How Druids Live with the Beast

‘…It does look a bit like a snake.’

Its face was peculiar, resembling two leaves attached diagonally.

Its body was incredibly long—if it wrapped around someone’s neck, it could probably coil three times.

Given its length, the distance between its front and hind legs was as far apart as the North and South poles.

Its body appeared to have natural camouflage, holding a blend of light green, green, and deep green leaf-like colors.

Its eyes were so small they looked like buttons.

《You have identified a Mythical Beast.》

《Elect》

《.》

《.》

《It feeds primarily on electricity and has evolved its long body to generate electricity on its own. It spins in place to produce electricity and has electricity pouches to store energy, which can also be used for attacks.》

《Due to its strong attachment to electricity, it lives alone after separating from its parents, avoiding forming groups. It usually resides in areas rich in electricity and will maintain a safe distance. Be cautious, as it may perceive any attempt to siphon its electricity as a threat and attack. Occasionally, it can be seen playing with electricity.》

Eunho read the information on the tablet with his mouth slightly agape.

‘…So you’re saying all of that could just be playfulness?’

Taeho, following Eunho’s pointing finger, squinted his eyes.

He turned his head this way and that but couldn’t see anything.

Only the research center was visible.

“Eunho? Sorry, but I don’t see where it is exactly.”

“…Ah.”

Only then did Eunho realize he had activated his raptor vision.

He pulled out his phone and zoomed in with the camera as much as possible.

That was when the shape finally came into view.

Click.

After taking a photo, Eunho showed it to Taeho.

“It’s called Elect. Is this right?”

“…!”

Taeho leaned in so close it seemed his face would enter the phone. He studied the image carefully and let out a slow, measured breath.

He immediately grabbed his phone, his fingertips trembling, as if he were struggling to breathe.

“…Hello? Gaeul?”

“…I’m really sorry, but you don’t need to call the repairman.”

“That’s right. That’s right, something big has happened, Gaeul!”

Taeho looked up at the research center.

“…A mythical beast has come to our research center.”

Unlike Gaeul’s dry tone, Taeho was so excited that he shouted even louder.

“A mythical beast is living in our research center, Gaeul! A mythical beast has been living here!”

He looked as though he might throw both hands up into the sky in celebration.

“Are you listening, Gaeul? Our research center wasn’t a failure! We’ve been living alongside a mythical beast all along!”

Despite his enthusiastic shouting, no response came, no matter how long he waited.

Gaeul had already hung up long ago.

Buzz.

[Gaeul: Doctor, perhaps it would be best if you took the day off and stayed home.]

Even in the face of Gaeul’s message, filled with complete disbelief, Taeho remained joyful.

This was a breakthrough—despite everything, a mythical beast had finally appeared.

“…Hyung?”

Eunho cautiously called out to Taeho, who looked like he was on the verge of tears, as if he’d just achieved a lifetime dream.

“Yes, Eunho.”

Taeho turned to Eunho with a profound look. Eunho averted his gaze and pointed at Elect with his finger.

“I get that it feels like the first guest has arrived, and it’s super exciting. But what if that first guest turns out to be more trouble than you think?”

Eunho had a feeling.

The electric light blast from Elect earlier had been far too strong.

It was powerful enough to make someone’s eyes feel like they were burning—it could drive anyone away, even mythical beasts.

“Didn’t it say that Elect likes to play with electricity?”

Eunho’s smile widened.

“Yeah.”

“If that was playing, don’t you think any mythical beasts coming here would get chased away? Doesn’t this all start to make sense?”

“…Huh?”

Taeho finally understood what Eunho was getting at.

In short, Elect might have been responsible for driving away the mythical beasts that were coming to the research center.

The faint smile that had lingered on Taeho’s face completely vanished.

“Elect is said to have a strong attachment to electricity, right? And a research center, when you think about it, is basically a giant hub of electricity, isn’t it?”

“…So what you’re saying is…”

Taeho’s throat tightened.

Eunho wasn’t wrong. Research centers consume an enormous amount of electricity for experiments, discoveries, and inventions.

In particular, their center used even more electricity to detect mythical beasts.

Yet, they hadn’t realized a mythical beast was right above them this whole time.

