X-X-X-X

Chapter 5

X-X-X-X

"Hm...Which collar would suit Merlin...?" I muttered staring at the collars in front of me.

"A collar for a pet, customer?"

"Hm? No, player." The man seemed more interested now. "The hair is navy blue and the eyes red."

"I see, I see, well, this is a very popular item among the masses."

"Spikes and chains...No, not this one. This person is more..." I thought of a word. "Noble...refined...somewhat of a clean freak."

"Hm...Then how about this?"

"No, the color wouldn't suit him."

"Then..."

"Too gaudy."

"This..."

"Too shiny, won't work and might get the attention of some monsters before we're ready."

"Er..."

"I'll look around some more by myself. Excuse me."

I looked around some more and I decided to get a sleek leather collar in red with a gold buckle. In the front hangs a silver cross. The price was more than I would have liked, but I decided to go with it due to the effects it had and the fact it's a growing type. With this, he won't have to replace it every time he leveled up. The owner asked if I wanted it wrapped up, but I refused and I took my leave.

"Merlin, you done here?" I entered the store selling leather armor. "Here, I got you something." I said raising up his new collar.

"Why did you buy that?" Merlin asked as I pulled it on him.

"You don't have any equipment and you're a cat. It's a growing type, nice, right?" I asked with a peaceful smile.

"Gro-Do you know how expensive that is?!"

"Think of it as an early birthday present then." I picked him up with both hands and I checked it out. "It suits you."

"..."

"So, what exactly were you getting here?"

"Just putting in an order using the dragon material you gave to me. It'll be done in a few hours."

"So we'll come back then. I need to get some more pots and put in some special orders at the blacksmith."

"The Adventurers' Tournament is next month. You plan on entering with the girly boy?"

"Nah, too much of a pain in my ass. Why is it they can't let people enter in smaller groups?"

"Then there would be too many teams."

"There's already going to be a shit ton of teams, probably everyone on this damn continent is going to enter."

"Good point. Too much trouble." Merlin yawned, curling around my neck. "I want tuna."

"Hm...What kind of aquatic life is there?"

"Just normal aquatic life, not many monsters unless you count things like the Kraken."

"Kraken?" My ears perked up at that. "Hm...I wonder how that would taste..."

"It's a giant octopus."

"Squid."

"No, I'm pretty sure it's an octopus."

"Squid sounds tastier."

"Why does that matter?"

"Because, if we're going to go after it, I'm going to cook it."

"Hm..." Merlin thought about it. "Will it be any good?"

"If not, we can always sell it to other people."

"Good point. Rare materials after all."

"Uncommon, not sure if any of it would be useful. I want to find the dragon boss, I bet that'll be a fun fight."

"Ugh..."

"I bet it's hidden somewhere within the valley, we just got to find it...think of all the unexplored places too!"

"Just buy a lot of food before we go then. I don't want to eat dragon the entire time."

"Ahahaha, sure thing."

"Also, buy a separate pots and pans for food for what you use for your crazy inventions. I'm not eating anything strange."

"Hm...I don't really see the problem."

"You use poisons. There's also the fact you put dragon piss in the pot you were using before."

"Not piss."

"Close enough."

"You're so squeamish." I rolled my eyes. "Not like I would have used the same pots for cooking as for what I use to make lures and stuff. Chance of it ruining the food, not going to risk it."

"Hm."

"Oh, right, I heard Miwa and his team is going to go to the valley too. I guess if I need help, I can send them a message."

"Ugh..."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Hm?"

"Nothing."

By the end of the day, the two of us got what we needed. I obtained new pots and pans, along with a knife set and cutting boards. I included quite a few other items. I was actually a little embarrassed when I found out what Merlin was having made, a pair of dragon leather armguards dyed red. It was great to the point I bought whatever food Merlin wanted during our trip...the cat ended up causing my wallet to cry from how much he spent...expensive...he has such expensive tastes.

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"Hm...It's not here either..." I said sitting on a dead dragon.

"What do you expect, it won't be easy for you to find the Dragon King." Merlin said licking his paw.

