Kaijin Fighter: So I Have to Make Monsters, So What?-Chapter 1216: A really useful map
"Wait, hidden areas? They actually sold you a map that had them?,"Zhen Liu asked with an incredulous tone of voice.
"Yeah!"
"Hmmm."
A little after Zhen Liu had met up with the guy portion of his expedition group, they were soon joined by Kidanna and the girls, Alicia, Alice, Bellona and Harriet.
Apparently, Lythero was telling the truth that Kidanna was acquiring a map for them to use during their raid on the [City of Mirrors].
That stated, Zhen Liu couldn’t help but be a little suspicious about the aformentioned map since it came from a third party source.
Perhaps he was spoiled by the fact that he had an army of scouts at his beck and call that were completely loyal to him, but Zhen Liu couldn’t help but look down on the fact that this map came from a group that apparently supplied maps to both sides of a conflict.
"Shot in the dark here, but are you sure we’re the only ones in the area who has this sort of map?," Zhen Xing asked. "I’ve seen this type of scam before, hell, I knew a guy who did this sort of scam."
"Past tense?,"Alice asked.
"He didn’t die, if that’s what you were thinking?,"Zhen Xing answered. "He got ran out of town."
"Ah."
"Wait, is that the guy who was rumored to have been found dead in the den of a bunch of Man-Eater Hares?," Zhen Tai asked.
"No, that was the guy who tried to sell mud pills. The map scammer guy ended up getting shoved into a barrel and thrown down a canyon."
"Oh yeah..."
"Why does your city sound so violent?," Harriet asked in a naive, shocked tone of voice.
"Frontier town freedom," all three of the Zhen Clan warriors answered simultaneously.
"Agreed," Kidanna concurred. "But there’s no need to fret, the Azure Gators are one of the most respected scouting groups in the region. And I’m fairly certain this is the only map of its kind because I made sure to evt the seller with this."
Kidanna proceeded to present the group with a ring on her right hand that resembled a crystal clear pearl. From what they could all sense, there was an intricate aether array embedded into the Pearl’s internal structure.
"This ring is known as the [Scrying Truth] ring," Kidanna explained. "It’s a special treasure my father passed down on to me when I became of age. It has the ability to discern truth from lies, but can’t tell me the exact nature of the lie. For example, if someone tells me they’re actually a prince and it glows, it means they’re not really a prince but it won’t tell me if they’re a conman or an idiot with an inflated ego."
"Huh. Useful."
"Right??"
At this explaination, Lythero couldn’t hide the fact that his face was becoming red with embarrassment as he remembered seeing that ring last night.
And he distinctly remember seeing it turn red when she asked if this was first time and he replied, "no".
Evidently, that might’ve been why she was incredibly energetic that evening.
Regardless, since Kidanna had this form of assurance, they decided to place their faith in her and finally enter the wandering ruins.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.
However, Zhen Liu made sure to make some internal plans in order to make sure this map was legit and not just some wild goose chase.
Unfortunately, his usual tricks weren’t going to work this time.
...
’Hey, just to double check, did any of y’all enter the [City of Mirrors] before now?,’ Zhen Liu asked his kaijin. ’I would’ve asked in regards to this boomtown, but I’m assuming all of the Buddhists and their chanting is screwing with your senses?"
[Yeah, we haven’t been able to do our usual scouting thing because it’s either the incense or the prayers that is fucking with our ability to detect anything,] Springerdermain answered. [All this...anti-desire shit is really disorienting.]
[I thought we were calling it Nirvana energy?,] Razorstella asked.
[Either way, we’ve been nerfed,] Screamira added.
’Hmmm and the fact that even the zakos are getting affected means I can’t send someone to go and double check on the guys who sold this map...looks like I’m just gonna have to settle on being able to scout the ruins themselves.’
[Assuming there are no powerful Buddhists in there...,] Blazejudicator hoped.
[Huh...having other kaijin to talk to is lot noisier than I thought,] Corpse doll commented.[I kind of like it.]
...
