Slaying Cheonrang

The level-up alert rang out the instant I took down Cheonrang. It felt good, but I couldn't muster a smile.

"…Cough!"

Blood surged from my mouth as I slumped against the wall, my back pressed to it. A few joints were out of place, making even the slightest movement agony. I was on the verge of death.

I used Warrior's Awakening and it still pushed me this far.

I stared at Cheonrang's corpse, its white fur turned red from the beating I'd given it until its breath finally stopped.

Setting aside whether I'd tame it as a familiar or not, it was a monster I had to kill someday anyway.

Why? Two years from now. Cheonrang would finally awaken from its long slumber and leave Wild Island.

It would cross the West Sea and land in the city, slaughtering countless people with its vicious fangs.

That was the day…

'When Earth connected to Pandemonium, and the demon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠legions descended.'

The demon armies arriving and Cheonrang awakening at the exact ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠same time? No way that was a coincidence.

It had been hunkered down in this rundown ruin, waiting all along.

Waiting for its 'master' to appear.

'Loyal dog. Loyal dog.'

In other words, to it, its master was nothing more than a pet dog.

'…And yet I had to risk my life just to take down that one pet dog.'

I could feel in my bones just how ridiculously overpowered those bastards were.

Thinking about it made my fist clench involuntarily.

"…I need to get stronger."

I murmured the vow softly, and suddenly, my mother's monstrous stats from that glimpse in the Reverse Dungeon flashed in my mind.

'In two years, reach that level… No. Surpass it outright.'

Keep fighting, keep growing, until my average stats hit a thousand someday…

…Damn.

Even looking back now, they were untouchably strong, my mom and dad. No wonder they were legends.

Right then, a message arrived from the person in question.

I chuckled at the sight of the flask filled with clear liquid materializing in the air.

"I don't need supreme-grade. That must've cost a fortune… Anyway, I'll drink it well. Mom's the best—."

"—best… Pfft!"

Thwack—!

It felt like a massive ladle slamming into my back.

Pow! Pow! Pow!

"W-Wait a sec, Mom! It's spilling… I'm spilling more than I'm drinking— Urk!"

What the hell. My wounds were healing fast, but why did my body hurt even more than before?

Ignoring the burning pain in my back, I gritted my teeth, straightened my legs, and stood up, approaching Cheonrang.

And then…

"Spirits of the dead."

Time to fulfill the real purpose of coming here.

Shaaa—.

"Better to serve a proper master than be a dumb dog for those demon bastards…."

A translucent mist-like energy poured from my hand, slowly enveloping Cheonrang's cold corpse.

"Serve a real master in this life."

Its massive body, wrapped in gray energy streams, began to shrink.

Soon,

After shrinking repeatedly, a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠baseball-sized lump of energy floated toward me. Up close, it had hardened into a rough, stone-like gray egg.

It needs a hatching phase first, not like reviving a zombie right away.

Back in my first playthrough. That's what Choi Kwang-hyun, the skill's original owner, had said.

Familiarization wasn't true resurrection—it granted a new life in the afterlife.

I checked the info without delay.

'Monster cores, huh….'

So just waiting wouldn't make the future familiar break out on its own.

'Feeding monster cores hatches it… But how many?'

I racked my brain, but no clear answer came. Choi Kwang-hyun had vaguely said 'feed it a lot.'

'At least I can check the hatch rate in real time.'

Instead of wondering, better to head out now and gather cores from whatever monsters I find.

Where could I hunt the most monsters quickly and efficiently…?

"Ah."

Right here, duh.

This island was basically monster paradise.

"…Ha!"

Hwang Jae-min, you lunatic. What crazy plan are you cooking up now?

This was Jin Soo-hyun's turf.

How would I deal with the fallout later?

If I don't get caught, it's fine—but I've done enough crazy shit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠already?

Okay. Reflection over.

"…Let's just grind gates honestly."

The thought of grinding made me sigh. Damn.

Wish a massive outbreak would hit some remote mountain valley…

A few minutes later.

"…What the hell."

Jin Soo-hyun, who had come to check Cheonrang's temple just in case, furrowed her brow.

The temple where a massive presence should linger was…

"This quiet?"

Even if Cheonrang just slept without moving, its sturdy bulk radiated an unavoidable aura.

Yet the oppressive pressure she always felt passing by was completely gone now.

"……."

A bad premonition hit her, and she stared at the temple anxiously.

She wanted to rush in and check, but…

Coincidentally, Cheonrang's temple forbade more than one visitor at a time.

Cheonrang's will manifested as a barrier, sealing the entrance against unwelcome guests.

"Damn. That psycho bastard. It's been a while since he went in—still alive?"

The barrier unbroken meant the intruder lived.

Helplessly, Jin Soo-hyun waited endlessly for it to vanish.

And soon.

"It's gone!"

Spotting the bluish film disappear, she flung open the stone door and rushed inside.

Deep in Cheonrang's lair, what greeted her panting form was…

"…What the fuck?"

An empty cavern, as if nothing had ever been there.

No Cheonrang.

Not even a strand of its fur—just an utterly vacant space.

Her lips moved silently, as if she'd lost speech, before she finally squeezed out words.

