Savior Awakens
The Black Hatchling sensed it. The Ferrofero who had suddenly appeared here was dangerous. Moreover, that murderous intent was directed at Han Ji-woo, whom it recognized as one of its own kind.
Upon realizing this, its affection level, which had stalled at 95 percent, shot up to 100 percent.
The crisis of "one of my own kind is in danger" conjured visions of what it would be like if Han Ji-woo died. In that imagined scenario, the hatchling felt an immense sense of loss, which fueled its affection for him even further.
The moment Ferrofero's killing intent surged fiercely toward him, the Black Hatchling threw itself in front of Han Ji-woo.
Krraaaaaah!
From its wide-open maw erupted a roar laced with an intangible force. It collided head-on with another energy beam hurtling toward Han Ji-woo.
Kwaaaaaang!
The clash of overwhelming power—far beyond anything Han Ji-woo could fathom—sent the salt mine into a frenzy of convulsions.
Kurururur!Creeeak! Craaaack!Kududuk!
The intense shockwave shattered the rock salt walls like glass, spewing forth glittering crystals.
Ferrofero faltered, caught off guard by the Black Hatchling that had blocked his path out of nowhere.
"What in the world are you doing? Are you seriously trying to protect that human?"
Krrrarrr.
Instead of answering, the Black Hatchling bared its sharp hostility with a menacing growl.
At that moment, a system message appeared before Han Ji-woo's eyes, announcing that the Black Hatchling had become his pet and prompting him to name it.
Black Hatchling has become your pet.
Please name your pet.
In the midst of this life-or-death crisis unfolding in split seconds, Han Ji-woo would normally have put off naming it for later. But for some inexplicable reason, a word slipped from his lips unbidden.
"Seibier."
Seibier (Savior). It meant benefactor or savior.
Han Ji-woo wasn't a total fanatic, but he had dabbled in fantasy novels and games from time to time. One of the English words he'd picked up naturally from them was "savior."
Was it because he'd clearly recognized that the Black Hatchling had saved his life? Instinctively, the word tumbled out.
You have named the Black Hatchling 'Seibier'.
And so it became the name of his third pet.
Opening Seibier's status window.
Species: Black Dragon
Unique Skills: Dragon Fear, Dragon Breath
Dragon Fear
Infuses the voice with draconic energy. Lower beings who hear it have their minds overwhelmed by the vast gulf in existence. No mana cost.
Dragon Breath
Spews black acidic gas that melts even steel. The breath erupts from the mouth and spreads in all directions, boasting wide-area destructive power. Mana cost: 100. Cooldown: 1 minute.
Han Ji-woo recoiled in shock at Seibier's status window, which had opened automatically. Its HP and mana were at 500, with all other stats uniformly at 300.
Even with his equipment factored in, Han Ji-woo's average stats barely scraped 150. A 300? If Seibier had kept viewing him as an enemy, he'd have been dead for sure.
'I owe my life to this Black Hatchling shell armor.'
He ran his fingers over the cool yet supple armor. This hidden piece, shared thanks to the dungeon dwellers' discovery, had saved his life twice now—from newborn Seibier, and from Ferrofero who had barged in with elevated power.
Without this armor letting Seibier become his pet, Han Ji-woo would already be a corpse sprawled on the ground.
"You're not backing down? Fine, let's see what you've got!"
Krrrarrr.
Seibier stood firm in front of Han Ji-woo, undaunted by Ferrofero's threat.
"I just can't wrap my head around this! What gives you the right to trash the dungeon like this? And now you've made a hatchling your pet? I'll wipe this whole space off the map!"
As Ferrofero bellowed, an enigmatic pressure clamped down on everyone present, choking the air from their lungs.
"Kuh... guh!"
Osgeelro Haiban glared at Ferrofero with bloodshot eyes. He desperately wanted to charge and cleave the bastard's skull with his axe, but...
"Guh... aaaaaah!"
Thud.
The crushing force drove him to his knees. He gripped his axe haft, thrashing to stay upright and not collapse.
Han Ji-woo fared no better. He held out longer than Osgeelro, but the unrelenting pressure only intensified.
The only one who could somewhat endure this absurd power was...
Krraaaaaah!
...Seibier. With a fury-filled cry, black gas burst from its maw—the dragon's ultimate weapon, its breath.
According to the skill description, it was acidic gas capable of melting steel, manifesting as that black mist.
The breath exploded outward like a cloud, engulfing Ferrofero.
Everything the inky fog brushed against melted away. Han Ji-woo desperately hoped Ferrofero would dissolve too.
But...
'No dice?'
Far from easing, the pressure on his body grew stronger. Rationally, he knew the breath hadn't worked, but he clung to a sliver of hope for a miracle and peered into the black fog.
Then, yellow eyes gleamed from within.
"Pointless!"
And just like that, the breath vanished as if it had never been.
Krraaaaaah!
Undeterred, Seibier charged straight at Ferrofero, intent on close-quarters combat!
Ferrofero scoffed and merely snapped his fingers.
Snap—!
Kwaaaang!
An invisible force smacked Seibier's oncoming face. Its head snapped back from the colossal impact, blood streaming from its nose and mouth, but it didn't stop.
"Your body's already heavy—think you can handle this?"
Snap—!
Kwaaaaang!
An even fiercer shockwave pummeled Seibier. As Ferrofero said, the pressure weighing down the entire space had dulled its movements. And Seibier was just a newborn hatchling, while Ferrofero wielded the Creator's authority, if only temporarily.
It was no contest—Seibier was getting one-sidedly thrashed.
