I Became a Mountain Tiger in a Fantasy World

< Chapter 12: Do You Have a Vacancy? >

The essence of the sky had disappeared, but I had gained something even more precious.

I looked at Brother Beak’s egg, where he was sleeping, with a satisfied smile on my face.

‘Huh?’

Wait, then does that mean if I had consumed the essence, I could have evolved into a Phoenix Tiger?!

No, that’s not it~

It wouldn’t have worked. Even if I had taken the essence, I probably wouldn’t have been able to control it properly.

Because while borrowing the power of ‘Wrath,’ I vaguely sensed what the essence was.

Wrath.

As I continued to use that guy’s power, I felt my mind becoming increasingly hazy, almost like I was turning into a beast.

Maybe that’s the difference between the ‘chosen ones’ and those who are not.

Ugh, just thinking about it is terrifying.

I’d rather be a genius tiger that can think and reason a hundred times over than a powerful beast.

Thinking about Brother Beak, who had turned his eyes and spewed flames, I realized how dangerous the power of the essence was to monsters.

Having power beyond one’s capacity must require an equivalent price.

I sank into deep thought.

A phoenix, huh. Has Brother Beak now surpassed the named ones to become a boss monster?

Damn, honestly, I’m a little jealous.

‘No way, does this mean I can’t become a boss monster without an elixir?’

Buying elixirs. Strong and good-natured ones, please.

It seemed that the elixirs in this world had a somewhat different feel from what I knew.

Especially for monsters, the elixirs seemed to work a little differently than for humans.

It might be related to ‘evolution,’ so to speak.

I checked my status window again.

「A new clue of evolution has been discovered through the use of [■■■]!」

What could this unknown skill be?

From the message, it seemed like a gift left by Wrath.

Was it referring to something that was emitted when I borrowed Wrath’s power? That was likely.

For sure, I had used it without even knowing what it was.

Yet, the fact that it was a new clue for evolution… I still couldn’t quite grasp it.

■■■ wasn’t in the status window, so I couldn’t use it again or even see its description.

But it said that the clue of evolution existed within it?

I looked at the next message.

「The presence of Spirit has been confirmed!」

It seemed like this clue of evolution was related to Spirit.

‘Hmm….’

Spirit, huh.

I checked the status window.

– Traits: [Potential], [Spirit], [Clue of Evolution], [Special], [Instant Transformation], [Sensitivity]

A trait called Spirit had been added.

Honestly, I was a bit surprised. I thought Spirit would be a stat, not a trait.

However, unlike other traits, I couldn’t tell what had changed with the addition of Spirit.

Considering there were no immediate changes to my body, it definitely wasn’t a typical ability.

So, what I’m trying to say is…!

…Do you know that saying?

One way to really annoy someone is to stop talking midway through a sentence, and the second is…

Just kidding.

I’m a cute tiger, so this kind of joke should be okay.

Anyway, the truth is, I don’t really understand what Spirit is.

But the funny thing is, even though I don’t get it, the status window checked it.

It went ahead and added it to the traits on its own!

“Grr!”

Isn’t this disregarding me as a tiger?

If this were a game, it would be a terrible one.

With a system this unfriendly… Sigh, tsk tsk!

“Grr!!”

I don’t know.

Maybe it just means I should be satisfied with simply confirming the existence of something called ‘Spirit.’

I’ll think about it later.

Today has been so exhausting with too much going on.

Since I gained a lot from the sudden goblin intrusion, I should take a break and sort things out one by one.

‘Shall we go then?’

Ugh!

***

Right now, I’m standing on two feet, holding an egg with both hands.

Would you believe it if I said I was waddling around carrying an egg as big as myself?

If someone saw this, wouldn’t they whip out their camera?

Then, I’d become a genius tiger with ten million subscribers!

Oh, right, there’s no YouTube in this world.

“Grr!”

Anyway, it was a very grueling task.

I usually run around on all fours, so trying to walk upright was really uncomfortable.

