WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Haruto
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the EX-Rank Pet Maker Hunters Obsess Over ◈
Chapter 62: Dharma Arts Organ
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“If it’s Russia, that’s where the Gate Break occurred.”
“That’s right. As you all know, it became famous when a massive structure suddenly rose there.”
Merfolk Island had surfaced in the North Sea off the United Kingdom, while a massive structure had suddenly appeared in Russia. It was reasonable to assume a Gate Break had occurred there as well.
Unlike the United Kingdom, however, Russia was controlling information, so no one knew exactly what was happening.
‘A Russian Tier 2 Apostle in Korea...?’
Tier 2 was likely an advanced unit that only Transcendents far ahead of the others could create.
‘In game terms, it’s the strongest unit available at this point. Why is it in Korea of all places?’
I knew Russian Hunters came to Korea to farm Treasure Island because Hunter Yoo Dusik would visit carrying artifacts by the armful instead of beef.
But at some point, Hunter Yoo Dusik stopped running into Russian Hunters, so I naturally assumed they had stopped farming in Korea...
‘They were still here? And there’s even a Tier 2?’
The Butcher crossed his arms and tilted his head, looking puzzled.
“Hmm... It’s surprising enough that there are other Tier 2 beings besides you people, but Korea...? Isn’t Treasure Island all the rage these days? Is there really a reason to send one there? If it’s Tier 2, wouldn’t there be more efficient ways to use it?”
“Not just Korea. It seems they have sent them to every nearby country, including Japan, China, and Mongolia.”
“What? Then can they mass-produce Tier 2 beings?”
The Gauntlet nodded.
“Our intelligence network believes so. That it’s possible to mass-produce Tier 2 beings like factory goods.”
“Wow... At that point, Russia is practically already under a Transcendent’s control.”
Of course, there would be vast differences even between Tier 2 beings.
What exactly was Tier 2, anyway?
To borrow Amon’s analogy, Tier 2 was like advancing from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. If mana was the first tech tree, then Tier 2 was the second tech tree, dealing with new energies derived from it.
For example, take the Emperor’s Mask in front of me.
[ Name 》 Valentina Dracomir Bathory ]
[ Race 》 Human ]
[ Awakened Rank 》 S-rank ]
[ Position 》 Spatial Domination Mage ]
[ Combat Tendencies 》 Prefers environments where large amounts of blood can be absorbed. Prefers to establish a front line through summons. Prefers to alter the battlefield environment to their advantage. ]
[ Areas for Improvement 》 Combat power drastically decreases in environments where Blood Qi cannot be secured. Possesses a body vulnerable to Divine Power. It would be advisable to prepare a means of replenishing Blood Qi at any time. ]
[ Talent 》 Extraordinary Mana Capacity, Extraordinary Mana Control, Extraordinary Mana Affinity, Exceptional Battlefield Command, Excellent Charisma ]
[ This Awakened has reached Tier 2 through Blood Qi. ]
So this person was a mage who used the Tier 2 resource called Blood Qi.
The weakness shown under Areas for Improvement was probably not an individual issue, but an unavoidable trait of fighting with Blood Qi as a resource.
Judging by the name, perhaps the real body was a woman. The Avatar looked like a sturdily built middle-aged man, though.
Unfortunately, the name alone did not tell me exactly where they were from. I had been keeping an eye on recent Gate and Hunter news, but I had never seen it even once.
At best, I could vaguely guess what region they came from.
The same went for the other masks here. None of them had made a name for themselves in the media.
Other than me, that was.
Anyway, would Russia’s Tier 2 be stronger than the Valentina in front of me? I didn’t think so.
They had simply become capable of mass-producing Tier 2 beings. That didn’t mean the quality was good.
The Butcher nodded.
“Interesting... Mass production of Tier 2... So, is that all?”
“That is all. We do not know their precise purpose.”
The Gauntlet’s information was interesting enough that no one objected.
“Then, next...”
Everyone turned toward the black-and-white twins.
The woman in white opened her mouth.
“...There are two Transcendent factions in China.”
The Butcher interrupted.
“I’m glad you can talk. That’s not all, right?”
“...One faction contracted with magical beasts in Sichuan Province, not humans.”
For a moment, the Butcher and the Gauntlet blinked as if they had misheard.
Then...
“Pwahahahaha!!! They sided with magical beasts instead of humans? What a ridiculous fellow.”
