Chapter 4: If You’re Going To Bark Like A Dog, Die Like A Dog!

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[You have slain the Dungeon Gate Boss: [Hobgoblin Champion King (C+ Rank)] x1!]

[Level Up!]

[Your Level has increased from level 33 to Level 37!]

[All your Stats have increased. You gained Stat Points and Skill Points.]

[You earned +11.000 Credits for slaying a Dungeon Gate Boss all by yourself!]

[What an incredible feat! You received the Title: [Dungeon Gate Keeper] for forcefully closing a Dungeon Gate!]

[You have used Mana to manipulate Space itself, you have gained enough skill proficiency.]

[You learned the Magic Skill: [Partial Spatial Manipulation (B): Lv1]!]

[A Dungeon Gate Treasure Chest has been generated.]

POOF!

As I glanced at the corpse of the monster fall into pieces, I ignored the system messages for a moment and looked at the strange yet incredibly interesting process. I saw the monster and the gate's mana condense and then absorb cosmic energy from the system itself, materializing into a golden-colored treasure chest. Impressive! I have only seen this level of Energy Materialization in the oldest Venerables of Murim.

"You slain the boss already?!" Ruby cried. "Big sis at least makes it more interesting, like a big fight with stakes!"

"Oh my, you wanted something longer? Sorry, I was trying to close the gate, and the poor thing just came out at the worst time." I laughed. "Ah, don't worry about new Gates ever appearing around here. I've folded the space very, very tightly. So if something tries to appear, it will fail miserably. This extends around... a hundred meters from here?"

"Wait, you can just stop Dungeon Gates from ever happening?!" My mother is now the one shocked.

"I guess so. Unless they come from the skies…" I looked up. "Anyways! Look at this big treasure chest! Doesn't it make you feel rather excited? I feel like I've become a child again with all these frivolous game-like mechanics. Let me see."

I opened the treasure chest, revealing three prizes inside.

[You have opened the [Dungeon Gate Treasure Chest (C+ Rank)] x1!]

[You received the following rewards: [Skill Book: Mana Manipulation (C Grade)] x1 [Hobgoblin's Champion King Butchering Axe (C+ Grade)] x1 [Hobgoblin Champion King Soul Orb (C+ Grade)] x1]

"Ooh, aren't these quite the interesting little trinkets?" I wondered, grabbing the huge axe. "Ah, this is useless, though." I threw it away.

"Did she throw away a C-grade weapon?!"

"G-Grab it!"

"That thing costs at least a million dollars!"

"Get away; I saw it first!"

As usual, the mortals fought for trash like rabid dogs.

"But this is a soul contained within an orb! Now this is something only immortals of middle to higher stages can do! No mortals could ever... How amusing. I will need to study this method. And—oh, a skill book, huh? I might as well use it, no?"

[You have learned the [Mana Manipulation (C): Lv1] Magic Skill!]

[You can now sense and manipulate Mana better. With each Skill Level, this ability will rise greatly.]

FLASH!

I felt the flow of Mana become much better around my body. More or less, I could better grasp its conditions. Although it was still very evasive of my grasp, I was slowly getting a better hang of it. Though it is much easier to increase my Mana level.

"Ahh, more Primordial Essence!" I sighed in relief as I combined my Mana with Immortal Essence, generating a beautiful seven-colored dew within the interior of my Core. "Wonderful, I feel much better now."

I need to keep leveling up if I want to completely restore my strength, I suppose.

[Your [Mana Manipulation (C): Lv1] Skill has Leveled Up!]

"Oh? That fast? I suppose refining Primordial Essence must be a very high level of mana manipulation by itself?" I wondered as I made my way back to my family yet again. "I'm done! Let's go now, family."

"Katherine, why did you drop the axe?" My mom looked pale. "Someone already snatched it away!"

"Oh, that thing? No worries! If you want a better weapon, I can make you something with my Eight-Layered Golden Sun Alchemy Cauldron, mother. I have it stashed away inside of my Inner Realm." I smiled at her. "Just ask later, and I'll make you something stronger than that pathetic little toy."

"E-Eh? Okay, honey, I guess…" My mother was still trying to process what I just said. "Let's go now; no more distractions, alright? You get too sidetracked!"

"Ahah, my bad. I am just too curious sometimes." I giggled merrily.

