Or Should I Call Dad? Sharing Absorbed Demonic Essence

Or maybe I should call Dad?

Sharing the demonic essence we've absorbed.

In simple terms, it's party experience sharing.

After eating the Crown Fruit, I gained a temporary epithet: Chieftain.

I'd always been the leader of the crew, but now it was official.

Gorilla Advisor.

"Yeah, Boss...?"

Execution! Like a gladiator's death sentence from the emperor.

I raised my tail in a throat-slitting gesture.

The gorilla lifted her prosthetic arm.

Surprisingly, the moment she equipped it, she gained a new skill.

Iron Fist lv5.

A giant long-armed monkey took an iron punch to the face.

"Farewell... my former family."

The sound was unbelievable for flesh meeting fist—her punch exploded the long-armed monkey's torso.

Tears glistened in the corners of the gorilla advisor's eyes.

But she was a professional monster.

"Uwaaaah!"

Abandoned by her old family in the past, she didn't hesitate to strike at her monkey kin.

The moment she burst one enemy, she leaped forward like a missile and plunged into the monkey horde, rampaging wildly.

Right now, we were battling a pack of monkeys.

This was our first fight after I earned the Chieftain epithet.

Not far from the cliff, roots had sprouted, bearing fruit.

The monkeys had come for those fruits too.

The message rang out.

The demonic essence the gorilla absorbed was being shared with me.

It was the effect of the temporary epithet I gained from eating the fruit.

Excited by the phrase "absorbs demonic essence," I examined the mechanic closely.

What I discovered: about one-fifth of the demonic essence my minions gained from killing monsters flowed to me.

Not sure if it's exact, but roughly that amount.

I figured it out after several tests.

It wasn't just the gorilla fighting here.

The many monsters we'd rescued from Deshunan's house were unleashing their ferocity on the monkeys.

A portion of the demonic essence they absorbed from killing enemies was shared with me.

Taxes, pay up, my minions.

That's when I spotted an owl bear climbing up, battering my minions.

A rapid skunk sprayed toxic gas in resistance, but a massive fist sent it flying.

As it raised both hands, interlocking fingers for the finisher—

A bright red hole pierced the owl bear's chest.

One-shot kill.

Against a careless monster, I could drop them in a single strike.

Here's something to consider.

Just as I share demonic essence from my minions—

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠also share the demonic essence I absorb from hunts with my minions.

The share here is generous—over half gets evenly distributed among my crew.

It's a big boost now that the demonic essence needed for level-ups is increasing.

In other words, we all grow together.

The more members in my group, the more demonic essence I can share in.

The problem? Our zoo crew isn't that big.

The insect legion seems to have thousands, maybe tens of thousands of bugs.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The monkeys recruited owl bears and formed a horde of hundreds.

Their chieftain must absorb an insane amount.

But since both chieftains are named-level monsters, they probably don't level easily.

The bigger the group, the better for the chieftain.

The stronger the chieftain, the more benefit for the members.

It's like a well-designed game.

I can feel the World Tree's will in it.

Drawing in strong monsters to make them fight.

Maybe the World Tree is a monster itself.

Anyway.

Structurally, I should be at the biggest disadvantage among the three groups, but reality says otherwise.

Because the strongest in our zoo crew isn't me, the chieftain.

It's our slightly tired-looking Polaris Serpent—my dad—who's actually the strongest.

Tail swipe, please!

Dad casually lifted his tail.

Monkeys were crawling up a massive World Tree root.

He smashed them.

Thunder roared.

Monsters hit directly by the tail left red stains like crushed cherries.

The huge root snapped, and the flung monsters were finished off by my other minions.

This is it.

Dad chance is too thrilling.

-If things go well, I might evolve again during this purple festival.

With the next evolution, could I become a Serpent too? Or maybe grow horns or evolve in some other direction.

Either way, I'm hyped.

"Got the fruuuit...!"

The gorilla relayed my intent.

Five roots had appeared here.

Each bore a few small fruits, similar to the unripe ones I'd eaten before.

They improved bodily efficiency.

But the one I was after was different.

-On the rightmost root. At the very top of the tall one.

It was an unremarkable blue fruit.

I'd find out the exact effects after eating it, but the name alone screamed power.

Monkeys were better at climbing roots than us.

Low-combat spectacled monkeys swiftly scaled the rightmost root.

They were after that fruit too.

But they didn't steal it.

Because the fruit performed Emergency Mobile on its own.

-It moved to the next root!

It blinked away like teleporting, reappearing on the root to its left.

A teleporting fruit.

I had to have it.

And I'd been waiting for this moment.

Owl!

"Saaak!"

Surprisingly, our indoor zoo had a flying monster.

I hate flying, but I couldn't use that as an excuse now.

A cowardly owl with a magnificent lion's mane—but otherwise useless.

Its cowardice made it submit quickly, letting it survive.

Its time to shine had come.

It snatched me up and soared into the sky.

Whoosh—we shot up in an instant.

Drop me wrong, and you're dead.

"Kkororok, kkorororok!"

It sounded weirdly excited.

As I rocketed up, the monkeys didn't sit idle.

Monster strength defies normal beasts.

They hurled stones that whistled past me like arrows.

Higher!

I raised my tail to point up, and the owl climbed higher, as if it understood.

We soared above the tree roots in seconds.

