Chapter 361: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Friendship
Since updates are irregular, sometimes I post three chapters in one day.
Evolution, in short, is change that comes from within. That's not to say there's no external influence, but in the end, evolution refers to when the one undergoing it changes from the inside out, outward appearance and all. The scarred skin splits with a crackling sound and falls to the ground. But does that mean a clean new form emerges when the old skin peels away? Not at all. What appears from beneath the shed skin is... a "scar" — one that seethes with shimmering heat haze and seeps a deep crimson red, as if bleeding.
Sunraku: "O-ohh..."
I see, I see... This is what you'd call a bad-news situation, isn't it? It's got the same kind of danger vibe as the Golden Scorpion. But whereas that one's a racial variant, this one's a unique, title-bearing individual that's evolved even further. In the broad sense, this is basically a Unique Monster now.
Tottori: "H-hey, Sunraku..."
Sunraku: "Hold it. Don't raise your weapon... Leave this to me, Tottori."
Tottori: "Are you sure about this...!?"
It probably isn't fine, so I'll make sure not to bring Emul along. The cracking sounds continue. The muscles of "Scarred" — no, of what was once "Scarred" — swell from within, enlarging its body even further. The badly damaged left head still bears a gruesome wound, but that very asymmetry only adds to the intimidation with a terrifying flourish.
Scarlet Scar: "Gororororororororo..."
Sunraku: "Hello. Ah... what's up? Changing your wardrobe for the season?"
Actually, wait. Did "Scarred" — don't tell me it got EXP from this? I mean, sure, if you asked who contributed the most in that raid fight, the answer's definitely "Scarred" without a doubt. But for you to go and evolve on top of that... whoa, face getting close... hot! Wait, too hot!
Sunraku: "H-hey, settle down, Big Bro... We've got, y'know, a kind of... bond thing going on, right?"
The former "Scarred" leans its heads in close to me, breathing out hot sighs (literal). It's already sweltering enough, but with three heads comes three mouths and six nostrils — right now I'm experiencing exactly how laundry feels inside a dryer. My current HP is a majestic 1. Even a light shove could kill me if I'm unlucky. One wrong move... and I'm dead!
Scarlet Scar: "Grurururu..."
Sunraku: "O-oh... WE... FRIENDS... FRIENDSHIP... IMPORTANT."
The six eyes, fixed on me, blink repeatedly with the nictitating membrane unique to reptiles. After a while, the three heads pull back from me and take a deep breath. I-It's gonna burn me!?
Scarlet Scar: "GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
A roar. A declaration that I am the ruler of this forest, perhaps? At the very least, all my ears can hear is a high-pitched EEEEEE, so I can't really tell. The long, loud, and mighty roar dissolves into the air. The former "Scarred" glares at me with its six eyes. Within them dwells a light of will clearly distinct from the Great Red Devourer. Words may not reach it, but I somehow feel like I get what it's trying to say.
It's not like we're suddenly buddy-buddy. There's no affection here, and certainly no taming or subordination. The next time we meet, we might be enemies again — no, that's probably the most likely outcome. But that's exactly why this battle we fought together has irreplaceable value. Just until a moment ago, me and "Scarred" were facing the same direction.
Sunraku: "A farewell gift. Take it."
In that case, there's no need to go out of our way to turn hostile now. The time to bask in the afterglow of victory — people and monsters are the same in that regard, I'm sure. Actually, I think both me and the former "Scarred" are probably just as beat as we are satisfied. Seriously, how many hours were we even fighting? The night hasn't ended yet though... So with that, a parting gift: Mystic Soma, the last bottle I've got on hand, tossed right into the mouth of the former "Scarred." Well, it's a monster. Even if it swallows the glass, I'm sure it'll manage to digest it.
Scarlet Scar: "..."
With heavy, thudding steps, the former "Scarred" turns its massive body around. I glance up to see a single scale that had flaked off its body come falling my way. A scale, I say, but it's more like an oversized oyster shell. If I hadn't noticed and that thing hit me square on the head, I probably would've died... D-Did that bastard... no, calm down... coincidence. Just a coincidence.
Anyway, what the hell is this scale? Is it a drop item?
