Yaritsukai to, Kuroneko Chapter 6

6th Episode 〜 Conversing in a Different World

Walking in this place full of bones, I wonder how many days have pa.s.sed……

Well, since I can walk without food or drink for days like this, I’m surely not human.

After all it’s a race whose name includes the characters for light and demon. (TN: When in j.a.panese)

However, ……my throat is dry, I’m hungry, and my body feels kind of worn out.

For the time being, I’ll check my condition.

Stopping my feet,

“Status.”

Name: Shuya Kagari

Age: 20

t.i.tle: Different World Castaway

Race: Lucivault

Battle Occupation: Chain User

Strength 1.5 – Agility 2.5 – Stamina 1.5 – Magic 3.5 – Dexterity 2.5 – Spirit 3.5 – Luck 1.5

Current Condition: Abnormal: Blood Plasma Deficiency Death Illness 15%

Such was displayed.

Hmm, this heavy feeling must be the illness.

“Abnormal” is attached as an entry under condition.

Furthermore, what is 15% plasma deficiency?

I touch Blood Plasma Deficiency Death Illness.

※Blood Plasma Deficiency Death Illness※

→Blood is depleted. Early symptom of mummification.

All ability values reduced by half, Starvation state 5〜30 initial state of hunger.

In this condition blood continues being lost abnormally fast. This state is isn’t affected by an Abnormal Status Invalidation skill. However, when starvation state reaches 100% mummification a loss of spirit causes the consciousness to be forcibly stolen away and enter a rampaging state.

Due to starvation frenzy, any abnormal state undermining the body is canceled, but if blood is not consumed within a few hours after it begin, final mummification will occur.

I feel like I want water.

My body seems to want blood.

This is early mummification.

Abilities are reduced by half, and I’ll rampage if I bleed?

Scary. However, it’s true my body has gotten heavy.

I think it’s because my stamina was reduced to half according to the number.

So I close out the status display.

My hunger decreased too. I’m thirsty and my lips are dry.

I can endure pain, but honestly, this dry throat is hard.

However, I cannot but keep walking.

The sounds of the bones rolling to the ground and being crushed echo.

I walk so as to forget time.

There’s no fatigue in my steps but they are heavy.

To the right side, the vertical cave which was broken, the triangle-ish rock cave was narrow across but tall vertically. (TN: Wut)

Is it a good omen? I stop advancing through the bone sea for a moment, and advance ahead to the hole.

If it’s damp there may be water.

I go into the dark cave without hesitating.

Inside is dark.

But, without minding it I advance.

A narrow rock pa.s.sage…… The rocks feel somewhat damp.

I go ahead through such a cave for a few days.

Honestly, there’s no sense of time anymore, I think several days have pa.s.sed.

Tomorrow, tomorrow, and, tomorrow, and with a stingy gait, everyday life advances.

The narrow rock pa.s.sage continues on.

The point to arrive at was written down for the luck of life, it is t

he end for me?

Oh? It doesn’t seem to be the end.

The moss s.h.i.+ning on the ceiling begins to stand out.

When my eyes grew accustomed to such faint light–

Mm? this is…it feels like cold water, humid air.

I smell a gra.s.sy-smell which smells like a forest.

Oootsu, it’s soft, or rather, the ground is dirt, gra.s.s?

It’s the feeling of stepping on gra.s.s.

–It’s gra.s.s. It’s gra.s.s.

Gra.s.s in such darkness.

Furthermore, this leaf, emits fluorescent light.

Starting from the veins the feint light extends out continuing through the small veins on the surface of the leaf.

The outside edge of the leaf emits a faint light.

This leaf, is it a subst.i.tute for proper light?

I touch the black leaf gra.s.s, and tore off a piece.

Using the light, I can decrease my hunger now, can I eat it?

Already, it’s good. Anything is good. I need to satisfy my appet.i.te.

It may cause my diarrhea to be colored, but I don’t care.

Yeah, I put the leaf in my mouth.

I bit the leaf, chewing. I keep eating the gra.s.s to satisfy my hunger.

Tsu, gu, it’s taste terrible……

It’s gross, but I continued eat until my hunger was satisfied.

Then……power overflowed from the bottom of my stomach, there’s still no taste, yet I’m feel oddly exhilarated.

There’s no stomach pain. I’m lucky.

I grabbed the black gra.s.s which grew on the ground and put it in my mouth.

While numbly chewing, I advance forward. The moment I casually put my hand on the rock wall–tsutsu, cold!

Ooooooo–Water. Water.

I can feel the water.

Barely from between the rocks, but water is flowing.

Putting my face on the damp rock, I pressed my dry lips to the cracks the water flowed from.

With a *buchu* I suck the water.

I desperately sip the trickling water.

Without looking. I don’t look, I just quench my thirst.

When my heart has been satisfied, suddenly, a pain ran through my foot.

“It hurts–”

Painful.

When I touched my foot blood was flowing. There’s a cut.

