Chapter 37: So Isn't This Just a Pursuit Problem?

When she took off the clothes stained with green Beta Beast blood, Witch Miss finally realized that the workout outfit that had accompanied her for almost a year and a half was already riddled with holes.

"Are you stopping here as well?"

She actually liked that gray workout outfit quite a bit.

It was loose when worn but not overly baggy, and the tapered legs felt very comfortable during running and plank exercises.

"I'm sorry—if I push a bit harder… ah, that might make you break down even faster."

Witch Miss has a strong attachment to old things; for example, after her mother passed away, the rooms that became vacant in the house were turned by her into storage rooms.

She neatly stores her childhood clothes on hangers, and also keeps all the books she has read—ranging from valuable antiques to the elementary school homework—in orderly fashion, and she has the maid clean them regularly.

Seeing this workout outfit, even patched up, not making it through another year, Witch Miss's already bad mood became even more aggravated.

She untied the hair tie; her black hair fell to her thighs, and the disheveled strands occasionally had tangled knots.

Glancing at her current disheveled reflection in the nearby mirror, Witch Miss sighed and walked straight into the shower.

Warm water streamed down from the showerhead, sweeping over the cut on her cheek and waist, and a burning sting instantly spread over her body.

But despite the pain, Witch Miss's mood improved considerably because of it.

So she kept a blank expression, proceeding methodically—though her hands trembled slightly—through the sequence of washing her hair and showering.

Finally, she twisted her hair up, stepped out of the shower, and stepped into the pre‑prepared magical temperature‑controlled medicinal bath, submerging herself in the pale‑green liquid with floating petals and herbs in the wooden tub.

Gurgle gurgle…

"Unhappy…"

Her mutterings in the water turned into strings of bubbles that rose to the surface of the tub.

Feeling the hot glow of the dim yellow lamp overhead and watching the wisps of steam rise before her, Witch Miss's previously restless emotions gradually calmed.

How could I be so petulant?

Cat just stepped out the door; do I really need to be this angry?

Do I even have the right to be angry over something like this?

Those two brief questions completely cooled Witch Miss down.

Tick‑tock, tick‑tock, the sound of leftover droplets falling.

All these changes now are gifts from Cat, whether it's that wondrous system or the magic and blessings it bestows.

She…

When did she start becoming so greedy?

At first, all she wanted was simply to be able to use magic.

And now?

She now wants to become stronger in a short time, both in magic and in the melee combat that's truly her talent.

Initially, she only hoped for a familiar to keep her company.

And now?

She wants Cat to stay by her side at all times, doing everything together, and to put herself first for Cat.

Clearly… she isn't like that.

This unbearable, crushing greed.

"Ha…"

Thinking of this, Witch Miss couldn't help but lower her head again and let out a deep sigh.

She doesn't understand why she's become like this; she feels increasingly abnormal.

Yet when Cat is around, she's basically fine.

……

Indeed… striving to get stronger so that Cat can't leave her must be the right path, right?

Although the gap between her and Cat's strength is truly huge, if her observation is correct, Cat's level is also low and its leveling speed is slow?

Then isn't this just a pursuit problem?

As long as her level is high enough to offset that innate gap, she can lock Cat firmly by her side, right?

Even though this is destined to be a hard and long road, as long as she can see the progress bar of rewards for her effort, she'll push herself to the limit, even if it feels like climbing to the heavens, just to show him!

Witch Miss took a deep breath, and her dim pupils instantly filled with fierce resolve.

Now is the time to strive and work hard!

Don't let negative emotions affect the self that needs to work now; if they must affect anything, let it be only when there's nothing to do before bedtime.

Having made up her mind, Witch Miss sprang up from the tub; the fine wounds on her body had already scabbed over—time to fight again!

Dry rice!

Then damn the Beta Beast!

Since Cat recommended a level‑3 Beast, her goal is to kill a level‑2 Beta Beast before it returns!

Throwing on a bathrobe and underwear, Witch Miss rushed toward her room, not forgetting to shout down to the downstairs butler,

"Grandpa Lin! Tomorrow afternoon, bring me a level‑2 Beta Beast!"

"Miss…??? Level‑2???"

"Yes! Level‑2!"

【Beta Beast, half‑elemental species

A half‑elemental monster formed from elements scattered throughout the city, ferocious in temperament, launching indiscriminate fierce attacks on anyone who passes before it, but its damage is limited due to its low level.

However, three years after Magic Power Revival, humans successfully domesticated it and bred various strains of Beta Beast, classified from 0 to 10 by strength.

Beta Beast #3, corresponding to level 10, is recommended for a team of 2–3 awakened fighters of the same level or a single awakened fighter of level 15 or higher.

Beta Beast #2, corresponding to level 13, is recommended for a team of three or more awakened fighters of the same level or a single awakened fighter of level 18 or higher.

