Shinka no Mi

Chapter 181: Fish

We, who were recommended to fish in the lake by the restaurant employee, after buying each of our favorite fishing rod at a fishing tackle shop, have arrived at the lake which is our destination.

The lake is not as big as Lake Biwa on earth, and it was big enough which can be overlooked, but it looks beautiful without any trash, that you often see on earth. (Note: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Biwa)

The water isn’t transparent, but I’ve heard that crystal clear water isn’t actually nutritious, and in this case, it’s good enough that it looks a little muddy. I don’t really understand, though.

Anyway, according to employee-san, there is a possibility that monsters will appear along the way, but we were lucky enough not to encounter them.

Well, it’s one of the tourist destinations, and adventurers may have been moving on a daily basis to ensure the safety of the surrounding area here.

However……

“There are no people.”

“Indeed.”

It was nice to have arrived to the lake, but we couldn’t see anyone besides us.

“Hmm…… even if there were no tourists, I thought there were would be people in this place that’s living in Southern.”

“Isn’t that like, impossible? It’s seems that they were dying to demand for the 『Heaven Powder』 that we carried.”

“……They were.”

Al’s words, made me involuntarily convinced.

Normally, there would have been people here, but limited at this time of season, I think everyone has a choice between desperately seeking the 『Heaven Powder』 and their normal work.

“Ah! What is that?”

“Nn?”

When I was looking at the lake, Zora suddenly pointed to something.

“Ah, that. That’s a boat.”

“It’s floating on the lake, but what does it do?”

“You ride on top of it, and you can move on the water. You use an oar, a stick use for rowing.”

“There is such a vehicle, isn’t it.”

For Zora, who has lived in the dungeon, everything she sees on top of ground must be fresh.

Her eyes were sparkling like the like which is reflecting light.

“Even so, I wonder if we can rent a boat. Moreover, it’s unmanned ……”

As I look closely, there is a signboard and something like a collection box in the place where the boat is stationed, and those who want to use a boat, will have to put money in that collection box.

In Japan, there are many places where they put unattended money, such as unmanned vegetable sales places, and offering boxes at shrines, but I never thought I would see it in such a different world.

That’s because, the security in this world is so bad that it cannot be compared with Earth.

Some of them are thieves, some are monsters.

I wouldn’t normally think of doing unmanned selling, in such a world, but……

“I wonder if it’s established here.”

“Well, this is a special place. That’s about the same as the royal capital.”

To my mutter, Al said so. Well, it’s good to have good public order.

When I was involuntarily impressed, Rurune who had been fidgeting for some time now, pulled the hem of my clothes as if she couldn’t bear it any longer.

“Mi,milord……”

“Nn? What’s wrong?”

When I turn my face to Rurune, Rurune with her eyes moistened looks up at me in a pitiful manner.

“That’s, I want to catch and eat fish as soon as possible ……”

“You just ate lunch, you idiot!?”

Even though it’s been less than an hour since she ate at the restaurant, Rurune says so. What’s going on with this guy’s stomach?

Olga-chan opened her mouth when she was surprised and dumbfounded by Rurune’s remarks.

“……I don’t agree with Glutton’s opinion, but I also want to fish.”

“Surely, we didn’t come here to talk. Look, let’s do it right away, shall we?”

“I agree.”

Prompted by Al, we each started preparing.

The fishing tackle shop handled a wide range of fishing rods, from the poor ones which is just wooden sticks attached with threads and needles, to the latest fishing rods that has assist function for which I don’t know how they were made.

It seems that the assist function is fixed to the power of the magic tool, and the fishing rod was uselessly expensive. Anyway, it’s five gold coins. You can even stay in the hotel that we’re staying in with it.

However, I do not want such a state-of-the-art fishing rod, and I wish I could leisurely do fishing normally, so I bought a fishing rod made up of decent materials. Or rather, everyone bought the same thing.

