At A Full Moon Bamboo Forest
This chapter starts from the POV of Gift Soldier No.1 from previous chapter
Alien. Abnormal. Those are the only words that could describe that monster.
It's a wonder I'm still alive.
"Wh, No.1! You're alive!"
"...Yeah."
No.4 who got his head flicked by the monster's finger came to and walked up to me with a look of worry.
I feared for the worst since he got blown away hard. Turned out he's alive.
As it appears, that monster was holding back while he dealt with us.
...So he's strong enough to afford holding back against us huh.
He's a lump of mystery.
"...What's up with that bag?"
"That monster left this behind. He wanted an Analysis Filter and exchanged some for this, saying 'These are stuff you guys need. Give me some for this.'
"Analysis Filter? Why would he...?"
"Beats me."
This bag has a far larger capacity than its size and it ignores the weight of objects stored inside.
You can't find anything like this in the whole world. It's clearly an OOPart.
Analysis Filter was developed in order to protect this facility's secret, yet it's nothing compared to the results of our research. However, the monster didn't show the slightest interest in them, he only wanted Analysis Filters.
Can't he make one himself considering he has the technology to create this OOPart? ...It's unnatural. His existence, everything about him.
Which society does he belong to. Is he even human. Is he from somewhere advanced enough to readily give out this kind of OOPart.
...In which case, we have no hope of winning against that monster.
I had no clue about his objective yet I was left with no choice but to agree with his demand.
We could not afford to incur any more damage... And the goods he offered were too tempting.
"This bag apparently contains seeds of hardy plants as well as unknown energy ore."
"Hardy plant seeds? Uwaa, how many are there inside!? How'd they fit in that small bag...!?"
These will greatly extend the time limit of this community.
We won't have food or energy shortages for a while now. This gives us time to continue our research on the 'Outside; monsters and take their powers as ours.
And then on day, that black haired monster will--
"Hee, you've got some good stuff there."
----!?
I turned to the owner of the voice. It's the girl that has been marked as a 'Waste'.
Did she escape from the custody area? How...?
Her number should be Waste No.67-J.
I believe she had silver hair, yet it's turned black now.
The same color as that monster--
"Sorry to say, I claim all of that as mine. You damned bastards."
~~~~~~~~~Black Haired Monster's POV~~~~~~~~
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
Oh boy, that sure was a meaningful outing.
Got several Analysis Filter for the price of an Item Bag with goods included. A fair trade me think.
Some sort of alarm started blaring hard just before I left, but I'm not in that world anymore hahaha.
<<The last alarm sound was not due to Kajikawa Hikaru. It was due to the escape of a test subject in custody.>>
Hmph. Did some real dangerous persona escape or something. I knew those shutter doors weren't tough enough.
Well whatever. It's got nothing to do with me anymore even if some sort of bio disaster went down there. Stay safe~.
I couldn't hold back my smile as I stared at the wristwatch-like gear.
Fufufu. I can get away from Demon King's monitoring with this 'Analysis Filter' thing. Frankly, this was the one thing I wanted most.
I went all the way to this place to hide away from Demon King's Menu before it could reboot and search for me. But I don't have to get all stealthy anymore with these things.
So yeah, I'm allowed to head back now right, Menu-san.
<<Inadvisable. Floor 21 may be on a separate plane from Parallecia, however it is not possible to Fast Travel to this place as it is 'inside a dungeon'. This opportunity is extremely rare as such it is recommended to keep exploring and bring back more Aberrant Objects.>>
No mercy... I mean, I do agree that I gotta find at least one trump card against Demon King.
But please understand how it feels to explore this utterly nonsensical place. You gotta let one or two grumbles slide.
<<Recommendation: explore the next door.>>
Listen to me! Heck, let me rest a bit will you!
<<Stamina, Life Force, Mana as well as Vitality are all deemed at an acceptable level to continue the exploration.>>
Can't you consider the mental drain too.
...Well fine. No point in grumbling here, let's just get on to it.
The next one is a paper sliding door. Slide.
An old man is lying on bed while painfully clutching his stomach inside a Japanese-style room.
"Ugugu... Bream tempura... Was so good... Drop."
Ah, he dead. You sure you want that as your last word. I mean, who the heck.
Are these occasional punchline doors for real? They're not just comedy skits, are they.
...Next up.
It's yet another sliding door. It's got a terrifically exquisite picture of moon drawn on a folding-screen like door.
It looks real valuable. Heck, the picture is beyond precise. It's super detailed.
There's a sprawling bamboo forest ahead of me once I opened the sliding door.
There's a full moon in the sky free of cloud.
Ah, what an elegant place.
All the locations before this was full of absurd stuff, unlike this serene scenery.
If only not for the sounds of metal clashing from afar.
...Think they're blades? Keep it down will you.
!?
"Nuooou!?"
A flying slash came at me, mowing down bamboos in its path.
I cut it down head-on with Mana Blade Rev. but it had some serious firepower.
Was that a 'Mana Blade Farslash'? Or is it a different move specific to this world that just looks like one?
That was as strong as Alma Papa's Farslash.
<<Analysis result deems that it was 'Mana Blade Farslash.'>>
...So that attack was shot by a Parallecian? Just who.
Quit shooting stray bullets, think about your surroundings dangit!
"Gagyaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
Splash, something fell down on the ground with a wet sound.
The half body of a man in hakama wearing a fox mask fell down right next to me. Grotesque.
...Did that Farslash do he in. But what's--
!!
I blocked a sword coming at me in the darkness reflecting only a glint from the full moon with Mana Blade Rev.
Fast, it's as fast and sharp as Alma Papa's slash!
It's a white haired old man that struck me.
His face is full of wrinkles, he should be over 80, no 90?
And yet his body is nothing like an old man. It's made of pure muscles, body of a warrior.
Was this geezer fighting the fox mask!?
"Ohwo! Taking my blade bare handed, you're good young 'un!"
"The hell's your problem!!"
I counter attacked with a Mana Pile while my Mana Blade Rev locked blade with his sword.
"Whoops! Was that an invisible stake. Almost got me there!"
The geezer calmly handled my Mana Pile.
...He didn't seem to see it yet he managed to perceive and dodged it.
"Fumwu, that doesn't seem to be a Skill-based power. A power unique to this world, perhaps?"
"...Coming for me out of nowhere. What's your deal."
"I sensed someone with absurd power showing up out of nowhere. Already swung my sword by the time I came back to my sense. Are you the leader of that fox mask?"
"I'm not. I've got nothing to do with that guy... Who are you anyway?"
"Ah, seeing as you came out of thin air, I'm probably on the same boat as you. Did you traverse through Floor 21 as well?"
"!"
"Bullseye huh. You must have a death wish. Plenty coming from me however, hahaha!"
Did he just mention Floor 21.
Which means this geezer must be...
"Oy! Spada gramps, don't leave me behiiind!"
"Nonsense. Blame yourself for your tardiness!"
Someone is running this way from the same direction the geezer's lunged from.
Is Spada this geezer's name? Pretty western sounding for someone dressed in a Japanese-style clothing.
Wait is that man running here a Japanese?
He's got black hair, flat face and all. No wait, he could be a denizen of a world that looks Japanese.
...This is all so sudden.