Life Rebooted with Copy and Paste-Chapter 117. Bloodline

Thankfully, Kim Do-Joon’s fear was unfounded. The lion cub laid calmly in Kim So-Eun’s arms. It looked around, a bit confused, but it didn’t struggle or try to escape.

Is he naturally docile? Or is there some other reason?

“Rawr—”

“Aww, so cute!”

“...!”

Kim So-Eun and Siwelin squealed with delight at the tiny growl of the cub. Even Jecheon Seong watched the scene with a satisfied smile.

Seeing the cub fitting in so well, Kim Do-Joon sighed in relief. Had it terrified or attacked Kim So-Eun, he’d have had to take it to the Association, where it’d end up in a lab, or worse—killed on the spot.

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“Daddy, what’s his name?” Kim So-Eun asked.

“His name?”

Kim So-Eun’s question caught Kim Do-Joon off guard.

“I don’t know either... Hey, what’s your name?” he asked, stroking the cub’s chin as it laid contentedly in Kim So-Eun’s arms.

“Rawr.”

It didn’t really give a useful response.

Other Therianthrope could talk, so why can’t this one do the same?

“Maybe he can’t talk because he’s not in human form?” Jecheon Seong suggested.

“Could that be it?” Kim Do-Joon replied.

The cub was indeed in animal form. Kim Do-Joon tried to recall the other Therianthropes he’d fought so far. Certainly, they couldn’t speak when they were in animal forms, and could only growl.

If the cub were to transform into human form, maybe it could talk and share its name.

“Try turning into a human,” Kim Do-Joon encouraged the cub.

“Rawr?”

The cub tilted its head, seemingly confused.

It seems to understand what I’m saying, though...? Is it too young to transform? I should’ve kept at least one of those werewolves alive to ask about how Therianthropes work...

Kim Do-Joon slightly regretted killing every single werewolves during the previous battle. Of course, back then, the idea of keeping a cub wasn’t even on the table.

“Does he not have a name?” Kim So-Eun asked again.

“Well, it might, but we have no way to find out right now,” Kim Do-Joon admitted, scratching his cheek in mild embarrassment.

Kim So-Eun glanced between her father and the cub, her face lighting up with an idea.

“Then I’ll name him!”

Would that be okay?

Kim Do-Joon glanced at the cub, but it seemed content, licking Kim So-Eun’s hand affectionately.

I guess it’s fine with it.

After all, they needed something to call it for now. If the cub transformed and remembered its real name later, they could ask then.

“Alright, go ahead. What name do you have in mind?” Kim Do-Joon asked, curious.

“Hmmm... hmm... hmmm...” Kim So-Eun pressed her fingers to her temples, deep in thought.

While she pondered, the cub wriggled out of her arms and climbed up Kim Do-Joon’s back, eventually settling on his shoulder.

“What about Bbo-Mi? Bbo-Mi!”

Kim So-Eun’s eyes suddenly lit up as she shouted.

“B-Bbo-Mi?” Kim Do-Joon echoed, a little taken aback.

It was a cute, childlike name, but not very suitable for the Blood Lion’s offspring.

Kim Do-Joon couldn’t help but feel like he was doing the cub’s terrifying father a disservice. Although he didn’t owe the lion any loyalty after dueling to death, it still didn’t feel too good.

“Bbo-Mi, come here!” Kim So-Eun was already calling the cub by his new name, clearly having made up her mind.

After a moment of contemplation, Kim Do-Joon sighed and suggested a compromise.

“How about Bo-Mi? We can call him Bbo-Mi as a nickname, but his real name could be Bo-Mi.”

It wasn’t exactly a fierce name, but at least it had a slightly stronger ring to it than “Bbo-Mi.”

“I love it!” Kim So-Eun beamed, clearly delighted by the idea.

Thankfully, she seemed to think “Bo-Mi,” meaning spring, was just as cute, if not cuter.

"You’re Bo-Mi from now on, okay? But you still have to come when we call you Bbo-Mi, alright?" Kim So-Eun said to the cub.

“Rawr—”

The lion cub purred contentedly, as if approving the name, or maybe it just didn’t really care. After the excitement had died down, Jecheon Seong turned to Kim So-Eun.

“So-Eun, don’t you have something you need to do now that we’re home?”

“Oh, you mean training? But I want to play with Bbo-Mi...” Kim So-Eun replied.

By training, she meant sparring with Jecheon Seong using the wooden sword. Although they called it sparring, the point was not to fight or injure each other, but to help Kim So-Eun move her body and get her energy flowing.

Every day, Jecheon Seong used this method to gradually correct Kim So-Eun’s distorted energy paths.

“It won’t take long. Once we’re done, you can play,” Jecheon Seong assured her.

“Okay...” Kim So-Eun answered, not sounding too happy about it.

A short while later, the sparring—or rather, Kim So-Eun’s treatment—began in the backyard. Kim Do-Joon watched from the porch, just in case something went wrong.

Suddenly, he heard a rustling noise nearby. Looking over, he saw Bo-Mi standing up, intently watching the sparring between Kim So-Eun and Jecheon Seong.

Ah...

At that moment, Kim Do-Joon realized why the cub had followed him, and why it had behaved so calmly around Jecheon Seong and Kim So-Eun.

The cub admired strength. He had followed Kim Do-Joon out of the forest because he was the strongest. That was also why the cub had remained calm around Jecheon Seong.

And as for why it was so docile with Kim So-Eun, perhaps he sensed the immense mana within her. With the natural instincts of a Therianthrope, that wasn’t impossible.

To Bo-Mi, Kim So-Eun probably seemed just as powerful as Kim Do-Joon or Jecheon Seong.

Well, aren’t you something?

Kim Do-Joon chuckled and reached over to pat the cub’s head. Even as he did, Bo-Mi’s gaze never left Kim So-Eun and Jecheon Seong.

Looking at this cub of the Blood Lion, Kim Do-Joon reminded himself once again that blood truly ran deep.

***

— Elsar, catch this.

In a forest blanketed in white snow, a small, child-like figure emerged from a lake, and casually tossed something toward Elsar.

“What... is this?” Elsar asked, catching it in both hands.

It looked like a piece of rough, dark bark; twisted and gnarled. Seeing the confused look on Elsar’s face, Nereid giggled.

— It’s a root.

“A root? Really?”

— Well, it’s a hollow one, but I managed to find one just for you. How’s that? Think it’ll be enough?

Elsar gulped because this was not just any ordinary root.

This must be the root of the World Tree.

How in the world had Nereid managed to get his hands on something like this? It was beyond her comprehension.

Besides, a hollow root suggested something.

— Remember that human you mentioned before? Bring him to me in that root.

Elsar’s face tensed. Now that Nereid had spoken, this was not just her problem anymore.

***

“Our proposal is as follows.”

Son Chang-Il, the president of the Association, handed a stack of papers to Ko Cheong-Cheon. The latter was to pass it on to the Mercenaries—it was the reward proposal for their assistance in the subjugation of the Giant Woodland.

The document was full of the usual flowery praises—thanking the Mercenaries Guild for their courageous assistance in one of the most challenging S-rank dungeons ever encountered. However, Ko Cheong-Cheon skimmed past those parts, his face impassive as he read through the proposal.

By the time he finished, his expression had shifted.

“...This is all?”

His voice was low, not particularly threatening, but when an S-rank Hunter spoke in such a tone, most people would feel their blood run cold. Of course, Son Chang-Il wasn’t a typical person.

“Why? Is there an issue? I think I’ve analyzed the contributions thoroughly, and this is a fair distribution,” Son Chang-Il replied calmly.

“Kuh...!” Ko Cheong-Cheon was at a loss for words.

Son Chang-Il was right, the rewards were completely justified. Every part of the compensation had a clear rationale behind it. Furthermore, it was unusually generous and would be considered a fortune by anyone else.

However, for Ko Cheong-Cheon, it fell far short. From the Mercenaries Guild’s perspective, it barely covered operational costs, especially after they had deployed two S-rank Hunters and a team of about ten elite A-rank.

“We can discuss the details further, but I’ll be clear that no matter how much we negotiate, the final offer won’t change by much.”

