Seojun frowned as he read the notification. The Deadlands of Witherfall. He walked through the gloomy Deadlands of Witherfall, trying to understand why Huno was now listed as his guardian. He glanced at the system and asked, ''How did he end up on my Guardian List?''
The system responded with a detailed message.
[Huno became your guardian because of what happened in the Land of Underworld. When you freed Huno from the curse there, you created a strong bond with him. After he died due to the curse's disappearance, Huno's soul made a vow to follow you. His soul was then transferred into the role of a guardian.]
[When you reached the right level to unlock the Guardian List, Huno's soul was added as your guardian. This means he is now committed to protecting you and helping you on your journey.]
Seojun nodded as he read the message. It made sense now—Huno had pledged to stay by his side after being freed from the curse.
"Thank you, Huno," Seojun said, looking down at the dog. Huno barked happily and wagged his three tails in response.
"Then who is guarding the Underworld now? With you here, someone must have taken your place." He added
Huno let out a series of barks, his three heads moving in unison as if he were trying to convey something important. Seojun watched intently, waiting for an answer.
The system responded with a new notification, translating Huno's barks.
[The Underworld has been reassigned. Huno's absence has been noted, and a suitable substitute has been appointed to guard the realm. The new guardian has taken on the role of overseeing the Underworld's duties and ensuring that balance is maintained. The transition has been handled effectively, so there should be no disruption in the realm's protection.]
Seojun sighed in relief, knowing that the Underworld was still in good hands. "Good to know," he said to Huno, patting the dog's head.
Huno responded with a happy bark, wagging his tails. As Seojun and Huno trekked through the eerie Deadlands, Seojun felt a sense of contentment with his loyal companion by his side. "This is nice," he said, smiling.
Suddenly, a holographic screen appeared in front of him, showing a system emoji with raised eyebrows. Seojun laughed at the amusing sight. "Of course, you too," he said, acknowledging the system's presence.
Just then, Seojun felt something wriggling in his hair. He reached up and pulled out a small, silver-scaled snake. "What the—" he muttered, gripping the snake gently by its head.
The system's appraisal feature activated, revealing that the snake was actually the Hydra, though its level was marked as an error. The status indicated that it was now his guardian. Seojun was shocked.
"This is that Hydra?! How come it's so small now and... cute?"
He relaxed his grip and placed the tiny Hydra on his palm. The little creature stood there, hissing softly and flicking its tongue out. Seojun couldn't help but find it endearing.
The system responded, [The Hydra's small size is due to its transformation into a guardian. If you prefer, you can unsummon the Hydra to the system space.]
Seojun looked at the hologram. "What's the system space?" he asked.
The system replied, [The system space is the Guardian Resting Place, where guardians can stay when not summoned. Would you like to unsummon the Hydra?]
Seojun glanced at the Hydra, which was now shaking its tiny head as if pleading not to be unsummoned.
He laughed at the sight. "No, system. Look at Hydra—he's so cute. We don't want him to be alone in the system, do we?" He petted the Hydra's head, and it continued to nod, as if in agreement.
The system displayed a -_- expression on the hologram screen, indicating mild frustration or resignation.
Seojun chuckled and continued walking, the Hydra comfortably resting on his shoulder. With the small guardian by his side and Huno's steadfast presence, he felt more prepared than ever for the challenges ahead now that he have companions.
As Seojun walked through the Deadlands, he looked at the small Hydra in his hand and said, "Why don't we give you a name, hmm?"
The Hydra seemed excited and even crawled up onto Seojun's head, making him laugh. He gently picked up the Hydra and put it back on his palm.
[You don't have to name the Hydra, Host. It can just be called Hydra.]
The Hydra's head drooped in sadness, and Seojun noticed. He looked at the screen and then back at the Hydra, smiling.
"What did the Hydra do to you, System? You seem upset with it," Seojun chuckled.
The system's response was an annoyed emoji.
[The Hydra is greedy and proud. It often wants more attention than it deserves, which can be frustrating.]
Seojun laughed as the screen seemed to shake, almost like it was showing frustration. "Why are you so angry, System? And Huno…"
He turned to see Huno walking slowly behind him, with its tail and ears down, looking scared.
"Why are you acting like that?" Seojun asked, chuckling. "Is something wrong?"
The ground suddenly shook, and a massive centipede-like creature emerged from beneath.
[System Notification]
Lord of the Deadlands of Witherfall has appeared!
The system's appraisal revealed the creature's details.
[Appraisal Activated]
Creature: Lord of the Deadlands of Witherfall
Description: A colossal centipede-like entity, feared for its immense power and control over the Deadlands. Its screeching roar shakes the area.
The Lord of the Deadlands of Witherfall let out a terrifying screech, causing the ground to tremble.
Seojun quickly took a fighting stance, feeling excited. Huno growled loudly, its size increasing to a human-sized form The small Hydra appeared beside Seojun, its other eight heads appeared and grow to a human-sized form.
Seojun glanced at his companions and felt a thrill of excitement. "This is interesting! Let's take it slow Guys!" he said eagerly and the two understand that taking it slow means not in their original size.
Seojun stood ready, his heart pounding in his chest as the massive centipede-like creature—Lord of the Deadlands of Witherfall—towered over him.
"Alright, stay focused," he muttered to himself, taking a deep breath. His eyes flicked to Huno, his three-headed dog companion, who growled low and steady, each head baring its teeth.
The creature screeched again, a bone-rattling sound that seemed to echo off the barren, twisted trees around them. Its segmented body was covered in a hard, dark exoskeleton, and its many legs skittered across the cracked earth, churning up dust. The air was thick with tension.