Millennium Centipede Archduke (2)

Clang! Sparks flew through the air as Choi Siwoo's sword clashed against the shaman beetle's spear. Metal ground against metal. In an instant, dozens of exchanges unfolded in a blur.

"…Grraaah!"

The shaman beetle let out a guttural roar, swinging its spear and tin staff simultaneously. A freakish combo made possible by its multitude of arms. Each strike traced a lethal trajectory, zeroing in on vital points with deadly precision.

Neck, legs… and heart.

Choi Siwoo steadied his breath. He ignited the cold fire rising from deep within, fueling it further. His muscles twitched and surged into motion. He parried the attacks with his sword and stepped forward, closing the distance. The shaman beetle flinched. All its weapons were massive polearms as thick as a man's torso. Getting in close inevitably restricted its range and movement.

"Grraaah!"

But the shaman beetle wasn't stupid. As if it had dealt with this before, it used its thick legs to shove him back and widen the gap. Seeing this, Choi Siwoo smirked.

Gotcha.

"Grah!?"

A bewildered cry echoed. The flame arms planted in the ground had seized the shaman beetle's ankle.

"Grraaah!"

The enraged beetle smashed down with its tin staff, extinguishing the flames as if it were the most natural thing. It was less than a second—a fleeting gap, but more than enough. Choi Siwoo gripped the blade with both hands. Vast mana responded to his will, surging through the sword. A perfect blade forged from 100% pure mana. One of the realms commonly called sword aura bloomed from his hands.

Anyone with a keen eye would be stunned. At just 17, they'd call it unbelievable genius. But Choi Siwoo didn't bother getting thrilled over such things. Veins bulged red ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠along his forearms. A roar like a car engine erupted. He unleashed the pent-up exhilaration flooding his mind, slashing horizontally.

A blue afterimage flashed like lightning. Crack! The flesh-covered exoskeleton split in two. A single stroke, literally. Ten smaller sword ki strands followed in its wake.

A straight crack formed along the shaman beetle's body, purple bodily fluid pooling beneath. "Grah…" The spear it held shattered into pieces. It pressed the wound with two arms, barely stemming the bleeding.

Tough bastard…

Most foes would be minced by that strike, but it ended with just a crushed carapace.

Fine. Then I'll shatter its balance first.

Choi Siwoo charged, channeling power into his thigh. Blue mana coiled around it. The protruding rock sharpened into spikes.

He unleashed a low kick straight at the opponent's thigh. Thud! The sound of breaking and crushing bone reverberated. The sudden impact twisted the beetle's leg at a grotesque angle, exposing raw flesh. The embedded spikes hindered regeneration, tearing the wound wider.

"Grraaah!!"

It thrashed wildly. Sensing death at its doorstep on instinct, the shaman beetle raised its arms in desperation. The tin staff glowed blue. Boom! It slammed the ground, sending an invisible shockwave that hurled Choi Siwoo back.

Wriggling characters like earthworms crawled across the floor. The kneeling shaman beetle recovered its stamina with the rising energy. It thought: catch its breath, then finish the man before it. With the difference in arm count, victory was assured.

But that was a mistake. Even if it couldn't win, it should have gone for mutual destruction.

"Seol Garam!!!"

At Choi Siwoo's shout, a massive ice wall erupted behind him. The ice bursting from the floor soon sculpted into three azure dragons. Atop the central dragon's head sat Seol Garam, eyes squeezed shut. On her face was the ridiculous mustache-glasses combo, presumably from Jeon Eunbyeol.

"Ububu!"

"G-Garaming! It's go time, Seol Garam-ssi!"

The three roaring dragons charged like they meant to devour everything. Boom! Terrifying physical force collided with the barrier. A deafening roar spread, like siege rams battering gates. Crack! The shield finally cracked and began to crumble.

"…Grraaah!!"

As the stunned shaman beetle panicked, Choi Siwoo appeared behind it like a ghost. The perfect momentary opening. Enough to claim its life. Red light gleamed in his eyes. He drew his sword in a flash, slicing its neck with flawless precision, bidding a fond farewell to its original body.

Thud—roll roll.

The head tumbled across the ground. He crushed it underfoot.

* * *

"…Hoo, about halfway done."

He wiped the streaming sweat and exhaled his overheated breath from the labor. Maybe it was the place, but even slight movement made him feel like he was in a sauna.

No, worse than that.

Acrid smells, grotesque tumors everywhere, the skittering of bugs from all directions. It was a mercy this was the weakened version. Being able to day-trip was a true blessing.

▶If not, you'd have to camp inside for at least a week—the dungeon stretches on forever.

Yeah. Enemies wouldn't get stronger, but holing up here would tank morale alone.

Compared to his shitty past life memories, though, this was small potatoes.

Time to finish butchering.

He flexed his arm, infusing faint mana into the slaughter knife. Crunch! The shaman beetle's guts spilled out. A fishy, nauseating stench assaulted his nose. He endured silently, scooping organs into prepared plastic bags and stashing them in the cooler.

As the work continued, a cold sensation crept across his forehead. Turning, he saw Seol Garam trembling as she pressed an ice pack to it.

