Visitor on a Rainy Night
The scent of the fruit was out of this world. Ambrosia and nectar from the heavens couldn't possibly smell better. My mouth watered involuntarily. Even though I'm mostly carnivorous, this fragrance was irresistibly tempting. Thank goodness I'd stored it in my subspace. Looking back, I remembered sensing a pleasant aroma somewhere when I encountered those monkeys.
Unripe, so it won't match the potency of a fully ripened fruit. Naturally, the aroma is milder too. Even so, it's downright magical.
I had to eat it. Right now.
It hit me like a bucket of ice water, snapping me back to reality. A mental attack? This fruit's scent definitely had the power to draw in monsters.
-As expected of the World Tree, Pellelian marveled. -To think I'd witness the festival right before my eyes.
'The World Tree... isn't that some sacred tree?' I asked, baffled. 'Seems weird for a sacred tree to lure monsters with mental attacks like this.'
-Sacred is sacred, but that doesn't mean it's good. Evil gods are gods too. If everything sacred were good, there'd be no evil in the world.
Pellelian tossed out a theological riddle. Whatever, that wasn't my concern. It just hit home that the World Tree had no reason to be benevolent.
'Fair enough. Fairies are born from it, after all.'
-What?
The fruit was right there in front of me. No more hesitation. Crunch. I swallowed it in one bite.
Oh, it wasn't just the smell. How could this be unripe? The flesh had just the right bounce, crunching like an apple. Then the tangy-sweet juice flooded my mouth. A fruit fit for the gods.
They'd said eating the fruit would "stop" you. It did. My body wouldn't move. Good thing I was somewhere safe. The effects started kicking in.
My insides bubbled like boiling water. Like sneaking a swig of the cheap whiskey from Father's cabinet. A burning heat surged through me.
"Guh."
Something pitch-black poured from my mouth.
-Filthy thing.
Surprisingly, my gut felt refreshed.
That was the real effect of the World Tree's root fruit. Inefficiency. No creature evolves perfectly efficiently. Humans live past 70 on average, but their teeth only last 40 years naturally. Their windpipe and esophagus connect uselessly, choking them on rice cakes. Even I, a Crystal Double-Horn Python, had inefficiencies. I could use Poison Scales, but my poison glands were only inside my head, limiting output. My fangs? Unlike other snakes, I could bite properly, but they still broke inevitably. And broken fangs wouldn't regrow until my next evolution.
My gums itched. Sharks regrow teeth from below whenever one breaks. Now I could too.
If a reduced effect did this, I was amazed. I explained what happened to Pellelian, and he was too.
-A discovery! A major one. So that's why monsters grow so strong after the festival.
'Exactly!'
-Improving inefficient structures. The World Tree's grace is astounding, even if it's a bit vulgar.
It was impressive, no doubt. Regrowing fangs now, but a fully ripe fruit? If it optimized powerfully, like tiny poison glands on every scale... Nah, then I couldn't hug anyone or make friends. Problematic.
-But this differs from what I knew. Maybe fruits have varying effects, or more than one.
That meant fun in collecting them. I eyed the remaining fruit. I could gulp it down, but other uses beckoned.
'Could tame monsters with this.'
-With that tempting scent... maybe addictive. A fruit with Charm ability. A few more, and I could subjugate the indoor zoo completely.
But sharing felt wasteful.
'That's when you use a strat.'
-A strat? What strat?
Thwack. I sliced the fruit in half with my tail. Eat one half, tame with the other. Peak snake wisdom.
-Just nonsense.
I gobbled my half.
Taming monsters with half an unripe fruit. One word: resounding success.
Pellelian's taming triad was "affection, respect, fear." I improved it. Make it a tetrad: add "desire."
"Hah... hah... hah..."