Why? –Ouch.

Again. Why?

I look at the underside, but it was covered with gra.s.s and I couldn’t tell.

Then, an animal like a rabbit broke out from the base of some gra.s.s giving off a slightly florescent color, but I saw it.

Teeth are bared.

But, it’s a rabbit.

A small black rabbit bit my foot.

Ite, my foot was cut.

Mm, the pain is sore, but it’s a rabbit, and this, is it meat? It’s food. Meat is meat. Meat aaah, hiyatsuha–I’ll accept the meat. I won’t let it escape. (TN: Goin’ all scary vamp on us.)

Catch it–

Also I’m trying to pull out my rusty sword to thrust while aiming at the feet, but this black rabbit, moves fast.

It ends in failure many times.

It’s fast. I will catch it.

As the rabbit jumps up and down many times, I stretched my foot out on purpose like bait and invited it.

–It takes it.

It throws itself of on my foot like pole-and-line fis.h.i.+ng.

I leaned forward and caught the black rabbit.

That way, I twist the head of the black rabbit, killing it.

Eh, it’s already completely barbarian.

Parasite like, for a moment, it pa.s.ses over my head but I don’t know.

Of course, I would like to cook and eat it, but I have no tool to create a fire here.

So, I carry the black rabbit I killed to the entrance.

I ate it raw.

The blood in the meat is the first in a long time……the body by the blood.

Yumyum, I was able to replenish my supply of blood……

The meat is a valuable source of protein.

For now, I’ll check it.

Status

Name Shuya Kagari

Age: 20

t.i.tle: Different World Castaway

Race: Lucivalt

Battle Occupation: Chain User

Strength 3.6 – Agility 4.5 – Stamina 3.5 – Magic 7.4 – Dexterity 5.1 – Spirit 7.4 – Luck 3.0

Current Condition: Healthy

I did it. The blood sickness was cured.

Fuu……I’m relieved to eat meat after such a long time.

I start to confirm the pale light in the area again.

The black leaves grow everywhere in the cave. The sound of black rabbits hopping around in the thick gra.s.s can be heard.

How the black rabbits are here too is a question, the meat of the black rabbit is important, there must be a lot inhabiting this area.

For the time being, I’ll live in this area with food……

I’m examining the range of where the strange black gra.s.s that emits light grows, I enlarge my living area little by little.

The range of where the black gra.s.s grows is oddly large.

It’s divided into many layers which branch to numerous caves, I continue deeper into the darkness.

Since I don’t continue going in the depths too much, I return to the cave I originally entered from the bone cave. A relatively large amount of black rabbits live here.

As I want meat, I decided to make this place my base.

I frantically catch the black rabbits for their meat.

However, as the black rabbits are quick I often miss. So I earnestly sip the water flowing from the rock, and the standard becomes living off of black gra.s.s.

Since my hunger is strangely satisfied eating just this leafy black gra.s.s, it became rare that I felt hungry.

Even if time pa.s.ses for a while I have a hard time catching the black rabbit, I was able to subst.i.tute food for bait and was able to catch one somehow.

The dismantling of the black rabbit is smooth too. I drink the blood first, and then after I drain the blood I use the rusty sword on it. I used the skin as a subst.i.tute for a cus.h.i.+on and loincloth.

That reminds me, there’s no stomach pain.

I live mainly on black leaf and black rabbit, but there’s never diarrhea. (TN: I don’t think it’s supposed to be translated as diarrhea but I find the image of our OP main character having diarrhea all the time kinda funny.)

Saying so, number-one comes out, but feces don’t appear.

Is it the help of the skill?

If so that’s an amazing skill.

By the way, the s.e.xual urge is vigorous. The emerging thing emerges. (TN: He’s talking about his d.i.c.k.)

Black leaves are always tissue subst.i.tutes.

If there was a , I’m confident I’d be able to acquire it.

Continuing living underground like this, when I thought I had completely adapted myself to the darkness–

※Pikon※  ※ Skill Acquired※

※Pikon※  ※ Permanent Skill Acquired※ (TN: The permanent skill is actually “darkness person” but that translation is lame so I’m changing it.)

skill was acquired.

When I use it, there is a feeling of my sight suddenly expanding out, I begin to see a clear image.

This is amazing. I can catch a black rabbit easily.

I checked my status for .

※Night Crawler Adaptation※

A skill which is only fit for races adapted to dark worlds in obtained. Various abilities improve only in darkness. The effect of the

Darkness completely becomes my home after I acquired these two skills.

As expected it’s possible to easily catch black rabbits, I become able to eat meat very day.

It’s not altogether bad to live in this underground world.

And, time is money, I who forgot the words of opportunity cost.

My thoughts completely became those of a primitive man.

To catch a black rabbit today, while stepping on the mixed fluorescent colored black gra.s.s I advanced deeper into the dark cave.

Such a time, a dazzling light illuminated a corner, taking away my sight that was accustomed to darkness.