Various thoughts swirled in his head.

“What do you think Elect thought when it first saw this place?”

Eunho smiled brightly.

Wouldn’t it look like an unclaimed goldmine or a pot of honey?

“You said you saw several mythical beasts on your way here, right? It’s not that they don’t want to come—maybe they can’t come.”

“Human, you’re right. I think that being recognized me and released its light.”

To prove his point, the black hound immediately swelled his form.

A black mist, as though casting a shadow, began to billow from his body.

At that single movement, Leviathan shrank back and curled up cautiously, while the forest surrounding the research center swayed violently.

“Watch.”

The moment the black hound spoke, the lights of the research center burst out once again.

Flash!

Eunho instinctively shut his eyes and shielded Leviathan’s sight.

As the light began to fade from behind his eyelids, Eunho peeked his eyes open and saw the black hound’s expression filled with clear displeasure.

“It’s trying to keep me in check. How ridiculous.”

“…You okay, Big Dog Bro?”

“This level of light cannot harm my eyes.”

“But wait, Big Dog Bro, isn’t your attribute darkness? Aren’t you weak to light?”

Even if he didn’t know much, that much was obvious.

The so-called four main elements—water, fire, wind, and earth—were separate from the two unique attributes: light and darkness.

Since the black hound’s description clearly stated that he was born of darkness, Eunho’s concern was natural.

“…Human. Stop saying stupid things. I like sunlight.”

The black hound looked at Eunho with an exasperated expression.

There was something about that gaze that left Eunho feeling utterly defeated.

“Wow… I thought it was like some kind of universal magic spell that works everywhere.”

He couldn’t believe it didn’t apply here.

“There’s no magic here, human.”

The black hound lifted his paw and pressed a clawed toe gently onto Eunho’s head.

When Eunho stumbled slightly, the black hound quickly caught him with two toes in surprise.

“…Eat more, human. You flutter around like a leaf.”

“Must be because I’m low on coffee. I usually need two cups of Americano in the morning to function properly.”

Eunho grinned and started fiddling with the black hound’s toes.

“Hey, Hyung.”

“…What?”

“How did you usually get inside?”

“I just walked in. Sometimes it acted up like that, but I only had to endure the brightness.”

“Really?”

Eunho walked forward.

Flash.

As the light burst out, Eunho swept his hair back.

“Looks like we’ve really gotten on Elect’s bad side.”

“Hold on.”

Taehyo also cautiously stepped forward.

Flash.

When the light exploded again, he nodded in agreement.

“Eunho, you’re right. Elect, who hoards electricity more than anyone, has firmly marked us. This… we can’t even get inside, can we?”

“That’s a problem. I came to check on Leviathan’s condition.”

“Hold on a second.”

Taehyo smiled and confidently pulled out his phone. There seemed to be a faint glow at the edge of it.

“Ga-eul, sorry to call again, but I need to make an announcement.”

“There’s going to be a temporary power outage—”

At Ga-eul’s firm and immediate response, Taehyo froze.

“…What do you mean, not acceptable?”

“…Yeah.”

Taehyo’s shoulders slumped.

From her voice alone, it was clear Ga-eul was furious.

At that, Taehyo inhaled sharply.

Watching the contrast between Ga-eul’s practical concerns and Taehyo’s managerial perspective, Eunho also thought for a moment.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah, Eunho?”

“I feel like the next attack is going to be electrical, not just light. Do you have any insulated clothing or gear?”

“I do. I’ve got everything prepared in my car. I’ll go grab it right now.”

As Taehyo turned to run, Eunho tilted his head slightly.

“No, Hyung. You’re the one who needs to wear it. Put it on and wait for me.”

“…Huh?”

Something felt off.

Normally, the standard response would be to insist on wearing the gear yourself and asking to be saved.

“I’m not really a fan of layering up, you know. Hurry up, Hyung. Quickly.”

As Eunho urged him, Taehyo moved with a bewildered expression. Watching his retreating back, Eunho glanced down, feeling Leviathan slipping from his arm.

“…I’ll just wait here. I can’t be of any help. I might just mess up something else too.”

Leviathan bowed its head, fidgeting with its front paws.

Tap.

Someone nudged Leviathan, prompting it to look up.

