Side・Raus
The magic taught to me by Yamato and Prim is truly easy to use, and its power is far beyond anything I’ve experienced before, so today’s hunt is going smoothly.
The fact that I can count on Yamato and Prim to help me if things get dangerous is also a big factor.
Of course, I know that relying on such feelings won’t lead to growth and will actually put me in danger, so they don’t intervene unless we’re truly in peril.
Earlier, Flam-nee-san checked the quest log and it seems we’ve already defeated 16 Lake Rabbits, 26 Blue Lake Bulls, 4 Skydive Sharks, and 19 Goblins today.
This is an incredible achievement, considering we usually don’t even hunt a third or a quarter of that amount.
However, most of the C-rank Blue Lake Bulls were defeated by Yamato and Prim, and we didn’t even get a chance to fight the S-R rank Skydive Sharks.
“Well then, shall we head back soon?”
“Yes. I think we’ve hunted enough to get accustomed to our weapons, and there’s something that’s been bothering me.”
The “something bothering me” is undoubtedly about the Skydive Sharks.
Skydive Sharks, being a rare species of Blue Shark, are concerning, especially since we hunted seven of them.
We haven’t seen a single regular Blue Shark, and they’re usually very rare monsters. Of course, that applies to their rare species too.
Yet, we were attacked by seven of them in such a short period, it makes me wonder if something is going on.
Come to think of it, there are rumors in Feel that Yamato and Prim have been hunting a large number of An, could it be that An are also appearing among the Blue Sharks?
“You think An are appearing among the Blue Sharks, is that it?”
“It’s not so much that they’re appearing as they are emerging.”
He says it with almost complete certainty, but I still find it hard to believe that An have appeared.
Perhaps there’s a large Mana Reservoir nearby?
It’s said that monsters in Mana Reservoirs either evolve into An or give birth to them, and the increase in rare species is also a precursor to the appearance of An. It makes sense that Yamato would consider the possibility of an An Blue Shark, the Devil Megalodon, to be present.
“Fortunately, there have been no casualties among the fishermen, and there are no sightings. Blue Sharks generally live in the deep parts of Veil Lake and are known to be docile, so I’ve never heard of any requests to hunt them.”
“They’re difficult to hunt, and their materials are apparently not very useful. Since their meat is inedible, I doubt any Hunter would bother unless there was a request.”
Indeed, Blue Sharks are C-rank, but that’s likely due to their large size, which occasionally injures fishermen. They’re about two meters long, right?
But the rare species, the Skydive Shark, is nearly five meters long and is a formidable monster capable of swimming through the sky. We have to be wary of both the water and the air. They become helpless if they fall to land, but it’s incredibly difficult to make them fall.
And then there’s the An, the Devil Megalodon. Despite its nearly ten-meter-long body, it swims freely through water and air with a speed greater than that of a Skydive Shark. It’s a water demon.
It’s sunny today, but it would have been the worst if it were raining. They use rain for long-distance travel and, as their name suggests, they can manipulate water. I definitely don’t want to encounter one in the rain. In fact, as an An, with ranks ranging from G to I, I wouldn’t want to meet one even on a clear day.
“Speaking of which, what kind of An did you two defeat?”
“Ah, I want to know too.”
I’ve heard rumors, but I’ve never asked directly. I wanted to take this opportunity to find out.
“Black Fenrir, two Green Fangs, Goblin Queen, Evil Drake, Murder Bee, and a Cursed Treant.”
That’s more than the rumors said! And there were two Green Fangs?!
“Rumors are often exaggerated, but in your case, the rumors seem to be downplaying things…”
I agree with Flam-nee-san. Defeating five An and two Catastrophe Species in just a few days, and by only two people, is something even a Grand Hunter’s Master couldn’t do. Moreover, Yamato hadn’t even evolved into an Ancient Human then. I feel like he could defeat a Dragon now.
“I think so too. At least a P-rank Lesser Dragoon wouldn’t stand a chance against him.”
“Did you say something?”
“No, nothing at all. So, are we returning to Feel today to decide on the design and interior of the Beast Carriage?”
Rebecca really has guts. She seems to be thoroughly using her position as a stepsister, but that’s also a bit frightening.
“That’s right. However, we need to inform the Hunter’s Guild about the possibility of Devil Megalodons, and Yamato and I might be summoned by the Provincial Governor.”
“If that happens, I’ll go. We need to do something about the Beast Carriage soon, or we won’t be able to go on long trips.”
Even for day trips, many Hunters use Beast Carriages. They allow for faster travel and breaks, making the journey easier mentally. With foot travel, everyone has to maintain vigilance at all times, but with a Beast Carriage, we can take turns watching, allowing others to rest.
