WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Occult World’s Coveted Blacksmith ◈
Chapter 42: Ah, This One Feels Even Better
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“What? You’ve already completed it?”
Professor Gu froze with his teacup halfway to his lips.
His eyes widened.
“Is that... really true?”
“Yes.”
I took out the gourd bottle and gave it a light shake.
It was the gourd bottle I had finished engraving overnight by applying Si-yeon’s Spell Formula.
“In just one night...”
Professor Gu trailed off as he stared at the gourd bottle.
He clearly couldn’t believe it.
“Hahaha...”
Then he suddenly laughed.
“Master Do, you truly never fail to surprise people.”
His hand trembled slightly as he set down his teacup.
“It’s a lost art. Even the greatest Sealing Studies scholars could devote their entire lives to it and never so much as touch it.”
“And you did it in one night...”
He shook his head.
Si-yeon, sitting beside him, wore the same stunned expression.
She probably never imagined her Spell Formula would become something like that.
Well, it was still too early to be surprised.
They hadn’t seen it in action yet.
“I only just finished it, so I’d like to test it. Is there any way we can do that?”
To test this properly, I needed a Cursed spirit with Imprinted Intent strong enough to possess a Spiritual Body.
But they had said there was no technique capable of sealing creatures like that in the first place.
‘...It probably won’t be easy to find one.’
Just as I was thinking that,
“I know a good way.”
Professor Gu got to his feet.
“Please follow me.”
* * *
We left the research building and walked across campus.
Something occurred to me, so I asked, “Why did all the seals suddenly break in the first place?”
“Well...”
Professor Gu, walking ahead of us, awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
“The Bureau is still investigating, so I don’t know the details myself.”
He lowered his voice slightly.
“It seems someone deliberately tampered with them.”
...Hmm.
Well, there was no way that many seals breaking all at once on the same day could have been a coincidence.
Not that it was any of my business.
I simply nodded.
After exchanging a few more words,
“We’re here. This way.”
At the center of traditional pavilions arranged in a circle was a broad, packed-earth field, something like a training ground.
Students were practicing with animals all around it.
* * *
They called it the Familiar Studies Department’s practice yard.
In the distance, students were each doing something with their animals.
When I heard Familiar Studies Department, I had assumed they would be training impressive-looking familiars.
‘It’s less cool than I expected.’
Dogs. Monkeys. Cows.
They were all animals you might find on a rural farm.
There were a few more unusual ones here and there, like raccoon dogs, wildcats, and eagles.
Still, they all somehow felt distinctly local.
...Was it because this was Korea?
Ah, if this had been some sorcery university in Africa, there might have been cheetahs or lions around.
Where had all those cool familiars people bragged about on Goblin Fire gone?
The giant centipedes, imugis, and things like that.
Social media really couldn’t be trusted.
...Then again, this was probably the Occult World’s version of a tutorial zone.
Were these like starter familiars?
Either way, what a disappointment.
As I looked around without much interest,
“These creatures are also in the process of becoming spirit beasts.”
Professor Gu pointed to a chicken cage in front of us.
I glanced inside.
...They looked like ordinary chickens.
“As you know, if Imprinted Intent becomes strong enough, it can shape a body of its own.”
Like how a Vengeful spirit gained a Spiritual Body.
“Spirit beasts are similar when you think about it. If an animal is continuously fed Spiritual Power, its body gradually turns into Spiritual Power.”
...In other words.
As the process of becoming a spirit beast continued, the things making up its body were slowly replaced by Spiritual Power.
Once that replacement was complete and it became a full spirit beast, its entire body would become a mass of Spiritual Power.
In other words, it would become a Spiritual Body.
‘Hmm.’
I loosened the Suppression Talisman a little and gathered Spiritual Power around my eyes.
The animals in the cages began to look different.
They appeared normal on the outside, but when I looked closely, about half of their bodies had already transformed into wavering Spiritual Power.
‘...Their bodies really are turning into Spiritual Power?’
Awakening.
I had heard about it on Goblin Fire.
They said that once you raised a familiar all the way into a spirit beast, it would undergo its final molt and finally undergo “Awakening.”
The problem was that Awakening was completely luck-based.
No matter how carefully you raised one, it was common to open the lid and find a low-grade result.
Then, once in a while, you hit the jackpot.
In other words...
...It was basically gacha.
“Then we’ll need one that has completed its final molt to test it.”
Professor Gu nodded at my words.
“Yes. This department should have a few specimens like that. I’ll go bring the professor in charge.”
Professor Gu left us there.
“...”
The students in the distance continued their practical training with their familiars.
Si-yeon and I were left alone at one side of the wide field.