“This is not a matter to take lightly. China still has not resolved the Sichuan Province biohazard. They must have judged that the rampaging magical beasts possessed considerable potential as well. A magical-beast industrial complex where massive quantities of materials and mana cores had accumulated began mutating freely and evolving on its own. And if a Transcendent intervened directly...”
Slurp.
At the Gauntlet’s explanation, I unconsciously licked my lips.
“...Hm?”
The Butcher tilted his head, apparently having heard something.
The Gauntlet addressed the woman in white.
“I understand that there is a Transcendent siding with magical beasts. Surely that is not all?”
“...The other side is connected to China’s leadership.”
“Have they seized control of the leadership? A conventional approach.”
It would certainly be easier to win over those at the top and make them yours. A Transcendent could provide everything those in power wanted.
For example, an extended lifespan...
Or restored youth.
Sure enough, the woman in white made a shocking statement.
“...They are grinding up vulnerable people and turning them into elixir pills.”
“...What?”
“What?”
“...”
In an emotionless voice, White began telling a horrifying story.
“China’s human-trafficking rings are connected to the leadership... They subject people to special processing and lock them in oil drums... Then they stack them in enormous cauldrons and make elixir pills.”
The Butcher stammered.
“S-So you’re saying the Chinese authorities are grinding up and drinking their own citizens?”
“...They are culling people they do not need. There are too many people anyway.”
Silence fell over the meeting room.
‘My god...’
Were they locking their own citizens in cylindrical youth safe-housing units, turning them into elixir pills, and swallowing them?
Terrifying...
This time, the Gauntlet asked a question.
“I have something to ask. Is the Sword Princess, Cheon Rin, connected to the Chinese authorities?”
This time, the woman in the black mask spoke.
“Cheon Rin is probably considered independent~.”
Unlike White, Black used polite speech and sounded more cheerful.
Still, looking at her, I felt deeply uncomfortable.
‘That bitch is the craziest one here...’
When I entered, there had only been four people in the waiting room. But what about now?
The Emperor, the Butcher, the Gauntlet, me, Black, and White. Six people in total. Considering that I had been the last person to enter, there was one extra person here.
I broke out in a cold sweat as I looked at those twins... No, that crazy bitch playing two roles alone.
Anyone would naturally assume there were two people because there were two Avatars.
But that was not the case.
No matter whether I looked at Black or White, only one Customer Window appeared.
Considering the Customer Window’s capabilities, that bitch was probably...
Perhaps sensing my gaze, the white mask looked at me.
“...You’ve been making me uncomfortable for a while now.”
“Plague does look gloomy. No, more precisely, unsettling... It feels like I’m looking at a monster that thinks it’s human.”
Just as expected from the Butcher, a lunatic who spouted nonsense.
The real monster was right beside him. Did he not realize it?
The Emperor’s low voice filled the room.
“That completes one round. We will end things here today.”
“Huh? Doesn’t one more person need to go? These bitches are two people.”
“...No, this is enough. They are probably one... faction anyway.”
The Emperor seemed to have noticed something too.
As the master of this room, he had likely inferred something from the fact that the room’s headcount did not match the number of people visible.
“This first gathering has been sufficient. We will meet once every two weeks. Now that you all understand the rules, use your judgment and gather worthwhile information.”
Thus, the Apostles’ first Round Table Meeting came to an end.
“Then, Plague, if you’re alive, see you next time. Hahaha!”
“Plague, you said you were human, so I will believe that you possess a human heart.”
I watched their backs as they each left me with a parting word.
The Emperor departed without a word, and the twins also began walking away.
The twins’ Customer Window floated before my eyes.
[ Name 》 Li Xiaolin ]
[ Race 》 Human ]
[ Awakened Rank 》 S-rank ]
...
...
[ Areas for Improvement 》 Severe mental issues... ]
...
[ This Awakened has reached Tier 2 through Death Qi. ]
“Hmm... It was useful in its own way.”
I logged out of Masquerade.
* * *
The next day, I prepared to leave the country.
[ Where are you going? ]
“I’m leaving for Japan again.”
If I wanted to make use of the high-level information I had acquired in Masquerade, increasing my combat power immediately took priority.
The Russian Tier 2 being in Korea concerned me, and it seemed the major event, the Merfolk extermination operation, would begin soon.