According to the battle manual's recommended level, Witch Miss's challenge of Beast No. 3 is barely doable, but recalling the feel of the earlier Beast No. 3 Beta Beast, she thinks Beast No. 2 might not be impossible either.

They can apply pressure, but still fall short of Pikachu and that red iron monster.

Only… there is an added shiver of instinct being gazed upon by killing intent and death.

Witch Miss thinks this is a sense of death she couldn't experience in simulated battles with Cat and the old butler.

Even if Cat says, "I'm getting serious!", she still believes Cat will truly reach out a claw at her.

It's just… the book says:

Real battles that hone a person usually happen in the struggle between life and death; that kind of combat, unlike casual or token fights, is what lets skill transcend and improve, moving to the next tier.

Now, after battling three consecutive Beta Beasts, Witch Miss somewhat grasps the meaning of that line.

The instant she crushes their internal core with her hand, the thrill of blood surging is truly unforgettable.

Experience converts to numbers, the feeling of power‑ups on the body also truly gets one high.

Cat~

Hehehe.

……

【Personal Information】

【Name: Bai Yan】

【Age: 18】

【Gender: Female】

【Race: Human】

【Bloodline: Shadow Witch】

【Occupation: Hero (Awakening)】

【Secondary Job 1: Mage】

【Job Level: lv1】

【Attribute Panel】

【Level: lv8】

【EXP: 570/1600】

【HP: 1800】

【MP: 2800】

【Constitution: 32】

【Strength: 280】

【Agility: 370】

【Intelligence: 140】

￥￥￥￥￥￥

"Ah Qian!"

Standing at the very top of a tall tree on the fourth layer of the forest, Cat let out an unexpected sneeze.

"Hoo~~, is someone cursing me?"

He shook his head sharply, already having a target in mind,

"It has to be that old immortal, ah… Ah Qian! Damn cat, never ending!"

"Meow of a me, when I get back… I'll definitely give him a Mediterranean (bald spot)."

Cat, muttering curses, withdrew the deployment placed on the freedom‑bound Pikachu.

Now, the outing time is over.

Xiaohei No. 2, reporting!

Now, lacking intellect, you are granted by the main body a lofty and great task—Identification!

Your task is to attach to the prototype Pikachu and identify all surrounding objects.

Xiaohei No. 3, reporting!

Now, not only lacking intellect but also lacking a physical form, you are assigned by the main body an arduous and heavy task—Split!

Your task is to split yourself into countless fragments, disperse to every part of this dungeon, and use your eyes to record and explore everything that occurs within.

To compile statistics and observations on various crucial data such as "Race", "Habits", "Distribution", and the like.

The No. 3 main body looks identical to Cat, while the split form has only a cat head and moves entirely by wriggling and hopping.

Their diminutive size lets them move freely even in the ant tunnels that are a specialty of the dungeon, delivering the capital cat boss more comprehensive intelligence.

Simply put, Xiaohei No. 2 helps the Pikachus survive and clear the fourth layer's yields, while Xiaohei No. 3 aids Cat herself in mastering all the dungeon's information.

After completing this series of tasks, while awaiting feedback, Cat began to store magic.

This is a new channel he opened after perusing many books.

Some high‑grade constructs store magic within themselves according to their large mana capacity, for occasional use.

Cat, who can instantly cast spells below the tenth tier, originally didn't need this so‑called chicken‑rib storage magic.

But…

During the creation of Pikachu, he opened the brain's Ren‑Du meridians and came up with a novel idea.

Thus he attempted to create Xiaohei No. 1 that contains a self‑destruct magic.

The successful experiment of Xiaohei No. 1 signifies another combat style for battle‑form Cat.

He will no longer be a glass cannon, but a glass Gatling.

He can store magic not only in his own body, but also in the bodies of his clones.

Because of his massive magical capacity, what he can store is not limited to small spells below the tenth tier; he can also store so‑called forbidden curses and over‑spec magic with casting restrictions!

What does that mean? It means that while others are still using the Fireball technique, he can already unleash a 20‑shot meteor rain!

As long as he stores enough, during battle he can unleash forbidden curses in a frantic bombardment!

Others think he has only one shot, but in fact he has at least ten.

The reserve work actually proceeded steadily and orderly last night, but for greater stability and safety, Cat feels that as long as there is no brain‑draining combat phase, it is necessary to devote oneself fully to building combat power.

"Clearing" a dungeon means reaching the deepest floor.

The deepest‑floor BOSSes, after the Alliance's statistics, are categorized into many types; according to data from the three A Level dungeons and twelve B Level dungeons humans have cleared, BOSSes in dungeons above B Level are non‑respawning special beings, extremely powerful and far above the average level for their tier.

Cat thinks that even if he doesn't tackle the deepest floor, he still needs some preparation.

Who knows if that deepest BOSS might idly wander up a floor.

This Damocles sword hanging over his head, Cat wishes he could just pull it out.

After all, this is his home; during festivals he even brings Witch Miss to visit, so the back garden can't be unstable.

