Ch.1313. Setting Out to Hunt Tonight!

# [Predator Worm]

The Predator Worm. A creature with a name straight out of an apocalyptic novel, famous for being a top-tier B-class monster.

There’s a similar creature called the Tunnel Worm, but the Predator Worm possesses strength and durability on a completely different level.

The defining characteristic of this monster is exactly what its name suggests—it travels underground.

This might not sound particularly dangerous, but the very fact that it stays underground is what makes it so threatening.

While Tunnel Worms simply wait and ambush their prey, this beast actively churns through the earth searching for victims.

Most Jaegers’ combat methods rely on close-range weapons or projectile energy attacks.

But the Predator Worm stays beneath the ground.

First, because impact is reduced underground, it feels like it has the durability of an A-rank monster.

Moreover, the Predator Worm’s own natural durability is already top-tier among B-class monsters.

In other words, it’s disgustingly tough, difficult to attack, and Jaegers’ defensive capabilities are inferior to the worm’s unless they receive support.

Based on this condition alone, this monster received an evaluation comparable to A-class.

However, as time passed, by the time I graduated, a strategy was developed.

The answer lay in its relatively simple attack patterns and the fact that it had no offensive capabilities other than its durability and underground movement.

Once this was figured out, higher-ranked Jaegers could hunt it easily.

That’s why its rank dropped from A to B.

So, now I’ve identified what kind of creature the Predator Worm is.

And if you’re perceptive, you might notice the phrase “after I graduated.”

“The Predator Worm’s first appearance was two days from now, right?”

It’s about to appear as a new species of monster that hasn’t shown up yet.

The exact location was about an hour away from here.

I remember. At first, people thought it was an earthquake, but then it attacked people, and they wasted a month investigating, right?

Being a new monster species, it caused chaos, attacked many people, and created a mess.

“Hmm? Come to think of it, there was something else about the Predator Worm.”

This damn memory… well, it’s not like I’m some memory prodigy who can remember everything.

Anyway, the way to earn monster points for unknown monsters is to hunt special monsters like that.

“I wonder what I can buy with monster points.”

If that’s the case, facing this would be like confronting the strongest monster I’ve encountered so far.

Stronger than the Ceratops, and briefly, even an A-rank monster.

But I have knowledge from the future. I know how to deal with it.

Where it appears, what attack methods it uses.

It’s all coming back to me. It’s a relatively recent monster, and normally they don’t freely share strategies, but because of the extensive damage it caused, the strategy became public knowledge.

“I can do this.”

After organizing my thoughts, I came out and ran into Seol Yu-hwa.

“Still working hard, I see.”

Is it my imagination, or has her expression softened since last time?

Whether it’s because I defeated Aerial or not, the way she looks at me isn’t bad, unlike before.

“Working hard? I’m just struggling to keep up.”

“If you keep making an effort, nothing is impossible. Honestly, I’m sorry about the bread incident. I was being harsh… I’m apologizing now.”

Seol Yu-hwa hesitantly says. I thought it ended with us tying for first place, but it seems she’s been thinking about it.

“It’s nothing. I would have failed without you anyway. To be honest, I don’t have any attack abilities. And as long as you enjoyed the bread, that’s all that matters. Don’t worry about it.”

“You’re kind.”

At this moment, Seol Yu-hwa smiles. Is this what they call a clear, beautiful smile?

When such a beauty smiles, I can’t help but smile back.

Unlike when I saw her next to Geum Do-hyun before my regression.

But this happy moment was short-lived.

“Getting along well, are you? Hmm~ I was wondering why you suddenly named Do Jong-hyun.”

Aerial. This red-haired girl was slowly walking toward us.

Her asymmetrical short haircut still looks unique. Aerial’s eyes moved past me to Seol Yu-hwa.

And there they stopped.

As I turned my head as well, a different atmosphere began to envelop the place.

“You’re not dating, are you? Well, who knows. A meeting between second place and last place.”

“Not at all, we’re not dating. Are you interested?”

