MHGA Chapter 174 – Exploration Request
"Huh? This… huh?"
Miko looked bewildered as she stared at the Winged Lion Kairo Retsu was holding up by the scruff.
Even though she'd just declared she wanted to face those ghosts bravely, the Guildmaster had turned around and handed her this… lion-like Felyne? What exactly was going on?
Unlimited mana? Why was there something like that in the Hunters' Gathering Hub?
Sure, Miko had been trying her best to accept her current reality—but this?
This felt like something out of a magical girl anime! What did he mean by "Dungeon Master"? Was that just another way of saying "magical girl"?
"Let me introduce you. This is the Winged Lion," Kairo said, holding it up to her. "A special Felyne in our Gathering Hub. Its true form is a dimensional being of infinite mana, and its favorite food is human desire."
Kairo continued, "Ever since it came to the Hub, it's been getting educated. You're actually the first one to make a contract with it…"
"It used to be perpetually hungry, but now that it's been well-fed here at the Hub, desire has become more like a tasty snack. Just let it sample some desires regularly and it'll be fine. It's even learned to use Potions to restore people's desire. Super useful when it counts…"
"Its true form… is a dimensional being of infinite mana?" Miko stared at the Winged Lion, which was casually licking its paw. She had a sinking feeling that Kairo had just handed her something terrifying.
"So, wanna be a Dungeon Master?" the Winged Lion asked casually, stretching lazily. "Your desire seems like it'd taste really good… just like Tanjiro's."
"Desire… has flavors?" Miko blinked in confusion.
"Indeed. Among the Hunters, Tanjiro's flavor is the best." The Winged Lion evaluated things like a gourmet. "Naofumi, Laios, and Joseph also have top-tier flavors. Only Kazuma and Kairo taste plain."
"Ever since we brought it in, it's been super picky," Kairo said, face darkening. "It keeps spouting crap like 'Tanjiro tastes better because he's kind and pure-hearted.' Nonsense!"
"My moral character is just as good as Tanjiro's! There's no way I taste like Kazuma!"
The Winged Lion offered no rebuttal. Instead, it casually split off a tiny version of itself—like a keychain-sized Winged Lion Felyne—and latched onto Miko's finger.
"Looking forward to working with you, Miko." The miniature version rubbed up against her palm. "Let's get along from now on."
Having handed off its little clone, the Winged Lion's main body slipped out of Kairo's grip and slinked away, apparently looking for a spot to nap.
"Will… this really give me unlimited mana?" Miko stared at the tiny creature now clinging to her hand. "Isn't giving something so dangerous to me kind of irresponsible…?"
"Ahaha, just think of it like… becoming a magical girl," Kairo laughed awkwardly. "We Hunters are a kid-friendly series, after all! Here, let me demonstrate…"
He turned toward Kazuma. "For example! I could stuff Kazuma into a cannon, fire him into the sky, and he'd yell something like, 'I'll definitely be back!'—then get carted back in a Felyne wagon…"
"You just wanna screw me over!" Kazuma roared indignantly.
"Um… Kazuma-san," Miko said gently. "May I go learn from Miss Aqua?"
"You're asking me?!" Kazuma froze, then groaned. "Please, Miss Miko, just don't pick up Aqua's… other traits. These jerks really will launch me into the stratosphere…"
"Uh… mm… okay." Miko nodded with a small sigh and headed off to find Aqua.
Meanwhile, Kairo had gathered the other Hunters for an emergency meeting.
"You know, I feel like we didn't actually do much this time," he muttered, scratching his head. "In the end, it was Aqua who solved the purification issue. And Miko already had the willpower all along…"
"…I think," Naofumi spoke up, "some people just need a little power. But in the end, the problems they face are ones they have to resolve themselves."
He paused. "I'm the same. Whether it was the Three Heroes Church or that b*tch princess, I had to finish things with my own hands. Being a Hunter gave me more options… but I still had to end it myself."
"…But," he added with a grin, "if I ever hit a wall I can't overcome alone, I won't hesitate to ask for help."
"Well said! That's our First Unit Hunter right there!" Kairo gave Naofumi a thumbs-up. "In that case, for the new Hunters arriving soon—we need to seriously think about who needs help, and how to support them…"
As Kairo scratched his chin in thought, Granny Felyne had quietly appeared and begun untying Kazuma, gently petting his head.
"For the newly arrived Hunters… only one of them is likely to need assistance in the short term," she said kindly. "And to support their upcoming hunts, I've prepared a new batch of healthy ingredients—lots of vegetables!"
"…Huh?!"
Kairo's eyes widened. "Granny Felyne, you already know who the new Hunters are?! And… one of them needs our help? And… lots of vegetables…"
He started counting on his fingers.
Meat boosts Attack. Fish boosts Defense. Vegetables boost elemental resistance…
Crap. Just judging from the meal types, this next quest sounds like a total nightmare…
As Kairo was deep in thought, a new request window popped up before all the Hunters:
[Exploration Request: Search for Monster Traces]
Objective: Find enough tracks to identify the monster
Details: A monster has appeared in a world filled with electricity and mechanical equipment, causing major damage to its systems. Locate it before things spiral out of control.
"Nyah~ The new Hunters will arrive tomorrow," said Granny Felyne cheerfully. "There'll be four of them in total, and they're all very energetic children!"
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