Chapter 177. Evolution
The massive heart compressed, shrinking in size, only to expand again as the newly arriving Irises intertwined and adhered to it, becoming enormous once more.
And then, it repeated the process of compression again.
【Pururu】─What is that···.
【Mysticism】─🤢 Disgusting.
【Yumi】─What’s happening right now?
【Rizenova】─It seems to be preparing for evolution.
【Hwang Mir】─It’s definitely evolving. Earlier, one of the Irises said, ‘The time for evolution has come.’
【Pururu】─ㄷㄷ Does the Iris race need to fuse all its individuals to evolve? Then, is this the first evolution of the Iris species?
【Bubble Bubble】─It’s not the first evolution; it could be a special evolution for Geon’s Iris.
【Luna-chan】─That’s right. This might be a new evolution triggered by Melody Fox’s buff.
【Luna-chan】─The Iris at the center of the evolution is one that’s been close to Melody Fox.
【Bubble Bubble】─I think so too. And it seems like the Iris is evolving by absorbing its own kind. Evolution through devouring or absorbing one’s kin isn’t uncommon.
【Pururu】─ㄷㄷㄷ
【Hwang Mir】─But that looks more like fusion rather than absorption.
【Luna-chan】─It does look like fusion to me too.
【Bubble Bubble】─Does it?
Time passed.
The once-enlarged heart was now compressed again.
No more Irises emerged from beyond the door.
It seemed like it was over.
But then.
［Movement.］
［Movement.］
［Movement.］
［Movement.］
Once more.
Even more Irises began rushing in relentlessly, offering their bodies to the heart.
【Pururu】─No, how many more are coming? ㅅㅂ
【Mysticism】─😱😱😱
【Yumi】─How many Irises existed in the Ancient Labyrinth···?
【Hwang Mir】─So far, at least 1,000 Irises have gathered here, approximately.
【Rizenova】─I haven’t counted, but that seems about right.
【Bubble Bubble】─Just looking at the Irises currently rushing in, there are over 100.
【Luna-chan】─They must have been living in colonies.
Irises rushed in.
They offered their bodies to the heart, merging with it.
The heart expanded.
Then the heart compressed.
This cycle continued for some time.
***
【Pururu】─I think it’s finally over now.
【Yumi】─It seems like all the Irises have finally gathered.
For about an hour.
No new Irises arrived at the site.
But even so, it couldn’t be said for certain that the gathering was completely over.
“They might still be coming. Some could be traveling from very far away.”
Of course.
Irises too far away might not have heard the signal.
I slowly walked around the massive heart, observing it.
Despite repeated compressions, it was still enormous, so walking around it took quite a while.
“Well, since some Irises mentioned the term evolution, it’s certain that evolution is occurring···.”
【Hwang Mir】─Yes, it’s certain. I clearly heard it!
【Mysticism】─I heard it too! 😃
I stopped in place.
Looking up at the heart of the Iris in silence.
To be honest.
I wasn’t particularly pleased with this kind of evolution from the Iris.
To be more precise.
If it were just one individual evolving, I wouldn’t mind.
But having all individuals merge for evolution was unsettling.
If.
The evolved Iris were to lose its original abilities, that would be a serious problem.
For safe exploration, the previous abilities were absolutely necessary.
They were also essential for sending monsters to other worlds and understanding the conditions there in real time.
【Rizenova】─Gauntlet Gong, your expression doesn’t look too good.
【Hwang Mir】─Exactly, why the gloomy face when something good is happening?
【Luna-chan】─Do you not like that Iris-chan is evolving?
“It’s not that I dislike it···. I’m worried about what happens if Iris loses its original abilities after evolving.”
【Yumi】─Ah. Come to think of it, since all the Irises are merging for the evolution, it would indeed be a big problem if the sensory synchronization and camera abilities disappeared···.
【Bubble Bubble】─True. We didn’t think of that.
【Pururu】─Don’t worry.
【Pururu】─All the original abilities will remain intact.
【Rizenova】─How can you be so sure, Pururu Gong?
【Pururu】─It’s my intuition. ㅋ
【Mysticism】─😠
【Pururu】─Anyway, stop worrying, Geon-ah.
【Pururu】─It’s not like worrying will change the outcome.
“Well, that’s true.”
Just as Pururu said.
Worrying wouldn’t change anything.
So I decided to cast aside all my concerns.
If Iris ended up losing its original abilities, we’d just have to figure out a solution then.
***
The Iris transformed into a heart-like form.
Monsters inside the hotel heard the news and all came out to see the enormous heart.
［Pi! It looks delicious! Can I just have a little nibble?］
［Tsk. No, you can’t eat it.］
［Ssssng!］
The Blood Jellyfish Princess, trying to take a bite out of the heart.
Kinogine Arachne, stopping the princess.
The Black Magma Slime, giggling at the sight of them.
［Piii···!］
［This is a completely different method of evolution···.］
The Medical Angel and Nyara Nepenthis, looking up at the heart in awe.
“···Fascinating.”
［Jafan···! It’s so cool!］
Azeras and Jafan, expressing their admiration.
［I’m really curious about what the evolved Iris will look like.］
［Doodoomba! I hope it gets a butt!］
Artpega Unibicorn, holding the Monster Guidebook with a look of anticipation.
Hedgehog Summoner God, wiggling their butt.
［Kyua. Kyuouwoouwo.］
［What’s it saying, nya?］
Melody Fox, uttering incomprehensible sounds.
Bastet Daong, carrying Melody Fox on her back, observing the heart.
And.
Madam Rabbit and her rabbit staff had also come out.
Finally, even the Building Creator, who despised going outside, was now outside.
Of course, it wasn’t by choice.
Merino Ula had forcefully brought him out, hugging him tightly.
At that point, it was practically being dragged out against his will.
［The outside of the hotel is scary···.］
“Don’t be scared-nyang. I’ll protect you-nyang.”
［Uh···.］
【Pururu】─ㅋㅋㅋ Who’s protecting who?
【Mysticism】─🤭
【Yumi】─If that many Irises are merging, doesn’t that mean an SSS-rank could be born? Can we expect that?
【Hwang Mir】─It’s worth expecting. The possibility is high.
【Bubble Bubble】─What are you saying? It’s not likely at all.
【Luna-chan】─You’re underestimating SSS-rank too much-nyang. I’ve said it many times, but even in Elemencia, there was no SSS-rank-nyang.
【Rizenova】─Except for Gauntlet Gong, wasn’t there?
【Luna-chan】─Excluding Gauntlet.
【Luna-chan】─Anyway, Hedgehog-chan was a special case-nyang. She got lucky and met an SSS-rank Abyss Lord, and then got lucky again to win its favor and form a contract.
【Hwang Mir】─But with so many S-ranks gathered like this, isn’t it worth hoping for an SSS-rank···?
【Yumi】─Exactly.
【Bubble Bubble】─It’s worth hoping for, isn’t it?
【Hwang Mir】─ㅠ
【Yumi】─ㅠ
【Pururu】─ㅠ.
Later.
I told the monsters that if they were done watching, they could head back in first.
As the monsters finished their observations and started heading back into the hotel one by one.
［Kyuoo. Kyuuoooo.］
Regardless of what the others were doing.
Melody Fox stayed by the heart, paying no attention to anything else.
She rubbed her face against the heart, singing as she did.
But wasn’t Merino always by her side at times like this?
Curious, I called out to Merino, who was about to head into the hotel.
“Merino. Aren’t you going to stroke it this time? You always used to stroke eggs together with Melody.”
“Nyang nyang? Stroking-nyang?”
Merino glanced at the heart.
“······.”
Then she turned her gaze back to me and answered.
“···That’s not an egg-nyang. No need to stroke it-nyang.”
“······.”
“Ah, anyway, it’s cold outside, so I better head in-nyang.”
Saying so.
Merino dashed back into the hotel, tightly hugging the Building Creator.
【Yumi】─Looks like she finds the heart too gross to stroke.
【Pururu】─So all that talk about the Iris being pretty was a lie.
【Hwang Mir】─Totally true. ㅋㅋ
【Mysticism】─🤭
I didn’t enter the hotel.
Tonight, I planned to sleep by the heart.
So, I sat down beside Melody Fox.
After some time had passed, Melody fell asleep, and I began to feel drowsy as well.
“Nyang nyang···.”
Perhaps because she was concerned about Melody and me staying outside.
Or maybe she felt bad about not stroking the heart earlier.
Merino came back out of the hotel, carrying a blanket, and softly sat down next to me.
“Discrimination isn’t good, so I’ll give it a stroke-nyang···. Please be born beautiful-nyang.”
Merino gently stroked the heart with care and closed her eyes.
Afterward.
Seeing that I wasn’t going back into the hotel, other monsters also began to sneak out one by one.
They settled near the heart and fell asleep.
【Pururu】─Don’t turn off the broadcast.
Before long, I too drifted off to sleep.
The broadcast remained on, as Pururu had requested.
·
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·
【Yumi】─Geon is asleep. I’ll take a quick nap too.
【Mysticism】─I’m going to sleep too!
【Bubble Bubble】─I need to catch some rest as well.
【Luna-chan】─Goodnight, everyone-nyang.
【Rizenova】─Sweet dreams.
【Hwang Mir】─Goodnight-nyang!
【Pururu】─Bye-bye.
·
·
·
【Pururu】─Huh?
【Pururu】─What’s that?
【Pururu】─Something’s piercing through the surface of the heart and rising up?
【Pururu】─It’s a super shiny material.
【Pururu】─Is it a jewel?
【Pururu】─Is everyone still asleep?
【Pururu】─Oh. It keeps coming out.
·
·
·
【Pururu】─Ugh. I stayed up all night watching that and didn’t get any sleep.
【Mysticism】─🧐 What’s that giant jewel? It’s stunning.
***
Day 83 in the labyrinth.
I woke up to a dazzling light.
“······What’s going on.”
Something felt strange.
The heart I had been leaning against so far felt different.
Instead of the soft, pliable sensation I expected, there was a hard surface pressing against the back of my head.
Opening my eyelids.
I got up and turned my head back.
Where the Iris’ heart had been.
The heart was nowhere to be found, replaced by a massive, resplendent jewel.
【Pururu】─Morning. You’re finally awake.
【Mysticism】─🌞