After a brief silence,
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Cluckcluckcluckcluck!
A chicken cage suddenly began shaking violently.
‘What’s wrong with that?’
Among the several chickens inside, one was going completely wild.
Cluckcluckcluck!
Then,
Flap!
It kicked off the wire mesh and burst out of the cage.
Then it charged straight at Si-yeon.
“Eek!”
“W-Wait! Why are you coming at me?!”
Cluckcluckcluck! Peck, peck!
“Ow! N-Not my head!”
The chicken mercilessly pecked at Si-yeon’s head.
She covered her head with both arms and stumbled backward.
Flap!
“Eek!”
It eventually flew up and began clawing wildly at Si-yeon’s shoulders and chest.
“W-Where are you touching?! W-Wait! Not there...!”
Si-yeon grabbed her collar, her face bright red.
The buttons of her blouse were coming undone one by one, and through her disheveled clothes...
‘...Hmm.’
I discreetly looked away.
This wouldn’t do.
“...Come here.”
I reached out and caught it by the scruff of its neck.
Then I sent a little Spiritual Power into it.
...And then,
Cluck, cluck...
The chicken that had been thrashing around suddenly went limp.
Cluckcluck... cluck...
Its pupils quivered as its body trembled.
‘...It’s calmer now.’
“...”
“...”
When I came to my senses, Si-yeon was staring at me with her collar clutched in her hands, her face bright red.
Her hair was a mess, and her cheeks were flushed.
“D-Did you see?”
“...No.”
“...”
“...Not at all.”
Si-yeon hurriedly buttoned up her blouse and lowered her head.
‘...She didn’t need to react that strongly.’
I pretended not to notice and looked down at the chicken in my hand.
Just then, Professor Gu returned with someone.
He was a bald, kindly looking middle-aged man.
The man looked at us and tilted his head.
“...Did something happen?”
“No.”
I calmly put the chicken back in its cage.
“Nothing at all.”
Si-yeon gave an awkward cough beside me, her face still red.
Professor Gu introduced the man.
He was the professor in charge of Familiar Studies.
“Um... At the moment, we don’t have any specimens that have fully completed their transformation into Spiritual Bodies.”
The Familiar Studies professor looked troubled.
“Not long ago, we sent every specimen that had undergone Awakening to the Bureau for rank appraisal.”
Hmm. What now?
“Ah, right.”
The professor continued as though he had remembered something.
“It isn’t owned by the school, but one student does have a familiar in the middle of its final molt.”
Then he waved toward the distance.
“Hey, Jisu! Bring that one over here for a moment.”
“Yes, Professor!”
A student came running over, carefully holding something in her arms.
After bowing to Professor Gu and the Familiar Studies professor,
“This is...”
She saw me, and her eyes wavered slightly.
“M-Master Do...?”
...Lately, I got that reaction everywhere I went.
“You said it was near the end of its molt, right? It hasn’t finished yet?”
“Y-Yes...!”
Looking at what she was holding,
‘...It’s another chicken.’
Another chicken.
Still, was there really any reason to raise and carry around something like that?
It didn’t seem like it would be useful in a fight.
“Let’s see how far along it is.”
The professor gestured to Jisu.
“Yes!”
Jisu gently stroked the chicken perched on her arm.
“There, there. Good, Bongi.”
She gathered Spiritual Power at her fingertips and slowly poured it in.
Then,
Whoosh!
The creature spread its wings wide, and blue flames engulfed its entire body.
‘...Oh.’
That was badass.
This one was pretty cool.
I took back what I said about them looking useless.
Even if it was only for style, that one passed.
“This one was born with the energy of fire-”
The Familiar Studies professor added with a pleased expression.
“Jisu also handles fire-aspected Spiritual Power, so she has steadily fed it that energy.”
“Spirit Birds that take on an element are normally quite difficult to raise, but she has raised this one well.”
The professor stroked his chin.
“Hmm. There isn’t much left now.”
Looking closely, only the tip of its left wing still retained the form of an ordinary chicken.
“...Its molt isn’t complete yet.”
It looked cool, but there was no point testing it unless it was a complete Spiritual Body.
“That’s unfortunate. It has to be complete.”
When I said that,
“Ah! I think it can make it with just a little more! Please wait!”
Jisu urgently drew up more Spiritual Power.
The Spirit Bird’s flames suddenly flickered dangerously.
“W-Wait, Jisu. It’s still unstable, so if you do that-”
Just as the Familiar Studies professor tried to stop her,
[Keeyaaargh!]
The Spirit Bird suddenly let out a sharp cry.
Whoosh.
The blue flames in the air flared violently.
