Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: To Look Back, You Have to Stop☆ (2)
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We were running toward the waves of fire surging into the midnight sky.
Though still a faint glimmer beyond the horizon, the heat already tickled my cheeks.
The moment we stepped off the train, the wilderness beyond the flames echoed with the countless screeches of monsters, the kind you’d only hear inside a dungeon.
*Kieeeek—!!*
*Kyaaaak—!!*
Through the distant, shimmering flames, I could see the shadows of what must have been thousands of Chaos Bugs.
Their repulsive appearance, as if they hadn't fully evolved from larvae, was unnerving. The sight of countless large beetles, spewing sticky mucus, was utterly grotesque.
Chaos Bugs, the insectoid monsters from the dungeons.
They were the kind of enemy you got sick of seeing while grinding through dungeons in the mobile game .
Chaos Bugs appeared in various evolved forms, from the lowest-level dungeons to the highest. Excluding event dungeons, they were practically the main antagonists of .
‘Users used to complain that the developers were just recycling the same mob models for every dungeon…’
In the darkness of a dungeon, a Chaos Bug is born in its ‘Larva’ stage, about the size of a wild boar. After passing through the intermediate ‘Adolescent’ stage, it reaches its fully grown ‘Adult’ stage, becoming as large as a three-story building.
The defining trait of a Chaos Bug was its exponential increase in strength with each evolution, becoming dozens of times stronger. Even an Adolescent, the intermediate stage, was a formidable foe that served as a gatekeeper in mid-tier dungeons.
I glanced at Vel, running beside me. Even as the fiery light grew closer, she seemed to be calmly analyzing the situation.
‘With Vel, a third-stage Ether user, here, we should be fine even if a few Adolescents show up, but…’
The fate of this world had changed.
This dungeon gate erosion was an event that should have happened much later in the main story.
What if an Adult, a high-tier dungeon boss, appeared?
Or an Apostle from Ratatoskr with comparable strength?
Vel would have to focus all her attention on that threat.
If that happened…
This place could become overwhelming for my juniors, who were on the verge of reaching the second stage of Ether manipulation.
‘Maybe… it was greedy of me to think I could just follow the main story I know so well to help you all grow, especially now that I’ve already deviated from my original fate.’
Even so… to confirm the changed destiny, I had to see.
I scanned the sizes of the creatures flickering within the curtain of fire.
*Kieeeek—!!*
*Kyaaaak—!!*
They were the size of wild boars, moving on short legs attached to their fat, larval bodies.
The thousands of Chaos Bugs gathered before us were all of the lowest-tier mob type: Larva. Fortunately, there were no enemies my juniors couldn't handle at this point.
But the sheer number of them, rampaging outside the dungeon and causing physical destruction everywhere, was a form of overwhelming violence in itself.
Heavy roars echoed through the crimson flames.
*Rumble—*
*Craaash—*
Beyond the burning wasteland, I could glimpse village buildings collapsing under the assault of the Chaos Bug Larvae.
As expected of a slum-like area outside of central administration, the buildings were crudely constructed. Yet, they were home to countless dwarves, delinquent students, and a few regular students.
Just moments ago, they had been spending an ordinary night, but now they were desperately fleeing the chaos of encroaching fire and darkness.
“Kyaaaaah—?!”
“Help me!!”
“Uwaaah!!”
Ignoring the screams and cries, dozens of Chaos Bug Larvae that had been lucky enough to escape the flames pursued them, letting out bizarre screeches.
*Tssstssst—!!*
*Shaaaak—!!*
Vel, drawing a single crimson dagger she had kept hidden, took the lead and began to sprint forward. Alvitt tried to rush forward with her to save the people.
But Vel glanced back at Alvitt and shouted.
“This cute little secretary will handle things here, so just watch!”
“What?! By yourself? There are dozens of them…!”
“Yup! I’m more than enough for small fry like these—! You guys will have plenty of running around to do later, so don’t waste your energy! Just stand still and watch!!”
“Vel-sunbae!!”
Leaving Alvitt’s cry behind her.
Vel began to leap forward with light steps befitting her small frame.
*Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat—!*
Shrouded in red Ether, she crossed a distance of over a hundred meters in a series of bounds. It was as if a sewing machine was rapidly stitching a red embroidery onto a vast black cloth.
A red afterimage.
The red embroidery, instantly stitched across the dark wasteland, confronted the Chaos Bugs rushing toward the people. Seeing her, the Chaos Bug Larvae raised their fat, larval bodies and roared.
*Kieeeek—!!*
*Kyaaaak—!!*
Vel blocked their path, leaped into the air, and threw her crimson dagger.
*Swiiish—!!*
With a sound like the air itself was being torn, the dagger shot forward in an instant. The thrown crimson dagger left a trail of red Ether as it pierced through the slimy body of the Chaos Bug in the lead.
*Thwump—*
With a sound like a bag full of meat being punctured, the impaled Chaos Bug Larva twitched. A moment later, it let out a final, bloodcurdling scream.
*Kyaaaaaak—!!*
The scream of the Chaos Bug, writhing with a hole in its body.
*Thud-dud-dud-dud-dud—*
*Kieeeek—!!*
*Kyaaaak—!!*
But the charge of the dozens of other Chaos Bug Larvae heading for the people did not stop. If anything, the scream seemed to spur them on, and they began to pick up speed.
Dozens of Chaos Bugs approached greedily, leaving a trail of sticky bodily fluids. It was a disgusting sight, like maggots swarming over food waste.
Vel watched them from the air.
“…Hah.”
