Chapter 35: Eyewitness Report

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Eyewitness Report

"The monster attacking ships on the river... is it that Rock-dwelling Salamander?" Lorin instantly recalled the bounty. Eighty gold coins. He remembered it quite clearly.

Nathan angrily tapped his desk. "Exactly! So you saw the bounty I posted? That beast used to appear maybe once a month. Lately, for some unknown reason, it’s been coming out every few days to attack people."

He sighed again, his brow furrowing so deeply his eyebrows nearly touched. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he looked at Lorin with anticipation. "You previously took care of the Kobold expedition outpost. That Scale Mage and Dragon Shield Guard were no easy targets. You two must be Official Professionals by now, right? Are you interested in taking our bounty?"

"Me? Fight a monster that can capsize a ship?" Lorin wondered. His face was full of questions as he immediately shook his head to politely decline. "Neither my companion nor I are Professionals yet. We were just lucky to wipe out that outpost. We most likely aren’t a match for it."

Nathan wondered how non-Professionals could possibly defeat a Dragon Shield Guard and a Scale Mage. Did they fight without even using Combat Skills, relying purely on brute strength? It had to be a joke. He rubbed his temples, assuming Lorin was refusing because the bounty was too low and the risk too high. Sitting forward and leaning in slightly, he explained the full story.

"Grand Duke Kaspar is already aware of this matter," Nathan continued, his attitude toward Lorin quietly shifting to one of respect. "As it happens, three of his subordinates will be passing through here soon and will participate in the hunt. You don’t need to worry.

"As for the reward... I truly cannot provide any refined gold. Unlike Mithril, this rare material isn’t something you can just buy with money. However, I will definitely find one of these three items for you: Fire Oil Grass, a Fire Salamander’s tail gland, or a Fire Beetle Shell. But the bounty money would have to be split evenly among the five of you. What do you think?"

Lorin admitted to himself that he was tempted. Even if split evenly, he and Pip would each get sixteen gold coins. That would be more than enough to cover the Enchantment fees with a little left over. It was just... Were they really a match for that thing?

"Are those three all Professionals?" Lorin asked.

Nathan nodded rapidly, his face lighting up with joy. "Of course! They are all certified by the Guild, and one of them is even a Caster."

Lorin pondered for a moment. Deciding he needed to confirm the monster’s condition first, he asked, "Has it been confirmed to be a Rock-dwelling Salamander? Do you have any relevant information on it?"

"Please wait a moment." Nathan rummaged through a pile of documents on his desk for a moment, then pulled out a densely written parchment and handed it to Lorin. "These are the caravan sighting reports, along with an investigation I commissioned. You can take a close look."

Lorin took the parchment and read its contents word by word:

[Summary of Sighting Reports and Caravan Member Testimonies]

Recorder: Shallow Beach Town Chamber of Commerce Clerk / Vincent

Date Compiled: 29th / Month of Rest (December) / Ferma Royal Calendar Year 932

Sources: Two caravans, two anonymous riverside fishermen

1. (Escort from the caravan "Black Water Barge", name redacted)

"That night, we camped at the bend in the lower reaches of the Black Water River. In the middle of the night, I heard a strange noise in the water. It sounded like something falling in. I figured I’d go check it out, just in case someone had gotten drunk and fallen into the river. Instead, I saw a grayish-black ridge protruding from the surface—I had no idea what kind of fish it belonged to. Good heavens, it was at least four feet wide! Massive! I quickly threw in a line, but unfortunately, the thing must have swum away. It didn’t take the bait."

2. (First Mate of the independent caravan "Northern Wind", Old Jill)

"I’ve been sailing for over twenty years and I’ve never seen anything like that. That evening, we were about two days away from Shallow Beach Town when the ship suddenly hit something. At first, I thought it was a stump. Just as I was about to go to the bilge to check for damage, the ship was suddenly shoved from underneath by something. Then I saw a large swath of mud churning up on the water’s surface. It was very murky, but I vaguely thought I saw a tail. Anyway, it retracted before I could get a good look."

3. (Riverside fishermen, two brothers, names unrecorded)

"We usually cast our nets downstream. The catch had been extremely poor those few days. One night we went to pull in the net and found nothing inside. However, the ropes were coated in a layer of slippery slime that smelled absolutely putrid. When we went back the next day, we suddenly noticed a set of crawling tracks on the riverbank, leading from the water straight into the bushes on shore. The tracks were about this wide (gestured with hands). Note: Roughly over a foot."

[Note: Based on the sighting reports—shattered rocks, loud breathing noises, and foul-smelling slime—it can basically be confirmed as a Rock-dwelling Salamander. However, strangely enough, this creature usually does not actively approach human settlements. The old river channel has been abandoned for a long time and shouldn’t have enough water to support its long-term habitat. I suspect it might have swum over from deeper in the mountains via an underground river.]

[Attachment Below / Rock-dwelling Salamander Information]

Compiler: Edmund Verrek / Pure White Tower / Chief Compiler of Magical Beast Ecology

Classification: Amphibian / Large Burrowing / Amphibious Demon

Distribution: Commonly found in deep mountain pools, underground rivers, and flooded abandoned mines

Threat Level: Formal Class / Mid-tier (Recommended: A team of 3-4 "Formal" tier Professionals to handle)

Body Length: Adult individuals range from 8 to 15 feet (Sighting reports suggest it is near the upper limit)

Weight: Estimated 800 to 2,000 pounds

Habitat: Prefers deep water pools, entrances to underground rivers, or flooded areas in abandoned mines. Hides during the day, active at night or on cloudy days.

Diet: Carnivorous. Primarily feeds on fish and medium-sized mammals. Will attack humans or livestock when hungry.

Attack Methods: Biting / Tail Sweeping / Ramming

Weaknesses: Low Intelligence / Vulnerable underbelly

Additional Notes: None

...

This record was actually quite detailed.

Recommended three to four Official Professionals? If he counted the three Nathan mentioned, plus himself and Pip, they might be able to give it a try. If they managed to secure the kill, he wondered how many Explore Points it would yield.

"It’s true what they say—greed kills. I used to struggle just to kill a few rats, and now I’m actually considering hunting down such a powerful Demon," Lorin mocked himself.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he replied, "I need to discuss this with my companion."

"Understood, but please make it quick. By my calculations, those three should be arriving soon," Nathan reminded him, then shot a glance at the nearby guard. "Well? Hurry up and take Mr. Lorin to fetch his items."

"Yes, my lord!" The Guard Captain nodded and was about to step forward to lead the way, but Lorin interrupted him.

"What about the cost of the Sulfur Crystal? Since I haven’t agreed yet, I can’t just take your things for free." Lorin still insisted on paying.

"Well... how about I charge you one gold coin, then?" Nathan said hesitantly.

Lorin nodded, fished out a gold coin, and handed it to him. He then stood up to take his leave. "Regardless, thank you for your help in finding the material. I will remember this favor."

"Just doing what I can." Nathan waved his hand, completely unbothered by it.