NOVEL NEXT Ch40 - Mothra Leveling 2★
Chapter 40: Mothra Leveling 2★
Rena’s group carefully navigated the forest of towering trees, wary of attacks from above. Lily, their scout, was excellent, but she couldn’t monitor every direction simultaneously. Instead of relying entirely on her, Rena and the others also kept a close watch on their surroundings, listening intently as they walked.
The rustling of leaves echoed around them. Every time the sunlight filtering through the trees shifted with the wind, they nervously glanced around, fearing a monster might leap down.
…Moving through a forest was indeed more demanding than traversing the open plains. Their previous forest trek near Danzella had been relatively easy thanks to their guide with special eyes.
Being less visible to enemies was an advantage. Trying to stay positive, they searched for prey for Mothra.
“…Master! There are Bagworms over there. They’re hanging from the trees and not moving… It’ll be easy for Mothra to target them.”
“Roger that!”
Rena and her group discovered Bagworms x5!
Lily was the first to spot the low-level monsters. Looking closely at the indicated spot, they could faintly make out the bagworm-shaped monsters camouflaged among the green and brown leaves.
Bagworms were larval monsters that hung from trees, absorbing sunlight through the gaps in the leaves to grow into moth monsters. In their current bagworm form, they only possessed skills like [Harden] and [Camouflage], and their attack power was negligible. They were perfect prey for the low-level butterfly. While most predators couldn’t detect them due to their camouflage, Lily, with her [Fairy Eye], could see the faint light of their souls.
Rena had consulted the guild’s monster encyclopedia for information on local monsters as soon as they arrived in Toilia. Since their party lacked anyone with the [Appraisal] skill, they needed to gather knowledge beforehand.
“First, let’s use Mothra’s [Gust] skill to blow away the leaves covering the bags. Then, use [Wind Cutter] to cut the threads holding the Bagworms to the trees. Haru-kun, you bounce them when they fall! That’s the plan! Lily, please keep watch on the surroundings.”
“Yes! Leave it to us!”
“Understood!”
“Since this will affect Mothra’s [Wind Cutter] accuracy, I’m not going to use [Inspire] this time. You don’t have to try to defeat them in one hit. Your seniors will support your attacks, so just aim calmly.”
“Yes…! Thank you for your consideration.”
“Fufu. Let’s do our best, everyone!”
“Ooh!”
“Yes!”
This time, they prioritized a reliable strategy. Since the Bagworms were much weaker than the familiars, Rena estimated they could be defeated without her support skills. Besides the level difference, rare species monsters were already strong.
Taking a deep breath, they watched the Bagworms from the shadows of the bushes. …Mothra made its move!
“Skill [Gust]!”
“(!)”
A giant butterfly appeared! (Bagworm’s perspective)
Preemptive strike! The leaves on the Bagworm’s bag were blown away!
Mothra’s massive wings created a powerful gust of wind. The wind was so strong that even Rena had to brace herself. Most of the leaves covering the Bagworms were blown away, revealing their soft, segmented worm bodies.
Confused and disoriented, the insects wriggled around, still hanging from the trees by their threads. This was their chance!
“Skill [Wind Cutter]!”
Mothra followed up with an attack. One, two Bagworms had their lifeline threads severed, falling helplessly to the ground.
“Consecutive attacks!”
“Skill [Wind Cutter]!”
No mercy. Despite the magic power cost, Rena ordered consecutive attacks.
Mothra responded, skillfully cutting down two Bagworms with a single skill activation.
—Screech!! Squee!—
The 1.5-meter tall Golden Sheep, after a short run-up, lightly bounced the falling Bagworms as they shrieked. Since the Slime seniors weren’t present, he had a Shield Pill Bug shell attached to his forehead.
“Skill [Dash]!”
Pakon! Pakooon!
The Bagworms were launched into the air with satisfying sounds, and the sound of bells chimed in Rena’s head. Mothra’s second battle was a resounding success!
Familiar: Mothra leveled up! +1
Check the guild card.