Eunho was crouching down, smiling broadly.

“I don’t think so, though. Your tongue might take time to recover, sure. But with the courage you showed when saving a friend from the Cockatrice? That’s already more than enough.”

“……?”

Leviathan’s pupils wavered.

“Tablet.”

At Eunho’s call, the tablet responded and appeared before him.

“Is there, by any chance, a brilliant way to absorb electricity?”

Electricity was dangerous no matter who it hit, and Eunho figured that neutralizing it—whether by absorbing or controlling it—was the top priority.

To minimize damage, he’d need something powerful. But he was a Druid.

Druids were considered beings of nature, and the concept of “nature” wasn’t limited to plants alone.

《Searching.》

《Search results: A solution exists.》

‘Oh.’

Eunho was overjoyed to see those words.

“Human. I can handle this.”

Black Hound nudged Eunho with his snout.

Eunho stepped back, smiling.

“I know. Don’t I know how strong you are, Hyung? But no matter how tough you are, electricity hurts, doesn’t it?”

“I can lick it away, and it will be over.”

“Wow, impressive. If I got hit with electricity, I think it would take more than just a lick to fix me.”

Though Eunho joked, Black Hound didn’t laugh.

Feeling the vast difference between humans and mythical beasts, even his long golden-streaked tail stopped moving.

If humans were hit by electricity, they would die.

This human wouldn’t be an exception either.

“Dragging that creature down from there is all it takes.”

“It’s not just dragging, Hyung. Elect thinks of that place as its home. Grabbing it by the scruff and dragging it away is no different than kidnapping.”

“That creature settled in the wrong place to begin with.”

“Listen, Hyung. Elect didn’t know that, and it probably still doesn’t. That’s why we need to tell it.”

Eunho smiled as he petted Black Hound.

It was different from the time with the Cockatrice. Back then, they had no choice but to resolve it with force, and persuasion had failed.

While it became a temporary shelter protecting the mythical beasts from the Cockatrice’s attacks, it never served as a sanctuary for the Cockatrice itself.

《For you who wish to borrow nature’s other powers: in the past, it required a painstaking ritual, but since that no longer fits the times, totems exist for this purpose.》

“Totems…?”

Eunho immediately thought of jangseung (traditional Korean guardian poles).

《If you want to use a totem, remember three things: First, the cost is blood. Second, draw an eye with blood to distinguish the front and the back. Third, the front with the eye releases power, and the back absorbs it.》

This meant that the totem had a front and back.

The front could emit a certain power, while the back could absorb it.

《There are two main ways to make one: a method that ensures high effectiveness through careful devotion, and a faster method with a chance of failure but immediate usability.》

“Since we’re in a hurry, show me the second option.”

Eunho wasn’t interested in careful devotion—it required too much time and patience.

《Pick up whatever you see nearby—a stone, a branch, anything.》

At the tablet’s words, Eunho grabbed a nearby stone.

《Draw an eye with blood, and then write—also with blood—what power you want to imbue. For example, if you want the power of fire, write ‘fire.’》

‘Man, druids sure have a thing for blood. Shouldn’t we just be called vampires instead?’

After all, blood was the simplest cost but also the most painful one.

Drawing blood meant enduring pain.

Without hesitation, Eunho took a knife from his bag.

“…Do you really have to do that again?”

Black Hound narrowed its eyes. Eunho simply smiled as he sliced his palm. Leviathan flinched in horror.

“Waaah! Seo Eunhoom! Why are you doing thaaaat?”

“Don’t freak out. I’m just starting things up.”

Using the blood dripping from his palm, Eunho drew an eye on the stone and wrote ‘electricity’ on a relatively flat part of its surface.

《To activate the power, you must say, ‘I borrow this power.’ Then look at the eye. If it glows, it’s a success. If not, it’s a failure. Caution: Even if you fail, the cost in blood is still taken. Additionally, unused power will dissipate after a certain time.》

The possibility of failure felt a bit unfair, but given the urgency, he couldn’t complain.

Eunho closed his eyes.

Wind swirled around him, carrying faint whispers.

Though he couldn’t make out the words clearly, it felt like they were hurrying him along.

‘You’ve got this, right? Don’t fail me now.’

