24
Chapter 24
A massive explosion rang out.
Quite a bit of time had passed since then.
I had rolled and rolled, fleeing to a place very far away.
Phew. That was almost a disaster.
If I had stayed there, I would have become a ragged, blast-ridden Teddy Bear.
Or maybe I would have vanished without a trace.
Bear-phew-
I let out another sigh of relief.
Then I turned around and stared intently at the path I had rolled down.
I wondered what happened to the Humans who stayed behind.
Did they notice the danger signal I sent and escape safely?
Or did they just stand there blankly and die in the explosion?
The former probably wasn't very likely.
Time was far too tight for them to run away.
Realistically speaking, there was a high chance they didn't survive.
...Still, you never know.
I decided to go back and check for now.
Humans! You better be alive!
I went out of my way to send a warning signal, so you better not have died doing nothing! Because if you did, I'll kill you myself!
Beeeaaaar-!!!
I started revving up my spin.
My destination was the place where the explosion had just occurred.
I should be able to get there if I go straight back the way I came.
***
The gruesome scene where the Moss Giant self-destructed.
Many Humans were present in this place that had been swept by a massive explosion.
They were Humans belonging to the Monster Slayer Guild, dispatched from a distant continent to explore this unknown land.
The power of the explosion was beyond imagination.
The ground was deeply gouged as if a meteorite had struck, and all the surrounding trees faced annihilation without a trace.
If.
If the Humans here had been exposed directly to the explosion, a total wipeout would have been unavoidable.
However, a small number of Humans survived.
It was thanks to the attack of the Teddy Bear that appeared out of nowhere.
*
A monster had launched a flame attack at the Humans.
That monster's attack did not hit anyone.
It was never aimed at the Humans in the first place.
Then what was the monster's goal?
While the Humans were feeling puzzled.
Among the Humans, an Azure Human with blue skin noticed a strange sign.
The head of the Moss Giant held by another Human.
The rocky corpses scattered all over the ground.
He discovered that all of them were wriggling and swelling up.
Could that be?
A certain skill quickly flashed through the Azure Human's mind.
It was the Corpse Explosion skill.
Judging that the Teddy Bear had cast that skill and run away, the Azure Human took swift Action.
There was no way to escape this place.
Because it seemed it was already too late.
The countermeasure the Azure Human chose was to hide behind the Shield Human.
The Azure Human shouted to the Shield man.
To consume all his Mana right away and activate the Shield Shell skill.
That he would channel his own Mana to him as well, so he should make the sturdiest Shield Shell possible.
The other Humans saw the Azure Human's Action.
Among them, a few quick-witted Humans reacted immediately.
They followed the Azure Human and quickly dashed behind the Shield Human.
The rest of the Humans just stood there blankly, not understanding what was happening.
Just like that, a small number of Humans hid behind the Shield Human.
However, one person was kicked away by the Azure Human and sent flying far back.
The reason the Azure Human drove him away was simple.
Because he was holding half of the swelling Moss Giant's head.
Right after that one Human was kicked out.
The Shield Human activated the Shield Shell skill without expressing any doubt.
He didn't know what the situation was, but there was no harm in listening to the Azure Human, who was like the leader of this group.
A blue light spread around the Shield Human.
That light enveloped the Humans hiding behind him and transformed into a solid shell.
Kaboooom-!!!
Soon after, an earth-shattering explosion erupted.
The entire surrounding area was blown away, and the Humans who were outside were swept up in the explosion and completely wiped out.
The Shield Shell skill also met Destruction from the explosion.
But fortunately.
The Shield Shell fulfilled its role and faced Annihilation.
The Humans inside suffered no damage and were able to stand perfectly fine.
Five Humans survived.
The Shield Human.
The Azure Human.
The Chastity Belt Human.
The Human with the Twin Daggers Soul Weapon.
The woman who gave birth to the Baby Doll.
Adding the Doll baby to the mix, a total of six survived.
Regardless, it was thanks to the Teddy Bear's flame attack that they noticed the explosion and saved their lives.
Of course, the Azure Human didn't consider the Teddy Bear to be their savior.
Because he believed the Teddy Bear was the cause of the explosion.
*
The Humans did not leave the area.
They stayed unmoving at the site where the explosion took place.
It wasn't because they were making graves for the other Humans.
Because their corpses were nowhere to be found.
They couldn't make them even if they wanted to.
There was only one reason they remained here.
It was to take out the Teddy Bear monster that was bound to return.
"Will that thing really come back?"
"It will definitely come if we wait."
A criminal always returns to the scene of the crime.
The Azure Human was certain.
That the Teddy Bear would return to check if they were dead.
"But can we even beat that Teddy Bear monster? It's a creature that uses a Corpse Explosion skill with that much power...."
"Don't worry. It's probably a nobody without that skill."
The Azure Human was confident he could defeat the Teddy Bear.
Because even though he only saw it for a moment, it didn't look particularly strong.
He also concluded that it wouldn't be able to use a Corpse Explosion skill of such immense power again like just now.
Even if it could use the Corpse Explosion skill more, it was fine.
The explosion skill activated by the Teddy Bear.
It wasn't an instant explosion, but a Delayed Explosion.
Because a Delayed Explosion won't activate if you kill the caster before the explosion happens.
"Damn it, to think more than half of us died to a monster like that."
The Twin Daggers Human muttered.
The Humans didn't think for a second that the Teddy Bear had given them a danger signal.
Listening to the Azure Human's words, they were convinced it had cast the Corpse Explosion skill.
Except for one person.
