Levelling Up With My Monster

"What is this?" Mr. Park fumed. He could not explain how shocked he was, staring at the digit displayed on his device. '0' It meant Benji was not even to be classified as an E-rank hunter. 

"W-what is the matter?" Benji asked, confused. He could not see what was written on the device because Mr. Park wouldn't let him see it. But from the looks on both of the people's faces, he knew all was not well.

"It is all but a misunderstanding, thank you for wasting my time," Mr. Park said regrettably and then got up. "Perhaps you survived on sheer luck."

He dropped some notes on the table. "Use it to go back home," he said and then left with heavy steps.

Mikasa glanced at Benji for a short time before leaving with her boss. Now, Benji was seated all alone thinking about what happened a while ago.

"From the way Mr. Park sounded, it seems like I didn't get a level up," he muttered, also looking disappointed. "But how then did I survive? Was it the system? Then if it was the system's doing, I should get a level up, right?"

The more he asked questions, the more confused he was and Benji was not the type of person to be thinking that deep. After all, he isn't that smart. 

"Hah," he breathed and picked the notes Mr. Park left for him. "This money is enough to feed I and Pearl for a week or two, I ain't spending a dime on transport."

Before leaving, he made sure to finish the food and when he was done, he left the eatery. "I might as well use this opportunity to complete one system task," he mumbled and then the system opened up for him.

[Today's Quest]

[Push-Up: 100 times — Incomplete 0/100]

[Sit-Up: 100 times — Incomplete 0/100]

[Running: 20km — Incomplete 0/20km]

[Drink a glass of blood every morning — 0/1 glass]

"From here to my house is more than 20km so I can get the first quest covered by running back home," he thought out loud and began to run.

-----

Back at the Phantom Hunter Guild Base, inside Mr. Park's office, the disappointed man sighed and collapsed on his seat. His rubbed the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed.

"Boss," Mikasa, his assistant called softly. She could not bear to watch her boss looking this way. 

"I was hoping to get the big boss's recognition through Benji but it didn't work," Mr. Park said and then sighed deeply. "My hope was raised for nothing."

Mikasa felt Mr. Park's pain. The big boss he mentioned was none other than Mr. Clinton, the head of the hunters organization in the state. Under him were three individuals, Carl, the head of the Eagles Hunter Guild, Lisa, the head of the Supreme Hunter Guild, and Park, head of the Phantom Hunter Guild. Among these three, Mr. Clinton recognizes Carl and Lisa more than Park because he was only a B-rank hunter while the other two were S-rank and A-rank respectfully.

As a result of this, Park wanted to do everything he can to at least gain Mr. Clinton's recognition even if it was only once. 

But who knew that luck wasn't going to shine on him at the moment. 

"I'm sure that we are going to set our fingers on a C-rank hunter soon," Mikasa consoled him but the latter scoffed.

"Who would actually agree to work under a weak leader like me?" He asked with a heavy sigh. "You can leave, I want to be on my own."

Mikasa wanted to stay with him but seeing that he didn't want to be disturbed, she sighed and left. After she was gone, Park opened the drawer and pulled out an old photo from it.

He gazed at the figure in the photo and some tears threathened to gather in his eyes but he forced them back.

"I took an oath right before your grave that I am going to become the strongest hunter and will build a guild of my own..." He sighed sadly. "I was so optimistic about it before but now, I don't know what to think anymore. I am a failure, I couldn't even accomplish one task successfully. What do I do again?" He sighed once more and looked out of the window as he began to reminisce on the past.

----

[Today's Quest]

[Push-Up: 100 times — Complete 100/100]

[Sit-Up: 100 times — Complete 100/100]

[Running: 20km — Complete 20/20km]

[Drink a glass of blood every morning — Incomplet 0/1 glass]

"Ahh, damn it!" Benji grunted as he dropped to the ground. 

He had just finished completing all his daily quests except for the last one that left him still confused.

Staring at the last quest [Drink... Glass... Blood... Every morning], he mused. 'What does the system take me for? Did I turn to some kind of monster who feeds on blood or something?' 

"System, tell me. What will happen when I don't drink blood?"

[Your strength level will drop significantly]

"Hah!" Benji sighed. Knowing this now, he knew that he had to do something though the task was absurd... He could not imagine drinking blood.

"How do I view my status then?" He asked. He had not seen his status since he got the system, he needed to know if it is indeed a a good reward or not.

[Name: Benji Martin]

[Job: Player]

[Class: None]

[Level: 1]

[HP:100]

[MP:10]

[Strength: 10]

[Agility:10]

[Intelligence:10]

[Stamina:10]

[Perception: 10]

[SKILLS:]

[Dash Lvl:

Info: With this skill activated, your speed level increases by 20 percent.]

[Healing Lvl:

Info: When this skill is activated, health will be restored by 20 percent.]

[Rewards will be allocated to you after the last quest is completed. You have only 00:01:00 to get it done. Failure will attract a penalty]

Benji could not afford to get himself punished anymore, as such, he got up and left the house but before he did, he didn't forget to grab a dagger along. He didn't know why the system would ask him to drink a glass of blood daily but then, something in him propelled him to do so. 

'If really I am going to become strong, I don't mind doing anything the system tell me so.' 

As he walked down the street, it was approaching night so he thought that there should be lesser people around but then, there was a crowd of people gathered ahead of him.

Curious, he headed to the place and when he got there, he saw it — A D-rank gate.

"Everyone fall back! Do not cross the line!" A police officer yelled to the crowd of people. "Wait until the hunters arrive!"

As the man yelled frantically, Benji was thinking a different thing.

'This is heaven working in my favor.' He mused and walked toward the gate. Getting to the place, the police officer stopped him.

"Young man, you can't go over—"

"I am a hunter," Benji said and showed the man his hunter's ID.

Seeing it, the police officer bowed apologetically. "I am sorry, sir, please pass."

Benji nodded slightly and walked past the police officer. He went for the gate and went in.

As he walked inside the dungeon, he was greeted by a a green Goblin.

[D-rank Goblin]

[Defeat it]

Even without being told, Benji knew what to do.

"Time to taste my new found strength," he said and rushed toward the goblin monster. "Hiyaa!" He yelled as he slashed the monster but the goblin dodged and went behind him.

It flung its dagger at Benji who dodged only by hair's breadth.

"That was close!" He gasped and moved away from the goblin who came rushing in for another attack.

It raised its dagger, ready to slash Benji but he kicked it on the leg and then used that opportunity to land a blow on its jaw. Seeing it staggering backwards, Benji rushed and gave it a deep slash on the chest. 

The goblin cried and dropped dead on the ground.

[Task completed]

"Now, time for the main task," Benji mumbled as he gazed at the goblin's blood. Since blood was blood, there should be nothing wrong with drinking a monster's blood, right?' 

This was Benji's thought as he knelt down, ready to do what he ought to do.

"System, I don't have a glass here to measure the quantity so it is your duty to notify me when I should stop," he mumbled and placed his lips on the opened wound.

The moment the blood entered his mouth, Benji had expected to feel irritated, considering the fact that it was a monster's blood and also the fact that he has never tasted blood before but for some unknown reason, it tasted otherwise.

This got him drinking more and wanting more at the same time.

'What is this feeling?' He mused inwardly as he kept sucking the goblin's blood. He wasn't irritated one bit, instead, he felt stronger, better, and strangely satisfied. It was though he was eating his favorite meal.

[The remaining daily quest has been completed]

[Drink a glass of blood every morning—Complete 1/1 glass]

[Your rewards are as follows:]