–Hiee, what? It’s dazzling, a torch?

Furthermore, a strange sound throbs in my ear.

The sound of dry hands clapping in prayer roared repeatedly.

What, what is it, I run in the cave where the black leaves grow thick–approaching the origin of the light and the mysterious sound.

Ah, is that a person? Uwa, they’re awfully short……

Approaching closer, trying to see.

While rubbing my eyes, I move with

I stoop down to hide myself in the dark cave where the gra.s.s grows thick.

I slowly approach the source of the brilliant light.

There is one of the short race.

Their height is about 120 cm? They are short and stout and a beard connect to the hair on its head, but the muscle quality.

Holding a torch in one hand, their head is moving looking for something.

Oh, by any chance, are they a member of the dwarf race?

The race which often appears in fantasy works.

The dwarf put the lantern which continued emitting a strange purple light on his hip. Dead black rabbits also hang there.

Now, if I reveal myself he’ll be frightened……

How to do it……

I think that’s a dwarf, but it’s an intellectual race in a different world.

This rusted sword shouldn’t last……

Before I could come out, the Dwarf opens his mouth.

“Fuhhahahahahahaha. Thank you “Paddock-sama,” I’m revived with this. A blessing came at last, both here and there was enough to grow. Hiyatsuhiyatsuhiyatsu,  a bitter experience was caused by the【Second King Meeting】, on the contrary, exile–It’s that worth of celebration? No, I’m glad. At this rate……the whole area where black kotokubi gra.s.s grows, goes to the bone sea.”

He says a soliloquy with heavy tension.

The first word, can be understood.

He has weapon……Eeei, however.

I yell with spirit, and jumped out of the gra.s.s.

When the Dwarf sees my figure, he comes to a complete stop with a dumbfounded expression.

“–Oh, oh, excuse me, zu,”

Ah, a voice but……

“Hiiaa, Nannayiaaaaa, This is my yiaaaaaa” (TN: I dunno, I’m bad when it comes to translating yelling.)

–The Dwarf’s eyes become bloodshot and showers me with threats, pulling a mace and axe out of his waste.

I struck first.

Dual wielding specializing in fear–

“–Jiyo, w-w-w-wait, stop, I, don’t intend to do anything.”

While retreating back, banzai, I put up both hands. (In j.a.pan when people go “Banzai!” they raise their arms up)

As it had been a long time since I last spoke words, my tongue was dry and I stuttered.

“Nuo, the words of a Dwarf with the accent? There’s no feathers on the back either……you aren’t “Garubana?”

He seems to have listened to my words.

Is it thank to the Language Comprehension skill? The dwarfs hears me with the proper accent.

Simply, it may be the result of my having stuttered.

But what is “Gurenba?”

In the Dwarf’s right hand is a mace, holding an axe in his left hand, the eyes are still scary.

I talk politely trying to be aware of my mouth and tongue.

“…That, what’s a Gurenba?”

“Nu? You can talk normally.  A gurnepa is a monter. The monster that appears in the bone sea. It’s said that black gra.s.s grows around the area of 【Great Guranpa Hallway】spreading out towards the sea of bones. The “Ancient Black Ring” exists there, it’s said that it appears around that area.”

That sea of bones.

But, it’s my own explanation time.

Aimu, I speak to the short dwarf in a friendly manner.

“It’s a monster……does the monster talk in this way?”

While repeating a gesture where I carefully raise and lower both arms, I loosen up and smile.

“…….Humu, the monster doesn’t do such a thing. It seems there isn’t a *ryogoru* sound in the realm of the dead, the face and there’s no feathers on the back, possibly……Maguru? But, I’ve seen it for the first time. Impossible……you don’t have the appearance of either and wear strange dirty clothes? Don’t Gnomes and Dark Elves use magic to disguise themselves?” (TN: Maguru might mean magic, not sure. The magic system in this novel is really f.u.c.kin’ complicate but you won’t learn about it till the second story arc.)

Ryogoru is the sound of h.e.l.l? What is Maguru?

Gnome and Dark Elf are other races.

Well, apart from that……

“That Maguru, I don’t understand, but I think I’m a person. So, together with you……”

“After all, on the cover, Maguru. As for me, I’m a dwarf. Because I was separated, I don’t give the whole family name. The name is Loirr”

The word Maguru means a person. (TN: Okay, it has nuthin to do with magic, but the conversation up till now makes a lot more sense.)

“Stray dwarf……Loirr-san. My name is Shuya Kagiri. Please call me Kagari or Shuya, whatever way you favor.”

“Loirr is fine. So, Shuya. You who are a Maguru, why, are you underground? Also, where this raw “Black Kotobuki Gra.s.s” grows, why are you here?” (Okay, judging by the coming conversation Maguru is a person from the surface.)

Asking, Loirr’s eyes were glaring.

Extremely cautious.

Are Magurus dangerous to dwarfs?

