Chapter 115: Monster Paradise

When he tested the idea, the results were exactly what he had expected. Mochi had become capable of absorbing and amplifying virtually any magic.

Even a simple Fireball cast by Qiu Nuoya could become a rapid barrage of fireballs when passed through Mochi.

Frankly, Qiu Nuoya and Mochi made a nearly unbeatable team. Of course, it had taken quite a bit of trial and error to reach that point.

"A combination technique with a tamed monster... I see, I see. Could it be that your Tamer skill level is surprisingly high despite your appearance?"

"Um, I’m not really sure."

"You haven’t had it checked at the Church?"

"Not for about three years."

The Church was practically a forbidden place for Qiu Nuoya. He had not set foot inside even once during those three years.

After so much time had passed, he assumed they had probably given up on him by now. Besides, he had no particular reason to visit the church, so he probably would not be going there in the future either.

If he really wanted to know his own skill levels, he could simply appraise himself. Qiu Nuoya also did not see any particular reason to check them constantly.

"Well, the Church has been getting a little suspicious lately, so perhaps it is better not to get too close to them."

"Huh? Really? What do you mean by suspicious? Did something happen?"

"There are rumors that the Church has recently become extremely eager to increase the number of its followers. Apparently, tensions between the royal family and the Church have been growing, and the prevailing rumor is that the Church is trying to build up a human wall of supporters to oppose the royal family."

"A human wall..."

The guild employee emphasized that it was only a rumor, but Qiu Nuoya still had an unpleasant feeling about it.

There had already been rumors for the past three years that Saintess Sherria and her fiancé, the prince, were on bad terms. Qiu Nuoya had never heard that the prince had married another woman, but neither had he heard anything about the prince and Sherria getting along well.

Qiu Nuoya knew that it had nothing to do with him, yet he could not help feeling a little concerned. Perhaps that was simply because he was acquainted with Saintess Sherria. He had grown tired of Sherria’s reckless behavior, but he could not help feeling that perhaps he should have listened to her more. Of course, even if he had listened, it was not as though there was anything he could have done for her.

"Anyway, putting that aside, there is a monster we normally cannot show to anyone unless their Tamer skill level is at least five. Are you interested?"

"Huh? You’re willing to show me a monster like that?"

"I think you should be fine since you can use a combination technique with your tamed monster. Oh, but your companions cannot come with you." The guild employee said this so casually that Viktor immediately looked displeased. "Why is that?"

"Because that monster chooses people. It is not the tamer who chooses the tamed monster. The tamed monster chooses its master. Monsters dislike those who lack the necessary aptitude, so anyone other than the tamer will have to stay behind."

"Will he be in danger?"

"No. If the monster has no interest in him, it will simply glance at him and ignore him."

Qiu Nuoya and the others had come to the guild intending to purchase a monster, but according to the employee, this particular monster would choose its own master. Rather than choosing the monster themselves, they would have to be chosen by it.

What exactly does that mean?

More importantly, Qiu Nuoya was extremely curious about what kind of monster could be in such a place.

The employee had confidently assured him that there was no danger, but Qiu Nuoya was still a little nervous. His curiosity, however, was stronger than his fear.

The guild employee gestured for Qiu Nuoya to follow.

"I’ll go take a look," Qiu Nuoya then followed after the employee and leaving the others behind.

At the back of the room, where countless cages filled with monsters had been stacked tightly together, stood a remarkably sturdy looking door.

The guild employee stopped in front of the door and placed his hand against what appeared to be a metal plate attached to it.

Somewhere nearby, Qiu Nuoya heard a sound as though a lock had been released and the sturdy door opened slightly.

The employee slipped through the narrow opening, and Qiu Nuoya followed him inside. The moment he stepped through, he was stunned by the sight before him.

It was completely outdoors.

Qiu Nuoya was standing on a slightly elevated hill, with a vast, lush mountain forest stretching as far as he could see. He had never imagined that something like this could exist on the other side of that door. He turned around to look back at the entrance they had come through, only to discover that the door itself had completely disappeared.

"Um, where is this...?"

"This is Elysium, a paradise for monsters. Just like the dungeon, this place is connected to another dimension. The monsters here can live freely without having to worry about being hunted." The guild employee looked around the peaceful landscape. "If adventurers ever found out about a place like this, they would probably hunt the monsters here until there was nothing left. So you absolutely must not tell anyone about this place. Though, a tamer who has earned the genuine trust of monsters would probably never even think of revealing it in the first place. You’re like that too, aren’t you?"

"Huh? Ah, yes! Even I understands that it would be terrible if people came here and disturbed this place!" Qiu Nuoya did hunt monsters because he needed to complete missions and survive, but he had no desire to slaughter more monsters than necessary.

These days, he had started accepting monster extermination missions as well, but he had no intention of hunting anything beyond what was requested. He certainly had no desire to turn hunting into some kind of hobby.