Chapter 139: Kring’s Transformation

While lost in such thoughts, Gaon continued teleporting and soon arrived at his destination.

Gaon headed straight to the royal palace and was able to meet Lepra.

“Your third-generation descendant, Lepra Varta, greets Grandfather.”

Lepra, who had been attending to duties, stood up and politely greeted Gaon.

And just then.

—Krr!

Kring, who had been guarding Lepra in an invisible state, revealed itself and rushed toward Gaon.

Naturally, it wasn’t rushing aggressively.

Gaon embraced Kring, who burrowed into his arms.

And began scratching Kring’s head.

—Krrung…….

At Gaon’s touch, Kring made a pleased sound.

At Kring’s reaction, Gaon faintly smiled and looked at Lepra.

Lepra tried not to show it, but Gaon could see.

The subtle expectation and excitement on his face.

Lepra had already heard about the elixir.

It was natural to feel expectation or excitement.

“Shall we start right away?”

“Yes, of course.”

At Gaon’s question, Lepra answered with sharpened eyes.

“Then let’s go.”

At Lepra’s answer, Gaon turned around.

And took the lead, heading toward the cultivation room.

A while later, arriving at the cultivation room, Gaon scanned around.

No need to make one.

The cultivation room was very spacious.

On top of that, only Lepra would be taking the elixir here.

Unlike at Gardion, where multiple people took it, there seemed no need to create a curtain.

But the mana density is considerable.

The cultivation room had numerous magic arrays installed, like mana circulation arrays and mana amplification arrays.

Was that why?

The mana density was incomparably thick compared to outside.

If one cultivates in a place like this…….

Gaon looked at Lepra.

He’ll enter sooner than expected.

Even with the elixir, he wouldn’t enter the 7th Circle.

Because the mana needed to create the seventh circle was insufficient.

Of course, it would be possible with more elixir, but Gaon had no intention of giving more.

If the elixir only provided energy, maybe, but it also enhanced talent.

He couldn’t use more elixir just to hasten entry to the 7th Circle.

Swish.

Gaon took out a glass and the glass bottle containing the elixir from his pocket.

He had used a bit at Lude Tower earlier, so about 70% remained.

And Lepra, looking at the elixir, swallowed hard.

It wasn’t only Lepra who reacted to the elixir.

—Krrung……?

Kring also looked at the elixir with sparkling, jewel-like eyes.

“Wait a bit.”

Gaon said while scratching Kring’s head.

—Krr!

Then Kring answered as if understanding, and Gaon opened the bottle cap and poured the elixir into the glass.

“Drink it and prepare for cultivation right away.”

“Yes!”

Lepra answered Gaon’s words and received the glass.

He sat down, swallowed once, and drank the elixir.

As before, the elixir divided finely and spread throughout Lepra’s body.

Oh!

And Gaon inwardly exclaimed.

Because Lepra had “awakened eyes.”

Good.

He had hoped there would be at least one who awakened eyes in Varta too.

But for Lepra to awaken eyes?

It was the best possible situation.

Hmm?

And at what followed, Gaon was slightly flustered.

And for good reason, as the mana in the cultivation room began to be sucked into Lepra.

“….!”

Gaon sharpened his eyes.

At this rate, it might be possible right away……?

Originally, Gaon thought Lepra wouldn’t overcome the wall.

But seeing the situation, his thought changed.

If he absorbed all the mana in the cultivation room and made it his own like this?

It seemed he could enter the 7th Circle today.

And a while later, Gaon was certain.

It’ll be possible.

That entry to the 7th Circle was possible.

Of course, if Lepra was alone, it would be impossible.

But if Gaon guided him?

He could smoothly create the seventh circle.

Gaon said to Lepra, who was continuing cultivation.

“As soon as cultivation ends, you’ll enter the 7th Circle. I’ll help, so don’t worry too much and prepare.”

A while later, Lepra finished cultivation.

And the atmospheric mana that had been sucked into Lepra began to scatter again.

Gaon waved his hand.

Then the scattering mana stopped, and Gaon immediately approached Lepra and injected a strand of Pacheonki.

Soon, Gaon retrieved the Pacheonki and stepped back.

Grgrgruk!

At the same time, a mana storm erupted centered on Lepra.

Gaon looked at the mana storm with a satisfied face.

No problems.

Like how Kerhen gained talent for swords through the elixir, Lepra seemed to have gained talent for magic, as he very smoothly created the seventh circle.

On top of that, seeing the mana storm, it was presumed it would settle without issues.

Just then.

—Krrung…….

At the sound of Kring’s voice in his ear, Gaon lowered his head to look at Kring.

Kring was looking at Gaon with sparkling eyes, and when their eyes met, it extended its front paw.

And Gaon looked where Kring’s front paw pointed.

There was the glass bottle containing the elixir.

Gaon scratched Kring’s belly with his finger.

—Krrung krrung.

Whether ticklish or refreshing, Kring purred and wriggled.

Gaon smirked and stopped scratching, then waved his hand.

Then a portion of the elixir rose into the air from the bottle.

And flew in front of Gaon.

Krrung?

Kring looked at the elixir and then at Gaon.

Gaon nodded with a pleased smile.

—Krrung!

Then Kring came down from his arms, released its miniaturization, and returned to its true form.

