Ch.5858. An Unwanted Situation

Originally, I only had a claw on one hand, but now I looked like a heavily armored mechanical dinosaur.

Why? You’ll see.

[Output Limiter Device]

-Stats cannot exceed the SS(+) grade.

-To assign stats above SS(+) grade, a more special card is needed.

After experimenting with various things, it seems the output limiter release device only allows stat growth up to the (+) grade.

[Hardness Itself]

-No stat increase effect, but ‘can expand the range.’

Other component cards are the same. Since I’ve already surrounded myself with more metal than “Hardness Itself” provides, that effect is unnecessary. Just expanding the range?

Anyway, shall I try the rest of my experiments?

In front of me, an A-rank monster, a Minotaur, roared at me.

A standard powerhouse of A-rank, symbolizing robust physique and strength.

But currently, it meant little to me. Having evolved into an adult form, I hunt even S-rank monsters.

The reason I’m hunting in an A-rank gate is because I wanted to know exactly how much destructive power I have.

By systematically dealing with S-rank and A-rank monsters.

Now that I’ve transformed into an adult form, air pressure overflows when I swing with force.

What if I touched a human? Even with Ariel, I barely touched her from above, and she coughed blood and crashed to the ground.

It was important to gauge how to fight against a standard strong monster in A-rank.

A test monster for power control. And then I plan to face an S-rank standard monster, the Twin-Headed Ogre.

“Kuooo!”

The Minotaur is running across the plain.

I’ve already cleared out other annoyances around, so this one is all that’s left. As it charged fiercely toward me, unlike when I saved Ariel before, I grabbed the Minotaur’s arm head-on.

“Kuo?”

It was bewildered by its inability to move.

“It’s like handling a toy.”

This muscular monster being called a toy—what nonsense.

But it’s actually true. When I lifted my hand holding the Minotaur, it just kicked its feet in the air.

My strength is overwhelming. As I applied more force, I could see its arm crumple with a scream.

This level of strength crushes a Minotaur’s arm.

I then sliced the Minotaur with my claw and moved on.

[Absorbing DNA.]

-Beast

[DNA Points Acquired]

-1,000

-Current Points: 12,500

Considering that A-rank monsters typically give 900-2,000 points, I could easily earn enough points to evolve with some effort.

If there hadn’t been surveillance from the White Dragon Guild, I might have evolved into adult form repeatedly throughout the vacation.

After defeating the Minotaur, I exited the gate.

I could hunt more and had plenty of energy left. But the problem is the aftereffects.

“Mmm!”

As I return to human form and exit the gate, I feel a sharp pain.

My body feels unbearably heavy, like a water-soaked cotton.

“Becoming an adult form… really takes a toll.”

The aftereffects were always severe after transformation, but today is especially bad.

“Ouch, my nose still hurts.”

On my way home, I touched my broken nose.

Why is it broken? Obviously because of those ‘drug addicts.’

[They seemed like ordinary people, but they were abnormal. When we searched their bodies, we found a strange powder.]

Shamefully, I was knocked out after being beaten by ordinary people. Eun Se-rin showed me a red powder while I was feeling self-loathing.

Se-rin said she took care of them right after I was knocked out and collapsed.

The problem was that they had hurriedly started eating this powder before fighting.

‘This powder needs to be investigated. If it’s strong enough to defeat you, a Jaeger, the physical enhancement must be substantial. There must be side effects.’

Eun Se-rin handed over only part of the powder to the police and kept half.

Since it’s vacation, I haven’t seen her again, but it was enough to know something was happening.

“Strange? There’s no red powder like this in the future.”

Drug cases always appear frequently, but this kind of physical enhancement drug was a first.

Is this also part of the changed future?

I can’t even guess what kind of incident this will cause.

I collapsed right there. Truth be told, evolving into adult form is extremely tiring.

I need to rest for tomorrow’s Destroyer. Yes, absolutely.

*

Yu Deok-min had grown slightly bigger during the vacation period.

Being a first-year high school student in his growth phase, it was natural.

He flung open the door energetically and smiled.

His face was full of smiles rather than worries, which would surely please his parents.

But the inside story was different.

Entering his room, he opened his bag. In a palm-sized packet, red powder was sparkling.

[You know. I recommend using 3g at a time. Weaklings like us need to conserve it. The duration of one hour should be enough. Be careful not to get addicted.]

Yu Deok-min put a straw to 3g of the small amount.

“Sniff!”

The moment the inhaled powder entered his body, Yu Deok-min swung his hand.

Crack.

The wall split with a sound, and Yu Deok-min smiled with satisfaction.

“This should be enough.”

“Deok-min! What was that noise?”

But he was startled by the sound of his door being flung open.

“Uh, Mom?”

His mother’s expression hardened when she saw the crack in the wall.

“What on earth did you do?”

“Ah… well… it was an accident.”

Yu Deok-min tried to make excuses while stammering, but a back smack was naturally waiting for him.

“This house is on lease! What are we going to do if you damage it! Anyway… you’ve been hanging around strange places lately…”

“…”

Yu Deok-min’s expression rapidly hardened.

“Get your act together, Deok-min. These days, even the news reports on employment problems and delinquency among low-grade Jaegers.”

“I’m doing well. I’m second in my class.”

“Then what have you been doing lately? Coming home late, I’m worried you might be hanging out in strange places.”

“Ah, stop it!”

