Chapter 64. Encounter
Giant Caterpillar.
That was the name of the giant larva that Azeras had just subdued in one strike.
Of course, it wasn’t a pre-existing name; it was just a species name I had casually assigned.
【Pururu】─Haha, this is bullying. But why is that thing so big? Was it the only one not nerfed in size?
【Yumi】─Maybe that *is* the nerfed size.
【Pururu】─Does that even make sense?
【Yumi】─It’s not impossible. Remember how the spirits of the Hedgehog Summoner were unbelievably large when they returned to their original size on Earth?
【Pururu】─Hmm. If that’s the nerfed size, how big is its original size supposed to be?
【Bubble Bubble】─Guys, what’s a size nerf?
【Pururu】─A size nerf is just a size nerf.
【Bubble Bubble】─??
【Mysticism】─I’ll explain!
Mysti started explaining the concept of size nerfing to Bubble Bubble in the chat.
Azeras slowly approached the caterpillar that she had subdued.
The caterpillar lay flipped over on the sandy ground.
It twitched a little, and then big, elephant-like tears started rolling down from its eyes.
─［Larva··· sniff······.］
─“······.”
【Bubble Bubble】─Huh?
【Pururu】─??? Is that larva crying?
【Yumi】─Gasp! A monster is crying!
【Rizenova】─What a curious sight.
【Mysticism】─How sad···.
I was slightly taken aback.
A monster was crying?
No, it wasn’t that crying was inherently strange, but···.
An S-rank monster bawling its eyes out after a single hit felt absurd.
What kind of pathetic Demon King was this?
Azeras scratched her head awkwardly and looked at Iris.
─“It’s crying···.”
“Maybe you hit it too hard?”
─“I held back a lot··· it shouldn’t hurt···.”
Apparently, she had even controlled her strength.
And yet, it was crying so pitifully.
Could it be a monster prone to exaggeration?
While I was thinking that, an assistant chimed in the chat.
【Yumi】─Ah! I think I know why that caterpillar is crying!
【Pururu】─Why is it crying?
【Yumi】─In my opinion, the caterpillar was just excited to play and ran over happily, but Azeras didn’t understand its feelings and hit it, so now it’s crying.
【Mysticism】─Is it a puppy-caterpillar?
【Bubble Bubble】─Is that it?
【Yumi】─I can’t think of any other reason, can you?
For some reason, I felt Yumi’s guess was right.
When the caterpillar rushed toward Team 4, I didn’t sense any hostility.
If anything, it seemed happy.
“···It might really be as Yumi said. Maybe it approached out of excitement, not to fight, and cried because it got hit. Seeing the tears, that seems plausible.”
It wouldn’t be strange for a monster to have that kind of personality.
There were cases like the Medical Mushroom, after all.
【Yumi】─Right? It even has such a gentle face. That caterpillar is definitely a kind monster.
【Pururu】─You’re good at reading facial expressions and behavior. As expected of Ha Yumi, the Queen of Psychopaths.
【Yumi】─?
While we were speculating about the reason, the caterpillar began crying even harder, shedding more tears.
It was like a baby wailing.
Watching that, Azeras turned to Arachne for advice.
─“What do··· we do about this···?”
─［How about flipping it back over first? Then, sincerely apologize. It might calm down.］
─“Got it···.”
【Pururu】─Will apologizing really make it feel better, you tiny little thing?
Azeras gracefully waved her hand through the air.
The airflow from her fingertips turned into a gust of wind, and the wind wrapped around the upside-down caterpillar’s body.
─［Larva, larva?］
The caterpillar, still sniffling, was gently lifted into the air and slowly spun around.
Thud.
The caterpillar landed softly back on the sandy ground, flipped right-side up again.
Azeras walked up to the caterpillar, bowed her head slightly, and apologized.
─“Uh··· sorry.”
─［······.］
The caterpillar had stopped crying by now.
It looked at Azeras in silence.
Then, suddenly.
It beamed.
A huge smile bloomed on the caterpillar’s face.
─［Larva! Larva!］
【Pururu】─?
【Rizenova】─Looks like it accepted the apology.
It seemed like the caterpillar had forgiven Azeras.
【Pururu】─So, it’s a silly monster, huh.
【Bubble Bubble】─I guess it’s a monster that likes and follows other species.
【Yumi】─So cute! Though, its face isn’t exactly cute!
【Mysticism】─🤭
***
■ Giant Caterpillar
─ Actual danger level: S-rank.
─ Current (nerfed) danger level: B-rank.
I didn’t bother coloring it in.
Anyway, I finished filling in the monster encyclopedia and closed my notebook.
【Yumi】─You drew it again.
【Mysticism】─😠
【Mysticism】─Selective fatigue. ㅡㅡ
I shifted my gaze back to Team 4’s screen.
The Giant Caterpillar was wiggling its entire body, trying to show affection.
─［Larva! Larva!］
It was dancing weirdly.
Rolling over on the sandy ground.
It was showing every bit of cuteness it could with its body.
【Pururu】─It could flip itself over just fine on its own, so why didn’t it do that earlier?
【Mysticism】─Because it was sulking.
【Yumi】─Hmm. The more I look at it, the cuter it seems. Maybe bugs are only gross because they’re small? Now that it’s big, it’s not as disgusting.
The caterpillar hadn’t been tamed yet.