“If not for that, I’d be questioning how you tied for first place. I guess you really gave it your all for that one practice session? I was just taking it easy.”

Wow, sparks are flying. Not Adam Smith’s invisible hand, but an invisible bomb was moving right now.

“You keep looking down on Do Jong-hyun, but he was the one who led during the practice session. You lost to Do Jong-hyun. Isn’t that right? Second place.”

Seol Yu-hwa fires back without backing down. Aerial is momentarily speechless.

“Oh, really? Not dating but taking orders from him? Then why is he in the lower class?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Why? I’m getting curious.”

Aerial’s gaze turned back to me. Her half-smiling face was examining me from all angles.

“Hmm, you don’t even have a summoning spirit. Are you really that good at commanding?”

“I wouldn’t know. Seol Yu-hwa did well.”

“Haa, what kind of praise deflection is this?”

Aerial shook her head.

“Fine. I’ll find out later whether it’s a lie or not. You’d better know which side to take.”

With that, Aerial went into the simulation device.

Not to be outdone, Seol Yu-hwa also entered a simulation device.

“So that’s what a rivalry between the top two students in school looks like.”

Intense. Left alone, I decided to go upstairs to rest.

*

Two days passed, and finally, the time came. It’s fortunate that it appears at night, even though we have to travel an hour from the academy.

I’ve scouted the area over the past two days, so getting there won’t be a problem.

Amid the chilly wind, I finally arrived at the place where the creature would appear.

“This week is going to be tough.”

Schedule:

1. Deal with the Predator Worm from the Monster Daily

2. Monster attack during external learning (no impact)

During external learning, there will be a large-scale monster attack, but it will be handled smoothly and is an important day to showcase the academy students’ abilities.

However, for someone like me who can’t transform, it’s a horror show, so hiding is the best option.

In other words, while it’s no problem for skilled people like Aerial, it’s a dangerous day for me who can’t transform, so I need to be careful.

[Predator Worm senses vibrations in the ground and attacks.]

[Emit vibrations around your body to offset its attacks.]

[It can also collapse the ground.]

I recalled the precautions for dealing with the creature.

Knowledge from before the apocalypse was another weapon.

“So this is where the Predator Worm first appeared.”

Fortunately, it appears at night and on a mountainside.

A top-tier B-class monster.

Can I defeat it in my sub-adult state?

It’s a different story from taking down a C-class.

[Sub Cards]

-Breath

-Blood Rage

-Smoke Screen

Skills: Gaia Flame, Bite, Claw Attack

I need to fight properly using my cards and skills.

First, I equipped Smoke Screen, Breath, and Blood Rage in three of my four sub-card slots.

The remaining one is a red evolution card.

-Evolution cards are equipped by default.

-Sub cards generally have limited uses or cooldown periods. They can be replaced at the user’s will.

I studied thoroughly as I’ve newly evolved.

Usually, I know most of these things, but what the hell is Gaia Flame?

Is it different from Breath? Right, this is why I came early—to test these things.

Now I equipped Half-Dragon Asura in the main card slot at the center of the sub cards.

[Evolution]

My vision changes again. The field of view I’ve been seeing expands, giving me a new perspective.

At the same time, I begin to hear the wind on the mountain and sounds from within the grass.

My senses become more acute, and simultaneously, an uncontrollable desire rises.

I want to destroy. I want to forcibly smash everything.

In my dinosaur form, my desires are reaching extreme levels.

This is really dangerous.

It’s hard to control, just as they said. But I haven’t forgotten my purpose.

Gaia Flame.

I wanted to test Gaia Flame before the creature arrived.

It’s different from Breath. Something hot is forcibly being released from inside my throat.

A pulsation grows stronger from behind my back, and then, following my instinct, I opened my mouth.

A beam of flame shot out in front of me.

It’s not like Breath, which spreads flames. The fire is concentrated like a laser, penetrating everything in sight.

Leaving remnants of flames in its wake. When I finally stopped the Gaia Flame, trees began to collapse all at once.

Amazing… huh?

