Chapter 330: Taming Master (1)

Chapter 330: Taming Master (1)

The creature that erupted from the ground was a crow covered in silver feathers.

I already knew what it was.

The spirit beast, 'Sulyria.'

A mythical creature that protects the dragonkin race had manifested through a contract.

"Oooooh...!"

An emotional exclamation burst forth from Pyeshaaktu's lips.

The opportunity to repay all the humiliation suffered up to now had finally arrived.

"Here... a spirit beast appears."

"Is it of the magical type? Or the flying type?"

"Should know the type at least, to prepare. Damn it."

The main attack force of the Fight Club Guild had experience in taking down boss monsters that matched the S-Class rank.

A large plant-type monster.

It was challenging, but through precise cooperation, they finally succeeded in hunting the boss monster.

However, the enemy before them now...

Was of a different dimension compared to what they had faced before.

"The estimation of its magic power... it's impossible to guess."

Hunters proficient in magic shivered, their entire bodies trembling.

A presence so powerful that it made even the slightest movement of a finger difficult.

"Bro! The drones in the air... have stopped working."

"Brother!"

Neither Itaemin's Machina Lord abilities nor his Hwarang Spirit Technique were able to activate.

Right at that moment.

Kukukukuku!

A frost-colored mist accompanied by a chill mana enveloped his entire body.

[Sulyria activates Lv. ?? 'Magic Insight'!]

Instantly, a shiver ran down my spine.

Eyes shining like sapphires seemed to pierce straight through one's heart.

"Be careful! It has psychic abilities!"

Psychic type.

Of all the types, the most troublesome had sprung forth.

"Don't make eye contact! If you do, you'll get entangled!"

The attack force changed formation.

More precisely, everyone kept as much distance as possible, turning their gazes downward.

If they didn't, they would fall under Sulyria's mental control and turn their blades on each other.

"Yoo Jin-ah!"

"I know!"

The only hope was Yoo Jin-ah.

With her taming skills, she was the only one who could oppose the spirit beast.

[Yoo Jin-ah uses her unique ability 'Mentra Taming'!]

Golden light flowed from Yoo Jin-ah's fingertips into Sulyria's body.

A power that maximized rapport with the target, creating the illusion of a lifelong bond.

The skill that had once captured a dragon shone brilliantly once again.

However.

"How foolish. To oppose me with mere tricks like this."

Sulyria scoffed with a light snort.

The golden mist seeping into its body scattered in an instant.

Yoo Jin-ah, a renowned tamer, her abilities did not even scratch the surface.

"My turn. Those bowing their heads will have their necks slashed, and those who raise their heads to live will be turned into puppets and enslaved forever."

As Sulyria was about to initiate the attack.

"Hm?"

Someone entered Sulyria's line of sight.

Among all those who had averted their eyes, one human walked forward boldly, wearing a casual grin that piqued Sulyria's curiosity.

"Oh. Not all humans are cowards, it seems. Is that one the culprit behind the dragonkin's suffering?"

"Yes, Guardian Deity!"

Pyeshaaktu nodded in agreement.

"He slaughtered our people and intruded upon our sacred land! You must kill him immediately to avenge our kin!"

"Fear not. I have no intention of sparing a presumptuous fool who cannot comprehend his own standing."

Sulyria plucked one of its feathers.

The silver feather shone sharply like a blade.

"Bold stance there. Do you possess a taming skill too? But it'll be in vain. Your silly skills can't affect me."

Even Yoo Jin-ah, who had specialized in taming, couldn't manage to do anything.

It was as if Sulyria was practically immune to all taming skills.

Of course.

Kang Jinhyuk was well aware of this fact.

"That's a bit presumptuous of you. My taming is a little different."

"Different? How so?"

"You'll see. Just watch... and you'll understand."

Kang Jinhyuk left a cryptic message.

"You're just displaying empty bravado because that's distinctive of your race, I see."

While Sulyria laughed, it suddenly tilted its head in confusion.

Wait.

That's right...

Next to Jinhyuk, there were peculiar creatures present.

A black reptile the size of a small dog, accompanied by a miniaturized dragon behind it.

Although considerably smaller, it was unmistakably an ancient creature and one of the four guardians of the east, 'Blue Dragon.'

"Gasp!?"

In an instant, Sulyria almost screamed aloud.

Never would it have imagined higher divine creatures than itself and the ancient likes would be present together.

Even more astonishing was...

'Why are these esteemed beings... acting as if guarding a mere human?'

Could that possibly make sense?

It was unbelievable even as Sulyria witnessed it, but there was no time to only deny what was happening.

This was the damnable reality.

"I haven't done much taming before, but hmm. Somehow, I have a good feeling about this. It feels like I'll be quite successful."

Jinhyuk used his skill toward Sulyria.

[Lv12 'Rapport' is activated!]

A similar-colored aura to Yoo Jin-ah's manifested with the use of the taming skill.

Surely, it was inferior to Yoo Jin-ah's efforts.

After all, Rapport was merely a skill to induce favorability in the subject.

