In Yongin, the fallen Black Dragon was deeply engrossed in research near the Lake of Death. He had initially planned to fill the otherworld dungeon with death using the lake.
But after excavating ancient dragon bones and the legendary phoenix bones from the Lake of Death, he abandoned that strategy.
Some fragments of the ancient dragon bones had been sucked through gates.
Yet much remained, still brimming with power.
The concealment power left by the ancient dragon and the mana within it intrigued even him—who possessed over twice the mana of ordinary dragons through black magic.
‘Thanks to this, I could scout the dungeon.’
Using the mana, concealment, and transformation techniques obtained from the ancient dragon.
He could now grasp the dungeon’s structure through magic that created extinct doppelgangers.
The strongest giant lived in the first room with the gate.
Escaping that initial dungeon without facing the giant required enormous mana expenditure.
Only purely incorporeal beings could flee to lower or side dungeons; leaving the dungeon itself was impossible.
The doors, considered passages, had magical effects that prevented exiters from leaving and even bound and attacked those trying to escape.
Perhaps cruel by nature, it didn’t kill in one blow—instead relentlessly attacking with just enough force to avoid death.
Grind.
Yongin struck his temple.
Though it was a mana-created doppelganger clone that took the hit, the shock transmitted to him too.
‘The conclusion is we must conquer the dungeon with the gate first.’
Testing against the female giant in the side dungeon using his mana-turned-doppelganger, Yongin felt a chill.
A single headbutt from a being without mana obliterated his clone and severed the thread of connection.
The dungeon giant finished it off, but in terms of power, she might be stronger.
‘Even passing one dungeon, if there are many powerful monsters…
If each dungeon is this strong, it’s no laughing matter.
Now that the giant’s level is in the thousands.
It’s time to revise the strategy of not granting levels.
The method of combat by sending only mana to the otherworld has reached its limit.
Truly, only top maritime clan executives above level 5,000…
‘If I could just utilize this as undead…
If I create a bone dragon via dragon medium, it could be stronger than the lich leading the undead clan.
Still, make it a creature moved by mana so it’s judged as an artifact and doesn’t grant levels.
He was pursuing temporary mana amplification to infuse enough black magic to utilize the current bone dragon. Meditation was one method—when urgent flapping sounds interrupted Yongin’s meditation.
“Boss, big trouble!”
“What is it? I told you not to disturb me.”
“Executives are getting sucked into the gate. And from the gate, something huge resembling sea squirt bunches!”
“Sea squirt bunches?”
Resembling sea squirt warriors but gigantic?
Even Yongin found it horrific.
Yongin was using weather control magic to foam areas near the Nightmare Queen’s palace so maritime clan creatures could survive.
The gate vicinity was flooded for mid-level executives to stay on guard.
The reason for foaming was simple.
To dilute the poisoned water pouring from the otherworld gate.
The actual poisoned water from the otherworld covered the sea; diluted, fragile creatures died, but in return, most diseases plaguing maritime clan demons and subjects vanished.
“No choice. Let’s go.”
Spatial moving from the Lake of Death to near the gate—mid-level executives on guard vanished, leaving only scales.
Bad Temper, the sword-fish capable of turning into a blade.
Terror Jaws, kin to lantern anglerfish merfolk.
Flying fish merfolk, sirens, and more—gone.
Many lower maritime clan grunts missing too.
“Otot.”
The wriggling giant otherworld sea squirt—Yongin dispatched instantly.
“What is this?”
Then.
Something dangling from the thread of connection descended from the gate; a lump with a strange smell.
Seeing it, maritime clan subordinates’ eyes rolled in unison.
“This time I’ll eat it!”
“The taste is insane!”
“Not just taste—chance to deploy to the otherworld without mana? Such honor!”
Yongin pressed his throbbing forehead.
“…
You fish-headed idiots.”
Fished after over a hundred years.
The maritime clan had forgotten what fishing even was after losing humans who tried it.
The otherworld giant’s counterattacks grow fiercer.
Can’t send them until bone dragon is mana-operable…
Yongin recalled info from doppelganger use.
Must prevent the Nightmare Queen from aiding the giant.
“Sss!”
They’re not biting well anymore.
Then what’s the dragon bone fishing rod for?
Fishing is a sport fighting patience over fish, but it’s boring.
Of course, since it’s home. I can just leave it hooked and do other things.
“Still, it served well.”
The dragon fishing rod raised my level by 800 anyway.
Like a tool forcing encounters with enemies—but the fish beyond the gate seem dried up.
Was about to reel in the bait, but no reason not to leave it in the gate, so I did.
“Ang, ang, ang, ang!”
Yong-gae barked, so.
I offered my palm under her feet.
She climbed up.
Already got some dragon skill or whatever—said acquirable for dragons.
Seen dragon mom turn human female too.
Maybe teach her.
I have the Teaching trait.
“Po-ly! Morph!”
“Po! Ly! Mo! Rph! Ang!”
Little dragon reads the skill name; she mimics perfectly.