“...Understood.”

Ko Cheong-Cheon knew there was no point in pressing further. The truth was, they hadn’t done much to deserve more. While he had made a strong impression at the start, after the Blood Lion appeared, it had turned into a one-man show.

“I’ll pass this on to the guild master.”

“Please do. Thanks,” Son Chang-Il said, dismissing him with a nod.

Ko Cheong-Cheon left the Association president’s office, his face tight with frustration. As he stepped out of the building, he let out a long, weary sigh.

The Giant Woodland subjugation had been a disaster for him. He, who was used to being at the center of every mission, had been reduced to a bystander.

Tap, tap.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. The screen simply read, “guild master.”

A voice answered on the other end.

— Yo, how did it go? Did the mission turn out okay?

“Well...”

Ko Cheong-Cheon let out a bitter laugh and relayed the details of his conversation with the Association president. On the other end, the guild master burst into laughter.

— Well, it is what it is. At least they gave us something. That Association president seems reasonable enough. But more importantly...

“Hm?”

— I saw the footage. But you were there in person, so you would know better. What was he like?

The question was vague, but Ko Cheong-Cheon immediately knew who he was referring to. He had to organize his thoughts about how to describe what he had witnessed. The memory of that scene played in his mind as his face twisted in discomfort.

“That man... he’s a monster.”

— Oh? That’s rare, coming from you.

The guild master’s chuckling came through the phone again, the sound of someone clearly amused.

Then, after a brief pause, the guild master spoke again with a slight change in tone.

—For such talent to exist in a small country that couldn’t even sustain your growth... Seems so unnatural, don’t you think?

His voice dripped with greed.

***

After Ko Cheong-Cheon had left his office, Son Chang-Il sat at his desk, clicking his mouse absentmindedly. The screen in front of him displayed a series of articles and videos, all of them centered around Kim Do-Joon's battle against the Blood Lion.

There’s no stopping it now...

After all, the footage had been broadcast nationwide. Not that he had any reasons to restrict the views in the first place. If anything, this was a perfect opportunity to divert attention from the awkward fact that Ko Cheong-Cheon was leaving Korea.

As Son Chang-Il scrolled through, the comment sections were buzzing with curiosity.

└ I didn’t catch the live broadcast, but did this happen for real?

└ Who is this guy? He’s not one of our S-ranks, right?

└Is he a Hunter from China or Japan?

The questions about the mysterious man in the video were coming fast. However, the confusion didn’t last long.

└ Bro this guy’s only A-rank. └ ? └ ??? └ Stop lying └ No, for real. Check the Association’s website. All the Hunter profiles are listed there.

Basic Hunter information was listed on the Association website. While personal details or career histories were harder to come by, anyone could verify a Hunter's rank and identity on the homepage. As such, the fact that Kim Do-Joon was an A-rank became widely known in no time.

That was when the discussion really took off. People started to question whether it was even possible for an A-rank to pull off something like this. Others asked if he was some kind of secret weapon the government had been hiding this whole time.

└ I heard a new S-rank just appeared. Here to pay my respects. └ Here for my pilgrimage! Please let me pass my college entrance exams this year. └ Making my pilgrimage! Please help me get hired at my dream company!

The idea of a "new S-rank" was picking up steam, getting the most likes and engagement. Son Chang-Il hummed thoughtfully, recalling how he had discussed this very topic with Shin Yoo-Sung not too long ago.

Son Chang-Il had been startled when Shin Yoo-Sung casually mentioned Kim Do-Joon. Both of them had instinctively thought of the same person at the time when the subject of a "new S-rank" came up.

But now, it seemed the whole nation was starting to take notice of his name.

It wasn’t just the comments online. In recent meetings with guild masters and other Hunters, Kim Do-Joon’s name also came up more often. They all knew that Son Chang-Il had backed his promotion to A-rank, and they were starting to ask questions.

Son Chang-Il continued to scroll down, musing over everything, until something caught his eye.

“Hmmm?”

└ If Ko Cheong-Cheon is only at that level, shouldn’t this guy be considered SS-rank at this point?