NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 72
Curse Devil Gentleman.
A demon-type monster that handles curses.
The battle with that guy and the first team dragged on for quite a while.
If it had been a regular 2-on-1, the fight would’ve ended quickly, but in reality, it was practically a 1-on-1.
The Medical Mushroom is healing-oriented.
Not a combat specialist, it was just providing support by blocking curses next to the Psycho Clown.
【Mysticism】—
The crazed psychic abilities of the Clown and the sinister curses of the Curse Devil clash.
The main curse used by the Curse Devil is black hands extending endlessly from underground.
If touched, the body rots away.
However, thanks to the healing liquid from the Mushroom constantly protecting the Clown, there was no significant damage.
“Hm. I don’t think the Clown is going to lose.”
From what I can see, the Clown was slightly above the Curse Devil in level.
It was a judgment that he could win even without support from the Medical Mushroom.
Must be due to experience difference.
The Psycho Clown has existed for a relatively long time.
“Still, the drawn-out battle is concerning. Should I send reinforcements now?”
I took my eyes off Iris and glanced around at the other monsters in the hideout.
All the other exploration teams had returned.
Most of them were looking at me with burdensome gazes.
Probably because of the news about getting Evolution Tickets.
The word “expectation” was plastered all over their faces.
“Hey guys, just because you give me those looks doesn’t mean I’m going to pick you for evolution, so stop staring.”
I had already decided internally on the candidates.
The monsters I chose are Jellyfish and Melody Fox.
I picked Jellyfish because it was one of the initial members.
The Kinogine Aracne and Black Magma Slime had become SS-Class, but this one was still stuck at S-Class.
It looked somewhat disappointed.
The reason I picked Melody Fox was simple.
It provides buffs to other monsters.
If Melody Fox evolves into SS-Class,
It could provide even more beneficial buffs to our monsters and make it easier to evolve many other monsters into SS-Class, and maybe even evolve SS-Class into SSS-Class.
In other words,
Evolving Melody Fox was a choice for everyone.
If I explained the reason, the others would understand.
Anyway.
I’ll talk about the evolution tickets later.
For now, I decided to send reinforcements to the first team.
“Right now, the first team is struggling… well, not really struggling, but the fight is dragging on a bit. Is there anyone willing to go support?”
When I asked if anyone wanted to volunteer,
［Pii! Piii!］
［Explorer! I’ll go!］
［Doo Doom Bar! I’ll go!］
［Ohro Ohro Ohro! Chiieeek!］
［I wish for… not evolution… but to go help.］
A considerable number of S-Class monsters reacted.
They really wanted to evolve, huh.
Clearly, they weren’t volunteering out of concern for the first team.
They just wanted to get in my good graces and earn that evolution ticket.
Such transparent little things.
“Well then, let’s all go together…”
I started to say that when I glanced at Iris.
I heard a tremendous impact.
─［Yohohoho…］
Hmm.
Looks like I won’t need to send reinforcements.
The conclusion had been reached.
“Hey guys, I don’t think we need to go. It’s over.”
［Pii…］
［Aah…］
［Doo Doom Doom…］
［Ohro Ohro Ohro Ohro! Chiieeeek!］
［What a shame… no, what a relief…］
As you can tell from my monotonous voice,
The victor of the battle was not the Curse Devil, but the Psycho Clown.
The Curse Devil had been hit by the Clown’s attack and lay collapsed on the ground, having lost its arms and legs.
It slightly raised its head and looked at the Clown with a sinister smile.
Why is it grinning even after losing the fight?
─［Kirik. Quite a strong opponent.］
─［Piii!］
─［Yohoho…］
The Clown slowly approached the fallen Curse Devil.
─［I won’t kill you. The Gauntlet wants to tame many monsters. Kirik.］
─［Yohohoho…］
I can understand the reactions of the assistants.
Honestly, I find that laughter quite unpleasant too.
What can I say?
It gives off a condescending vibe.