“Hey, drop the ang…”
<Dragon acquires knowledge of Polymorph!>
<Level rises due to trait Teaching> <Dragon awakens Polymorph Level LV2>
W-what? No demonstration, just taught the incantation—and awakened?
“Genius?”
“Genius?”
“Just stop the dog nonsense.”
<Level rises.>
Teaching skill to a level 20,000+ entity—level jumps 100.
Now my level is 2859.
Fist energy might shatter mountains soon.
Could demolish the building in one punch.
Wraiths, these bastards.
Levels even from this.
Making Memorials by killing people.
‘Hmm, we haven’t lived rubbing shoulders with tens-of-thousands-level beings, so what choice?’
‘Yeah, understand—we didn’t want your world a bloodbath, but we had circumstances too.’
Still, human wraiths are nice—can ignore when I want.
“Ang, ang, ang!”
Yong-gae seems thrilled barking over the skill.
But no barking.
“Anyway, can’t fix her dog habits?”
[Creatures can’t escape environmental influence. Blaming the environment creator for mass-producing mongrels in a dog-like setup is unreasonable.]
That bastard.
Sucking front paw fur, yawning lazily while saying that—infuriating?
“Then you? Same environment as Yong-gae.”
[With firm principles, one stays unwavering—even in dog-eat-dog times, maintains nobility.]
That cat brat ate too much DHA?
Only intelligence soaring?
“You’re just fueled by primal dog hate.”
[Hm? What?]
“Dog hate born from rage—world goes to dogs, you seem normal by illusion.”
[…Meow? So I’m calm because I stand at the extreme opposite of the environment?]
“Cultivate mind through asceticism. Then even cats become gentlemen.”
[Umm.]
Doesn’t get it?
Landed a solid one after ages.
Needed higher-dimensional burns.
“Hey Yong-gae, try transforming like this?”
“Ah, ang.”
Baby dragon casts magic.
Showed a net pic of a kitten with fancy edits.
To stop barking, overlay different ideology as said.
Even if dog antics and freakouts, no barking—dragon mom won’t notice dog-raised behavior.
Pro-cat faction has suitable four-legged model.
Yong-gae attempts kitten polymorph—doesn’t grow big, turns palm-sized handful kitten.
Wow, insanely cute.
“Ooh. Gotta snap pics.”
Adult CatMan nearby—failing lotus meditation—ends practice instantly, inspects.
Proud as if his own kid.
[Indeed, our kind has something humans should worship. Kyaoooong!?]
Little dragon, even kitten-polymorphed, bites CatMan.
CatMan stronger now—tail waggable stamina—yet won’t release.
CatMan tail tip gradually turning bomb fuse-like.
Think I can take Yong-gae out now.
Intelligent being but baby—actions not human-like, chick-looking but beakless, grown some—feet dinosaur-ish.
Now cat paws.
“Hmm. Queen, moment.”
“Yes? What?”
“Heading out—mind the house with the rice cooker?”
To stop Yong-gae barking, taking to environment full of weird-crying non-barkers.
[Does my face look kingly to you?]
“…?”
What now?
[Hmph, I am the king of cats. Call me Cat King henceforth.]
“How many names? CatMan, Kim Jun-tae, Kim Beom, now Cat King?”
From cat tower summit in cat café, CatMan declares.
Cape on neck, crown on head—would look real king.
Cat café—solo guy weird, searched: stories of bringing own cat for friends.
Brought CatMan and Yong-gae (polymorphed).
Supposed carry buckets for outings—didn’t buy.
“Kyuu, kyuu.”
“Look at that.”
My brought ones skyrocket popularity in cat café.
CatMan—strongest cat ever—receives worship from café cats, declares coronation from tower, full swagger.
Real cats worship him in sync—gotta snap pics.
Even owner and staff shooting for promo.
“Kittens aren’t usually brought out like that.”
“Ah, the one up the cat tower is dad—would cry if not together. Daddy cat cries home too.”
Yong-gae (polymorphed) baby kitten super adorable crawling; cat-savvy folks meddle.
But mention parents—speechless; excuse CatMan as dad, they let slide.
After boosting CatMan ego and reforming Yong-gae dog ways, heading back—suspiciously overlaps path with lone masked, deep-hatted café person.
‘Seen somewhere…!’
“Why touch my belly? Kyahaha. Yaaa.”
“Weird, my kids squirmed like this.”
“That’s different?”
“Why mimic child, Princess?”
“Memory not all there! Still baby tongue, need lots sleep. Only remember cute newborn time—what do? Joo-heon gave tons love then!”
“Memory really regressed. Ah.”
“Eh!”
Playing with Fairy Princess, Nightmare Queen detects gate anomaly.
Rushing combat stance.
[Aeng, aeng.]
Spirit rice cooker signals appropriately—not urgent.
Level 1400s spirit RiceCookerMan, Gate Keeper—grown to sense beyond-gate intensity.
Per signal, no monster; paper flutters out.
“Hmm?”
Nightmare Queen seen this.
When white dragon sent letter.
Hostile, but read—sender not dragon.
[Queen…]