I Gave Up Being Stronger

Park Terse shed tears of joy. “I did it! I tamed a universe-level ranker!”

As a Tamer, Terse had a low self-esteem. The reason for this was Cha Jin-Hyeok, who had tamed a Thunder Dragon despite being a Streamer.

‘Whatever I do, I’m no better than a Streamer,’ he used to think. However, it was a different story now. ‘I have tamed a universe-level ranker almost as powerful as a Thunder Dragon!’

Terse finally acknowledged himself as a Tamer. He could now proudly introduce himself as a Tamer to anyone and anywhere.

“Marco, crawl onto the back of my hand,” Terse ordered.

Marco obediently followed the instructions. His expression was severely distorted, but he found it difficult to disobey Terse’s command.

‘I really tamed him!’

Of course, there were still some issues. Taming beings that were more like humans, such as Beastkins, always incurred ethical criticism. It was technically legal, but many people frowned at the idea. However, Terse had a strong justification.

‘Something similar happened with Angel Girl Song Ha-Young!’

‘But in the end, their relationship turned into something beautiful.’

Terse was glad that he had a precedent to relate to.

Jin-Hyeok’s eyes widened as he approached Terse. “Wait a minute, Terse. What’s that on Marco’s head?”

Terse nodded with a proud expression. “That’s the Angel’s Halo.”

“Angel’s Halo?” Jin-Hyeok knew some things about the Angel’s Halo. It was one of the taming Skills used by many forceful and violent Tamers and was similar to Jin-Hyeok’s Golden Headband. If the tamed being did not obey the Tamer, the Skill inflicted excruciating pain and helplessness on the tamed being. Therefore, it was a controversial Skill.

‘Before my regression, Terse was one of the most vocal Tamers who opposed the Angel’s Halo.’ Jin-Hyeok realized that Terse had changed a lot. ‘He is growing’

Jin-Hyeok was overjoyed to see this.

‘As much as I have grown, so has Terse.’

They were both progressing in the right direction.

***

Katrina irritably walked and said to the woman before her, “Hey, did you try to kill me?”

Pladina, Katrina’s mother and the current head of the Goldium Family, quietly set down her teacup.

“You have always lacked dignity and manners,” Pladina said. Contempt filled her eyes. “I should have given more money to Marco.”

Katrina trembled. She held a large hammer in her hand. “Why are you doing this to your daughter?”

“Daughter?” Pladina grimaced, looking disgusted. She turned her gaze to a book and replied, “Did I ever give birth to a daughter?”

“...”

Pladina still refused to acknowledge Katrina as her daughter. “It would be nice if you would leave my study, my son. As you can see, I am reading.”

“...”

Katrina walked up to Pladina, and the latter said, “Get away from me. You give me the creeps.”

Bang!

Katrina swung the hammer, shattering a corner of the desk. However, Pladina showed no particular reaction, only clicking her tongue in disgust.

Katrina fumed. “You think I don’t know what you’re planning?”

“What do you mean?”

“You want to make me the bad guy! You want me to kill you!”

“...”

“You want me to suffer from guilt forever and curse me with an unfading memory, bitch!”

Unable to contain her anger, Katrina struck the desk again. The hammer fell next to Pladina’s hand, and wood shards flew, scratching Pladina’s face.

“You provoked me without your guards here, sitting in such an exposed position,” Katrina said.

“So?”

Tears welled up in Katrina’s eyes as she looked into her mother’s emotionless eyes. Whether it was sorrow, anger, or some other emotion, she could not define it.

“I will not do as you wish.” Katrina threw the hammer and turned away.

***

Looking at the shattered desk, Pladina murmured, “You were supposed to be the one to revive the Goldium Family.”

In her childhood, Katrina had been the promising hope of the family. The Goldium Family had been in decline ever since its founding, barely maintaining the lowest rank among the Seven Great Families, a stark contrast from what it used to be—the most formidable family after the founding of the Seven Great Families.

“You still are the talent that can revive our family.”

Pladina looked out the window. Katrina had stormed out in a rage, but her steps lacked strength. Pladina smiled softly. “I knew you would not kill me. You have always been a kind and gentle child.”

A fondness entered Pladina’s eyes, quite different from how they had been when she was staring at Katrina face to face.

“You can grow even bigger. You must. You have the qualities to do so, my son.”

She began to write a letter.

[I hate that I gave birth to you.]

“In truth, I love you.”

[I will never acknowledge you, no matter what achievements you gain.]