Mothra was now level 3. Rena wanted to level it up a bit more. While Lily and the others had already class-changed after a few level-ups, it seemed the new species monster needed more time. Rena and the others savored their victory for a moment before continuing deeper into the forest in search of more prey.
“Is that a… Popo-tan?”
“…Master, you’re right! It’s a Popo-tan. I’ve seen them before.”
“There’s a whole cluster of them.”
Rena discovered Popo-tans x20!
Popo-tans were round, white mushroom monsters. They resembled button mushrooms, but their caps were covered in soft fuzz, and they ranged in size from 5 to 15 cm in diameter. They lived by parasitizing fallen trees and absorbing nutrients. They were poisonous and inedible, but… they might make a good souvenir for the Slimes. They decided to hunt them.
“Let’s see, they attack with poisonous spores… Hmm, this might be perfect. Lily, envelop the mushrooms with [Crimson Mist]. Haru-kun, wait for a moment. Mothra, first use [Intimidate] to scare them, and if they release spores, use [Gust]! Blow the wind in the opposite direction from us, slightly upwards. Can you do that?”
“…Leave it to me!”
“Understood!”
“Yes, Rena-sama. …Will I get a turn later?”
“Of course. I’m counting on you!”
“Fufu. Leave it to me~. I’ll do my best, so praise me later, okay?”
…Rena wanted to pet the smug sheep, but she restrained herself and focused on the enemy. Since the mushrooms were monsters, they should possess some intelligence. She hoped they would release their spores early, “before being attacked.”
“Lily, go!”
At their master’s command, the familiars transformed into hunters.
“Skill [Crimson Mist]!”
The dark fairy activated her skill, enveloping the Popo-tans in a thick crimson mist.
The effect of [Crimson Mist] was to induce panic. The Popo-tans trembled as their vision suddenly turned red and a sense of fear washed over them. Some were already pulling out their root-like mycelia, trying to move away from the fallen tree. The hunters wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
“Skill [Intimidate]!”
Pierced by the numerous gazes from Mothra’s compound eyes, the Popo-tans were paralyzed by fear. Trying to retaliate, they scattered [Poison Spores]!
“(Yes…!) Haru-kun, double your size with [Shape Change]!”
“As you wish!”
“Mothra!”
“Yes! …Skill [Gust]!”
A powerful gust of wind swept through the forest. The terrifying wind, mixed with crimson mist and poisonous spores, licked the trees on the opposite side of Rena and the others. A section of the forest was now an eerie pale red. The glittering spores floating in the air were strangely beautiful, creating a bizarre scene.
While keeping an eye on the trembling mushrooms, Rena narrowed her eyes, observing the path the wind had taken. She whispered something to Hamal.
As Mothra continued to glare at the mushrooms… monsters paralyzed by the stray poison spores began falling from the large tree in front of them! Just as planned. …This was what their master had been aiming for! Rena and Hamal exchanged a wicked grin.
“Mmm. Let’s wait a little longer. There are still some spores floating around, and you might get paralyzed too.”
“Rena-sama, you’re so kind~!”
Rena was truly kind to her familiars. Despite the paralyzed monsters struggling on the ground, unable to escape, she continued to observe them.
Hamal’s gaze towards his master was filled with adoration—no, respect. The prey was probably even more terrified due to the [Crimson Mist]… A moment of silence for them.
“Let’s gather the mushrooms while we wait. Lily, can you help me?”
“As you wish! Ehehe, Master, you were so cool!”
“Thank you!”
Hearing their master’s nonchalant conversation, Mothra secretly vowed never to disobey Rena, despite his poker face.
Rena and the demonic Lily, who was wearing a bathrobe she had bought from ♡Inn♡, carefully harvested only the caps of the Popo-tans, which were now exhausted from releasing their spores.
If the stems remained, the Popo-tans would regrow their mycelia and revive. They carefully separated the caps from the stems. Harvesting the immobilized, defenseless mushrooms was very efficient.
Rena obtained Popo-tan Caps x20!
Although poisonous, these mushrooms fetched a good price as alchemy ingredients in large city apothecaries that possessed detoxification techniques.
