Euphy, as the humanoid-raccoon introduced herself, couldn't help but whistle while sitting on the ground as she looked me up and down.
[ Even so. I'm surprised you didn't mess everything up. ]
She said mysteriously and then rested her face against her fist with a genuine smile.
[ Clarify it for me. ]
I said, not understanding what she meant even with the information injected directly into my mind.
[ Hmmm… Okay! I'll tell you something fun since we're next to cultivators. ]
She changed the subject playfully, apparently ignoring my question.
[ Who do you think created the path of cultivators? Who the hell came up with how each stage and rank should be reached? Who thought about what they would be capable of? ]
I suddenly frowned; it was an interesting question, but at the same time seemed simple.
[ The path of cultivation seems like a science to me, like mathematics, therefore you simply discover, not create, what the next step is and then take it. ]
Euphy laughed while once again evaluating me; she had already done so several times and for some reason each one sent shivers down my spine.
[ No, wrong answer. ]
She coughed and then straightened her posture.
[ Cultivators originally discovered cultivation, but in reality the first of them discovered a dead-end road, as did the second and the third and many after them. ]
I watched with curiosity for Euphy's next words.
[ However, one of them found a road ahead, gained more knowledge and told everyone! Don't follow my path, because it is also a dead end, go through that other one I created based on my knowledge and power. And so it repeated, a thousand and one times, for a very long time. ]
She then shook her head, emphasizing her words. The small, fluffy ears swayed along with her body in a cute motion.
[ It's possible to learn many truths about this world from this simple story, like the fact that the greatest cultivators choose, or rather manipulate and create, the paths of the next generations, but what I mean is: There are dead-end paths and most go to them without knowing. ]
She looked intensely at me again with a smile that felt strangely uncomfortable to me.
[ You are heading toward one. ]
Suddenly my body trembled, not knowing what to say. Fear filled my heart with that simple sentence.
My journey to the heavens could be reduced to dust by a single misguided decision.
I swallowed hard before asking.
[ How could that be? ]
Euphy sharpened her eyes again, analyzing my figure.
She seemed to ponder what my chances were of succeeding on a better path.
[ You made the mutations in the correct order so far, but you were almost too fast. Which could cause a fundamental imbalance. It is necessary to give time for the organs to settle in the organism and nourish it properly. ]
For a moment, I was afraid to ask what the hell "fundamental imbalance" could mean.
[ Your next step would be muscles, claws and then fangs and then going from Wild to Ferocious. But then you would be weaker than normal and it would be impossible to progress. Because, despite having quality, you still lack quantity—accumulation, if you prefer. ]
My mind immediately remembered the experience gained from facing small challenges, but as if reading my mind, Euphy shook her head.
[ Accumulation also refers to experience but mainly to skills. Your perfect evolution requires twice the accumulation of experience and skills and a direction for your skills. ]
She then coughed a few times before finally concluding.
[ Think about what you want to be tomorrow and do everything possible today. ]
I nodded in agreement. According to her explanation, a lightning tiger already lived among lightning even before evolving.
In the same way as any elemental tiger.
But then the question remained: what kind of tiger would I become today?
A bigger tiger…
Yes, just a bigger tiger.
My physical abilities were superior, but only that.
I needed to diversify my skills more.
Euphy managed to clear my mind in such a way that now it seemed obvious.
[ Thank you, thanks to you, my effort wasn't in vain. ]
I bowed my head to her, as a sign of respect, as she only scratched her neck nervously, surprised by my formality.
[ Don't mention it, it's just common information among us. I mean, every newborn is guided to do exactly that, everyone at home starts with the organs and always accumulates as much aura as possible while also choosing their skills carefully. ]
Finally, Euphy stood up and stretched her body with a satisfied groan. She then observed me in silence before speaking.
[ So… are you tired of being a pet and want to become a person? ]
I frowned, thinking her reaction suspicious.
[ What do you mean? ]
Euphy sighed before summoning and condensing her own aura.
