Mike grinned.

"Damn, you're fast!"

Emperor flicked an ear back, clearly proud.

Within minutes they crossed distances that would normally take hours. The dirt path widened, the air shifted, and Mike began to see signs of civilization—broken cart tracks, worn-out signposts, and a stone bridge that marked the outer boundary of the rural zone.

"Well… that looks small for an big city," Mike muttered.

As they passed the bridge, a large structure came into view in the distance—tall stone walls, fluttering banners, and a shining gate almost as big as a fortress.

Lily Town

"Huh… well not like I thought I can travel three day carriage time in few minutes." Mike muttered.

He patted Emperor's neck. "Let's keep going."

They rushed past Lily Town without stopping.

The guards at the town gate had already prepared themselves, weapons raised the moment they saw a massive wolf sprinting toward them. But Emperor didn't even slow down—he just passed by like a blazing blur with someone sitting on his back.

The guards froze.

"…Ah. Probably just some rich guy's mount," one sighed in relief after realizing they weren't being attacked.

They sheathed their weapons and returned to their posts, pretending they hadn't been scared out of their minds.

Half a day later…

Mike lay stretched out on Emperor's back, enjoying the breeze. They were deep into the wilderness now, far from any village or road.

Suddenly Emperor came to a stop.

Mike sat up. "What's up?"

Emperor gave a short, rumbling growl.

"Oh… you want to camp here and cook?"

Emperor nodded in agreement.

Mike hopped off, stretching his shoulders. "Alright then. Let's set up camp."

The area was calm—tall trees, soft grass, and a small stream nearby. Perfect for resting and cooking.

"Go on and hunt something—like a deer or anything edible," Mike said.

Emperor growled in acknowledgment, sniffed the air a few times, and then suddenly bolted toward a nearby lake visible through the trees.

While Emperor went hunting, Mike began setting up the camp.

He gathered dry wood from around the area, stacked it neatly, and lit it using a couple of magic stones.

A small, steady bonfire crackled to life.

Next, he pulled out his pocket-size camping equipment.

It was magic-tech—a mix of modern technology and magical craftsmanship.

The small folded object expanded with a soft woosh, forming a tent that looked normal from the outside…

…but the inside was large enough to feel like a full hotel suite.

Comfortable bed, clean water supply, temperature control—everything.

The tent also had a magical barrier strong enough to protect against attacks from Rank 2 beasts or Rank 2 humans.

Mike nodded, satisfied.

"Perfect place to rest."

Some time later, Emperor finally returned—dragging something huge behind him.

Mike's eyes widened.

"…Is that a Golden Crocodile?"

The creature's metallic scales glimmered like polished gold, even in the fading light. Its jaws were lined with serrated steel-tipped teeth, and its body was thick with armor-like plating.

Golden Crocodiles—also called Gold Eater Crocs—were powerful steel-element beasts, known for:

extremely high defense,

terrifying bite force,

and their molten gold like breath attacks.

They were rare Rank 1 beasts, and usually required a full party of trained hunters to bring down.

But Emperor… carried it like a grocery bag.

He dropped the crocodile beside the campfire and wagged his tail proudly.

Mike stared at him.

"An rare-rank beast? Yeah… you really are a Mythical beast."

Ever since becoming Mike's mount, Emperor's status no longer followed normal beast classifications.

He was now officially:

Rank 0 — Level 78

(the same level as Mike)

However, this Golden Crocodile was:

Rank 1 — Level 132

A massive difference.

Jumping a whole rank wasn't just a number.

It meant the enemy's stats could be anywhere from 1.5x to 3x higher, depending on their traits and evolution path.

Mike noticed faint scorch marks and small cuts on Emperor's fur.

"So it wasn't completely easy," he muttered. "But still… killing a Rank 1 beast solo is insane."

Emperor puffed out his chest proudly, as if demanding praise.

Mike chuckled.

"Alright, alright. You did great. Let's cook this thing."

He pulled out his Unique Black Mithril Sword—the blade humming with power—and swung it cleanly.

SHING—!

The massive tail of the Golden Crocodile was sliced off in one smooth motion.

Mike stored the rest of the body into his inventory, then began skinning the tail.

Even separated, the tail weighed over 50 kilograms—thick, heavy, and covered in golden steel scales.

He carefully removed the shimmering scales one by one, placing them aside.

Then he cut out a portion of meat—just 1 kilogram, because anything more would be too much even for him—and placed it over the bonfire.

The rest of the portion went to Emperor, who immediately began eating it raw, tearing into it with sharp fangs.

In seconds, his entire face was smeared with blood.

Mike sighed.

"Dude… seriously?"

He grabbed some water and gently washed Emperor's snout, wiping away the blood until the wolf looked majestic again—instead of like a blood-thirsty monster that just crawled out of a slaughterhouse.

Emperor let out a satisfied growl and curled up beside the campfire, closing his eyes to rest.

Mike shook his head with a small smile and turned back to cooking his own meal.

He sprinkled the spices from his camping kit, letting the flames seep into the flesh.

After some minutes, the air filled with an incredible aroma—rich, savory, with a hint of metallic mana energy.

Mike took a bite.

His eyes lit up instantly.

"Damn—this is delicious," he muttered, barely keeping himself from inhaling the whole piece at once.

He ate the entire kilo of meat with ease.

Anyone else might have collapsed from the overload of mana-rich monster flesh, but Mike's enhanced body handled it perfectly—absorbing the energy without a problem.

When he finished, he let out a satisfied breath.

"Alright… now that hit the spot."

He looked at Emperor and said, "Buddy, I'm going back to my world, so come back inside me."

Emperor raised his head and answered with a soft growl. His body shimmered with a gentle light before dissolving and flowing back into Mike's body. A wolf tattoo spread across Mike's hand—it was the Mount Tattoo, and by pouring mana into it, he could call Emperor anytime.

Mike then went into the tent and activated the defenses as he logged out, returning to his world as he stood up from his bed.

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