Feathers burst from its head, and its flames swelled to several times their former size in an instant.
Its final molt was complete.
“I-It did it!”
But then,
[Kwee...?]
...Something was wrong.
The creature that had been calm until just moments ago suddenly began rolling its eyes.
It seemed startled by the sudden change in its body.
Whoosh!
[Kweeeek!]
The Spirit Bird spewed fire from its mouth and shot madly into the sky.
“B-Bongi?! What are you doing? Come down!”
Blue flames scattered in every direction with every flap of its wings.
The spots where those sparks landed were blackened.
Other animals training nearby panicked and ran wild while students screamed and scattered.
“Eek!”
“Run! Get away!”
The practice yard became utter chaos in an instant.
“Oh no, it’s completely agitated!”
But the Familiar Studies professor’s expression stiffened as he looked up at the Spirit Bird.
“T-That’s... Grade-1...!”
They said its rank was only determined after Awakening.
It seemed they had pulled something incredible.
The Familiar Studies professor urgently pulled a lasso from his waist.
He loaded it with Spiritual Power and threw it into the air.
Snap!
The rope stretched out and wrapped around the Spirit Bird in one motion.
[Kweeeeeek!]
The creature struggled and cried out.
As expected of a veteran, his skill at handling Spiritual Power was exceptional.
The professor gritted his teeth and pulled the rope.
He poured all the Spiritual Power he could into it and began a tug-of-war.
Then,
Creak.
A strange sound came from the rope in the professor’s hands.
I took a closer look at it.
‘This is bad.’
One of the circuits preventing elemental corrosion inside the rope had snapped.
The Ritual Implement was apparently too old to withstand both sources of Spiritual Power at once.
Sure enough,
Whoosh!
The lasso binding the creature was engulfed in flames in an instant.
Snap.
It burned through without resistance.
“...Can’t be helped.”
I took out the gourd bottle.
This worked out perfectly.
I had been meaning to test it anyway.
I removed the stopper and pointed the mouth of the gourd bottle at the Spirit Bird.
Then I sent Spiritual Power into it.
Hummmm.
The Spiritual Power extending from the gourd bottle’s opening wrapped around the Spirit Bird in an instant.
[Kweek!]
The creature thrashed desperately.
The wave of Spiritual Power holding the Spirit Bird slowly explored its body.
It rippled through every corner.
Searching for the Soul Thread connecting its soul and body.
Then,
Tap.
I felt it touch something.
‘...Found it.’
Swoosh.
The wave of Spiritual Power gently wrapped around the thread.
‘Now!’
I immediately poured in Spiritual Power.
I yanked the Spiritual Power wrapped around it with a short, powerful pull.
Craack! Snap.
The thread linking its soul and body broke in an instant.
Whoosh!
With the thread supporting it gone, the fierce flames immediately died down.
Then,
Swoooooosh.
A yellow soul left its body and was sucked into the gourd bottle.
The Spiritual Body that had lost its soul scattered silently to the ground like ash after a fire.
Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzz.
The gourd bottle shook violently in my hand.
‘...Oh.’
Tingle.
This one feels even better in my hands.
It was thrilling.
The minigame-like thrill of injecting Spiritual Power at the exact moment I found the Soul Thread.
Mm-hm.
Very good. Excellent.
“T-This is...!”
The Familiar Studies professor approached from behind me.
“How?! How did you absorb a spirit beast?!”
“And a Grade-1 one at that...!”
He stared at the gourd bottle in my hand.
Well, it was understandable that he was surprised.
I lightly shook the gourd bottle.
I could feel the Spirit Bird trapped inside wavering calmly.
“...B-Bongi?”
Jisu stared emptily at the spot where the creature had disappeared.
She looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment.
Oh, right.
That must have scared her.
I should let it back out.
I removed the stopper again and lightly tilted the gourd bottle.
Swoosh.
The yellow soul emerged from the gourd bottle.
Slowly, a Spiritual Body began taking the shape of a chicken.
Soft feathers sprouted, and its small feet touched the ground.
Then, the Spirit Bird, restored to perfect condition, tilted its head and looked around as though nothing had happened.
Cluck... cock-a-doodle-doo?
“B-Bongi!”
Jisu ran over with tears in her eyes and hugged it.
I grinned and turned to Professor Gu.
“Professor.”
I lifted the gourd bottle slightly.
“I think it’s complete.”
“...”
“...”
When I looked behind me, Professor Gu, the Familiar Studies professor, Si-yeon, and even the other students were all standing with their mouths open, blankly looking back and forth between me and the gourd bottle.
At this point, the test had more than passed.
Footnotes:
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