Chapter 161
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: Kobolds and the Underground Labyrinth
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-Clang clang!
"Queeeeeeee!!!!!"
The queen let out a roar and shook her body violently. At the sight, all the kobolds began trembling and tucking their tails between their legs, as if terrified of their mother.
What the hell... what the hell is going on here!
-Boom!
-Boom!
Crack, crack! Snap! Every time the queen twisted her body, the pitch-black chains binding her shattered! Arms, legs, neck. And torso! Iron shards flew as the massive monster over 5 meters long rampaged!
"F-fuck! We're fucked! That thing, that thing!!! It's breaking free!!!"
I shouted in horror... the apocalypse!
The apocalyptic beast that even King David couldn't stop, the one that would burn the world!
That monster had descended upon the present world!
"Cloudy!"
"Impossible!"
Cloudy answered by splitting the heads of the cowering kobolds in two at Elise's call. Her face looked utterly exhausted. Cloudy was reaching her limit too.
Cloudy, our greatest fighting force, was losing her power!
This was a crisis!
"Winia! How many more spells can you cast?!"
"One or two at best!"
"We're fucked!"
-Boom! The queen finally broke free of all her chains and moved her massive body.
It was a size rivaling an ogre. Snap, spluuuurt! As the queen stepped forward, the enormous external uterus attached to her genitalia tore away, spraying blood and amniotic fluid!
"Queeeeeeee!!!"
-Thud, thud!
Heavy footsteps!
She didn't need any seaweed soup or postpartum care—she was a monster! The queen who'd just given birth roared in perfectly healthy voice! Like the first cry of a healthy newborn!
"Blackie, looks like we're done for now."
Even Winia whispered of death before that overwhelming despair. The woman who'd always smirked with that half-rotten expression, confidently cursing her mom, was gone.
"I think so too... but."
To something like that.
My life.
I couldn't give it up.
"We can't lose hope! Only those with true faith can survive the apocalypse! Winia! We can make it! Don't give up! If we unite the power of friendship, there's nothing we can't do!"
"B-Blackie...?"
I raised my sword and gave a speech like a legendary great hero. Even if the monster blocking our path was the apocalyptic beast from Revelations, as long as we didn't give up, we could survive!
Paradoxically, in the despair blacker than the depths of the abyss, I found hope. I am the Fist King. The Fist King doesn't give up. The only time I give up is!
"When this life is over—aaaaaaah!!!"
-Fear turned to courage.
Since coming to this world, I'd realized it. The moment you give up is the moment you let go of life! That's when a person dies! Look at me! I came to this world with jack shit, survived countless brushes with death through sheer grit, and made it this far!
As long as you don't give up!
As long as you have the will to live!
Humans can survive!
"Elise! Show our faith! Our reverence for God! Right here! We are humans! Because our potential is infinite, we can overcome even predestined doom!"
"...O-oh! Ohhh!!! Yes! That's it!!! Saint! Wise words, righteous words!!! Ah, God!!! Lord of Order, Aizelmart!!!!"
Cloudy and I roared in unison.
Then, an unbelievable surge of fanatical courage welled up excessively. As a side effect, reality warped, and hallucinations began. The 5-meter monster before me looked like Goliath, the legendary general from Blesset!
A being that would die and fall!
A being that would collapse in defeat!
A being we could defeat!
"Evil demon devouring this land! If we don't repel you with our faith, God will grieve!!!"
"Ooooh!!! That's it, Elise!!!"
Without a word, we kicked off the ground. Light shone from Elise's sweat-soaked body. Had the power of fanaticism infused her with divine strength? Who knows.
What I knew. That was.
That I could still fight!
"Kuaaaaaah—!!!"
I gathered all my inner energy and unleashed a lion's roar, pushing my vocal cords to their limit!
-Kyuu, kyusaaaaah!!!
-Kyusaaaaak!
-Gyusasaat!!!
The lesser kobolds fled in panic. Terror of the queen mixed with terror of me had shattered their minds.
-Thud, thud!
The queen hadn't fully recovered yet, approaching us with slow steps. Slow. But heavy. Overwhelming weight and mass. No normal means could beat it.
However!
"Elise! God's power! Give me the divine power to purify the world!"
"Holy Enchant!"
Light surged!
The buff felt twice as strong as usual. Thinking I could do it made it feel real. My stamina, drained from the guardian fight, began recovering at a frightening speed!
"Religious—ecstasy!"
The queen raised her arm.
Gaunt but veined with muscle. Skin the pure black of a blind man's world! And nails jagged like a demon's claws! An arm born solely for violence!
"Slow!"
-Whoosh!
I dodged the massive whip-like swing.
The attack was slower than expected, trajectory unstable, so I could evade. Elise and I split to the sides and attacked simultaneously.
"Lord of Order!"
"Great Huanung!"
