<Steel Clamp Transformation>
Transforms the arm into a pincer hand.
It grants extremely powerful cutting force, leaving almost nothing in the world that cannot be cut.
Did the bleach catch it?
Bubbles do make one think of crabs, after all.
It seems the bleach caught the one waiting up front to spew more bubbles.
Exoskeleton plus steel pincers—what even is this?
“Khum.”
To be honest, as the fish came over, a few indescribable skills did appear.
<Third Organ>
A skill obtained from catching the Octopus King, described as a mutation switch that allows something extra to protrude from the body.
Q: Does ‘that’ work too?
A: It does. But I don’t want to try.
No matter how many skill slots I have, it feels like deviating from human form, so I don’t even want to slot it in.
Still, since there are plenty of slots, I did put it in.
If something with suckers protrudes from my body, that’s a monster, plain and simple.
“Seems the bleach is having some effect?”
It’s not just ordinary bleach.
With the skill <Water Dilution>, the volume won’t decrease even over there, and adding the sea weed component from the salamander makes it swell even more.
If the creatures from the otherworld don’t shrink but only appear smaller when passing through the gate, then I could swell things up on their side and use them.
When blocking the bubble attack, the Fairy Princess shed tears again, raising my current magic to 800, and my level rose nearly 300, giving me 800 stats to invest.
As magic reached 800, various skills leveled up again.
In particular, Spatial Movement reached LV12, reducing cooldown to 5 minutes, and moving from Daejeon now seems to reach the greater capital area.
Among them, one strange skill is Portal.
<Portal LV5>
Creates a magical passage for automatic spatial movement.
At the current level, one can be made.
Items can be sent through it.
Up to 500 liters in volume can be delivered, and after sending a 500-liter item, a 10-minute cooldown applies.
At higher levels, living beings can be sent, but efficiency is worse than Spatial Movement.
Custom settings to block living transmission are possible.
“A skill that eliminates refrigerator delivery fees?”
As an advanced skill of Spatial Movement, reaching magic 800 creates a Portal that living beings can enter at level 5.
Portal is helpful for delivery but has many restrictions for transportation.
The description itself feels like, ‘Living beings can use Spatial Movement, so why bother?’
Through various composite items, I could somewhat control Portal creation, and even.
[I can manage this!]
“Really?”
The spirit says it can manage it to some extent.
Then……….
“Hey, wait a second.”
I went back to grandma’s house and the nearby forest, punched the ground with my fist, and dug a deep hole.
Then I created a Portal, placed it inside the rice cooker, and returned.
“I don’t care about the rest—level-less entities, those with no detectable magic. Especially water, right? If water comes in, send it through this Portal. Leave anything that feels dangerous here.”
[I have cherished the gate like an egg for many long years. I can clearly tell what is dangerous. You will know by the number of MyaaaaAAAAaaaa!]
“……Wasn’t that just air-raid siren play?”
MyaaaaAAAAaaaa, Myaaaa, MyaaaaAAAAaaaaaaa.
So it was judging danger and reporting it?
“Fewer ‘Mya’ means less dangerous?”
[Yes! Somehow I can now sense the gate’s waves too.]
“How… Ah, because you’re an electronic appliance?”
[No.]
“Oh?”
[Because I’m a spirit!]
Damn cross-species brat.
The village houses are spaced far apart, so it shouldn’t affect others.
Even when I made noise digging just now, only dogs barked—no one came out.
With Spatial Movement leveled up, even if dangerous fish or water come in, I can go handle it myself.
Mom is a bit worrying, though.
Dad hates farming unless forcibly dragged, so he’s fine.
There’s a good way.
All of it.
“Uh, Mom.”
[No money.]
“No, listen—from now on, don’t go to the fields.”
[Whaaat?]
Her voice rises as if I’m talking nonsense, but I know the magic words to lower it.
“I’ll give you money, so don’t go.”
[If you want that, buy the land yourself.]
“Uh, give you 100 million, okay?”
[I won’t go. Please deposit by tomorrow.]
If conversation isn’t working in a family, maybe money is insufficient—let’s think that way.
The thought occurs that seawater might keep coming in, turning it into a dry salt lake.
If fish come like this time, the soil might become fertile.
<Salamander Garlic>
Has exorcism and anti-cancer effects, along with tonic and invigorating properties.
Added to food, it often improves conditions.
Magic +50, burn defense and recovery effect.
