Si-Hun glanced towards Kuro.
"Master, why are you looking towards me like that?"
He said confusingly, smiling.
"Why are you so dumb! I was just looking for a friendly nod."
"Sorry master! You should just enter the portal now."
"I'm aware of that!"
Kuro giggled nervously.
"Let's go," Si-Hun said, clearly annoyed, but he was amused by Kuro's bubbly personality.
But in reality, Kuro was just a shadow created by Eravus, who couldn't feel that deeply.
Eravus had made him like that, cause if he had proper feelings, then the feelings could be strong, like a human, and it could be dangerous at times.
They both entered the portal.
The portal was quiet.
"Master."
"Yeah?"
"I wanted you to know that I am supposed to accompany you in a fight unless you need me."
"Okay."
The portal was very quiet, but the silence was louder than any sound.
Si-Hun saw Kuro disappear.
Si-Hun explored the portal.
He was walking past some mana stones when he saw two tiger-like monsters coming his way.
He took out his dagger and waved it in front of the tigers.
They seemed strong.
"I don't even stand a chance against them." He muttered under his breath.
The tigers were making their way towards Si-Hun deliberately.
They were very close to him.
Suddenly, one came charging at Si-Hun.
Si-Hun yanked his dagger into the tiger's flesh and made a big cut.
The tiger roared in pain.
The other tiger, seeing his mate getting hurt, charged at Si-Hun, but Si-Hun moved his dagger with practiced ease and sliced the tiger's head off its body.
The other tiger was scared, and he turned to run away, but Si-Hun created a firecharge and threw it at him, burning him to death.
"Damn. I killed it."
"You did well."
"GOSH! Why do you always come unannounced!? You scare the shit out of me!"
"Did I make you scared?"
"Shut up."
"Okay, master!"
Si-Hun continued walking.
He was near the boss's chamber when he sensed that there was someone behind him.
"Another one?"
He turned back and the tiger charged at him, but Si-Hun teleported from his place and killed the tiger with firecharge.
"My instincts have gotten…sharper."
Si-Hun entered the boss's chamber and saw that the boss was like the other tigers, only bigger and muscular.
"So this is the boss, I suppose."
The tiger roared, and some tigers came out of the dark.
"So many?"
He knew that close combat would be riskier right now, so he decided to use his magic.
He created a big firecharge and threw it at a tiger.
The firecharge also took down a few of the other tigers nearby.
The tigers were killed like that one by one.
The boss was looking hungrily towards Si-Hun.
Without a warning, it charged at Si-Hun scratching his arm, ripping the fabric of his shirt.
"He's… strong."
Si-Hun took out his dagger and got close to the tiger.
The tiger looked at Si-Hun before biting on his arm and using all of his force to rip it off.
"Ahh!" Si-Hun winced in pain.
To free himself, Si-Hun used his dagger to cut through the tiger's skin.
The tiger left his arm and roared.
Si-Hun, seeing the tiger distracted, saw the perfect chance to attack.
He lunged towards the tiger and ran his dagger from one corner of the tiger's mouth to the other, until the tiger's mouth was hanging off from his head.
The tiger's mouth was his weapon, and Si-Hun had successfully destroyed it.
The tiger fell to the ground, but didn't die.
"I like your confidence," Si-Hun said, smirking.
Si-Hun walked towards it and sat on his knee to get a closer look at his face.
"Still not ready to give up? Well, too bad, cause I'm about to end your life now."
Si-Hun killed the tiger by ripping its mouth off.
The tiger roared one last time before losing its soul.
After killing that damn rascal, Si-Hun felt a sense of achievement.
Like he was finally getting stronger and 'capable.'
"WOW, master, you nailed that fight, but you would have to recover. Here, this is the potion for recovery."
A glass bottle filled with a liquid appeared in Kuro's hand.
"Pretty random."
He drank the potion and saw that his arm immediately returned to its normal form.
Even with the healing potion, the phantom pain of the tiger's bite lingered. He clenched his fist. Pain was a reminder — he was still alive, and far from done.
"And master, you unlocked a new ability; tiger's claw.
"Tiger's claw?"
"Yes. This skill allows you to pierce through the enemy's skin by making your nails very sharp and long, just like a tiger's."
"Oh, but how am I gonna use it?"
"You just have to say the name of the ability, and you can use it, pretty simple, huh?"
"Finally something that does not require my neurons to overwork for once."
"Tiger's claw."
After he said that. His nails grew longer and sharper. They felt more strong.
He made a cut on his hand to check how sharp they were, and god, they STUNG.
"Ouch, this thing stings!"
"Uhh master! You should not use it on yourself, they also contain traces of venom."
"Why do you always open your mouth after the damge is DONE."
"When do I do that? I told you that before, didn't I?"
"No, you did not."
"Oops, my bad!"
"You're annoying."
"You would have to deal with it."
"Hmm I guess."
Si-Hun and Kuro then exited from the portal and came back to Earth.
Si-Hun was glad that he beat a strong monster and earned an ability too.
On Earth, there were almost only 5 abilities per predator class.
The predator class was divided into 5 groups:
Castors: they were magic users who fought using magical powers.
Phantoms: they were assassin-type.
Shooters: they used guns and had enhanced perception.
Blinkers: they were fast, agile, and usually close combat.
Hypnotizers: they could hypnotize monsters and even humans, but were not allowed to hypnotize humans.
They were further divided into predator ranks:(from the weakest to the strongest):
Novis: ( E rank).
Frontliners: ( D rank ).
Strikers: ( C rank ).
Agressors: ( B rank ).
Reigns: ( A rank ).
Elite: ( S rank ).
Si-hun was a caster's type, but he was also good in close combat.
But now, as he is training for something big, all of his skills have to be excellent.
Perception, strength, intelligence, agility, speed, shooting skills, endurance, mind and psychological understanding, and much more.
Si-Hun reached home.
It was nighttime.
He lay down on his bed and finally relaxed, free from the killing and all.
"Tough day, master?"
"I guess."
"Well, you will get used to it. There will be more quests like this, only more dangerous."
This was only the beginning of creating a monster who would be too dangerous for even Earth to handle.