Team 4 only had one severed arm left, and that arm was currently being used to tame the Mummy Skeleton.
The caterpillar was just acting affectionate because it liked Azeras and Arachne.
─［Larva! Larva!］
The caterpillar lay flat on the ground.
As if inviting them to climb on its back.
Azeras and Arachne both looked at Iris and asked.
─“Father. What should we do?”
─［Is it okay to ride it?］
“Do as you please.”
There wouldn’t be a problem.
It hadn’t been tamed yet, but it was still a very friendly monster.
Hearing my response, the two exchanged glances and spoke briefly.
Then, as if they’d made a decision, they threw the bound Mummy Skeleton onto the caterpillar’s back first and then lightly jumped up to settle on top of the caterpillar.
Iris also climbed aboard.
【Pururu】─Nice jump.
【Yumi】─You’ve acquired a mount.
【Bubble Bubble】─An S-rank mount···.
─［Larva! Larva!］
─［There’s no specific destination. Just go straight ahead for now.］
─［Larva!］
With Team 4 on its back, the caterpillar began racing across the desert at full speed.
***
The Giant Caterpillar dove under the sand as if it were swimming through water.
It swam through the ground like it was in the sea, periodically bursting back up to the surface as it sped across the desert.
Despite its intense movements, Team 4 wasn’t shaken at all.
A transparent shell had emerged from the caterpillar’s back, securely protecting them.
After moving for quite a while, sand structures began to appear in the distance.
─［Stop.］
Iris approached the caterpillar’s head and spoke in a deep, low whisper.
The caterpillar slowed down abruptly.
Once it came to a stop, the caterpillar shook its head, seemingly puzzled.
─［Larva?］
─［Be cautious.］
Iris exited the transparent shell and floated up into the sky.
Then.
She moved her eyes around, scanning the area.
After a moment, she fixed her gaze in one direction and zoomed in.
─［Danger.］
On top of one of the structures.
A monster was crouched, sitting with its body bent over.
Two horns sprouted from its head.
It was a dragon-like monster with blue skin and a pair of wings.
To be precise, it was more of a “dragonkin.”
【Pururu】─What’s with that blue one? Is it a moth tribe?
【Mysticism】─Bluey blue~
【Yumi】─It’s not a moth···.
Iris swiftly moved her gaze again.
She zoomed in on another direction and enlarged the screen.
─［Danger.］
This time, the monster in view also had blue skin.
Its appearance was completely different from the last one.
It looked a bit like a demon, somewhat resembling a pharaoh.
“···It’s definitely dangerous. Both of them are A-rank.”
【Pururu】─?
【Bubble Bubble】─Does that mean their actual danger level is SS-rank?
“Yes. They’re on the same level as Team 4.”
【Mysticism】─😱
【Rizenova】─To have two SS-ranks suddenly appear···.
It wasn’t a pleasant situation.
But part of me felt relieved.
Sending two SS-ranks here had been the right decision.
If I had only sent one, it would’ve been risky.
─［Be cautious.］
Iris’s screen returned to normal.
Both monsters from earlier were now visible in the same shot.
They were speaking to each other in loud voices from a distance.
─［Para. There are some filthy traitors over there.］
─［What shall we do, Anu?］
─［Capture one, kill the rest.］
Their voices were filled with murderous intent.
Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like they were friendly monsters.
Arachne twitched her eyebrows after hearing that.
─［Who are you?］
Arachne asked,
─［Who are we, you ask?］
─［It’s only right to answer when someone asks who we are.］
【Yumi】─Huh. That line sounds really familiar.
The two monsters began kindly introducing themselves.
─［We’ll give you a special introduction!］
─［We are the guardians of the labyrinth, hunting explorers and drifters who set foot in the Ancient Labyrinth!］
─［My name is Pharaoh Devil, but you can call me Para!］
─［My name is Anubis Dragon, but you can call me Anu!］
【Pururu】─Looks like shortened names are a trend over there too.
【Yumi】─So MZ.
Standing a bit apart, Para and Anu introduced themselves.
And then.
─［I’m Bastet, meow!］
Another monster suddenly popped out between them.
【Pururu】─Haha, is this Team Rocket?
【Bubble Bubble】─What’s Team Rocket?
【Pururu】─Team Rocket is just Team Rocket.
A black cat with wings.
Or rather, it looked more like a puma.
“This is dangerous.”
【Pururu】─Why?
“That cat is on the same level as Team 4.”
【Pururu】─???
【Yumi】─Huh??
【Bubble Bubble】─That one is also SS-rank?
【Rizenova】─This isn’t looking good.
【Mysticism】─😱
【Mysticism】─SS-ranks are just pouring out!!!
The sudden appearance of the cat added another nerfed A-rank monster.
Its actual danger level was also SS-rank.
A 2-on-2 fight might be manageable, but a 2-on-3? There was no chance of victory.
I had to order them to retreat immediately.
I was about to tell Team 4 to run when I noticed something strange on the screen and closed my mouth.
‘What is this?’
Anu and Para.
There was something odd about those two.
They stood there dumbfounded, blinking in confusion.
Then.
Anu tilted his head to the left.
Para tilted his head to the right, both of them staring at Bastet in the middle.
─［Uh···?］
─［···Who are you?］
─［I’m Bastet, meow.］
What the?
Aren’t they on the same team?