CHAPTER 29: “WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY

~Murasugi’s Perspective~

 

 

“–I wasn’t trying to be merciful on you.” (Shuu)

 

 

　Abe throws his sword and shield to the ground.

 

 

“No, I guess I was. I was thinking that I could win easily by just using the bare minimum, or that I would be dissatisfied if I used it on you who had such arms. Tamiko would be furious with me, I did that.” (Shuu)

 

 

　When he takes off his fur cloak, a white arm arises from his back.

 

 

(Ah, [Asura].) (Murasugi)

 

(No way he even has such a rare skill—) (Murasugi)

 

 

　Abe’s own arms are hardened by [Iron Fist]. He smashed his fists with each other with a guttural thump.

 

 

“I’m going to do it for real. On the day I finally get to go above ground, it’s game over if I don’t do my all, and the grass isn’t actually greener here.” (Shuu)

 

 

　A mycelial ball is released from the fingertip of the hypha arm. The moment it fell to the ground between the two of us, I thought, “you’re crazy!” but smoke appeared.

 

 

(A [Smoke Ball]!) (Murasugi)

 

 

　Immediately, the area is enveloped in gray. I listened carefully, sensing the movement of the air with my enhanced hearing.

 

　Bam! A hypha arm passes just in front of my face. It grazes me slightly, tearing off half my ear.

 

　I cannot dodge the second blow, so I crossed my arms to block it. Then, I find myself flying backward as I try to absorb the impact, which resonates down to my marrow.

 

　I emerge from the range of the smoke. Abe zooms out of the cloud.

 

 

“How could you even guard against that? Did you see through the smoke?” (Shuu)

 

 

　Abe asks in a casual tone.

 

 

(That.) (Murasugi)   

 

(That should be my line.) (Murasugi)

 

 

　This further grates on my nerves.

 

 

“…you’re f*cking with me…” (Murasugi)

 

“Eh?” (Shuu)

 

“Don’t f*ck with me!” (Murasugi)

 

 

　Blinded by my rage, I kicked the ground.

 

　Using [Leaping], I rush at the maximum speed I can draw out. Sliding a few meters in front of him and move around to his left side as I glide across the ground.

 

　Then with my left claw gouging the ground. The shower of soil and sand rains on Abe’s face, and I sneak within arm’s reach.

 

 

“Die!” (Murasugi)

 

 

　Swing up my claws. Then—my field of view blurs at high speed.

 

　I find myself blown to the side, my back slammed on the ground, before rolling around.

 

 

“Ahhhhhhh…!” (Murasugi)

 

 

　My lower rib is broken. A fist-shaped welt that is clearly engraved on my flesh is left. I took a direct hit from [Iron Fist].

 

　Just as he aimed accurately through the smoke screen. The dust didn’t work either—he’s just now brushing the dirt from his face.

 

　Did he react without seeing it? Even if he has [Hearing] like mine, how can he hit in the correct direction and timing?

 

 

“I don’t know the name of this, so you’re calling it “Iron Fist,” and it might literally be the same as Iron Fist.” (Shuu)

 

“…So, how many Fungal Skills do you have?” (Murasugi)

 

 

　Somehow, I managed to get up and throw a few words at him to buy time for me to recover from the damage.

 

 

“How many? I still have some, but I’m with this done.” (Shuu)

 

 

　I gritted my teeth. The blow I just received has struck me to the core of my body. My knees start to buckle, it was ridiculous.

 

　Still—rage fills me up even more. I stifled the pain, but my consciousness is stained black.

 

 

“……F*ck you……” (Murasugi)

 

“What?” (Shuu)

 

“You guys–you’re trying to rob me again! You’re nothing more than a bunch of scum who can’t do anything without others backing you!” (Murasugi)

 

“A monologue, great.” (Shuu)

 

“I’m special! I’ve been to the southernmost metro, at floor 55, and if I had my arms, I’d be a Master! I’m one of the few people in the world with the talent to do it!” (Murasugi)

 

“Hah.” (Shuu)

 

“I’ve killed over 20 hunters! I can do what you guys are too scared to do! So you can try to kill me all you want. I won’t let anyone get in my way, and I won’t let anyone take anything from me ever again!” (Murasugi)

 

“You’re talking crazy.” (Shuu)

 

“Show me your guts! Show me your plump shit-filled guts!” (Murasugi)

 

 

　I jumped. I finally exceeded my maximum speed. I moved low to the ground so that the attack from the hypha arms that are above don’t reach me.

 

　The claw I raised, pierces Abe’s jaw—but just before it does, a hypha arm catches my right claw.

 

　A streak of light runs through it. A broken claw then flies backward.

 

 

(–Eh?) (Murasugi)

 

(Impossible, that’s Magic Iron Bone.) (Murasugi)

 

 

　Unbelievable, yet I was not intimidated. I immediately stabbed it with my left arm.

 

　Snap! The left claw is also broken. It breaks the flesh and bone from the base, scattering blood.

 

　It is only then that I notice that Abe’s arms are covered with a bluish-white light. He broke my claw with a knife-hand.

