Chapter 185: Predation Part I

Translator: Hunter

Editor: RED

We decided it was best that I take a week off. My family wanted me to stay in, and I needed the break as well. The four months I’d spent there was nothing compared to the four years I spent in imprisoned in the dream-place, but at least during those four years I slept. These past four months I had spent worrying about losing the Shaman Ko skill and stressing that I actually swallowed a small dungeon monster whole.

One day, my mother came up to me “What should I cook for you today?”

“As long as I have meat, anything is fine, I guess.”

“You had pork yesterday, beef the day before, you want meat again today?”

“Yeah, I want meat again today.”

“Don’t you get sick of eating beef and pork every day…? Devas are truly weird. Okay, I will make you chicken today.”

“As long as I get to eat as much as I want, anything is fine!”

“Alright.”

I had only ever rested by booking hotel rooms and lazing around. That was more than enough for me, but I now had an actual place to call home, and I got to eat home-cooked meals almost every day. I even liked how I had guards making sure I wasn’t bothered.

“Taking it easy like this every now and then isn’t so bad.” I wanted to for the time being, if it weren’t for the newcomer who was headed this way. “Yeah, I’m sure you are confused as I am.”

I had spent some time thinking about what had happened during my break. Shaman Ko’s Roulette Wheel was breaking, and had repaired itself on its own. The dungeon had also cleared on its own.

“It has to be because of the Dungeon Mole. There’s no other reason.” That much was obvious. There was nothing else in that dungeon besides me and the Dungeon Mole, and I had never really done much to trigger either of those events.

“I assume you didn’t expect this to happen, either. That’s why you’ve come all the way here.” The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was my enemy, and I was his. But knowing that he came to my home on his own told me that this was an unprecedented problem for the Dungeon Creator.

“Mana Conversion – Fire. Warrior’s Brave Spirit. Howl of the Wolf.”

==[Mana Conversion – Fire Level 3 has been activated.]==

==[Warrior’s Brave Spirit Level 1 has been activated.]==

==[Howl of the Wolf has been activated.]==

I got ready just in case things went south. I took out my Harrier from my inventory and propped it against a wall, while activating Judge’s Gavel as well.

“Ah, that’s right.” I remembered the new item I received, and took out the Scroll of Predation.

“Hmm… I can only target one person and can only use it once.” After getting this one a month ago, I had not received another one and only got the same 3 Stat points as always.

“I should try it out now. It was thanks to you that I somehow got this anyway.” I ripped the Scroll of Predation.

==[You can now use Predation 1.

You can only use Predation on certain targets.

After using Predation, you can use your target’s abilities for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, all abilities taken from your target will return to their original owner.

If you do not use Predation on a target within 24 hours, you will lose the effects of the Scroll of Predation.]==

“Huh?” This was not the same Predation skill I knew about. This was also not the same Predation the Predator Duke had used on me.

“This sounds closer to Possession.” This was more like borrowing someone’s abilities for a day. “I mean, the Predator Duke did technically borrow his targets’ abilities, it’s just that he never returned them until he died. This is just not right.”

I wasn’t sure if this Predation was good or bad. I could only hold my target’s abilities for a day, and it didn’t even kill my target. I didn’t have time to think about it, as the Dungeon Creator was now practically at my doorstep.

—

“Hey, it has been a while.” I said lazily to the Dungeon Creator, who had appeared out of thin air in my room, as if I knew he was coming.

“Security is pretty lax here,” the Dungeon Creator replied.

“Do understand. They’re not that strong, but they are pretty overprotective of me,” I said as I reached to the table next to me and picked up a banana-flavored piece of candy. I was curious about what they tasted like, thanks to the Dungeon Mole. After trying them, I realized they weren’t half bad. To be honest, it didn’t really have much more meaning to it, but the Dungeon Creator frowned and glared at me.

“So what brings you here? I doubt we’re on speaking terms, I have a debt to pay as well.”

“A debt…”

“Yeah, it really was a fun party you sent me to. Thanks for inviting me and giving me one hell of a gift bag. I am a man of honor after all,” I said with a small grin.

—

Kazunari studied Lee Jiwon intently. He was being too calm, and the banana candy got on his nerves.

-So Lee Jiwon did steal my Dungeon Mole!-

It did make sense, since Kazunari had lost all ownership over the Dungeon Mole.

-But how does he know that banana candies were its favorite?-

Kazunari had only learned recently by coincidence that the Dungeon Mole preferred banana candies over anything else. Either way, Kazunari had come here ready to lay everything down, as long as it meant he could get his Dungeon Mole back.

—

I wanted to grab the Harrier next to me and rush him, but I refrained from doing so, as I noticed that the Dungeon Creator was thinking about something. I was curious as to what he had to say, and I wanted to know why he even dared come here on his own.

“Fine, then. I’ll get straight to the point.”

“By all means.”

“I want my Dungeon Mole back.”

I almost asked why he wanted it, but I took that moment to chew on the candy in my mouth instead. “Why should I?”

