Summary
Watahiko makes an appearance in the twenty-first episode titled "Cotton Changeling." Born to Aki and Yasuke, this entity initially manifests as a peculiar green goo before disappearing, leaving behind a found infant. This process repeats, resulting in multiple identical babies, all sharing the name "Watahiko." In reality, he is a type of fungal mushi that, upon entering a pregnant woman, destroys the embryo and assumes its identity. After escaping at birth, the creature establishes a base near its birthplace and generates offspring to harvest energy, functioning similarly to plant roots. These progeny are connected by a hive mind, allowing knowledge and experiences to be shared instantly across the group. They exhibit rapid growth rates comparable to bamboo, and even those in the infant stage can communicate as effectively as their elders. Towards the end of their lifecycle, the children fall ill and release spores that develop into new base-type fungal mushi. However, exposure to fire causes the base to shift forms while the children disappear.