It’s fine once, but hearing it repeatedly is just grating.
─［Kirik. For now, the Gauntlet is waiting, so let’s head back and tame…］
The Clown reached out toward the Curse Devil.
At that moment.
The Curse Devil’s eyes twisted like a crescent moon,
─［Yohoho!!!!］
It let out a mad laugh that cut through the air and echoed inside the cave.
With a deafening blast, the Curse Devil’s body suddenly expanded.
And then,
Bang!
Its flesh exploded.
─［Kirik…?］
As Rize said, the Psycho Clown was virtually unharmed amidst the explosion of the Curse Devil.
It was merely covered in the Devil’s blood.
The blood could be a curse?
Barely processing that, I hurriedly directed the Mushroom.
“Mushroom! It could be dangerous for the Clown, so release all the liquid!”
［Piii!!! Pipopipoo!!!］
The Medical Mushroom’s viscous liquid enveloped the Clown.
*
Our shelter, Great Cavern.
A massive pink jelly floats in midair.
The Psycho Clown, trapped in translucent jelly, was irregularly gasping for air.
［Kirik, Kiiiii…］
As Alice predicted,
The Curse Devil’s blood contained a powerful curse.
The ultimate curse, completing upon the caster’s death.
［Pii…］
［Kyyyuu…］
The Medical Mushroom hiccups.
The Melody Fox fidgets anxiously.
All the other monsters were sending the Clown worried glances.
Healing and decay are in a constant struggle.
The curse’s power rots the Clown’s flesh away.
The Mushroom’s healing liquid repeatedly tries to reverse that decay.
And unfortunately,
Due to the curse’s speed slightly outpacing that of the healing, the Clown’s condition was becoming increasingly precarious.
Like a ship that has been shipwrecked and is slowly sinking.
The Clown’s life force was gradually already entwined with the abyss of death.
“Why are you apologizing?”
Alice is not at fault at all.
If anything, the blame lies mainly with me.
There was also the Clown’s carelessness.
But I had overestimated the abilities of our monsters and naively judged the situation, leading to this.
I should have given much more detailed and careful instructions.
［Gauntlet…］
The Clown called out to me.
Trapped in the liquid, it trembled its arm, reaching out to me.
I approached the pink liquid, plunged my arm in, and grasped the Clown’s hand.
Hoping that it could overcome the curse from the bottom of my heart.
At that moment,
The Centauress, who had been deep in thought while rubbing her chin, slowly approached me.
She looked back and forth between me and the Clown, finally breaking the silence.
［Explorer. Use the evolution ticket on the Clown.］
“Evolution ticket?”
［Yes. I can’t be sure, but using the evolution ticket might lift the curse.］
That wasn’t a totally unbelievable statement.
If evolution occurs, the body would be restructured.
“…Indeed, if it’s not a curse imprinted on the soul, it might disappear upon evolution.”
Perhaps,
Using the evolution ticket might be the only way to save the Psycho Clown right now.
Since even the healing liquid from the Medical Mushroom had been unable to counteract the curse.
“Hey guys.”
I turned to look at the other monsters as I spoke.
“Did you all hear that? I’m going to use one evolution ticket for the Clown. If anyone has objections, speak up.”
The primal instinct and desire to become stronger.
And a friend’s life.
Two values that can’t be compared or weighed against each other.
But to those guys, the Clown might not be that precious of a being.
The tamed monsters gathered around, centralized around me.
Their friendly attitude toward the Clown was likely due to our shared connection.
Thus, I thought it possible that some of them might prioritize their own evolution over the Clown’s life.
“Any objections?”
The cavern was silent.
No one voiced any objections.
It seemed they all nodded, thinking that it should obviously be used on the Clown.
“I really picked good monsters to tame.”
I chuckled lightly and looked away from the monsters.
Without delay, I used the evolution ticket on the Clown.
At that moment, black substances explosively shot out from the Clown’s body.
The black mass quickly enveloped the Clown’s entire form, transforming it into a huge egg.