The structure of the rod is no different from the fishing rod that I often saw on earth, but it seems that the material itself uses a mysterious mineral called 【Bamboo stone】 which is not found on earth.

It’s a material that doesn’t break easily even when too much load is applied, so it’s good, and is perfect for fishing rods. If this mysterious material is on earth, it seems to be useful in various places. I can’t think of anything I can do with it, though.

The bait that was also sold to us is the standard earthworms, but to tell the truth, the bait recommended by the employee-san at the fishing tackle shop was sold to us half forcibly.

As for the bait, it was said that it exerts the strongest bite that is incomparable to earthworms and insects, but ……

I didn’t have the time to complain because the accounting was done in a short time flow without even me checking the contents, but is that all right? Well, it’s a shop that the hotel employee-san taught me, and I don’t think that she’s going to push something weird.

I immediately took out the bait that I put in the item box, and activated 『Advanced Appraisal』.

【Heaven Powder Paste Fishing Bait 】

“Oiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!?”

That powder appeared even if we came here!? How far can you use that powder!?

Is this town seriously pickled with fish!? No, it’s actually of condiment!

I was trembling by the paste bait I had in my hand, but I immediately realized that she was there, and I hurriedly turned my gaze towards Rurune.

“Nn? What? This bait. It smells strangely delicious, but……”

“Stooooooooooooooooooop!”

“Mi,milord!?”

Rurune, as I expected, put her nose close to the paste bait, and was trying to smell its scent and eat it. I won’t let her off my eyes or give her a chance!

“Ru,Rurune! As expected, you should consider eating fish bait!?”

“Bu,but Milord. This bait smells very good ……”

“If you eat this, we can’t to catch fish, you know? If that happens, we won’t be able to eat the river fish that you were looking forward to, but are you okay with that?”

“Tha,that’ll be a problem!”

Rurune who received my words, was staring at the bait with some regret, but eventually, she seemed to have given up and began to attach it to the hook. Sa,safe……!

Safely, as I finished checking how Rurune hung the fishing line on the lake, I turned my attention to the paste bait I had.

……This, is it okay to use? I won’t catch humans by mistake, right?

When I was really worried about that town, Saria, who had begun fishing a little earlier, rushed over to me.

“Seiichi! Look, look!”

“Nn?”

“Tadah! I caught a big fish!”

“Oh! Amazing!”

In Saria’s hand, was a magnificent fish with dazzling silver scales.

According to the results of my appraisal, it seems to be a fish unique to another world called 【Quake】, and is a fish that can be eaten normally in the city.

If there’s one point I’m curious about, its …….

『Kukekekekekeke』

No matter how you look at it, the eyes of the fish are not good!? I can even hear strange sounds from it! I mean, do fish even cry!? Normally!

The appearance of the fish, which has nothing to Tsukkomi with, made me increasingly uneasy about the paste bait that is in my hand.

However, base on the results of my appraisal, this won’t appear to harm our bodies if this fish is eaten with the effect of the paste bait. The fish is so insane that I can’t believe it!

Because this fish with distinctive eyes that was staring at me, has its black eyes half up as if it was drowning in pleasure at first glance, and I can even see something like a drool from its mouth. I don’t know what that means.

Saria continues smiling as she greatly pulls on the fish.

“Fishing is fun! It’s faster for me to catch it with my bare hands like when I was in the woods, but this is interesting!”

When she told me that, as I was in the 【Forest of Endless Love and Sorrow】, I suddenly remembered that Saria was catching fishes for me with her bare hands.

As I thought, it would be easier for Saria to catch it with her bare hands. It doesn’t feel strange for her to catch it with her bare hands when she’s in her Goria form, but …… if the current Saria catches a fish with her bare hands, the picture of it will look very surreal.

“But, Al is more amazing!”

“Eh?”

“See, that!”

When I turned my gaze at the direction Saria pointed, I saw Al’s figure fishing.

However, it looked different from the fishing that I knew.