• Scarlet Scar’s Ancient Scale of Glory
An ancient scale from Dracule Dinosauberus "Scarlet Scar." The scales of "Scarlet Scar," which continues to grow stronger until the very moment of death, conceal greater power the older they are. A scale bearing the honor of "Ancient Glory" is the oldest and rarest of all, having remained with the scarlet three-headed beast since the moment it was born. Repeatedly damaged and regenerated, the scale has come to harbor Mystery itself.
Sunraku: "...I mean, you just evolved a second ago. There's no 'ancient' this or that about it."
As a farewell gift, it's top-class, and I'm honestly happy about it... but what's this oddly unsatisfied feeling? It's like being told, "Here's a fresh fifty-year-old wine!" The phenomenon that just happened before my eyes and the flavor text don't quite match up... well, I guess it's not a total contradiction or anything...
Sunraku: "Ah, whatever. Friendship, friendship... aight."
If you're giving it to me, I'll take it. And so, farewell, "Scarred"... no, Scarlet Scar. The next time we meet, will we be enemies? Or will you meet your end before we ever reunite...? But if I could have my wish, I hope you fall at the end of a good fight.
The reliably cowardly elves have nowhere near the guts to stop Scarlet Scar's advance, so I simply see off the three-headed T-Rex as it departs with slow yet powerfully earth-shaking steps... and at long last, turn my attention toward the other issue. If they're not in the plaza... then around the residential area?
Emul: "...? Come to think of it, Sunraku-san, what's wrong, wa?"
Sunraku: "Ah, yeah, about that... .........Alright, quit playing dead and come out already!!"
Deep Throater: "Uhehehehe... so you figured me out."
Emul: "Gyaaaaaa!!? Y-you're alive, waa—!?"
With a sheepish grin, the supposedly dead Deep Throater emerges from behind a collapsed house. The reason they're alive — the answer lies in the actions I took before they pulled that Castling or whatever.
Sunraku: "The participant count announcement stayed at three, and more importantly — you took my desperate stunt in my place, didn't you?"
Deep Throater: "This has gone beyond coincidence and miracle — it's love, Sunraku-kuun..."
Sunraku: "Shaddup."
Emul: "Wh-what do you mean, wa?!"
What do I mean? Nothing complicated. At that moment, I was about to use a certain method to deal with the seven death breaths. But this idiot, with his theatrically overdone role-play, switched our positions — so they ended up executing it instead of me. To put it bluntly: self-revival. A revive item tossed into the air, timed to hit my dead body after a delay — a solo revival technique I established during the Wethermon fight. Using the revive item I got from Saint-chan, I planned a delayed revival to survive the attack. It requires dying once, but in principle, it's the same kind of improvised technique as Inventoria Escape. And since Deep Throater swapped into the spot where I'd been standing, the revive item I'd thrown upward naturally hit them instead.
Sunraku: "I'll spell it out for you. You tried to look cool playing the martyr, but then you just got revived like normal and couldn't find the right moment to show your face, so you've been hiding out."
Deep Throater: "Oi oi, are we reading each other's minds or what...? I think we can safely call ourselves soul friends at this point, don't you...?"
Sunraku: "Slacking on DPS contribution? I'm disappointed. Friendship over."
Deep Throater: "Give me a break! How am I supposed to just walk out and go 'Actually, I was totally alive the whole time'!?"
Shut it, shut it, shut it! Don't slump against me, don't wrap your arms around mine! Harassmeeeent! Ha-rass-ment caaall!
Tottori: "Whoa, Deep Throater-san was alive!?"
Deep Throater: "Heya, Tottori-kun. Nice last attack, huh..."
Tottori: "Ah, thanks..."
Still, it's thanks to them that we reached this outcome. Even if they were slacking in the final stretch, I suppose their contributions up to that point make it even. Emotionally, I'd like to call Scarlet Scar-kun back for a U-turn and have him deal with them, but I won't be greedy.
Sunraku: "Alright then... time for the main course."
Tottori: "Yeah, that thing's kinda hard to ignore..."
Well, there's no way we wouldn't notice it. After all, where the Great Red Devourer fell, a stupidly huge pool of blood has formed. And within that pool of blood, three glowing effects... The sheer appeal is practically screaming, "THERE ARE ITEMS HERE, PICK THEM UP!" at the top of its lungs. The same number as the participating players — which I guess means exactly that.
Sunraku: "So, let's decide who touches which one with rock-paper-scissors."
I came in dead last. RNG really is garbage.