The Strongest in the Game by Dominating Monster - Chapter 2

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Monster Domination: Game’s Strongest Episode 2

Faaaash!

As the blinding light that pierced the eyes disappeared, a new world unfolded.

To be precise, it was a world inside a game.

But the scene before my eyes seemed more real than reality itself.

“Wow….”

An exclamation naturally escaped my lips.

I could feel the particles of dust beneath my feet, and clouds drifted across the sky like a painting.

As wind brushed past me from the side, the grass swayed.

The scent of grass mixed in the wind tickled my nose.

It was truly an incredible sense of immersion.

This wasn’t just a ‘game’ but ‘another world.’

[You have entered Beginner Village, Rudenville.]

The text that appeared before my eyes was a familiar game interface.

Yet it felt strange. Because it was too realistic.

“Is this your first time here? Adventurer!”

Just then, a blonde woman in neat clothing approached me.

“Welcome. I’m Lucy, and I help novice adventurers in this village.”

Wow. That’s an AI?

Her way of speaking and breathing. Even her gestures.

Everything seemed human.

“Our Rudenville desperately needs your help, adventurer. Will you help us?”

“Yes.”

Despite my brief answer, she smiled brightly and continued speaking.

“Thank you! Then could you go over that hill to the grassland? There will be rabbits there! Could you catch 10 of those rabbits for me?”

As she spoke, a window appeared before my eyes.

[Beginner Quest] Let’s catch 10 rabbits as Lucy requested and bring the meat to the village. Objective: Bring 10 pieces of rabbit meat obtained through hunting to the inn. Reward: 50 Silver. Small amount of experience.

I smiled faintly while looking at the quest window.

Seeing this, a game is still a game after all.

Probably, if I bring the meat to the inn, the next quest will be linked.

“Understood.”

At my positive answer, Lucy clapped her hands in joy.

“Then, I’m counting on you. Oh, one thing I should mention….”

Lucy smiled gently.

“You must never underestimate the rabbits.”

* * *

Don’t underestimate the rabbits.

It was advice Lucy had earnestly given, but Kairen smirked.

After all, a rabbit is still a rabbit.

With such confident steps, he left the village.

As he climbed the low hill, a small cabin and vast grassland came into view.

“Whoa….”

Born as a Korean, had I ever seen such an expansive grassland?

The enormous grassland with horizons stretching endlessly was spectacular in itself.

“Huh… what?”

The incredible behavior of users visible there was quite a sight.

“Hey! Catch it!”

“Damn it! This thing’s a cheetah! Not a rabbit!”

“Huff… huff…. This damn grinding game!”

Hundreds of users were breaking into cold sweats trying to catch a single rabbit.

They ran hard and swung hard.

But the rabbits ran even faster as if mocking them and leisurely dodged attacks.

Only then did Lucy’s advice hit home for Kairen.

And he recalled a story he had heard somewhere by chance.

[New World is different from other games. We’ve incorporated maximum reality. You’ll feel that place not as a game, but as another world.]

They must have incorporated reality in this aspect too.

But it wasn’t made too harshly either.

If you persistently followed them and swung without rest, they would eventually get caught.

“Aaaaah!! I got it!!”

One user raised his sword and shouted like a hero who had defeated the demon king.

In front of him lay a rabbit corpse all alone.

It was just a rabbit, but envy filled the eyes of others.

“Alright. Let’s give it a try.”

You have to experience the difficulty firsthand to understand it.

He slung his sword over his shoulder and started walking.

His target was one that had fallen behind alone, grazing on grass.

It seemed relatively less wary and didn’t appear too afraid of users.

As he slowly approached like that.

Kairen smiled and clenched his fist tightly.

He had been uncertain about his ability, but now he was confident.

[Ugh. How annoying. Another one’s approaching.]

The rabbit’s eyes that glanced at him and its twitching mouth.

And the voice he heard.

Right now, just like in reality, he could hear the animal’s voice.

* * *

Instantly, his hair stood on end and goosebumps rose all over his body.

This works?

This works in the game?

Though he was a newbie experiencing New World for the first time, he could be certain.

