Chapter 28

Ch.28 The Regression Of Calamity-Level Monster Tamer

Everything comes down to eating in the end.

The director of the Incomprehensible Magic Beast Research Institute was no exception to this rule.

Following Baek Mi-ran’s philosophy that ‘you must eat well in order to work healthily for a long time,’ the institute’s cafeteria was operated to the highest standard.

Clink—clink—

For this reason, Kang Si-woo, Baek Mi-ran, and Kim Ji-seong were eating dinner in the research institute’s cafeteria.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Instead, they wore a lightly concealing glasses-shaped item.

It was Baek Mi-ran’s suggestion—she wanted to eat her meal in peace.

Why go to such lengths just to eat dinner, you ask?

Because overnight overtime work was routine in this place.

“Did you hear? Kang Si-woo came to the institute today?”

“That Kang Si-woo? No way. Was that article about him becoming an advisor real?”

In other words, you could say that nearly every employee in this vast research institute came to eat dinner.

And of course, whenever people ate, small talk naturally occurred.

Today’s cafeteria protagonist was naturally Kang Si-woo.

“Hey, that’s not even the end. So Kang Si-woo, a little while ago…… wow, it was…….”

“What? Why are you dragging it out like that?”

“Ahem, should I really be spreading this premium information so freely…….”

“Here we go again. Fine. Here, three meal vouchers. Done? Now spill it.”

In every dining gathering, there was always one storyteller.

And the five employees sitting behind Kang Si-woo were listening intently to the bulbous-nosed man’s story.

“I heard this from Kim from the cleaning crew—Kang Si-woo apparently already picked out his advisor ‘special gift’?”

“Aw, come on, what did I—that’s something all advisors get anyway!”

“Aha! You have to listen to people’s stories to the end. It’s not about ‘what’ he picked, it’s important to know!”

“Well, obviously purple or navy hatching machines…….”

“Red.”

“…….”

“…….”

All five people stopped using their chopsticks at the bulbous-nosed man’s words.

Then they blinked, trying to deny the reality they had just encountered.

“Have I been so sleep-deprived these past few nights that I’m hearing things…… I think I heard a weird word.”

“No, that’s right. There’s just one red hatching machine.”

“…….”

“……The one that’s been here since our institute was founded?”

“Yeah.”

“We researched that for over ten years before throwing in the towel, and you’re saying that’s what he picked?”

“Yeah, I’m telling you! I’ve just been fooled this whole time!”

The bulbous-nosed man sputtered, his rice grains flying.

Yet the people around him didn’t react to that at all.

Right now, their entire interest was focused on Kang Si-woo and ‘his egg.’

“That Magic Beast’s name was…… ‘Kakan,’ right?”

“Probably. It was written on the rubbing taken from the temple mural.”

“Hmph, is that rubbing even significant? It was just a picture of natives worshipping some huge Magic Beast.”

“Anyway, that guy really wasted a rare opportunity. He has to return it in its original state in a month.”

“Ugh, what are we worrying about! Half the people here are debating whether to sleep in bed tonight or not. Let’s hurry up and finish eating.”

And so the six researchers finished their meal and quickly left the cafeteria.

Kang Si-woo, who had quietly listened to that conversation in the back.

Curious about what he was really thinking, Baek Mi-ran threw out a probing question.

“……So everyone says the same thing? Actually, I think the same as them, you know? You’re confident about this, right?”

Slurrrp—smack smack.

Despite Baek Mi-ran’s question, Kang Si-woo remained focused on his meal.

Instead, Kim Ji-seong, who had been watching from the side, read the situation and spoke for Kang Si-woo.

“Director, that’s not like you to do this while eating. You’re going to make Kang Si-woo’s food get cold.”

“I’m not trying to be difficult. It’s just that the first step is always important for anything—”

“Kh…… That was delicious.”

Kang Si-woo deftly bottomed out his soup bowl, then looked back and forth between the two who had been conversing.

His expression was calm, and there wasn’t a trace of nervousness to be found.

That Kang Si-woo casually dropped a comment.

“Director.”

“……Yes?”

