Chapter 85 - Preparations and Quiet Maneuvering
Once he had heard all he needed from me, My Friend parted his lips and began to speak, his tone measured.
“I see... It’s just a theory, but I think I’ve pinpointed the cause behind the variant’s metamorphosis. Which means, the countermeasure I proposed earlier—yeah, it should work. Most likely, that creature consumed a magic crystal deep underground. On top of that, it probably devoured a concentrated dose of toxin along with the charred remains of the cyclops. It survived—barely—through excruciating pain as its body was reforged. That in itself is a kind of transformation. There’s also the possibility it was already a variant to begin with. If it was several times larger than the standard specimen, its resistance to pain would be far higher.”
“It ate a magic crystal?”
“Large magic stones from gargantuan monsters are highly prized—even in the royal capital. They’ve got value not just as magical resources, but as gems, too. Once polished and cut, they’re often embedded in magical staves or the pommels of enchanted swords. Their inherent mana makes them suitable for basic magic weapons. In fact, it's quite standard to use them as decorative elements in magical gear. Completely pointless, if you ask me...”
My Friend’s voice was laced with disdain, and frankly, he wasn’t wrong. Unlike the scrap magic stones, these had high clarity and a dense concentration of mana. Depending on how the light hit them, it looked as if rainbow-colored particles danced within the stone. Of course people would covet them as gemstones.
It was also known that densely packed mana took time to dissipate. Some magic crystals were said to be over a hundred years old. Well—not that such things had anything to do with me.
All those valuable stones were to be offered up to our patron family by longstanding agreement. It was well known that those of us under the knightly family’s domain would receive no share of the bounty. That’s why I’d never taken much interest in them. But My Friend spoke with such certainty. It puzzled me. Where did that unwavering confidence come from? I decided to ask.
“...Still, what makes you so sure?”
“There was a shed skin left behind,” he replied. “And it was intact. That alone suggests the metamorphosis happened just recently. According to research by the Magitech Academy in the capital, metamorphosis can occur when a creature sustains a prolonged internal concentration of mana. But this happened in the Shallow Forest, right? It’s hard to imagine such dense mana pooling there on its own. Your earlier story filled in the missing piece. In all likelihood, that creature consumed multiple magic crystals. And once triggered, the metamorphosis is irreversible and occurs without warning. In this case, the timing must have aligned with the creature’s natural molting cycle. That’s what I believe. And the lucky part is that we’ve been able to identify the mutated creature so quickly. There’s no doubt—it’s a Hydra. The variant didn’t deviate from the fundamental traits of a serpent-type. If it had shifted toward a different species, things might have been worse. It could’ve even taken flight. In that case, we’d be dealing with a Basilicock.”
My Friend paused, as if flipping through mental files stored in his vast and prodigious mind. He must have been sifting through and evaluating the accumulated knowledge he’d tucked away. Eventually, he picked up the thread again, continuing for my benefit.
“There’ve been numerous reports on metamorphosis submitted to the Palace Magitech Academy. I’ve read some of them myself. One common conclusion is the inheritance of traits. That’s already accepted as fact. Meaning: a transformed creature tends to be dragged toward its original instincts and tendencies. On top of that, this one’s still juvenile. It likely hasn’t developed secondary traits yet—like magic resistance.”
He folded his arms and looked around at us with a knowing, slightly impish smile.
“To develop those, it would need to swallow whole another monster that already possesses those traits. Given that it just molted, it’s probably still in recovery.”
“...Well then, looks like we’ll have to act fast. First, we’ll need a magitech tool for [Freezing], and another that can handle a large-scale Holy Water Summon. I’ll take care of that. It’s not particularly difficult—just a matter of combining known magical formulas. The only challenge is choosing what to inscribe the enchantments onto. That shouldn’t take too long. After all, I’m a genius. I’ll have them ready before your deployment preparations are finished.”
“Right. I’ll begin selecting the personnel immediately. We plan to depart for the designated area within the next few days.”
“I’ll make sure the tools are ready by then. And—take me with you.”
“Out of the question. The location is near the boundary between the Shallow and Middle layers. Far too dangerous.”
“Even with your elite Black Force at your side? That doesn’t make any sense. Assign me to the First Shooter Squad. That alone is enough.”
“Tch. You really... once you’ve said it, there’s no point trying to stop you.”
“Exactly. Now then—let’s get to work.”
With a sharp turn on his heel, My Friend left my office—saying what he wanted, thinking through what he needed, and walking out as if the entire world were his to maneuver. I let out a long sigh as I watched the back of that arrogant, wildly talented man disappear down the hallway. He hadn’t changed since our academy days. Once his mind was made up, nothing could sway him. A completely immovable, self-absorbed genius.
“What a... force of nature.”
“He’s always been like that. That attitude in that body—how are we even supposed to react?”
“I believe you’re the only one capable of handling someone like him, Commander.”
“A troubling honor... But at least now the plan is clear. I’ll begin assembling the team. This will be a Recon & Assault Operation. If possible, we’ll include extermination in the mission parameters as well. My Friend claims it’s manageable, but we still need a fallback. Nothing in this world is absolute.”
“I agree. For shooters, we’ll take both the First and Second Squads. As for infantry—no, hunters—two full platoons. The rest of the forces will remain in secondary positions as backup in case something goes wrong.”
“You’ll command the reserves from the rear. Your orders are to support the strike team and secure the retreat path.”
“Understood. I’ll take charge of the reserves and ensure the strike unit’s cover and escape route. I’ll also summon personnel currently on leave. With your leave, Commander.”
“I’m counting on you.”
And so, preparations for the sortie began. The target was formidable. Underestimating it or cutting corners would guarantee significant casualties. We had to be fully equipped, secure our retreat, and set traps throughout the area. Even if it had just molted, we were dealing with a massive monster.
One moment of carelessness, and the tide could turn against us.
And on top of everything—my brother’s wedding was just around the corner. Issuing an evacuation order to a town in celebration would only spark panic and chaos. If possible, I wanted to handle this quietly. But this opponent wouldn’t make that easy.
While my adjutant saw to the military arrangements, I mounted my horse and rode to the main estate. I found my eldest brother playing with his twins and asked him to accompany me to his office. Sensing the gravity in my expression, he picked up on the tension immediately and brought the kids along without hesitation.
Instead of the grand desk, we sat across from each other on the reception sofas. As he soothed the boys in his arms, he prompted me to speak. He hadn’t yet heard of the forest’s disturbance, so it made sense that he was acting as usual. I took a seat across from him and slowly began.
“Brother... would you consider departing for the high countess’ territory a little earlier than planned?”
“What’s happened?”
“A Bit Viper has appeared. Nearly ten yalds in length. There’s a strong possibility it has undergone a metamorphosis. It molted recently and is now dormant, likely due to depleted strength.”
For a moment, my brother looked stunned by the report. But once the severity of the situation registered, his face quickly sharpened with resolve. Even the twins, sensing the shift in atmosphere, went silent. They didn’t cry or fidget—they simply looked up at him.
It must have reminded him of that other time. The room’s temperature seemed to plummet, as a deadly pressure filled the air—a sharp glint, like drawn steel, flashing through the eyes of the heir to our house.
――― In that moment, it surfaced in His Lordship’s eyes: the gaze of a true successor. ―――
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