The Worst Reunion: Hedgehog Summoner, Rise, and the Drifters
"Doomba, doomba..."
"Dance... fun!"
The drifters awkwardly shook their hips like puppets. They looked like they were being forced to dance.
Rise shouted as he watched them.
"Terio! Ayula!"
"...Doomba?"
"Fun...?"
Hearing the shout, the drifters stopped dancing and turned their heads. Their faces, sunken in despair, slowly lit up with joy.
"Rise?"
"Commander...!"
But it was only for a moment.
Stunned by the absurd situation, I stared blankly at them. The centaur carrying me gazed at the hedgehog and spoke.
[That's a Hedgehog Summoner. Everything around it is a spirit summoned by the Hedgehog Summoner.]
"Spirits? Those things?"
I took in each of the monsters around the hedgehog one by one. Flesh dripping off bodies. Limbs attached in weird places. Features arranged in wildly freeform ways. For things called spirits, their forms were far too grotesque.
The centaur added an explanation.
[Of course, they're not ordinary spirits. The Hedgehog Summoner calls forth spirits that have fallen or died and plummeted into the abyss.]
"...Anyway, excluding the hedgehog, they're all summons, right?"
[Yes.]
The Hedgehog Summoner's summons totaled ten. All estimated at B-grade threat level.
Detected threat B-grade means actual threat is S-grade...
A monster that summons that many S-grade summons? Does that make the Hedgehog Summoner itself SS-grade?
I examined it closely. Estimated nerfed threat: B-grade. No different from the summons.
Guess the main body is weak.
I released my focus and scanned the threat level again. The Hedgehog Summoner's threat plummeted dramatically. Just as expected.
Like how Poison Apple gets read as B-grade when certain conditions are met to power up, the Hedgehog Summoner's threat was inflated due to its ability to summon powerful minions.
That should be winnable. We've got Black Magma Slime... SS-grade, no, A-grade for us.
As I finished comparing forces in my head, Rise gripped his execution sword tightly and stepped forward.
"Guntlet Gong. We must save them at once."
I nodded. Just as I was about to signal Black Magma Slime with a glance—
[Heyyot! Why are you lot just standing there staring at us all dumblyyot?!]
The Hedgehog Summoner yelled in a snappy voice. I'd thought it wasn't paying attention to us, but apparently we were bugging it a bit.
[If you wanna dance, just say soyot! I don't block incoming dancers, but I grab the ones trying to leaveyot!]
I sensed no hostility from the Hedgehog Summoner. Seemed not the aggressive type. Still, we had to rescue the drifters first.
I quietly ordered Black Magma Slime, then drew the hedgehog's attention.
"Hey, hedgehog."
[I'm not a hedgehoghoyot!]
"Not a hedgehog? Then what are you."
[...Actually, I am a hedgehogyot.]
"So I can call you hedgehog then?"
[Do whatever you wantyot.]
The Hedgehog Summoner scratched its head and nodded vigorously. I pointed at its back with a finger.
"Hedgehog. Those two back there you're forcing to dance. Mind just letting them go?"
[No wayyot! Can't do thatyot!]
The Hedgehog Summoner scowled fiercely. It wasn't threatening at all. If anything, it looked cuter.
"Why not?"
I asked in a gentle voice, and it stomped the ground with its feet as it replied.
[They tried to kill meyot! So they gotta be punishedyot! I'll make 'em reflect by dancing for a super long timeyot!]
"They tried to kill you?"
[Yupyot! I just approached with my spirits 'cause I wanted to dance with 'em, and they suddenly attacked meyot!]
I agreed with Ha Yumi. From the context, the fault lay with the drifters, not the Hedgehog Summoner.
In other words, they were getting exactly what they deserved.
But what could I do? Blood is thicker than water.
They messed up first, but they were Rise's comrades, so I had to save them. I'd already promised to help Rise.
"Hedgehog. Let me apologize on their behalf. Forgive them?"
[No wayyot! Can't forgive that easyyot!]
"Even like this?"
I pointed behind it again. The Hedgehog Summoner turned to look.
And it screamed with its mouth agape.
[Doombaaaah?!]
All its spirits were melting away, covered in Blmasl's magma.
While I distracted it, I'd secretly told Black Magma Slime to take them out.
I withdrew my finger and asked the Hedgehog Summoner once more.
