The Blasphemous Tomb of Gugi – Engagement Commences
Our journey progressed smoothly, aside from that nosebleed incident. We did encounter some monsters, but they were well within the realm of common sense, and we didn’t stumble upon any disorganized groups of the Demon Race lacking a leader. Everything went so smoothly that we arrived at the outskirts of our destination three days ahead of schedule, allowing us a full day to rest and strategize for the upcoming battle. We even managed to relocate to a hill that overlooked the site where Rio’s village once stood.
“…That should be the place where the village used to be,” I said, pointing.
“Hm. And what’s that over there?” Fana asked, her gaze fixed on the target.
“…That’s the monster that destroyed the village,” I replied, narrowing my eyes.
“Hmm… more than I expected.”
“Should we change our plans?”
“No. We’ll kill it here and now.”
As a result, we were finally able to spot our target. Or rather, we realized that what we had been seeing was indeed the target.
It was no wonder we mistook it for a mountain; only from the hilltop could we fully grasp the massive, ochre-colored form that loomed where the village once thrived. It had stripped the surrounding area bare, a ghostly blue spirit form drifting around it, and a swollen belly that seemed to house something ominous. Its front legs were thick and powerful, its black eyes barely open, revealing nothing of its emotions. Each time it moved, its bodily fluids evaporated, rising in clouds of mist, accompanied by a roar that sounded like thunder mixed with an earthquake.
The Dead Eater, a monster that manipulated the dead dwelling in swamps. This disaster-class target stood proudly in its place, a sight to behold.
However, this was unexpected.
“Change of plans… Fana,” I said, my voice steady.
“What is it?” she replied, her brow furrowing.
“I’ll force it to expel its contents. You handle that.”
“Understood.”
The size of this creature was within our expectations, and the evaporation of its bodily fluids was merely a minor detail. While it was unusual for it to consume all the flora in the vicinity, it was understandable given its massive form. The fact that it was leading a Wraith was not a significant issue, considering the Dead Eater was the main threat.
What was unexpected was what lay within that swollen belly.
There was an unsettling presence emanating from it, a mix of undead and something distinctly alive. I could sense countless beings within, far exceeding a thousand. It was too much to handle when facing a monster capable of mocking even the High-Ranking Demon. If they were to emerge and engage us afterward, that would be ideal, but it was more likely they would target us before we could deal with the Dead Eater.
Thus, we had to change our strategy. Initially, we planned to incapacitate it by severing its limbs before delivering the final blow, with Fana and the others drawing its attention. However, we couldn’t afford to be leisurely; we would strike at both the contents and the creature simultaneously.
“Stella and Rio, stick with Fana and deal with whatever it expels. Lulu, keep your distance and light multiple torches. Fon, protect Lulu while delivering the torches to Fana and the others, or set fire to whatever comes out.”
“Understood!”
“I’ll hold my ground in front. Don’t pursue too deeply; retreat if you get injured.”
“What about your sword?”
“Not yet. Only hand it over if you have the chance after dealing with the situation.”
“Got it. Don’t die on me.”
“I’m not planning to. You don’t die either.”
With quick instructions given, I turned and charged forward without looking back. I delivered a powerful kick to the side of the frog-like creature’s face, which had somehow opened its eyes to focus on me. I felt the squishy impact, the sound of something breaking that wasn’t bone, and the surprising lightness of its massive form as I sent it rolling sideways.
“Let the battle begin.”
As I landed, I twisted my foot and drove it into the exposed belly, whispering those words.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
The battle commenced with my two powerful kicks. Despite its mountain-like size, Gugi was caught off guard and couldn’t suppress the shockwave from my strikes. The force sent it tumbling to the side, and with the second blow, it expelled a grotesque mixture of blood, flesh, and bone like a river flowing from its mouth.
“‘Taku Chitsu > Shoukyou > Kankyou Shouda’!”
The expelled mass writhed, repeatedly merging and separating until it transformed into eleven wolf-like beasts, rushing forth with a sound that was neither bark nor growl. Their forms resembled a chaotic amalgamation of clay, with various body parts of bone and flesh attached, scattering bits of themselves with every movement.
They charged toward me, aiming to attack Gugi, who was attempting to regain its footing after my second strike had caused it to slip in its own bodily fluids.
“Sorry, but I can’t let you through.”
Fana intervened, drawing two iron swords and taking a stance. With a swift strike of her right hand, she cleaved through the first two beasts, while her left hand sliced through the three that followed. Without breaking her stride, she crushed the remains underfoot, taking down three more as the last three beasts attempted to slip past her.
“Ugh, not happening.”
