NoveLight ™
Cancel the evolution!
…As if that would work.
I sighed and accepted it with humility.
My followers were evolving, and I couldn’t ruin this moment for them. This was undoubtedly a good thing. If feeding them my tail meant they could evolve, I’d gladly cut it off as many times as needed.
…Though I might think twice if it involved grinding my horn into it again.
Flaaash!
A second burst of light enveloped Tus and Pus, and the cocoons around them began to crack.
Crack!
Something was stirring inside.
Like a lizard hatching from an egg, an arm broke through the cocoon.
Flaaash!
Crack!
"Keeeng!"
"Kioooong!"
Finally, Tus and Pus emerged with a triumphant cry.
"Hoho…"
The Snake Queen observed them with interest.
For a basilisk, a creature naturally at odds with spiders, to show such curiosity meant they must have grown significantly stronger.
"Keng!"
Unfortunately, my earlier guess was correct—they hadn’t assumed a humanoid form.
However, their size had increased dramatically, now slightly larger than Chilrang.
For context, Chilrang may be the youngest wolf, but he’s still far larger than most humans. Now, Tus and Pus could easily crush Tang Soyeong in half with a single swing of their limbs.
"Huh?!"
Perhaps she read my thoughts, as Tang Soyeong suddenly hugged her chest protectively, a bewildered look on her face.
I turned back to Tus and Pus.
Their transformation wasn’t just about size.
Their color had also changed drastically.
Tus and Pus had originally been brown spiders. Their coloration often reminded me of chestnuts when they wagged their backsides. But now, they were pure white.
It must have been an effect of the icy energy.
The white wasn’t bad, though. While it made them more conspicuous, it could also act as camouflage in my fur if needed.
Aside from the color, they retained most of their original features.
Tus’s front legs were still particularly developed, and Pus still had her long tail tipped with sharp spikes.
That was all I could glean from appearance alone. It was time to rely on Wild Eye.
【Tus-Ananse LV10】
【Pus-Ananse LV10】
Level 10 already?
It must be the effect of Gae Gak Sect’s system.
And the name Ananse… something about it felt significant.
It was as if their evolution had aligned them with their origins in Gae Gak Sect, much like how my evolution had added “Gomodo” to my name.
I had no choice but to take a closer look.
【Tus-Ananse】
The evolved form of Gae Gak Sect's Left Paw, Antracomartus.
Fused with Gae Gak Sect’s techniques and the icy energy of the Dragon Gate, embodying a deep desire to bite someone’s tail.
A unique species, capable of imitating some of Gomodo’s techniques.
【Pus-Ananse】
The evolved form of Gae Gak Sect's Right Paw, Artercopus.
Fused with Gae Gak Sect’s techniques and the icy energy of the Dragon Gate, embodying a deep desire to have someone touch her backside.
A unique species, capable of imitating some of Gomodo’s techniques.
…The descriptions were a bit strange, weren’t they?
Should something like this really be written in a respectable status window?
"Kioooong…"
Tus and Pus covered their faces as if embarrassed.
If you’re embarrassed, try controlling yourselves a bit more.
While their “desires” were peculiar, one thing was clear—they had evolved into extraordinary beings.
Their names now included "Tus" and "Pus," which wasn’t ordinary by any means.
It mirrored how "Gomodo" had been appended to my own species name.
If they evolved further, they might become Tus-Arachne or Pus-Arachne, like Nephila.
And the ability to imitate some of my techniques?
That was incredibly powerful.
I stared at Tus and Pus intently.
"Keeeng…"
"Kioooong…"
Could they unleash Gae Gak Death Beam from their mouths?
Or perhaps use Miniaturization?
While those techniques were borrowed through my Reverse Scale ability, I couldn’t rule out the possibility.
If not those, imitating my martial arts would also be incredibly useful.
Whatever the case, their ability to mimic my techniques was undeniably overpowered.
It wouldn’t be easy for opponents of the same tier to defeat them now.
Tus and Pus crawled over to me, eagerly seeking my praise.
Pretending to inspect them, I gently patted their soft bodies.
"Kioooo!"
They were soft to the touch, yet oddly firm, suggesting their durability had significantly increased.
Coupled with their ability to wield icy energy, they now possessed the strength befitting the Left and Right Paws of Gae Gak Sect.
While they might still be weak compared to higher-tier spirit beasts, Tus and Pus had limitless potential for growth.
If I raised them properly, they could become truly formidable.
“You did well,” I said.
Nephila also patted their heads proudly.
"Keeeng!"
"Kioooong!"
Tus, Pus, hang in there a little longer.
One day, you’ll reach Arachne like Nephila.
Their evolution taught me two things.
First, the latent power of my tail.
And second, the influence of epithets.
Tus and Pus’s status windows explicitly listed their epithets. This suggested that epithets played a role in their evolution.
Despite having powerful beings like Red Dragon and Baekrang among my followers, I hadn’t given them fitting titles before now. Back then, I lacked the divine energy to create meaningful epithets and didn’t fully understand their effects.
But now, things were different.
After defeating Gongbok, I’d gained a considerable amount of divine energy.
"Gekek…"
I glanced at Red Dragon and Baekrang.
What kind of epithets should I give them?
After much deliberation, I decided against something casual like “Whitey” or “Dragony.” I could already imagine my frozen and burned future if I dared to do that.