“That is……”

I have no choice but to make up a suitable story.

“I have no memories. I fell from a huge hole in the ceiling into the sea of bones, but I managed to escape unharm.”

“When it’s that……did you fall from the cover at the top? And you’re safe? Well, aside from that, did you walk through the dangerous sea of bones? The territory of Guranba without the sound of Ryogoru……”

Are Guranbas and Ryogoru monsters in the sea of bones?

“I didn’t encounter any “Guranba.” Though I met a corpse that moved like a person.”

“It probably so. If you met them you’d “be eaten” and “die.”

I don’t understand, so I’ll agree.

“Eeh, yes.”

Loirr wracks his head, while scratching his beard with a dirty hand he opens his mouth.

“Chi, I’ll check, but 【Langur Empire】is the biggest city, 【Underground City Sauzantomaunten】and 【Underground City Rindo】or the Dark Poison capitol 【Underground City Daumerazan 】, do any of the cities ring a bell?”

Like that, I have no way of knowing.

“What are those? Are there underground cities and countries?”

“……As expected. You don’t seem to know about other underground communities where dwarfs live in this world. In that case “Being Separated”, I don’t know the meaning either.”

The dwarf guesses, and falls silent.

“Eeh, what is it to be separated?”

“It’s when a dwarf is thrown out like me. Labeled as a criminal. I was exiled from Langur empire. It’s a breakdown in the power struggle by Ririumu in the 【Second King Society】. Being exiled outside the wall, I’ve been traveling as normad for months. Because I had the divine protection from Ryogoru, I was able to survive in this underground world.”

Becoming separated?

Wandering……if required, was this oyaji dwarf destroyed in a power struggle?

Even if he’s called a criminal because Loirr’s eyes are sharp I’m convinced.

The beard has grown untidily into his hair, his hair is full and disheveled……

“I see……”

“Haha, be relieved. It’s okay if you don’t put yourself on guard. There’s no worry and I feel like eating. I don’t know if you’re starved? But, fortunately, the whole area where black kotobuki gra.s.s grows spreads out from here. This “Jiji” has been eating black kotobuki gra.s.s in large quant.i.ties.”

The black kotobuki gra.s.s, it seems to be the black leafy gra.s.s growing below.

The jiji probably means a black rabbit.

“Is that so. I also want to eat, jiji.”

“Haha, I see, our mutual luck may be bad, I understand.”

The old dwarf, with a smile on his wrinkle filled face, charming.

Next, I’m interested in what Loirr said about “Ryogoru” just now, I’ll try to hear about it.

“Eh, indeed. And, it’s sudden, but what is Ryogoru?”

My expectation, is the lantern attached to the waste.

The item which produced a purple and bluish white light.

“Haha, it’s this wonderful light. It caught your eye. Indeed. “This” is Ryogoru. It’s a special magic tool. It’s an old legendary item.”

Mm, a special magic tool.

“What kind of effect does it have?”

“When it’s slapped on top it releases a sound into the area, it produces a special musical field. This sound is effective at keeping away monsters living underground. As I said earlier, I was able to survive and arrive here thanks to it.”

Ah, so just now, that strange dry sound.

“I see. It’s an amazing item.”

“That’s right. I don’t do it, if I’m going to touch it, I do it myself with this axe head……” (TN: Threatened to chop MC.)

Loirr doesn’t seem to have liked my eyes.

If that the case I want to say “don’t show it so proudly”, but I’ll try to be friendly.

“I won’t do such a thing.”

“Okay. Is that so, ah, don’t be sorry. It’s a thing where I haven’t encountered a friendly person in a long time, so.”

“……It would be like that in an underground world. Well, does such an item exist elsewhere?”

“What do you think? It seems there were scores of them in the city I came from. At any rate, it’s said that a part of Ryogoru is sealed living in hades.”

Ryogoru is living in hades?

Is there such a monster-ish thing in this world?

“However my luck is certainly improving. …….Because I finally found it. The place where black kotobuki gra.s.s rows all around……. I have to hurry tomorrow or it will escape.”

What.

“Leave here?”

“Ah, return to Langur empire. If there’s a bunch and the black gra.s.s is harvested by the Ririumu upstart, I’ll become rich. On the contrary the 【Second King Society】will be crushed. Bribing the guards and members of parliament becomes easy. Besides, it’s not just that……hyuhyuhyu.”

Dirty teeth were bared with a laugh.

The charming face has become a creepy smiling face.

However……do I go.

I came to this world with great efforts, for the first time I’ve been able to communicate, although in pa.s.sing……an unpleasant person……

“……Will you take me?”

“It’s no good.”

Hayatsu.

“Eh? Why is that?”

“Langur is the country of dwarfs. Maguru aren’t seen there. In fact this is my first time seeing one too. The people of Langur are prejudiced to Maguru and the world of Maguru, if I take you, there’s no talk of even bribing the guards if I’m caught.”