That’s because――――

“This guy is also big. Well then, let’s go for another…… wait, I’ve already caught one……”

When Al hung down her line, the fish already bit it and was caught at that moment. It was exactly biting at every cast.

When I was staring at the scene while being stunned, Al, who noticed my gaze, turned a confused expression to me.

“Hey, Seiichi. I’ve been able to catch pompon fish since a while ago, but…… is this normal?” (TN: Pompon fish = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompom_(goldfish)#:~:text=Pompoms%20or%20pompon%20or%20hana,each%20side%20of%20the%20head.)

“N,no, I don’t think that’s the case, but……”

“Right…… what’s going on?”

Al was tilting his head, but somehow, I thought of the reason.

Before I met her, Al had a second name called 『Disaster』, and was unlucky.

Al couldn’t move freely from the royal capital, Terviel, because of her bad luck which affected her surroundings.

I don’t know the details, but it seems that an adventurer that Al knows has erected a barrier to Terviel, and it was said that her bad luck was suppressed in Terviel because of it.

In fact, due to the effect of her title, Al’s luck number on her status was even negative.

However, due to the effect of the item I obtained by defeating Treasure Box which I encountered in the dungeon of the Black Dragon God, the effect of her title got canceled, and her bad luck so far disappeared like a lie, and she got a ridiculous amount of luck.

Moreover, that was a story before she went around various dungeons with me.

Now Al, is called a 『Transcendental』, who was over level 500, so I don’t know how much her luck status has grown.

That’s why it’s no wonder that her current state of biting at every cast is like that, but……

“Gununu …… fishing! Why fishiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!”

“……Glutton, noisy.”

“A, ahaha …… ah, the line is being pulled!”

“……Nn. Then raise the rod.”

Next to Al’s peerless fishing which was unfolding, Rurune is just in a not catching anything state. What the opposite ……

On the other hand, Olga-chan and Zora, who are fishing in pair besides Rurune, were catching a moderate amount of fish in a heartwarming state that is relaxing to watch, and were enjoying themselves. Above all, both of them seem to be having fun.

While I was looking at everyone, Saria tilts her head.

“Why are you not doing it too Seiichi?”

“Nn? No, I’m thinking about doing it soon.”

“Is that so! Is it’s Seiichi, then it seems that you’ll be able to catch something amazing!”

“No, I wonder about that.”

At any rate, my status hasn’t come back yet, so I don’t have luck or anything. What really is going on with it? Should I apply for a search?

For the present, I’m worried about the paste bait, but if I care about it forever, I can’t do anything, so I by no means started fishing.

Once I dangle the line, a special conflict may have appeared in me from there, but…… No, I can’t look at the fishes with those eyes.

When I was enjoying leisurely fishing while staring at the surface of the water, the float on my hanging line sank.

“Oh, something took it.”

I lifted the rod lightly when the float sank.

Doppaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

““““““……………………””””””

It was, a gigantic fish.

It’s as slim as a dragon, thick, and covered with large silver scales.

Its face is like a dragon, no, a crocodile? Shark? Anyway, it has a huge mouth full of heinous teeth.

By all means, I swung up the rod in front of the fish, which was bigger than the lake, and it was thrown into the air because I swung the rod upwards. Rather than that, the eyes of the fish I swung up were also dots. It has a face, as if it never thought that I would be able could catch it.

Although I was stunned, I just activated 『Advanced appraisal』.

【True Bahamut Lv: 10000】

Bahamuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut!? (TN: It finally appeared!?)

What’s more, it’s 『True, 『True』!

But on the contrary, I was convinced.

Because no matter how I look at it, it’s bigger than the lake! Where did that body fit in it!?

Besides, its level is strange no matter how I look at it! If this is a game, it’s not a back-boss class, let alone a last boss anymore!? Why is it in such a lake!? Far from being heroes, there are only addicts of a dangerous powder around here!?

I mean, I was thinking that the one who pulled my line at that time was just a small-fish class fish by all means!? At least it’s not a caught fish that’s bigger than the lake!

