Chapter 120: Let’s Grow Jack O’ Watermelon

「What is this…」

Shin was surprised by the sight that stood before him. It was only natural, as the monster that stood before him was the first monster that didn’t exist in this world.

「Well, it’s certainly a rare monster. By the way, I named it Jack O’ Watermelon. 」

There were countless vines and large leaves growing out of the ground, and at the end of the vines were countless watermelon-shaped Jack O’ Lanterns.

「Is this a Jack O’ Lantern? But aren’t they monsters that don’t grow in the desert…? 」

「Well, don’t panic. This isn’t just a Jack O’ Lantern. 」

After saying that, I picked up a random Jack O’ Lantern from the end of a vine, cut it with a knife, and opened it.

「What is that…! 」

The inside wasn’t the yellow pumpkin fruit typical of Jack O’ Lanterns, but a bright red, juicy fruit that resembled watermelons.

「Try it. 」

Shin timidly put the red Jack O’ Lantern fruit I offered him into his mouth, but the next moment he let out a cry of astonishment.

「This is…so sweet! And delicious! 」

Shin was surprised, so I once again revealed the true identity of the monster I had cultivated here.

First, I mixed the watermelon seeds I had brought back from Earth with the Jack O’ Lantern seeds and the Killer Plant seeds and planted them together.

By doing so, I hoped to create a new species of monster that combined the best of each monster.

The watermelon seeds I brought from Earth were from the Kalahari watermelon, which grew in the desert.

Using its resistance to harsh environments as a foundation, I gave it the Killer Plant’s ability to grow in similarly harsh environments with very little water, its ability to produce fresh fruit in proportion to that, and the Jack O’ Lantern’s high reproductive and harvesting power.

By doing so, I succeeded in creating a fresh and sweet fruit, and a monster that grew in large quantities, instead of the bitter watermelon that would make you want to spit it out on the floor.

Of course, this was only possible thanks to my monster cultivation skills, as well as the wisdom and ideas for breeding that my dad taught me.

But my new monster cultivation didn’t stop there.

「Look over there, Shin. 」

There were several trees based on Killer Plants, and the fruit growing on their tips was either the red fruit of Killer Plants or the yellow fruit I had previously improved.

「A Killer Plant with white fruit…? 」

In response to Shin’s question, I grabbed a reasonably sized fruit and picked it up.

It was about the size of a basketball.

Even the fruit of normal Killer Plants didn’t grow that big.

Their fruits only grew to the same size as tomatoes.

「At first glance, this may look like the fruit of a Killer Plant, but actually…」

As if to show it off, I lightly slammed the fruit against a nearby rock.

Then, cracks ran across the surface of the fruit, which then spread to the rest of its body, and in the next moment, the white fruit I was holding split open, revealing something completely unexpected.

「Cock! 」

「Thi…This is…! Is it a Cockatrice?! 」

Shin looked more shocked and upset than ever, but I nodded with a smug look on my face.

「Yes, this is the new monster cultivation I discovered. I’ve succeeded in cultivating monsters that normally only hatch from eggs, into eggs that will become trees! 」

Shin was surprised by my results, as if they were completely unexpected.

Yes, it was only thanks to my dad’s advice that I’d come up with this idea.

Back then, my dad told me to do something only I could do.

Even my dad could do breeding. But my special talent was the ability to create monsters.

In that case, I should take that ability to the next level and evolve it.

That would be to create non-plant-type monsters like Cockatrices and Basilisks, which could only be multiplied through livestock farming, in the same way that monsters that grew from trees like Killer Plants and Jack O’ Lanterns did.

That was the ultimate form of monster cultivation I was aiming for.

I wanted to create some of the monsters that existed in this world as trees.

To start with, I mixed a Killer Plant seed with the Cockatrice egg I brought with me and planted it.

As one could see, the tree looked like a Killer Plant, but what bore fruit was not the Killer Plant fruit, but the Cockatrice egg that I had planted at the same time.

This proved that if I planted the base monster tree seed along with the monster egg, non-plant-type monsters would also be able to grow from the tree.

At this stage, only a common monster called Cockatrice could be produced from the tree.

However, if these improvements continued, it would be possible to produce a variety of monsters such as Basilisks, Sphincters, Dragons, or even “Rocks” directly from the tree, making it possible to breed and cultivate them in ways never before possible.

This would greatly solve Shin’s food problem and would likely lead to even greater progress.

And it wouldn’t be just Shin’s country. Even countries that didn’t have enough monster ingredients or processed products would be able to produce a variety of monsters.

In fact, it would even be possible to increase the numbers of rare, endangered monsters in this way, as long as one could get their hands on a single egg.

Shin sighed in admiration at the new results of monster cultivation that I showed him and my explanation of it.

However, I could see in his eyes there was still something he didn’t understand, so he asked me a question.

「But Kyou-san, even if it’s based on Killer Plants and Watermelons, can it grow so smoothly in this harsh desert environment? 」

「You’re right, that’s what most people would think. But I have the answer to that question ready for you. 」

After saying that, I showed Shin something I was holding in my hand.

「What is that? Is that…clay? 」

「It’s called clay balls, and it’s a secret farming technique in my world. 」

Yes, the clay that my dad gave me in the desert that time.

This was the last key item for cultivating monsters in the desert.

Clay balls were a farming method in which clay, compost, fertilizer, and other elements necessary for plant growth were packed into balls, and seeds were placed inside and planted in the ground.

The great thing about this farming method was that it put no strain on the materials, and the seeds germinated easily even in barren areas such as the desert.

The biggest difficulty in growing food in the desert or wasteland was the initial germination stage.

Desert sand absorbed water easily, so there was a lack of water for germination, and there was also no place for the seeds to take root.

The same was true in dry areas such as wastelands, so the initial germination process was an extremely difficult task.

However, by using these clay balls, the roots that sprout from the seeds would stick to the clay and be able to obtain the moisture that had accumulated there.

I used these clay balls that my father taught me to use to cultivate monsters.

More than anything, the clay in these clay balls was the perfect fit for holding multiple monster seeds together.

Thanks to that, the blend of multiple monster seeds, like a Jack O’ Watermelon, remained together without crumbling at all.

After hearing my explanation, Shin nodded in admiration.

「Amazing…Kyou-san is really amazing! Your ideas are far more genius than mine! 」

This brought out a genuine smile from Shin that I had never imagined seeing when we first met.

At first I thought he was insolent and underhanded, but at the time he was probably just trying desperately to win as the one supporting his country.

Well, his direction was a little off but seeing him so happy was pretty cute.

Let me just say this, I didn’t have any boyish interests, okay? Was that clear?

Even though I thought like that, seeing Shin holding my hand and being extremely excited melted my heart, so I couldn’t help but feel happy too, and join in the excitement.

「Okay then, next I’ll create a new type of monster that combines the elements of the various monsters that have appeared in this desert! So, Shin, I’m sorry to be so quick, but I need to go to the desert. Can you show me where to go? 」

Shin nodded without hesitation in response to my request.

「Of course! Leave it to me! Let’s get together and get the seeds and eggs of the various monsters that live in this desert! 」

A smile of excitement befitting a young boy’s age floated across his face.

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