Eeh, also alone.

Mm, it’s unpleasant. Once again, I’ll try asking……

“Is it really useless?”

“Ah, it’s no use.”

Crestfallen.

This fellow won’t hesitate to attack if I try to follow either, his face says it.

There’s no helping it……

I’ll only hear terminology and get information.

“Is that so. It’s regrettable……however, please tell me. What are the ‘Maguru’?”

“……You’re asking a question? Well it’s fine. The world of Maguru is the surface. It refers to people living on the surface world. As for us dwarfs, there seems to have been a foothold on the surface long ago, but probably because war continued for a long time, our ancestors cut off exchange with the surface. Nowadays for a long time the Maguru, interchange with surface races including humans like you is prohibited.”

Loirr pointed a finger to the ceiling and explained.

“Mm, in underground Langur, there’s no humans.”

“Of course.”

There’s no humans underground.

“Then do you know a way to the surface?”

“I get it, I get it. There are some stone pipes called “G.o.d Towers” which seem to lead directly to the surface. It’s said they were made by the ancestors of dwarfs.”

Wao, there’s such a stone pipe.

With this, I may be able to get to the surface!

“There’s such a thing…where?”

“For example, it think it won’t be usable even if it’s found, but……”

“Please. Please tell me.”

The dwarf looks at my desperate face, and opens his mouth while scratching the hair on his cheek.

“……Well. Although a Maguru, having met in such an absurdly remote underground place, it must be fate. It may be discovered with the guidance of ‘Paddock-sama.'” I’ll tell you.”

“Oh, thank you.”

I have a smile floating on my face, and when I hear it extends ear to ear.

“What I know is there’s a ‘G.o.d Tower’ in 【Underground City Sauzantomaunten】 which is in the center of 【Langur Empire】. It’s said that it’s broken after several thousands of years pa.s.sed. Other than that……it seems they’re scattered about in the distant far away parts of the underground world. But, even if you find a G.o.d Tower, there’s a particular way to use it. I think it won’t work because it’s broken. In the first place the technology used to make it has already been lost. Great Paddock, the great ancestor-samas know the way to open the path, just, for what sake was it made……”

Gahn.

Knowing the location of the dwarf country.

Ma, if it’s broken there’s no point.

Well, the G.o.d tower, I imagine it as a stone pipe, is it a box thing like an elevator?

It’s surprising that there was such technology.

“…….I see.”

“Ou. Then, as for those two, three of them, this jiji will part here and hunt. I don’t know in how many months, but I think that a hired mercenary sentry may come here. At that time, because you may be found, will you escape? Oh, well, I’ll part here. Maguru Shuya.”

After how many months. I don’t understand how to count calendars in this world.

The Gregorian calendar, five lines, don’t divide the zodiac cycle.

“…….Yeah.”

Loirr the dwarf disappeared into the depths of the cave with the torch in one hand.

Lonely……

I followed Loirr.

I was warned not to, but I ignored it.

I followed him.

Well, the dwarf was the first precious person I was able to talk to……

Also, Loirr is going to towards the underground city with the broken G.o.d tower, is it there?

I might be able to use it.

If I follow him, I may be able to find the quickest way to the surface.

If I sneak into the underground city, it should be possible to protect myself in a corner of the slums.

I want another person to speak with a little.

Pursuing Loirr with such one-sided thinking, several weeks pa.s.sed.

In the meantime Loirr advances while making the *ryugoro* sound.

When Loirr feels the presence of monsters, using *ryugoro* every time, because my presence is hidden, I was able to travel without fighting any monster.

But, the areas I’m traveling through may be affected by the sound, a beast type monster, a hairy caterpillar like monster with multiple big eyeb.a.l.l.s, and many monsters where bears and crabs are combined into big monsters, I see them around me.

Persistently, only looking.

Thanks to and I was able to at easily observe them.

My figure wasn’t discovered by monsters.

And, pursuing for a long time, Loirr finally stops moving.

At the same time, I discover the dazzling lights of the underground city before me.

The size of the cave isn’t natural, huge artificial stones cut into cubes increased.

At last, I seem to have arrived at the underground city.

An underground city……

A country where cities are built from giant stones emitting light, it’s certainly a man-made brightness.

But, my stupid pursuit drama was to that extent.

–Tsu, is that an arrow?

Although

“An unknown magic reaction is over there. –There’s an enemy there!”

“Is it a Dark Elf? Pursue it.”

A dwarf humming several to himself.

Dwarf soldiers dressed in small black armor appear in sequence.

Their movements are completely different from Loirr.

I move like a ninja moving from place to place.

When they get to the place I’m hiding, they point in my direction.

Again an arrow flew.

-s.h.i.+t, the only thing I can do is escape.

Luckily, I remember the way I came.

There’s no helping it, let’s give up following Loirr.

I ran away and escaped.

I shortly shake off the pursuing Dwarfs.

