CHAPTER 18: MY FIRST ENCOUNTER AFTER A HUNDRED YEARS

“…Abeshuu.” (Tamiko)

 

“Hmm?” (Shuu)

 

“I can hear someone near us.” (Tamiko)

 

 

　Tamiko’s ears perked as she stood on my shoulders.

 

 

“What is it?” (Shuu)

 

“…Someone fighting, squeak. I squeak it’s a big Metro Beast.” (Tamiko)

 

 

　I also listen carefully. There is a faint sound of crashing and a distant yelp. The ground is shaking.

 

 

“I wonder if the beasts are fighting with each other. They’re doing it pretty loudly, maybe we should stay away from them.” (Shuu)

 

“That might not be, squeak… No, it is something else, squeak…” (Tamiko)

 

“Something else?” (Shuu)

 

“…A human squeak? It’s probably a human, squeak!” (Tamiko)

 

“Seriously!?” (Shuu)

 

“I’m sure! I can hear a human speaking!” (Tamiko)

 

 

(No way, I haven’t met one in a hundred years…) (Shuu)

 

 

　In the past five years, I had never met anyone on the way here. I assumed that would be the case until I reached the ground.

 

 

“I am squeak of it, Abeshuu! A human is being attacked by a Metro Beast, squeak!” (Tamiko)

 

“Are you really sure!? This is bad! I’m really nervous!” (Shuu)

 

“We have to get there, squeak! Faster you squeaking blockhead, go go go!” (Tamiko)

 

“It’s been a while since you were in the drill sergeant mode.” (Shuu)

 

 

　Although I am not prepared for it, the situation seemed to be urgent. The walls of the tunnel seem to shake.

 

 

　We move across the walls of the tunnels as I pass through with [Enhanced leaping Ability]. I follow Tamiko’s directions to the branching paths. Ignoring the Metro Beasts along the way, I just plow through them.

 

 

　At the end of the path is a room, and the banging noise becomes clear not just to Tamiko’s ears. I stopped just before the room and used my [Sensory Spores] to catch a glimpse of what is up there.

 

 

　There is a large Metro Beast and it is rampaging wildly.

 

　Confronting it is no doubt, a human being.

 

 

 

 

　A cloaked boy steps back and turns to face me and Tamiko who has rushed into the room. He is wearing what looks like to be motorcycle goggles.

 

 

　The Metro Beast facing them is a huge boar over two meters tall with a flabby, jiggly belly. It has purple fur, short legs, a tail reminiscent of a lizard or dinosaur, and sword-like fangs protruding from its lower jaw.

 

 

“Don’t come! It’s a mature beast!” (Boy)

 

 

　His voice was young but dignified. He is quite young. In his right hand he holds a knife, and in his left a whip or something like a cord.

 

 

 

“Goaaaah!” (Boar)

 

 

　The boar roared and charged toward the boy.

 

　The boy dodges to the side and swings his knife. Perhaps because he is quite light, the knife just slides across the surface of the fur and does not cause any damage.

 

 

　The wild boar charged–I noticed, the wild boar’s lizard’s tail swell making it turn quickly and approach the boy. It’s an agile movement that doesn’t suit its massive figure.

 

 

　It lunges, thrusts its fangs, swings its tail, and strikes. Although its attack patterns are few, they are sharp and seamless. It is a mature individual, and its killing power is exceptional compared to other Metro Beasts in this area.

 

 

　Moreover, this boar is also wary of us. While dealing with the boy in front of it, it does not forget to glance at us from the corner of its eye. It seems to be highly intelligent.

 

 

　The boy, on the other hand, is also taking advantage of his small size to slash at it with their knife from the side or strike it in the face with their whip from a distance. However, it is not enough to do any damage. The way they were moving, they seemed to be looking for an opportunity to retreat.

 

 

“Tamiko, what are their levels?” (Shuu)

 

“Hmm… the big one is about 40, the Human is about 20, squeak.” (Tamiko)

 

 

　Just as we see, the difference in their power is clear.

