Pure Imagination (Solo Leveling)

Mascarpone Cream Strawberry Cake

Igris is loyal to Sung Jin Woo, his Master. The one who gave him a second chance and gifted him more powers than he could ever wish for. He's given him a name, a sword, a reason to continue fighting.

Can the Shadow Army be annoying? Absolutely. Oftentimes, Igris found himself breaking up fights and ensuring Tank and Iron don't do stupid shit. It was amazing how one was once a human, supposedly an intelligent creature, and yet he and an animal share the same brain cell. Granted, his intelligence when a human must not have been that high considering he tried to fight Sung Jin Woo.

Beru was now added to his list of idiots he needs to look after, because even though the ant was smart, it was so stupid when it came to their Master.

Igris could feel a headache forming just thinking about the times Beru, Tank, Tusk, Iron, and all those other shadows have nearly stormed out of the shadow because of a minor inconvenience. He didn't even know he could have headaches until he met this group.

When Jin Woo had placed him, his most powerful soldier at that moment, in the other's shadow he knew what his job would be. He knew and understood just how important this person was. A feeble person really. Always moving around, never really resting, and always making his Master smile. The moment he and this person made eye contact, red eyes meeting glowing blue, and they smiled, Igris knew what type of person he was dealing with.

He knew what type of person he is to be protecting.

They only smiled at him. After being screamed at, cowered at, and even running away from this whole smiling at him was a new one.

"Ne~ You're Igris, right?" From there, it had been story after story of his Master. The other shared everything he can as he talked to him. Treating him like a human rather than a shadow. He didn't get scared whenever Igris blinked at him, and he didn't fret when one-time Igris emerged with a giant sword.

Yuki, because that is how he introduced himself, talked to Igris about everything. From the standard stories to full-blown theories that Igris wasn't too sure if he actually kept with at all. Sometimes he talked to him in the kitchen, sometimes when he was resting on the couch, sometimes when he was grooming one of those animals, and sometimes in the bath. Yuki talked to him how a friend talks to another friend.

Igris has also wished Jin Woo chose another Soldier to reside in Yuki's shadow.

"I'm fine Igris, it's nothing big." Yuki looked at him through the mirror, skin sweating and blood staining his teeth as he had just spat the red substance out into the sink. Igris doesn't miss the way Yuki's reflection sometimes flickers, or how sometimes it is not Yuki he is seeing but someone else.

Seeing the man cry and be weak reminded Igris that humans are fragile. He's seen how his Master has held the fragile human, strong arms able to kill giants wrapped around small shoulders in a gentle embrace. Eyes that have sent monsters shivering in fear, gazing softly into those red trenches of endless love and care.

His Master, a Hunter who dominates on the battlefield, is nothing more than just a regular human when he is with Yuki. He is not treated as a King, which took Beru some time to get used to, but is treated how Igris can imagine some Kings wish to be treated by their loved ones. Like they are normal. A regular human with the only difference being a title.

Yuki is treated like the rare moonflower Beru has told him about. A flower that is as white as the snow and blooms only at night, where the harsh rays of the sun cannot burn its delicate petals. Protected on all sides, with Igris as his guard, and only meant for the eyes of royalty. He is treated kindly, and watched over as if the slightest change in temperature will kill him.