Chapter 204: The Leader's Responsibility
Beware of fox divine beasts.
No matter how noble the Celestial Fox may be, the charm it exudes is a force that defies common sense.
Even a divine beast like me almost lost my composure for a moment.
Dongjagong is an excellent martial art, but it has a critical weakness—the more inner energy you accumulate, the more susceptible you are to such temptations.
Even a pure being like me is no exception.
The more I maintain this purity, the more vulnerable I become to such alluring forces.
Otherwise, would I be entertaining such strange expectations?
Like wanting to wag my tail, snuggle into someone’s arms…
Or even making undignified sounds like “Gerooorong.”
In my right mind, I would never think of such things.
Still, it's fortunate that it didn't show any hostility toward me.
On the contrary, this became an opportunity to realize how dangerous this form of attack is and to devise countermeasures.
...But how should I prepare?
Would it work if I hid Tus and Pus in my fur?
Whenever I lose focus, they could bite me.
It might actually be a good idea.
Although those two are growing larger with time, for now, they’re still small enough to hide in my fur.
Woo-woong.
...Oh, right, there’s this one too.
The Fox Bead.
Though the exact reason is unclear, it seems to like me.
“Just now… Was that…?”
Cheoldu-ryong spoke, sounding puzzled.
He shook his head back and forth.
“Was it a dream…?”
Muttering to himself, he looked at me.
“Komodo Dae-hyeop, did you also…?”
He seemed to be asking if something had happened or if he had merely been dreaming.
There was no need to answer.
Even if I told him about the Celestial Fox, he wouldn't believe me, and communicating through my gecko-like croaks wouldn’t be easy.
If it were a short explanation, I could have managed, but the longer the story, the more likely it would be misunderstood.
“Kek-kek.”
Woo-woong.
However, contrary to my thoughts, the Fox Bead floated into the air.
“Gasp! It wasn’t a dream after all!”
Cheoldu-ryong quickly went on high alert.
Whirl!
The Fox Bead spun rapidly, as if expressing its displeasure with Cheoldu-ryong.
“Dae-hyeop! Get back!”
Woo-woong!
The bead and the bead-like head seemed ready to clash.
Before I could intervene, the bead darted forward.
And Cheoldu-ryong, raising his head, charged straight ahead.
Kwaaaang!
A tremendous roar echoed.
“Geeeek!”
...The sound came from my dragon scales, caught between the two.
“D-Dae-hyeop!”
The Fox Bead and Cheoldu-ryong were now buried together in the ground.
Cheoldu-ryong poked his head out slightly, while half of the bead’s body was visible.
Simply burying them wasn’t enough, so I restrained them further with plants.
“M-My apologies, Dae-hyeop! I was just…!”
Woo-woong…
The two voiced their frustrations, clearly feeling wronged.
“Kek-kek…”
I still felt like my bones were rattling.
Cheoldu-ryong’s headbutt was not something to take head-on.
Even though his strength had diminished compared to when he fought me, it was still this powerful.
Of course, this wasn’t all Cheoldu-ryong’s doing.
The Fox Bead, which had flown in from the opposite side like a bolt of lightning, had also played a part.
Their attacks collided, forming a bizarre harmony.
Thanks to that, I ended up screaming from the sheer force.
“Ugh… Plants are… constricting my body…! D-Dae-hyeop! Please stop them!”
Wooong! Woo-woong!
Huh?
What’s wrong with my plants?
Still, seeing a grown male in such a state feels kind of awkward.
…You’re a male, right?
If you’re also female, this could complicate things for me.
“Huff… Huff… Thank you, Dae-hyeop….”
Woo-woong…
Both Cheoldu-ryong and the Fox Bead panted heavily.
...Though I wasn’t sure if “panting” was the right term for the Fox Bead.
Fortunately, the Fox Bead seemed somewhat calmed down.
If they had kept fighting, I was ready to personally show them what the inside of a Komodo’s mouth looked like.
I explained the situation briefly in my gecko-like croaks.
“…The Celestial Fox. I thought it was just a being of imagination, but to think it actually exists. Being by Dae-hyeop’s side is broadening the horizons of this insignificant one.”
The existence known as the Celestial Fox appeared briefly and entrusted me with this Fox Bead.
“Moreover, seeing how the rampaging vengeful spirits disappeared without a trace, it must have been the Celestial Fox who took care of them. They say she is a sacred divine beast connected to the heavens, and it seems those rumors weren’t exaggerated.”
Woo-woong.
“But for the Fox Bead to be this active… I think I understand why it’s angry. In a way, I had swallowed that bead.”
The Fox Bead is not a common artifact.
It’s an artifact controlled by a fox that has trained for over 100 years, and for someone else to acquire it, the original owner must die.
Cheoldu-ryong had received the Fox Bead from Namgoong Yeon, and he said that the bead at that time didn’t move at all.
