Chapter 41
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Urus the Cub
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By the time dawn broke, the Golden Raid Team had already packed up their camp and begun scouting the surrounding area with the spot as their center.
Since it was Titan Urus's territory, there weren't any particularly threatening monsters, but they still had to deal with a few low-rank ones.
And not long after they started their search, they discovered a cave.
It was probably Titan Urus's lair.
The cave interior was littered with the bones of various monsters, scattered haphazardly.
"It's not called the lord of the mountain for nothing."
Choi Yeon-ah clicked her tongue softly at the sight of the diverse bone piles, indiscriminate in their kinds.
Among them were bones from fairly high-rank monsters like trolls and 'Black Jaguars'.
While everyone was distracted by the bone piles filling the cave, Yeon Sung-hun's eyes were drawn to a plant quietly growing on one side of the heap.
"Didn't expect to see this here."
He muttered softly and immediately began digging through the bones.
A single flower with a vibrant, cheerful feel that didn't suit the gloomy atmosphere.
Its name was 'White Flora'.
Unlike its beautiful appearance, it was a flower that grew by feeding on nutrients from corpses or bones.
"Judging by how developed it is, it's been growing here for quite a while."
As a rare plant typically found only in brutal battlefields or sites of mass slaughter, it was an extremely valuable material.
Worried it might wilt even a little, Yeon Sung-hun carefully harvested the flower.
Then, hoping there might be more, he quickly scanned the surroundings.
Unfortunately, this was the only White Flora in the cave.
Smacking his lips in disappointment, Yeon Sung-hun suddenly saw something shoot up from the bone pile toward him.
Startled, he dodged while grabbing the incoming object mid-air.
"Kruuung-! Kreuuung!"
What Yeon Sung-hun had caught wriggled desperately, letting out cries.
The raid members, rushing over in alarm, stopped dead upon seeing the creature in his hand.
"...A bear?"
"...And a really cute baby bear at that."
Small exclamations erupted from the female raid members.
The baby bear's wriggling was utterly adorable.
"Kruuung! Kreuuuung!"
"...Looks like Titan Urus's cub."
"...So this was the mother."
Silence fell over the raid members for a moment.
Even though it was a monster, knowing it had a cub made it feel a bit uncomfortable.
Especially seeing the cub squirming warily in unfamiliar hands.
"...Hyung, what do we do with this one?"
"We kill it."
Yeon Sung-hun answered Kim Jun-su's question matter-of-factly.
No matter how it looked, this was Titan Urus's offspring.
It might be small and cute now, but give it a little time, and it would grow into the massive monster called a devil.
"O-oppa!"
"Sung-hun-ssi!"
"Guild Master!"
The raid members urgently called out to Yeon Sung-hun at his cold, unwavering voice.
Mostly the women, but the men weren't much different.
It was just too small and cute to not hesitate.
Even Yoon Ga-ram was like that, so only Yeon Sung-hun and Choi Yeon-ah maintained their composure.
Despite the rare opposition from his team, Yeon Sung-hun guessed their feelings but spoke calmly anyway.
"What else? You gonna let it go like this?"
"N-not that, but...! R-right! How about we take it with us...!"
"It looks like this now, but once grown, it'll be the same monster we fought yesterday. Can you handle that?"
Han So-yul couldn't continue against Yeon Sung-hun's blunt words.
She knew how monstrous yesterday's foe had been.
They'd barely won as a team; alone, she would've...
The other members fell silent seeing Han So-yul clamp her mouth shut, at a loss for words.
Yeon Sung-hun scanned them once more and quietly raised his sword.
But he paused at the cub's adorable cry.
No matter how cold one was, as a human, killing a monster cub without hesitation wasn't easy.
"Kruuung! Kreuuung!"
Exhausted, the cub stopped wriggling and just cried.
Yeon Sung-hun sighed.
And lowered his sword quietly.
The raid members felt a glimmer of hope...
But he pulled out a potion from his inventory.
A sleep potion laced with fast-acting poison.
This way, at least it would go peacefully.
Sighs rose from the raid members at his indifferent action.
Han So-yul glared at him as if wondering how such a vicious person existed.
'She calls him oppa and clings so much usually...'
Tsking in annoyance, he quietly uncapped the potion.
Just as he was about to feed the now-docile cub...
Choi Yeon-ah, who had been silent, moved like lightning.
Whoosh-!
She snatched the cub from Yeon Sung-hun's hand in an instant and cradled it gently.
"Y-Yeon-ah-ssi?"
Even Yeon Sung-hun hadn't seen this coming.
Why would Choi Yeon-ah, who had stayed composed alongside him, suddenly...?
Ignoring his uncharacteristically dumbstruck look, Choi Yeon-ah stroked the cub repeatedly.
In truth, she had only pretended to be calm; inside, she couldn't resist.
She knew rationally it was dangerous, but its cuteness overwhelmed her.
The cub cried "Kruuung kruuung" under her petting.
Naturally, the raid members gathered around her.
As if protecting the cub, they stood opposite Yeon Sung-hun.
Feeling a twinge of betrayal but feigning nonchalance, Yeon Sung-hun spoke.
"Yeon-ah-ssi. What exactly do you plan to...?"
"I'll raise it."
"...Do you know how dangerous that thing is...?"
"I know. If it ever harms people, I'll take responsibility then."
Her response came without hesitation, as if she'd anticipated his words.
Yeon Sung-hun stared into her resolute eyes, firm with decision.
After a brief eye contact, he sighed.
