The Monarch Who Levels Up by Devouring – Chapter 13

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: JayM
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The flapping sound of wings rang out loudly in the cave.

The residents of the red cave, the Big Bats.

‘I can only hear the sounds they make.’

The sound of wings flapping was getting closer.

There was no light in the cave.

I didn’t know about the Mighty Moss’ light, but for now, it was impossible to see through the darkness.

‘No, it’s a problem even if there is light.’

The Big Bats had a disorienting ability.

That was why the ability of [Thorn Carapace] was absolutely necessary for me to hunt them.

I advanced recklessly with my arms crossed in an X shape.

“Kiit ki-iit!”

A Big Bat’s shriek shook my eardrums.

I staggered as if I were drunk.

I put strength into my legs and stopped in my tracks.

All I had to do here was not fall.

As I stood in place while gritting my teeth, a moment later, a kung- sound and a heavy sensation struck my thigh.

A Big Bat had charged at me.

‘They bite their prey after knocking it down.’

Disorienting the senses with [Ultrasonic Wave].

The Big Bats’ attack method was to crash into their prey when it was staggering to knock it down and then lynch it as a group.

An even trickier enemy than the Thorn Boar, which only charged straight ahead!

But you know, I was quite strong.

It meant that as long as I kept my balance, there was no way I would be knocked over by a Big Bat.

Was that all?

Pu-aak!

An eerie sound of flesh being torn and blood splattering rang out.

The source of the sound was the Big Bat.

The monster was convulsing while trembling.

It had flown at full speed and crashed into the carapace, which was densely embedded with thorns.

“Kiit, kiit.”

The Big Bat was inhaling a pained breath.

Don’t worry.

Your friends will follow you soon.

Kung! Kung!

A group of Big Bats crashed into me in succession.

Shoulder, leg, abdomen, and chest.

They crashed into any area of my body they could to break my balance.

“Kii-iit!”

“Kiit!”

The Big Bats were letting out screams after charging into the sharp thorns on their own.

Was this what they called jumping into a fire pit after dousing yourself in oil?

‘I’m glad I saw the guide.’

Before my regression, I hadn’t entered the red cave.

To be precise, I couldn’t enter it.

Because I lacked strength back then.

As such, I instead gathered the already revealed information on the Big Bats and prepared my own method.

“The effect is confirmed.”

When I drew their aggro by making loud footsteps, the group of Big Bats had flown towards the thorns and rammed their heads into them.

A few of them trembled while being impaled on the thorns.

The rest of them were gasping for breath as they collapsed to the ground.

“Why are you making me feel weak-hearted?”

In times like these, relieving their pain was the best thing to do.

My claws protruded by more than 20 centimeters.

I ended the Big Bats’ lives with a merciful heart.

Where else could you find such a kind person?

Kyah, look how sweet this essence is.

I was able to take down a group of Big Bats just by standing still.

It was all thanks to [Thorn Carapace].

I let out a satisfied smile.

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I roamed the red cave without restraint.

When I put strength into my steps as I walked, the sound of a Big Bat’s wings could be heard not long after, as if in response.

Bu-uu-uung-!

The ultrasonic waves emitted by the Big Bat hit me.

“This damn ultrasonic wave is a bit annoying.”

I put strength into my legs with a furrowed brow.

I was thankful that the Big Bats were charging in on their own to die.

But the experience of having my sense of balance disrupted as if I was drunk wasn’t very pleasant.

When I had repeated this sort of battle a few times…

A faint green light illuminated the passage.

Mighty Moss.

It was a plant needed for crafting high-grade potions.

Although my main purpose here was to obtain the Big Bat’s essence, it wouldn’t be bad for me to earn some side income, right?

I scraped off the Mighty Moss.

“How much is all this?”

Hehehe.

Laughter burst out from my lips.

As long as the social system was maintained, money was also a part of power.

Right after my regression, hadn’t I picked up a pickaxe and personally dug up the Tyrannosaurus fossil because I had no money?

If my wallet was thick, I could have just bought a fossil in good condition instead of doing the legwork myself.

So I had to save up as much money as I could when I could.

‘It’s killing two birds with one stone.’

The structure of the red cave was a straight line.

It meant that there was no chance of me getting lost just because my vision was blocked.

I continued on while simultaneously collecting Mighty Moss and hunting Big Bats.

Finally!

I had achieved the purpose of my visit to the red cave.

‘With ultrasonic waves, I can raise my spatial awareness.’

The sense that humans relied on the most when receiving information was ‘sight’.

However, if ultrasonic waves were added to this, ‘hearing’ could also be used to read the space.

Even a place covered in darkness like the red cave…….

…Could be navigated like this.

The ultrasonic waves spread out around me and told me what the surroundings were like.

Should I call it the visualization of sound waves?

Although nothing could be seen because it was a place without a single ray of light, the terrain read by the ultrasonic waves unfolded before my mind like a black and white screen.

‘Now there’s no need to worry about the darkness.’

Truly, the [Predation] ability was the best.

I turned my body and headed for the entrance.

