MTLNOVEL Chapter 18
“Pet?”
Sooho looked puzzled when he saw the message that suddenly appeared.
[Pet?]
Beru was the same.
Chomp, chomp, chomp.
Suddenly, a name tag appeared above the head of the wolf cub licking seaweed soup.
[?? Lv.1]
Canine Wolf
The system sent a message at just the right time.
Ding.
[You can give your pet a name.]
[Please name your pet.]
“They want us to name the pet?”
When Sooho looked at Beru, Beru also looked perplexed.
[Hmm? We didn’t have this kind of thing in the old days.]
“What did you not have? A pet?”
[Yes. We didn’t have this kind of feature when the king was leveling up.]
Beru explained.
The leveling-up system currently applied to Sooho was inherited from the old days when Shadow Monarch Sung Jinwoo used it. Of course, it was improved to some extent from back then, but that was only to remove the “malice” embedded in the system.
“Malice?”
[Yes.]
At the time, the purpose of the system was to forcibly grow the human named Sung Jinwoo and use him as the vessel of the Shadow Monarch. Once that purpose was achieved, the soul of the human named Sung Jinwoo was destined to disappear.
[But somehow, Sung Jinwoo defied the system’s purpose and became the Shadow Monarch himself. He became a great being who no longer needed to level up.]
And the one who inherited that system was Sooho now.
“But why is there a pet system that didn’t exist then?”
[Hmm. Maybe it existed from the beginning, not just now.]
Beru squinted his eyes and stroked his chin.
[Originally, the designer of the leveling-up system was not us but a shaman of the Heavenly World who dreamed of immortality.]
“A shaman of the Heavenly World?”
[Yes. Only that person knows exactly what functions the system has.]
Long ago, the shaman of the other realm wished to escape the fate of finite beings and become an eternal existence. As a result, they made a contract with the angels of God and created the level-up system.
[However, at that time, the purpose of the system was solely to complete the vessel of the Shadow Monarch, so there was no need for something like pets, as the Monarch could have simply killed everything and turned them into shadow soldiers. But now, the purpose of Little King’s system is entirely different from back then.]
Sooho was puzzled.
“So, the system isn’t trying to turn me into a Shadow Monarch?”
[Yes. After all, you cannot become a Shadow Monarch, my little king.]
Beru said emphatically.
[There is only one Shadow Monarch in this world.]
In other words, only when Sung Jinwoo dies and the position of the Monarch is vacant will the little king have a chance to become the Monarch. However, Sung Jinwoo is the Monarch who rules over death.
He was supposed to be immortal, forever never dying.
[In fact, he is the one true immortal being.]
“I know very well that my father is great.” Sooho was curious. “But then, what is the purpose of my system?”
In response, Beru looked at Sooho with a faint smile.
As a being born from the marriage of the Shadow Monarch and a common human, Sooho was an exceptional existence throughout all dimensions. Even the designer who created the system could not dare to guess what kind of existence Sooho would grow into.
Will he continue to live as a Shadow Monarch’s successor who simply inherits the Shadow Monarch’s skills? Or will he, like Sung Jinwoo long ago, break free from his innate destiny and find his own path?
[The system only guides you, Little King, no matter which path you choose. If any new features appear that were not there before, they will surely be of help to you.]
Beru had already seen the face of a man who had long ago walked a lonely and difficult road alone, fighting against everything in the world, in Sooho’s face.
He…survived in a place closer to death than anyone else, constantly struggling and fighting for his life.
Eventually, he even conquered death itself through his own strength.
The peace on the current earth was established through his noble sacrifice. However, this peace was being threatened again lately by the gods of outer space.
“Status window.” Sooho, who was listening to Beru, suddenly opened the status window.
[Status Window]
Name: Sung Sooho
Level: 16
Job: None
Title: Wolf Slayer
HP: 2,350/2,350
MP: 235/235
[Stats]
Strength: 35 Stamina: 25
Dexterity: 25 Intelligence: 25
Sense: 25
(Available Ability Points: 0)
[Skills]
Passive Skills: Resilience Lv.2, Dual Sword Mastery Lv.1
Active Skills: Ruler’s Authority Lv.1, Shadow Extraction Lv.1, Storm Slash Lv.1
After hearing Beru’s words, he understood why his occupation was still ‘none’. Perhaps the words ‘Shadow Monarch’ would never be written in that place.
Sooho paid more attention to the other numbers below his job.
‘This is my current level.’
The numbers had increased dramatically compared to when he was level 1, chased by Mistburn. There were already so many useful skills.
But.
‘I’m still weak.’
Sooho never overestimated his own strength.
This was not humility but a fact.
He had already reached level 99 several times in his teenage dreams.
When he recalled those sensations, his current strength seemed so insignificant. If he hadn’t gained the title ‘Wolf Slayer’ then, he might not have been able to hold his ground against Broki.
Sooho also checked out the new skill he had acquired during this battle.
[Skill: Dual Sword Mastery Lv.1]
Passive skill.
No mana required.
You can use two swords more proficiently.
An additional 33% damage is applied when using two swords. (This also applies to weapons other than swords.)
‘Dual Sword Mastery…’
Come to think of it, he had always fought with weapons in both hands.
First with axes and now with swords.
Perhaps this skill was developed based on his combat style up to this point.
