“Hidden mechanism?”
These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in Lore’s heart.
For a hardcore gamer like him, who spent years lurking in all kinds of games, taking pleasure in digging up easter eggs and completing high-difficulty achievements, the word “hidden” itself radiated an irresistible magic.
He subconsciously raised his non-existent “eyebrows,” eagerly pressing the system in his consciousness:
“How exactly is it hidden?
Does it require meeting specific conditions?
Unlocking a special Field Guide entry?
Or completing a chain quest?”
However, the system’s response remained consistently cold and concise, even carrying a hint of stylized “tsundere” attitude:
“Since it is defined as a hidden mechanism, the trigger conditions and specific content naturally require you, the Host, to explore them yourself.
This system has no authority to inform you directly.”
This bureaucratic reply instantly cooled the enthusiasm Lore had just ignited, making him feel as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.
But just as he felt bored and prepared to end the conversation, the system changed its tone, seemingly making a sort of “compromise”:
“However, given the Host’s strong thirst for knowledge and recent performance…
being acceptable, this system can provide a directional hint.”
The mechanical voice paused slightly, as if weighing its words:
“Hint: Please consciously improve your own Charisma attribute.
The more ‘Favor’ you receive, the more likely you are to trigger this system’s hidden judgment mechanism.
In short, please treat the female individuals around you who show you kindness well~”
“Roar…?”
Lore subconsciously tilted his massive dragon head, his pale blue pupils filled with confusion.
This action made the young sub-adult Zinogre look adorable, as if a tangible, giant question mark had truly appeared above his head.
“It’s one thing that my system is a pokémon skill system, but how did it end up getting involved with words like ‘female’ and ‘Favor’?”
His inner soul of snark burned once again, “Are you a serious system or not?
I am certain I transmigrated into the monster hunter world, not some weird romance simulation game?!”
“Ding!” The system’s notification sound rang out immediately, carrying a hint of offended “seriousness”, “Please do not groundlessly question this system’s professionalism and world-line positioning.
All of this system’s mechanisms are planned strictly in accordance with the underlying rules and user preferences of the ‘platform’ to which your soul’s origin belongs.”
“Platform?” Lore caught this strange word.
“Ding!
Warning!
Related explanations involve dimensional information; continuing to explore this in depth may impact the stability of the fourth wall.
Topic terminated.”
The system’s voice returned to absolute coldness, “In short, please make good use of your own advantages; perhaps you can fully spread your wings in the niche track of…
‘Draconian-sexual’.”
After speaking, no matter how Lore called out, asked, or even engaged in “friendly exchanges” in his mind, the system was like a stone sinking into the sea, with no further response.
“Sigh, riddle-loving systems are the worst…” Lore helplessly flicked his tail, temporarily suppressing his belly full of questions.
The most urgent task was to complete today’s hunt; filling his family’s stomachs was more important.
As for the system’s vague hints, they would have to be left for later to ponder slowly.
Just as Lore was reinvigorating himself, preparing to continue searching for prey, a drop of cold water abruptly landed on his moist nose tip.
That touch of coolness made him shiver, and he immediately looked up at the sky through the gaps in the dense canopy.
He saw that the sky, which had been fairly bright, was now completely covered by oppressive leaden clouds.
The light dimmed rapidly, and the air was filled with the earthy scent and low pressure of an approaching rainstorm.
“Whoa…
feels like it’s going to rain heavily soon,” Lore felt a wave of trouble, “Must get lunch sorted out quickly.
But recently, the nearby Kelbi and Popo seem to have gotten smarter, becoming harder and harder to find.
I wonder if I can make it before the rain…”
He lowered his head, muttering to himself while leaving paw prints on the damp mud by the stream.
Just then, his gaze was attracted by an unusual movement in the stream.
The originally calm water surface began to ripple densely.
Many fish, due to the change in air pressure and the approaching rain, became active and swam to the upper water layer to breathe.
One could even see a few plump Sashimi fish leaping out of the water, kicking up small sprays of waves.
“That’s it!” A flash of inspiration struck Lore’s mind, as if a lightbulb “dinged” on, “Since prey on land is hard to find, why not change my approach?
