Chapter 353: Worse Than a Dog

Chapter 353: Chapter 353: Worse Than a Dog

Seraphina Sinclair wasn’t sure how the fight had started, but two monsters brawling inside her mobile home was a rare sight indeed.

She didn’t make a move right away, observing the sudden brawl.

Both monsters were D-level. One was a grotesquely-shaped Rotmire Crawler, and the other was rather unique—a sort of twisted ape with unusually long arms, covered in filthy gray fur, and several Bone Spikes protruding from its back. It was called a Backstab Ape.

Currently, the Rotmire Crawler was using its slimy tentacles to wrap around the Savage Ape’s legs, attempting to drag it down.

Meanwhile, the Savage Ape let out a piercing howl. It swung its long arms, its sharp claws viciously tearing at the tentacles, while the Bone Spikes on its back stood erect, searching for an opportunity to stab the crawler’s bloated torso.

They were so engrossed in their fight that they hadn’t even noticed the owner of the house had returned.

Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze swept across the interior of the mobile home.

A chair had been knocked over, and a water cup had rolled to the edge of the carpet. Fortunately, most of her supplies were in the bathroom; there wasn’t anything important in the living room.

Even so, watching her home get trashed like this, a flicker of anger sparked within her.

Her gaze fell on the Gloom Hatchling cowering in the corner. The creature acted as if it couldn’t even see the two monsters, huddled in the corner and curled up into a ball. If not for its flicking tail, Seraphina Sinclair would have suspected it was dead.

But...

’Even a puppy knows how to guard a house. This thing, though, is completely unreliable.’

’This thing... how is it even worse than a dog?’

Seraphina Sinclair’s lips moved, but she made no sound. She shuffled quietly, slowly approaching the Gloom Hatchling.

As if sensing the shadow looming over it, the creature lifted the head it had tucked into its body and looked up at Seraphina Sinclair with a dazed expression.

"Don’t play dead," Seraphina Sinclair whispered, gently tapping its fluffy body with the tip of her foot. "See those two? You take on the spiky monkey. Just keep it busy, don’t try to fight it head-on."

The Gloom Hatchling’s body stiffened for an instant. It tilted its head to the side, a whimper-like hiss escaping its throat. Its tail stopped wagging and instead curled even more tightly around itself.

Seraphina Sinclair hadn’t expected it to understand her every command; she’d said it purely to appease her own conscience.

First comes courtesy, then comes the clash. Now that the courtesies were over, Seraphina Sinclair was done holding back.

She bent down and scooped the Gloom Hatchling up in one swift motion.

The little creature was heavier and larger than she’d anticipated. Curled up, it was the size of a basketball; spread out, it was likely half as long as she was tall.

She hadn’t noticed before, but lifting it now, Seraphina Sinclair realized it really had grown quite a bit.

The Gloom Hatchling seemed shocked stiff by the sudden movement, its limbs and tail frozen, completely motionless.

Seraphina Sinclair had no time to dwell on its reaction; the attention of both the Rotmire Crawler and the Backstab Ape was now fixed on her.

She dodged a sweeping, slimy tentacle, then, with a surge of strength in her arms, she hurled the Gloom Hatchling like a shot put, flinging it straight at the charging Backstab Ape!

"Go!"

The Gloom Hatchling traced a rather ungraceful arc through the air, letting out short, terrified yelps.

The Backstab Ape clearly hadn’t expected a projectile and instinctively swung its long arms to block.

THUD!

The Gloom Hatchling slammed solidly into the Savage Ape’s arm and chest. The force of the impact halted the ape’s charge, causing it to stagger back a few steps.

The Gloom Hatchling, meanwhile, was sent flying, landing on the floor nearby. It rolled a couple of times and let out a series of even more pathetic-sounding yelps, but it seemed uninjured, merely lifting its head in a daze.

Seraphina Sinclair was quite pleased with this outcome.

’I successfully disrupted the Savage Ape’s rhythm and got the Gloom Hatchling involved, albeit through less-than-gentle means.’

It wasn’t that she couldn’t handle two D-level monsters at once; she was simply annoyed with the Gloom Hatchling for acting like this had nothing to do with it.

’Even though I’ve basically given up on it, the thing is still living in my mobile home. We’re practically roommates. Shouldn’t it pull its own weight?’

’Even if it’s just distracting the enemy for now, sooner or later, I’ll train it to be a good guard dog... er, dragon!’

Now, Seraphina Sinclair had to focus on the Rotmire Crawler in front of her.

This creature was clumsier than the Savage Ape, but the number and Strength of its tentacles were not to be underestimated. Getting entangled would be a huge hassle.

But Seraphina Sinclair was no longer the person who only wielded a D-level Weapon. A monster like this wouldn’t have been a major threat to her before, to say nothing of now that she had the Water Dragon Roar!

The Rotmire Crawler whipped its numerous tentacles at her, forming a cage-like net of lashes.

Seraphina Sinclair’s expression remained unchanged. With the slightest sway of her body, she slipped through a gap between the tentacles.

SHHNK!

The Blade sank into flesh as if it were a hot knife cutting through butter.

Faint blue ripples of water emanated from the wound of the severed tentacle—an innate damage effect of the Water Dragon Roar!

The Rotmire Crawler let out a shriek far more piercing than before, its remaining tentacles whipping frantically toward Seraphina Sinclair.

With a flurry of quick steps, Seraphina Sinclair used the Speed boost from her Wind-stepping Boots to weave and dodge within the mobile home’s limited space.

She used her Blade to continuously sever the crawler’s tentacles. Dark ichor splattered everywhere, and a foul stench filled the air.

Meanwhile, the Gloom Hatchling seemed to have finally recovered from its daze and realized it had been used as a projectile weapon.

Facing the Backstab Ape that had sent it tumbling, it let out its first truly angry, low growl.

The growl wasn’t loud, but it possessed a strange, piercing quality that made the Savage Ape—which had been about to pounce on Seraphina Sinclair—freeze in its tracks. The ape looked at the hatchling warily. Not only did it stop moving, but it even showed a hint of wanting to retreat.

Every time she saw the Gloom Hatchling intimidate monsters, Seraphina Sinclair felt a complex mix of emotions.

She had fought her way up from being unable to defeat anyone to easily vanquishing D-level monsters. The Gloom Hatchling, on the other hand, just had to curl up and sleep to keep getting stronger.

In fact, even if it didn’t get stronger, the fear these monsters had for it was instinctual, written into their very blood.

The Gloom Hatchling didn’t pounce right away. It crouched low, its long, thin tail swaying side to side, a continuous, threatening growl rumbling in its throat.

Its fluffy white fur was so glossy and lustrous, it was obvious the creature was living the good life.

The Backstab Ape scratched at the ground in frustration. It seemed to have sensed a faint, almost imperceptible aura of danger from the Gloom Hatchling, and for a moment, it actually hesitated, not daring to attack.

’That’s enough.’

Seizing the moment the Rotmire Crawler’s movements grew erratic from the intense pain, Seraphina Sinclair closed in. Avoiding the acid that could spray from its head, she brought the Water Dragon Roar up in a diagonal slash, cutting deep into the soft underside of its bloated torso. Then, with a vicious twist, she churned it!