It didn’t particular feel like I hit a big one, but I caught it normally, did I? Since I was able to catch it without any resistance!?

A’re? Was it easy to catch it because my strength was strange!?

There are various things I like to tsukkomi.

But let me say one thing first……!

“You are, a freshwater fish!?”

“It’s strange that you touched that point!?”

Al tsukkomi my tsukkomi. (TN: A double tsukkomi!? What the heck!?)

No, Al-san. Rather than saying that, for me, Bahamut is a fish which was entrusted a position like a last boss in a game, and I can’t think of it being in a lake.

It has that atmosphere which it seems to be in the depths of the sea. I admit I was being biased, though.

The True Bahamut still can’t seem to believe that it was caught by me. What, it’s really true huh……

When I looked up at the Bahamut, who was dumbfounded in the air, a kick pierced on such Bahamut’s face!?

“Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut!”

“Gugiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”

Rurune’s kick, easily blew off the super-enormous Bahamut.

However, Rurune did not even permit such Bahamut to fall at the place where it was blown away, and when she came ahead at the place where the Bahamut was being blown away in an instant, she hit it with a kick again.

“I’ll! You! Eat! For this day…….! I’ve been waitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!”

“Gya!? Guge!? Gugo!? Gugyu!? Gugegegegegegegegegegegegegegegegegegegegege!”

Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick!

Rurune was, continuing to release kicks already with raging momentum.

“It’ll be my…… fooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood!”

“Gugueraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?”

Finally, when she hit a powerful blow to the Bahamut, Bahamut was slammed into the lake again.

A tremendous amount of water splashes, and we are covered with water from the top of our heads as if we were exposed to a heavy rain.

And when the water droplets settled down, a completely KOed Bahamut emerged pitifully in the lake.

“Rurune-chan, is amazing”

『……』

Despite getting wet, Saria carefreely said such a thing.

Then, Rurune came back with a proud look.

“Now then, Milord. I finally did it! It’s our long-wish Bahamut!”

“……”

“Milord?”

“……Rurune, will have no dinner.”

“Miloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooord!?”

To my ruthless words, Rurune screamed.

No, we who got wet …… were not fine, but still good.

However.

“Rurune, look around?”

“Fue?”

Even at the time I caught the Bahamut, there were certainly ridiculous splashes of water, but the boat floating on the lake was still safe, and it had no effect on the surrounding trees.

However, when Rurune slammed it into the lake again, the boat floating on the lake got smashed, and the surroundings were in a mess.

What are we gonna do with this?

“…… Glutton, as expected.”

“E,etto…… Kushun!”

“…… Zora-oneechan, are you okay?”

“Ye,yes. It was so sudden, so perhaps my body got a little cold ……”

“…… As I thought, the glutton is no good.”

“No, no good!?”

With those words from Olga-chan, who is quietly angry, Rurune opened her eyes even further.

“Ah…… I don’t care about Rurune’s treatment from now on.”

“You won’t care!?”

It seems that Rurune have been stabbed by Al’s words at the end, and her movement stopped.

“More than that, what are we going to do with this situation.”

“Well, if you think about the boats normally, it would be a compensation……”

“The boat is still good. What are we going to do to the surroundings here……”

In the aftermath of Rurune’s kicking, the trees became disordered, and even the surrounding soil was in a disaster.

“Haa…… For the time being, let’s do something with this using magic.”

“You can?”

“Well …… when I threw the soldiers of the Kaizer Empire into the sea in the Valsha Empire, I’ve returned the trees in the empty spot using magic, so it’s alright.”

“First of all, you noticed that that precedent has greatly blown away, right?”

No problem. I’m aware of it. At that time, I did that with a lot of momentum, so now it’s part of my black history!

As I left Rurune, who turned white as if she had turned into ashes, I collected the Bahamut for the time being, and while restoring the surrounding environment with magic as much as possible, we returned to the city to apologize, including for the boat.