The soon-to-be great beast tamer Shadyna has just logged in~

We became friends (kind of?) with mega-elk yesterday by accidentally walking in (and destroying) a military encampment. After our second surprise hot pot (designated permanent nickname), I got an ominous-sounding item called [Soul Contract Lantern of the Sprout].

I have a feeling that Sateri really, really loves trolling me whenever she gets to name stuff…

And that was a special item similar to [World Voice], so I couldn't rename it! Sad cry~

Anyway, [Inspect] threw a fit again and refused to tell me anything about the item, so I tried using it. Somehow, it disappeared and reappeared as mega-elk's necklace, which is a good thing because substituting two eyes with only one lantern is pretty hard.

The lantern completely innovated Schennul too, but I am going to pretend I didn't see that. For a moment I thought we really unlocked a double bonus boss fight!

Sateri, please don't play around with maidens' hearts even if this is just a game~

Anyway, I had to log off since it was getting late. I thought about asking it to join me there and then, but in the end did not. We had real life schedule to deal with, so…

Now, though, I have all night to take on whatever Sateri had in plan for me! Seeing how the crafted item is pretty much a token of friendship, I can hope that taming bonus bosses is a thing, right? Right~?

Looking forward to that massive attribute boost~

I'll check the mails later. Bonus boss has priority!

[Teleport]! To the cavern~

____________

_ Hessenria: I was hoping she would take out Schennul first…

The raid parties are throwing a party to celebrating their glorious victory against the Magnus Bestia. In other words, most of the online players are screwing around town instead of grinding their levels.

_ Fuelri: Why would be involved in this?

_ Hessenria: Yesterday she asked me for the strongest boss in the grove, so I pointed at the Magnus Bestia. Somehow she missed it and came back with the golem and flower boss instead.

_ Fuelri: …You still hold it against , don't you…?

_ Hessenria: I wouldn't mind more [Artifact] equipment for all of us. Could you bring this to table number 4?

_ Fuelri: Yeah right… Number 4… Wait, I am not even an employee here!!!

_ Inerin: I am seriously concerned about how easy you are to handle, Elri…

_ Fuelri: WHO ARE YOU CALLING EASY?!

Workers of the food industry is on overdrive right at the start of their shifts, as expected from a national (in-game only) event.

____________

It's the "cute girl falling from the sky" cliché, and I am the one falling!!!

WHY?!

I was sure this was the coordinates I used to teleport back and forth during yesterday's hot pot, so why did I appear midair and begin freefalling like an aircraft without engine?!

And I don't even have horizontal speed to glide like a stalled plane!!!

Since I am not a plane, maybe I can be a bird?

Flapping arms, full power~

…What the heck am I even doing? Mammals were never known for flying capability!!!

[Condition fulfilled. Unlocked Skill: "Air Cushion Lv.0"]

Hi there, new skill. WHY?!

What kind of sane person would skydive and flailing around to unlock this kind of skill?!

Crap, I am going to hit the ground! Taking jabs midair is not a free action!

Whatever you do, new skill, you had better deal with my current predicament!

_ Shadyna: [Air Cushion]!!!

*Whoooosh*

A strong gale wraps around me, reducing my speed rapidly. So this is the opposite of [Leap] huh…

After a few seconds, I have stopped falling. It feels like having a soft but solid invisible platform hovering in the air to stand on. Can I move around with this?

Un, I can even do the usual acrobatic movements. I can walk sideways and downwards, but not up. The Goddess does not want anyone to intrude her home huh? Maybe she had some kind of traumatic experience involving uninvited guests in the past~?

I'm currently skirtless, so it's totally safe if some players have a sudden urge to look at the sky! And by that I mean I am wearing hotpants like I always do, so please do not have any weird idea!

Okay, situation is under control. Now, where the heck am I?

Looking around, this seems to be a valley or lowland of sort. [Teleport] only allows visited locations, so why do I have no recollection of this zone? I know my memory is not the best, but still…

The surface is… gray, simply put. There is sparse vegetation here and there, but it is almost as barren as the wasteland connecting the sandy zone and the grove. Such desolated-looking scenery spreads in all direction until the horizon, like a bowl, or crater.

A really, really big crater. If I was told that whatever caused this terrain was the reason for dinosaurs' extinction, I would believe them. And this game has no dinosaur.

Except for a party from the distance, I don't see other people around. Is this some kind of hardcore area that is very annoying to fight in?

For now, let's find a place to land first…

Having inspected the ground more carefully, it seems to be made up of very long stony "streams" fanning out from the center. Standing up right, they would be very tall sharp-looking obelisks, I think. They are nowhere near upright though.

It's as if the whole place used to be a pond, then someone from "up there" decided to do stone skipping with a big asteroid. That big splash, with water changed into stone, is what we have here.

Sateri, please refrain from skipping meteors for your own amusement. This isn't a city-building game!

I don't think there's anything that can skewer me down there, so I just cancel [Air Cushion] to descend quickly.

Then use it again to elegantly touch the ground. Don't want to accidentally create another crater~

And… touch down! Now then…

Where the heck am I, again?

Checking my surrounding for any point of interest, I see "it".

A familiar stone hut stands a short distance away from me. It was directly below me so I did not notice it earlier. Without the trees to block sunlight, it's hard to see the fireflies even if they are emitting light. If it weren't for the unnatural shape, I doubt I could recognize the "house" we repaired yesterday.

And next to it, is a small lantern. The stone fragments have taken place of the wick, yet it is still flickering with the same green glow as I remember. On the back, a small flower is carved out of the metal lock as decoration. The carved flower is the same as my [ Flower of Eternal Blossom], so I have a few ways to know if it is authentic.

There's no mistaking it. It is definitely the [Soul Contract Lantern of the Sprout] I gave to Schennul yesterday.

Damn it… No wonder why the place is in this state…

I walk forward then kneel down before the lantern. The light seemingly becomes more intense, as if acknowledging my presence here.

_ Shadyna: Sorry, I am late.

That's all I could mutter now.

[Received Soul Contract Lantern of the Sprout x1]

[Received Solidified soul fragment (Unformed) x2]

[Received Fortified home of the fireflies x1]

Not even in the mood to take a jab at that extra item anymore.

____________

A party is dashing through the newly formed barren land, decimating any unfortunate aggressive monsters in their way.

Being the few people who knows the existence of the [Home of the fireflies], was certain that it is unique, and may be of great value even without Schennul. Having been robbed of the unique drop, his party is rushing back to the (former) cavern to at the very least see if he can salvage that stone hut.

_ Torenis: again?! What the hell does she have against me?!

_ Vladina: Well, that sprout on top of her head is a dead giveaway. Very few players choose treants for their race in the first place.

Since is already fuming like a boiling tea pot, decided to drop the jokes and reveal the shadow's identity.

If one is to look at the history between the two, the only link would be . That would explain why the encampment got raided, but the person in question herself seems to be oblivious to it, so it's all guesswork.

_ Vulkerzelianna Merashiel: Ah, spotted~

Someone in the know but totally not aligning with the rest is also tagging along, out of curiosity.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Before their eyes, a young girl with a sprout on her head is crouching down as if to pick up something. and immediately recognize the stone formation and the lantern with the red outline at her feet, as the former was their objective.

They could only witness as the items get absorbed into 's inventory. Just like earlier, they were too far away to put a stop to it. It's not like they could stop her by force anyway, but they haven't thought that far yet.

_ Torenis: …YOU!!! Etena, [Dive]!

Someone has definitely snapped. Being robbed twice in an hour in general is not good for one's mental health.

_ Vladina: Wait, don't do that!

Despite 's cries, the fiery bird slams straight into the (presumably) KSer, resulting in a nasty explosion. Looking from afar, it's tempting to think that there is no way for the victim to survive at point-blank range.

A reasonable expectation, if said victim weren't a weirdo with a [Particle lolider] profession.

As the smoke dissipates, the girl comes into view again. She has stood up and turned to look at the party, who were also dumbfounded by 's outburst.

A blank stare that contains no emotion, yet at the same time sends a chill down the spines of everyone in sight. Half of the party, having been on the side in the guild war, begins to have PTSD flashbacks.

_ Olkan: Get away from , NOW!

The Pervert Alliance leaders run away.

