Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Firepower and Balloon
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Whoosh!
I lit the torch. It was the same one I'd used for barbecue last time.
It was small, but it was still a hunter's tool. I could infuse it with mana and control the firepower.
Of course, I poured in the maximum mana!
The heat radiating from the flickering flames felt utterly exhilarating.
Whoosh!
Blue flames roared to life.
This was the maximum firepower I could muster right now, going head-to-head with the golem's shell.
Dark smoke billowed up, carrying an unexpectedly nutty? scent that tickled my nose.
It was a bit like the smell of burning human flesh.
"Still not quite enough...."
But it wasn't satisfying at all. To be precise, it was utterly useless.
Even when I concentrated the flames on one spot, the best I could do was lightly scorch it. The golem's signature mana layer was shielding the shell from the heat.
Thanks to that, it didn't melt—not even soften one bit.
"Okay. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much."
I gave up cleanly and tossed the torch aside.
It was just a test anyway. I tried it on a whim.
If it melted that easily with a single torch, I'd be the one feeling shortchanged.
So, the ability I needed here was none other than monster summoning.
Just pull out the right buddy for the job.
And when it came to "heat," the first thing that came to mind was, of course...
'A dragon, though....'
Regardless of type, a full-grown dragon's breath was on par with a destruction beam.
In terms of sheer firepower alone, it would proudly claim first place among all monsters.
So, firepower? Perfect score, passed with flying colors.
But there was one problem.
The dragon itself was ridiculously huge.
'This factory might not have enough space.'
The factory was already crawling with slimes playing around.
Beyond that, keeping a dragon cooped up in here would be straight-up cruel torture.
Take sharks or tuna, for example.
Those guys had to swim their entire lives to sustain their vitality.
If they didn't, they'd suffocate and die. That's why you couldn't keep them in aquariums.
In the same vein, a dragon would feel suffocated here too.
It'd pine away and eventually smash through the building to fly off.
'Can't exactly let it loose outside either.'
This place was remote, sure, but you could see Seoul's skyscrapers with the naked eye.
Practically screaming, "Hey, I've got a dragon here—come arrest me!"
I'd end up under investigation for summoning giant monsters, just like before.
You might think, "Just raise a baby dragon then?"—
'But baby dragons have weak firepower.'
They call a dragon's mana stone a dragon heart.
Naturally, the dragon heart's size scales with the dragon's body. So the firepower varies wildly.
'Maybe summon a fire spirit instead?'
If I dig around, there have to be similar ones.
Gate monster ecology was profoundly complex like that.
It was a world where even monsters you thought, "Does this even exist?" thrived just fine.
But honestly, fire spirits didn't appeal to me.
Communication seemed like it'd be a hassle.
Kiiing!
As if reading my mind, Seolbaek shook itself all over. Right on top of my head, naturally.
The scattering white particles carried the strong scent of mana grass. Seolbaek had just been making coating for Molangtori.
"Yeah, yeah. Good job."
Kiiing!
I reached up and gently scratched under Seolbaek's chin, and it flopped over belly-up.
Somehow it kept perfect balance, shifting around in a remarkably stable pose.
I slowly stroked Seolbaek's fluffy tummy.
Kiiing!
See, that's communication—me getting physical with the monster seals the deal.
Fire spirits were probably too hot to even touch.
"Now, let's see...."
So I pulled out my smartphone and plopped down on the floor.
Just search for it myself. Find one that's great for bonding and packs serious heat.
Kiiing!
Before I knew it, Seolbaek had claimed prime spot on my lap. My head was occupied by Molang and Molcang. Dart was leaning against my back, sprawled out.
Mini was...
Woo-ee!
Busy bossing around the other golems, it seemed.
Bunch of clingy critters who can't survive without me.
Tap tap.
I thought about hitting up Banma Gallery but pivoted to Hunter Wiki instead.
Hunter Wiki had so much info it was a pain to search, but it had its perks.
'Like the Guinness categories.'
Rankings on which monsters were strongest, fastest, etc.—topics ripe for a "Gal Cup" showdown.
