Chapter 303
Chapter 303
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 303
Chapter Title: The Flower's Lingering Fragrance
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"Kyaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!"
As Kobson started screaming like a little girl, the chaos kicked into overdrive. Bound in the most pathetic pose imaginable, he was being dragged away by the tentacle plant like some tragic heroine!
This is insane!
You're a dude, you fucking pussy!!
"Kieeeek!!!!"
—Paht!
I let out a mad war cry and leaped into the air, unleashing an aerial slash to sever the vine tentacles holding Kobson captive. But monsters never give up their prey that easily.
As if the severed tentacles meant nothing, fresh ones shot out from all directions, relentlessly targeting Kobson.
Panicking like a kidnapped princess, he kept shrieking.
"Hey, hey! Stop just screaming and move already!"
"Urk...! I can't! This position... I can't put any strength into it!"
"Fuck!"
—Whirrr!
Even amid all this, the man-eating plant was trying to land hits on me. Tentacles charging from my blind spots! I didn't have enough bodies to save Kobson and fend them off at the same time!
If it grabs me too, we're done for!
First things first—deal with these!
"Power of Fusion Confucianism."
I immediately drew mana from within, amplifying my muscles. Using my enhanced body and honed senses, I raised my sword and detected the incoming tentacles—sixteen of them from eight directions!
—"They won't touch me."
I unleashed the Eight Directions Wind and Rain Sword Dance!
—Shrieeek!
As my blade flashed out, an unearthly wail erupted.
The sliced tentacles flew through the air, and with even greater momentum, my swinging sword tore through space itself, slashing in every direction!
"Secret Sword Daaaance!!!!!!"
The sword dance shredded all eight directions, reducing the incoming tentacles to scattered chunks of flesh. Kobson... was still being dragged away!
"Kyaaaaah!!!!"
I kept the sword dance going without pause, charging forward.
—Whirrr!
I'd cut down most of them already, but there were still too many vines! They kept shooting out endlessly, trying to overwhelm me. Just hacking away like this wouldn't end it! I had to target the main body!
—Taptaptaptap!
I zigzagged forward in a slide, staying alert for traps or ambushes. In this accelerated world, I coldly scanned the ground and surroundings.
Judging it clear, I unleashed Supremacy of the Heavenly Demon and rocketed toward it.
—Crack!
The man-eating plant's maw looked like a candy house gone horribly wrong. Every tooth was coated in sticky, viscous fluid, a grotesque sight.
It probably caught prey with that and dissolved them to eat.
"You... monster!!!"
—Better not let it touch me.
I swiftly circled around to its back. Since the mouth protruded forward, the rear was relatively exposed, and the tentacles couldn't reach well.
"You fucking bastard! Motherfucking flower fucker!"
—Stab!
Blinded by rage, I jammed my sword into what passed for its neck and sawed left and right like a chainsaw, slicing it clean.
—Twitch! Twitch!
The plant convulsed like an executed prisoner. But being a plant, it couldn't thrash as violently as an animal.
—Splat!
Plant sap oozed out.
The attack was working!
I stabbed even harder to finish it off.
—Thud!
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
As I sawed with the embedded blade, Kobson's scream rang out.
Looking up, the tentacles that had been arrowing down like fierce projectiles were now flopping around like some sea anemone dickhead. The main body's damage had affected them. They must have released Kobson.
—Taptaptap!
And then footsteps approached.
"Kobson! You're free!"
"Thanks for the save! Let's finish it together!"
"Yeah!"
—Stab! Stab!
—Slashslash!
Consumed by madness, we tore into the man-eating plant that could barely move anymore, ripping it to absolute shreds.
—Boom.
Its massive head hit the ground, but our fury wasn't sated.
"You fucking prick! You shitty plant fuck!"
"To dare humiliate me like that... I won't forgive you!"
"Never gonna forgive it!"
After about five minutes of brutal stabs and kicks—dozens of them—we finally regained our composure. Once it stopped moving entirely, we panted heavily.
"Haa... haa... No idea what it was, but we won anyway."
"Yeah. A hard-fought victory."
We'd nearly taken heavy damage, but we'd beaten this unidentified giant man-eating plant. This experience would boost our survival odds in the jungle.
"So... anything worth grabbing?"
"Let's check."
It was a man-eating plant that controlled vine tentacles to snatch and devour people. Assuming there might be something useful, we cautiously rummaged through the remains.
"This... looks like bones."
Kobson pulled something from the severed torso. Bones. Not sure if human, but thinking we could've ended up like that sent chills down our spines.
—Whoosh.
No time to loot bones.
—Stab.
I dismantled the plant outright to search for trophies.
Nothing useful, so I cut off the sticky tissue that seemed to be its teeth and wrapped it in leaves to store.
Stuff like this usually sold as magic reagents.
"Dunno if it'll fetch money."
"Eh, souvenir material. But everything we grabbed yesterday's fucked."
"What a bitch."