Dwarfs are short-legged, even if they move quickly, it seems they’re slow on their feet.

I might just be fast.

By the way, in addition, I return strait back to where the black gra.s.s grew.

I often encounter monsters in the caves while returning, but I avoid them all without fighting.

……How many weeks, on foot, I was able to return to the place where the black giving gra.s.s grew.

In this way, again, life in this dark cave began.

Not understand day and night.

Sleeping dozens of times, repeated several hundred times……

By chance, suddenly, I, have nothing to do.

And, it leads to talking to myself.

Being used to the life at the level of primitive man here, the rabbit meat is a reward, how about it? Like this, continuing to live in such a state, doing such a thing……

What point was there to transmigratings?

I, feel like the time I was unemployed paying the cost of laziness.

After all the surface, a human being, let’s go to the place of Maguru.

I can only search for clues to the G.o.d tower.

I’m scared of the monster Loirr talked about, but there should surely be something in that wide bone sea.

Which reminds me, Loirr said something about the effects of war causing to dwarfs to return to the ground.

Either way, I can only go to the bone sea.

Hence I get ready for that purpose.

I wind the black gra.s.s called black kotobuki gra.s.s around many places on my body.

I’m going to live mainly on this.

Just in case the jiji harvests, I collected about five of them. (TN: I don’t know how much five is)

If there’s only this, I think I can last to an extent.

Because it rots I can’t expect it to store long, but……at worst, I understand I can survive without eating and drinking.

Humans, going to the surface where humans are.

Find a “G.o.d tower,” find the way leading to the surface.

I who strengthened my determination left the area where the black gra.s.s grew.

I start traveling the underground world.

Pa.s.sing through the cave where black gra.s.s grows, I arrive at the bone sea.

After five days, I think the sixth has probably pa.s.sed.

Because my sense of time completely out of order, I don’t know.

There’s only a small amount of black Kotobuki gra.s.s remaining.

There’s already no more black rabbit meat.

With such a feeling, I trod on the endless bones and continued walking.

–Buuun, buuuuuuuun I heard a vibrating sound echo.

It steadily grows louder.

When I look up at the sky, is that a white human shape? Oh, is it that?

White armor? It looks like a monster.

It looked down at me.

The weird white monster drifts in the sky.

Pure white armor, it’s a mechanical-type armor. There are four arms and all of them are black. Something like a red gasmask covering only the eyes of the face.

Many pipes extended from the gasmask and led to the chest armor.

Attached to the back are long feather making a transparent membrane. The long transparent wings are like a hummingbird, they vibrate intensely and seem to allow it to fly.

The vibrating sound is to the extent that I imagine the huge feathers as insects.

The skin of the face is white.

Also, for some reason only half the face has lips, it’s grandly exposed.

That mouth, it’s a monster after all.

It must be the guranpa monster the dwarf Loirr mentioned.

The mouth which is exposed, the mouth of the monster.

Inside and outside of the square mouth, there’s two.

The teeth growing outside the mouth are lined up like in a shark, it’s the feeling that it won’t separate if I’m caught once.

Another small mouth on the inside, more fine fangs grow spread out, it’s disgusting, and ghastly.

If compared to a movie, if feels like a mix of alien and predator……

The monster with the gasmask attached to the white armor suddenly comes down, and came down in front of me.

『I chased the thick smell of demon origin blood, but to come across a living human……』

Now, direct……was it in my head?

“Eh? Demon Origin? The smell of blood.”

Can communication be done?

『Ho……you can read and understand my ? You’re a strange, are you really human?』

The moment I heard his, unpleasant, final words.

–A sudden gust is generated in my stomach.

At the same time–a shock and an acute pain run through my left side.

–When I look at what’s producing the acute pain,

“Eh?”

Part of my left side disappeared–

“–Ugwaaaa”

There was a delayed scream.

When I turn my eyes to the black right arm of the monster, the piece of meat which is part of my stomach is grasped.

My blood dripped from the palm of the monster. (TN: Well s.h.i.+t)

The monster carries the piece of my flesh to its square mouth.

Then, a snake tongue splits from inside the monster’s disgusting mouth.

It changed into two tongues.

The tongue moves like a snake, focusing on licking my flesh, firmly eating together.

『Humu…….the taste of this blood is similar to the taste of human……』

s.h.i.+t, my flesh is being eaten.

But,

“Oow……”

……Too much pain! That guy’s attack, I didn’t see it. Dangerous…….

I s.h.i.+vered unintentionally.

The hair on the nape of my neck stands on end, gooseb.u.mps cover my whole body.

『Well, I’ll take more.』

The moment the words entered my brain.

I–activated .

Increasing speed–I urgently ran along the slope.

Scattered bone dusts dances around the ground where I was, the black arm of the monster pierced the ground.

I hurl the rusted sword at the monster.

It hits the white armor of the monster, but it was easily repelled.

I see that, and immediately run away.

–At any rate, run!

