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As I sensed a familiar ominous energy from them….

Thud-!

Kubilai’s paw finally crushed the skeleton.

━Undead… Is the north moving again? There’s no time to waste. We need to tell everyone. The hazelnuts are over there, you two go ahead.

After setting us down, Kubilai darted back the path we came from. Stella and I were left staring blankly at each other.

“Seems like we’ll have to pick the hazelnut ourselves.”

Following Kubilai’s directions, we headed toward the large tree. It was the tallest oak tree in the forest, towering above all others.

Thanks to being struck by lightning several times, the tree was charred and said to bear special, lightning-charged hazelnuts.

“The tree is massive. You can even smell the burnt wood.”

As Kubilai had described, it was pitch black. Its enormous trunk almost as if inked over. In a way, it stirred a sense of boyish adventure.

“Is that the lightning hazelnut?”

Stella pointed to a large fruit hanging from a branch, as big as a human head. Was that it?

“Wait, I’ll get it. I’m good at climbing trees.”

Sss-swish.

Stella skillfully climbed the smooth trunk and stood on a thick branch. She drew her dagger, ready to cut it from the stem.

But as her hand grasped the fruit, something strange happened to her.

“Geuiiikk…!”

Her scream sounded like a chicken being electrocuted. Stella fell to the ground, singed black, and I rushed to catch her, asking, “What happened? Are you okay?”

“Th, the fruit… is surrounded by… lightning….”

Surrounded by lightning?

I looked up, frowning at the lightning hazelnut still hanging in place. Surrounded by lightning? Stella didn’t seem to be lying, though…

─Air Cutter.

With a quick flick of my fingers, I cut the branch. The branch, along with the hazelnut hanging from it, dropped to the ground with a thud. As I reached out to grab it—

Crackle.

“Hieek…!”

I felt a tingling sensation all over my body as if I had been struck by lightning.

Even though I’d braced myself, the shock still caught me off guard, so it was no wonder that Stella, unprepared, had fallen from the tree.

Then, I heard chattering nearby.

Flutter—

A few blue birds had landed on a nearby branch, whispering to each other.

━Look at them, trying to grab the lightning hazelnut with bare hands.

━What fools. Only those who have mastered immortal arts can touch it.

Seriously?

It seemed that a special process was necessary to handle this enormous hazelnut.

Now that the strange wolf Kubilai had disappeared far into the distance, it was up to Stella and I to move it on our own. To think we’d encounter such a struggle with our goal right in front of us.

Then Stella raised her trembling body asked.

“Theo-kun, what is going on?”

“It seems we need some sort of immortal arts used by beasts to hold this hazelnut. Otherwise, we’ll get electrocuted.”

“Immortal arts? Isn’t that an old story from the age of ancient spirits?”

Since Stella seemed to know something, I decided to ask about what I’d been curious about but hadn’t yet had the chance to discuss with anyone.

“Is it different from magic?”

At my question, Stella paused and went, “Hmm…”

“Magic became widely used during the time of David Angmar. He was bestowed magic and mana by the Gwangyeong God.”

Stella explained it like a professor, going into various details.

Before the first mage David was baptized, miracles were the domain of gods and spirits.

People, therefore, worshipped various local gods and spirits. It was a time when shamans and sorcerers who revered these beings were highly respected.

“Then, when magic appeared, and humans gained the ability to use miracles, the era of fairies gradually faded to the era of humans.”

“I see.”

The gods and spirits who were no longer worshipped either disappeared or became mere idols. As a result, only the Gwangyeong God remained worshipped in the world.

“That’s an interesting story. So does that mean we can’t carry the lightning hazelnut?”

When I asked hesitantly, Stella pondered for a moment with a thoughtful “Hmm.”

“It might be possible. Elves and nymphs are descendants of the fairies who lived since the primordial age of spirits. This may allow the usage of that strange immortal art.”

It was a promising thought.

Thinking back, I remembered what Angala had told me last night about having a talent for immortal arts. She said that’s why I could understand animals.

In hindsight, I’m glad to be a half-fairy.

I’d thought of myself as merely an odd race with high magical affinity, but it turns out that I could learn my own unique skills as a half-fairy.

Magic and immortal art.

If I could harmoniously handle both, I would become even stronger. And becoming stronger means that I can carry out my plans and will.

Demon Monk…, no.

Demon King.

Sounds like a villain from Journey to the West. It felt like I was drinking the kimchi soup first. After all, I’d only just begun with magic, let alone immortal art.

Just as I was wondering how to transport this lightning hazelnut—.

“Is this how it’s done…?”

Stella lifted the hazelnut.

I was utterly shocked!

“Wait, how did you do that?”

[T/N: Drinking the kimchi soup first means jumping to conclusions]