Suddenly, there was an odd rustling noise and I turned my head. Was it a gnoll again? I hoped it wasn't the case. It was before the meal and I wanted to eat...

The bushes shook from side to side once more before spitting out two st.u.r.dy men.

"I definitely smelled something delicious here."

"Yes. Where is this place?"

...People? I hadn't expected anyone to come to this isolated place. They were sniffing as they approached my location. Shortly thereafter, they greeted me. "Oh! h.e.l.lo!"

A man came up to me with a smile. Beside him was a skinny person who was like an anchovy. At one glance, I could tell they were users and not NPCs. However, I couldn't see their names. I asked them, "How did these young people come here?"

"I was in the forest and suddenly smelled something delicious."

"You must've been very hungry. Please sit here."

I pointed to the log next to me and gestured for them to sit down. The two of them naturally sat next to me. I scooped out the soup and handed it to them. "Eat up."

"Thank you."

"I'll eat well."

The moment they were about to eat the soup, Solar opened its mouth, "Eat a lot! Pretty humans!"

"Heok! T-The fire is speaking...!"

"What is this?"

I could see them swaying with surprise. Their faces were red and they almost spilled the soup. Indeed, this wasn't a normal situation. Keke.

"I'm the sun, not a fire!"

"S-Sun...?"

Their eyes shook from side to side as they listened to Solar's words. They were surprised but quickly adapted. They had their own cute sides. They made eye contact with each other and nodded.

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' has possessed Solar's body.]

What was this guy doing? All of a sudden...

"Old man." Suddenly, the blue lights that were Solar's eyes faced me. It was the same as the conversation the other day. There seemed to be blue flames every time the guy spoke to me through Solar. This jerk. I was still blinking when the key point was brought up. "They are here to kill you."

"What...?"

I wanted to ask him, 'What bulls.h.i.+t is this?' However, the two people eating the meat soup were taken aback the moment they heard it. They seemed to be stabbed... what was this?

"Reveal your ident.i.ty."

Solar's blue eyes stared at them and the two people started sweating. In the end, things happened.

Clang!

"I don't know how you knew but it can't be helped if we're caught."

"We'll take that pot and the fireball pet."

It seemed the words weren't nonsense. These brats, they misunderstood Solar as a pet. I felt something unusual and pulled out my dagger. They were pulling out their own swords. Solar opened its mouth, "These guys, they intimidate or kill innocent people and take away what they have."

"......"

"Well, take care of this, old man. The summoning time is almost over so I'll go back."

At this moment, the flames dispersed and Solar disappeared.

...This b.a.s.t.a.r.d. I was the one that was supposed to fix this when he created the incident? One of the guys in front of me spoke, "Old man, did you hide your pet?"

I told them, "That isn't a pet."

"Don't lie!"

d.a.m.n. They didn't believe me. A man ran up and swung his sword. The one-handed sword and my dagger collided, causing small sparks. The skinny man smiled and moved his sword horizontally but it wasn't that easy to hit me. I quickly moved back and ran toward him when another sword flew at me from the side. My left arm was cut.

"You guys..."

My face became viciously distorted when I saw the blood flowing down. I thought in my head about what to do with these guys who weren't satisfied with just eating.

"Kuhaha, you should obediently surrender. You look like a production chef. Can you defeat us?"

[Lv. 18 Six Fires (Murderer)] 

Murderer...

It seemed that his name had been obscured by something. I remembered seeing it on the broadcast yesterday. Murderers could cover their names with an item called Wings of False Image so people should be careful. However, I heard it was very expensive. These guys, were they rich?

"Just take it out willingly. Our Fire Dragons aren't easy to go against."

[Lv. 21 Four Fires (Murderer)]

The man called Four Fires saw there was no need to cover up the truth and showed his name.

"These ungrateful b.a.s.t.a.r.ds…" I was upset and tried to use the Flying Weather Dance. However, there was one problem...

[The cooldown time of Flying Weather Dance - Rising Sun isn't over yet.]

d.a.m.n. Then with my dagger...

"Hahaha!"

Chaeng! Chaeng! Chaeng! Four Fires' sword once again struck my arm.

"You rotten guys..."

[You have received the apostle's buff.]

[All stats are increased by 20% for 30 minutes.]

He should've done it earlier if he was going to act. He was a strange guy. I started to fight back.

"W-What?!"

"This crazy old man!"

Six Fires launched a counterattack but he experienced the same thing. I blew Four Fires away with various aerial kicks. Four Fires looked at me in a stunned manner.

"This old man, what the h.e.l.l...?"

I could see the two people gulping at the same time. I stared at them and said, "I'm an underdog who beats guys like you."

Force exploded from my hind legs and I rushed toward them. I used another skill as they were feeling fl.u.s.tered.

[The apostle skill 'Keen Insight' has been used.]

[You can preview your opponent's attack path for one minute.]

