Chapter 7

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 7

Chapter Title: Floor 4

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"Hey, eat a little slower. No one's gonna steal it from you."

My words fell on deaf ears as Little One clutched chicken legs in both hands, ripping into them fiercely like they were weapons.

The delivery box on the floor was already more than half empty, and the area around it was a total mess.

Sauce was smeared all over its mouth—it looked ridiculous.

The first thing I'd done after getting my hands on a wad of cash? Order chicken, of course.

After skimping on food with nothing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but convenience store triangle kimbap and cup ramen for so long, this chicken melted on my tongue like heaven.

Juicy meat bursting through the crispy batter. How had I lived without this taste? Unforgivable.

"Take it easy, you're gonna choke."

I roughly wiped its mouth and grabbed a chicken wing for myself.

Little One, mouth stuffed full, flashed me a thumbs-up like it was on top of the world.

Watching it sparkle—even its eyes—while eyeing the next piece, I couldn't help thinking money really was the best.

I wiped the grease off my hands and pulled out my phone with one hand. Now that I had cash, it was time to ditch this baggy, uncomfortable hoodie.

But my usual men's shopping site predictably had nothing in my size. With a sigh, I ended up browsing a 'kids/juniors' specialty site.

'...Is this really the only size that fits?'

As I scrolled through junior functional wear, a pretty dress caught my eye.

"Huh? That's cute."

I muttered without thinking, then froze.

Just days ago, I was a perfectly normal adult guy, and now here I was in the kids' section cooing 'that's cute.' Was I adapting to this body, or getting swept up in its senses? My head spun.

My tastes hadn't gotten childish too, had they? No way.

'...Am I actually getting used to this?'

That was when it happened.

Little One, munching chicken garlic from my shoulder, smacked my hand and jabbed insistently at one side of the screen.

"...Huh? Nah, this one's no good, right?"

Its tiny finger pointed at a somewhat flashy pure-white dress. Did it want me to dress it up like that? Or was it just its taste?

I shook my head in horror, but Little One suddenly flopped onto the bed. Then it thrashed its arms and legs in the air, throwing a full-body tantrum.

No sound, but its whole body screamed, 'This one or nothing! Buy this!'

"Hey, hey! What's with you?"

I tried to stop it, but Little One's stubbornness was no joke.

It even clung to my arm, batting its big, pleading eyes. That puppy-dog stare shut me down cold.

"...Ugh, you're killing me. Seriously."

In the end, my finger added that white dress Little One had pointed to into the cart.

'...Am I too soft on Little One?'

I'd never caved this hard to kids before, but this one strangely melted my resolve.

Resigned, I tossed in the dress it picked, a few outfits I'd eyed first, and a small bag for belongings, then hit checkout.

"...Can't be helped."

After confirming the payment text, I set my phone down. Only then did Little One seem satisfied, grabbing more chicken beside me. Such a simple creature.

The next dawn.

Before the darkness had fully lifted, I stepped back into the Tower.

The clothes I'd ordered yesterday were still in transit, so I was stuck in my ragged oversized hoodie and makeshift shorts again today.

Floor 4's vibe was unexpectedly similar to Floor 3.

Probably just one or two giant goblins again.

But I couldn't have been more wrong.

Kirrik, kiririk!

A creepy cry echoed from the darkness. Not just one. The ones that slowly emerged were goblins, alright—but the numbers were the problem.

One, two... and three.

"Wait, isn't that too many?"

My panicked voice scattered into the air.

The pressure from the clubs they swung as they approached made me instinctively step back.

Little One hopped lightly from my shoulder to the ground.

Then, leaving me cowering behind, it strode boldly toward the three goblins.

"Hey, Little One! B-be careful! Three of 'em!"

I yelled in worry, but it paused, turned its head slightly to look at me.

Utterly relaxed, no tension at all, it flashed me a confident thumbs-up.

I clearly remembered pouring spell after spell into just one giant goblin on Floor 3 to barely take it down.

Swallowing dryly as that tension resurfaced.

Boom! Boom boom!

"...Huh?"

It happened in the blink of an eye.

Flames erupting from Little One's fingertips pierced the three goblins' chests dead-on.

No chance to even scream—they crumpled to the floor as pathetically as regular goblins.

Instant annihilation.

"Wh-what...?"

I stood there dumbfounded, mouth agape. Unless my eyes were lying, the flames Little One fired were sharper, bigger, faster than before.

...Much sharper.

Unlike yesterday's weak shots, these packed real power.

A memory flashed through my stunned mind.

'Ah.'

My precious mana stone.

After devouring it, Little One had leveled up—and now it hit home.

Just one level up, and this much difference? If level 2 was this strong, what about level 10?

I blankly swept my gaze over the floor.

Goblin corpses littered it. In the middle, Little One stood calm as ever.

Dusting off its clothes like 'this is nothing,' it looked up at me.

"...For real."

That was when.

Ding.

As the status window faded, the air rippled once.

Thud.

A pouch of mana stones dropped from midair, rolling to my feet.

'The sound of money falling...'

I picked up the pouch. Its hefty weight settled solidly in my palm.

Truth be told, feeding it 900g yesterday had stung a bit, but now it didn't feel like a total loss.

With this firepower, I'd more than broken even.

"Little One."

It tilted its head.

"Today's earnings... they're your snacks. Keep up the good work next time too."

Its eyes sparkled. In reply, it clenched its tiny fist and swung it through the air.

...So reliable.

As I scooped up the last mana stone at my feet, the status window popped up ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠again.

And right away.

I bit my lip.

I gripped the purple-glowing skillbook tightly in both hands. Silently praying over and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠over.

'Please be active, please be active...!'

All my skills so far had been passives.

Not bad, but sometimes I wanted to take down a monster myself. I was a Tower-climbing hunter, after all—standing idly by on my summoner's shoulder was embarrassing.

Swallowing hard, I opened the skillbook.

Purple light enveloped me as new info flooded my mind.

"...Ooh!"

My eyes lit up at the first words.

Active! Finally, a skill I could trigger myself. Excited, I read the details.

"Active... but another summon?"

I'd hoped for direct magic.

Just adding a burly knight beside Little One—no punching for me, it seemed.

"...Sigh, fine. Guess I'm really a summoner."

Comforted by the extra sturdy ally, I exited Floor 4's darkness.

Dawn Guild Master Se-hee's office was suffocatingly silent.

She ignored the glittering Seoul nightscape outside, eyes fixed on the holographic ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ranking display on her desk.

The kid shattered records every dawn.

Se-hee's brow furrowed deeply. She leaned back into her chair and asked her standing secretary.

"Still no location?"

"Apologies. We're monitoring every Tower in Seoul.

Extra vigilance during Blanc's dawn activity windows means it's unlikely they're operating in the city."

Se-hee tapped her desk lightly with trembling fingers.

Dominating Seoul's Towers paradoxically pointed to provincial activity.

"The provinces..."

The issue was manpower.

Surveilling every Tower across Korea with just Dawn Guild forces was near impossible.

"We need to find them before the other guilds."

Se-hee issued the cold order.

"Double provincial branch personnel. Report any suspects immediately."

She glared icily at the rankings again.