I searched for "firepower" in that category.
[Ranking: Monsters with the Strongest Firepower]
[Ranking: Monsters that Maintain Consistent Firepower the Longest]
.
.
.
.
"Right here."
Lucky me—one search nailed the perfect keyword.
[Ranking: Monsters with the Strongest Firepower Relative to Size]
Squeeze.
[1st Place: Salamander]
Top spot went to a familiar name.
It was also the monster most like the "fire spirit" I'd mentioned.
Palm-sized, but its whole body blazed with inextinguishable flames—that was its signature.
If the flames went out, it died on the spot. Most people couldn't even touch it.
So, pass.
For once, I took interest in the runner-up.
[2nd Place: Balloon Bullfinch]
Hm.
......Who dis?
Another worldly axiom just popped out.
Ugh, this top-1-obsessed rotten world!
Squeeze.
[Name: Balloon Bullfinch] [Rank: A]
[A small bird-shaped monster resembling a plump bullfinch.]
[Mainly inhabits gates that spawn from the equator.]
[Rarity: A (Annual discoveries: 250+ )]
[Eats ore fragments instead of fruit or bugs. If it consumes a mana stone, it processes it internally and spits out ultra-high-temperature beads. The beads are known to exceed 2,000℃ effortlessly.]
Sounds good?
If I can figure out how to use those beads, I'd have satisfying firepower.
Conveniently, the wiki detailed exactly that.
[Processed mana stones are used by alchemists to heat dedicated cauldrons. High-level engravers use them to melt mana stones.]
Perfect fit.
Balloon Bullfinch, you were born for my armor project.
In admiration, I'll summon you specially.
Kiiing!
Before I could say a word, Seolbaek sprang up and did a flip in midair.
Pop!
It had perfectly mimicked the Balloon Bullfinch's appearance just from seeing it.
Talk about shape-shifting mastery.
The other day, I noticed a tiny extra tail sprouting between its two tails—maybe that's boosting it.
Purrr!
Of course, it was just superficial mimicry using no medium, not true transformation. The mana signature was pure Seolbaek.
But for summoning, appearance alone was enough.
"......"
I examined the Balloon Bullfinch form closely.
Feathers were metallic gray with a faint orange tint.
Pitch-black, pea-sized eyes contrasted cutely with its puffy body.
The coppery beak was short and stubby; legs just like a sparrow's.
"...Okay."
I'd seen enough to sculpt it with eyes closed.
A-rank monster too? Well within my summoning range.
Wooo...
I started drawing out mana.
Before, I'd pull it thin and clump it up, but no need now.
My skill had skyrocketed from summoning hordes of monsters.
Wuuung!
I formed a big blob right away, then sculpted it meticulously like carving.
"...What?"
This summoning had a quirky twist.
I felt an empty space inside the mana blob.
Like an infinitely inflatable balloon—no matter how much mana I pumped in, the inside never felt full.
Space for generating high heat?
Finally, squeezing out mana like the last dregs of toothpaste, the space lit up contentedly.
Of course, I wasn't exhausted or anything.
Compared to summoning Seolbaek, it was a breeze.
Plop.
My body warmed up nicely, a drop or two of sweat—that was it.
Wooo......
I gathered the mana. All that was left was breathing life into its eyes.
"Come on, rise and shine!"
Snap!
I snapped my fingers, and color flooded the Balloon Bullfinch's body.
A red thread shot from inside me, binding it to me tightly.
Purrr!
Hummingbird-like vigorous wingbeats pushed the air hard, lifting it into the air.
The adorable Balloon Bullfinch hovered at eye level with me.
"Wanna try eating one?"
I handed it a B-rank mana stone.
Purrr!
In a blink, it snatched it with its tiny beak and gulped!
"You swallowed that easy."
It downed a stone a quarter its body size, no problem.
Now it'd heat it up and spit it out?
Anticipating, I watched closely.
Shiii......
Suddenly, its body started inflating.
Not just swelling—ballooning like it might burst any second.
Shiii......!
Uh, uh.
Wh-what's wrong?