NOVEL FROG Chapter 64
Giant Caterpillar.
This is the name of the giant larva that was just taken down by Azelas in one shot.
Of course, this isn’t an existing name; it was a race name I casually gave.
Missy explained the size nerf in chat.
Azelas slowly approached the downed caterpillar.
The caterpillar was flipped over on the sandy ground, trembling its body, and then it suddenly began to cry big, elephant-sized tears.
─［Larva… sniff…］
─ “……”
It was slightly puzzling.
A monster is crying?
Not that it’s weird to cry, but…
Is it really absurd that a creature that’s S-Class is crying just because it got hit once? What kind of lame Demon King is this?
Azelas seemed puzzled too, scratching his head while looking at Iris.
─ “Hey, it’s crying…”
“Isn’t it because you hit it too hard?”
─ “I hit it really gently… It shouldn’t hurt…”
He even controlled his strength when he hit it. Yet it’s sobbing like that.
Is it possibly a monster with a low pain tolerance?
As these thoughts crossed my mind, the assistant’s chat notification popped up.
Somehow, I felt like Ha Yumi’s guess might be right.
When the caterpillar rushed at the party of four, there wasn’t any feeling of animosity.
In fact, it seemed to express some kind of delight.
“…Maybe, just like Yumi said, it didn’t approach to fight; it might have come over joyfully, crying out, judging by the tears.”
It wouldn’t be unusual for a monster to have that kind of tendency.
It could be similar to a Medical Mushroom.
While the assistants were speculating reasons, the caterpillar continued to cry sorrowfully, shedding tears like a newborn baby.
Azelas, seeing this, sought advice from Aracne beside him.
─ “What should we do…?”
─［How about flipping it back? Then sincerely apologize. That might calm it down.］
─ “Got it…”
Azelas elegantly waved his arm in the air.
Then, the airflow starting from his fingertips transformed into a gust, wrapping around the flipped caterpillar’s body.
─［L-larva?］
The caterpillar’s heavy body, which had been sobbing, was gently lifted into the air and spun around.
Thud.
As it landed back on the sandy ground, the caterpillar shook its head in confusion.
─［E-eh?］
Azelas approached the caterpillar and bowed his head apologetically.
─ “I… I’m sorry.”
─［······.］
By now, the caterpillar had stopped crying.
It stared silently at Azelas.
Then suddenly.
Bloom.
A smile bloomed wide on the caterpillar’s face.
─［Larvarna!］
It appeared that the caterpillar decided to accept Azelas’s apology.
*
■Giant Caterpillar
─ Actual Danger Level: S-Class.
─ Current (Nerfed) Danger Level: B-Rank.
I didn’t bother to color it because it was too troublesome.
Anyway, I completed the Monster Index and closed my notebook.
I shifted my gaze back to the party of four.
The giant caterpillar was now wriggling its body and being all adorable.
─［Larva! Larvarna!］
It was doing a strange dance.
Adorably flipping over on the sandy ground.
It was showing off all the cuteness it could express with its body.
They hadn’t tamed the caterpillar yet.
The party of four only had one severed arm.
That arm was currently being used to tame the Mummy Skeleton.
The caterpillar was just acting like that because it liked Azelas and Aracne.
─［Larva! Larvarna!］
The caterpillar lay flat on the ground.
As if inviting them to ride on its back.
Azelas and Aracne turned to Iris simultaneously and asked.
─ “Father, what should we do?”
─［Can we ride it to move?］
“Do whatever you like.”
Riding it wouldn’t be a problem.
Though it wasn’t tamed yet, it was still a quite friendly monster.
After hearing my answer.
They exchanged glances and had a brief conversation.
Then, as if making a decision, they tossed the restrained Mummy Skeleton onto the caterpillar’s back, and then they jumped lightly onto it too.
Iris climbed up with them.
─［Larva, Larvarna?］
─［There’s no specific destination. Just go straight for now.］
─［Larva!］
The caterpillar carrying the party of four sped off across the desert at full throttle.
*
The giant caterpillar burrowed down into the sand like it was diving underwater.
It swept through the ground as if swimming in the ocean, repeatedly surfacing to the ground while racing across the desert.
Despite the wild movements, the party of four remained completely unfazed.
Above the caterpillar’s back, a transparent shell had grown, safely wrapping around the party of four.
After quite a while, sand structures began to appear.
─［Halt.］
Iris floated above the caterpillar’s head and whispered in a deep voice.
The caterpillar quickly reduced its speed.
Eventually, the caterpillar came to a halt, shaking its head in confusion.
─［Larvarna?］
─［Stay alert.］
Iris exited the transparent shell and rose into the sky.
Then, she scanned around with her eyes as if looking for something.
After fixing her gaze in one direction, she zoomed in on the image.
─［Danger.］
On top of a structure, a monster sat, hunched over.
Two horns sprouted from its head.
It was a dragon-type monster with a pair of wings and blue skin.
Technically, it was categorized as ‘dragon-type.’
【Mysticism】─ Blue blue~
Iris quickly shifted her gaze again.
Then, while directing to another direction, she zoomed in once more.
─［Danger.］
This time, the monster caught on screen also had blue skin.
It looked completely different from the previous creature.
It was a demon-type monster reminiscent of a Pharaoh.
“…This looks dangerous. Both are A-Class.”
“Yeah. They’re the same rank as the four over there.”
It wasn’t a pleasant situation.
Still, part of me felt relieved.
My judgment in sending two SS-Classes over there was right.
If I had only sent one SS-Class, it would have been risky.
─［Warning.］
Iris’s screen returned to normal.
Then, the two monsters that she had just enlarged appeared on the screen again.
They were talking loudly from a distance.
─［Para. There are disgusting traitors over there.］
─［What should we do, Anu?］
─［Let’s capture one and kill the rest.］
Their voices were filled with killing intent.
It seemed they weren’t friendly monsters.
Aracne raised her brows upon hearing that.
─［Who are you?］
When Aracne asked, they replied,
─［Who are we, you ask?］
─［It’s common sense to answer when asked a question.］
The two monsters began introducing themselves kindly.
─［Let us introduce ourselves!］
─［We are guardians of the labyrinth who hunt down explorers and drifters that step into the Ancient Labyrinth!］
─［My name is Pharaoh Devil, short for Para!］
─［My name is Anubis Dragon, short for Anu!］
Anu and Para, standing a bit away, introduced themselves.
Then, suddenly a monster popped out between them.
─［I am Bastet!］
With wings, a black cat.
No, it looked like a puma.
“This is dangerous.”
“That cat is on the same level as the party of four.”
The suddenly appearing cat was also a threat with a nerfed danger level of A-Class.
It was, in fact, an SS-Class monster.
A 2v2 might be manageable, but a 2v3 had no chances of winning.
I had to issue an immediate retreat order.
Just as I was about to tell the party of four to run, I suddenly sensed something unusual about the atmosphere beyond the screen and paused.
‘What’s going on?’
Anu and Para.
Their states seemed a bit odd.
They were standing there blankly, seemingly confused, blinking their eyes.
Then,
Anu tilted his head left.
Para turned his head right, both looking at the central Bastet.
─［Hmm…?］
─［…Who are you?］
─［I am Bastet!］
What’s going on here? Are they not hostile after all?