A monster lolled its tongue, panting raggedly, belly up in submission. Not Dotbakyi. She'd eaten 1/6th already—1/3 of the half—and was proudly carrying me. Her tongue always dangled sideways, drool flowing, but that sliver boosted her smarts. Tongue still out, but eyes sharper. Or maybe she was just posturing higher in the pecking order.
"Nng... nng."
Belly-up before me: Smoke White Fox Lv19. I liked its white fur. Too haughty before—prime meal candidate—but now fully compliant.
All surviving zoo monsters were out of their cages.
'Fox.'
The 1/12th sliver on my tail. No idea why it drove them mad, but the fox lost it.
'Pledge loyalty first.'
Mana low, but:
Taming successful on Frost White Fox Lv19.
Tamed 20+ monsters. Enhanced dominance over tamed monsters.
Yes! I'd tamed all 20-ish remaining zoo monsters. Rescued the poor things from their cages. No need to mention the original 50.
I tossed the fox its piece. It scarfed it, somersaulting wildly. Thick obscuring smoke billowed from its excited body.
'Ugh, you there.'
An owl cocked its head where I pointed.
'Clear the smoke.'
The owl finally flapped after smoke hit it.
-Total chaos.
No exaggeration. Even taming the baby centipedes felt like this: taming ≠ total control. Few obeyed instantly. Dotbakyi got it best.
'Might need a chief of staff.'
No wonder the monkeys had a sage orangutan. But intelligent, speaking monsters? None among 20.
Shit everywhere. Chaos. I herded them back in.
"Saaak!"
Even that took time and effort. Thought I was Zhuge Liang, but more like Cao Cao in turbulent times. Where's my Xun Yu?
"S-sorry... so sorry..."
The old orangutan bowed low. Other primates followed. None dared look up at the boss.
Orangutan Sage eyed only the walking king's feet. Thud, thud. Not heavy steps. Boss resembled a gorilla or proboscis monkey. Upright like a human. Arms dragging the ground.
The king turned. Back shown = permission to speak. Orangutan looked up. Revealed: silver-furred chimp. Thus, the king's name: Silverback Akimus. This zoo's lord.
"Bugs... took them. Two fruits..."
Saw the snake, but reported bugs. Knew the king would rage.
"KRAAAGH-!"
Thunderous roar. Ears rang, but none covered them.
"Hunt... the bugs. All."
First words: declaration of total war.
"Pull that big one... from the swamp."
Only one rival to Silverback Akimus: swamp monster, bug legion lord. But how to drag it out?
Impossible order, but:
"Y-yes... we'll do it."
Fear of death compelled him.
"And the gorilla..."
The gorilla captured by shadow fairies. Returned with snake, who stole the fruit. But orangutan hid that, fearing rage.
"Returned. What... to do?"
Trembling gorilla, terrified eyes. She'd tried fleeing during bug assault. Caught again.
Silverback turned to her. Crimson face. Protruding muzzle, sharp fangs. Maybe acceptance? Fleeting hope.
No. He lunged. Thwack-thwack! Dizzying pain. King's mouth held her right arm. Left arm rolled on floor.
"KAAAAGH!"
Armless in seconds. Blood soaked ground.
"Weakling... no need."
Silverback commanded.
"Exile."
Rainy night. Wooong. Strange noise woke me. Pellelian snoring? No, he's in the ring. Dotbakyi? Wooong. Outside wail.
Who the hell's wailing annoyingly?! I bolted up. Thump-thump. Clear knocks. Dotbakyi growled too. Blood scent?
I flung open the door to repel intruder.
'Gah!'
Seen horrors, but night visitor shocked me. The gorilla lady. Alive! But arms gone.
"Wooo... hungry..."
Sobbing. Knocked with forehead.
"Wooong, wooong! Can... come in...?"
Homeless female crying in rain at my door. Drama material. Minus the female gorilla part.
Come in. I let her inside. Loyal gorilla who'd kept faith. Hurriedly sprayed potion on stumps. Maybe found Deshunan's prosthetic owner.