Giant Octopus
The boat driven by Pupu was quietly leaving the Ice Island.
Blue sea water gently swayed, and fragments of ice softly cracked and cleared the path.
Rumiel leaned against the boat's railing, gazing out at the sea.
The receding Ice Island shrank in the distance—the vast snow-covered wilderness, the small village, and all traces from moments ago growing smaller and smaller.
Aaron had been awakened, the Ice Cream Factory visited. The business on the Ice Island was finished.
There was no longer any reason to stay.
Then, where would they go next?
Rumiel's ahoge slowly wiggled.
In her mind, she sketched out the next destination.
Cold places had been explored enough.
Then, a warm place would be nice.
A place where the hot sun poured down.
A place where the sea sparkled.
And a place where a cool breeze blew.
In Rumiel's mind, one location surfaced.
The resort beside the Pirate Village.
White sand beaches, blue sea, and an air of endless relaxation filled the air.
Even in the game, that place had been a resort-themed space.
Not a battlefield for combat, but a place to enjoy leisure.
Full of exotic dishes and drinks from every corner of the world.
A place to soothe tired bodies and minds.
Of course, only on the condition that the monsters there were lower level.
Anyway, it was time to head there.
Having made up her mind, Rumiel quietly gazed at the sea.
A soft sea breeze blew across the sun-dappled surface.
Pupu was still at the bow, happily chattering while pointing at the sea.
Rumiel took out the earmuffs with familiar movements and plugged them into her ears.
“⋯⋯.”
A moment later, the boat smoothly arrived at Bugi's Rest Dock.
On the gently swaying boat, Rumiel quietly stood up.
Pupu waved her hands cheerfully.
“Arrived! Back at Bugi's Rest!”
Rumiel silently nodded lightly.
Before stepping off the boat, she gave Pupu's head a gentle pat.
A small thank you for the rowing.
Pupu trembled with joy and smiled.
“Uh⋯⋯.”
While watching Rumiel walk toward the barren rocky mountain, Pupu hesitated for a moment, then spread her wings wide and shouted.
“If anything happens, come back! The hero will help!”
Pupu waved her wings with a bright smile.
Rumiel quietly watched Pupu, then smiled back and quietly moved her feet.
Along the path through the rocky mountain.
In the center of the rest stop, casually glanced at, the remains of a giant golem remained.
The completely destroyed remains of Daragon.
The once majestic Daragon was ruined beyond recognition.
Probably the raid had been successful.
In the distance, adventurers gathered for a celebratory party.
Clinking glasses, cheering, a lively atmosphere.
In the center of it all stood a boy.
The novice adventurer from the Greedy Slime incident.
He was no longer a novice.
[Lv. 10 Novice Warrior]
“You really worked hard!”
“You delivered the final blow! Level 10, right? You fought well!”
“Let's fight together from now on!”
His companions encouraged him, patting his back.
The boy smiled brightly.
The awkward expression from when they first met had vanished, replaced by a confident face.
Rumiel quietly watched the scene.
Then, with a faint smile, she nodded.
And she moved toward the bullet taxi waiting nearby.
Unfortunately, the taxi driver was a different person.
Probably several knights were rotating shifts like a real taxi.
“Welcome. Where are you going?”
The driver asked, and Rumiel turned her gaze out the window.
Far away, the Pirate Village with the sea breeze passing by felt like a gentle gaze.
Rumiel smiled faintly and slowly opened her mouth.
“Pirate Village.”
“Understood. Moving to Pirate Village.”
With the knight uncle's stiff reply, the bullet taxi smoothly began to move.
Vroom vroom.
While Rumiel dazedly stared out the window, sea breeze began blowing in from outside.
It was completely different from the cold wind on the Ice Island—warm and salty air.
Rumiel looked back at the window.
Wide blue sea, emerald waves flickering.
The newly risen sun sparkled on the surface.
Even in the game, the Pirate Village had a unique atmosphere.
