Chapter 4: Hello. World! (4)

Chapter 4: Hello. World! (4)

Watching the fish swimming around, having transformed into fish-like beings, I carefully dipped my hand into the seawater.

The cold sensation. When I slightly licked it, the salty taste was distinctly felt, seeming not much different from the seawater I knew.

Hmm. I want to explore the underwater world more... But there's a limit to what I can see from above.

Should I go in? But how do I swim with this transformed body?

A dragon with a considerably sturdy lower body swimming... Hmm... I'm not sure.

Well, there's no way to know without trying. I cautiously started to enter the sea.

The cold seawater soaked my legs and tail. Not a bad feeling.

Ah, but wouldn't it sting to open my eyes in the sea? I hesitate a bit since I've never tried it before.

Ugh... Ah! Whatever, it's all about taking on challenges! As if a dragon would die from drowning! If I can fly with my wings, water should be no big deal!

With that, I took a deep breath and dived into the sea.

And surprisingly, I was completely free in the water.

No need to hold my breath, no discomfort in opening my eyes, and I could move more comfortably as I felt almost weightless.

Swimming was... easy enough by just moving my tail back and forth to propel myself forward.

Hmm, as expected of a dragon! I worried for nothing!!

I quickly swam around, observing my surroundings.

A sea where seaweed and corals were slowly growing. Although there weren't any proper fish yet, it had its own charm.

And there were slimes gradually transforming into fish shapes that caught my eye.

Slimes adapting to their environment were transforming into various forms.

Some slimes took on the typical appearance of fish. Some oddly resembled squids.

There were those transforming into forms like trilobites or shrimps, and even some turning into bizarre deep-sea fish-like appearances.

I wonder how many of these slimes will survive? It was becoming quite interesting.

Looking back, the ones I released on land were transforming to gain different attributes, but the slimes in the water were somewhat different.

Thus, I traveled the world, releasing slimes, and spent my time observing their transformations.

One day, two days, three days, four days. Time repeated with the rising and setting of the sun.

As time flowed, the world gradually changed.

The sight of life slowly spreading from nothing.

In such a scene, I found myself bursting into laughter unknowingly.

With my actions and choices, the world was changing so much, I felt like a magnificent being.

Well, it's right for a dragon with godlike powers to be magnificent.

After observing the changes in life for days, weeks, months, another change was coming to this world.

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What is magic power?

The driving force for using magic.

A mysterious power widely spread throughout the world.

A grace bestowed by the gods upon this world.

The realization of the will to cause change.

As many magicians as there are, there are many definitions of magic power, but I think of it this way.

It's like the blood flowing through the veins of the existence called this world.

- Content of the first lecture in the basic class of the Kingdom's Magic School.

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At first, I didn't notice because the changes were minor, but as time passed, it became clear.

The voice of an intelligence that had not yet been properly defined.

Something was coming into being in a world where I was the only one who could think.

Destroying this phenomenon wouldn't be difficult. Just exhaling a breath filled with magical power would easily destroy it.

But, I didn't want to do that.

I didn't want to destroy a being that this world had given birth to.

So, I said.

"What is your name?"

"Ahah... Naa... Naaneun..."

"Okay. Your name is?"

"Naaneun... Whooooo...?"

But, the newly born intelligence couldn't define itself as anything.

After all, it was like a blank sheet of paper, how could it know?

Therefore, it was up to me to give it a name.

A giant whirlwind. Perhaps I should take a name from the wind spirits.

"I will give you a name. Sylphid. That will be your name from now on."

"Syl... Phid?"

"Yes. Sylphid."

A name synonymous with the King of Wind Spirits. Giving such a name, a peculiar movement arises from the whirlwind.

The wind that had been swirling around now approaches me bit by bit.

"I am... Sylphid... Sylphid...!"

"Yes. You are Sylphid."

"Sylphid!!!"

The whirlwind was very happy. So much so that I could feel its joy even from a distance.

Simply put, the wind was becoming quite fierce.

"Name! Happy!!!"

"I'm glad you're happy. Then, I will go see something else."

"Yes! Name! Thank you!!!"

Leaving the whirlwind writhing in joy behind, I flew off to another place.

Whether it was due to magical power, phenomena beginning to sprout consciousness were not just one or two.

In the volcano that birthed an eternal flame.

In the giant whirlpool that formed in the sea.

On the world's tallest mountain.

In the tree that grew as large as a mountain due to magical power.

Even in the darkness where not a sliver of light entered.

Even in the light of the midnight sun that never sets.

Natural phenomena with their own consciousness were emerging.

That being said, not one of them shares the same attribute.

It's as if, someone intended it...

Wait, do I have to name these natural phenomena? Me?

Hmm... My naming sense isn't that great. This is troublesome.