"Y-You want to eat me?!"
Carrot was genuinely terrified, trembling all over, her rabbit ears curling inward.
Carl narrowed his eyes and said, "As long as you behave, I won't eat you."
Wanda quickly spoke up, "Please believe me! We mean no harm. We're only here to tell you about Joy Boy!"
Carl studied Wanda and Carrot, tapping a finger on the table. Then, with a casual lift of his hand, a stream of darkness slithered like a snake from his fingertips.
In an instant, the chains binding Wanda and Carrot were swallowed by the darkness. As they instinctively moved their freed limbs, Carl's voice rang in their ears.
"Get up. Tell me about Joy Boy."
Wanda pulled the still-trembling Carrot to her feet. Carl glanced at Carrot, who was now hiding behind Wanda with only her rabbit ears peeking out. He found the sight rather amusing.
"Spicy rabbit head," he had only said it in passing. Though Carrot was a Mink, she still had a humanoid form. Anyone with a shred of sanity wouldn't actually consider eating her.
However, Wanda thought otherwise. Seeing Carl's gaze still fixed on Carrot, she feared he was seriously considering his "spicy rabbit head" comment. In desperation, she loudly declared,
"On behalf of all peace-loving Minks, I implore you, Fleet Admiral, to lead the Marines in purging the criminals on Zou!"
"Purging criminals?"
"That's right! We Minks are a peace-loving race, but half a year ago, a man named Joy Boy suddenly arrived in our homeland, Zou. Under his influence, King Pedro is preparing for war!"
"Oh? Pedro became the king of the Minks? Interesting..."
Wanda hesitated before asking, "Fleet Admiral, have you met Pedro?"
Carl responded indifferently, "I only know of him. If I had truly met him, he wouldn't have had the chance to become a king. If I'm not mistaken, that Pedro must hate me quite a bit—because I killed Nekomamushi, didn't I?"
Before Wanda could reply, Carrot, still hiding behind her, weakly confirmed,
"Yes… Nekomamushi was Pedro's most respected follower. He's held a grudge against you ever since. That's why he was so easily swayed by Joy Boy… that villain…"
Carl chuckled and began walking toward Carrot. Wanda quickly moved to block him, as if playing a game of eagle catching chicks.
Carl stopped, narrowing his eyes at Wanda. Under his intense gaze, she stiffened completely, allowing him to easily step past her and approach Carrot.
Facing Carl up close, Carrot was nearly on the verge of tears. But remembering his "spicy rabbit head" remark, she forced down her fear and lowered her head.
Her reaction piqued Carl's interest. He reached out and gently pinched one of her rabbit ears—it was warm and silky smooth.
Carrot trembled violently as if she'd been electrocuted, her cheeks turning bright red.
And in fact, she had been electrocuted. It was a reflexive response, her fur sparking with silver arcs of electricity that traveled up Carl's fingers.
However, the moment the electricity reached Carl, it was completely absorbed by an even stronger current.
Wanda's eyes widened in shock. "How is this possible?!"
Carrot, who had no idea what had just happened, only realized her body had discharged electricity when she heard Wanda's exclamation. Panic surged through her. Of course, she didn't think her electricity could harm a monster like Carl, but what if it annoyed him? What if he got angry and really turned her into a spicy rabbit head?!
As her mind spiraled with fear, Wanda spoke again, "Fleet Admiral… you can use electricity too?"
"Eh?"
Carrot blinked and looked up at Carl.
Under the astonished gazes of Wanda and Carrot, Carl suddenly became intrigued. With a mere thought, his long black hair billowed as though caught in a breeze, then instantly turned silver.
Crackle!
Silver lightning coiled around Carl's body like serpents, shrouding him in a radiant lunar glow—he had entered his Moon God Form.
The moment his transformation was complete, Wanda and Carrot felt an immense pressure emanating from their very bloodlines. Both of them collapsed to the ground.
Carl looked down at them like a deity surveying mortals. Wanda swallowed hard and stammered,
"T-This… this is the Sulong Form?! No, that's impossible! The next full moon is at least a week away…"
Carrot, on the other hand, simply stared at Carl in awe, murmuring, "So this is the Sulong Form… how beautiful…"
Unlike Wanda, who had already undergone transformation before, Carrot had always been confined indoors during full moons due to her young age, to prevent an uncontrolled transformation.
For Minks, transforming was actually quite dangerous. If they weren't of age or properly trained, they could become overly excited and exhaust themselves to death.
"Hmm?"
Carl noticed something unusual about Carrot. Her gaze was unfocused, and red light flickered in her pupils. Her fur was also starting to grow longer.
Wanda, still in shock, hadn't noticed anything odd—until Carrot suddenly let out a sharp cry. Only then did she snap back to reality.
When Wanda turned to look at Carrot, she was stunned.
Carrot's once petite body had grown taller, and her youthful face had matured. But the most striking change was her silver, lion-like mane cascading down her back, along with the fur on her tail, which had similarly fluffed out.
To Wanda, there was no doubt—Carrot had entered the Sulong Form!
Slowly, Carrot rose to her feet. Though taller, she still wasn't as tall as Carl. She lifted her gaze, and instead of fear, her eyes now held a deep sense of reliance.
Even Carl himself was surprised by her transformation. He reached out, tilting her chin up with his fingers. Carrot, in turn, rubbed her chin against his touch in a display of trust and submission.
To Wanda, the scene was oddly harmonious.
-----------
+190 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg