Chapter 6. Monster Compendium
The Assistant sent me a mint chocolate bread.
It was a food that people either loved or hated.
【001】─You don’t hate mint choco, right?
“I don’t particularly like it, but I don’t hate it either.”
【001】─Haha, that’s a relief.
Honestly, I used to be quite a picky eater.
I wouldn’t even touch foods like mint chocolate, which I didn’t like.
But that’s not the case anymore.
Now, I’ve come to realize the value of food.
After all, there was a time when I almost starved to death after falling into this other world.
So, I was now someone who didn’t fuss over food.
Even if it was mint chocolate bread, I had no aversion to it.
‘If I were on Earth, where food is abundant, it’s something I wouldn’t have to eat… But here, it’s a rare delicacy that I’m fortunate to have.’
I wouldn’t care if it was curry that tasted like crap.
As long as I could eat it without issues, I was willing to welcome anything.
“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”
【001】─Okay, enjoy.
I tore the bread into two pieces.
Then, I offered a piece to the Dog Spider.
It’s a rule to share even a single bean.
No matter how hungry I was, I couldn’t eat it all by myself.
［Sss!］
The Dog Spider eagerly buried its face into the bread and started devouring it.
“Is it good?”
［Sss!］
It seemed to suit its taste.
Looks like this one’s a mint choco fan.
【001】─Haha, cute for a spider. Eat a lot and grow strong!
I also took a bite of the mint chocolate bread.
As expected, it didn’t taste great.
But I chewed it down with gratitude.
***
After the meal.
I decided to take some time to check out the Dog Spider’s abilities.
“Don’t hold back on your abilities. Use them all, but make sure they don’t harm me.”
［Sss!］
I couldn’t understand what it was saying.
But it could understand my command.
The Dog Spider glared at a rock with a proud expression.
［Ssssh!!!］
The Dog Spider spewed out a thick web.
It seemed its ability was to produce webs.
The web hit the rock’s surface precisely.
However, there was no destructive power at all.
Not even a small scratch appeared on the rock.
Even if it became an adult, it didn’t seem like it would develop any destructive power.
According to my instincts, its threat level was about B-rank.
It was the same as the adult one I saw earlier.
Even as an adult, its destructive power would remain the same.
【001】─Our little spider is really weak. You said it’s a B-rank monster, right? Is B-rank considered weak?
“B-rank isn’t a low grade. It’s definitely at a boss level in terms of danger.”
【001】─?? B-rank is considered boss-level?
“Yeah. It’s strong enough that only high-level adventurers or knight captains could manage to subjugate it.”
If it were the old me, I could have killed it with just a flick of a finger.
I considered adding that but decided against it.
With my powers sealed, it would just sound like boasting about past glories.
【001】─How strong are high-level adventurers or knights? It’s hard to grasp just by saying B-rank. I’ve never been to another world.
“Hmm. How should I explain this…”
After a brief moment of thought, I picked up a small stone.
Squatting down, I started writing on the ground with the stone.
“Let’s exclude the SSS-rank and SS-rank…”
====================
● S-rank
○ Demon King / Demon Lord, etc.
○ Hero / Sage, etc.
● A-rank
○ Named Boss Monsters, etc.
○ Heroes / Top-tier Adventurers, etc.
● B-rank
○ Boss Monsters / Named Monsters, etc.
○ Knight Captains / High-level Adventurers, etc.
● C-rank
○ High-level Knights / Mid-level Adventurers (Veterans), etc.
● D-rank
○ Mid-level Knights ~ Low-level Knights / Mid-level Adventurers, etc.
● E-rank
○ Ordinary Goblins, etc.
○ Low-level Adventurers / Strong Ordinary People
● F-rank
○ Ordinary Slimes, etc.
○ Ordinary People
※ Adventurers are considered freelancers.
※ Knights / Heroes / Warriors are state-affiliated.
※ I didn’t bother writing about mages because they’re a hassle.
※ Roughly, consider Hero-level mages as Sages.
====================
“At D-rank, you’re already superhuman, so getting shot wouldn’t faze you.”
【001】─Damn? Seems like people from other worlds are strong…
“And at C-rank, it’s like having a hundred D-ranks.”
【001】─Insane. So does that mean a B-rank is like a hundred C-ranks combined?
“No. The gap between D-rank and C-rank is smaller compared to the gap between C-rank and B-rank. B-rank is in the realm of talent that can’t be achieved through effort alone. If I had to compare, it would take about five hundred C-ranks to wound a B-rank.”
【001】─Wow. So to subjugate a boss monster, nearly a thousand knights would need to be deployed.
“Probably? Anyway, now you get a rough idea of how strong a B-rank is, right?”
【001】─Yeah, I thought B-rank was low, but it turns out it’s incredibly high. Our little spider doesn’t look like much, but it’s actually amazing.
【001】─But what rank were you, Kang Geon?
“Me? SSS-rank.”
【001】─Stop joking. ㅡㅡ
“Believe it or not, it’s true.”
【001】─I don’t believe it.
After kindly explaining everything.
I stood up and started walking.
I stopped in front of the rock and carefully examined the web the Dog Spider had spewed.
It was too early to be disappointed.
B-rank was by no means a low level of danger.
Surely this web had some special ability.
‘Judging by the intact rock, it’s probably not acidic or anything like that…’
I cautiously touched the web with my hand.
At that moment.
My arm went limp and hung down uselessly.
“…I can’t put any strength into my arm.”
【001】─ㅇㅅㅇ?
［Sss?!］
The Dog Spider jumped in surprise and rushed over to me.
［Sss, sss…］
It flattened itself to the ground.
It kept anxiously rubbing its head against the floor.
As if it was apologizing.
What’s going on?
