Chapter 201: |
Dungeon Stampede 2.0 Clash
A steep slope. And a high-lubricity mucus tsunami. Even an average monster was swept away by just that. Yet, the Giant Red Scorpion endured with its sharp legs.
But the massive red scorpion, holding a streetlamp tip and a roof edge in its claws, began to slide down. Losing all friction, it could no longer support itself.
Its sharp legs were now encased in slippery, mochi-like mucus balls. In other words, I had made the giant red scorpion wear the mucus shoes I had failed with myself.
"Gi-SHAAAAA…!?"
The giant red scorpion swung its enormous pincers, desperately trying to stop its slide.
But it was a futile struggle… Once its car-sized body started sliding, the added acceleration made stopping nearly impossible.
[Thud…! Crack! Bam…! Sliiiip!!]
As expected, its legs spread out, its belly repeatedly slammed into the concrete tiles, and it picked up speed. The steep slope was lined with rough concrete tiles to prevent slipping. Even so, the sliding speed kept increasing!
For example, a 50kg human doesn't just weigh 50kg. Strictly speaking, it's a physical law that their mass is being pulled toward the center of the Earth by the planet's massive gravity.
And… everything on Earth is subject to this gravity and cannot escape it. So you too, let your soul be drawn by Earth's gravity!
[Sliiiiip… BAMMMMM!!!]
The giant red scorpion, having completely lost control, spun as it slid down the slope, finally crashing violently into the concrete wall at the bottom.
The impact sent the monsters, which had already fallen and tangled below, flying. Many monsters were likely crushed by the giant scorpion's massive body.
However… the giant red scorpion, despite slamming into the concrete wall, had the cushioning of the previously fallen monsters and was still alive.
The impact broke several legs, and its poison tail pointed in a strange direction. Yet, it began to struggle, trying to get up despite its exposed belly.
"Damn… as expected, tough bastard! Hard Mucus Shot!"
Three highly adhesive mucus bullets shot out with a ‘boomboom!' sound, tracing a perfect arc and hitting the giant red scorpion's exposed belly at the bottom. They landed well between its body and legs, buying some time…
"Eguchi-san!"
"Coach!"
Selai and Ru rushed over in concern. Nina kept a watchful eye on the surroundings.
(Alright, this is the critical moment!)
"I'm going to use a big move! Everyone, guard the surroundings!"
""Yes!!""
Following my orders, the three quickly formed a triangle formation around me. This was also a result of our training. If anyone got injured during battle, we practiced repeatedly to protect them with this formation.
"Ah… there's someone like a dog coming from over there!"
"Ruu, be careful! That's also a monster!"
"It's called a kobold, right? Looks like something out of a kids' show, but that's not something you should see…"
Indeed, multiple kobolds appeared from the direction they pointed, gruesomely chewing on dismembered human limbs as they approached.
…..
"Are you three ready!?"
"Yes! We're fine!"
"Leave it to me!"
"We'll manage, Coach, take care of the big one!"
Facing the approaching wild kobolds without flinching, the three responded firmly. Good, I can trust them. With the current three, they shouldn't fall behind against Kobolds.
"Alright, I'll leave that to you! Here I go! Anokutarasanmyakusanbodai…! Maharik… Maharit… Yanbaray Sowaka!!"
I chanted a spell to focus my mind.
The content had no particular meaning. But it was crucial… To generate magical power, the mind must be sharpened, refining one's spirit into magic. And for that, it's necessary to rev up the mind's engine to high speed, creating a sense of exaltation.
In other words, I needed to ignite the engine in my chest.
Below, the giant red scorpion struggled desperately to get up. Now was the perfect chance. If I missed this opportunity, I might never get another to defeat it.
Therefore, I wouldn't hold back here.
"Saltaro, lend me your power! Rougher than coarse salt, saltier than sea salt, with our combined strength, give an equal saltiness!!"
Yet, I now regretted making the keyword to borrow Saltaro's magic power sound so ridiculously chunibyo.
"But with this…! Come forth, rock salt. Giant Sphere!!"
[Crunch…! Crackle Crackle…!]
Crystals of rock salt were created at a tremendous speed.
This was due to my magic and Saltaro's magic, which emerged from my chest. As I poured magic into it, focusing on making it hard and heavy, it grew larger and larger.
Thus, an insanely heavy and stupidly hard giant rock salt sphere was completed.
"Go, Giant Rock Salt Sphere! Along with my loathsome memories…!!"
I charged at the ridiculously heavy, stupidly hard rock salt sphere and sent it rolling down the steep slope.
And when dropping something huge, it’s the spirit of an otaku to drop it along with unpleasant memories. Plus, if I could forget some of my life's wretched memories through this, that’d be a bonus.
[Gron… Goron… Gron… Gorori…! Thud! Grogggg… Gagagagaga…!!]
Powered by the combined strength of Saltaro and the wind of the Pixie Queen, the Giant Rock Salt Sphere rolled down the slope with tremendous rotational force.
And then…。
[Zum…]
With a single, rather dull thud, it directly hit the Giant Red Scorpion at the bottom of the slope.
"………"
There was no loud crash, no flashy explosion. Just a single dull thud that resonated deeply…。
But this was good! This was perfect!!
Because loud crashes and flashy explosions are all just the conversion of kinetic energy into another form. In other words, energy loss. So, if all the kinetic energy was transmitted without any loss, there would be no loud crash or flashy explosion; this dull thud was the optimal result!
"Did it work…!?"
There's no need to follow this up with, "Impossible! How can it be unharmed after that attack!?" I'm confident. Because at the bottom of the slope, a golden light, likely the Giant Red Scorpion's life energy, began to rise dazzlingly…。
"I'm going to check the situation below! Pixie Queen, cover the others!"
[…(nods)]
Leaving the rest to the Pixie Queen, I slid down the slope at once. Yes, I am the Mucus Master. Thus, I won't crash into walls from my own mucus.
[Whooooosh…]
At the bottom of the slope, there was an atmosphere of the air being violently shaken, like after an explosion. The Giant Rock Salt Sphere had hit the Giant Red Scorpion perfectly, and golden life energy was rising, proof of its demise…。
"Well done…"
I patted the rough surface of the Giant Rock Salt Sphere, larger than myself, in appreciation. However, its size was somewhat in the way…。
"Hey, Saltaro? You can move this? Could you handle it?"
Saltaro, still sticking out of my chest, said to leave it to him, so I did. He dropped from my chest, toddled over to the Giant Rock Salt Sphere, and began to absorb it with his hands raised.
"Wow, you can do that too! Amazing. I’ll take care of the life energy then, so I’ll leave that to you."
Having a soul-shared entity is very convenient for the physical division of labor. Now, I'll take the Giant Red Scorpion's life energy.
Well, we somehow managed to defeat it.
