Awakening
"Hngh!!"
Siroko shook off the Red Lotus and Blasphemy climbing the cave walls with her sword and broke into a run. She's really strong! She's repelling our full scouting force like it's nothing.
The Great Red Lotus was a tentacle beast with physical prowess that could overwhelm even silver-rank adventurers, but it couldn't lay a hand on Siroko.
'Still, if I can just get the paralyzing fluid in somehow...'
I can turn this around! "Haat!"
"Vice-captain, more coming from the side!"
"I see them!"
Even in the heat of the moment, as she anxiously fended off attacks... I couldn't tear my eyes away from the beauty of this red-haired knight slashing through enemies with such vigor. No helping it. Siroko was stunning. Back at the palace, I'd thought she looked like some isekai girl group idol. But now I saw the truth. She was undeniably a valiant knight!
"Uwooh! How many damn kids have you spawned, you bastard?!"
"Glova, keep moving! If you break, they'll come for me next!"
Inside the flesh cave, Glova and Eskel were tangled in combat with the Blasphemies I'd sent. Those two weren't pushovers, dodging every ambush from the Child Blasphemies in that darkness.
"There can't be survivors in a place like this~~!! Vice-caaptaaain!"
"Glova!!"
Damn it. That tacky blond prick has the leisure to yap while slaughtering my babies? Or is he just that loud by nature?
'Just one... If I can take down even one here...!'
Siroko ignored her subordinate's scream and raced across the top of the flesh cave alongside Jonah.
"Pushing straight to the core!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Haaat!"
Do you have any idea how much effort I put into this setup? Don't think you can escape that easily! My elites are mobilizing too.
Younghee!
"Churruk."
Younghee rose silently from where he'd been hiding on a thick branch, gripping coils of Long Hair in both hands!
Throw 'em!!
Whoosh!!
"Jonah! Dodge!"
Siroko reacted, but targeting Jonah had worked. She never expected a mass of flesh to come flying out of nowhere! The Long Hair scattered ultrafine tentacles in midair to steer itself, stabbing precisely into Jonah's torso.
"Guh!"
With his arm devoured, Jonah plummeted to the ground.
Splurt!
I immediately sprayed digestive fluid and applied pressure to his arm.
"Grk!!"
"Jonah!"
This wasn't the end! If she dropped to save him, Siroko, you're done too. That area's a minefield!! The Flesh Incarnations densely buried near the flesh cave paralyzed Jonah's body.
"Vice-captain... I...!"
Younghee, second volley! Aim for the back of her head!
Younghee's arm muscles bulged. He hurled the second Long Hair with all his might. Perfect! No time to worry about her subordinate now!
"Hngh!"
What?!
She reacted? No, more than that... She sliced through the body of my Long Hair tentacle—the toughest thing I could produce—with her sword in one stroke! Impossible! Long Hair is harder than any other tentacle I can make. And she cut it clean through?
"Jonah, down!"
Siroko leaped into the minefield of Flesh Incarnations without a second's hesitation for her subordinate. Even I was speechless watching her. At that moment, flames engulfed Siroko's body. The knight wreathed in fire landed boldly where my tentacle beasts lay in wait.
Attack!
"Haaat!!"
Fierce flames erupted from Siroko's sword, condensing along the blade. What... is that...? My tentacle beasts melted like butter on contact. The pain echoed back to me. Chilling. If I could claim this female, I'd be invincible.
"Thought I'd abandon you?"
"Vice-captain, we can't lose to these things......"
"I know."
Siroko hauled Jonah to his feet.
"They've got their eyes on me."
"With the life you saved, next time I'll protect you, vice-captain."
"Just worry about yourself. We're linking up with Glova."
"Yes, ma'am!"
I couldn't completely wreck Jonah's arm. Siroko had sliced the Long Hair and pulled him out before the damage got too deep. That flame sword... It wasn't just cloaked in fire. If it were, it would've burned her allies too.
Condensing attack power to a single point at its limit? A skill specialized for offense. Defensively, she should be vulnerable... but I couldn't stop her. Our enemies were reaching the final defensive line. Damn it. Breached too easily. The flesh cave with the Child Blasphemies wouldn't fall quietly, but Jonah and Siroko would soon reach me. The life-or-death struggle was about to begin.
I might die.
Humans are terrifyingly strong. I knew it, but even a tentacle monster has to yield sometimes. For my life with my beloved motherboards. For the women still birthing my children right now... I can't back down!!
Fight with me, I beg you all!
"Churruk!"
"Kek!"
"Kiiik!"
The final showdown would be in the plaza... with Premium watching over us.
Siroko scanned the surroundings intently the moment she arrived.
"Tch... Obvious we're surrounded."
"Resistance stiffened toward the core, so it should be around here."
"That's why I ignored the outskirts and charged in. But it's smart, so it might anticipate that and have something behind."
"Should we loop back and link with Glova then?"
"No, I think it wants to settle things here."
I first buffed two Great Red Lotus, Younghee, Bog, and the Gog brothers with protective holy spells from the White Blasphemy.
"It uses holy spells. Keep the first attacks light."
"Got it!"
Numerical superiority was all we had. To leverage it, we had to swarm at once from the start. Sticking to the plan. But this time...
Uwooooh!
I burst from beneath Siroko's feet. My little sanctuary, painstakingly crafted over time. In short, a mud pit!
"Vice-captain!"