“Now that I’m officially an advisor to the Incomprehensible Magic Beast Research Institute, aren’t we having an inauguration ceremony?”

“……An inauguration ceremony? Oh, we should have one, we should…… Ji-seong, when was that?”

“Tomorrow morning, sir.”

“Then what do we have after dinner tonight?”

At Baek Mi-ran’s question, Kim Ji-seong pushed up his horn-rimmed glasses and recited the schedule from his tablet briefly.

“At 18:30, we’re scheduled to visit the breeding facility, and at 19:47, we’re going to Research Buildings A and B…….”

“Keep it short.”

“We have ‘getting familiar with the research institute’ prepared. Since the position of advisor doesn’t require full-time residence at the institute, you should become acquainted with it now.”

“Good. So I’ll be sleeping at the dormitory then?”

“Yes.”

After hearing everything the two said, Kang Si-woo stood up from his seat.

“Then let’s make it tomorrow.”

“……Huh? I said your inauguration ceremony is tomorrow anyway?”

“No, ma’am. I mean this child’s birthday.”

In Kang Si-woo’s arms was the ‘special gift,’ a golden egg, held carefully.

***

A massive seminar hall.

It was large enough to accommodate all personnel at the research institute, so even calling it simply ‘massive’ felt insufficient.

Murmur murmur—

More than a hundred researchers had gathered in this space.

All personnel except those monitoring experiments were there because of Baek Mi-ran’s ‘recommendation’ to ‘please attend mandatory.’

“Haaaah…… Why are we being forced to gather when we haven’t even slept?”

“Didn’t you hear? Kang Si-woo’s advisory appointment ceremony is today.”

“It’s today? How would I know, locked away in the lab the whole time?”

“I heard they’re also unveiling ‘that egg’ today?”

“Hmm…… I had been looking forward to what that person would do, but that choice seems a bit too much.”

“Hey, shush. The director’s coming up.”

Once the hall had settled somewhat, Baek Mi-ran walked up onto the stage.

Unlike her usual casual clothing, she wore a neat uniform.

If one knew Seo Gyeoul, they might wonder if they were sisters, as she was emanating refined beauty.

Click-clack—click-clack—

Baek Mi-ran walked to the center of the stage with a brisk stride.

Then Kim Ji-seong, the senior researcher standing on the periphery to oversee the proceedings, turned on the microphone.

“Well then, we shall now begin the inauguration ceremony. The order of events is…….”

But Baek Mi-ran waved her hand, cutting off Kim Ji-seong’s words.

Then she tapped the microphone lightly to draw everyone’s attention.

Tap tap—

“Everyone, you know my personality, right? Let’s skip the tedious stuff and just get to the point, yeah? That works better for you too, doesn’t it? I mean, you’re all busy people and I called you here anyway, right?”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

People expressed their agreement through silence.

Baek Mi-ran nodded and continued speaking.

“Today is a day when our Incomprehensible Magic Beast Research Institute gains a new family member. Kang Si-woo, please come up.”

I appreciated how her straightforward personality resonated with me.

I adjusted the suit that Kim Ji-seong had lent me and walked up onto the stage.

Then I stood facing Baek Mi-ran as promised.

She looked at me and grinned widely, then held the microphone toward the audience.

“No matter what else I might overlook, this is something I have to do properly. Ahem…… From today on, I appoint Player Kang Si-woo as an advisor to the Magic Beast Breeding Department of the Incomprehensible Magic Beast Research Institute.”

Clap clap clap clap—

Formal applause erupted.

Baek Mi-ran approached me and handed over my appointment certificate.

Then she whispered directly into my ear in passing.

“Are you really going to do this?”

“Yes, ma’am. Please just help according to the plan.”

“Phew, alright. I understand.”

Shortly after we separated, Baek Mi-ran grabbed the microphone again.

“Well then, let’s hear a few words from advisor Kang Si-woo about his thoughts.”

“Ah, yes, hello everyone. I’m Tamer Kang Si-woo.”

As her microphone was passed to me, the audience’s attention shifted from Baek Mi-ran to me.

