Chapter 335

Chapter 335
Chapter 335

—

Right there, resting before my eyes, was the legendary supermetal Orichalcum.

Grrk. Grrrk.

Moving with the grace of a serpent, the Dianax circled my position, having just completed its molting process. It stood on four sturdy legs and possessed a lengthy tail. The endearing look of the Baby Hydragon had vanished entirely, replaced by a sense of majesty and power that the smaller creature never held.

As I focused my attention on the beast, a translucent display manifested.

Name: Dianax (Grade 10)

Trait (1): A unique evolutionary path branching from a Baby Hydragon.

Trait (2): As a boss-class entity, it possesses two more traits than standard specimens.

Trait (3): Power Up (Increases Strength by 10 for a duration of 5 minutes upon starting a fight.)

Trait (4): Armor Break (If the mineral plating is shattered, HP and defense drop temporarily while agility see a sharp rise.)

Strength: 61

HP: 83

Agility: 44

Intelligence: 35

MP: 52

Skills: Vital Point Bite (Max), Jewel Beam (Lv. 1)

With just a quick scan, it was clear its entire category had shifted. It had acquired new traits and its base numbers had spiked across the board. This was a transformation that truly lived up to the definition of evolution.

Grrk?

Noticing my intense stare, the Dianax cocked its head to the side. It seemed to sense that my greed was currently outweighing the genuine happiness I felt for its growth. But honestly, who could blame me? Look at that physique. It was a living, breathing deposit of Orichalcum!

‘I can already list ten different things I could craft. Elite-tier gear that requires Orichalcum as a base.’

Every single one of them would be a legendary masterpiece that would have me cheering the moment the hammer struck the anvil. Because of that, a burning curiosity consumed me. I was so intrigued it was driving me restless.

‘Can the metal actually grow back?’

The outer hide of the Dianax was comprised of pure Orichalcum ore. I was dying to know if that metal would return thanks to its natural recovery rate, which sat at over 50,000 percent. It wasn’t just a matter of scientific interest… no, I have to be honest.

I’ll admit it freely. The primary driver in my heart right now was raw avarice.

But it was unavoidable. If it could regenerate, and I could effectively farm Orichalcum from it? If an army of knights appeared clad in armor forged from this beast…

‘The mere concept is daunting.’

The sheer spectacle of it would be breathtaking. Even if I only made a set for my own use, I would become an unshakeable fortress. I’d need other components, of course, but the most vital supermetal was standing right here.

The catch was that I couldn’t simply start hacking pieces off of it.

‘If I just start harvesting, our bond will plummet.’

Maintaining a high communication level is vital when training a companion. Since this wasn’t a standard ‘Soul’, I had to be cautious. Furthermore, because of the 200% synchronization from Sense Sharing, I would be forced to endure every bit of the agonizing pain myself.

Still, even that level of suffering couldn’t quench my desire. After settling my nerves, I spoke.

“You’ve done a great job.”

Grrk! Grrrk!

“Now, how about we head out right away to take down the next ‘boss’?”

Grrk?

“Don’t worry about a thing. We are a single unit. There’s no reason to be afraid; just put your faith in me and follow my lead.”

Since what belongs to you is essentially mine, and what is mine remains mine, we truly are one in spirit and flesh.

Guaaaaaaah!

The Dianax let out a pained shriek. This happened shortly after I decided to skip two difficulty tiers to challenge the ‘Metal Mantis Boss’. It was a massive insectoid creature shimmering with a silver hue. This monster possessed such terrifying offensive power that it shattered the Dianax’s outer shell in a heartbeat!

Clang! Clang!

With the sharp ring of metal hitting the floor, fragments of the Dianax’s hide—pure Orichalcum—scattered across the ground.

《A critical strike has been dealt by the ‘Metal Mantis Boss (Grade 17)’.》

《The shattered armor is being restored via ‘Supernatural Regeneration’.》

《Power Up active! Strength rises by 10 for 5 minutes!》

《Armor Break active! Agility rises by 5 for 5 minutes!》

Every time the Dianax lost a piece of its skin, my own flesh felt as though it were being ripped and gouged in tandem.

“Ugh…”

I usually have a high tolerance for physical trauma, but this synchronized, doubled pain was nearly more than I could handle. I couldn’t afford to just sit there and groan, though. I moved in stealthily and began gathering the fallen ‘Orichalcum’.

