I Became a Mountain Tiger in a Fantasy World

< Chapter 11: The Master of the Sky’s Essence >

A little while earlier.

「’The Sky’s Essence’ tells you to devour it!」

For the first time, Savage Beak realized that he could defy the essence’s command.

“Kreeeeek!”

He roared and looked around.

Red.

Everything in his sight was burning red and turning to ashes.

‘What am I doing?’

“Kraang!”

Then, a small cry was heard from afar.

Memories surfaced simultaneously.

The moment he first gained courage.

The vow to fly freely in the sky.

The memory of sharing meat with a young beast.

These moments were extremely brief in his life, but for Savage Beak, it was then that he realized his existence in this world.

He did not just act on instinct.

For the first time, he wished for something and defied the essence’s command.

‘I see. This is.’

Freedom. It was the moment he truly existed as Savage Beak.

「’The Sky’s Essence’ tells you to devour it immediately!!」

Bound by suspicious chains, the essence preserved inside his body reacted.

It was a crisis.

If it continued like this, he would die.

It was telling him to devour it quickly and escape from here.

‘Devour the essence?’

「’The Sky’s Essence’ whispers that it can burn everything!」

It would give him strength.

Don’t you also know my power?

The Sky’s Essence was saying this.

‘But.’

If that happened, the young beast would get hurt.

No. It would surely die.

Savage Beak asked.

‘Can you control the flames?’

「’The Sky’s Essence’ remains silent.」

I see.

Then the answer was clear.

Savage Beak decided, for the first time, not to rely on the essence.

In retrospect, he had always been with the essence.

They were born together and lived for each other.

Savage Beak protected the essence, and the essence protected Savage Beak.

But had he truly been protecting the Sky’s Essence?

‘No.’

Savage Beak realized then.

He hadn’t been protecting the essence; he had been living under its protection.

He had refused to think, relying on the essence, and had only engaged in slaughter, tainted by wild instincts.

So now, it was his turn to show.

“Kreeeeek!”

Yes. If only they had met a little earlier.

Or if there had been a bit more time. Perhaps fate would have been different.

But he had no regrets.

This decision was entirely of his own will.

At that moment, he was not a mere beast but became Savage Beak.

Puk.

“Grrr, Kraaaang!!”

Savage Beak looked at the young beast clinging to him and crying.

It was crying.

Foolishly, it did not run away but stayed until the end to try and save him.

“Kreak……!”

Savage Beak vomited the essence he had kept inside.

This young beast could be entrusted with the essence.

Perhaps it could become a much better master than he ever was.

「’The Sky’s Essence’ asks, what about your dream?」

Dream…?

Savage Beak suddenly looked up at the sky.

Right. He always wanted to fly in the sky.

Why was that?

In his fading consciousness, Savage Beak smiled softly.

‘The dream has already come true.’

Freedom.

Living not as a foolish beast but as a dignified being.

That was what he had wanted.

* * *

“Gr…!”

I stared blankly ahead.

In front of me lay Savage Beak, dead after spitting out the essence.

I couldn’t immediately grasp why he had to face death instead of me, or why he had to die in such a manner.

Squelch.

Looking at the gaping hole in his chest, it was clear that there was no hope left for him.

‘Damn it.’

How did things end up like this?

Squeeze.

I grasped the Sky’s Essence and turned my head.

“Kruk.”

There, an old goblin with a displeased expression was waving his staff. The staff was once again absorbing light.

Unfortunately, I didn’t even have time to mourn Brother Beak.

“Grung!”

I gripped the Sky’s Essence and quickly retreated. Simultaneously, those familiar chains extended from the air, chasing after me.

I began to run toward the old goblin, using Leg Strength Enhancement.

This was the opportunity Savage Beak had created by sacrificing his life. He had cut the chains and taken the ice spear for me, allowing me to run now. Damn it, so…

「’The Sky’s Essence’ reacts to your anger.」

I must kill that old goblin and avenge him.

I felt an uncontrollable rage and wildness surging within me. The Sky’s Essence, wrapped in my tail, emitted a red aura, and I heard a voice.

「’The Sky’s Essence’ reveals its name.」

Rage.

His fury was fully transferred to me.

With it, a beastly roar erupted from my mouth.

“Kraaaaaa!!”

* * *

Skrillzhak widened his one remaining pupil and wildly cast spells.

With each burst of light from his staff, magic circles formed in the air, launching chains and blades.

Swish, swish!

But the sudden apparition before him couldn’t be harmed at all. The black shadow dispersed and reformed like a ghost without substance. Faced with the wrath etched into the blood-red pupil, his legs trembled and his lips quivered. Skrillzhak screamed in a spasm.

‘Ghost! …It’s just an illusion!’

What on earth was this little beast that the essence responded to it? This beast wasn’t even a sacred creature that had protected the essence!

It was inconceivable. Reaching an awakened state by resonating with the essence? As a temporary measure, he cast spells of slowing, but they had no effect. He couldn’t reuse the binding spell he had used to capture the awakened Savage Beak without a sacrifice.

Why, why had things come to this!

“Kruk! Krara!!”