We slashed the ankle supporting her heavy body. -Spurt! Impure blood sprayed, evaporating in holy light, but the wound wasn't deep. Of course. That size. It wouldn't end easily.
But swinging the sword twice took less than a second. I slashed the same spot again, and again!
"Director Swordsmanship—aaaaah!!!"
"Quuuuuuu!!!"
The queen cried out in pain, stomping and flailing her arms wildly. Not using sight was her weakness. Attacks from both sides left her clueless!
The queen was huge but lacked combat experience.
Obviously. When had a queen who just popped out pups underground ever fought? Not ogre-level, but flesh golem tier maybe!
"Queeeeeek!!!!!"
"Tch!"
But her size meant wide attack range. I had to dodge unstable arm swings and random kicks, throwing myself back to gain distance.
-Sizzle.
"Fuck this shit!"
In the buff's duration, I'd only landed nine slashes.
Elise?
She was fighting valiantly, striking bones with her mace, but not landing effective hits. Lacked decisive damage. Its defense was too high!
"Light Bolt!!"
The bolt of light hit the queen's face. Her hood ignited, unleashing an otherworldly scream.
"Queeeeeek!!!"
"Now!!!"
Another special assault!
The remaining kobolds had fled from the roar. Winia and Cloudy catching their breath. I had to buy more time. That was our only way to survive!
Knowing that, I charged even more fanatically!
"Ah."
Honestly, there was little I could do.
My incompetence stung to the bone.
"Pathetic."
Still, I had to buy time... until they recovered stamina!
If we held till then, we could live!
Jesus, Buddha, Huanung! I cried out gods' names in my heart, rekindling the flickering flame of courage like a candle in the wind, shaking off the fear swallowing me like a deep swamp!
"I can do it!"
Yet fear squeezed my mind each time I shook it off. The flame of courage flickered unsteadily.
It would go out soon.
I'd be swallowed by fear eventually!
"I said I can do it!"
But I moved!
"Kieeeek—!!!!!!"
Mighty roar and Elise's fanatical prayer!
"Dedicate this victory! To God! Light! Lord of Order!"
Good that the queen wasn't at full strength. Our attacks were chipping away bit by bit. Precarious. I could dodge, but one mistake meant instant death.
That weight in one blow.
No mere iron plate armor could block it.
My trusty armor was useless. One slip and death. Just swing the sword. Stack damage, and eventually a solid hit would land!
"Katt! Front! I'll circle behind!"
"Cloudy! You good now?!"
In battle's trance, I danced with my sword. Did this dance reach the queen's throat? Unknown. But results showed. Cloudy joined!
"Somewhat! You did great!"
Still exhausted, but she'd recovered enough to judge and jump in!
-Slash!
Her gleaming curved blade tore the queen's flesh... but couldn't reach bone, failing to topple her. Still lacking!
"Flame Arrow!"
-Roar!
-Boom!
Then a flaming arrow flew. Explosive magic flame! It struck the queen's chest, bursting loudly.
"Queeeeeek—!!!!!"
"Blackie! That's my last one! Can't help more!"
"Enough, Winia!"
The queen, a flaming kobold now, thrashed wildly. Sparks flew, but I ignored. My treasure, the quilted armor, singed and seams burst. Fucking annoying, but unavoidable!
Now was all-out DPS time!
We three hammered damage madly.
Mace cracking bones, bastard sword gashing flesh. Twin curved blades slicing veins! From three directions, max skill, driving the queen to death!
-Boom!
Blind fist smashed the ground.
I evaded acrobatically, preparing next attack.
-Then the queen's upper body swelled unnaturally.
"Wh-what?!"
"Fall back first!"
What? Breath attack? -
-Quuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!
A head-splitting massive scream echoed. Fuck, shit! Even heightened courage couldn't block the pain! I clutched my head!
Mommy!
It hurt like hell, you fuck!
"Gaaaaaaaah!!!!"
Was it a scream? The flames burning her upper body extinguished. The queen paused, fires out. What? Then.
-Slash!
She moved at unbelievable speed!
"Kaak!
-Crack!
Long tail whipped. Elise, in its path, got flung into the darkness. "Eliseeeee!!!" Thinking she was done, I rushed— she'd rolled six times on the ground but struggled up.
Good, not dead!
"Queeeeeek!!"
"Tch!"
Cloudy retreated.
"Oh shit!"
The queen's movements sped up... berserk mode?! Boom! Explosive sound, queen leaped, slicing air. Explosive speed from overwhelming muscle!
"Family-style kick—aaaaah!"
Our formation shattered instantly, attacks futile! I tried squeezing last courage, but against the rampaging queen, nothing worked!
Despair!
Overwhelming despair crashed over me!
"No good, fuck! Run, kids! We're all dead—aaaaaa!!!"
As I screamed, the queen charged me—what the fuck!
"Fuuuuuuuuck!!!!!!!!"
Death approached!