NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: Brave Tiger
Within the Bug God's territory, a tall, pitch-black figure emerged from the corridor. It was Hansen, freshly empowered after his recent ability upgrades.
The moment their boss stepped into view, all the Tiger-level monsters in the area immediately assembled. The newer recruits stood tall and brimming with energy, clearly hoping to impress. In stark contrast, the veterans were already drenched in cold sweat, haunted by memories of past "meal delivery" missions and dreading they might be chosen next.
None of the previous volunteers had ever come back.
Everyone with more than two brain cells could put the pieces together. Those unlucky comrades hadn't been promoted. They hadn't earned rewards. They simply hadn't survived. It was less like serving under a boss and more like starring in a live horror show.
Hansen casually took his seat on a rock throne that his subordinates had painstakingly carved out for him. His clawed fingers tapped a steady rhythm on the armrest, ta-ta-ta, while his gaze swept across the neatly lined-up monsters below.
"Where's Fang?"
The moment he spoke, a humanoid tiger snapped to attention. One of the Tiger-level monsters, it bolted off without hesitation, quickly finding Fang, who was busy taking inventory in the storeroom. Without warning, the tiger monster hoisted him up and carried him back at full sprint.
"Lord Bug God!" Fang's voice rang out even before he arrived. "I'm late! Please forgive me, my lord!"
Hansen stayed silent.
Watching the rat monster, once scrawny, now nearly double in size, riding in on a giant tiger like he owned the place, Hansen was momentarily at a loss for words.
What the hell was this? A mouse flaunting the Bug God's authority?
Fang's round little body looked ridiculously pampered, his slick gray fur gleaming as if it had been brushed with oil. His beady eyes darted about with intelligence and craftiness that far outshone the other monsters.
But one thing hadn't changed. When he looked up at Hansen from the ground, his eyes still gleamed with pure worship and fanatical loyalty.
Hansen felt a flicker of satisfaction but also a strange twist of irritation. He'd promoted this rat on a whim, yet the little guy was clearly living more comfortably than the boss himself.
This world had truly gone upside down.
Fang prostrated himself, his tone full of oily flattery. "My lord! Just say the word! I'll give it my all…!"
"Alright, alright, get up and talk."
"Yes, my lord!"
For a brief moment, Hansen found himself wondering if this was how Psykos felt when dealing with him. That psychic dominatrix probably experienced the same mix of pride, annoyance, and secondhand embarrassment.
"Fang, I'll be away for a while. I've been given a mission by Lord Gyoro Gyoro."
At the sound of that name, Fang's small eyes shot wide open. It was clear he understood how significant it was. His awe quickly turned into something much stranger, a strange pride blooming on his chubby face, like a proud dad watching his child graduate, or a diehard otaku seeing his waifu fully maxed out in god-tier equipment.
Hansen internally smacked his head.
What kind of weird fantasy was that?!
He shot Fang a cold glare and continued, "While I'm gone, you'll be in charge of everything here in the territory. And also, don't mess up the food preparations for Lord Rover. Not a single mistake, got it?"
"Yes, yes! I understand completely!!" Fang nodded so fast it looked like he was pounding garlic, as if Hansen had just entrusted him not with pet duty, but with a top-secret mission concerning the life and death of the Monster Association. "Rest assured, my lord! I'll handle everything perfectly! I will not let you down!"
"Good." Seeing his fired-up, full-throttle attitude, Hansen was struck by a thought. He encouraged him, "Do your job well. If you perform impressively, I'll take you with me to meet Lord Gyoro Gyoro when I return. Maybe... you'll get a chance to grow stronger."
"Ahhh...!!!" Fang suddenly lifted his head, his chubby body trembling with excitement.
As a low-ranking Wolf-level monster, even after latching onto the new Bug God's golden thigh, Fang had remained cautious every day, constantly afraid of getting crushed by some high-tier monster who didn't even recognize him. At the end of the day, it was because he was still too weak.
"M-m-my lord..." Fang was so moved he could barely speak. "Your subordinate... your subordinate's loyalty is as clear as the skies above! Witnessed by the sun and moon! I would gladly charge through fire and water for you, die a thousand deaths without complaint!!"
Seeing this rat monster suddenly shift into drama mode, looking like it was about to start waving a feather fan and quoting ancient texts, Hansen nodded in satisfaction.
Yep, definitely a cultured monster. In a literal sense.
As expected, grand promises and timely motivation were the best ways to keep subordinates loyal. Hansen had never been great at this sort of thing, but after spending so much time around Gyoro Gyoro, he'd somehow picked it up.
Somewhere else, Psykos sneezed, "I don't know who is thinking about me, but I hate it."
Hansen glanced at the tiger monster crouched behind Fang and casually asked, "Right, what's your name?"
This one was one of the few clever monsters among his otherwise dense subordinates. The really clever ones had all already been taken on "feeding" missions with him.
The tiger monster clearly hadn't expected to be addressed. His body visibly jolted, and in a simple, honest tone, he replied, "Lord Bug God, I don't have a name yet. Whatever name you give me, I'll accept gladly."
See that? Now that's some solid ideological awareness!
Hansen clicked his tongue, thought for a moment, and said, "In that case, from now on, your name is 'Brave Tiger.'"
A tiger monster named Brave Tiger? No problems here.
"B-Brave Tiger?!" Both the tiger and the mouse monster called.
The tiger monster jolted again, while Fang stared in disbelief. The former repeated the name with awe, the more he said it, the more powerful and awesome it sounded. His eyes lit up like stars.
The latter, meanwhile, was hit with a wave of sour jealousy.
I've been here longer, but the boss never gave me such a badass name!
"I thank the Lord Bug God for bestowing this name!!"
Watching the tiger monster bow in delight, Hansen added, "Brave Tiger, from now on, you'll be Fang's second-in-command. Your job is to keep him safe. Understood?"
The tiger monster's eyes lit up again, his wide, honest face beaming with joy. "Yes, Lord Bug God! I won't let you down!"
But the one who looked the happiest was still Fang. His beady eyes sparkled, and his tail was nearly pointing straight up. As expected, the boss still cared about him!
Hansen scratched his head, but I ignored the mouse. Not important to dwell.
…
In Overgrown Rover's territory, the massive black dog, previously dozing off, suddenly raised its head without warning and sniffed the air. It picked up a familiar scent, and a bit of confusion flashed across its huge eyes.
"Woof?" (What's going on...?)
A second later, a gale howled through the air! The giant beast turned into a blur of swirling black wind, leaping several times before landing at a spacious intersection. It lowered its head to look down at Hansen, who, even at nearly three meters tall, still looked tiny in comparison. The dog let out a confused whimper.
"Woof, woof woof?" (Didn't you just come here the other day? Why are you back again?)
Seeing the big dog wondering if it had mixed up the days, Hansen approached smoothly, as if it were routine by now.
At the same time, he channeled his berserk power, lighting up the crimson lines etched across his pitch-black armor. He raised his gleaming claws, cold and sharp as ever, and with a businesslike proficiency… began grooming Rover's now silky black fur.