Banished from the herd, I was actually a member of a very rare species. ~With the unique skills that only I can use, I can grow and evolve quickly. I will become an unrivaled monster~ - Episode 96: Stirring

Episode 96: Stirring

“It’s over.”

“That was fast.”

Having defeated “Earth Splitter”, I returned to where Fisu was waiting. It was at the base of a different mountain from where I had been fighting.

“And you were quick. I saw you falling at one point, but even with my enhanced vision using [Master Keen – Sigh], I couldn’t keep up with your movements.”

“Well, if you’re going to go up against a Sovereign Beast, you have to be that fast.”

There’s a huge gap between Grand Beast and Sovereign Beasts. Even though Fisu can easily slay Grand Beast, that doesn’t mean she can fight on equal terms with a Sovereign Beast.

“By the way, was that rock-spitting attack from ‘Sea of Flames’ weapon? Or is it even considered a weapon?”

“Yeah, that’s a weapon made from ‘Sea of Flames’. It used the lump on its neck to generate rocks and spit them out. I used that process to create the weapon.”

I briefly explained the general mechanism of the boulder cannon. In reality, there were other detailed modifications, such as allowing it to generate rocks using external |Mana| and enhancing the accuracy with the cannon barrel. But I didn’t go into all of that.

“Hey, it’s getting close to lunch. How about we eat? We’ve got ‘Earth Splitter’ meat, after all.”

“Is it okay? Aren’t you going to use it for weapons?”

“Meat doesn’t make good weapons, so don’t worry. Besides, ‘Earth Splitter’ itself isn’t really suited for weapon-making.”

When I create weapons using my [Skill], the special abilities I can add are mostly based on the creature’s physical traits. There are exceptions, like increasing strength or reducing weight, which can be applied regardless of the material. However, the power of the “Earth Splitter” to control the earth couldn’t be turned into a weapon. Its stone skin, which diminished external |Mana|, might be useful. But beyond that, it’s better to just enjoy the meat.

“So, let’s have a barbecue party.”

“Yay!”

Fisu responded enthusiastically, albeit without much emotion in her voice. Together, we roasted and ate the meat of the Elder Gargoyle.

“Oh, right, remember when you asked me why I wanted to get so strong a while ago? I have an answer for you now—”

◆ ◆ ◆

In a remote corner far from the Goronomea Mountain Range, there was a desolate region. Its |Mana|, neither thick nor thin, spread across the Greater Beast Region, making it of little resource value. It was an untamed area untouched by human hands, and not even the influence of nobles reached here.

At the heart of an untouched forest stood a village. To reach the nearest town, one had to cross mountains, rivers, valleys, and yet another mountain—an isolated location seemingly designed to cut off communication with the outside world. In fact, that was intentional. The village was built in such a difficult-to-access area to ensure that no information would leak out.

“Have you returned, Book Bishop?”

At the center of the village stood a massive structure that exuded an aura of grandeur. Completely stone-built, its pristine, unblemished white surface was a temple—a Demon Shrine of the Demon Cult, dedicated to worshiping a demon god.

Inside the shrine’s chapel, where a menacing demon statue stood, knelt a woman of mature age. She wore a veil resembling a nun’s habit, and her left eye was covered by an eyepatch. Even as she addressed the person behind her, she remained kneeling before the demon statue, her hands clasped in prayer.

“Yes, I, Molten, have just returned.”

The person she spoke to, a man who had just entered the chapel, responded. Known as the “Book Bishop”, he wore his usual suspicious grin and held a thick book in one hand. After a brief moment of silence, the blue-haired woman ended her prayer. She rose to her feet, turned to face the man, and looked at him with her uncovered right eye.

“Let us begin the indoctrination.”

“As you wish. Here is the result of our latest recruitment, High Priestess.”

The book in the man’s hand floated toward the woman, sliding through the air. Its pages began to turn on their own, and the intricate illustrations within started to emit a radiant light.

“[Book Jump Out]”

With the man’s magic, several magical beasts leaped out of the book’s illustrations. There were about a dozen in total. Once the beasts emerged, the drawings on the pages vanished.

“Gaguuu…”  

“Gegegi…”  

“Giji…”

Every beast that appeared was gravely wounded. Their bodies were drenched in bl00d from severe physical damage. They were also Paralyzed and Poisoned, rendering them unable to move.

In their condition, the beasts collapsed to the floor of the chapel upon appearing. The chapel, aside from the demon statue, had no chairs or tables. So with this many beasts, it quickly became cramped.

“[Brainwash]”

The woman glanced at the fallen beasts and cast a spell. Tiny clusters of foam, like insect eggs, formed and engulfed the beasts. The countless bubbles entered through their mouths, noses, and ears, invading their bodies—and then…

“The indoctrination is complete. Please heal them.”

“Right away. [Book Jump Out: Heal Glitter].”

From the pages of the man’s book, sparkling particles of light scattered into the air. Resembling stars in the night sky, these lights were absorbed into the bodies of the magical beasts, healing their wounds instantly. Their Status Ailments were cured as well. The beasts, who had been lying on the chapel floor, now stood on their own feet. 

However, even after regaining control of their bodies, they paid no attention to the man who had defeated them. Instead, they fixated solely on the blue-haired priestess, like loyal dogs awaiting their master’s command.

“Accept his magic,” 

“[Book Jump In].”

