Chapter 29

Ch.29 The Regression Of Calamity-Level Monster Tamer

‘Phew…… Those obsessed with research.’

When Kakan hatched, the seminar hall turned into chaos.

From the moderates who said they needed to collect samples, to the hardliners who wanted to cut open its belly right then and there.

In any case, those crazy researchers were causing a ruckus with a unified opinion that research on Kakan must begin.

I had no idea how much trouble I went through to separate them.

‘Even Director Baek Mi-ran was causing a fuss…….’

I barely managed to reach a compromise by proposing an alternative: I would conduct close observation of Kakan and submit monthly reports.

Then I hastily fled to the temporary quarters assigned to me.

‘Thank goodness I proved something, or else I would’ve gotten nowhere with them.’

People as capable as they are tend to have strong egos.

So I consider it fortunate that things ended here.

‘Phew…… Still, I’ve achieved the first goal I planned after regressing.’

Now was the time to review everything I had obtained so far.

Since I had been running too frantically, there were things I hadn’t properly organized.

‘First is my Status Window.’

[Status Window]

Name: Kang Si-woo

Race: Human

Level: 36

Class: Tamer

Talents: Empathy (C), Beast’s □□ (?), Malsajiche (S), Seal Release (S)

Skills: Taming Lv.1 (E), Blue Wolf’s Step Lv.5 (C), Nest Lv.1 (D), Hundred Beasts Sword Art Lv.2 (A+)

Stats:

―Strength: 33 (+3)

―Agility: 65 (+7)

―Stamina: 33 (+13)

―Magic Power: 55 (+6)

―Luck: 16 (+2)

Three levels obtained not long ago after killing the Gamble Goblin.

I allocated all nine points gained from that to Magic Power.

‘Magic Power stat is honest.’

Strength can be compensated for through attack precision, and Stamina through having the creatures take damage for me.

But Magic Power stat grows exactly as much as I invest.

There is a method of using Magic Stones as auxiliary batteries, but that’s really inefficient.

‘At least the ‘[PvP First Victory]’ title effect is helpful.’

Thanks to the +10 Stamina effect, I can focus on other stats.

Moreover, the ‘Legendary’-rank title [A Real One Among Made Ones, Loaded Ones, and Real Ones] raises each stat by 10% for free every time, making it incredibly useful.

‘Now that I think about it, I’ve been forgetting to unlock this ring.’

I looked at the worn ring on my finger.

[Faded Talent]

―Rank: Unique

―Information: A ring worn by someone who thirsted for talents. For every Talent the user possesses, each stat simultaneously increases.

· Skill, Talent Devour Max (A)

A cursed item that grows by consuming human lives as sustenance.

But thinking about it again, I wondered if I really needed to spend expensive coins unlocking this.

‘Actually, I have the perfect opponent for this.’

Followers.

Either way, they and I cannot live under the same sky.

We’ve already started a fight that can only end with one of us disappearing.

‘Then the answer is simple.’

I’ll make them my sustenance.

After all, they’re not worth sorting for recycling, so there’s no problem with using them well.

‘Good then…… Now I need to search for them more actively.’

That way I can grow faster.

Looking at the Status Window again, I notice a new entry.

A stat that can’t be found in other players.

‘Luck.’

[Broken Dice]

―Rank: Legendary

―Information: The dice’s grudge, shattered by an irresistible existence, lost itself at the same time its Authority became twisted.

· Quantifies the user’s fortune and displays it as a stat.

―Authority: Can ‘fix’ randomly appeared probability values.

―Charge: 6/100

A Relic obtained after killing the Gamble Goblin, gained from the [Arbitrary Dice] changing on its own.

But as they say, one man’s loss is another’s gain.

Thanks to that, a new stat called ‘Luck’ was created.

‘Acquiring a new stat is quite a difficult task.’

The most common method is through a Class Change.

Of course, Class Change quests are tedious and difficult enough to make you curse.

Still, once you change classes, you gain a job stat.

‘Anyway, Luck at 16…… I really was quite a lucky person, wasn’t I?’

The basic stat given when first Awakening is 2.

But my basic Luck stat was 16.

Eight times higher.

‘To actively use this, I’ll need to find items or Relics that work on probability…….’

If I use this Authority to ‘fix’ probability values well, I could pull off some outrageous moves.

Of course, assuming things go well.

