Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

Staring blankly at Cho soaring into the sky, a thought crossed my mind.

I was such a fool.

‘How could I be so stupid, only thinking about things that are obvious to the eye?!’

After all, do techniques only come in the form of active skills?

Absolutely not.

There are also passive skills that remain constantly active.

What does this mean?

In my past life, terms like these were commonly used in various games. Skills were generally divided into two types: active and passive.

The distinction was simple—active skills were triggered when used, while passive skills remained constantly in effect. If I had to explain it in terms of this world, it would go something like this:

A martial technique that gathers internal energy into the fist to deliver a devastating explosion upon impact is called Exploding Fist. This is an active skill since it only activates when energy is deliberately infused into the punch.

However, if training in Exploding Fist also included cultivating a technique called Exploding Ten Meridians, which strengthens the body and increases durability over time, that would be considered a passive skill. Even without actively channeling energy, the body remains fortified and powerful at all times.

A skill that remains effective without requiring any action—this is what defines a passive skill.

So, if we consider the martial arts of Murim, constant internal energy cultivation techniques could be classified as passive skills, whereas techniques that rely on internal energy for attacks, such as fist and kick techniques, would be active skills.

If my sister’s Phantom Steps of the Roaming Tiger and Bini’s awakened ability were active-type skills, then Cho’s awakened ability, which showed no outward change, had to be a passive skill.

The very lack of visible change is the defining characteristic of a passive skill.

‘That’s it! Cho awakened a passive skill!’

And among the countless possible passive skills, Cho had definitely awakened an affinity for the water element.

Even during our boat journey, Cho had never liked getting splashed with water when watching the waves from the deck. On rainy days, Cho rarely ventured outside.

But now?

Cho was soaring through the sky like a fish in water, enjoying the rain.

Such a thing could only happen if Cho had awakened the water attribute.

‘Gyaaaah! The water attribute! It suits Cho perfectly!’

Honestly, the water attribute itself wasn’t all that special.

It merely allowed for easier swimming and provided immunity to water-based attacks.

If we looked at it that way, then Cho’s skill awakening might be considered a failure. But the moment I realized Cho had gained an affinity for water, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck my head.

Because this was, without a doubt, the perfect passive skill for Cho.

Think about it—Cho is an exceptionally filial creature.

And what is the opposite of filial piety?

Disobedience.

The word fire (hwa) is found in disobedience (bulhyo).

That means disobedience corresponds to the fire attribute.

Therefore, a disobedient one would have a fire affinity.

Since Cho is clearly a filial child, it only makes sense that Cho would have the opposite affinity—the water attribute.

A water-filial being, so to speak.

Water is the natural counter to the fire attribute, just as a devoted child is the opposite of a disobedient one.

If you think this is nonsense, consider this: the most famous filial daughter in history, Sim Cheong, was thrown into the ocean as a sacrificial offering.

She was cast into a maelstrom, into the very depths of the sea.

How could a mere human survive such a thing?

She wasn’t a fish, nor was she an aquatic creature.

It must have been the Dragon King who bestowed the water attribute upon her, allowing her to breathe underwater and gain immunity to water attacks.

‘Otherwise, how could she have survived? Clearly, filial daughters have always been associated with the water attribute since ancient times.’

As I marveled at this revelation, I kept my eyes on Cho.

With lightning flashing in the background, Cho soared even higher into the sky as if fulfilling Hwa-eun’s dream of becoming a dragon.

Cho’s antennae fluttered like long whiskers, the light-green shell shimmered like azure scales, and if someone were to braid and weave its body just right, it would resemble a dragon.

Saaaaa...

Finally, Cho disappeared into the clouds.

Another wave of admiration welled up inside me.

What a breathtaking sight!

As the rain poured down in earnest, I continued gazing up at the sky in a daze.

Rumble!

A bolt of lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating the storm clouds.

And in that moment, Cho burst out from the clouds and began descending.

Amidst the flickering light of the storm, cutting through the pouring rain, Cho streaked downward.

‘This isn’t rain... This is the heavens wetting themselves in awe of Cho’s majesty!’

Yes, today’s downpour was nothing more than the sky being overwhelmed.

Awe. Pure awe.

I was still lost in admiration when—

CRACK!

A sudden lightning strike hit the peak of a nearby mountain.

I snapped out of my daze, a cold chill running down my spine.

This wasn’t good.

Cho was so excited that I had no idea when the lightning would shift its target.

Rumble...!

Another bolt struck even closer.

I had to get Cho down before something terrible happened.

‘This isn’t the time for this, Cho! Come down, it’s dangerous!’

I urgently called out to Cho in # Nоvеlight # my mind.

And soon, I heard a response.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

‘Choruru! Dad! It feels amazing! Just a little longer!’

While I was worried sick that Cho might get struck by lightning, the little creature had just discovered the joy of water and was now reveling in it.

It was just like how children cried when they were first given a bath but refused to leave once they got used to it.

But this wasn’t the time for that.

The lightning was getting dangerously close.

‘Cho, it’s dangerous! Come down now!’

I was about to call again when—

“I knew it!”

I flinched.

That was Sister Seol’s voice.

I turned automatically toward the sound.

Standing there were Sister Seol and Hwa-eun, each holding an umbrella and a carrying pole.

Sister Seol was holding a carrying pole, while Hwa-eun had an umbrella.

Despite getting soaked in the rain, Sister Seol immediately covered Hwa-eun with the umbrella while someone wiped down her head with a cloth.

“I told you! Hwa-eun said you’d be here, completely drenched.”

“See? Sister, I was right, wasn’t I?”

It felt like the two of them had placed a bet.

‘Ah, am I about to get scolded again...?’

I glanced nervously at them.