"Um, excuse me, but...."
The woman cautiously raised her hand and spoke up.
It was the woman holding the Baby Doll tightly in her arms.
"Are you sure that Teddy Bear really used the Corpse Explosion skill?"
The Azure Human frowned at the woman's question.
"...What is the intention behind that question?"
"Well... I was thinking, maybe the monster we hunted had a trait where it self-destructs when its life is in danger, and the Teddy Bear, knowing that, gave us a warning before leaving. If you think back to the situation then, that Teddy Bear didn't seem to have any hostility towards us, and the monster we were hunting was making weird noises like a countdown."
"So you're saying a monster helped us Humans?"
"I'm not certain, but I just brought it up because I thought it might be a possibility. It seems like you're not judging the situation objectively and are just assuming that the Teddy Bear unconditionally triggered a Corpse Explosion."
"Enough. Stop spouting that nonsense the Monster Protection Agency would say. We are Monster Slayers. We do not entertain the possibility that a monster helped Humans."
"You know as well as I do. Although they are extremely rare, there have been monsters friendly to Humans...... Ah."
The woman cut her sentence short.
Because she recalled the source of the Azure Human's convictions.
It might have been different for another Human, but the Azure Human did not trust the monster race.
He firmly believed that monsters could never co-exist with Humans.
Because he was the man who had investigated and uncovered a massive Human farm secretly built by a Vampire Lord, one of the monsters that had once approached Humans showing goodwill.
The woman pressed her lips tightly together.
And she hugged her Baby Doll even closer.
Out of anxiety that if her lie about being a Puppeteer was exposed, if the fact that this Doll wasn't Human came to light, the Azure Human might kill the baby.
Just as the conversation between the woman and the Azure Human ended.
Beeear-!
Beeeaaar-!!
Beeeeeaaar-!!!
A Teddy Bear rolled into the place where the Humans were waiting.
***
I returned to the spot where Moja self-destructed.
In that place, the Humans were standing perfectly fine without a single scratch.
Humans, you're safe! Thank goodness!
But I think there were more Humans originally?
I don't see any corpses or anything.
Did the rest head back to camp first?
And these Humans stayed behind to wait and express their gratitude to me?
Hmm. That must be it.
There's no way they'd still be here otherwise.
To know gratitude, they're admirable Humans.
More importantly, how on earth did they survive?
Could it be that the chubby mister protected people with his shield?
I took in the sight of the chubby mister.
As expected, that Human was the only one who could have blocked the explosion.
Chubby mister! You did it! Good job!
Next, I looked at the other Humans one by one.
Ohh. My Baby Doll is safe too!
I cheered while raising both arms high.
I approached the Humans with hurried little steps.
Since I helped them, they'll be friendly to me, right?
Ah. Let's start with a polite greeting.
I paused in my tracks for a moment.
Bow!
Bow!
Bow!
Hello!
I'm a Teddy Bear who loves to roll!
When I politely bowed and raised my head.
The Humans, except for the woman, were aiming their weapons at me with vicious expressions.
...Huh?
What is this? Why? How come?
I'm your savior, aren't I?
The Humans slowly started approaching me.
They definitely didn't have a friendly attitude towards me.
It felt like they were ready to kill me at any moment.
These ungrateful Humans!
Are you trying to repay my kindness with enmity?!
I was extremely disappointed.
A massive sense of betrayal washed over me.
Eat shit, you jerks!
After flipping them off, I immediately turned around and activated the Rolling skill.
Beeeeaaar!!
Thud-!
What the?
I bumped into something.
There's nothing in front of me though?
No, it's invisible, but there definitely is something there.
I could faintly feel the flow of Mana.
Is it some kind of Barrier?
Flustered, I turned back around.
It was the same in the other directions.
I felt an invisible Barrier spread out, surrounding the Humans and me.
Who is it? Who's using such a cowardly trick!
I quickly scanned the Humans.
I saw the Chastity Belt Human striking a weird pose.
Light was shooting out from the Chastity Belt, and it seemed that was what was creating the Barrier.
That perverted bastard.
I should have assassinated him earlier.
"□■■!"
"■□■!"
"■■□■■!"
I'm in big trouble.
There's nowhere to run.
The Humans surrounded me.
Every escape hole was completely blocked off.
What do I do?
What do I mean, what do I do.
I just need to keep rolling around inside the Barrier to dodge their attacks, and when an opening appears, I'll attack the Chastity Belt Human, break down the Barrier, and escape.
I truly am a genius Teddy Bear.
I quickly formulated an escape plan in my head in this brief instant.
It was exactly when I was about to start rolling again.
Swoosh-!
My body floated up.
No, I was snatched up by someone.
Looking up slightly, I saw the Human woman hugging me tightly with a determined expression.
Are you helping me?
So you were the only one on my side!
The Baby Doll was being held right next to me.
Hello. Nice to meet you.
Holding me and the Baby Doll, the woman dashed toward the opposite side.
There should be a Barrier there too, though?
What is she trying to do?
Can she break through it?
The moment I was having my doubts.
The woman suddenly stopped abruptly in her tracks, raised one leg high, and slammed it fiercely into the ground.
It was a spot where cracks had formed, perhaps due to the aftermath of the explosion.
Rumble-!
The ground crumbled down.
Ruumbleeee-!!!
The ground completely collapsed in an instant.
Below the woman's feet lay a hole whose depth could not be measured.
......
Uwaaah! I'm fallinnnnng!!!
Tightly embraced in the woman's arms, I was sucked endlessly down into the hole.