While I was puzzled, strength returned to my limp arm.
“What the… Did you release your power just now?”
［Sss.］
The Dog Spider nodded.
I think I understood.
What its ability was.
“It seems like the Dog Spider’s web has the power to incapacitate its target.”
【001】─Is that a good ability?
“It’s not bad, but it’s still too early to judge.”
The Dog Spider’s ability was incapacitation.
The true value of this ability was still uncertain.
If it only worked on opponents weaker than itself, it was just average. If it worked on monsters of the same rank, it was exceptional.
And if it worked even on those stronger than itself, it would be an outstanding ability.
“Still, we’re lucky. The first monster I tamed suits me perfectly.”
There aren’t many abilities that fit ‘The Assisted One’ better than incapacitation.
Especially since my taming ability requires me to maintain contact with the monster for a certain amount of time.
【001】─Why does it suit you so well?
“Because the ability I have now is a taming ability. In simple terms, it’s like a monster tamer’s power.”
【001】─So that’s why the spider follows you so well. I thought it was because you were the first person it saw after being born, so it recognized you as its parent.
【001】─But can’t you just beat it to submission without incapacitating it to tame it?
Like ‘The Dominant One,’ I could beat it to the brink of death and then tame it, but it’s generally more efficient to tame monsters in good condition. If you make a monster your ally when it’s in a critical state, you’ll have to bear the burden of healing it.
I would guess.
If ‘The Dominant One’ takes in a critically injured monster, they probably have the ability to heal it instantly.
But I don’t have that kind of power.
So, I have to tame monsters without hurting them as much as possible.
At least until I tame a monster with healing abilities.
After explaining this, the Assistant understood immediately.
【001】─Now that you’ve explained it, it makes sense. You’re pretty smart, huh?
【001】─But what is ‘The Dominant One’ anyway?
It was a bit troublesome.
But I explained everything the Assistant was curious about.
***
The Assistant sent additional supplies.
A flashlight and batteries.
An analog watch.
A notebook and pen.
For medical supplies, I received just one bandage for now.
I also asked for some paintbrushes or paint if there was any spare.
【001】─Sure, I have a lot of art supplies at home. But first, I’ll send you some water.
【001】─Wait, why does sending 300ml of water cost 30 coins in fees? That’s way too expensive.
It was indeed too costly, even by my standards.
I’d have to be self-sufficient with water and food as much as possible.
Otherwise, the Assistant might go bankrupt.
Not that they’d keep supporting me until they were broke, but still.
“I’ll cover the water fees.”
【001】─No, I’ll handle it since I’m already supporting you. I’ll send it 50ml at a time.
With this, I couldn’t bring myself to ask for coins as well.
Coins might not be useful right now, but eventually, I would find a use for them, so it’d be good to stockpile them.
‘It would be shameless to ask for coins now, so I’ll just recharge later with my own money.’
I had some money saved up on Earth, so I could recharge with that.
I’d already figured out how to use my money.
【001】─Here’s a water bottle!
The Assistant sent over an empty water bottle.
Then.
【001】─Here’s your water!
They sent me small amounts of water in paper cups.
Ten times in a row.
Each paper cup held about 50ml of water.
That meant a total of 500ml.
The fee was 50 coins.
The water alone was worth about 500,000 won.
“…Sorry. I’m making you spend too much money.”
I said this as I poured the water from the paper cups into the water bottle.
I genuinely felt sorry.
【001】─Don’t worry about it.
Who was this person really, helping me like this?
Even for a close friend, spending over 500,000 won would be a burden, right?
I was grateful, but also curious.
【001】─Now, here’s your art set! I’ll send it all at once in a box!
The last batch of supplies arrived.
Inside the box were various art materials.
【001】─Use them well.
“Thanks. But aren’t you curious about why I asked for art supplies?”
【001】─Isn’t it because you want to draw? You used to like drawing. You said drawing helps calm your mind.”
“Used to like? Since you’re using the past tense, I guess you’re someone who hasn’t interacted with me recently.”
【001】─Don’t try to figure out who I am.
Anyway, I had no clue who they could be with just this information.
A lot of people knew about my hobby.
Whenever someone asked me about my hobby, I’d always say it was drawing.
I often drew in a notebook whenever I had free time.
The fact that drawing calmed my mind…
Did I ever tell anyone about that?
I couldn’t remember at all.
“I’m not trying to figure it out, but why are you hiding your identity?”
【001】─Because I want to.
I was curious not only about the Assistant’s identity.
But also about why they insisted on staying anonymous.
They weren’t crossing any lines or attacking me, so why act this way?
【001】─If you keep trying to figure out who I am, I’ll disappear. ㅡㅡ
“I’m not trying to figure it out. I’m not even that curious.”
I deliberately acted disinterested.
If they felt pressured and ran away, I’d be the one at a loss.
After finishing the conversation with the Assistant, I opened the notebook.
To calm my mind a bit by drawing.
“Dog Spider. Could you come over here for a moment?”
［Sss!］
The Dog Spider hurried over and stopped in front of me.
“Alright. Just stand there until I say you can move.”
［Sss!］
Today’s drawing model was the Dog Spider.
And not just it.
From now on, I planned to capture all the monsters I encountered in the labyrinth through drawings.
By recording and organizing the monsters’ appearances, abilities, habits, and weaknesses, I’d be much more effective in dealing with the same types of monsters in the future.
In other words, it was the process of creating a monster compendium.
‘I’ll calm my mind and organize monster information at the same time. This is killing two birds with one stone.’
I slowly started transferring the image of the Dog Spider into my notebook.
—
■ Dog Spider
─Estimated Danger Level: B-rank.
─Ability: Incapacitating Web.
─Weakness: Suspected to be defenseless while asleep.