NOVPUB
Chapter 72: Hunting a Gold-rank Monster
John sent everyone inside Monster Paradise where Chuthulos had readied food dishes for each of them.
While John and Pymon were absorbing soul crystals of the thirty-four dead Silver-rank Monsters in this cave, Chuthulos also finished creating a contribution tracking board.
All monsters were registered, and each of them had a rank. Everyone could see their rank on the board and contribution points.
Chuthulos made a nano-device and embedded it into everyone. ’Hmmm...this is a good idea. Brother John will be able to track his Monsters outside if he keeps a radar that keeps track of these devices.’
The devices would also allow the Monsters to see the leaderboard and their contribution.
Outside, John finally maxed out his Soul Crystal after absorbing 17 Soul Crystals.
Pymon also reached Prime-stage and gained his 5th skill, as well as his first combo skill!
[Pet Name]: Thunderblitz Tempest Falcon
[Pet Attributes]: Water / Wind / Lightning
[Pet Rank]: Silver
[Pet Growth Stage]: Prime
— Gene Potential: 31/100
— Strength: 64
— Speed: 75
— Defense: 60
— Soul Core: 260/500
[Skills]:
—> Arcwing Thunderburst
—> Tempest Streak + Lightning Whip
—> Cyclone Veil
—> Winged-Tempest Blasters
—> Thunderblitz Feather Rampage
[Thunderblitz Feather Rampage]
—> Conjures sharp and powerful feathers that can travel fast with high piercing power, and can be controlled by Pymon. Feathers can be detonated once embedded anywhere for extra damage.
Pymon’s wingspan became 6 meters long, and its length from beak to tail was around 4.5 meters. He became massive!
Moreover, Tempest Streak gained a combo move. While traveling using Tempest Streak, Pymon could whip out a super-fast lightning whip at a target with a chance to paralyze and of course, the guaranteed damage.
By the time John and Pymon had absorbed the soul crystals, everyone had recovered their soul energy and stamina and ate delicious food.
Summoning back Alfred, Merc, Crocky, and Sony, John continued the exploration.
They exited this cave and returned to the initial cave before entering the second passage, which they had yet to explore.
Unlike the other passage, there was no Monster inside this passage.
"Grr..." Alfred issued a low growl, informing John about a powerful presence inside.
’A gold-rank Monster? Fuck it, we are hunting it.’
However, Alfred suddenly stopped and growled at him.
John wryly smiled. ’I know. I will be careful and will escape into Monster Paradise the moment I feel I am about to get fucked.’
Pymon and Alfred could die and would get revived, though it would require 200 Silver Essence Coins worth of spirit energy. However, if John died, it would be game over.
Crocky and Sony were also not contracted, so if they died, it would be game over for them.
As such, Alfred would be the frontline and Pymon would take risks while he, Crocky, and Sony would stay away and release long-range skill.
’I’ll also get some long-range attacks from Monster Hub. Let’s wait here a bit.’
The passage was still over fifty meters long before the exit, so John took everyone inside first and hired some extra guns.
After looking at the Monster list in the new device Chuthulos made with their status detail accessible in just a second, John looked through the list and selected ten Monsters of varying attributes.
This time, he chose Monsters based on their skills for a strategy he roughly thought of to kill the Gold-rank Monster.
Returning back to the passage, John summoned Pymon, Alfred, Crocky, Sony, and ten more behind.
Turning around, he relayed with his soul whisper. ’Don’t act on your own. Listen to me and only then use the skill I tell you, got it?’
The monsters nodded.
’Alright, let’s go. Pymon and Alfred, you take the front.’
The group moved.
Soon, Alfred and Pymon exited the passage. Pymon flew up directly and took in the view below. The cave’s height was fairly high and judging from the surface on the top-left, there was clearly a passage on the wall, but crudely sealed by mud.
The cavern was fairly big, roughly 150 meters in radius, and was damp with grass, a naturally formed rocky surface, and a pond.
’Could it be...’ John’s eyes flickered.
Alfred also relayed to John that the monster was resting in the pond.
Suddenly, a harrowing vibration spread, and the deep sound of a frog croaking resounded.
*Splash!*
A giant frog roughly eight meters in height and thick body shot out. It had dark green and icy blue patterns with a single horn on its forehead.
*Croak!!*
Its throat blotted up briefly before a loud croak resounded again.
Alfred growled and jumped away from the passage’s entrance while attracting the frog’s attention.
From above, Pymon also issued a cry, causing the frog to look up.
Both in the frog’s eyes, these two puny Silver-rank Monsters were nothing more than his snacks.
[Frigid Moss-Fiend Frog]
[Pet Attributes]: Flora / Ice
[Pet Rank]: Gold
[Pet Growth Stage]: Prime
— Gene Potential: 78/100
— Strength: 232
— Speed: 201
— Defense: 236
— Soul Core: 959/1000
’Be careful guys. Don’t die too fast.’
The frog, facing Alfred, croaked and opened its mouth, instantly shooting an ice-coated tongue like a spear at Alfred.
Alfred was shot through instantly.
Fortunately, Alfred had turned into Umbral Drift, so the attack just passed through the lump of darkness before Alfred moved.
But that was it.
John became his chain of command.
From above, Pymon unleashed Winged Tempest Blasters.
From the passage, the ten Prime-stage Silver-rank Monsters emerged and stood in a row, unleashing their skills.
Vines shot out that grabbed the Frog’s limbs.
Icy breaths that froze its limbs.
A heavy boulder formed above it from a Monster with Earth mastery level 2, using all of its 500 soul energy to create the largest and heaviest boulder possible and dropping it on the frog.
More, new vines shot out from another Flora-attribute monster, but this time, it was a spiky vine with paralyzing poison.
Lightning Bolts shot right into the frog’s face.
And naturally, John aimed his bullets right into his eyes. Two powerful bullets, each one condensed with the power of 250 soul energy.
Even though the Frog was gold-rank, it was still blinded by the bullets as its eyes were destroyed.
All in all, a bombardment of various control-type skills attacked the frog while Alfred also used Vorpal Howl to reduce the Monster’s stats by 20%!
’Alfred, go all out!’
Croak!
The frog was visibly angry at all the damage and control it was put on.
It burst out with icy spikes from all parts of its body, shredding vines, boulders, frost, metal chains, earth bounds, and other things.
’Tsk, Ice Mastery level 2 empowered by that almost 1000 soul power just destroyed everything.’
Alfred had already jumped and was about to smash his most powerful attack—Shattering Tail Smash + Doom Blast Impact on it.
Alas, the frog jumped and shot up like a bullet before looking down.
John looked up and saw the monster locking its eyes with him.
Instantly, his heart races and danger bells begin ringing in his mind.
’Fuck!’
Without thinking, John quickly sent all the monsters and himself into the Monster Paradise.
Pymon was flying above, and he struck the claws against the wall, trembling slightly while looking below. ’Master! Why did you leave me alone?’
However, John’s voice soon entered his head.
’Fight it, be brave! I’ll return soon.’