He simply swallowed it, thinking it was some kind of elixir.
“A Fox Bead that isn’t controlled by its fox doesn’t normally move. It makes sense since its owner has died. But for this bead to move like this…”
The Fox Bead trembled slightly, as if agreeing with his words.
“…means its owner hasn’t died.”
But that statement is contradictory.
For a Fox Bead to fall into someone else’s hands, the owner must have already passed away.
“I don’t know the exact details, but there must be a story behind it. It’s probably responding to the power that Dae-hyeop holds.”
The power I hold?
“…That warm power that awakened my mind, which had been consumed by killing intent—a power reminiscent of the sun. Since the Fox Bead was inside me, it must have sensed a similar energy.”
There was one thing I needed to address.
The power Cheoldu-ryong mentioned, one that reminded him of the sun.
I don’t have any significant connection to the sun.
If I were dealing with fire energy, I could understand such a misunderstanding, but at the time, I hadn’t used fire energy.
I had only used my ability to manipulate plants.
“A power that breaks sinister curses, a power that makes plants grow and enrich the land. Dae-hyeop, you are the sun itself.”
Yin-Yang and the Five Elements.
Among them, I had thought my power belonged to the wood element.
Could it be correct that the wood element manifests because I acquired the Volcano’s Dragon Gate, which deals with fire?
Was my true power source not wood, but Yang?
No, that’s an excessive leap.
The power to grow and control plants undeniably belongs to the authority of wood.
But doubts still linger.
…To understand my ability more clearly, I’ll need to acquire additional Dragon Gates.
Among them, there is Chodo, one of the Yongsaengguja.
A child of the dragon who controls plants.
If I take Chodo’s Dragon Gate, I’ll be able to figure out the source of my power.
“I believe this bead was drawn to Dae-hyeop’s power.”
Wooong.
The Fox Bead nodded as if to affirm his statement.
I may not know the source of my power, but does it mean the bead likes it?
The Fox Bead that the Celestial Fox entrusted to me.
The story tied to this thing will have to be unraveled someday as well.
It’s an artifact with self-awareness and enough capability to harm me to some extent.
Moreover, the power that foxes wield belongs to Yin within the Yin-Yang and Five Elements.
Although I had no clue where to find Yin, I’d say this bead rolling into my lap is a stroke of luck.
Wooong.
The Fox Bead trembled lightly.
It rubbed itself against my cheek.
“…It moves like a child trying to show off to their parent.”
Cheoldu-ryong spoke in a calm tone.
As he said, the Fox Bead often acted in ways that reminded me of a child.
It would recklessly try to attack Cheoldu-ryong, whom it disliked, or sulk and tremble when I scolded it.
And when I dug it out of the ground, it immediately started showing affection toward me.
The Fox Bead and Cheoldu-ryong.
The two seem oddly similar.
Both lost their parents, both lost their masters.
They probably resented the world and were destined to die that way.
Cheoldu-ryong and the Fox Bead alike.
But they met me.
Their fate was altered.
Gecko.
Gecko Faith was created for beings like them.
Just as it was for Tus, Pus, and Tang So-yeong.
“Gecko.”
The Fox Bead trembled violently.
Cheoldu-ryong’s eyes widened.
“Dae-hyeop…!”
Cheoldu-ryong spoke in a trembling voice.
“I apologize, but I don’t quite understand….”
The Fox Bead slightly nodded, as if agreeing with him.
….
“Kek-kek!”
How embarrassing for a lizard.
“D-Dae-hyeop! P-Please spare the plants!”
Wooong! Woo-woong!
I stayed on the snowy mountain a little longer.
Though it’s called a snowy mountain, there wasn’t that much snow piled up.
Using my ability, I grew plants to create a suitable ecosystem.
Unlike before, the environment became a place where various creatures could gather.
The management of the snowy mountain was entrusted to Cheoldu-ryong.
Since I only have one body, it was impossible to oversee both the snowy mountain and the volcano simultaneously.
I hadn’t yet fully managed the volcano, so it was better to focus on the place I was originally stationed at.
Cheoldu-ryong was a reliable subordinate.
Even though he had grown slightly weaker, his headbutt was still strong enough to hurt me.
And as he grew more accustomed to the power of the Dragon Gate, he would only become stronger.
His body itself was indestructible, so unless another Dragon Gate’s owner appeared, he would not be defeated.
“Dae-hyeop. Are you leaving now?”
Cheoldu-ryong spoke in a dignified manner.
Woo-woong.
The Fox Bead trembled lightly inside my fur.
Cheoldu-ryong would fulfill his role as the guardian of the snowy mountain.
The Fox Bead would stay with me and reveal its truth someday.
Cheoldu-ryong bowed respectfully.
He was the ideal follower I had envisioned.
“Kek-kek.”