Sweating profusely, Skrillzhak waved his staff. He opened the scrolls he had hoarded like his life and used frenzy to drive the goblins into a rampage. But,

“Grurururu!”

With the dizzying fear, the surroundings darkened in an instant.

Squelch!

The first sound was a chilling slash.

Screams erupted from everywhere as something sticky splashed onto his face.

Splat, to the right. Squelch!!

This time to the left.

Goblins burst apart one after another from every direction.

With each roar from the surging shadow, with each swing of its claws, spells shattered and goblins were swept away in heaps.

“How, how could this be!”

It was impossible.

What on earth was this monster’s true identity!

“Kraraaaa!”

Skrillzhak unleashed his final spell at the black beast charging towards him.

Mind Control.

The cursed spell that had enabled him to unify the Rotclaw Tribe and become the chieftain.

A duel of spiritual power rather than physical strength, this spell was especially deadly to primitive monsters.

Until that moment, Skrillzhak had no doubt.

Surely, no monster before him could possess stronger mental strength than he. Skrillzhak was certain of his victory.

But then,

“Khk!”

As Skrillzhak used the mind control spell, crimson blood began to stream from his pupil. He vomited blackened blood, staring up at the figure that had suddenly closed the distance.

“Grur…!”

“Kuh, kuh, kuack!”

Skrillzhak couldn’t even meet its gaze and fell to his knees.

‘This, this can’t be happening…!’

A monster impervious to mind control.

An existence of far greater magnitude than his own.

‘No, it can’t be!’

At that moment, Skrillzhak finally realized what the being before him truly was.

‘I was, I was foolish.’

Sliiick.

He glimpsed the terrifyingly gleaming claws and knew death was imminent. In his final moments, he grabbed a crystal orb and sent a message to the goblin tribe.

[The great one has returned.]

Thwack!

With a sound like piercing flesh, Skrillzhak’s headless body collapsed in vain.

Roll.

The faintly glowing crystal’s power dissipated.

“Kruk!”

The goblin chieftains across various regions received his final words and shouted in unison.

“The, Skylink! We must, kill it!”

“Find the young one, now! At all costs!”

In the forest blanketed by darkness.

On the blood-soaked ground reeking of thick blood, a young beast sat in front of a large hawk.

‘Damn it.’

Ever since I dreamt of becoming a novelist, I pondered what growth meant for a protagonist. Each time, I thought that the death of a mentor-like figure in the early chapters, although a cliché, was a definite way to spur growth.

It would cause the protagonist pain and lead to their development.

Without truly knowing what death meant.

Without understanding what it was to lose.

Arrogantly, that’s what I believed.

I gazed at Savage Beak with sunken eyes.

‘……I avenged you.’

I grew stronger by holding onto the essence he left behind. With that power, I avenged him, overwhelmingly and triumphantly. Yet,

‘It doesn’t make me happy at all.’

Revenge, catharsis.

I felt that way when I wrote it.

But it wasn’t like that.

At the end of revenge, there was no salvation or relief.

I looked at the Sky’s Essence and spoke.

I don’t need any of that.

‘Give me back my Savage Beak.’

Damn it.

I was wrong.

.

.

.

Please.

At that moment,

「’The Sky’s Essence’ says it’s too early to give up.」

The Sky’s Essence placed on Brother Beak’s corpse began to glow red.

I rubbed my blurred vision with my front paw and quickly read the words that emerged.

「’Essence of the Sky’ demands karma.」

Karma? Is karma all it needs?

“Grroar!”

As I nodded vigorously, I felt the level that had risen from killing the old goblin drop, and my strength drained away. A sense of exhaustion washed over my entire body, but right now, none of that mattered.

Because an unbelievable miracle was unfolding right before my eyes.

「’Essence of the Sky’ longs for freedom.」

「’Wrath’ chooses its true master.」

Whoosh!

The essence of the sky turned red and began to blaze intensely. The flame that engulfed the essence soon spread to the body of the Sky Beak. The fiercely rising flames soared high into the sky. A bird’s form was now etched against the night sky.

I stared blankly at the burning bird and then slowly lowered my head. In the place where the warm flames had risen, an egg with a red aura swirling around it lay.

I pressed the egg gently with my trembling paw.

Thump.

I could feel it. The life contained within.

【Raging Flame Savage Beak Lv.10】

“Grroar.”

Silently, tears started to drip from my eyes.

.

.

.

They were tears of joy.

Mirthin!

Brother Savage Beak has evolved into a Phoenix!

Shout it out!!

“Grroar!!”

.

.

.

「You have discovered a new clue of evolution. Karma obtained.」

「You have obtained unextinguishable trust.」

「’Potential’ has confirmed the gift left by Wrath. Clue of [■■■] obtained!」

「By using [■■■], you have discovered a new clue of evolution! Your body harbors new potential for evolution!」

.

.

「You have confirmed the existence of spirituality!」

「Take sufficient nutrition and rest for growth!」

Reading the successive messages, I grinned.

‘There’s still one more left!’

I laughed as I gave the old goblin’s corpse a light kick.

Looks good, doesn’t it? You won’t die peacefully.

“Chomp chomp chomp!”

Yup~ Your skills were awesome~