131
Chapter 131
Giant Fist Lesser Panda.
I somehow ended up taking charge of the Imugi's Third Child.
It seemed the Naga had taken the joke I made during the festival completely seriously.
I have no idea what made them trust me enough to leave her with me.
They said they prioritized the Third Child's safety, and yet.......
Well, it probably wasn't an Action driven by being blinded by the Dragon's Orb.
Even though I'd only seen them once, neither the Imugi nor the Naga seemed like that kind of trash.
The Red Panda, in particular, was loved by everyone.
Even though she was the only one in the family without snake-like features, she was treated without any prejudice or discrimination.
Furthermore.
Contrary to my expectations, the Imugi also cared deeply for its child, the Red Panda. How do I know? I saw it smiling as if she were adorable, taking every hit when the Red Panda randomly threw punches at its body.
So.
I figured they simply decided to trust us, making the bold choice to leave the Third Child in our care.
"Kyua? Why does the Teddy Bear have that expression! Do you hate going with me...?"
"Gom-gom."
Shake-shake.
I shook my head from side to side.
Since it came to this, I just had to take her along.
I didn't exactly hate the idea, either.
After all, both her appearance and her actions were subtly cute.
"Gom-gom-gom."
I reached out my hand to the Red Panda.
It was a gesture meant to say I looked forward to working with her.
"Kyuaa! I look forward to it too!"
The Red Panda placed her thick tail on top of my hand.
Wow, this kid has no manners.
I'd need to fix her habits a bit on the way back.
***
The Swamp Area, where attacks were relentless.
We had escaped that chaotic place and were on our peaceful journey back.
It seemed the Giant Fist Lesser Panda had a few misunderstandings, so I cleared one of them up.
Miss Vampire wasn't a member of our Dungeon.
She was just staying temporarily.
That was the clarification I made.
The Red Panda had assumed Miss Vampire was part of our Dungeon.
"Ribbit? What do you mean by that."
The Frog, who had been singing 'ribbit ribbit' next to us, expressed its doubt.
"I clearly heard yesterday that she belonged to your Dungeon, ribbit?"
"Gom?"
From who?
"I heard it directly from her, ribbit."
"Gom-gom?"
I immediately turned my head and looked at Miss Vampire.
I wondered who was spreading false rumors, and it was you, Miss Vampire?
Miss Vampire blinked her eyes before speaking.
"Ah, come to think of it, I haven't told you yet, Teddy Bear."
"Gom?"
"I thought about it a bit yesterday, and I decided it would be best for me to just stay at your Dungeon from now on."
"Gom-gom-gom-gom?"
Why the sudden change?
I didn't hate the idea, but it was a bit out of nowhere.
"Actually, the Lord was also thinking of leaving one of our kin with you, Teddy Bear, just like those guys from the Lake. It's technically a dispatch. Since the Moon Tribe sent Princess Tosun. The Lord hasn't decided who to send yet, so I just decided to volunteer. From your perspective, Teddy Bear, wouldn't it be better to have me, someone you're close to, come over rather than a Vampire you don't know?"
"Gom-gom-gom, gom-gom?"
Did you tell the Lord?
I asked.
"As I just said, it was a decision I made yesterday, so I couldn't tell the Lord. But there won't be a problem even if I don't report it. If I just keep not returning to the Vampire Castle, the Lord will naturally figure out that I volunteered for the dispatch mission."
Miss Vampire is a bit reckless too.
Well, it's not something to worry about.
She'll handle her own kin's affairs well enough.
***
The Volcanic Zone.
I briefly stopped by the place where the Magma Bear group lived.
It was to retrieve the Black Human I had left in their care before returning.
As I had requested, the Magma Bear and Flame Bears hadn't eaten the Black Human and were keeping him safe.
"Woong?"
"Woooong, this Human... his condition is even worse than when I saw him yesterday."
"He has completely lost his mind."
The Black Human was not in his right mind.
He repeatedly alternated between laughing and crying, had occasional seizures, and frequently showed signs of minor spasms. Several marks of self-harm were also found.
"Yoooong? He's completely broken."
"Kyua... He looks really sick. So pitiful."
"This looks impossible to recover from. It might actually be happier for this Human if we just ate him, ribbit."
That Fantastic bastard.
Just what on earth did they do to make the Black Human end up in this state....
"Goh, gohoooooh."
The Magma Bear spoke cautiously.
It told me not to take my eyes off the Black Human.
Saying that he attempts suicide whenever there's a chance.
"■□□!!!"
Right on cue.
The Black Human made an Action that looked like a suicide attempt.
He started slamming his head into the ground with all his might.
Yikes.
He really has gone completely insane.
Naturally, he did not succeed.
Because Tosuni unleashed her Blood Whip and bound the Black Human.
Tightly bound by the whip, the Black Human was first loaded onto the back of the Giant Centipede.
"Gom-gom, gom-gom."
Thanks for watching over him.
Let's meet again next time if there's a chance.
After waving goodbye to the Magma Bear, we also climbed onto the centipede's back.
"Screeeee!"
Swish swish swish-!
The Giant Centipede departed.
Atop the back of the running creature, I stared down at the tightly bound Black Human.
Hmm.
His symptoms seem to be getting worse and worse.
I should probably run a check using the Vaccine.
After finishing that thought.
I immediately activated the Vaccine and scanned the Black Human's body from head to toe.
[Detecting Virus.......]
[Virus detected.]
[Virus - Chaos Encroachment discovered.]
[Virus - Brand of the Chaos Slave discovered.]
[Virus - Illusion of Chaos discovered.]
[Virus - Confusion of Chaos discovered.]
[Virus - Delusion of Chaos discovered.]