 

 

(―― [Light Blade]?) (Murasugi)

 

(You’re kidding?) (Murasugi)

 

 

　That fist thrusts up at my stomach. “Gaha!” I spa out a mouthful of bloody spit.

 

 

“I won’t stop hitting you until you fall! You understand right!?” (Shuu)

 

 

　Four fists rain down without mercy. My jaw, shoulder, chest, and temple were struck. Even with his ridiculous fists, each blow was unbelievably fast and heavy.

 

　I lost my claws, my pride, and glory, and I am beaten to pieces.

 

 

“Gaaah!” (Murasugi)

 

 

　Even so, I will not kneel. I look up and howl, swinging the broken end of the claw.

 

　The [Iron Fist], shaped in the form of a stabbing hand, pierces my chest. The fingertips break through my skin, cracked the ribs, and reach my lungs.

 

 

“–ah” (Murasugi)

 

 

　The stabbed hand is pulled out. Blood gushes out. Strength drains from my body.

 

 

“–I forgot to say before, but I’m actually level 66.” (Shuu)

 

 

　My vision goes dark. I slowly lose my senses, and when suddenly I realize I’ve fallen and now looking up at the sky.

 

 

(–f*ck this.) (Murasugi)

 

 

　I’m being robbed. Again.

 

　I’ve crawled up from hell and built up to this again.

 

 

(F*ck it, f*ck it!) (Murasugi)

 

(This little brat! I-I’m–) (Murasugi)

　

 

“–Is it broken, already? How boring.” (Voice)

 

 

　I hear a voice in my head.

 

 

“I was wondering if he could show me more of his sparkle.” (Voice)

 

 

　An unfamiliar voice. It is a mysterious voice, neither male nor female.

 

　My eyes and ears should no longer be functioning. Yet, I could hear them very clearly, as if they were echoing directly in my head.

 

 

(Who are you?) (Murasugi)

 

“I’m the one who’s been, uh, borrowing from you. Oh, but thanks to you, I’ve learned speech. Thank you, it’s so much fun to be able to put my thoughts into words. I’m very grateful. The best part is that I now know the name of that hairless ape. It’s called Abeshuu.” (Voice)

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(What are you talking about? What are you?) (Murasugi)

 

“Normally, I would have ended my time here and moved on to other individuals as I saw fit. But now that I’ve come this far, I thought I’d like to get in direct contact with him.” (Voice)

 

(What are you talking about?) (Murasugi)

 

“Well you see-it was only for a short time, but thank you for your help. I’ll take your body. That’s okay right?” (Voice)

 

(What do you mean?) (Murasugi)

 

“It’s the first time I’ve ever moved a living body of my own volition, so I’ll probably mess it up, but yours will soon be useless anyway, so it’s okay, right?” (Voice)

 

(Stop.) (Murasugi)

 

“Well, do you remember what you used to say to the people you’ve killed? I’ll tell you. ‘I’ll have my fun with your corpse.'” (Voice)

 

(Don’t take any more from me.) (Murasugi)

 

(Stop, stop–) (Murasugi)

 

“Ahaha.” (???)

 

 

　With a snap, my consciousness breaks off. Beyond that, abyssal darkness continues forever without light or sound.

 

 

 

 

~Shuu’s Perspective~

 

 

　Looking down at the motionless bandit boss’s body, I released a sigh.

 

 

(…He was pretty strong.) (Shuu)

 

(As if he was just one level lower.) (Shuu)

 

 

　It was just hard to fight. The difference between our experience and skills, I guess.

 

　It was hard to deal with the opponent who jumped into my reach without any hesitation using a weapon with the long reach of a sword.

 

　Iron Fist, the seventeenth Fungal Skill obtained by defeating Boss Slime.

 

 

　I only used it a few times on the way to Metro Escape to test it out, but it meshed well with my opponent’s fighting style.

 

 

(…would have been a lot easier if I had used [Hypha Arm] from the beginning.) (Shuu)

 

 

　I don’t mean to be merciful, but it was probably due to naivete. It is difficult to verbalize, but it was due to stubbornness, pride, or some such ill-defined and irrational emotion. He thought that even if he won the match, he might not be satisfied with the result, because he had lost an arm and was going up against an opponent with four arms.

 

 

　Not only for emotional reasons, but also because of a calculation that I might be able to manage without using poison due to the difference in level, but this was also a case of my carelessness. The other party was using poison, and I should have dealt with the situation before it happened. On reflection, I’m going to get a good scolding from my tiny master.

 

 

(Well, thanks to my self-regenerating mycelium, it’s hard for me to get poisoned.) (Shuu)

 

(There is also the [Antidote Ball], but it’s not a sure thing.) (Shuu)

 

 

　Looking around.

 

　There are ten people, including the boss that have fallen here.

 

 

　—Obuchi is missing. I had seen him before the fight with the boss.

 

　Did he run away? No, he must have gone into that cave to get his companion back.

 

 

　It was a hasty decision to knock him to the ground. If we had fought together, he might have gotten distracted by the hostage, and even if I said it out loud, it would have been a threat if he had turned against me. It was also true that I was a little pissed off after being hit so many times.

