The next morning, Isobu woke up to the sound of construction.
BOOM!
He opened one eye.
Another explosion.
BOOM!
Isobu slowly lifted his head.
…What is Shukaku doing?
He crawled toward the noise.
Then he stopped.
His enormous eyes widened.
Noel was standing in the middle of a huge construction site.
Except Noel wasn’t in his Shukaku form.
He was in his human form.
The tall figure resembling Zhongli calmly raised one hand.
Golden Geo energy spread across the ground.
RUMBLE!
An enormous depression formed in the earth.
Water immediately began flowing into it from an underground source.
Isobu stared.
…Shukaku?
Noel turned around.
“Oh, you’re awake.”
Isobu stared at him.
Then at the giant pond.
Then back at Noel.
…What happened to you?
Noel blinked.
“What do you mean?”
You are human.
Noel looked down at himself.
“Oh.”
He suddenly remembered.
“Right.
You haven’t seen this form before.”
Isobu stared harder.
Is this some kind of transformation jutsu?
Noel laughed.
“Something like that.”
The system appeared silently.
[Morax Template Human Transformation active.]
Isobu narrowed his eyes.
I knew it.
Noel smiled.
“Technically, it’s a template transformation.”
Isobu didn’t understand a single word.
…I’ll assume that’s a Shukaku technique.
“Sure.”
Noel immediately accepted the misunderstanding.
😂
A Home for Isobu
Isobu looked at the enormous pond.
It wasn’t really a pond anymore.
It was becoming a lake.
Noel had carved a massive basin into the desert.
Stone cliffs surrounded it.
Waterfalls flowed from the surrounding rocks.
A smaller river connected the lake to the main oasis.
There was even a large stone platform beside the water.
You made this…
for me?
Noel nodded.
“You’re a giant turtle.”
Isobu’s eye twitched.
Three-Tails.
“Right.”
Noel corrected himself.
“Three-Tails.”
He pointed toward the lake.
“You need somewhere comfortable.”
Isobu slowly entered the water.
SPLASH!
A huge wave crashed against the shore.
The nearby workers screamed and ran.
Noel stood there completely soaked.
“…I should’ve expected that.”
Isobu surfaced.
It’s perfect.
Noel smiled.
“Good.”
Isobu swam around the enormous lake.
For the first time in a long while, he had somewhere that felt like his own.
The Citizens’ Reaction
The people of Liyue gathered around the lake.
Children watched Isobu swim.
Farmers used the smaller streams connected to the lake.
Fishermen immediately began discussing whether they could fish there.
Noel raised a finger.
“Don’t fish in Isobu’s personal territory without permission.”
Everyone nodded.
One child raised his hand.
“Can we visit him?”
Noel looked toward Isobu.
Isobu gave a small nod.
Noel smiled.
“Yes.”
The children cheered.
Isobu looked surprised.
Humans aren’t afraid of me.
Noel answered:
“They’re getting used to you.”
Isobu looked toward the children.
One little girl was waving at him.
He slowly waved one tail.
The girl laughed.
The Monument
Construction began on Isobu’s monument.
Unlike Noel’s statue, which depicted him in human form, Isobu’s monument showed his enormous true form.
Three massive tails.
A powerful shell.
And waves carved beneath his feet.
Noel stood beside the sculptors.
“Make the shell detailed.”
The sculptor nodded.
“Yes, Lord Noel.”
“And make sure the statue faces the lake.”
Isobu watched from the water.
Do I really need a statue?
“Apparently.”
The sculptor looked at Noel.
“What should the inscription say?”
Noel thought for a moment.
He looked at Isobu.
Then at Liyue.
“Not yet.”
Everyone looked confused.
Noel smiled.
“Let’s wait.”
“This isn’t just a monument to his strength.”
“It’s a monument to the day he chose this place as his home.”
Isobu’s expression softened.
…Thank you, Shukaku.
Noel smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
A Strange Feeling
That evening, Noel sat beside the lake.
Isobu rested in the water.
The moon reflected across the surface.
Noel looked toward his city.
Liyue now had two guardians.
One was its founder.
The other was a Tailed Beast who had chosen to stay.
The system appeared.
[Guardian Beast successfully integrated.]
[Liyue’s defensive potential increased.]
[Morax Template Synchronization: 8.9%]
Noel smiled.
Then Isobu spoke.
Shukaku.
“Hm?”
Your human form.
Noel looked at him.
It’s strange.
Noel laughed.
“You’re still thinking about that?”
Yes.
Isobu’s eyes narrowed.
How does a giant sand beast become a human who looks like that?
Noel paused.
“…Long story.”
Tell me.
“No.”
Why?
“Because I don’t understand it either.”
Isobu stared.
Then laughed.
Fair enough.
Noel smiled.
The lake rippled gently.
And beneath the moonlight, the first Guardian Beast’s Lake became part of Liyue’s growing landscape.
But Noel didn’t know that his human appearance had created another problem.
The people had begun giving him another name.
Not just Founder.
Not just Guardian.
They had started whispering:
“The Golden God.”
And Noel had absolutely no idea.
To be continued…