VS The Park's Crisis, Part 3
"Huh—… Even now I can't believe it desu… That we could speak with Moose-sama despite her being far away in the library." While everyone was sitting around Boss speechless, words escaped Porcupine's lips as she had a dreamy-like expression and looked outward.
"It's strange. Just what is happening?"
"Boss… Is an amazing one…"
Black Bear and Chameleon stared at Boss with great interest. The heavy atmosphere that weighed down on everyone had been lifted, and before anyone had realized, they had a moment for idle talk. The conversation with their trusted leaders turned out very helpful for them.
"Alright! Let's treat ourselves to some Japari Buns so we'll be in good shape if something were to happen!"
"Just make sure that they're properly wrapped~"
Arabian Oryx and Giant Armadillo got up to search for Japari Buns. Everyone started standing up as well, with the exception of Shoebill, who didn't move.
"…? What's the matter, Shoebill?"
Finding it strange, White Rhinoceros called out to her, but Shoebill just stared at one point in space and didn't move. Reflexively, White Rhinoceros followed her sight. Then, she froze.
"…Say…"
Noticing them like that, one by one, everyone saw "it". Why haven't they noticed "it" before? Since when had "something like that" sprung up?
"…What… Is that…?"
…
"With that, we were able to inform everyone at the Plains Area about the Instinctive Frenzy."
"We were also able to confirm that they're safe."
Seeing Kaban and African Wild Dog smile made Moose and Lion grin with a peace of mind.
"As I've expected of our subordinates!"
"I'm so relieved that I can now face the Park's incident." Lion bared her fangs, balling her fist. "Now then, just what in the world could the culprit behind this mess be?" Complaining in a threatening tone, Lion turned her piercing gaze towards Professor. She had to hear the rest of the story that she had missed out on.
"—We have yet to arrive at a conclusion as to who it is… However, thanks to Bosses, we were able to confirm some things. For now, I'll explain what we found out step-by-step."
After Professor handed out Japari Buns, since, as she said, it'll take a long time so it's better to have something to eat, everyone sat down in chairs or on the floor.
[First of all, let us reiterate on the Amulet Stones.] Taking over from Professor, Boss began its explanation. [Currently, the atmosphere is contaminated with a large amount of Sandstar Raw particles. You already understand how after receiving an external wound, it will enter your body together with regular Sandstar, correct?]
After everyone nodded their heads, Professor picked up from there.
"Once a certain dosage of Sandstar Raw enters a Friend's body, the slumbering instinct of their original form will awaken. Amulet Stones absorb mostly the active Sandstar Raw."
[It should be noted that as far as Celliens are concerned, this active Sandstar Raw will bolster their bodies.]
"Arai-san, got all that~?"
"D-Don't take Arai-san for an idiot noda! Arai-san got it… She thinks nanoda! Maybe!"
Seeing Raccoon make a scowl, Fennec called out to her to make sure she understands what's being said. Next to the flustered Raccoon sat Serval, who restlessly twitched her ears, making Kaban consider giving her a simplified explanation.
"Of course, even though the stones prioritize siphoning the activated Sandstar Raw, leaving the stone in the open for no reason will have it absorb a little bit of it from the atmosphere. By tightly wrapping it and denying it that tiny absorption will lengthen its lifespan."
[Be careful when using the Amulet Stones. After all, it is a lifeline for all of you.]
Professor produced Amulet Stones from her nearly empty stock and handed them to Lion and Moose. At that moment, Gray Wolf politely interjected.
"Surely, you've come up with a way of acquiring those stones, right? If so, then we could track down some Celliens and pluck their stones out to restock, and even if one were to transform into a Cellien, then we could just pluck the stone out again and reuse it." Hearing Gray Wolf's proposal, Professor regrettably bit her lips.
"While it is true that I did, in fact, come up with a way of removing the stones after trial and error, but…"
Professor retrieved a book from a shelf. As opposed to other books in her collection, this thin one had a hand-made feel to it.
Professor handed the book to Kaban who, after opening it, bare witness to worn-out poorly-made drawings.
"Just like the Human 'professors' and 'researchers' would make 'reports' of their research, we made reports of our own."
"This is incredible…!"
"Well, I do have my critiques regarding your drawing skills." Hearing Wolf's straightforward remark, Professor putted and told her to shut up.
"Well, if you have that and you can pluck those stones out, then what's the issue?" Lion tilted her head, at which Professor unusually lowered her eyes.
"The process of removing the stones is quite complex, and the possibility of failure is—" Professor sighed, after which she raised her head. "—In fact, I myself have barely ever succeeded in it."
