Chapter Ninety: Meeting and Exchange

Su Yi thought for a moment and took out the capture ball for the Pecking Bird.

"Come out, Pecking Bird." Opening the capture ball, a beam of light shot forth, forming the shape of the Pecking Bird. As the light faded, the creature was revealed.

The captain, who had been watching closely, widened her eyes in astonishment, momentarily at a loss for words.

"A monster!?" The two hunters behind Master Wilds were shocked and gripped their weapons tightly at the sudden appearance of the Pecking Bird.

Master Wilds raised a hand to halt their actions, commanding, "Calm down!"

"But..." One hunter pointed at the Pecking Bird, unsure how to react to this unexpected creature.

"It's surprising, isn't it? The first time I saw it, I couldn't believe my own eyes either," Master Wilds remarked with a smile.

"It's a Pecking Bird—is this also your companion?" He boldly stepped forward to observe it closely.

"Yes, it's one of my earliest companions," Su Yi replied, gently patting the Pecking Bird to reassure it. "Don't be nervous, I'm here."

The somewhat anxious Pecking Bird relaxed, curiously surveying its surroundings.

"Incredible. That ball in your hand can actually store a monster. Based on my current understanding, I can't comprehend how it works." The captain stood and approached the Pecking Bird.

"May I touch it?"

"You may," Su Yi nodded.

The captain of the Dragonkin reached out, stroking the bird's scales and then the feathers on its forearm.

"Though it's hard to believe, it's happening right before us, so it must be true. May I see that ball?" she turned to Su Yi.

"Of course." Su Yi handed her the capture ball.

The captain and Master Wilds examined the ball's structure carefully, but neither could decipher its workings.

"Is this really an artifact of ancient civilization?" the captain murmured. She was no stranger to ancient technology, but while those had traces of their function, even if the materials or mechanisms weren't fully understood, their purpose was at least clear.

Yet this small, round ball revealed nothing at all. She couldn't help but wonder: was this truly something humans could create?

Su Yi shrugged, indicating he knew nothing.

"It's a marvelous treasure. Still, your ability to tame monsters is just as astonishing," the captain said, returning the capture ball to Su Yi.

Su Yi: I'm not, I haven't!

In truth, if not for the golden finger granting monsters intelligence, communicating and collaborating with them would be nearly impossible.

Even with intelligence, some proud and unruly monsters would not immediately accept or trust him—like the Swift Dragon, for example.

"It can't really be called taming. Rather, they choose to trust me," Su Yi said, gently stroking the Pecking Bird's decorative feathers.

"Squawk!" The Pecking Bird cried, rubbing its head against Su Yi.

"Oh! What's that? A monster!?"

"It's the Pecking Bird!"

"Why is there a monster in the research base?!"

The bird's cry drew the attention of several researchers. Upon spotting the Pecking Bird, they exclaimed in surprise, drawing a crowd.

"Squawk?" Seeing so many people and hearing their noisy discussions, the Pecking Bird seemed bewildered.

"Come back for now," Su Yi said, recalling the Pecking Bird into the ball.

"Huh!? Where's the Pecking Bird?"

"Did I imagine it?" An elderly Dragonkin removed his glasses and wiped them.

"Did you see it? The monster vanished instantly!"

The researchers began to discuss animatedly.

"Alright! Everyone, return to your stations!" the captain called out loudly.

Only then did the researchers, still buzzing with excitement, return to their work.

The captain, watching the restored order in the research base, returned to her seat and said, "You’re called Su Yi, aren’t you? Today you’ve brought me a great surprise. I'm very interested in what you’ve brought."

"And I believe the Supreme Commander will be as well. I think we can work together," she continued.

The captain recognized Su Yi's value, which meant they could delve deeper into exploring and researching this continent.

Such technologies and abilities would have far-reaching impact.

"It's getting late. We’ve arranged accommodations here. If you need anything, we can assist," the captain said gently.

"Could you support us with some weapons or equipment?" Su Yi asked.

The captain nodded, "We have some spare equipment here, though they’re all standard issue. If you need them, feel free to choose what you want."

"Thank you very much," Su Yi said gratefully.

"Master Wilds knows where they are."

"Follow me," said Master Wilds.

...

Lower deck of the airship, in the storage room.

Master Wilds pointed to the iron weapons and gear on the shelves. "This is all we have. There aren't many hunters in the research base, so these are just backups."

"Aibo, pick out a suitable weapon for now," Su Yi said to Dewgrass.

"Got it, meow," Dewgrass replied, turning to select a weapon.

"Thinking of becoming an official hunter?" Master Wilds asked Su Yi, observing him browse the weapons.

Su Yi nodded, "Though I haven’t had systematic training, I don’t want to be completely defenseless."

"Have you used hunter weapons before?" Master Wilds asked.

"I’ve handled them, but rarely used them," Su Yi replied, hefting a large iron sword.

"Whoa! It’s heavy!" He struggled to lift it. Carrying it was manageable, but swinging it was a challenge.

Wielding the great sword to its full potential required proper technique and skill—Su Yi clearly wasn’t suited for it yet.

Curious, he picked up a switch axe and tried to transform it, but its weight was also considerable.

"Looks like heavier weapons are out of the question for now," Su Yi said helplessly.

Next, he tried the longsword. Though he could swing it, it demanded even more practice to use proficiently.

The longsword was a weapon that only revealed its power to those who mastered it; otherwise, it was just flashy and more style than substance.

As for bows and light or heavy crossbows, those required precision. He didn’t want to accidentally injure his own companion beast during battle.

Hunting horns, he had no experience with at all—not even theoretical.

"If you haven't used hunter weapons before, start with the sword and shield to get familiar, and it’ll help train your body," Master Wilds suggested.

Su Yi nodded.

From practical experience, the sword and shield were beginner-friendly, or dual blades, which were lighter and easier to move with.

But in combat, whether using tools or launchers, the sword and shield were more flexible.

"I’ll start practicing with this, then."