Only…

Good things fail, bad things hit every time; just as Cat was thinking that, his tail twitched, and Cat received a very bad piece of news.

His diligent Xiaohei 3 split entities lost contact with the main body the moment they entered the deepest entrance, and the main body cannot recover their shattered magical remnants.

This… is a rather serious problem.

There is an entity on the deepest floor that can hinder his casting??

The moment he considered this possibility, Cat instantly became unsettled.

Instantly redirected magical usage into combat mode.

"Floral and Avian Resonance"

"Healing Light"

"Radiant Emerald Body"

"Flight"

"Blessing of the Magic Chanting One"

"Infinite Barrier"

"Magic Barrier·Sacred"

…

After assigning two healing skills to himself, Cat relentlessly stacked a series of any‑named beneficial buffs.

As long as his HP bar isn't fully drained, he can keep buffing himself while losing health!

"Extreme Cold Resistance"

"Absolute Resistance to Ice Magic"

"Lava Resistance"

"Absolute Resistance to Fire Magic"

…

During this period, due to varying magical effects, Cat's HP fluctuated dangerously between 200 and 50 points for five minutes.

But Cat feels that's still not enough.

He remains skeptical about the information humans have gathered.

It's as if they haven't even fully deciphered the spells that test one's talent, let alone a B Level dungeon with only a dozen samples. nonsense.

Who can pat their chest and assure Cat that the deepest BOSS will honestly stay there?

No one!

Meanwhile, after attempting multiple magical reserves including "Instant Teleportation", Cat decided to step onto the deepest floor to take a look.

Of course, the clone goes first.

After spending a short time preparing, Cat readied Xiaohei 4, who shares the same buffs, as a vanguard at the front.

He sent a blue‑flame‑emitting "dadada" Xiaohei to walk side by side with himself,

He also added a useless but sour‑faced, trash‑talking Xiaohei 5 as rear guard.

After such preparation, Cat thought that even if this setup isn't enough to face the deepest BOSS, he still has room to retreat and escape.

When danger arises, Xiaohei 4 will surely have sacrificed itself; the blue‑flame‑emitting "dadada" Xiaohei will handle flank damage, then Xiaohei 5 will spew trash talk to draw enemy attention, while the main body uses the pre‑loaded instant‑teleport magic to escape…

Before departing, Cat had already written the worst‑case script.

【Attribute Panel】

【Level: lv6】

【EXP: 60/1000】

【HP: 700】

【MP: 3222222222】

【Strength: 42】

【Agility: 58】

【Intelligence: 250】

Looking at his panel, now only useful for MP and intelligence, and a page of buffs he can't even flip through, he nonetheless feels confident about this group's attempt to clear the deepest floor.

"Yo! Xiaohei squad, follow my lead! Revenge for Xiaohei 3's split entities!"

(ノ_；＼(｀ロ´)／

After Xiaohei 3's self‑destructive scouting, Cat learned that B56 Dungeon has nine floors.

The sixth floor, as recorded in the intel, is filled with volcanoes and scorching lava.

According to the information relayed by the split Xiaohei, various fire-attribute seafood live deep in this magma.

It belongs to roaming the fire sea.

I just don't know how this fire-attribute seafood should be eaten.

How should it be defined as "cooked"?

As a cooked-food advocate, if it weren't for the life‑risking task of being the lowest layer of exploration, Cat would definitely have caught a couple to try.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth zones are largely the same, differing only in the amount of land.

In the eighth layer, aside from the backflowing magma, there is basically no fire ocean like that in the sixth layer where fire‑attribute seafood can roam.

Thanks to Cat's sped‑up march, they reached the entrance of the ninth layer not long after.

But what struck Cat as odd was that, standing at the cave mouth, he could sense nothing about the next layer.

From magical fluctuations down to the most basic air and scent, he perceived nothing at all.

"Huh—"

Cat took a deep breath, then continued slowly releasing and storing the magic he thought might be useful, and sent Xiaohei 4 ahead to set foot in this unknown territory.

Watching Xiaohei 4, pulled by him, march straight into the entrance, Cat's mood grew increasingly tense.

Just…

With a crack, Cat heard the sound of the magic thread used to control Xiaohei 4 snapping.

After that, he lost control of Xiaohei 4.

Yet what surprised Cat further was that, in his perception, Xiaohei 4 had neither died nor gone out of control.

This…

Having formed several hypotheses, Cat prepared to verify them.

Hum hum, it's time to show the true primitive means of contact.

Between the main body and the duplicate, the connection relies on the so‑called "soul" bond, like a contract, not ordinary magic.

Thus, even in a magic‑nullifying environment, even if separated by thousands of miles, they can still obtain each other's information through this perception.

So, having confirmed Xiaohei 4's survival, but to be safe, Cat did not go in directly, instead calling out to the duplicate that possesses part of his wisdom:

"Meow meow, this is the main body, Xiaohei 4, Xiaohei 4, if you hear me, please answer."