Chapter 17

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

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As cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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"Thank you for reporting the typo! You saved me!"

Among the materials needed to make the new armor for Nod, the materials from the giant snake and the venomous snake have been collected. The remaining materials are the scales of the water fish and the carapace of the fish dragon.

"Eh, I understand the water fish, but can you really collect the materials from the fish dragon?"

At the guild-adjacent tavern, Elsa, as usual, enjoyed her meal and alcohol and raised this question. Nod nodded, acknowledging that her doubt was valid.

The water fish is a monster that lives in the sea, literally a fish. It is as large as a human child, and its body is covered with hard scales. Its large mouth is filled with sharp, saw-like teeth. It is a fierce carnivorous fish, and once attacked in the sea, the damage is inevitable. However, this monster is also known for its delicious taste. Under the scales, there is thick, flavorful white meat with a texture that is elastic, almost like beef or pork. Despite this, it is not overly greasy, and a single fish provides a considerable amount of meat, making it an excellent catch. Therefore, during this season, many fishing boats set out from the southern port of the Hamil Kingdom to catch the fat water fish.

Nod planned to board one of these boats to collect the water fish scales. The water fish continue to struggle even after being caught on the boat, so adventurers are hired as combat personnel. The reward is average, but because the caught water fish are provided as rations, it is a popular request among beginners and intermediate adventurers.

Moreover, because the water fish are strong, they can also serve as temporary fishermen. As carnivorous fish, the water fish bite well and can be caught one after another, making them popular even as a leisure activity. Of course, being bitten on the boat can be painful, but the resistance they create when trying to escape is so strong that it can drag the fishing rod into the sea, making them a thrilling catch for anglers.

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"Alright, alright, I get it, you love fishing. But how are you going to get the materials from the fish dragon?"

Elsa's question was valid. Nod answered without hesitation.

"By fishing."

"But how are you going to defeat it after catching it?"

"Fishing for octopuses."

"???"

Elsa looked confused. Nod explained.

There is an octopus called the box octopus. It is a water-dwelling monster, about the size of an adult, but it is not very threatening. For adventurers like Nod and Elsa, who are at the stone level, defeating it is easy. The materials from the box octopus are not particularly useful, and its meat has a unique, elastic texture that is divisive as a food item. It is mostly enjoyed by food connoisseurs or eaten in fishing villages.

However, the box octopus is a popular catch among anglers, regardless of the purpose. The reason lies in the "box" in its name. The box octopus carries a "box" on its back, which serves as both armor to protect it from predators and a home. Inside this "box," which is large enough for an adult-sized octopus, various items from the ocean floor are collected. The octopus collects a variety of materials, but mostly hard objects like shells, pebbles, and fish bones. Occasionally, it picks up human items from sunken ships, such as coins, and there are even stories of gold bars being found.

Regarding the fish dragon, it has a life cycle where it sheds its tough scales as it grows. This has led to theories suggesting that fish dragons might actually be snakes, but Nod was not interested in that aspect (he was more interested in the fishing method).

The shed scales fall to the ocean floor and can get caught in fishing nets or end up in the homes of box octopuses. With a bit of luck, even lower-level adventurers can obtain these materials (though this is limited to anglers).

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"Wow, it's like a treasure chest."

Elsa, who seemed more interested now, said with a curious expression. As an adventurer, she found such topics intriguing.

Nod nodded deeply. Many people shared the same sentiment.

Now, the box octopus is known as the "treasure octopus."

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"I'm going too!"

Whether it's the water fish or the treasure octopus, the place to catch them is the sea. Therefore, Nod needed to travel to the southern port town of the Hamil Kingdom. Although the task was to collect materials, the activity was "fishing." Nod would be enthusiastic about participating, but he was unsure if Elsa, who seemed uninterested in fishing, would join him. However, Elsa was also interested in the treasure octopus and agreed to go along.

A few days later, the two accepted a guard request on their way to the port town.

"Thank you, adventurers."

The client was a young merchant heading out to buy goods for his trade. The cart was loaded with items intended for sale in the port town. Along with Nod and Elsa, two other adventurers boarded the cart for guard duty, making the cargo area quite cramped. The other two guards were also stone-level adventurers. The main road from the capital to the port town is well-maintained and regularly patrolled, so the guard fee was low. The actual reward, after deducting the travel expenses, was minimal, and under normal circumstances, it would be difficult to get such a request accepted. However, for adventurers like Nod, who were traveling to another town, the free ride was a significant advantage, making such guard requests common between major cities. Unless they were carrying expensive items, it was likely that the merchant was transporting everyday goods, as inferred from his age and appearance.

