Leveling Up By Surviving Alone - L.U.B.S.A Chapter 62

—

 

This was completely different from Kim Kkokko’s situation.

 

Back then, Ji Yeonwoo had deliberately saved her, but this time, it wasn’t even like that.

 

“What if it betrays me?”

 

—

 

– **Pets cannot betray their owner.**

– **Depending on affinity, they may even risk their lives.**

– **In some cases, they will sacrifice their lives.**

 

If we were to measure affinity, it would probably be at -100 right now.

 

But since pets *can’t* betray their owner, the vine likely wouldn’t stab him in the back.

 

Still, killing it would be the safer choice.

 

However, if he *did* spare it, there was only one reason.

 

Ji Yeonwoo’s gaze shifted toward the campfire.

 

There, Kim Kkokko and the chicks were huddled together, peeling and munching on roasted sweet potatoes.

 

Kim Kkokko was devouring a massive one, while the chicks nibbled on smaller ones like they were hugging giant teddy bears.

 

—

 

– **The Watcher asks if he can have one more.**

– **He adds that the big, beautiful ones are just too sweet and delicious.**

 

“Mmm! I’ll register it as a pet!”

 

Ji Yeonwoo handed the Watcher another sweet potato and made up his mind.

 

He couldn’t give up a sustainable source of happiness like this.

 

—

 

– **You have registered Root Octopus’s Root Vine as a pet.**

– **Would you like to give it a name?**

 

Ji Yeonwoo didn’t hesitate.

 

He stayed true to the role it would serve.

 

**”Combat Sweet Potato.”**

 

—

 

– **You have gained a companion pet: Combat Sweet Potato.**

 

*Whoosh.*

 

The Root Octopus’s Root Vine—no, *Combat Sweet Potato*—blinked groggily before its eyes shot wide open. A strange light pulsed from its body, flooding its mind with foreign information, making it acutely aware of its new reality.

 

*Blink… blink?*

 

Its main body…

 

Had *changed*?

 

*Blink-blink-blink!*

 

Combat Sweet Potato jolted upright, staring at its new master—Ji Yeonwoo.

 

*Blink?*

 

This was the one who had tried to kill it.

 

But now, he was its main body.

 

So it had to obey.

 

It *hated* it, but there was no choice.

 

Combat Sweet Potato—no, the Root Octopus’s Root Vine—had been *designed* that way from birth.

 

It realized that some kind of bond had formed with Ji Yeonwoo.

 

Somehow, this *non*-Root Octopus knew how to communicate with it.

 

“Hmm?”

 

Ji Yeonwoo tilted his head.

 

Was it because it was now a pet? He could *feel* it trying to say something.

 

But he couldn’t understand what.

 

Luckily, his skill helped a little.

 

—

 

**Plant Communication (A)**

 

*New… main body… dying… help…*

 

*More help…!*

 

“Hmm…?”

 

It seemed to recognize him as its new main body.

 

That was a good sign, since he’d decided to keep it.

 

But the fact that it was *dying* was a problem. He had to save it—otherwise, no more sweet potatoes.

 

“How do I save you? Want some of this?”

 

Ji Yeonwoo hastily offered a roasted sweet potato.

 

…

 

The vine’s previously bright eyes turned icy.

 

Ji Yeonwoo scratched his head and took a step back.

 

“…Kidding.”

 

Next, he offered it some mana-infused kelp chips.

 

But it had no mouth to eat them.

 

What about raw food? He shook his head—even pre-fried kelp wouldn’t work. It didn’t seem to have any digestive organs.

 

The vine’s eyes brightened again.

 

Activating **Plant Communication**, Ji Yeonwoo listened.

 

*Roots… original state…*

 

*Reattach… safer reattachment…!*

 

“Ah, got it.”

 

The only way to save it was to *reattach* it to its original root.

 

Meaning, he had to stick it back where it was cut.

 

He didn’t question whether reattaching severed plant parts would work—in a world where plants *moved*, anything was possible.

 

But,

 

“Will it still be there?”

 

Combat Sweet Potato nodded.

 

*Damaged root… recovery… long time…*

 

“So if I reattach you before your replacement grows, you’ll survive?”

 

*Nod-nod.*

 

It nodded eagerly.

 

—

 

– **The Watcher urges you to reattach Combat Sweet Potato quickly.**

– **He says he can’t lose the sweet potatoes—he needs to eat at least 100 more to be satisfied.**

 

“Wow… You’re a sweet potato demon, huh?”

 

But Ji Yeonwoo felt the same.

 

Kim Kkokko, now addicted to roasted sweet potatoes, agreed.

 

*Kkok!*

 

A *fantastic* future food source!

 

And that future food source was dying because it had overexerted itself producing food.

 

The *only* way to save it was to reattach it—and he had to climb back up to finish off the remaining vines anyway.

 

Everything was pointing toward one solution: *Climb the cliff again.*

 

Ji Yeonwoo’s face paled.

 

Then, yawning, he muttered to himself,

 

“Mmm~ How long can *you* hold on?”

