Dinosaur Rampage: The Exhibition's Annihilation
The exhibition was alive. With the almighty power of the dinosaur in our hands, we had nothing to fear. Poison is always best countered by another poison. We had become the death of ghost stories now—the destroyers of the exhibition.
The dinosaur's advance was unstoppable. Though much of its wild ferocity had been lost in the taming and modification process, the overwhelming difference in size made everything possible. Its massive feet crushed glass display cases, and its feathered body smashed into the fantastical taxidermy specimens, shattering them to pieces. It was a ridiculous sight, but its destructive power was no less ferocious than the savage beast from before.
Now it was the turn of the ghost stories—mere moments ago hunting humans and staging a bloody festival—to flee in terror. Soon, screams echoed throughout the entire museum, mingled with the sounds of exhibits breaking apart.
"Roooaaarrr!!!"
"Good job!! You're doing great, Françoise!!"
"Ah.... This can't be a real dinosaur...."
"A dinosaur covered in feathers, with cheeks and lips like that. It looks just like a bird."
Rozalia was buzzing with excitement, while Rone stared blankly despite the ghost stories being resolved left and right. In the meantime, Rozalia had given the dinosaur some weird name. Well, it probably meant she'd tamed it pretty well.
Either way, we were clearing out the ghost stories at a speed incomparable to any previous loop. Haha. Look at them. The ghost stories were like trash. No, really—under the merciless stomping of the dinosaur, the exhibits that had once been ghost stories were turning into literal real-time garbage.
Boom!
"Squeeeek!!"
"Look, Teacher! Françoise is smashing all the ghost stories!!"
"At this rate.... It's just a giant chicken. Ughhh."
"Miss Rone, there's actually a theory that chickens might be descendants of dinosaurs."
"...I didn't want to know that, Miss Elaine."
Rozalia cheered wildly, while Rone covered her eyes with a pitiful expression. She must have been pretty shocked. Once the ghost story was resolved, I'd have to tell her separately that the dinosaur's current form was just one of many unconfirmed hypotheses. Otherwise, she'd end up bedridden from the trauma.
The important thing right now was the exhibition. All the hardships we'd endured up to now paled in comparison as every ghost story in the natural history section was destroyed with laughable ease.
"Next, the human history section!!"
At Rozalia's command, Françoise—no, the dinosaur—shook its feathers and turned direction. Looking back, the natural history section resembled the aftermath of a massive storm: every exhibit smashed, debris scattered everywhere.
....
The human history section progressed even more smoothly. Most of the exhibits there weren't designed to harm humans in the first place—they were just ordinary historical artifacts. The gallows were about the only ones explicitly made to kill people, posing a direct threat. In terms of raw danger level, the human history exhibits were clearly inferior to the animal taxidermies in the natural history section.
And what we were riding now was the most dangerous one from that section: the dinosaur. The revived beast lumbered through the human history section, methodically crushing and biting through the exhibits with its teeth—no need to rush. In an instant, every living exhibit in the human history section was destroyed.
"Hahaha! This is the best, Teacher! At this rate, we can clear the whole exhibition in no time!"
Even the last-resisting gallows could only wrap around the dinosaur's ankle before the wooden pillar snapped, finishing off the human history exhibits entirely.
"Roooaaar...."
That was when it happened. Colorful feathers began falling from Françoise like autumn leaves. The plump, lively cheeks and thick lips slowly withered, and the spark in its eyes gradually faded.
"Huh? Françoise? What's wrong?"
"Teacher! The dinosaur's state is off! It feels like it's losing strength fast!"
Rozalia flailed in panic, and Elaine, leaning against the dinosaur's back, shouted it out. I realized what this heralded.
"...Damn, it's the sign of the Gift enhancement wearing off! No time! We have to head to the art section now!"
I should have anticipated this! Unless it was a Gift obtained through a special path like mine, a normal person's Gift output had limits! Even if Rozalia's Gift exerted more influence on ghost stories than average, it naturally had boundaries.
If I'd known there was a time limit, I would have hurried. I urgently steered the dinosaur toward the art section. Before it fully reverted to a fossil, we had to take out the remaining ghost stories in the last area. Once its power was gone, we'd be back to facing them barehanded.
....
This was where we had to end the ghost stories.
Thud....
Thud....
The dinosaur desperately dragged its body toward the art section, but its steps were agonizingly slow compared to the start. And when we finally reached the entrance, we had no choice but to stop at an unexpected sight.
Because there, 'survivors' had gathered. They'd desperately piled up exhibition materials to build a barricade protecting themselves, barring anyone from approaching.
People were still alive? Thanks to using the dinosaur's power to clear ghost stories as fast as possible! Good news. At this point, with the dinosaur weakening rapidly, I was worrying how to handle the art section's ghost stories—but if we borrowed their strength, we could manage it somehow.
That was when I thought that.
"Stop! Don't come any closer!"
A voice halting us as we neared the art section. This voice... I'd heard it somewhere before...?
"Allen Jest! Damn it! I knew something was off from the start! Why the hell did you suddenly abandon your thriving trading company to become a teacher at Everlight Academy!! Now I get it!! You're the mastermind behind all this!!"
"...Prince Elduin?"
The one raising his voice from among the survivors was none other than Prince Elduin. He stood tall alongside Muchia, apparently leading the art section survivors, pointing at me accusingly.
His face was filled with hostility. Did he mistake us riding the dinosaur for being in league with the ghost stories?
