After finishing my meal, I headed out.
It was dark outside, and a thin mist hung in the air, limiting visibility. Still, I could see well enough, and I’d memorized the route beforehand. Most importantly, Kai and Kei were with me, so there was no chance of getting lost.
I swung my arms and lifted my knees high as I walked, keeping my blood pumping to ward off the chill as we made our way toward our destination. Hoi, the father of the house, had finished his breakfast faster than anyone and had already set off on his own.
"Hey."
"Morning."
"Good morning."
As we approached the lake, the number of people heading to work increased. Soon, we arrived at the beach.
"Whoa..."
Hundreds of sturdy men lined the shore, divided into two groups, watching the lake with bated breath. Near each group stood a towering signal fire that served as a makeshift lighthouse. Out on the water, numerous small lights—likely from boats—were holding a strict formation.
The beach featured eight other spots with massive bonfires and piles of firewood burning like great campfires. Men stood by them, gripping not spears, but harpoons. It was a fantastical sight: the flames reflected off the dark lake, their outlines blurred into soft glowing rings by the mist. Whistles and drums signaled between the ships, making the whole scene feel more like a festival than a hunt.
"Ryoma, over here. Let's go."
"Right!"
It was a beautiful view, but I didn't have time to stand there entranced. First, I had to greet the person coordinating the adventurers and report my arrival. Then, I joined up with the rest of Shikumu's Pier. Since the Mad Salamander subjugation was a team effort, I was to be integrated into their group.
"Good morning!"
"Morning."
"Yo. You’re energetic this early."
"Glad you could make it..."
Shin, Sein, and Peiron were already there, so the whole team was present. It seemed we still had a little time before the hunting actually began.
"By the way, everyone. If you don't mind, could you tell me a bit more about how to handle the Mad Salamanders?"
I had researched the basics and heard some general instructions when I greeted the veteran adventurers yesterday, but since I was standing next to experienced hunters, I wanted to know if there were any specific tips or hazards to keep in mind.
"Ah... well, it’s easier if you see them for yourself, but they’re big, black, and they swarm," Kai said.
I wasn't sure how to feel; that description only brought to mind a certain pest known as "G" back on Earth.
"They target the fish caught in the nets or gathered at the collection point, so guarding the catch is actually more important than the subjugation itself," Kei added. "Like my brother said, there are so many of them that the village uses a rotation system. There are veterans who take this request every year, so just watch how they move and follow their lead. But even with a rotation, you're still fighting monsters until around midday. You have to pace yourself, or your body won't hold out."
That made sense. Endurance and pacing were going to be key.
"Also... occasionally, monsters called 'Pocket Eagles' will attack from the sky, so keep an eye out for those too," Shin warned.
"Yeah, those bastards wait until the adventurers are busy fighting the salamanders to swoop down and steal the fish," Sein added. "In some ways, they're more trouble than the salamanders themselves."
This was new information. According to them, these monsters specialized in playing the vulture. They dove from high altitudes that were hard to track during combat, making them difficult to intercept.
If the threat was from the air, I could leave the scouting to my Rimur Birds. From what they said, the eagles attacked individually; they were cunning, but not particularly powerful. My birds should be more than a match for them if they worked together. I decided to watch the situation for a bit and then offer the suggestion.
Just as I was thinking that, someone tapped my shoulder.
"Peiron-san?"
"Look over there."
I looked where he was pointing and saw several men standing stark naked under the freezing sky. I’d been told that the teams would rotate starting from the bonfire closest to the signal fire, so these men were likely the first team. Out on the lake, the boats had formed a semi-circle and were heading back toward the shore. The hunt was about to begin.
Still, I wondered if it was really wise to fight monsters while completely naked.
"A Mad Salamander only has two ways to attack: ramming or biting. Depending on your size, you usually won't walk away with more than a broken bone. The real danger is being dragged underwater," Peiron explained. "The risk of drowning is far greater than the risk of being bitten."
Apparently, some people prioritized mobility in the water over the protection of armor.
"You don't actually need to go that far, though," Kai interjected. "Those guys are just the young idiots trying to look tough."
"If you're going to strip, just the bottom half is enough," Kei said. "You only go in up to your knees. We don't go any deeper than our waists."
In that case, I decided to change into my waterproof chest waders and coveralls.
