Chapter 13. The Third One
I named the Rotten Apple Monster “Poison Apple.”
After capturing one Poison Apple tied up in thread, I returned to my hideout.
—
<Passage No. 5>
○ Habitat of Poison Apples.
○ Vast underground world.
○ Discovered dark portal.
—
After jotting down the memo next to the passage, I immediately began taming.
Thirty minutes passed as I held my hand against the Poison Apple.
A tiny part of the red spot marked on its lower half had changed color.
It was so faint that you’d have to look closely to notice that a small section had turned green.
The progress was excruciatingly slow—slower than when I tamed the Jellyfish.
It seemed that this one harbored even stronger feelings of hostility toward me.
If The Dominant One tried to subdue this creature, it would surely betray him the moment an opportunity arose.
However, thanks to my trait as *The Assisted One*, betrayal wasn’t something I had to worry about.
Once tamed, it would stay loyal to me forever.
But even so, I decided to give up on taming it.
It was taking far too long.
At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to tame it even after a whole day had passed.
It simply wasn’t worth the enormous investment of time.
Besides, it didn’t seem valuable enough to justify feeding it from the supplies I received from the Assistants.
I figured I’d tame a less hostile Poison Apple if I caught one later.
—
I released the threads that bound the Poison Apple.
As expected, it summoned fresh apples.
When the number of summoned apples increased to ten, I asked the Dog Spider to restrain the Poison Apple again.
【Pururu】 ─ “Operation Infinite Apple Supply! 😎”
Even though the Poison Apple’s powers had been neutralized, the summoned apples didn’t disappear.
The summoned apples fell under the Jellyfish’s fear magic and were rendered immobile.
“Well then, shall we give them a taste?”
【Pururu】 ─ “Are you really gonna eat them?”
【Mysticism】 ─ “😟”
“I have no choice. I can’t ask you guys to provide food for me every day.”
I couldn’t rely on them for food all the time.
Receiving food support came with sky-high fees.
Even if they offered, I could only accept occasionally.
After all, the Assistants weren’t billionaires.
I grabbed two summoned apples and offered them to my monsters.
“Hey, guys, you’re hungry, right? You eat first.”
*Hissss.*
*Squeak!*
Perhaps they were moved by my gesture of offering them food.
The Dog Spider and the Jellyfish accepted the apples with looks of pure gratitude.
【Pururu】 ─ “They seem so happy… little do they know they’re taste testers. 😂”
【Mysticism】 ─ “😐”
Without hesitation, they brought the apples to their mouths and began devouring them with satisfaction.
【Pururu】 ─ “Looks like they can eat them.”
【Pururu】 ─ “Haha, look at those little guys munching away.”
“They’re not so little anymore, though.”
【Pururu】 ─ “They’ll always be ‘little’ to me. No matter how big they get, they’re still cute, so I’ll keep calling them that.”
The Dog Spider and the Jellyfish swallowed the apples with no apparent issues.
‘Looks like they’re not poisonous…’
I couldn’t conclude the apples were safe just based on that.
What might be safe for them could still be dangerous for a human like me.
‘Let’s try a bite. I’ll spit it out if anything feels off.’
I steadied myself and took a bite of the apple.
The struggling apple immediately stopped moving, as if its life had ended.
I savored the taste.
【Pururu】 ─ “So? How is it? Does it taste okay?”
The crisp texture was followed by a burst of sweetness that overwhelmed my senses.
The fresh, complex flavors were at an exceptional level.
I swallowed.
As the apple’s juice flowed down my throat, a shiver ran through my entire body.
It was incredible.
It was fresher and sweeter than any fruit I had ever tasted.
“What is this…? I’m speechless.”
【Pururu】 ─ “Why? Is it terrible?”
【Mysticism】 ─ “😟”
“No, it’s so delicious. Were apples always this good? I’m seriously in awe.”
【Pururu】 ─ “?”
【Pururu】 ─ “Stop lying.”
【Mysticism】 ─ “😠”
I didn’t care if they believed me or not.
As long as it tasted good to me, that’s all that mattered.
After quickly finishing the apple, I approached Passage No. 5 again.
—
<Passage No. 5>
○ Food storage.
—
I added a memo.
From now on, Passage No. 5 was my food storage.
—
【Pururu】 ─ “Wow, today’s artwork isn’t black and white.”
【Pururu】 ─ “The monsters gathered around looking at the drawing next to you is cute. 😂”
【Mysticism】 ─ “🤭”
Holding the remaining apple in one hand, I continued working on my monster compendium with the other.
