After screaming, pounding against the transfer circle on the platform, rolling on the floor crying, letting out all my pent up emotions, I finally regained enough calm to face reality.
There it was, betrayal in plain sight.
Heck, from their perspective, with Souma Yuuto, they could just steamroll through this dungeon without worry. They’d no longer need to alienate me, nor need to be afraid of Mei-chan anymore. Everyone working together, with Soumkun as the center, this was how the dungeon capture was supposed to be. There was no motive to commit such an act of practically murder like leaving me behind... Well, that’s how it should have been.
Most likely, Kenzaki Asuna had done it in the spur of the moment. She might not have realized what she had done.
After being saved by Soumkun, and placed in a situation where teleporting away from this wretched cave was moments away… She’d finally relaxed. That moment was the perfect chance, and she knew it. Because that was exactly how Soumkun had been separated from them.
By pushing someone out during the transfer process, it was certainly possible to separate said person from the party. In order to be rid of me, that was the perfect chance. The berserker, Mei-chan, would be hard to push, but a frail shaman like me? She could do it easy, with a light push even.
“Mei-chan’s gonna be totally pissed right around now”
Her notion was a clear act of betrayal towards an ally. A criminal act I could claim. Since it was as if she’d pushed me in front of a moving train.
Well, with Soumkun around, I doubt it’d turn out like that. Even for Mei-chan, it wouldn’t be a good idea to turn Soumkun and his whole party into enemies, she would be easily subdued. Preferably, I’d like if Class rep did some of her top-class mediating, peacefully resolve the issue… Though I feel like she’d first collapse from stomach cramps under all that stress. Maybe I should have made some antacid for her.
Right, I should be focusing about bigger problems, namely, myself.
From here on, I’d have to proceed through the dungeon alone. Yup, alone, solo capture as a frickin’ shaman.
It’s just like when I was first thrown into the dungeon. Seriously, I’m gonna have to go solo this late in the game?
“No, I gotta calm down, don’t give up… Even if it’s me, I can at least do something”
Red Fever : Puts the target into a slightly feverish state. C’mon you, can’t you be like, kinda, I mean...
Pain Return : Returns the damage that the target has done in full. The injury remains. It’s useful in battle and for threats, literally a double-edged sword as the description implies. I tend to use this guy more at the endgame.Intuition Pharmacy : Provides information about ingredients’ effects and such, also gives me the ability to make various concoctions with said ingredients. My lifeline. The very skill that makes a shaman, a shaman. Kinda want to concoct some poisons soon.
Blackhair Bind : Shadowy tentacles that are capable of twining around an opponent’s feet. Can be braided into a makeshift rope. Has a wide range of use. Though, I wish it had some more strength.Vile Mud Doll : A doll that moves according to the owner’s will. Absolute obedience. Rem is such a good kid.
Black Bloodline : Is that blood a curse or a blessing? Even though there’s nothing inherited from any predecessors, blood is still life. The body, curses, magic, faith―― it influences all. Also seems to taste delicious, depending on the person.Rotten Bog : Just one step inside, and it’ll corrode your flesh, an extremely acidic swamp. My only ace in the hole.
ContrBeat Butterfly : Pick a concoction, and these butterflies will cause the reverse effects through its scales. This one’s a resource consumer, can’t fire willy-nilly.These 8 were the curses that I could use.
Next would be equipment.Red Knife : A knife created from a Cerberus’ fang. Blessed in fire, this blade can really heat things up.
Iron Dagger : A normal quality dagger.Box cutter : Something I had since before the incident. Has a couple of spare blades.
Stones : Stones I gathered for throwing. Perfect for making Rotten Bog on walls and ceilings.My main weapon, the iron spear, was lost during the fight with Yokomichi (truly a pity), but I did hold on to Natsukawsan’s Red Knife. A blessing amidst misfortune, as they say.
When I unsheath this knife out of its leather scabbard, a thin coat of flames would ignite, clinging onto the red hot blade. It should work as a light source for now.
This transfer circle room was a part of the dungeon’s stone ruins zones but, for some reason, this room was here, in what was clearly insect cave dominion. It was like a sudden offshoot to a teleport in the middle of the cave system.
“Since Soumkun said he came through a boss room, the ruins area shouldn’t be so far off”
Right now, I couldn’t activate this transfer circle, so my only choice was the other route. I should first backtrack through Soumkun’s path into the ruins area, then search for another way forward. Before that though, I should find a fairy square to take a breather.
Even if I just sit around here, help won’t come. Mei-chan will surely try to find me, but since she’s been transferred away already, she can’t possibly come back. The only possibility is if we manage to cross paths at some point, on our way to the collective destination that was the transfer gate located deep within this dungeon. Because of that, I had no choice but to continue alone.