Sister Seol, looking around with the carrying pole, must have noticed that Cho was missing.

She tilted her head and asked,

“Where’s Cho? It’s raining—where did he go? Have you seen him?”

“Ah! Cho!”

For a moment, I had completely forgotten about him.

I pointed toward the sky.

Both of them followed my gesture and looked up.

Rumble!

Raindrops rolled off the umbrella’s surface, dripping onto their foreheads.

And just as another bolt of lightning flashed—

Cho appeared in the sky once more, silhouetted against the storm.

Despite my calls for him to come down, he kept darting in and out of the clouds.

Knowing that Cho had always disliked water, both Hwa-eun and Sister Seol gasped in astonishment.

“What... what the hell? That’s Cho?”

“Cho is flying in the rain...?”

As the two stood there, nodding in disbelief, I explained what I had discovered.

“Sister Seol, it’s not that Cho hasn’t changed at all. I think he’s developed a liking for water.”

“Water?!”

“Are you saying Cho now likes water?”

“Yes, he even said it feels refreshing. Just look at him.”

As they turned their eyes back to the sky, they saw Cho joyfully darting in and out of the clouds, swimming through the rain as if he had truly found his element.

Seeing him swim like a fish in water, there was no way they could still doubt what I was saying.

This wasn’t just a case of liking water.

Cho was practically a fish now.

And then—

‘Cho, it’s dangerous, come down now! Your mom is here too!’

‘Choruru!’

As soon as I called him again, telling him to come down, Cho chirped in response, acknowledging my words.

The moment he started descending toward the ground—

FLASH!

RUMBLEEEEE!

A lightning bolt struck down from the sky, piercing straight through Cho’s body and slamming into the ground.

The brilliant flash of electricity engulfed him, lighting up the entire sky before fading into darkness.

For a moment, my vision went black.

Because right before my eyes, my dear, precious Cho—

Had been struck by lightning.

I tried to deny it, to convince myself it wasn’t real.

But before I could stop myself, a scream tore from my throat.

“CHOOOOO!”

“Cho!”

“Chooooo!”

Sister Seol and Hwa-eun’s eyes went wide in horror, their voices joining mine as our wails of despair drowned in the sound of the rain.

The sheer shock of it sent Hwa-eun collapsing to the ground.

“Ch-Cho... Hngh...”

“Hwa-eun! Hwa-eun!”

‘I raised my daughter only for this?! Gyaaah!’

***

Saaaaaa...

Hwa-eun had fainted from the shock of seeing Cho struck by lightning.

I, too, was overwhelmed with grief, but I had to focus on taking care of Hwa-eun first.

‘Cho... Cho...’

In my past life, wise men on the internet used to say that being a parent meant not being able to grieve freely, even when you desperately wanted to.

Suppressing my sorrow, I gently laid Hwa-eun under the tree and checked on her.

“Hwa-eun! Hwa-eun!”

“Hwa-eun, wake up!”

The falling raindrops were partially blocked by the tree’s branches, letting only scattered droplets reach us.

As I lightly patted her cheeks, she finally opened her eyes with a blank expression.

“Cho... Cho got struck by lightning...”

“Hwa-eun, c-calm down. Just breathe.”

“Yeah, Hwa-eun, calm down.”

But the memory of the lightning strike must have resurfaced in her mind, because she suddenly flinched—

And burst into tears.

“Huuhuhu... Our Cho...”

Damn it.

I wanted to cry, too.

But since Hwa-eun started crying first, I couldn’t hold back any longer.

I pulled her into a hug, and we both broke down together.

“Our Cho... Gyaaahhh!”

“Cho... sniff... sniff...”

And as if our grief was contagious, Sister Seol also lost it.

“Waaahhh! Our Cho!”

The three of us clung to each other, sobbing our hearts out.

And then, amidst our wailing—

Chorurung?

A tiny sound echoed through the rain.

Sister Seol and Hwa-eun flinched, their heads snapping up in shock.

But I already knew from the difference in tone—

That wasn’t Cho.

It was Bini.

Choruru?

Bini had been napping under the tree, but the raindrops must have woken him up.

Confused, he poked his head between us, blinking.

His big, curious eyes seemed to ask,

What’s going on?

Mom? Dad? Auntie? Why are you crying?

He had just woken up, only to find his mom, dad, and auntie huddled together, crying their eyes out.

Naturally, he was flustered.

“B-Bini! Waaahhh...”

“Bini! Sniff... sniff...”

“Our little Bini... Now you’re all alone... Waaaahhh...”

The three of us pulled Bini into our embrace, drenching him with our tears.

Now completely bewildered, he squirmed, clearly at a loss for what to do.

Finally, in desperation, Bini called for help.

Chorurung... Choruru?

[Big sis, Mom, Dad, Auntie are acting weird. I don’t know what’s going on...]

He was looking for his big sister.

He didn’t even know that Cho had been struck by lightning.

That realization only made my tears flow even harder.

“Gyaaahhh!”

Chorurung?

But then—

A familiar cry.

It sounded like an auditory hallucination, but—

Through my tear-blurred vision, beyond the dimming rain—

A faint green glow flickered under the light of the carrying pole that Sister Seol had dropped.

And there—

I saw Cho’s soft green shell.

“Cho?!”

Choruru?

At the sound of his name, Cho tilted his head in confusion.

I had thought he was dead.

That he had been struck down by lightning.

But no.

Cho was hovering right in front of me, completely unharmed.

“Cho?!”

The moment I realized he was alive, I lunged forward and pulled him into my arms—

And instantly, a jolt of electricity surged through my entire body.

“Ghhhkkaaaahhhh!!!”

So this...

Was what they called an electrifying reunion.