, I’m isolated from the heat and flames, but the fallen, completely covered in kerosene Yuta-Buta-Mas (surplus-pig-demons) splendidly went up in flames.Without even being able to raise their death throes, the corpses of the Yuta-Buta-Ma (surplus-pig-demon) tumbled down; Honoo-Kyo-Hone-Ma (flame-big-bone-demon) pinched the up, opened its skeletal mouth, and into that he threw them in.
So it’s a skeleton’s awful habit for a meal. Even though the flames turn everything it touches into cinders, I guess that’s ok by it.
The appearance of the enormous skeleton blazing brightly within the sea of flames, eating burned corpses is, it’s a solemn feeling that surpa.s.ses terror. This is because I’m inside the relatively safe area within the Barrier that I think like that; if I was flesh and blood, this would make my legs give out.2
Satisfied with the six bodies of the Yuta-Buta-Ma (surplus-pig-demon), Honoo-Kyo-Hone-Ma (flame-big-bone-demon) merely glanced at me, without making even the smallest pa.s.s at me, and like that it went walking off.
Since I had changed to the same color as the walls did it not notice me, or was it because it had satisfied its stomach that it had not interest? Whichever the case, it doesn’t change the fact that it saved me.
However, this is an awful situation. On the ground there’s the caved-in imprints in the shape of the underside of the bone feet, and where it had approached the walls had been changed into warped impressions where it had melted and re-hardened.
I guess that’s also a Level Ruler, huh? I didn’t check whether or not that existed when I was surveying in the sky, but I bet there’s some sort of condition for its appearance, na.
If THAT was wandering around like it owned the place, then the labyrinth would be in an even worse state of affairs so, like I thought, there is probably some sort of reason.
Now then, the problem is that I’m all alone again. But it feels like the Demons of Gluttony Brigade would return here when they get hungry. Whatever the case, their thought processes are way too rough, so even though it would be fine if they put the food in their backpacks, without thinking a thing they only eat, na.
After that, since the ground to continue has been caved in and melted and warped, it looks like it will be quite difficult to push the vending machine.
As expected, the opponent this time made even those thoughtlessly optimistic guys feel like their lives were in danger; evening advanced quite far to where it was completely dark, and they still hadn’t come back. Maa, in the end, right now they’re in front of me eating dinner, though.
“Haa, I was so startled my stomach is empty, ne.” (Pel)
Pel, your stomach is always empty.
“No way, to think we caught a glimpse of the Level Ruler… I’ve heard the rumors, but it’s way unbelievable, na. I can brag about it to the President.” (Mikene)
“Really, really, it scared me, wa.”(Suko)
“They say if you beat Honoo-Kyo-Hone-Ma you can get your hands on some treasure, but I wonder how you’d defeat that thing, na.” (Shote)
I agree with Shote. I bet there’s no way to defeat that. It’s gigantic size is a problem too, but there’s no way you can get close to those flames. Even if you try to extinguish the flames with water, then you’d need to splash it with around a whole pond-full of water at once or else it’s useless, I bet.
Throwing water from a plastic water bottle would have no meaning, na. It can’t be helped that it’s all theoretical. I probably don’t have a way to fight THAT.
While surrounded by those guys who are sleeping deeply in relief, I continued watching the path that Honoo-Kyo-Hone-Ma disappeared down.
“You there, don’t go too far on the right. Left, more to the left.”
By Mikene’s instructions, they are carefully carrying my body. Because the ground’s unevenness is terrible, some how or other we’re proceeding by finding level places, even though we’ve been doing this the entire time since morning, when we finally somehow managed to get out of the uneven area, the sky is already beginning to show the sunset.
Today we practically didn’t make any progress at all, but since tomorrow the ground will be flat, our movement speed will increase. If that Honoo-Kyo-Hone-Ma shows up again, I’ll have to buy time again.
Since we don’t need anymore events other than this for today, I’d like to pa.s.s the night in peace.
In the time I was thinking about that, I was also in full operation; one after another they bought my products. I was offering it at quite the low price, but I’m worried about the state of their pocketbooks, na. Come to think of it, the sustenance of their brigade was in danger.
Like always, since their wariness weakens with full stomachs, without leaving a guard they sleep. Maa, since their eyes open as soon as there’s a presence or sound of an enemy, if I make a warning sound, I guess they’ll fly awake.
