94. The Giant Tiger in a Box
"……This is ridiculous."
Who could've imagined a hidden monster showing up like this?
There wasn't a trace of the majestic dignity it had when it first emerged from the forest.
The massive tiger, bigger than a shipping container, was crammed awkwardly into a narrow box…… Honestly, it was kinda cute.
"No way. How the hell did you find this absurd hidden piece?"
-There's a tearjerker of a story behind that…… I'll tell you later if there's time. For now, let's deal with this oversized housecat.
"My lord. Allow me to take the vanguard."
Tina stepped forward boldly.
She had already reverted to her original form and was mounted atop the now-gigantified Mukhyang.
"This is my chance to test the new power you bestowed upon me. Hyang. Are you ready?"
"Kyuu kyuu!"
"Worry not. Once this battle ends, I'll give you the acorns as promised."
"Kyuuu!"
"Then…… Here I go!"
Thud thud thud!
Mukhyang charged forward.
Boosted by Tina's Mount skill, its speed had surpassed any animal's natural limits by a wide margin.
"Grrow?!"
The great tiger, lounging with a lazy expression inside the box, jolted upright in surprise.
But……
"Too slow!"
Mukhyang, empowered by the Mount buff, arrived just a beat faster.
Tina swung her sword with expert precision even while mounted.
As her blade grazed the great tiger's throat, red blood droplets sprayed into the air.
"Grah!"
But the great tiger was no pushover—it was this hunting ground's proud boss.
It dodged Tina's surprise attack at the last instant, limiting the damage to a mere graze.
Enraged, the great tiger let out a ferocious roar and swiped at Tina with its front paw.
"As if!"
Tina evaded effortlessly.
She had lightly tapped Mukhyang's side with her left foot, prompting a smooth turn.
"Grrow?"
Caught off guard by how easily its strike missed, the great tiger flailed its claws repeatedly in confusion.
Tap. Tap.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Mukhyang dodged every attack with ease at Tina's signals.
Their coordination was so flawless, it felt like watching a theatrical performance.
Cheonma and Carpe, watching the spectacle, exclaimed in unison.
-Whoa. That's some impressive mounted combat. No wonder they sing songs about Mount.
"Whoa. Truly astonishing. The mount moves the instant the mind wills it—this is the realm of man-horse unity! It rivals the mounted prowess of Lu Bu, the warrior god of the Three Kingdoms era!"
-……Your chuuni bullshit has been ramping up lately. Guess that's why you need good friends.
"……Master. Hyang isn't a horse—she's a squirrel? She'd fight even better if she were a horse. She had one back then."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Tina's best buddy. A legendary-grade warhorse. She had one. Not anymore, though."
"I see. So that's why……"
Her skill with mounted combat and obsession with Mount stemmed from that.
As Carpe marveled, the battle between Tina and the great tiger intensified.
"Graaaargh!"
"Ngh?! Not bad!"
Tina's sword clashed with the great tiger's claws, sparks flying.
The great tiger had been flustered by Tina and Mukhyang's flashy maneuvers at first, but it adapted quickly—its attacks growing sharper.
Tina could no longer evade; she parried with her sword. Each block drew short growls from Mukhyang below: kyik! kyik!
A sign of the immense force behind the tiger's paws.
-Time for me to join in. No matter how epic-grade Tina and Mukhyang are, they can't win at their current levels.
"Yeah, looks that way."
Tina had soloed demons in the Ruana area, but this was pushing her limits.
A stark reminder that difficulty spiked dramatically outside beginner zones like Ruana.
Carpe dashed between them.
"Good work. I'm jumping in."
"Ngh. I apologize for my inadequacy, my lord. I've shown you an unsightly display."
"Nah, you fought plenty well. No need to handle everything solo. Haste and Striking!"
Haste has been activated.
The speed of the player and two familiars increases.
Striking has been activated.
The physical and magical attack power of the player and two familiars increases.
With Carpe joining, the tide turned sharply.
"Hyang! Now!"
"Kyuu!"
At Carpe's signal, Mukhyang let out a short cry.
A whirlwind erupted beneath the great tiger's paws, swallowing it whole.
Mukhyang's new 7-star skill, Wind Blast, activated.
Whoosh!
"Grah?!"
The powerful magic damage and gusts shattered the great tiger's balance.
"Hah!"
"Now!"
Carpe and Tina seized the opening.
They closed in instantly, targeting vital spots.
Thud thud thud!
Magic embedded in Fist Demon - Carpe activates.
Magic circles began floating behind Carpe as the gauntlet's Hit Spell triggered.
"Graaaargh!!!"
Wind Cutters launched from the circles, shredding the great tiger's belly.
The great tiger falls under the abnormal status Bleeding.
But it didn't end there. Tina's sword plunged precisely into the wound.
