Curious Little Soul

A Rank 2 Moon Gorilla, almost unhurt even after an arduous battle, stood proudly in front of the new king of this territory. The new king, the Twilight Tiger, looked at the Moon Gorilla without much interest, but still let him challenge his subordinates to be his right-hand man. Lying on the ground while licking his wounds, the Twilight Tiger just watched.

The son of the new king, however, didn't like having his position challenged. With a roar, he ran over all the beasts and magical beasts that were still lying prostrate on the ground. The beasts let out grunts of displeasure at such treatment. But who was he? He was a Rank 2 intermediate stage magical beast! Why would he care about such insects?

With a single glance, the Rank 1 magical beasts lowered their heads without daring to make another sound.

The Moon Gorilla was still in the same place, still holding the winged lion with a smug look on his face. He, after devouring the winged lion's core, had achieved a breakthrough and was now an intermediate Rank 2 magical beast. In his eyes, the only creature in this place capable of making him feel his life threatened was the Rank 3 Twilight Tiger.

ROAAAR

ROAAAAAAR

With a roar and dropping the dead winged lion to the ground, the Moon Gorilla slammed into its chest with both hands, releasing its spiritual energy like a tsunami. Undeterred, the Twilight Tiger king son roared and showed his fangs, and set out on this clash.

In the first clash, neither of the two released any attacks with spiritual energy, using only their bodies to know who was superior. The Twilight Tiger stepped forward with its claws and teeth showing, ready to bite the Moon Gorilla's jugular.

The Moon Gorilla, on the other hand, had his fists clenched to deliver deadly punches to the Twilight Tiger.

Boooom

ROOAAAAR

In the first clash, the Moon Gorilla proved superior, using his lineage skill as armor in his hand, stopping the Twilight Tiger's blow, and with his other hand hitting him in the head, making him roar in pain.

Suddenly, the Twilight Tiger's black eyes glowed an orange hue. He was going to use his spiritual energy!

ROAAAR

With a roar he advanced once more, and out of his mouth came a stream of flames!

The king's son was one of the rare beasts with two elements, Darkness and Fire, two elements of the pillar of destruction. The Moon Gorilla created, with his ability, a barrier of light, protecting him from the burning flames.

Taking this cue, the Twilight Tiger transformed into mist and appeared on the Moon Gorilla's back, materializing shortly thereafter. With his fiery claws, he brutally attacked the Moon Gorilla, who had no time to protect himself.

Before the Twilight Tiger could do any more damage, the Moon Gorilla remade its light armor, protecting itself from a bite to the back of its head that could be fatal.

With a roar, the Moon Gorilla grabbed the Twilight Tiger by the neck, reinforcing the light armor on its arms, and began to deliver powerful punches at the tiger that was still struggling to free itself.

BANG

BANG

BOOM

Each attack from the Moon Gorilla, besides causing external burns, also hurt his opponent from the inside. As he prepared to deliver the final blow, the new king let out a low grunt, still lying in the same position. The Moon Gorilla abruptly released his opponent and slapped his chest in celebration.

The new king looked at his offspring with dissatisfaction and contempt, clearly unhappy with his son's performance.

A few miles away, a gigantic creature seemed to swim in the clouds, slowly approaching this battlefield...

******

Looking at the battlefield, I noticed that the little monkey won his fight relatively easily. I honestly expected him to lose or win me more time, but he was not even good enough for that.

However, I feel a strange sense of danger, something more frightening than this black tiger, something completely surreal. I don't know what it is, and I don't want to find out either.

Shifting my vision to the shadowy world, I try to find the direction this uncomfortable feeling is coming from, but before I could start looking, I found something different in my field of vision.

In the tree where I had been all this time, in the dark trunk near the roots, there was a small ball of light. It was strange to see light in this dark world, so it was easy to spot and stand out.

Coming down from the highest point and approaching the point of light, I stopped in front of it. Looking closely, I noticed that the light was white, but at the end of its rays of light, there was a clear, almost non-existent shade of green light.

At no time did it cross my mind that the tree was using an ability or spiritual energy. Although in this underground world there are trees that can move and even speak, I have something that most existences in this world don't have.

Millennia of accumulated experience. As much as I have lost my body and the ability to use Ki, my soul, even if damaged, can sense when it is in extreme danger or when someone with malice is near me.

This is not a Ki skill or spiritual energy. It is not a martial skill or lineage skill. It is something I developed after being betrayed, stabbed in the back, and ambushed thousands of times.

Realizing that I was staring at it, the little light moved away from the torso and circled around me, observing every wound and every inch of my body.

I let it do what it wanted, while I just watched the small light curiously. If I am right, then this little light is the soul of this tree. Yes, its soul! I also did not believe that such a thing was possible. In my past life, although I respected nature, I never cared enough to spare a tree that was in my way.

After reincarnating and awakening my element when I ate those cores my mother gave me, however, I noticed that all trees, flowers, and even grass are a distinct life form. I have not yet come to terms with this fact, and I don't know what to do with this information either. But now, seeing the soul of a tree, I feel a strange feeling. Maybe... just maybe, I am happy that this curious little soul is alive.

While still lost in thought, the little light came back in front of me, and seemed to... be talking to me? She's talking to me?!