This was an incredible advantage.

Perhaps, I might become the most special person in this game.

His heart was pounding, but he tried to act calmly.

There were still a few more things he needed to confirm.

[Hey, can you hear me?]

Could I really not only hear but also communicate back?

I waited with anticipation.

And got the reaction I was hoping for.

The rabbit looked at me with eyes round as a full moon.

[Wh-what? Are you talking?]

[Yeah. It’s me.]

My lips twitched at the response I heard.

It works. My ability functions in this game too.

[Wow! That’s amazing! There’s never been a human like you before! How can you talk to us?]

The rabbit hopped up and down in place.

[I don’t know either. But, you… aren’t you scared of me?]

[Scared? You humans are so stupid. The ones who get caught by chance are just idiots. Why would they get caught by slow, dumb things like you?]

Well, look at this guy.

A mere rabbit daring to look down on humans?

It was absurd, but I could understand one thing.

Unlike reality, the animals here weren’t afraid of me.

I didn’t know why.

Because it’s a game? Or because my level is low?

It was puzzling, but that wasn’t important right now.

What was important now.

Was that I needed to teach this arrogant rabbit a lesson as it approached without any wariness.

‘Still, since it’s the first animal I’ve talked to in the game, I’ll send it off cleanly.’

I gripped my blade, thinking to show some mercy.

‘No mistakes. In one strike!’

With that resolve, I swung my blade with all my might.

* * *

[Holy shit! Boss! Did you see? That wicked bastard! That vicious guy! Be careful of him! Really be careful!]

Kairen clicked his tongue watching the rabbit’s retreating figure as it hopped away shouting.

The rabbit that had narrowly escaped death ran quite far before glaring at him as if it wanted to kill him.

[Idiot! Moron!]

Seeing the little bastard sticking its tongue out made his blood boil.

Not at the rabbit, but at another user who clicked his tongue in disappointment.

Just before I swung my blade, that guy had swung his blade from behind the rabbit.

Stupidly shouting a battle cry as he swung, and the rabbit immediately turned its head and fled in panic like that.

“If you’re going to steal, do it properly.”

He grumbled at the user, but that was it.

PK wasn’t possible between beginners anyway.

It was more tiresome to bicker with such an idiot over something like this.

“Hmm. So what should I do now.”

He scratched his head looking at the rabbit group that was now watching him with particularly wary eyes.

The rabbit he’d just missed had spread rumors throughout the entire area.

Thanks to that, the same play as before wouldn’t work anymore.

He needed to find a new method.

“Hmm. Should I just brute force it like everyone else.”

He considered joining the users still chasing rabbits’ tails enthusiastically.

But he shook his head. Why would he when he had a special ability different from others?

He moved his steps, recalling something he’d discovered on his way up.

He didn’t know if it would work, but he had to at least try.

The place he arrived at with that resolve was a small cabin.

The cabin sitting alone on the hill had no people around.

But there was an animal.

A dog lying lazily, enjoying the gentle breeze and warm sunlight of the grassland.

It looked like a Border Collie.

Perhaps it was bored, because when he approached, it wagged its tail in greeting.

Kairen crouched down, extended his hand, and spoke.

[Hello?]

[…! Wh-what? You can speak our language?]

The puppy’s eyes, which had been drowsy with boredom, widened.

[Yeah. I can. What’s your name?]

[Wow! This is my first time talking to a person! This is really amazing! My name is Rookie! Play with me! Please play with me!]

Was it that happy to be able to communicate?

Its tail spun like a propeller and its mouth stretched from ear to ear.

[Alright. Rookie. Let’s play. Let’s play together. But it’s not just ordinary play. It’s a hunting game.]

[Hunting? I know that! I’ve done it with my master! That’s really fun!]

Kairen’s lips twitched at the positive response.

[That’s good. Then, do you know how to hunt rabbits too?]

[Of course! Actually, I’m really good at catching rabbits!]

Rookie rubbed its head against him as if asking for praise.

[Good. Rookie. Then I’ll tell you a few important points. First…]

Stroking its head, Kairen explained the key points of this hunt.