Special) Extremely spicy.
The salamander garlic Mom grew and harvested has magic-based healing effects, and adding it as a composite item causes massive expansion.
Tuk.
“Nightmare Queen. You pick it up.”
Something like a scroll comes out of the gate.
Not a living creature from the gate—perhaps an object with magical treatment.
I’m wary of picking it up myself in case something happens.
For this kind of thing, better to use the Nightmare Queen, whose magic is still higher and resistance better.
“Hm? Ah, yes.”
“…….”
“Yes?”
“Never mind.”
Lately, the Nightmare Queen has taken to drinking a few drops of the coffee I drink from a teacup welded to the table in the princess house.
I was about to ask if that causes environmental hormones.
Then realized it’s pointless.
Who knows if environmental hormones affect otherworld monsters?
“It’s protected by infused magic, but it doesn’t seem like a magic-infused scroll. It’s a letter. Hm? Ah?”
The Nightmare Queen’s expression twists.
As she said, if it’s a letter, I can now read the text through intelligence and magic.
Should I read it?
Why is she like that.
“What does it say?”
“Dear Giant of the otherworld. We know the Nightmare Queen has invaded your place. We believe you are safe. That… bitch. Ah.”
It’s funny hearing the Nightmare Queen read it.
“Give it here.”
“Yes, there’s magic considerate enough for you to read directly.”
The Nightmare Queen paraphrased.
Not just “bitch”—far stronger contempt and mockery.
Even excluding that, the Dragon Lady’s letter was delivered.
First, after the Nightmare Queen left for invasion, the maritime clan seized the palace, with constant high-level guards.
It said reckless entry is impossible.
Next.
‘In the gap when the King Crab King among the guards died and the Lanternfish was injured, this letter is sent.’
King Crab literally translates to king crab, so King Crab King—like a station name.
Anyway, seems the King Crab King died from the bleach.
Getting exoskeleton and pincer generation skills…………
If an Emperor King Crab King comes for revenge next, will I get to eat crab galore?
‘My child should be hatching around now. It will live regarding the first it recognizes as parent.’
‘Please give it a true name in your world’s hard-to-pronounce language so no one can curse it, and imprint it until your world’s star completes one orbit.’
‘If you name it and burn it there, my small reward will arrive.’
That was the Dragon Lady’s letter.
In short, name the baby dragon properly.
She could name it herself and send it, but preferably in this world’s language.
And this one is clear on give-and-take—likely sending another artifact.
“A name…………. what should it be?”
The baby dragon needs something other than Yong-gae.
Calling it dog rice cake has bad connotations.
At school, even nicknames kids give in jest—kids adjust themselves to the ‘nickname’ others expect.
They even make it their personality.
‘Those damn middle schoolers…………..!’
Especially visible in bullied kids.
My students were cursed middle schoolers, so maybe that’s why, and no guarantee dragons do the same, but Yong-gae, dog rice cake, etc.
Better avoid dog-related names.
Above all………….
“Wang, wang”
Seeing it sitting on the floor scratching its whole body with thick hind legs, that mom over there.
‘Raised your kid like a dog? Hoho.’
Doesn’t seem like she’d be happy. Of course.
‘Must absolutely hide anything dog-related.’
Far from beating her yet—how to counter a mother angry that I raised her child like a dog?
Just take the beating……………
In this situation, maybe better to follow CatMan’s random claim of “raising the dragon like a tiger.”
If the dragon roars “Rawr” and rules the world, tiger tier is a bit lower than dragon, but this is a tiger-worshipping nation of tigers. Maybe room to deceive the Dragon Lady?
Of course, it’s more bear than tiger.
She probably doesn’t know myths well.
“Wouldn’t asking the child’s mom be most appropriate?”
The Nightmare Queen, who used to show interest to gain favor no matter what I did, sounds indifferent.
“Your auntie love for nephew is too stingy.”
“I’m not an aunt!”
Their mom had bad relations, so understandable.
“Anyway, holding a baby dragon name contest. Please participate enthusiastically.”
As seen with CatMan and RiceCookerMan, my naming sense is off.
So I opened a name contest.
“Meow.”
CatMan raises a front paw high.
[White Tiger.]
“White Tiger. Well, it’s a white dragon, so makes sense.”
[Or Kang Baek-ho.]
“……Why Kang Baek-ho?”
