I might have made a mistake.
A really big mistake.
But in my defense—I was hungry.
I hadn't had a decent meal in days. Living off nuts, berries, and the occasional stolen demon bug was not the life I signed up for.
So when I saw it—a perfect, juicy, golden peach just sitting there on a low-hanging branch, glistening in the moonlight like a gift from the gods—I didn't think.
I acted.
I jumped. I grabbed. I ate.
And it was heaven.
Sweet. Juicy. Possibly the best thing I had ever tasted in either of my lives.
I was so focused on devouring that delicious peach that I didn't notice the earth shaking.
Or the deep, rumbling growls getting closer.
Or the two absolutely massive, god-tier beasts stalking toward me.
I swallowed my last bite.
Then I looked up.
And my tiny squirrel soul nearly left my body.
—*
When You Accidentally Steal from Apex Predators
Towering over me on opposite sides of the clearing were two colossal monsters.
One was a midnight-black lion with crimson eyes, a mane that flickered like living shadows, and claws that looked sharp enough to slice through steel.
The other? A massive serpentine beast, its emerald scales shimmering, its fangs dripping with something that I was 100% sure was venom.
Both of them were radiating enough power to level a city.
And both of them were staring at me.
I blinked.
They blinked.
I glanced down at the peach pit in my paws.
Then back up at them.
Then back down.
…Oh.
Oh, no.
I just ate their peach.
The one they had probably been fighting over.
"Oh," I squeaked. "Oh no."
—*
How to Ruin Your Own Life in 5 Seconds
The lion growled. The serpent hissed.
Then—they both lunged.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
I Shadow Dashed so hard I nearly phased out of reality.
Trees collapsed behind me as the two titans collided, shaking the entire damn forest. The air rippled with raw power as they clawed, bit, and roared at each other—
And I?
I was running for my tiny life.
"IT WAS JUST A PEACH, CHILL OUT!" I screeched, dodging a boulder-sized claw swipe.
The lion let out an earth-shaking roar, clearly not in the mood for negotiations.
"YOU CAN GET ANOTHER ONE!"
The snake snapped its fangs at me, venom sizzling as it melted through a nearby tree.
"OKAY, NEVER MIND, SORRY, PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"
I zipped through the underbrush, dodging explosions of dirt and shattered wood as the two apex beasts fought over who got to murder me first.
This was officially the worst meal of my life.
—*
Meanwhile, Back at the Castle…
Velistra sat on her throne, watching the chaos unfold through her magical projection.
She elegantly sipped her tea.
Then—she burst out laughing.
Zareth, standing nearby, raised a brow. "She stole a sacred peach from two divine beasts?"
"Mmm," Velistra hummed, delighted. "And now they both want her dead. It's quite entertaining, isn't it?"
Zareth watched as Koko screamed and fled for her life, the entire forest collapsing behind her.
She sighed. "Are you going to save her?"
Velistra smirked. "We shall see what she does next."
—*
Back to My Nightmare
I ran, dodged, and prayed to every god I could think of.
Then—an idea.
If I stole the peach… maybe I could steal something else.
I focused, feeling the energy inside me ignite.
"Crimson Bloom Strike!"
With a burst of speed, I dashed toward a cluster of glowing fruit hanging from another tree.
The lion and the snake saw me move.
They lunged—just as I snatched another peach and flung it into the air.
Both of them stopped mid-attack, eyes snapping toward the new target.
The peach hovered for a split second—then fell.
And the two beasts immediately turned on each other again, fighting for it.
Perfect.
I vanished into the trees, using my last bit of Phantom Step to phase through the underbrush, my tiny squirrel body breaking the sound barrier.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally collapsed into a safe burrow.
Panting. Shaking. Still alive.
I stared at my paws.
Then at the sky.
Then I screamed into the dirt.
—*
Meanwhile, Back at the Castle… Again.
Velistra wiped a tear from her eye, still grinning.
"Oh, I do adore her," she mused, placing her goblet down.
Zareth sighed. "She's going to cause a war at this rate."
Velistra simply smirked.
"Perhaps. But she's learning, isn't she? She has leveled up ten times already."
Zareth glanced at the projection again, where Koko was now shaking her tiny fists at the sky, cursing peaches.
"...I suppose."
—*
Back in the Burrow
I curled up, still recovering.
"Never again," I whispered. "Never again."
Then my stomach growled.
I stared blankly into the darkness.
"...I kinda want another peach."
—*
Okay. So.
It turns out the golden peach was special.
I mean, I should have realized that. Two divine beasts were fighting to the death over it. That's not normal fruit behavior.
But did I think about that when I ate the whole thing in five seconds?
No. No, I did not.
And now?
Now I was dying.
