Monster Taming Broadcast

A door found at the end of the deep sea.

Beyond it was a passage made entirely of scrap metal from floor to ceiling.

And the floor of the passage had shallow water flowing, causing electric sparks to flash here and there.

─［Pii! It feels good to have cool feet!］

Splash splash.

Whether electricity flowed or not.

The Jellyfish Princess didn’t care and splashed the water with her feet, moving forward.

Other monsters were the same.

In a space so dangerous that an ordinary person wouldn’t have taken even a single step, they walked through it with ease.

Even I can now pass through that space without any issues.

The former Min Hyeong-seok was an ordinary person, but with the help of the monsters he ruled, he must have crossed through that space.

Utilizing monsters like Jellyfish that could buff them.

Thus, the exploration team of monsters moved forward without rest.

They continued for over a day through the unending long passage.

*

Day 54 of the Labyrinth.

The seemingly endless passage finally came to an end.

─［Pii! We finally arrived!］

─［It really was long…］

Finally, the exploration team stepped out of the passage.

Iris’s screen revealed an open space stretching wide.

Outside the passage was a desolate land.

Discarded scrap metal formed massive mountains in various places, resembling the remnants of a devastated future civilization.

The Puppetmaster slowly turned his head, looking around the scrap heap, and asked Neo Hyeong-seok.

─［Is this a Machine Factory?］

─［No. This place is called a Machine Graveyard, a location where the bodies of dead machine-type monsters are discarded.］

─［…Still not a Machine Factory? This is really far away.］

─［But we’re almost there now. Just a day more of moving and we’ll arrive.］

Just so you know, reaching the Machine Factory isn’t the end.

We’ll have to find the monster we want there too.

‘It’s not like I’m the one suffering, but I hope this exploration is worth the monsters’ efforts…’

Including body modifications, of course.

Machine-type monsters are said to be capable of inventing unique and amazing items.

I desperately hoped that creature would be helpful to us or one we could tame.

So that the hardships of this exploration team wouldn’t be in vain.

“Hyeong-seok.”

─［Yes, Master.］

“By the way, I still haven’t heard about the danger level of that machine-type monster you mentioned.”

─［Ahh. Are you referring to Omega?］

Omega.

That was the name of the machine-type monster Neo Hyeong-seok mentioned.

─［If I were to rate its danger level based on Master’s criteria, it would be around S-Class. When I read Master’s past memories, it was much stronger than the monsters classified as S-Class by you.］

“Really? But has that monster ever been tamed by an Explorer with the Supported One trait?”

─［I doubt it. It was briefly dominated by the former me. Although it was for a very short time.］

“Only for a short time? Why?”

─［Omega freed itself from domination. At that time, Min Hyeong-seok’s dominance was weak. Omega also had strong mental power and resistance, after all.］

It seems Min Hyeong-seok met Omega not too long after he became an explorer.

“Really? Still, seeing that domination occurred, he must have known the activation conditions for that ability.”

─［Yes. At that time, he had already figured out what the activation conditions were and was properly managing the ability.］

Just a trivial mention.

Putting aside the fact that his personality was trash, he was quite an amazing fellow.

Surviving in this treacherous Ancient Labyrinth with an ordinary human body and figuring out the activation conditions of his ability.

Just achieving that as an ordinary person is a remarkable feat.

On top of that.

Contrary to my early assumptions when I first arrived here, the activation condition for Min Hyeong-seok’s domination wasn’t to bring the target to a state of near-death.

The condition for his domination.

It was precisely to spit on the back of the target’s head and hit it.

When dominating an S-Class being.

On average, it almost takes just one phlegm spit, while for standard spit, it seems it takes hitting five times.

─［I spat phlegm on Omega’s back of the head seven times… So, it seems to take a minimum of five and a maximum of seven phlegm spits to dominate a monster of Omega’s level. I’ve also had five spits when dominating a monster of a similar level to Omega.］

The memories of Min Hyeong-seok were merely part of Neo Hyeong-seok.

It wasn’t even his true memories.

Since he was a being born from the mixing of numerous monsters.

Even so, Neo Hyeong-seok happily reminisced about past stories as if recalling fun memories, moving forward.

I didn’t find his stories boring, so I listened intently.

After about 30 minutes had passed.

─［Everyone, stop. There’s something behind that scrap pile.］

The Necro Puppetmaster halted the other exploration team members.

Iris quickly flew up high, then captured a monster hiding behind the scrap pile on her screen.

A machine body modeled after a human.

On top of that was a dolphin, seamlessly joined.

Overall, it resembled a monster like the Snake Head.

“Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t hiding, was it?”

The exploration team monsters also saw the dolphin’s appearance.

Iris in the sky received a screen transmission from Iris near the exploration team.

─［Oh. I can’t believe we’re meeting a Cyborg Dolphin here.］

Peering intently at the shared screen, Neo Hyeong-seok spoke.

So that monster is called Cyborg Dolphin.

“Do you know it?”

─［Yes. It’s a monster with whom Min Hyeong-seok was acquainted. This is fortunate.］

“Fortunate? Why?”

─［That fellow is Omega’s subordinate. In other words, if we can enlist it, we can easily find Omega’s location. No need to wander around the Machine Factory.］

“…That’s truly fortunate. But it could just be a monster of the same race.”

