Epic of Caterpillar

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Continuing through our exploration, we came across a strange gathering of Ghosts, Phantoms, and Yokai-type of monsters. As we explored floor 92, we encountered several Yokai, although they were less aggressive and more playful, seeking to annoy us instead of killing us. It was rather strange, but this facilitated the hunting for them.

Yokai on this floor consisted of the previous floor's ones, the Giant Flaming Wheel, the Flesh Wall, and the occasional Jumping Umbrellas. There were evolved forms of these as well, Wa Nyudo's evolutions didn't change their names, but their bodies would turn bigger, and more demon heads would grow inside of their wheels, they would have more strength, endurance, and speed, running through the floor while trying to smash anything that came across them.

Karakasa Kozo evolutions became greater umbrellas made of a thin yet incredibly sturdy paper. They had wide giant eyes over their umbrella bodies, and bellow them, long, and incredibly strong tongues that would show up to attack and devour their prey.

Their sizes would now go over eight meters each, despite their sizes, their jumps were silent as if they weighed nothing. These beings could also manipulate their tongues more skillfully, being able to even put on a fight against Wa Nyudo's, these two beings would be seen usually fighting, although Karakasa Kozo's usually seem to be just playing around, and Wa Nyudo's are too serious of a monster to realize their enemy's intentions.

Small white cats with red, orange and black tattoos would show up from time to time, these beings were named Kashas and were another type of Yokai, these flaming cats, although small, would burst from their positions with their fire, launching themselves at incredible speeds to surprise their preys, which usually are young Karakasa Kozos.

Kashas have amazing manipulation over the Fire Attribute, but also seem to be related to Phantoms, similar to the Phantom Foxes, now I wonder if those foxes were a family of Yokai as well? Their status screen didn't say so, though.

Talking about cats, Yokai named Nekomatas would show up as well, these monsters were similar to Cat Sith, and also seemed to be related to Kashas in some ways, however, Nekomatas were way more playful, and liked to attack with Shadow and Dark Magic, their sizes were small, not even over thirty centimeters tall, but they were able to walk in two legs, their bodies were usually dark-colored, with a small star-shaped tattoo in their foreheads, they were rather rare, so eating a bunch to gain a Skill wasn't doable.

[Calculating EXP gained…]

[Kireina] gained 586.990.600 EXP]

[LEVEL 048/250 EXP 1.899.802.221/3.000.000.000 EXP]

[Kireina] learned the following Skills]

[Never-Ending Hell Flames of the Blaze Cat]

[Phantasmal Conjuration; Spectral Umbrella Parade]

After killing a bunch of these playful get a strong type of monsters, we came across to what seemed to be a… village?

Indeed, it was that, a Yokai Village… The place was rather lively despite it being surrounded by an eerie and misty dungeon, there were several torches around the island, illuminating it from the outside while making the mist not cover that zone entirely. There were long rock walls around as well, and only one closed door made of what seemed to be bones. Two Colossal monsters guarded the door.

They were giant muscular beings, towering over twelve meters each, the one in the left had blue-colored skin, with an angry face, and two fangs coming from its lower jaw, its eyes were red and it had a long white horn on its forehead, with black hair reaching its back, it seemed muscular, but it had a long belly as well. The one in the right was exactly the same as this guy, but he was red-colored. The two were wearing the skin and fur of Nekomata and Kasha while holding massive rock maces.

Although I could just kill them easily, raid the village and eat everything inside in less than a minute, I was curious about their reasons to be here, and instead of the approach that I did with Nefertiti's city, I wanted to be more casual and friendly, Nefertiti's case started the moment they attacked us, but no one seems to have detected us yet, wanting to skin us alive or something.

As we approached the giant Onis, Oga, immediately recognized them as the Giant Mountain Onis from the Lower Realm. Talking about Oga, she had recognized some Yokai as well, these things live in the Lower Realm, it seems.

"Master Kireina, let me handle this, I think they can recognize my race and let us enter!"

Seeing why shouldn't I let her do that, I nodded in affirmation.

"Sure, don't disappoint me"

"I got this!"

Oga then ran towards the two Giant Onis, who overlooked her from above, with menacing glares…

"Halt! Who are you, Fire Oni woman!" (Red Mountain Oni)

"…" (Blue Mountain Oni)

Oga approached them with a confident grin.

"You don't' recognize me? I am the Fire Oni Chief Daughter, Oga! The strongest Fire Oni, blessed by the Demi-God of Heat!"

"Oh?" (Red Mountain Oni)

"…" (Blue Mountain Oni)

The Red Oni then talked to the Blue Oni, whispering to his ears, I could clearly hear what he was saying, however.

"She must be crazy… I bet she got lost inside of the Dungeon and has been insane since then…"

The Blue Oni nodded with an understanding look.

"True… But, she's cute… Look, she also came with a whole party of misfits, there are plenty of cute girls there as well, even a fairy…"

"Ah! That's true, I've never seen a fairy in person before… She is really enchanting…"

"We should let them enter, and then report to the King's guards about them, I'm sure he will find some new concubines…"

It seems that my charming effect is affecting them even from this distance, just by glaring at me, they immediately find me attractive and enchanting… Also, who is this King? And Concubines? Don't make me laugh…

The Red Oni then nodded, with a determined look.

