Chapter 17

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## Chapter Chronology

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Chapter 18

This is chapter 17 in the Heaven's Design Team manga series.

## Plot

The team decides to break for lunch. Shimoda notices that Unabara has brought two lunches with him. Kimura then unwraps the big lunch basket that he brought which contains a multitude of live seafood. Claiming that it was for research, he explains how he couldn't stop thinking about his hot-pot creation that got rejected. After several brainstorming sessions, he came up with a giant version of the shrimp with some of the creature's features incorporated. Just then, God approves the design, and the spiny lobster is born.

While Kimura celebrates, Unabara brings out the animal he is currently working on, a type of otter. God gave him the task of designing "an animal that is bad at swimming." As Unabara explains about marine animals and their ability to swim, Kimura interrupts by asking what the otter eats. Because it can't swim well, Unabara has it on a diet fit for an omnivore. He then feeds it a sandwich that he prepared for it. The otter however is more interested in Kimura's seafood lunch. Kimura notices and offers it some samples, which makes the otter happy. Unabara tries to get it to stop and scolds Kimura for interfering. However, the otter tosses away the sandwich in favor of the seafood.

Kimura then gives the otter the spiny lobster to cuddle, causing Shimoda to notice how cute it is. Dismayed, Unabara wonders what to do now. Kimura suggests making it an animal that eats constantly to survive the cold waters of the ocean. Seeing that he has no choice, Unabara agrees. The three set up a tank with seawater to simulate the ocean and place the otter inside. As the otter floats, the cold temperature drives it to find ways to stay warm.

First, it sticks its paws in the air, causing Unabara and Shimoda to react to its cuteness. Kimura suggests incorporating a feature into its fur, to which Unabara agrees. Next, the otter puts its paws over its eyes, which causes Unabara and Shimoda to react to its cuteness again. A second otter is later added to the tank. Kimura notes that with all the food the otter needs to eat, it might not have enough time to return to land to sleep. But before anyone can come up with a solution, Shimoda tells Unabara to look at the tank. The otters had managed to wrap their bodies with kelp to act as blankets. As Unabara and Shimoda become allured by the otters, Kimura tries to suggest another feature. But his words go unheard as the otters once again put on another display of cuteness. Succumbed by his animal's genus (or cuteness), Unabara opts not to incorporate any aggressive features to maintain its appearance. He does add a pouch to store food and modifies the kidneys to handle salt intake.

Several days later, the group goes to Trial Island to see how the otters are doing. While it seems that the otters are thriving, Unabara suddenly discovers that the otters have developed gum disease. Heartbroken, Unabara is at a loss over what to do. Suddenly, one of the otters pulls a rock out of its pouch and uses it to break open a clam. Both Shimoda and Unabara become infatuated by the creature's genus. At that moment, God sends a message giving divine approval, and thus the sea otter is born. Unabara is overcome with tears of happiness over the outcome, while Kimura pouts stating how Unabara totally babied it.

## New Animals

* Japanese Spiny Lobster (Panulirus japonicus)
* Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)