Chapter 174
“To catch the fish, we must go to the river.”
For Park Terse, discerning what was the right course of action had become increasingly difficult.. Globally, the Korean Region was famous for hiding something mystical and special. However, if one arrived in Korea, the illusion would seem to shatter.
‘Well, it’s not wrong to say that to catch a fish, one must enter the water,’ Terse thought.
Cha Jin-Hyeok’s plan was so rudimentary that it barely qualified as a strategy. It involved a three-person party comprising a Navigator, a Streamer, and a Tamer riding the Duck Man to summon the Swallowing Croaker while cruising along the Han River.
‘I thought Korea would have more thorough strategies, accumulated know-how, and unique and brilliant tactics...’
Terse was doubtful. He wondered if this was the entirety of the plan and whether Kim Chul-Soo was still keeping some secrets from him. The Tamer held onto the sliver of hope until the moment he boarded the Duck Man. Then the Duck Man began to float along.
“Kim Chul-Soo, I somewhat understand your plan to let the Swallowing Croaker swallow us. But will the process really go as smoothly as you think?” Terse asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Taming a dangerous monster usually requires a lot of dedication, time, and love. Not to mention the necessary materials and manpower.”
Jin-Hyeok was unfamiliar with this topic. Since the ones keeping the group afloat in the water were the Duck Man and Mole Man, Jin-Hyeok calmly continued his interview with Terse. “What exactly do you mean by necessary materials and manpower?”
“To communicate with a monster, ample time is a must. You must not show any hostility. This requires a Tank who can withstand the monster’s attacks for a long time. Navigators and Rulers with special abilities that can comprehensively assess the monster’s characteristics and tendencies are needed as well. If there are Players specialized in restraint or barrier spells, in case the monster goes berserk, that would be even better.”
“Hm...”
Terse saw a glimmer of hope in Jin-Hyeok’s response. Meanwhile, Mole Man seemed annoyed for some reason. He complained about how his ranking was bound to drop if he kept Playing with Terse.
“There is always a proper process to taming. Our current Play is far too abnormal. We don’t even have a Tank to withstand the Swallowing Croaker’s attacks. Let’s say you get swallowed as you plan to. Then what?”
Jin-Hyeok was momentarily flustered. He had not pondered what would come next after being swallowed. Like Mole Man, he had assumed things would work out somehow. After all, he believed that in Play, if everyone did their best in their roles, things would work out by themselves.
“Well, someone who tamed the Thunder Dragon like you would not have failed to consider the aftermath,” Terse said.
“...”
“If you are keeping your Play a secret, you don’t have to tell me.”
“..”
“But what if the Swallowing Croaker swallows me or Mole Man instead of you?”
Jin-Hyeok smiled. The end could always justify the means. He said, “That’s not going to happen. I am actually pretty good at being a Tank.”
Suddenly, Mole Man started to yell. Being heavily influenced by Jin-Hyeok, he thought that Jin-Hyeok was displeased right now. “God damn it! You talk way too much! Just admit that you’re scared to shit! I can’t stand it! Chul-Soo, do we really have to Play with such a coward, moly?”
“Terse’s theory is mostly correct. Why are you so heated?” Jin-Hyeok replied.
“...Moly?”
“If somebody is right, you should listen and be receptive.”
“...Your standards are a bit inconsistent, moly.” Mole Man had a feeling that if he had acted just like Terse, he would have received a severe scolding from Chul-Soo.
‘He definitely would have scolded me,’ Mole Man thought.
It seemed as though Chul-Soo was giving Terse more leeway.
“There is no consistency in your standards, moly!”
“Why does that matter?”
“...Moly?” Mole Man had a major realization.
‘Even now, Chul-Soo is teaching me a lesson! Everything must be proven through skills. If that is the case, a little inconsistency and lack of uniformity are minor issues! After all, Chul-Soo is the unofficial world number one despite his fluctuating standards.’
Mole Man was quite pleased with this enlightenment.
‘Right. I should also Play as I feel at the moment, without sticking to consistency.’
It was an excellent lesson.
***
Terse was shocked.
‘I can’t even properly stand there.’
It was not easy to find a stable footing or stand properly on top of the Duck Man. Terse did not even think that it was possible to jump so high from there. Even a famously agile Archer or Thief would not be able to do that.
‘I should... just focus on my task,’ he thought.
Terse had clearly seen the Swallowing Croaker, albeit for a moment. Through the mana thread connected to his fingertips, he had made contact with the monster and aptly read its mind and psychology.
“I didn’t know the monster’s jumping power was so trash,” Chul-Soo said.
“...Don’t you think you jumped too high?”
“Everyone jumps this high.” Jin-Hyeok’s standard here was Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.
‘I think Ha-Young can jump higher than me,’ he thought.
Deciding not to be surprised by Chul-Soo’s bizarre standards anymore, Terse continued, “The Swallowing Croaker is a shy creature. I was able to read its mind through the mana thread. Its mind is pure and clean, like that of a young child.”
“That’s all well and good, but how can it disappear so quickly? With that size, it should be visible to the naked eye.”
“It’s like a shy boy who easily gets embarrassed. Except when it’s hungry, it seems to live as a small and cute fish.”
Jin-Hyeok shook his head.
‘Shy... and easily embarrassed...’
To say such things about a monster that had eaten numerous people, Terse was surely not in his right mind.
‘He’s definitely crazy.’
“So, the monster can adjust its size at will?”
“That would be an easy way to understand it.”
That was why it had been invisible despite their efforts to find it.
Terse’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Still, I’ve marked it with my mana. Things should be easier now. But I hope you will keep your promise.”
“What was the promise again?” Jin-Hyeok asked.
“Not to hurt the Swallowing Croaker too much. Then, I think I can summon it as early as tomorrow.”
“...”
‘He’s the same, before and after my regression.’
“I will try my best.”
“...Fine.”
The next day, Terse managed to summon the Swallowing Croaker. Jin-Hyeok applied a liquid Terse gave to him all over his body and dove into the Han River.
Splash!
“Oh, it’s approaching!” Jin-Hyeok felt the Swallowing Croaker recognize him as food and move toward him. “Here it comes.”
[LV124(+20)/Swallowing Croaker/Skills]
“It seems like the monster gets an additional 20-Level boost because it is underwater.”
Its movements were much better inside the water than in the air. The monster approached Jin-Hyeok with its mouth wide open.
“I will try to get eaten without letting it chew me.” Jin-Hyeok curled up like a ball and then jumped into the mouth of the Swallowing Croaker. Since it was a creature from a Scenario, its body was recognized as a new Field.
[You have entered the Field 「Inside the World of the Swallowing Croaker」.]
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