Days in the Narmer Kingdom (1)
When I arrived at the assembly point, I saw other dispensers gathered from the eight branches across the peninsula region, excluding me.
Most were humans, as expected, but there were a couple of orcs and even one goblin mixed in.
I wondered how the hell a goblin made it to top-tier dispenser status, but then I saw it had three legs and it all made sense.
Size isn't everything, but damn, you've gotta give credit where it's due...
Anyway, we'd all gathered at the designated spot, but everyone was just standing around awkwardly, staring at each other, when...
"Sorry I'm late. I'm Hanyujin, in charge of your transportation and protection today."
What the fuck is she doing here?
No, forget that—why was Hanyujin dressed like some kinda witch instead of her usual crisp suit? I stared at her blankly until our eyes met.
"......"
"......"
Fucking awkward as hell.
She must be from the world government side, so she probably knew all about my situation.
Back then, we were just an ordinary citizen caught up in an incident and a civil servant.
Now it felt like "male prostitute" and "civil servant," which made me shrink a bit for no reason.
Especially since she'd been pretty sharp with me on the last day.
"...First, let's do a headcount."
She seemed just as awkward, pulling out a binder and speaking up.
"Strongest Python, correct?"
"Yes."
"Undying Phoenix, correct?"
"That's me."
Hanyujin started calling out the dispensers listed in her binder.
But fuck.
Why were all the names like that?
Every time Hanyujin called one, a dispenser would respond.
I glanced at these guys with their dizzying aliases, and the ones who met my eyes coughed awkwardly.
At least they knew it was embarrassing. Small mercies.
"And... Kang Hanjo... no, Strong Cock Mr..."
"...Yep."
Mine wasn't any better, to be fair.
Hanyujin glanced up at me while calling my name, desperately trying to fix her gaze, which made it even worse.
Fuck my life.
She could've just looked away, but seeing her struggle like that made it way more humiliating.
"...Looks like everyone's here. Before we move, I'll brief you on precautions. Those without resistance to mana... or rather, ki or inner energy might feel dizzy, so be careful. Also..."
Spouting precautions that sounded familiar, Hanyujin pulled a small staff from her pocket.
And began chanting.
"Uh..."
She's a mage?
I figured a young human in a high-up world government security agency like Security or whatever must have some abilities.
But I didn't expect her to chant and cast high-level spatial transfer magic like it was nothing.
One thing was clear: Hanyujin wasn't from the same world as me.
My world had no magic or mana.
"Hear me, worlds unto worlds."
The chant, which took a few minutes, finally ended.
Krreeeeak.
Unlike the big portals Lilith or Hoaran opened, a small door barely big enough for one person appeared.
"Phew... It's ready. It won't last long, so move through quickly in order."
I watched the dispensers file through orderly, then glanced at Hanyujin sighing as she stuck a straw into something from her pocket and slurped away.
"...What is it, Kang Hanjo—no, Strong Cock Mr.?"
"Nah, that."
I'd seen it somewhere before.
She blushed slightly at my gaze on the thing she was slurping through the straw.
"...This? It's a recently developed mana potion. Tastes pretty good compared to the old ones—getting good reviews."
"Oh, yeah?"
Mana potion, huh.
It looked familiar, but apparently not.
I'd thought it resembled the dressing Yustitia, Lilith, and even Hoaran sprinkled on every meal lately, but nah, that couldn't be.
We made it at home by squeezing semen out of Yustitia each time—no way they'd sell that shit.
"Anyway, if you're done with questions, please go through. We have some time, but if the spell cuts out mid-transfer... well, the most recent spatial transfer accident was someone arriving with just their head."
That's scary as fuck.
I knew Lilith and Hoaran's casual portals were high-level magic or shamanism, but I didn't know accidents like heads-only transfers happened.
Anyway, at Hanyujin's urging, I hopped through the portal quick.
Whoosh.
Instantly, the heat hit like a wall.
"Ah."
Right, it's a desert.
The dispensers ahead of me were already sweating bullets. Some had changed into pre-packed clothes.
I hadn't brought shit like that.
I realized I'd packed a ton of stuff but nothing for the heat.
"Oof..."
"Ah, sorry."
Hanyujin, who'd followed right behind, bumped into my back as I stopped at the portal exit and apologized.
"No worries... my fault for stopping. Looks like not everyone's here yet."
I nodded at her words as she accepted my apology.
"We'll wait here till the others arrive. Excuse me, Hanjo—no, Strong Cock Mr."
"Just call me Hanjo."
She kept fumbling, repeating names twice.
Hanjo's better than Strong Cock anyway.
"I can't. I know the reason for dispenser aliases. I should be more careful."
Fair enough...
"Anyway, Strong Cock Mr., can you gather everyone? I'll set up a temporary barrier."
She could do that too?
Anyway, I rounded up the sweating dispensers like livestock, and Hanyujin, done chanting, swung her staff.
Hummm. Mana—or whatever you call it for mages—spread from the staff, cooling the air a bit.
"Just in case, stay hydrated. If you didn't bring water, let me know."
"Ah, I got nothing."
