I'm standing behind the butcher shop, staring up at the sky.
Well, not exactly the sky. I'm actually watching a bagworm hanging from the eaves.
That's one of the Number Four squad.
The day I started working part-time at the butcher shop, I secretly handed over the Number Two—a mini tarantula named Niblo—to the Number Four army, a bunch of caterpillars I'd been keeping in my mouth, right under the boss's nose.
Niblo thanked me with a triumphant "banzai" pose and then scurried off with the caterpillars. I don't know where they went. But one of the four ended up living here at the butcher shop.
I couldn't just leave them alone, so I've been secretly feeding them scraps of meat and the leftovers from cleaning the mincing machine.
It's been like having pets, and it's been a lot of fun.
When Niblo gets food, she raises both front legs in a "banzai" gesture to express her emotions. When I tickle her head, she does this mysterious dance, stepping side to side with a "rustle… rustle…" while keeping her legs up. It's adorable, to put it simply.
Number Four isn't far behind. When I feed him, he extends his yellow odor horn from his head to show his intent. If I tap the tip with my finger, he quickly retracts it. It's like the reaction you'd get from pressing a nipple—a little "squeak" sound, almost. It's incredibly lewd.
Days passed like this, and then one day, I noticed Number Four had turned into a bagworm, hanging from the eaves behind the shop.
Looking at him like that, I thought:
"Wow."
Butterflies and moths undergo complete metamorphosis when they turn from larvae into pupae.
Complete metamorphosis means their entire body dissolves into a gooey, nutrient-rich soup inside the pupa, and then their body structure is rebuilt from scratch.
That's how a caterpillar can transform into something completely different, like a butterfly. Essentially, they die once inside the pupa and are reborn. Self-resurrection. It's an astonishing ability, a true mystery of life. I wonder if there's any continuity of memory.
But what I find amazing isn't the still-unexplained, mysterious biological mechanism. It's the sound of the phrase "complete metamorphosis."
Complete metamorphosis. Perfect Hen-tai.
There's an inexplicable power in those words. Maybe it's the path I should aim for. I want to become an insect.
Back when I was in the Fox era, when I had nothing to do hiding in the forest, I'd observe the nearby plants and animals, lost in these pointless fantasies. Insects, in particular, have lifestyles beyond human understanding, and watching them never gets boring.
They don't seem like individual creatures but rather part of the plant world, working together. Plants and insects feel like a single organism, a set. They dominate the Earth as indispensable partners. They are the Earth itself, no exaggeration.
The plants and insects, bustling as living cells of the Earth, are the ones keeping it alive. Animals, called higher beings, become more independent, and their connection to Mother Earth seems to grow thinner.
Humans, with their ultimate individuality, are now separate from the Earth, their ties severed. They can even venture into space.
Humans have become independent from the Earth. They must plan, manage, and forge their own future. But they don't get it. They're still desperately trying to suck the Earth dry.
—Useless parasites.
We should care for the Earth as neighbors, support each other, and survive together in this lonely universe.
After leaving humanity behind, it became clear: cancer.
And I—the Beast of Gévaudan—am the mediator sent by nature itself.
Gévaudan must eventually destroy both humans and aliens from the Earth. Chaos-bringers, not a single one will be spared. They'll return all the order they've stolen.
Then this planet will bless even a filthy beast like me as a hero and give me a place to belong.
Starting with this town. And then Fort—
As I indulged in these comforting fantasies, Number Four was suddenly cut in half, top to bottom.
His creamy bodily fluids, mid-metamorphosis, splattered into the blue sky and rained down on my face with a splat.
Slowly, I lowered my gaze from the sky to the road.
There stood a man.
The Elf Man. An aide to the Orc Officer, probably related to the Elf girl Tiriel, her brother or something.
The Elf Man glared at me silently, his eyes intensely irritating. No doubt he's the one who killed Number Four.
He probably knows I humiliated Tiriel by covering her in semen. Is this his revenge?
We faced off in the deserted back alley.
…
I'll kill him.
Just as I plotted the perfect crime, devouring him clothes and all, a cheerful voice rang out from the side alley.
"Jibodan♪"
The tone made me want to add, "Let's have sex!"
The killing intent that had risen to my throat drained away, leaving me deflated.
It wasn't just Ferris who emerged from the side alley. She brought a whole group with her.
Ferris and… Ashera? An unusual pairing. Tiriel was there too.
Spotting me and the Elf Man, Tiriel's face turned pale. She'd seen my semen spectacle up close. Don't worry, I won't eat you if you don't do anything.
I locked eyes with Ashera.