I smiled leisurely and continued speaking.

“I’m young and have many shortcomings. So if you all guide me well, I will work hard to learn and improve.”

The audience nodded at my words.

They seemed pleased, thinking they had hired quite a promising newcomer.

But well…….

“……If that’s the kind of empty talk you were hoping to hear, I apologize. You won’t be able to expect that sort of thing from me going forward. Honesty and directness are my strengths.”

Murmur murmur—

My bombshell statement sent the seminar hall into an uproar.

They were probably hearing this kind of blunt MZ-generation talk for the first time.

But it was true, wasn’t it?

“However, there is one thing you can expect from me. In fact, I guarantee it.”

But people shouldn’t be shocked by just that kind of statement.

I still had one more big move left.

“When it comes to Magic Beasts, I am the ‘best.’“

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

When something is too absurd to comprehend, one loses the ability to speak, they say?

The entire massive seminar hall fell into silence.

But I continued speaking regardless.

“After all, I believe you all were expecting exactly this from me. That’s right…… Anyone can talk. I need to prove it.”

I pulled out the golden egg from the Subspace Ring.

Yes, just as I had promised yesterday, I was planning to hatch Kakan here.

“This egg…… If you’ve given even a little attention to my reputation, I believe you’ll know what kind of egg this is. That’s right. Kakan’s egg. The one discovered in the temple within the Red Gate.”

I nodded toward Kim Ji-seong.

Kim Ji-seong closed his eyes tightly and pressed the remote button firmly.

Boom. Kiiiing—

The stage and audience seating began to split open, and a spacious open area formed between them.

I descended from the stage and stood in the middle of the open space.

“To be precise, it was discovered in Korea’s first Red Gate in 2011, the Ticantsue Temple. Since it was the first reward obtained from a Red Gate, there was a flash of interest at the time, but it quickly died down. In fact, it was unavoidable.”

That’s right. When you’re drilling an oil field, there’s a clear objective: ‘oil.’

But this egg was completely opaque about everything.

Both the process and the result.

“In fact, the only information about this egg is the temple mural and rubbings of difficult-to-decipher hieroglyphics, isn’t it? It’s the egg of a Magic Beast whose very existence is uncertain, and it won’t hatch through ordinary means.”

But here’s the thing.

About a year later, the research institute suffers an attack.

By Followers.

‘Those bastards pinpoint and steal only Kakan’s egg before escaping.’

Since only a useless item disappeared and there was almost no other damage, the institute quietly covered up the incident.

Years later, I had to face Kakan as an enemy.

‘It wasn’t fully grown, just in the growth stage. Even so, I nearly died.’

This life is different.

Because I’ve claimed the creature first.

“Actually, before coming here, I just recited the information provided by the director. But…… there was an obvious hint in that information, so as soon as I heard it, I figured it out immediately. The hatching method, that is.”

It’s only half the truth.

After defeating Kakan in my previous life, I invested a full three years researching him alone.

As they say, it’s darkest under the lamp.

The hint was in the most easily accessible information: the mural.

“Well then, I shall now hatch Kakan here in this very place.”

So someone before me might have noticed.

But they lacked the nerve, courage, and ability to act as the mural showed.

I shut out the audience’s piercing gazes and murmuring.

Then I immediately began taking action.

‘First, the minerals.’

I took out all the raw ore I had bulk-purchased with the Subspace Ring.

Except the Star Stone, of course.

I had other uses for that later.

‘In the mural, Kakan is surrounded by things piled up like mountains, breathing fire from its mouth and eating. People worship such a creature…… ‘

The Magic Beast that appeared at Red Gate Ticantsue was ‘Malakat,’ a mineral-type Magic Beast.

According to records, the terrain of that place was indeed surrounded by mountains.

I walked to the center of the pile of iron, copper, silver, gold, Mithril, Orichalcum, and Adamantium.

‘I had about 50,000 Achievement Coins left after buying the worn credit card.’

I opened the Achievement Shop and purchased the most damaged S-rank Magic Stone.

