Chapter 84: Can I Raise This Beast?

-Found you! Enemy of my mother!

Kyaaaaa!

The beast didn’t speak but roared, yet I could understand what it said.

Wriggle!

A pair of yellow reptilian eyes gleamed through the cracked egg, looking straight at me.

Baaaam!

The seals covering the egg exploded all at once.

“

Keugh!

”

“Mr. President! Summon, Aegis Shield!”

S-rank Creation-type Hunter Kang Woo hurriedly reached out, and a golden shield emblazoned with the mark of a snake-headed woman appeared before the president.

Others also rushed over to protect the president. Unbeknownst to them, the old man wasn’t the target.

Something around a meter tall protruded from the egg, vanishing in the next moment.

Swaaaaa!

A tiny crocodile monster, covered entirely in blue scales, cut through the air and rushed toward me at lightning speed. It spread its jaws open, baring its hideous fangs at my neck. For something so small, its ferocity was frightening.

Even so, I didn’t feel any danger.

Why is it so slow?

Although it was as fast as a bullet, it seemed so slow to me, as if playing in slow motion.

As casually as swatting a mosquito, I pointed my index finger at it. It felt like the most natural thing to do.

As the crocodile hatchling got closer, our eyes met. Indeed. Why should I hesitate to kill such a lowly creature?

“Crushing Forefinger of G—”

Before I could use my power, the crocodile hatchling’s eyes widened in horror.

“Where do you think you're going?!”

Grab!

Black Knight Gal Joong-Hyuk moved at an unbelievable speed for his size, grabbed the crocodile hatchling by the neck, and flung it backward.

“Nice catch.”

Clack clack clack!

The crocodile hatchling flew like a tossed parcel, heading toward a certain white-haired man. He charged and took a swing at it with his sword qi.

Slash! Kieeeeek!

The crocodile was slashed into two and fell to the ground.

Thud!

Shin Yoo's lips curved into a celebrity smile as he wiped the blood off his hands. “

Phew

. That was shocking. Is everyone alright?”

Hmm.

My raised forefinger stiffened a bit. Should I say... as expected of S-rank Hunters? They were really incredible! My companions weren’t fazed in the slightest.

“S-scary...”

“Everything's fine, Unni.”

“That's right. You have us, Mi-Na.”

Sung Mi-Na was afraid, but Sung Mi-Ri and Baek Yoo-Hyun were there for her. Choi Kang-San's muscles bulged as he prepared to respond if necessary.

Meanwhile, the crocodile hatchling lay mangled. With its body torn apart, guts, and blood scattered everywhere, it was only a matter of time until death came. Yet, it refused to die.

Tears overflowed from the round eyes of the dying crocodile, which made me start to feel a bit sorry for it.

“

Tweh!

How persistent. It’s still alive.”

As the crocodile hatchling whimpered, Black Knight Gal Joong-Hyuk raised his steel-encased foot, wanting to crush its head.

“Wait.”

Plop!

The man in black robes stopped him. He was the Immortal Guild’s guild master, Ko Sa-Deuk.

“What? Why would you interrupt me?”

“I’ve never seen this monster before, so killing it would be a waste. Give it to me. I want to dissect it alive.

Keke.

”

Gal Joong-Hyuk made a face. “No way. I want to bash its head. I have to vent my anger somehow!”

“

Tsk.

I'm way too old to be repeating myself. You're just a towering waste of space, just like Baek Hyun. Youngsters nowadays have no brains.”

Then, Ko Sa-Deuk’s eyes darkened. “

Keke.

Maybe seeing death will wake you up.”

Ruuumble!

The 44-floor building shook as if being hit by an earthquake. At the same time, the space behind Ko Sa-Deuk tore open, and a spine-chilling, ghostly wail echoed from beyond.

-

Keeheehee!

-

Kikiki!

Choi Kang-San rushed out with an extremely tense expression. “

Urk.

Stop it, you damn old man! Are you trying to summon Yaksha soldiers into this place?!”

“This old man is practicing his own funeral! Come out, Soul Mecha Lazenca!”

Clank clank!

Black Knight Gal Joong-Hyuk’s face contorted as he took a battle stance with armor that was twice his size.

This was the legendary “five minutes before a fight” that I had only heard of.

It was a pity that I didn’t have any popcorn with me. There was nothing more entertaining than watching a full-blown fight.

Kieeeek...

At that moment, I heard whimpering akin to a puppy’s.

-Please... save me...

It came from the crocodile hatchling, whose body had been severed into two. I appraised it.

-----

[Apostle Gustav’s Baby Crocodile]

A male crocodile. Around for 5 minutes.

Special note: Fear-stricken and dying.

-----

I never intended to crush it to death, and it was too heartbreaking to just watch it die five minutes after it had come to this world. It was a bit too big to be called a hatchling, but still.

[Infinite Abundance looks at the dying crocodile hatchling with compassionate eyes, saying that even if its parents were guilty, the child is innocent.]

Just then, one of my stalkers responded.

Uhm, Abundance noonim, you might be right.

“You punks! Stop it!”

“Yes, everyone! What will the public think if they see this?!”