A critical strike lands! The great tiger enters a 3-second stun.
"Nice! Tina, now!"
"Understood. Charge—!"
Light's Tistania activates exclusive skill Radiant Command!
For 30 seconds, ally attack and defense greatly increase!
With the buff alert, Carpe unleashed his finisher.
"Permafrost!"
An icy wave crashed over the great tiger with the skill activation. Stunned, it had no way to evade.
Crackle.
"Gr……row……."
The beast's massive body froze solid in an instant.
Shatter!
Unable to withstand the burst DPS, the great tiger crumbled.
You have defeated Myorim's boss 'Great Tiger'.
The oversized cat who just liked empty boxes departed the stage, somewhat forlornly.
"Phew. Easier than…… Huh?"
As Carpe caught his breath post-boss, an auto-loot notification popped up.
You have acquired Great Tiger's Hide.
"Great Tiger's Hide? Oh!"
-Room upgrade material. So this guy's the drop source. Guess the remaining one's forest cat fur?
"Yeah, that's right."
To upgrade the Room to level 4, two materials were needed: 40 forest cat furs and Great Tiger's hide.
"Forest cat fur should be easy. Just hunt some of these cats around here."
-Probably. This Room upgrade quest is pretty generous. All materials drop in one area.
"Heh. Gotta have some easy runs for balance. God game."
Carpe dropped his shameless line, then scanned where the tiger had vanished.
Two items lay there.
◈ Tigers leave hide in death, but meat too. Premium cooking ingredient. Certain monsters love it.
-Lucky one-shot drop. No double duty.
"Oh, this the item to summon Black Plague?"
-Yep. Elder Snake goes nuts for tiger meat.
"Weird quest design."
Elder Snake needed Great Tiger's meat to summon, and Great Tiger needed an empty box. Cheonma earning mad respect for uncovering this nested setup.
The other drop was also a material.
◈ Tiger bones have long been prized medicine. Could be processed into pharmaceuticals.
"Tch. No gear drops sucks."
-Myorim mobs aren't big on loot anyway. Two materials is solid.
"Can't be helped. Not every run's a windfall."
His goal wasn't loot but the quest anyway—this was plenty.
With Great Tiger's meat secured, time to hunt Elder Snake……
"Grab Room upgrade mats first, then head out."
He set off to farm forest cats.
Thwack!
"Nyaa?!"
You have defeated a Forest Cat.
You have acquired Forest Cat Fur.
You have acquired Cat's Eye Stone.
"Sorry. Humans are sorry."
-……Mouth says sorry, hands don't stop. Scary.
Forest cats looked just like real-world cats.
The only difference? Slightly sharper fangs.
Utterly adorable, which stung Carpe's cat-loving heart each kill.
"But cute's cute, loot's loot."
Bonus: These dropped Cat's Eye Stones.
"This is for upgrading Dragon's Eye, right?"
The legendary accessory from the fanatic priest—rarely upgradable, and its material dropped here.
"Nice. Cat forest's a goldmine. Might as well finish it all in one go."
How much time passed?
You have acquired Cat's Eye Stone.
"Done!"
Carpe collected all 99 Cat's Eye Stones.
No one-kill like in Ruana, so it took longer…… but still insanely fast for any other player.
-Good job. One more push for Elder Snake. Not far from here anyway.
Guided by Cheonma, Carpe ventured deeper into Myorim.
The outskirts were a normal forest; the depths evoked a jungle.
Dense canopy blocked sunlight, leaving perpetual twilight paths.
"……That Elder Snake. Like an anaconda or something?"
-Quick on the uptake. Spot on. Colossal snake. Not multi-headed like a hydra, though. Ah, we're here. That spot.
Cheonma pointed to the area's largest tree.
-Drop the meat at the base. You know the rest, right?
"Elder Snake shows, we kill it. Any special warnings?"
-Hmm. Tricky monster usually…… but not for you. Easier than the tiger, even.
"Huh? Why?"
-Heh. You'll see soon.
The moment Carpe placed the meat at the tree's base.
Slither slither.
Something rustled atop the tree.
Black Plague - Elder Snake appears!
A massive serpent slithered down the trunk.
"Hiss!"
It approached the meat, spotted Carpe, and hissed viciously.
And then.
Elder Snake activates Plague Curse.
Magic and poison resistance greatly decreases.
Elder Snake activates Petrifying Evil Eye.
Your body petrifies!
"……Ah."
-See? Told ya.
"Yeah."
Black Plague. Elder Snake.
Infamous boss for debilitating statuses like Petrify and Poison.
It even slashed magic resistance, landing debuffs near 100%.
But this time, wrong opponent.
Unlock activates!
All abnormal statuses are cleared.
-This is straight freebies.