Monster mushroom / 化けキノコ

(Note: Some of this content is a translation of text originally written by jkeabsj.)

Monster mushroom is a magical creature, a type of myconid with spores that cause rapid growth of living things. It can be found in the forests of magic communities such as Onyx Cliff and Northampton.

Of all the magical creatures in the forest, the chance of encountering these are rare, and their ability to fight is nothing compared to others. However, they are carnivorous so they are still a threat to people, and most troublesome of all is the fact that they can make others growth with their spores.

What’s more, unless someone possesses unusual abilities, it is impossible to interrupt the transformation. Although it’s strange to have such an effect, there is a reason behind it.

Its ancestors previously acquired this ability in order to obtain powerful bodyguards, but before long it worked as a smokescreen, and as a result of evolution that prioritized escaping it also functioned as an aphrodisiac.

For reference, the corresponding changes to each target are as follows:

As a side note, these monster mushrooms are surprisingly tasty and are said to be invigorating. However, eating too many can cause side effects such as: