4.

"What's its name?" Seora asked, showing no sign of releasing the little dragon. Her delighted expression was a refreshing change, and seeing this new, unguarded side of her brought an involuntary smile to Buja's face.

"Undecided."

"Huh? And is she a girl or boy?"

Though he couldn't care less about the dragon, he found himself answering as if it were his beloved child.

"I think it's a female, but I'm not sure. And its name is 'Undecided'."

"Ah! Why haven't you named it yet?"

He paused, trying to recall his reasoning, when he realized the conversation was veering off course.

"Shouldn't the first question be where I got it?"

"Oh! Right!" she exclaimed, looking as if the thought hadn't even occurred to her. "Come to think of it, it looks like a monster. How did you…?"

It wasn't unheard of for monsters to escape into the real world. Dungeon Breaks, though rare, had occurred several times over the past five years. But aside from those catastrophic events, no monster had ever been known to cross over alive.

"Just think of it as a special class pet," he said simply.

"A pet? Just what kind of class do you have?"

There were countless classes in the world, and asking about someone's was considered rude. It was impossible to explain the nuances of every class, so most players simply stated their general role: Attack, Defense, or Support.

"Let's just call it a support type. That's probably the easiest way to understand it."

"A support-type Legendary Class…" she murmured, shaking her head in disbelief. "A player who solos Unique dungeons with a support class…" She let out another hollow laugh. He was already a phenomenal player, but each new revelation about his class made his feats seem even more impossible. Grateful once again for their fateful meeting, she returned to the topic at hand.

"So, are you going to keep calling it 'Undecided'?"

His expression made it clear he didn't care, but she felt the little creature in her hands deserved a proper name. Buja considered it for a moment.

"You're right, a real name would be better."

"Of course! I'm sure it would be happier, too."

'Would it?' he wondered. As he met the pet's pleading gaze, a name suddenly popped into his head.

"Ah! Hwangdo. Let's go with Hwangdo."

The name came to him instantly as he looked at the fist-sized creature with its glossy, golden scales, which resembled a yellow peach also known as a 'Hwangdo'.

"Hwangdo, that's pretty," Seora said, her face lighting up. "It really does look like a little yellow peach."

"Right, Hwangdo?" she cooed at the pet. Satisfied with his choice, Buja officially changed the name.

[Pet's name has been changed to 'Hwangdo.']

[0G has been used.]

[The next change will require 50G.]

'Damn thugs,' he thought, grumbling internally. 'They're charging fifty gold just to change a name.' He had no intention of ever paying to change it again, so he dismissed the hologram and corrected Seora's sweet but mistaken assumption.

"It's actually short for 'Hwang-geum Domabaem', golden lizard, but it does look like a peach," he said dryly.

"Oh."

"It may not look like it, but it's a dragon. A gold dragon."

"Gasp!"

"Peep!"

As Seora stared at Hwangdo with newfound awe, the little dragon puffed out its chest and let out a mighty cry, as if to say, 'Let me go!' She did not.

"Well, I'm off to the dungeon," Buja announced, turning to leave. "Feel free to play with it until you have to go." He completely ignored Hwangdo's desperate struggles.

"Shouldn't you take it with you?" Seora asked. It seemed logical that a monster, even a pet, would need to fight to grow. She had a point; while it grew with gold, actual combat experience was a different matter. But Buja shook his head.

"It's just a hassle, and it'd be a waste if it died for no reason."

With that, he walked out of the house without a hint of hesitation.

"Then I'll just stay a little longer!" she called after him.

"Stay for three nights if you want! Make yourself comfortable."

"Tweeet!"

He coolly ignored Hwangdo's pathetic, pleading cries.

* * *

The changes from reaching VIP Level 2 were straightforward.

[VIP Level]

▶ Grade: Legendary

▶ Classification: Passive

▶ Level: 2

▷ VIP2 Skill benefits are now active.

▷ Cost to next level: 1,000G.

▷ Next Level Benefits: VIP3 Skill, Tower of Trials unlocked.

The next level-up cost a staggering 1,000 gold, but the prospect of the 'Tower of Trials' was intriguing.

[Daily Gifts Galore!]

▶ Grade: Legendary

▶ Classification: VIP1 Skill

▶ Level: 2

▷ Creates a 'VIP2 Attendance Box' daily at 24:00.

▷ The number of boxes created is influenced by Gold Power.

▷ Cost to unlock 'Level 2 Trait': 100G.

His attendance box had been upgraded, and a new trait was available for purchase.

[Today's Mission!]

▶ Grade: Legendary

▶ Classification: VIP2 Skill

▶ Level: 1

▷ Creates a 'Normal' to 'Rare' grade 'Today's Mission!' daily at 24:00.

▷ The generated mission is influenced by Gold Power.

Finally, there was the new skill. It was easy enough to understand.

[Today's Mission!: Monster Hunt]

▶ Grade: Rare

▶ Objective: Defeat 14 monsters in a Rare-grade dungeon.

▶ Reward: 14G

"A daily quest, huh," he mused. He wished he could raise the difficulty, but that feature was probably locked behind a higher VIP Level. With a shrug, he let the idea go. No expectations meant no disappointments. He would treat it as just another small daily gold bonus, like 'Wait for Free Gold.' Over time, it would add up.

"Besides, I have to run these dungeons for the constellations anyway."

