Manowa - Chapter 393

「So this is a rank S attack?」

Vokka of the party『Meteor Rain』muttered while looking at the scene after the battle.

Seeing them literally turn into minced meat before his eyes made it easy to imagine just how powerful that bombardment some time ago was. To sum it up in one word, it was tremendous.

That moment when the three lined up Brutuzas were stopped by the power of Han Mock’s party. Vokka’s arrows had certainly hit the Brutuzas and caused damage. He thought they had been critical hits. Emily’s arrows had been supported by the performance of her weapon, but Vokka hadn’t lost to that power. The Thunder God Spears from Yumika and the others had been strengthened even more due to the power of their weapons. There was no doubt that against ordinary monster opponents, all of those would have had deadly power. However, Jinrai’s firepower had been at a completely different level.

Remembering that thunderous roar and its destructive power, Vokka involuntarily shuddered.

「Haa, when I think about it, it feels like I’ve lost against that.」

Vokka muttered while scratching his head.

Rank A was essentially the highest adventurer rank. It was said that to go above that, one had to acquire something that shouldn’t be possible by human power.

Vokka had witnessed a fragment of what that meant for the first time. But this young adventurer was neither convinced nor satisfied with that. He was delighted that his goal had been set, and thinking (I’ll get there someday…), he nodded and returned to the other members. The Brutuza material collection wasn’t finished yet. When their remains were scattered across the ground like that, it took more time.

And right now, the most important material they were collecting from the Brutuzas were the shield-like skeletal structures on their heads. As the Brutuzas actually showed, they were incredibly sturdy, with the ability to repel physical attacks and disperse magical power. Although it wasn’t to the degree of the Magic Killing sword Naoki possessed, shields and armor made from them could significantly reduce the harm from magical attacks. Han Mock and the other shield users of『Shield Birth』planned to have shields made from it, so they were particularly eager.

By the way, the defensive power of the Brutuzas wasn’t only due to that skeletal structure; they also had a defensive Skill that activated on contact. Its name was『Aegis Shield』; Kazane already had it, so she didn’t obtain a Skill this time. Kazane was confused when she looked at her Skill Window and saw that nothing was added, but that was the reason why.

Also, a Saurus monster like a Brutuza didn’t have an inorganic Core like the『Dragon Heart』a dragon possessed, but an organic Core in their chest. An organic Core immediately decomposed when a monster died, so only inorganic Cores from monsters like dragons and Golems could be obtained as materials. The other materials that could be taken were their skin, meat, and bones; their bones possessed a certain degree of physical and magical resistance, so it seemed they sold for a reasonably good price.

For this time’s monster material share, the White Party had 2 creatures while the other parties received 1 apiece.

And the White Party’s share weren’t the Brutuzas that were torn to pieces by the shooting at the beginning, but the two that came out of the pit at the end. In particular, the Brutuza Tatsuo brought down was in almost perfect shape.

From the pitfall at the beginning to the killing at the end, everything involved with defeating those two were done by the White Party alone, so naturally, nobody had any complaints. Also, since that division meant each of the other parties got one head, which was the material with the highest value, everyone was coming away with a big harvest, so no problems arose.

「Nyaa」

「Naago」

And to the side of the material collecting, the two giant cats Yuuko-nee and Shippuu were eating Brutuza meat together. Jinrai was nodding as he watched them be satisfied. It seemed there were no physical changes, but their defensive power and magic resistance may have increased. In a place a little away, the Earth Dragon Marx was also eating Brutuza meat given to him by Han Mock. He also looked satisfied.

However, there was a space that didn’t have such a peaceful atmosphere.

『Mother, I will eat this meat!』

「What did you say!?」

Tatsuo was insistently crying Kuwaa, and standing in front of him, Kazane was feeling shaken. Up until now, Tatsuo had always meekly obeyed Kazane’s words, but just now, he said he wouldn’t obey what Kazane said.

『I will eat this Brutuza meat. This will be the first meat I eat!』

Tatsuo told Kazane.

As a matter of fact, it had been three months since Tatsuo was born. Ao told her that was the time when his magical body would finish transforming into stable matter. In other words, the time had finally come when Tatsuo, who had been fed Kazane’s Dragon Spirit up until now, could eat for himself. However, Kazane had been thoroughly discussing Tatsuo’s growth with Naga.

「But Tatsuo. I’ve been diligently consulting with Husband and thinking about your menu. Diligently, for Tatsuo’s growth. Ok?」

Kazane replied in a fluster. Tatsuo’s eyes were filled with his strong will as he replied.

『This alone I can’t concede, Mother. As a dragon, it’s not good to subsist on only things I’m given. I want the first bite I eat to be prey I hunted myself. That is my pride as the son of God Dragon Emperor Naga and God Dragon Empress Kazane!』

Tatsuo once again cried Kuwaa. Kazane was in tears after those words.

(What should I do? Tatsuo is in his rebellious phase. Ooh, what should I do. If I consult husband about)

As Kazane was about to fall even further into confusion, somebody’s hand was placed on her shoulder. Kazane jumped and looked to see who had placed their hand there, and Jinrai was there.

「Jinrai-san?」

Then Jinrai spoke to the teary-eyed Kazane.

「Kazane. Allow it. It seems Tatuso has been thinking about this the entire time we’ve been traveling here. Right, Tatsuo?」

After Jinrai spoke, Tatsuo nodded strongly.