“I’m not asking that you return it for free. I’ll give you everything I have in return.”

“Everything you have?”

“That’s right; everything. I have one Rank 9 item and 1,463,000,000 golden rings. I’ll even hand over all of the assets I’ve been gathering all this time.”

I almost choked. A billion golden rings were enticing enough, but he offered a Rank 9 item as well. Then again, I had no idea where the Dungeon Mole went. After I swallowed it whole, I never figured out what happened to it. But it seemed the Dungeon Creator knew it was with me.

“Hmm…” I stroked my chin as if I was thinking about his offer. “Fine.”

I was definitely going to pay him back by killing him once. A death penalty to a deity was crippling, to say the least. But now, I had a chance to get a Rank 9 item, and there was no way I was going to let that go.

“But I’ll take your payment first,” I said, in case he wanted us to trade at the same time. He was the one who was sure I had the Dungeon Mole, after all.

The Dungeon Creator just scoffed, however. “Do you trust me, Lee Jiwon? Because I don’t trust you.”

“Tsk. Then what do you suggest we do?”

The Dungeon Creator took something out of his inventory. “This is a contract I got from the Troll Market.”

I tried my best to not frown at what he had just said. The Dungeon Creator then ripped the contract in half, causing the halves to burn red and disappear. All that were left were letters in the air.

“I, Kazunari, vow that if Lee Jiwon gives up possession of the Dungeon Mole to me, will pay him with a Rank 9 item, 1,463,000 golden rings and all of my assets at once.” The letters in the air reassembled themselves into what Kazunari said.

“All that’s left is your end of the agreement.”

“Huh. This must have cost you a pretty penny.” This was a contract from the Troll Market. I didn’t know the exact price, but I knew whatever came from there was extremely expensive.

“It cost me 350,000,000 golden rings.”

“Wow. You’re pretty rich, aren’t you? You should have given it to me instead.”

“You’re getting a Rank 9 item and 1.4 billion golden rings anyway, so what’s the problem?”

“That’s true.” Yeah, if I did have the Dungeon Mole.

I quietly raised my hand and pointed it at Kazunari. “Predation.”

==[Predation cannot be used on this target.]==

“What… what the hell are you doing?” Kazunari said, shocked at what I had just done.

It wasn’t like I had much of a choice. As much as I wanted everything Kazunari had to offer, signing that contract meant I had to fulfill the terms, no matter what. If I couldn’t, then I had to pay him back five times his offer. That was the power of a Troll Market contract.

“No… it can’t be!” Kazunari grew from shocked to angry. “You don’t have the Dungeon Mole!”

“No, I don’t. I wish I did,” I said as I picked up my spear and charged at him. It was time to kill him. Yeah, I wanted his Rank 9 item, but what could I do? Not fulfilling those terms meant I had to fork over a Rank 10 item, and there was no way I could live with myself if I did that.

“Lee Jiwon, you son of a bitch! What did you do to my Dungeon Mole?!”

“How should I know?” I couldn’t really say that I ate it. It wasn’t really something to boast about.

“Fuck! Teleport!”

“Blink 1.” It was only for a moment, but I had faced against him before and expected him to warp. I used Blink to get right where he shifted.

“Multi-Teleport!”

“Blink 2.” I panicked for a second because I had to use my second Blink already, but it seemed that Kazunari couldn’t Teleport again.

“Gah!” My spear pierced him all the way through and stuck him to the ground. But he wasn’t dead yet.

“Ho ho?!” Only boss monsters had ever survived more than one hit from me. He really was one of the Five Monarchs, but that was all there was to it.

“This… is bullshit!” I walked to stand over Kazunari as he raved. “Lee Jiwon, you son of a bitch!”

“That’s what I wanted to say to you. You’re the one who started this shit.” I didn’t even know his name. He wasn’t as infamous as the Predator Duke and the Blood Prince, even during my past life.

“I swear I won’t ever forget this embarrassment!”

“Good. Don’t. I want you to suffer for the rest of your life.” I pulled my spear back out, before stabbing him again. Kazunari screamed out a final cry of pain before disappearing.

At that moment, the guards patrolling the house burst into my room.

“What’s going on, young master!?”

“It’s nothing. I was just swatting an annoying fly that snuck in,” I said. “It’s taken care of, so you can get back to your rounds.”

“Yes, sir!” The guards noticed the large new hole in my floor, but didn’t mention it and left.

“But where did the Dungeon Mole go?” I asked myself as I sat back down on my armchair. I know I ate it. “But what did he mean when he wanted me to give up ownership?” It had to mean that Kazunari had lost it, but I was pretty sure I didn’t have it.

“Ha… geez.” This was one hell of a mystery.

I leaned back in my chair, reveling in the fact that I had easily taken out another member of the Monarchs, and closed my eyes, basking in the sun.

-I like banana candies the most.-

-Kyuu! Kyuu!-

I must have really spent way too much time in the dungeon, because I swore I could occasionally hear its voice.

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