Or at least, it felt like it.
I had finally settled into my new tree, flopped onto my back, ready to mentally repress the last few hours of running for my tiny life.
Then—pain.
Deep. Burning. Agonizing.
Like someone had set my blood on fire.
I choked out a squeak, curling into myself as heat surged through my veins.
"What—what the hell—"
My vision blurred. My heartbeat pounded in my ears.
The world tilted.
Then, in my mind—
A system notification pinged.
[Foreign Energy Detected.]
[Divine Essence Absorbed.]
[Initiating Forced Evolution.]
My eyes snapped wide open.
Wait. What.
"W-What… is happening?" I gasped, curling tighter as my entire body convulsed.
The air around me shimmered. My fur glowed, flickering between pink and gold.
I was changing.
Evolving.
And it hurt like hell.
—*
Meanwhile, Back at the Castle…
Velistra's goblet nearly slipped from her fingers.
Velistra sat on her throne, smirking as she watched the tiny cherry blossom squirrel writhing in her sleep.
"Ah," she murmured, eyes gleaming. "It has begun."
Zareth, standing beside her, frowned at the glowing, twitching form of Koko in the projection.
"She is… absorbing the power of the divine fruit," she observed. "That should not be possible for a creature as small as her."
Velistra took another sip of her wine, looking far too entertained. "And yet, here we are."
Zareth exhaled sharply. "You knew this would happen, didn't you?"
Velistra tilted her head. "Perhaps. But I did not expect her body to adapt so quickly. She truly is full of surprises."
Her normally calm, controlled expression flickered—just for a second.
"…Oh?"
Zareth frowned. "Mistress?"
Velistra snapped her fingers, zooming in on the projection of Koko's shaking, glowing form.
Her crimson eyes narrowed.
"How interesting."
—*
Back in the Forest:
I screamed.
Or, well, squeaked in absolute agony.
I could feel something shifting inside me. My body burning, pulsing, stretching—
Oh hell no.
I wasn't ready to evolve! Not like this! Not forcefully!
"STOP! SYSTEM, STOP IT! CANCEL! CONTROL Z! UNDO—"
[Forced Evolution Cannot Be Interrupted.]
[Adapting Host.]
"OH COME ON!"
I thrashed, feeling my tiny bones tremble under the force of the divine energy.
Heat surged through my paws, my tail, my entire freaking soul.
Then—
BOOM.
A blast of energy erupted from my body, shaking the entire tree.
Blossoms exploded into the air. Leaves tore free from branches.
And then—darkness.
—*
Some Time Later…
New Evolution Unlocked: Celestial Sakura Spirit
Your body has absorbed the essence of the divine peach, permanently altering your core. You are no longer a mere spirit beast—you are something more.
New Abilities Gained:
Luminous Veil – Generates a celestial barrier infused with divine energy.
Sky Step – Briefly walk on air, defying gravity.
Sakura Surge – Temporarily boosts agility and strength, leaving an afterimage of cherry blossoms in your wake.
—*
When the Pain Fades, But the Shock Remains
I gasped, finally able to move again.
I felt… lighter.
Stronger.
Different.
I sat up, blinking as my fur shimmered with golden and pink hues, a soft celestial glow pulsing from within me.
I looked at my paws. My tail.
Then, I did the only thing that made sense.
"I'M GLOWING!" I screeched, flailing.
"WHY AM I GLOWING?!"
—*
Meanwhile,
Velistra was having the time of her life.
She laughed.
Not just a chuckle. A full-bodied, elegant, absolutely delighted laugh.
"Oh, Koko," she purred, resting her cheek on her palm as she watched the squirrel have an existential crisis.
"What will you do now?"
I glowed.
Not in a healthy, radiant way, like someone who ate a balanced diet and got plenty of rest.
No.
I was literally glowing.
My fur shimmered with soft golden light, tinged with pink streaks, tiny cherry blossom petals swirling in the air around me every time I moved.
"What. The. Absolute. Hell."
I bolted to the edge of my tree branch and stared at my reflection in a nearby pool of water.
Big, glowing pink eyes? Check.
Fur radiating celestial energy? Check.
An aura of floating cherry blossoms that refused to go away? Double check.
"I LOOK LIKE A DAMN HOLY MASCOT!"
I fluffed up aggressively, pacing in a tiny circle as my brain short-circuited.
"Okay. Okay. Breathe. Think. Process."
I inhaled. Exhaled.
"I ate a peach."
Another deep breath.
"It was a fancy, divine peach."
One more breath.
"And now I am a divine, glowing, celestial squirrel."
I paused.
Then I screamed into my tiny squirrel paws.
"WHAT DOES THIS EVEN MEAN?!"