 

 

“Abeshu, can’t you help, squeak?” (Tamiko)

 

“Well, I want to help but… am I allowed?” (Shuu)

 

 

　I don’t know anything about the etiquette and manners of hunters in this world. I was told “Don’t come”, and I’m afraid that they’ll be angry or accused of “You stole my prey!”

 

 

　On the other hand, it is obvious that the boy has no chance to win. It is dangerous to continue fighting like this. I don’t care if it’s just some beast, it’s bad for my sleep to have a person die in front of me.

 

 

“Hey! Do you want me to help!?” (Shuu)

 

 

　I call out loudly. I’m a little nervous.

 

 

“Huh!? It’s dangerous! Run away!” (Boy)

 

 

　The boy looks away for a moment and the next moment.

 

　The wild boar takes a deep breath and goes wild! And spits out a large amount of black smoke.

 

 

“Abeshuu! Duck, squeak!” (Tamiko)

 

“Oh!” (Shuu)

 

 

　I involuntarily jumped to the wall. The boy also moves back from a distance before he was swallowed just in the nick of time, but he still inhales some of the smoke and holds his mouth as his upper body heaves.

 

 

“Hey, isn’t it that bad?” (Shuu)

 

 

　The boy falls to his knees and vomits. The boar, seeing this, slammed its hooves into the floor and rushed forward with great vigor.

 

 

(Oh damn! Emergency evacuation!) (Shuu)

 

 

　I crouched and kicked against the floor with my [Enhanced Leaping Ability]. I then create a [Hypha Great Shield] in my left hand and strike from the boar’s side.

 

 

“Woah!” (Shuu)

 

 

　The weight of the boar is heavier than I expected, and my body bounced back. However, the boar also flew and fell to its side. It quickly gets up, dexterously wagging its tail as it slides across the floor.

 

 

“Tamiko, go to that kid!” (Shuu)

 

“Squeak!” (Tamiko)

 

 

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　After seeing Tamiko get off my shoulders and head towards the boy, I faced the boar head-on.

 

　The intimidating feeling makes my back tingle. My palms feel sweaty. Perhaps because of its size or because it looks scary, it feels more formidable than the level Tamiko evaluated.

 

 

“Goaaaaaaaaaaaa!” (Boar)

 

 

　A menacing roar shakes the room. The difference in level between the two of us is far greater, but whether it’s excitement or recklessness, it seems to have no intention of backing down.

 

 

　I hide half of my body behind the great shield, and in my right hand I began to create something, I summon a [Hypha Hammer]. Whether it is the effect of leveling up or the evolution of my Fungal Skills, the length of the hammer’s handle, which was initially fixed at about 1 meter, can be adjusted. It can be extended up to about 2 meters.

 

 

　The wild boar rushes. It’s like a cannonball.

 

　–Still, compared to the boss slime’s spike tackle.

 

 

“Oh, oh, oh–” (Shuu)

 

 

　The back of my spine tingles. The handle of the hammer in my hand makes a creaking sound. The tip of the hammer is covered with the bluish-white [Spore Light].

 

　Then, I swung it from behind, overhead, and straight down.

 

　Smash! And the skull of the wild boar caves in.

 

　Its whole head sank to the floor, its body sliding on the floor to my feet, before stopping.

 

　Its eyeballs popped out, and its almost torn-off tongue loosely hangs down. However, I can still see its body twitch and jerk.

 

 

“No hard feelings, I hope there’s no grudge between us.” (Shuu)

 

 

　I throw away the hammer and summoned a sword. The boar finally stopped moving when I chopped off its neck with my sword.

 

 

　I relaxed my shoulders and took a sigh of relief. The result was a one-punch victory, but it was the first time in a long time that I felt a little scared in a fight.

 

 

　I headed toward the boy. He is lying on his side, breathing shallowly, and his consciousness is fading. Tamiko calls out to him and pats his face.

