‘I have to show Daddy Geuru, rich in magic and bursting with muscles……!’
Just then, the red aura flowing from the Filial Piety Cookie caught his eye.
Waver, waver~
‘The Filial Piety Cookie looks dangerous.’
Nngh.
Geuru opened the Filial Piety Cookie’s information window and once again recalled the warning that children should be cautious when consuming it.
Suddenly, he remembered when he had introduced the “Fluffy Cotton Candy” item he had invented before.
‘Back then, Daddy definitely said…….’
Geuru put the oven mitt he had taken off onto his left hand. Then, crossing his arms and putting on a solemn expression, he imitated Jurim like an old fogey.
“Even if you think it’s a good item after simuwating it at your desk…… huh? It can be different when you actually use it, dat’s what I’m saying.”
Rukesipereu stared at Geuru with his mouth hanging open, then nodded and nodded.
Proud.
Feeling as though he had said something extremely difficult, Geuru felt even better.
“So should we test it just a wittle bit and then go brag?”
“Kyuhum!”
Rukesipereu nodded again.
“Good! Let’s go to Geuru’s dungeon first.”
[Activating skill “A Dungeon Is an Open Door.”]
After entering the private dungeon sponsored by his grandfather, the first thing Geuru did was check whether the Filial Piety Factory was running properly.
After making one round through the factory where the dolls were working hard, Geuru stood side by side with Rukesipereu and placed his hands on his waist.
There were two things to confirm.
The effect of the abnormal status “Loner’s Rage,” which Geuru had created unintentionally.
And whether Rukesipereu had become strong enough not to go all woozy even if he opened the cradle.
“Will the Filial Piety Cookie work on dolls too?”
He had to check the abnormal status, but he couldn’t exactly feed it to a person…….
Geuru was holding a Filial Piety Cookie and agonizing in front of Doll No. 1 when—
Swoosh—
The ground sank down by a handful, and just then, a mole poked its head out.
“Squeak!”
[Burrowing Mole (F)]
S-rank against crops only. It poses no threat to humans whatsoever.
“Ooh…….”
Found one. A test subject.
Geuru carefully approached and held out a cookie to the mole peeking up.
“Sniff, sniff…….”
The black bean-like nose at the tip of its long snout twitched.
Its millet-sized eyes didn’t seem to function properly, so it kept moving only its nose as it examined the cookie Geuru had offered.
Papak!
Soon, the mole realized what was in front of it was food, seized the cookie with its broad forepaws, and began to eat.
Thump, thump!
Geuru and Rukesipereu quietly watched the sight.
Piiiiiiing~
All of a sudden, clusters of light gathered around the mole as it nibbled away at the cookie.
“……!”
The light was so strong it was hard to even open their eyes.
A moment later, the enormous glow gradually faded, revealing the mole’s shape.
“It got bigger!”
The mole, which had been the size of Geuru’s sneaker, had grown until it reached his ankle.
And that was not the only thing that had changed.
Bulging and rippling, the mole had gained size and muscles, and it bared its claws at Geuru and Rukesipereu with a threatening growl.
“Dureureung……!”
“Eek!”
“Kyuheet!”
The two jumped and quickly backed away.
When they checked the information window, “Burrowing Mole (F)” had somehow changed into “Rage-Possessed Mole (S, Berserk).”
‘It turned a mole into S-rank?!’
As the mole glared at Geuru and Pereu with its millet-sized eyes, Geuru sensed danger and took out his fork.
“Dureureung!”
At last, the monster began approaching threateningly, licking its sharp front claws.
Squeeze!
Rukesipereu clung to Geuru’s leg and trembled, while Geuru gripped the fork tightly with both hands.
If it came down to it, he planned to send the mole flying with a fork home run.
But just then—
Psssssssh—
Thud.
White steam burst out from the mole’s body as it had been approaching in full menace, and its bulging, taut muscles shriveled before it collapsed on the spot.
“Huh?”
It fell down by itself?!
With Rukesipereu hanging onto his leg, Geuru cautiously approached.
He poked the limp, collapsed mole with his fork, but there was no response at all.
“D-did it die?!”
“Kyuuuuut?!”
As Geuru and Rukesipereu made a loud fuss—
Twitch, twitch.
The mole convulsed.
“Phew~ Thank goodness. It’s not dead.”
“Kyuu~”
Had it collapsed because the effect wore off?