─［That cannot be. The Cyborg Dolphin exists solely as a single entity in the Ancient Labyrinth.］

According to Neo Hyeong-seok, the Cyborg Dolphin was originally a race that had a different name and was reborn into a new species by Omega.

Meaning, identical entities could never exist.

Even if they did, they would be Omega’s subordinate.

─［For now, I will go and speak to it directly. I don’t know if it will believe that I was Min Hyeong-seok.］

Neo Hyeong-seok took a step forward, speaking.

“Is it okay to reveal that so casually? You’re Min Hyeong-seok!”

─［It’s fine. Aside from trying to forcibly dominate Omega, I didn’t have any issues. In fact, I’ve even done a favor for Omega, so I doubt it will show hostility.］

“What kind of favor?”

─［It was a request to release all the machine-type monsters I was dominating.］

“Min Hyeong-seok did such a favor? That’s unexpected.”

─［Though it was closer to a threat than a favor. He intimidated me by saying there would be a war if I didn’t fulfill the request. Min Hyeong-seok was scared and had no choice but to comply.］

Anyway, he did grant the request.

So he did owe a debt.

With that addition, Neo Hyeong-seok confidently walked over to where the Cyborg Dolphin was.

As he turned around the scrap pile, the two met.

─［It’s been a while, Cyborg Dolphin.］

Neo Hyeong-seok greeted first.

The Cyborg Dolphin paused picking up scrap, crouched down, and looked up at Neo Hyeong-seok, tilting its head.

─［Who are you?］

─［I am Min Hyeong-seok, the explorer. I have changed my form due to various circumstances… But I can prove I was Min Hyeong-seok. By discussing matters between Omega and me that only we would know.］

The fact that he was distinctly different from Min Hyeong-seok.

That he merely held memories.

There was no need to add such afterwords.

─［Min Hyeong-seok…?］

The Cyborg Dolphin stood up.

And after reflecting for a moment, as if recollecting memories, it sighed softly and continued speaking.

─［Ah. You mean that useless, vile, cowardly trash explorer? The same bastard who spat phlegm on Omega’s back of the head?］

─［…］

─［I remembered who Min Hyeong-seok is. But you are claiming to be him?］

─［That’s correct.］

─［What evidence do you have that you are Min Hyeong-seok?］

─［I spat phlegm on the back of Omega’s head a total of seven times. That should suffice, right?］

─［Hmm. You remember the number exactly, so you must be Min Hyeong-seok after all.］

The Cyborg Dolphin nodded its head.

It seems it accepted that Neo Hyeong-seok was indeed Min Hyeong-seok just by that statement.

Neo Hyeong-seok observed the Cyborg Dolphin’s reaction before clearing his throat and spoke again.

─［Cyborg Dolphin. I’ll be direct. If you haven’t forgotten the favor from the past, please guide us to Omega.］

─［Hmm? You were looking for my master? What’s your purpose?］

─［My master’s master, the new explorer, is searching for him desperately.］

─［Hmmm. An explorer…］

─［The Ruler isn’t here, so don’t worry. The explorer I serve is a Supported One.］

─［A Supported One? Ohhh!］

Suddenly, the Cyborg Dolphin’s eyes lit up.

─［As it happens, Omega has expressed a desire to meet an explorer with the Supported One trait, so this is quite timely!］

I don’t know why Omega would want to meet a Supported One, but at least it seemed one thing was going well.

The Cyborg Dolphin looked around, asking.

─［Where is that explorer now?］

─［Due to circumstances, he couldn’t come along. However, even if we’re apart, communication is possible through Iris.］

As soon as Neo Hyeong-seok finished speaking.

Iris smartly approached next to Neo Hyeong-seok.

Then, while looking at the Cyborg Dolphin, she transmitted her current display on the screen.

I awkwardly greeted it.

“Uh, um… hello.”

─［Are you the explorer with the Supported One trait?］

Hmm. I didn’t expect it to address me informally.

At first, it used formal speech as a courtesy, but once it switched to informal speech with me, I decided to do the same.

“Yeah.”

─［You’re really a Supported One, right? If you’re lying, Omega won’t spare you.］

“Yeah, I really am a Supported One. If you don’t believe me, I can tame you right now.”

─［Aren’t you in a different location? How do you plan to tame me?］

“There’s a way to do everything. So, are you going to let me tame you or what?”

─［…Fine. Seeing your overflowing confidence, you might not be lying.］

“Well then, are you going to guide us?”

─［Of course. Omega is eager to meet a Supported One!］

─［I’ll take you right away to where Omega is, so follow me!］

The Cyborg Dolphin said, gathering up scraps.

He wasn’t as suspicious as I expected.

Neo Hyeong-seok waved to the exploration team behind him, shouting.

─［Everyone can come now! The Cyborg Dolphin is going to guide us!］

With that shout.

The exploration team watching from a distance quickly approached.

Then.

─［…Hiiik.］

The Cyborg Dolphin’s body trembled violently in fear upon seeing the exploration team of machine-type monsters, as if it were a quivering aspen.

─［I-I will guide you quickly! Please follow me! Hehe…］

And its tone changed.

Now it was polite to the point of being servile.

■ Cyborg Dolphin

─Actual Danger Level: S-Class.

─Current (Nerfed) Danger Level: B-rank.

─Ability: Iron Manipulation, Water Manipulation, Electric Manipulation.

─Special Note: A reformed monster reborn by Omega.

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