Monster Taming Broadcast

Mechanical Hydra.

A monster with multiple mechanical heads in the form of water snakes.

The number of heads varies for each individual.

In ancient times, the Mechanical Hydra had three heads, while the newly born one has seven.

And…

“One of the newly born Mechanical Hydra’s heads is almost on the same level as you?”
─[That’s right. Pyo.]

One of its heads is SS-Class level.
In other words, there are seven SS-Class ones all packed together.

─[If its growth is left unchecked, it will become a more dangerous existence than the ancient Mechanical Hydra. Pyo-pyo.]

A life form that is one yet not one.
The dangerous monster that the Cyborg Dolphin referred to must be the Mechanical Hydra.

“Maybe the Wanderer Merchant just got help from explorers to subjugate that thing? Their power doesn’t weaken even when they’re near explorers.”

“Anyway.”

I shifted my gaze back to the Iris screen.
And asked Omega.

“Omega. So, once taming is complete, you’re saying we’ll go subjugate it? Do we really stand a chance?”
─[I’m not sure. We might lose. Pyo.]

As expected.
It was about heading into an uncertain fight.

‘…I don’t want to lose it right after taming.’
To survive in this labyrinth, I tried to avoid uncertain battles as much as possible.

If it were normal, I would have asked Omega not to fight the Mechanical Hydra after taming it.

But I couldn’t do that.
If we leave the Hydra unchecked now, it will become a greater danger in the future.

Thinking about the future, I had to prevent the birth of a monster with seven SSS-Class monsters, no matter what.

‘I absolutely must get help here.’
I looked over the members of the exploration team.

Among them, there were five SS-Class.
Kinogine Aracne.
Blood Jellyfish Princess.
Necro Puppetmaster.
Puppets, Jellyfish Queen.
Bastet Daong.

With Omega added, there were a total of six.

‘Since the Mechanical Hydra has seven heads…’
I called out Niarah, who was burying her face in my arm.

“Niarah.”
─[You should call me Mom, son.]
“Shut up and move to the Machine Factory right now.”

I also told the Puppetmaster to summon Niarah Nepensys there.
As I said before, the Puppetmaster could always summon their puppets nearby.

─[Mom doesn’t want to be apart from her son…]
“I’ll let you cuddle and sleep after you come back, so don’t complain and go quickly.”

─[Really? It’s a promise, son?]

With Niarah joining the exploration team, the number of SS-Class monsters now stood at seven.
The same number as the heads of the Mechanical Hydra.

“Omega. Do you think we could win if our exploration team helps out?”
─[If we get help, our chances…]

Omega casually scanned the exploration team.
Then, with an expressionless face, their eyes glimmered as they said,
─[It’s not just hopeful; at this point, we’re guaranteed to win. Pyo-pyo!]

Even though it was a mechanical voice, the joy was apparent.
“You’re saying we’re guaranteed to win? You really mean it this time?”
─[I’m confident. Even with the best two of our town joining, we can’t lose. Pyo-pyo.]

Just as Omega finished speaking,
they lightly struck the ground with their thick reptilian tail twice.

At that signal,
─[Did you call for me, Master.]
─[I responded to the call, Master.]

Two machine-type monsters revealed themselves.

The two who were the top power of the Machine Factory.
Their danger level was also SS-Class.

*

■Techno Reaper X-9000
─Actual Danger Level: SS-Class.
─Current (Nerfed) Danger Level: A-Class.

■Cyborg Dragon Z-White
─Actual Danger Level: SS-Class.
─Current (Nerfed) Danger Level: A-Class.

*
Day 56 in the labyrinth.
I successfully tamed Omega.
─[Pyo-pyo. So this is what it feels like.]
“What kind of feeling?”
─[I want to meet you in person and give you a deep kiss right now. Pyo.]
“……”

【Mysticism】─

Omega fumbled around its own body for a while.
The change of emotions seemed quite fascinating.
─[Let’s put that research aside for now… It’s time to subjugate the Mechanical Hydra. We need to remove it before it gets stronger. Pyo.]
“Right, Omega. About that Mechanical Hydra… Is it really necessary to remove it?”
─[Pyororing?]
“No, it would be nice not to remove it if we could tame it. Even if it’s a violent one, if the taming goes well, it should become docile.”

─[Pyo. That’s not a good idea. It might become docile only to you, while still being violent towards other creatures. If we try to restrain it to tame it, we could end up on the losing end. So we should approach this with a clear intention to eliminate it from the get-go.]
“…If that’s your perspective, there’s nothing I can do.”

I felt a bit disappointed.
If I had succeeded in taming the Mechanical Hydra, it would have been like gaining seven SSS-Class monsters someday.

But what can I say?
As Omega stated, I had to give up.
The risks of taming would be that high.

─[You don’t have to be disappointed just because we can’t tame it. Even if we kill the Mechanical Hydra, we can create great machines from the parts it leaves behind. Pyo-pyo.]

After saying that, Omega summoned all the machine legions waiting throughout the Machine Factory.
It was time for the subjugation.

*
Breaking the silence of the mechanical graveyard,
the huge machine legion began to march.

In a desolate landscape mixed with rusty steel frames, broken circuit boards, and various machine parts, metal, and scrap,
the endless procession of machines continued.

Our exploration team joined that procession and soon found ourselves at the front.
I marveled at the march for a moment, before pausing my thoughts and giving directions to the exploration team.

The instructions were simple.
Let the puppet monsters fight in front as much as possible.
If dangerous attacks flew towards other team members, the puppets should sacrifice themselves and take the hits.

That was the directive.
No monster had any objections to this order.
The puppets accepted it without a blink, as if it was obvious.

It was a natural reaction.
As long as the Puppetmaster was alive,
the puppets knew they would never die and even if they broke, they could rise again.

“And if it looks like we’re going to lose, run away immediately. Don’t think about fighting to the death.”
─[Understood, Father.]
─[Yup!]

Aracne and Jellyfish Princess replied.
The other team members nodded in agreement.
“And you too, Omega.”
─[Pyo?]
“If it seems like we’ll lose, retreat immediately. If we die, everything will be for nothing. Even if we lose, we need to survive to plan for the future.”

─[Pyo-pyo. I promise I won’t take risks.]
At that moment,
the Cyborg Dragon, who had detached from the ranks and was swiftly surveying the mechanical graveyard, shouted.
─[Master! We’ve found the Mechanical Hydra! We must stop the march!]

As that voice echoed,
Kugugugu-

Amidst the huge piles of rusty metal,
seven water-snake heads were successively lifted, and with their movements, the nearby metal debris collapsed.

─[Krrrr…].
Slowly revealing itself was the Mechanical Hydra.
Its body was covered in black metal and bright red armor, with complex mechanical devices wrapping around its entire form, hydraulics, and cables tangled like muscles and veins.

In the center of its body, there was a large black device embedded.
Presumably, it was something akin to a core power source.

Just as I’d heard,
each head was a monster with a Danger Level of SS-Class.

As the Mechanical Hydra moved, steam began to rise from its body.
And with mechanical sounds, each joint moved slowly.

It gazed at the exploration team and the machine legion, then
─[Kaaak!]
without a trace of hesitation, it launched its attacks.

From the sky, a rain of laser fire began to pour down.

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