『Yes, Shisou. I want to become a strong man who can protect Mother. The first step to that end is this Brutuza. By obtaining its power, I will protect Mother!』

When Tatsuo raised both arms and cried Kuwaa, Kazane wiped the tears that spilled from her eyes. Struck by that determination, Kazane nodded in agreement.

「Yeah. Understood. However, could you let me apportion the meat?」

After Kazane’s words, Tatsuo looked at Jinrai. As yet, Tatsuo couldn’t judge whether that was safe or out as a man among men. But Jinrai nodded. A young man leaving cooking filled with his mother’s love unfinished was preposterous. Contentedly accept your mother’s love, and let it become your flesh and blood! Jinrai appealed that with his eyes, and Tatsuo nodded.

Kazane smiled broadly when she saw that and took a knife made from a Black Rock Dragon fang out of her Item Box.

「Yeah. So then, wait. I’ll give you the finest dish!」

Then the material collecting knife made from the highest grade of material that Kazane took out responded to its master’s determination and started evolving into a different shape.

(Fufu, that’s so. You’ll help me out, right?)

Monster materials evolved together with their master. And what was born was the『Dragon Fang Food Cutting Katana』. Reflecting Kazane’s will, a blade that could transform into any shape and was compatible with any kind of ingredient was born here. Since it wasn’t for battle, it couldn’t cut anything except foodstuff. Furthermore, Kazane’s cooking ability was ordinary, and according to Yumika, a little careless. Wasteful.

And a change occurred in Kazane herself. As Kazane strained her eyes and looked for the decisive part of the Brutuza,『Ingredient Connoisseur』evolved to Lv3.

The ability was『Ingredient Stimulation』. Kazane ascertained the part with『Ingredient Connoisseur』, precisely cut out the Angel Ladder, the highest grade part, with the Food Cutting Katana, and put the meat on her palm. Through『Ingredient Connoisseur: Lv3』, that meat received Kazane’s love and was stimulated, making it start to glitter as if it were gold. Furthermore, Kazane took a round melon-like thing out and cut it together with the meat, then placed the food on Indestructible Tableware and served it to Tatsuo.

「Come now, eat up!」

Tatsuo cried Kuwaa after those words. Raw meat filled with his mother’s love and chunks of something unknown. Tatsuo immediately sank his teeth into that feast.

『This is Mother’s home cooking! It’s the best!! It’s delicious!!!』

And with tears falling down his face, Tatsuo ate.

The first meal in his life was meat cut up by his mother mixed with something unknown. It was raw meat, but Tatsuo was a dragon. Without worrying about that at all, he chewed and ate. The unknown something seemed to be crispy and delicious.

Jinrai nodded when he saw Tatsuo eating, but when he saw the mysterious addition, it was something he recognized.

「Kazane. That plant you served with it couldn’t be…?」

「Yeah. It’s a Dragon Eater Core. I consulted with Husband and decided to serve that first.」

A dragon’s greatest weakness and natural enemy was a Dragon Eater. To give him resistance, Naga and Kazane decided to feed Tatsuo a Dragon Eater Core at the outset. After becoming an adult, it was difficult to gain resistance by eating a Core, but juveniles were easier to influence. Naga and Kazane chose that ingredient because they wanted to eliminate that weakness as soon as possible.

「Well, there won’t be a proper balance if he only has meat without any vegetables.」

「Is that the problem?」

And when Tatsuo finished eating everything, he cried Kuwaa, and all the Black Flame equipment he was wearing as camouflage popped off. Kazane and Jinrai were surprised by that, and everyone else’s eyes turned to Kazane’s group.

And at the center was the figure of a shining dragon juvenile.

『Power is overflowing!!』

「Tatsuo, that appearance!?」

Kazane grasped that Tatsuo’s appearance had changed.

Tatsuo’s original almost transparent blue scales changed to become more prominently blue, and the crystal that formerly only covered his joints became like armor that covered his whole body. Furthermore, his two crystal horns grew thicker, and a third crystal horn that protruded forward also grew. Above all, the radiance emitted from his entire body was different from before. There was a more vivid rainbow light there.

It was proof that Tatsuo, whose appearance had been fixed since he was born, had finally started growing.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Summoning Fighter

Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King, Liberator, Guardian

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragon Eating Ogre Army Armor (True), Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, White Magic Accumulator (Revised) ×2, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring, Angel Bracelet

Level : 39

Health: 155+20

Magic Power: 363+520

Strength: 78+45

Agility: 80+39

Endurance: 44+20

Wisdom : 75

Dexterity : 53

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』『Rabbit Speed』『Flare Mirage』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Kick Decapitation Wave』『Warrior’s Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog’s Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv4』『Aegis Shield』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition: Lv2』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『High Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『Sturdier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Devil King’s Intimidation』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『Space Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur: Lv3』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』『Boost』『Monkey’s Strong Arm』『Two-sword Style』『Boobies Plus』『Living Armor』『Alarm』『Six-sword Style』『Mental Attack Complete Protection』『Spider Web』『Wire Cutter』『Flexible』『Magic Power Absorption』『Red Body Transformation』

Kazane: 「Ooh, son. You’ve gained a splendid appearance.」

Yumika: 「Seeing you, it sounds like a joke, but those are your honest feelings, aren’t they.」