 

 

　Anyway, that was the end of it.

 

　The subordinates whom I had defeated were probably not dead. To be honest, I wanted to kill them, but I held back just before I did so.

 

　But the boss lying in front of me was no longer moving. He has a gaping hole in his left chest.

 

 

(Ah… He’s dead, this is the end.) (Shuu)

 

(With this, I too… have become a killer.) (Shuu)

 

(I forgot to say no hard feelings. I wonder if I truly became one.) (Shuu)

 

 

　I couldn’t help but think that this was someone that shouldn’t be allowed to live. I couldn’t control my anger.

 

　Whatever the excuse “I killed him”. That’s a fact.

 

 

“An hour after I was told that I was a kind person, this is what I did, ha-ha…” (Shuu)

 

 

　Rather than a sense of guilt, I felt more like, “Oh no, I did it”. And somehow, I am strangely calm. That’s what I’m afraid of.

 

　It may be something that I have to will worry about later. Or maybe it will become “that’s just the way it is,” and I can just let it go. Either way, it is certain that there is no turning back from here.

 

 

(I wonder if I will ever be able to go back to a proper job again.) (Shuu)

 

 

“Abe-san!” (Noa)

 

“Abeshuu!” (Tamiko)

 

 

　Noa and Tamiko came running down to the clearing.

 

 

“Ikari-san, are you okay?” (Shuu)

 

“Oh, yes… thank you so much. You saved my life twice now…” (Noa)

 

“No, well, that’s…” (Shuu)

 

“I mean, that’s just as well. That boss bandit, even though he’s a “Udeochi,” Tamiko-san says he’s over level 50…” (Noa)

 

“Well, he was definitely strong. If I had not been immune to poison, I might have been in a bit of danger.” (Shuu)

 

“We were all watching with a squeak of dread. Why didn’t you squeaking use it at the beginning, squeak?” (Tamiko)

 

“Um, well… I’m sorry… forgive me…” (Shuu)

 

“Overconfidence mode results in injuries, squeak. You’ll be receiving a penal-squeak later.” (Tamiko)

 

“Yes ma’am!” (Shuu)

 

 

　The penalty, by the way, is “to pet her with sincerity until the master is satisfied”. This is a difficult task that cannot be achieved if I am careless in both quantity and quality.

 

　Now, let’s go to the town. I want to clean up and go to town as soon as possible. Konno-san would be worried about me.

 

　I’m tired and hungry. I want to take a bath to wash off the grime of all the hard work I’ve done so far, and enjoy the reward of sleeping on a soft futon.

 

 

“So, what are we going to do about these guys? I think some of them are still alive. Should we still go into town and bring the military police?” (Shuu)

 

“I’m afraid they’ll escape in that time. Is Abe-san not against finishing them all off?” (Noa)

 

“Hmm… We don’t even have a wagon, let alone a wagon, to take them to the town.” (Shuu)

 

 

　Noa and Tamiko on my shoulders suddenly have their eyes wide open.

 

　Looking back with an unpleasant premonition on hand, one person is standing up behind me.

 

 

　—It’s the boss.

 

 

 

 

　His knees are bent like a puppet on a string. His right claw, broken in the middle, is just a stick hanging from his arm.

 

　His head was slumped down, his expression expressionless. It stood up but did not move. I felt neither life nor killing intent.

 

 

“Tamiko, Noa, get back, far away.” (Shuu)

 

 

　I first think about the possibility of him having a [Regenerative Mycelium] while standing with the others behind me.

 

　I have never thought that this ability was my own unique skill. It would not be surprising if other people could use it.

 

　However, the hole in his left chest remains open. It doesn’t seem to be regenerating.

 

 

“…Ki-Kiki…” (Murasugi?)

 

 

　His head snaps ninety degrees from the side. Then, slowly, he straightens his back.

 

　Tears of blood are streaming from his eyes. Blood even flows from his mouth and nose. It’s flowing freely and unceasingly.

 

　His shoulder then starts to swell up with a dull thud.

 

　Every time his body trembled, his joints bent in impossible directions, and his muscles bulged here and there. He was the same height as me, however, his upper back has already grown to the point where I have to look up or move farther to see him.

 

 

“…How did he get this big…?” (Shuu)

 

 

　The bandit boss does not answer, only shaking his log-like head and rattling it.

 

　The boss’s arms are placed on the ground with a thud. The boss, who has changed into a large four-legged beast, lifts his head and his red eyes peek through a gap in his black hair, which hangs down thickly. Then the whites of his eyes are also stained red.

 

 

(…I forgot to say no hard feelings.) (Shuu)

 

(…has he become something possessed?) (Shuu)

 

 

“Ki-Kiki… What a beautiful… Display…” (Murasugi?)

 

 

　His mouth hardly moves, but his voice leaks out from the back of his throat. It is flat, inorganic, and has a very low sound that is hard to believe comes from a human.

 

 

A/N: Next Round, the battle with the savage bandits is over.

T/N: Well, they learned speech. Great, a weird creepy stalker that can now say creepy stuff. 

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