Chapter 208: Farewell
Martin was curious to see what kind of loot the Storm Guild could farm from the Sea Dragon Monster, but he did not need to swim over and inspect the corpse himself. Three item windows already hovered above its massive body, their pale-blue glow cutting through the gloom of the dark ocean.
The dead monster floated on its back across the waves. Its long neck hung limp, one fin remained half-submerged beneath the surface, and black blood continued seeping from the wounds carved through its scales. The current carried the blood away in long trails, staining the water around the corpse.
Most women probably would not have enjoyed such a gruesome sight, but Rias studied the body for a moment before chuckling.
"Now the monster looks even cooler."
Plume gave an appreciative whistle, while Martin laughed under his breath. Of course Rias liked the Sea Dragon more now that it had been torn apart.
He focused on the first item window.
[Sea Dragon Monster’s Blood]
[Rarity: Rare Material]
[The blood of a Sea Dragon Monster that adapted to the violent waters surrounding the Monster Hunter Academy of the Endless Rain. It retains a high concentration of Water and Lightning mana even after leaving the creature’s body.]
[Primary Uses: High-grade recovery potions, Water Resistance potions, Lightning Resistance potions, aquatic breathing mixtures, and advanced monster lures.]
[Warning: The material loses potency when exposed to ordinary air for too long. It must be stored in a sealed alchemical container.]
Martin raised his eyebrows as he read through the description. The ugly black sludge spreading through the ocean had far more uses than he would have guessed.
A second window floated beside it.
[Stormscale Plate]
[Rarity: Epic Crafting Material]
[A reinforced scale taken from the Sea Dragon Monster’s chest. Years of exposure to ocean pressure and constant storms have hardened it beyond ordinary monster hide.]
[Primary Uses: Heavy armor, shields, ship reinforcement, and defensive equipment designed for underwater combat.]
[Special Property: Equipment forged with this material may gain increased resistance to crushing pressure and forced movement.]
The special property immediately caught Martin’s attention. Resistance to forced movement was incredibly useful for a Warden, and armor made from those scales might help him hold his ground against charging monsters, powerful currents, boss attacks, or skills that caused knockback.
The material did not fit any of his current equipment plans, but he could easily understand why blacksmiths would fight over it.
His attention shifted to the final drop.
[Tempest Heart Pearl]
[Rarity: Epic Catalyst]
[A pearl-like core formed around the Sea Dragon Monster’s heart after its body absorbed an immense amount of Lightning mana.]
[The Storm Guild’s active Guild Skill forced more Lightning mana into the monster than its body could safely disperse. After its death, the remaining energy condensed around its heart and crystallized.]
[Primary Uses: Lightning weapon enhancement, enchanted ship reinforcement, storm barriers, magical cannons, advanced spell catalysts, and the evolution of compatible equipment.]
[Special Property: Equipment crafted with this catalyst may gain improved Lightning conductivity, resistance to violent storms, or increased power while sailing through stormy waters.]
Martin read the description twice. Unlike the blood and scales, the Tempest Heart Pearl was not part of the Sea Dragon Monster’s ordinary loot table.
Rias glanced at the glowing pearl. "That one looks expensive."
"Very," Martin replied.
Plume noticed where Martin was looking and swam closer with a wide grin.
"Aye, that pearl doesn’t usually drop like that," he said. "Our Guild Skill keeps pumpin’ Lightning mana into whatever poor bastard we’re huntin’. If the body holds enough before it dies, all that power gathers around the heart and hardens."
He jerked a thumb toward the Storm Guild’s ships in the distance. "Our shipwrights use ’em for storm barriers, lightning cannons, and enchantments that keep the fleet movin’ when the sea gets angry. Expensive little beauties, those pearls. Muahahaha!"
Martin followed his gesture toward the fleet. The ships were not merely transportation. They were mobile fortresses and weapons, and altered drops like the pearl helped the Storm Guild keep improving them. It had no immediate use for Martin, but that did not make it any less valuable.
Plume then pointed at the window describing the blood.
"The blood’s where the steady coin comes from, bro," he explained. "Aye, the pearl’ll sell for more, and every blacksmith with working eyes will want those scales. But blood keeps droppin’. Long as ya keep huntin’ these monsters, ya keep makin’ coin."
