125. Dispatch #3
On the surface of the building, a person ensnared by tentacles let out a faint groan. They were still alive, it seemed.
I had no idea what it really was. Still, we decided to rescue them first, whatever they were. Iris had detected life signs from another species, so they couldn't be the same as those monsters. The creature's base threat level was only E-grade anyway.
—［Threat level: E-grade. D-grade including equipment.］
"Iris, can you save that person first?"
> Confirmed.
Once we'd decided on the rescue, we had to peel them off those tentacles as fast as possible. Leaving them like that, they'd die soon—their life force seemed to be draining away into the tentacles.
> Black Magma Slime. Commence rescue operation.
Ssung?
> Charge in and rescue the lifeform. Execute.
Ssung!
The Black Magma Slime crept stealthily toward the building. At that moment, countless monsters poured out from inside, screeching ferociously, and the tentacles covering the building unleashed a barrage of attacks on it all at once.
Unlike Iris, these things all seemed to have savage temperaments.
Ssung!
The Black Magma Slime ballooned in size in an instant. Then it engulfed and devoured every enemy in one go. The tentacles and monsters, swept up in the magma, melted away without resistance. Even the buildings dissolved without a trace.
But the person bound by the tentacles emerged unscathed. Their gear, and even the gun they'd likely lost to the tentacles, were intact.
The helmeted person collapsed limply to the ground once freed from the tentacles. With no movement at all, Iris swiftly approached to check their condition.
> Life signs confirmed. Unconscious state only.
Iris reported as such, then extended its tentacles long and carefully wrapped around the unconscious person. It didn't remove the helmet—without it, they might not be able to breathe properly on this planet.
> Recent commotion detected by nearby lifeforms. Relocating to safe area.
We moved to the city's outskirts, gently set the rescued person down, and waited for them to wake while working on the otherworld codex. Of course, the illustrations were by the Art Pega Unicorn.
■ Otherworld Creature B-1
— Threat level: E-grade.
— Equipment threat level: D-grade.
About thirty minutes later.
—"Ugh..."
The person we'd laid down groaned and woke. Regaining consciousness, he sat up and looked around, his eyes locking onto Iris and the Black Magma Slime tending him right beside.
> Hello.
Ssung!
Iris waved its tentacles side to side in greeting. The Black Magma Slime followed, harmlessly splattering magma blobs. Seeing them, the man recoiled in terror and screamed.
—"U, uwaaaah!!!"
He scrambled for his gun and aimed it at Iris. An understandable reaction—Iris looked just like the invading monsters on this planet.
Anyway, it was my turn now.
"Hold on a second. We're not connected to those monsters at all."
My voice flowed through Iris across dimensions into that world. My face was broadcasting on her screen.
—"Wh-what? A human face...?"
Still frightened, he lowered the barrel slightly. Wary, but he seemed open to constructive talk.
The misunderstanding cleared up easier than expected. From what he said, the invaders' leader had high intelligence but treated other species like bugs, rarely initiating talk unless toying with them. In other words, intelligent but not conversational.
We were different. We hadn't attacked without reason, we'd attempted intelligent dialogue, and we'd even rescued him from danger without killing him while unconscious.
Considering all that, he vaguely realized we weren't invaders, he said.
Composed, with sharp judgment. That explained how he'd survived so long in a ruined world.
—"I didn't realize they were a whole different species, not mutants... They look so similar it's hard to tell..."
The man eyed Iris up and down. He'd thought mutant at first. (We hadn't removed the helmet, but he was definitely male—no way that voice was female. Not assuming asexual like Rise.)
> Warning. Not similar in appearance. Refrain from offensive remarks.
—"Ah, y-yes. Sorry."
Iris sounded displeased, and the man bowed politely in apology. Lifting his head again, he looked at my face on Iris's screen.
—"But... are you really a god from another world?"
"That's right. More like a provisional god."
I'd already introduced myself—roughly, a god wandering dimensions, helping humans in need. Why humans? To become a true god, I had to spread such goodwill.
Of course, he didn't buy it right away, eyeing me suspiciously.
—"Why would a god speak so politely to me...?"
"I'm a polite god."
We chatted more after that. I learned the planet was called Kendorra, the man was a native, and so on.
As Iris detected, Kendorra had been invaded by alien monsters 35 years ago, heading toward ruin.
—"They're not that impressive overall. But the ones called Great Lords and Lords are exceptions. They have high intelligence and powers so absurd you question if they're even alive."
"So the Great Lords and Lords lead the invaders."
—"Yes. Extremely dangerous. Without them, humanity wouldn't have lost."
While talking, I pondered inwardly.
'He said about 700 survivors left...'
Now I faced a choice: subjugate the invaders for forced support, or aid the natives for gratitude-based aid.
'Dealing with invaders gets more support, but...'
I could talk to a Great Lord, but allying with those who'd ravaged a human-like species didn't sit right, no matter the gains.
'Helping survivors doesn't balance the books either.'
Neither appealed easily. I lacked that blind sense of justice for the weak—they weren't always good.
Then.
> Hmm.
A massive voice boomed as a huge shadow fell over the ground.
> Investigated unfamiliar life signs. Two new lifeforms present.
Iris shifted the screen to the shadow's owner.
The giant skull octopus's arrival made the man tremble and step back.
—"Wh-why is a Lord here...?"
> Approaching since earlier. Slow to notice. Inferior species.
—"What?! If you knew, you should've said! Anyway, run now! No weapon works on Lords! Unless you know the weakness, no way to fight—we haven't figured this one's yet!"
One of the Lords, apparently. Mildly disappointing. I'd wondered how grand, but only C-grade. The one in the city center must've been Lord-class too. Great Lords probably B or A-grade.
> Hm. That green one resembles some of our kind. Though uglier, of course.
The Lord glanced down. The man aimed his gun and yelled at us.
—"Run first! I'll draw its attention—you escape in the—"
> Eliminate.
Before the man's desperate cry finished, Iris's cold voice echoed.
Zeeng!—Green light flashed from Iris's eye. A laser-like beam sliced through the air toward the Lord, piercing its body mercilessly and cleaving it perfectly in half like paper.
—"Huh...?"
Time seemed to freeze in silence.
Then—Thud!
The Lord's bisected body crashed limply to the ground.
> Ugly one eliminated. No more fuss over trash, inferior species.
—"......"
The man stood frozen, speechless for a long while.