Chapter 159
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: Kobolds and the Underground Labyrinth
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That thing was a monster.
—Kyuuu...
A Kobold Queen bound in all sorts of thick black chains, letting out groans of agony. Or rather, could you even call that thing a queen? That massive lump of flesh, swollen to at least five meters in size, seemed less like a "queen" and more like a "mother." And less like a mother and more like a "puppy-producing factory."
The sight of it endlessly churning out offspring from a uterus bloated to the size of its own body evoked images of a termite queen trapped inside a grotesque earthen pillar, forever laying eggs until her death.
—Squirm. The pulsing uterus spat out a newborn soaked in amniotic fluid, and hooded kobolds scooped it up and carried it off somewhere.
Meanwhile, up front, workers relentlessly shoved food—or whatever it was—into the queen's maw.
The process repeated endlessly.
I watched in a frenzy of overwhelming awe, holding my breath like I'd stepped into a silent art gallery. It was an incomprehensible scene, as enigmatic as some geometric painting expressing the inner world of a severe paranoid schizophrenic.
"This is modern art..."
It felt so surreal that it didn't seem real at all.
Should I call it an "external womb"? Its base body was five meters, and adding the massive exposed uterus made it a good ten meters long.
Kyuuu... The queen hadn't noticed us yet. If it was pumping out pups like that nonstop, even I'd ignore any intruders.
—Clank!
The queen shuddered, twisting its body as if in torment.
This pup was bigger than the last one. A Kobold Warrior pup? Who knew. The next one was small. Just like all the ones before, it would only keep birthing more.
The mystery of why there were so damn many kobolds was solved. They were cranking them out like Marin from a barracks assembly line—numbers couldn't be low.
"...It looks like this Kobold Queen has been corrupted by some evil force."
A black iron crown was jammed on the queen's head. Right below it, a hood emblazoned with sinister runes covered its face.
What the hell were the cultists aiming for, turning the queen into that abomination? The chains, crown, and hood were clearly man-made restraints. Someone with a specific agenda had raided the kobold den and left it in this state.
"Alright, darky. You said your head's fine, right?"
"Yeah? But seeing that thing makes me wanna hurl."
"Then quit freaking out. Nice and slow. Push that door back there. We gotta get outta here. I've never seen anything like that... This is dangerous."
Winia whispered to me.
Sure, the violent impulses in my gut were shaking like a shaken cola about to burst, but unlike that grotesque horror from before, witnessing the queen's overwhelming birthing spectacle had sapped my fight right out. It was like a mangy pup beaten half to death on the hottest day of summer, all limp and done.
More precisely, like my balls hanging limp in sweltering heat.
As she said, I backed up slowly and tried to push the secret door. But it wouldn't budge. No way...? As I strained, Cloudy and Elise joined in.
I had a bad feeling.
"The door won't move..."
"..."
The secret door was stuck fast. Cloudy tried something else, but no dice. She shrugged.
"Guess we need another exit? But that might be tough. I burned too much mana on that landing earlier."
Winia's face soured.
"Another exit... Do you see that big passage behind the queen?"
Looking closer, there was indeed a large tunnel behind the Kobold Queen. The chamber was well-lit enough to scan around, but no other passages turned up.
The kobolds carrying pups were heading that way too.
...If that's the only way out, we'd have to fight, right?
"..."
What the fuck do we do?
"Winia. One more time— you've cleared a kobold den before, yeah? What was it like? Can we take down a queen that size just us?"
"...I've never seen a queen that looks like that shitshow. The ones I took down were smaller... and they sure as hell didn't birth like that. That thing's fucked up."
My trust shattered.
"Holy Knight. If we hold to our faith, no trial is insurmountable. Recall your pious heart. The path will reveal itself."
"Killing that thing seems like the only path."
"That's exactly what I meant."
Elise growled aggressively, drawing her mace. Her eyes were dangerous. Like when she'd smashed the Flesh Golem, her battle lust was raging.
"Look at how vulnerable it is. It's huge, but mid-birth, so it can't fight at full strength. And bound in chains, ending it should be simple."
"Hmm... You think? Looks tough to me. Plus, it's not just one queen."
The party debated on.
Whatever we concluded, we'd have to smash that horrific queen. But no plan came to mind. Winia's magic was limited, and even the ever-rampaging Cloudy was out of mana.
Sure, we'd smashed a similar-sized Flesh Golem before, but Elise knew its weakness, and its rotten flesh had low durability.
"Then we sneak up slow and go for the heart, head, or neck in one shot. It's immobile, so hitting vitals should be easy."
At least Elise, the sharpest mind, was analyzing hard. Her logical breakdown unified our opinions.
