Ch.3737. Ascension (Monsterization)

The name of the high-ranking hunter captured using the Cyborg Mountain Lord was Choi Seo-rin.

Feeling somewhat familiar, I searched through my memories and checked the database, confirming that she was none other than “Apprentice Hunter Choi Seo-rin,” one of the named NPCs from Episode 5.

There was an early quest where you had to go hunting with her to take down a Grade 7 monster, the Named Flame Lobster… this quest was notorious because of her trolling behavior.

Her weapon had an effect that absorbed psychic energy from the surroundings, interfering with psychic abilities, and whenever you tried to support with ranged attacks, she would perfectly block the not-so-large Flame Lobster with her back.

What’s worse, she specialized in close combat and was a discharge-type psychic user, but wasn’t sturdy enough to be used as a tank, so if left alone, she would self-destruct during battle, causing the quest to fail.

If you asked whether she was good at close combat damage… to be brutally honest, she was only slightly better than mercenary NPCs in the close combat dealer category, and those NPCs were such garbage that they could at best serve as meat shields when there was no tank NPC available.

The cause of this absurd situation was the game’s uniquely stupid AI.

In fact, most NPC companion quests were notoriously difficult due to AI issues, but the important thing was that this quest was the only mandatory story progression quest among all NPC companion quests.

Considering that story progression was necessary to unlock various systems and increase the maximum level cap, this woman delivered to my main body was probably responsible for raising the blood pressure of millions of players.

‘…What should I do with her?’

Of course, I was also one of those millions whose blood pressure had risen because of her.

My first thought was to kill her out of spite, but my trait Imperturbability (A) suppressed that impulse while helping me regain my rationality.

With a strange calmness washing over me like cold water poured on my head, I carefully considered how to deal with this woman—Choi Seo-rin—before me.

The first thing that came to mind was simply killing her, but of course, such an option would be foolish.

A high-ranking hunter completely subdued, unconscious, and unable to maintain life without me could, with proper measures, be utilized as a force comparable to a Grade 1-2 monster.

Yes. I was now thinking of reborn this hunter as a monster to use as a force in my legion.

As mentioned earlier, her combat power is strong enough to face or overwhelm a Grade 2 humanoid monster, and as the vice guild master of the Holy Light Guild and a high-ranking hunter, her command abilities are excellent.

The problem of her not following my orders because she’s human can be solved through appropriate modifications like Mountain Lord’s, so I began her full-scale modification since not using her would be even stranger.

‘…Well, let’s get started.’

First, I began creating “parts” to replace Choi Seo-rin’s damaged body parts.

To start with, there’s the adamantium skeleton to replace the bones crushed by the recoil from Mountain Lord’s sonic bomb.

Named after a mythical metal, adamantium is the physically toughest metal in the game, formed when monster cells permeate steel.

Though slightly heavy, this is nothing to a high-ranking hunter like Choi Seo-rin, and considering its unique durability, she won’t have to worry about fractures.

Next are prosthetics made from monster tissues to replace severed or destroyed body parts.

Her left hand, cut off by Mountain Lord’s claws, will be replaced with a prosthetic made from Theseus—the Hive Dragon’s muscles and scales, equipped with sharp retractable claws (psychic claws).

For her right eye, which has a large hole, a modified version of the petrifying eye from King Basilisk, a Grade 4 monster that is the superior species of the Grade 5 lizard monster named after the mythical beast, is being prepared.

Her ankles, which were amputated by the compressed sonic bomb, will be replaced with prosthetic legs combining various agile monsters’ legs, nothing particularly special.

Additionally, all internal organs destroyed by the shock wave will be replaced with artificial organs powered by bioenergy produced from a biotic core that will replace her heart, and naturally, an A-rank biotic core will be implanted.

Finally, a control device is also being manufactured. This component, to be implanted along the spine and back, is a top-tier implant generously using cells from my main body and mythril particles imbued with nano-spirits, with proven performance.

It not only enhances reaction speed and assists in calculations needed for psychic activation, but can also accelerate thought processes to make one second feel like ten and amplify psychic energy.

However, despite diligently creating these various parts, attaching them to Choi Seo-rin in her current state would be meaningless—and would actually worsen her condition.

