A Zoologist’s Guide to Surviving Magical Creatures

Naga returned to his human form, but what happened next... well, let's just say it was definitely a curveball.

Without any warning, he wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug that lifted me off the ground.

"From now on, you're my little brother!" he declared, a booming laugh escaping him that made everyone else freeze.

I froze too, not out of fear but sheer bewilderment. It wasn't every day that one of Mythica's most powerful and intimidating gods suddenly became... affectionate? "W-what?" was all I could muster, my arms flailing helplessly as he squeezed me like I was some sort of divine stress ball.

Jiuge, who had been watching in complete shock, leaned over to Agnos, whispering loudly, "I preferred the cold, aloof Naga. This... this version is terrifying. He looks like he's about to eat Carl."

Agnos, ever the voice of reason, nodded solemnly. "Yeah, this is... unsettling. Like when a mountain suddenly starts smiling. You don't trust that mountain."

The two of them watched, both with expressions of sheer confusion. Honestly, I was starting to feel the same way. Naga was a literal god, with the power to control the Metal Leylines, but now he was acting like some quirky, older brother who had just found a puppy.

Finally, after a long, awkward hug (which I was pretty sure I was going to need a chiropractor for later), Naga set me down gently, as though realizing maybe he overdid it.

"Anyway," Naga said, still chuckling to himself, "You're my little brother now. Welcome to the family."

I rubbed my head, trying to act casual. "Uh, thanks... I think?"

Jiuge muttered to Agnos, "See, this is why I don't let anyone get too close. People get... weird."

Agnos shot her a deadpan look. "And you're one to talk. You've got enough emotional baggage to fill an entire ship."

Jiuge just smirked, clearly unbothered by the jab. Meanwhile, Naga was still grinning like a proud father, and I could practically hear the dramatic music playing in the background. Honestly, if someone had told me I'd end up in Mythica getting a bear hug from one of the Unknown Gods, I would've called them crazy.

But before I could make sense of any of this, I remembered why we were all gathered here.

I cleared my throat, trying to shake off the awkwardness. "Okay, okay. Enough with the family bonding. There's something important you all need to know." I glanced at the group, their expressions turning serious once more. "The Space-time leyline wasn't destroyed. It was hidden."

The shock was immediate. Every single one of them froze. Even Viracocha, who had been silently observing, suddenly looked... intrigued. For once, I could tell he was actually paying attention.

"Wait... hidden?" Viracocha asked, his voice much softer than usual.

I nodded, looking around at their expectant faces. "Yeah. Kaleon hid it. It's still there. Just... out of sight."

Before anyone could ask more, I raised my hand. "And I'm not done yet. Kaleon made a pact with Fenrir. He's asked me to meet him."

I paused dramatically, seeing their reactions shift. Viracocha's eyes went wide, Jiuge dropped her arms from her chest, and Agnos looked like someone had just told him the world was flat.

"You knew?" I asked Viracocha, narrowing my eyes. "You've been keeping this from me?"

Viracocha was slow to answer, but when he did, his words were deliberate. "I... wasn't aware of the full extent of Kaleon's pact with Fenrir. But it's likely that Fenrir does know about the hidden leyline."

That's when Naga spoke up again, cutting through the growing tension. "I know about Fenrir's pact with master," he said casually, as if this was just a normal Tuesday for him.

"Master helped Fenrir with his Ragnarok. Instead of the world ending, Kaleon made a pact with him. The Gleipnir no longer binds Fenrir. It's his weapon and security now. He's free, with one condition: he must protect Mythica... and Carl."

"M-me?" I stammered, completely flabbergasted. "Why?"

Naga's grin only grew wider, if that was even possible. It was like he was enjoying this a little too much.

"You're the bearer of the core's fragment. According to the pact, Fenrir must protect Mythica, and the one who holds the core's fragment," he said, practically beaming.

The room fell completely silent. It wasn't just a bombshell—it was an entire arsenal.

Fenrir, free from his chains, bound to protect me? What next? Was I also going to have a giant sword or a mystical guardian creature? Maybe an army of magical creatures at my beck and call?

Before I could even process that, Naga flashed me a smile. "You've got yourself a real guard dog now, Carl."

I blinked at him, trying to wrap my mind around it. "A... guard dog?" I repeated.

"More like a giant, wolf-shaped, world-destroying guard dog, but yeah, sure, whatever works for you," Naga said with a shrug.

I looked around, hoping someone would stop Naga, but they all seemed strangely... okay with it. Was this normal? To have an ancient wolf god bound to protect me?

But the thing that really got me was Naga's expression. Why was he still grinning at me like that?

It was starting to make my skin crawl. I mean, this whole god-protecting-me thing should've been reassuring, but with Naga standing there, practically gleaming with pride, it felt more like I was some sort of trophy.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Well, guess I've got Fenrir on my side now. Maybe I can finally stop worrying about my social media trolls."

Naga's grin widened, though I could see a flicker of seriousness behind his eyes. "That's right, Carl. You've got bigger things to worry about than a few internet trolls now."

I sighed dramatically, trying to hold onto my sanity. "Yeah, because it's not like Mythica's fate is now tied to me or anything. No pressure, right?"

*********

I stood in front of Fenrir's headquarters in Jotenheim. I'd been here before when I had to take the Predator Level Security trial. Now, here I was again, meeting Fenrir because Kaleon wanted him to honor their pact.

Before coming, I had sent Fenrir a text. I told him it was urgent and that Kaleon had sent word. He responded immediately, telling me to come to the headquarters.

As soon as I entered, I was ushered into his office. There he was—Fenrir, in his human form, dressed like a successful entrepreneur. His whole look screamed "Business mogul who's too cool to care."

"Well, Carl, we meet again," he greeted me, flashing that CEO smile of his. "I've been waiting for you."