Assault on the Tentacle Monster's Forest (2)
"So the captain really isn't coming after all?"
"The captains are busy with other matters."
Shiroko had been preparing for the expedition since early morning. It wasn't a long journey by any means, but this was still an official subjugation mission from the kingdom. Selecting equipment suited to the terrain and choosing personnel were all part of the preparations.
"Glova, bring Ezekel and Jonah too."
"Aren't you taking anyone else?"
"Four's enough. What good would it do to charge into that dense forest in a big group?"
Shiroko slipped a lightweight guard onto her arm and clenched her fist tight.
"We'll do this like always."
The White Flame Knights, led by Shiroko, were heading into the Monster Forest.
It was a place recently upgraded to a danger zone after dozens of adventurers vanished in succession. Reports had come in of a new type of monster unlike any seen before. According to the sole survivor, Tia, it had been dubbed the Chokgoe.
That's our job—hunting things like that.
She'd slain countless monsters over the past five years. No way she'd blink now. And that confidence never turned into carelessness—that was part of Shiroko's strength.
The six knights of the White Flame, led by Shiroko, assembled imposingly at the edge of the Monster Forest.
"It's quiet as a graveyard. There used to be a village nearby, and tons of adventurers wandering around."
"Even the villagers all vanished? For real?"
Jonah clicked his tongue at Glova and Ezekel, who were chattering away.
"Don't make a fuss."
"This is info sharing, Jonah. We don't know much about this Chokgoe thing."
"Except it's got those freakishly long legs."
Shiroko stared at the forest entrance, its dark maw-like interior swallowing the midday light.
"You lot, think about how we're gonna fight it. We're not here to sightsee."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"We'll bag it before lunch."
The knights strode after her in lockstep. Amid the burly men, she shone like a beacon. Red hair cascading to her waist, golden eyes gleaming. Her toned body and ample breasts were mostly bared below, swaying hypnotically with each powerful step, ensnaring the men's gazes.
"Jonah. Where to?"
"This way, Vice Captain."
The White Flame Knights moved as one, hacking through underbrush with machetes they'd brought along. The Monster Forest wasn't the largest compared to massive floodplains, but its tangled interior could trap any outsider who didn't know the paths.
Jonah had the Pathfinder skill, so they didn't wander in circles. He guided the group straight toward the heart without missing a beat.
An hour in, the humid heat had them all lightly sweating.
"Good thing we didn't wear armor—we'd be toast."
"I wanna strip down like Vice Captain Shiroko too."
"You'd get slapped for insubordination."
"Does that make the vice captain a moral hazard, then?"
"......"
Shiroko whipped around with an irritated scowl, but Ezekel and Glova just snickered and bumped fists.
"We're on a mission—save the dumb jokes."
Jonah snapped sternly. Shiroko inwardly nodded in agreement.
"The vice captain has no choice with that overwhelming skill of hers! She's exposing that gorgeous body out of necessity!"
She couldn't let that rambling explainer keep going—her foot shot out.
Thwack! Thwack!
"Ack! V-Vice Captain! Ow!"
"Take your lumps!"
"True to form—the guy who eats the most beatings in the squad."
"Didn't you rush in first and get thrashed when the captain took over?"
Shiroko's skill, Flame of the Victor, built up heat in her body. It had no real weaknesses otherwise—enough to shred through rank evaluations and claim top-tier status—but the human body was honest. Constant sweat regulated her temperature during use, so layering clothes led to exhaustion.
...That was why Shiroko bared her breasts and belly. Just stripping made it shockingly comfortable, by her own account. Her skill uptime jumped nearly fivefold. No way she'd keep dressed.
"Anyway, it's still pretty quiet."
Everyone shot Ezekel a scolding look.
"W-Why? What's up?"
"Say that, and something always— Whoa!!"
The Chokgoe ambush began.
Glova dodged a Long Hair capture attack from above by a hair's breadth while warning Ezekel.
"Knew it was too quiet!"
"Battle stations."
The White Flame Knights drew their swords. The Long Hair vanished into the treetops again, using the terrain for cover. No follow-up, but it could strike from the air... Tricky from the start.
"Filthy tactics from this Chokgoe bastard."
"...No wonder it took out adventurers."
Right after Shiroko and Jonah exchanged clipped thoughts, Red Lotuses poured from the side.
"What the hell are these mutts?!"
"Raaah!"
Glova recoiled in disgust but teamed with Ezekel to carve through them at top speed. Flawless work.
"Ugly freaks! Vice Captain, you okay?"
"They wouldn't even reach me here."
