Hatching Cocoon

Well...

Grandpa and Cthulhu continued discussing the details nearby, while Morty crouched beside the cabin like a man battered by the wind, speechlessly looking up at the gray sky.

It was now confirmed that Grandpa had gone after Cthylla.

It was also completely confirmed that Cthulhu Rick had gone after Cthylla.

So the entire chain of events suddenly seemed very clear.

Last time, when he and Grandpa had gone to Cthulhu World and sliced up Cthulhu calamari to roast and eat, Grandpa had disappeared for a while.

He had actually gone after Cthylla.

After he left, Cthulhu Rick from this world, in the form of a normal Grandpa, found Cthylla and scored a second round.

And he had successfully dragged the entire Cthulhu World's lofty, indescribable status down into the story of an enraged father crossing universes to hunt down a scumbag.

So now it came down to this: how could Grandpa possibly swallow that insult?

Using the title of the Rickest Rick to do something so sneaky?

I, Rick, have roamed countless universes. Whenever I did something, I always admitted it openly and honestly.

This... had to be dealt with!

Even if Azathoth woke up, I, Old Rick, would still blast that bastard away, then help my brother Cthulhu claim the top spot on the Cthulhu power rankings!

Cthulhu: "I didn't! Don't talk nonsense! I am absolutely loyal to Azathoth, the supreme god!!! Heaven and earth bear witness!!!"

Morty: "..."

Watching their topic shift from how to find Cthulhu Rick to helping a brother they had just met kill his boss and put him at the top of this universe, Morty could no longer hold it in.

He felt that every extra second they spent in this Cthulhu universe only kept increasing the danger.

Couldn't they just find Cthulhu Rick at light speed, figure out what had happened here,

and then decide whether to kill him or spare his life?

Why did they have to keep talking about this with Cthulhu?

Just listen to what you're saying. He says no with his mouth, but those big wings on his back are flapping happily.

Maybe the next second, loyal Cthulhu would take Grandpa to find Azathoth.

But judging by how engrossed Grandpa was in the conversation,

Morty decided to go back into the cabin and take another look.

If he remembered correctly, nearly every version of Grandpa in every world liked building a secret base beneath the garage.

Earlier, he had been worried that Cthulhu Rick might suddenly come charging out from somewhere, so he had not inspected that place carefully.

Now that Grandpa was right outside the cabin, he should be able to go down and take a look.

Returning to the cabin and heading toward the garage, Morty pulled a small metal cylinder from his pocket. After pressing the button, a red laser emerged from its tip.

This little toy Grandpa had copied from Star Wars out of boredom had mysteriously vanished two months ago. In truth, Morty had secretly taken it.

He had quite a few of Grandpa's little inventions hidden beneath his bed and buried in the dirt around their yard.

After poking the flesh cocoon with the laser sword and discovering that the now-inert object no longer had much defensive capability,

Morty followed his memory and carved out a path to the underground base entrance.

Without making any further moves,

the moment he saw the wooden floorboards, Morty drove his sword straight down.

The next second, black mist poured out!

With the defense system Grandpa had personally made, Morty did not panic. He merely took a calm step back.

After the black mist emerged, it slowly took shape before Morty's eyes.

Until an AI Cthulhu Rick appeared before him.

The only two differences between this Cthulhu version of Grandpa Rick and a normal Grandpa were the octopus tentacles on his face and the pair of featherless wings on his back.

The magic-themed AI Grandpa, who was clearly meant to mirror AI Rick, appeared and saw Morty's face without octopus tentacles.

He was visibly stunned for several seconds.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Morty from another world, have you come here because you crave power?"

Feeling that this sounded strangely familiar, Morty replied without thinking, "Then what's the price, Gul'dan... ahem! Grandpa?"

In this world without World of Warcraft, AI Cthulhu Rick naturally did not understand the Gul'dan reference, so he spoke plainly.

"If you crave power, I will give you power."

"But you must release me and give me a physical body!"

Hearing AI Cthulhu Rick's words, Morty fell silent for a second before saying there was no problem!

If I'm lying, then let a Morty die!

"Then let me show you the power this world's Rick has sealed underground!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the floorboards before Morty moved soundlessly on their own.

A wooden staircase leading underground appeared before him.

But it was so dark down there that if you fell, you definitely should not expect to climb back up...

Worried that this might be a trap, Morty said, "Um, could you turn on a light?"

AI Cthulhu Rick: "Don't you have night vision...?"

Morty: "If I did, why would I need you to turn on a light?"

"Fine!"

AI Cthulhu Rick pulled an oil lamp from somewhere and lit it.

A line from a song suddenly flashed through Morty's mind.

"An ape lights a lamp... illuminating 'my' home..."

With the oil lamp's glow, Morty stood at the entrance to the underground base and caught sight of Cthulhu Rick's collection within—both thrilling and terrifying...

Feeling that there should not be any danger below, Morty headed down the stairs.

One weapon after another, one item after another, even all kinds of potions and specimens—all of them appeared before Morty in a fantastical Cthulhu-themed style.

Then he became dissatisfied!

"Don't you have anything here that doesn't look so creepy?"

"Take that sword, for example. If I wanted to go save someone, the victim about to die might snatch the killer's gun and shoot me instead when I pulled that thing out!"

"And don't you have guns? Not to mention that bow and crossbow have those clusters of flesh that trigger trypophobia—if they can't use magic arrows, what's the point of having them?"

After Morty dissed one thing after another, AI Cthulhu Rick immediately got angry.

You little piece of shit!

I haven't even introduced these things yet, and you're already picking them apart, acting like some rich kid who's come to this godforsaken backwater.

Fine!

You look down on this stuff, huh?

Then I'll bring out the good stuff!

AI Cthulhu Rick waved his right hand, and the rocky wall to his right changed under the control of some kind of energy.

The wall that had originally displayed all sorts of disgusting weapons began to rotate.

Until a long sword gleaming with golden light appeared before Morty.

"The Godslayer Sword! What do you think? Badass enough?"

"If that big octopus outside gets stabbed by this sword, it'll die one hundred percent!"