"Maybe I should use the lure..." I muttered taking what I needed from the dragon.

"Not happening. Come on, we'll find it eventually."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Merlin and I wandered throughout the valley, the cat making comments occasionally about throwing bombs into the dragon's mouths and setting it alight...causing them to be blown up from the inside. Still, guess we'll end up with a surplus of dragon materials again...Well, we'll still earn what we need. Plus we accepted a bunch of dragon related quests earlier so we can earn a lot of money while we hunted the dragon boss.

"Hey! Yue! Where in the valley are you?! There's this jackass group who is pissing me off and I want your bombs so I can shove it so far up their-"

"Miwa, don't curse. So, what's wrong?"

"Get your ass to the area I'm at so I can get your help killing these bastards!"

"Can't, I'm too deep into the valley right now. You're going to have to handle it yourself."

"Damn it! Next time, you're giving me some of your bombs!"

"Not happening."

"Fine, be that way! Damn it, just when I needed you most..."

"Miwa?" No reply, he must have hung up. "Huh...well, whatever."

"What's wrong, Yue?"

"Apparently Miwa is fighting with another group."

"Keh, we're better off without him if the pretty boy is just going to cause trouble."

"Yes, yes..." Still worrying. "I hope he doesn't end up dying...I'll be the one listening to his ranting tomorrow..."

"Forget about it. Come on, look, another dragon."

"I might as well test my new poisons then."

"How many new poisons do you have?"

"Hm..." I tacked off my fingers one by one. "40 to 50, give or take."

"Fo...When did you create all those?"

"When I was waiting for you to arrive. This valley sure does have a nice collection of plant life." I picked up a strange looking flower and I examined it. "Poisonous, I would assume."

"How do you know that?"

"My fingertips are going numb."

"Put it down then, you idiot!" Merlin wacked me upside the head with his paw. "You're the only one that stands between us and death."

"Actually, I stand between you and death. If I die, you're screwed."

"That's what I said." Merlin curled around my neck again making himself comfortable. "Invest in some kind of a carrier on your back for me. It's annoying having to hang onto you by my claws."

"Yeah...it hurts quite a bit too..."

"So, wha-" Merlin stopped talking and I quickly turned my gaze to the sky...seeing a lighting attack, Miwa's strongest one. Four lights just shot off first. "Was that the girly boy?"

"Miwa..." The attack landed, four more rays of lights. "...I hope he's okay..."

"It's a game, he'll be fine."

"You don't have to listen to his ranting tomorrow..."

"Yue?"

"...Give me a minute. Miwa, you there?" No reply. "Miwa!"

"...! Forget about the girly boy! Incoming!"

"What?" I turned my gaze to where Merlin was looking to see...something flying at us? "The boss?!"

"Yue, dodge!"

I rolled out of the way as it can sweeping past us. I released a small grunt of pain after being tossed around after the dragon flew past. I turned my eyes at the dragon, licking my lips. A flying dragon, I'll be damned...I'll bet this one will be worth the effort to hunt. I pulled out a really long rope from my bag, quickly tying a large loop.

"What do you expect to do with that? Lassoing the damn thing like it's a bull?!" Merlin questioned sinking his claws into my shoulder.

"Nope, we're hitching a ride." I answered still grinning.

"You're mad!"

"I've heard worse!"

"Obviously!"

"Hang on, we might just die."

I waited for it to head in this direction before swinging the looped end high up. Seconds later, it flew past and I was suddenly being pulled. I adjusted my grip before wrapping part of the rope around my arm to get better leverage. I could hear Merlin scream at me, but I was too busy trying to climb the rope up. I got freaking lucky that it got caught around the neck!

"We're going to die!"

"I hope not!"

I finally got to the throat and I placed my feet firmly against the skin so I could work out the plan I thought up.. I dug into my bag, pulling out a thin bomb canister. I put it into my mouth before pulling out a small glass container with a cork. I brought it to Merlin's lips, needing a bit of help. The cat player shot me a small glare before biting the cork. I tilted the contents against the neck and a syrupy substance flew out and stuck quite well to the scales. I tossed the container as it was empty and I pulled the bomb out of my mouth, sticking it to where the syrupy substance was.

