章節 14: Clues for Special Evolution
Foolish golems.
They become docile when their eyes are covered, just like chickens.
How strong would these golems have been if they were in their prime?
Their status windows showed 'Damaged' and 'Broken'.
One had no legs, and another had only one arm.
Moreover, most of their skills were deactivated.
A single golem could probably take down several monsters like a Cockatrice.
Of course, now they're just lying here, non-functional.
Grumble-
I'm extremely hungry.
For days, I've only eaten cave insects and small lizards.
Moreover, I wasn't just resting but constantly fighting with golems, so my stomach was clinging to my back.
But even I can't digest stone chunks like golems.
Yet, there was a reason I couldn't leave.
That magic stone.
Just looking at the magic stone attached to the golem's head made my mouth water.
It's because I now know the taste of magic stones.
However, the problem was how to eat that magic stone.
Their magic stones exist between the crown and the back of the head.
It seems exposed, but it's covered with something like crystal, so my teeth can't penetrate it.
I don't have a hammer, nor hands to swing one.
So how can I break that crystal and devour the magic stone?
There was a way.
First, I carefully touch the helmet placed on the earth golem's head.
If the helmet comes off completely by accident, the golem might reactivate.
I had put the helmet on its head upside down.
In other words, if you lift the face guard that usually covers the face, the back of the head is exposed.
The delicious magic stone sparkled.
「Using Basic Elemental Magic: Fire lv1」
I opened my mouth and shot out flames.
This feels quite good.
I feel like a dragon rather than a snake.
Actually, I didn't need to breathe fire from my mouth, but isn't the feeling important?
The flames I breathed weren't as powerful as the golem's.
If I had to compare, it's like a broken lighter suddenly lighting up.
Don't underestimate it though.
There are quite a few smokers in the world who have burned their eyebrows and bangs with this level of flame.
I breathed fire until my face felt hot.
But, of course, the crystal protecting the magic stone didn't melt.
These golems have very high heat resistance.
Then why did I go through all this trouble?
It's all thanks to YouTube.
All sorts of videos appear in the shorts I watch lying in bed.
Among them were many videos of science experiments.
Although I always slept during science class, I kept watching because it was so interesting.
Of course, the target audience of the videos seemed to be elementary school students... but what can I do if it's interesting?
And now I'm using what I saw then, even as a snake.
I took out the water bottle I had stored in my subspace.
It's called a water bottle, but it's a crude sphere made with earth magic.
Water drops falling from stalactites.
I collected them in this rough water bottle.
I smashed the bottle of cold water on the heated back of the golem's head.
Hiss!
White steam rose violently.
And then I heard the sound I was waiting for.
Crack- Crack.
It cracked!
It's the same principle as when a heated cup breaks when placed in ice water.
I thought it might not work, but it really did.
Thank you, x Pop Lab! x Minute Science!
I carefully removed the crystal fragments with my tail.
The still warm magic stone was exposed to the air.
Oh my goodness.
I thought it would be hard, but it's as soft as cream.
The smell is, well... moldy.
Let's consider that as part of the flavor.
I buried my head and ate the soft magic stone without leaving anything.
This feels similar to scraping the shell of soy sauce marinated crab.
The taste of rich magical power was overwhelming. Where's some rice?
「You consume refined magic stone.」
「You are imbued with magical nature.」
「Your body becomes stronger and your magical power becomes more abundant.」
Fortunately, this seems to be a magic stone too.
Refined magic stone, I didn't know such a thing existed.
And then came an unexpected harvest.
「You have defeated Pelerian's Guard B.」
「Level up!」
「Level up!」
「Level up!」
Hey!!
The golem wasn't a monster.
So I thought I wouldn't level up, but that wasn't the case.
I even gained three levels at once.
That means the golem was that strong.
I went through all this trouble to eat the magic stone, so I think I should take care of the fire golem's magic stone too.
I repeated the same action.
That means I cracked Guard A's back of the head and devoured the magic stone.
「You have defeated Pelerian's Guard A.」
「Level up!」
「Level up!」
This time, I gained two levels.
Wait, haven't I leveled up enough by now?
I checked my status window.
──────────────
[White Horn Snake lv10]
[Traits]
[Indomitable], [Perseverance], [Horn]
[Skills]
[Billy's Horn lv3]: Basic Elemental Magic: Fire lv1
[Night Vision lv7], [Venomous Fang lv4], [Breath Holding lv4], [Stealth lv4], [Devouring lv3], [Biting lv5], [Poison Resistance lv4], [Bleeding Resistance lv3], [Pain Resistance lv5], [Heat Resistance lv8], [Survival Instinct lv5], [Leap lv5], [Magic Detection lv2], [Acceleration lv3], [Basic Elemental Magic: Earth lv2]
──────────────
I have become a magician.
Setting aside the more abundant skill items, I focused on the 'Status' below.
──────────────
[Status]
[Evolution Available], [Malnutrition]
──────────────
Level 10 was the max level!
This time too, when I reached level 10, evolution became possible.
My heart is racing~ The malnutrition next to it is a bit concerning though.
