Chapter 13

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 13

Chapter Title: The Fearsome Cat Lulu

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I blinked once, and the familiar one-room apartment vanished.

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠surroundings transformed into the heart of a lush green forest, brimming with verdant life.

And right after that.

A familiar alert window popped up before my eyes, confirming we'd entered the tower.

Hmm... Nothing more to prepare, really.

Maybe I'll scout the area first this time, too.

"Lulu. We've got some time. How about we look around a bit?"

"Lulu will take the lead, nya! Just follow Lulu closely, Daddy-nya!"

And so, Lulu and I wandered around Floor 2.

Checking out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what this place had to offer.

"Daddy-nya! There's a big tree over there, nya!"

"Yeah. I see the tree."

"Daddy-nya! There's a little lake over there too, nya!"

"Yeah. I see the little lake."

"Daddy-nya! There's some weak-looking prey over there too, nya!"

"Yeah. Some weak-looking prey... Huh? What'd you just say?"

Did I hear that wrong? What did she say she saw? Prey?

I whipped my head around toward the direction Lulu pointed, startled.

......

No monsters in sight...

I stared for a good while, but after confirming there were no monsters anywhere nearby.

I turned to check the timer in the corner of my vision.

With over a minute left on the timer, it seemed the monster hadn't appeared yet.

But that didn't mean I could just assume 'Lulu must've seen wrong.'

"Daddy-nya!!! Can I catch it, nya?! Grant me permission to hunt, nya!!!"

Lulu's pupils dilated wide, her cute little fangs fully bared.

Her plump butt wiggled furiously side to side, radiating the vibe of a predator ready to pounce.

'...There really is something there, huh...?'

She was way too serious for it to be a mis-sight.

She was probably seeing something I couldn't.

So I said,

"Go ahead and do whatever, Lulu."

"Got it, nya!"

With hunting permission granted, Lulu.

"It's hunting time, nya-!!!"

Let out an adorable roar.

And launched into full-on hunt mode.

-Whoosh!!!

The opener was Lulu's Spirit Flame.

Flames suddenly ignited all over her body.

And those flames, obeying her will, began burning everything around us—except me.

Next, Lulu gathered flames at the tip of her chubby, bouncy tail, shaping them into something sharp.

It looked like a bee's stinger—utterly menacing.

Having chained her two skills together, Lulu.

"Nya nya nya! Time to sting ya good, nya!!!"

Leapt boldly into the air, spun three full rotations mid-flight.

Then swung her massive flaming tail stinger down toward the ground with ferocious force.

Kaboom-!!!!

An enormous explosion rocked the area.

Leaving behind a crater so brutal, it was hard to believe Lulu had caused it.

A moment later.

Incredible alerts started flooding in.

"Sneaky Goblin Captain of Hundred...?"

The monster for this floor was supposed to be the Brave Goblin Captain of Ten, right?

Did another monster hide underground or something?

"The record... -11 seconds...?"

Ah... The gallery's probably gonna explode again once I log out.

What the hell am I supposed to do about this...?

"Daddy-nya! Lulu succeeded in the hunt, nya!"

But Lulu, oblivious or not to my turmoil.

Just rubbed her face happily against mine, thrilled about her successful hunt.

"Yeah... Our Lulu's the best...?"

"That's right, nya! Lulu is the best! The strongest! A cat, nya!"

To not disappoint such a Lulu.

I could only pet her and offer praise.

After the somewhat sudden clear alert.

I was thrown off, but decided to get on with business anyway.

"Same reward as Floor 1, huh?"

First, I checked the ranking reward I'd been too shocked to notice earlier.

"Daddy-nya! Lulu's prey is all nice and roasted, nya! Gonna eat it up, nya!"

Nom nom nya......

...Ptooey-!!!

"Daddy-nya! This is inedible, nya!! It's disgustingly bad, nya!!!"

"Guess goblins are kinda hard to make tasty...? Here, drink some water."

"Nya nya nya... Ruined my appetite, nya... But at least the magic stones are edible, so that's good, nya...."

I watched Lulu's eat (and spit-take) show firsthand.

"There's way more loot here than on Floor 1, huh? Lulu! Let's grab everything!"

"Daddy-nya! This rock is all sparkly, nya! So pretty, nya!"

"Lake Source? You picked up something neat."

"Picked it up from the bottom of the lake, nya!"

"From the bottom of the lake...? How'd you...?"

"Dove right in and got it, nya! Swimming was fun, nya!"

"...Our Lulu. You're secretly a water-loving cat, huh...?"

"Nya?"

After stocking the Emerald Cauldron with plenty of materials.

I spent the remaining time strolling the tower with Lulu until time was up, then headed out.

Back in the one-room apartment in a flash.

"Nya nya! Fun hunt, nya! But home is still the best, nya!"

Lulu seemed to have enjoyed her first outing, but still preferred home above all.

She jumped onto my bed, rolled around happily, then started snoring "Gororong nya...." and fell asleep.

I tucked her in with a blanket. And was about to check the gallery—

"...Maybe the gallery later."

—but lacked the courage, so I put it off.

It's probably a total cringe-fest right now, chugging national pride by the barrel, not just the bowl.

I've already been through that chaos once; no need to see it again.

Lulu's asleep anyway.

Gallery'll cool off eventually; I'll check then.

In the meantime...

"[Synthesis]"

Time to kill some time.

Might as well whip up that Vitality Tonic for the Professor.

Got a bunch of fresh ingredients from the tower just now.

Should be enough to make something good.

Pondering what to use as the main ingredient for the Vitality Tonic.

My eye caught an untouched Energy Drink I'd bought.

Why not try using this? So I decided to give it a shot.

I added the Energy Drink to the cauldron to register it.

I entered a suitable recipe and proceeded.

Oh? Looks like I can make this right now.

Luckily, it only needed stuff from the tower.

"But why is Lulu's fur an ingredient...?"

For a split second, "What? Hidden camera?" flashed through my mind.

But with Lulu's fur all over my clothes already, I shelved the question.

And decided to check the result first.

"[Pure Flame]"

I activated the skill to light the Emerald Cauldron.

I hit [YES] without hesitation.

And as I sat there cauldron-watching like always.

Bubble bubble bubble bubble...