Today, I’ll just change my palate and have a full-fish feast!
It’s also a perfect opportunity to properly practice that skill!”
Thinking it, he did it.
Lore lowered his body, bending his limbs slightly, striking a pose ready to spring into action.
He concentrated his mind and began to mobilize the energy within his body.
As a sub-adult Zinogre, the current generated by his own Volt Absorb organs was still limited, but that strange energy from the pokémon system acted like a catalyst, instantly raising his electricity to another level.
The charged shells on his back and shoulders opened one by one, and his electrified fur stood on end, emitting a faint “crackle” sound.
The target was the area in the center of the stream where the school of fish was most dense!
Lore recited the skill name in his heart — [Thunder]!
BOOM!!!
A golden pillar of Thunder, far more concentrated and dazzling than natural lightning, seemed to tear through the low-hanging cloud curtain, generated out of thin air above Lore’s head, and then violently struck the center of the stream!
The deafening Thunder almost pierced his eardrums.
Powerful current instantly injected into the water, and blue electric snakes darted around crazily, covering a large area of water.
The stream surface exploded instantly, water splashing everywhere, as if a bomb had been thrown into it.
A moment later, the lightning dissipated and the water surface returned to calm, but a patch of white fish bellies floated on the surface — fish of all sizes, including those plump Sashimi fish, had all been instantly paralyzed or killed by this powerful electric shock.
Lore carefully waded into the now somewhat muddy stream, using his mouth to pick up the stunned or dead fish one by one and fling them onto the grass on the bank.
Looking at the rapidly accumulating catch, besides being satisfied, he was also a bit wryly amused and troubled: “Although the family’s lunch is sorted for today, using a major move like ‘Thunder’ to electrocute fish…
it always feels like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, a bit of overkill, huh?
Will I be punished by the heavens?”
However, this practice also gave him a clearer understanding of the power of [Thunder].
The intensity of this strike was absolutely not inferior to the powerful lightning attacks released by adult Zinogres he had seen in the game, and in some aspects, it was even superior.
You have to know, he is currently only a small sub-adult; once he is fully mature in the future, his Volt Absorb organs are fully developed, and combined with the system skills, the power is simply unimaginable.
“Hmm, it seems ‘Thunder’, as an Electric-type ultimate move, has truly astonishing base power.
And I am a Zinogre myself, possessing a natural affinity for lightning; does this count as enjoying a’Same-Type Attack Bonus’?” He habitually analyzed it using game logic.
Of course, the flaws were also very obvious.
This single shot of [Thunder] almost drained most of his stamina and stored electricity, and the Thunderbugs circling around him also appeared much dimmer.
It was impossible to use it continuously in a short time.
“Well, but as a trump card for critical moments, this power is definitely enough.” He comforted himself this way.
After collecting the spoils, Lore held as many of the dozen or so plump fish in his mouth as possible, then broke into a run, heading quickly toward the nest.
I don’t know if it was his [Thunder] shot just now that accelerated the weather change, but not long after he left the stream, the sky turned completely overcast, and immediately after, bean-sized raindrops fell densely, instantly turning into a torrential downpour.
Splash — —!
The dense curtain of rain quickly obscured his vision, the noise generated by the rain washing over the ground and leaves interfered with his hearing, and the water flowing everywhere seriously interfered with his sensitive sense of smell.
The forest became strange and full of danger in the rainstorm.
Lore could only rely on his memory and muscle memory of the familiar terrain, struggling to traverse the rainforest with extremely low visibility, trying hard to identify the direction back to the nest.
The rain soaked his fur, making him feel somewhat heavy, but the precious fish catch in his mouth made him dare not delay in the slightest.
After expending a great deal of effort, Lore finally rushed back to the dry nest located under the cliff.
Mother Zinogre and Luna had long since returned and were lying near the nest entrance, looking somewhat worriedly at the pouring rain outside.
Their patrol this time had yielded little; they had only caught a few small creatures like Will-o’-Wisp Birds, Yeast Rabbits, and Snow-Mist Ferrets, which wasn’t even enough to fill the gaps between their teeth when added together, but in this food-scarce rainy season, it was better than nothing.