"I'm guarding your treasure chest boobs— Ahh!"
While Glova spouted nonsense and fought, Shiroko kept scanning.
No sightings matching the reports.
The main body was elsewhere. These were underlings, offspring maybe? She'd heard they bred with human women. That made the tentacle-tongued dogs charging them even more repulsive.
"Glova here—saved the vice captain's boobs!"
Glova and Ezekel wiped out the Red Lotus pack that had plagued Rotana Village's vigilantes—in minutes.
"Jonah, what's in the direction they came from?"
"Forest outskirts. They hit us from the flank as we pushed center."
Like they're trying to harass us.
Tracking them might lead to the nest fastest, but...
Shiroko trusted her gut.
"Push center."
The moment she stepped forward—
Shlurp!
A Flesh Incarnation shot from underfoot.
"Vice Captain!"
Whoosh!
The barbed tentacle melted away before coiling her thigh.
"Traps on the ground. Watch it."
"......"
"......"
Glova awkwardly scratched his head.
The others triggered more as they followed, but knowing dulled the threat. Most couldn't react even aware. But not the White Flame Knights.
"Kinda squishy when you step on 'em."
Soon they baited them out and slashed. They pressed on faster than any party before.
At the forest heart, the Chokgoe's flesh formed a nest. A massive flesh tunnel snaked from the entrance like a crawling serpent.
"Looks super inviting."
Glova quipped.
"How 'bout the vice captain slices it open?"
Shiroko shook her head at Ezekel's idea.
"Survivors first. Torch the area, and we might hit them."
"Decided. Jonah, you go first."
"Why me...?"
"Can't send the vice captain into that creepy cave first."
"Glova, Ezekel—you two."
"NO!!!"
Glova dropped to his knees, wailing at Shiroko's order.
"No way! It's crawling with those gross tentacle things inside, Vice Captain! You're throwing us in there?!"
"Tell me what's in there."
"Gaaah!!"
Ezekel dragged the flailing Glova into the flesh tunnel.
"...They'll be fine splitting up?"
"Why'd I bring you lot?"
"For manpower to carry survivors?"
"Then scout fast. Any live ones?"
"Vice Captain... Pathfinder isn't a rescue skill."
Words aside, Jonah was already moving. Scanning with Shiroko, he spotted flesh pupae stacked neatly at the nest's edge.
"Survivors...?"
"They're twitching. Slash one."
"Ugh..."
"Do it."
Wriggle wriggle.
The pupae stirred. Jonah hated touching them but couldn't ignore his glaring superior...
He held his breath and sliced.
Blorp!!
Blasphemies leaped at Jonah and Shiroko like they'd been waiting!
"Gah! Shit!"
Even a veteran knight cursed instinctively. Grotesque.
Quadrupedal Chokgoe spawn swarmed out!
Trap?
Shiroko retreated crisply, cleaving Blasphemies. Each swing scattered them like mist in an explosion—her sword pressure. None neared her.
"Smart bastard, this Chokgoe."
"Vice Captain, not even gonna ask if I'm okay...?"
"If that killed you, I'd boot you out for the shame."
"...I didn't go down!"
Jonah was fine too.
"Keep your sword out."
The pair in the flesh tunnel—no word yet. The noisiest two should've signaled trouble, but...
Flesh tunnel was a trap too.
Going all-in, huh.
The ground quaked. A Great Red Lotus led countless Blasphemies in a crashing wave at Jonah and Shiroko—like red surf in the forest depths.
"Vice Captain!"
"Guard yourself!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Shiroko dove in raw, no skill, toppling the Great Red Lotus. Her acceleration was explosive—the ambushers felt ambushed.
Jonah parried beasts lunging at the opening, covering her flawlessly. Minimum two—that was White Flame doctrine. Even down to two, they had each other's backs perfectly. Worlds apart from adventurers.
"You already took the commander's head."
"Felt off."
The fallen Great Red Lotus reared up, jaws gaping. Tentacles lashed!
Shiroko ducked low, sweeping low to shred its legs. It bounced away, tumbling.
Bounced?
Proof of Guardian's Holy Rite shielding it.
"Fall back!"
Shiroko and Jonah timed it, leaping huge onto the flesh tunnel to survey.
"Vice Captain?"
"One down there uses holy rites."
"What?! But no humans."
"......"
The captured woman... from the church. If that's why the monster uses rites?
Shiroko's blade glowed furnace-red, heating up.
"Jonah. Can't let this thing live. We end it today."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Red Lotuses and Blasphemies surged onto the flesh tunnel.