Opening my pouch, most of yesterday's gathered materials were ruined. Freshness was key for this stuff, as expected.
We ditched them without regret and moved on.
No monster info meant no clue what to loot. That's why knowledge matters.
This abnormal jungle popping up out of nowhere, unknowns were inevitable.
—Splash.
Walking along, we heard water.
"Water?"
"Stream nearby, maybe."
"Check it out?"
"Obviously."
Our canteens were running dry. We followed the sound through the undergrowth to a vigorously flowing stream.
Staying low and cautious of monsters, we approached slowly.
—Splash.
"Whoa. Water looks clean."
"Crystal clear."
Kobson scooped some, swished it in his mouth, then swallowed slowly.
"Tastes... fine. Let's wait and watch."
We settled in for a break. It'd been hot, but this cool spot felt healing.
After ten minutes, I drank too.
Quenched my thirst, refilled the canteen.
Cold water settling my stomach calmed my mind.
"Hah. Fuck. When do we get outta here?"
"No clue. Hope we don't croak alongside the barbarians."
"Bullshit. Who's dying?"
"Heh heh, yeah, can't die. Follow this stream and we'll hit something eventually."
Hell or heaven, we'll exit eventually.
After a quick rest and regroup, we decided to follow the water downstream.
—Grrr!
—Kyuruk!
Odd-looking monsters appeared now and then, but they bolted into the brush the moment they spotted us.
"Barbarian. Know that one?"
"Nope. First time."
Beast? Insect? They felt like mythical creatures from South American legends.
"Weird... Feels like the ecosystem itself changed. This happening so fast... We could sell the info to mages for booze money."
Familiar faces like giant bats eased our homesickness a bit. We happily slaughtered them on sight.
Edible, after all.
To save rations, we roasted the giant bats. Stream right there made prep easy. Fire starter for flames, tore into the meh-tasting meat.
Got some energy back.
Moved on.
As Kobson said, the jungle was bizarre.
Teeming with dreamlike plants and monsters I'd never seen. I hadn't been isekai'd that long, but nearly all new.
—Crunch crunch.
Some beetle-crab hybrid showed up; squashed it. New monster too.
"Amazing. First-timers for me too."
"Same... What the hell? What's causing this?"
"Not like local wildlife just pops up outta nowhere from a new jungle... No idea."
We cleaved through countless monsters, finding our path.
—Chuu ju ju!
"Hup!"
A man-sized giant maggot midway gave us a non-human shock. Like a supersized butterfly larva.
"Fuckin' larva!"
Just a maggot, so easy kill. Stab and behead, done.
Yeah.
Shit like that was no problem.
—Hiss hiss.
—Hiss.
—Hiss hiss.
The problem was these.
"Yo, Kobson."
"...Already know."
"Not that, dumbass. Cover your nose first."
Beyond our sight, between vines.
And atop scattered trees, a familiar giggle echoed. —Hiss. Yeah, dryad laughter.
—Rustle.
A glimpse before vanishing again. And the laughs... lots of them.
—Toying with us.
"Dryads. You nearly died earlier, so watch it. Fall for their charms, and you're fucked."
"Urgh...! Those beauties? Over there!"
"Eyes front, idiot!"
If Kobson lost it again, we're screwed.
Five visible already. I could handle five alone and escape. But if Kobson fell to temptation like this, no chance.
Heeding my warning, Kobson tore a strip from his cloak to plug his nose. Minimal effect, but since their charms seemed scent-based from before, it'd help some.
—Hiss hiss.
"B-Barbarian! There!"
"I see it, fuck!"
Then a tall dryad emerged from the brush, upper body exposed. Flower in her hair, different from yesterday's.
Above all, fully nude.
Bountiful breasts bared, seductively smiling at us.
"Hey! Get lost! Beat it! Don't wanna die? Scram!"
I stood in front of Kobson, swinging my sword wildly to threaten. —Hiss hiss! She laughed mockingly and vanished into the foliage.
"We're fucked. Surrounded. Kobson! Run! Escape this place!"
"W-What if we get more lost?!"
"We already are, fuck!"
—Taptaptap!
We bolted like marathon runners.
—Rustle!
—Rustle!
Dryads pursued at our pace...! Couldn't count them! Plants shaking everywhere! Easily over ten!
—Scent.
The flower fragrance thickened.
A deadly chase began. I'd feared this, and now it was real—unsettling.
"Yo! Kobson!"
"...Hup! W-What?!"
"Watch the smell! This shit!"
"Right!"
His delayed reply meant close call.
"Thought the scent was weird—it's them!"
Kobson exclaimed in realization.
"Weird... My chest itches!"
"Resist! Fall for it, you die! Splash water on your face or something!"
"Got it! Don't worry! Mind's sharp!"
"Good! That's the spirit! Just run!"
We sprinted, desperately fighting temptation with ass-clenching willpower. Dryads hidden all around jeered as they chased.
This is fucked!