Part 25: The Egg Hunt (2)

Before we begin, I forgot to bring up one more enemy from the forest, since it's pretty rare, the Black Beanling.



You may remember me mentioning a similar bean enemy in Chapter 1 that shows up rarely, and this guy's pretty much the same gimmick. It's kinda powerful and rarely spawns, but also gives a ton of EXP.



Also, this.





We're done with side stuff. Let's get to actually advancing the plot instead.



After we spend our newly-earned money on bracelet upgrades for our non-dog party members.



Going north from the cave with the mole salesman, we've got some new enemies.







I'll talk about the other enemy in a bit. The Parental Kangashark isn't that exciting, though. It only did moderate damage and doesn't take hits well, plus it's susceptible to crying and PK Freeze.



Next up, there's this enemy that's pretty easy to get a drop on.





...and that's why.





It'll basically do a good amount of damage to one or more characters with its backside, so getting the drop on it will backfire. Except it doesn't really seem to matter much.







If you face it from the front, it'll turn around anyway and just attack you that same turn. It's weak to freeze, at least.









Once you hit this part, Boney will finally realize he doesn't need his disguise anymore and goes back to being a normal dog.

Yes, Boney exists and is a party member. It's understandable that you'd probably forgotten that by now.





...But...





Were there this many last time...?



Can't argue with that logic.





The third and last enemy in this area is the Reconstructed Lion.



Naturally, it breathes fire. It can also lower offense with its war cry and bite you. Otherwise, it's weak to sleep and thunder attacks. It's also unnerving the more you think about how they made this thing.



There are a bunch of holes, but all but one lead to the same area. We can also access it by just going down this path.





So, there are a bunch of moles down here.





This hole is so much greater than it was three years ago. It's incredible, actually! So it's only natural for people to get lost in here. Hahahahaha! But, yeah, everyone's workin' so hard. This hole's gonna get more and more complex! May the ground everywhere become a complex hole!



It's also tiring! But it's so much fun! May the ground everywhere become a hole!



Something called "Omelets" appeared to me in a dream. But what is this so-called "Omelets"? Do you know? Our world is really small, so there's a lot we don't know about. Omelets... I dunno why, but that kind of excites me. Hehehe.



Honestly, now! I just stepped on some sunglasses! Why doesn't anyone ever tidy things up like they should?! I've even tripped on helmets before! Because no one ever puts anything away like they should! Honestly, now! Moles these days!



While navigating the tunnel, Kumatora picks up Hypnosis, another useful way to inflict Sleep.



In actuality, mole tunnels are more than just places to live; they also serve as traps intended to confuse and capture food, such as insects. In other words, the moles' tunnels also act as literal dungeons. Moreover, large-scale tunnels over 100 meters in length are not at all uncommon. If you ever get the opportunity, you should take some time out to watch moles in action.

Educational!



I dunno, I don't see why it's so important to fill the ground with holes. Why can't the ground just stay as ground, and holes stay as holes? I think ground and holes can exist side-by-side. That's why I'm not digging and saying, "*dig* *dig* *dig*" constantly.



There's another Capricorn Bracelet, which I already have, and a Pencil Rocket, which is a powerful explosive item. Boney is the item specialist since he can't do anything else interesting, so it goes to him.





To actually advance, we need to go down the southwestern most hole.



Eh? Sunny? What's sunny like again? Oh, it's cloudy, then? Ah, cloudy! Wow... that's so incredible. Sunny! Oh! Cloudy!



Hey, let's play a game. Try to guess the word I'm thinking of, okay? I'm thinking of a word that starts with an "m" and rhymes with "hole". ...Wait, that's too easy! Okay, let's do a do-over, then. The new word I'm thinking of starts with an "h" and rhymes with "mole". ...Okay, never mind. I'm not very good at this game. Break time's over! Time to get back to work!



Once upon a time, there was a lazy mole who lived in a hole. This mole would never, ever dig on his own. Instead, he would stand by holes that others dug and say, "*dig* *dig* *dig* *dig*." What happened to that mole, you ask? No, uhh, I don't know this story very well. Let's see... And he lived happily ever after.

What a lovely story.







It's not a long path to get here.



And with that, we reach our destination!



I hid the egg inside that mud figure.







What bad timing.

Duster! Are you okay?!
Yeah... I-I'm fine... Was that lightning just now?! Whew, that was close...!



Looks like that lightning might've done something to the clayman.



It took off with the egg!
We gotta go after it!

The chase is on!







Yeah, I can see the peace and love in that thing.



I wonder what it's here for...



Anyways, never mind this crap! We hafta catch that thing, quick!



Along the way, we pick up a Secret Herb, an item that cures any status effect, including even incapacitation.



And this box has a magic butterfly. Ah.



The path leads us to another Pigmask facility.





One sells Pork Noodles and various status effect heals, including Secret Herbs (at a costly price, of course). The other one sells the same stuff the mole did earlier.





Anyway, guess we're gonna have to bust some heads.



No, I leave it on. Why? Do you take yours off? You go through all that trouble? In the bathroom? And then you go through all the trouble of putting it back on when you're done?
Yeah, I go through the trouble. I mean, there IS a place in there to hang your mask and all.
Man, you're dumb! That's not for you to hang your mask! That's where you hang bags and umbrellas and stuff like that!
...Oh. I always thought it was for masks. So THAT'S why it's always been so hard to hang my mask there...



Ahh! He's...!







Please forgive my rudeness!



Here, I'll prepare a change of clothes for you. Please put them on right away, sir. Likewise for the folks accompanying you, too.



All right. That's better. Well, I had better return to my duties!

Hmm.



Now let's go find that thing before they figure out who we are.

So a case of mistaken identity has the entire facility thinking we're a commander. Might as well make the most of it!





You're frogiven.

Eeep! I-I'm very sorry, sir!



H-h-here is a present from the bottom of my heart, sir. I...I had always wanted to do this for you! Not for any weird reason, though! It's strictly in a friend sense!



Pretty nice gift.



Though not as nice as the gift of friendship.



Can't backtrack any more because of these two chuckleheads.



Basically, we mix this weird stuff in with clay, and when an electric shock is applied to a lump of it, it starts moving around. ...Does that help explain it any? Well, to be honest, I don't really understand how it works, either.

If left alone, that berserk Clayman'll probably run into a tree and fall apart or something, so I dunno, maybe you should just let it go?

Claymen are made out of ordinary clay, so we can recycle them over and over. They guy who thought up this system sure is smart! What was his name again...?



Uh...











Zzz...



Welp.

When Claymen break down or malfunction, they take themselves to the garbage area. Talk about convenient.

Oh, hello, Commander. What's that? You're looking for a Clayman? Huh? A Clayman that's gone haywire? Come now, Commander. I know there's no need for me to say this, but our production development is flawless! We've never made anything that might go berserk or malfunction! No-siree!

I just saw an out-of-control Clayman run out the back door. If you're looking for it, you better hurry before it gets stuffed inside a garbage truck and taken to the dump. Still, what in the world did you hide in it? It must've been something crazy to get you in such a tizzy. Oh? You can't say? It must be something embarrassing then, huh?



When Claymen break, they climb into garbage trucks to get taken to the trash dump. Yup. When I think about that...it makes me feel kinda sad. Yup.









Next time, the chase continues!