I avoid bone mountain. I hurry to run.

Blood overflows from the left side with intense pain, but I ignore it.

I jump earnestly, I run to escape.

I thought bone mountain continued on endlessly, but……I saw a decayed fort-like building coming up in front of me.

When I draw near, there are some thin black pillars at the entrance. Its–I run into the gate like place.

I run with every effort in the fortress building. There’s no door.

The inside is dark but I don’t mind it, I go through the darkness.

While going into a narrow snake like pa.s.sage way but rubbing against the wall, I walk.

I walk, but the fear of a while ago revives and I shudder.

Scary……the usable for emergencies is already removed, it can be used. I should have taken great distance.

Seeing the few good things, I looked back.

……Fuu, it didn’t come.

My stomach hurts, there’s no particular fatigue but I put my hand on the wall, and take a little break.

For the time being, I use

But what is it, that enemy…….The words of the dwarf Loirr “You’d be eaten if you met” were true.

Honestly, it licked my flesh.

–Gutsu.

The abdominal wound I received before I “escaped” begins to ache to that is throbs.

I endured to pain in my stomach. To run.

I start running. Advance, jumping while I run.

This is the end of the fortress like ruins, I continue feeling through the darkness in the rubble.

Again coming to the sea of bones, I feel the sensation of crus.h.i.+ng a bone with a step.

I went forward through the bone sea in front of me earnestly. The darkness suddenly ends, and a bright dazzling light appears in front of me.

Is it fog rather than light? Is fog s.h.i.+ning?

The bright fog and think and dense.

The fog is heavy in the air, it fills my lungs.

“Cough*”

Unintentionally, It was enough for me to choke.

Running through the thick dense fog. It’s a little painful but I ignore it.

I continue forward inside the thick fog.

Before, it’s hard to see in the fog, but–Huh!? A building?

I stop running, and looked at the huge building.

That is, it was part of an incredibly large circular structure.

A water film is stretched inside, the circular edge is decorate with various characters and marks. (TN: Oi oi, this is a fantasy novel, what’s the stargate doing here.)

“Oioi, Is this a gate?”

Doesn’t it look just like the thing that there was in a SF movie?

Around the circular edge, letters are written dancing around like a strange snake.

『Zararapu is close to far away things.』It seems.

I could easily read it. Thanks to the extra skill language comprehension.

The characteristic round emblem.

The circular mark divided like the yin and yang origin of the universe is displayed on top. There’s also a symbol resembling the sun, there may be some meaning to it…….

Then, the sound of *buuuuun* and feathers behind me.

Ugh, not again. Escape!

I might be suffering from trauma.

Just hearing the sound, I grimaced.

I active . And again I start running.

A huge building, beside the rotating circular ring, I move forward.

Well, I thought about entering the gate, but since I have a bad feeling I don’t.

The dense fog continued for a while as I ran, getting away from the black ring structure, the light of the dense fog disappeared all too soon.

Again the dark s.p.a.ce spreads out.

I keep running in the dark without hesitation.

Dark. I can’t see the ground.

I forgot to activate .

I’m desperate. I think I look desperate. I.

That is, I don’t want to meet that white alien!

While holding such a complaint, the sound of the rib I stepped on cracking resounds.

I’m using , but my stomach is thrown into a sharp wall.

There’s a sharp pain as my regenerating side is sc.r.a.ped off. But, I endure the pain, running unconcerned.

Then, with a stupid “nuo” sound, my foot slipped and I nearly fell down.

The ground became wet and moist.

There seems to be water near here……

“……It’s water, I want some.”

My throat is dry.

It’s no good for my body unless it’s actual blood, but……

I can’t ask for luxury.

I touch the damp ground, and get the feeling.

The ground is similar to a limestone cave, thin moss grows on the wet surface, I can tell there’s a little flow of water.

At the same time, I heard a distinct sound in front of me.

I thought it was the blood pumping in my ears at first, but the sound seems to be coming from in front of me.

*Goootsu*, far away a low ba.s.s sound vibrates in the ground.

It reverberates in the regenerating wound on my side.

Standing up, I start running in the direction of the sound while putting pressure on the wound in my side.

The sound became louder.

Eh? It’s bright, the source of the sound might be a river in an underground water vein.

That’s the perfect.

–A blue light floats in the darkness.

The pale blue light s.h.i.+ned from the river.

I rush up to the mysterious river.

“Ooh.”

I spontaneously raised my voice in admiration.

I can see a fast flowing underground river.

If I wasn’t being chased, I would have been more impressed.

I gently scoop up the water from the fast flowing river with my hand.

The water which overflows and drips down my palm doesn’t s.h.i.+ne.

It seems to be a stone on the river bed that’s making the river s.h.i.+ne.

Making a bowl with my palms I scoop up the water and carry it to my mouth. I gulped down the water.

“Puhaaaa.”

It’s water after a long absence.

Yummy, it’s delicious. It tastes slightly hard.

