Hannah, as Dominic had guessed, was thoroughly confused on what the kid was trying to do.

  Up to now, he’d been endlessly fighting the monster, albeit in multiple different ways, changing the routine up a bit each time. Most of her attention was occupied with the constant drain of using her holy energy to heal the suicidal disciple—and the sensation of her holy energy constantly being nudged to refill by the demigod to maintain that healing. Otherwise, she would likely find the endless repetition boring.

  There was only so much of the same gore that she could see before she’d be desensitized and bored by it, after all.

  But now, after coming so far with sense and logic and ingenuity in fighting an unbeatable monster with absolutely no resources… Out of nowhere, suddenly he began trying to hug and pat it.

  Hannah did appreciate the break in monotony, but Calvin had clearly gone crazy.

  She turned to look at Dominic. Could she ask him to pause the training and check in on the kid? If he was going crazy like this, the boy must desperately need a break. And some sweets. And some hugs. Maybe that was it? He felt so starved of physical affection, that he was trying to obtain it from the furry monster in front of him?

  But Dominic just seemed amused, and so she re-examined Calvin’s actions.

  Maybe there was some deeper meaning to hugging fluffy murderous S Rank Dungeon mobs? She was an educated woman, but education didn’t cover such tidbits and practical knowledge, after all.

  So, feeling very indecisive about the whole thing—Calvin did seem to clearly be enjoying the sensation of fur and even cooing sometimes—Hannah could only continue healing the boy.

  At this rate of exercising her holy power, she would reach Level 160 through sheerly using her Titles and Specializations endlessly and beat Calvin to S-Rank, wouldn’t she?

  Calvin finally did it.

  A lot of bloody hugs, pats and scritches. But he finally did it.

  The adorable husky no longer rushed him. It simply tilted its head, looking at him apprehensively, but for the first time it made no move to attack.

  Calvin approached it slowly, raising his hand in the air, showing the Relfow as clearly as possible that he did not intend it harm. It could stab him in the chest anytime it wanted. He wouldn’t—couldn’t, really—defend himself.

  And then, he leaned in to pat it.

  The monster, no, the wolf did not resist. It leaned into his touch, letting him stroke across its fur. Cautiously, hesitantly, it crept closer, but with an undeniable hint of trust and affection.

  Calvin felt like a father looking at his newborn baby when his big, adorable floof snuggled up against his chest.

  System Notification:

  Congratulations!

  You have successfully tamed the S-rank beast, Relfow Minion.

  You have gained extra affinity with this race of monsters.

  You have gained a companion.

  The Relfow shall not abandon you till you die. It has become a member of your party.

  Beast Tamer upgraded to Lvl 35.

  Congratulations!

  You are the only beast tamer in the world to have successfully tamed an S-rank dungeon monster. You have succeeded in a Unique Achievement!

  You have reached Level 64!

  Calvin looked towards his master with shining eyes—he had done it. He had successfully tamed a monster. Not just any monster, but an S Rank Dungeon Minion, while he was barely B Rank.

  Well, technically C rank, but he was practically B Rank with the fact that he wasn’t all that far away from level 70 and also had far too many Titles, Titles that should make him much much stronger than the average C Rank—or even the average B Rank. Well, probably. This was all him guessing based on the estimates he could form from the meager knowledge had from lurking around Guild buildings—they threw out far too much food, for some reason he could never understand, but it always did keep him fed—and really, there was no way that others had as many Titles as he had.

  He was reaching the brink of death over and over again, after all, being healed by the Saintess herself—a Saintess strengthened by a demigod.

  Not everyone had someone like his master to assist them. By now, Calvin had to be stronger than most B Rankers, though perhaps the most prodigious or best supported of Rift Sealers of that rank could rival him.

  “Amazing.” His master's eyes twinkled in pride as he smiled softly at Calvin. “You've done really well, Calvin.”

  Calvin couldn't help but feel a burst of pride swelling up in his chest, a sensation more potent and powerful and enjoyable than anything that he had ever felt before.

  It felt like his life had meaning, all this effort had meaning, all his progress had meaning. He’d satisfied his master, a demigod, the man who had saved him from hell itself.

  Dominic should’ve been slightly concerned about the unhealthily close attachment that his disciple had formed for him—Oh, who were they kidding? He would gush all over about his cute little disciple truly loved him, especially since Dominic himself had been no different to his master.

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  People who had been pushed to the brink of life, living at the edges as outcasts, would eagerly attach themselves to anything that saved them. Like a cub imprinting on its mother.

  And hey, Dominic had turned out just fine, so he was sure Calvin would, too. Some unhealthy admiration and attachment did no one wrong!

  “A Tamer is a rare but powerful existence, amidst the gods. Your talent truly is bright.”

  Then, Dominic turned towards the darkness stretching in front of them, the direction that they had to head in if they were to dive deeper into the dungeon. Finally, it was time, “Come now, let us move into the dungeon. With your current stats and the fact that you have an S Rank Monster supporting you, you can indeed kill some of the minions of this dungeon. This is where the true journey will really begin. This is where things will get really enjoyable.”

  Calvin nodded eagerly. Before Calvin and Dominic could begin moving on though, Hannah interrupted, “Aren't you going to name the Relfow?”

  Both Dominic and Calvin blinked blankly.

  “Name it?” Dominic asked.