Choi Kang-San and Shin Yoo, along with all the other S-rank Hunters, tried their best to stop Ko Sa-Deuk and Gal Joong-Hyuk.

Even if I used my healing power on this baby crocodile, would it survive for even a second in this chaos?

-Mummy... Mummy...

Kieeee...

I don’t know why, but I feel so guilty. Is it because I could understand what it's saying? Is this the side effect of being promoted to a Low-tier God?

[Infinite Abundance looks at you with pleading eyes, asking if you could be merciful just this once.]

Um, I would love to, but in this mess, it’s kind of difficult... Huh?

Ding!

God-Maker suddenly responded.

[Merciful and compassionate Low-tier God Yu Il-Shin, will you show mercy upon this insignificant mortal? (Yes/No)]

What’s this out of the blue?

If I showed mercy, would this situation be resolved? I pressed “Yes” out of curiosity.

Swoosh!

The dying baby crocodile crumbled into dust and disappeared.

I hiccuped involuntarily.

The baby crocodile that had been lying on the floor just a moment ago was transported into my phone! More accurately, it had been sent into the world of God-Maker, Antrinia!

Fuck, how did it get in there?

Luckily, no one else seemed to have noticed it yet. I was afraid of what would happen once they found out I’d stolen it.

Bam bam bam!

Just then, Sword Demon stormed into the room with an enormous black sword. “I'm here, Mr. Sword God! Is everything okay?!”

In a flash, everyone’s attention turned to Sword Demon.

“Y-you...?” The look on Shin Yoo’s face stood out in particular. He looked both surprised and overjoyed. “You’re Kang Geom, aren't you?!”

“

Ack!

You got the wrong person.”

“Stop lying! I’m Shin Yoo, your one and only friend! Have you forgotten?”

“I said you got the wrong person!”

Did they know each other? Come to think of it, I might’ve seen Shin Yoo digging up information about Johan’s Brilliance Guild in the past...

Anyway, I should probably leave. I turned to Baek Yoo-Hyun, putting on my best acting performance.

“

Ugh

, Yoo-Hyun hyungnim. I suddenly feel sick, so I’ll head home first.”

“What? Already? The president wanted to meet you, though.”

“

Haaa...!

I must’ve added a rotten egg to my ramyun this morning. I should’ve known... It’s over two months old...”

“

Aigoo

, why would you eat that?!” Baek Yoo-Hyun stared at me pitifully. Then, he pulled out a few bills from his wallet and put them in my hands.

“I’m sorry, this is all the money I have. Go to a hospital and make sure you eat fresh food next time.”

Tears streamed down my face. “

Huuhuu...

Thank you, Yoo-Hyun hyungnim.”

Finally, I walked away.

***

That baby crocodile was the last to hatch from the 100 eggs that Apostle Gustav had laid. It had no name, and within minutes of its birth, a small human’s sword cut it in half, almost killing it.

A big man in black armor had easily subdued it with one hand, and an old man had stared at it hungrily as if it were prey. It was only natural for it to be terrified, especially since it didn't know that humans could be so strong.

Above all, it was most afraid of a certain man—his mother’s killer.

Instinctively sensing the man’s power, the baby crocodile broke through the egg with all its might. Then, it lunged at him!

But in response, the man merely pointed his index finger at it.

“Crushing Forefinger of G—”

Chills!

Overwhelming power, akin to an erupting volcano, emanated from his finger. The baby crocodile stiffened momentarily.

That wasn’t a man. That was a colossal being wearing human skin.

Instantly, the baby crocodile understood why its strong, beautiful mother perished after giving birth.

Had it not been defeated by other humans, the baby crocodile would’ve been crushed by that monster it called an enemy.

Krrr...

The baby crocodile was slowly losing consciousness. Its not-so-short life flashed before its eyes, mainly its memories when it was still inside the egg.

The baby crocodile was among the hundred eggs Gustav had laid. It heard the voices of its siblings, who were born before him.

-Alpha, the humans are coming.

-We’re still weak. To fight them, we need to get stronger. Brother, let’s scatter all across the world. We have to harness our power and harvest the sacrifices of God to carry on our mother’s mission.

-Alpha, what about this last egg?

-

Hmph

, we don’t need an imbecile who can’t wake up on its own!

No! Brothers! Please bring me along!

Trapped inside the egg, the baby crocodile couldn't even scream.

Before it could even come to this world, its own kin had already abandoned it. Tears of realization overflowed from the baby crocodile’s eyes. It wanted to avenge its mother’s death, but...

“Healing Ring Finger of God Yu Il-Shin!”

Suddenly, as if commanded by the angelic voice, a fuzzy warm white light enveloped the crocodile.

This feeling... was reminiscent of being in a mother's embrace. How it had missed this sensation.

Tzzz!

Then, like a miracle, life returned to the baby crocodile.

Flash!

The baby crocodile's eyes fluttered open.

“

Ah!

God Yu Il-Shin! The beast you picked up has woken up!”

The first thing it saw was a beautiful, petite, white-haired girl.

Anty smiled brightly. “Hello.”