To conserve magic power, they didn’t use Mothra’s [Wind Cutter] to finish off the Popo-tans. Were they done with hunting for experience? There were plenty of targets right in front of them.
“Skill [Dash]!”
“Skill [Wind Cutter], [Wind Cutter], [Wind Cutter]!”
Sharp wind blades sliced through the throats of the immobilized monsters. The giant sheep dashed forward, preventing the recovering prey from escaping, and lightly bounced them into the air.
—Truly overwhelming, my familiars!!—
…Excuse me, their master wouldn’t say such a thing. However, Rena looked very pleased that her plan had gone perfectly.
Woodpecker x2 defeated!
Atlas Moth x2 defeated!
Claw Monkey x1 defeated!
Prickly Spider x2 defeated!
Shocking Spider x1 defeated!
Familiar: Mothra leveled up! +3
*Acquired the skill [Whirlwind]!
Familiar: Hamal leveled up! +1
Check the guild cards.
The familiars who delivered the final blows leveled up. Lily, who only provided support, only gained experience points. Let’s check Mothra’s current status.
“Name: Mothra
Species: Giant Butterfly Neo ♂, Lv. 6
Aptitude: Green Magic
HP: 22 (+2)
Intelligence: 18 (+3)
Speed: 12
Magic Power: 18 (+3)
Luck: 11 (+3)
Skills: [Gust], [Intimidate], [Wind Cutter], [Whirlwind]
Gift: [Beloved Child of the Sky] ☆5”
・[Whirlwind]: Creates small whirlwinds within sight. The size and duration of the whirlwinds depend on the amount of magic power used.
Hamal’s HP and Speed had increased by 1 each.
Although Mothra had defeated monsters efficiently with the help of its seniors, it still hadn’t evolved despite leveling up so much. Rena had it try to imagine its demon form, but nothing happened. She smiled gently at the dejected Mothra and patted its head.
“Hmm. Is it because you’re a new species…? It seems your level is still a little too low to class-change. Let’s level up together for a few more days. Don’t be so down… You worked very hard, Mothra, and you’ve become stronger! Good work today.”
“Rena-sama… Thank you for your concern.”
“So formal…?”
“Mothra! …You did a great job! You’ve become so good at using [Wind Cutter]! Good job, good job!”
“We’ll help you again, so let’s level up without rushing. Right, Mothra?”
“Seniors…”
“…My familiars are such good children…! They’ve grown into such kind children… Sniff…”
Rena, the ultimate doting master, was moved to tears seeing Lily and Hamal petting Mothra, just like she did. She was known for being easily moved to tears, especially when it came to her precious familiars.
Rena’s group, after their rampage in the forest, returned to Alice’s mansion, chatting amicably.
Under the moonless night sky, obscured by clouds, three men nervously glanced at the mansion looming before them.
“Hey… Don’t you feel like we’re being watched lately? It’s not like there’s anyone around, but it’s… creepy. Like a shiver down my spine.”
“…! D-Don’t say such creepy things. Who would be wandering around a high-class residential area at night! …Guards? No way. We have lookouts, and we shouldn’t have been noticed.”
“It’s not just a few people! …And I’m not even sure if it’s people…”
“You too!? Stop it!?”
“The way you’re reacting… We’ve all felt something, haven’t we…? It’s unsettling. The stares, aren’t they coming from that mansion?”
“The mansion… Tch! It’s so grand. Too extravagant for a little girl to live in alone!”
“She inherited her stepfather’s fortune, didn’t she? She was lucky enough to be adopted by a rich man, and now she’s occupying the mansion even after his death. Greedy little brat.”
“Come on. Thanks to her, we got a high-paying job! We should be thanking the little girl, right? Buahahaha! 1,000 ril a day just for watching the mansion. We’re making a killing!”
“…You’re right! I never thought we’d get a job from a company president. Let’s make sure the little girl is good and scared!”
“Gahahahaha!”
—Glare!!—
…This was a high-class residential area at night. The men, staring up at the Stuart mansion from the gate, suddenly felt a chill as if they were being glared at by something terrifying. They frowned and looked around, but there was no sign of anyone.