Using my tail made standing on two legs somewhat doable, but moving while in that position was a different story.

Thud.

In the end, I couldn’t go far before putting the egg down and letting out a sigh.

“Grr…!”

How long will it take to crawl all the way home like this?

Damn it, should I just roll it…?

It’s a phoenix anyway; would it die just because the egg cracks?

‘…’

For a moment, I imagined the egg cracking.

The thought of the yolk inside being Brother Beak sent shivers down my spine.

Sigh, my fate.

I picked up the egg again and carefully started walking.

How long did I walk like that?

「You have acquired [Exceptional Sense of Balance Lv.1]!」

「You have acquired [Flexible Body Lv.1]!」

Oh my!

I gained two skills.

At the same time, I could now use ‘Leg Strength Enhancement’ while holding the egg.

“Grr!”

Holding the egg, I hopped like a rabbit and quickly arrived at Brother Beak’s cliff.

Leg Strength Enhancement is divine, and so is my walking skill! Hooray!

I happily placed the egg down and looked at the nest through the goblins’ detour to the top of the cliff.

Now, I just need to place the egg in the five-star feather bed…!

“Grng?”

It’s gone.

What happened? The house was empty.

There had clearly been dry wood and a nest on the cliff, but now they were gone.

I stood there in a daze, brushing the place where Brother Beak’s nest had been with my paw.

What remained was not a soft feather bed, but only burnt branches.

‘Th-this can’t be…!’

Is this how fire victims feel when they lose their homes?

‘My, my 5-star feather bed…!’

With a heavy heart, I reached out. As I did, the branch that had retained its shape crumbled into ashes.

I see.

Everything had burned down.

‘Hahaha!’

It was all in vain.

Even though I broke through the goblins’ trap and defeated their leader, my home had burned down.

All that was left for me, who had lost my place, was my brother who had turned into an egg.

Is this the teaching of ‘you come empty-handed, you leave empty-handed’? Or is it the law of equivalent exchange, where gaining something means losing something else?

But…

‘Brother, did you set this fire?!’

My brother’s egg shook violently as it sensed my gaze.

This must be what they mean by a guilty conscience!

I couldn’t hold back and shouted. Gaaaah!

“Grrr!”

Return my 5-star feather bed! You devil!

***

So I set off to find a new home.

This meant that I had suddenly become a tiger incubating an egg. Unbelievable, I hadn’t even gotten married yet.

Anyway, the most pressing need was a safe place to put the egg.

Naturally, I looked up into the trees.

‘Should I take over another nest?’

I had already confirmed the performance of a feather bed. Brother Beak would probably find that more comfortable than my belly fat.

As I was thinking about this and looking around, I happened to make eye contact with the crows that had once fearlessly challenged me.

“Caw!”

But their reaction was quite different from before.

Back then, they attacked without fear, but now, just meeting my eyes made them take off in fright.

‘Is it because of my level?’

After all, I had defeated a level 25 named monster, and my current level was approaching level 14.

Even though I had spent karma through the essence, that was the case.

Because I had massacred other goblins besides the old goblin around, my level had skyrocketed.

‘Hmm, speaking of that goblin.’

I thought of the old goblin with a somewhat bitter expression.

‘That guy…’

At first, I couldn’t even see his name, but in the last moment, I saw it.

【Skrillzhak, a Genius Consumed by Inferiority Lv.25】

Right, that was its name.

A genius goblin, of all things.

Its traits and skills were exceptionally flashy.

The reason I could defeat such a creature was probably,

‘Inferiority Complex’

It was likely due to the sense of inadequacy that came from it.

Without that debuff, if it had only the “genius” modifier, it would have been a much tougher fight.

In fact, the creature even had a status condition called “Paranoia.”

Well, that didn’t mean I felt any sympathy for that old goblin.

Because of that despicable goblin, Brother Beak nearly died?!

I decided to punish it by making its burial place inside my stomach.