"Huh!?"
Next to Serval who raised her voice in astonishment, Kaban was mulling it over, having realized why Professor wasn't satisfied with Wolf's proposal.
"Then… You mean—"
"…Removing the stones was actually Assistant's forte… Thanks to Assistant's efficiency, I was able to focus on my research…"
Assistant, their last ray of hope, had already fallen into a frenzy. Even if they were to go to catch her, trying to track her down when they don't know how she'd behave would be extremely difficult. Kaban carefully observed the crude schematics drawn by Professor. As it turned out, the process was very complex.
"Huh… This really is complicated. No way I could do that."
"I could never remember all of that. I'll probably destroy the stone half-way through."
Lion and Wolf let out bemoaning mutters. Serval, who peeked at those drawings, turned to Kaban with a hopeful gaze.
"Surely, if it comes to you, Kaban-chan, you can remember it all, right?"
"Huh, Me? Well… Even if I could memorize it, I do not have the claws to cut the stone off of a Cellien, and even if I did, I'll just get too scared, so I can't. I'll freeze up from fright, I believe."
"I see… So not even Kaban-chan could do it…"
Kaban, with a bitter smile on her face, grabbed Serval's hands.
"In any case, there's nothing we can do about our current stone count, as you see. As I've said before, even if you aren't injured, you still intake a little bit of Sandstar Raw via breathing or eating, and even if you do cover your wound, it still won't fully protect you."
[Routine cleansing is required. Take care with that.]
[You have to resolve this disaster before you run out of stones.]
Boss and Number 2 spoke in unison as they looked up to Professor putting away the report. As if being reminded of something, Kaban spoke up to Professor.
"What happened to that Amulet Stone that I've attached to that collar?"
Professor twitched at those words, and quickly brought out a somewhat large box that had been tucked away in the corner.
"What I'm about to explain is the next biggest fact that has come to light. Quite possibly, it could tie into the culprit."
"Tie into… The culprit…!?"
Professor nodded her head at Kaban's murmur and glanced towards Boss. Boss turned around as if surveying everyone in the room, and began speaking while standing at its tiptoes.
[The Sandstar Raw responsible for Instinctive Frenzy differs from the one that has been observed in nature up till now. In a way, you could see it as a {subspecies} of Sandstar Raw.]
"Subspecies…?" Moose furrowed her eyebrows, not understanding it.
Professor filled in the blank.
"It is Sandstar Raw, but at the same time, it's not… To put it in another way, due to some sort of change, it became something completely else. In the first place, Sandstar Raw is the source of Celliens, and originally had no bearing on Friends. But despite that, currently, if it enters your body, that'll be a cause for concern."
[It is unknown to what extent the mutation had proceeded, but the thing that is saturating the atmosphere on the island is unmistakably mutated Sanstar Raw.]
Organizing all of this information in her head, Kaban began to speak.
"So, due to an unknown factor, the Sandstar Raw which originally had no effect on Friends underwent some sort of change, and became a new type of Sandstar Raw which induces Instinctive Frenzy."
"And what could that "unknown factor" be? We don't know if it was something from the mountain, or perhaps due to something else, but—" Professor opened the box and retrieved a small basket-like, or rather cage-like, object. "This mutated Sandstar Raw is clearly something that will bring upon a great disaster."
Inside of that small cage a tiny Cellien had been locked up.
"UWAAAAAAH! I-It's a Cellien nanoda!"
"Hold on… That's…"
Raccoon and Fennec, who had backed away from the cage out of fear, shakily leaned forward to make sure what it was. Kaban was also fascinated by the Cellien. The Cellien locked up in the cage resembled the cerulean Cellien that she had come across back in the Savanna Area as her first encounter with Celliens. The big difference between the two was that this specimen was pitch black in color.
Unfitting for its tiny body, however, was the distorted arm with glinting claws.
[Khi…] The Cellien shifted its large eye, surveying the Friends gathered around. [KHIIIIIIIIIIIII!]
It let out a grating screech and, brandishing its claws, swung its arm. It didn't break the iron cage, but here and there scratch marks have formed. While everyone was frozen on the spot, Professor put the box, which had previously held the cage, over it, shutting it away.
"Last night, after it's been used to siphon Sandstar Raw out of Moose's body, the stone had begun transforming into a Cellien. I put it in a cage to see what will happen, and this thing came to be."
Moose looked at the box while rubbing her wound through the bandages.