‘Still, it’s good news to have one more weapon I can use.’

And speaking of Magic Stones from earlier, I have one more Magic Stone stashed away besides the S-rank one I used.

‘Even though its rank is only F-rank.’

F-rank Magic Stone fragments obtained every time I killed a Magic Beast in the White Gate.

It’s a finished product made by gathering them together.

Of course, it’s called waste-grade, but everything has its uses.

[Leper’s Mask]

―Rank: Common

―Information: A mask used by a leper to hide their horrifying face.

· Stamina -100

· Status Abnormality Resistance -200%

―Authority: Can defend against skills and Authorities that observe the user.

―Charge: 4/100

I pulled out the Relic I had carefully stored in the Subspace Ring.

A Relic covered in debuffs.

Of course, thanks to the Talent [Malsajiche (S)], I could use it if I pushed myself a little.

But this Relic didn’t have even that much merit in its current state.

‘But if I do this…….’

I brought the F-rank Magic Stone close to the clunky silver mask.

Then, with a brief flash, it transformed into a refined silver mask with elegant carved decorations.

[Silver Mask of the Leper King]

―Rank: Unique

―Information: A star that shone most brilliantly, yet fell too soon. This mask concealed the scars of that star. Once, many used that star as a guidestone and walked forward with strength.

· Stamina -100

· Status Abnormality Resistance -200%

· Skill, Curation

―Authority: The Rank of the user’s followers (=subordinates) rises by one stage for one hour.

―Charge: 4/100

[Curation]

―Rank: B

―Level: Max

―Information: Can block skills and Authorities that observe the user.

‘That’ll do…… Still lacking, but at least it’s passable now.’

The debuffs remain the same.

But the Authority that was there before changed to a Skill, and a new Authority was added.

One that perfectly suits a Tamer too.

‘Raise the Magic Beast’s own Rank by one stage? That’s a cheat.’

An individual’s Rank is a sum of everything.

Species value, individual value, growth potential.

And innate abilities, Skill ranks, and such……

‘So raising its own Rank means all of those rise by one stage each.’

Though only for one hour, one hour is more than enough time in a frantic battle where every second counts.

Organizing my thoughts about Ranks brought Geri and Freki to mind.

‘Both rose from D to C-rank around level 20, so the next would be around level 40?’

[Magic Beast Information]

Name: Geri

Classification: Undetermined

Rank: C (Currently assimilating ‘Moon’s Eye’)

Level: 37

Loyalty: 100

Skills: Two Are One Lv.5 (S-), Wolf Pack Max (B), Frost of Niflheim Max (S)

Innate Abilities: Riding (D), Elasticity (B), Weaponization (S)

[Magic Beast Information]

Name: Freki

Classification: Undetermined

Rank: C (Currently assimilating ‘Sun’s Eye’)

Level: 37

Loyalty: 100

Skills: Two Are One Lv.5 (S-), Wolf Pack Max (B), Sparks of Muspelheim Max (S)

Innate Abilities: Riding (D), Elasticity (B), Weaponization (S)

Since they’re currently level 37, their Rank should rise soon.

But there’s still an unsolved secret about the two of them.

It’s the ‘Classification’ entry.

In the past, they were [Gray Wolf (Special Entity)].

But after each of them consumed [Sun’s Eye] and [Moon’s Eye] respectively, the Gray Wolf changed to ‘Undetermined’.

So once they finish assimilating those two items, the secret will finally be revealed.

‘When I used Skill Fusion at the Coffin of Records…… and watching their actions so far…… Hmm. There’s an existence I can guess at.’

Whether they actually evolve into that existence remains to be seen.

I don’t want to jump to conclusions and embarrass myself.

‘Finally, the grand finale…….’

Kakan.

The top priority target I took on immediately after regressing.

Obtaining it was as important and meaningful as it gets.

“Kakan.”

I called out the creature I had hastily put into my Nest from the seminar hall.

Kakan needed to be familiarized through constant physical contact.

Poof—

The creature appeared on top of my hand with a puff of smoke.

“…….”

“…….”

The creature stared at me with round, clear eyes.

[Magic Beast Information]

Name: Undetermined

Classification: Kakan

Rank: S (Growing)

Level: 1 (Infancy)

Loyalty: 60

Skills: Breath Lv.1 (S), Transform Lv.1 (S)

Innate Abilities: ① Ultra Metal Assimilation & Manipulation (S+)

② Calamity Flame & [―Lock―] (S+)

③ [―Lock―]

④ [―Lock―]

Notes: Internally contained metals (Iron, Copper, Silver, Gold, Mithril, Orichalcum, Adamantium)

S-rank and yet still growing.