"Hm, alright, you can enter… Your party there is quite big… We need to check them out first, but they should also be able to enter, some are pretty strong, but no one seems to have bad intentions, our [Death Presence] would be able to tell already…"

"…"

The Blue Oni seemed very talkative, but only with the Red Oni, he's silent with us, only looking at us with a serious expression.

Seeing the big news, Oga ran towards me, thinking that she was the one who managed to let us in, but in fact, it was her beauty and that of my wives and myself, and perhaps some of my daughters.

"Master Kireina, I did it! I told ya! Onis can immediately tell who I am!"

"Good job, Oga"

I patted Oga's head, which made her blush immediately, her Fire Oni companions saw her once again letting her guard down against my caressing. Oga couldn't directly stop me, so I patted her white hair to my heart's content, it was rather hard, though, but her expression was worth it.

After Oga and her group passed through the door made of countless bones, the Red and Blue Onis stopped us and began to inspect us, most likely with some skill similar to [Appraisal]. I wonder how did these intelligent monsters come to live here. I could immediately tell that their version of [Appraisal] was inferior, as the small Illusion Thread Fabric that I put over my family didn't let them discern the truth about our stats and skills, only showing fake, weak status.

"You guys are decently strong… You can pass, make sure to not make a fuss because you're from rarer races… We don't see Fairies or Cyclops here too often, well, we have never seen them before…"

"…"

The Red Oni did all the talk, while the Blue Oni only overlooked at us. Is he shy?

Anyways, we managed to get in without any troubles, it seems that being so aggressive all the time is not necessary? Still, I spread my Scarlet Phantom Foxes Clones all around the moment we entered. I also felt a powerful magic shield protecting the village, it was very thin, almost indecipherable, but it was there. Its power originated from the giant Japanese-like building at the center of the village, was a strong presence resided. This power must be the "King".

The whole Yokai Village was made out of Japanese-like infrastructure and buildings. There were small houses made out of bricks from the dungeon, and others made out of bones. But they were so flawlessly made that even if they were made of these rough materials, they looked very refined as if they were part of the Azuma Empire.

Most of the buildings were the houses of Yokai families, and others were shops, restaurants, and places were they butcher hunted beasts and sell the pelts or materials. There was even a small auction house… They were rather advanced for just being monsters found inside a dungeon.

The Yokai's living in this village, that could be called a small city, were several types of intelligent races of Yokai, there were Ghosts types as well, like Yuki-Onnas, Yurei, Tamamo No Mae, and some other species that I couldn't recognize…

Like a small pale child that had a very calming yet eerie aura named Zashiki Warashi, beautiful women and handsome men that seemed human at first glance, but had long necks named Rokurokubi, weasel beastfolk with humanoid appearances but weasel-like features like ears, tails, and hair, who also had long blades growing from their wrists named Kamaitachi…

White Lamias, with incredibly pale white skin, white hair and white snake tails, wearing beautiful kimono and having small ghosts and phantoms around them named Shirohebi, these lamias resembled my Amiphossia a lot, but they were Yokai.

Onis with massive heads, which seemed to be their whole bodies, angry expressions and long tongues named Tsurube Otoshi and plenty of other beings, like the umbrellas from before, but they were greatly evolved versions, having now a humanoid body holding the main umbrella body, they usually had the appearance of beautiful women and handsome males.

The incredible variety of Yokai in this place had taken me aback, and by seeing so many having similar features than demi-human on the surface, I wondered why they weren't on the surface instead. I do remember seeing beings like these in Azuma Empire through my Slime Clones eyes, but not as many. And all of it is protected by the "King". Who is this King?

With my family and Oga's group, we relaxed for a bit as we explored the village to our heart's content, the restaurant was incredibly varied for a village in the middle of a dungeon, they even sold noodles and Ramen.

By using my charm, I managed to get some of the recipes from the chefs making the ramen, a small, old man, who had eyes on his hands and seemed to be a Yokai species named Tenome, said that they do the noodles with a flour made by smashing the bones of Nekomata and Kasha, adding some water, a surprisingly delicious dough would be made, which was then converted into noodles and boiled.

They also had other types of meat than Nekomata and Kasha, but these were usually the most common, and cheap as well, it was also delicious when cooked just right and by using the special sauces they had created by fermenting the Necro Plants that grow in these floors, the preparations were delicacies.

Although the village was big, they didn't have cattle, and consisted on only hunting for food, as the monsters were plenty everywhere, also, killing monsters inside of dungeons would net more than just their meat, sometimes equipment, minerals, gemstones, and potions would drop, which these Yokai would use for other necessities, like needing metal to make better weapons or houses using these dropped equipment and minerals, using potions as medicine if needed, and so on.

There was a big shop where a talented group of beautiful Arachne-like Yokai named Jorogumo would sew beautiful clothes, we ended up buying several kimonos and Japanese-like attires that we have never seen elsewhere, even in my Kingdom.

In the middle of our shopping, we were interrupted by a group of Yokai wearing armors, most of them were Oni and beastfolk of various sizes and colors, some were even turtle beastfolk. The guards announced that the Yokai King called for a meeting with all of our party. Seeing no problem in seeing this Yokai King in person, I didn't oppose the guards as we slowly walked towards the big building in the middle of the village.

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