"So that's how it was, huh…? I almost lost my consciousness afterwards, so I didn't notice it…"
"It's only reasonable. You were very fatigued, and your wound was serious too. I'm amazed that you were able to stand the stone's siphoning like that."
African Wild Dog gulped and opened her mouth to speak.
"…I've exterminated many different Celliens up to this point, but this the first time I've ever seen such a heinous one…"
[Celliens that have absorbed this mutated Sandstar Raw seem to become extremely belligerent.]
[It appears that the mutated Sandstar Raw turns Celliens and Friends alike into ferocious beasts.]
Serval's tail quivered at the Bosses' words.
"Hold on… Wouldn't this mean that lots of this sort of Celliens have been born in other areas throughout the Park…?" Serval inquired Professor with an expression that, in a way, seemed like she wanted to be denied the answer.
Professor, casting her eyes down, took in a long, heavy breath, and lightly nodded her head.
"—Probably."
Raccoon, with a ghastly pale face, sank down to the floor.
"Arai-san… Feels horrible noda…"
Kaban tightly grasped her trembling hand with the other.
Frenzied Friends. Brutal Celliens. They have to find out the cause behind the mutation of Sandstar Raw as soon as possible. The amount of places in which Friends that haven't fallen into Instinctive Frenzy can take refuge in is gradually decreasing. Just as the atmosphere within the Library was becoming more chilling and heavier…
"PROFESSOOOOOOR! ASSISTAAAAAANT! THERE'S AN EMERGENCYYYYY!" For some reason, a laid-back scream resounded.
—More importantly, it was coming from the giant hole.
Hello, this is PoGu. Apologies for the wait. For this chapter, I did something special. That being, an interview with Okami, the writer of this series. You can find it below.
Q1: Who're your favorite Friends?
A: My favorite Friends are Alpaca, Serval, African Wild Dog, and Kaban-chan.
Q2: What is it that you like about them?
A: Alpaca is a character that made me like Kemono Friends even more when I first saw her in the anime because of her unique and interesting voice acting. Serval and African Wild Dog are my preferred character designs. As for African Wild Dog, I realized how good she was while I was writing the novel, and I liked her even more. Kaban-chan is irreplaceable to me because of her design, personality, voice, and abilities, all of which are very appealing.
Q3: What about coupling? What pairings do you like the most?
A: I do not willingly write novels with strong coupling elements, but I like to read them. I love the savanna duo.
Q4: Were you introduced to KemoFure by the anime, or did you manage to play the original Nexon game?
A: I knew about the game, but at the time I was someone who did not play online games. It was the anime that got me hooked.
Q5: What inspired you to write Kemono's Instinct?
A: When I finished watching the last episode of the anime, I strongly thought, "I want to create with this work!". Then, I decided that I wanted to make "I don't mind being eaten" a reversal of "Please don't eat me!" which was a typical line from the anime, into an important line.
Q6: From what has been translated so far, which parts were your favorite to write?
A: The "VS Lion" chapters were still very pleasant to write. Personally, "VS Eurasian Eagle-Owl, Part 2" is also my favorite because it is the pivotal point of this story.
Q7: What about the characters, who were your favorites to work with?
A: As I mentioned in my previous answer, African Wild Dog is my favorite because she is a character that has grown so much in this work, with more opportunities than I had originally planned.
Q8: How do you feel about your fanwork becoming this popular? It's big enough to get its own fan content, after all. (That's how I even found out about the series in the first place)
A: I am glad that this work resonated with people and that they could enjoy like that, even though it was a work that I filled with elements I liked and did as much as I wanted. I think this is also because the characters and setting of the anime Kemono Friends were so appealing.
Q9: Admittedly, this next one will be a little vain of me. How do you like the translation so far?
A: I am very happy with the translation so far, it is perfect. I think my peculiar wording and the tone of voice of Lucky Beast have made the translation very difficult, but I am very impressed that you have properly expressed it in English.
Q10: Is there anything you'd like to say to the overseas readers?
A: I am very happy that the story was able to be enjoyed by people overseas who were interested in this work through YouTube videos and other media. I hope that I can convey the charm of the Friends to everyone, even if only a little.
In other news, I'll be changing how the narrator refers to our beloved Arai-san to what it should've been from the start, that being just "Raccoon". Applied retroactively.
Anyway, since FF doesn't like any kind of link anywhere, I'll instead leave directions on how to find the original work.
First method is to search for "「けもの」の本能" and find the link that leads you to a Japanese site called "kakuyomu".
Alternatively, you can go to the kakuyomu site and add "/works/1177354054882921926" to the domain.