Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Hidden Piece (2)

#11

Serpent of Dementia.

An existence of the “Otherworld,” the force of evil that runs through the main story.

It was a level 4 monster the same as Delgato, but since he had already stabbed it, odds or anything no longer mattered.

The serpent ambushed by Bran let out a pained roar.

【Kiru, kiririk!】

The blade was embedded deep in the eyeball.

Silver bodily fluid was gushing from the gaps in the split iris.

A reasonable reaction.

All seven of the serpent’s eyeballs were vital points.

If he destroyed the eyes without leaving any, the thing would die or reach a near-death state.

The remaining five eyeballs were rolling madly while searching for Bran.

“Stay still!!”

Bran frowned.

It felt like he was holding onto a surging wave.

Relying on a single small blade to hold on was quite difficult.

It was the moment he drew the blade to pull it out for the next attack.

Swish!

Suddenly one tentacle that flew in wrapped around his wrist and pulled.

“This···!”

His body tilted. At this rate he would fall.

Bran urgently shoved his hand into the bleeding eye socket.

Squish!

At the tip of the hand that pierced the lens, hard bone was felt.

While gripping the bone, Bran forcefully pulled the arm caught by the tentacle.

“Hup!”

With a rough sound the restraint was released.

Turning the blade once, Bran severed the tentacle.

Puhak!

When he consecutively stabbed one nearby eye, a silver fountain gushed once more.

【Kirururut!】

The Serpent of Dementia convulsed.

The body that had been flowing like liquid began to stiffen rigidly.

It was the rigidity pattern that appeared when two eyes were destroyed.

Bran immediately moved to find the third eyeball.

Unlike the previous two, it was located quite far away.

“Cough, cough!”

While crawling like climbing a rock wall, Bran coughed.

The Harmeno sap stuck to the serpent was vaporizing and creating toxic gas.

Small tentacles were flying at him like anti-aircraft missiles.

A long fight was impossible.

Just as Bran who finally reached in front of the third eyeball was about to drive the blade down.

【Kirik!】

The Serpent of Dementia twisted its body.

Bran spat out a curse.

It was the escape pattern that followed when the rigidity ended.

The blade finished the third eyeball, but he could not stop the struggling serpent from jumping into the hole.

“Damn···!”

It was already too late to let go of his hands. His bangs flipped in the strong wind.

The gradually brightening red light erased the shadows on his face.

Boooom!

The serpent that had been falling helplessly collided with the floor.

“Kraak!”

Bran’s vision flipped.

An impact that shook even the soul ran through his entire body.

He barely did not let go of the blade.

Kwa kwa kwa kwa!!

The serpent that immediately came to its senses began to sprint.

【Kirarararak!】

“Damn it···.”

Bran raised his head.

It was muggy like a tropical rainforest.

In the end he had entered the interior of Harmeno’s trunk.

The passage the serpent had made was wide enough for a bus to pass.

Red sap was seeping from the walls, ceiling, and floor made of white inner flesh.

‘I feel like a fly that was accidentally swallowed.’

Bran twisted his lips.

From his position it was no different from extremely wicked digestive fluid.

If even a single drop entered his mouth it was over.

The steam thick in all directions was all created by the vaporization of the deadly sap.

In an instant, the eyes of Bran who had been catching his breath spun.

“Ugh.”

It was a typical addiction symptom.

The fact that he had neither a gas mask nor even Crown Turnip leaves came painfully.

Still, maybe he could endure a bit more?

While thinking that and raising his head, a seductive woman’s voice was heard from beside Bran.

“Nice to meet you. Handsome.”

Bran turned his head.

Marilyn Monroe was looking at him.

The appearance of moving her legs like paddling while lying face down was extremely lewd.

“I’m fucked.”

Bran let out a hollow laugh.

When he closed and opened his eyes, the Monroe lady had disappeared.

Instead, Michael Jackson’s song began to be heard in his ears.

Translucent windows rose one after another before his eyes.

『Warning! You have been exposed to an extremely dangerous environment!』

『You have fallen into the status abnormality “Hallucination.”』

『The status abnormality “Confusion” is assaulting you.』

It was a window tinged with red like when he faced the Serpent of Dementia.

The system seemed to agree with him.

Saliva was streaming down below his unclosing lips.

‘As expected, destroying four eyeballs was too much.’

