BOOM!!!
The deafening explosion shook the vast underground chamber, chunks of rock raining from the ceiling.
A blinding white flash erupted with the blast, swallowing the Slime Octopus whole and bleaching everything in sight.
The shockwave came right after, sweeping through the cavern like a hurricane!
Several Wolf-class monsters who'd been watching for fun were caught off guard, sent flying like leaves in a storm.
A few unlucky ones slammed straight into the rock walls, bones snapping and blood spraying.
In seconds, the place was filled with screams... mixed with the sound of someone taking the chance to snack.
[You killed the Tiger-class monster "Slime Octopus." Gained 28 Source Points!]
The clear system prompt echoed in Hans's mind, confirming the kill.
'As expected, the stronger the monster, the more points I earned.'
One mid-Tiger-class monster alone dropped over ten times the points of that Wolf-class roach from before!
When the smoke and steam cleared, a tall, black-armored figure stood at the center of the blast crater.
Hans casually flicked the blue blood and bits of brain off his claws, looking like he'd just swatted a fly.
His cold gaze swept across the entire chamber, like a king inspecting his domain.
The rowdy underground space once again went dead still.
Every remaining monster crouched low, trembling uncontrollably, hardly daring to breathe.
Even the Tiger-class ones were drenched in sweat, bowing their heads like sheep before a predator.
Just a few moves, and he'd instantly killed a monster that had once been seen as unbeatable.
The scene was brutal, shocking, and enough to shatter their understanding of power levels.
Hans was pleased.
'To establish dominance, you had to make it loud and clear, so no one dared cause trouble later.'
He walked toward the blast center, where a charred pit remained.
At the bottom were only blackened scraps of meat, the Slime Octopus's final remains.
With his claw, he hooked up a half-meter-long chunk that still smoked faintly.
Turning to the cowering monsters around him, he asked,
"Anyone know where this thing's room is?"
"Whoever shows me gets this."
The silence wavered.
The monsters exchanged looks, fearful, but unable to hide the greed flickering in their eyes.
Even dead, a Tiger-class monster's flesh was a rare and powerful meal for the weak.
"M-me! I know, sir!"
A scrawny rat monster with gray-white fur jumped up, squeaking nervously.
"Sir! I-I know where that damned octopus's room is! I can take you there right now!"
Hans nodded. "Good. Lead the way."
The rat monster's face lit up with joy, scrambling ahead.
Hans followed, disappearing with him down a narrow side tunnel, leaving the others paralyzed between terror and envy.
Only after his black-armored figure vanished did the suffocating tension finally ease.
Then came the whispers, jealousy and hatred simmering in their voices.
"Damn it… that bug…"
"He killed the boss and took everything!"
"Shh! You wanna die? Didn't you see how fast that octopus got shredded?"
"It was instant! That guy's not normal…"
Their chatter quickly died out.
No one dared provoke the killer who had just erased their leader like nothing.
....
After winding through several dark tunnels, Hans and the rat monster reached a secluded iron door.
"Here it is, sir!" the rat said quickly, sweating bullets.
"My ability's burrowing, I know this whole area inside out! I saw the octopus enter here myself. This is definitely the place!"
Hans nodded slightly. He drew back a fist, then slammed it forward.
BOOM!
Raw physical power exploded.
The shockwave knocked the rat flat, while the door itself twisted and split in half with a screech of metal.
Hans stepped inside.
The room, more like a slime cave, was wide, slick, and covered in dripping mucus.
Half-rotted bones and human scraps littered the corners, along with several small monster corpses.
It smelled like death and dampness.
Hans's eyes locked onto a few wooden crates piled against the wall.
His instincts told him, 'that's what I'm looking for.'
He tossed the smoking chunk of octopus meat toward the trembling rat monster.
"For you."
"Th-thank you, sir! Thank you!"
The rat grabbed it like treasure, gnawing on the burnt flesh before Hans's claws had even lowered.
It chewed frantically, gulping down mouthfuls of scorched meat, eyes rolling in bliss.
Then it froze, realizing Hans was watching, and quickly stammered, "M-my name's Fang, sir! Sharp Fang!"
"Got it," Hans said flatly. "Take your food and get lost. Don't die too soon."
"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"
Sharp Fang bowed again and again, then burrowed into the rock wall, sealing the hole behind him.
Hans didn't look back. Thanks to Primal Instinct, he could sense everything.
That rat had some brains and knew when to run. He'd let him live… for now.
Hans stepped up to the wooden crates and kicked one open.
Inside were piles of pulsing, dark-red flesh covered in veins and tissue strands, each piece beating faintly, like a cluster of still-living hearts.
They were Monster Cells.