A killer star, Pak Gi-gae.
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t worried about the fate of being consumed by killing intent.
But I believed he would overcome it.
Because that is what Gecko Faith is.
“Gecko Faith is Gecko Faith, and Gecko Faith shall remain Gecko Faith. I pray for your eternal health and prosperity.”
…Could you not use such complicated words?
I returned to the volcano.
“I had heard rumors that the abbot of Shaolin had fallen, but to think it was true….”
After being bitten when I casually tried to rub Baekrang’s belly, I patted Chillang while conversing with Tang So-yeong.
“So the true identity of Nahan is Cheoldu-ryong, and he carries the fate of the killer star. Even in the Tang Clan, I’ve never heard such a story.”
It seemed Shaolin had tightly controlled information.
If you had to pick the most secretive factions among the orthodox sects, it would be the Beggars’ Union or the Tang Clan. Yet even the Tang Clan hadn’t grasped the situation.
Of course, someone as high-ranking as the head of the Tang Clan might know, but even Tang So-yeong, who clearly had her own influence, was unaware.
It was unlikely that other martial artists knew the truth either, and they probably believed Shaolin had genuinely fallen.
“At least that’s one less thing to worry about. I don’t know the exact details, but it’s never good to become enemies with humans. Even if we win, we’d suffer losses, and if we kill humans, their vengeful spirits would cause trouble. At least if it’s not that old hag….”
Baekrang sniffed the air.
Her glossy black wolf nose twitched as she pressed her nose against my chest.
“Baekrang Sojeo? What are you doing now?”
“No, it’s just… I smell something familiar.”
…So she really does have a dog’s nose.
“This soft smell… I’ve smelled it somewhere before.”
A soft smell?
“…Hey.”
Press.
Baekrang lightly pressed me with her front paw.
“Geeeek….”
“Did you meet that old hag?”
“Kek-kek!”
How did she know?
Well, the truth is….
Wait, why am I trembling?
I’m Go Hui, the divine beast of Gecko Faith.
These guys are my followers.
“Kek-kek.”
Yes.
I did gawk at the Celestial Fox.
So, what are you going to do about it?
“…Grab him.”
Huh?
As soon as Baekrang finished speaking, Tus and Pus moved swiftly.
Even Illang and Chillang followed suit.
“Kekeke?”
Hey, wait.
Aren’t I the leader here?
“I need to conduct an inspection.”
Baekrang spoke in a cold voice.
Inspection? What kind of inspection?
Oh, I see.
You’re trying to confirm if I’m really a Komodo, aren’t you?
“Let’s take a look down below…”
“Geeeeeeek!”
Only then did I understand why Tus and Pus were obeying Baekrang’s words.
Aaaaaah!
Cheoldu-ryong! Doin! Dojeong!
I am Go Hui, the divine beast of Gecko Faith!
I was already starting to miss Cheoldu-ryong’s polite demeanor.
No matter how I looked at it, the structure of Gecko Faith was strange.
I tried to block them with my hands, but these beasts were determined to strip my dragon scales.
Especially near my lower body!
“Geeeeek!”
For some reason, my body wouldn’t respond with any strength.
Am I about to become a stripped Komodo?
Just when I was trembling in fear, unable to resist...
“…Stop it.”
A golden-haired, red-eyed fairy appeared.
“Kekekek!”
It was Nephila.
Although I had somehow managed to win over the Left and Right Guardians, it seemed I hadn’t convinced the Shrine Maiden.
Currently, Nephila holds the position of Shrine Maiden.
The Shrine Maiden was the second-highest rank after me.
…And yet, they ignored my words but listened to the Shrine Maiden’s?
“…Tsk.”
Baekrang clicked her tongue in disappointment, as if regretting the interruption.
In any case, I was saved thanks to Nephila.
“Geeee… Geeeeeeek….”
I clung to Nephila, sobbing uncontrollably.
Nephila really was the best.
She gently smiled and patted me as if to comfort me.
How could such a merciful being exist?
She wasn’t just a Shrine Maiden—she was clearly a fairy descended from the heavens.
Though her modest chest was a slight flaw.
As I buried my face in her chest and wept, Nephila’s hand suddenly stopped.
Why did she stop?
“…Kek?”
I looked up and saw Nephila’s eyebrows raised.
She seemed to have an expression of anger for some reason.
Shhhhhh!
Suddenly, an enormous amount of spider silk sprayed out, binding my body.
“…Continue.”
Wait a second.
Nephila.
This is a joke, right?
“Geeeeek!”
The followers of Gecko Faith pounced on me all at once.
“T-This… This must be documented… It must be recorded!”
Tang So-yeong only observed my dragon scales being stripped, making notes.
The Fox Bead, unusually quiet, seemed as though it was expectantly watching something unfold.
“Geeeeeeeeeeeeek!”