Thump Thump, the Snake Doll

Thump thump. 'Ah!' I opened my eyes.

I'd thought maybe I'd hit evolution while fully awake this time, but no such luck. The last thing I saw was the message announcing my evolution into a Crystal Crown Python—CCP for short—before blacking out.

Something definitely felt different. No mirror to check, but the two horns on my head had changed shape. A quick feel with my tail told me they'd morphed into a crown.

My body didn't seem any bigger. If anything, maybe a tad smaller. But I wasn't all that excited about bulking up anymore. Not when I had plans to pick up the Giantification skill anyway.

Pellelian, for some reason, still couldn't emerge from the ring. Was it the cocoon? Or the mucus? No clue.

Time to check the evolution results in detail. I focused my mind.

A shame I didn't make it to Serpent. But seeing all those traits consolidated under the new 'Crown' trait? That was pure joy.

Definitely the 'Unique Lineage' they'd mentioned. Meaning I might be the first monster with a Crown trait. If I had to trace my roots, I'd say snake lineage mixed with spirit lineage. Monsters with 'spirit' in the name and horns on their heads—that's spirit lineage. Common sights in the Great Forest.

So yeah, I could call myself the grand progenitor of the crown lineage. At the very least, this thing on my head wasn't just for show. I'd gotten a message about multiple skills merging, after all.

Oh. The skills had changed. A lot!

Horns gone, replaced by a crown. Three skills nested under the big Crown skill.

Borrowing Horn seemed to have evolved into Theft. So, Theft Crown? It was borrowing, not stealing—why the brutal name? Unfair.

Then Leaping Horn became Overcome Crown... and where'd Domination come from? Oh, right—taming evolved into the Domination skill.

Skills had been piling up lately; even reading the status screen was a chore. This was way cleaner. Loved the sorted magic skills too. A closer look showed everything neatly organized.

Now that's readable. Why the status overhaul? Evolution perk? Makes sense—this was a mega-evolution, powered by the World Tree no less. Or maybe my subconscious tidied it up in frustration. Seemed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like I was the only one who could peer so deeply into my own or others' stats anyway. Gotta ask Pellelian later.

That's when it hit.

Nanaruk pulled it off! I checked right away.

I racked my exceptional memory. The change? Used to say 'an extremely small number of goblins.' Now it was 'the Great Forest's goblins.'

Nanaruk unified the Great Forest. 'Ain't that a bit fast, Nanaruk?' Tongue-to-cheek impressive.

While I was barely divvying up Shadow Forest into a three-way split, she'd conquered most of the forest goblins. How? Physically improbable. I'd cheered her on, but doubted it'd actually happen.

Wait... was I jealous? Quick self-reflection. Nah— even if Nanaruk had been here instead, she couldn't have done it half as well. I've got cherished minions with minds of their own. Gotta stay confident.

Thump thump thump—something pounded the cocoon from outside. That's what woke me, huh.

Chiii... eeeef. Sounded like the gorilla's voice outside. Come... out! Muffled growls, but urgent as hell.

What happened? No monsters around that'd target us. Heart raced. Evolution done—time to emerge.

A few tail swings scored the cocoon. Evolution must've weakened it. Mucus leaked out.

Would've been easier with the Elven Broadsword. Try Giantification right now? Nah.

Then a voice: Fulfill your role... Gorilla? What? No—deeper, warmer growl. Her metal prosthetic arm pried the crack. She ripped the cocoon open.

Riiip! In a hurry, huh. I climbed her arm to her shoulder like old times.

"Koff, keok!" Mucus spewed from nose and mouth. Violent coughs emptied me out. Finally breathing easy.

Now to survey. My verdict? 'Am I dreaming?' If so, nightmare for sure.

-Dream my ass! Pellelian finally popped from the ring. If not a dream, big problem. This was hell.

'What the hell is this.'

Violet sky should've cleared to blue. Gorilla heard it from the sage, Pellelian explained it, Deshunan's records said the same. Festival ends, back to normal days.

Wrong. Crimson sky welcomed me. Demonic essence so thick in the air it coated my mouth.

'Where are we?'

"B-big... root... up."