"Seriously, I guess you haven't changed in that regard." Ruby laughed.

In a few minutes of walking through these memorable streets, we reached the Hunter Association Building I had eyed before. People kept coming and going from it. Most of such people contained sizable amounts of Mana inside their bodies.

I held back my desire to just absorb all their Mana for myself. I was from the Orthodox faction, so we don't slay mortals without reason. Though those monsters' Mana reserves were decent.

And about these crystal things, I should probably absorb them later.

"And here we are… Well, Katherine, are you planning on entering in those clothes, though?" My mother wondered. "You look like some geisha or a cosplayer, dear."

"What?! These beautiful and colorful robes were refined for hundreds of years, Mother!" I complained. "I know that Earth has its own clothing customs, but why should I care?"

"So you don't embarrass us, big sis! Think a bit." Ruby complained, crossing her arms.

Before the stares of my mother and my sister, I only sighed. I suppose they were not wrong. I had to "fit in," even if a bit. I'll keep the whole aesthetic and the dress, but I'll take away a few things here and there. I suppose wearing heels is okay, right? Jeans too. There.

FLASH!

"It's done; is this more acceptable? I changed my robes to something more fitting." I smiled.

"W-Woah…" My sister muttered. "So you can change your clothes to look however you want?!"

"That's amazing." My mother said. "And yes, this beautiful dress, the jeans, and those red heels go so well with you, honey. You're really a doll!"

"Ahaha, mother, you flatter me." I smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Now, let's go inside."

"Wait, big sis, you're really ripped! Look at that belly, so hard, like a brick!" My sister muttered. "And your arms... I didn't notice before, but they're bulky too, yet delicate at the same time. How?"

"A lady must always keep their beauty if possible, but that doesn't mean I will shy away from developing a strong body," I answered. "Once we're done with these things, I will teach the two of you some techniques. I might even allow you to begin your cultivation journey. I want you to be strong as well. You too, Ruby."

"Eh, me too?!" Ruby cried in surprise.

"You can share your powers with us?" My mother gasped. "Be careful where you say such things, honey. Don't speak it loudly. There are cameras everywhere in this building."

"Right, I shall be more careful from now on, mother." I nodded. "Now, you must be the receptionist of this little hut?"

As we entered the building, I walked, skipping the line and talking to the receptionist, who was assessing a young black-haired man's things. Both she and the young man stared at me first, perhaps in awe of my appearance and beauty. Mortals are very easy to read.

"Y-Yes, I am. But please wait in line; many people are waiting and-"

"Line? A Primordial waits no lines. will attend to my needs right this instant." I touched the table, slowly spreading cracks through it. "Young man, will you wait patiently behind me?"

"What?! No way! I waited here for like half an hour!" He said, barking back like a savage. "Don't think that because you're a hot bitch, you'll get to do whatever you want! I am a fervent believer in gender equality, so if you don't stand away, I won't hold you responsible for what I do to you, ma'am!"

"Is that so? Such a savage. Mortals these days, I swear. Well, if you're going to bark like a dog, you might as well die like one." I kicked his stomach and sent him flying faster than their eyes could see.

BAAAM!

[You have kicked someone with such strength and speed that they almost died! In fact, you held back most of your power, showcasing incredible control over your own inner strength. You learned the [Kicking Strike (D): Lv1] Classless Skill!]

"Ugh…!" The man vomited a mouthful of blood as a huge crater formed in the walls. I waved my hand, my golden energy healing all his wounds. I was a merciful immortal.

"Will you attend to me now that the dog is gone?" I asked politely. "Don't worry, he's healed. He's fine."

[Due to your merciful acts and your amazing control of healing techniques, you learned the [Healing Golden Light (B): Lv1] Magic Skill!]

[Because of offering help to someone wounded, you learned the [First Aid (D): Lv1] Classless Skill!]

Oh, grinding Skills is quite easy.

"W-Wha… What the hell?! Kyaaaah! A criminal!" The receptionist ran away.

Alarms suddenly started ringing all around the entire building. People started running away. And the hunters that stayed quickly pointed their weapons and magic at me.

"Oh my, such a generous reception." I smiled. "I guess this is what I get for trying to ask for some respect around here. Maybe I should teach everyone here some manners first?"

"Stand where you are!" A tall black man showed up, wearing sunglasses and a black robe. He was bulky and looked to be overflowing with Mana. "I am the Hunter's Association Chairman of this area; my name is Nicholas Heisen, and I am an S-Rank Hunter. Lady, you just kicked someone and almost broke the reinforced walls out of nowhere. Do you understand what you did? You killed the man!"

"He's not dead though; look." I pointed in the distance; the man was standing up, looking around confused.

"Huh? I'm alive? But I am sure my stomach was crushed…" He muttered, touching his skin and finding not even scars behind.

"See? I kicked the dog, but I don't like killing animals without a reason, so I healed him back." I smiled at the man named Nick. "Now, I just came here with my family to be registered. As an Immortal, the minimum treatment I ask for is to not wait for a damned line. Will you help me register so I can please my family, or will you make this harder for the two of us?"

"Is that a threat, ma'am?" The man asked.

"Take it as you will; I only speak the truth," I said. "I will do what I say I will do."

"Alright, take her down; she's nuts." The man said this as dozens of hunters rushed towards me.

"Oh no…" I could hear my mother face-palming. "Katherine, please, be gentle."

"She loves getting into trouble, huh?" Ruby crossed her arms.

As soon as I heard their words, the hunters approached. A barrage of weak and very slow weapon attacks came my way. It was so slow that it felt like I could drink tea while waiting for them to reach me. I simply walked across the attacks; I didn't even need to evade them; my body simply resisted it all.

"How dull. And you call yourselves hunters?" I yawned. "{Primordial Spiritual Body Arts}: {Photon Needles}"

Needles of Photon Energy surged endlessly from my body, piercing the hunters' bodies and electrocuting them, knocking them out on the spot. I don't know what Ranks they even were, but they were all weaklings.

"W-Wha…?! She knocked down ten B Rank Hunters?!" Nicholas muttered. "You… You're a monster hiding as a human, aren't you?! Everyone, run! I will handle this!"

The man's body suddenly started swelling up, his body size increasing up to four times, as he was now packed with gigantic, large muscles. His black skin turned as black as charcoal, giving it a metallic gleam. His Aura of Mana was rather sizable, so this is an "S Rank Hunter", huh?

"RAAAH!"

He leaped forward, his gigantic and bulky arms pummeling down on me like titanic hammers. The ground below us shattered, yet his fists couldn't even hurt me. Rainbow-colored barriers made of nine colorful colors protected me from his attacks.

"What…?! A magic barrier?"

"You could call it that, yes. Sure."

"Heh, perfect then."

He smiled, his face distorting into pure joy as he activated one of his skills, and his hands overflowed with a black energy that seemed to attempt to distort Mana itself and destroy it.

"{Mana Break}!"

His fists rushed down once more, both at the same time, attempting to smash the barrier into pieces with a mighty strike. The entire building trembled; it was slowly falling apart. These people really don't know how to keep their things, huh?

BAAAM!

Yet there are were no cracks left over my barrier.

"You're incredibly weak, son. Yet you boast with such confidence. Are you sure you're not the one who has gone insane?" I asked, looking at him in the eyes.

"W-What? Nothing is working?!" He muttered. "Is that an S-rank barrier? You're S Rank!"

"S Rank?" I asked. "No, I think I might be beyond that, perhaps."

I disappeared from there and reappeared above him, using my new Partial Spatial Manipulation Skill to teleport a short distance. It's quite a useful little ability, I have to admit.

"Now, let's see… {Kicking Strike}! Was it?"

I swung my left leg towards the man's right shoulder, and my Aura exploded with my Mana, forming a slashing blade so powerful and fast that he was unable to detect and evade in time. My kick not only pierced through his "incredibly hard" skin, but it cut through his limbs, his arm falling down and splattering blood everywhere.

"UUAAAGGH!"

The man screamed in utter agony, his eyes glaring at me furiously as he kicked me, but that didn't help at all; I remained in midair no matter how hard he attempted to pummel me down. I suppose he has no more tricks. Is he just a brawler who relies on endurance and fighting prowess? He's awfully weak to do so. The Buddhist monks in Murim would easily fondle him like an ant.

"How many limbs must I cut or break before you learn your lesson?"

I kicked his other arm, and it was gone. I then kicked his legs and broke them, and then I pushed my palm into his chest, using my techniques at the same time. A zap of Photon Energy reached the rest of his body, paralyzing him as it pierced through all his nerves and electrocuted his muscles.