The safest choices were:
[The epithet "Ice Sovereign" has been bestowed upon Baekrang (Lv95).]
[The epithet "Flame Sovereign" has been bestowed upon Red Dragon (Lv145).]
"Did you do something again?"
"I’m not thrilled about being put on the same level as a mutt, but I’ll take it."
Red Dragon and Baekrang immediately noticed the change.
"Keeeng!"
"Kioooong!"
Tus and Pus clapped their limbs, celebrating.
Though I didn’t fully understand it, my followers seemed to instinctively recognize what I had done.
"Did… something happen?"
Tang Soyeong, clearly clueless, tilted her head. It seemed this system was only accessible to spirit creatures.
After defeating Gongbok, I’d gained an abundance of divine energy—enough to grant the glorious epithets Flame Sovereign and Ice Sovereign with some to spare.
Feeling generous, I decided to keep going.
Tang Soyeong’s hair fluttered as she looked at me expectantly. Her expression practically screamed anticipation.
Alright, it’s time to reward her, too.
[The Unicorn (Lv80) has been bestowed the epithet Illbong.]
"Ill… bong?"
The unicorn, still being pestered by the bicorns, raised its head to look at me.
To my surprise, the unicorn had joined Gae Gak Sect. I wasn’t sure what it was thinking, but maybe it had fallen for the charming bicorns.
It might not listen to me directly, but the bicorns seemed to have a strong grip on it. Considering its role in the recent battle—leading the bicorns against the Plum Blossom Swordmaster—it certainly deserved the title Illbong.
The bong in Illbong comes from the legendary bird, the Peng (鵬). It symbolized my hope that the unicorn would one day spread its wings and soar.
…In simpler terms, I hoped it would evolve into a true unicorn and help the bicorns with their reproduction.
"Heh heh… Ill… heh heh… polygamy…"
The bicorns eyed the unicorn with wicked grins.
"I-Illbong…"
Good luck, unicorn. I hope you survive.
Even after bestowing the unicorn its title, I still had divine energy left over.
What should I do with it?
"Great Warrior?"
Tang Soyeong swayed in front of me, trying to catch my attention.
"Ahem…"
She cleared her throat, feigning nonchalance but clearly hoping for something.
Though she didn’t fully understand what I was doing, she seemed to expect a reward of her own.
Alright, fine. Just this once.
[Tang Soyeong has been bestowed the epithet Intermediate Healer.]
"Wow!"
Tang Soyeong jumped in excitement, her body twisting into an odd pose.
"…Wow?"
Her joy turned into confusion as she realized something was off.
"This feels… strange. Why is that?"
She stared at me with her green eyes, suspicious but lacking proof.
It’ll be fine. Intermediate Healer is a good enough title for now.
I wanted to give her more, but I needed to reserve the remaining divine energy for future use.
Unlike the other spirit creatures, Tang Soyeong only had a vague idea of what I’d done, which was a relief.
"This is so weird…"
Sorry, Soyeong. I’ll upgrade it next time I gather more divine energy.
[Gae Gak Sect]
Rank: Mid-tier Spirit Religion.
Doctrine: Gae Gak Faith, worshipping Gomodo.
Affiliations: Closely tied to the Little Dragon Faith and the Snake Queen Faith.
Followers: Small in number, but extraordinarily devout and powerful in combat.
[Territory:]
[Members:]
I glanced at the status window.
The tiny faith that Gae Gak Sect once was couldn’t even compare to what it had become.
And that wasn’t including the ordinary followers—the direwolves and bicorns—who were stronger than most beasts.
It felt surreal.
I had already claimed three Dragon Gates as part of my territory.
While I initially thought my next evolution was far off, if things continued to go this well, it might come sooner than expected.
It was all thanks to my followers.
Each and every one of them was precious.
Even those who weren’t technically followers were invaluable to me.
When I called for help, they came running without hesitation.
Since I’d rewarded my followers, it was time to reward my allies.
What would they want?
Maybe I should cut off another piece of my tail for them?
The Snake Queen seemed to have her own desires, though…
As I pondered, a notification appeared.
[A significant amount of divine energy has been used!]
My vision blurred as a wave of drowsiness washed over me.
It was inevitable after such an intense battle and the extensive use of divine energy.
But it was fine.
I was surrounded by trustworthy allies. A short nap wouldn’t hurt.
I opened my eyes to find myself in my inner world again.
The lake was as serene as ever, its surface shimmering with reflected light.
And, as usual, two crimson eyes glared at me.
A figure emerged from the water, letting out a low growl.
—Grrr…
It was the Nightmare Spirit.
—You filthy creature…
Was it angry because I’d rejected its proposal?
I could understand its frustration. It had likely seen this as a perfect opportunity to seize control of my body, only to fail.
—How dare you… how dare you…
The Nightmare Spirit’s expression was one I’d never seen before, its voice laced with fury and confusion.
—You’ve reduced me to this state?!
…What state?
Did something happen because I rejected its offer?
Curious, I decided to take a closer look.
That was when I instantly regretted it.
I saw it.
A bright blue… something.
In the center was a white rectangle with black text.
A combination of numbers and symbols.
The moment I understood what it was, I knew what was about to happen.
I clenched my teeth, desperately trying to stay conscious.
—How dare youuuu…
The Nightmare Spirit wasn’t done yet.
The creature before me had transformed again.
No longer was it the Maid Spino.
Now, it had become the School Swimsuit Spino.