Floating in the air, Vel scanned the path of the disgusting creatures and smiled fiercely. The smile held none of the bravado or persona she had shown before.
It was simply… the look of a predator disdaining the weak.
By now, rings made of red Ether had appeared on all ten of her fingers.
Vel extended red threads from the rings on both hands and shouted.
“[Blind Stitch]—!”
With her cry, red threads shot out from the small girl's fingers as she floated in mid-air. With a gesture that seemed to claw at the empty space, dozens of meters of red threads tangled and danced chaotically.
From points to lines.
From lines to a surface.
*Charrrrk—!*
The ten strands of red thread that appeared in the air instantly intertwined, creating a geometric pattern. The complex red shapes, branching from ten strands into hundreds, instantly trapped the dozens of Chaos Bug Larvae.
It looked like a giant cage made of thread.
Vel then clenched her fists.
*Shing—!*
The crimson dagger she had thrown earlier shot up and landed on the starting point of the red threads.
Vel smiled in satisfaction.
“Ha…!”
It was time to sew.
*Tst-tst-tst-tst-tst—!!*
The dagger shot forward.
Following the path of the red geometric patterns that surrounded a radius of several dozen meters, the dagger moved like an arrow. It sharply pierced the bodies of dozens of Chaos Bugs, continuing along the lines drawn in the air.
*Thwack—!*
*Thwack—!*
*Thwack—!*
*Thwack—!*
*Thwack—!*
In a fraction of a second.
In the wake of the needlework, only death remained, accompanied by the sound of meat sacks bursting. The dozens of Chaos Bug Larvae were nothing more than flesh bags to be pierced by a sharp needle.
*Swoooosh—*
*Shaaaak—*
One after another.
Death followed by death.
In the path of the deathly embroidery, only a pain that transcended screams remained.
*Thud!*
Having finished the entire process, Vel landed on the ground. With one hand on her hip, she casually held out her other palm.
“…Just as I thought. Small fry.”
*Clang!*
With her words.
The crimson dagger, having finished its embroidery of death, flew into Vel’s hand.
And the bodies of the dozens of Chaos Bugs that had been pierced by her needlework collapsed helplessly.
*Ruuuumble—*
Silence descended upon the scene.
Only the shimmering afterimage of the flames flickered over the carapaces of the dozens of still-warm Chaos Bug Larvae.
We approached the now-quiet scene.
“…”
But.
I paused for a moment and looked at the wall of shimmering flames.
“…”
Alvitt, having witnessed Vel’s prowess, muttered.
“…I knew she was strong, but she’s really something else.”
“If she just stayed still, people would naturally flock to her…”
“She seems like the type to ruin herself trying to show off…”
“Just how badly does she want to brag…”
Hearing the three juniors’ sharp critiques from afar, Vel seemed to get worked up and shouted.
“Hey, you guys over there! I can hear every~thing—!! Don’t underestimate this cute sunbae’s hearing—!”
*Swoosh—*
An arm snaked around Vel’s neck, pulling her into a side hug. The figure grinned, revealing sharp teeth reminiscent of a hyena.
“Heh heh… Then I guess you heard me coming, too?”
“Wh-…?!”
Startled by the sudden voice, Vel’s expression stiffened. Her trembling eyes shifted to the side.
She saw the hem of a black leather coat.
And messy red hair, shaped like flames.
In the hand slung over her shoulder, she held a sword that looked like an animal's spine.
Vel spoke in a thin voice, almost a scream.
“Tra… [Trajectory]…!”
“Hahahaha…! Don’t know who the hell you are, girl, but nice work! Damn… I didn’t think you’d be able to slip through the fire I set up so spectacularly to keep you from getting over here!”
“Heek…?!”
“My bad, my bad. Sorry, sorry. Hahahaha!!”
“Ughhh…!”
The Crimson Trajectory slapped Vel on the back.
“Hey! What are you so scared for! You fought pretty well! Huh? Our righteous, hot-blooded girls’ society… Scarlet Academy… doesn’t mess with anyone unless they’re from the United Student Council or Aesir Girls’ High School, you know?”
Unfortunately for Vel, she belonged to both. But The Crimson Trajectory seemed to have been mistaken by the red tracksuit Vel was wearing.
Vel was simply frozen, unable to grasp the situation.
“…?!”
“Do we look like we set just anyone on fire?! Right, you lot?!”
“Hahahahaha!!! That’s right, boss!!”
“Whoa!! This fire is so warm—!!”
Hundreds of students surrounded them.
The emblem embroidered on their uniforms was a flame.
Every one of them wore a black leather mask.
*Thud-dud-dud-dud-dud—*
On the precariously standing buildings.
In the wasteland where shadows danced amidst the flames.
From all directions, students wearing the same smile as The Crimson Trajectory were approaching.
“…!”
“…Oh, no.”
“…Tsk.”
Alvitt, Lotha, and Kara tensed up, wary of them. But the hundreds of Scarlet Academy students surrounding them seemed to find their reaction rather cute.
In the midst of it all.
The Crimson Trajectory muttered softly.
“But… that tracksuit. I thought it looked familiar… You were here after all.”
She chuckled, then looked directly at me and said.
“Long time no see, Spiral.”
“…”
“But… your eyes… they look like absolute trash now. I'm not mistaken, am I?”
Hearing her words.
The three juniors looked at me.
“…Sunbae?”
A wall of shimmering flames.
A madness captivated by its intense heat.
The Crimson Trajectory, who chose to live amidst battle and fire.
A fated encounter, happening far too early in this changed destiny.
I spoke to The Crimson Trajectory… to Eir.
“…Long time no see—☆”