kscans

Chapter 147 - Escape, and My Evolution as a Hobgoblin

"Hah... hah... hah... Damn, did we get away?"

I, Mamoru the Hobgoblin, hid behind a rock, confirming that the rumbling behind me had stopped. The life-or-death struggle with the Crystal Devastator. That was less a battle and more an execution.

But still, we survived.

"...So that's the developers' 'erasure weapon'."

"They're serious about deleting NPCs... that thing isn't part of the game."

Tiris murmured in a low voice, and Amy quietly stroked her insect cage.

"What do we do now...?"

I answered without hesitation.

"We evolve. We get stronger, so we can get a hit in on that pile of scrap metal. ...Let's go, beyond the border, to the Forest Milk."

"Captain... it's finally time to evolve."

"Raise the power of insects... another level..."

"Koni-chan wants to grow! In height, and intelligence!"

"...You should start by not being scared of insects."

We moved through the forest with wry smiles. On the map, we were still at the southern edge of demon territory. But beyond the border was the valley of dragons, where the Rainbow Dragon lived.

Back in my first playthrough of this game, I touched that spring and evolved into a Goblin Captain. The Forest Milk was a special gimmick that granted class evolution to monsters.

(I don't know if it still works... but there's hope.)

We headed for the border, believing in that single ray of light.

"...W, what is that?"

"Those breasts... are huge..."

Fluffy blonde hair, a black and white cow-patterned outfit, and a cowboy hat. A female monster stood gracefully, her overly voluptuous breasts swaying back and forth. A Cow-girl.

A phantom beast that governed milk, and an extremely rare monster, was for some reason a guardian of the spring.

"Ufufufuun♡ Welcome to the bounty of the forest♡ But it's a problem when people touch me without permission♡ With these breasts, I might have to punish you♡"

"That's way too lewd...!"

I took a step back. But Tiris's cold voice echoed.

"Mamoru. If you let your guard down, you'll be crushed between those two breasts and that'll be the end. ...That thing, it probably has a high killing intent."

"Yes. She's definitely coming at us with the intent to kill."

"I don't want a breast monster!"

"But I want milk..."

In this tense (?) situation, we fought as one.

Amy aimed for her feet with a long spear and obstructed her with a slick tongue. Koni-chan threw fireballs and dried meat from a distance (it made no sense, but it served as a distraction). Defray stood at the front, blocking her tackles with his heavy body.

I acted as a decoy to draw the attention of those huge breasts.

"Over here, you bombshell!!" I shouted.

After a fierce battle, the Cow-girl finally let out a moan and fell to her knees.

"Moo♡... If you're going to be so rough with me, I have no choice♡... I'll let out my milk♡."

A small wooden barrel appeared in the center of the spring.

Inside, filled to the brim, was the Forest Milk. A slightly sweet and warm liquid of life.

"This is it...!"

We were moved as we carefully scooped it up.

"Alright! It's cooking time!!"

Defray shouted enthusiastically, and an impromptu kitchen was set up in the forest.

First, we made butter. We poured the milk into a wooden bucket and carefully churned it with a log.

"Monster milk has a high fat content. You mix it like this and..."

A yellow lump separated and quivered. We filtered it through moss and washed it with cold water.

"And there you have it, Forest Butter. The aroma is different, isn't it?"

A sweet and savory scent wafted throughout the forest.

Next, we made Milk Stew, simmering the bounties of the forest.

Onion-like grass roots, slime konjac, suspicious mushrooms, and scraps of beast meat.

"Sautéing is love. Don't burn it, mix it, put your soul into it."

Defray said, swinging the pot with all his passion.

"There are seconds."

He handed us wooden bowls filled with piping hot white stew. The richness of the butter, the sweetness of the milk, the aroma of the herbs...

"...S, so good...!"

"The forest... milk... it's the best...!"

Everyone was satisfied.

And I felt a sense of déjà vu with this taste. (That's right. Before the final battle two playthroughs ago, I feel like I ate the same thing here.) But I had no intention of looking back now.

Because evolution was just beginning.

My body began to glow faintly.

Tiris, Amy, Defray, and Koni-chan too were enveloped in a white, warm light.

Mamoru: Hobgoblin evolved into Goblin Captain. Defray: Orc evolved into Orc Soldier. Amy: Lizardman evolved into Lizard Shaman. Koni-chan: Troll evolved into Boss Troll. Tiris: Dark Elf evolved into Arc Elf.

"We're moving forward. It doesn't matter what the developers do."

"With this power, we'll overcome the developers' 'erasure'!!"

We took a step onto the grassy plains of a new land. For a new adventure, and for further evolution.