"Grrrrr"
A deep, rumbling growl of pleasure rolled out from Pochi's throat. Its six burning eyes shifted away from the five "desserts" standing before it and locked onto the massive, blood-soaked corpse they'd dragged behind them.
Even after being transformed from a stray dog into a Dragon-class monster, Pochi's mind remained relatively simple. Compared to tiny snacks that couldn't even fill the gaps between its teeth, it always preferred to start with a big, hearty main course.
After all, how bad could a big dog really be?
(꒪ཀ꒪)
Drool enough to drown a grown man dripped from its jagged fangs, splattering onto the ground with a clear plop.
In the dead silence of the tunnel, that sound was deafening.
Hans's nerves were stretched to the limit, but instead of breaking, his mind suddenly started spinning faster than ever before.
'Wait for death?'
'No way.'
At that moment, Pochi took a step forward. Its massive paw fell lazily.
Squish!
The unlucky "Iron Rooster" monster didn't even have time to scream before it was flattened into a pile of unrecognizable paste.
Blood and meat splattered everywhere, and Pochi didn't even blink. To it, the wolf-class monster was no more than a bug underfoot.
Then it lowered its massive head and began tearing into the corpse that had been dragged in as its meal. The sound of bones shattering echoed like cracking thunder.
Hans's eyes locked on Pochi's nearby paw, its black fur glistening like obsidian rock.
A wild thought burst into his mind.
'The system said contact is enough to copy…'
A gamble between life and death.
If doing nothing meant dying anyway, then he'd take the risk!
The other three monsters were paralyzed with fear, frozen stiff.
Hans, on the other hand, slowly raised his hand, steadily, deliberately.
The other monsters looked at him as if he were insane.
Even Pochi paused mid-bite, one of its six fiery eyes flicking toward the tiny creature that dared to move.
Hans's bloodshot eyes ignored the crushing pressure bearing down on him.
He pressed his clawed, blackened hand firmly against Pochi's paw.
"Grrr?"
It was like pressing his palm into burning coals.
Searing heat bit deep into his flesh; even his carapace began to soften and melt.
Then-
DING!
A sound like divine music rang in his mind.
[Monster: Overgrown Pochi]
[Disaster Level: Dragon (Peak)]
[Ability 1: "Overgrowth (SSR)" – Breaks species limits, granting immense size and strength while maintaining incredible speed and vitality.]
[Ability 2: "Scorch Bomb (SSR)" – Fires high-density energy blasts capable of obliterating multi-layered underground facilities; causes earthquake-level destruction.]
[Ability 3: "Beast's Body (SSR)" – Absolute physical and energy defense; can withstand even Saitama's "Normal Punch" at half power, surviving with only unconsciousness.]
[Ability 4: "Primal Instinct (SSR)" – Heightened battle awareness and rage amplification; doubles strength and speed under fury.]
Hans gasped.
'So this was what a top-tier Dragon-class monster's power looked like, utterly terrifying!'
Four glowing golden icons appeared before him, each labeled SSR, each marked Copyable!
[DING! Contact established with copyable target!]
[Successfully copied SSR abilities: "Overgrowth" Lv1, "Scorch Bomb" Lv1, "Beast's Body" Lv1, "Primal Instinct" Lv1!]
[Current Ability Slots Used: 4/5]
[Abilities materializing… adaptive reconstruction in progress…]
[Disaster Level Increased!]
[Ability Slot Limit +5!]
[Current Disaster Level: Tiger (High)]
Before he could react, his body exploded with change.
His heart felt like it was crushed and filled with molten lava.
BOOM!
A wave of searing power erupted from his core, flooding his limbs.
Something deep inside him shattered, and then came the flood: an endless, roaring surge of vitality and heat!
His body convulsed violently as it transformed.
Bones popped. Muscles tore and reformed.
His frame swelled from 1.7 meters to nearly 1.95 in seconds.
The black carapace covering him flared with glowing crimson lines like flowing magma, radiating blistering heat.
It was destruction and rebirth in one.
Meanwhile, Pochi froze mid-meal.
It could feel something strange: a new, burning energy flaring up right beneath it.
A low growl rolled out of its throat.
Its killing intent hit like a tsunami.
Its six fiery eyes fixed on Hans, death incarnate staring him down.
But Hans didn't flinch.
Through the agony and the surge of power, madness gleamed in his eyes.
He turned sharply, grabbed the terrified Cockroach Monster beside him,
CRACK!
Its thick, armored arm shattered like dry wood, green ichor splattering everywhere.
"W-what are you, ?! Let go!!"
The cockroach's screams cut short as it saw the searing light building inside Hans's mouth.
A brilliant, burning sphere of energy condensed, crackling with electric arcs.
Pochi's signature move, "Scorch Bomb!"
Pochi: "???"
Cockroach Monster: "!!!"
The massive dog tilted its head, all six eyes blinking in confusion.
The killing intent vanished, replaced with curiosity?
Somehow, the little bug's energy smelled… familiar.
Like a miniature version of itself.
Like… a newborn pup.
Aww.
"Woof… woof?" (What's going on?)
Meanwhile, the cockroach monster could only feel terror.
The burning energy hummed at point-blank range, a miniature sun ready to erupt.
"No! Spare me!"
"Yamete-!!"
BOOM!!!
The explosion swallowed its scream whole.
The energy blast engulfed half its body, vaporizing everything above the waist.
A massive shockwave tore through the tunnel.
The walls quaked, and molten rock sprayed from the impact crater.
[Killed Wolf-class Monster "Mutant Cockroach." Gained Source Points ×2.]
The system chime rang again.
Clean and efficient kill.
The air was filled with the stench of roasted chitin and burnt protein.
Pochi wagged its massive tail, smashing cracks into the walls.
It looked pleased, watching the "cooking show."
Hans, panting, nearly collapsed.
That single Scorch Bomb had drained almost all his newfound energy.
But he didn't stop.
Still trembling, he nudged the half-burnt monster corpse toward Pochi, then carefully stepped back.
Pochi sniffed it curiously, then slurped it up with one flick of its tongue.
"Rrr-ow!"
Hans blinked. '…Wait. Did it just say?'
He hesitated, then asked, "You mean… it tastes good, but next time I should cook it longer?"
"Woof! Woof-woof!" (Exactly! Exactly, !)
(´• ω •`)✧