Eunho opened his eyes and spoke.

“…I borrow this power.”

As the heavy words left his lips, the blood pooling in his hand streamed into the stone.

The surface of the stone lit up, decorated with beautiful crimson patterns, like tribal markings painted on a face.

The small stone trembled slightly, and at that moment, light emerged.

It felt like a “reinforcement success” effect was bursting out.

“…Wow.”

Eunho admired the sparkling totem, which looked pretty enough to decorate his house with.

《If you succeeded, place the totem anywhere. *Actually, you can just leave it or hold it in your palm. Use it however is comfortable for you. But remember: don’t forget the front and back direction. The side with the eye is the front. When you place the totem, it activates its power—whether it’s emission or absorption—based on the direction it’s facing.》

“…What is that?”

The Black Hound looked at the totem in Eunho’s hand with wide eyes.

Whatever it was, despite being a small stone, it carried an overwhelming amount of power.

It felt like holding a small piece of nature itself, making him tense.

Eunho grinned as he clutched the Himoth leaf.

“It’s a totem. Let’s go, big dog brother.”

“Human, you are strange every time I see you.”

“Right? Even I think I’m strange.”

When Eunho gently poked his finger into the open mouth of Leviathan, it recoiled and turned its head left and right.

Laughing to himself, Eunho climbed onto the crouching body of the Black Hound.

Settling on its head, Eunho lifted the totem high into the air.

“This makes me feel like a human lightning rod.”

“What’s a lightning rod?”

At Leviathan’s question, Eunho smirked.

“You’ll have to see for yourself.”

Patting the Black Hound, Eunho watched it rise from its spot with a sigh.

“If you’re careless, you’ll fall. You won’t be too badly hurt, though.”

“Don’t worry, big dog brother. I don’t do reckless things.”

“…Look at yourself, human.”

The Black Hound pressed forward.

It dove straight into the darkness, and the light poured down.

As the shadows disappeared, the Black Hound was ejected from the darkness.

The sudden burst of light forced Eunho to squeeze his eyes shut tightly.

“Don’t worry. I’m moving just fine.”

The Black Hound darted between the light, leaping into shadows and jumping to the next. Repeating this action, it quickly closed the distance.

The wind howled.

While the wind carried a refreshing coolness, a deeper warning whispered in Eunho’s ear.

Eunho opened his eyes, confirmed the back of the totem, and stretched his arm upward even further.

At that moment, light spread from the research center like branches of a tree.

Electricity erupted in a burst of lightning, and Eunho opened his eyes wide.

The power, sharp enough to kill with a mere graze, was being sucked into the totem, its blade-like brilliance absorbed.

Eunho’s eyes widened.

Crackle.

The sound brushed past Eunho’s ears.

As the wind gradually settled, Eunho’s mouth fell open.

‘This… actually works?’

Eunho’s smile stretched wider.

When he raised his head, he locked eyes with Elect, who was standing stiffly on two legs right next to the power junction box.

It trembled violently.

Eunho quickly glanced around, still smiling to reassure Elect.

Its awkward pose, glued to the power junction box, was funny.

Tap.

The Black Hound climbed to the very top of the research center, and Leviathan sprinted forward.

A moment later, Eunho fell back to the ground and began running.

As he watched Leviathan’s back racing ahead, Eunho grinned.

So what if it was a little reckless? It was running forward like this for him.

“Are you okay?”

By the time electricity began crackling around Elect’s body, foam bubbled at the edges of Leviathan’s mouth.

Thud. Thud.

Eunho’s heartbeat pounded in his chest, but Leviathan grinned wide as it watched the rising foam.

This time, it hoped the effort would pay off.

Beeeeeeep.

Elect froze as the sudden vibration of the air halted its power.

Footsteps echoed.

Tap.

Eunho placed the totem on the power junction box.

“…Hah, ha. Back in school, I used to be a relay runner.”

As the totem absorbed the electricity, the light faded. Eunho smiled brightly.

“Hey, friend, up close, you’re really…”

“…Uhhng.”

Suddenly, Elect burst into chicken-like tears, big drops rolling down as it collapsed flat onto the ground.

“…F-Friend?”

Eunho’s eyes grew round in surprise.