That meant it was a Beyond Specifications existence.

Now it looked so cute and insignificant, but with just a little more growth, it would become a truly terrifying entity.

‘It would be difficult to even approach. That’s why someone like me could hold it back then, otherwise…….’

I didn’t want to imagine it.

Perhaps half of the Tower would have been destroyed.

‘And look at that…… Loyalty at 60. Not bad.’

For a Kakan, that’s quite high.

They’re a species with strong independence.

Still, having loyalty over halfway must be because it saw me right after being born.

There’s also the fact that it became accustomed to my voice and Magic Power during the hatching process.

“Peep?“

The creature made a sound and tilted its head left and right in confusion.

The sight was quite adorable.

“Hey, you…….”

Right. First, I’d need to give it a name to call it.

‘Is it time to display my fantastic naming sense…….’

Names of my past offspring flashed through my mind.

‘Bolt,’ who shot lightning.

‘Stone,’ tough as a kalguksu.

‘Hellhound,’ the guardian of the abyss, and so on……

“Let’s start by giving you a name. Let’s see…… Since you hatched from an egg, how about ‘Ari’?”

“Squeak―! Screech―!“

The creature shook its head vigorously, expressing its refusal.

Ouch, that ignites my artistic spirit?

“Since you shine gold, how about ‘Golden’?”

“Peep―!“

“Or maybe, ‘Yellow’?”

“Peep―!“

“Lightning.”

“Peep―!“

“Curry.”

“Squeak―!“

Ah, come on. Is it picky because it’s high-rank?

Let me try giving it a name with meaning.

‘Think, think……’

The ancient Kakan, which transcends even the fully grown stage, has a size equivalent to mountain ranges.

Literally a Kaiju.

And its destructive power is tremendous enough to destroy an entire Dimension.

‘A destroyer…… Since dimensions are like stars. A star destroyer? Eh, that sounds good?’

I converted that meaning into Chinese characters to make it concise.

“Alright, now you have no veto power.”

“…….”

“One who devours stars, Seongsik. That’s your name from now on. Taking my surname, Kang Seongsik!”

“Peeeee…….“

Hmm? It doesn’t seem completely displeased, but it doesn’t seem to be refusing either.

Yeah, at this level of sensibility, it’s time I gave myself some credit.

“So, Seongsik. Wanna eat?”

“……Peep?!“

How did it understand the word ‘eat,’ I don’t know, but its previous sullenness vanished completely.

It just held its head up high with sparkling eyes.

Looking at the creature, I pulled out a chunk of Star Stone ore from my Subspace.

Then.

“Eat―. Eat. Eat!”

“……Huh? This guy can talk?”

When we fought in the past, it only let out roars like ‘Uooooo―’? What’s this?

In the materials I looked up during research, there was no mention of it speaking.

‘Hmm…… A subject of research.’

Anyway, I put the Star Stone in Seongsik’s mouth.

Gulp.

“Eat. Eat. Eat.”

“More?”

“Eat! Eat!”

[Kakan has consumed a small amount of Star Stone.]

[More Star Stone is needed for ‘Ultra Metal Assimilation’.]

[‘Seongsik’s’ Loyalty has increased by 5.]

The creature ate no fewer than five chunks of Star Stone as large as its own head before making a contented sound.

With my finger still in its mouth, no less.

“Puu puu puu― puu squeak squeak squeak―“

“Ugh…… I’m gonna need to make some money to feed this guy.”

Star Stone is so dangerous that feeding it all at once causes problems.

That’s why I didn’t give it any during hatching.

But once it’s used to long-term consumption, the effect will be more certain than any other metal.

“Peep― peep―“

“Yeah, yeah.”

I tickled the creature’s full belly with my finger while thinking about the next plan.

‘Now that I’ve finished maintenance, is there anything left to do at the institute besides Director Baek Mi-ran?’

Now that I have Seongsik, there’s nothing left to get here.

Still, I’m an honest person with shame.

‘I should earn my keep.’

The Artifact created based on the ‘Heart of Evil’ that the director is struggling with.

I needed to give her a hint about its solution before I left.