Since Fang had mentioned yesterday that the food for Pochi needed to be modified with monster cells, Hans didn't absorb all the cells at once. Instead, he kept a dozen or so, sealed them in a small bag he'd prepared earlier, and tucked them into the gaps of his armor for later use.
"Not having spatial equipment is such a pain. If I ever run into someone with space-type abilities, I'm copying that first thing," he thought.
Getting on Pochi's good side was his top priority right now. No way he was going to waste all the monster cells just to power up a bit more.
At that moment, a burst of rowdy noise entered his expanded senses.
After a brief listen, Hans realized it was the hunting squad of Tiger-level monsters he'd sent out returning.
A faint slicing sound split the air, and his black silhouette vanished.
Heavy footsteps rumbled closer, shaking the ground.
When Hans arrived at the work area, he saw the monster squad dragging back carcasses of large beasts, the biggest one being a massive brown bear.
The bear's fur was mostly intact, except for its crushed skull, clearly the work of one very violent monster.
"Not bad," Hans said casually.
He approached the carcass, took out a monster cell from his armor, and, under the curious, fearful gazes of the others, stabbed it into the bear's body.
Thump… Thump… Thump…
It was as if the corpse's heart had started beating again.
Twisted flesh rapidly spread under its skin, and the lifeless body began twitching and swelling unnaturally.
Lumps of new flesh writhed beneath the hide as a chaotic aura of monstrosity filled the air.
In moments, the transformation was complete.
The bear had turned into a grotesque, swollen mass, barely recognizable as what it once was.
Satisfied, Hans nodded, then pointed at five strong-looking monsters nearby.
"You, you, and you three, step forward."
The chosen monsters froze, then their faces lit up in delight.
One Tiger-level monster, a three-eyed brute, puffed out his chest proudly, thinking he'd finally earned his new boss's favor.
After all, everyone remembered how Fang had been promoted.
If that weak little rat could make it, why not him?
Hans spoke bluntly: "Carry this big guy. You're coming with me."
"Yes, boss!" ×5
The three-eyed tiger monster eagerly grabbed the bear's head, giving the others a smug look as if to say, "See? I told you I'd get promoted."
The four Wolf-level monsters grunted as they lifted the rest of the heavy carcass.
Together, they followed their new boss toward the passage leading to Pochi's territory.
Fang and the other monsters watched them leave.
While some were jealous, Fang swallowed nervously; he had a bad feeling about those "lucky ones."
"Good thing I'm all bones and no meat…" he muttered under his breath, suddenly more respectful, and more afraid, of Hans.
The path was familiar, the silence heavy.
The five chosen monsters went from excitement to confusion, and from confusion to unease.
The three-eyed tiger, in particular, could feel something was wrong…
Then it happened.
A suffocating Dragon-level aura crashed down on them like a tidal wave.
Six fiery eyes opened in the darkness, staring straight at them.
The monsters froze, their blood running cold.
"D-Dragon-level monster… Lord Pochi!!"
Before they could react-
"ROAR, !" (You're here, !)
A single deep growl sent a scorching gust across the chamber.
The five monsters staggered backward, their fur whipped by the blast.
In truth, Pochi was just greeting Hans, happy to see him again.
Hans stepped forward confidently, his black mask hiding a friendly smile.
"I'm here, Lord Pochi."
The giant beast leaned in, sniffed him, yes, he still smelled like yesterday.
No mistake.
"Rooaar? Roar!" (You seem taller than yesterday? Pups grow so fast!)
Hans: "…"
He twitched under the mask.
'Great. It really does think I'm a puppy version of itself.'
After a short, "friendly" exchange, Hans turned to glance at the five trembling monsters behind him.
A flash of white light filled the tunnel.
The next moment, five brief, despairing screams were cut short.
[Killed Wolf-level Monster ×4 , Gained 9 Origin Points!]
[Killed Tiger-level Monster ×1 , Gained 23 Origin Points!]
In an instant, the five "lucky ones" were gone.
Gulp…
The smell of roasted flesh filled the air. Pochi swallowed audibly, then eagerly began to feast.
Bones cracked and splintered as it chewed, clearly enjoying every bite.
When it finally finished, Pochi wagged its thick tail happily, then lowered its huge head and rubbed its furry cheek affectionately against Hans's armor, letting out a deep, content rumble.
"Awoo~ awoo~"
Through their shared beastly instincts, Hans could already understand "Pochi-speak" fluently.
After some energetic grumbling, he finally pieced it together, Pochi loved his "cooked meals," not because of Hans's culinary skills, but because its own fireballs were too powerful. Every time it hunted, it either vaporized the prey completely or reduced it to ash.
So until yesterday, it had always eaten raw meat.
Hans's weaker "mini-fireballs," on the other hand, seared the meat just right, crispy outside, tender inside.
Still, the feeding session clearly strengthened their bond.
Thinking of how pet owners usually bond with their animals, Hans decided to push things further.
"Lord Pochi, your fur seems a little messy. Would you like me to help you clean it?"
Pochi blinked its six eyes, curiously turning to inspect itself.
Sure enough, its black fur was full of dust, dried slime, and bits of debris. It tilted its head, as if trying to remember the last time it had taken a bath… maybe before it even grew this big.
Finding the idea amusing, Pochi nodded its massive head.
"Awoo! Awoo!" (Hop on! I know a great place to bathe!)
Pochi crouched down and lowered its head, signaling Hans to climb on.
(❍❍❍ᴥ❍❍❍ʋ)
Hans: "???"
〣(ºΔº)〣
Even knowing Pochi meant no harm, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
'Dude, you're a Dragon-level monster! A top executive of the Monster Association!'
'And you're offering me a ride? Isn't this moving a bit too fast!?'
But when he saw those six eager eyes staring at him expectantly, Hans sighed and took a deep breath.
'A big dog like this couldn't possibly mean any harm… It just wants to share bath time, right?'
'Alright then, Let's do this.'