Martin glanced at the black trails drifting through the water. "You harvest all of it?"
"As much as we can. The system only hands us the cleanest portion as a direct reward. The rest? We siphon it out before all that mana leaks away."
Plume raised one hand and signaled to his guild members. Several Storm Guild players immediately approached the corpse with thick glass containers and metal siphons. They filled each vessel with blood, sealed it, and moved on to the next, while another group began cutting around the monster’s damaged scales and carefully separating the usable pieces from the flesh beneath them.
Their movements were practiced and efficient, making it clear that this was not the first Sea Dragon Monster they had harvested.
"The blood’s good for brewin’ potions," Plume continued. "Mountain Risen runs an alchemy facility where players can learn the trade. Then their people started buyin’ Sea Dragon blood by the barrel. Doesn’t take a genius to guess what they’re usin’ it for, bro."
Martin nodded. The connection was obvious. A guild with a dedicated alchemy facility had begun purchasing large quantities of a versatile monster material, so potion production was the simplest explanation.
"What kind of potions are they making?" Martin asked.
Plume shrugged. "Could be breathin’ brews, resistance mixtures, recovery potions, or somethin’ none of us have figured out yet. We know the blood’s valuable, but we don’t know their recipes."
"That still sounds expensive."
"Aye." Plume rubbed his fingers together. "And the price’ll only climb once more guilds start pushin’ into deeper waters."
"Should you really be telling us how much they’re buying?" Martin asked. "We work for Cassandra."
Plume’s grin did not fade in the slightest.
"It’s fine, ’cause I like ya!"
Martin stared at him for a second before laughing. "Haha! I like you too, bro."
"Aye! Then we’re good, bro!"
Plume slapped him on the shoulder hard enough to send him drifting several inches through the water.
Somehow, Martin had become friends with the loud captain of the Storm Guild, and before the harvesting teams finished working on the corpse, the two of them had even added each other to their friends lists.
That connection could become valuable in the future. The Storm Guild had ships, experienced sea hunters, established trade routes, and influence in markets Martin had barely started exploring. More importantly, Plume seemed willing to share information that other guilds guarded closely. Martin had no intention of taking advantage of their friendship, but ignoring how useful the connection might become would have been foolish.
Once the harvesting crews finished, Martin turned his attention to the other treasure covering Angel’s shell.
Shuri had guarded her pile of fish throughout the entire conversation. Whenever a wave shifted one of them, she hurried over to push it back into place, and by the time Martin approached, she was sitting proudly beside a collection nearly as large as she was.
"You still need to take all of those home, right?" Martin asked.
"Umu!" Shuri nodded eagerly and pointed toward one of the academy’s broad canals. "That way!"
Plume lent them a cargo net, and Martin helped Shuri load every fish into it while Angel kept the bundle balanced on her shell. Rias secured the corners, and then Martin climbed aboard so he could keep the catch from sliding away as Angel carried them toward the canal.
Dark stone walls rose on either side of the waterway. The farther they traveled, the deeper the water became, until even the pale light from above could no longer reach the bottom.
At the point where the canal descended into darkness, Shuri gathered the net against her chest and slipped into the water.
"You’re sure you can manage from here?" Martin asked.
Shuri puffed out her cheeks. "Of course. I live here."
That answered almost nothing, but Martin did not press her. She waved to Martin and Angel, hugged her catch tighter, and dove. Her silhouette sank through the canal until the darkness swallowed both her and the fish completely.
Martin waited a little longer, but Shuri did not surface again. She had disappeared into the canal’s deepest reaches as naturally as someone else might have walked through their front door.
When Martin and Angel returned to the Sea Dragon Monster’s corpse, he decided to tell Plume what had happened. The captain had openly explained the Storm Guild’s altered drops and trade observations, so Martin returned that trust by sharing the strange encounter with Shuri and where she had vanished.
Plume stroked his chin. "The deepest part of the canal, eh? Aye, bro. Ya haven’t been in our academy long, and yer already makin’ friends in places even my crew rarely visits. I knew I liked ya! Muahahaha!"
Martin laughed with him. Trading the story made their new friendship feel more genuine and less like a useful market connection.
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