Killing two birds with one stone, he could complete his mission while also figuring out what the constellations actually did. The cash payout would be pathetic compared to a Unique dungeon, but with hundreds of millions already sitting in his account, it was negligible.

"Gold over cash," he reminded himself. A man had to think about the future. Chasing short-term profits would never close the gap with the top rankers. At this stage, what he needed was to accumulate gold, even if it meant spending real money.

With renewed focus, he headed for the dungeon.

"Have the settlement team on standby in about four hours," he instructed over the phone. "I'll be out within six."

"Understood."

He was off to complete his daily quest.

In Buja's home, now absent its owner, Seora deployed her ultimate weapon to win over the squirming, escape-artist dragon.

"He's eating so well," Seora mused, a fond smile tugging at her lips. "I guess no one can resist a good meal."

After some thought, she had warmed a bit of frozen chicken and pork. Now Hwangdo was tearing into it with his tiny beak, no bigger than a pebble. Watching him, she couldn't help but think he truly had the spirit of a dragon.

"Aww, you're so cute."

He didn't flinch at her gentle touch, and she wondered if his initial hostility toward her was finally softening. A thought took root. 'Maybe I should try to get a little closer.'

Seora wasn't the type to obsess over pets. She could appreciate a cute cat or dog, but she'd never felt compelled to show this kind of hands-on affection before. Her fascination with Hwangdo was simple.

"He's just so beautiful."

Because Jeong Seora was, through and through, a User. In appearance and manner, Hwangdo was technically a monster—but he didn't feel like one at all. Her curiosity about this unique creature had awakened a side of her she rarely showed.

'Will he really become a dragon when he grows up?' she wondered, imagination taking flight. If I befriend a dragon, could I ride on its back and soar through the sky?

She posed the question to the little creature, now meticulously cleaning the meat off a bone. "Want to take a bath with me?"

"Tweeet!" he cried.

"Is that a yes? Let's go!" she declared, scooping him up.

Of course, Hwangdo's opinion wasn't considered in the decision at all.

* * *

After clearing the dungeon in exactly three hours and thirty-eight minutes, Buja waited about ten minutes for the settlement team to arrive.

"Next time, have them get ready after the three-hour mark," he said into his phone. "Rare dungeons are easier than I expected."

"That's because they don't carry the penalties of Epic or Unique dungeons," Seora replied, crisp and professional. "As expected of you, Mr. Kim. I almost told them to prepare earlier, but I held off. I apologize for the wait—you can leave the rest to us."

"No, it's fine," Buja assured her. "I found a nice little hidden herb patch. I'll just point it out and be on my way."

Even without his guidance, the settlement team was meticulous, but hidden spots were occasionally missed if a player didn't mention them. Many went back inside with the team to ensure a thorough appraisal, and Buja was no different—he wasn't about to leave a single coin on the table.

"Since I'm already running a Rare dungeon, I might as well squeeze every last penny out of it," he chuckled. "It's not like I have anywhere pressing to be."

Once the team arrived, he showed them the herb patch and headed straight home, bypassing the hospital.

"A hospital visit would be overkill, like a pro athlete needing a full medical team after a pickup game," he muttered. "I can wash up at home."

On the way, his thoughts drifted to Hwangdo. The little guy wasn't much help, but he was still his pet. Buja found himself wondering if he was hungry.

'I guess I'll grab some raw meat for her.'

He arrived home, bag of meat in hand, and was immediately struck by the humid warmth filling the apartment.

'Huh?'

There was no way his air-conditioned apartment should feel this warm. Could Hwangdo have done something? He scanned the spacious home and found the source. In the room dedicated solely to his spa, the large tub by the window was brimming with bubbles.

"Oh? You're back early."

From the adjacent makeup room, Seora emerged, clad in nothing but a short white robe. Hwangdo perched on her shoulder.

"Ms. Jeong?" Buja blinked. "Have you been playing with Hwangdo this whole time?"

"Ah, yes," she said with a bright smile. "I figured you'd be back soon, so I thought we could have dinner and discuss the Special Dungeon."

"I see."

The question of why she was bathing in his house without permission never crossed his mind. He'd told her to make herself at home, but he hadn't expected her to make herself 'this' at home. Her skin was still dewy from the steam, and the robe, barely covering the essentials, made him swallow hard.

As Buja desperately tried to get his mind out of the gutter, Hwangdo took flight, zipping over to him with a series of frantic shrieks.

"Kyu! Kyu! Kyu!"

"Hey, hey, quiet down!" Buja hissed, covering the small creature with his hand. "Pointing it out so obviously is rude, you little punk."

He couldn't understand the chirps, but as Hwangdo flew back and forth, pointing with his beak, the meaning was clear: the unmistakable reaction of a creature discovering the difference between a human male and female for the first time.

Finding the scene amusing, Seora laughed. "Well, that's a relief. Seems I'm stunning enough to even surprise a dragon."

"In that case, I also…"

The words sprang from his heart and nearly escaped, but he swallowed them down.

"Pfft." Seora's eyes twinkled. "You can confirm it later. For now, let's go get something to eat."

He nodded, a wave of regret washing over him for the ten minutes he'd leisurely spent waiting at the dungeon.

'I should've come straight home.'

Unfortunately, his regret wasn't strong enough to make Seora's robe slide sympathetically from her shoulders.

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