The red color dazzled my eyes. At the same time, their next movements started to appear as faint images.

"Kuaaaack!"

Tak, sekeok! Puok!

"C-Crazy!"

Their expressions changed—it went from joy to embarra.s.sment, then to anger, fear, and finally despair. They had stunned looks at the ridiculous situation that unfolded in real time.

"s.h.i.+t! Why won't you just die?!"

"Kuooock, Stone's Anger..."

Four Fires had been muttering something only to be blown away with an aerial kick to the chin. Four Fires was swearing in the distance. Even so, they didn't reach me. I couldn't hear them because my ears were bad.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

This guy still wasn't tired. I started to bombard Six Fires' body again. I broke his leg. His arm holding the sword was also twisted.

Crunch.

"Uwaaaack!" The cruel screams echoed in the stream area.

Six Fires was looking up at me with panicked eyes. Four Fires muttered something and there was soon a burst of energy from him. Then he started rus.h.i.+ng at high speed. "Fury Rus.h.!.+"

He used a skill. I hadn't seen anyone use a skill except for Sujeong. If someone asked me to explain how I felt, I would say something like this, 'It is lousy. Tsk tsk.'

Four Fires was approaching at a rapid pace but unfortunately, it was useless when I was using Keen Insight. I lightly deflected the stabbing sword and slashed at his right arm and shoulder.

"Kuaaack!"

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' is nodding.]

"Is there anything left?

"Kuek..."

They realized the difference in power and didn't come at me again. Their fighting spirit was completely lost. However, once again, I wasn't a benevolent person. I threw a dagger at Four Fires' leg.

"Kuaaack!"

Six Fires looked at me with terror.

"Kneel down."

After a while, they knelt down in front of me. They were also in a half-naked state.

I was nagging at them. "Don't you know how to respect the elderly?"

"......"

"Why aren't you replying?!!!"

Whenever their answers were unclear, I yelled like a tiger. Then something unexpected happened.

[Your voice has gone over a certain decibel.]

[Hidden Skill: Lion's Roar has been learnt.]

...Huh?

[Lion's Roar (Active)]

[Rating: Rare

Cooldown Time: 5 minutes.

Magic Power Consumption: 50.

A moment of overbearing words that make the enemy temporarily pause. The feeling of pressure will become stronger in the wake of certain conditions.]

It was bulls.h.i.+t. I couldn't help laughing. I was speechless at the thought of getting a skill in this manner. I didn't know I would get a nagging skill...

[The aura of Lion's Roar has overwhelmed the targets in front of you.]

...It was better than I thought.

"I-I'm really sorry!" They were terrified by the sudden overbearing feeling.

"Are there any last words you want to say?"

"You aren't going to spare us...?"

"Me...? Why should I?"

"T-That..." The answer came from Four Fires. "If you spare us, our big brother won't chase you!"

"Who is your big brother?"

"Supreme Fire Dragon."

"So what?"

"Huh...?"

"What about the Supreme Fire Dragon?"

"I don't think you're aware of the situation. Our Fire Dragons..."

Puuk!

"Kuaaack!"

"Listen carefully. If you can't figure out what is going on and keep speaking nonsense, I will chase you to the end of the earth and tear you up."

I could hear the sound of gulping.

"Thus, learn how to act politely when looking at the elderly in the future."

"......"

"Answer me."

"Yes!"

"Understood!"

...These stupid guys. The lid was opened for a while but I quickly cooled down. I wanted to cut their throats... but they had completely dried up like seaweed at the sight of me. s.h.i.+t. It had been a long time since I was so annoyed.

[Lv. 21 Four Fires] 

[Health: 12/814]

[Lv. 18 Six Fires] 

[Health: 16/775]

Well, they didn't have much health left and wouldn't mess with me again. I just happened to see the bulldog approaching me. I thought I could use this opportunity to name it. "Let's give this guy a name."

"Huh...?"

"Name."

"Ah, yes! W-What about Cerberus?"

"What does that mean?"

"I-It is the name of the dog who protects h.e.l.l!" 

It wasn't bad. It was a bit long but it seemed to go quite well with the bulldog's face. I raised the dog with my hand and stared at the dog's face.

"Grrrrung."

...Cute guy.

"Okay. You may go."

The two men started to flee. I was staring at their backs when the guide sent me a message.

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' is saying that they might come back.]

"Really...?"

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' recommends just getting rid of them.]

I was troubled for a moment. This guy's words had never been wrong. His advice always shone in a moment of crisis. Crystal said this guy was a prophet...

My worries didn't last long. "Cer."

"Grrrung?!"

The name Cerberus was so long that I just called it Cer. I pointed to the guys running away. "BIte them."

"Kwal!"

Cer was full of power after being fed. I hadn't expected that it would really leave. I just wanted to try it. After a while, Cer came back. Its mouth was full of blood. It reported to me with a smile like it had completed the mission.

"Kwal!"