But my consciousness is fading. My vision is shaking, and I’m opening my mouth toward the sky.

Wait a minute?

Don’t tell me? I’m losing control! Suddenly, all my senses became powerless as this monster began to rampage on its own.

*

I lost control, but I could still sense what was happening.

This violent creature was waiting quietly.

A crack was forming right in front of me.

A Monster Break had begun.

Unlike other times, monsters weren’t pouring out chaotically. It was just emitting an ominous energy in silence.

And then vibrations echoed from underground. It’s here.

I wish I could follow the strategy, but this body that’s lost control refuses.

The ground vibrated before my eyes as the Predator Worm revealed its body.

With its long, black armor-like body emitting vibrations.

This creature charged without thinking.

And surprisingly, it slammed the Predator Worm to the ground in one go.

Amazing. The Predator Worm can tear through the ground and even penetrate concrete with its body, yet it got slammed like that?

The strength is impressive.

It charged like a beast and began breaking the Predator Worm’s armor.

Strong.

But if it could be defeated so easily, why was it considered the worst of B-class, comparable to A-rank?

Soon, my vision changed.

Yes, this is the attack. The attack that emits vibrations to collapse the target.

The large body was buried in the ground, and the Predator Worm began to enter the earth.

Now the real game begins.

From underground, it shakes and collapses the ground, then suddenly emerges from below to attack.

This dinosaur, with no intelligence and only ferocity, begins to be toyed with.

No matter how much it roars and cries, how can it catch an opponent that approaches intelligently?

A beating unfolds before my eyes for 10 minutes. Finally, my senses returned.

[Wild Power decreases.]

-Stat boost effect is removed.

Everything was a mess.

Holes everywhere, collapsed trees. And pain transmitted throughout my body.

“Urgh!”

So this is how it works. Anyway, having regained control after being hit, I started to use my brain.

-Blood Rage

-Smoke Screen

Using my abilities to maximize my stats, I swung my tail.

I need to strike first.

Spewing smoke from my mouth, I jumped at the same time.

The Predator Worm emerged from beneath the smoke but then stopped.

It halted its offensive, judging that its opponent had fled.

That cunning creature.

I landed back on the ground and deliberately stayed still.

It’s coming.

Following the vibrations I made, it was moving.

When the warning from my sensitive senses reached its peak, the sensation beneath my feet finally disappeared.

-Speed Enhancement

-Magic Enhancement

In that moment, my entire body felt a power I had never experienced before.

Wild Power isn’t the only means to increase rank.

As soon as I activated Magic Enhancement, magic enveloped my entire body, increasing my stats.

On top of that, Speed Enhancement added agility.

The Predator Worm’s surprise sinkhole attack doesn’t work on me, who was already prepared.

“Die!”

Seeing the Predator Worm waiting below, I spread both arms and slammed it.

Thud!

Pushing it against the collapsed underground wall, it began to emit those vibrations again.

My body moved much faster than before.

[There’s a brief moment before the Predator Worm uses its vibration attack. At that time, it’s defenseless. What? You can’t catch that timing? Who said you’re weak? If you’re strong, you can easily win by targeting that timing, hehehe~]

The words of a famous cocky Jaeger came to mind.

Before the tremors and repulsive force reached me, I moved my tail.

With the quick speed I was just taught!

-Tail Whip

My dinosaur tail sent the Predator Worm’s body flying. It began to roll in the foggy area.

-Gaia Flame

I didn’t miss this moment. Once again, concentrating everything in my body, I released Gaia Flame toward the fog.

The laser-like beam that shot out in a straight line ignited everything the moment it touched the fog.

Both the fog and the Predator Worm were engulfed in flames and then exploded.

[DNA Acquired]

-Insect

-1,000 points acquired

[Monster Points Acquired]

-Point Shop is now open.

I won. I succeeded in defeating the Predator Worm, which everyone feared and found difficult.

-Transform Release

I finally succeeded in opening the monster point shop.

“I did it!”

Returning to human form, I let out a cheer.