 

 

“He’s conscious, squeak, but he can’t move squeak.” (Tamiko)

 

“Well, what should we do? …I’d like to take her to the hospital, but I don’t think she’ll make it…” (Shuu)

 

 

　Will she last long enough to get to the surface?

 

　The first thing to do is to feed him some of the herbs that Tamiko knows have detoxifying properties. I’ll have to get him to eat it first.

 

 

“Abeshuu, I’ll try to give her some of that, squeak.” (Tamiko)

 

“Are you sure…? I wonder if it will work.” (Shuu)

 

 

　My eleventh Fungal Skill, The edible Mysterious Mycelial Ball.

 

 

　It is green in color and contains a lot of juice like the [Healing Ball]. It is a light green, medicinal-tasting juice (Tamiko doesn’t like it much, apparently).

 

 

　The effect of the juice is still not well understood, but there is an experience where a rat on the 50th floor who had eaten poisonous mushrooms and was in a state of poisoning was given the juice and became well again. Tamiko speculated to have some kind of detoxifying effect.

 

 

“Well, there’s nothing else we can do…” (Shuu)

 

 

　Placing the boy’s head on my lap and lifting his face upwards. I put the goggles on his forehead.

 

　Looking at his face properly, I was shocked.

 

 

　—I think he’s cute. My subconscious said.

 

 

　He is probably in his mid-teens. He has neck-length black hair and slightly pointed ears. He has long eyelashes, thin but shapely eyebrows, a slender nose, and full, glossy lips. He has an androgynous figure—if he were a girl, he would be called a beautiful girl.

 

 

　The object of my sexual desire has always been women (at least when I was living in my original life). Now, however, my thought is shaken by the sudden appearance of a super beautiful boy.

 

　After five years in hell, this is the first of my kind that I have encountered. Perhaps it is only natural that he appears more beautiful than necessary, but I can’t help but ask myself, “What’s wrong with me?”

 

 

“Abeshuu, what are you doing, squeak?” (Tamiko)

 

“Nya!? None! Nothing!” (Shuu)

 

 

　Now is not the time to be nervous. I produced a green cocoon-like ball in my right hand and squeezed it tightly. I let the juice overflow into his mouth.

 

　Gulp, gulp, and it flowed down his throat.

 

 

(This image looks really dangerous.) (Shuu)

 

 

　He’s drinking my own juice. I didn’t think anything of it when I fed it to Tamiko and Oldman Uni, but I felt a strong sense of immorality.

 

 

　His deathly pale complexion slowly turns pink and flushed. His breathing becomes deep and relaxed. The closed eyes flutter open, and he moans softly, “Nnn… ah…”.

 

　Our eyes meet. They blink for a moment, and then he jumps up and says, “Kya!” As he jumps up.

 

 

“Oh, it’s better for you to not move yet…” (Shuu)

 

 

　Just as I had said that he clutched his chest again and vomited. He had just vomited earlier, so all that came out was bile.

 

 

“…You… [Detoxification]…?” (Boy)

 

“Eh? You mean this?” (Shuu)

 

 

　Once again, I produce a green mycelium ball in my right hand, and he snatches it up. Like a cat, with the same destructive power in my heart as the image of a cat licking the palm of your hand.

 

　As he gnaws frantically at it with his head down, I have a suspicion that he might be a little boy.

 

 

(Maybe this child–) (Shuu)

 

“Umm–” (Shuu)

 

 

　The boy, who has finished eating, sits down in front of me. The color of his face is much better.

 

 

“Thank you very much. Thank you for helping me.” (Boy)

 

 

　The boy bows his head deeply.

 

　At that moment, his heart was about to burst.

 

 

　It was my first encounter with a human being in five years. A conversation with another human being for the first time in five years.

 

　—My goal has been achieved even though I have not reached the surface yet.

 

　It feels like all the hell I have been through until this moment has been rewarded.

 

 

“…I’m sorry, wait a minute…” (Shuu)

 

 

　I turn away as my shoulder shake.

 

 

“Abeshuu, not here, squeak.” (Tamiko)

 

 

“You don’t have to say it.”

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