Chapter 446 ( Strange Creatures - I )

Two more days had passed since Cloud and the others had their meeting with Netero, and they were currently sitting on a train bound for their destination.

Cloud had used this time to be able to gather as much information as possible about their destination, a jungle just a few days away from the Hunter's Association headquarters.

"I keep wondering how come they haven't investigated this jungle when it's not that far away" - Kyōka said as she looked out the train window.

"That's because the high-level Hunters have been busy for different reasons, and this area is relatively dangerous for mid or low-ranking Hunters" - replied Menchi while looking at Dracoaguila's meat excitedly.

"Why did you bring that thing?" - Kyoko asked as she raised an eyebrow at how Menchi looked like that strange creature from the Lord of the Rings movie she had seen during her stay in Cloud's world.

"Because my order will arrive while you guys are doing your mission" - Menchi replied with a huge smile - "With this I will be able to prepare the dish I have long desired for so long, and you will be able to taste a delicacy of the gods."

"Oh, that makes sense, but how will you go about preventing that thing from rotting?" - Kyōka asked while raising an eyebrow, after all, it was hot as hell, not to mention that the place they would be going to was a slightly humid area, the perfect mix for Dracoaguila's meat to spoil.

"Trade secret ~" - Menchi replied calmly as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Surely she has an artifact that can keep her ingredients fresh, something like a portable refrigerator" - Cloud replied as he continued reading a book about the different territories of the world, though his main attention was focused on the [Dark Continent], the place where the strongest creatures and most exotic ingredients known to man were.

"You take the fun out of life, but you're right" - Menchi replied with annoyance as she snorted with irritation - "As a Gourmet hunter, I have to keep my ingredients as fresh as possible, so as to make my dishes delicious."

"Makes sense" - nodded Kyōka as she looked out of the train window again with boredom.

Menchi shook her head at the woman's disinterest after bringing up the subject, though it wasn't like she could blame her either, not when there weren't many people who knew how to appreciate the effort they put into their work.

"By the way, is there anything we need to know about this test?" - Kyoko asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Let's see, the president told me to give you a little information and then leave you alone" - said Menchi while explaining them some small details of the place where they would go, especially some dangers they had to be aware of.

"info?" - Cloud asked as he put the book he was reading aside and gave the blue-haired woman a serious look.

"I would say intelligent beasts" - replied Menchi as she shook her head - "Their morphologies and behaviors are characteristic of primitive humans, but their ethnic characteristics are more animalistic than human."

"First steps in evolution to become a second race?" - Cloud asked as he raised an eyebrow and stroked his chin curiously - "If what you say is true, they could end up becoming a hybrid mix between [Magical Beasts] and Humans."

"That's one way to look at it, though I'm not very knowledgeable on the subject outside of the information we can all get if we do a little research" - Menchi replied as she shrugged - "Anyway, better save that for later, I still have to tell you about the strange [Beasts] that inhabit the place."

"What kind of [Beasts]?" - Kyoko asked curiously.

"Let's see, there are two kinds of [Magical Beasts] in that place that you have to be cautious of, first there is an insect called [Mirage Butterfly]" - Menchi said seriously - "These release a kind of scale dust from their rainbow wings that causes hallucinations in anyone who breathes it in."

"That doesn't sound so bad" - said Kyōka while raising an eyebrow at the other blue-haired woman's words - "In fact, it sounds like a less lethal version than the [Hypnotic Butterfly]"

"Normally you'd be right, the problem is where those butterflies inhabit" - Menchi answered seriously - "They consume the nectar of some dangerous plants, which don't harm them because they take advantage of the butterflies' effects to devour their victims"

"That explains a few things" - nodded Kyōka as she looked out the window again - "That means that if there's one of those strange butterflies, there's a dangerous plant nearby."

"Exactly" - nodded Menchi as she started to think - "They also have to be careful with those strange tribes because they take advantage of the disorientation produced by the [Mirage Butterflies] to capture prey, and in the case of women."

"No need to continue, I can give me an idea more or less about what it is you wish to say" - Kyoko replied with a cold expression.

"Ok, then I will give you more information about these butterflies" - said Menchi while nodding calmly before showing a serious expression again - "The other [beast] that is in the forest, are the [Tiger Bears]"

"[Tiger Bears]?" - Kyoko asked as she frowned because she had read about them, a race of extremely wild bears thanks to their feline half.

Tiger bears] were beasts with the herculean body of a bear, a mobility and speed of a tiger. The beast possesses a dark brown coat with dark green tabby stripes in order to facilitate their camouflage in the areas they inhabit.

"If I remember correctly, they [tiger bears] travel in pairs," Kyoko said with concern.

"Yes, and their danger level is at least medium range alone, when there are two of them, the level increases to medium-high range" - replied Menchi while frowning - "What makes the situation worse is that their meat tastes horrible even with the right care and preparations."

". . ." - Cloud and the others were silent when they heard this before shaking their heads. Menchi's words had proved the stance of the Gourmet Hunters, they wouldn't hunt unless their prey was delicious enough.

"By the way, there's the rumor of a certain strange beast in the forest" - Menchi said as she returned to the subject - "Or rather, two."

"Two strange beasts?" - Cloud asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Exactly" - nodded Menchi calmly - "The first beast is a glowing horned rabbit, there are no records of this beast, and there is only information obtained through hearsay."

"Any distinguishing features other than the horns?" - Cloud asked as he raised his eyebrow.

"The horns appear to be in the shape of deer, and they are so shiny that the people who sighted it attributed to it that they were made of precious stones" - replied Menchi as he started to think - "The second thing is that it is a relatively small creature, about 30 centimeters and it possesses a white fur"

"White fur?" - Kyōka asked while frowning - "Doesn't that make it easily spotted?"

"That's the strange thing, despite this fact, the amount of people who have encountered the rabbit, is relatively small" - replied Menchi while shaking his head - "That's why we haven't taken these rumors from the nearby inhabitants of our destination seriously."

"What if the color of her fur is another color, possibly green, and she has only changed her color to play tricks on nearby humans?" - Cloud asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"That's a possible answer, although it's a bit far-fetched" - replied Menchi while again shaking his head - "That wouldn't make sense, after all, why would a beast do something like that?"

"Curious nature?" - Kyoko said as she cocked her head to the side.

"Now that I think things through calmly, I feel like I've heard of a beast with characteristics like the ones you mention" - Cloud said as he started to think.

"Now that you say so, I also feel like I've heard about it before" - said Kyōka while frowning - "Right, I remembered!"

"Huh? Do you know what kind of creature it is?" - Menchi asked curiously - "Is it delicious?"

"I have no idea if it's the creature I think, nor if it's delicious, but I honestly don't think it's a good idea to eat that rabbit" - said Kyōka while shaking her head.

"Come on, don't be like that and tell me what kind of creature it is" - said Menchi while frowning.

"Jackalope" - answered Kyōka as she started to think - "Rabbit, deer antlers, and elusive."

"A Jackalope!" - Kyoko exclaimed excitedly because she had read in some stories that this creature's milk had healing properties, and after seeing the [System], she could deduce that if she managed to tame this elusive creature, it would acquire healing powers, becoming a necessary creature for her team.

"Jackalope" - muttered Menchi as she nodded weakly, for some reason that name seemed to fit her like a glove.

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