As if shedding his charred skin like molting, the blackened skin was peeled away, revealing a fresh white skin, and the bones of the shattered arms and legs returned to their original state.

However, the hair and beard that had been incinerated by lightning did not return to normal. Instead, they only grew to the point of being there.

Crackle! Crack!

With the sound of bones aligning, it didnt take long for Sivar to return to his previous appearance.

The speed of recovery and regenerative power was unimaginable, as if it couldnt possibly belong to a human. Could it be that the potion sprayed by Ellie had an effect?

Ugh

As the two people stared at him with wide-eyed expressions, Sivar let out a groan.

Then, he blinked his eyes that had been hidden between his bangs and turned his head slightly. Ellie was there where he turned his head.

S-Sivar! Are you awake? H-How many fingers do you see?

Ellie spread out two fingers and shook them.

In her haste, Ellie seemed to have completely forgotten that Sivar couldnt even speak properly yet.

Shibal

Sivar, as expected, only replied with a curse. It was a simple response, but it carried a different meaning.

Put your hands away because its dizzy.

Thats what it meant.

[You have dramatically recovered from the brink of death! Your stamina is increasing!]

Well, thank you for that.