Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Ramju Thunder Thinks Ramju Thunder Is a Really Cool Name, Ramju Thunder
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Ramju Thunder seemed to think Ramju Thunder was a really cool name. Ramju Thunder.
'What the hell? Is this a dream?'
I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but the scene before me hadn't changed.
"Chirp!"
Both the message and the squirrel waving its white flag were real.
It wasn't some hallucination cooked up by my brain, tired of the endless daily grind.
A companion? A monster?
I'd never heard of anything like that... Could it be a hidden ability of 'Monster Guidebook'?
My skill itself was unheard of, so it was possible, but even then, there hadn't been any signs over the past three years.
The only clue I could think of was that weird comment on my steady post yesterday.
"Chirp! Chirp chirp!"
The Mountain Squirrel at my feet chirped insistently, as if pleading its case.
Was it saying something like, "Please accept me as your companion!"?
A confusing situation.
As if urging me on, the system quickly fired off the next message.
10
9
8
7
6
"Ah, wait, give me a second to think... Stop!"
5...
What the heck? It actually listened?
But it might start counting down again any second.
Rather than jumping to conclusions without enough info, I needed to answer the question first.
I had to decide right now whether to accept this white-flag-waving little rat as a companion.
'A companion, huh...'
I stroked my chin and looked down at the chirping Mountain Squirrel.
"Chirp?"
It tilted its head as I stared.
What a cute face.
Or, put another way, it looked ridiculously weak.
A guy who'd drop from a single flick on the forehead as a companion...
Was it really okay to accept this?
This thing was a Tutorial Tower first-floor monster, after all.
The weakest of the weak.
If a reliable ogre or wyvern wanted to join, I'd welcome it with open arms, but a Mountain Squirrel? Eh...
"Hmm..."
I scratched my head, then squatted down to meet the squirrel eye-to-eye.
"Hey, Mountain Squirrel. You good in a fight? Think you can handle being my companion?"
"Chirp chirp!"
It thumped its tiny chest with its paws and chirped away.
I had no idea what it was saying, but it was probably full of confidence.
What made this weakest-of-the-weak monster so cocky?
Did companions come with some kind of buff? Who knew.
This had never happened in three years.
A monster becoming a companion? Unheard of.
Nothing explained the situation.
Honestly, I wasn't thrilled.
But even so...
'This could be a chance for change.'
The thought flashed through my mind.
I'd become a Hunter, but with [Monster Guidebook]—a skill offering zero attack options—I couldn't conquer the next tower.
Stuck at level 1 with no physical enhancements, even low-grade monsters were tough.
I'd been scraping together cash bit by bit for tower-exclusive weapons, but fixed expenses ate it up fast.
My motto was to tackle even tough challenges step by step, but lately... I was getting worn down.
No telling how long this tower would keep spitting out magic stones.
So if a better option came along, I'd take it.
'If I pass on this now, I might never get another shot at change.'
Yeah. Rejecting it changes nothing, but accepting might open doors.
I took a deep breath and spoke to the message.
"I accept."
'Who's excited?'
A Pow! sound effect rang out, followed by a sparkling alert window.
I was too stunned to care about the cheesiness.
The system immediately displayed the next message.
"Changed class...?"
I had no clue what this 'Truth' stuff meant, but 'changed class' jumped out at me.
I hurriedly checked my status window.
"...I really changed class?"
Could this be happening?
Rumor had it you needed to conquer the second tower for that...
While others climbed towers, I did it by offing a million squirrels?
Unbelievable.
I hadn't counted exactly, but roughly 1,000 a day for almost three years? The math checked out.
Not just the class—two new skills too.
Taming and Training.
Time to check them out.
"...What the hell is this?"
The descriptions were there, but way too vague.
Felt half-assed and abstract.
Not enough to grasp how to use them.
"Chirp!"
The freshly recruited Mountain Squirrel was already acting buddy-buddy.
It scampered up my body with a pat-pat-pat, settling on my right shoulder.
Then it chirped with a smug look.
Looked like this cheeky beast needed some hierarchy training.
As I pondered obedience methods, the system popped another message.
What nonsense.
Why name it? Just call it Squirrel.