The kidnapper trio run away.

The sadistic waitress elegantly backs away even faster than the full-time runners for some reason, while smiling.

The leader of , abandoned by his so-called party members, is unsure of what to do.

Meanwhile, the little girl has disappeared from sight.

_ Olkan: Where did she…

_ Vladina: BEHIND YOU!

finds himself dragged in the opposite direction by an overwhelming force. The "little girl pulling your arm" kind of force, specifically.

_ Shadyna: Annoying.

_ Olkan: AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

She swings the poor man and his floating throne down as if he was a big mace, right on top of her target, who just managed to turn to face her.

*WHAM*

"Turning friends against each other" has been taken to a new extreme in a literal sense.

Just as she swings back, most likely for the next strike, suddenly halts as jumps in between her and the remains of .

Faraway, a green blob has already crushed Etena by normal attacks, but no one cares about it at this point.

____________

[ has invited you to a party.] [Y/N]

Argh, now I have done it! I totally lost it back there. Also, yes.

_ Mera: Please don’t fight because of me~

Let's pretend I did not hear that.

And by the way, what the heck is up with this (dead) guy?! Can't I be sentimental in peace for a second?! Sure, I have known Schennul for 30 minutes, or a day if offline time is included, but we went through a lot as well!

_ Olkan: My pleasure as always, honey.

_ Mera: I'm not talking about you, failure of evolution~

_ Olkan: GUH! That hurts more than being used as a blunt weapon for a little brat.

You are alive, so I doubt my crude improvisation hurt at all, just like Gelly being completely unharmed getting tossed at enemies.

is poking 's corpse with her staff, by the by.

_ Vladina: That trigger-happy habit of yours will get yourself killed someday, idiot…

_ Olkan: Uh, he's already so dead, the ghoul players look lively in comparison.

_ Dead Torenis: Shut up! You! Return the loots right now, you damn KSer!

…Is that directed at me?

Seeing how confused I am, Mera begins explaining with a kind smile that is totally not suspicious at all.

_ Mera: You see, he has this unhealthy obsession with gigantic beasts which he tried to hide from public~

_ Dead Torenis: STOP HAUNTING ME EVEN AFTER YOU BUNCH LEFT THE GUILD YOU MANIAC!!!

…Un, I already get what she meant. She specifically said "gigantic beast", after all.

Turning to , I ask using my most expressionless voice I can muster.

_ Shadyna: …So you lot killed Schennul?

Saves me the time of tracking them down.

_ Olkan: Wa-wait! We had no choice! And it was thanks to that we…

_ Shadyna: Oh?

I am sure all of the people here were involved one way or another, but I am grateful for providing me the name of the main culprit~

My thoughts probably leak out somehow, because everyone is running away from the knight.

Except for , since I grabbed his arm again.

_ Ignar: Guys?! GUYS?!

[Leap].

*WHAM*

____________

In a private room of the cafeteria, , proprietress of the teahouse, is having a little girl on each lap. It's the usual formation of the teahouse's employees whenever they share secrets with each other.

Meeting rooms with table and chairs are overrated anyway.

_ Sulien: I received a video from yesterday. Let's see what she had in store for us.

With the Magnus Bestia suddenly evolved, she is certain that it's the sprout's doings as per usual. She won't say that out loud though.

…

_ Shadyna: Un, that looks good on you, Schennul.

Three young girls are admiring the Magnus Bestia's evolved form after the weird crafting finished. It was similar to 's lucky special craft to get Etena, except for the size, and the amount of materials these girls literally threw at it.

_ Sword girl: Mister Elk, looks stronger…

_ Crossbow girl: Can we tame Mister Elk, ?

_ Shadyna: I think we can, but we might need another hot pot. It's getting late, so let's do it tomorrow.

_ Sword girl: Will it be alright? The players outside look scary…

_ Crossbow girl: It can't be helped~ I'm sure Mister Elk can handle them no problem.

_ Shadyna: Transformations make you stronger. If it has been crushing players back then, there should be no problem now.

And so, the young cute girls use [Recall] items to go back. The last few seconds of the video is fully focused on the Magnus Bestia with its brand new lantern on its neck.

_ Shadyna: Bye bye~ Let's play again, okay?