But to protect its master, the fresh hatchling refused to halt.
Snap— snap— snap— snap— snappp!
Kwakwakwakwaaaang!
It staggered on, battered and bloodied, enduring the barrage head-on. Yet it bared its white fangs, desperately pushing forward one step at a time.
"Seibier! Stop!"
Unable to watch any longer, Han Ji-woo shouted.
"This hatchling will die the moment it sees the light of day! Know why? Because it became your pet. You doomed it!"
Stunned by Ferrofero's words, Han Ji-woo's eyes darted frantically, searching for someone.
'Oh crap! Pao. Lucy!'
He'd momentarily forgotten them. If even he, with his relatively high stats, was suffering, how could the fainted pair withstand this pressure?
Fortunately, Pao's chest rose and fell faintly. The problem was Lucy.
With the lowest average stats among them, she couldn't be left like this. Han Ji-woo, who had endured without collapsing under the pressure assaulting him...
Thud.
...dropped to his knees to shield the fainted Lucy, cradling her in his arms.
Snap—!
Kwaaaang!
Ferrofero, glancing their way while striking Seibier from afar, let out a sneer.
"Hmph! They're all dead anyway—why bother protecting them so fiercely? Maybe I'll start with the one in your arms..."
As he pressed his thumb and middle finger together in attack stance, Ferrofero's mouth snapped shut.
His eyes widened in shock, and he shook his head vigorously.
"N-No... it can't be. Impossible."
The raw killing intent that had felt like it could slice flesh just by looking suddenly vanished.
The space-crushing pressure remained, but without the malice, breathing became a tad easier.
Whoosh—
Ferrofero's form flickered away, reappearing right before Han Ji-woo's nose. But his gaze wasn't on Han Ji-woo—it was fixed on Lucy in his arms.
"...!"
Ferrofero covered his gaping mouth as he took in Lucy clearly with both eyes.
Han Ji-woo, tense as hell, wondered what the hell was going on.
"P-Princess... Princess!"
"Hate to nitpick in this serious moment, but I'm a guy."
"I wasn't talking to you—shut it!"
Ferrofero bellowed, then stared back at Lucy. Tears like chicken droppings streamed from his eyes.
"How can this be? How are you here?"
He addressed Lucy, but the fainted cat offered no reply. He tore at his fur in anguish, babbling incoherently.
"This makes no sense. The moment Princess was born, the Bryunak Continent fell. The Dungeon Guard promised to revive our dead Princess if I flawlessly performed my manager duties. That's why I've endured this hell... but how is she here?"
Then, eyeing the fainted Lucy, he nodded.
"...I must take Princess with me."
Curiosity piqued, Han Ji-woo figured he could just ask. No need—he could read minds anyway. As a knight born to guard the princess, he could discern her innermost thoughts with a mere glance, thanks to his clan's unique skill, Mind Reading.
Miao tribe royal guards used this to read only the princess's mind, tending to her needs without a word.
If this was truly the princess, the moment she awoke and met his eyes, the skill would activate, proving everything.
Ferrofero extended a cautious hand toward Lucy, as if handling a precious gem.
But Han Ji-woo wasn't about to let that slide.
"Hands off with your filthy cotton ball!"
He struggled to his feet and backed away. Ferrofero's vanished killing intent reignited.
"I must take Princess! Get your filthy hands off her now!"
Ferrofero's face stiffened terrifyingly for a split second. He raised his right hand, aligning index and middle fingers.
Seeing this, Seibier lurched forward on its battered body.
Krraaaaaah!
Letting it happen meant certain death for his master, but his broken form wouldn't obey. He let out a anguished wail.
Right then...
... Nyaaaaah.
A faint mewl emanated from Han Ji-woo's arms—Lucy's voice.
Seibier's desperate roar carried pure loyalty to its master. As fellow pets, it reached Lucy, rousing her.
"P-Princess!"
Hearing her, Ferrofero dropped his guard. His face overflowed with joy and longing as he gazed at her.
Lucy, struggling to rise, met his eyes squarely.
"Princceeess~!"
Tears streaming anew, Ferrofero approached. But what greeted him was...
Nyaaaa—!Hiss!
...wary yowls and hissing.
"P-Princess?"
Flustered, Ferrofero peered into Lucy's eyes. His Mind Reading activated, revealing everything that had befallen her here.
"Ah... aah!"
Confusion clouded his wide eyes. But only briefly.
Thud.
He knelt before Han Ji-woo, bowing his head deeply. The space-crushing aura vanished.
"Princess has chosen you as her master. As her royal guard, she is my master. Thus, Han Ji-woo, you are effectively my master as well."
"...What?"
Suddenly talk of royal guards—what the hell? Before he could sort out the confusion, Ferrofero prostrated fully.
"Thank you so much for caring for Princess so well all this time."
Even as he expressed gratitude, Ferrofero's mind raced. How had the supposedly dead Princess ended up trapped somewhere in this hidden space? Now that she was alive here, did he even need to keep playing manager? Could he get her out?
At the edge of his vision, a timer loomed.
-00:01:12
Less than a minute left to wield the Creator's power.
'Gotta head back and think this over.'
He wanted to take her, but if the Dungeon Guard spotted Lucy, it wouldn't end well. Better leave her here and go alone.
"Master."
"Whoa, still not used to that."
Being called "master" by Ferrofero out of the blue felt awkward bordering on absurd.
"I'll head out first for now..."
Then, a chilling system message crawled up Ferrofero's spine.
The dormant 'Dungeon Guard' opens one eye.