Chapter 14

[ Alpha Blue-Maned Lion (S-Rank) has appeared. ]

Kaede stared at the floating system notification in confusion. 'It’s never done this before. Is this monster special? Am I supposed to do something other than just kill it?'

Of course, that wasn’t the case. The system had only issued a warning because it was programmed to do so when a player faced a significantly stronger enemy while under-leveled. If Kaede's power were based purely on her level, then the alert would have been justified.

However…

Kaede wasn’t just any player. She had inherited not only the system but also the overwhelming strength of her avatar from her previous life. Her absurd defense did not correlate with her displayed level at all.

Behind her, the hunters were already discussing their strategy.

“So, how do we do this? This guy is looking pretty big.” Akari asked, resting her bardiche on her shoulders, her eyes on the massive monster before them.

“I say we go wild!” Kenzo declared, cracking his knuckles before turning to Kaede. “Hey, Kaede, do you think your defense can hold up against these guys?”

Kaede opened her mouth to answer, but Korra cut in.

“Even if she’s S-Rank, I doubt she can withstand all of them for long,” Korra reasoned. “Thanks to her power, their attacks will only do minimal damage, but...”

Kaede blinked. 'Minimal? Pretty sure it’s zero.'

“...but those small hits will add up,” Korra continued. “Eventually, even she’ll get exhausted.”

Kaede frowned, raising a hand slightly. “Uh, actually...”

“She’s right,” Kanae interjected, arms crossed. “We’re still in the early stages of this dungeon. We need to conserve our stamina instead of exhausting our strongest tank.” We still don’t know the true limits of her durability.

“Guys...” Kaede tried again, but the discussion continued.

“That big one’s the real problem,” Kanae said grimly. “If any of them can break through Kaede’s defense, it’s him.” Her sharp eyes flicked toward the colossal lion looming in the shadows. “I’ll do my best to keep it occupied while you handle the rest.”

Kaede sighed. “I’m just gonna kill them now.”

Kanae continued giving instructions. “A-Rank hunters, contain the fight here. Don’t let a single one escape.”

Kaede raised her hand. “That’s a yes, then.”

“Akari, stay close to Kaede,” Kanae added. “Since she’s transferring all the damage to herself, she might need healing if she gets overwhelmed.”

Akari grinned. "As long as you're willing to pay for my services."

Kanae deadpanned. "So help me Akari I will..."

Kaede exhaled and finally spoke louder.

“Hydra.”

The air darkened as a three-headed phantasmal dragon erupted from Kaede’s body, its form expanding... and growing… and growing… and still growing.

The hunters went silent.

For the first time, the colossal lion’s ears flattened in alarm as the shadow of the Hydra loomed over it. Three massive heads, each radiating toxic energy, grinned down at their prey.

Then, they roared.

A tidal wave of venomous purple liquid surged forth, drowning the battlefield in a newly formed lake of poison. The smaller lions barely had time to react before they were swallowed whole, their bodies vanishing beneath the lethal flood.

The colossal lion, however, roared in defiance. With a powerful leap, it tore through the spectral heads, rending them apart with ease. Without a tangible body, the Hydra’s phantasms were destroyed almost instantly.

BOOM!

The colossal lion crashed into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling through the battlefield. A cloud of dust and toxic sludge exploded outward, forcing the hunters to step back as purple venom splashed dangerously close to their feet.

As the dust settled, all eyes turned to the fallen beast.

“Seriously?” Kanae breathed.

The Alpha Blue-Maned Lion lay motionless in the poison lake. Its massive form was still, its once-ferocious presence now reduced to an unceremonious corpse.

Dead.

Kaede blinked. 'Wait… it’s already dead?'

Then she realized what had happened.

Bug Urn Curse.

This skill worked in tandem with her poison abilities. Every hit of poison carried a 30% chance of inflicting instant death, an effect that could not be blocked or resisted. The colossal lion had sealed its own fate the moment it destroyed the Hydra’s phantasmal heads.

Korra exhaled heavily. “Another anticlimactic battle.”

Akari and Kenzo just stared, struggling to process what they had witnessed.

“…What?” Akari finally managed to blurt out.

Kenzo scratched his head, still eyeing the massive corpse. “She can use magic? But how the hell is it that strong? Taking down an S-Rank monster instantly…”

Akari turned to Kanae. “Did you know she could do this? Isn’t she a tank? Or was it some kind of rune stone? How much would something like that even cost?”

Kanae stood there, slack-jawed. A shiver ran down her spine as realization dawned. “I… I didn’t think it was that powerful. I almost got hit by that attack back at the guild’s training hall…” she murmured, her voice laced with unease.