If we entered into a Familiar Contract, it would solve some of our problems, but the monsters available for purchase at ranches and similar places are expensive, and the daily feeding costs are also substantial. Yamato and Prim have a contract with Hippogriffs, but I hear they have quite a large food bill.
Jade and Fluorite, the Hippogriffs, are always by Yamato and Prim’s side. Jade occasionally dives into Veil Lake to catch fish, while Fluorite seems to be lazing around.
“It might be a good idea to enter into a Familiar Contract eventually, but first, I need to get stronger myself.”
Prim mentioned that when they established their contract, a Raid called Mad Viper targeted Jade and Fluorite for their rare materials, which apparently made Yamato furious. That’s why Yamato won’t permit a Familiar Contract until he can protect his Familiars, not just be protected by them. While no one would treat their Familiars as disposable or as shields, it’s undeniable that many people treat them as subordinates rather than companions. Yamato seems to dislike that.
“Well then, shall we head back…?”
“QUAAARGH!!”
There’s no point in staying here any longer. Just as Yamato was about to prompt our return, Jade let out a loud cry. Simultaneously, Yamato generated Multi Edge and Mirror Ring. What could possibly be happening?
“Jade, you stay with Flam and Fluorite and protect them well.”
“QUAK!”
Immediately after Yamato ordered Jade to guard us, a blue shadow lunged from Veil Lake. I believe it’s a Skydive Shark, but it’s much larger than the one Yamato and Prim defeated earlier. Could it be?!
“It’s bigger than the Skydive Sharks from earlier, so this must be the Devil Megalodon. Prim.”
“I know!”
Yamato stopped the Devil Megalodon, which charged with water swirling around it, using an Engraving Magic called N, and without any pause, Prim, clad in Extreme Flame Wing, pierced through the Devil Megalodon with her entire body. Did it end already?
“Prim, behind you!”
Just as I thought that, Flam-nee-san screamed. There, in front of her, was another Devil Megalodon. There was another one?!
Prim’s body is still airborne from the momentum of piercing the first Devil Megalodon. The second Devil Megalodon bared its fangs at the airborne Prim, attacking her with water bullets. Of course, Prim must have noticed, but she didn’t move or resist. Instead, she smirked. Even though the consumption of mana and stamina is severe, a Winged Tribe member should be able to evade it. Why isn’t she doing anything?!
“Eh?”
But in the next moment, the Devil Megalodon’s massive body recoiled violently, and it began to freeze haphazardly from its head to its tail, and even its fins.
“As expected, it’s convenient. If I refine it a bit more, I might be able to target specific individuals rather than hitting everything.”
“Targeting is better with Engraving Magic, but it requires Engraving Tools or Magical Tools. It feels like I’ve found a place where magic is superior to Engraving Magic for the first time.”
“That’s not true. Now that I can use magic, I realize that Engraving Magic also has its flaws and shortcomings.”
Yamato and Prim, who defeated two Devil Megalodons as if it were nothing, left me on the verge of a different kind of panic. Devil Megalodons are G-I rank monsters, possessing strength and mana equivalent to or exceeding that of P-rank monsters. Yet, they defeated two of them almost instantaneously. I saw it with my own eyes, but I still can’t believe it. Flam-nee-san and Rebecca are also stunned.
I never imagined that Blue Shark An, the Devil Megalodon, would actually exist, let alone that there would be two of them. I’ve never heard of multiple An appearing, except for the Green Fangs that Yamato and Prim defeated. Even when Catastrophe Species appear, multiple An don’t spawn. It was said that Catastrophe Species themselves evolved from An, so rumors of an incredibly powerful Mana Reservoir near Feel started to gain credibility.
“While I don’t know about myself, Yamato could fetch a high price.”
“No, since the Ice Spheres hit multiple locations, those parts might not be usable as materials. He might even be bought out for less than Prim’s.”
It’s true that weapons, armor, and magical items made from An materials sell for incredibly high prices. However, An are monsters that even G-rank Hunters can barely defeat with a Raid. Often, after they’re defeated, their materials are unusable. Yet, these two defeated them in an instant and still have the luxury of worrying about materials. It’s terrifying. I’ve never heard of such Hunters.
“Well then, let’s head back. I didn’t expect there to be two Devil Megalodons, but I’m glad we could defeat them before any casualties occurred.”
“Indeed. Considering Marina might have been a victim, being able to confirm their presence and hunt them simultaneously was fortunate. If they were rare species, we might worry if more still exist, but since they’re An, I think we can rest assured.”
I truly believe it’s a good thing that the fishermen in Feel and Prada Village were spared. It’s impossible to investigate An monsters in the water unless they reveal themselves, and their difficulty to defeat is high. We should be grateful to God for having Yamato and Prim, who could defeat them so easily. However, I never expected them to be defeated this easily. At this rate, Prim will likely evolve into an Ancient Foxy not long from now.