"Don't forget to keep yourself warm by the bonfire when you can. Otherwise, you'll catch your death."
We spent another five minutes preparing and gathering info until the first boats hit the shore. Fishermen scrambled about, grabbing two thick ropes that trailed into the water and began to pull.
"Heave! Ho! Heave! Ho!"
It looked like a massive version of seine fishing. To the rhythm of their unique chant, the men pulled the ropes and retreated inch by inch. Violent, irregular waves began to churn the surface of the water, and just as the net became visible, one of the small boats raised a lantern and began swinging it in a wide circle.
"Here they come! Get ready, boys!" an older man, likely a veteran, bellowed.
"Yeah!" the fishermen on the beach roared back.
Shadows glided toward the signal boat, creating ripples that shimmered in the lantern light.
"Go!"
"Don't let them through!"
The fishermen on the boats grabbed poles and harpoons, lunging at the ripples. The defense started at the signal boat and spread out along the semi-circle formation. Several Mad Salamanders were hauled onto the decks almost instantly, while others were finished off in the water. Meanwhile, the men on the beach pulled the ropes even harder, desperate to secure the net and the fish. The fishermen who weren't on the ropes leveled their harpoons and prepared to charge.
"Even with the rotation, the adventurers haven't even had a turn yet... The fishermen on the boats are incredible," I whispered.
"Darn right, kid!" one of the fishermen warming himself by our fire laughed. "We might not know much about land monsters, but we fight the things in this lake every single day!"
"Sometimes we're fighting them for the catch, and sometimes they are the catch!" another added.
"An adventurer might be tougher on dry land, but in the surf or on a deck, a fisherman reigns supreme!"
The men laughed boisterously. I realized then that in this world, being a fisherman meant being a combatant as well.
As I watched, a Mad Salamander finally slipped through a gap between the boats. One of the naked fishermen from before charged into the lake. He predicted the creature's path toward the net and intercepted it, plunging his harpoon into its side with a grunt.
"There!"
"That first one's a monster!"
"I can't hold it alone! Help me!"
The impaled Mad Salamander thrashed, sending spray everywhere. As it surfaced, its true form was revealed: a creature resembling a giant salamander at least five meters long. It looked like a lizard crossed with a tadpole, complete with webbed feet. Three of the young fishermen worked together to drive their harpoons home and drag the massive thing onto the sand. The moment its body cleared the water, the beach erupted in cheers.
"They won't die on land, but they're much slower than they are in the water. Plus, you don't have to worry about drowning," Kei explained. "The goal is to get them out of the water first, then finish them off at your leisure."
I watched the process, visualizing myself doing the same. Soon enough, it was our turn.
"Alright, Ryoma, you take this one! We'll back you up if you slip!"
"Understood! Here I go!"
We were stationed on the right side of the net. A single Mad Salamander had broken through on our side. I gripped the borrowed harpoon like a spear, coated my body in Qi, and rushed toward its intercept point.
The lake water was bone-chillingly cold, but my waterproof coveralls kept me dry. Ignoring the temperature, I waded in until I was knee-deep and waited. Timing it perfectly, I lunged, burying the harpoon deep into the creature's torso.
The beast went wild. It was about three meters long, and it put its entire weight into thrashing against the harpoon. I gripped the shaft with everything I had.
"Ngh!"
Being in the water with a child's body was a disadvantage; if I wasn't careful, the creature's momentum would toss me around. My footing on the sandy bottom was treacherous. I sank into a deep stance, focusing on gripping the ground with the soles of my feet to anchor myself.
"Heeeeeave!"
I hauled it onto the shore with a single, powerful heave!
"Nice! Great job!"
"Hold it right there!"
Sein and Kei were at my side in an instant. They struck the gasping Mad Salamander with the heavy ends of their harpoons, quickly ending it. At the same time, Kai sprinted past us to intercept another one.
It was my first kill of the day, but there was no time to celebrate. I quickly hauled the carcass to the collection point and hurried back. As Kai dragged his catch in, Sein waded out to take his place. We split our team of six into two groups of three, alternating between catching and processing.
Even with the rotations, running from the beach into the surf, wrestling a thrashing monster, and dragging it back through the resisting water was exhausting. Doing it ten or twenty times was fine, but doing it until midday?
This was going to be excellent training.