Gruaaaaaaah!

Meanwhile, the Dianax—now faster and more powerful thanks to the stacking effects of its traits—tried to strike back.

Kiaaaaah!

The jagged talons of the Metal Mantis Boss tore into the Dianax’s hide once more.

Clang!

Another metallic ring echoed, and more Orichalcum hit the floor.

《The shattered armor is being restored via ‘Supernatural Regeneration’.》

《Armor Break active! Agility rises by 5 for 5 minutes!》

My eyes went wide as I snatched up the precious metal.

‘Armor Break can actually stack?’

It was a secondary buff triggered by the loss of the mineral shell. Because the destruction and the recovery were happening simultaneously, the benefits were compounding. Usually, these types of buffs don’t overlap, but perhaps it was because the Dianax was a ‘Soul’ summon? It seemed it wasn’t bound by the standard rules of the world.

The duration was only five minutes, but still.

‘I think we can actually pull this off.’

To be perfectly frank, I hadn’t expected to win this fight. I viewed it as a necessary trial to facilitate my Orichalcum farming. Having jumped ahead two stages, the level gap between the Dianax and this boss was massive. Even though they were both elite monsters, there was a difference of 7 grades.

However… the stacking buffs changed the math.

‘If the circumstances are right, even a ridiculous level gap can be bridged.’

It was essentially a ‘game-breaking exploit’. I reached out mentally to the Dianax.

‘Just hold on!’

Grrr?

The Dianax sent back a pulse of pure shock as it felt the intensity of my resolve. But we were just getting started.

Rip! Rip! Riiip!

《A critical strike has been dealt by the ‘Metal Mantis Boss (Grade 17)’.》

《A critical strike has been dealt by the ‘Metal Mantis Boss (Grade 17)’.》

《A critical strike has been dealt by the ‘Metal Mantis Boss (Grade 17)’.》

…

《The ‘Dianax’ is reaching the limit of its mental endurance.》

《Communication level with the ‘Dianax’ is falling.》

Guooooooh!

The Dianax’s screams were constant now. I was suffering just as much. No matter how fast it healed, being torn apart repeatedly would drive anyone to the brink of insanity. But the results were undeniable.

《Armor Break active! Agility rises by 5 for 5 minutes!》

《Armor Break active! Agility rises by 5 for 5 minutes!》

《Armor Break active! Agility rises by 5 for 5 minutes!》

Fifteen stacks had accumulated in no time. By simple math, its agility had surged by 75 points.

‘That’s the key.’

Agility governs movement speed, reaction bonuses, and the chance to land critical blows. With an agility score well into the triple digits, the creature’s mobility became something out of a dream.

Grrrrr!

In a blur of motion, the Dianax evaded the Mantis’s next strike. Then, moving at twice its previous speed, it wrapped its body around the insectoid boss. It scrambled up the Mantis’s torso until it reached the head, looming over the monster’s face and unhinging its jaws.

Goooooooooo-!

《Executing ‘Jewel Beam’.》

《Critical Hit!》

《‘Penetration’ effect triggered.》

《Damage increased by 120%!》

《Bonus damage against boss targets +20%!》

《The ‘Metal Mantis Boss’ has suffered a fatal wound!》

Shaaaaaa!

The exoskeleton of the Metal Mantis Boss began to liquify and dissolve. Before long, its shrieks began to fall silent.

At that exact moment:

《The ‘Dianax’ has successfully slain the ‘Metal Mantis Boss’.》

《Achievement Unlocked: ‘Hunt a boss monster with a 5-grade or higher gap within 1 hour’.》

《Achievement Unlocked: ‘Supersonic Sprint’.》

《Experience gain boosted by 500%.》

《The ‘Dianax’ has ascended to Grade 14.》

《Skill proficiency efficiency increased by 2,100%.》

《The unique skill ‘Jewel Beam’ has reached level 8.》

《The ‘Dianax’ has learned the skill ‘Pain Tolerance’.》

《Communication level with the ‘Dianax’ has increased by 2 stages.》

Whew!

I let out a low whistle of appreciation. The pile of ‘Orichalcum’ that had been shed looked to be at least 20 kilograms.

‘This is incredible.’

Selling this on the open market would give me enough wealth to purchase an entire city. I couldn’t even fathom what the bidding would look like at a high-end auction. But this was merely the opening act.

‘…I can farm this indefinitely.’

