WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Haruto
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the EX-Rank Pet Maker Hunters Obsess Over ◈
Chapter 85: Flash of Light
──────
Whoooosh!!
Kabooom!!!
Countless spears and spines fired at one another collided violently in midair.
Two opposing spaces unfolded as though their domains were locked in a contest of strength.
Overwhelming supernatural power beyond everything Hunters had known.
“Good God...!”
“What the hell are we looking at...?”
“Gasp...!!”
“Am I seeing things?”
But there was something even harder to believe.
In that warped world, a giant hedgehog and Cheon Sanha were flying atop an enormous spine.
Whoooosh!
Someone pointed at the absurd sight and shouted.
“Holy shit!!! It’s a sword-flying hedgehog that’s reached the realm of transformation!!!!”
“I never thought I’d see a hedgehog using sword arts in my lifetime...”
“This isn’t a martial arts novel!!!!”
“You fuckers!! Spears are coming our way too!!!! Stop watching and block them!!!!!”
The battlefield remained almost evenly matched.
However, no matter how powerful Haniki’s unique domain was, controlling every spine to intercept tens of thousands of spears was impossible.
Unlike the soul soldiers, which each possessed their own will, Haniki had to control the spines manually.
In a fight where both sides planted themselves in place like siege weapons and traded projectiles, Haniki was at a disadvantage.
That was why they chose spine flight.
“Haniki, keep driving!!”
“Chit chit...!!”
Riding atop a spine, Haniki and Cheon Sanha dodged the incoming spears while concentrating the domain’s firepower in one spot, striking the soul soldiers and reducing their numbers.
Kaboom!!
Aoorrgh!!
Aooooorrgh!!!
The Merfolk Spirit Forms struck by the spines shattered.
Destroyed Spirit Forms could not be restored.
If they permanently reduced the enemy forces like this, their offensive power would naturally decline as well.
Cheon Sanha instinctively realized that this miraculous Domain Expansion would not last long, so he focused on cutting down the enemy forces as much as possible.
“I’ll destroy every last soldier...!!”
“Chit chit...!!”
Cheon Sanha combined his swords back into a bow, pulled out one of Haniki’s spines, and fired it into an area dense with soldiers.
Fweee!
KABOOOOOM!!!!
Hundreds of Merfolk Spirit Forms shattered from a single blow.
The Merfolk Spirit Forms continuously threw spears wrapped in purple Demonic Energy, but the flying hedgehog Haniki nullified attacks by firing spines and dodged most of the rest with nimble movements.
Cheon Sanha deflected the attacks they could not avoid and continued tearing through the battlefield.
“Chit chit...!!”
“Haha!!”
The Merfolk King’s face twisted at those unbelievable evasive maneuvers.
It was like watching a flying cockroach.
[ ...This is impossible...!!! This should not be happening...!!! ]
The Merfolk King wanted to personally charge in and crush those insignificant creatures immediately, but for some reason, the Merfolk King could not move from that spot.
Perhaps it was because it looked as though Cheon Sanha had them completely pinned down.
The mood in the temple began to change as the hopeless situation, which had nearly become a total wipeout, shifted into an even contest.
The Hunters began joining in one by one.
“Attack the souls while the flying hedgehog draws aggro!!!”
“Target their forces!!!”
Most of the Merfolk King’s firepower was concentrated on Haniki and Cheon Sanha, creating an opening that the Hunters did not miss.
The ranged damage dealers began targeting the enemy forces instead of the Merfolk King, while the tanks and melee damage dealers blocked as many incoming spears as they could.
As the situation changed dramatically, the streamers picked up their cameras again.
“Whoa... Fuck, everyone!! Can you see the hedgehog’s Domain Expansion?”
[ Chat ]
- How can a magical beast deploy a domain...?
- I don’t fucking know;;
- What even is a Domain Expansion in the first place? How’s it different from the barriers those mage nerds use?
- Ah... You don’t know...? Neither do I...
- Don’t try to understand it. Just feel it.
- Cream bro... Didn’t you just cry your eyes out? How did you switch gears that fast?
- That’s what a professional streamer does.
- So what the hell is that magical beast...?
- A flying hedgehog...
- Yoo Hyun probably made it for him. Isn’t that obvious?
- When a land-based magical beast starts flying, things usually go to shit... Noted...
* * *
At the same time, in the laboratory.
Amon could not hide their shock as they watched the broadcast.
[ This is insane...!! A mere artificial life-form is using the ultimate principle of Tier 2...!! ]
Amon kept insisting it was impossible while stretching their face in disbelief.
“You’re an artificial life-form born from Haengbok’s poop too.”
“Pant, pant...”
Completely ignoring my remark, Amon began analyzing the phenomenon.
[ ...There is no way such an insignificant creature gained enlightenment. It must be the result of something you made. Power gained this way is surely highly volatile! ]
Which meant the Essentium enhancement was a one-time use.
Still, that was more than predictable.