What kind of tentacle monster would I be if I didn't fight with a female like Siroko right in front of me! This time, I'm staking my life too. For Siroko! I lunged with countless tentacles!
"Hnght!!"
If Siroko jumped over me, I'd strike. Perfect conditions. When the ground collapsed, anyone standing atop would either fall into my maw or get helplessly snared.
But.
Siroko's movements far exceeded my expectations. She used my extending tentacles as footholds, then swung her sword.
Kraaak!
Eight tentacles severed just like that. Blood sprayed! The pain was so intense I nearly blacked out. But...
Dieee!
We were desperate too!! The Great Red Lotus and Younghee surrounded Jonah and attacked! With one arm useless, Jonah quickly fell back on the defensive. From behind, the sides, the front—Great Red Lotus tentacles and orc axes rained down.
Siroko's eyes gleamed sharply. Not worry for her subordinate. She wasn't even looking that way. As if she trusted me to kill Jonah in this opening. This woman believed he'd survive and focused on slaying me!
Splurt!
Guooooh!
It hurt like hell! Tentacle monster dying!!
Siroko mercilessly carved into my body. I'm dying. For real this time!
"Ugh...!!"
Siroko's blade halted.
...Yeah.
Because I'd stashed Praga inside me.
"You bastard, taking hostages!"
"K-Knight... ma'am..."
Heh heh heh. Monsters fight like monsters...! Kill the pitiful village girl with me if you can!
I immediately lashed tentacles at Siroko's arm.
Aht!
What? My fire-resistant body couldn't handle the heat...!?
"Tch, was gonna burn you."
Siroko clicked her tongue in regret. Ah... Trying something so terrifying so casually.
No choice!
I targeted Siroko's legs with toothed tentacles. An attack that could cripple a motherboard in the worst case—something I'd pondered at least ten times—but now wasn't the time for mercy. Had to hobble her...!
"Girl, duck if you don't wanna die!!"
"Kyaaah!"
Boom!
The ground quaked like an earthquake. My body and tentacles, caught in Siroko's slash, were pulverized like a shanty in a storm.
Cough!!
For real? Not a rubber sword—what kind of slash has that range?
Too strong...!!!
My other minions were strong compared to adventurers, but this woman was on another level. She hadn't broken a sweat getting here... Was the gap that wide? Between me... and this red-haired knight!!
P-Praga...!!
"Ah...! Hubby..."
Shunk.
Siroko pulled Praga from my torso. Praga reached for me, calling out, but my tentacles had nearly lost all function.
How's Younghee holding up?
"Keeek!"
"Hngh!"
One-armed Jonah swiftly swung his sword to repel a Great Red Lotus and endured Bog and Gog's combo. But Bog charged ferociously, cornering him, and Younghee slipped in to stab. I thought it was over. Jonah spun, unleashing a fierce sword wind!
"Haaat!!"
The gust blasted the tentacle beasts away. Small-framed Bog couldn't hold and flew off, but Younghee stood firm, clashing blades.
"Krruk!"
"Not bad... for an orc and goblins! But!"
Even Younghee...!? Jonah spotted his opening with quick footwork.
Younghee...!
I extended tentacles from Younghee's arm to snare Jonah's.
"Churuk!"
"Not... yet...!"
Younghee didn't miss, swinging his axe to deeply gash Jonah.
Splatter!
"Jonah!"
Good job... Younghee...!
"Churruk!"
Younghee grinned at me. Oh crap, Siroko!! In that split second, as she passed, Siroko decapitated him.
What?
Younghee's head spun in the air from the slash's momentum before hitting the ground.
Youngheeeey!!
"Filthy bugs. I hate you all."
"Keeek! Kermu!"
"Kermuuut!"
Siroko deflected Gog's arrows without looking. Does that bitch have eyes in the back of her head...!?
No, Bog! Don't go!
"Keeek!!"
Bog charged to avenge Younghee and got bisected. By Siroko's slash.
"Vice... captain... Sorry..."
"...Don't stand. I'll clear the area and heal you."
"Be... careful."
"You think I'd screw up against a dying man?"
Swish! Siroko flicked blood from her sword midair and glared at me. I'm dead...! Death's intuition hit harder than ever. I started crawling to flee.
"You pull off horrors like this and think you can just live?"
I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die!! This second life I barely got—can't die again with the goddess watching! Buy time with the tentacle beasts and survive somehow!
Go!
I still had plenty of Blasphemies and Red Lotus for stalling! But... they weren't moving. Just frozen, like waiting for orders in the woods.
Tentacle Sense... weakening!
Tentacle beasts don't think for themselves. Without my signal or possession, they're extremely passive. They act on instinct but can't assess situations...!
She's coming. Scorching heat approached. The red-haired knight I'd once called pretty now looked like a demon. How... how do you beat something like this?
Save meee!
"Kerruk!!"
Gog!?
Gog turned his back to me, facing Siroko to buy time. You... you're scared too... but gonna tank her alone!?
You idiot! Run while your legs work...! Alone, Siroko's...!!
"Keeeh!"
Splatter!
Siroko swung indifferently, severing Gog's windpipe.
Gooog!!
Next... my turn? Am I gonna die without touching this big-titted knight, a pathetic monster to the end?
Suddenly, my eyes caught the Premium statue enshrined in the nest's center. No idea why it drew my gaze at the end. But the moment I saw it, the trembling stopped. All fearful distractions vanished.
She's watching.
I raised my blood-soaked body. Can't show an ugly sight before the goddess. Watch over me. My final spark!