It was an irresistible force due to insufficient specs.

If he had destroyed four or more eyes, the serpent would have fought to the end on the surface without escaping.

If he had trained for another fifteen days he could have skipped the escape pattern.

All meaningless.

What use is worrying about it now.

“Huu··· huuu···.”

Bran took a deep breath.

His consciousness was gradually blurring.

The saliva that overflowed as it pleased was flowing down his chin.

Bran clenched his teeth.

“···Don’t make me laugh.”

As expected he could not die in a place like this.

He had not chosen the Nameless Hero to meet such a pathetic end.

As if reacting to that will, a new message rose.

『You are continuously confronting a dangerous environment! Weed’s Tenacity activates!』

『The growth speed of Mental Power increases!』

『The growth speed of Endurance increases.』

Now there was only one method to overcome the situation.

However, if he proceeded as is, the existing escape plan would be completely twisted.

‘It will be an amazing speed battle.’

But Bran had no other choice.

At this rate he dies here, escape or whatever.

Kwa kwa kwa kwa!

The Serpent of Dementia was still advancing forward.

If left alone it would recover until it became full blood in the depths of the trunk.

“I can’t··· leave it like that···.”

Now the eyeballs were not the problem.

Bran climbed the serpent’s body like a rock climber.

Pusak! Pusak!

Every time he stabbed the blade silver blood splattered.

Occasionally his body hit the wall, but being intoxicated by the poison he didn’t even feel that as pain.

“······Found it.”

Finally stopping, Bran raised the corner of his mouth.

Seeing it in reality it really doesn’t stand out. It was a great fortune that the position was the same as the game.

A lattice-patterned tissue was faintly glowing under his chin.

Below this is another weak point of the serpent.

Adaptation Core.

A body organ that all Otherworld creatures possess, which allows adaptation in any environment.

Bran muttered.

“Have to, break it···.”

And he raised his fist.

Cardo’s blade cannot reach the Adaptation Core.

Since there was no blunt weapon he had no choice but to use his bare fist.

By feeding it Smash.

He had never used it, and the recoil would be enormous, but he had no leisure to consider that.

Bran raised his right arm.

“Huuup.”

The power that had been swirling inside his body began to gather in the fist.

His arm swelled.

Now he didn’t even have the strength to shout a kiai.

Bran who scraped together all remaining energy drove a straight punch with all his might.

Craaang-!!!

Smash exploded. Ripples occurred on the milk-white skin.

The impact manifested at the cost of life pierced the thick skin layer and reached the Adaptation Core.

A sound as if a stone was breaking was heard from inside the lattice pattern.

The moment the exhausted Bran fell face down, the serpent stopped in place.

【Kiruk···?】

It did not take long to feel the anomaly.

The remaining four eyeballs narrowed thinly like needles.

As the serpent’s maw tore into four, a terrible scream burst out.

【Kirurururuk!】

“Huu··· breath is blocked, right?”

Bran smiled.

Now the Serpent of Dementia was in the same parasite situation as himself.

It must taste like death. The juice it used to drink happily had turned into hydrochloric acid.

Boooom!

The serpent struggling in pain rammed the passage ceiling.

【Kruk, kirik, kirururuk!】

It was like an eel caught in a landing net.

The guy who rammed its head consecutively finally began to bite the inner flesh.

Every time the four-way mouth opened and closed, sap poured out.

It paid no attention to Bran, and Bran was the same.

Firmly gripping the blade, Bran recited inwardly.

Yes.

Let’s get out a bit first.

****

“My, young volunteers have been coming a lot lately.”

Delgato raised an eyebrow.

Calm classical music was echoing in the control room.

In front of him stood a slender blond boy.

He was stiff like a log from being thoroughly scared.

“What is your name?”

“K-Kale!”

“Kale. Quite a beautiful person.”

It was not empty words.

It was a child prettier than an average noble young lady.

Like the friend he had met fifteen days ago, he seemed to be enjoying eye candy a lot lately.

“Yes Kale. Why did you volunteer for the Bottom Farm?”

“I-I came to dedicate this one body to the great bandit group!”

“Hmm··· for that you are too terrified. It doesn’t seem like you came because you wanted to die without pain either.”

Delgato brought his face close.

Gently grasping Kale’s chin and lifting it, he continued.

“You. You have some separate aim, right?”