[Strong White Tiger. Sounds impressive, right?]
“Who showed you basketball manga?”
[Then Eom Baek-ho.]
“Quiet, next.”
[What do you have in mind?]
Dog, so D, D. Attach to make Dooie. Strong pronunciation Doori, Doori sounds too girly for a dragon.
“So Doori?”
[Who showed you kids’ cartoons?]
Got countered.
[Well, in the end, it’ll be whatever the boss… no, captain decides, right? What do you think, captain?]
White Tiger was tempting, but since CatMan said it. Pass, let’s see.
“How about YongMan?”
“…….”
[Manly name. Then we’re the Man brothers. Maybe Manchester is our brother too.]
Only CatMan responds positively—definitely not it?
“727!”
Ah.
A child’s eye is most accurate.
“Yeah…………. I’ll reflect your opinions.”
RiceCookerMan rattles his lid.
[If Yong surname, for growing huge like a mountain—Yongsan how about!?]
Want to treat as bad pun, but Lee Soo-chan’s soul in RiceCookerMan—no good.
“Rejected.”
[Or dragon that crossed the gate—Yongmun?]
“Uh, well, keep going.”
Absurd, but RiceCookerMan has ideas.
[Or dog + dragon. Dog as GAE, G, dragon D—GD how about?]
“Stop, you maniac. It’s DG.”
These guys watched TV and spouting nonsense.
“But, hm.”
“Got an idea?”
“We don’t know if boy or girl, right?”
“That we don’t.”
Dragon ecology explained by the Hermit of the Hovel.
In the hatchling stage, gender isn’t clearly distinguished.
Only after passing this and hitting secondary characteristics do male/female split.
And passing this stage takes about 500 years.
Truly distant time, but wait.
“Certainly, raising in human world, a neutral name might be better.”
“I’d prefer it grows male.”
“What, gonna seduce a dragon too?”
“The giant is already worrying when grown……….”
“There’s a kid. I told you not in front of the princess.”
Why are these room monsters all abnormal.
[Uh, girl? Then little dragon girl—So Yong-nyeo!?]
“What are you saying. Then since I’m Kim, take my family name.”
[Kim Yong would be good too!]
Lee Soo-chan read wuxia too?
Name not decided, but somehow hooked on DD.
“Let’s go DD then. D2. Diina.”
[Decide by reaction. First, how’s this. Baekho ya. Sounds like growling………… Kyaooo]
Bites again.
If bitten once more, become CatWoman?
[Then choose. Yongsan, Yongmun, GD, So Yong-nyeo, Kim Yong!]
The baby dragon ignores RiceCookerMan’s puns completely.
Precisely, no place to hurt even if asked.
Eventually wrote candidate names, decided baby dragon bites one to choose.
Like a traditional first birthday grab, setting name signs to tempt the dragon.
[Uh?]
RiceCookerMan startles.
“What now.”
[Myaaaa, Myaaaa. Water coming?]
Ah, this salamander brat.
Flood again.
Busy naming.
“First keep in your belly, tell if corrosion or anything, else try Portal.”
“Why’s that crazy kid acting up lately? Protesting for money like this?”
Jin Seong-hee couldn’t guess where her son’s recent bravado came from.
He didn’t smoke, had no interest in learning cards, lived upright in school without (couldn’t) date girls, but you never know.
Lost job and turned to illegal gambling, or voice phishing contact, or sending money to some unseen app girl.
Worried, but let the money offer pass one ear.
“Need to get him a house at least to settle the kid. Girls are lured with a home.”
The previous borrow money talk must be serious.
What else but teaching could he do—where’s such money coming from?
Still asking for money, maybe got a girl and worrying about marriage house—hopeful thought.
“What’s he thinking living, really.”
Decided not to go to hometown house, but didn’t take seriously.
It’s her son—seems like giving money so mom doesn’t toil with chores.
But why not come in busy season?
Winter prep means little field work left, but to repair hometown house and fetch stored harvest, Jin Seong-hee discovered groundwater gushing from the forest floor near the house.
Hot steam rose from this groundwater.
“A hot… spring?”
Near her hometown in Sanggwan-myeon, Wanju-gun, there was once the famous (now closed) Jukrim Hot Spring from the 70s–80s.
“Feels refreshing?”
Dipping her hand, Jin Seong-hee felt the recent chilling rheumatism pain in wrist and fingers cleanly vanish.