What in the world is this?
Realizing that the situation outside wasn’t good, the Jelly Girl plunged ahead without much thought, deciding that pondering could wait for later.
That was, to a certain degree, an action close to the right choice.
By using her tentacles to stab and make them firm and pointy with a “poof,” the Jelly Girl revealed the desires of the ‘Something’ that was seeking the outside world, causing it to divert its attention from the outside to recognizing the Jelly Girl herself.
The state of the Something that was assaulted by the Jelly Girl was dire at a glance. Pierced by her solid blue tentacles, it oozed black liquid from the holes.
Would this be what it looks like if you mashed up indistinguishable animals or humans like clay and threw them?
The wounds inflicted by the Jelly Girl were terrible, but the form of the Something exposed under the incoming light was even more horrifying.
Even the Jelly Girl, who had pierced it without thought, couldn’t help but shiver involuntarily at the sight. Nevertheless, she only shuddered for a brief moment before pushing her tentacles even deeper, stirring them around like she was breaking apart the Something’s horrifying body.
To the Jelly Girl, who bore no goodwill toward this unknown Something, handling it was far more pressing than anything else.
… Personally, she was also genuinely annoyed.
For it had, without a doubt, used the Jelly Girl to make its way here.
Perhaps, one could say it was only possible because the Jelly Girl had such abilities. The emergency exit, with its hole opened, was located at such a depth that only she could have reached it. If it weren’t for her, the Something would have eternally pounded on the door, seeking victims.
But that was ultimately a post-facto story.
Even the Jelly Girl would not have willingly done this if she had known it would come to this.
Which is why it irked her even more. Although it might not have targeted her specifically, the experience had been terribly distressing nonetheless.
The sensation of being left in a world presumed to be destroyed, devoid of any living beings.
The despair of knowing she would never meet anyone again.
An experience too terrible to endure twice.
The Jelly Girl glared coldly at the Something and continued an unrelenting attack. After all, it wasn’t human, so she felt no qualms.
Her tentacles erupted from her body, sharp like spears and swords, beginning to slash and mutilate the Something’s bloated form.
The Something, with its massive body, endured the wounds helplessly, emitting grotesque screams that felt almost anti-climactic.
With a “slosh!” sound, every time her sharp tentacle swung, sticky fluids splattered, and its flesh flew everywhere.
Though it seemed effortless, the Jelly Girl didn’t let her guard down, continuing to stab until the Something’s movements ceased entirely.
But then,
With a “plop,”
Reacting to a sudden sensation, the Jelly Girl swirled her tentacles, only to see black liquid erupt—out of nowhere—from behind her. It splattered over her, coating her body like a veil of sticky darkness.
A black liquid that clung to her body without being absorbed, as if covering her with a thick film.
Perceiving this oddity, the Jelly Girl retracted her tentacles cautiously. With so many strange elements, she figured a pause was best.
Summoning her tentacles again, the Jelly Girl violently shook her body, flailing about like a wet puppy trying to dry itself, to shake off the black veil enveloping her.
Her quivering jelly-like body shuddered, and the stubbornly clinging black liquid finally dispersed and dripped off her as she focused her strength.
Regaining her hazy vision, she surveyed her surroundings.
Given the sudden appearance of the being and the overall strangeness of the situation, something certainly seemed off.
And as expected,
There was no sign of the Something. Only the remnants of black liquid smeared around, but not the grotesque mass.
It seemed that when the Jelly Girl initially opened the door and failed to detect the Something, it was likely due to a special ability it possessed.
Bracing herself immediately, the Jelly Girl prepared to react to any further movement.
Where is it?
…What would I do if I were it?
Judging by her reasoning, the Something had only two options.
Run to the basement,
Or—
Recognizing the disappearance of the light shining on it, the Jelly Girl immediately extended her tentacles.
Poof!
“Wha—!?”
“What the hell!?”
“H-H-Help…”
The silhouette of the fleeing Something emerged, caught in the act of retreating through the punctured flesh. Whether it was habit or an effort to consume more material to regain strength, it appeared the Something had chosen to target the agents outside rather than fleeing into the basement.
Perceiving this as a grotesque affront, the Jelly Girl let her tentacles go wild.
Unrecognizable flesh—neither human nor beast—scattered about, with black liquid splashing everywhere.