"D-Did that psycho bastard really take it? Cheonrang…?"

Absurd. More believable a human kidnapped by ants.

'No, but…'

Then what was this empty cavern before her eyes?

'Did Cheonrang leave the temple? No. I'd sense it first, or the watchman monkeys would report immediately.'

No traces of it exiting either.

It was like Cheonrang had sunk into the earth or shot into the sky out of nowhere.

But that couldn't happen.

So?

"Guess I have to go straight to that bitch Oh Chae-rin and ask."

Jin Soo-hyun figured she had one more reason to crush .

"Teleport straight home? This item's effect is no joke."

The item Mom sponsored in the temple was a teleport scroll.

A max-practicality item that warped you to preset coordinates.

Thanks to it, I escaped Wild Island effortlessly.

"S-Sorry…."

Right, God Coins were like real cash, not game money.

Poor Mom suffering because of her worthless son…

"Mom spent big bucks sending me to Seoul—can't just sit around as her son."

I'd just survived a life-or-death battle, but one supreme recovery potion later, I wasn't that tired.

I pulled out my phone and called Heo Jin-hwan.

After quickly explaining, a flustered voice replied.

- S-Suddenly?

"Yeah. Too much trouble?"

- N-No… It's sudden, but I think we can manage somehow.

"Manage?"

- Mind if I ask why? You barely show up, so what's with the sudden wind change…

This guy could be surprisingly snarky sometimes.

I love and cherish our guild that much.

…Though I do skip work a lot.

"Just 'cause. Time to make up for all the absences."

- After all you've done for , Jae-min? Anyway, we'll handle it quick and call back. About an hour.

"Thanks."

Beep.

A satisfied smile crept onto my lips as I ended the call.

"One hour… Guess I'll catch some shut-eye till then."

Not super tired, but for later, better sleep whenever I can.

'Hell yeah.'

I had to solo 26 red gates in the capital area soon—better rest now.

I planned to hatch the Familiar's Sleeping Egg today.

" affiliate, Player Hwang Jae-min. Yes. Confirmed. You may enter."

Her voice was calm, but fireworks exploded inside.

She had to restrain personal feelings on duty, but her heart raced uncontrollably.

"Thanks for your work."

Seeing the hot rumor Hwang Jae-min in person! For real?!

The female staffer at the red gate entrance desperately held back from asking for a selfie.

Meanwhile, Jae-min calmly stepped inside.

"Phew…."

She sighed wistfully, retracting her gaze.

The brief, blissful encounter ended; now began the long, boring wait.

'Well… With an S-rank soloing, it shouldn't take long.'

Her sole consolation.

After zoning out for about 10 minutes, yawning hugely, she glanced around.

No eyes on her, so she pulled a cigarette pack from her suit pocket.

As she lit one—

Vrrr—!

"Huh?"

A familiar hum from behind.

Familiar, because it was the sound of a gate closing.

But, "W-Wait? What? Already?"

No way it'd close this fast.

The startled staffer's eyes flew to her watch.

Exactly 12 minutes.

Since Jae-min entered.

Yet…

"One down."

Casually stretching against the fading gate, Jae-min stood there like it was nothing.

For a second, she almost asked why the guy who just entered was out here.

"……."

Red gates were just below blue—dangerous, but not clearable in 12 minutes.

'Usually takes at least half a day…?'

Half a day minimum for a 10+ raid party average.

But no raid here.

Solo player only.

"Thanks for your work."

With a kind smile and nod, Jae-min brushed past to the next.

'Th-This… Even for S-rank… Not your average S-rank, huh?'

The dumbfounded staffer gaped, and plop.

Her unlit cigarette quietly hit the ground.

"Eight red gates in the capital area vanished one after another in one hour?"

Player Association Chairman Lee Tae-ho, in the role for 15 years, twitched an eyebrow at the weirdest report ever.

"By one person?"

The reporter, secretary Yoo Soo-yeon, smirked suspiciously and nodded.

"Yes. Red gate clears confirmed in real time. By one person."

"Who?"

"Hwang Jae-min."

"……."

Lee Tae-ho suddenly felt fear.

At himself, for not being that shocked.

At casually accepting, 'Yeah, figures for him.'

'Hyun-sook, Hyun-min. What kind of monster did you two birth?'

You who birthed a monster soloing eight red gates in an hour—you're the real monsters.

Massaging his brow amid silly thoughts, he slyly asked the smiling Yoo Soo-yeon.

"Why you keep grinning? Not like you."

"Not like me? I smile when happy too."

"Why happy?"

"Watching Hwang Jae-min reminds me of someone I respect. Feels good."

"Makes me worry why he's at it again. You're so optimistic."

…Well, the report did remind him of that bet from when Hyun-sook and Hyun-min were a hot couple.

Who clears more gates in set time—a terrifying wager…

"Kid outdoes his parents."

After about twenty gates, my legs finally started aching.

"I wanna rest too, Mom. But…."

Holding a core extracted from a monster corpse near the egg, it crumbled to powder—

Shhh—!

Absorbed into the shell like magic.

Not surprising anymore.

Twenty gates in, I'd seen it plenty.

But the next message grabbed my attention.

"Kinda late to rest now, huh?"