'Monster Beast? It would be fun to fight one.'
While walking back home, Ken couldn't help but think about his future battles with the monster beasts.
Perhaps it was due to his Sword Momentum awakening, he wanted a battle.
A good battle that would satisfy his heart.
Just when he was taking his time, thinking about his future battles, he heard the sirens ringing all around.
When he raised his head, he saw several people running away from something.
He didn't understand until he heard some of the comments from those people.
"Run away! There is a Monster Awakening."
"How could there be a monster awakening in the city? Aren't those animals sent outside?"
"Tch! It must be one of those rich families who brought those disasters in."
"Why the hell are you so concerned about it? Just away! Those hunters should arrive in a few minutes."
"Hey boy, why are you standing there?"
"Run away!"
Ken was stunned for a moment.
'Did I just jinx?'
He couldn't believe it was a coincidence. After all, how could an animal suddenly awaken into a monster just when he wanted a battle?
But he didn't think it had anything to do with him.
He was more curious about the monster beast. After all, it was a newly awakened Monster Beast.
Suddenly, he heard a cry. He couldn't help but frown. Because of his confidence in his strength, he hadn't left with others.
He knew hunters would arrive any time soon. So, he wasn't worried about himself.
But when he heard this cry, he couldn't help but move forward.
"Boy, where are you going?"
Some people noticed him and shouted. They saw his age and backpack. They wanted to warn him, but he simply waved at them and continued running forward.
"Waaaaaa! Mama! Mama! Waaaaa!"
Ken was stunned, but he didn't forget to dash forward. The sound began, clear as his vision also opened from the crowd.
He saw a girl crying in front of a white dog that was slowly transforming. Its fur was turning a bit grey with a strange pattern around its body.
The pattern was a line from its neck to its back. Unlike humans, the Realm of a Monster was divided into four stages.
At least, the realm comparable to the Body Tempering Realm. For monsters, it was called 'Junior Monster Realm'.
Its stages were Low, Middle, High, and Peak.
Based on these stages, one could understand their strength. A newly awakened Monster Beast would be around the first stage of the Body Tempering Realm.
Within just a month, that Beast, without consuming much natural or spiritual energy, could reach the power equivalent to the second stage.
Because of this, Ken hesitated for a split second.
He hadn't reached the first stage. Yeah, he had a powerful Sword Momentum, but how could that be comparable to a Low-Level Junior Monster?
"Tina!"
Just when he was hesitating, a scream gained his attention. He turned his head and saw a middle-aged woman running towards her child with tears in her eyes.
He was a bit speechless when he saw a headphone on her neck and a supermarket behind her.
But despite being speechless, he noticed her speed and gulped heavily.
Because he had already seen the dog raising its paw to crush the girl. Compared to her, he was closer to the girl and had a chance of saving her.
But the problem was that he couldn't push her away, otherwise the dog would crush him with its paw.
With a split second, he decided to take out a strange handle from his backpack.
He clicked a button, and a long blade emerged from the handle. While this was happening, he was already in front of the dog.
But the upcoming so close, he could feel an immense pressure. He almost wanted to retreat, but when he saw that paw coming down towards the girl, he thought to himself.
'Move forward bravely! If I retreat today, can I retreat tomorrow? That guy is going to make my life hell. So, what reason do I have to hide?'
At this moment, Ken released his Sword Momentum and moved his hand to his waist. It was just a position, but when he did that, he gathered a lot of power in his hands.
[Sword Drawing Technique]
Bang!
A paw larger than a thirteen-inch laptop smashed into his mechanical sword. When the dog sensed an intense sharpness in his paw, he instantly pulled back his paw.
But Ken only saw some redness in his paw. His sword with Sword Momentum didn't even pierce through the dog's paw.
At the same time, Ken noticed the girl had stopped crying. She was holding a small bag in her hand while looking at him with wide eyes.
"Tina! Tina! My child!"
At the same time, that woman arrived and began to hold her child with her trembling hands.
Until she held her child, she was still in a state of disbelief.
Grrrr!
The dog released a ferocious roar when it noticed Ken turning his head around.
"Go! Go! I can't fight this guy."
Ken shouted while clenching the handle of his sword with some nervousness.
Only after hearing his voice, the woman snapped out of her terror and ran away while holding her child.
"Mom, that brother!"
The girl shouted while being in her mother's embrace.
Grrr! Roar!
When the dog noticed them running away, it instantly changed its target and leapt above Ken.
In just a single leap, that dog appeared several meters behind Ken.
"Damn it!"
Ken knew he wouldn't be able to fight this monster, but he couldn't just leave.
"No, no, no, I shouldn't have sealed my cultivation. I shouldn't have done that."
At this moment, that woman also noticed the dog chasing her and began to cry in regret.
Because the city was usually safe, those who couldn't go beyond the Body Tempering Realm usually sealed off their cultivation.
In case of an emergency, they did have a device to unlock their cultivation. In a normal situation, having cultivation meant having strength.
People tried to solve problems with what they had, with fights.
So, when a lot of people started using fights and battles to solve even the tiniest of problems, the Warlock association banned anyone other than hunters from possessing active cultivation.
Naturally, it got a lot of backlash, but due to the reputation of S-Rank hunters, it was successfully implemented, and cities became much more peaceful.
This had one shortcoming, though. Just like in her current situation, the woman fights back. Her cultivation was sealed, which meant she had no power to fight anyone.
Ken turned around and rushed towards the dog. Naturally, it was faster than Ken and the woman.
But Ken wasn't just going to let that dog kill the woman. Otherwise, everything he had done till now would be in vain.
Suddenly, he remembered something and took a crouching stance.
Sword Drawing Technique was a fast-paced sword art that had only two things.
Speed and Sharpness!
If Sharpness came from his swordsmanship, speed came from his body. And thanks to his years of training, he had learned to focus his strength on a certain part of the body.
By focusing all of his strength in his legs, he could get an insane boost in speed, compared to common people.
[Sword Drawing Technique]
Ken pushed his legs hard. His legs covered almost five meters without any initial run. Before the dog could react, Ken was already on its tail with his sword slashing forward.
Splash!
His sword slashed horizontally. The Sword Momentum attached to his sword managed to slash the skin of the dog, forcing it to stop.
When the dog stopped, it turned around and roared. Its eyes were red in anger. It instantly raised its paw and smashed it towards Ken.
Seeing this, Ken pulled back his sword and used a similar stance.
[Sword Drawing Technique]
Bang! Thud!
Ken's sword clashed against the dog's paw, but the force behind its strike was so high that he couldn't withstand it.
He was sent flying several meters before he adjusted himself in mid-air and landed on his knees.
"Cough!"
Ken felt a strong pain in his hand and chest. Because he wasn't able to withstand its paw, it had reached his chest. That strike almost broke his chest.
'I can't even block its attack? Am I so weak?'
At this moment, crazy laughter rang in his mind.
"Ghahahaha! Boy, are you scared? Come on! You don't even have to beg. Just for help, and I will help you reach the first Stage of the Body Tempering Realm in an instant."
"Or, I can pass some of my power into your body without exploding your body. How about it? Come on! Ask me!"
Hearing words filled with ridicule and disdain, Ken simply closed his eyes, appeared in his Spirit Planet, in front of the Might King, and raised his middle finger.
"Go F**k yourself!"