As it was the first taste of water after a long time, I’m energized.

Well really, I don’t change much, but I go ahead walking along the underground riverside at a brisk pace.

The sound of flowing water is intense, a roaring sound beats directly against my ear drums.

I don’t mind it, and run in the direction of the sound.

There was a subterranean waterfall slapping down from above.

The cascading water flows vigorously from the top of the cave. The water cascades to the bottom from 20 meters.

The spray flew in my face.

It’s cold. A thin fog wraps around the area, it seems to be creating the mist.

Because a faint light s.h.i.+nes from the bottom, it was a fantasy scene.

“Beautiful–”

While I was immersed in such a fleeting fantasy–

『Found you』

Again I heard a strange voice in my head.

『Nevertheless, you, don’t use that “Mysterious Skill” so suddenly? 』

Hey–it’s that monster!

When I turn around, the white monster if flying, floating in the sky.

The sound of wings, it looks like I didn’t hear it over the sound of the water……

Again I’ll escape. I activate immediately.

There’s no diving board, but–I throw my body into the underground stream.

It’s like a high jump compet.i.tion in the Olympics. I do a nose dive in the waterfall.

When I collide with the water, a plunging sound echoes.

Surely, a spray of water went up.

It’s a good mark for the monster, but there’s no helping it.

The waterfall is considerably deep.

I crawl up from the deep water and reach the surface, and swim with the current.

Luckily, I’m good at swimming.

I went to the medium and high-level swimming club.

However, dirt loosens and floats. I’m dirty I say so myself.

But, I don’t worry about such a thing.

I swim faster than I run. I increase speed and swim.

Going along with the current I’m considerably fast.

I drift steadily. When the river calms down, the 20 second burst expired.

I swim using a breast stroke to move in the quiet water, I change from a breast stroke to a crawl and swim.

After a few minutes, I saw a cave like the limestone cave.

A cave with a low ceiling, nothing organic, I go there.

I’m determined and plunge underwater. I dive deep underwater.

The temperature of the water became colder.

I swim paddling with both hands, and continued diving.

Oh? Breathing……can I go without doing it?

It’s strange, but I seem to be okay without breathing.

My left side is regenerating. The blood is flowing but……

I swim without minding it. Blue stones s.h.i.+ned at the bottom of the river, but they disappeared and it became dark.

It became complete darkness. I activate

I continued advancing through the dark water.

As I advanced considerably, for now, once, I lifted my face up from under the water.

“Puhhaaa.”

I inhale deeply. While air fills my lungs, I understand there’s artificial stone building when I look around, the stones building is worn here and there when I look.

I observe the stone building while swimming slowly.

There’s ruins here. Above there’s bright lights visible all around.

Mm? There’s a stair way in front of me, stairs spread out inside the water……

I crawl out of the water, seeing the light source I go up the stone stairs with soaking wet feet. On the stone, an iron pan is hanging in the air.

The orange flames illuminated a shrine.

As the undulating flames can be seen from underneath, I a.s.sume the flames in the pan are burning vigorously.

It resembles the illumination that was in the sea of bones but it seems slightly different.

When I finish climbing the stone steps, it becomes a pa.s.sage resembling to character 卜.

The stairs dropdown then spread out into the water. The stairs continuing to the right seem to spread out up to the ruins.

I chose the right hand stairs.

There may be “something” enshrined in a part of the shrine.

I climb up.

After all the stairs led to the central part. When I turn to the side to go up the smaller stairs……

“……a plaza, mm, dead gray statues are decaying, a black animal statue……”

A big stair case continued rising inside.

In the cobblestone circular plaza, was the top.

There are stairs, and something manmade is at the top, possibly.

But, for the time being, I’ll look at the stone statues.

On the circular dais is a human figure without arms or a head, an elf missing a leg, a dwarf with one arm, a statue reduced to a body and face with a horn growing from it, and other sculptures with fantasy features I haven’t seen before, statues lines up like broken ancient Greek sculptures.

But, the old statues stoop in a circle, I was worried about the black beast statue that stood in the middle.

There’s no damage and it almost looks new.

The shape clearly remains.

On top of a huge orange stone pedestal was the “Black Beast Statue,” but it had a presence like it was the master of these shrine ruins.

A mural is carved on the pedestal too.

Several candles placed as offerings were shriveled up under the mural.

Here, someone has come.

Did they come to pray to the black beast?

And, I stare at the black beast statue.

This statue…… clearly, is different from the others.

A dark colored haze appears floating on the surface.

“Unpleasant, aura? It’s like a black flame, but……”

The black flame spreads over the entire body of the black statue showing the border of the form.

Is the beast a leopard, tiger, or a lion?

I can see it some type of animal, but the face, has several feeler like things growing from under the neck.

What on earth is it……

“The eyes of the statue are red……”

Furthermore, I approach the statue.

Then, from behind, again, the voice “Inside my head.”

『You won’t escape again.』