Chapter 54 – Hunting at the Level S Gate (Part 3)

Editor: Cherish

Echidna's angry roar spread throughout the gate.

[The creature you tamed successfully destroyed a wyvern, a common Class A monster]

[Your level has increased by 1]

Wyvern screams could be heard from all sides.

Echidna's black sickles, fireballs, and spikes fell on the wyverns like thundering rain.

[The creature you tamed successfully destroyed a wyvern, the usual Class A monster.]

[Your level has increased by 1]

'She's good!'

Kang Yu, watching Echidna's actions, clenched his fists tightly with joy.

Even though the other wyverns were working together, they couldn't stop Echidna's anger.

'Yes! Finish them all off!' Kang Yu grinned. The angry Echidna's dominance over the wyverns was beyond all expectations.

Every time she dealt with one of the monsters, a blue message would pop up and his level would rise rapidly.

— Well, that's lucky! — Kang Yu's body gave him the creeps when he realized the power of his 'pet.'

Boer? Cerberus?

Echidna was superior to all the creatures Kang Yu initially hoped to summon.

'Even if she requires a little more Magi.' Kang Yu sighed.

Every time Echidna made a sudden maneuver, Kang Yu could feel his Magi diminish a little.

When Echidna first attacked the pack of wyverns mercilessly, Kang Yu was hesitant.

Because she was so strong that he thought there was no way she could have lost to Ronald's group.

But realizing that Echidna was borrowing some of his strength in the form of Magi, he no longer doubted her abilities.

'She must have become much more powerful with my powers.' Kang Yu finally felt the 'connection' between them that Echidna had spoken of earlier.

They were indeed connected in the same way as a demon and his subordinate are connected.

'But it's different with Kim Si Hoon.'

The source of Si Hoon's power wasn't Magi. Unlike Echidna, who used Magi, he relied on Maryok.

Even though Kang Yu and Si Hoon were connected by the same 'master-subordinate' connection, Echidna could borrow many times more of his strength.

'Either way, it's going quite well.' Kang Yu's eyes were bright as he glanced at Echidna, who had massacred almost an entire pack of wyverns.

If his pet were a Boer or Cerberus, no matter how much energy they took from Kang Yu, they wouldn't be able to reach that level of power.

'It's about the difference in potential.'

For example, an ant, no matter how hard he tries, will remain an ant, because there is a limit to its development in genes.

Although the concept of a Player's strength is not absolute, it cannot be said that there is no limit at all.

'Echidna is, by nature, a strong creature.'

Kang Yu, observing Echidna's abilities, increasingly wondered if she was stronger than him.

She was definitely a better tamed creature than he bargained for.

'Besides…'

He thought that if she feeds on his powers, he'd also make Echidna stronger with every promotion.

'She can evolve.'

And given the fact that he's rising incredibly fast, that was a great advantage.

It's like self-expanding clothes for a fast-growing child.

[Your tamed creature successfully destroyed a wyvern, an ordinary Class A monster]

[Your level has increased by 1]

Another notice came in, and then there was complete silence all around.

— Phew…

The battle was over.

Echidna, who destroyed an entire pack of wyverns on her own, was breathing heavily.

Her body was wrapped in blue light again, and she gradually began to shrink.

Echidna looked down again at her dress torn by monsters, and began to cry.

Kang Yu stroked her head and said:

— It's okay. It's okay. We can just buy new clothes.

— But…

— All kinds of clothes suit you perfectly.

Giving in to Kang Yu's words of comfort, she stopped crying.

Kang Yu continued in a more serious tone:

— But I hope it won't happen again.

— Huh?…

— I can't stand people who easily lose their heads.

It was more than just Kang Yu's whim.

In a battle, losing your head from anger means putting yourself in mortal danger.

— I'm sorry… — Echidna's eyes turned downcast.

Even though Kang Yu pitied her, he couldn't ignore or support that kind of reckless behavior.

'If I don't warn her now, something like this could happen again.'

However, Kang Yu was able to determine her power from the battle with wyverns.

By turning into a huge dragon, not only was she able to cope with the whole pack of wyverns, but even their reinforcement.

Because of that, she wanted to be praised, but Kang Yu believed even that could not justify her behavior.

— Don't do that anymore. Do you understand?

— Yes, I won't get pissed off anymore. — The girl was worried that she might have made Kang Yu angry, and nodded her head.

