kscans

Chapter 34 - # "Bee Monsters Taste Like Shrimp"

"If you want to evolve, eat the flesh of the Rainbow Dragon."

The Demon Lord's words still clung to my ears.

My name is Mamoru. I've been reincarnated into this other world as a Hobgoblin, though I still have memories of my time as a human. I have allies, but a sense of unease never quite fades. Accepting the Demon Lord's offer of evolution, we had begun our journey to find the Rainbow Dragon, which held the key.

"I wonder what a Rainbow Dragon tastes like," said Defray, an Orc beastman, laughing cheerfully beside me. As carefree as ever. I started to say something, but swallowed my words.

We could be the ones getting eaten.

It was then.

"Buuuuuun..."

The air vibrated. A low-pitched hum bored into my ears. As I looked up, I saw a massive swarm of bees, like a black cloud.

"K-Killer Bees!!" The moment someone shouted, a metallic buzzing sound rained down from above.

"Hyaaaaaah!! I hate beeeeees!!" Koni-chan panicked, screaming and crying as he ran around.

"N-noooooo, I don't want to, no no no!" He was sobbing in terror.

"Koni, come here. Calm down." The Dark Elf, Tiris, immediately rushed to his side and held him. Her sharp eyes glared at the sky, her expression showing the resolve of a mage.

"G-gwaaa..." Koni-chan the giant Boss Troll crouched behind Tiris and covered his ears. Despite his appearance, he seemed to be terrified of insects. The sight of a giant cowering made the air feel even heavier.

Amidst all this, there was one person with a strangely high level of excitement.

"Aha☆ Just the right warm-up!" The Lizardman magic warrior, Amy. She leaped into the air, her scales reflecting the light, and spread her arms wide, shouting.

"Come on...!

"O spirits of water, blessed by the heavens, become a pure stream and pierce all creation. Come forth, Aqua Javelin!"

She spun her arms in mid-air, and spears of condensed water instantly formed, ten, then twenty. The arrows of water, released from around her like rays of light, pierced through the attacking swarm of bees.

Zdon! Zdon! Giiiii!! The Killer Bees, with their steel-like carapaces, shrieked as they crashed to the ground. But there were too many. Dozens, hundreds still remained.

"Damn, more are coming...!" I drew the sword at my waist and moved forward. The strength of a Hobgoblin surged through my entire body without me even thinking about it.

"I'm charging in!"

A Killer Bee rushed at me. It thrust its poison stinger forward, aiming straight for my chest.

Gakin! I barely managed to raise my sword, the slash and the charge colliding. The impact made my arm go numb.

"This thing... it's trying to kill me with just its body slam...!"

Beside me, Tiris was chanting a spell.

"O shadow, crawl forth from the abyss of corrosion, Shadow Graham!! Shadow, bind the enemy!"

Chains of darkness grew from the ground and entangled the bees' wings. As their movements slowed, Amy finished them off with another Aqua Javelin.

Finally, the bee swarm fell silent.

My companions were breathing heavily, checking for wounds.

Then, before the corpses of the bees that had just been our enemies, Amy smiled sweetly.

"Hey, Mamoru. You know, if you deep-fry these, they taste like shrimp♡."

"...Eh?"

Before I knew it, Amy had taken out a pot and some oil and started peeling the carapaces off the Killer Bees and frying them.

"Hey, wait a minute. That's an insect dish that looks way too grotesque."

Saku. Amy picked one up and ate it. She smiled and nodded.

"Yep, tastes like shrimp♪."

...You've got to be kidding me. I cautiously took a bite of a fried Killer Bee.

It was... delicious...! A crispy texture with plump meat inside. It really did taste like shrimp.

"...Man, I could really go for some shrimp crackers right now..." I muttered. To think I'd be craving snack food even after coming to another world.

"Hey, I think I see a temple up ahead."

In the distance, the Pantheon Temple, supported by many large pillars, came into view.