“Well, then I’ll have to keep using two swords to get stronger from now on.”
– …?
Sooho’s gaze lingered on Rakan’s Fang. Having experienced it this time, Rakan’s Fang attack power was quite satisfactory. Once caught, the necks of the beasts of Gwanak Mountain went flying.
It seemed that he would need another sword, comparable to Rakan’s Fang, to balance his two hands.
‘I need to earn some money. Hunter weapons are really expensive.’
And Sooho’s gaze fell downward.
“And this little guy…”
“Kkioong…”
The wolf pup had eaten all the seaweed soup, and its belly was bulging, but it still lay on the ground weakly, unable to move.
“If I want to use it to its full potential, I’ll have to raise it a lot more.”
[Please name your pet.]
The system message had been urging Sooho to name his pet for a while now.
Without hesitation, Sooho named it.
“Gray, because of its gray fur.”
[Would you like to name it ‘Gray’?]
“Yeah.”
As soon as Sooho finished speaking, the question marks above the wolf pup’s head disappeared, and a new name was engraved.
[Gray Lv.1]
Canine Wolf
“Kkioong…”
Officially becoming Sooho’s pet, Gray raised his head with unfocused eyes and sniffed. It seemed like he was smelling Sooho’s scent.
Sooho poked his nose with his finger and asked Rakan’s Fang.
“Hey, just one question.”
– What?
“How should I raise him to make him useful?”
– Raising a kid isn’t that complicated. Just make sure he eats well, sleeps well, and plays well.
“Besides those obvious things. He’s the descendant of the Beast Monarch, so is there any special method?”
– Eating is essential. After all, this kid became so weak in the first place because Broki kept starving him out of fear of his growth.
Rakan’s Fang raged again as it remembered what Broki had done. If the canine clan’s kid had grown up normally from the beginning, he would never have been caught by someone like Broki.
– So feed him and feed him some more. If you give him enough food and let him play as much as he wants, he’ll become a much stronger predator than Broki.
“Really? What should I feed him then?”
– Magic beasts, obviously. It’s even better if it’s a monster he hunted himself. The children of our clan have been hunting since they were born.
“Playing hunting, huh? Hmm.”
It was frustrating to make someone who doesn’t even have the strength to walk on his feet go hunting.
[Ugh. They’re worse than ants. Us ants just leave the larva alone.]
Beru’s words gave Sooho a good idea.
Who was the one who raised Sooho when he was a baby in the first place?
“Beru, you take care of him from now on.”
[Suddenly?]
“Yeah. You’re the best babysitter I know.”
[Kiekhehe. I don’t know what to do with all this praise from my little king.]
Beru squirmed shyly.
“Shall we go then?”
[Kiek? Where to?]
Beru was confused.
Sooho held Gray’s tail and inserted the Key to the Shadow Dungeon into his own shadow.
[Do you want to enter the Shadow Dungeon?]
“Where else?”
Clang.
[Entering the Shadow Dungeon.]
Shwooaaak!
***
After entering the Shadow Dungeon, Sooho placed Beru on Gray’s back.
“From now on, you guys are a team.”
[Kiek?]
Even though Gray was small, he was twice Beru’s size. Of course, put the two together, they were still small enough to fit in two hands.
– Is this place…?
Rakan’s Fang, who followed them without realizing it, felt strange when it saw the Shadow Dungeon.
– Is this the world of the Shadow Monarch?
[More precisely, it’s the world that my little king inherited. Of course, it was left unattended for too long, so wild monsters have crept in.]
Beru noticed why Sooho brought them here, and his eyes shone.
Unfriendly gazes from all over the dungeon were aimed in their direction.
[These are wild goblins. They seem like perfect opponents to train a pet.]
Beru chuckled and patted Gray’s flank, the horse he was riding.
[Now, get up, Descendant of the Beast Monarch! Show those pitiful creatures your ferocity!]
“Kkioong…”
Shrug.
[Hmm?]
Gray didn’t seem to have any will to fight. In fact, he hunkered down even further, flattening his body to the ground.
Seeing that, Rakan’s Fang couldn’t hide its frustration.
– Argh! He’s lost all his natural fighting instincts due to being confined! What are we going to do!?
“What do you mean?”
[Yeah, what is it talking about?]
But Sooho and Beru didn’t seem fazed.
Beru’s skill was Devour, which allowed him to absorb some of the power and memories of the creatures he consumed.
[Get up, young warrior.]
Beru, the best babysitter Sooho knew, tapped Gray’s flank again.
Harshly.
[Beru uses ‘Skill: Cruel Command’.]
[‘Skill: Cruel Command’ increases Gray’s stats by 50%.]
[As a side effect of ‘Skill: Harsh Command’, Gray is cursed with madness.]
“… Growl!”
At that moment, Gray’s eyes, which had been completely lacking in enthusiasm, changed dramatically.
Beru laughed wickedly and continued to pat his flank.
[Alright! Let’s go with that momentum, Growler!]
“Grrr!”
❄Support the original in its official site if you can!❄You'll do us great service just by not publicizing our links to social medias. It is ridiculous to ask to be lowkey when this novel is anything but that; however, every effort counts in the continuation of the translation.
❄You can read ahead by purchasing the advanced chapters, but it is not required to have the full access of the novel as everything will be unlocked with time.
❄What we lack in speed, we make it up in quality.