Leveling Up By Surviving Alone - L.U.B.S.A Chapter 90

*– The Watcher remarks that it was surprisingly strong.*

“…Uh, what do we do now?”

They’d devoured every scrap of food yesterday.

Now there was nothing left.

The Watcher had nothing to say either.

With their food gone, they needed to find more.

But where?

Just then—

Clatter.

Something small tumbled down the cliff—pebbles.

Crunch. Crunch.

Yeonwoo looked up.

About 10 meters up, a fluffy little rear end was wriggling desperately, trying to climb higher.

The way it struggled was…

Irresistibly cute.

Yeonwoo couldn’t see it, but the Watcher could.

—

*– The Watcher clutches their chest in agony.*

*– “Too cute. This creature is hazardous to my heart,” they say.*

“…?”

Wriggle-wriggle.

The adorable butt kept squirming, hind legs scrambling against the cliff face.

But then—

Slip!

Its front paws lost grip, and it plummeted—

—straight toward Yeonwoo’s head.

Twisting midair, it landed belly-up in his hands.

Plop.

“…A cat?!”

A face that seemed eternally cheerful.

A snow-white belly dotted with round black spots against silver fur.

Now blinking up at him with amethyst eyes.

Yeonwoo awkwardly smiled.

“Uh… hi?”

The cat—no, kitten—stared wide-eyed.

Then—

Meeeow?

A polite, almost formal meow.

Like it was saying, “Good morning?”

Yeonwoo clutched his chest.

“Ghk—!”

This level of cuteness was lethal.

He set the kitten down.

It sat primly, tilting its head at him.

Yeonwoo studied it back.

“Hmm…”

About the size of a full-grown cat, but its paws suggested it had more growing to do. Definitely not an ordinary feline—this was a predator’s cub.

And the adult version…

“That snow leopard from yesterday, right?”

—

*– The Watcher agrees.*

The *!!@#@$(??)* floating above its head was proof enough.

Just like its parent, the text was unreadable—but the similarity was undeniable.

“Tch…”

Yeonwoo sighed.

First stealing the goat’s head, then the whole carcass—what a thief.

But if it had a cub to feed… maybe it was forgivable?

‘It was injured too…’

While he mused, the kitten resumed its climb.

Watching its clumsy, determined efforts was equal parts endearing and pitiful.

But this cliff was 100 meters tall.

Yeonwoo scanned the snowfield.

Tiny paw prints littered the ground.

How many attempts has it made?

Nyaaah!

Its fluffy butt wiggled as it struggled.

“Which try is this?”

With another sigh, Yeonwoo scooped it up.

Despite meeting minutes ago, the kitten melted into his arms like a plush toy.

“About 5 kilos, huh?”

—

*– The Watcher asks what you’ll do now.*

“Hmm… Might as well return it. And maybe get our goat back.”

The snow leopard had definitely taken the carcass.

This little one must’ve followed its mother and gotten separated.

“Bet it’s worried sick, right?”

—

*– The Watcher agrees.*

So, plan: Return the cub, take just enough goat meat for themselves.

“Let’s go.”

Yeonwoo packed the kitten into his backpack.

It flopped inside like a stuffed animal.

Weird. Wild animals aren’t usually this docile.

“You’re awfully tame. Not scared of me?”

He made a scary face.

Meeeow!

Its violet eyes sparkled with innocence.

“Ugh… I’m sorry… Let’s go find your mom!”

Myaaow!

With the backpack secured, Yeonwoo scaled the cliff.

Fingers digging into rock, he climbed steadily.

‘Way better than yesterday!’

His oxygen levels stayed stable—no more gasping for air.

—

*– The Watcher cheers, noting your improved stamina.*

“Yep. *High Altitude Adaptation*—solid skill.”

Not perfect, but a huge difference.

“Hup!”

He crested the cliff.

The snowfield here was messy.

Tracks everywhere.

First, the long, wide grooves…

—

*– The Watcher identifies them as Jawsbar marks.*

“Yeah… We must’ve slid down here yesterday.”

But there were other tracks too.

Deep drag marks—something heavy being pulled.

And overlapping them…

Yeonwoo pressed his hand into a paw print.

Bigger than his palm.

Definitely the snow leopard’s.

He glanced at the backpack.

“Finding Mom just got easier. Hang tight!”

Myaaow!

“Heh. You’re quite the talker, huh?”

Myaaooow!

Yeonwoo couldn’t help but smile.

This kitten reminded him so much of *Jung Yaong*, the cat he’d raised with Mandeok.

(Though they’d argued whether Yaong was “white with silver stripes” or “silver with white stripes.”)

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Following the tracks, Yeonwoo pondered.

“It’s not a cat, but calling it ‘kitten’ feels weird. Should we name it?”

—

*– The Watcher advises against it.*

*– “You’ll get attached,” they warn.*

“Right. Good point.”

They’d be parting soon anyway.

Wild creatures belong in the wild.

Especially with a parent waiting.

—

*– The Watcher notes you really like animals.*

“Haha. Just figuring that out? Not being able to have pets is my biggest regret.”

(Raising chicks didn’t count—those were livestock. His mother’s rules were ironclad.)

—

*– They remind him he has Kim Kkokko and the Ari squad now.*

“Haha! True. They’re more than enough!”

Which made returning this cub even more important.

Crunch. Crunch.

After a long trek, the tracks led to—

—

*– The Watcher warns you to be careful.*

*– “There’s a massive rift ahead,” they say.*

“…!”

A narrow chasm, as if split by a giant’s axe.

Peering down, Yeonwoo saw only darkness. Deeper than the 100-meter cliff he’d climbed.

He tossed a rock.

Clink… clink…

No impact sound after a full minute.

“This deep?”

Worse—the tracks ended here.

The leopard must’ve tried to jump.

Did it make it?

……

No.

Claw marks gouged the opposite edge—evidence of a failed leap.

“Ah… So it…”

—

*– The Watcher covers their mouth.*

“…Fell.”

A theory: The leopard, weighed down by the goat, had misjudged the gap.

Yeonwoo’s chest tightened.

He’d enjoyed the goat meat, but now, projecting onto the cub, guilt sank in.

What do I even say to it?

Would it understand?

Should we just… leave it here?

As he agonized, the kitten wriggled out of the backpack.

Then—

Zoom!

It dashed for the chasm.

“Hey! Danger—!”

Leap!

Too late.

Yeonwoo lunged after it on reflex—

—only to watch the kitten effortlessly clear the 15-meter gap.

Myaow!

‘It’s… light?!’

Meanwhile, Yeonwoo was in trouble.

His fingertips barely grazed the opposite edge—

—then slipped.

The rock here was oddly harder, refusing his grip.

He began to fall.

—

*– The Watcher—*

“I know this time…!”

*[Elasticity Control (A)]*