Yu Deok-min burst out in anger. And his emotions were so excited that he even raised his hand.

“Huh!”

But his last bit of conscience held him back.

Leaving his surprised mother behind, Yu Deok-min hurriedly left the room.

‘Damn it, don’t look down on me. How long are you going to treat me like a child?’

His heart was pounding, but soon regret washed over him.

‘No, what am I doing to Mom? Just getting angry for no reason…’

With a guilty heart, Yu Deok-min moved to apologize to his mother.

*

The Destroyer has a water attribute, and based on attribute relationships, subduing it with earth is basic.

Therefore, it’s natural that I included an attribute conversion card in my deck.

The annihilation bullet, when I saw it before, had tremendous power, but using it in an urban area would cause chaos.

So the basic strategy is to exploit its attribute weakness to capture the Destroyer.

I checked the appearance location from Monster Daily and was waiting in advance.

But the location is quite terrible. If it were near a mountain, there would be no problem, but it’s just near a neighborhood.

In other words, there’s a high possibility that people will see.

I prepared the claw enhancement and annihilation bullet as dedicated sub-cards, and finally added one smoke screen. I’ll convert to earth attribute and attempt all attacks.

Security is always thorough.

Anyway, this specimen is strong. They say it defends well against physical attacks, but that’s only when there’s no countermeasure.

I’ll evolve into adult form and deal with it in one go. To do that, I need to handle everything in this alley where it appears.

I waited and checked the time. As the time mentioned by Monster Daily approached, I gripped my cards.

[Alert! Alert!]

Everything I needed to do was organizing in my head. Finally, a break occurs in the night street.

[Evolution]

-Mechanical Dinosaur Sura

Choosing adult form with the evolution card, I began to transform once again.

When my body, grown to nearly 9 meters, could look down on everything, I set off the smoke screen.

Everywhere was filled with smoke, but I didn’t mind.

[Claw Enhancement]

As the sub-card activated, my claw began to change to a brown magical energy. Finally, the rift should be occurring…

That should have been the norm, but an anomaly occurred. The break shattered and alarms rang throughout the neighborhood, but the monster was nowhere to be seen?

The location shown in Monster Daily is… where I am now.

But when I turned my head, there was a house right next to me. Wait, could it be?

Monster Daily doesn’t specifically mark differences of a few meters.

Considering that breaks don’t particularly discriminate locations?

“No way…”

“Ahhh!”

Hearing a scream from inside, I hesitated for a moment.

It’s a monster I need to catch, and I can’t leave it alone. While I’m hesitating, it will kill people and grow.

As I pushed my body in, walls were collapsing mercilessly.

Thrusting my body into the house, I heard another scream.

Right in front of me, an elementary school girl and her mother were falling over in terror at the sight of me.

“Aaaah! Aaah!”

I ignored them as they panicked. Beyond them, the slime-like Destroyer had already engulfed their husband.

“…”

I need to tear it apart and kill it. I ran with my claw raised, breaking through the ceiling and back, about to deliver a blow when—

“Ugh…”

Hearing a groan in front of me, I hesitated for a moment.

The Destroyer typically absorbs its victims, but that man was still alive, having been eaten only recently.

It would be easier to kill them together.

A sweet temptation rang in my head, but if that were the case, why would I have saved people before?

I don’t want to do that.

[Attribute Conversion]

At this moment, I very slowly slashed the body of the specimen that filled an entire room with my claw.

When the earth attribute touched it, its body began to shrink, and it started firing long energy beams at me.

I didn’t need to get hit, but while taking the hits, I slowly tried to extract the person inside.

Stay calm.

I checked how much strength was needed when I caught the Minotaur.

I also carried Ariel. There was a reason I did those strength tests.

It’s enough.

The Destroyer struggles and aims for my body. Fortunately, my sturdy body can withstand attacks even from a new S-rank monster, but I was starting to feel some damage.

But before this small sensation could turn into pain, I finally succeeded in pushing the monster back and separating the person.

I grabbed the choking man in front of me with my other hand and gently placed him behind me.

“Eek!”

It’s better that the startled man started to run away. I’m about to launch a big attack now.

Once again, with my claw filled with brown aura, I slashed without hesitation this time.

The air pressure left claw marks on the surrounding walls, and the monster was losing its form, trying desperately to recover.

Not a chance.

Having replaced the smoke screen card with breath, I prepared for the final blow.

[Breath]

This area might burn a bit, but with breath, which has a shorter range than Gaia Flame, I can destroy it in one go.

Just as I was about to open my mouth and exhale the attribute-changed breath—

Suddenly, I felt a dull impact on my head.

Something was stuck in me and attacking me mercilessly.

“The Neptune Guild is now ready! We will handle the monster!”

I heard a sound that shouldn’t have reached my ears. This is absurd. It hasn’t even been 5 minutes since the fight began, and the Neptune Guild is here?

An arrival boasting abnormal speed. Confused, I turned around to see the Neptune Guild in uniform military-like clothing.

And at this moment, the Destroyer in front shot blue magical energy at me.

“Ugh!”

As I was pushed back momentarily, the Neptune Guild rushed in.

No, are these guys…?

They’re interfering at a crucial moment. And the Destroyer is escaping too.

“Grrrr!”

“It’s a new species of monster!”

“Kill it. Show our power!”

This is the worst situation. Everything I didn’t want to happen was unfolding right now.