“Not on my watch!”
Rio and Stella, who had been trailing behind Fana, tore through the remaining beasts, leaving only silent remnants scattered across the ground. The three of them continued forward, stepping over the remains while raising their weapons, ready for the next wave.
“‘Shouhou > Shouhou > Shouhou > Kyou > Kyou’!”
While the three dealt with the beasts, I continued to strike Gugi, delivering three more blows. From its body, more grotesque masses flowed out, transforming into various forms that rushed toward us. These new abominations were not just wolf-like; some took on bird-like shapes, others resembled snakes, insects, and even monkeys… a diverse array of beasts that were anything but human.
“Take them down one by one. Don’t let a single one through. If possible, crush the remains to buy us time before they can reconstitute.”
Fana was the first to charge into the fray, issuing commands to Stella and Rio while wielding her iron sword. With sheer physical prowess and no technical finesse, she swung her sword, turning the rushing abominations into lifeless remnants. With each swing, she dispatched three or more of them, crushing the remains underfoot as she moved toward the next enemy.
Her red hair, splattered with blood, became even more vibrant, and her movements were elegant yet fierce, embodying the very essence of a warrior as she dismantled the abominations.
“…Incredible.”
“Indeed… She’s on another level. We can’t afford to get in her way.”
“…Right.”
Rio, who had been following closely behind, paused in awe, while Stella understood that joining in would only hinder Fana. They quickly shifted their focus to any potential stragglers that Fana might miss, positioning themselves behind her as she charged through the chaos of blood and carnage.
A duo of heroes, a pair of demon slayers.
Standing alongside the legendary Ferno Desire, the strongest of all, was the valiant Fana Faritia. She was the second hero, creating a battlefield for the strongest to unleash their full might.
“…Something feels off.”
Ferno, maintaining his position while kicking at Gugi’s legs to keep it down, muttered quietly. After delivering numerous kicks and forcing it to expel its insides, he had reduced the once-bulging belly to half its size. As he shook off the bodily fluids clinging to him, he couldn’t shake the feeling of something strange about the contents still remaining inside.
It was moving too much.
With every kick, he felt the sensation of something breaking, and the massive form slipped in its own fluids. Each time, the surface of its belly moved as if it were a creature trapped within slime, displaying behavior far too abnormal for an undead being, moving with a strength that defied the nature of ordinary life.
Having experienced the chaotic thrashing of a creature swallowed whole by a massive beast, he could confidently assert that the movements he felt with each kick were unlike those of a creature desperately trying to escape. Something far more sinister was at play.
“Regardless, we can’t begin until we force it to expel whatever’s inside.”
There was an unsettling feeling, a sense of foreboding, yet he chose to continue his relentless assault. Until he could corner the creature into a one-on-one confrontation, the true hunt could not commence. Thus, regardless of what was happening within, his priority was to make it expel everything inside.
“…Tch, it’s quick.”
Just as he prepared to deliver yet another blow, he caught sight of the creature attempting to rise with a speed greater than before. He cursed under his breath. If only he could break its bones, this would be over swiftly. However, due to the strange sensations accompanying his strikes, the full force of his blows was not translating, preventing him from shattering any bones. Instead, he continued to thwart the creature’s attempts to stand by preemptively striking its legs, sending them sprawling in the opposite direction.
As he prepared to hinder it once more, he felt his body being restrained.
Before him, a ghostly blue-white Spirit Form, a type of Undead known as a Wraith, coiled around him, pulling and pinning him down. Naturally, such a feeble attempt could not hold him for long. He thrashed about, tearing the Wraiths from his body and sending them flying with the force of his kicks.
“Huh?”
Though he had been a moment late, he deemed it still timely enough. He turned his attention back to the creature, the Gugi, and began to close the distance… only to halt when he noticed his hands were not on the ground but rather pressing against the creature’s swollen abdomen. It was an abnormal sight, as if he were trying to pry open a sealed door, fingers sinking into the distended flesh as if to tear through the cracked earth beneath.
In that instant,
He realized what the creature intended to do and pivoted, sprinting with all his might towards Fana, who was still dealing with the lesser foes, and Stella and Rio, who were handling the ones that had managed to escape. He carved through the ground, launching debris aside, and within less than a second, he joined Fana, obliterating all nearby aberrations. Before Fana could react, he hoisted her up and carried her to where Stella and Rio were, swiftly moving to a safe distance.
They arrived at the spot where Lulu and Fon were preparing a fire, crafting torches for the impending battle.
Just after they settled,
The Gugi tore open its own belly, unleashing a torrent of blood, flesh, and acidic bile.