Chapter 162
Beauty and the Beast 161 – Beauty and the Beast #5 (Complete)
“Grrr… chiiiikk…”
Nialli, released from Azidahaka’s tail, writhed on the ground in agony. It looked like a salt-sprinkled snail, and even I felt the pain just watching.
— So, even with a broken neck, it can still breathe. Truly, it lives up to its name as a mythical creature.
“Chirp, chirp…”
Nialli’s eyes swirled with a mix of terror, pain, rage, and injustice.
— Looks like someone’s in pain…
Though deep down, it’s a pitch-black villain, right now Nialli appeared as innocent as a pure white angel.
So, seeing a child struggle in agony made even me want to look away and frown.
Yet, the Fire Dragon Azidahaka still grumbled lowly, as if it was not satisfied.
“I would love to make you suffer more, but as your sister, I’ll show you mercy. My friends and companions who were left to suffer like you are plentiful in this tower. Be grateful you can d*e like this, Nialli.”
“Chiiikk…”
There was a massive wall of grudge and resentment between Azidahaka and Nialli. Coming from a time where barely a few days of noise between floors could lead to m*rder, I couldn’t even begin to imagine the depth of a millennium of hatred.
— Life is…
I averted my gaze from the dying Nialli, searching for Yingyi, who had flown off somewhere.
“Stop…”
Rustle.
Something suddenly popped up from the crumbled floor.
Crash.
“Stop it…”
What emerged through the pile of shattered bricks was a large, dark shoulder of a man.
— Guki, you’re alive?
The Great Demon King Guki, who I thought had been swept away and killed by Nialli’s tentacles, staggered into view. Azidahaka and I dropped our relaxed expressions, our eyes on him in alarm.
However, Guki brushed past us to stand protectively in front of Nialli, kneeling with his back turned toward us in a show of humility.
“I know this is a shameless request. But can you spare this one’s life…?”
“What? Guki, weren’t you also betrayed and used by her? Are you being serious right now?”
Azidahaka seemed incredulous, sticking his tongue out in disbelief. Guki nodded, keeping his head bowed to the ground.
“I know. Nialli has done unforgivable things. But honestly, it was all my fault. My greed turned her into a mythical creature, and my greed led her to the Twelve’s folly that’s put us in this situation. If punishment is due, let it fall on me instead.”
Guki lifted his head slightly and slammed it back on the ground. With a resounding bang, the walls crumbled and the earth trembled like a hammer struck it.
— After being blatantly betrayed, it’s only natural to find it sickening. You’ve become worthy of respect as a fool.
“……”
Azidahaka could no longer say a word and looked at me instead. Though her expression was hidden behind a tiara, the atmosphere suggested she was asking, “What do we do now?”
As I gazed down at Guki’s head, I fell into deep contemplation. If I rejected his offer outright, wouldn’t I have to fight him again?
Who knows what kind of evil a man would become when fighting to protect what is dear to him?
— But if I just accept his words, who knows what kind of chaos Azidahaka might instigate? Nialli is naturally deceitful, so if she recovers, she might scheme for revenge.
Calmly, my mind sorted through these thoughts. How long had the silence lasted, where no one spoke?
The first to break the silence was me.
— If I let you live, there’s no guarantee you won’t cause such trouble again. Nialli is a vile villain. What if I let her live and end up in dire straits? Can you take responsibility for that?
I looked down at Guki’s head with a cold gaze. He didn’t lift his head but calmly replied.
“That won’t happen. Nialli and I…, we will destroy the Inner Sanctum.”
“Are you saying you want to destroy the Inner Sanctum? Isn’t that just a d*ath wish…?”
Azidahaka, who had been silent with a serious face, suddenly became quite flustered.
— What is this Inner Sanctum?
In response to my question, Azidahaka rubbed her lower abdomen with trembling fingers.
“It’s like an organ that stores the power and magic of mythical creatures. If that’s destroyed, even mighty transcendents will revert to mindless beasts.”
— So, you’re saying they will give up everything they have? Literally, they will be in a state where they can barely cling to life?
“Yes, they will survive, but not really. Returning as beasts is akin to hell itself. The higher they’ve soared, the more shocking their fall will be.”
“It’d be quicker to show my resolve. Hmph.”
Guki lifted his head and forcefully drove his hands into his abdomen. It looked almost like a samurai preparing to commit seppuku at the command of a monarch.
His hands dug into his abdomen, and soon, he pulled out a round, shining orb.
Despite being stained with red bl**d, it sparkled in such a way that even I couldn’t help but be captivated.
— Even an ignorant fool like me can recognize it. That’s something extraordinary.
The orb emitted a gentle blue glow, with an incredibly sweet aroma wafting from it, making me almost swoon.
No, perhaps it wasn’t an illusion.
The moment I laid eyes on that orb, drool began to flow from my mouth like a waterfall.
“This… this is my Inner Sanctum… Do you believe me now? Please, just spare Nialli’s life…”
As Guki pulled out the Inner Sanctum, the changes overtook him visibly. His once sturdy muscles began to shrink and thin out.
— He’s getting younger?
Eventually, the Great Demon King Guki transformed into a small boy of about ten years old. There was no longer a trace of strength or vigor emanating from him.
“You truly gave up immortality, Guki. I never thought you would go this far…”
Even Azidahaka, whose heart was full of vengeful thoughts, couldn’t help but sigh at the pitiful sight of her old friend turned to ruin.
— Why go to such lengths for Nialli?
I quietly asked as I took the Inner Sanctum from Guki’s hands. Boy Guki held his wounded stomach with a bittersweet smile.
