Chapter 58

Rustle.

The figure that pushed through the dense shrubs was the man from the village outskirts.

The sharp-tempered man clenched and unclenched his gauntleted right hand, head swiveling in every direction.

Mikhail watched him in silence, breath held still.

The key to activating the mana rested with that man—so he'd have to wait until the power sealed inside the statue was awakened.

Only after that can I fully transfer the wind's power to Han and Ul.

Meanwhile, the man had stopped scanning his surroundings and was approaching a nearby tree.

He halted in front of one with a particularly thick trunk and began digging through his inner pocket.

"One, two, three. Tch, not bad for today. A couple more hauls like this and I'll have enough to live off for months."

The man muttered with obvious relish, then pulled a brass key from his pocket and pressed it against the trunk.

Keeeeng.

A faint magic formula flickered to life across the surface of the trunk, glowing softly for an instant before fading away.

What appeared in its place was a hollowed-out cavity packed with dozens of wallets.

The man peered into the depression with a smug grin and tossed in his latest batch.

"Heh heh, heh."

A moment later, the tree trunk swallowed its new spoils and vanished behind another flash of light.

The man dusted off his hands, turned from the trunk, and stopped in front of a moss-covered fox statue.

He looked down at it. Then his eyes narrowed and his lip curled.

"I should smash all this junk soon. Can't leave it sitting around for someone else to use."

The man pulled off the worn gauntlet he'd been wearing. The exposed right hand shimmered with a teal glow.

It looked as though mana had been kindled—but the light flickered erratically, as if it might die out at any second.

"……."

The man stared at his own hand. Then, without a trace of hesitation, he placed it on the fox statue.

His palm landed directly over a large crack in the surface.

FLASH.

The reaction was instant. The surrounding air currents rippled once, and a crisp breeze began to blow.

Teal light seeped from the fractured stone.

The escaping rays coiled up around the man's hand and sank slowly into his arm.

Tszzz.

Then, in a single moment, the light expanded further.

It began creeping downward toward his legs.

"Tch."

The man's face twisted into a scowl and he yanked his hand off the statue.

Tszt.

The breeze died instantly, and the teal glow bleeding from the cracks lost its intensity.

The area fell quiet once more.

The man stared down at his right hand—now cloaked in vivid light—and pulled the gauntlet back on with an irritated mutter.

"Tch, if I don't ration it, the fatigue's brutal. Feels like it's been getting worse lately, too."

He shot the statue one last sour look and retraced his steps.

The sound of weeds crushed underfoot drifted farther and farther away, thinning to nothing.

"……."

The man's presence vanished completely. Mikhail slipped out from behind the stone structure and stood before the fox statue.

The light trickling from the cracks was noticeably dimmer than before—but it hadn't lost its distinctive color.

Then now….

Mikhail turned his head toward the tree behind him.

Han and Ul, hidden among the dense leaves, peeked their heads out.

Mikhail beckoned to them with a wave of his hand.

"Come here, you two."

"Kang!"

The pair leapt down from the tree as if they'd been waiting for the signal and took their place at Mikhail's side.

The fox statue immediately began to vibrate. The light flowing from its cracks blazed brighter than ever before.

It was responding—sensing that it had found subjects far better suited to the will condensed within its core.

Mikhail watched the resonating statue, then dropped his gaze to Han and Ul fidgeting at his feet.

"This is for you two. Watch closely."

FLASH!

The instant Mikhail finished speaking, light erupted from the cracks and flooded the surroundings.

Startled birds burst into flight somewhere nearby, but Mikhail simply reached out with a steady hand.

"……."

Something hard and smooth met his fingertips.

Clink.

The light that had blanketed the area subsided in an instant.

Standing once more in the dense green thicket, Mikhail looked at the pale green orbs resting in his palm.

Pink petals drifted down and settled gently on their softly glowing surface.

〈Fantasy Creature: Essence Imbued with the Guardian Tree's Blessing〉

[An orb formed from condensed wind energy. Its refreshing, gentle breeze soothes the anxiety and tension of specific creatures. When used by a fantasy creature with an affinity for wind, it dramatically increases their stats.]

[※ A fantasy creature that possesses this item can use [Regional Blessing: Stride of the Green Wind] in [Region: Colton Winery].]

Mikhail reviewed the details, then gave the orbs a light toss upward.

They hung suspended in the air for a brief moment before arcing down toward Han and Ul.

Pop!

The orbs melted into both of their bodies.

The surrounding air shimmered with teal light and flashed softly, and mana laced with wind energy rippled outward in every direction.

Mikhail was watching the scene unfold in silence when system messages rose across his vision in rapid succession.

