Chick 358
by Cristae358
[Caregiver Quest: Dutiful Daughter!]
[Caregiver ‘Chuen’ lacks strength! Use the filial skill ‘Dutiful Daughter!’ to show the blazing flavor of true filial piety!]
‘Filial skill?’
Gru opened the status window.
Now that she recalled, there had been a new filial skill unlocked when she’d registered five caregivers.
[Dutiful Daughter!]
Once during the skill’s activation period, you may lend strength to a caregiver! With the power of a dutiful daughter, the caregiver’s skill effect is enhanced by 100%!
Pop—!
Another goldfish burst.
Chuen’s brow twisted; a thin trickle of blood slipped from the corner of her mouth.
The plan had failed. No matter how hard she strained, it wasn’t enough.
Pop! Pop!
Her fingertips trembled. Her chest tightened.
Is this the end?
She had no more power with which to try again.
Chuen squeezed her eyes shut.
Even her master’s voice whispered she ought to stop.
Yet just then, from inside her hollowed body, something began to fill her.
A delicate warmth spread, soaking into her fingertips and climbing her spine—a new, unfamiliar power.
It didn’t feel like her heart hammered in her chest, but rather as if her entire body awoke at once.
“…Haah.”
Feeling at ease, Chuen opened her eyes, drawing a deep breath.
Beside her sat Gru, clutching her hand tightly.
It wasn’t just that her magic had returned. The energy coalesced, even brighter and clearer than before.
She didn’t know quite how, but it was unmistakable—Gru was giving her power.
“Gru, you never cease to amaze me.”
She hadn’t known Gru could do even this.
At her words, Gru beamed.
“Heehee.”
Chuen returned the smile, planted a kiss on Gru’s soft cheek, and closed her eyes again.
As Chuen gathered strength anew, the number of goldfish multiplied at once.
Golden waves swept among the school of goldfish, which circled clockwise in perfect order.
Then the shapes, once floating separately, began to fuse as if melting together.
“…!”
Gru watched in awe, mouth open.
The goldfish converged, twisting their bodies in unison.
And at last—
Bang!
A burst of gold exploded.
Blinding light swept in every direction, leaving a single colossal shape forged from myriad goldfish.
Though golden and still in the form of a fish, the energy pulsing within was nothing short of explosive.
Chuen’s eyes slid open.
“Did it work?”
Before she could answer Daniella’s question, the golden goldfish flew straight to Gru and rubbed against her cheek. Its long tail brushed Gru’s eyelid.
Gru giggled at the ticklish touch.
“Is that Mr. On Ijo?”
When Daniella asked again, Chuen shook her head sheepishly.
“No, it isn’t. It’s another being.”
“Another one?”
“Yes… But it says it wants Gru to follow it…”
Gru perked up, looking inquisitively.
“To me?”
The goldfish, still nuzzling Gru’s cheek like a tiny puppy, nodded its head.
“Why is it calling for Gru?” Daniella’s voice held a note of sharp suspicion.
But Chuen sensed the goldfish’s gentle aura. She was certain this being wouldn’t harm Gru.
“It says it will lead Gru to Mr. On Ijo’s soul.”
“On what grounds—”
“Right.”
At that, Bailach spoke up after Daniella, making clear he too wasn’t willing to trust Gru to something unknown.
Mephisto, who had been watching the goldfish silently, now stepped forward.
“No, it won’t hurt her.”
“What? How do you know?” Bailach frowned.
Mephisto’s voice had a faint echo of sadness. “That thing won’t harm Gru. She can go with it.”
Daniella was about to demand how Mephisto could possibly be sure, but Gru nodded quietly first.
She could sense the feeling that radiated from the goldfish—a warmth that set her heart pounding.
By intuition, she understood what this being was.
Once Gru signaled assent, a bluish glow swirled within the goldfish.
Just then—
“It’s coming.”
“We have to move.”
Bailach and Mephisto looked up at once.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Crack!
A mighty force smashed through the classroom ceiling and crushed the floor.
That incomprehensible force tore straight through the floors of the building in a direct line.
The ceiling split open all the way to the roof, exposing the dark night sky above.
Everyone in the classroom, Gru included, looked up.
From atop the roof, countless eyes peered down at them. Members of Gnosis had arrived.
“Of course they weren’t going to just let it happen.”
Daniella immediately drew her pistol.
Chuen, who had shielded Gru and dove aside, dusted Gru’s clothes off.
“I’ll go ahead.”
Bailach, having fended off the descending attacks, leapt floor by floor to the roof.
“It’s fine here—”
As Mephisto moved to follow, he glanced back at Gru and added,
“—Go.”
Nod.
“Okay.”
Gru nodded and hugged the goldfish tight in her arms.
Flash!
A bluish light now enveloped her.
After creating Gnosis—
On Ijo often sought the sea.
It became his habit to sit on the sand, scooping damp handfuls and gently shaping them.
He soothed the scattering grains, pressing them softly to keep the forms from collapsing.
The motions, repeated endlessly, had imprinted themselves into his very body.
Once, people would say On Ijo was favored above all others by the love of God.
‘Imago Dei.’
Like God shaping humanity after Himself, the power to replicate anything in the world—divine power.
Slender arms, legs, torso.
On Ijo refined the outlines with his fingertips, blinking slowly.
From the supple sand, the contours of a face began to emerge.
“Chloe.”
Whispering the name he yearned for, On Ijo invoked his skill.
“Chloe, come back.”
But—
Nothing happened.
“…Please.”
Again.
And again.
No matter how many times he tried, the skill window would not appear.
“Please come back…”
Once, it had been as simple as moving a finger.
But now, he felt nothing.
The divine power that had felt like an extension of himself was left behind on the 100th floor; now he could not even revive the one he loved.
What had he sacrificed, and for what end?
The woman he molded from sand would soon be swept away by the tide—just as always.
Powerless, On Ijo failed again and again, dozens, hundreds of times.
Left alone after the sand had washed away, he looked down at his hands, covered in tiny grains.
He drew a trembling breath.
A pale despair filled his lungs.
His body went cold, as though bound to an empty space.
In an instant, darkness flooded his vision.
“—!”
He screamed soundlessly.
Thick regret.
Intense anger.
Stubborn despair.
He couldn’t breathe.
His brain flared hot, then cooled, again and again.
His mind rampaged in complete disorder.
He wanted to devour everything—or crush it all to pieces.
At that moment—
“On Ijo.”
“…?”
A woman’s voice, ghostly as an echo, brushed his ears.
He lifted his head slowly.
“On Ijo.”
The voice called him again.
Following the sound, On Ijo blinked in disbelief at the sight before him.
His heart stopped. It pounded so hard it might burst.
A woman stood on the sand, holding a small child’s hand.
Chloe brushed her flowing platinum hair behind her ear.
Eyes shining with the shimmer of the sea fixed upon him.
Unbelieving—but desperately wanting to believe—On Ijo forced out the words.
“…Chloe?”
Chloe’s eyes softened as she smiled.
“Yes, On Ijo, you bastard.”