…

That would explain the unaccounted evolution alright.

Thinking about how she is going to explain that the cafeteria willingly lent a hand to subdue the very boss these girls in the footage worked so hard to help, begins coughing up blood, as expected.

_ Little girl: Su, I don't mind loli's blood on me, but you should take better care of yourself.

The degenerates are hard at work again today.

____________

_ Mera: Nice weather, isn't it~

_ Shadyna: This conversation is dead the moment you has to talk about that, Mera.

's party peacefully left after I smashed with a literal human mace. I don't particularly care anymore though.

_ Mera: I have already apologized, and talking about anything else at this time would be inappropriate.

I'm surprised you can even read the mood, Mera.

Because she was actively participating in the raid, she is, in her own words, paying with her body. Specifically, I am having a lap pillow.

If anything, isn't this more like a punishment for me instead? My sanity is eroding just by being near this person!

_ Shadyna: To begin with, I can't even see the sky when certain body parts are obscuring my view!

To talk about weather despite knowing that, is she harassing me?! This is body-fatism, I am telling you!

_ Mera: My body was born that way. I couldn't help it~

But you made your own body!

_ Shadyna: Well, no point grieving about it forever. I should get back now.

_ Mera (Party): *Sniff* I was THIS close to becoming the heroine who dies tragically to snap the protagonist out of the rampage! Snapping out on your own should be illegal!

_ Hessy (Party): I hope you died at least.

_ Mera (Party): How mean~!

Un, better cheer up and go back for sanity's sake!

_ Shadyna (Party): I am not going on any rampage. Players can just respawn, you know. I would rather ruin their economies or something like that.

_ Hessy (Party): Should I be worried about how you are casually suggesting total war on all fronts at the beginning of the day?

_ Mera (Party): Well~, you pro~bably don't have to worry about their treasury.

_ Shadyna (Party): Eh?

_ Mera (Party): Because we got it covered.

_ Hessy (Party): Mera, we need to talk about whatever you negotiated with the perverts, now.

…Seriously, what the heck happened while I was at school?

--- Topic: Patch discussion - 1.0c11 ---

## Serious Mage

I think we have a lead on the vision provided by Goddess's Chosen.

What the title says in Inspect result: "An encroaching darkness looms over heaven where the Goddess resides. A race against time is coming."

And there's this… thing that was caught on tape in the loot area of Magnus Bestia: [Pic].

Heaven? Check. Dark shadow in heaven? Check. Coincidence? I think not!

Damn it, Illusive Sprout. Why is it you again?! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

##

## Nearseeing Sage

Nice theory, except for the part where you mixed up the timeline. Goddess's Chosen had been a thing before the Magnus Bestia site got attacked.

I think it's really just a coincidence. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

##

## Manly Warrior

You said similar thing about the rune skills and Illusive Sprout too. (￣□￣;)

It's a valid argument still. Sateri-chan is smart, but she can't predict the future.

…She can't, right? (>_<)

##

## Heaven Piercer

I, for one, welcome our machine goddess overlord! (*^0^*)

##

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--- Topic: Magnus Bestia Schennul AAR ---

!Displaying thread in [Compact View] due to number of posts. Click [Here] to switch back to [Standard View]!

## Nearseeing Sage: As promised with the minor guilds and non-aligned players, all information of the first Magnus Bestia, Schennul will be published. Thank you for your hard work!

- Appearance: 1st form [Pic] and 2nd form [Pic]

- Inspect result: 1st form [Pic] and 2nd form [Pic]

- Streams: [Links]

I will be answering all questions regarding the boss for 24 hours here. Bring it!

## Bountiful Hunter: Why did Phoenix Ashes take so long to fight the boss if we could kill its stronger form in a few hours?

## GoldBar9999: Same reason why we barely dealt any damage during the day. It has a fixed cost of around 2 dozen parties to keep it occupied at all time. Fewer players than that and we will spend most of their time to resurrecting reach other instead of hitting the boss.

Once that fixed cost is paid, each additional player could deal full damage (not much, but it helps). Having 4k active combatants attacking undisturbed (props to Ignar and Cinrald) will make short work of anything, Magnus Bestia or not.