[Virus - Mental Dissociation of Chaos discovered.]
[Virus - Fear of Chaos discovered.]
[Virus - Reproductive Disorder discovered.]
I found the reason why the Black Human was showing signs of mental abnormality.
So these Viruses were the cause.
I even see something like a curse of castration.
Poor bastard.
[All detected Viruses can be removed.]
Fortunately, every Virus was curable.
[Do you want to remove them?]
There is no need to hesitate.
I have to cure him, no matter what.
Since he's a Slave we'll be keeping and using from now on.
Whir-
I opened the Button cover and took out the Mechanical Tentacle.
And then, thwack! I stabbed it into the Black Human's eye.
I thought about not curing that Reproductive Disorder or castration curse or whatever it was, but I decided to just cure it out of pity.
[Anomaly detected.]
[Treatment target confirmed as male.]
[Discovered severe damage to the male's reproductive organs.]
[The external parts are in a completely severed state.]
[Trauma treatment is impossible, but the Reproductive Disorder Virus can be removed.]
[However, a side effect of the gender changing to female will occur.]
[Treatment while maintaining the gender is also possible.]
[But, a massive amount of Mana is required to remove the Reproductive Disorder Virus while maintaining the gender.]
[Please make your selection.]
Why even ask?
Obviously, I have to go with the option that saves Mana.
Because gender isn't exactly important anyway.
[Confirmed.]
[Commencing treatment.]
Glug-glug-!
As the Vaccine was administered, the Black Human's madness-filled eyes began to slowly lose their tension.
He seemed to gradually regain stability before closing his eyes and falling right asleep.
"Kyua? He died."
"He didn't die, yoooong."
Great, treatment perfectly completed.
***
We returned to our Dungeon.
Tosun's Mom got off halfway, the Giant Centipede and the Frog said their goodbyes and left, and the Giant Fist Lesser Panda came inside with us since she became a member of our Dungeon.
"Gom-jjang has returned!"
"...!"
"Our Bear Baby is here!"
After exchanging greetings with everyone.
I talked about the Red Panda first.
I briefly introduced her, saying that this kid was a member of our Dungeon from now on.
"Kyuaaak! I look forward to working with you!"
"...!"
"Another idiot is here! We look forward to it too! Welcome!"
"It's that child we saw last time. We've gained another cute baby."
Everyone seemed to welcome her.
The Fox, in particular, looked happy to have a new friend.
For reference, I was told Jjokkomi was currently managing the Tomb.
She seems busy, so I should say hello later.
I also told everyone about the Black Human.
And we left the Black Human in the Labor Camp for a bit.
Because he hasn't woken up yet.
Also, it said his gender would change to female, but there hasn't been any noticeable change yet.
Later.
While I was registering the Red Panda to the Alarm.
"Heehee! Gom-jjang, look at this!"
The Fox approached with her arms full of something.
At first glance, it was several toys that looked like foxes.
"In-jjang made a lot of toys for me! These are my treasures now!"
"Gom-gom, gom-gom-gom."
That's nice.
But I wonder why she made so many for her.
When I asked that, Ailee, who was next to me, chimed in.
"She originally only made one, but the Fox baby took the toy she first received outside and it broke when she was attacked by some weirdo. She wouldn't stop crying, so our baby made her several more of the exact same thing."
The exact same thing?
Hmm... they all look different.
Wait, but she was attacked by some weirdo?
"Gom-gom, gom-gom-gom?"
"Yeah. She said the Fox baby briefly put the toy down while she was peeing, but then a strange guy appeared, broke it, and attacked the Fox baby."
"Gom-gom-gom?"
"I don't know what kind of monster it was either. I only heard that it vanished without a trace when the Fox baby got angry and shouted."
Hmm.
Must have been a nobody.
No, since the Fox is strong, maybe it was someone significant?
I stand corrected.
It doesn't seem like it was anyone that amazing.
And there's probably no need to worry about it.
Since they said it's already dead.
"Should I ask her for more details?"
"Gom-gom."
I answered that it was fine.
***
Did the Princess Doll go to the Tomb and deliver the news of our return?
Jjokkomi, with the Princess Doll riding on her head.
Thump-thump! She ran breathlessly toward where we were.
"Kuohh! Dongsaeng-Oppa!"
"Gom-gom!"
A touching reunion between siblings.
It had only been a day since we saw each other, but it felt like we hadn't met in a year.
I rubbed my cheeks wildly against Jjokkomi's, fully enjoying the moment of our reunion.
While doing so.
Jjokkomi called out to me with an expression that said she just remembered something.
"Ah, right! Dongsaeng-Oppa!"
"Gom?"
"You know how the very top of Mom and Oppa's Tomb was originally a bit swollen? It just suddenly swelled up way bigger!"
"Gom...?"
It got bigger in volume?
To check it out first, I moved to the Tomb with Jjokkomi.
The others who were nearby also followed right behind us.
We arrived in front of the Tomb like that.
When I lifted my head and looked up, the top of the Tomb really was swollen huge like a giant balloon.
"Hoee? It really swelled up way bigger than last time!"
"Kyuaa! It looks like it'll pop if we touch it!"
Its volume looked ten times larger than before.
And....
It wasn't just the volume that got bigger.
[??? lv.?]
┗Pw.?
┗Rnk.?
[Domain: Fire]
┗Rank - Rare
[??? lv.?]
┗Pw.?
┗Rnk.?
Unlike before,
the Helper was currently displaying the Tomb's information.
As I stared at the Tomb with my mouth slightly agape for a moment, Miss Vampire, who arrived right after, spoke with a tone of admiration.
"Ooh, it has been a while since I've seen a Tomb Pregnancy Phenomenon."
Gom?
Tomb what?