Now!

The owl released its talons.

I plummeted back into gravity's grip.

No wings meant no gliding for a snake.

I had to trust the owl's aim.

Luckily, even on the first try, it got the trajectory roughly right.

Just a tiny bit off.

If I miss from here, I'm dead, right?

-That would be a sight.

I couldn't let Pellelian mock me for a fall death.

I summoned a gust at max power.

It shoved me forward, closing the gap.

Now, my turn.

I stretched out midair.

The blue fruit hung still.

Couldn't teleport repeatedly, it seemed.

Snap.

I chomped it.

But the fall was inevitable.

Sprouting branch-like roots cushioned the landing.

I tumbled to the ground.

Monkeys surrounded me.

Drawn by the blue fruit that had jumped here.

I quickly stashed the fruit from my mouth into subspace.

Come at me, all of you.

"Saaak!"

"Ukkiik!"

But none of the monkeys were brave.

They turned and fled.

Realizing they couldn't steal the fruit, they retreated immediately.

Quick situational awareness.

Their chieftain must have ordered them to grab it.

"Booss!"

"King! King!"

The gorilla and Dotbakyi rushed over, guarding me like escorts.

So reliable.

As the monkeys withdrew, they relaxed.

Phew, what a fight.

-My scheme worked again.

Pellelian sounded pleased.

Since eating the Crown Fruit yesterday and becoming chieftain, he'd been acting like a strategist.

The festival fruits' absurd effects had turned his head.

-The World Tree's power is truly omnipotent.

'The monkeys weren't much.'

-These aren't their main force.

I nodded.

The insect legion was farther off, visible from the cliff.

This morning, I'd seen silver monkeys and strong ones heading toward the swamp from the monkey forest.

The moment I confirmed that, we headed for these roots.

'Advisor.'

"Yeah, Boss...?"

'That silver monkey might start targeting us soon.'

The monkey horde's king.

About time he got pissed.

"Maybe... If the king comes, we run... away...?"

Terror filled the gorilla's face.

Even with Dad here, she was that scared.

I wanted to see just how strong he was.

-Balance of power is key.

Pellelian chimed in.

-That monkey's match is the insect monster in the swamp.

So you—we—must maintain the balance properly.

Surprisingly, what Pellelian described resembled one of the world's most famous strategies.

-Don't rampage too much.

With those two fighting, it's best to let them tear into each other and wear down. Could call it reaping the fisherman's benefits.

-But don't look too weak either.

They might sweep us in one go.

Pellelian drew an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠invisible map in three parts with his finger.

-Divide hegemony three ways.

The Three Kingdoms plot, clearly.

No way—I'm not the Zhuge Liang here?

I admired the nodding big-headed elf.

'Great Galloping Bright.'

-Shut up with the nonsense and check the fruit's effects!

I was going to anyway.

I slipped into Deshunan's house and pulled the fruit from subspace.

Wonder what this bright blue one tastes like.

Crunch.

I chewed and swallowed it in one bite.

Sweet taste, and then the effect revealed itself.

A skill? The name seemed ordinary, but lv20?

I checked the first lv20 skill I'd ever gotten.

Whoa!

I explained the skill to Pellelian.

-Lv20 Emergency Return! Unbelievable.

'Is this a normal skill?'

-It's a type of magic. Spatial teleportation magic.

Remember how I said teleportation is advanced magic?

Instant long-distance travel is extremely difficult, per Pellelian.

-Emergency Return was developed by warlocks lost in the demon realm for safe escape. But prep takes a full day...

Instant return? Insane.

'Definitely...'

-It's like an extra life.

Exactly.

Useless if the group was in danger, but solo? I could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bail anytime.

As long as my head wasn't chopped off before I noticed, I could even survive Gunter.

An idea flashed.

I opened the door and went out.

'Gorilla!'

The resting gorilla jolted awake.

"Whaaat...?"

'How far is the swamp your old boss went to?'

Apparently, full speed on Dotbakyi would get us there quick.

"You really going...?"

She shuddered at my plan.

I told her to hold the fort.

"Be careful... Old boss... bugs too."

How strong were those named monsters?

I wanted to see—and taste—if eating them would be delicious.

With them possibly clashing now, it was the perfect chance.

'Dotbakyi!'

"King!"

I climbed onto Dotbakyi's back.

As Sun Tzu, greater strategist than Zhuge Liang, said in Art of War: Know yourself and your enemy, and you'll win every battle.

To scout the enemy, I rode off with Dotbakyi.

* * *

'You head back first.'

Dotbakyi kept licking my face like it was candy.

I booped her nose, and she turned to leave.

We hadn't entered the swamp yet, but I'd stopped awhile back.

Time for disguise and infiltration.

The earth-shaking roar was definitely battle noise.

Monkey boss vs. bug boss.

I sensed it instinctively.

And sure enough—

'There it is!'

A silver chimpanzee leaped high, landing atop a tree.

Insane jump power.

Perfect timing—I focused my eyes.

Build like an average human.

Its opponent on the bug side...

Splattering wet mud, a massive brown bug appeared.

Like a cricket or grasshopper.

A monster with sharp teeth and sturdy carapace.

Gruesome giant bug.

The silver chimp swung a fist at Riok's maw without flinching.

Thunder exploded.

I pondered seriously.

Emergency Return—should I just use it now?