“Well, that’s how Prototypes are.”
The special Essentium I had made stabilized itself as three different kinds of power rotated and interlocked within it.
It likely did more than stabilize them. It must have created some kind of output amplification effect, and that explosive energy was twisting the world based on Haniki’s mental image.
I explained my rough guess to Amon, and they nodded.
[ ...Hm. That is a sufficiently plausible interpretation. In the end, a Transcendent is a being that changes the world according to its will. ]
“I see... I get it now.”
“Pant, pant...”
[ What exactly do you get? ]
A way to reach a unique Tier 2...!
I grabbed Haengbok by the head and lifted them up.
“Jelly Dogs are the key to Tier 2.”
“Pant, pant...”
[ ......What the hell did this guy realize? ]
To put this realization into practice, those who had gone to Merfolk Island first needed to escape safely.
The battle on the screen was gradually reaching its end.
* * *
Boom!!
Aoooorrgh!!
Aorrgh!!
The soul forces were steadily being whittled down.
Unlike the spines, more soldiers could not be created.
Even the undead created by grinding up every Merfolk within the Gate were running out.
The soul forces, once numbering in the tens of thousands, had dwindled to only a few thousand, and their power could no longer compare to its initial momentum.
The soul soldiers made by consuming living Merfolk were more powerful than Merfolk confined to physical bodies, but they were being expended with shocking speed.
[ This cannot be happening...!! ]
...Even the plan to recover the losses by taking their flesh and souls, despite the risk of losing every soldier, was beginning to go wrong.
[ What in the world is that absurd magical beast?! ]
The Merfolk King angrily snatched a soldier’s spear and threw it.
BOOM!!!
The spear launched with the sound of the air exploding.
Ting! Ting! Ting!
It was incredibly fast and accurate, but its path was thrown off by the barrage of spines, barely missing Haniki.
“Chit chit...”
[ Damn it...!!! ]
The Merfolk King could not leave that position either, as the ritual concealing the Gate’s location had to be maintained.
‘I have to kill every human here!!’
They had to display overwhelming power and brutally slaughter every human here, so none of them would ever think of coming to Merfolk Island again!
Their forces had already been severely weakened after their plans had gone wrong several times.
If this state was exposed, other factions would launch further invasions.
‘If that happens, it’s over...!!’
The Great One would never forgive this kind of failure.
If the Merfolk King returned in defeat, their soul would be violated before they met a horrific end beyond imagination...!!!
[ That cannot happen.!!!!! ]
The Merfolk King began forcibly absorbing every surrounding soul.
Aorrgh!!!
Aorrgh!!!!
It was a forbidden practice that severely contaminated the soul, but they were no longer in a position to be selective.
The remaining thousands of souls were sucked into the Merfolk King.
[ It’s coming... It’s coming!!! ]
Their consciousness rose, and immense power filled them.
The jumbled consciousness of the Merfolk began encroaching on the surroundings.
[ Ugh... Uh... Uuuuh.... ]
Their voice began breaking apart, unable to form words.
At the same time, an unpleasant sensation, like several people speaking at once, rang through the Hunters’ minds.
“Fuck!!! That thing’s entering phase two!!!”
“Like hell it is!!!”
“Attack it!!!”
Countless projectiles, including Haniki’s spines, rained down on the Merfolk King, but most failed to land any meaningful blow.
It was as though a barrier of terrifying pressure surrounded the Merfolk King, and the rippling space somehow evoked the deepest depths of the sea.
[ Ugh■... Ah...■■.... ]
The monster, having forgotten language, flickered for an instant before vanishing.
BOOM!!!
At the same time, the tanks stationed at the front were literally smashed apart.
Chunks of flesh scattered everywhere.
“Gasp...”
“Huh...?”
Most of them were A-rank Hunters, yet they had not even sensed a warning.
Their senses became muddled by a dazed feeling, as though they had been submerged underwater.
[ Ugh... Uh... ■■... Ah...■■■. ]
The monster reappeared, clutching the remains of a tank, and looked at the Hunters.
To make matters worse, Haniki’s Domain Expansion came to an end.
“Chit... Chit...”
“Haniki!!”
Haniki collapsed on the spot, completely drained of strength.
Then... fear rose from the depths and began consuming everyone there.
“W-We’re fucked...”
“AAAAARGH!!!!”
“Run!!!!!”
Once the Hunters judged the enemy impossible to fight, they completely lost their will to battle.
Even the flying hedgehog that had used a Domain Expansion had run out of strength. There was no one left who could stop that monster.
But then...
“Huh...? Th-There!!! By the statue where that thing was earlier!!!”
A massive blue Gate shimmered into view.
The Merfolk King had moved away, releasing the ritual that concealed the Gate and exposing it.
“...But fuck, it’s not like we can ignore that bastard and make a run for it!?”
The problem was that trying to run while ignoring that monster’s unimaginable physical abilities was suicide.
