They Wanted a Hero. They Made a Monster: Born at the Bottom
Copyright© 2026 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 63: Big, Black, and Burly
“Not that! A person! You’re supposed to look like him!”
Using a Puffcap’s tendril, Evan pointed at the astonished Dylan.
In front of Dylan stood an oversized Puffcap covered in thick black scales, with two arms and a hyphal tail trailing behind it.
Its wings seemed to have been swallowed by the plump body. This Puffcap was considerably fatter than Sable had been in her original form.
Damn it!
Why had she used Mimicry to become a Puffcap?
What had Evan spent all that mana for?
Then again, Mimicry had achieved a little of what he wanted.
At least adventurers would not know there was a Dragonkin on the Fifth Stratum. They would merely see one extremely conspicuous, oversized, jet-black Puffcap.
Extremely conspicuous compared with other Puffcaps, that was.
Why was she black in the first place?
She should have been able to change color!
Did she have any idea how to use this skill?
Would adventurers mistake her for an elite monster and come looking for a fight?
That would make conflict even more likely!
Evan tried one more time.
A mycelial tendril reached toward Dylan, their involuntary model, and stretched his cheek outward.
“Sable, look closely. Use Mimicry to become this!”
At LV4, Mimicry was no longer limited to changing color and smoothing away wrinkles. It could alter the user’s physical shape to a degree without changing their Stats.
That was how Sable had transformed into a peculiar Puffcap with a tail.
Returning to her previous form was equally difficult.
“Mmm...”
After a series of clumsy attempts, Sable not only failed to become humanoid, but somehow turned herself into a misshapen lump of coal.
At that moment, a thought suddenly struck Evan.
Was Mimicry tied to Intelligence?
Damn it!
Now that he considered it, the possibility seemed very real.
With a sigh, Evan gave up for the time being and told her to return to Puffcap form.
Fine.
It was better than walking around in the shape of a Dragonkin.
A little better.
Sigh.
Why did every day bring a new problem?
Sable was already growing impatient, desperate to go out and wander. Evan could only keep his promise, though he repeatedly warned her not to attack humans first.
“Green ones okay?”
“Green ones? Uh ... I suppose so.”
Evan watched the jet-black Big Al walk away, leaving deep prints with every step. She was plainly much heavier than an ordinary Puffcap, and he still felt uneasy.
Before, the dungeon had been empty and Sable could play however she liked. Now that was no longer the case.
Under Evan’s control, two Puffcaps hurried after her.
One large and two small. They truly resembled an elite monster with a pair of minions.
Dylan remained alone in the clearing. Everyone else had left.
He considered returning to sleep, but no longer felt tired.
He was supposedly on holiday, yet something had felt wrong the whole time.
After thinking it over, he realized what was missing.
Ale!
Dylan requested permission to leave through the Mycelial Network, then gathered his equipment, including the Phantom Cloak the Boss had just given him.
He decided to visit the Bent Willow Tavern and buy an entire barrel from Cole to bring back.
While there, he should also tell Cole about being hunted by Demonkind.
No matter how Dylan considered the matter, the blame could not possibly fall on him. If word had leaked, then the problem lay on Cole’s end.
Dylan had nearly died. He ought to demand compensation.
“Oh, right. Dylan, send this for me.”
Evan’s voice suddenly came through the Mycelial Network. A Puffcap ran over carrying a letter and an S-grade Mana Crystal.
Dylan knew the letter. He had written it earlier at the Boss’s dictation. It asked Lady Elara to help investigate information about dungeons.
Only the gods knew how the Boss had become acquainted with the duke’s daughter.
Dylan had heard that Lady Elara had once been trapped in the dungeon for some time. He privately suspected the connection had begun there.
As for the Mana Crystal...
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.