My eyes flashed with excitement. I wasn’t the type to be satisfied with a single haul. Under the guise of using these stacking buffs to hunt higher-level targets, I was going to collect every scrap of Orichalcum I could get my hands on.

G-Grrr?

The Dianax suddenly shuddered, feeling an inexplicable chill run down its spine.

Farming is a joy that never fades. Especially when the harvest is the supermetal Orichalcum, a material that was supposed to be impossible to find. Pain and misery were insignificant compared to the growing mountain of treasure.

However, all good things eventually slow down.

‘The rate of Orichalcum drops is starting to taper off.’

After hundreds of instances of its armor being shattered, the amount of mineral being produced was dwindling. It seemed this limitation was also a part of its evolutionary design. That was alright, though. The sheer volume I had already secured was staggering.

My ‘magic leather pouch’, which possessed nearly limitless space, was currently weighted down with almost a ton of Orichalcum!

‘Is this what they mean by feeling satisfied without eating a bite?’

It had been an eternity since I’d had a farming session this productive. I felt like I had gone back to my early days as a dedicated gamer. Isn’t this the heart of what a role-playing game is all about? I lost all track of time, continuing the hunt alongside the Dianax.

I’m not sure how many hours passed in that state.

《Communication level with the ‘Dianax (Grade 25)’ has maxed out.》

《‘Soul Communion’ is commencing.》

《The rune from the ‘Monster Soul’ is being etched onto the user’s body.》

《The ‘Soul of the Dianax’ has reached the ‘Supreme’ rarity.》

《The ‘Dianax’ is evolving to reflect the user’s nature.》

《Evolution complete: ‘Super-Supreme’ rarity Divine Beast, ‘Angel Behemoth’!》

《The ‘Angel Behemoth (Grade 25, Divine Beast, Light Attribute, Raid Boss)’ gains 4 extra traits.》

Ruuuuuumble!

The Dianax’s form expanded exponentially, growing dozens of times larger until it was a Behemoth over five meters tall.

‘An Angel Behemoth?’

Typically, a Behemoth was the quintessential creature of darkness. They were monsters among monsters, possessing gorilla-like frames, coarse black fur, and the face of an elephant, built solely to destroy. Yet, the ‘Angel Behemoth’ before me was covered in pristine white fur, and a shimmering halo of light hovered over its head.

It was a variant I had never encountered. I hadn’t even heard rumors of such a creature existing. But it wasn’t just the massive, elephantine frame of the beast that held my gaze.

‘That has to be…’

…There was something else.

‘Is that the Star Tusk?’

Another legendary material to harvest. While I hadn’t known of the Angel Behemoth’s existence, I was very familiar with a specific item crafted from that very tusk.

‘The primary component for a Holy Relic…’

When that realization hit me, I was left speechless once again. It wasn’t just about finding the Star Tusk. From the Dianax to the Angel Behemoth, it was evolving into creatures that weren’t even in the history books—entities I didn’t even know were possible. I had secured the raw materials for supermetals and holy relics that the modern world could no longer produce.

But this wasn’t the conclusion of the journey. If its rarity continued to climb with every new stage…

‘Exactly what are you going to become when this is over?’

I couldn’t even begin to guess what the final form would look like.

Ruin had manifested.

The White King.

He was the sovereign of the north and the true ruler of Kramdel, the metropolis of beasts. Though he had gone into hiding after losing a tusk in a clash with Wilhelm, he was a different story in his prime. During his peak, he was a monster without a peer. His instincts for detecting danger were so sharp they bordered on prophecy, and his speed in his true form was unmatched.

‘Under normal circumstances, Wilhelm wouldn’t have been able to beat him.’

He was certain he could have at least forced a stalemate. No matter how powerful Wilhelm was, the fight would have gone on forever as long as the King refused a direct confrontation. But Wilhelm had taken the city of Kramdel and his elite warriors as collateral. He had engineered a scenario where the White King had no choice but to stand his ground.

That was the first time the White King had ever known the taste of defeat. The long period of isolation that followed was a result of the trauma from that loss.

However, the White King possessed one more talent beyond his speed and foresight.

‘I needed to grow. For myself, for Kramdel, and for my people.’

Being in seclusion didn’t mean he was just idling away in the shadows. The White King was looking for a transformation. He had resolved to utilize his powers without holding back. It was a goal well within his reach.