Read Novel Full Chapter 261
Chapter 261
TN: Please read my translations only on my website since I never give my permission to any site to host my translations. And if you like my translations, please support this site on Ko-fi, and join our Patreon to read up to 12 chapters ahead for this novel!
Thanks toZehaal for the Ko-Fi! We really appreciate it! And for our readers, hope you enjoy this~
(2/2)
Chapter 261 – Dwarf Town
(Ohohoho!)
The main street visible from the roof is home to a population of 50% dwarves!
Small old men and women walk around everywhere, and when I join them, I feel like I’ve grown a little.
Along the main street, there are wooden signs with hammer marks, unlike anything I’ve seen before, and standing signs with ingot-like marks. The fantasy atmosphere is irresistible.
After landing at the commercial guild, I wandered around looking for my destination. I soon spotted what felt like the largest hunter guild I had seen so far.
It was three stories high and wide. Even though it was daytime and most hunters were out, the noise inside could be heard outside.
(This energy is great!)
I had bad memories of Lowenfort, but once inside, I saw the same scene.
There were many people recruiting parties or discussing plans. As I glanced at them, I headed straight for the reference room to read the monster information.
―Quoitz Dragon Burial Mountains―
A vast dragon’s nest located in the mountains of the long northern Abraum Mountains.
The hunting grounds are divided into two layers: above and underground. Above ground, wyverns and winged dragons fly in the sky.
Underground, small dragons called “Querebre” can move freely between land and water. There are also snake-like creatures called “Mizuchi” that drag their prey into underground caverns.
The required equipment and party composition differ drastically between the upper and lower areas. The number of relatively safe underground hunting grounds is quite limited. Therefore, hunting on the surface is generally recommended.
There is no way to attack aerial enemies. Additionally, if you go underground in search of valuable materials, you will need emergency escape equipment, such as light sources and ropes, in case of an emergency.
I see.
This is quite different from what I had imagined.
Since it’s called a mountainous area, I thought the “ground” mentioned in the description referred only to the surface. I didn’t expect it to be a two-layered structure with an “underground” area.
From what I can gather, the “underground” seems more difficult and has higher material value.
There’s also no information on special monsters like bosses.
The explanation seems sparse for an A-rank, but I know from experience that the quality of information in reference books varies by author.
(If Grom-san were here, I could ask him about it.)
I looked around the lobby, but he was nowhere to be found.
It wasn’t going to be that easy, so I decided to ask the receptionist for more details. I rushed over to the lady who seemed to know the most.
“Hello. I’d like to ask about the Quoitz Dragon Burial Mountains.”
“With that equipment, you must be from Lowenfort. What would you like to know?”
I guess that’s good enough.
Wearing proper equipment and hiding half of my face with face armor greatly reduces the likelihood that I’ll be underestimated because of my short stature and age.
“I just studied in the reference room. Is the underground hunting ground more difficult than the one above ground?”
“Difficulty… Well, you could call it that. In terms of monster strength, there shouldn’t be much difference. However, it’s easier to understand if I say that the ‘death rate’ is completely different.”
“Huh? Hmm… I understand what you mean, but is that because of the terrain?”
“Exactly. The underground is, in a word, the “bottomless pit.” Once you’re dropped into the valley by a Querebre, most won’t be able to climb back up. If you fall into a body of water, you won’t die immediately, but the Mizuchi will try to drag you deep into the earth. You’ll get tangled up and won’t be able to get back out easily. Additionally, many areas are pitch-black with no light, and the footing is said to be extremely poor.”
I thought Dragon Burial Grounds was the burial place of dragons, but it’s also a place where people die and never rise, becoming a graveyard.
What Grom-san said about “hunting and being hunted” makes sense, even if I don’t like it.
“…Are there really people who enjoy hunting in a place like that?”
“These days, hardly anyone goes all the way inside anymore. Even underground, the relatively safe areas tend to have waiting lists. The supply is insufficient, so the material value is high.”
“Hoho.”
As we talked more about material value and body parts, I learned that the general practice here is to bring back the entire body intact, without dismantling it.
Magic stones, hides, fangs, and claws are obviously valuable, but even the meat, though slightly lower quality, is in high demand.
Additionally, bones and blood are traded at high prices. The lady clearly told me that dismantling bodies on site is not recommended.
However, the reference book also mentioned their size.
Even the smallest Mizuchi is three meters long. If you think about it, a regular-sized Querebre or Wyvern could be around five meters long.
If that’s the case, I’m fine with it, but how will the others carry it back?
When I asked the lady about this, she told me that the hunters here don’t use baskets but rather large carts.
They load three or so slain monsters onto the cart and push it back, relying on the strength of A-rank hunters.
Alternatively, there are specialized porters who pride themselves on their strength, but who also want to avoid death. This is possible because the hunting grounds are in the mountains, and the return journey is downhill. This made me nod in agreement.
However, due to factors such as weight and load adjustment, they often end up dividing the monsters into several parts anyway.
“By the way, are there any rare monsters or bosses here?”
I panicked a little after saying that, thinking that “rare” might not be understood, but it seems that Different Language Comprehension did its job well.
“I’ve never heard of any rare monsters, but there are bosses in the depths of the underground. However, it’s been a long time since the last one was defeated. It’s definitely been over ten years.”
“Huh, it’s not hidden…”
From what I’ve heard, it’s not a hidden boss but a normal one that appears in the open.
The defeat rate is extremely low, though, and there are no survivors who have ever defeated it. Because of this, the Hunter’s Guild decided it was too dangerous and stopped releasing information about it.
Even the lady only heard the terrifying words “you’ll suffocate” from those who came before her, so she doesn’t know any details.
That means defeating it will be a life-or-death battle.
Well, that’s true of any boss, but I’m feeling especially determined, probably because I’m a complete idiot.
I’ve gathered all the necessary information about the hunting grounds. I’ll hand over the recommendation letter from Orgu-san to ensure my achievements are properly recorded.
All that’s left is to gather materials until I’m promoted to A rank.
Glancing at the request board, I knew I couldn’t accept any jobs right now. I headed toward my next destination, the blacksmith’s shop.
If you like my translations, please support me on Ko-Fi and subscribe my Patreon to read up to 12 chapters ahead for this novel!