## CuteIsJustice: 4k?! I did see a lot of people, but that number is still higher than expected.

## GoldBar9999: That's a division's worth of manpower we threw at it. Non-combatants are about twice or thrice that number.

## Flame knight of Darkness: Is this game going to be alright…? No balancing will work if we just drown everything in our own blood!

## Fire mage of Justice: This one is special in that it's going to attack Tyrel if left unchecked. Everyone agreed to put an end to it to avoid having to deal with it in the middle of a raid.

## Bountiful Hunter: I don't even want to think about that scenario…

Just watched the loot footage. What the heck was that?

## Nearseeing Sage: Sateri-chan's new scripted event in response to Illusive Sprout evolving the boss, would be my guess.

## Fire mage of Justice: The sprout did WHAT now?! There's a difference between being cutely overpowered and ruining everyone's day by making a revengeful bonus boss!!!

## Newbie Charisma build: Sorry, missed the event. Why is it that everyone's day is ruined?

## Fire mage of Justice: It only drops for the top 3 parties. Everyone else was playing in deficit (ammunition, food, pots) for a whole day to contain it.

At the end, it even killed everyone in the grove with its death explosion, so we had to get buffs again!

…

## Teabag Master: Everyone sure is quick to blame my new wife huh.

Here, enjoy Illusive Sprout's uncensored footage: [Link]

She also gave some insights regarding taming, but you guys are treating her like a criminal so I cut those useless parts out.

## StoneHoarder: It… wasn't attacking her? And she was TAMING the damn thing?!

## OP alchemist: So who provoked the boss?

## Teabag Master: Who happened to be in Phoenix Ashes' guarded fort at the time the boss attacked for unknown reason, then failed to contain it and started blasting World Voice to call for help?

## Newbie Charisma build: Are we… the bad guys?

## Manly Warrior: Always have been, it looks like.

## Heaven Piercer: The petty petite proprietress has struck once again!

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--- Topic: Magnus Bestia aftermath ---

!Displaying thread in [Compact View] due to number of posts. Click [Here] to switch back to [Standard View]!

## Silver Merchant: The AAR thread is in flame, just like what happened after the first Nox fight. As a merchant, I am more interested in the consequences of such operations, to predict the market.

Do not attack Illusive Sprout or the Pervert Alliance here please. Do that in AAR thread.

## Manly Warrior: Do not give more work to me!!!

## Bountiful Hunter: The elven cavalry girl destroyed the siege site along with the northern gate and walls just now. Time to invest in Construction?

## Silver Merchant: WHY?!

## Fire mage of Justice: Some… more extreme members of the Pervert Alliance probably said a few words more than necessary. Admittedly, I was really close to being one of them too.

Back to the topic, MP pots and arrows are in shortage. HP pots are not, funny enough.

## OP alchemist: All materials are in shortage because, surprise surprise, mobilizing everyone is expensive. Everything is so expensive that no one is buying anything however.

## Silver Merchant: After the hero defeated the overlord, everybody lived in economic depression?!

## Serious Mage: Shouldn't the Pervert Alliance do something about this? They requested our help after all.

## Teabag Master: No chance. Their treasury is empty.

## Silver Merchant: Wait, really?

## Teabag Master: Let's see here:

- Phoenix Ashes had to pay upfront for food services. The early players got their food for free until they couldn't pay anymore.

- BB Conglomerate spent most if not all of its treasury to buy rune skills and make runes to increase players' DPS. The crafters are of their own guild, so they spent both their treasury and material stockpile.

- DFC Sages was throwing money at MP pots for similar reason.

- Everyone went to the boss, almost all goods production was halted for a day.

- Last raid was expensive.

RIP whoever got the "Will pay later" promises. They won't get it for a long time.

## Silver Merchant: So this is why our guild chat is filled with rants and whining. Let's hope we won't collapse…

## Fire mage of Justice: Thanks for the detailed explanation. So, Illusive Sprout managed to incapacitate 3 out of 4 big guilds in a single day. Welp.

## Manly Warrior: And accidentally too.

## Mage of Sin: It will be our complete annihilation the day she decides to go at us for real huh.

I, for one, welcome our loli overlord!

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