Two in the same night.
Shojo was filled with suspicion.
In five centuries of running this forest as his personal cultivation ground, a great many things had happened under his nose. For example, a group of mages experimenting with taboo magic had once set up in a corner of his territory, and he had eaten a few of them for entertainment before they got too far with whatever they were attempting.
Strange occurrences were not new to him.
But two of his crops ascending to his rank on the same night from the same location had never happened once in all that time. The probability alone felt wrong. And anything that felt wrong in his forest warranted investigation.
This was how it found Michael.
After devouring that opportunity many years ago, as Shojo grew in power it had gained something beyond simple strength.
It gained the ability to sense fortune.
