Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Foxes are sacred
Seojun blinked as another wave of light overwhelmed him. The vision of the dark prison faded away, and he felt himself pulled back, his body suddenly lighter. When his eyes opened again, he found himself standing back on the forest ground.
And a notif appeared in front of him.
[Insight Acquired: Nymira's Past]
Seojun stared at the message for a moment, his mind still processing the haunting memories he had witnessed.
Silla lowered himself to the ground, his scales brushing against the dirt. He spoke softly, almost like he was thinking aloud. "Master, the name 'Vormund' that Nymira mentioned is probably that god"
The system's voice suddenly spoke up in his mind. [Vormund is a dark god known for chaos, darkness, and causing trouble. Vormund has a peculiar hobby: creating chimeras. Other gods avoid trouble with the dark gods]
The system continued, [Nymira was originally under God Gyu, One of Light Gods and God Vormund become interested in our children and To avoid a war with the dark gods that might destroy different Realms including Earth, God Gyu allowed Vormund to take Nymira thinking it was better than starting a full conflict.]
Seojun frowned. "So, Nymira got caught up in their plans... just passed around like she didn't matter. System, Why is he so engrossed to Nymira?"
[Foxes are considered sacred and possess a unique ability: they can manipulate all kinds of elements. Each of their tails embodies a different elemental power and Nymira, the only fox with nine tails. That must be the reason he got interest to her.]
Silla looked up, his eyes filled with frustration. 'That's why she's so angry, Master. She was betrayed and used by the gods. Now she sees everyone as an enemy'
Seojun sat calmly in front of Nymira, who was chained to the ground by glowing golden chains. The chains glowed softly, their light casting an eerie but gentle glow around the area. Nymira's large, powerful form was held down by the chains, her eyes filled with both anger and despair.
She growled softly as Seojun approached, clearly distressed by her situation. He raised his hand slowly, trying to reach out to her. Nymira's eyes narrowed, and she growled louder, showing her sharp teeth in warning.
"I'm here to help," Seojun said gently, his voice soothing and calm. "I know you're in pain and angry, but I'm not here to hurt you."
Nymira's growl turned into a snarl as she struggled against the chains. Seojun could see the frustration and helplessness in her eyes. He took a deep breath, maintaining his composure.
He extended his hand towards her, and despite her growling he allowed her to bite his hand. The pain was sharp, but Seojun didn't flinch. He looked directly into her eyes.
"I understand you're scared and frustrated but hurting me won't change your situation. I want to help you."
As Seojun sat in front of Nymira, a notification appeared.
[Activating Skill: Serene Presence]
The skill created a soft, calming aura around Seojun. This aura slowly reached Nymira, and she began to calm down. Her growling lessened, and her body relaxed a bit, though she still looked wary. The glowing chains binding her seemed to pulse gently with the calming energy.
Nymira's grip on his hand tightened momentarily, then loosened. Her growls softened, and her eyes showed a flicker of hesitation. Seojun gently pulled his hand back, showing her that he was still calm despite the bite.
"You don't have to trust me right away But if you let me help, we can work together. We can fix this."
Nymira's breathing slowed slightly as she stared at him, her anger giving way to a troubled look. Seojun sat quietly, waiting for her to make a decision. The glowing chains held her firmly, but Seojun hoped that his calm presence and sincere offer would help bridge the gap between them.
Nymira suddenly spoke, her voice trembling, "Why should I trust you?"
Silla, now grown to a size larger than Seojun, spoke firmly. "Even I was saved by Master. You can trust him, Nymira."
As Silla spoke, Nymira's size began to shrink, and she transformed into a small, white cat. The golden chains around her disappeared. With a faint voice, she asked, "B-brother Hydra?"
Silla, now a small creature, crawled to Nymira and said, "Rest for a while, Nymira. All your suffering has ended. Master and I will help you."
Seojun's heart ached as he watched Nymira's tears fall and her eyes slowly close. He recalled how before he became entangled with the system, he had dreamed of becoming a vet doctor. His love for animals had been a guiding force in his life, but his financial struggles had made that dream seem unreachable. The system had changed everything for him.
Now, holding the small, exhausted Nymira in his arms, Seojun resolved to help her fully. He thought, "I know what I need to do next once we return to Korea."
Meanwhile, Seoyang, Seojun's mother, paced anxiously back and forth in the living room. She bit her nails and sat on the sofa only to stand up again moments later. Her worry was clear as she glanced at the clock; it was already 10 PM.
Alexa approached her and gently guided her to sit on the sofa. "Calm down, Auntie," she said, while Huno, who was standing by the door, whimpering anxiously, added to the tension in the room.
Seoyang jumped up and resumed her pacing. "I'm just so worried. Seojun hasn't come back yet. What if something happened to him?"
Noticing Huno's whimpering making things worse, Alexa scolded gently, "Huno! Stop it, you're making Auntie more anxious."
Alexa then helped Seoyang back onto the sofa and they sit down. Shaun sitting beside Alexa added with a reassuring smile, "Relax, Seojun is a adult. He can handle himself."
Seojun finally walked through the door, his presence immediately catching everyone's attention. Seoyang, who had been anxiously pacing earlier, rushed to him with tears in her eyes.
"Seojun!" she cried out, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "I was so worried! Where have you been? It's so late."
Seojun, surprised gently patted her back. "I'm okay, Mom. I just had to handle some things. I'm sorry for making you worry."
Alexa and Shaun watched with relief as Seojun reassured his mother. Huno, now calm, wagged his tail and approached Seojun, giving him a gentle nuzzle.
Seoyang looked up at her son, her eyes still filled with concern. "You're really okay, right? Nothing happened to you?"
Seojun smiled softly, his hand brushing away a stray tear from Seoyang's cheek. "I'm fine, Mom. Just needed to take care of a few things. Everything's alright now."
With a sigh of relief, Seoyang nodded and finally let go of Seojun. Seojun looked at his mother with a thoughtful expression. "When are we going back to Korea?"
Seoyang tilted her head, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Don't you want to live here, Seojun?"