Thank you to everyone who gave comments and coupons. Episode 142
46. The Magical Beast and Osiris’ Underground Palace #3
Wheee. Wheee.
Clunk.
Hooong,
A golden Automaton swung its arms at me. On its own, this movement seemed trivial, but…
<Repel.>
<Annihilate.>
<Destroy.>
We found ourselves surrounded, as if the entire city’s Automatons were closing in, their numbers growing by the second.
—This isn’t good. Time to smash it.
I resolved to destroy the golden Automaton, which, in itself, looked like a treasure.
It stung a little, considering I had spent my childhood assembling models and such; breaking this magnificent machine felt painful.
‘But it’s better than dying.’
Hooong.
I whipped my tail, sending chunks of the Automatons flying.
<De. De.stroy...>
<Anni.hil.ate...>
Crackle. Crackle.
Intense sparks flew from the bodies of the shattered Automatons.
They might be well-made machines, but it seemed they couldn’t withstand physical shock.
—As I thought, a few hits and machines just fix themselves.
Just then, I thought—
—Creeeak.
—Creeeek.
With the sound of squeaky rodents, the remains of the shattered Automatons started to cling to each other and stick together.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed tiny, gooey tentacle-like things hanging from their golden parts and joints, connecting them.
—No way, they really are fixing themselves.
Clank. Clink.
<Destroy.>
<Annihilate.>
The Automatons I had smashed with my tail began to operate once more. I began to vaguely understand how the balance of this abandoned city had been maintained for a thousand years.
—They weren’t just simple machines.
“I can hear it; those are Nialli’s tentacle rats. Even after a thousand years, Nialli’s influence is still here. Maybe they prepared for my return…”
—Quit talking and do something! They keep fixing themselves!
I continued to knock over the Automatons with my front paws and tail. However, that merely halted their movements temporarily; I wasn’t able to break them entirely.
‘Looks like I need to smash them to dust.’
The problem was that the Automatons were made pretty sturdy, so even my wholehearted tail attacks only crumpled or dented them.
‘So it’s not their shell I should aim for!?’
—Sizzle.
—Creeeak!
In the moment I smashed an Automaton, I stepped on the tentacles trying to cling to each other and popped them. Finally, the Automatons ceased to cling together or repair themselves, their bodies losing that golden glow.
<Ending…>
—Ah, now I get it. No need to sh**t fire.
Having discovered how to counter the seemingly invincible Automatons, I smiled refreshingly.
If absolutely necessary, I thought about blasting fire to melt them all, but if I did that, it might end up burning the entire city—or worse, the whole tower!
<Identifying target.>
<Repel intruders.>
But there were just too many Automatons to take out one tentacle at a time.
I turned my head to see what Azidahaka was up to and saw it hugging Yingyi tightly, a flame in its mouth.
“Graah━!”
Whoosh.
Fire blazed from the mouth of the Fire Dragon, shooting a long stream of flames towards the group of Automatons, turning their golden bodies a bright red.
—Got it!
With its flames, Azidahaka could easily wipe out the robots.
<Excessive heat detected.>
<Alert level rising.>
<Magic power conversion.>
Clank. Clank.
The Automaton I thought would melt in the flames instead heated up to a bright red, charging at us with even greater speed. It looked like they were going berserk like enraged game monsters!
—So your fire actually made them move faster!?
“While I was captured by humans, it looks like Nialli modified the Automatons. What should we do…?!”
—This is your tower. How can you ask me that!?
“I haven’t been home in so long. If it weren’t for these shackles, cuffs, and blindfold… then I could handle these easily!”
I furrowed my brow at Azidahaka’s awkward comment.
I considered using Yingyi’s lightning, but since they were siphoning Azidahaka’s fire, if they absorbed electricity, they might get even stronger.
‘Guess I have no choice but to use my fire.’
Right now, it seemed that was the only answer.
【This way. This way. Flee here. There’s a refuge here. The Automatons can’t detect this place.】
Sssss.
At that moment, I heard a horrendous voice, like a snake flicking its tongue, somewhere. I looked up to find where it came from.
Far away at the golden building, a black shadow appeared on the rooftop, then disappeared in a flash.
—First, let’s escape quickly. Watch your tongue.
I grabbed Azidahaka with my front paw and lifted it up.
“What are you trying to do, touching my body in such confusion?!”
Azidahaka yelped, hugging Yingyi even tighter.
—You’ve had an axe to grind for a long time, haven’t you? Either way, I said to watch your tongue!
I slammed down my hind legs. With a leap, I soared up high, stepping on the heads of the Automatons like a giant game of hopscotch as I ran across the rooftops.
“Whoo.”
With its eyes covered by the blindfold, Azidahaka had no idea what was happening. It clung tightly to my arm, probably feeling like it was on a roller coaster.
<Target lost.>
<Switching tracking.>
The Automatons clicked and clattered, urgently chasing after me as I jumped from building to building.
—They’re persistent.
Upon reaching the rooftop where I had seen the black shadow, I spat on the ground. The rooftop door creaked open, revealing someone cloaked in a black robe.
【Come here.】
Up close, the shadow looked like an old man, hunched like he had lived a hard life or a cripple.
Covered in a pitch-black robe, his face was wrapped in dirty bandages, making it look like he had some dangerous disease.
Gooey.
From the long, dragging hem of the robe, a black tentacle appeared.
Swoosh.
The man, or whatever he was, adjusted his robe with a decrepit hand while hiding the tentacle part.