"I see... Here."
She untied a pouch at her waist and pulled out several canteens that shouldn't have fit in there.
I thanked her and took one.
Subspace pouch, huh? The cheapest ones cost billions, I'd heard.
Civil servants make bank.
"...It's government issue. Too hard to bring porters for luggage."
She noticed my stare at the pouch.
Not as rich as I thought.
The barrier helped, but the stifling desert heat still sucked as we waited. Dispensers trickled in through opening portals nearby.
Top-tier ones from branches worldwide, guided by grandpas, grannies, or magic-using races.
Lilith mentioned some were being groomed as next branch chiefs—scanning them, they looked like local dispenser bosses, pretty impressive.
One dude in just boxers, though.
What a psycho.
"How long we waiting?"
No more portals, heat baking us in the desert middle—murmurs grew, so I asked Hanyujin.
She glanced at her wristwatch.
"...Strange. They should've been here to greet us by now."
Her face stiffened unexpectedly, then she nodded to me.
"I'll consult the other mages. Hold position..."
She was about to head off when...
Rumble rumble rumble...
The ground shook suddenly.
"What the—"
Earthquake? Nope.
A massive fucking worm burst from the sand far off with a sploosh.
"What the fuck."
The grotesque giant worm's appearance turned everything to chaos instantly.
"Why is a Deathworm here...!"
Even Hanyujin, here to protect us dispensers, looked shocked.
"Name's fucking brutal."
Death Worm—terrifying just from the sound.
The gathered mages panicked too, so it must be a nasty monster.
"It's a disaster-class large-scale monster Deathworm... Evac first, but mana hasn't recovered..."
Large-scale disaster-class? That's city-wrecking level...
The Four Evils were calamity-class, one step above super-large disaster-class—meaning this was just one below monsters that razed cities into uninhabitable wastelands.
We're fucked.
"Flames of calamity, burn my foe here! Fireball!"
Sploosh...!
The mage's fireball—smaller than Hoaran's foxfire, let alone Lilith's—hit the Deathworm without a scorch.
"You said it was safe, you fucks!"
"Open the portal! Open the fucking portal!"
"Ah, mana hasn't recovered yet—too risky."
The dispensers panicked hard after seeing the mages' attacks fail.
Fair reaction. I wondered what to do as some grabbed a mage's collar and shook him.
"...Hoah?"
Hoah peeked from my pocket.
"No, hold back."
I shoved her head back in.
What're you gonna slice up?
But I relaxed.
If Hoah spoke up, she could handle it.
I'll watch for now.
Everyone's panicking, but the worm's far off and idle—not immediate danger...
"GRRAAAAAARRRGGGHHH—"
"Nope."
The insane giant worm screeched and charged us at crazy speed, somehow.
Wriggle wriggle wriggle...
Its massive body undulating like a battleship plowing the sea, kicking up huge sand waves.
Spectacular if I weren't the target.
Shoooong—
Mages unleashed spells—exploding everywhere, impressive.
But they fizzled harmlessly on the worm.
We're so fucked.
Hoah could save me, but others dying? I yanked the tiny fox from my pocket to toss her out—
"Whiiik—"
Wind whistle.
No, a sharp ring.
"Whiiik—"
"Whiiiik—"
"Whiiiiik—"
It echoed everywhere.
Then spears—no, giant arrows—rained from the sky.
"SKREEEEEEEK—!"
Thud thud thud—!
The arrows riddled the Deathworm; it screamed, rolling in agony.
But its thrashing wrecked everything nearby.
Sandstorm raging, pierced by dozens of massive arrows, it still lifted its head in fury.
"GRRAAAAAARRRKKK—!!"
Roaring rage, it tried charging again.
"Whiiiik—"
Again the sound.
Shwoooosh.
A figure swooped down on the flailing worm, wings spread.
That was it.
Spluuuurt!
Thud. Green blood sprayed from its crown as it toppled.
Swish, swish.
She twirled the spear pulled from its head, landed before us, and spoke.
"Sorry for the delay. Monsters suddenly stirred around here... or you call them monsters, right? Anyway, the uproar delayed me while I cleared them. I'll make it up—please forgive me."
She bowed slightly, her huge tits jiggling into view.
But...
"Um..."
"Ah, another slip. Late introduction. I'm Karura, great warrior of Narmer."
"No."
Not that.
I wasn't the rep—Hanyujin was next to me, yet Karura apologized and introduced herself to me.
Those tits are fucking massive.
No, focus.
What race even is she?
Folded wings on back and legs below knees screamed harpy, but normal arms and hands said no.
Harpy arms are wings, not plus wings.
Most harpies evolved small tits for flight anyway.
As I pondered Karura's race, she stared at me, nodded, and said:
"...You won't accept my apology? Unavoidable. As inviter, I was late—rudely so—and failed to ensure safety. I couldn't fulfill Pharaoh's orders, my sin as great warrior. I'll pay the price."
She extended one arm, raising her spear hand—I freaked.
"No, you crazy bitch!"
Who the fuck cuts off their own arm for not accepting an apology?!