94
Chapter 94
"Gom-jjang, you're a slowpoke. Why are you walking so slowly?"
"......."
"Hmph... Don't ignore me."
"Gom-gom, gom-gom-gom."
Be quiet for a second.
I'm thinking about something important right now.
"...Gom-jjang sure has a lot on his mind."
On the way back to the basement with the Fox.
I reviewed the Evolution list floating before my eyes.
To be exact, I was carefully reading the description of the Special Evolution options.
Otherworldly Taboo Predator Teddy Bear.
The rewards for this Special Evolution were absurdly good.
No level reduction.
Instead, a 5-level increase.
Plus 16 additional power and the acquisition of 3 new skills.
Taboo Predation, God Slayer, and Domain Destruction.
Just by looking at their names, these new skills were anything but ordinary.
Domain Destruction, huh....
So a Domain could be destroyed.
I wasn't sure what Destruction exactly meant in this context.
Whether it meant liberating someone who belonged to a specific Domain, or causing the annihilation of the Domain itself.
Hmm. The latter probably wouldn't make sense realistically.
A skill possessed by a mere Rare rank couldn't possibly wipe out a Domain entirely.
In that case, there was a high probability it meant Domain liberation....
Generally, a Domain cannot be changed.
Which implied that changes were possible under special circumstances.
Just as someone belonging to Order might fall into Chaos if they were corrupted.
Perhaps the Domain Destruction skill belonged to exactly that kind of special circumstance.
The name said Destruction, but it might actually be a skill that helps change a Domain.
But what was the God Slayer skill?
An ability to slay a god?
Seeing as there was a skill like this, gods must actually exist.
Or perhaps higher-ranked beings were defined as gods, and this skill granted the power to somewhat oppose them.
In any case.
I should stop looking into this option.
Because it was an Evolution route not even worth considering.
Although a Limit Breakthrough was possible, and it was the most outstanding option based solely on rewards and abilities.......
※ You will unconsciously prey on nearby lifeforms regardless of your own will.
This phrase was written at the very end.
Because of that, no matter how good the route seemed, I couldn't choose it.
There was a possibility of losing my precious family and friends because of this Evolution.
For that reason.
I decided to consider the regular options for the species to evolve into.
I would take my time to think it over once we got back.
It wasn't urgent, after all.
"Gom-jjang is a slowpoke."
The Fox grumbled at me for walking slowly.
I glanced at her, then immediately bent over and curled my body up.
"Eh? Why are you suddenly curling up?"
And used the Rolling skill.
Gooooom-!!!
I'll go as fast as you want.
"Gom-jjang is a fastpoke...!"
The box containing the Scales set on the floor was picked up by a nearby Fake Doll and brought to the basement.
***
The frog brought a really great gift.
We plan to share these Scales, the gift we received today, among everyone here.
And from now on, our Dungeon will not be sending out any more gifts.
I said as much the moment we returned to the basement.
It sure is convenient being able to talk.
In the past, it would have taken forever to convey my meaning through body language.
Anyway.
We decided to consume the Scales after finishing the Magic Tool selection.
It was only right to finish what we were already doing first.
There wasn't any particular reason to urgently get stronger right now.
For the record, I had already made my choice.
The Umbrella-shaped Magic Tool, this one was enough for me.
I planned to yield all the rest to the other guys.
"Wooong."
Tosuni picked five Magic Tools.
None of them were for combat.
By the looks of it, she didn't care about their functions.
She just seemed to pick the Magic Tools with appearances she liked.
"Kuo. I'm done picking too."
Jjokkomi chose six Magic Tools.
She also didn't choose a single one for combat.
She only selected lifestyle Magic Tools that would help with daily life.
In the first place, there weren't many Magic Tools that were greatly helpful in battle.
"Yong-yong! I will take just this much without being greedy-yong!"
The Little Yellow Dragon chose three.
He picked the most useless ones.
He chose Transformation Toys that changed shape when infused with Mana.
Why on earth did the Black Human carry around such Magic Tools?
Was he a Human full of childlike innocence?
Or maybe he kept them around out of a desire to collect.
"...!"
The Puppeteer Doll chose one.
The Magic Tool he selected was a Necklace with the function to deploy a transparent shield around the wearer.
In other words, it was a defensive Magic Tool.
Ailee said she would choose from the leftovers later.
And right now, rather than looking for something to use herself, she was searching for Magic Tools to recommend to the Fox.
Because the Fox had asked her for recommendations first.
Despite declaring her ambition to take many Magic Tools, she was ultimately vacillating, unable to choose a single one.
"Hmm... What should I recommend to our little Fox...."
"I'll take anything! Pick quickly!"
It wasn't that she had trouble making decisions.
Looking at her expression while she was picking Magic Tools, it was clear she couldn't choose simply because she was too worried about what others thought.
What if the Magic Tool she picked first was something the other kids wanted?
Then wouldn't it mean she had stolen her friend's item, and her friend would secretly hate her?
She was probably harboring these kinds of worries.
Because she kept reaching for Magic Tools only to stop, repeatedly glancing sideways at us to gauge our reactions.