[S-rank Magic Stone]

―Rank: Legendary

―Price: 42,000 Coins

―Information: A mineral containing the highest level of Magic Power.

In any case, a Magic Beast is a Magic Beast.

Magic Power to draw it out is essential.

And given the creature’s rank, I needed at least S-rank.

‘Finally, fire. And very hot fire at that.’

And that would be handled by my closest friend.

The one possessing the ‘Sparks of Muspelheim.’

“Geri, Freki.”

The reason I called Geri was simple.

The research institute couldn’t burn down.

Signaling Baek Mi-ran earlier had the same reason.

‘When Freki ignites, Geri and Director Baek Mi-ran suppress the spread of the fire from both sides.’

It was a very simple plan.

Me, then? A swordsman who cuts his own tongue with his own blade should bite it and die.

Freki’s fire posed absolutely no threat to me.

“…….”

“…….”

Nod.

At my signal, Baek Mi-ran nodded.

“Freki.”

“Krrrrng!”

Freki’s red mane transformed into roaring flames.

Those flames instantly became a Fire Demon and swept through the surroundings.

“Now!”

Swoooosh—

At my signal, Geri and Baek Mi-ran shot out their cold energy.

As time passed, a balance was struck between heat and cold.

I gazed at the golden gleaming egg within the flames.

The egg stirred slightly.

‘It’s starting.’

Ding!

[Kakan’s Hatching Condition: ① Strong Heat Source — Satisfied]

[Kakan, which was in dormancy, begins to awaken from sleep.]

But that alone is insufficient.

For that sleepyhead to fully wake up, it needs powerful Magic Power.

After all, these are creatures that inhabit places where Magic Power is concentrated, like Dragon Veins, temples, and ruins.

‘Time to wake up and drink water.’

Holding the egg in my left hand and the S-rank Magic Stone in my right, I began channeling Magic Power.

Soon my body began to shake like an aspen leaf.

Glub—

Blood trickled from the corners of my mouth.

It was because my level was too low to handle S-rank Magic Power.

‘But I have to manage it.’

If I succumbed to something like this, I would have died several times over in my previous life too.

Thud-thud-thud-thud—

The egg, which had only been glowing, now began to tremble like my body.

It was a positive sign.

The system informed me through its message that my prediction was correct.

[Kakan’s Hatching Condition: ② Abundant Magic Power — Satisfied]

[Kakan, quenching its thirst, begins to smell food.]

Now on the ground lay melted raw ore that had become liquid due to Freki’s powerful heat source.

The metal pool, which had been merely bubbling, began to gather in one place.

‘Alright, time to eat.’

Toward the young Kakan hiding inside the egg.

Whirrriiiiing—

The liquid metal began rotating and getting sucked into the egg.

[Kakan has consumed a sufficient amount of iron.]

[‘Ultra Metal Assimilation — Iron’ acquired!]

[Kakan has consumed a sufficient amount of copper.]

[‘Ultra Metal Assimilation — Copper’ acquired!]

[Kakan has consumed a sufficient amount of silver…….]

[……]

[‘Ultra Metal Assimilation — Adamantium’ acquired!]

The long string of messages ended with Adamantium.

The liquid metal around was completely absorbed into the egg, leaving no trace.

[Kakan feels satiated.]

[Kakan’s Hatching Condition: ③ Abundant Metals — Satisfied]

I had safely satisfied all three conditions.

Now it was time to wait for the creature to awaken.

“Geri, Freki, thank you for your hard work. You can rest now.”

“Krrrrng!”

“Grrrrruuung—”

The two creatures, exhausted from exerting themselves, turned into smoke and entered my Nest.

I’d have to prepare a special meal for them soon.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

As the blizzard that had filled the seminar hall and the flame storm within it disappeared, silence returned once more.

Everyone stared at the golden egg, forgetting even to swallow.

Crack. Crrrrack—

At that moment, a small crack appeared in the egg.

And starting from that fissure, the egg split precisely in half.

“……!”

Large, round eyes.

Soft scales and golden skin with feathers sprouting in places.

A tail that was still short and blunt.

What emerged was a reptile resembling a baby gecko.