"I'll do it."
Cloudy volunteered. She'd rush the queen; we'd support her and handle the rest.
"Let's move."
Slowly. Cautiously to the limit of a surprise attack range. Muffling footsteps, dead silent. We were fully exposed, but the space was vast—no detection yet.
—Step, step.
Progress was smooth.
Then.
—Kyuuu...?
The queen suddenly turned its head sideways, spotted us, and tilted it. Hood over its eyes. No way it can see us... Oh. Kobolds have shit eyesight anyway.
Please.
Just shut up.
—KyuuuUUUU!!!!
But against my hopes, the queen bellowed. A shrill shriek like a woman's, echoing high. That fucking bitch! Silent even popping out pups like crazy!
"Tch!"
Cloudy launched on cue. Crossing 100 meters in two seconds—explosive speed. Her blurry blade reached the queen's neck in a flash—clang!
"No way!"
From behind the queen emerged kobolds over two meters tall... Kobold Guardians? Bigger than warriors, arms wrapped in chains. They'd blocked Cloudy's strike.
—Whoosh!
I charged too. Whatever—end the queen first!
Cloudy retreated after the failed attack.
"Kobold Guardians!"
Winia yelled, chanting a spell.
Kobold Guardians!
—Roar!
The fireball engulfed a guardian. It thrashed in agony amid the flames. No guardian stands fire.
"What's a guardian?!"
"The queen's firstborn protectors! Heard of 'em, first time seeing. Don't ask more!"
Winia explained quick, chanting again.
—Kyusaaaah!
—Kyurrrrsaah!
—Gyusat!
But that wasn't all. Waves of kobolds poured from the rear passage!! Holy shit, we're fucked!
—KyuuuUUU!
The queen roared like pronouncing our doom.
Foaming at the mouth, the frenzied kobolds charged. Kobolds never forgive intruders in their den—their queen demands it!
—Kyusaaaah!!!
"Tch! Katt! Guard Winia!"
Cloudy distanced herself, decapitating an incoming warrior. She tried reaching Winia, but boom! Another guardian from the side.
"This fucker popped out of nowhere!"
Firstborn, my ass—there's more!
"Leave Lady Winia to me!"
I rolled dodging a punch, righted myself, glaring at the guardian.
Too many enemies.
We might not even handle the kobolds, let alone the queen.
Cloudy faced the kobold waves. Then—boom! Another big thud. One more guardian. Boom again! Another. Boom! One more.
Four two-meter guardians in seconds! One more for quintuplets! But no end—warriors, workers! All swarming to protect the queen!
—Kyuoooooo!!!!
The roaring guardians lunged at Cloudy and Winia.
"You fucking—!"
"Lord of Order!
I wanted to help, but a guardian blocked me. Elise roared beast-like; flames erupted again. Sizzle! Cloudy dove at her guardian too.
Worst melee ever.
No one could cover anyone.
Focus on the enemy in front!
—Kyuoooooh!
The guardian charged me. The size gap meant it outclassed my weight. A mere kobold bigger than me? Rage boiled, but rushing in blind would get overpowered.
Gripping my sword, I swung at its extending fist. Chains on forearms—no damage there, so target the hand.
"Die!"
—Kyuuu!
Blood sprayed from its fist. I thrust, sidestepped the follow-up, timing the next.
Bigger build, but I had the weapon. Winnable. I'd crushed even Orc Gladiator Burberza!
A mere oversized Kobold Guardian? No match!
I'd grown stronger drinking Burberza's blood!
"Behold the might of Sword Saint Kim Katt!!"
I roared, diving for its chest. Boom! It swatted my strike with its chained arm, extending the other.
"I'll carve you up!"
I twisted, recovered my flung sword, slashing its shoulder. Aimed for neck, but range short. "Fuck!" No point pushing in. Leg kick—no damage on solid muscle.
This bastard... strong!
"...Gotta admit it."
I rebounded off the kick, gaining distance.
"You're strong."
Glanced around. Elise, demon-like, smashed a guardian's knee with her mace, then its skull. Winia fireballed the kobold horde tactic.
Cloudy lopped heads viciously. We were winning overall, but numbers too high—no real dent in forces.
"Strong."
My guardian charged again.
In the chaos, I recalled the arena.
"But."
—Kyuoooooo!!!
Shoulders like mountains, arms crossed like rhino horns—it barreled in.
"I'm stronger."
Stronger raw power, but gear and skill? Mine. I leveled my raised sword straight ahead. Then—whoosh! I charged too.
"KieeeEEEEE!!!"
—KyuuuUUUUU!