“…I don’t know. When I see her smile, I forget my hunger… perhaps for that brief moment.”
I couldn’t understand what he was saying. All I knew was that he was saying something embarrassingly foolish.
However, unlike before, I didn’t mock or ridicule him. Even in his fallen state, there was something that resonated within me as a fellow male.
“Chirp! Chicchiiii!”
Nialli cried out from behind Guki. But with her neck broken and her voice hoarse, she could only howl like a beast.
“Nialli, it’s truly over now.”
Guki held the bleeding Nialli in his arms.
Their black hair and eyes made them look like an older brother comforting his sick little sister.
Guki’s fingers sharpened like a dagger as he aimed for Nialli’s lower abdomen. Just then…
“I’ll do it.”
Azidahaka flicked Guki’s hand away with her tail. She took Nialli into her arms and began to gently rub Nialli’s lower abdomen with her palm.
Fwoosh, chiiiii.
“Chikiiiin!”
*
How long had I lost consciousness in immense pain? As Nialli slowly opened her eyes, she realized she was being carried on someone’s back.
“…”
She wanted to protest how this was happening but couldn’t produce a sound due to her broken neck.
“Awake, are we? You probably have questions about why I did this. But don’t ask. You have a neck brace on, but it’ll take ages for that broken thing to heal.”
Yet, Guki quickly sensed that Nialli was awake, even without saying a word. Although he often lacked awareness, he occasionally seemed to read her mind.
“…”
“It’s not for you. It’s simply what I wanted to do. Hmph.”
Guki’s breath was ragged. Having pulled the Inner Sanctum and become a mere human boy, carrying someone of Nialli’s size was no doubt exhausting.
Nialli managed a slow turn to glance back.
The soaring maze city of Sumer was already fading into the distance. This meant that while she had been unconscious, Guki had carried her for quite a while.
Looking down, she saw a long red trail of bl**d flowing from Guki’s abdomen.
— Such foolishness.
Normally, she would’ve spat curses, but her broken neck kept her silent.
“Carrying you brings back old memories. Do you remember when you just became a mythical creature? The race organized by Mother World Tree? I carried you then too.”
“…”
Nialli vividly recalled that day. As a pitiful being who had just become a mythical creature, she promised to look down at the entire world from the high skies atop World Tree.
That day sparked her interest in the world beyond the forest.
Guki continued, panting heavily.
“When I carried you, you eventually became the leader of the Twelve Beasts. What a joyous occasion. I simply wanted to bring you to my level. To show you views so breathtaking your heart would soar. So I pulled you from the ground to the skies. But was that a mistake?”
“…”
“Thus, this time I came down. I willingly abandoned my power and came down to the ground where you are. But it’s quite tough. Carrying you feels heavy… I guess you’ve put on some weight since we first met.”
“…!”
As Nialli squirmed, Guki chuckled softly.
“No, it’s not heavy at all.”
“…Fool.”
With great effort, Nialli opened her mouth. Even in her fallen state, her powerful mythical body was beginning to heal, allowing her to speak a little.
“You’re really a fool. Not only are you slow, but your head is bad too.”
“I know, and that’s why I came to like you. Vile Nialli. If you were smart, I wouldn’t have kept you close with your blackened heart.”
“…”
“But I don’t regret it. Now that I’m weak, it feels like I’ve shed an oppressive burden. Maybe I should have done this from the start.”
Guki walked slowly toward the end of the distant desert. His pace had grown slow, and his breathing more labored.
After a lot of prattling, Guki fell silent. Sensing his growing unease, Nialli prompted, trying to speak despite her injured neck.
“Cough, where are we going now?”
“…Just as you wished, we’ve finally left the forest. Now we can go anywhere.”
“Let’s go to the sea! There, the water stretches infinitely. We can catch fish without worry! Even a glutton like you will never starve at sea.”
“That sounds good… The sea, the sea.”
“Cough, we’ll build a home there. You catch fish while I cook. We’ll gather strength again, no matter how many years that takes.”
“Gather strength? You haven’t let go of your greed, have you, Nialli?”
“Of course not. But this time, I have a solid plan. We’ll have more capable subordinates. Lots of kids that resemble your strength and my brains. Maybe a dozen, we’ll create a new Ancient Nest!”
“Haha, a dozen… I no longer have that kind of strength.”
“It’s okay! I’m a rat, so I can have many kids at once!”
Nialli couldn’t finish her sentence. Guki’s body slowly collapsed onto the parched desert floor.
“…You fool.”
“Wait… let’s take a break.”
“There’s no time to rest! We have to move! Get up! Don’t you want to have kids with me?!”
Nialli shook Guki violently. But he didn’t move a single finger anymore. Nialli wiped her blurry eyes as she lifted Guki onto her back.
“We’re going to the end. If you brought me outside the cave, you have to take responsibility until the end.”
“Who would have thought I’d be carried by you in my lifetime, so much for living…”
Guki chuckled softly. His title, Great Demon King, seemed poorly matched, with his laughter sounding like a faint breeze.
“…”
After a while of chuckling, Guki fell silent, as if exhausted, no longer moving even slightly.
Nialli felt the weight of Guki on her back as she moved slowly toward the sea, wherever that may be.
“Alright, sleep well. By the time you wake up, we’ll be at the sea…”
In the end, Nialli burst into tears.
Soon, the boy and girl with dark hair vanished without a trace in the swirling sandstorm of the desert.
[Afterword] The underground episode that felt like a full volume has come to an end. Starting from the next chapter, the tale of the White One searching for treasure in the desert will begin.
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