After deciding to hunt monsters, Pulkit cautiously scanned his surroundings.
*'I can't afford to venture too far into this S-rank dungeon with my current strength' he thought,
gripping the small amount of confidence he had. He turned to Saber and Bloody, who stood alert, ready to assist. Pulkit then climbed a nearby apartment building that had miraculously escaped complete destruction. Reaching the rooftop, he gasped as his eyes settled on the sight in the distance.
In the forest area, kilometers away, the giant white snake was coiled up, sleeping. Its massive, pale form glistened faintly under the dim light that filtered through the ruined city. Pulkit's gaze shifted slightly, noticing something else—the half-eaten corpse of a lion lying nearby. The lion was massive, almost as imposing as the snake itself.
Pulkit's chest tightened. That must be the lion whose roar I heard that day... the day the snake almost killed me. He clenched his fists. So, this snake has claimed this entire territory, killing all high-level monsters to establish its dominance. That explains why I haven't seen any other strong monsters.
Looking at the lifeless lion, Pulkit felt a pang of gratitude and sorrow. "Thank you for saving my life," he murmured, his voice heavy with emotion. "I promise, I'll avenge your death one day… when I'm strong enough."
Pulkit's resolve hardened. He turned back toward the snake, glaring at it with determination. That snake is my biggest hurdle. If I want to survive and grow stronger, I'll have to face it eventually. His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed movement closer to his location. A group of three demonic dogs roamed nearby, their dark, twisted forms sniffing around for prey.
Pulkit's lips curled into a determined smirk. "I've found my prey."
He descended quickly and relayed the plan to Saber and Bloody.
"Bloody, you'll use your Charge skill to take at least one of them down. Saber, you and I will handle the other two."
Saber nodded confidently, while Bloody rubbed against Pulkit's leg, eager to act.
But Pulkit hesitated.'I need a weapon if I'm going to fight alongside them'.
Opening the shop, he browsed through options.
"I need something sturdy and easy to swing," he muttered, settling on an F-rank short sword priced at 20 Achievement Points. After purchasing it, he held the weapon firmly, testing its weight. "This will do for now."
With the plan set, they moved to the demonic dogs' location.
"Go!" Pulkit commanded.
Bloody charged forward, his sharp tusks piercing one dog and sending it flying backward with a squeal. Saber leaped onto another dog, pinning it down. The third dog lunged at Saber, biting his hind leg. Pulkit's heart raced as he dashed forward, thrusting his sword into the final dog's side. The creature let out a pained yelp before collapsing.
Panting, Pulkit heard the familiar chime of notifications:
[You have leveled up. Current Level: 5]
[Bloody has leveled up. Current Level: 7]
Saber, however, remained at his current level. Pulkit looked at the corpses thoughtfully. Should I feed these to Saber? But another thought interrupted him. I also need to level up my skill.
Making his decision, he activated Summoner of the Dead and used it on the corpses. One by one, the demonic dogs rose as his summons. Another notification appeared:
[Skill Proficiency Increased: 28.85%]
Pulkit nodded, though he couldn't help but notice how much slower the proficiency increased now. "It's getting harder to level up this skill," he muttered.
Their first hunt concluded successfully, but Pulkit's thirst for growth hadn't been quenched. As they searched further, Pulkit spotted another group of five demonic dogs prowling nearby. He tightened his grip on his sword.
"Another hunt," he said, relaying the plan to Bloody and Saber. Using the same strategy, Pulkit and his team attacked the pack. The battle was fierce, and although they managed to defeat the group, the three demonic dogs Pulkit had just summoned were destroyed in the fight.
Pulkit stood amidst the aftermath, his breathing heavy. The notifications came in:
[You have leveled up. Current Level: 6]
[Saber has leveled up. Current Level: 11]
[Bloody has leveled up. Current Level: 8]
Pulkit decided to let Saber feast on the corpses this time, hoping he would evolve further. Saber devoured the bodies eagerly, but to Pulkit's disappointment, there were no changes.
"Maybe low-level monsters don't provide enough experience for Saber anymore,"
he speculated. Turning to Bloody, he said, "From now on, all low-level monsters are yours." Bloody's excitement was palpable as he happily nuzzled Pulkit. Saber, however, looked visibly upset.
Pulkit knelt beside Saber, patting his head. "Don't worry, Saber. When we catch a high-level monster, it'll be all yours." Saber's ears perked up, and his tail wagged slightly, his spirits lifted.
As the three enjoyed a rare moment of camaraderie, a dark shadow loomed over them. Pulkit's instincts screamed danger, and he instinctively looked up. A massive bird swooped down, its talons outstretched. Before Pulkit could react, the bird grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him into the sky.
Terror gripped him as the ground rapidly disappeared beneath him. "What the—?!" Pulkit's mind raced, panic and confusion overtaking him.
Saber barked ferociously, and Bloody charged in futile frustration, but the bird had already taken Pulkit beyond their reach. Pulkit struggled against the bird's iron-like grip, his thoughts a chaotic swirl. Is this how I'm going to die? No… I can't let it end like this!