The Jelly Girl drove her tentacles firmly into the Something to prevent it from hiding again, surmising that its inability to hide after sustaining damage would allow her to stop it once and for all.
Her theory proved correct, as the Something could no longer hide after being pierced by her.
Cornered.
Like a rat trapped against the wall.
But even as if opening the escape route for a rat,
…Like how a cornered rat might bite a cat,
The Something, perhaps deciding to go all-or-nothing, violently charged at her.
The previously calm and deliberate Jelly Girl, sensing a heavy mass rushing towards her, faltered slightly.
As the black shadow loomed over her body, she involuntarily froze, reminiscent of being crushed and squeezed under a frog’s weight.
Plop!
Seizing on her brief hesitation, the Something barreled into her with its massive bulk, revealing what appeared to be human-like hands. It violently tore into her soft, rubbery arm and stuffed it into its many gaping mouths, greedily devouring her.
Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.
The holes that resembled baby birds’ beaks made munching sounds.
But only for a moment.
Regaining her composure instantly, the Jelly Girl regenerated her body and counterattacked.
Thorny protrusions jutted out from her body, akin to a porcupine raising its quills.
The creature, chewing on and trying to rip off her other limbs, found itself impaled like a kebab. The one who had been enjoying eating jelly violently convulsed, vomited the jelly it had eaten, and tried to flee.
The Jelly Girl’s arm that was expelled wriggled, coalescing around it before resuming its squirming.
Soon enough,
It began devouring the body of the Something, now impaled like a kebab.
Bulge. Bulge. Bulge.
As if returning the favor.
Unlike the Jelly Girl, the kebab-skewered beast had no means of escape. Its body, which had grown weak, was visibly stretching and lengthening.
As the thorny jelly dug deeper into its flaccid flesh, thick black liquid—presumably bl**d—spurted out copiously.
Even in such dire straits, the Something kept struggling to survive.
Its desperate wriggling, though lacking true strength, only hastened its d*ath but persisted out of sheer biological instinct in avoiding the worst.
Observing this, the Jelly Girl found herself oddly unsettled but thought she had already crossed the line that shouldn’t be crossed.
Crunch!
The Jelly Girl’s sharp spines tore the creature’s body apart. What had once been a large mass collapsed onto the floor like a butchered, poorly carved chunk of meat, leaving a messy streak.
The black liquid from the creature’s body dribbled down the stairs.
Not long after, the Something ceased all movement completely.
Having bristled with spines earlier, the Jelly Girl now retracted them. The torn flesh and black liquid stuck to her spines were absorbed back into her body, distorting her expression as if she imagined a tongue emerging from nowhere.
Taking out a sharp tentacle to ensure the beast was truly dead, she poked and slashed it for good measure.
Just in case it wasn’t, it could have caused quite a predicament.
She slashed.
Stabbed.
And tore it apart.
This brutal dismemberment only ceased when the Jelly Girl was certain the Something was truly dead.
With the situation over, the steps beneath her, now submerged in ankle-deep black liquid, were surrounded by black, floating chunks of flesh, carried downward by the current.
As she absentmindedly surveyed the scene, the Jelly Girl felt a flicker in her pocket of knowledge.
Guided by the pocket’s signal, her steps guided her toward a solitary piece of flesh nearby, revealing something that resembled an organ.
This must be its core, she wondered momentarily.
After a brief hesitation, she absorbed it into her body.
Though distasteful, she moved her now-polluted form toward the light.
As her face emerged from the cracked fissure,
“Uwack!?”
“H-H-Help!”
“Eh?”
The agents, visibly shaken, stared at the Jelly Girl with blanched faces. In turn, the Jelly Girl tilted her head in confusion.
Seeing her covered in black fluids, the group of agents seemed so shocked they collapsed on the floor.
Recalling the pale faces staring at her, the Jelly Girl internally sighed.
Ah.
They must’ve thought I was one of their own. How embarrassing.
Though disheartened, she had no choice but to accept it. Yet her attention was soon caught by something else.
The barricading wall blocking the passageway was rising.
Once again, I’ve succeeded. Somehow.
With a feeling of having resolved one issue, she noticed humans in her line of sight with hardened expressions.
…Why are they like that? Is something wrong?
Shrugging at the inability to comprehend the issue, the Jelly Girl continued her way forward.
