She softly pressed her lips against his. Seojun's eyes widened in surprise, and his first instinct was to push her away. But as her lips touched his, he felt a wave of calm wash over him. His body relaxed, and his eyes slowly closed. The world around him seemed to fade away, leaving only a sense of peace.
Moments later, he was abruptly pulled back to reality by the sound of barking. His eyes snapped open, and he found himself lying on a soft bed. He sat up, noticing he was back in a familiar room—a room where he used to rest in his clan's sanctuary. Huno, now in a small dog size, was barking excitedly at his side, his three heads each wagging their tails with joy.
As Seojun shook off the dizziness, the door burst open, and Malara rushed in, her eyes wide with relief. She practically threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "You're awake, my lord!" she said, her voice shaky with emotion.
Seojun gently pushed her away, still disoriented. "What happened?"
Malara sniffed, quickly wiping her eyes. "The clan lords said that after the ritual of saving the Aeternum Yggrith, you lost consciousness," her voice breaking.
Then, suddenly, she burst into tears, her body trembling. "I'm worthless! I didn't even know something that important was happening. I vowed to protect and follow you, my lord, yet I'm worthless!"
Seojun frowned, taken aback by her outburst. 'Follow me?' he thought. 'When did she vow that?'
Before he could say anything, Lady Zholga appeared behind Malara, her serpentine eyes narrowed with amusement. She chuckled softly, her tail flicking behind her.
"Calm down, dear," she said, tapping Malara's back. "It has already happened." She turned her gaze to Seojun next, her expression becoming more serious.
She approached him and then bowed deeply, her head nearly touching the ground. "My lord, Thank you so much for saving the Aeternum Yggrith." Her voice was filled with respect, and Seojun could sense the genuine appreciation from her.
Seojun nodded slowly, his mind still catching up to the present. He looked around the room, seeing the relieved faces of those who cared for him. "It wasn't just me," he said finally, his voice firm but kind. "I had help from my guardians. I couldn't have done it alone."
Lady Zholga nodded, her eyes softening. "Even so, it was your will and bravery that led us to this moment. The spirit of Yggrith has blessed you, my lord. You are truly the Savior of our Domain."
Seojun nodded and Lady Zholga gently pulled Malara out of the room, saying, "Let Lord Seojun rest and make preparations. By the way, Lord Seojun, Nerathiel is coming to visit."
"Nerathiel?" Seojun muttered, a hint of surprise in his voice. He hadn't expected the fallen deity to come by.
Huno, who had been sitting by Seojun's side, barked happily and wagged his tail in response. The excitement in Huno's demeanor was evident, even if he didn't speak.
Seojun looked around the room, thinking aloud, "Looks like we're going to leave this domain soon."
Silla, who had been sleeping in Seojun's coat pocket, stirred and crawled out. The small, serpentine creature made its way up to Seojun's shoulder, rubbing its face affectionately against his cheek.
Seojun, feeling a deep sense of gratitude, looked at Huno and Silla. Although they didn't speak, he knew they understood. "Thank you both," he said softly.
As Seojun settled back into the room, the system hologram appeared, displaying a notification: [You should check your notifications, host.]
"Oh right," Seojun muttered, remembering that he needed to review his updates. He opened his status and noticed the message icon. With a tap, he accessed the notifications.
Ding!
[Skill Evolution: Abyssal Restoration]
Congratulations, host! Your basic healing skill has evolved into Abyssal Restoration due to the rewards granted by Yggrith. This new skill offers advanced healing capabilities, allowing you to mend severe injuries and accelerate recovery significantly.
- Seed of Yggrith
You have received the Seed of Yggrith. This item is currently locked or unavailable, and detailed information will be provided once it becomes accessible.
Yggrith's gift had been a powerful boon, enhancing his basic healing ability. The Abyssal Restoration skill now allowed him to heal wounds more effectively, with the added benefit of mending deeper injuries and accelerating recovery at an advanced level.
New Item: Yggrith's Leaf
Yggrith's Leaf x3 has been added to your inventory. This mystical leaf can be used three times to call upon the aid of Yggrith, but its power may vary depending on the situation.
Level Up: Congratulations! You have leveled up.
Clan teritorry Expansion
Your overall clan territory area has increased, expanding your influence and control.
Guardians Level Up! New Height: 20 feet tall (Increased from 15 feet) New Skills Unlocked!
Huno barked and Silla hissed, both showing their excitement. Seojun smiled and petted them. "Good job, you two," he said, appreciating their efforts.
"System, what's the risk of saving Yggrith?" Seojun asked when he remembers that there's risk.
[I'm still figuring it out, Host. For now, I only notice one thing — your hair is changing into white.]
"What?!" Seojun reacted in shock. He immediately looked around for a mirror but found none. Desperate, he rummaged through his inventory and pulled out a Crystal Shard.
Holding it up to inspect his reflection, he noticed something alarming — his hair, which was once short, was now growing long, covering his ears, and the tips were turning white.
Seojun blinked at his reflection, tugging on the white tips of his hair. "So I'm gonna look like an old person if my hair turns white?" he muttered in disbelief.
[It's okay, Host, it suits you]
Seojun shot an exasperated look toward the empty air. "Suits me? I'm not trying to be some old man" he groaned, flipping his hair dramatically. "What's next, a cane and some wise sayings? Maybe I'll start growing a long beard too."
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Seojun took a deep breathe and bring back the shard in the Inventory with his thoughts 'It's okay Seojun, Just Calm down maybe having a white hair is not bad' and he called out. "Come in"
Malara's brother entered and bowed. "Lord Seojun, God Nerathiel has arrived. He would like to meet you."
Seojun stood up and nodded. Malara's brother led him outside. As they walked, Seojun noticed other demons watching from a distance.
They arrived at a large, open area with a circle drawn on the ground. In the center stood a figure. Seojun thought, 'Is that Nerathiel?'
The figure, glowing with an otherworldly light, spoke directly into Seojun's mind. "So, you are the human. Seojun, isn't it?"
Seojun frowned, surprised. "Yes, that's me."
"Come closer," Nerathiel's voice echoed in his mind again.
Seojun was curious about what was happening. The clan lords, Huno, and Silla all stood to the side, watching silently.
As Seojun stepped toward the circle, his system suddenly activated an alarm.
[System Alert: Entering Forcefield, You're entering a restricted zone. All external support is disabled]
[I can't interfere you're on your own, host Goodluck.]
Before Seojun could react, he crossed the line into the circle completely.
There's only one thing in his mind, he would be fighting without the System, without Huno or Silla, and his opponent was a fallen god.