During the journey, as expected, they were not attacked by anyone. They spent their time watching the seemingly endless stone-paved road, the occasional passing carts, and pedestrians, while listening to the rhythmic sound of the wheels and the swaying of the cart.

Boredom is a more formidable enemy than non-existent attacks, as Elsa put it, and Nod agreed.

However, they finally arrived at the port town.

"The sea!"

"The sea!"

Greeted by the sea breeze, the two shared the same thought.

The port town was called Ers. Port Ers. The town was lined with buildings with a grand appearance. There were red brick buildings and houses with plastered walls. The roofs were flat, and many had laundry drying on them. The harbor was well-maintained, with large ships from various countries sailing in and out. At the tip of a peninsula-like cliff on the outskirts of the town, a large tower stood, likely a lighthouse.

"Well done, nothing happened."

They received the completion mark on the request from the client and headed to the adventurer's guild. Unlike regular requests, escort requests are paid out in the destination town, not the origin town.

The adventurer's guild in the port town was as large as the one in the capital, given the town's size. Unlike the capital, it was a stone building, possibly due to the exposure to sea breezes. Despite the different exterior, the guild's emblem was the same. Guided by the prominent sign, Nod and Elsa found the building and entered the guild.

The interior was slightly different from the capital's guild. The counter area was similar, but the tavern had a foreign atmosphere. The tavern was lively even in the early afternoon, and the dishes served were mostly unfamiliar, stimulating Nod's curiosity and appetite. Despite the temptation, Nod and Elsa completed the request report, divided the reward, and headed to the request board.

The requests on the board were unique to the port town, such as escorting trade ships and hunting sea beasts, reflecting the local characteristics.

"What kind of request will you take?"

Their goal was the treasure octopus, but there was a possibility of failure. To avoid a wasted trip, it was a good practice to take additional requests while pursuing their main goal. In response to Elsa's question, Nod reached for one of the request slips.

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The request Nod presented was for a fishing boat crew. It was a request from the fishing guild, asking for help as a crew member on a boat that catches water fish. The job involved fishing and fighting if the water fish attacked.

With Elsa's agreement, they accepted the request at the counter and were directed to the fishing guild for further instructions.

On the way to the designated location, they passed through the bustling town, where the enthusiastic calls of merchants could be heard. Shopkeepers were calling out to passersby.

"We have imported wine! Very popular abroad!" "Look at this sharpness, it's a famous sword from the far east!" "Miss, this hair accessory would suit you!"

Adventurers, merchants, and local housewives were purchasing items from the shops. The crowd was dense, and the noise was even more intense than in the capital. With the cacophony of voices from all directions, Nod and Elsa made their way through the stone-paved streets to the fishing guild.

The building they were directed to was likely the red brick structure visible from the outskirts of the town, with a sign depicting a fisherman pulling a net from a boat.

Inside, it was noisy, though not as much as the adventurer's guild. The noise might be a characteristic of people who live by the sea.

"We've accepted the request."

At the counter, the process began. According to the explanation, they would board the designated fishing boat, work as crew members, and return to the port the same day. They would receive a day's pay after completing the procedures here again. They were warned to be careful, as the reward would decrease if they failed to meet the quota. Any excess would be bought by the boat owner, essentially a commission system. Nod, who needed the water fish scales, was advised to negotiate for the excess. He also asked what would happen if they caught other fish, and was told they could keep them.

The quick response suggested that many adventurers participated for similar reasons.

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On the boat, Elsa excelled in both fishing and combat. Initially, she handled the bait tentatively, but quickly got the hang of it, reeling in water fish, dispatching them, and throwing them into the fish tank. The fish tank is a ship's facility for storing caught fish to prevent them from getting damaged, equipped with a magical device to keep them at a low temperature.

Elsa reeled in water fish at a pace that seemed like she had done it before. At this rate, they would easily meet the quota and even earn extra rewards. The other adventurers were amazed by her speed, and there might be something in common between handling a spear and a fishing rod.

On the other hand, Nod was reeling in fish at an even more astonishing pace. Having practiced fishing as much as swordsmanship since childhood, Nod's fishing skills were already at an expert level.

