EP.122 Interlude

"Great job, both of you. The footage turned out beautifully, so make sure to watch it later."

Yu Parang and Xiao were greeted by Shin Yuna as they returned from their battle.

Xiao plopped down into a chair, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I never imagined you had such an outrageous skill... 'Perception Distortion'? How is that even an A-rank skill?"

She opened her hand to reveal a small underwater drone she had been holding.

This was the object that had been disguised as Yu Parang using the 'Perception Distortion' skill.

A doppelgänger technique using perception distortion. Parang had come up with this technique after getting inspired by watching TV.

She transformed special drones, designed to autonomously track targets, into her likeness to confuse the enemy.

For reference, the drones were custom-made by Silo Corporation.

She disguised five drones as herself to scatter the enemy's attention, allowing the real Parang to sneak in and launch a surprise attack from behind.

It was Parang's secret ace up her sleeve.

In any case, with the conclusion of Parang and Xiao's battle, the broadcast ended successfully.

"Thank you all for your hard work today. We really appreciate you coming."

Yuna bowed politely to Oceanos.

Oceanos also returned the gesture with equal politeness.

"No, it's only natural since we'll be working together in the future. In fact, we should be the ones thanking you for your help."

Elvira shook hands with Yuna, smiling.

Watching this, Parang's jaw dropped.

"Elvira? I didn't expect you to say that."

"What, you think I'm always like that? I can be polite when I need to be. I'm just rude to you guys."

"Can't you be a bit more polite to us too...?"

"Why don't you start being polite to me first?"

"That's not going to happen."

With that, they shared some lighthearted banter, and the broadcast wrapped up smoothly.

"That's it for today's broadcast. See you next time."

- You're coming back, right? We don't have to wait forever, do we??

- (Yu Parang's main channel has been offline for two weeks.)

- Aaaaargh

Correction. It didn't end smoothly.

Parang's mischievous streak was triggered yet again by the chat.

"Hmm, I think I'll be making an appearance again soon. But not through a broadcast."

- What does that mean??

- Why does it sound like you're describing a rare animal? LOL

- Making an appearance, LOL

- Just close the channel if you're going to do this

- No, don't do that;;

- Please, anything but that

Parang, with a bright smile, addressed the confused viewers.

"It's a secret. You'll find out when the time comes."

- ????

- Oh, you're going to get it today

- Aaaaargh

- Open your eyes, open your eyes, open your eyes

< This broadcast has ended. >

For the first time in a while, the community exploded.

[ Damn it, you broadcast bastard! ! ! ] [56]

[ Today's Broadcast Highlights ] [78]

[ American S-rank Hunter Oceanos Battle Reaction ] [23]

[ Today's MVP <- It's just this guy, yep ] [45]

[ 100% Speculation on the Host's Persona ] [12]

[ Always surpassing expectations... ] [44]

[ Everyone get out, this is now the 'Elvira Petrov' gallery. ] [34]

[ "Stand up, Xiao. Losing to a stronger opponent is nothing to be ashamed of." ] [90]

[ The fact is, the association won. ] [63]

[ Always surpassing expectations... ]

[ Author: HowIsItAlreadyMidnight ]

(GIF of Yu Parang splitting into five and flying. If you look closely, you can faintly see Yu Parang sneaking below to target Xiao from behind.)

A person who said she wouldn't use his persona but brings in doppelgänger techniques...

A person who breaks through a five-layer barrier without using her persona...

A person who obliterates the meaning of prediction...

We worship you, GOAO (Greatest of all Ocean)

- (Worship Emote)

- (Open Your Eyes Emote)

- GOAO, this crazy woman LOL

- Wow, looking closely, she slips through the gap between the bones, that's insane

ㄴ Wow, how did she see that angle

- D D D

- When did the host learn doppelgänger techniques LOL

[ "Stand up, Xiao. Losing to a stronger opponent is nothing to be ashamed of." ]

[ RaiseClassic ]

(Black and white photo of Parang smiling at the camera)

"It's only natural for a D-rank to lose to a B-rank."

- (Worship Emote)

- I admit the doppelgänger technique, but using Silo's drones is a bit much;; Isn't that just relying on gear?