She already lost her father; she couldn't lose Kang Yu, too. She had never received so much care from anyone before.

He kept patting her on the head and continued:

— Okay. I trust you.

— I will try harder and I will become worthy of help for you. — She clenched her fists with determination and confidently stepped forward to search for the next victim.

At that moment, she wobbled on her feet.

— Wah! …Is everything all right? — Kang Yu was able to catch Echidna from falling.

He noticed the drops of sweat flowing down her forehead and her shaky breath.

'She overdid it.'

Most likely, she wasn't used to the amount of strength Kang Yu was lending to her through their contract.

— It's… it's okay. I can move by myse…

— We're done here. Get some rest.

— But…

— Rest.

Echidna shivered from his decisive tone, and nodded her head.

Kang Yu carried her to a huge stone nearby and helped her sit up.

— Stay here.

— What about you?

— I have some business left.

With that, he turned his back on her and went into the thick woods.

— Phew… — The man exhaled and closed his eyes.

There was silence all around him, but he could hear a slight noise deeper in the forest.

— About five?

If a 20-meter tall creature makes noise, it'd attract other monsters, too. Echidna's fight against the wyverns must have caught the attention of the monsters nearby.

Feeling the energy of five giant orcs approaching him, Kang Yu relaxed his body and braced himself.

'It won't be easy.'

Without Echidna, it would be very difficult to hold out against five orcs at once.

— Well, I'll have to try.

Of course, it's not bad standing aside and letting Echidna earn experience points for him, but he couldn't leave everything to her.

If he didn't practise, all his fighting skills could easily be forgotten.

Kang Yu used the Power of Hellfire and lit a fire in both hands.

The corner of his lips twitched into a smirk, and a villainous expression took over his face.

Wrapped up in Magi, there was nothing left of his human image.

Kang Yu became a real Devourer and exposed his sharp teeth.

***

— My level's gone up a lot.

After hunting, he examined his status window to sum up the day's achievements.

Now he was at level 49.

There was only one step left until the next promotion to 6th rank.

Thanks to the hunt at the Level S Gate, he was able to climb from level 41 to level 49 in a single day.

To the other players, this was an unbelievable rate of increase.

If someone found out about such a crazy boost, they would think Kang Yu was mocking them.

'Because no one expects a Level 40 Player to hunt at the Level S Gate.'

In the end, it was only possible because he already possessed skills and strength that were not comparable to his level.

'I got a decent amount of Magi today.' Kang Yu smiled, pleased to feel the tide of Magi in his body.

Although local monsters give fewer Magi than Hell creatures, due to their high level at the S Gate, he still earned a lot of Magi.

— I guess I'm done for the day.

Kang Yu wanted to go up to level 50 and get the special ability at Rank 6, but realized that he was getting tired.

'There's no reason to live like it's my last day.' The number of experience points he received today was already incredible.

He didn't have to put himself in danger just to quench his greed.

— Echidna, are you all right?

— I feel a little sluggish, but much better, — said Echidna, forcing herself to sound energetic.

In fact, she didn't look 'much better' at all despite her claims. Kang Yu gently pet her on the head and said:

— Our hunt's over. We can go home now.

— We can continue, don't worry about me.

— I'm a little tired, too.

— Then that's okay. If you're tired, we really should go, — the girl said with a serene look on her face.

Kang Yu removed his hand from her head and started walking to the exit.

— By the way, let's buy you new clothes on the way home.

The girl was currently wearing Kang Yu's coat over her tattered dress.

Her eyes sparkled and she vigorously nodded her head.

— I'd like anything you choose!

— Okay.

Echidna grabbed onto Kang Yu's shirt and followed him.

When they came out of the gate, they were enveloped by the cold night air.

Kang Yu searched the maps for the nearest clothing store, but there was nothing nearby because of the gate.

Once they decided their destination, they proceeded to take the shortest route to the store.

The further they went, the fewer street lamps there were to light the path. Eventually, they were walking through a dark and deserted alley.

'After passing through the alley, we only have to walk another 300 meters…' Kang Yu kept walking while studying the route.

— Kang Yu. — Echidna, who had been obediently following the guy until now, tugged hard at the end of his shirt.

Kang Yu turned around in surprise, and caught the serious look on her face.

— Kang Yu… It smells like blood.