Rookie panted while listening intently and barked responses.

[You’re really smart.]

Kairen smiled gently.

Yes. He’d always dreamed of this kind of scene.

The dream of having deep conversations with pets and building deep bonds.

It was impossible in reality, but possible here.

This alone made it worth logging into this game.

[Well. Shall we go now?]

After finishing all the explanations, I stood up from my spot.

Rookie took the lead with excited steps.

[Yes! Please watch what I do!]

Rookie’s voice and footsteps were truly reassuring.

* * *

Dozens of newbies who had just started the game.

They couldn’t find words as they looked at the scene before their eyes.

“N-no way. What is that?”

“I-is that kind of play even possible?”

“Isn’t that a hidden piece?”

“Of course it’s a hidden piece!”

“Hey! Record it! Record it and post it on New World Gallery!”

Hidden piece.

Just like its meaning of hidden fragment, it referred to hidden elements of the game.

Hidden jobs, items, races, gameplay, and so on.

Various elements were hidden, and discovering them came with great rewards.

That’s how hard and difficult they were to find.

In fact, even though New World had been open for a year, there were stories that less than 1% of hidden pieces had been discovered.

And they discovered such a hidden piece here on this beginner’s Hill?

It was hard to believe, but the gameplay before their eyes was even harder to believe.

“That’s right. Well done~”

A user easily killing the rabbit that the dog brought in its mouth.

How could that play not be a hidden piece!

They were going through all kinds of hardships just to catch one rabbit.

No, not just them, but countless users who had walked this path before them had done the same.

But now, that man was delegating their hardships to a dog and playing comfortably.

He just sat in place and leisurely played with foxtail grass.

Then he killed the rabbit that the dog hunted and brought back.

That was it.

And as Kairen was leisurely waiting for Rookie’s hunt, text appeared before his eyes.

[Another user is filming you. Would you like to disable mosaic mode?]

Another user is filming me?

After tilting his head at the suddenly appearing text for a moment.

He looked around and nodded.

Many users were looking this way with interest.

In fact, some users had the word “recording” written next to their names, apparently recording this scene.

“Maintain mosaic mode.”

[Mosaic mode will be maintained. When other users film, your name and face will be mosaic-processed. Please note that clothing and body shape will not be mosaic-processed.]

Unnecessary fame tends to become troublesome.

There was no need to disable it.

And amid all the users’ envy, Rookie brought the last rabbit.

[Hello? Long time no see?]

Kairen looked at the rabbit with a deep smile.

[You despicable bastard! How can this be allowed!]

The rabbit that had mocked Kairen trembled all over but still said what it had to say until the end.

Really. Stubborn as bamboo even before death.

Well, thanks to that, I could kill it comfortably without guilt.

Stab!

[This damn dog-like…]

With its final death throes, the rabbit turned into gray dust.

[Level Up!]

The cheerful sound and text that appeared, along with 10 pieces of Rabbit Meat filling the inventory.

Kairen smiled with satisfaction and stood up from his spot.

[Huh? Aren’t we playing anymore?]

[Yeah. Rookie. The Hunting Game ends here now.]

[That’s too bad… But it’s okay! It was fun thanks to you!]

Rookie also seemed satisfied, wagging his tail and stretching fully.

“E-excuse me!”

And then, several users who noticed that Kairen was about to leave approached.

“If it’s not too rude, could we borrow that dog too?”

Their eyes were full of envy and jealousy.

“Ah…”

Kairen looked at their faces and trailed off briefly.

Among them, he saw a familiar face.

The idiot who had tried to steal the rabbit he had first lured.

He was also standing in the back row, watching Kairen’s reaction.

[Rookie. Do you want to play more Hunting Game with these people?]

He turned his head slightly and asked for Rookie’s opinion.

[No! I like playing with you! I don’t want to play with other humans!]

A firm answer.

Kairen smiled slyly and said.

“That would be difficult. This dog is picky about people.”

“What?”

“Even dogs dislike bad-mannered users.”

At the firm answer, his expression twisted mercilessly.

Kairen, who turned around without any lingering attachment, had his lips curve into an arc.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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