A Body Fit for the Bug Queen

"...Puhah, haeu... haaa."

I burst out of the cocoon and collapsed onto the floor.

The last time I used Metamorphosis, it hadn't felt particularly exhausting or uncomfortable.

This time was completely different.

While trapped inside, I could feel every sensation, as if someone were kneading and reshaping my entire body.

I'd lost consciousness at the start, but the moment I regained awareness I was still stuck, forced to endure those feelings.

It truly felt like something deep inside me was crumbling apart.

"Huu... So... what exactly changed?"

I leaned against the bed and focused on sensing any differences in my body.

To be honest I was so tired that the changes weren't immediately obvious.

Still, before my eyes could close...

"...What the?"

Far more had changed than I'd expected.

The volume of information was enough to blow ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠away my fatigue, yet the sheer number of things I needed to verify made my head throb.

Maybe I should just sleep now and check everything after I woke up?

But I had a feeling that if I did that I'd forget half of it, so I shook my head and slowly reread each line, trying to puzzle out their meanings.

A body befitting the Bug Queen. Honestly, I had no idea what that was supposed to mean.

Was the system literally calling me a bug now? Had I sprouted antennae or something?

But I couldn't see any obvious changes like that. My body didn't seem all that different... although my chest did feel strangely heavier.

At any rate, there didn't appear to be any drastic physical alterations. That meant the later explanations were the important part. The stamina cost for creating bugs had probably decreased.

The phrase "more bugs" suggested I could make a larger quantity than before.

The other messages were about skill evolutions. I'd never heard of skills evolving.

I knew skills could be strengthened, but evolution?

Strengthening and evolving felt like two different concepts.

"Let's start with Metamorphosis."

"Adjust the direction?"

The meaning wasn't immediately clear.

I had a vague sense that Metamorphosis strengthened me, but I'd assumed the outcome was somewhat random... or at least determined by my recent actions.

What exactly did this new option mean?

As I mulled it over, a new window appeared before my eyes.

Actually, it wasn't quite a message window. It looked more like a status screen, complete with symbols.

On the far left was a human silhouette, with various branching paths extending to the right.

From the top were a beetle, a butterfly, a scorpion, a spider, and more. The only paths currently glowing yellow were the human figure and the beetle.

"Is this... what I think it is?"

It suddenly made sense.

So far I'd only used Metamorphosis once, and the knowledge I'd gained during that first transformation had been about carapaces.

The beetle path must represent that. This diagram was showing me the possible directions I could evolve toward.

It felt like my growth would be much smoother now. In any case, it seemed like a good thing.

"But what's the butterfly for? Am I supposed to collect nectar or something? Speaking of nectar..."

The mere thought made my mouth water. It had been an awful experience, yet that flavor... I couldn't help thinking I might be willing to go through it a few more times.

I caught myself having that strange thought and quickly shook my head.

The fact that I was even considering it acceptable was proof that I'd lost my mind.

"Huu, next is Mother."

I wasn't sure what could have changed with Mother. Its rank hadn't increased, so could it evolve further here?

It hadn't changed drastically. Just like with Metamorphosis, a single new line had been added.

But that new line carried enormous implications. The ability to temporarily use the powers of my created bugs...

I knew it was significant, yet I still wasn't entirely sure what it meant in practice.

"Using a bug's power... If I borrow from Sword, can I create a carapace? If I borrow from a swarm bug, can I make a clone? The system is always so unhelpful with explanations."

Would it kill them to give clearer, more detailed descriptions?

Skills like Fireball were so intuitive, yet mine always seemed unnecessarily cryptic.

I pictured borrowing the power of a swarm bug and imagined myself multiplying...

"...It worked?"

I blinked at the second version of myself standing beside me, staring back.

But... why wasn't it wearing clothes? Did the replication only copy my body and not my outfit?

The silent stare was a little unnerving. I hadn't realized I looked that intimidating.

I reached out and touched it. The skin felt soft and yielding.

So this is how soft my body is. Today really was full of new discoveries.

It offered no resistance. Given the nature of swarm bugs, it would move exactly as the main body wished.

I imagined it turning in a circle, and it obediently spun once. The perfect obedience was fascinating.

A real clone... It had been summoned naked, so I probably couldn't use it in public, but the mere fact that I could create one was strangely exciting.

This opened up so many possibilities...

"Whoa, I almost let my mind go somewhere weird again. What if I also borrow Sword's abilities?"

The message said it was impossible, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so I checked the skill again.

Looking more carefully, I saw a number at the end indicating the maximum I could use.

I'd assumed I could take everything at once... How disappointing.

Still, there was an upside.

"This means I can create bugs, sell them, and still use their powers without worry."

Since I could borrow the traits of any bug I'd made, the more I created the better.

I only had one right now, but if I kept using the ability or kept growing, the limit would probably increase.

The future looked promising. Eventually I might be able to wield the powers of multiple bugs at once...

"Wait, is borrowing bug powers even a good thing?"

I didn't think I was weak at the moment, but the phrase "bug powers" somehow made it sound lame.

Would they all just be weak minions?

Then again, everything I'd seen so far had been useful, so it probably wasn't bad.

"...Haa, that's enough. Time to sleep. I'll crash now and eat when I wake up."

I flopped onto the bed and glanced at the clone, which was still standing there blankly.

Now... what exactly was I supposed to do with it?

Would it disappear on its own after a while?

Having a naked version of myself standing around made it hard to know where to look. I still wasn't used to seeing my own body, even in the bathroom...

I ordered it to put on some clothes, then closed my eyes on the bed.

"...Ah."

The moment I tried to sink into deep sleep, my phone's notification chime jolted me awake.

What could possibly be alarming me? I hadn't set any alarms.

There was no reason for messages either, yet the phone kept ringing. I briefly considered turning it off, but instead I checked what it was.

The alert was from the gallery's direct message system.

Someone was spamming me with notes... But who? I'd already blocked all the weird people who kept sending strange messages after my listing sold.

I couldn't think of anyone else who would contact me, so I opened the app to see who it was.

The sender was the person who had bought my sword.

It hadn't been that long since the sale. Why were they messaging me already? Were they trying to get a refund?

They'd seemed so happy when they bought it. This soon?

If it wasn't a refund, maybe the sword had already broken?

But that seemed unlikely too. It would be almost impossible unless they'd deliberately tried to destroy it.

I slowly read through the messages. My eyelids felt heavy, but I had to check.

"Ah, what the... They already noticed?"

I scratched my cheek after reading that the sword seemed to be moving on its own.

I'd clearly ordered it not to move, yet it couldn't hold still.

Looking closer, I saw that the first message had been sent exactly when I'd entered the cocoon for Metamorphosis.

Maybe my control weakened while I was inside?

This was the first time I'd sent a bug to someone else and then used Metamorphosis, so I couldn't tell if it was a one-time thing or normal behavior.

If it happened every time, I'd have to be extra careful about when I used it.

I just wanted to use it whenever I had the time.

I typed out a reply. The messages had piled up to several hundred already.

I could have ignored them, but if they figured out the sword was actually a bug and posted about it in the gallery...

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wouldn't be able to sell anything there anymore, so I had to respond.

They said it seemed alive. How should I explain this... Hmm.

"Ah, I can't take this anymore."

I wanted to give a more detailed reply, but the exhaustion was overwhelming.

I'd answer the rest of the questions after I woke up.

Ugh, I'm so tired... I hope the clone disappears while I'm sleeping.

It'll disappear... right?