[ I can feel your collar, it can be broken with aura. If we help each other, you'll be free and can come with me. ]
My eyes widened; she was offering me freedom that easily?
[ So? Do you want to be free? Want to see the world? ]
She knelt in front of me with a smile that promised adventures.
For a moment, I was immersed in that radiant gaze.
That gaze promised me what no one ever had: to show me the world.
My heart beat faster just thinking about it.
Euphy, a stranger with only a few interactions, had given me more than anyone—and even offered more still.
However…
I sighed deeply as her radiant expression faded, foreseeing my answer.
[ My siblings are still around here; I can't leave without at least knowing that they're okay. ]
As soon as I finished speaking, Euphy's eyes suddenly lit up again, understanding the nuance of my words.
[ Of course, of course, family first, adventures later! ]
I found it amusing, wishing I had hands to pat her head.
She seemed easy to deal with.
[ Anyway, I'll be around. See you next time! ]
She waved as she walked away again; I watched as her figure grew smaller and smaller, and with time I also turned away.
However…
At that moment I realized something…
Euphy had stolen the transmission ring…
'Damn…'
I would need more of those…
With a snort, I walked toward a room in the castle.
One day I had asked Agnes about her exchange of an earring for a transmission ring.
And thanks to that simple question, I took note of a room in the castle containing more of these, which were an excellent means of long-distance communication.
With Euphy having the ring, she could contact me from afar.
Entering there, I grabbed a necklace and carried it in my mouth back to the hall once more.
Surely my appearance was expected to draw attention again.
However, aware of that, for the first time in a long while, I walked slowly, trying to conceal myself.
As a result, even the powerful cultivators in the crowd, who were speaking enthusiastically, didn't notice me.
Meanwhile, I looked around in search of my siblings or at least the people responsible for them.
And of course, I found only the latter.
Calmly, I approached a young man with silver hair and blue eyes, who soon noticed me as well as the necklace in my mouth.
I could only pray that he knew how to synchronize these things; otherwise, communication would be impossible.
He analyzed my action for a few moments before grabbing the necklace and then taking a deep breath.
After performing a few hand seals, he finally put the necklace on.
"I didn't expect such a display of intellect from a beast so violent."
Laxus spoke without any decorum, his eyes cold.
[ I'm not a violent beast, you'll have plenty of time to realize that. ]
I said, certain that Laxus would quickly understand the kind of person I was.
"Whatever, what brings you to me? Want to take the chance to come to the house of the lightning tiger?"
Despite the mask of coldness, I could sense a certain excitement poorly hidden behind his words.
[ Doesn't sound so bad, but I seek news about my brother and about… whether he's become one of those. ]
I looked toward the exotic pets filling the hall. Even I had been placed in that category by Agnes, so I could only fear for them.
I took the moment to tell him about my real motivations behind the attack moments earlier.
However, Laxus only snorted when he heard all that.
"Indeed, the royal family has been shameful for a long time. To think they wanted to turn a guardian beast into a simple pet."
Surprisingly, his response was exactly what I wanted to hear.
"Don't worry about that, your brother has been learning with the guardian beast, and has been taught in the ways of cultivators just like a human, unlike you."
For a moment, I didn't believe what I had heard—my younger brother had become a cultivator?
Not an Earthly Demon?
"Honestly, it's a waste what they've been doing with you. Raising you like an animal instead of a worthy and magnificent being, a demi-god."
Laxus sighed deeply before staring intensely at me once again.
"As I already told you, the house of the lightning tiger would be more than glad to receive you. In fact, I'll make an official invitation to your caretaker for you to come to our house."
He coughed a few times while trying to contain a growing smile.
"If you ask me nicely, who knows… I might even let you train with the guardian beast and use our famous lightning tower."
His breathing suddenly began to quicken, the entire cold façade falling apart for a moment.
"Who knows, maybe even give you parts of our guardian beast for your evolution, actually I can open the vault and get parts of the sun eater, myriad, winged, leviathan and who knows!"
[...]
Laxus was excited.