I wanted to upgrade Yeon Harim and Baek Seola, both S-rank resources, for that day... But I had already used all my causality, so I would have to wait for Hunter Yoo Dusik and the other Hunters to farm...
All facilities at Ars Magna had been restored while I was in Korea, so I should fly over there to create an S-rank magical beast and dissect Amon’s corpse.
[ Researcher A Asagiri ]: Director, we’ve extracted all the information from Amon’s corpse. Beginning extraction preparations.
[ Me ]: k
Preparations to extract essence from Amon’s corpse and data collection were complete, so now it was time to absorb Amon’s essence.
That was how I arrived at my Hermes Research Institute.
The essence extraction went smoothly thanks to the excellent facilities.
Then Amon’s essence appeared before me.
“The time has finally come.”
The Wakppu Jelly Dog gazed up at the gray essence glowing brilliantly.
[ ... ]
“What do you think, Amon? This is your essence.”
“Pant, pant...”
[ So what will you do with it? Create a new magical beast? ]
Creating a magical beast as Amon suggested would be fine, but I intended to take its essence for myself.
When I reached out, my fingers split apart. Blood extended like tentacles and wrapped around the essence.
Amon’s eyes went round.
[ This is...? ]
“The Essence Devourer trait.”
[ Model Name 》 Ouroboros Core ]
[ Mana Core Rank 》 A+ ]
[ Lifespan 》 ?? years ]
[ Traits 》 Essence Devourer (S+), Ring of Circulation (A+), Fusion Parasite (A+), Molting (A+), Free Transformation (A), Dormancy (B+), Hunger (B) ]
This was essentially the most important trait of the Ouroboros Core implanted in my body.
Devouring essence and evolving on its own.
In effect, I had the only magical beast in the world with an evolutionary trait inside my body.
Of course, that didn’t mean I could devour any essence indiscriminately. Clashing properties could produce adverse effects, so I had to carefully fill each slot one at a time.
It was important to find the optimal arrangement while taking my vessel’s capacity into account.
Much like creating magical beasts.
Still, most essences circulated within me and stabilized thanks to the Ring of Circulation trait.
As Amon’s essence was absorbed, the Ouroboros Core inside me became excited and began to thrash.
Clatter. Clatter.
The sound of a rattling subway train echoed from inside my body.
Along with the sensation of my organs twisting, extreme pain and dizziness assaulted me.
Thud.
I dropped to my knees and clutched my chest.
Ignoring pain was not difficult with my current body, but I deliberately left my sense of pain open and observed my body so I could feel its changes.
“Huff... Huff...”
Lick. Lick. Lick. Lick.
Thanks to Haengbok vigorously licking my cheek, I somehow endured.
“Ghh...”
“Pant, pant...”
[ ... ]
Crrrack. Crrrack.
Something was forming inside me as my body twisted.
After enduring on my knees for roughly thirty minutes, things gradually began to stabilize.
“Huff... Huff...”
“Pant... Pant...”
[ Model Name 》 Ouroboros Core ]
[ Mana Core Rank 》 S ]
[ Dharma Arts Organ Rank 》 S ]
[ Lifespan 》 ?? years ]
[ Traits 》 Essence Devourer (S+), Ring of Circulation (A+), Fusion Parasite (A+), Molting (A+), Free Transformation (A), Dormancy (B+), Hunger (B) ]
[ This magical beast has reached the realm of a Spirit Beast. ]
“I did it... Hehehe...”
The magical beast implanted in my body had reached Tier 2, and like Rodin, I now had something called a Dharma Arts Organ.
Skeleton Jelly Dog Amon was horrified by the sight.
[ ...This is impossible...!! How can a Dharma Arts Organ exist inside a human body...!!! ]
Grab.
Creak. Squish. Squish.
I grabbed Amon by the skull and kneaded it wildly as I spoke.
“But what are Dharma Arts? Are they different from magic?”
[ ...You do not know? They are something like magic’s relative. The greatest difference is that Dharma Arts require a Dharma Arts Organ inside the body. ]
“Dharma Arts!”
[ Humans do not use Dharma Arts. They cannot create Dharma Arts Organs within their bodies. ]
“But I have a Dharma Arts Organ.”
[ That is because you are not a pure human. Look at the state of your body. ]
“I’m human, though?”
[ I’m saying humans normally can’t use Dharma Arts... Yoo Hyun, this conversation is never going to end. ]
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading today too!!!
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