The reason she followed me earlier was probably to buy time as well.
So that after the others left in the basement had picked their Magic Tools first, she could choose hers last.
Currently, everyone else had already chosen their Magic Tools.
However, today wasn't the only day to pick Magic Tools.
Since there were still many Magic Tools left, we decided to come down to the basement to shop for Magic Tools whenever we had free time.
Perhaps that was why the Fox couldn't easily make a choice.
"Little Fox, come here."
"I'm here!"
The Fox had a hard time picking things out herself, but it seemed she was fine with receiving gifts.
That was probably why she asked for a recommendation.
"Here, let's try this on."
"Eh? Why are you trying to make me wear something weird!"
"Be a good girl, stay still."
"Uweeeek!?"
Ailee put a pair of panties on the Fox.
No, was it a Diaper, not panties?
"I don't really like this...."
"It might look a bit strange, but it's a very useful Magic Tool, so wear it around. Most Humans wouldn't even dare to buy it. It's an incredibly expensive Magic Tool."
Ailee immediately explained about that Diaper.
Its official name was the Portable Defecation Pad.
It had a function that neatly took care of everything, whether it was Feces or urine, if you relieved yourself while wearing it.
It was fine even if the user couldn't handle Mana.
Mana was already imbued in the pad, and that Mana detected the defecation and activated its power on its own.
In other words, it annihilates the excrement with the power of Mana.
And because it was an exquisitely crafted Magic Tool, it wasn't harmful to the body at all.
It was harmless even to a newborn baby.
That was the extent of Ailee's explanation.
She added that the pad was for adults.
"Hmph. If I wear something like this, the fun of peeing disappears."
"You found fun in that? Our little Fox's head must be hurting a lot...."
"Eh?"
"I'm joking."
For the Fox, who peed frequently, it was practically an essential Magic Tool.
***
After finishing the Magic Tool selection.
The Teddy Bear distributed the gifted Scales to everyone.
While explaining that they only needed to chew and eat the ends.
Of course, the Fox didn't accept a Scale.
Since the Scale was also something that had fallen off a living creature's body.
Like that, everyone except the Fox started chewing the ends of the Scales in the basement.
As a result.
[Gom-gom! Talking Teddy Bear! lv.34]
┗Pw.136 (+25)
┗Rnk.Rare
[Rabbit Angel Doll lv.33]
┗Pw.132
┗Rnk.Rare
[Puppeteer Doll lv.35]
┗Pw.105
┗Rnk.Superior
[Dhampir lv.32]
┗Pw.128
┗Rnk.Rare
[Inferno Bear lv.34]
┗Pw.136
┗Rnk.Rare
[Little Yellow Dragon lv.18]
┗Pw.180
┗Rnk.Unique
Even though we hadn't consumed all the Scales yet, everyone's levels noticeably increased.
We didn't chew and eat the Scales in rapid succession.
We planned to consume them slowly, taking our time.
Even though it was the same type of Mana, if such a large amount of Reinforcement Mana were injected all at once, the body might not be able to handle it. The Teddy Bear thought that the body needed time to accept the Mana.
And so, while we were taking a short break.
Suddenly, the Puppeteer Doll sprang up from her seat and started running up the stairs.
"Baby? Where are you suddenly going!?"
Ailee was startled and chased after the Puppeteer Doll.
The rest of us looked at each other in confusion before quickly walking up the basement stairs.
After gathering all the Scales, of course.
"Didn't she run up because she urgently needed to pee? She had the look of someone who needs to go."
"Kuo? Our doll doesn't pee."
"Eeeeh?! That's so sad!"
*
The place the Puppeteer Doll arrived at after running was the 2nd floor.
The Puppeteer Doll looked up at the ceiling.
On the ceiling, the ten stars launched by the Star Fox were floating gently.
After confirming that, the Puppeteer Doll lowered her head.
Mana swirled around her body, and in an instant, a Mana Orb formed, enveloping her.
[Puppeteer Doll lv.35]
┗Pw.105
┗Rnk.Superior (Limit Breakthrough possible upon reaching lv.30)
[Domain: Doll]
┗Rank - Normal
================
[Evolvable Species]
◎ Starlight Doll - Rare
◎ Moonlight Doll - Rare
◎ Bear Summoner Doll - Rare
◎ Vampire Doll - Rare
◎ God's Puppet - Rare
◎ Human Judge Doll - Rare
◎ Dhampir - Rare
◎ Painter Doll - Rare
◎ Dancer Doll - Rare
◎ Lonely Dark Doll - Rare
◎ Princess Doll - Rare
================
[Please hurry your selection.]
[The time of destiny has arrived earlier than scheduled.]
[The Helper will soon...]
[Correction.]
[I will soon face the fate of Annihilation.]
The Puppeteer Doll quickly made her choice.
Without hesitating for even a minute, she selected the option of Princess Doll.
With that,
[Selection complete.]
[Unfortunately, this is as far as I can help you.]
[Even if I face Annihilation, may your new life ahead be full of hope and blessings.]
The Fragment of God was removed from the Doll's soul.