I’ll just have to do as I do.
I gathered mud from the area, molded it into a humanoid figure, and without using any monster parts, made the weakest specs mode of mud doll Rem.
Rem, who was built only from mud, was small like the first time I’d summoned her. Now, even with just mud, I felt like I could make her human sized, but it made no sense to enlarge that already fragile body. It’d only consume more mana, and worst case, might even break at the seams while moving around.
The resurrected Rem, appeared to be somewhat frustrated? Well, I don’t mind really, she did a good job in that fight against Yokomichi.
Besides, having Rem here will alleviate the loneliness somewhat. For that peace of mind, I was super grateful.Anyway, can’t stay in this room forever. It’s no fairy square, so ants might wander in. The rook spider pit that was sealed off might’ve been dug open by now.
Since I’m all set, let’s get a move on.
“Rem, you take point and scout for enemies”
The current Rem could only go slightly ahead of where the light can’t reach, and since she was in her initial state where her body was so fragile, she currently had no firepower. Though she did have good perception which could be used to detect enemies. They weren’t as great as Natsukawsan’s, but at least provided a little comfort.
It was totally different from back in the harem party. My distance view was reduced to half of before. It wasn’t like I was blind as a bat, but this cave that I had practically grown tired of, had suddenly turned into a new unknown danger zone.
“― ―!?”
At this rate, if I ever get surrounded by a swarm of ants, it’ll be over. A swarm, no, even if it’s just more than two, I’m fucked.
I felt so desperate, to the point where I kept going over simulations where I had to fight solo against multiple enemies, over and over, repeatedly in my head.
I was keenly made aware of how great it was to have reliable teammates.
How long have I been walking? I felt so exhausted. But this cave wasn’t easy to walk in at all. I didn’t feel like I’d made any progress. I was tense too, which needlessly expended energy.Dammit. In my current condition, I’ll be completely exhausted soon, and if a crisis comes up――
Ahead of me, I caught sight of Rem, running back in a big hurry.
Although she heard me, it’s not like Rem could actually reply. But she shook her head, so apparently, it wasn’t ants.
It’d be a way out of the cave? That naive idea was immediately denied.
“Motherfff… Goddamn Mantis right off the bat!”
“SHAAAAAAAA!!”
I can’t win. Just me alone, I’m no match at all.
My head was going blank―― but, my survival instincts kicked in. I’m so fucking scared. But, my body could move. I knew for a fact that I couldn’t win, but that shouldn’t be the case for running away.
“Spread out! Rotten Bog ”
But, it was the greatest offensive I had on me. Well, this is just for the initial set up.
“SHAAA!”
Likely because it was wary of the poison swamp under its feet, rather than running over on its 4 legs, the mantis really did hover right above.
The mantis flew as if it was gliding over the floor of the cave, not a square inch of its feet touching the surface of the acidic swamp.
“Pull it down”
However, they were also cut by the scythes. The mantis shortly paused, hovering above the swamp, and with an accurate slash, cleanly dealt with the braided Blackhair Binds that had slithered out of the swamp like a tentacle monster.
It wasn’t enough. I couldn’t slow its approach since it could cut them down instantly.In that case, how’s this.
The incantation barely finished. The mantis was already done slicing apart the rest of the tentacles, it was soon approaching the bog’s perimeter. But, I made it.
And there, stood Rem, submerging her body fully into the bone-melting bog; she was melting apart in a rapid pace.
Re-summon? No, it was more of a restructuring.
“Hold it off, Rem!”
Its limbs were as large as logs, with an all-around thick, massive body. Despite that, the muddy creature was dripping constantly as if it was about to collapse in on itself.
However, Rem kept together that humanoid form, and grappled the mantis.
“KYOWAAAAAAAAAAAAA”
Now!
Now, finish it off? No, it was now the perfect chance to run the hell away.
“Keep stalling it!”
Rem’s body, probably because it was very much liquid, was on the verge of collapse already. The mantis was struggling fiercely, piercing its scythes into Rem, but slashing wasn’t very effective on that semi-liquid body. In spite of that though, all the slashing, stabbing, and general rampaging around was taking some toll, causing Rem’s body to slowly break apart.
Rem would most likely be done in before the mantis’ body melted down from the acid. And if that mantis still had any functional legs, it’d be more than capable of chasing me down and murdering me.I didn’t have another Rem to act as a decoy, I couldn’t use this trick anymore. And depending on how much damage the mantis sustains, Blackhair Bind might not be of use in finishing it off.