They reluctantly turned their gaze back to the mansion, their eyes filled with humiliation, disgust, and fear. One of them spoke with a grimace.
“…Ugh, again. This is really creepy…”
“Maybe it’s a haunted mansion.”
“Don’t joke about that!”
The men rubbed their goosebump-covered arms, shivering.
The monstrous being watching them from the rooftop was quietly, undeniably there…
For Mothra’s class change, Rena and the others diligently visited the forest every day. While occasionally ambushed by monsters, they mostly succeeded in preemptive strikes, leveling up efficiently.
Mothra grew larger with each level. Rena stared up at the butterfly with a distant look. At level 8, it had already surpassed 5 meters in length and could no longer fit through the mansion’s entrance.
It now rested its wings on the rooftop at night.
It would [Intimidate] the adventurers who attacked Alice’s mansion every night, keeping an eye on them. Thanks to this, the attacks had almost completely stopped. Mothra, looking down at the terrified adventurers with a smirk (in its imagination), was definitely a member of Rena’s family.
Mothra is brimming with killing intent…!
Several days after they began Mothra’s leveling, it finally reached level 10, the time for evolution! Hearing the World’s Gospel bell, Rena cheered.
“Ah! …Congratulations, Mothra! It’s a class change notification!”
☆Evolution conditions met!
Evolves into: Gigant Butterfly
To evolve, tap the species name.
“Woohoo!!”
The seniors were also delighted by their junior’s growth. Mothra bowed respectfully to everyone.
“…Seniors, thank you for accompanying me on my training. I can evolve now because of your cooperation. I will continue to strive for greater strength…!”
“Y-Yes. Wow, I wonder how big you’ll get…? Well, being strong is good. Let’s evolve quickly!”
“Yes!”
Rena smiled brightly and tapped the evolution option on the guild card. The evolved form… seemed to be a completely new species of monster.
[Gigant Butterfly]
…A new species of butterfly that is simply gigantic. Possesses tough wings and a body covered in water-repellent hair, harder than rock. Detailed ecology unknown.
Just as expected! Mothra’s growth wouldn’t stop…! Their master, with a serene expression, seemed to have reached enlightenment. She watched her evolving familiar with warmth.
Mothra once again spun silk from its proboscis, encasing itself in a jet-black cocoon. After some rustling sounds from within, the top was sliced open by a wind blade… and a large head emerged.
Large, glossy black compound eyes and a charmingly round face. Its wings weren’t completely dry yet, still wrinkled in places. Slowly, Mothra extended its wings. The deep black wings, as if absorbing light, were adorned with crimson patterns, remnants of its Scarlet Swallowtail days. After fully drying its wings, it flapped them once with a loud woosh and bowed its head to its master.
Their master… barely maintained her composure. …Mothra had now grown to a length of 10 meters!
“So cool!!”
“I’m honored by your praise, seniors.”
Mothra looks at Rena with expectant eyes!
No matter how big it was, Mothra was still cute to Rena. Apparently captivated by the giant butterfly’s upward gaze, she patted its head affectionately.
“Yes, you’re so cool and look so strong! As expected of Mothra. You’re wonderful.”
“! Thank you very much!”
“Let’s try humanoid form.”
“Yes!”
Since they couldn’t predict how big the demon form would be, Mothra’s head was covered with a large sheet, also purchased from ♡Inn♡. The butterfly froze, concentrating on visualizing its human form.
…This time, the transformation was successful. The title “Demon” was added to Mothra’s entry on the guild card.
Mothra, in its demon form and draped in a pure white sheet, looked like a young man about the same age as Rena and the others. Glossy black hair, fair skin, and almond-shaped crimson eyes. Its medium build seemed slightly muscular. In any case, it was quite handsome. All of Rena’s rare familiars were beautiful, both in their monster and human forms.
Mothra, its eyes crinkling into crescents as it smiled, bowed deeply to its master.
“Rena-sama, I look forward to your continued guidance.”
Rena returned a bright smile.
…Now that their forces were assembled, let the feast for Alice begin.
Lure out the villains!