It’s a quiet night, na. The wide pa.s.sageway lined with giant walls gives quite the ambience. Since it’s night, the only light is light emitted from my body; if you take a little distance from me, the surroundings are pitch black darkness.
I stand out way too much so let’s extinguish it. Sinking into complete darkness, the only think I can hear is those guys’ snoring. But, just having someone nearby kind of calms my uneasiness.
If I was flesh-and-blood and truly alone, it wouldn’t be strange if this was a situation where I’d go crazy with fear. Around here, this lonely place would instinctively make you remember fear.
There are abilities that can sense presences, but I bet it’s different than what I think again … A, come to think of it, there’s an interesting function, na. I’m pretty sure it was somewhere here; found it, found it .When people don’t come the entire night, the light shuts off; only when the sensor reacts is when the lights turn on. Aa, but I won’t need this, huh? I can make all those decisions and implementations by myself, na.
Maa, I’m looking into all sorts of things, but seeing those guys blissfully sleeping calms me down; whatever will happen will happen. U-n, these guys’ close proximity to me give off the feeling of being my safeguards.
At the least, I should solve the problem of only me being vigilant. In the blank darkness you practically can’t see anything, so I distribute my attention to listening just for sounds and, right now, I seem to be able to hear a faint something or other, na.
I search out the direction the noise is in, strain my eyes, and clear my ears. It’s a very far off, small sound but it’s uninterrupted, and continuously coming. It’s like a stove when there’s a fire in it.
In the darkness there’s a light faintly spilling out. The flickering I see is because it’s light from a burning fire, huh? It would be better to make a fuss, na.
“Welcome.”
In order not to draw attention from the opponent, I play my recording at a low volum.
“N-, kara’age … just another twenty pieces…”(a.s.sume Pel for anything food related)
“Mikene, Shote … as male companions, you’re going to … oh no~ you can’t~3…”(Suko)
I hear sleep talking. And, from Suko’s statement I can sense something ‘rotten’; let’s pretend I didn’t hear anything.
They don’t show a hint of waking up. –tte, I can’t just leave things like this, so I’ll try a little louder.
“We hope to see you again.”
“BUAAAA-! Wh,wh,what the!?”
It’s good that Mikene flew awake, but his voice is too loud.
At that yell all members woke up and surveyed the surroundings in a panic. It seems the as of now mysterious light source as also spotted us. As proof, the surroundings it lights up is gradually drawing near.
“Everyone, make your preparations to run from the enemy.”
I don’t hate the style to unwaveringly choose not to fight and run away. It’s a lot better than the reckless Hunters who don’t live long.
What appeared in front of the Demons of Gluttony Brigade that had taken measures to flee was, about the size of an adult human, a skull that was clad in flames.
“A Honoo-Hi-Atama-Ma (flame-rook-head-demon) -. If we don’t take care of it with a swift attack, it will call Honoo-Kyo-Hone-Ma (flame-big-bone-demon)!”
“W,water! Someone splash it with a huge amount of water!”
So it’s that fire skeleton’s comrade. If it calls THAT, we’ll have no chance of winning. Water, we need water, na.
I quickly drop a 2-liter mineral water into my retrieval opening.
“E, water? The magic tool box dropped out water!” (Suko)
“Our luck is good, na! Suko, give that to me!”(Shote)
Dear Shote, I’d like you to stop categorizing it as luck, though. They still don’t think that the vending machine that is I has a consciousness, na. At any time, you’re free to make that guess, you know?
Giving up, I drop more water bottles.
All members held two-liter water bottles; it seems difficult for them to unfasten the cap with those claws, so they cut the tops off with their sharp claws.
All members tucked the water bottles into their armpit for the special attack; with a quick movements faster than thinking, they closed the distance and emptied the contents all over the skull.
With four bottles of water poured on it, the skull’s flames were completely extinguished; Mikene bit the skull that no longer has anything protecting it and it immediately shattered and was annihilated. With the flames extinguished it’s fragile, na.
Until know I hadn’t seen an instance where they didn’t run away so their true strength was unknown, but their movements were quite fast. They might actually be strong. Looking at their normal behavior, you wouldn’t think so.
It’s all good that they defeated that Honoo-Hi-Atama-Ma (flame-rook-head-demon), but we’re wary of whether or not it called for reinforcements. If that big one comes, they’ll have no choice but to flee, na.
Watching for a while to confirm there’s no reinforcement, they alternate switching guards. With this, it’s a little safer with the watch.