Unlike the warrior village in the barren desert, this place always had sea breeze.
A place full of outlaws yet free and open.
After running for a while, the bullet taxi finally arrived at the destination.
The driver lightly stepped on the brake and slowed down.
“We have arrived.”
With those words, the taxi smoothly stopped.
Rumiel quietly opened the door and stepped out.
“If you go straight ahead, the Pirate Village will appear soon.”
The driver raised his hand to point the way.
Rumiel listened and looked ahead.
Far away, at the end of the road, a huge ship resembling a submarine appeared.
The entrance to the Pirate Village from the game.
The driver added with a light smile.
“Then, take care.”
With that, the bullet taxi quietly departed.
Rumiel quietly took one step forward.
Above her head, the hot sun shone down.
Under her feet, a soft grassy field spread out.
The pleasant scent of the sea carried on the breeze.
Rumiel's ahoge wiggled happily.
Then,
“⋯⋯.”
At the village entrance, a familiar being appeared.
It was a monster shaped like a giant octopus.
Its tentacles wriggled as it gently shook its body.
Slow movements. Flabby texture.
And somewhere cheeky face.
[Lv. 11 Big Octopus]
Rumiel's eyes sparkled for a moment.
Big Octopus.
This monster was particularly famous in the community.
The reason was simple.
Because of its characteristics, it was optimized for a specific genre.
The game itself was a healthy fantasy RPG.
But people with strange tastes existed everywhere.
People with specific tastes began seeing something in the Big Octopus and commissioned it.
As a result, outside the game, the Big Octopus became an image of something 'special'.
Of course, most users simply recognized it as a cute octopus monster...
Rumiel's expression frowned.
She had once browsed the community out of curiosity.
And what she had seen there... there was no need to recall.
Anyway, this was not the community, but the world of the game.
This guy was just an ordinary monster living near the Pirate Village.
Rumiel shook her head.
At that moment, the Big Octopus extended its tentacles slowly.
The movement strangely looked endearing.
The heavy body gently undulated, and the long tentacles lightly swept the ground.
Each time the suction cups at the ends of the tentacles passed over the ground, small, cute puffy sounds were heard.
Rumiel tilted her head and quietly watched the movement.
The Big Octopus, sensing Rumiel's gaze, slowly turned its body, blinked its large eyes, and approached.
It seemed to have no intention of attacking.
Yet the creature's movements were too soft and leisurely.
The large pupils sparkled with a mysterious light, somewhere between curiosity and friendliness.
The Big Octopus came closer.
Gently wriggling large tentacles slowly approached Rumiel's feet.
At first, the tentacles hesitated as if touching the ground, then slowly moved toward Rumiel.
Rumiel quietly stood and did not move.
The tentacles continued to sway gently and cautiously, approaching like a child exploring an unfamiliar object.
The ends of the tentacles, slightly slippery yet soft, slowly rose to Rumiel's face height.
The huge shadow completely enveloped her.
And the large tentacle that came right in front stopped right at her nose.
One suction cup at the tentacle end slowly, very slowly began to move toward Rumiel.
Blue sea met the Pirate Village.
A short walk from the port revealed the beach at the center of the village.
Under the hot sun, the sandy beach gently spread out.
Without strong winds, waves gently pushed in and softly disappeared again and again.
And in the middle of it all,
“……”
Rumiel quietly bent the skewers with shining eyes.
Sizzle, sizzle.
On the small stove set up on the beach, the sound of oil dripping and cooking could be heard.
Appetizing smoke rose in curls.
When the flames touched the skewers, the outer surface browned as it cooked.
On the skewers, large octopus pieces sizzled deliciously.
The octopus that had become the skewer material was enormous.
Big Octopus.
Just a moment ago, the monster wriggling at the village entrance had blocked Rumiel's path.
Now it was cooking deliciously.
Rumiel quietly nodded, checking once more that the skewers were cooking well.
The ahoge wiggled in satisfaction.