Right on cue, Rukesipereu’s effect seemed to end as well, and with a soft psssh sound, he was returning to his cute baby rabbit form.
“Kyuuung…….”
Rukesipereu also seemed to feel sudden exhaustion and was about to collapse woozily, so Geuru quickly caught him and held him in his arms.
The mole had probably gone woozy faster because its body couldn’t withstand the increased strength.
Putting that aside.
Remembering the mole that had growled dureureung with blazing eyes, Geuru hunched his shoulders.
It had been terrifying.
An item that made one go berserk in exchange for granting strength.
‘It’s like an item a villain would use!’
Mega dangerous! Geuru quickly shoved the remaining Filial Piety Cookies deep into his bag.
‘Let’s seal them away…….’
The desire to brag made his chest prickle, but—
‘I might get scolded…….’
The fear that he might be scolded was greater.
After looking around, Geuru hid the exhausted mole among the leaves so it could rest comfortably, then left the dungeon.
Goooo—
Without noticing that the mole’s shadow had wavered and moved.
And after Geuru left the dungeon with Rukesipereu.
Black stems and leaves shifted eerily from the shadow.
[Penbraum (S)]
A plant-type monster that grows by parasitizing the shadows of animals and plants. It has an extremely docile temperament and almost never attacks first.
The roots of the Penbraum that rose from the shadow began to wrap around the mole.
The roots swiftly entered the mole’s body, and as a red aura settled into the Penbraum’s leaves, they gleamed with vitality.
At the same time, it was being eroded by the abnormal status “Loner’s Rage.”
Flex.
An unknown anger and power enveloped the Penbraum.
It wanted to eat more of this item that granted strength.
It wanted to unleash its rage.
Dominated by desire that filled it to the very tips of its roots, the Penbraum began moving through the shadows in search of the item’s scent.
*
Lunchtime the next day.
Today was the long-awaited day when the prince showdown would finally end.
While the noisy children of Chick Class gathered in twos and threes to eat their lunch boxes,
Mephisto sat clinging to Uju’s shoulder, his eyes sharp as awls.
He had to aim for the moment when Uju handed the blood over to Beilak.
Just then, one of the friends eating lunch with them asked a question.
“Why is Geuru’s bird with Uju?”
Since the bird that had always sat on top of Geuru’s head was stuck to Uju, it seemed to look strange.
At that question, Uju flinched in surprise and darted his eyes around, while Geuru stuck out his lips.
“Mephi says he doesn’t wanna be Geuru’s bird anymore.”
“Piii!”
Shocked, Mephisto protested, but Geuru whipped his head away.
He had to clear up the misunderstanding!
The moment Mephisto was about to fly over to Geuru, of all times, Park Geonu, led by Beilak’s hand, gestured from outside the classroom.
Uju’s eyes widened, and he picked up his bag and stood.
“I’m done eating, so I’ll be back in a bit.”
Mephisto stopped himself from heading to Geuru and sat back down on Uju’s shoulder.
Geuru, looking shocked, followed Mephisto with his eyes as he left with Uju.
Holding back tears, Mephisto kicked Uju with his tiny feet.
Whether he did or not, Uju paid no mind and led the children to the end of a quiet hallway.
Then he took out a tiny vial containing one drop of blood from his bag, along with a photocard and merch.
‘Blood……!’
Mephisto’s eyes gleamed.
The moment Uju handed the vial to Beilak, he planned to snatch it without missing that instant and flee at once.
His claws twitched.
Park Geonu, having received the photocard and merch, nodded with a satisfied face, and next, Beilak held out his hand.
Now. Mephisto flew up with a whoosh.
“I knew you were aiming for it.”
With lightning-fast speed, Beilak smashed the vial and smiled, baring his shark teeth.
“Pit?!” (How?!)
“Did you think I was that stupid?”
“Pit!” (But the one who consumes it first is the master of the blood!)
Mephisto shot forward at the speed of light. He intended to lick the blood that had spilled from the vial Beilak had broken.
But…….
“Pit?” (This is…… jam?)
“I received the blood yesterday. Today, I knew what you were plotting, so I prepared jam!”
“Pi!” (It can’t be!)
“Kekekek. This is revenge, Mephisto!”
While Mephisto cried and tore at his wings at Beilak’s vile laughter,
Park Geonu pushed up his glasses.
“Seo Uju, can your friend talk to birds?”
“……I don’t know.”
Uju avoided his gaze.