"Elduin! It's a misunderstanding! We're here to help you! No time! Before this dinosaur collapses, we need to combine forces and destroy all the art section exhibits!"
"You bastard! Now you're talking down to royalty! Showing your true colors, eh!!"
"You idiot! Is that what matters right now?! The exhibition's exhibits grow stronger the more people learn about them! If word of this spreads across the island, we won't be able to resolve this ghost story anymore!"
I shouted desperately from the creaking back of the dinosaur. I poured my sincerity into it, but the prince's face hardened even colder. The bad blood between us was producing the worst possible backlash right now.
"Ha! You expect me to believe that? Creatures that get stronger from being known? Never heard of it! To me, it just sounds like you're lying to take out the remaining survivors here before anyone notices!"
"Argh! That stubborn bastard! Then explain the exhibits coming alive and moving!!"
Why wouldn't Advice trigger at a time like this? It's not a lie that ghost stories strengthen as more people learn about them!
'Advice' activates and grows more effective with higher mutual trust. Conversely, deep mutual distrust prevents activation.
Thanks for the explanation!! Damn it!! Prince Elduin didn't seem inclined to listen even a little.
If I'd known, I should've just sparked a communist revolution in Renia Kingdom and turned it into a republic! In the end, the talks broke down.
No choice. Cooperation from the survivor group was impossible now, but that only mattered once we entered the art section. Time was of the essence. Even during the conversation, the dinosaur had visibly weakened.
"Smash that barricade!"
At my command, the dinosaur's massive body slammed into the barricade.
Boom!
But there was no initial vigor in its movements. Far from breaking the barricade, the recoil only drained its vitality faster.
"Don't do that—open the barricade quick! We'll all die at this rate!!"
Finally, unable to hold back, Rone jumped down from the dinosaur's back. She spun her body powerfully and kicked the barricade blocking the art section entrance. But her attack only thudded dully against it, not even creating a crack. The barricade looked flimsy but was surprisingly sturdy and solid—beyond her power to break.
Failed to smash the barricade too!
"Prince Elduin! Please believe us! The monsters inside are really dangerous! If we stay like this, we'll all die! I beg you!"
At last, Rozalia made a heartfelt plea to Prince Elduin. Her pure voice carried unfeigned desperation. His eyes flickered ever so slightly.
"R-Red Ruby!! You were with Allen too? If so, are you really here to help us...!?"
What? Why's his reaction different from when it's me? Hesitation briefly crossed his eyes. But even so, Elduin refused to open the barricade.
"Miss Rozalia, I fully understand your sincerity. But... I'm responsible for safety here. I can't recklessly open the door and invite uncertain danger. We've already requested rescue from the Everlight Island garrison forces. A large-scale force will arrive soon to clean this up and extract us safely. So please, no more risky actions. It would be wise for you to wait here too."
I screamed internally at his words. The army's coming? You overly competent bastard! How the hell did you even send a rescue request in this situation!!
"Hey! You fool! If people find out, the ghost stor—!"
I opened my mouth to yell at Elduin. But my shout didn't continue to the end.
Right then, a chilling sound erupted from the dinosaur, its last strength spent.
"Roooaaar...."
Whoosh....
Crack!
Thud!
All the colorful feathers fell from the dinosaur's body, its taut cheeks and lips shriveling like dried leather. The tyrant that had carried us through the exhibition returned to being a mere museum exhibit, pathetically.
"Ahh...."
And to add insult to injury, massive vibrations and countless footsteps echoed from outside the exhibition.
"Is everyone alright!! We'll rescue you!!"
"Waaaaah!!!"
Cheers erupted from the survivors behind the barricade. Gasps escaped our lips. The tide had turned. With just one section left....
Amid the cheering crowds, every ghost story in the exhibition section went berserk. The tragedy leading to hell bloomed amidst the people's cheers.
"No! Elaine! Rone! Rozalia! Everyone, fall back!"
I screamed, but it was too late. Soon, the entire exhibition filled with horrific screams and destruction.
"Aaaagh! Help!!"
"I don't want to die!!"
The moment the ghost stories rampaged, the barricade could no longer shield the survivors. It tore like paper under their assaults. The survivors tried to flee the art section belatedly, but their sturdy barricade became a prison blocking their escape.
Exposed defenselessly to the rampaging ghost stories, the survivor group was crushed by statues' stone fists and shredded by figures leaping from paintings with razor claws. They became fodder for the ghost stories.
"Why?! Why are the monsters suddenly...!! Damn it! Muchia!! Help me, lead the people out of—!"
"Elduin!!"
Prince Elduin tried to resist, surrounded by ghost stories, but vanished pathetically in the overwhelming wave without even a proper scream.
"Damn! What the hell is this...! Don't retreat no matter what!"
The arriving army fought back amid the chaos, doing their best. At first, it seemed they were pushing the ghost stories. Cheers and clashing metal filled the exhibition as the well-organized troops advanced, felling the unfamiliar phenomena.
But that lasted only a moment. After exterminating the art section survivors, the ghost stories targeted the army next, breaching their formations and tearing soldiers apart.
"Aaaagh! Retreat! We can't handle this!"
"This can't be real!!"
"It's a nightmare!! Aaaah!!"
The commander's screams rang out, but it was far too late. The army collapsed in disarray, annihilated horrifically.
We could only watch the scene in stunned silence. The empowered ghost stories now surged toward us. Our vision faded to black as the massive wave of their forms closed in.
And so, we were wiped out.