As everyone stood frozen in place, red light suddenly rose beyond the temple’s outer wall.
Above a red circle that seemed to surround the temple, a red-eyed girl and the Blood Jellykko looked down at the temple.
Valentina formed hand seals and activated a spell.
[ Blood Prison Binding Chains ]
Beside her, the Blood Jelly Dog kept puffing out its cheeks and spraying blood.
Fwoooooosh!!!
A massive amount of blood poured down like rain, and red chains and shackles soon wrapped around the monster’s entire body, dragging it toward the ground.
[ ───■■■!!!! ]
Clang!! Clang!!!
The monster twisted its entire body, but these chains were a type of curse that could not be broken through brute strength alone.
“While it is unconscious, it will be unable to dispel the binding.”
“Pant... Pant, pant...”
Fwoooooosh!!!
The more blood the Reverse-Vampire Blood Jelly Dog spewed out, the more chains wrapped around the monster, until its body was completely covered.
Seeing it unable to move, the Hunters all began running toward the Gate.
“I don’t know what this is, but now’s our chance!!!”
“Ruuuun awaaay!!!!!!”
“Carry the injured and move!!!!!”
Clank!! Clank!!!
The Merfolk King struggled.
It seemed that the effects of the restraints had briefly restored their consciousness.
[ ......Kraaaah!!! This cannot be the end...!!! ]
Their body began bubbling violently.
“...What is it trying to do?”
“Pant...?”
Sensing something was wrong, Valentina was the last to leave through the Gate.
The final struggle of a being like that was bound to be extremely dangerous.
* * *
“All survivors rescued!!! Prepare to launch the ships!!!!”
“Run for the ships!!!”
“I’m never coming back to this damned island!!!”
As everyone headed toward the ships to escape Merfolk Island, a familiar voice rang out.
[ No one will escape from here!!! I will offer everything I have to summon the Great One’s shadow...!!!! KRAAAARGH!!!! ]
With that horrific death cry, Merfolk Island’s environment began changing dramatically.
Rumble!!!
The already stormy Merfolk Island grew darker as a raging tempest swept across it.
Rrrrumble!!!
Lightning struck, briefly revealing a massive shadow beyond the clouds.
Everyone stopped at that overwhelming presence, one that could not be ignored.
No... They had no choice but to stop.
Before their minds could comprehend it, their bodies began trembling.
“This is fucking it!!! It came!!!”
“AAAAAHHH!!!”
“Don’t look!!! Don’t look at it!! Just run!!!!!”
They desperately tried to run without looking at that being, but...
Fwoooosh!!!
A massive hand began descending through the clouds.
A gigantic hand wrapped in black mist.
It was so enormous that it could grasp all of Merfolk Island, and it gradually began blocking out the entire sky.
Thud.
One person after another collapsed under the shadow falling over their heads.
That being was something humanity could never endure, and they knew escape was impossible.
Valentina shouted.
“Do not give up yet!! That is only a shadow!!! If we land a strike that distorts its flow, it will disappear at once!!!! It is nothing but a mirage!!!!!”
But no one could listen to her.
“Ah... Ahh... This is my final broadcast. Thank you for everything, everyone.”
[ Chat ]
- ......Uh
- This is...
- ..........
- Even watching through a screen is making my body tremble
- Bro is giving his stream-ending remarks even now. A true professional... I’ll remember you...
- Isn’t this... too absurd?
- This makes no sense...
- Outer Gods really exist, fuck...
The huge hand slowly descended, trying to grip the entire island and erase it from this world.
The island began breaking apart from its edges...
Just as everyone accepted death.
Flash!!
Fwoosh!!!
───!!!!!
A single flash of light flew in from somewhere, piercing the massive hand and striking downward.
KABOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A hole opened in the hand, while one corner of the island where the flash struck was completely annihilated.
The light was so intense that the world brightened for an instant.
No, it had actually brightened.
The flash pierced the dark clouds, allowing sunlight to pour down.
───■■■.
The enormous shadow soon rippled and began disappearing as though it could no longer maintain its existence.
Everyone stared, entranced, toward the direction from which the light fell.
“...What the hell is that now?”
“We lived. That’s enough...”
“H-Hahaha...”
Beyond the clouds, where a massive hole had opened, Yeon Harim was flying atop a giant Thunder Bird.
She still held the pose of having thrown her spear.
[ Chat ]
- ????????????
- What... is that...?
- ......We survived this...?
- That’s Yeon Harim, fuck;;;
- Which means...
- Kim Cheongsik’s 58,756,147th death this season
- Ah... Aah......
- Cheon Sanha and Yeon Harim too, what the hell did you do to magical beasts, Yoo Hyun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- At this point, Jellykko definitely has some hidden capability too, fuck;;;
The Merfolk incident that swept across Britain had ended, leaving everything in turmoil.
But even more discussion began pouring out about Yoo Hyun’s magical beasts, which had played an enormous role in resolving this incident.
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