 

It was a long shot, but—

 

—

 

– **Combat Sweet Potato’s remaining lifespan: 12 hours, 12 minutes, 11 seconds.**

 

Surprisingly, it worked.

 

And Ji Yeonwoo was relieved it had at least 12 hours left.

 

The moon had tilted further—his internal clock told him it was dawn.

 

*‘Honestly, I’m exhausted.’*

 

Plus, after a warm, roasted sweet potato meal, all he wanted was sleep.

 

The Watcher and Kim Kkokko, who had also pushed themselves, felt the same.

 

The chicks were already nodding off.

 

Of course, Combat Sweet Potato’s condition was deteriorating in real-time.

 

“I’ll take a quick nap, then we’ll go. We need to prepare and recover. No choice.”

 

Patting the vine’s head, he found its kiwi-like texture oddly addictive.

 

However this had started, things were different now.

 

“Let’s work well together. I won’t let you die.”

 

*Blink… blink!*

 

Combat Sweet Potato’s eyes wavered at Ji Yeonwoo’s words—amplified by **Plant Communication**.

 

No message about affinity increasing came through, but the meaning had clearly gotten across.

 

“Looking forward to it.”

 

With that, Ji Yeonwoo fell asleep.

 

*Kooo…*

 

*Blink…?*

 

Combat Sweet Potato, rooted in place, stared blankly at him.

 

Its eyelids drooped, but it *forced* them open—somehow knowing it couldn’t afford to sleep.

 

And so, it stayed awake all night.

 

Morning came.

 

*Kko-kko-koooook!*

 

*Peep-peep-peep!*

 

Ji Yeonwoo woke up, ate a hearty breakfast, finished his preparations,

 

and climbed onto Kim Kkokko’s back.

 

“Kim Kkokko! You good?”

 

*Kkok!*

 

She had been injured, but after eating Ji Yeonwoo’s food and mana bamboo shoots, she had recovered enough to perform—as long as she didn’t overdo it.

 

The lioness pushing her cub off the cliff was taking a break.

 

With Ji Yeonwoo on her back, Kim Kkokko dashed up the cliff face like it was flat ground.

 

*Papapapapak!*

 

The higher they climbed, the colder it got.

 

Ji Yeonwoo peeked into the inner pocket of his hunting suit.

 

This pocket, located inside the greave that protects the chest, is about the size of a fist.

 

Because it touches the heart, it’s the strongest and, surprisingly, the most comfortable place due to the lack of vibration.

 

Right now, it was serving as a makeshift bed for the dying vine.

 

Now shrunk to the size of a child’s fist, Combat Sweet Potato struggled to keep its eyes open, whimpering.

 

*Cold… so cold…*

 

*Survive… must survive…!*

 

“I’ll keep my promise. I *will* save you.”

 

For your sake—

 

And for the sweet potato supply!

 

—

 

– **Combat Sweet Potato’s favorability has increased by 10.**

 

*Kko-kko-koooook!*

 

Kim Kkokko’s wings spread wide.

 

The ceiling-like cliff Ji Yeonwoo had struggled so hard to cross before? She cleared it effortlessly.

 

Soon, a limp root vine came into view.

 

Its severed end matched the cut Ji Yeonwoo had made.

 

“Just gotta stick it back there, right? Might be easier than I thought?”

 

*Yeah, right.*

 

*Crash!*

 

*Bang-bang!*

 

*Craaash!*

 

The remaining vines surged forward like they’d been waiting, glaring at Ji Yeonwoo.

 

Gritting his teeth, Ji Yeonwoo tightened his grip on Kim Kkokko.

 

“It’ll be different this time!”

 

He hadn’t learned any offensive skills, but it couldn’t be helped.

 

At least he had Kim Kkokko and stat boosts—maybe it’d work out?

 

Just as he braced himself to face the vines—

 

—

 

– **You can use the skill: Prey on the Weak (A) on this target.**

– **Would you like to activate it?**

 

“…What?”

 

The Jawsbar’s blade began glowing blue.

 

—

 

** Prey on the Weak (A)**

 

** Prey on the Weak ** was one of the skills he’d gained from killing the Rift Bull Shark (Juvenile).

 

Despite the name, it was more like a *conditional buff*.

 

Did he kill a monster from the same habitat?

 

Same age?

 

Same rank?

 

Same attributes?

 

Same species?

 

If *even one* matched, a 20% damage boost aura would activate.

 

From testing, he knew:

 

– **1 match** = Red aura

– **2 matches** = Orange

– **3 matches** = Yellow

– **4 matches** = Green

– **5 matches** = Blue

 

And right now, his Jawsbar was shimmering *blue*.

 

Meaning—*all conditions matched.*

 

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue.

 

He *did* wonder if indigo and violet existed, but right now, something else puzzled him more.

 

*‘But… I didn’t kill Combat Sweet Potato?’*

 

** Prey on the Weak ** activated based on monsters he’d *killed*.

 

Yet he’d only *almost* killed the vine—he hadn’t gone through with it.

 

Did *almost* count? Or was it because he’d registered it as a pet?

 

After some thought, the latter seemed more likely.