"Forgive them, or not?"
[......]
"Say you'll forgive and release them, and I'll spare your life."
[I'll forgive... spare meyot...]
Good thing it could judge the situation.
Rise and the drifters finished their touching reunion. Afterward, Rise explained me to them: the benefactor who saved their lives and helped find them.
The drifters bowed deeply to me in gratitude.
"Thank you! Guntlet-nim!"
"We'll never forget this favor!"
As side info, the drifters were named Terio (male) and Ayula (female). They looked much like the hairless Rise, except Ayula's chest was a bit more prominent.
Anyway, as I received their thanks—
[Doombyubyu... All my friends are dead...]
The Hedgehog Summoner, huddled on the ground, muttered. Its expression was deeply gloomy. Its voice trembled, tears welling in its eyes.
I squatted down and spoke to it.
"Hedgehog. Summons don't really die when they 'die,' right? Usually they just return to their original world. Not actually dead."
Were its summons different? The thought crossed my mind briefly, but—
[Ah! Trueyot! They just go back to their worldyot. Summon again and doneyot!]
As expected, its summons weren't dead. Just returned home. Makes sense—if they were truly dead, the Solorbs wouldn't have stayed quiet.
The Hedgehog Summoner seemed to realize this late.
Regaining its energy, I picked up the Hedgehog Summoner and placed it on my palm. Slyly pressing my finger to the red spot.
[Doomba?]
It tilted its head curiously. Ignoring that, I held it out toward the drifters.
And told them: They messed up first, so apologize sincerely.
The drifters glanced at each other, nodded slightly, and obeyed without complaint.
"We're sorry."
"Forgive us."
[...Hmph!]
Also, in a way it had been protecting them, so show some gratitude too.
"Thank you."
"Truly grateful, and sorry."
They followed my words promptly again. I'd been ready to reprimand if it seemed half-hearted, but no need.
Both spoke with genuine sincerity.
[Hmph!!]
The Hedgehog Summoner puffed its cheeks and turned away. It said it'd forgive, but didn't seem fully ready to accept the apology yet.
[Apology accepted! I'm outta here, so eat well and live wellyot!]
As it tried to escape my hand, I gripped tightly and caught it.
[D-Doomba?! Whatyot! Let goyot!]
"Hold on a sec."
Couldn't let it slip away. The red spot was only halfway—quarter done, really.
No hostility toward me, so it's progressing fast... but forcing it might build resentment and slow it down.
I pondered briefly and found a good way to keep holding it.
I called the drifters right away.
"Hey. Ayula, Terio."
"Yes!"
"Yes, Guntlet-nim!"
"Hedgehog still seems upset... Instead of just words, how about showing sincerity with your bodies?"
Why not dance on the hips again. Not half-assed, no reluctance—pure heartfelt twerking, and it'd forgive.
I added that and looked down at the hedgehog.
"Whaddya say, hedgehog? Real heartfelt twerking—not forced—might melt that grudge, right?"
[Sounds good yot. But what's twerkingyot.]
"Hip-shaking dance."
[Got it yot! Let's see a show thenyot!]
This stopped the Hedgehog from leaving. No hostility toward me, taming proceeding smoothly.
"Dance again?"
"We're truly sorry and grateful, but... that's a bit much."
The drifters hesitated.
But Rise spoke.
"Disappointing. You thought a few words would wash away the sin of trying to take a life?"
"......"
"......"
"What you should be ashamed of isn't hip-dancing, but your cowardice in dodging responsibility for your rash actions. So no more ugly excuses—dance with true heart right now."
They bowed their heads and changed attitude.
"...Understood. We'll show you a dance with true sincerity."
"We'll do our best..."
With that, the drifters began dancing with resolute expressions, full of heart. We sat on the ground.
I held the Hedgehog Summoner in my left hand, watched the drifters' low-rent hip-shakes, and started dex work. Recalling the spirits I'd seen.
Doomba! Doomba!
Even as I finished the dex, the drifters kept dancing. The hedgehog clapped like a seal, enjoying the show.
[Shake harder yot! Doomba, doomba!]
"Doomba! Doomba!"
[Shout with energy yot!]
"Shout with energy! Doomba!"
[Dance fun yot!]
"Dance fun! Doomba!"
Finally, a big smile bloomed on the Hedgehog's face. At the same time, the red spot turned fully green.