"What exactly is your plan?!" Merlin asked sinking his claws into my shoulder.

"Simple! I attach bombs to it, I detonate one on the wings forcing it down then after we safely land, we can set the rest alight!" I shouted to him.

"This better work!"

"If not! We at least have him on the ground!"

"This is going to be painful, isn't it?!"

"Yeah!"

I'm pretty sure the dragon was circling, looking for us, but didn't notice that we were on it...great luck for us though! I attached several more bombs to it, a large number on leftwing while some were situated over the heart...or where I would assume the heart to be in the back. Merlin released a grumble before forcing himself into my haori, clinging to my back with all his claws sinking into my skin.

"Here goes nothing. Fox Fire!" I sent the flames at the left wing, bracing myself. "W-Waaahhh!"

"WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"

"Maybe! We gotta jump soon too!" We're quickly approaching the ground. I reached behind me, grabbing Merlin and with some difficulty, getting him off. "Don't worry, I'll soften the impact!"

"That doesn't make me feel any better!"

"..." I held Merlin in one arm, pressed against my chest as the ground got closer. "...NOW!"

I ran along the back and tail, jumping off the moment the dragon hit the ground. I tucked my body and I rolled quite a bit before falling on my back. I released a small grumble before turning to look at the dragon. Wow...gross...One wing and a section of it's back was blown off and it's staggering to get up due to the pain.

"One last shot...! Fox Fire!" I sent the flames flying towards it's throat. "Stay down!" I shouted covering Merlin with my body.

There was a series of explosions and I had this really sharp ringing in my ears...and I'm quite dazed. Merlin and I sat up, but we were swaying side to side. I can't hear...My hears hurt...! Merlin said something and suddenly the pain cleared up. I turned towards the dragon to see it dead...and full of holes. Due to my happiness, my tails were wildly wagging behind me as I stared at my creation with a wide smile.

"Hahahahaha! That was awesome! Definably my best explosion yet!" I shouted jumping to my feet.

"I'm stuck with a madman..." Merlin muttered as I grabbed him to deal with the corpse.

"I wonder how much this is going to net us...Oh, it's male." I heard the system mention something about an egg. "Oh, I got an egg too."

"...This does not bold well for me or my spot..."

"-UE! You bastard! Don't go ignoring me!"

"M-Miwa!" I dropped the liver I was pulling out of the body. "Sorry, sorry, I was busy fighting the dragon boss! It was awesome! Did you know it has wings and can actually fly?"

"You...Why the hell is your luck so high?!"

"Don't know! I'm heading back after I get what I can." I made quick work of the organs, storing them away in my bag. "Oh, I also got an egg! Want to come with me to see what kind of pet I get?"

"You really are a lucky bastard..."

"Wouldn't it be 'bitch' considering I'm a girl?"

"How long until you're back? I want to talk to you about some things."

"Got it, I'll be back in..." I turned towards Merlin who was poking at the eye of the dead dragon. "How long do you think this might take and to get back?"

"Five hours?"

"Five hours, Miwa."

"Fine, got it. Tell me when you're back in Star City."

"Okay."

I got to work, dismantling the huge dragon and taking as much blood as I can. By the end of it, I was covered in blood and there was this metallic smell I couldn't get rid of even after the blood was cleaned off. Merlin was more than relieved that I was done, but he was unwilling to stand even three feet of me until the smell of blood fully disappeared.

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Chapter 5 Ends

Merlin is doomed to forever be in the center of whatever chaos Yue causes. After getting stuck with the manly female, he is quite fond of her...and has indefinably claimed her shoulders as his resting spot. Whether or not the pet is small enough to sit on her shoulders, he will never give it up as it is his spot. The hidden GM was lazy so he sat on her shoulders at first as a means of transportation, but as time went on...he grew to like being there and is rarely comfortable elsewhere. Welp that's it for now I think, until next time my dearies~! Bye-bye~!