Still, I don't think I can evolve right here.
Whether it's evolution or anything else, you need to fill your stomach first.
What if I try to evolve while malnourished and die of hunger?
Also, there's something else bothering me.
What can I evolve into this time?
The first time evolution was possible, the options were disappointing.
Either become a 'Little Green Snake' just like my older siblings.
Or maybe a 'White Snake' that probably just grew in size.
Whichever way I evolved, the result would have been similar.
Thanks to achieving the special condition, I was able to evolve into a White Horn Snake.
Because of that, I was able to obtain the fatal skill of Billy's Horn.
Eating the Horn Jaguar's magic stone came back as a butterfly effect.
'The answer is special evolution.'
I was convinced.
This time too, if possible, I want to achieve special conditions and undergo a special evolution.
However, I don't know what the special conditions are, and I don't even know if special evolution is possible every time.
Let's go inside for now.
That was the conclusion I came to.
There was nothing I could do sitting here.
The corridor continued to stretch inward.
From the outside, it looked like a large hill, but it seems the entire underground was a dungeon.
A dark space appears.
Suddenly, Pelerian popped out.
"This is my research lab."
Fortunately, it was an illusion.
It seems to assume there's one fairy here, the eye level is definitely high.
Mister, I'm down here.
"It's the latest model powered by magic stones. I made it borrowing the technology of the magic tower. Even the elders didn't like it, but... the power source is over there."
There were several things that looked like machines.
However, it doesn't look like a laboratory from SF movies.
Strangely rugged and antique, they definitely look like machines that would run on magic power rather than electricity.
I pulled the power lever carved in the shape of an eagle.
Click, Whir-
And the crystals attached to the wall started to emit light.
The room brightened up.
Various mechanical devices that had to endure hundreds of years without light and even an earthquake were revealed to the world.
Most of them are broken. I couldn't even guess what they were used for.
"How is it? Overwhelmed, right? Of course. It's the culmination of my magical technology... I researched evolution here."
Pelerian boasted despite being an illusion.
"But don't worry, fellow creature. Your task is simple. The magical spirit I created will take care of the complicated stuff. Clap your hands twice."
What a troublesome request.
Isn't this complete snake discrimination? What should someone like me without hands do?
Can't be helped.
I hit the floor twice with my tail.
Clap clap-
A sound similar to applause was made.
Then, the crystal on the ceiling flickered and a voice flowed out.
"Please give your instructions."
Oh, you startled me.
It was the voice that said 'Monster intrusion detected.'
I got goosebumps for a moment.
Pelerian said with a pleased smile.
"My chimera, Fafnir, is in hibernation here. One of Fafnir's special evolution conditions is to endure 300 years. I analyzed that with the machine on the right."
My eyes widened.
Can it find out the conditions for special evolution?
And it seems there's also a special condition that requires 300 years to pass.
What if that applies to me too?
"It's trapped in the tank ahead."
I looked in the direction Pelerian was pointing.
And I was at a loss for words.
"Wake it from hibernation and evolve it. Then record and transmit the process."
'Excuse me, but.'
The direction Pelerian's illusion was pointing.
There was indeed something like a tank there.
'...There's nothing there though.'
However, it's completely shattered.
The crystal plate is in pieces, perhaps due to the earthquake.
And there's nothing inside either.
I might understand if there was even a corpse, but it's completely empty.
"Don't be afraid. Leave everything to me."
If there was such a monster in there, even I wouldn't have woken it from hibernation.
But Pelerian uttered strange words.
He directly ordered the magical spirit.
"Spirit, seal off the corridor." "Yes, activating interception golems."
I already destroyed those interception golems though.
Pelerian's expression was as sinister as could be.
"I'm sorry, fellow creature. One of the evolution conditions requires consuming fairy blood, you see. Release from hibernation." "Releasing from hibernation."
This racist elf, surely...
"Your sacrifice will be for the advancement of our entire fairy race." "Releasing Fafnir. Transmitting experiment content." "Well then, farewell."
Pelerian's illusion vanished.
And the completely destroyed tank flickered with light.
"Unable to release from hibernation."
The voice simply said so calmly.
Of course, because the tank and everything else is shattered.
And the Fafnir or paprika or whatever was inside seems to have already escaped.
The wall behind the tank was destroyed.
I couldn't help but admire the fairy magician named Pelerian.
The elves of this world can't be trusted.
That fairy supremacist old man was willing to sacrifice even his own kind for his research.
His cunning and sinister plan was thwarted by the monster called time.
If it weren't for the earthquake, his goal might have really been achieved.
But, you're saying there's a way to know the evolution conditions?
I approached the machine on the right and looked around.
This seems broken too, but does it work?
There were things to pull and things to push.
The moment I pulled a bright red handle.
Click.
Something like a cover opened.
And there was a cross-shaped groove where something could be inserted.
...This is exactly the same shape as the signet on the ring.
I carefully brought the signet ring on my tail close to it.
There was a tingling sensation, and then.
"Master Pelerian, please give your orders."
A voice rang out.
It's unfair that it mistakes me for a racist psychopath old fairy.
What should I make it do?
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