Episode 59: Shadow Giant (3)
Episode 59: Shadow Giant (3)
[Why are you unharmed?]
The so-called Doppelganger God asked. There was no need to answer the Monster God.
I quietly consumed the tentacle's calories. My depleted energy reserves were replenished.
Death's Countdown became usable again.
"Seol-hwa. If you want to live, we have to kill that thing."
Whatever that creature was thinking, it clearly had no intention of letting us leave alive.
I extended tentacles from beneath my clothes. Death's Countdown activated.
Seol-hwa's stats skyrocketed. Power overflowed from her. She took flight.
[Futile effort.]
The Shadow Giant swung its arm like swatting away an annoying insect. Its massive hand blotted out the sky. We had to dodge. A direct hit meant certain death. I extended my tentacles, reaching the giant hand before Seol-hwa could. Though the fingers were too massive to fully restrain, I managed to bind one finger tightly.
Pouring all my strength into the tentacle, veins bulged across its surface. Seol-hwa's trajectory shifted abruptly, narrowly avoiding the palm.
Once clear, I severed the tentacle myself. Freed, Seol-hwa shot toward the Shadow Giant's head.
She landed on its shoulder, her sword carving through the shadow flesh. With each swing, chunks of its body were sheared away.
[Lowly insect. Do you truly believe you can kill me?]
But the severed flesh regenerated instantly, like water refilling through an opened tap. Endless restoration.
"Seol-hwa! Throw the severed parts to me!"
I devoured them. The shadow flesh melted sluggishly in my stomach.
[You have consumed part of &^$%. Your feeble rank has progressed slightly.]
A message appeared. Though cryptic, it clearly signaled improvement. The consumed flesh didn't regenerate, and my energy reserves partially refilled, extending Death's Countdown's duration.
[How... this can't be...]
The Shadow Giant faltered, clearly unprepared for this development.
"Perfect! Keep this up!"
"Yes!"
Seol-hwa's sword flashed, carving a massive gash across the giant.
The panicked giant shook its shoulders. A massive hand approached.
Seol-hwa crouched, then sprang upward like a released coil, landing atop the Shadow Giant's head.
"If it's shaped like a giant, the core must be in the head, right?"
Her sword traced a wide arc, cleaving the head like an apple.
Correct. Within the massive skull glowed a pitch-black core. If this wasn't the core, it defied all logic.
The giant thrashed to protect its core. Seol-hwa lost balance, staggering.
I extended my tentacles. No choice-this was my role. I whipped a tentacle toward the core.
Crash.
The core shattered with the sound of breaking glass. I devoured the fragments. Delicious. Unlike previous tasteless cores, this one held divine flavor-worthy of a god. Ravenously, I scavenged every piece.
[Impossible... I can't... lose to mere insects... even if it's just a fragment of my power...]
The Shadow Giant melted away, hurling insults as it dissolved. I ignored the defeated god's ranting-scavenging its core took priority.
Ten minutes passed. The giant fully dissolved.
I finished consuming every core fragment. My stomach swelled with unprecedented satiety.
[You have consumed part of the Shadow God. In a world where replication requires but a single glance, the Shadow God reigned supreme. You have absorbed part of the Shadow God.]
[Conditions met.]
[Devour Level has increased.]
[Devour LV5: You can absorb fragments of other worlds to expand your domain.]
[You have assimilated part of the Shadow World. The Shadow God's dungeon is now subjugated. You may teleport to this dungeon at will.]
The scrolling text made my head spin.
'Does this mean I own this dungeon now?'
Summarizing the messages-I'd apparently become the dungeon's master. Testing it, I sent my will toward the core. It responded, flashing crimson.
"Hmm... How do I use this?"
Ownership was good, but practicality eluded me. After brief consideration, I prioritized evacuating the party.
I commanded the dungeon to create an exit to Earth. Dimensional Gates normally allow interdimensional travel, but as an Earth-native, I could bypass restrictions.
'I need to specify a location?'
A mental map appeared-the area near Seol-hwa's entry Gate. Exits weren't limited to Gates. Choosing the original Gate would avoid suspicion.
Whoom.
A spatial rift opened near the core-our exit. Seol-hwa carried the unconscious party members. Finally going home, she clenched her fists with determination.
I ordered the core to seal the Gate after our departure-standard procedure after dungeon clearance to avoid suspicion.
"What happened? Where are the others?"
Advisor Iyeona panicked as only we emerged. Seol-hwa laid the party members down-home was still far.
* * * * * *
"Ah... where...?"
Isia awoke to an unfamiliar ceiling. Sitting up, she clutched her throbbing head.
Memories flooded back-entering the dungeon... the Shadow Giant...
A splitting headache accompanied the recollection. Her memory ended after refusing the giant's offer.
"Your daughter is resting. Do you intend to wake an injured child?"
"I'm aware. But it seems my daughter is already awake."
Her mother stood outside. Isia rose quickly-time to act.
Click.
The infirmary door opened, revealing a flustered nurse and her smiling mother.
"I wish to speak with my daughter privately. Leave us."
Sword Queen's commanding tone brooked no argument. Alone in the vast room, tension thickened.
"...I heard. Failed to clear a dungeon? And a low-rank one at that."
Her mother's emotionless voice always felt like an examination.
"Yes, that's correct."
No rebuttal existed. Isia bowed her head, enduring the criticism.
All her efforts had crumbled. Worst was her party's betrayal-trust built over years tore like paper during crisis.
"How disappointing. You left my guild voluntarily, only to show this? Perhaps you should return."
Rage ignited within Isia. Her mother never praised-only demanded more. Once, she craved approval. Now, she only wanted to surpass and humble this woman. But her guild's collapse destroyed that chance.
"...Mom never speaks about Father, yet interferes in my life-"
Isia lashed out with forbidden words-not reason, but pure spite.
"Your... father... I can't tell you about him."
The attack worked. Sword Queen averted her gaze-a first.
Isia thrilled at her mother's vulnerability. Father was the key. She'd uncover his identity and shatter this woman's composure. All respect had evaporated.
* * * * *
"Ah... So that's how it works!"
Days later at home, inspiration struck regarding my new dungeon.