As I drew, I organized my thoughts.
‘The idea that the threat level jumps by two stages makes no sense, but I’ve witnessed it twice now, so I can’t deny it. After all, that’s common sense in this other world.’
What was causing the monsters’ threat levels to suddenly rise? Was this phenomenon happening to all monsters? Could this pose a danger to me?
Etc.
Twenty minutes passed as I sketched and reflected.
I came up with a few hypotheses about the reason behind the threat level increase.
On top of that, if my most plausible hypothesis proved correct, I judged that I wouldn’t be affected by the phenomenon.
Of course, all my guesses could be wrong.
If that were the case, then I’d just have to accept my fate and die.
Obviously, I didn’t want to die, but there wasn’t much I could do. No matter how cautious I was, there were limits to what could be prevented.
‘In the end, all I can do is hope that one of my guesses turns out to be right.’
I didn’t bother writing down the ideas I’d organized in my head.
I wasn’t sure about them yet.
One of my guesses might be correct, but for now, it was just uncertain speculation.
Eventually, as I explored the labyrinth further, one of those guesses would likely turn into certainty.
—
【Pururu】 ─ “Wow, the colors in today’s drawing are amazing.”
【Mysticism】 ─ “😋”
Having finished my thoughts, I closed my notebook and looked at my monsters.
‘There’s no point asking them.’
I considered asking them a question but gave up.
“Can your threat levels increase by two stages too?”
Even if I asked, they wouldn’t understand.
—
Before starting my afternoon exploration, I checked the remaining time on the support request I had sent yesterday.
I only learned today that I could check the remaining time whenever I wanted.
“Thirty minutes left.”
【Pururu】 ─ “What’s that?”
“The support request message has thirty minutes left before it disappears.”
【Pururu】 ─ “Ah, right. You said it had to be clicked within 24 hours.”
【Mysticism】 ─ “😐”
Even though thirty minutes remained, I figured the support request had effectively ended.
Anyone who was going to check the message probably already had within the past 23 hours and 30 minutes.
No one would think, ‘Oh, I’ll check it later,’ and leave it until now.
There might be some people who hadn’t seen the message yet, but the odds of them noticing it within the next 30 minutes and clicking on it out of curiosity were slim.
‘Well, I can always send another support request. I’ll probably earn another invitation ticket soon.’
I decided to be satisfied with what I’d gotten this time.
Two people had shown up, and that was more than enough.
Pururu and Missy.
For now, I had no choice but to rely on their assistance.
—
“But, Missy.”
【Mysticism】 ─ “🤔”
【Pururu】 ─ “Haha, Missy 😂”
“Why don’t you ever type in chat? You did it earlier when it was urgent.”
【Mysticism】 ─ “🤐”
【Pururu】 ─ “Let’s just kick her out. She’s not even helping.”
【Mysticism】 ─ “😡”
【Pururu】 ─ “What’s your problem? You wanna fight?”
“She’s helping. She supported me earlier before you joined.”
【Mysticism】 ─ “😤”
【Pururu】 ─ “?? Really? I thought she wouldn’t bother. What did she give?”
“Five coins and a kitchen knife.”
【Pururu】 ─ “What? That’s nothing. Missy’s such a cheapskate. I gave you almost a hundred dollars’ worth of stuff. 😂”
【Mysticism】 ─ “🤬”
Twenty minutes had passed since we entered Passage No. 6, chatting with the Assistants.
Then, when there were less than ten minutes left on the support request…
『A RED-ranked Assistant, “Unknown – 003,” suddenly swoops in to observe you.』
A new Assistant showed up, someone I hadn’t expected.
【Pururu】 ─ “Oh! A new member!”
【Mysticism】 ─ “😐”
【003】 ─ “Geon? What is this?”
【003】 ─ “Did you start an online broadcast?”
【Pururu】 ─ “Who are you! Reveal yourself!”
【003】 ─ “Huh?”
【Pururu】 ─ “Geon’s viewers have to reveal their names as soon as they enter. This is a friendly stream, and we kick out strangers.”
I never said that, you lunatic.
Just as I was about to say something—
【003】 ─ “Please don’t kick me out!”
【003】 ─ “It’s Yumi. Ha Yumi.”
【Pururu】 ─ “That’s a name that sounds like it likes ramen.”
003 fell for Pururu’s words and obediently revealed her identity.
Ha Yumi.
It was a familiar name.
Shortly after I returned from the other world, I had briefly crossed paths with her through a friend’s introduction.
She was a psychiatrist by profession.
In other words, a doctor.