Mantis' eyes widened in alarm.
"Wait, if it's going to be that way, then I think we better get out of here. Believe me, I'm not going to fight such a monstrosity. You know, I barely survived against my own kind, not to talk of fighting something that monstrous. I'm sorry, but SOL, find a way for us to get out of here, do I have an ability that lets me sense my surroundings? I want to find a place and hide."
SOL replied, "Notice, yes, you have the unique ability to sense your surroundings."
Mantis' surprise was evident. "Wait, seriously? I actually had that kind of ability, and you didn't tell me?"
SOL explained, "Um, you never asked, so I didn't think you needed it."
Mantis' frustration was palpable. "Okay, well whenever you think I need an ability, or when I'm in a situation where an ability is useful, kinda just recommend it to me, okay?"
SOL agreed, "Um, I was gonna do that, but most of the time, you just panic and freak out, so I don't usually mind because you kind of just figure things out yourself."
Mantis's determination was clear. "You know, sometimes thinking too much won't actually help me figure it out, so just recommend it, okay? And what's that ability called?"
SOL hesitated. "Well, we don't have much time to think about that now..."
Suddenly, Mantis heard a voice in his head. "Hey, you there, come closer. I need your help with something."
Mantis' confusion was evident. "Are you the one telling me that, or did someone just talk to me in my head?"
SOL replied, "Well, the spider is inviting you."
Mantis' alarm grew. "Wait, what? What do you mean inviting us? Why does it need my help? Isn't it already strong enough to defend itself? So, I don't see why it would need my help. Seriously..."
As Mantis spoke, he didn't notice he had been walking without even realizing it. He looked up to see the gigantic spider staring right down at him, its features a terrifying combination of different spider types. Mantis' eyes widened in terror as he froze, unsure if he would survive the encounter.
Mantis' uncertainty was palpable as the spider spoke. "Oh, hey, um, I'm sorry about what just happened. It's an ability I have. Its effect brings to me whatever I ask help from, even if it wants to run. It'll end up coming to me without realizing it."
Mantis' eyes widened in shock. "Wait, is this... is that spider talking to me? do monsters here actually... have intelligence? I thought I was the only monster here with intelligence, but this spider is actually talking to me... well, it's using telepathy, but still, it has intelligence."
SOL's voice echoed in Mantis' mind. "It's rare for monsters to have intelligence. Only Emperor-class monsters do, which is the highest evolution a monster can achieve, have true intelligence. And this spider is definitely not Emperor-class. If it were, I'd have known, and you wouldn't even be able to move. Its presence alone would crush us. You'd be erased just by standing here."
Mantis' gaze returned to the spider, and he asked, "Um, you said you needed my help. So, what do you need my help with?"
The spider turned, revealing an egg behind it. "So, what should I call you?"
Mantis hesitated. "Um, I don't have a name. Since I'm a monster... Well, according to what I heard, at least. Monsters don't have names unless they're named."
The spider responded, "Well, it's true that monsters don't usually have names unless they're named. But I do have a name. You can call me Setsu."
Mantis' curiosity was piqued. "Setsu? Wait, you have a name? Who named you?"
Setsu explained, "Oh, I named myself. I have an ability that allows me to bestow a name upon myself, and that's how I was able to do it."
Mantis thought for a moment before saying, "Well, since I'm a monster, I don't have a name. Maybe you can just call me 'Mantis-Sama'?"
Setsu's response was hesitant. "Um, that's very informal, especially since I'll be asking you for a favor. Do you mind if I give you a name?"
Mantis' surprise was evident. "Wait, you can actually name me?"
Setsu confirmed, "Well, since I'm a superior race to you, I can bestow a name upon you. And since you're weaker than me, it won't take much of my Metra to name you."
SOL's voice echoed in Mantis' mind. "Well... this is your chance. You must take it. Getting a name is actually a good thing. A monster with a name evolves faster than one without."
Mantis thought for a moment before nodding. "Oh, okay, then I'll accept the name."
Setsu went quiet for a few seconds before speaking up. "Oh, I get it. I just had an idea for a name."
Mantis curiosity was piqued. "Wait, what do you mean by 'idea'? And why were you so quiet just now?"
Setsu explained.
"The ability that lets me name myself usually works like this... A bunch of names pop up in my head, kind of like a wheel spinning. Then, I just pick the name it lands on. But this time... there was only one name that appeared. Well, I think it'll suit you. It's the name of a wind god, known for its stealth and other sneaky traits. So, maybe it'll fit you well, since you're a mantis."
Mantis shrugged. "Okay, I don't mind taking that name. I won't get another chance, so it doesn't matter much. As long as it's a nice name, I'm good."
Setsu declared, "Alright then, I bestow the name 'Fujin' upon the individual Mantis. From now on, you shall be known as 'Fujin.'"
Mantis' eyes widened in surprise. "Fujin? Wait, that name sounds familiar somehow."
SOL's voice echoed in Mantis' mind. "Notice, Fujin is the name of the wind god in Japanese mythology. He's often depicted as a mantis, so maybe that's why it was the only name that popped up in Setsu's head. Lucky you, I guess."