"...It'll grow bigger over time, so we'll raise it at guild HQ for now. Take it to the training grounds first, and later I'll ask Team Leader Gye to prepare a separate facility."
Cheers erupted from the raid members.
The cub, clueless why the humans cheered, cried "Kruuung" along.
Watching the scene, Yeon Sung-hun sighed again.
Though inwardly relieved not to kill the cute creature.
Though they'd decided to raise the cub at the guild level, the rift conquest remained, so they needed to exit first.
Choi Yeon-ah knew she couldn't keep scouting with it, so despite her regret, she handed it to Gye Cheong-san.
Gye Cheong-san, waiting in case they emerged anytime, was bewildered by the sudden cub.
To his questioning gaze, Yeon Sung-hun sighed and explained.
"It's still a cub, so not too dangerous yet, but the mother was an upper A-rank level monster. Prepare a sturdy cage just in case."
"A cage for our bear buddy?! Team Leader! Get the premium cushions...!"
"Enough, Yeon-ah-ssi. Let's head in. Anyway, Team Leader, please watch it while we're gone."
"Please take good care of him!"
Yeon Sung-hun dragged the unusually clingy Choi Yeon-ah back into the rift.
Gye Cheong-san glanced at their backs, then at the cub "Kruuung"-ing in his arms, and sighed softly.
'Is this another trial from the Guild Master?'
If his believed god sent trials, overcoming them was a devotee's duty.
Cradling the cub carefully, Gye Cheong-san ordered his hovering staff.
"Prepare a sturdy cage! It's a high-rank monster cub despite appearances! The sturdiest one!"
"What about what Hunter Choi Yeon-ah said?"
One staffer's question made Gye Cheong-san pause.
Yeon Sung-hun hadn't specified, but Choi Yeon-ah had insisted till the end.
Though unofficial, she was practically the guild's second-in-command.
Gye Cheong-san wouldn't ignore her request.
'And it's cute, too.'
Watching it more, he understood her insistence.
He hadn't seen the ferocious adult Titan Urus, so he could react this way.
If he knew about grown ones, could he still see it as purely cute?
As an awakened Hunter, he brushed it off, but as a normal person, he might've trembled and tossed it.
Blissfully ignorant, Gye Cheong-san hurried preparations, nagging his staff.
After handing off the cub, the team continued scouting.
Their pace quickened, motivated to see the cub sooner.
Yeon Sung-hun worried it was too rushed, but Choi Yeon-ah, the pusher, complained it was still slow.
Claiming this was normal in her day.
Under her lead, they camped sometimes, rested outside others, steadily conquering the rift.
No major threats post-Titan Urus.
A few close calls, but Choi Yeon-ah and Han So-yul handled them smoothly.
They scouted carefully for more cubs, but none appeared till the end.
After thoroughly searching the vast mountains, they cleared the B-rank rift in four days—earlier than expected.
A commendable first clear, but cub-obsessed members barely celebrated.
They just rushed out following Choi Yeon-ah.
Yeon Sung-hun shook his head at their frantic backs.
He couldn't forget them standing against him earlier.
Usually so reliable and loyal, now like this.
As if enchanted en masse.
'Well, it was cute.'
Cute enough to doubt it'd become that mountain devil.
'Hae-eun might like it?'
Not once grown, but now—definitely show his sister.
Imagining her joy, Yeon Sung-hun followed the others out.
The ending was odd, but the B-rank rift was conquered.
Capturing and taming monsters happened in other guilds and companies, so Golden Guild raising the cub wasn't strange.
Gye Cheong-san had handled everything during scouting, so Yeon Sung-hun had nothing to do.
In the still-under-construction guild HQ, a new den was made in Training Ground 1 for the cub.
Its name: 'Uru'.
Candidates ranged from Bear-y, Bear-soon, Petit, Brave-y, Sweetie, Albert, Lucarius—but Yeon Sung-hun's 'Uru' won.
Taken from its species name.
Choi Yeon-ah, Han So-yul, and others protested fiercely, but he vetoed with guild master authority.
Usually consultative, this was petty revenge for their opposition.
Feeling guilty, they didn't complain much.
Han So-yul just pouted about pettiness.
With name and den set, raising it seemed problem-free.
But there was a problem.
No one had the 'Taming' skill.
Despair spread; Choi Yeon-ah vowed to learn via grit. Yeon Sung-hun sighed.
"No skill, and you wanna raise it how?"
"But it's cute!"
"Right! So cute!"
"...Cute solves everything?"
"Yes!"
Yeon Sung-hun sighed again at their outburst.
Usually so good, now disregarding their guild master.
'Well, I get it somewhat.'
As human, he understood.
Staying near the cub days, even he was falling for its charm.
High intelligence reputed; it was smart.
Seemed to understand human speech somewhat, satisfying Yeon Sung-hun.
So he didn't suggest selling it elsewhere.
Taming adults had low success; cubs preferred.
Uru would fetch huge offers instantly.
Money aplenty, but earning more good—he pondered but didn't act.
"No choice. I'll tame it myself."
Everyone startled at his calm declaration.
"Sung-hun-ssi, you have Taming too?"
To Choi Yeon-ah's question, he shrugged instead.
Unlike hunters needing skills, Yeon Sung-hun didn't.
Didn't need for alchemy either.
Not expert in taming like alchemy, but alchemists were knowledgeable.
His 'minimum' knowledge sufficed for one monster.
Thus began Yeon Sung-hun's confident cub (monster) taming.