WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Haruto
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the EX-Rank Pet Maker Hunters Obsess Over ◈
Chapter 79: Marine Magical Beasts
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[ Model Name 》 Jellykko MK-6 Tomato Juice Edition ]
[ Mana Core Rank 》 D+ ]
[ Lifespan 》 2 years 2 months ]
[ Traits 》 Blood Production (C+), Recovery Jelly (C+), Jelly Barrier (C+) ]
I had only been thinking about making a treatment and rescue Jellykko in case an emergency ever arose in the Jellykko special zone...
This time, I finally made one.
If someone was injured, it could protect them from outside attacks while wrapping them in jelly and healing them.
Being able to replenish blood during recovery was a bonus.
Of course, it could not heal someone perfectly. It was closer to first aid, so they would still need proper treatment afterward.
Still, this alone would exponentially raise survival rates in an emergency.
For reference, after asking Amon, I learned that blood normally produced by a living creature had ritual value if it met a few conditions.
‘In other words, blood made by a Jellykko can also be used as a resource for Blood Magic if the conditions are right.’
With that in mind, I altered Jellykko essence and succeeded in making a Jellykko for mass blood donation, with most of its jelly body capable of producing blood.
This Jellykko was probably more capable than the blood-storage magical beast the girl had originally requested.
For reference, the blood generated by a Jellykko had the same properties as the last blood it consumed.
“It absorbs blood through a slime’s feeding ability, then produces blood similar to what it absorbed.”
Of course, it was still unclear whether Jellykko blood could be used on an actual person.
Valentina... The Blood Jelly Dog that the girl who had not told me her name took was a prototype, so I had not been able to gather proper data.
“Tch... It was the first Jellykko to go beyond F-rank, and she just left.”
“Huff huff...”
Who would have thought she would leave without even hearing an explanation of the magical beast?
Still... she would come back eventually.
For the sake of its “ritual value,” blood production directly consumed the vitality of the Reverse-Vampire Blood Jelly Dog.
Put simply, producing blood rapidly shortened its mana core’s lifespan.
The more she used Blood Magic to draw blood from the Blood Jelly Dog, the faster its lifespan would decrease. To keep it alive, she would eventually have to return to me.
Honestly, that was not the arrangement I wanted. Getting involved with an Apostle like her carried more risks than benefits.
“But since I already gave her a Jellykko, I have no choice but to keep this relationship going.”
“Huff huff...”
[ By the way, what exactly are you cultivating? ]
Wakppu Jelly Dog Amon asked while looking at the enormous Incubator in front of me.
“Can’t you tell? Marine magical beasts.”
“Huff huff...”
[ ...This? ]
Amon gave me a suspicious look.
‘Well, they aren’t ordinary marine magical beasts.’
To be honest, I had never made marine magical beasts before.
I had some experience with turtles and amphibians while making EVO models, but I had no experience at all with fully marine creatures.
Why would I, who had been the owner of a tiny pet shop, make marine magical beasts with such limited versatility?
Because of that, I felt a little lost in this unfamiliar field.
I ran my hand over the Incubator’s glass.
“I have to make use of the Colossal Merfolk’s essence.”
“Huff huff...”
[ ... ]
An eye inside the Incubator flashed.
* * *
I had another reason for coming to Britain.
I wanted to investigate the EVO Series’ rapid evolution.
The EVO models had evolved at a rate far beyond their expected growth speed.
To uncover the secret behind that abnormal growth and learn the evolved forms’ detailed specs, I called in Cheonseong’s guild members...
They came to meet with me one by one.
“Director Yoo Hyun...!! Did you come all the way to this battlefield to provide aftercare...?”
Of course not.
Not knowing why I had really come, they looked at me with strangely touched expressions.
...There was no need to correct them by revealing my true purpose.
“Of course. You must have been startled when your magical beast pets evolved so rapidly.”
“Huff huff...!”
Even I, their creator, had been caught off guard. Their owners must have been even more surprised.
Anyway, I conducted brief interviews while their magical beasts were present.
A Cheonseong guild member who had chosen the amphibious Axolotl Model spoke while warily watching the magical beast that had turned into an anglerfish.
“So... why did our Lantern turn into a lantern anglerfish...? Did I name it wrong? ...Honestly, it’s way too scary.”
