Thank you to everyone who gave comments and coupons. Chapter 148
48. Magical Beasts and the Gatekeeper of Hell
147 – Magical Beasts and the Gatekeeper of Hell #3
The desk clock went “ding-dong,” signaling that morning had arrived.
As I rose from the vast body of Yingyi, I was perplexed at how it had turned into morning when I had just closed my eyes a moment ago.
“I barely slept, probably just an hour or two, thanks to detaching those scales from the tail.”
What I thought would be a simple task of scraping off the scales with my claws turned out to be a meticulous operation, especially towards the thin tip of the tail where delicate care was needed.
Just a slight touch of my claws made Azidahaka writhe in agony, making it a hassle I hadn’t anticipated.
“But my body feels light. Yingyi turned out to be fluffier than I expected!”
I patted the cloud-like carpet that was Yingyi, molding him back into a round shape.
—Gyuuiing.
Yingyi also seemed to wake up, shaking slightly as he absorbed the black scales of Azidahaka off the floor with his cotton candy-like body.
—“No, don’t eat that, Zhizhi.”
—Gyuuiing.
However, Yingyi didn’t listen to me and gobbled up all of Azidahaka’s scales.
It was a bit disappointing to see the Cloudring, who had only eaten fruits and dew, turn into a full-on omnivore.
“Eating anything in sight, is he in a growth spurt or something?”
Eve, the witch living in the Southern Forest of The Ancient Nest, had also evolved from a tiny Wildling into a mythical creature, so perhaps Yingyi would do the same.
【You look really tired. I heard some impressive noises coming from beyond the wall last night. It seems that the urge to reproduce before the big battle isn’t something that only mythical creatures and magical beasts experience, huh?】
Usir, who had spent the night alone in the storage room, chuckled softly. It seemed he misunderstood our struggles as a pink-hued romp.
“It’s just about detaching the scales from the tail.”
Azidahaka cleared his throat to clarify, causing Usir to respond with a short exclamation.
【It’s surprising that the goddess of the universe would leave her tail to a male. That in itself is quite remarkable. Anyway, today we’ll increase our speed. Nialli might have noticed that we’re descending into the depths. We’ll go down to the 30th floor and possibly encounter some walkers along the way.】
—“The faster, the better. Bring it on, whatever it is.”
Having rested even for a little, my condition was more than adequate to face any challenges.
【Then let’s have breakfast before we go.】
Usir smashed open the wooden boxes stored in the warehouse and brought out the food inside.
—“Weren’t you saving that for a rainy day?”
In response to my question, Usir chuckled softly while distributing the food.
【Today is that rainy day. Whether our plan succeeds or fails, we probably won’t come back here again, so it’s better to eat now.】
—“Sounds like you’re pretty determined. I like it.”
【Thank you. I owe you all a debt of gratitude. Without you, I’d still be stuck in this tower living among monsters, and the little sanity I’ve managed to reclaim might have slipped away again.】
Swish.
Usir spread the tattered map wide and plotted the shortest route.
【We’ll take the drainage pipe over there which leads down clean water straight to the 30th floor. We might get a bit wet, but it’s clean water, so we can just shake it off and dry. Once we defeat the fallen gatekeeper Yog on the 30th floor, we’ll be able to use the elevator to get down from the 29th floor to the 1st.】
—“Elevators sound good. If there’s something like that, it’ll be easy to get to the lower levels.”
It struck me as odd that a massive tower created through magic using magical power and the ancient technology of fairies required stairs to get between the upper and lower layers.
Of course, it was only natural that the tower must have been equipped with escalators or elevators.
【But it’s been abandoned for so long, I wonder if it’ll work properly. Of course, I could probably fix it if there’s a little trouble. It’s built sturdy enough, so if it does break, it shouldn’t be a huge issue.】
—“Thank goodness for that.”
I continued to stuff my mouth with sweet and soft yokan and savory sausages.
—“So, when we use that elevator, how long do you think it’ll take to reach the 1st floor?”
【I can’t be certain, but assuming we spend half a day fighting the walkers and taking down the fallen Yog, it should take about a day or two.】
—“That’s either short or long, depending on how you look at it.”
【It would be best to move quickly before Nialli extends his reach, but that could compromise our safety. This timeframe balances both factors appropriately.】
Usir estimated that it would take around two days, at most three, to reach the bottom floor and stuffed emergency food and medical supplies along with useful tools into his large bag.
—“Make sure to bring plenty of water. If Azidahaka or I can carry some, it’d be good to pack water bottles tightly.”
I subtly directed Usir, who was preparing supplies. Usir shrugged and looked puzzled.
【Carrying too much could actually be harmful. Do you drink a lot of water normally?】
—“No, it’s not for me.”
I lifted up Yingyi to show him.
—“This little guy needs to drink.”
—Gyuuiing.
【So it’s Yingyi, huh? It’s strange that while your life is at stake, you’re worried about the Cloudring’s water needs. Are you overflowing with confidence or are you just unaware of how serious the situation is?】
—“Just do as I say. You’ll find out soon enough.”