"This won't work..."

Yoo Jin-ah knew this, suffused with regret.

On the other hand, Pyeshaaktu could hardly contain his excitement, bursting out in manic laughter.

"Phahaha! It worked. At least you'll make a fine travel companion!"

However.

"Wh... What is this force!"

Sulyria's body trembled uncontrollably.

It appeared to struggle against an irresistible power, as agony poured out from its entire being.

While seemingly crude, no one around recognized the true plight at hand.

"Uh?"

"Eh?"

"What... What is this?"

Various responses emerged.

To everyone's surprise, Sulyria was struggling against an ostensibly feeble power.

However, for Sulyria, this method was the only way for self-preservation.

'I won't even consider revealing my true form in front of such superior divine creatures.'

Such beings would undoubtedly be immune even to psychic powers.

Woooong!

The light intensified.

And finally.

[Taming is successful!]

A status window appeared announcing success.

'Good.'

The corners of Jinhyuk's mouth curled upwards.

Had Sulyria known about his limited magical power and the restrictions of the ancient potato's manifestation, it would have resisted desperately.

But Sulyria, being rather sharp-witted, saved Jinhyuk the trouble and made things easier.

'It's a pity I can't make it a subordinate like the Soft Black Crane.'

Unfortunately, Sulyria couldn't be subjugated through 'Soul Imprint' due to its exceptional psychic abilities and the bound nature of being a guardian deity of the dragonkin.

As the raid's guardian deity, using it appropriately was the limit of what he could achieve.

With Jinhyuk's successful taming, the surrounding atmosphere turned silent as if doused with cold water.

Especially Yoo Jin-ah, who was looking at Jinhyuk with a face filled with not only surprise but also reverent admiration.

"Amazing... Truly. How well do you understand monsters that you can tame a spirit beast without a specialized taming skill?"

She herself had spent a lot of time with numerous animals before the Tower had appeared.

Her job as a tamer was also thanks to those experiences.

Hence.

She knew how difficult it was to tame a superior creature.

How much love and care had to be given to the monsters.

Better than anyone else.

'...I've completely misjudged the person.'

Yoo Jin-ah's gaze warmed towards Jinhyuk.

At the same time.

[Yoo Jin-ah's favorability reaches the maximum.]

[Ability copy is successful.]

[Mentra Taming]

Difficulty: AA

Description: You can definitively tame monsters of your rank or lower. (As the skill's proficiency increases, you can tame more powerful monsters, and should you tame a higher-ranked monster, the skill's rank itself can be upgraded.)

A special skill capable of self-improvement under specific conditions.

Another ability had been acquired.

***

While everyone's attention was focused on the newly appeared island on the east coast,

On the rooftop of a high-rise building in Seoul, a gate was opened unbeknownst to anyone.

Woooong!

A person emerged from the sinister red gate.

Kwoong!

With a weighty step, the owner surveyed the Seoul skyline from above.

"Is this outside the Tower? Humans outside of the Tower live gathered together in filth, it seems."

Bursting muscles.

Golden hair and a thick beard.

None other than Thor, one of the mightiest gods of the Norse pantheon, the Thunder Lord.

And beside him, a beautiful red-haired man was present.

"Loki. Are you sure that the human came out of the Tower?"

"Yeah. He just left Murim to stop Shub-Niggurath. I got it from the middle management. Solid info."

Loki nodded.

The two deities had visited the country of Korea for one purpose.

"Kang... Kang... Damn it. Forgot the name again."

"Kang Jinhyuk. You should at least properly remember names. It's a name that's come up several times in the Divine Council Meetings, and you still forget?"

"Damn it. Anyway! It's him we need to find, right?"

"Right. He's key to this mission. Wait here for a moment. I need to locate him first."

The gaze in Loki's eyes narrowed.

'Loki's Sight.'

With the ability to see thousands of kilometers, the buildings in the landscape of all Korea were visible from the rooftop.

But then.

Throb!

Loki's expression soured.

"What's wrong?"

"No... It's a side matter. Nothing to do with the mission."

"Hardly a side matter if your expression is any indication. I may be simple-minded, but I'm not stupid."

At Thor's words, Loki spoke gravely.

"The Valkyries I sent into the mid-layers have been annihilated."

"...! The high-ranking Valkyrie 'Beretina' is dead?"

"The Greeks. And it was that 'monster.' He single-handedly wiped out a whole Valkyrie unit."

A man who could destroy the world bare-handed.

Heracles, the strongest Greek hero and demigod, was also seen as a calamity by the Norse gods.

"This complicates things. It won't be easy to retrieve the crown even if we find it."

"If we end up in a sticky situation, Thor, you'll need to buy us some time."

"That's clear. I'm likely the only one who can face him."

However, this all hinged on safely securing the crown.

The top priority was locating the crown's precise whereabouts.

And according to the words of the seer who could see the future...

The one who knew the location of the 'Crown of Corruption' was now in Korea.

Loki's eyes began to glitter with gold.

At that moment.

"Found it."

His gaze settled in one spot.