Ignore.
This system had been spouting crap non-stop.
Countless message windows swarmed from all directions.
Couldn't see a thing.
Persistent.
Unspoken pressure—no, blatant demand—to name it.
Won't quit till I do.
Tch, fine.
"Alright, Ratty."
"Chirp! Chirp chirp!"
It's mad.
Yeah, 'Ratty' was a bit harsh.
"Monster Rat."
"Chirp chirp!"
"Acorn Slaughterer."
"Chirp chirp!"
...Whatever. What does it want?
This squirrel was picky.
Rejecting all these great names? Figures.
I tossed out a few more, but it just shook its head no.
These things were pissing me off double.
"Haa—"
"Chiiik—"
Fed up, I flopped onto the white floor.
The squirrel, exhausted too, flopped beside my face.
So much to think about, and here I was wasting time on this...
"Ugh, this is annoying as hell~ Ramju Thunder."
"Chirp?"
"Huh?"
I turned to see the squirrel staring at me.
Ears perked, eyes wide.
This reaction—could it be?
"...Ramju Thunder?"
"Chirp!"
The squirrel nodded eagerly.
First positive response.
The system agreed.
Hadn't even finalized it, and it's already calling it Ramju Thunder.
Just a dumb pun I blurted out...
Has this system's system been glitching since earlier?
Whatever.
If the squirrel likes it, fine.
Honestly, I didn't care what it was called.
"Alright, from today, you're Ramju Thunder. Thunder for short. Got it?"
"Chirp!"
Thunder nodded with a determined face.
At that moment, another Pow! sound effect and alert window.
Now what?
Stats, potential, affinity?
As if answering my question, a message popped up.
I pulled up the Monster Guidebook. A new menu appeared.
I tapped Ramju Thunder's name.
Name: Ramju Thunder Level: 1 Species: Mountain Squirrel Potential: B+ Personality: High self-esteem
Skills Deadly Front Teeth Lv.1 Body Slam Lv.1 Tail Strike Lv.1 Affinity It's pretending to follow for now. It seems to recognize you as the leader.
Lots of info, but the standout was the potential shift.
A regular Mountain Squirrel's potential was F. Now B+.
B+ was meh on its own, but a huge leap from F.
Why the change?
Me accepting it as companion?
The name?
Both?
It said the new name changed its fate, so maybe the name weighed more.
'Names are that important, huh...'
If I'd known, I'd have gone edgier.
Terror Acorn Demon King.
Bloody Fangs.
Something like that.
No rename option in the guidebook.
Anyway, the stats below... high or low?
Seemed low at a glance, but the system said naming adjusted them.
Worth hoping for.
First time seeing monster stats, so hard to judge.
Skills: Deadly Front Teeth, Body Slam, Tail Strike...
Cool names, but basically bite, ram, tail-whack.
Embarrassing to call them skills.
But this 'Affinity' description?
Pretending to follow?
This little rat...
"Chiiik..."
I glared, and it broke into a sweat, averting its eyes.
Who knew squirrels had such expressive faces.
'Sigh, whatever. Who cares.'
Bit dizzying, but let's drop the small stuff.
The big deal: I changed class and got a new companion.
I squatted to meet Thunder eye-to-eye.
"Thunder, we're companions now. We've had our history, but let's forget it all, team up, and climb this tower."
"Chirp? Chirp chirp."
Hm, was it?
Memories fuzzy.
But we're companions now.
Drop the petty stuff, support each other, combine strengths.
I've forgotten, so you forget too.
"Looking forward to it, partner."
"Chirp chirp!"
I thrust out my fist; Thunder bumped its tiny paw against it.
We were both pumped.
Alright, new beginning.
Modest start, but with this unprecedented monster companion cheat skill, we'd write legends.
Felt like stagnant time was finally moving—a good premonition.
...Embarrassing to think I believed that crap.
"Chiiik—!"
Second tower.
Challenge Tower, first floor.
The weakest monster, a goblin grunt's slash sent Thunder dancing in mid-air.
Then it faded like a hologram and vanished.
Didn't take down a single goblin.
Companion my ass.
Time to ditch this rat.