It had a developed glowing lure like a deep-sea anglerfish, along with a grotesquely enormous mouth.
It even had legs for moving on land. It looked like some monster out of the Classic of Mountains and Seas.
Its cry was creepy, too.
“Gk... Grrk... Grrrk...!”
“See?! Its cry is weird, too!! It keeps startling me awake at night!!”
That would certainly wake someone up.
It really was like a monster from a legend.
“...I’ll run a quick examination first.”
I checked the status window of the Axolotl Model that had become an anglerfish.
[ Model Name 》 EVO - Axolotl ]
[ Mana Core Rank 》 A ]
[ Lifespan 》 15 years ]
[ Traits 》 Deep-Sea Predator (A), Abyssal Anglerfish (A), Excellent Adaptability (B+), Regeneration (B) ]
‘It adapted all too well.’
According to the Cheonseong Hunter, the massive barrier that had appeared during the Merfolk Subjugation Operation felt like the deep sea inside.
In other words, this horrifying appearance was the result of adapting to that deep-sea environment.
“All its traits have developed in a direction better suited for the ocean.”
Deep-Sea Predator would provide a major advantage in marine environments, just as its name suggested. I did not know the exact details of Abyssal Anglerfish, but it was probably another trait beneficial in the deep sea.
The Cheonseong guild member nearly burst into tears.
“But... this is too much!! It didn’t change this drastically before the battle!!”
That was true.
Even considering the combat environment, such a sudden change was strange.
One possible variable was the special environment created by the Merfolk.
“Hmm... It seems the space created by the Merfolk had a particularly strong environmental effect.”
A barrier probably forcibly altered reality through mana. Perhaps EVO models were especially sensitive to that influence.
‘A barrier...? If I handle it well, I might be able to deliberately induce an evolution environment.’
“You’re saying it turned out like this because of that space those fish-headed bastards made? Our Lantern... It was already ugly enough, so what am I supposed to do now...?”
The Hunter looked at Lantern with pity.
Looking at the Hunter, I took out something I had prepared and placed it on the table.
“Take this with you. With changes this severe, most of the Essentium in its body has probably been used up. This is more optimized than what you received before. I can’t guarantee it, but... if it keeps evolving, its appearance might, um... improve.”
The Hunter’s eyes reddened while looking at the Essentium I had brought out.
“...Is this really okay?”
“Of course. Take it.”
The EVO models were evolving faster than expected, so I wanted to see their next evolution, too.
“Sniff... Thank you...!! I’ll... I’ll definitely raise our Lantern to be pretty...!!!”
I continued gathering data by examining various cases of evolved magical beasts.
[ Model Name 》 EVO - Salamander ]
[ Mana Core Rank 》 A ]
[ Lifespan 》 16 years ]
[ Traits 》 Sea Dragon’s Heart (A+), Dragon Scales (A+), Excellent Adaptability (B+) ]
“Congratulations. It has become dragonkin.”
“Gasp...!! Our Dooly became a dragon!!!”
“Grrr...”
Each evolved form probably had different factors behind its evolution.
“Did you do anything special for this one?”
“Well...? Nothing particularly special... I did watch a Jetflix movie with Dooly, though?”
“...I see.”
The problem was that I could not figure out what caused it.
[ Model Name 》 EVO - Terrapin ]
[ Mana Core Rank 》 A ]
[ Lifespan 》 17 years ]
[ Traits 》 Ultra-High-Pressure Water Cannon (A), Blessing of Water (A), Excellent Adaptability (B+) ]
“Hmm? This one grew very steadily. Aside from standing on two legs, that is. But you don’t look happy. Is there a problem?”
At a glance, it was an ordinary specimen that had evolved ideally.
“Well... There isn’t exactly a problem, but ever since it began walking on two legs, it keeps trying to pull a mask over its head. I was wondering if something was wrong.”
“...A mask? Hmm, it doesn’t seem like a serious problem.”
Anyway, I cultivated marine magical beasts while consulting with more than a hundred Hunters this way.
Foreign Hunters came by from time to time to request magical beast production, but naturally, I rejected every one of them.
Then, at last...
The day arrived.
[ George ] : Director Yoo Hyun. Are you prepared? Tomorrow, you must unveil the completed marine magical beasts.