“A-no! There is no such thing!”

Kale shook his head.

Of course it was a lie but he could not reveal the truth here.

If he said he came to save a friend he would obviously suffer harm.

‘Bran. Please be safe.’

It was a tragedy created by the lack of information.

Kale did not know the fact that Bran who had been put into the Bottom Farm would come up tomorrow.

He volunteered thinking there might be a problem with his friend’s safety, and the Overseer whose mind was urgent due to the delivery day permitted him to work in the Bottom Farm.

“But there is no work you can do. Your body is too weak. To the point it’s amazing you came this far safely. By any chance did the friend who guided you give you a mask?”

“A-no. I didn’t receive such a thing.”

Kale shook his head.

Delgato tilted his head.

With this build he shouldn’t be able to endure the toxic air of the Bottom Farm.

“···That’s quite strange. Anyway it doesn’t seem possible.”

“I-I’ll do any work! I’m really confident in cooking and odd jobs!”

“Hmm. If you insist on working there is work. Instead it might be a bit hard.”

“It’s fine! What kind of work?!”

“Huhu. You said you came to dedicate your body, right?”

It was a voice mixed with laughter.

Suddenly Delgato began unbuttoning the buttons of his double coat one by one.

Kale’s face hardened.

“Eh.”

“Shall we move the place first?”

Delgato smiled with his eyes.

Kale’s breathing quickened.

Dedicating in that meaning is not it!

The scream he had barely held back seemed like it would tear his throat and burst out.

Then, Delgato who was about to put his arm around Kale’s shoulder narrowed his brow.

“······Wait. Something is strange.”

He lowered his waist and faced Kale.

Eyes large and clear like a winter lake. Golden eyelashes long and thick.

Sniffing while smelling, Delgato frowned.

“You. You’re not a man.”

“······!!!”

Kale’s eyes widened.

Just as Delgato who contorted his face like a demon was about to say something.

Boooom-!!!

A roar rang out from outside the window.

At a sound he had never heard in his life Kale hunched his shoulders.

“Hiiik?!”

“What.”

Delgato hurriedly raised his body.

Running to the window, he froze in place.

【Kirururururu!】

The Otherworld beast was devastating the management office.

“D-don’t come! Huaaaak!”

“Call the Captain!”

“Huk! M-my legs won’t move···.”

The bandits were fleeing in chaos.

The Serpent of Dementia was running mad while destroying everything in sight.

Slash!

The limbs of the bandits bitten by the teeth were being torn to shreds.

Every time the tentacles were swung like whips, fragments of people and buildings were flying.

“Uh, mother.”

“Aaa, aaaah···!”

The bandits could not even properly flee, let alone confront it.

It was because of the Otherworld presence emitted by the Serpent of Dementia.

Delgato was astonished while gripping the window frame.

“Why that monster!”

The Serpent of Dementia leaving the trunk was an unprecedented situation.

Suddenly one hole pierced in the courtyard came into view.

It had definitely popped out from there.

Harmeno’s red light was leaking from inside the hole.

“Damn it, this isn’t the time.”

He had to take measures for now.

Throwing off his coat, Delgato gripped the microphone.

“I declare a state of emergency! All personnel of the Bottom Farm gather at the management office with weapons!”

A thunderous voice shook the underground.

Crash!

The moment Delgato kicked the window, the glass reinforced with magic shattered into pieces.

It was a height of over five floors, but Delgato jumped from the window without minding.

“Wh-what on earth is this···.”

Kale exhaled a quick breath.

Delgato did not even look at him.

He could not understand what had suddenly happened how.

What is that monster?

Bran?

Slowly approaching the window, Kale looked down.

A scene of hell was unfolding.

Bandit corpses were scattered everywhere, and the unidentified monster was still running mad.

Then, something caught Kale’s gaze.

“That is···!”

His already large eyes widened round.

A boy of his age was stuck to the monster’s body with a blade embedded.

Recognizing his face, Kale was astonished.

“B-Bran?!”

It was certain.

Covered in red sap it was hard to recognize but it was definitely Bran.

Every time the monster ran wild the body that shook looked precarious as if it would fall at any moment.

“You must not die!”

Kale screamed.

Clasping both hands as if praying, he began to mutter.

Paaaaaa···!

A faint, yet holy radiance was blooming over the golden hair.