【My home is safe from the pursuit of Automatons. It’s small, but it’s better than being chased by them.】
Sssss.
I perked up at the man’s voice, which carried a special echo.
He definitely had a suspicious appearance and tone.
I knew I shouldn’t judge by appearances, but this guy was obviously too bizarre to trust.
【Up close, you’re a splendid beast. Shining white fur; very nice.】
—Tentacle, are you one of Nialli’s subordinates? Then you’ll regret inviting us. We absolutely detest tentacles.
Both Azidahaka and I were members of the same community united by a common enemy, Nialli. Azidahaka especially hated Nialli with a vengeance.
As I scrutinized the guy with wary eyes, he shivered his shoulders slightly. Although I couldn’t hear it, he was probably laughing.
【Nialli. Are you talking about the Black Pharaoh, Nyarlathotep? If that’s the case, don’t worry. No one hates him more than I do.】
Given that he understood my words, it seemed this guy wasn’t an ordinary human.
Maybe a mythical creature or something similar?
Everything about him felt foreign, making it difficult to get a grip on what he was.
—Nialli’s subordinates thrive on lies and deceit, so you could be lying too.
“It’s fine. I don’t hear any deceptive undertones in your voice. Listening to your heartbeat, you seem like an honest and noble person.”
“Please set me down now,” Azidahaka said, stepping on the ground.
With its eyes blindfolded, Azidahaka had developed its hearing to a remarkable level over the years of imprisonment.
It seemed it could discern if a person was lying or telling the truth through the vibrations of their voice.
‘If he says so…’
Clank. Clank.
<Target identified.>
<Tracking route.>
Behind me, the immortal Automaton legion was climbing up buildings, hot on our heels.
Rather than continuing this annoying fight with them, it might be better to follow this suspicious guy and escape.
‘He doesn’t seem that strong…’
—Yingyi has shown no fear of him.
Considering Yingyi, who is sensitive to wicked hearts, wasn’t terrified, it meant this guy could be trustworthy.
‘Though he looks suspicious…’
【Aren’t you coming in? I don’t care.】
—I’ll go in. Lately, I’ve been through things that make me unable to trust anyone.
【A world where one cannot easily trust goodwill is hell itself. But I understand. If someone were to willingly accept my kindness upon seeing this cursed body, I might have refused the offer. It could just be a robbery.】
‘Is this dude actually smart?’
Just when I thought he was merely a monster, it turned out he had some wit.
【Anyway, let’s go in. If I keep the door open, my hideout will be exposed to the Automatons.】
We entered through the rooftop door following him. Descending the stairs, we found a small room lined with various tools hanging on the walls.
The hand-stained tools and the meager utensils hinted at just how long this guy had been alone here.
【You can just toss your stuff anywhere. I didn’t expect a visitor, so I have nothing to offer.】
Thud.
Azidahaka plopped down on the only chair, quietly starting to speak.
“I never expected there would be survivors in the upper levels of this tower. It’s been a millennium since the city fell. How have you managed to survive all this time?”
【As for my appearance, there are cases where it can still be called being alive.】
The man in the black robe pulled up the robe draped over his arm. Underneath were rotting flesh, bandages, and wriggling tentacles.
—Ew.
As I frowned, the man quickly covered up again with his robe.
—That sickness, it isn’t contagious, is it?
【As long as I’m not bitten by the Walkers, this curse won’t spread.】
—Walkers?
At my question, Azidahaka, sitting next to me, answered instead.
“They’re monsters that have taken residence in the lower levels of the tower, deep underground. They are the victims of biological experiments. They’re like mad beasts running wild with rabies, entirely devoid of rationality. It’s impossible for them to regain their sanity. Excuse me, but aren’t you a Walker as well? How have you managed to retain your sanity?”
【I, too, was just one more monster wandering in the tower. I gained my senses not long ago. Other Walkers considered me a foe when I regained my sanity and attacked me. So I climbed to this relatively safe upper level to create a hideout.】
—Wait, you climbed up to the upper level? So you were below? You must know the way down!
【Yes, but I have no desire to go back there.】
The man in the black robe nodded at my question. I smirked unexpectedly at the local I’d run into.
—Perfect. You can guide us down to the deepest level.
Eek.
【D-deepest level…? Are you in your right mind? You want to willingly head to that hell?】
The man in the black robe shouted, his shoulders shaking dramatically.
【That’s madness. The further down you go, the thicker this crazy madness becomes. The deepest level is essentially hell incarnate, teeming with all sorts of monsters. If you want to commit s*icide, I can open the rooftop door right now.】
The man in the black robe displayed a firm demeanor. If he, who had survived in this bizarre environment, was so scared, I couldn’t even imagine what the bottom level of this tower was like.
“If we go to the deepest level, there may be a way to lift the curse on you. The Eternal Spring I was making is designed to eliminate all kinds of hatred and curses. It just needs to ripen, and by now, it might be complete.”
【Eternal Spring, you say? I’ve been curious about that; what exactly are you? You don’t seem to be a fairy or a human.】
At the black robe’s question, Azidahaka pushed its chair back, standing up.
“I am Azidahaka, the eternal overseer and goddess of this tower, the labyrinth city of Sumer.”
【You? The goddess, held captive like a slave?!】
[Author’s Note] If you enjoyed it, please press the recommendation button at the top of the mobile screen! A two-second head start could gift the writer a happy day! @[emailprotected]