He cast his line and got a bite within five seconds. With a refined, efficient motion, he reeled in the water fish. Despite the unstable footing on the boat, he skillfully wielded his sword to finish off the fish. He then threw the fish into the tank and cast his line again, all in one fluid motion. This continued for hours, and the fish tank quickly filled up.

When his tank was full, he asked the crew for instructions and was met with surprise. It was not a situation they had anticipated. After consulting with the captain, he was directed to fish in a different area, and Nod moved to a new spot.

As the tank in the new area also filled up, Nod felt a different kind of resistance on his fishing line.

Guh, Guh...

Nod instinctively knew it was a box octopus. Unlike water fish, box octopuses do not bite immediately. They first use their eight tentacles to investigate before biting.

Guh... Guh...

(Not yet, it's just investigating. Don't rush... don't rush...)

He focused all his senses on the sensation transmitted through the rod. The sound of the waves, the boat's movement, and the presence of the other adventurers and crew members faded from his consciousness. Nod and the fishing rod became one, and in his extreme concentration, he was aware of only himself and the box octopus on the ocean floor.

Guh... Gu... Guh...

(!! Now!)

The resistance suddenly changed, and the box octopus had bitten.

"Whoa!!"

Through the rod, he felt an immense force. The box octopus, with its own home, was heavy. The strong pulling force strained the fishing line.

The box octopus was thrashing in the water. The fishing line moved erratically, and the crew members noticed Nod's intense struggle.

—A big catch!

The crew members, who had already recognized Nod as a skilled fisherman, were curious about what he would catch.

The resistance gradually weakened. Nod's technique successfully exhausted the box octopus's strength without breaking the line. It no longer had the energy to dive deep into the ocean. As the fishing line was slowly reeled in, the shape of the box octopus became visible through the water.

"—It's a treasure octopus!!"

One of the crew members, who had gathered around Nod (likely slacking off, but tolerated by the captain), recognized the catch and shouted. Cheers erupted from the other crew members and adventurers who knew about the treasure octopus. The treasure octopus, known as a chance for a fortune, was a prized catch for any sea man.

"—Heave ho!!"

With Nod's shout, the fishing rod was lifted, and the box octopus flew out of the water. It landed heavily on the deck, and there it was—a large octopus with a box-like shell on its back. The octopus's fate was sealed.

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Afterward, Nod and Elsa were on their way back to the capital. They accepted another escort request and were traveling in the cargo area of a cart. The client was a different merchant, and they were guarding multiple carts. It was a request from a well-known store in the capital, likely carrying valuable items, as there were many guards. Nod had his luggage on one of the carts, and in exchange for a reduced reward, he was given space for his items.

There were three bags. The smallest bag contained the scales of the water fish. Nod and Elsa had achieved a great success with the fishing request, and the captain even asked if they would take on more requests. Nod was willing, but Elsa, having enjoyed fishing enough, declined the offer. "If you need us again, let us know," the captain said, genuinely meaning it.

The second bag contained the carapace of the fish dragon. The large burlap bag, with the edges sticking out, contained the shed carapace of an old fish dragon. It was thick and had fine layers like tree rings, shining a deep blue. It was a perfect catch, as expected, and was large enough for their needs. Combined with the other materials, it would be transformed into a reliable piece of armor at a weapon shop in the capital.

The last bag was smaller than the fish dragon's carapace but about the size of Nod's torso. It contained fist-sized stones that glowed green, resembling gems. These were jade ore, a mineral containing jade.

Nod and Elsa, along with others, were initially surprised, thinking they had found gems, but they soon realized it was different and were disappointed.

However, jade steel, refined from jade ore, is an excellent metal, hard and sharp. While the audience, expecting gold or gems, was disappointed, the possibility of obtaining excellent weapons made this adventure a great success for Nod and Elsa. Nod's ultimate fishing skills and a bit of luck had paid off.

If they ever faced financial difficulties, Nod could consider a job on a fishing boat. The treasure octopus is like a treasure chest in online games, and there are many of them. It's almost like illegal dumping.

Incidentally, the box octopus was released back into the sea. As long as they got the contents, they had no complaints. They only ate the octopus if it died. The method involved knocking the octopus out of its home and releasing it back into the sea. After stealing the contents, they dropped the home back into the sea. The octopus, angry at the land-based devils, would return to its home and continue its journey on the ocean floor.