Once again, the book glowed as its pages flipped, and the bodies of the demonic beasts were absorbed back into its illustrations. The man carefully tore out the pages that now contained the sealed beasts and handed them to the Priestess.

“This concludes our harvest for now.”

“…So you failed to capture a Sovereign Beast?”

“I am ashamed to say, yes.”

“As expected, working far from our usual region poses challenges, doesn’t it?”

Capturing too many Sovereign Beasts in the same area could arouse suspicion from nobles or the adventurers’ guild. For that reason, they had extended their activities to more distant regions. But working in unfamiliar territory came with difficulties, such as a lack of information. Even under normal circumstances, weakening a Sovereign Beast enough to seal it within a book was no easy task. This time’s failure was understandable.

As the Priestess silently began to cleanse the bl00d from the floor, the man continued speaking.

“However, it wasn’t a complete failure. I have discovered a Sovereign Beast that kills other Sovereign Beasts.”

“!”

The Priestess’ lone eye widened in surprise.

Sovereign Beasts grow slowly, rarely encountering opponents of equal strength to raise their <Level>. This made any Sovereign Beast that had killed another one incredibly valuable, as the experience gained from such a kill would result in a significant boost in <Level>.

“It appeared to be a Slime-type beast. It defeated ‘Sea of Flames’, the strongest creature of the Goronomea Mountain Range, almost without a scratch. Not only that, but it communicated with me using [Communication] while I was attempting to analyze it.”

“That is… quite the formidable being.”

Not only did this creature possess combat abilities far surpassing those of a typical Sovereign Beast, but it also had rare [Skills]. The priestess immediately saw its potential and wanted it as part of their arsenal.

Sensing her interest, the man nodded and continued.

“I was able to partially analyze this being’s |Status|. Though I found no mention of a similar Sovereign Beast in any of the literature, based on its coloration and |Stats|, it is likely an upper-tier variant of a Jewel Slime.”

“Jewel Slime… if I recall, it’s a species known for its exceptional |Toughness| and for granting large amounts of <Soul Fragments> when defeated.”

“Yes. Its |Toughness| exceeds 10,000. Conventional attacks will not break through its defenses.”

“I see… so that’s why you returned for more Sovereign Beasts.”

“Indeed.”

The man only carried a small number of sealed magical beasts at any given time—two at most. The majority of the sealed pages were stored deep within this temple. This was a precaution against potential attacks on the village, allowing other cult members to release the beasts even if the Book Bishop was absent. 

As such, most of their captured Sovereign Beasts were housed in the temple. Even if it’s a stronger than average Sovereign Beast, if two of them work together, he’ll almost certainly win.

However, the man decided that this time he wouldn’t win that way. That was how abnormal the Fuwa Katsu’s |Toughness| was.

“Understood. I will grant you permission to use the Chaos Beast.”

“What!? Truly, I am allowed?”

The Chaos Beast was a rare and powerful creature that had appeared near their base several months ago. Though two of their beasts had been lost in the fight to capture it, they had ultimately succeeded in indoctrinating it with [Brainwash]. Its mysterious nature, even after extensive analysis, was of little concern so long as they could control it.

“Yes. I deem this situation to be of significant importance. Additionally, you may use up to three other Sovereign Beasts. Choose those with the best synergy, and ensure that the recruitment mission is a success.”

“Understood!”

The man bowed deeply, and the Priestess added one final note.

“Book Bishop Molten, you are the cornerstone of this cult.”

With his ability to move discreetly and swiftly while capturing powerful demonic beasts using unique magic, Molten had greatly expanded the influence of the Demon Cult ever since he had {Sublimated} to his Book Attribute.

“Please, do not take unnecessary risks. Prioritize your safety above all else. Our Demon God would not welcome your demise.”

With a deep, heartfelt wish, the Priestess spoke. Book Bishop Molten was an indispensable piece in her grand plan. His abilities in analysis, sealing, and combat were exceptional, far surpassing those of the other followers. Most importantly, his faith, born from gratitude for being saved from misfortune, was unshakable. While this near-fanatical devotion held a tinge of danger, she trusted him more than any ordinary follower.

The thought of losing such a useful piece chilled her to the core.

“I understand. I am prepared to sacrifice myself for our faith, but I have no intention of dying a meaningless death. I will do everything in my power to hasten the coming of the Day of Judgment.”

With these words, Molten turned and made his way to the inner sanctum—the repository where the pages of the sealed beasts were stored. As the Priestess watched him leave with her lone eye, despite her earlier words, she wasn’t particularly worried about the upcoming recruitment.

No matter how powerful the Sovereign Beast might be, it wouldn’t stand a chance against superior numbers. And they had the Chaotic Beast on their side. She was confident they had the advantage both in terms of quantity and quality.

With such overwhelming forces, they could even triumph over the nobles of that land if it came to conflict.

What occupied the Priestess’ thoughts more than the success of the mission, however, was how to utilize this newly discovered Sovereign Beast. It wasn’t just a matter of raw power. If the creature had evolved from a Jewel Slime, its reservoir of <Soul Fragments> would be enormous. If used as a sacrificial offering, it could potentially lead to the creation of a Calamity Beast.

“Oh, what a stroke of fortune. I wonder if this is also the Demon God’s guidance—Fufu, how foolish.”

Alone in the silent chapel, the blue-haired woman let out a cold, bitter laugh.