ㄴ What, did Necro not use gear? You idiot

ㄴ LOL Emote

ㄴ Looking at this guy's logs, he's a hardcore Xiao fan?

ㄴ Totally LOL

- Damn, breaking through a five-layer top-tier barrier without using a persona

ㄴ What if she was using her persona from the start? What if breathing underwater is her persona?

ㄴ Aaaaargh

[ Damn it, you broadcast bastard! ! ! ] [56]

(Screenshot of Parang's main channel, offline for two weeks)

Broadcast, damn it! ! !

- Ah LOL "Secret Event" see you then LOL

ㄴ (Of course, the broadcast won't be on)

ㄴ Yukiyaaaargh

- Newcomers making a fuss over a mere two-week break, tsk tsk

ㄴ What's going on behind the scenes

ㄴ Sorry, my hands are shaking as I type

ㄴ (Outrage Emote)

Interestingly, a fandom for each member of Oceanos has formed.

Each of them left a strong impression, with distinct combat styles and personalities.

Moreover, for the community members with nothing better to do, the so-called "pitting them against each other" was immensely entertaining.

Debating "who would win if they fought each other" became a never-ending source of discussion, like a goose laying golden eggs or an inexhaustible well.

This debate quickly became a cultural staple and a long-standing topic in the gallery.

...And later, this culture would provide unexpected help to Oceanos.

But that's a story for another time.

#

Meanwhile, after the broadcast, Yuna and the Oceanos group didn't return to the surface but headed somewhere else underwater.

They were escorting Yuna to the Monster fish layer, with Oceanos forming a protective formation around her.

The sight of fish dozens of meters long swimming just 10 meters away was enough to intimidate even Shin Yuna.

She asked, slightly nervous.

"Uh... Are we almost there?"

"Yes, we're almost there. It's that object over there."

They were heading towards an object floating in the middle of the Monster fish layer.

The object was shaped like a clay pot, and up close, it was truly enormous.

It was twice as large as the spherical object where they had just fought.

Considering Diego could comfortably attempt his maximum enlargement inside, you can imagine how large this object was.

"Wow..."

Yuna's jaw dropped at the overwhelming sight.

As they neared the pot's entrance, Russell paused the group and entered the pot first.

"I'll check inside for a moment. We manage it regularly, but another Monster fish might have settled in."

And indeed, shortly after he went inside, there was a loud clanging sound, and a train-sized Monster fish was pulled out.

"Where do you think you're going, you bastard!!"

After watching Russell quickly catch up and devour the Monster fish whole, Yuna and Oceanos finally stepped inside the object.

The interior of the pot was so dark that it was nearly impossible to see anything.

"Just a moment."

Until Parang clicked on the light of her suit, Yuna couldn't see the inside of the pot at all.

And what was revealed inside the pot was...

"Wowwwww..."

Yuna was so captivated by the overwhelming sight that she forgot to step inside.

The pot was filled with the highest-grade materials Oceanos had collected over time.

Bones, shells, teeth, tentacles, and eyes of unidentified Monster fish were piled up like mountains, and massive Magic Stones formed towering heaps, enough to make any blacksmith's eyes spin.

"We have about eight more storage rooms of similar size. If you're not satisfied with these materials, we can show you the others."

Vertea scratched her head awkwardly.

"I'm not really familiar with production... I hope this is enough..."

"Oh, no! This is more than enough. Thank you so much."

"No, we should be thanking you for making something for us."

Vertea's words made Yuna shake her head.

She touched the hard and resilient shell next to her and spoke.

"Just being allowed to handle materials of this quality is worth paying for. I meant thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with such top-grade materials."

Yuna spent over ten hours meticulously going through Oceanos's treasure trove, finally selecting all the materials needed to craft weapons for them.

And two weeks later, a package arrived at each Oceanos member's doorstep.

Inside were top-grade equipment, crafted with the spirit of the God of Training.

Simultaneously, an extraordinary gift from the association arrived at the Hunter Gallery.

[ Hunter Association Announcement: Underwater Hunter Rank Exam Opening ] [108]