【Notice: Overall stats of companion divine beast, Sky Fox, have increased.】

【Stat Change Notice】

• Casting Speed: B → B+ (tier increase)

• Spell Accuracy: B → B+ (tier increase)

【Notice: Overall stats of companion divine beast, Sky Fox, have increased.】

【Notice: Companion divine beast, Sky Fox, has acquired the skill [Regional Blessing: Stride of the Green Wind].】

〈Regional Blessing: Stride of the Green Wind〉

[A skill exclusive to wind-attribute fantasy creatures. Amplifies the wind energy permeating [Region: Colton Winery] to grant the user's companion a special acceleration effect. Greatly increases movement speed, reaction speed, and leaping power for a short duration.]

"Kang!"

While Mikhail reviewed the new information, Han and Ul shook their bodies out, smoothing down their freshly glossy fur, and let out barks that rang noticeably brighter than before.

Mikhail pulled his eyes from the text and looked at them.

Got everything we need.

A small smile settled on his lips. He turned from the statue and looked behind him.

The narrow path the man had taken was still quiet and deserted. Not the faintest trace of movement to be found.

But that's about to change.

Mikhail lowered his gaze to Han and Ul sitting at his feet, looking between them as he spoke.

"All right, you two. Share what you just got with me."

"Krrng."

The pair answered at once and swished their tails.

A crisp breeze grazed his cheek, and a teal glow shimmered into being around his feet.

【Notice: Companion divine beast, Sky Fox, has used the skill [Regional Blessing: Stride of the Green Wind].】

Mikhail felt his body lift as if weightless and threw a light punch through the air.

Every joint moved as though oiled—light and fluid.

"—You! Stop right there!"

That was when it happened. Bant's booming voice cut across the air and carried in every direction.

Mikhail looked toward the path the sound was traveling down. He listened to the approaching footsteps and bounced on his ankles.

CRASH!

It was over in an instant. The brush beside him ripped apart as the sharp-tempered man—the pickpocket—burst into view right in front of Mikhail.

The pickpocket had been gasping for breath, face flushed crimson, when he spotted Mikhail standing before the fox statue. He went rigid.

Then, slowly, the face staring across at him twisted—until open confusion was etched across every feature.

"…You. You're—that doctor's assistant kid, aren't you? But what's an assistant doing… here?"

Mikhail answered with an easy smile.

"I quit that gig."

"What?"

The pickpocket was firing back in a hostile snarl when the sounds of pursuit closed in fast.

"Ngh!"

The pickpocket bit down on his lip, wrenched his head away from Mikhail, and stormed toward the fox statue.

Same as before, he ripped off the gauntlet and slapped his hand over the cracked surface.

"……."

But the statue gave no response.

It sat mute and indifferent, no different from the rest of the rubble.

"Wh—what? What's going on? Why isn't it reacting…!"

The pickpocket had been fidgeting with mounting panic when something clicked. He spun toward Mikhail.

"It was you, wasn't it! You took this power! What did you do with it! Give it back—now!"

Bloodshot eyes bulged as the pickpocket bore down on him, voice dripping venom.

Mikhail tilted his head with perfect nonchalance.

"Couldn't tell you."

"Don't play dumb! Who else could it have been! Some snot-nosed brat standing here lying through his teeth—!"

Instead of answering, Mikhail tilted his head the other way and let the silence stretch.

The pickpocket ground his molars together.

All the while, the guards' footsteps behind him drew closer and closer.

Ta-da-da-da.

"Son of a—!"

The pickpocket spat the curse through a face twisted past desperation into something unhinged.

Then, in one frantic instant—muttering something like nothing left to lose—he drew a sharp dagger. The keen edge swung toward Mikhail.

"Give me back my power! Now! Unless you want to leave here in pieces!"

Mikhail glanced at the blade leveled at him, dropped every trace of his smile, and answered.

"Go ahead and try."

"You—!"

The pickpocket's face flushed red, then blue. He lunged at Mikhail and slashed with the dagger in his grip.

"Die!"

Mikhail tracked the incoming motion, then twisted sideways to dodge the blade sweeping in from the flank.

For an untrained swing, the arc was surprisingly vicious.

But it was also an attack pattern he already knew.

WHOOSH!

The blade carved uselessly through empty air.

The force behind the missed strike threw the pickpocket off balance, and he staggered, arms flailing.

Mikhail closed the distance in a flash and drove a kick into the hand gripping the dagger.

"GHRK—!"

A strangled gasp ripped free. The dagger spun out of the man's grip, arced through the air, and buried itself in the dirt.