“I hope you become greater than anyone.”

[I regret being your mother.]

After writing the curse-filled letter, she set down her pen and mischievously smiled.

“Now the stage is set.”

Sometime later, Katrina would find this letter and weep. Deep in her heart, she would vow over and over again to become greater than anyone and make Pladina acknowledge her.

“Keep refining and training yourself relentlessly, Katrina.” Pladina took out a vial filled with the venom of Emperor Marco. “This is my last lesson.”

She murmured to herself, “Rise above them all.”

Pladina wanted Katrina to be the one to revive and prosper the Goldium Family, making her the protagonist of the story.

“This is my true love.”

She swallowed the venom. That day, the head of the Goldium Family died.

***

Emperor Marco was completely subservient to Terse, which allowed Jin-Hyeok to peacefully examine the ampoule that Katrina had completed.

[Treasure of Veselity]

“This was not originally called the ‘Treasure of Veselity’, instead being called the ‘Tears of Veysila’. Fortunately, through Broadcaster’s Insight, I found the real name.”

Although he had used the Unleashing Technique and received help from Miri, Jin-Hyeok did not mention them as it was too obvious. Too much redundancy could decrease his viewers’ interest.

‘I guess I should now officially reveal that I’m in the middle of the universe-level Scenario.’

While many had already guessed it and Jin-Hyeok had even subtly hinted at this, officially announcing it was a whole other issue.

‘I can’t keep it a secret anymore.’

After some thought, he decided to reveal the Treasure of Veselity.

‘Showing them the ampoule’s effect rather than just telling them about it might be better.’

After arriving in Yeonhui-dong, Jin-Hyeok started a livestream titled ‘Universe-level Scenario’.

“I know some of you have already guessed, but I’m currently in the middle of a universe-level Scenario. And I have acquired a very important artifact related to it. Here it is.” He took out the Treasure of Veselity. “I will release the recording later, but this Scenario deals with two important characters: Veselity, the Forsaken Queen, and Garbinu, the Demon King.”

After a brief explanation, Jin-Hyeok stood in front of the Guardian Tree. “The Treasure of Veselity is said to evolve the Guardian Tree to the next level.”

[Treasure of Veselity]

[A treasure containing the blessing of Queen Veselity, who loved Guardian Trees. It unconditionally upgrades the stature of a Golden Guardian Tree.]

“So, I will use this ampoule on the Guardian Tree of Yeonhui-dong, with the help of Wood King.”

Wood King Mok Jae-Hyeon was holding a large syringe.

-“W-Wait, are you going to stab me with that?”

The giant Guardian Tree trembled. Its leaves fell as the golden sacred aura surrounding it flickered and dispersed like a golden mist.

‘What a production quality! It’s definitely my Guardian Tree!’

-“I am not doing this for your livestream! I do not like syringes!”

Jae-Hyeon approached the tree with the syringe and filled it with the Treasure of Veselity.

-“Do not come any closer!”

Thin branches moved to stop Jae-Hyeon, but Jin-Hyeok’s Phantom Swordswoman cut them all down.

Unfazed, Jin-Hyeok said, “Do not be alarmed. This is just pruning. According to plant experts, appropriate pruning is beneficial to plants.”

-“No! I don’t need that! I’m going to stop you!”

While he could feel the Guardian Tree’s intense emotion and will, Jin-Hyeok shook his head. Sometimes, strong violence was necessary, like when Terse had tamed Marco.

‘Hey, I do not want to use violence on you. Please help me keep it that way,’ Jin-Hyeok telepathically told the Guardian Tree.

Suddenly, Miri appeared in Jin-Hyeok’s right hand, loaded with the power of the Babylon Cannon. The alarmed Guardian Tree heard a voice.

‘It’s okay, great but a young tree. You’ll receive a sweet and gentle gift, so relax and offer yourself.’

The voice was dreamlike. It belonged to the former Hell Empress, now the Hell King, Gahi. He used his honed mental manipulation skills to comfort the Guardian Tree. Eventually, Jae-Hyeon managed to inject the syringe without much resistance.

-“Uuuuuuuuhhg!”

The Guardian Tree trembled even more intensely. An earthquake shook Yeonhui-dong, and the Guardian Tree fell into a mild hallucination.

-“Here I goooo!!”

Jin-Hyeok silently waited for the Guardian Tree to calm down. The Guardian Tree kept saying nonsensical stuff like it was going somewhere. Jin-Hyeok focused on the Guardian Tree’s transformation.