She glanced at her sister, who was just as stunned, her widened eyes betraying her disbelief.

Meanwhile, Kaede remained fixated on the lake of poison, her thoughts racing.

'Just a single touch from this lake carries a chance of instant death… That’s so hardcore.'

Her gaze flickered with intrigue. 'A damn lake.'

A small smile crept onto her lips as an idea formed.

“My Hydra skill only costs 5 MP to activate,” she mused aloud. “But the more mana I pour into it, the bigger it gets. If I were to just dump all of my mana into it… Couldn’t I clear an entire dungeon from outside by flooding it?”

A brief silence followed.

---

You have leveled up ×9

Reward:

[Blue Fur Equipment] [Set] ×4 – Set Effect – Summon a pack of Blue Fur Lions once a day.

[Lionheart Mantle] (S-Rank) – A flowing cloak made from the Alpha Blue-Maned Lion’s fur. It enhances the wearer’s intimidation factor and increases resistance to physical and magical attacks by 30%.

[Beastlord’s Fangs] (A-Rank, Dagger Pair) – Twin daggers forged from the enchanted fangs of the slain lions. These weapons deal bonus damage to beast-type enemies and have a high chance of causing Bleed on hit.

[Savage King’s Boots] (A-Rank, Armor) – Boots crafted from the reinforced hide of the Alpha Lion. They increase movement speed and agility while providing additional resistance to knockback effects.

[Echoing Roar] [Amulet] (S-Rank, Accessory) – A pendant infused with the Alpha Lion’s final roar. When activated, it unleashes a powerful soundwave that stuns nearby enemies and weakens their defenses.

New Skill Acquired:

[Predator’s Dominion] – The presence of a true apex predator lingers within you, whether you're aware of it or not. This passive skill exerts an oppressive aura that weakens the will of beast-type monsters, making them hesitate or outright flee. If you maintain eye contact with a target for more than three seconds, weaker beasts may become paralyzed with fear.

---

"Oh wow. These rewards are amazing," Kaede declared, her eyes scanning the list of items. With the various Blue Fur Equipment Sets she'd already obtained, she now had five full sets, more than enough to sell or distribute among her teammates.

---

System Notification:

[Alpha Blue-Maned Lion] is eligible for Pandemonium Conversion.

Would you like to initiate the transformation?

|| Yes || No ||

---

"Huh?" Kaede paused, glancing at the colossal lion’s corpse, half-submerged in the lake of poison.

Curious, she muttered, "Yes?"

---

Activating Pandemonium:

Converting [Alpha Blue-Maned Lion] -> [Demonic Beast: ???]

Pandemonium Process Initiated…

---

The Hunters barely had time to react before the corpse began to change. The lion’s massive frame swelled, its muscles twisting and expanding as dark energy surged around it. Then, it rose into the air, glowing with a deep, ominous light.

Tension spiked. The Hunters immediately took their stances, weapons drawn.

---

Corrupted Substance Detected: Venomous Hydra’s Toxin

Initiating Adaptive Evolution…

---

The light began to dim, but before relief could set in, a wave of pure oppression crashed down upon them. The force was suffocating, pressing into their chests like an invisible weight.

Then, it moved.

The beast stood once more.

---

"What the hell!?" Kenzo shouted, energy surging through his hands as he prepared to strike. "Did this thing just revive itself!?"

Kaede’s eyes widened as she realized what had happened. 'Oh. I did that.'

She immediately threw herself between the lion and the Hunters.

"Wait! Stop!" She held up her hands, trying to keep them from attacking.

"Kaede, what are you doing!?" Kanae demanded, her swords gleaming, ready to strike.

"Just chill, Kanae. Everyone, calm down," Kaede said, keeping her voice steady. "He won’t hurt anyone."

Akari gaped at her. "What the hell are you talking about?! That thing is a monster! An enemy of humanity!"

The beast took a single step forward, and the Hunters flinched, bracing for battle, until…

Lick.

Lick.

Lick.

Kaede stiffened as a massive, rough tongue dragged across her back.

She barely held back a giggle as the giant lion continued nuzzling against her and licking her affectionately.

The Hunters stood frozen in sheer disbelief.

"What the hell…" one of them muttered.

Kanae swallowed hard. "Just… what exactly is your power, Kaede?" she whispered.

Kaede ignored the question, turning to face the beast, her arms wrapping around its massive snout as she affectionately rubbed its fur.

---

[Evolution Complete: Demonic Beast – Venom Tyrant]

Grant your demon a name _

---

Kaede blinked as the system prompted her. A name?

She tapped her chin, thinking. "Hmm… how about..."