And opened its mouth wide, swallowing the lump of elixir floating in the air whole.

Gaon focused on Kring.

Kring wasn’t human.

It was a spirit beast.

He was curious what effect the elixir would have on Kring.

……

Seems similar.

First, the elixir divided finely and spread throughout Kring’s body.

And began seeping in.

Up to here, there was no difference.

Is it the same?

He had expected it to be different, but it wasn’t certain.

Seeing the situation, it seemed the same, contrary to expectation.

But only for a moment.

Hmm?

Gaon couldn’t help but be flustered.

What? It all seeped in?

The elixir he fed Kring wasn’t 100ml.

It was double, 200ml.

Yet all 200ml had seeped in.

And Kring was licking its lips.

A reaction of insufficiency.

Not only that.

Kring’s pupils, licking its lips, were shining.

Just then.

[Dad! Can you give me as much as I just ate?]

A voice rang in his mind.

“……!”

Gaon couldn’t help but be surprised.

It was a very familiar voice.

……Kring?

Gaon said to Kring with a maybe face.

And then the voice rang in his mind again.

[Yes! It’s me!]

“……”

Gaon was speechless for a moment.

He had thought maybe, but it was real.

How…….

Before, Kring had transmitted thoughts.

But not expressing intent concretely like now.

Hungry.

Angry.

Sad.

Happy.

Only transmitting simple level thoughts like that.

And only transmitting “feelings” or “emotions,” not a voice like now.

……Because of the elixir?

No matter how he saw it, being able to express concrete intent with a voice like now was clearly because of the elixir.

[Dad……? Is it not okay……?]

Kring’s voice rang again.

Gaon came to his senses, smiled, and answered.

“No, of course it’s okay. But can I ask one thing?”

[Yes!]

“Is the reason you want more elixir because it’s tasty? Or is there a special reason?”

[It’s tasty, but there’s a reason!]

[I think I can evolve!]

“……”

“……!”

At Kring’s answer, Gaon sharpened his eyes.

And immediately reached toward the elixir.

Then 200ml of elixir rose from the bottle and flew over.

[Can I eat it?]

Kring asked Gaon with sparkling eyes.

Gaon nodded with an of-course face.

Then Kring opened its mouth wide and swallowed the elixir.

This time too, the elixir divided finely and seeped into various places.

But unlike before, only about 10% seeped in.

The remaining 90% gathered near the heart.

And slowly began to vaporize.

[Dad! Can you make a curtain?]

“A curtain?”

[Yes! The aftermath seems tremendous!]

“Wait a sec.”

Gaon waved his hand.

Then a curtain appeared.

A very thick curtain where the inside couldn’t be seen at all.

“Is this enough?”

[………]

Kring let out a groan.

And then nodded.

[It should be!]

[And it should take about 1 hour! Then I’ll be back!]

“Uh? Uh, yeah.”

Gaon had many questions.

But the elixir had all vaporized, and at Kring’s urgent reaction, he couldn’t ask.

And from what followed, Gaon could tell his choice was right.

Swaaak!

The inside of the curtain filled with gray energy.

Grgrgruk!

And the curtain began to shake.

Gaon additionally injected Pacheonki to reinforce the curtain and thought.

……Not the evolution I thought?

When Kring first mentioned evolution, Gaon thought of 8th grade.

But no matter how he saw it, it didn’t seem like 8th grade.

For 8th grade, the energy inside the curtain was too strong.

Maybe 9th grade……?

Suddenly, 9th grade came to mind.

Perhaps evolving straight from 7th grade to 9th grade?

It had drunk a whopping 400ml of elixir.

There was definitely possibility.

Time passed like that.

Swish.

Gaon, who had been watching the curtain, turned his head to look at Lepra.

The mana storm had completely subsided.

It had finished settling.

Soon, Lepra, having finished settling, opened his eyes and stood up.

And looked at the curtain where Kring was with a surprised face.

“G-Grandfather, is that perhaps Kring……?”

Lepra asked cautiously.

“Yes.”

Gaon nodded.

And handed a list to Lepra and said.

“Can you gather them right now?”

At Gaon’s question, Lepra immediately took and checked the list.

And Lepra, having finished checking, answered.

“Yes, I can gather all within 30 minutes at the latest. Shall I gather them?”

“Yes, in front of the cultivation room.”

“Yes, understood. Then…….”

Lepra bowed and greeted, and Gaon answered with a silent nod.

And Lepra left.

Gaon focused on the curtain again.

And just then.

“……!”

Gaon sharpened his eyes.

The mana that had been moving ferociously inside the curtain stopped moving.

And then the mana began to decrease.

Precisely, it was being absorbed into Kring.

Gaon tilted his head.

Seems like the size decreased.

Kring had entered in its true form.

But the form of the energy felt now was very small.

Perhaps it miniaturized during evolution?

But it’s too big for miniaturization…….

Just as Gaon was puzzled.

Kring came out of the curtain.

Gaon couldn’t help but be surprised seeing Kring.

Kring was in the form of a boy in his early teens.

And his face was very similar to Gaon’s.

To the extent that someone who didn’t know Gaon would see Gaon and Kring as brothers.

Of course, the reason Gaon was surprised wasn’t only because of Kring’s appearance resembling him.

Circles formed?

Circles were visible near Kring’s heart.

The problem was the number of circles.

9……?