Epic of Caterpillar

"I would prefer not to…" I said.

I spoke with Shub-Niggurath as if we were good friends already, but I was in fact very wary of her. She was too mysterious, and her intentions were unclear to me. She seemed to just want entertainment, but you never know what Outer gods want or not, you never are enough careful.

Although my family seemed to be relaxing and eating some picnic, they were also in high alert, Rimuru had generated a strong barrier around everyone by merely being there, so I was reassured that things should be handled by her… Bubu, Azure, and Nova were also with them, so they can offer backup if this giant tree decides to gobble us up.

"What are your true intentions?" I asked.

"Amusement. I am bored." She said.

She didn\'t seme to lie, she spoke very plainly and… honestly.

I don\'t like this a single bit, but she\'s my ticket to learning more about these mysterious Outer God and what the heck they\'re up to with their shenanigans. I know they\'re bizarre and ugly guys, but there\'s no way they live this long while doing absolutely nothing, right?

I want to learn more about them, and what strange things they\'re up to, even if it means asking a bit… too much than what I should ask. Maybe I am exceeding my own limits by asking this much, but I honestly couldn\'t care less. I will ask away.

"Why are you letting me ask whatever I want? Do you have ulterior motives with me? Do you want me join your faction or something? Are you colluding with someone? Why are you in hell? Do you know Lucifer?" I asked.

"So many questions! One at a time, please~" she said.

"…Why are you letting me ask whatever I want?" I asked.

"That\'s already said, because I want to, and I am bored." She said.

"…"

"Hm?"

"…Do you have ulterior motives with me?" I asked.

"I would be lying if I said that I didn\'t~ fear not, its nothing… too bad." She said.

I knew it, this fucking eldritch bitch has something planned with me!

Should I get out of here…?

…

"Do you want me join your faction or something?" I asked.

"Hm~? Do you want to?" she asked.

"…No." I said.

"Then don\'t join." She said relaxedly.

"Are you colluding with someone?" I asked.

"Many." She said.

"How many?" I asked.

"As many as I want." She said.

"That doesn\'t tell me much, you\'re evading certain questions at the end." I said.

"Of course, I want to talk to you but you\'re just asking away things I wouldn\'t want to talk with you… yet~" she said, her tentacles wiggling around. Her jaws began to drool…

"Why are you drooling? Do you want to eat me or something?" I asked while raising an eyebrow.

"I would be lying if I said you didn\'t looked tasty! I cannot even fathom the taste that it would be to eat the flesh and soul of a Chaos Primordial Child!" she said.

"I see… Are you just interested in this from me?" I asked.

"There isn\'t anything else you can pay me with that would be of any value to me." She said.

She trapped me. I knew it. Now, I am indebted to her, and I must pay with flesh and soul.

I should had just escaped…

Wait, not really.

"Why are you in hell?" I asked.

"Still asking more? I will grow hungrier as you ask more, but fine, I shall answer you… Hmmm… Ahh… Yes, I am in hell for a reason~ To look over. You see… we have to spread our influence and our manifestation everywhere we can, that\'s how we, Outer gods, work." She said.

"Do you know Lucifer?"

"Yes! I do! I know him, I know the Prideful and Arrogant Lucifer. I wouldn\'t say he is a friends, but an acquittance… The Child of God who betrayed him, such a poetic thing!" she said.

"Is he colluding with you or the Outer Gods?" I asked.

"Fufu… I am growing hungry now… And yes, he is!" she said.

"How hungry are you now?" I asked.

"A lot!" she said.

"You\'re a very disgusting bitch, you know? Did you made me ask you stuff so I would end up somewhat forced to "pay something" for you? Indebted?" I asked

"Yes!" she said.

"You\'re really honest, but I guess you\'re losing your temper over the hunger. Here, have a snack." I said.

I expanded a large chunk of flesh, the size of a mountain, alongside a piece of my soul too, which regrew almost instantly.

She ate it all in an instant, laughing maliciously.

"Hahahaha! Aaaaaahhhh! You\'re good! You can do such a thing?! Oh by the void! You\'re like an endless supply of tasty food!" she said.

"You\'re gluttonous… Hey, let\'s make a deal. There\'s way more from where that came from. Cooperate with me and become my permanent informant." I said.

"…Oho~? You\'re getting bolder now! Hahaha!" she laughed.

"I kind of already figured you out." I said.

"…Hm? How so?" she asked.

"If you keep asking me things you\'ll be indebted." I said.

"Ah…! S-So that\'s how it is… You\'re playing the same game…" she said.

"Maybe, maybe not?" I said.

"…Now I realize how frustrating this feels. Fine, let\'s do a little pact, why not? I don\'t think I can go back to eating whatever I ate before…" she said.

"So you\'re answering my questions now, right?" I asked.

"Yes, that was one question, hungry meter is going up a bit." she said while giggling.

"You\'re a tricky one… Fine. Tell me, Shub-Niggurath… Why do I get your Outer Gods names in my Skills?" I asked.

"Hm? That\'s… rather peculiar." She said.