Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 66

⌜No way I’m asking for advice from someone who’s been divorced three times.⌟

Yong-Yong laughed heartily at the reality show he was watching on TV. Meanwhile, Do-Jun was preparing to leave for the Core now that a week had passed since the Fissure Management Division trip.

“Yong-Yong,” he called out while packing a half-litre water bottle into his bag.

The little dragon hopped down from the couch and walked over to Do-Jun, giving him a salute.

“You always work so hard, Master. Please stay safe.”

Yong-Yong’s attitude made it seem like Do-Jun’s excursions had nothing to do with him.

Shrugging, Do-Jun said, “This time, you’re coming with me instead of Karsiel.”

“P-pardon? W-what do you mean by that?”

Karsiel jumped in and explained, “Master recently mentioned that you seemed to be spending too much time lounging around at home, so for this Dive—I mean, this trip, he said he’d take you instead of me.”

Yong-Yong appeared flustered as Karsiel spoke.

Although Do-Jun hadn’t mentioned it to Yoon-Hee, Yong-Yong had heard from Karsiel that they dived into the Core every weekend. However, Yong-Yong had always considered it none of his concern.

“Master,” Yong-Yong muttered as he approached Do-Jun. He fully expected Yong-Yong to refuse to come along, suggesting he could stay at home or that Do-Jun should take Karsiel instead.

But his reaction was quite the opposite.

“Thank you!” Yong-Yong’s eyes sparkled as he leaped into Do-Jun’s arms.

In truth, Yong-Yong had secretly felt a bit jealous that only Karsiel accompanied Do-Jun during his Dives into the Core.

He never expected Do-Jun to offer to take him first.

Looking down at Yong-Yong, who was gleaming with excitement in his arms, Do-Jun thought that if he’d known how much Yong-Yong wanted this, he would have taken him sooner.

***

[You have entered the fourth stage of the Tutorial Zone.]

Do-Jun looked down as he lay inside a narrow groove carved halfway down a three-hundred-meter cliff with Yong-Yong.

Below them was a dense jungle, and within the thick fog, monsters of various sizes with different energies intertwined.

But they were all of one type: snakes.

The only differences were their colors and sizes. Some were red, some orange, some yellow, and so on. The closer they were to purple, the larger and more powerful their size and energy became.

Hissss!

But these were no ordinary snakes.

Despite being the same species, they followed a strict rule of survival of the fittest, where a small, weak red snake would be eaten by a larger, stronger orange snake. The orange snake would, in turn, be eaten by a yellow snake, and so on.

At the top of the food chain was the purple snake. Its body spanned several kilometers in length, and its diameter exceeded thirty meters.

“Wow...” Yong-Yong couldn’t help but exclaim his honest reaction upon seeing the horrifying sight unfolding in the jungle three hundred meters below.

Do-Jun took out Interpreter – Ataraxia and scanned the snakes for information. He soon learned what they were and what needed to be done in this stage.

The critical point was that the fourth stage was the last step before officially entering the Core.

Suddenly, they heard a popping sound, and Tusitala appeared with a pout. “Man, I thought you weren’t coming back.”

It was understandable since Do-Jun took two weeks to return when he normally only took one. Do-Jun was also the first challenger to choose to return directly to his home planet after clearing each stage instead of receiving the random artifact rewards.

Most challengers either stayed in the Tutorial Zone or never returned after going back home.

“You waited for me,” Do-Jun said.

“Of course! You’re the only challenger from Earth right now. And besides, you’re Cecilia’s... Ah, never mind. Anyway! Just know that you’re the only one I’m waiting for.”

Do-Jun mulled over Tusitala’s words but just decided to commit them to memory and not press for more information right away. The fact that Tusitala abruptly changed the subject meant there was certainly some hidden meaning.

[You have received a Status Window Snake (Colorless).]

[Status Window Snake (Colorless)]

Category: Creature / System

Description: A creature received upon entering Tutorial Stage 4 (the last stage). It is essential to use the color-coded status windows in each layer of the Core. If you plan to descend deeper, it’s recommended to feed it at least up to the green snake level. I was lucky enough to feed mine to the navy snake level, which allowed me to descend to the Deep Realm.

Danger Level: ★

Currently Available Status Window: None

Do-Jun skimmed through the information stored in Ataraxia, then closed the book and tucked it back into his bag. He glanced at the small, transparent snake wriggling in his palm with a dry expression.

Tusitala explained, “That’s the Status Window Snake. It’s somewhat similar to the concept of the Skill Ring. You know how, on the outside, you could use as many skills as you wanted, but in the Core, the number of skills you can use is limited? The same goes for the Status Window.

“For example, if you feed your snake a red gem, you’ll gain access to a red status window. But once you enter the Core with that, you’ll be stuck with the red status window for life. Your skill levels, power, and artifact quality will all be capped at that level. So it’s important to obtain the highest-level status window, preferably as close to purple as possible, before you go any deeper.”

While explaining, she glanced at Yong-Yong, standing beside Do-Jun, looking down at the snakes while nonchalantly cleaning his ears as if he were entirely uninterested in the explanation.

With the number “1” on his forehead, two horns protruding from his head, sharp claws, and tiny wings on his back, Tusitala couldn’t help but think, How does he have the Dragon Lord with him...?

But Tusitala chose not to dwell on it.

Asking would only be tiring for her.

Do-Jun stared at the small Status Window Snake writhing in his hand and said, “But can this tiny thing really eat those massive snakes down there?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. It doesn’t literally eat them. You just have to collect the small gems the snakes drop when they die and feed them to yours. Also, remember that the evolution process must be done in sequence.”

I have to evolve them in order. As Do-Jun repeated this to himself, he leaped off the cliff with Yong-Yong by his side.

***

Do-Jun and Yong-Yong hid behind a large tree, concealing their presence, and observed the wide clearing where a massacre was taking place.

Snakes of various sizes and colors were tearing into each other as if they were planning to drive themselves to extinction. The weaker snakes were quickly killed, dropping gleaming gemstones that matched their respective colors.

“Let’s see... huh?” Just as Do-Jun was about to leap toward a red gem on the battlefield, the snakes, like sharks smelling blood in the water, rushed toward it simultaneously and caused a chain reaction to spread rapidly through the clearing.

Kyeeeeeeh!

Perhaps it was because of all the gemstones scattered on the ground, but the Status Window Snake screeched toward the sky. For the snakes, the gemstones were prey to be consumed. The Status Window Snake must have been clearly irritated that it still had gotten nothing to eat.

A small red snake tried to slip past Do-Jun’s feet, but Yong-Yong slammed his paw down on the snake’s head, determined not to let it escape.

The red snake died instantly from Yong-Yong’s attack, and in its place appeared a red gemstone about the size of a fingertip.

“Oho, shine bright like a diamond.” Yong-Yong picked up the gemstone and brought it to Do-Jun.

Do-Jun patted Yong-Yong on the head and then offered the gemstone to the Status Window Snake, which then swallowed the gem in one gulp as if savoring it.

A moment later, its body trembled, turning red briefly before reverting to its original color.

[Currently Available Status Window: Red]

The Status Window Snake's status has changed. It now offered an option that was previously listed as none.

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

Do-Jun tried to activate the Red Status Window, but a message popped up and quickly vanished.

[You cannot use this in the Tutorial Zone.]

Whatever. But...

Do-Jun ignored the snakes tangled into each other and instead looked at a slightly less dense area in the distance. He then decided to return to the tall cliff from which he had descended earlier.

This time, he climbed to the very top, beyond the point with the indentations. Upon seeing an endless expanse of jungle stretched before him, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

So it wasn’t an island after all.

Where he was standing was the body of a massive snake, and the entire ground beneath him was part of that snake’s body.

***

Ouroboros was the mythical creature that provided the location for the fourth stage of the Tutorial Zone. Only a select few in the Core knew of its existence, and that did not include Tusitala, who was supposed to be the guide.

Now that Tusitala had realized the truth, thanks to Do-Jun, she looked at him in disbelief.

[Status Window Snake (The One Who Swallowed Ouroboros)]

Category: Creature / System

Currently Available Status Window: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Navy, Purple, Black

Special Effect 1: 100% mastery in all Status Windows except Black

Special Effect 2: Black Status Window can be used on any floor

Special Effect 3: (Locked)

“You are insane. Completely insane!” Utterly stunned, Tusitala stared at Ouroboros, now reduced to a corpse.

The fact that a challenger in the tutorial area had killed a mythical creature, or at least something close to an epic monster, was simply unbelievable.

“Hmm?” Yong-Yong looked at the Status Window Snake in Do-Jun’s hand.

The snake wiggled sluggishly before coiling around Do-Jun’s wrist. Then, it hardened, transforming into what looked like a bracelet.

[Unbelievable Achievement!]

[You have finished Tutorial Stage 4 in the first place.]

[You have completed all tutorials. Congratulations.]

[The tutorial will be reconstructed in one month. Challengers who have cleared the tutorial cannot re-enter.]

[Hidden quest completed!]

[You have obtained the Core Talisman.]

Description: Teleports you to a location in your memory.

[Would you like to announce your achievement to the Core?]

“It’s finally over.” Do-Jun stretched as he muttered to himself.

He then accessed the Fissure Management System via the SpacePad and entered the information about the Status Window Snake and a brief report on the fourth stage of the Tutorial Zone.

All that was left was to find a place with internet access and press the submit button, which would make the information public for everyone to see.

However, he had no intention of releasing it for now. He had an agreement with the Bureau to show this information only to Behemoth.