“I’ve been ready for a while.”
“Huff huff...”
[ Will that really... No, forget it. ]
I loaded the completed magical beast, Incubator and all, onto a truck and took it to the North Sea coast Britain had reclaimed.
Then I released it there.
Splash!!!
[ Is it really okay to release it so casually? ]
“Don’t worry. I have a way to control it.”
“Huff huff...”
And the next day.
Magic Beast Alchemists gathered along the coast.
With the next operation close at hand, each of them was there to unveil the magical beasts they had made to escort ships.
They needed to know the magical beasts’ specs in order to devise the operation.
Those who appeared to be research institute directors stepped onto the platform one by one and presented their magical beast models.
“This is the masterpiece of our Neptune Research Institute...!! The Trident Model!!!”
At the presenter’s declaration, dozens of giant blue marlin-shaped magical beasts burst from the surface.
“Ha ha... They’re much faster than Merfolk in the water, and their spear-like jaws are sharper and deadlier than any blade!! Their training is already complete, so they can also follow simple operational commands!”
The explanation was brief, but these were no ordinary magical beasts. Moving in schools, they had the powerful penetrating force to literally pierce Merfolk beneath the water’s surface like a cavalry force on land.
They were breakthrough-type magical beasts that looked highly useful strategically.
They were well suited for this operation, which required breaking through the sea defended by the Merfolk.
Theodore, commander of the Merfolk Island Landing Operation, nodded in satisfaction.
“Excellent. Just as expected from Neptune Research Institute, which studies marine magical beasts.”
One by one, the research institutes presented their magical beasts...
At last, it was my turn.
Theodore looked over a document containing my basic information.
“You must be Director Yoo Hyun. Thank you very much for coming all this way. But... where is your magical beast...?”
Theodore looked confused because he could not see any equipment for holding a magical beast.
He looked at me as if wondering whether this East Asian man had run out of time and failed to prepare anything.
“I released my magical beast into the sea yesterday. The holding tank was too small, so it stopped growing.”
“You mean... you have already released a magical beast into these waters?”
“That’s right. Ah, don’t worry. My magical beast is firmly under control.”
I took out a magical beast in a small tank from inside my clothes.
The directors from the other research institutes whispered among themselves as they looked at it.
“...What is that?”
“It’s so small. Is it a little smaller than a fist...?”
“It looks like a magical beast, but it’s too far away to check its status window.”
Looking over the murmuring crowd, I spoke.
“Ah, don’t pay too much attention to it. It’s like the brain of the magical beast I released into the sea.”
“...What does that mean?”
Ignoring their questioning looks, I spread my arms wide and declared.
“Now, let me introduce it. The Charybdis Model!!”
As I spoke, the sea surface began to rise.
At the ominous sight, the expressions of the researchers, the observing Hunters, and Commander Theodore all grew worse.
Boom!!!!
Then, with a column of water erupting as though it had exploded, an enormous magical beast revealed itself.
Patter! Whooosh!!!
The exploding water poured down like rain.
Theodore spoke in a trembling voice.
“...My God, what is that...?”
Something even larger than a Colossal Merfolk had flashing eyes.
The researchers and observing Hunters alike were overwhelmed by its size and could not close their mouths.
Even Petite Cream, the YouTuber watching the demonstration from afar, had frozen.
“My God...”
[ Chat ]
- Fuck... What did he make this time...?
- Great Yoo Hyun
- Insane;;;
- What is with everyone suddenly going quiet? Hahahahahahahaha
- Think everyone got overwhelmed. My brain stopped for a second too;;;
- ...What the fuck is that;;;
- Don’t know what it is, but if the Merfolk are fucked, big upvote;;
- Big upvote;;;
- This can only be foreshadowing for a colossal Jellykko...
- Is Jellykko not the least of our concerns...? This is enough to rewrite the all-time magical beast size rankings??????
- Jellykko are absolutely the concern, you bastard!!! You could bounce around on a Jellykko’s belly!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Footnotes:
Dooly is the title character of Little Dinosaur Dooly, a popular Korean cartoon, making the pet’s transformation into a dragon humorous. Jetflix parodies Netflix. The Terrapin’s bipedal form and obsession with masks allude to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
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