As Gyoro Gyoro emerged, the next moment, a corpse with a charred hole melted through its chest floated silently, enveloped in blue Psychokinesis, flying deeper into the palace's darkness.
*CRUNCH—CRUNCH— *
A teeth-grinding chewing and swallowing sound immediately echoed in the darkness, then quickly subsided.
"Hmph—the potential of trash is ultimately limited. Not every Monster has the special talent to quickly increase their disaster level."
In the secret room, Psykos leaned back on the sofa, took a sip from her wine glass, and a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes.
As for Insect God… Just thinking of that shameless, no-bottom-line, pitch-black insect Monster made her temples throb.
Currently, the Monster Association's major event was approaching. Most of her energy was focused on monitoring human society and contacting cadres from various regions, so her control over the Association's internal affairs had indeed decreased.
"However, with Orochi here, no major problems can arise."
She lazily changed her posture, causing the breathtaking peaks on her chest to bounce elastically.
"Speaking of which—this guy really likes forming factions… Besides Phoenix Man, he also recruited two wild Demon-level Monsters. That can be considered an indirect increase in the Monster Association's strength, so… there's no need to summon that guy over such a small matter."
As she muttered to herself, Psykos's eyes narrowed. Her dead fish eyes almost entered 'strongest mode.'
—If I did summon him, who knows how he would take advantage of the situation!
On the other side, in the deep corridor leading to Pochi's territory, Jack suddenly frowned. He felt as if he had inexplicably missed two 'E's.
( ー ` ´ ー)
Behind him, a dozen Wolf-level Monsters he had casually called upon suddenly shivered, each becoming as silent as cicadas in the face of inexplicable chill.
They were originally the lowest-ranking grunts of the Monster Association, adhering to the law of the jungle—usually either fighting each other or on their way to fight. Today, they were suddenly "personally chosen" by Lord Insect God. They initially thought it was a heaven-sent opportunity to receive some reward, but instead, they were led to this inexplicably eerie, quiet area.
The air was filled with a strong smell of blood and a faint, lingering stench. A mountain-like oppressive feeling emanated from deep within the tunnel. It was as if some ancient, terrifying presence was lurking there—almost suffocating them.
"L-Lord—where are we going?"
A Monster with a lizard head and a body covered in sharp, spiky scales finally couldn't bear the terrifying atmosphere. Plucking up his courage, he asked tremblingly.
Jack didn't turn his head. His voice echoed in the tunnel, exceptionally clear.
"To meet an old friend. And to improve its diet."
The lizard Monster quickly nodded in agreement.
"Oh, oh, oh… improve its diet… Huh?!"
Lies don't hurt people—the truth is a swift blade.
As Jack's words fell, the faces of the Wolf-level Monsters turned ashen, filled with despair. In front of Insect God, running away was impossible—they couldn't escape even if they wanted to.
A moment later, a dazzling white light suddenly erupted in the darkness.
*BOOM—!!! *
A deafening explosion drowned out a distorted, mournful scream, followed by the sound of crunch, crunch echoing deep underground—like a normal person gnawing on a chicken carcass.
Inside the empty cave, Jack looked at Pochi, who had been awakened and was now feasting, and couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
Just over three months ago, he was just a Wolf-level grunt, trembling precariously before this giant beast. In just three short months, he could actually sit as an equal with the giant beast before him.
No—if he really let loose and punched, making Pochi sit down wouldn't be a big problem!
"…Woof?"
Pochi, who was eating with relish, suddenly paused. His massive head swayed from side to side. Finally, his six lantern-like glowing eyes stared suspiciously at the tiny figure below—who instinctively made him feel a hint of unease.
"Woof, woof woof woof? (Chef—are you thinking something bad?) "
Stared at by Pochi's six suspicious large eyes, Jack's face darkened. Though he himself was in the form of a pitch-black insect Monster, his appearance showed no change.
—He'd only had a slight thought—but this dog's intuition is too sharp, isn't it?
After thinking for a moment, he suddenly realized.
'Beast Intuition.'
It was precisely by relying on this SSR-level ability—copied from Pochi—that he had self-taught Pochi-speak to level ten and successfully taken on the role of royal chef. And now, this ability, with the infusion of a massive amount of Origin Points, had already broken through its limits to SSR+. Its effect was far more than just understanding beast language—it was more like telepathy, establishing an invisible mental link between him and Pochi.
Jack's heart stirred. His deep gaze pierced through the darkness, precisely meeting Pochi's six lantern-like blood-red giant eyes as a thought silently passed through.
—It's nothing, Pochi-chan. You can eat slowly first. Later, we'll go to our old spot for a full-service, one-stop SPA to help you relax thoroughly.
Pochi—who had been devouring the charcoal-grilled Wolf-level Monster—suddenly stiffened. His huge head swayed from side to side in confusion, as if searching for the source of the sound. After finding no suspicious targets, he quickly reacted, his massive snout nuzzling Jack's face affectionately—seemingly displeased with his spooky way of scaring him.
At the same time, muffled, excited barks came from his giant mouth full of sharp teeth.
"Woof woof! (Good, good! SPA! I love it the most!) "
Jack endured the terrifying force—enough to send a heavy truck flying—yet his body remained motionless. He reached out and patted Pochi's wet nose, his gaze peculiar.
It's not easy to tame someone else's free-range large dog—let's play with him first.
(Psykos: "ACHOO—!!")
Not long after, at the underground river where water roared.
*SPLASH—! *
With an earth-shattering splash, Pochi—like a frolicking husky—happily plunged into the wide river. Instantly, he stirred up towering waves dozens of meters high. Surging water splashed against the cave walls, producing deafening echoes. He rolled and thrashed in the water, having a blast.
On the bank, Jack looked at the unguarded giant dog. A meaningful arc formed at the corner of his mouth. He slowly stretched his limbs, his joints emitting a metallic click-clack sound.
Immediately after, his dark figure—in the flickering shadows—began a silent and terrifying transformation. His originally slender, three-meter-tall body rapidly swelled and grew taller. His pitch-black carapace became even more ferocious and thick. Jagged bone spikes burst forth from his shoulder blades and spine—exuding a terrifying aura like that of a primordial giant beast.