"S-Sorry. I just… couldn't help with how scary it is. But at least this…"

Her earnest effort felt downright cute. Hard to believe this was the Seol Garam he knew.

"Thanks. I'll use it well."

"Mm…"

That aside…

"H-Hey, how long you gonna just watch? Hurry up and help already."

"…Eh? Me?"

"Don't 'me' me. Quit tilting your head all cute and get over here."

"Eek! Th-That's not—! H-How could someone as frail, delicate, waifish, and super-genius invalid beauty like me do such gruesome work…?!"

Oh, really? Bullshit in spades.

"You're drooling over human organs, so what's with the pretense?"

"Th-That's… those are cute human guts. Totally different loveliness from these grotesque freaks. You get it, right?"

"Cut the crap and help. Here, knife."

"Eek…"

In the end, the pouting Jeon Eunbyeol pitched in. Ten minutes later, they wrapped up.

He brushed dust off his pants and stood.

"Alright, let's finish up. Just the boss left and we're—"

Grrroooowl.

"…?"

He tilted his head. Jeon Eunbyeol eyed him curiously too.

Hm… well.

"Not this bitch…"

"Eh? What'd you say? Not? Eh?"

"Obviously not. That was an adorably pitiful rumble."

"S-Something about the nuance… sounds like I couldn't make such a cute noise…?"

"Exactly."

"Eek, pweh, grrrumble! Y-You wanna die?!"

Grrroooowl.

They turned toward the new stomach growl.

"……"

Seol Garam, face red as a ripe persimmon, hung her head. Clutching her belly in embarrassment, she fidgeted helplessly. Laughter bubbled up involuntarily.

"D-Don't laugh…"

"Sorry, sorry."

"G-Garam-ssi… s-so lovely. Th-This is it, right? Total moe!"

"Uuu…"

Thanks to that, they noticed.

"Come to think of it… we came in without eating."

"Y-Yeah."

They should've grabbed something. He'd gotten used to minimal rations, and Jeon Eunbyeol didn't care about food, so it slipped their minds.

"Ten hours ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of nonstop hunting… no wonder we're starving."

"B-But… we got nothing to eat?"

Yeah, that was the issue. As he pondered asking them to hold out a bit—

"Th-This…"

"Hm?"

"Uh, umm?"

Seol Garam spread a mat on the floor and placed a shabby cloth pouch atop it.

That was…

"The stuff you brought at the start?"

"Mm. T-Truth is… I did pack food, but…"

"But?"

"I-It turned out so crude… too embarrassing to show. But I brought it anyway."

Seol Garam popped the plastic lid. Inside were lumpy onigiri wannabes. Seaweed clung like soccer balls, fillings oozed out hideously.

They stared silently, then burst out laughing in unison.

"D-Don't laugh!"

"Th-This is such a cute onigiri. Ha. Mind if I try one?"

"Sure… I made 'em to share."

With her okay, he took a bite. Nom nom.

……

Honestly… it sucked.

Salty on one side, weird seasoning. Rice isn't even cooked right—it's crunchy.

But he wasn't dumb enough to say it. Thankful for the girl's effort, he finished it off.

"H-How is it?"

"Delicious."

"D-Delicious… f-full of love? Overflowing with Seol Garam-ssi's affection!"

The three settled in for a meal and chit-chat. But at some point, they all fell silent together. Instinct told them.

"Th-This is rude. They say don't mess with folks eating, even dogs…"

"Heavy presence. And that wriggling vibe. Looks like…"

"B-Boss."

No sooner said than the wall exploded. A colossal centipede with a long body and hundreds of legs revealed itself.

"Queee-squeeeek!!!"

"Oomukade…"

"L-Legendary boss, huh? Japanese myth… s-so, high resistance to curses, spells, and talismans."

Thud!

"…!!"

"…!"

"…!"

Suddenly, an ominous aura spread in all directions. An invisible membrane enveloped the three. Space warped. Mana eroded the air like red veins, exuding grotesquery.

"Th-This… n-no way, a mental image realm…"

Choi Siwoo judged swiftly, grabbing their napes and hurling them back.

Thump.

Jeon Eunbyeol sprawled on the floor, whining.

"Wh-What was that for?!"

"I'll handle this. That vibration—you hear it? Not just this guy. It called minions before ambushing."

He vanished into the barrier, explaining calmly.

"I'll take the boss. You two handle the trash."

"N-No, that's not the point—h-how dare you toss a super-genius invalid beauty onto the filthy ground?!"

"……"

With a sigh, Choi Siwoo disappeared into the veil.

"Th-That guy. So rude—"

"—Eunbyeol. Quiet down a sec."

Seol Garam spoke, and Jeon Eunbyeol tilted her head questioningly. But soon she noticed too. The creepy noise approaching them.

Whirrrrr!

The louder ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it grew, the clearer the forms. Their faces paled. Glossy carapaces. Six hairy legs. Dark brown bodies and wings buzzing whirr!

Jeon Eunbyeol muttered unwittingly.

"Oh, fucking Jesus. Ho-holy shit."

Adult-sized cockroaches. Over a hundred of them.