Chapter 27

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 27

Chapter Title: Exploration Round 2 (2)

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"This is bullshit."

There are things like genre conventions.

No matter how wild a genre mash-up it is—like dog meat hotpot leaf pancake spicy noodle stew combo—once a specific genre is set, there are customary agreements within it: repeating story structures, character archetypes, settings, and directorial ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠styles.

These are what satisfy the audience's or reader's expectations and reinforce the genre's identity.

If you just throw everything tasty into the pot, the story goes off the rails.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

That's where dropping reader retention comes from.

But,

But.

"This... this isn't a zombie apocalypse...?"

What the hell is that house-sized gaping flesh flower?

No, seriously, what the fuck is that thing?

Gape gape—

A massive flower of flesh protruded toward the snowy sky, its mouth stretched wide open.

Even the Line 1 Subway Manspreader wouldn't splay his legs that brazenly.

That insane gaping flesh flower boasted an enormous maw, gulping down the snow falling from the sky.

It was truly majestic in a chest-thumping way.

Guess I was the only one who didn't know.

I thought that pure white trash falling from the sky was equally shitty for everyone,

but for monsters like that, it was just premium chow delivered right to their door!

"Is that the boss mob? If so, shit just got real serious."

I'd geared up with a full set, but I had doubts about whether my arsenal could take down that thing.

The sub-weapons I'd made incorporating Scythe Ham's ideas were mostly anti-personnel.

Chain hammer, throwing spheres, bola—they were all designed for human opponents.

Mutants might mutate, but they were still human-based at their core.

Could I really handle those bastards with my spindly little arms?

No way no way no way, absolutely impossible...

"No, no... it can't be..."

I shook my head furiously, denying my own weak thoughts.

A lowly scrub like me might be outmatched,

but our gallery members who've reached Martial God realm think differently!

Help me, Scythe Ham!!

"Ah... aaah..."

My mind was spinning.

I really felt like I'd been screwed over by the world.

I trusted you!!

I was counting on you!!!

Then, a private message arrived.

It was from my second master, AlphaGo.

So please save me.

I clung to hope from Master AlphaGo's big brain.

In response,

A cold, machine-like reply came back from AlphaGo.

You too, AlphaGo?!

As I was about to despair at the world's cruelty,

Had AI finally surpassed human-level aggro pulling?

A follow-up message dripping with plot twist vibes arrived.

'This fucking machine bitch...'

But, but... as long as there's a way...

The Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture?

All of a sudden?

Shivering with a Usual Suspects-level twist and chilling betrayal, I immediately DM'd my master.

(DM stands for Dimension Message, by the way.)

She must have caught on to why I was messaging,

as Master showed clear agitation in an easy-to-read way.

You know me so well.

So why the hell didn't you tell me sooner?

I knew Master was an absolute beast of a Martial God,

but this level?

They say masters are synonymous with the heavens, and that was canon fact.

Now I saw—death wasn't optional.

Death was mandatory; now it was just about how much of your body remained.

A truly chilling warning.

But,

The problem was, death being non-optional was true now or before—it was the same either way.

If I can't take it down, I'm dying here regardless.

In short, no dice.

My trust in Master was already at the oneness level.

No room for doubt here.

It sucked, but if Master said so, that was that.

"Then, find another way... or classify that area as off-limits for now."

I cautiously pulled out the map I'd brought along.

A tourist map of this city, since I wasn't sure how long exploration would take, and overexpecting a feast from the first sip seemed greedy.

It had survived because this city was once a tourist spot.

"Now that I look, that's where the hot springs were."

A place with bubbling sulfur springs, apparently?

No idea if it was real or tourist bait, but now a flesh flower bloomed there.

According to the map, it was fairly central even in the downtown area.

"Position-wise, that thing seems like the boss mob... I hope it is."

If I thought it was the boss,

and tada—turns out it's just a mid-boss with something stronger behind it, I'd really want to off myself.

"No... don't give up."

The key is an unyielding heart.

Taking it down right now might be impossible, but chipping away from the sides elsewhere should work.

I might farm some Ether, get stronger, and then have a shot.

"Alright. Time to head back out."

I was just about to step out vigorously when—

Vroom vroom—

"Huh?"

A savage engine roar echoed from afar.

Not one, but a chorus from multiple sources.

I rushed to the window—

"...They say the day you go out is market day."

A convoy of vehicles was entering the city outskirts.