The fishing showdown was in full swing.
Not only were the fish coming in nonstop, but they were all common, edible species that anyone would recognize by name. It was just plain fun.
“So-kun, So-kun.”
“Wh-What is it, Chi-ju… wait, no way!?”
The fish Chiyu had reeled in was a long, black body writhing like a snake.
It was an eel.
“Since we bought some rice at the bonus area, we can make ourselves an eel donburi.”
Remembering the taste of eel donburi I’d had in Japan, my mouth started watering.
“That sounds great. Let’s keep trying so we can catch enough for everyone too.”
“At the worst case, if you just catch enough for yourself, that’s fine.”
“No way, I’m not letting it end there.”
“Eels are good for stamina. As long as you eat them, So-kun, it won’t be a problem.”
“Why the hell would you say that?”
It’s not like I want to eat them specifically for that purpose.
Having my vitality boosted any further would be a real problem.
And so on, everyone kept reeling in fish, reacting with fresh excitement to their catches, but…
Once things settled down, his attention gradually shifted to the number of fish they were catching.
In terms of efficiency with standard fishing methods, Shinhō on the allied team and Yūikai on the opposing team were the most effective.
Perhaps due to his lone-wolf nature suiting solitary action, Yūikai continued fishing in silent concentration.
Shinhō was initially flustered, but he quickly figured out how to do it; by now, the entire process from lowering the line to pulling up the fish and removing the hook had become extremely smooth and refined.
Mōko and Genchū on the enemy team, as well as Professor Luminous on the allied team, required more time or support to remove hooks, making them slightly less efficient.
In particular, Mōko relied on Shiin for hook removal, which also consumed a significant portion of her time.
The enemy’s Shōbu seemed to be purely enjoying the fishing experience. It was endearing to see her happily exclaim “Yay!” after every single catch, but this enthusiasm resulted in a lower total count than the others.
The narrator and Chiyu occasionally exchanged words, but otherwise they were having good luck, so they could consider themselves contributing to their team’s effort.
However, nothing compared to the presence of Rōa, the sharp-eyed maid on the allied team, who was simply the most impressive.
After catching a few fish, she gave a thoughtful nod, saying “I see,” and came over to ask for additional fishing rods and several large buckets.
She then used rocks and the ground to cleverly prop them up in place.
In short, she had set up unmanned fishing rods with lines dangling in the water.
That was where Loa really showed her true skill.
The instant the line went taut, she moved to the base of that rod and gave it a sharp pull.
Still in mid-air, she whipped the rod again; for some reason, the hook slipped free, and the fish plops straight into the bucket she had prepared.
With lightning speed, she baited the hook again, repositioned the rod, and moved to the next one.
There were only five rods in total, but to my eyes, it looked like Loa had split into five different people.
It was that kind of blur of activity.
“W-Wait, isn’t that totally badass!?”
Shou noticed her and shouted out in surprise.
The opposing team became frantic with their efforts, but the gap did not close.
If anything, Loa’s performance only widened the lead further.
Loa was amazing, but this river was something else too.
It was teeming with massive quantities of fish from a wide variety of species.
I might never have been able to experience such fishing anywhere else but on this island.
“I will surely be of great use to Master.”
But seriously, Roa’s versatility is something else.
It shows she has a lot of experience surviving on her own.
She obviously couldn’t handle the beasts herself, and while fleeing, she ended up far from any water source and was found collapsed by Mashiro.
Having her join our team has been a tremendous help.
“Ugh~ I wish an hour would fly by faster~”
Shouko said it in a prayer-like tone.
Her prayer didn’t seem to reach the heavens, but as I casually glanced at the tablet’s screen, it was only one minute left until the one-hour mark passed.
“Everyone. In one minute, our abilities will be unlocked.”
“Yes! Mashiro, Mikuron, get ready! Are you okay with this too, Miao?”
“Y-Yeah.”
“Sousuke! Can you produce a bucket for our side… no wait, something big enough to use as a bath tub?”
“Ah, got it.”
I was starting to figure out Team Shouko’s strategy.
Following the instructions, I placed the extra-large tub.
And then, the one minute elapsed.
“We have abilities for the remaining hour!”
If she shouted it so everyone could hear, the Call Team would move immediately.
When Mashiro entered the river and splashed her forepaws, fish scooped up from the water flew through the air and landed in a bucket.
Mikuron performed the same feat dexterously with his tail.
Miyo, who possessed the ability to transform, changed into a bear and caught fish just like Mashiro.
“Huhahahaha~! This speeds things up!”
Indeed, there was no need for time to bait hooks or unhook the fish after reeling them in.
From a bit of a distance, the remaining members could continue using fishing rods to target their prey.
Moreover, the enemy’s strategy wasn’t limited to that.
”…Is this how it looks?”
Yumegai had noticed he wasn’t using his fishing rod; instead, she was staring at the river with an air of intense concentration.
Then, suddenly, countless fish leaped out of the river.
No, that wasn’t it.
“Could it be… a barrier?”
”…Hm? Ah, so Onno noticed. Just as expected.”
First, he deployed a barrier inside the river. He set conditions for entry and exit: fish could come in, but they couldn’t go out.
As a result, the fish accumulated within the barrier.
When the target quantity was reached, I shifted the barrier’s coordinates while maintaining its integrity.
As a result, the barrier containing the large catch moved through the air.
“It’s still tricky to handle, but it seems like this is possible too.”
Inside the barrier were trapped over a dozen fish. It hovered above the massive barrel before I dispelled the magic.
It hardly counts as “fishing” anymore, but if you think of it as “fishing for a catch,” there should be no harm in using various methods.
“I see! If that’s how you’re playing, then we’ll aim for a grand catch on our end too!”
Roar’s efficiency was still a major asset to our force, so I had him continue with his method.
“Chiiku, Fukaho, lend us your help!” “Hm. We won’t let the situation turn against us.”
“Leave it to us. What do you need us to do?”
“Chiiku, keep casting buffs on me relentlessly. Fukaho, I’ll signal when you cast water magic.”
I gave a rough outline of our plan.
The two of them grasped the situation instantly.
Chiiku’s Strength Enhancement wrapped my body in a faint light.
I used my [Craft Ability] to generate a massive cast net.
With full force, I hurled it into the river.
“Shinhou, I’m counting on you!”
“Y-yes――‘Water Wall’!”
A wall of water appeared just outside the range of my net.
With this, the fish couldn’t escape out of the net.
Hauling up a net that large requires immense strength, but thanks to the enhancements, I was barely managing.
When we lifted the net, it was squirming with fish.
“W-wow, that’s amazing!”
“Looks like you could be a fisherman too, Kun.”
“The real deal probably isn’t this easy.”
I said with a wry smile.
This bountiful catch was only possible thanks to the island and my companions’ abilities.
However, its effectiveness in battle was clearly evident.
“Hmm…!? If things come to this, I should jump into the river too――”
“Nope, Shouko-chan. I think we should just fish normally.”
“Grrr. You’re right though… I’m not going to lose!”
For the next hour, despite frequently changing spots, our contest continued.
It was almost a miracle that the water didn’t go completely devoid of fish, considering how relentlessly both teams kept fishing.
And then, the timer’s chime echoed across the river.
So, what were the results of this contest—?
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