I didn’t need to bet on some all-or-nothing, right now I was more likely to live if I ran. Plus, it wasn’t like if I happened to somehow defeat the creature, I would suddenly level up and get my status restored.
“Haah… Haah… ”
“Spread out, Rotten Bog”
I didn’t know if it’d be any help, but I cast Rotten Bogs at random intervals. If the mantis did lose its wings, plus got enough legs done in that it couldn’t walk on the walls or ceiling, it might just give up instead of risking my bogs.
“Shit, shouldn’t use blood so heavily”
Using my bloodseal did allow me to forego cutting myself every time, but I should watch it so I don’t get anemic.
As I was thinking about a danger to my life quite different from the man-eating mantis struggling some distance behind me, I could see a light up ahead.
“Could it be, the exit!”
“Haaa… haaa… Finally, I made it, somehow”
Yeah, this, without a doubt, was the room where Soumkun defeated that boss he mentioned. The room had good lighting too, one glance around and I could tell that there was no trace nor shadow of anyone or anything.
Guess the boss was yet to respawn? Or maybe, just defeating it once permanently kills it? At any rate, that’s good news to me. I’m struggling as is, please don’t ask for more.Then again, this IS a boss room and you at least have to face some strong enemy once you enter. As if the dungeon was demanding such, an enemy did appear.
Goes without saying, it was the Knight Mantis that I’d elegantly avoided just previously.
“Tch, what a tenacious bug!”
“… Final battle, I guess”
Since I’d already lost Rem’s base body, I won’t be able to summon Super Poison Rem like earlier either.
Still, the mantis was dying. If I could just dish out a bit more damage, I should be able to kill it.However, I didn’t have any means of dealing that fatal push.
The mantis looked so unsteady, and yet, it still raised up its remaining scythe. My only weapons were the Red Knife and the dagger. Both were blades with a short reach, and it’d be suicidal of me to close in with them.
Meanwhile, its scythe had a reach much longer than a longsword. If I went up with my knife yelling out “Die Fuckface!!!” like some Yakuza shooter, I’d surely be cut down sideways. Even if I had my old spear, my ability to kill wouldn’t improve.
“SHAH! SHAaa…”
In reality, I had no power to compete against this green faced fuck. The mantis apparently hadn’t realized yet. Because once it thought, “Hey, this kid’s actually weak,” this match would end with but a single move.
Wasn’t there something? Was there something? Something I could do to get this flaming knife inside its body?
The Red knife had the firepower to do it. As long as I stabbed it before its scythe could reach me, of course… Dammit, there was not time to find a branch somewhere and fashion it into a spear, if only my arms could stretch out―― Wait, wait wait.
“SHAAAA!!”
“ Rotten Bog!!”
Although not large, the Rotten Bog suddenly appearing in front of it did cause the mantis to grow cautious and it backed away.
Good, that was all I needed. Rather than a physical wall, the bog had become a psychological barrier, successfully keeping the mantis away.Now, my turn. I’ll kill it first, before it can think to jump over or bypass the small bog.
I conjured up two braid-acles of hair from my own shadow. I then proceeded to have them grab the Red Knife and dagger respectively.
That’s right, my arms themselves can’t stretch, but Blackhair Bind could do that all day long.
The two knife-tipped blackhairs flew out like arrows straight towards the mantis.
If I attach a knife to one of these tentacles, I essentially create a ranged weapon with a reach much longer than any spear. It’s like the scythe and chain, but not as technical in its usage. Well anyway, since I could move the tentacles at will, I could freely attack every which way I chose. It was extremely easy to handle.
I took aim, stabbing the two blades straight towards the mantis’ torso. Though one of them was an ordinary blade, the other was blazing. On impact, a plume of flame burst out.
It raised a painful groan, confirming that damage had been dealt, which is when I immediately drew back the knife-tentacles.
“In that case, I’ll aim somewhere your scythe can’t reach… Like your back and hind legs”
Although it was frustrating that I couldn’t kill it in a single blow, then again, I’m supposed to be a support role. Who’s big idea was it to make a Shaman fight melee?
I wanted to take better aim, but it wasn’t like the mantis was going to take this lying down. It realized how it was being targeted, and took action to desperately defend itself. In other words, it started moving around like crazy.
“Uwa! Wait jus-, NO NO NO!?”
I had to expand the Rotten Bog. Make it so that the mantis wouldn’t want to approach me.
“Shit, shit, shit! Ahhh, too close, stay away, stay away, dammiiit!”
“Kyooo, kiaa….”
“Die, DIE!--”
Check and mate.
Next one (71) will be out in 8 days.