  “Well, the poor thing is now Calvin’s pet, isn’t it? Isn't it common tradition to name pets?” She left the part that it was common sense unsaid, choosing softer words to convey her meaning.

  Calvin blinked. Then he turned to look at the Relfow. “Right, yes, I should name him. What should I name him though?”

  What name would be suitable for such an adorable wolf? Calvin pondered deeply.

  His master looked on silently, clearly amused.

  A few seconds passed after which a lightbulb lit up over Calvin’s head. Right, yes! That would work perfectly!

  “Wolfey!”

  Silence stretched on for a few seconds.

  Hannah thought that the demigod would definitely interrupt the kid, tell him just how ludicrously simple and informal the name Calvin had suggested was, and make him change it into something more suitable, something more grand, something more fitting of an S-ranked dungeon minion.

  But to her surprise, Dominic simply nodded. “Yeah, that works. Wolfey it is. Quite a fitting name.”

  She could practically feel the pride radiating out of the demigod.

  Wait, why’s he feeling proud about his disciple thinking of a name like Wolfey!? What in the goddess’s n—right, this man was the god himself—What in Dominic’s name?!

  Calvin seemed abundantly pleased by the fact that his master liked his choice of name and chuckled.

  Dominic chuckled along.

  Then, like they had done something perfectly normal, they merrily walked deeper into the dungeon, finally advancing their journey.

  Hannah was left staring at their backs, endlessly confused, before she ran to join them.

  Truly, having Wolfey made things so much easier.

  For the first time since he had entered this dungeon, Calvin could fight a Dungeon Minion as an equal, on a level of strength that felt even remotely similar.

  Despite this being the very first new Minion he’d encountered—his first battle with Wolfey—he and Wolfey were already working very in sync. It was probably because he knew Wolfey’s movement like the back of his hand, and so did Wolfey, having fought against each other for easily a million times or more.

  Wolfey would hold the Minion back—hold the newly summoned Relfow that looked practically the same as Wolfey, making Calvin wonder if Wolfey felt hesitation and sadness at having to fight and kill its own sibling and Calvin was forcing it into doing something that it would hate and he was a terrible parent—

  But that thought spiral aside, Wolfey would hold back the minion and he would fight it, gradually but steadily injuring it.

  Within his very first attempt, he had made more injuries and brought an S-ranked Minion closer to death than he had ever managed to before—even though he’d only fought with Wolfey, he hadn’t ever truly managed to injure him.

  Even his master seemed impressed, looking at them with raised eyebrows and slight approval. Hannah looked frankly baffled at just how much difference having a pet had made in his level of strength.

  It did make sense, of course. Having an S-class teammate, he was finally able to use his skills properly, the Specializations and Titles that he gained, which Wolfey had just avoided again and again and again. But now, with Wolfey’s assistance, he could actually use them.

  Time steadily passed. He kept chipping away at the Minion. A bite here, a scratch there, Wolfey scratching at the Relfow, him distracting it when it tried to attack Wolfey, and finally, finally, they killed it.

  He—no, they—had killed an S-ranked dungeon Minion.

  System Notification:

  Congratulations.

  You have defeated an S-ranked monster, Relfow Minion.

  You have leveled up to Level 69.

  You have unlocked the base Specialization—Harvest (Unlevelled).

  Would you like to harvest this monster?

  Calvin blinked—harvest? What does the system mean?

  Hannah felt her eyes widen when she saw the system notification appear in front of her.

  System Notification:

  Your Party Member, Calvin, has killed an S-ranked monster, Relfow Minion.

  Your level of assistance for this kill has been deemed to be 50%.

  You have leveled up.

  [Error] Cannot display level due to Temporary Status overwriting past status.

  Level up has been noted. Once the Temporary Status is removed, you shall be promoted to that level.

  …wow. She couldn’t help but marvel in her head. Did that mean, as long as Calvin kept fighting, even if she just gained 50% of his experience for healing him, she would undoubtedly cross Level 100? Maybe even cross the temporary stats she had been given by the demigod?

  Her heart couldn’t help but speed up.

  Dominic looked at his disciple’s confused expression and tilted his head. Why was his disciple acting so confused instead of joyful? Shouldn't his disciple be bouncing around along with him? Well, Dominic was bouncing around excitedly in his mind, but still! He felt great joy that his disciple had finally taken the first step forward, completely out of his own effort and willpower.

  Truly, the kid was amazing. Just as amazing as Dominic, really, and that was something really hard to achieve.

  Gabrielle, as always, being the diligent assistant that she was, pitched in.

  You see, Mister Dominic, Mister Disciple has just been given the option to harvest a monster for the first time! When he presses harvest, he will be able to split the dungeon monster into its respective parts, which he can then later sell for money!

  Or well, whatever he prefers, really, I’m not policing the economy and free trade! Not directly! And honestly, not sufficiently!

  Gabrielle out!

  ?(?? ? ? )??

  Dominic squinted his eyes at the text box that had popped up in front of him.

  Your system gives the residents the option to harvest monsters directly?

  A few seconds passed in silence, probably because Gabrielle was trying to think about how to reply to the thick condescension in Dominic’s tone.

  Finally, she decided on doing what she did whenever she didn’t know what to say.

  Throwing an emoji at the person.

  (,,>﹏<,,)