My business in the red cave was finished.

On the way back, I didn’t grope my way around like before.

With [Ultrasonic Wave], I could see through the darkness as if I was wearing night-vision goggles.

How long had I walked? I saw light seeping out from between the crack of the cave entrance.

‘To think it was this close.’

It felt like I had been advancing for a few hours before, but in truth, 20 minutes was enough for me to return to the entrance.

When I was about to push my body between the crack to go outside.

‘What’s this?’

Murmur murmur.

I felt the presence of people outside the cave.

To aim for the red cave so soon after the tutorial had started……

‘They must be a rising star belonging to a top guild.’

Because the Thorn Boar wasn’t an easy opponent to face on the first day of the tutorial.

It would be better to be careful about everything.

I used [Ultrasonic Wave] in tandem and focused on grasping the situation outside.

“There are traces of someone having passed through here.”

“Yoo Jinho, it must be him.”

“Do you have any reason for being certain?”

“That fellow hunted Wolf King Seorin. The next place he’ll aim for is definitely here.”

“If Player Park Jongwon says so…….”

“I must get 1st place in this tutorial. You know that, right?”

“Since you are the rising star of Hwarang, that’s a matter of course.”

Oho. Listening to their conversation, I was starting to grasp the situation a bit.

I checked the stage status board.

That fellow named Park Jongwon, it seems like he had seen that I had hunted Wolf King Seorin and predicted that I would aim for the red cave next.

He had accumulated quite a few points in just one day, hadn’t he?

I stroked my chin while mulling over his name.

‘I don’t know him.’

Before my regression, I was someone who had competed with famous rankers from all over the world.

Park Jongwon.

If he had stood out in the future, there was no way I wouldn’t remember him. It seemed like he wasn’t a figure of that caliber.

Well, then shall I go see what the uninvited guests look like?

I went outside while pushing my body between the crack in the rock.

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A person’s shadow was cast over the entrance of the red cave.

Park Jongwon’s eyes darkened.

He instinctively realized that the player coming out of the cave was Yoo Jinho.

‘I have to be 1st place. I can’t lose to a player I’ve never seen or heard of before!’

Grip!

His hand holding the dagger tightened its grip.

The players who had followed him also gripped their weapons with a tense look.

“Player Park Jongwon, what are you planning to do?”

“I have to persuade him.”

“What if the conversation doesn’t go well?”

“I’ll make him rest for a while. If that doesn’t work, I’ll have to eliminate him.”

Park Jongwon wasn’t satisfied with just an ordinary reward.

‘I’ll become the best player in Hwarang, no, in our country!’

He had been selected as the next rising star in Hwarang, the undisputed number 1 guild in the country.

So a dream like that wasn’t entirely impossible.

Park Jongwon wanted to achieve that goal at all costs.

1st place in the tutorial stage was the first step to achieving that grand dream.

‘If words don’t work, I have no choice but to break an arm or a leg.’

Park Jongwon’s gaze darkened even further.

Finally, Jinho, who had emerged from the red cave, let out a hyu- and a sigh.

Park Jongwon’s eyes quickly scanned Jinho’s entire body.

Clothes that were damaged to the point where their original form couldn’t be recognized.

On top of that, he was bare-handed.

Was this man really the 1st ranked player?

As soon as he saw Jinho’s appearance, doubt rose up from within him, but he firmly suppressed that feeling and opened his mouth.

“Are you Yoo Jinho?”

“I wonder why you’re asking a question when you came here while already knowing.”

Jinho let out a snort.

Park Jongwon pushed his boiling emotions below the surface.

“Then I think this’ll be quick. I have a proposal for you.”

“Give up 1st place. Something like that?”

“That’s correct. In return, I’ll give you a Rare grade item.”

“Player Park Jongwon, a Rare grade item is a bit…….”

The player next to him tried to stop Park Jongwon.

[Rare] grade items were traded for at least hundreds of millions, and at most, billions of won.

In a sense, it was an excessive trade for giving up 1st place.

Park Jongwon was that serious.

“Hey, one Rare is too cheap.”

“In that case, are you planning to refuse the proposal?”

“Yeah. So what are you going to do about it?”

“I guess we’ll have to have a physical conversation.”

Shiing-

The sword held in Park Jongwon’s hand let out a cold sound.

It was a Unique grade item he had received from Hwarang, the [Sorijangdo].

“That’s great.”

Jinho saw the sword and then smiled.

“What is?”

“A physical conversation, I like those too.”

Park Jongwon understood Jinho’s words a step too late.

At that moment…

[Agile Hind Legs]

Jinho, who had kicked off the ground, charged directly at Park Jongwon.

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T/N – Well, a beatdown’s about to happen. F to Park Jongwon. Don’t worry, the MC will take good care of your unique grade sword.

Also, I’m quite confused with the MC’s new skill. I thought that he needed to scream or at least make a sound to use it, but it seems like that isn’t the case. To the experts out there, do ultrasonic waves really work like this?

If you find any mistakes, feel free to point them out in the comments.