"{Primordial Spiritual Body Arts}: {Photonic Seal}"

"Uuggh…!W-What did you…?! How can you- Aaggh…! I am an S Rank… I shouldn't lose at all! I-I… Ugh…!" He kept vomiting blood as I stood over his chest.

"Nicholas, I do not intend to kill you, nor do I ever intend to fight you either." I sighed. "I will heal you and everyone else. I can even repair your little building. Will you allow me to register with your hunter association and not make a fuss about it now?"

"Y-Yes! Sure! Whatever you say! Please don't kill me; I have two daughters!" He cried; he was telling the truth.

"Of course I won't. I think you're a good person, Nicholas. You were just protecting your place, right? Any Sect Master would understand that. But you committed a grave mistake by offending an immortal. I hope you can learn from this experience and never commit the same mistake again, okay? Other immortals would have killed you within a split second of you ever badmouthing them. I believe I am quite merciful instead."

"I-I will… I will learn… Ugh…" He was already looking rather terrible. I better hurry.

"Okay, well done." I nodded, patting his forehead. "How about we use another skill, eh? {Healing Golden Light}!"

A wave of healing golden light encompassed everyone I hurt, and their wounds immediately healed completely. In fact, even their energy and stamina were restored. By fusing these skill effects with my techniques and Ki energy, much better results can be created. What an interesting power this system thing has!

"Are you alright now? There, there. Everything is fine." I looked like Nicholas slowly sat down, looking at himself.

"I am healed completely. My wounds, everything, not even scars…" He muttered. "Lady, thank you for your mercy… I… Well, we apologize for offending you. We were not aware you were so supremely powerful. Are you perhaps a World Class Hunter? My boss never told me someone like that was coming to New York…"

"Oh, no, I am trying to register, so I am not a World-Class Hunter or whatever," I said. "Now, now. Let's get started while I repair your little building."

Everyone gasped in disbelief as the building swiftly came back together to a pristine appearance. I manipulated my Immortal Aura and my Ki Energy into countless hands and repair tools, quickly crafting everything back to normal with some synthesizing abilities that I acquired from learning Alchemy back in Murim.

"And done! As good as new and more reinforced than ever before. It should not break anymore, even when S Ranks fight inside." I answered.

"T-Thank you so much…" Nicholas swallowed saliva as he looked at me. "Please, come with me if you want to register; I will personally do it for you, lady… What is your name?"

"Hmm, you can call me Bing Xue!" I said.

I prefer to save my real name for only my family.

"Bing Xue… Alright, please come with us. And once more, I am deeply sorry for our disrespect. You are so powerful, you could kill us all, yet you only taught us a lesson and healed us. I think this is the first time I have ever experienced such overwhelming power from a person and not a monster, yet such benevolent mercy at the same time…" He started crying while walking upstairs. I waved my hand at my family, telling them to wait for me.

"Do you need to cry for that?" I sighed. "Seriously, mortals these days…"

[You have manipulated a powerful foreign energy similar to Light and Thunder with incredible dexterity and prowess, you learned the [Photon Essence Manipulation (A): Lv1] Magic Skill!]

[Your [Kicking Strike (D): Lv1] [First Aid (D): Lv1] [Partial Spatial Manipulation (B): Lv1] [Mana Manipulation (C): Lv2] [Healing Golden Light (B): Lv1] [Photon Essence Manipulation (A): Lv1] Skills have Leveled Up!]

[You have defeated dozens of powerful hunters and even completely folded an S Rank Hunter, said to be the strongest in the city right now, you received the [Undefeated] Title!]

[The Gods of the Tower have begun to watch you with great interest.]

[Some of the Gods of the Tower show great fear of your overwhelming, unprecedented, and nonsensical strength.]

[And other Gods of the Tower feel captivated and fascinated by your overwhelming and domineering authority.]

[You have received several Avatar Requests from the Gods of the Tower (38)!]

[Once you accept the Avatar Request, the Gods can descend into your body and, at the same time, give you great power to climb the Tower more easily.]

"No thank you."

I waved my hand, rejecting all these creeps. They're not going to be my friends, nor will I ever become one of their avatars. I will kill them and free my world. That's what I will do.

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