Bear School Astartes

Lann, after a night apart, once again saw the rocky shoal protruding above the water in the central area of the Longquan River.

This time, he confirmed that he had received a telepathic communication similar to the one Margaret had sent him through a cone-shaped crystal.

That's why no one else could hear it, and the flowing waters of the Longquan River couldn't conceal it.

Lann labored to dock the boat beside the shoal.

"Phew - navigating a boat in rapids is a whole different challenge than in a lake."

With a flip and a leap, Lann landed on the wet rocks of the shoal. He headed straight for the large jar that seemed to have drifted here with the current.

The jar was made of clay, covered with a wooden lid.

As Lann slowly approached, the wooden lid abruptly opened, and a very strange, even somewhat horrifying hand reached out.

Lann paused instinctively, on guard, until he saw that the hand made no further movement, then cautiously continued to approach.

It was an arm with bones nearly human, but its skin and flesh resembled that of a squid or slug-like creature.

The open palm covered more than half the jar's opening, making it unimaginable how the main body of the arm was compressed inside the jar.

"Wow..."

Lann marveled, thinking there were certainly many strange things in Iwami.

"Are you the one wanting to... do business with me?"

The Demon Hunter tentatively asked, and the jar seemed to become more excited with his approach. It even started to sway slightly, the sound of clay jar and rocks, wooden lid shaking unceasingly.

"Yes, yes, dear customer! As long as you give me that scale, everything here can be exchanged for it!"

Lann wasn't sure what legends this jar had in the Iwami Region, but it seemed simply like a trade to him.

Although the marlin scale, if brought back, could earn the Demon Hunter quite a bit, compared to the goods available for exchange with such a supernatural being...

Anyway, in Lann's eyes, the collections of supernatural beings were more valuable.

Money, after all, can be earned anytime.

Anyway, to him, as long as there's money, Airetusa's magic pouches are never out of stock.

Really, considering his relationship with the headmaster?

"To do business, at least let me see the goods, right?"

Lann crossed his arms and spoke critically to the jar.

The creature inside the jar began shaking more vigorously. Because looking at the goods symbolized an intention to trade.

"Of course, customer, of course!"

So that grotesque arm started retrieving items one by one to show to Lann.

There were strange pills wrapped in paper, a red gourd, scrolls, and other items.

As Lann examined these unfamiliar items, the being in the jar introduced them all to him.

But after hearing it all, the Demon Hunter was only interested in two items.

"'God Devourer'? Why is the pill named that? Is it really as effective as you say?"

Lann pointed to the pill wrapped in paper and asked.

The creature in the jar chuckled, its tone carrying a sort of affected air... just like a nobleman.

"Genuine, dear customer. One pill is equivalent to a life. Whether it's beheading, heart destruction, or blood loss... all irrelevant. So long as there's a breath, 'God Devourer' can restore one to full health."

"This is made from plants and woods growing in very ancient places in Iwami. These plants attract small deities, and thus bear the grace of the divine. Consuming this pill is like consuming divine grace itself!"

Lann nodded lightly; with his contact with the Lady of the Lake, he somewhat understood the concept of deities.

However, the concept of 'deities' in East Japan differed somewhat, because in Shintoism, with its "Animism," even demons and nature spirits are considered deities.

"That truly is a precious pill then."

"Indeed," the creature in the jar expressed its happiness, shaking the jar with a rattling sound.

"This is not only precious, but truly exquisite! You must know, ever since the Divine Dragon took root in this land, the little deities have vanished without a trace."

Lann's eyebrows raised as he caught the keyword in his ears.

"Did you just say... Divine Dragon?"

Wherever I go, there's always a dragon, huh!

Am I some kind of dragon's descendant carrying a buff!?

Fortunately, Lann had long sensed that this world was somewhat unusual, so he wasn't overly perturbed by this matter.

"Indeed, indeed, customer. A prestigious outsider, an outsider divine dragon. After its arrival, where have the local little deities gone? Hee hee, hee hee hee!"

The creature in the jar spoke with a tone that was akin to telling a horror story, low and soothing, yet tinged with a sinister chuckle.

It didn't want to speak plainly, rather, it used its tone to guide the listener's imagination to dark depths.

Lann wasn't scared, but he frowned as he looked at the pill representing 'a life.'

The meaning of 'God Devourer' probably isn't 'consuming the divine grace'... it's consuming the 'corpse of a god,' right?

This pill is made from 'the corpse of a god.' So where did the 'life of the god' go?

This foreign divine dragon doesn't seem to be a benevolent being, from the sound of it...

Then, Lann chuckled dismissively.

It's likely he wouldn't even have the chance to meet this dragon, so speculation about it was pointless.

Iwami will eventually be unified by the Inner Mansion.

If this is a dragon akin to those wicked ones in ancient tales, then if it comes to cause harm, it would naturally be the duty of the unified Inner Mansion of East Japan to handle it.

The greater the power, the greater the responsibility, after all.

"And this? 'Floating Boat Crossing'? Just selling it with only a name?"

Lann shifted his finger to point at the last bundle of scrolls, questioning the jar.

"This is a swordsmanship technique."

"Swordsmanship?"

"Yes, customer. It's a move relying on fluid movements and high-frequency attacks to overwhelm the enemy. It's a powerful and elegant sword technique!"

With these words, Lann's previously critical gaze turned firm.

If you say it's powerful, I might hesitate to proceed with the Iwami style next.

But if you say it's cool and graceful...

"Let's talk price!"

Lann decisively reached into the alchemy pouch at his waist.

"Ah, such a straightforward customer! The 'God Devourer' needs only one marlin scale, while the 'Floating Boat Crossing' requires five."

As the price was stated, the Demon Hunter's face fell in an instant.

A single marlin scale, sold in Temeria at a gemstone price, could fetch about five hundred Oren. Six pieces would be three thousand!

...So expensive!

"Sir, I feel your pricing is unreasonable."

"Eh?"

The creature in the jar seemed unaccustomed to someone bargaining for goods, and was momentarily stunned.

"How... how so?"

"Look. Our transaction depends on the marlin scale, with the smallest unit being one. You priced the 'God Devourer' at one, treating it as a baseline value. Since it's the baseline, I can't argue with that, as you're the one setting the price. But..."

"The 'Floating Boat Crossing' is merely a swordsmanship technique, while the 'God Devourer' is a second life! Even if there's a value difference, it shouldn't be five times, right?"

"So, sir... your pricing for the 'Floating Boat Crossing' is definitely unreasonable!"

Lann took a step forward, gripping the squid-like textured large hand, speaking with sincerity.

The large hand seemed frozen, unable to move, as if the Demon Hunter's persuasion had intimidated it.