Thanks to that, I,

「[Frenzy Lv.1] has been acquired!」

「You have discovered a clue about [Shamanism]!」

I acquired Frenzy and learned that the magic Skrillzhak used was called ‘Shamanism.’

That was an unexpected achievement.

[Razor Claws], [Leg Strength Enhancement].

These two skills were also discovered in a similar way, and then acquired through Predation.

But things like ‘Flight’ or ‘Mining’ were impossible.

Do you get the feeling?

If it wasn’t suitable for my body or if the conditions for use weren’t met, even if there was potential, the probability of learning it was very low.

So, the fact that I found a clue about ‘Shamanism’ meant,

I could learn shamanism.

‘My goodness.’

A tiger using shamanism?

It felt like I had become Jeon Woo-chi.

If I ever met another monster that used shamanism, I’d really hit the jackpot then!

Where are you! Goblin shamans!

“Grng, grng!”

While I was exploring for a new home with such pleasant fantasies.

“Grrraaar!”

A ferocious beast with a terrifying roar appeared.

It was a creature that, before my growth, would have scared me just with its cry, making me run away.

【Steelhide Bear Lv.19】

It was a monster in the form of a bear.

Even seeing me at level 14, it didn’t flinch at all.

‘Steelhide’ was a modifier I liked. It was a creature worth making into a skill.

But,

“Grrraaar!”

“Grng?”

I quickly set the egg down in the bushes and observed the creature.

What was this strange feeling?

As the Steelhide Bear roared and grew wary, I felt a certain power within its hide.

It was, so to speak, the wild nature of a bear with the “Steelhide” modifier.

In other words, it was an energy that could be described as mana or aura.

‘Why is this suddenly happening?’

I suddenly shuddered at the wildness I felt from that creature.

Come to think of it, that same wildness existed within me as well.

I could distinctly feel the monster’s wildness flowing inside me, more than ever before.

‘Is this… possible?’

Something flashed through my mind.

The reason I could use shamanism despite being a tiger.

At first, I thought it was simply because of ‘potential,’ but that didn’t seem to be the case.

-Characteristic: [Spirituality]

It was because I had gained spirituality that all these possibilities arose.

Chills ran down my spine.

Feeling the wildness, being able to use shamanism.

Perhaps, having acquired spirituality, I might be capable of even more.

‘Shall I confirm it then?’

“Graaaaar!”

While I was lost in realization, the Steelhide Bear, having finished its search, charged at me with a rough roar.

Clang!

As I evaded its attack with a sound like scraping metal, my claw struck out feebly and bounced back.

As expected, it was a Steelhide Bear.

Why was I so pleased despite my attack being blocked?

Because now I could properly test it!

“Grrrr!”

I drew out the wildness within me to its fullest.

‘So this is how small it is.’

Regrettably, the wildness within me was smaller than that of the Steelhide Bear over there.

Probably because my life span was shorter?

But it didn’t matter.

Unlike that bear, which used its wildness recklessly, I could feel it throughout my entire body.

“Roar!”

I gathered the small wildness and crudely overlaid it on my claws.

Then, just like before, I scratched at the Steelhide Bear’s hide.

‘[Razor Claws] reacts to the wildness!’

Swish!

“Groargh!”

The bear’s hide, which had spewed blood, now bore three long claw marks.

“Groar!”

I could see the Steelhide Bear recoiling in surprise.

It must have been the first time its hide had been torn by someone’s claws.

“Grrr!”

As I overlaid my claws with wildness, I asked,

Is there an empty room?

As you can see, I’m a family man with eggs to care for.

“Graaaaar!”

I asked kindly, but the bear seemed unwilling to listen.

Well, I had no choice then.

Tonight’s dinner was going to be bear meat.

Slash!

…

That day, I hid Brother Beak’s egg inside the well-prepared bear hide and finally fell into a sweet sleep.

‘Ugh, damn. When will it grow…’

Brother Beak, isn’t it time for you to hatch now?

It’s only been a day? That can’t be…