Mantis (Renji), now 'Fujin,' smiled. "Wait, so now I'm called Fujin? Well, that's not a bad name, I guess. I like it. Fujin, huh? Yeah, I'm cool with that."
SOL announced, "Notice, due to the character Mantis now receiving the name Fujin, Fujin will now evolve into a Superior Mantis."
Fujin's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what? Was this the condition necessary for evolving? A Superior Mantis? What's that?"
SOL explained, "This is the evolution stage for mantises. You've evolved into a unique mantis known as the Daeftame Mantis (Demon Mantis)."
Fujin's excitement was palpable. "Well, I've got a new name—Fujin... and that's a really cool name, by the way. I like it. Yeah."
Setsu's voice was calm, yet there was a hint of urgency. "Okay, Fujin, now that you have a name, would you mind doing me the favor I asked of you earlier?"
Fujin nodded graciously, his expression thoughtful. "Oh, okay, I don't mind. I mean, you've been freely helping me out here, so it would be selfish of me not to return the favor."
Setsu's tone softened as she began explaining. "Well, the favor I'm about to ask... it's about taking care of my unborn child."
Fujin's eyes widened in shock.
"Wait, what? Um... I barely take care of myself, so how am I supposed to manage taking care of someone else?"
Setsu's voice held a weight of experience as she began her tale.
"You see, I wasn't always like this. I was born as a normal spider, but... I was different from the others. When we hatched, I realized I was a mix of different spider types. My mother, who is the queen of the spiders, works directly for the Emperor Spider who oversees all the spiders. The Emperor Spider ordered for me to be brought to her, recognizing that I had intelligence. And I knew... I knew I wouldn't like what they'd do with me. I couldn't let them exploit me, or worse, experiment on me. I don't know how I knew all this, but I did. So, I ran away, evolved on my own, and bestowed a name upon myself. And here I am."
Fujin listened intently, his thoughts racing.
Setsu continued, "I don't know how it happened, but one day... I laid an egg. My plan is to transfer all of my intelligence into it, so when my child hatches, it will have the same intelligence I did. It'll make things easier for you. And don't worry, I'll name it before it hatches. All I need is for you to take care of it when it does."
Fujin thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Well, I don't mind taking care of your child, but are you sure I'm the right person for this?"
Setsu's tone turned slightly more hopeful. "You're the only intelligent monster I've found in this dungeon. And that's something that hasn't happened in a very long time... I've been here at least fifty years. You're the first intelligent monster I've encountered who isn't an Emperor-Class."
Fujin gave a small nod. "Okay, I'll take care of it when it hatches."
Setsu seemed relieved. "It should hatch any minute now. Once it does, I'll disappear. All my intelligence will transfer to the egg, and I'll be erased. My child will inherit all of my abilities, but it'll need to learn how to use them. That's why I need your help."
SOL's voice echoed in Fujin's mind, adding a hint of clarity. "Notice, you might gain abilities from it if you accept its help. Think of it like a quest. Accepting it is definitely a good idea."
Fujin looked up at Setsu and said, "Okay, don't worry about your child, I'll take good care of your child. But considering what you just told me, it's just like a way for you to kind of return to something they can't notice, because if you transfer your intelligence into the egg and it hatches and has intelligence, isn't that basically just you transferring bodies?"
Setsu replied, "Well, yeah, it is something like that, but not exactly as you think. It's not exactly as you think, but it's kind of close."
Fujin shrugged. "Okay, it doesn't matter anyway. I wouldn't mind taking care of it, even if it was just you transferring bodies."
Setsu said, "Um, it's not me transferring bodies, just that... well, it's the same, but like, it won't have memories of when it was me. It will have its own memories, and it will live its own life, and it will choose how it wants to live. So, don't worry about it. I've already bestowed a name upon it, and yeah, the moment it hatches, make sure you take care of it well for me, okay? I'll be counting on you."
As Setsu finished speaking, the egg began to crack, and Fujin noticed a bunch of spidery, crawly hands coming out of the egg. The egg hatched, and Setsu disappeared. Fujin stared at the spider, which was the same size as him.
Fujin thought to himself, well, maybe this spider will be my cousin or something, I guess. Wait, are spiders and mantises related? I don't know, but... it is my cousin, I guess.
Fujin turned to the spider and said,
"Well, let's go. Um, I'm the one who has been tasked to guide you, so yeah, just follow behind me. Um, and what should I call you? I know your mom was called Setsu, but I don't know if she gave you the same name as her."
The spider looked up at Fujin, and Fujin could sense a curious glint in its eyes.
The newly born spider looked up at Fujin and said, "I'm Kumo."
Fujin's eyes widened in surprise. "Kumo? Doesn't that mean 'cloud' in Japanese?"
SOL interrupted, "Notice, Kumo is sometimes said as Gumo, and it means 'spider' as well. It all depends on how you interpret it. Kumo can mean spider, or it can mean cloud."
Fujin smiled. "Well, Kumo, time for us to leave. I don't want to stay here any longer."
Kumo nodded, and Fujin could sense the determination in the young spider's eyes.
"Let's go, Kumo. We have a long journey ahead of us," Fujin said, his tone resolute.
Kumo scurried after Fujin, and together they set off into the unknown, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
CHAPTER END.