The reason is simple: monster and human cells and bodies have similar structures but completely different compositions, so implanting them would be like attaching pigeon wings to a human body.

Organs and body parts implanted with such crude methods cannot function normally and would only shorten her lifespan due to immune rejection.

Of course, I have a solution to this problem.

That is, although it will take quite some time, to gradually manipulate each cell to transform the very nature of the cells from human to monster.

Except for the brain, which must maintain her sense of self, all other body parts will eventually be replaced with monster parts, and the spinal implant must include a function to prevent immune rejection of monster cells in the brain.

‘…Phew.’

After preparing the parts and cell replacement, I brought Choi Seo-rin, who was still connected to various life-supporting organs, and placed her in a cell replacement pod.

The estimated time for complete cell replacement is about 74 hours. With about 3 days to spare, I began preparing equipment for her while also maintaining the cyborg Mountain Lord.

※ ※ ※

The first thing I worked on was the armor she would wear.

Her original suit was reduced to rags during combat, but some parts remained, and fortunately, the memory chip containing the structure and system was still intact.

So I actively referenced this for her new armor, and before long, I was able to complete her armor.

The appearance is quite similar to medieval fantasy armor, unlike the original SF and fantasy-mixed suit she wore.

To put it simply, it’s armor that emphasizes mobility with a form-fitting design that highlights her figure, but this is just the basic form.

The material of the armor is black iron (adamantium) particles possessed by nano-spirits, making it easy to manipulate its form and structure as desired.

The helmet, which looks like it has ears, contains various convenience functions.

It not only provides night vision and infrared vision but also has a built-in miniature radar, psychic barrier generation function, and a feature that enhances the effect of the Petrifying Eye (B) to be implanted in her right eye.

The cape spread behind her back is not just for style—it’s an anti-psychic cape made from the skin of a Hunter Raptor hunted in Gangwon-do forest, which can be freely activated or deactivated.

…I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a personal desire to see a female knight with a cape.

Anyway, now that the armor is complete, the next thing to create is offensive equipment.

I could manipulate the armor’s nanomachines to form weapons, but since these would only be temporary, good weapons are essential for proper combat effectiveness.

‘I wonder if this will work…’

Her two greatswords from the past are beyond repair as the core components were destroyed, but I can simply create weapons to replace them.

Therefore, for her who will dedicate her life to serving me, I generously used black iron (adamantium) and high-grade genes to complete a weapon—or rather, a monster in the form of a living weapon.

Its appearance is exactly like a magic sword from fantasy novels. The grip is divided into segments with red light seeping through the gaps, and in the center of the spiky guard sits an eye glowing red.

At the end of the grip is a red glowing jewel, and the blade, apart from the energy-formed edge, shows some monster carapace and flesh.

Of course, this is just the basic form. This sword—Anytheus—can change its shape in various ways and can even fight independently if necessary.

Thus was completed Anytheus, the third high-ranking monster I created.

Anytheus (Hive Weapon)

Grade :: 3

Level :: 89

Stats

Strength :: 1500

Agility :: 1500

Vitality :: 1500

Intelligence :: 2500

Resistance :: 10000

Energy :: 5000

Command :: 0

Traits

Monster Gene (B), Predator (B), Hive Mind (B), Subjugation (EX), Biotic Core (B), Versatile Psychic User (B), Elemental Resistance (B), Psychic Resistance (B), Adamantium Skin (B), Biological Weapon (B), Super Regeneration (B), Close Combat Proficiency (B)

Skills

Shape Shifting (B), Psychic Flame (B), Psychic Lightning (B), Psychic Frost (B), Psychic Barrier (B), Telekinesis (B), Psychic Construct (B), Weapon Mastery (B), Psychic Enhancement (B), Psychic Healing (B), Psychic Explosion (B), Vitality Absorption (B), Psychic Stealth (C)

Bio-armament

Psychic Sword (A)

While its close combat specs are terrible on its own as it’s meant to be wielded, the story changes when Choi Seo-rin wields it and enters combat together.

It will support her with various psychic abilities while freely changing its form to the optimal shape for killing enemies.