*
Carrying our packed bags, our group soon arrived at a drainage pipe where clear water flowed smoothly.
After unscrewing the metal panel and removing it, a round tunnel appeared before my eyes.
‘Flowing water downwards, it feels just like a water slide.’
The joyful symbol of an amusement park now became a pathway leading down into the depths of hell for me—quite an ironic twist.
—“The water is definitely clean.”
【Then, I’ll go down first.】
Usir leaned into the square notch of the metal pipe, and with the strong water pressure and the slippery interior of the drainage pipe, he quickly slid down and disappeared.
—“You go next.”
I picked up Azidahaka, who was busy tidying his scales with a puzzled expression.
“W-wait…!”
Startled by my sudden action, he flailed, but I shoved him into the metal pipe and gave him a little push.
“Uaaah…!”
His voice echoed back from the round tunnel. Finally, it was my turn, and I hugged Yingyi tightly before letting myself follow suit, surrendering to the flow of water.
Swoosh.
Slipping down, my body twisted and turned through the winding metal pipe. Traveling about 14 floors from the 44th to the 30th was thrilling and fun.
‘Feels like I’m on vacation in hell.’
As I laughed quietly to myself, the narrow tunnel suddenly opened up, and my view cleared.
Like an amusement park attendant waiting for me, Usir stood on the ground, ready to welcome the dazed me.
【We’ve arrived. Now, the 30th floor. When I open this door, there should be a long straight corridor ahead, and at the end, the fallen Yog will be waiting in a hall.】
I rose from the tunnel and shook off the water from my fur.
—“Let’s see what’s in there.”
With my body refreshed by the clear water, I pushed the door wide open, eager to meet the fallen Yog.
【Graaargh!】
【Aaaah!】
【Gyeeeek!】
Before my eyes appeared the dark, mist-laden walls of the corridor, swarming with writhing tentacle monsters. They filled the path to the brim.
Silently, I closed the door again and shrugged.
—“There are way more walkers than I thought. No other way out?”
【It’d take over a day just to go back. And there would be walkers there too.】
—“Alright then, let’s open it like nothing happened.”
I sturdily opened the door again and shouted at the slimy creatures inside.
—“Freeze! You lot better put your heads down, you little rascals!”
【Grrr!】
【━!】
【━. ━!】
The tentacle monsters’ gazes all turned to me in an instant, and they began to converge towards me, babbling in an incomprehensible language.
The plan to keep Usir and Azidahaka safe while diverting the attention of the walkers toward me seemed to be falling into place.
—“Phew, what a stench! Go wash yourselves!”
Standing on my two legs, I swung my heavy front paw and whacked the monsters’ faces in rapid succession.
【Gag!】
【Graaah!】
The walkers flew back, smashing into walls, floors, and ceilings, strewn about like pieces of modern art.
“Step back, I’m about to burn you!”
I heard Azidahaka growling behind me. As I dodged to the side, a column of fire whooshed over my shoulder.
—“Sizzle.”
—“Squeak!”
With the screams of mice and the sticky tumor slime covering the walls igniting, Azidahaka’s all-out fire created a hellish scene for the innocent tentacle monsters that had transformed due to curses and bio-experiments.
—“Sorry, but you all head to heaven now.”
I swiftly bashed the heads of the tortured old fairies, sending them off painlessly.
【….】
Usir stood quietly, deeply watching as his former comrades turned to ash without uttering a word.
【Graaah!】
Crack.
Like a drowned corpse, a bloated tentacle monster lunged at my front paw and shoulder, trying to gnaw at me. But with my first evolution, the toughness of Grid Ratel had made my fur resistant to their teeth.
I grabbed the creature by the nape and slammed it down to the floor.
—“Alright, let’s keep this up. I’ll draw the monsters in front, and you fire flames from behind. Keep an eye on the map.”
My role now was like that of a frontline warrior in an RPG game: charging into danger to clear the path and protect the allies behind me.
It might sound like a heavy responsibility, but it was nothing compared to the stealthy, underhanded fighting I had to do for months.
As we moved forward, fulfilling our designated roles, I could noticeably see the number of walkers blocking the path decrease.
【Amazing…! You’re something else! At this rate, reaching the bottom floor will be a piece of cake!】
Usir was genuinely impressed by my overwhelming power.
Well, it was natural for him to be amazed as I easily dealt with the flesh walls at the lower levels that he couldn’t even dream of touching for over a decade.
—“What’s with the hero talk?”
“Back in the day, my kin viewed him as a god—skilled in war and hunting. He was likely one of the divine beings.”
—“Nice flattery. But let’s save the admiration until after we defeat that guy.”
As we got through the walkers, I caught sight of a massive, wide chamber at the end of the corridor.
In one corner stood a man dressed in a snug, clean leather outfit that clung to his body.
Among creatures squirming with tentacles, his pristine skin indicated that he was no ordinary character. Most notably, the boldly opened leather jacket displayed a shiny identification tag that caught my eye.
‘Clearly, I can tell. That guy’s the gatekeeper around here.’
Yog, one of the missing Platinum Hunters.
It was the moment I confronted a powerful fallen being.
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