I tensed up a bit—she's always picking fights with me.
But she didn't do anything this time.
Huh, she's unusually calm today. I see her chatting normally with Ferris and Tiriel.
Ferris is a naturally kind person, the type to forgive past grievances if the other person softens their attitude.
Good, good. My task of protecting Ferris continues. As a professional, it's nice to see her make fewer enemies.
Actually, thanks to recent Jibodan gatherings, it's been revealed that these four girls were originally close friends. They'd just been a bit tense lately due to some misunderstandings.
Because of those misunderstandings, Ferris almost got eaten by me, Tiriel turned to goo, Ashera lost to me twice in battles, and probably lost over there too.
Alien girls' youth is a matter of life and death.
Well, without Lydia, I have no idea what they're saying. Someone, bring Lydia here.
…Before Ferris makes Lydia submit, I might become Lydia-dependent.
Maybe I should start learning the language, bit by bit.
The Elf Man and Tiriel are talking. I guess it'd be awkward to eat someone who might be a friend's family right in front of Ferris.
You're lucky this time, Elf Man. But I've memorized your scent. My nose is as sharp as a beast's. No matter where you run, I'll hunt you down to the ends of the Earth and devour you. Remember that.
As Ferris led me back to the shopfront, the Minotaur boss sent me off with a hearty "Bumo!" and a laugh. Munch munch.
Ferris and the others headed to a brightly decorated, girly shop—an ice cream parlor.
The three girls lined up at the counter, each choosing their own ice cream. The Elf Man was eating a cup of ice cream too, looking grumpy. It's a hilarious sight.
As I stood there watching, Ferris handed me one. It was a vividly striped ice cream, glossy yellow and black. So garish.
From beneath the paper bag, I stuck out my equally garish, dark tongue and licked it. Delicious! Unexpectedly, it tastes like rubber tires!
Seeing my reaction, Ferris smiled.
The group chatted and laughed as they ate their ice cream.
But this kind of youthful fun should be without me… Look, the other customers are scared. I think this is seriously bad for business.
I glanced at Ferris, who was deep in conversation, trying to convey my thoughts. Noticing my gaze, she waved me over with a "come here" gesture.
I'm not going. The Elf Man's glare is sharp, and Tiriel looks terrified. Ashera seems surprisingly calm, though.
…Ferris, don't tell me you want me to get along with them?
That kind of consideration isn't necessary. I'm going to kill them all anyway.
Ferris looked unsure…
And what about Lydia…
As I pondered, the Orc Officer approached from across the street, accompanied by the Ninja Girl.
The Ninja Girl had her hands clasped behind her head, looking uninterested. She's probably using a technique to escape notice, thinking she's unseen. But to my now-accustomed eyes, she's completely visible. Don't underestimate the sharp eyes of a sniper who can spot hidden enemies in a dense forest.
The Elf Man and the Orc Officer spoke briefly, then left with Tiriel.
Ashera and Ferris continued their conversation. Eventually, Ashera finished her ice cream in one bite, stood up, and strode over to me.
"△☆◇＃〓, ◎〓＆●"
I have no idea what she's saying.
But Ashera is stunning, with delicate features and a beautiful face. Her body is toned, and her voice is somehow cool. It's frustrating I've failed to rape her twice. By the way, her broken horn and fangs are healed. Did Ferris fix them for her?
Ashera is graceful, with a great physique. She's the most mature of the group.
Tiriel is gorgeous, with a slender build.
Lydia is bright and healthy, with a gal-like vibe.
Ferris is adorable, with a bit of a loli charm.
If I were the typical weak protagonist from a story, maybe I'd have a harem with all of them.
But that's an impossible miracle. I can only see a future where I brutally violate every orifice, chewing on their innards.
"□▼▲＆, Jibodan □□?"
"Jibodan ★＆… ●◇○■, ■§※§"
After their conversation, Ashera gave a small nod and walked away.
…I'm shocked. She bowed to me. My affection for her just skyrocketed. I don't know why, but maybe our recent duel had an impact.
Is she a born warrior…? Aliens are so hard to understand.
Also, please stop calling me Jibodan. Seriously. I'm already regretting letting Ferris call me that. Apparently, Ferris is the one who named me Jibodan, and now it's spreading everywhere.
If Ashera starts attacking me while screaming "Jibodaaaaaaaan!" next time, I'll lose my focus and probably lose the fight.
At dusk, I dropped Ferris off at her mansion and returned to the facility.
Thanks to Ferris, what could've been a bloody return home because of the Elf Man turned into a pleasant one.