Gorilla hauled the whole cocoon here. Gave a full view.

'Monsters everywhere.'

Hordes swirled around the root. More than bug vs. monkey legions. Plains packed—over ten thousand easy. Huge to tiny, all kinds.

"Yesterday... suddenly... swarmed."

'When I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠started evolving?'

"All... here..."

Only noticed now: no other minions. Ominous.

'Where's everyone else!'

"I... made 'em... run."

Worried they'd been eaten or swirling below. Relief. 'Good call.'

Recruiting her: best choice ever. But situation sucked.

-Monster Wave. Pellelian said, face pale.

-Monster Wave for sure.

'They swarm inland?'

-Yeah.

'No waves in Great Forest.'

-Until now. Even in my time. He looked baffled too.

-But nothing lasts forever... Figures. One day mad monsters pact up and picnic outside. Today.

-Waves have a leader? Frontmost roarer drives the frenzy inland. Where's the mad one? Giant elephant below? Slug-thing? No obvious commander amid the madness.

"Ch-chief... chieeeef!"

Gorilla panicked at me. What? Pellelian freaked.

-You idiot, you're floating!

My body bobbed up. Swirling monsters halted as one.

Glassy eyes fixed on me. No way...

...Me? I'm leading the wave? Not interested.

Zing. Dull shock in my head. Gut churned hot. Stomach burned. Madness and rage crept in. Lava boiled inside.

Ugh. Urk.

"Urk!" Final mucus purge. Belly eased, mind cleared.

Seriously? Someone just mind-attacked me? To lead the wave?

Explained to Pellelian.

-What? If so... Only one suspect.

Helped my evolution. Bore the radiant fruit I ate. Lured monsters with scent. One culprit.

-The World Tree's fomenting a Monster Wave!

Shady tree. Since I didn't take leader? Quake. Spiky roots pierced ground like spears.

Pabababak! Some monsters skewered, withered ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like vampires drained. Grrrk.

Then, where radiant fruit grew—a new fruit swelled blood-red.

'Run?' Where? Below packed solid.

Fruit ballooned bull-sized. Pffft—shell burst, red juice dripped. Something crawled out.

A monster.

-Treant? Walking tree monster. Bark-covered body. But snake-shaped. Mimicking me or Dad.

"...Grrooo."

Blood-juice coated tree snake. I focused.

Crazy baby tree snake! Lv100, overwhelming power. No chance in a fight.

It slithered toward me and gorilla. Tree... carnivore? Sharp fangs. Drooling from mouth-thing.

"U, aaah...!" Gorilla hid behind me, trembling. Scary for me too!

But baby. Low IQ. Maybe workable. Whatever.

Bye world. Crown my ass.

What? It worked! Crown best!

Then it chomped my head. Nearly triggered Thunder Command. Mad self-control held me back.

"D-dead...?" Gorilla shrieked. But no chew. Light nibble, then lick.

'?' Thinks I'm mom? Similar crown on its head. Probably not same skills. Maybe modeled after festival winner me. 'Crown' trait listed. Ugly as sin, unlike me...

Crack—tree root arm from neck coiled me. Like kid grabbing doll, immobile. Shoulda been limbless snake!

Leapt from root clutching me. Boom! Floor monsters burst like tomatoes. None fled. All frenzy-mad. Maddest: tree snake reared up. Roared un-snake-like.

"Gr-wooooaaarrr-!"

Others howled response. Chimera moved. Horde followed like living swarm.

-This is the Monster Wave's origin. And I witnessed it. Clutching the leader like a doll.

Crane neck to gorilla atop tree. Forlorn salute.

'...Fucked.'

Yeah, definitely.

* * *

And farther, beyond Shadow Forest. Near Palamu Rainforest border, now goblin-free.

Gunter stood still. Beside him, a magic tower magus acting nuts. Hands cupped like cylinder over eye, peering like treasure inside. Fifteen minutes of weirdness.

Magus grinned. "I see it! Coming this way!"

Lisping from missing front tooth. Reporting to Gunter via familiar ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scouting afar.

"Monster Wave started! Headed here!"

Gunter's face unchanged. "Thanks."

Commanded knights. "It's begun. Prepare."