"Well, this sucks," Zhen Liu grumbled quietly.
"Hmm? What’s wrong?"
Unfortunately(?), he grumbled just loud enough for Bellona and Alicia to overhear him.
Thankfully, he didn’t have to lie about his need to grumble.
"Okay, you know how the Kaijin and I use [Chaos], and that [Chaos] is empowered by desires?"
"Yeah."
"This was explained on our first day of knowing you."
"Apparently, the Buddhist desire to achieve Nirvana, aka, the desire to not desire, produces this weird contradictory energy that makes me and the kaijin feel...lack of a better word here...sick. I’m probably gonna be more useful inside of the ruins, but here in this boomtown, I’m essentially flying blind. It’s kind of driving me nuts."
"Huh..."
After Zhen Liu’s explanation of his troubles, Alicia and Bellona exchanged a look of confusion.
"If that’s the case, how come neither of our Majin have been affected?"
"Beg pardon?"
...Meanwhile, and because life’s a bitch...
^Hmmm and you’re certain that this the only map in circulation?^
^We had an Anima Wielder with us at the time. He couldn’t detect any lies coming from the seller.^
^How powerful was the seller?^
^Aether Master, first ring.^
^Hmmm.^
In another part of the boomtown surrounding the entrance to the [City of Mirrors], a reptilian Bloodliner with silver scales was looking over a very familiar looking map while hunched over a desk.
This scaly Bloodliner, Alfonzo Sayreen, was the founder of the Silver Jungle Dragon Shipping company and was also the expedition leader for their forray into the [City of Mirrors], as such, he needed to have the latest informational available whenever it came to making a profit from exploring these wandering ruins.
Which is why he was now staring at a map depicting a variety of notable sites and hidden treasures that were found by a third party group.
A map that just so happened to have the seal of the Azure Gators imprinted on the bottom left corner.
^Thank you for the information. You’re dismissed.^
^Of course, boss.^
Now left alone in his office, Alfonzo looked over the map a couple more times and made notes about the locations that were probably the most dangerous, but had the most valuable treasures.
Eventually though, his eyes settled on one particular portion of the map.
^Hmmm. Peculiar.^
This portion depicted a rather mundane looking fountain, but had a singular question mark placed next to it.
This drew Alfonzo’s attention not because he thought it was the most valuable piece of information, but because of how out of place it looked in comparison to the rest of the map.
All the other locations on the map had names, elaborate detailed pictures and the occasional notes about possible dangers that they couldn’t really detect but had a sneaking suspicion.
Clearly, this question mark was added as an afterthought...but why?
’Perhaps there’s something more valuable there?,’ Alfonzo thought as he scratched his scales.
After a moment of pondering though, Alfonzo produced a communication treasure from his person and contact an old friend of his.
After all, depending on what was so special about this fountain, he was definitely going to need back up.
^Abbot Longhorn, are you there?^
^Good timing, old friend. I had just finished my morning prayers.^
^You still keep those up? I thought you had already broken most of your other vows, why not this one?^
^Prayer helps provide my mind clarity in times of both peace and conflict,^ the Abbot replied in a sagely manner. ^But I get the feeling you’re not contacting me to swap talk over the matters of spirituality. What is it?^
^I just got my hands on a map of interest in regards to the [City of Mirrors]. I was wondering if you were willing to come and join me on this expedition.^
^Oh? You’re going personally this time? That’s rare.^
^It is, I know, but I get the feeling that this matter requires my own personal touch. Besides, it would do me some good to exercise a bit and get the blood flowing. Rather not yet rusty.^
^I suppose not. Very well, I will join you on this expedition.^
^Excellent.^
The two old friends then began to solidify their plans for the expedition before finally cutting the connection.
’Hmmm...I should probably inform Diamoro as well...’
Alfonzo sat in his chair a little while longer, before a feeling of nostalgia came over him.
From a drawer in his desk, Alfonzo pulled from it and old medallion.
A medallion that depicted the symbol of the Golden Gorilla Union.
^Wonder if you’re proud of me now, you old ape?^
