Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Collision!
We were wiped out by an overwhelmingly powerful enemy on Floor 10.
I thought I was truly dead, but thanks to Tetsuo's ability, I was revived.
It is a miracle he received from God — Return by Death.
It's a setting that appears in manga and anime, but I never imagined I would be saved by such an ability.
Driven by the selfishness of old men who didn't want to put the girls in danger, we proceeded with deep dungeon exploration as just the two of us.
The strategy proposed by Tetsuo was to lure out the enemy's Saintess and eliminate her.
It seems that if the Saintess disappears, the enemy's combat power will also drop.
I don't know if it's a lie or the truth, but it seems he has done things like this even in another world.
There is no choice but to trust Tetsuo.
Normally, believing in something like this would be impossible, but we actually met God after all.
We slaughtered dragons on Floor 9, descended to Floor 10 through a crack in the ground, and eliminated the Golden Three-Headed Dragon as well.
By the time my level exceeded 80, a suspicious presence approached from Floor 9.
"Gyasku!" "Daisuke!"
The Harpies are also reacting to what is approaching.
Two robes slide silently through the darkness, inching closer like something creeping.
Only their outlines float vaguely from within the darkness.
Even though they should be stepping on the ground, they approach quietly as if shadows were crawling.
Eventually, the robes split open.
Appearing from within were two white naked bodies.
In the darkness where light should not reach, their skin seemed to emit a faint light of its own, filled with a pale, cold radiance.
"Here you come!"
That woman is here, along with Ren.
We met them on Floor 10 before, but since I used Return by Death, that encounter is considered to have never happened.
"You intend to defile this holy ground at last, you insolent wretch."
The woman spoke.
It feels like the same lines she used when we met before.
"..."
As always, there is no sign of life in Ren's eyes, and she shows no reaction even seeing me.
"Ren! Don't you recognize me?!"
She does not react to my words either.
Is she completely brainwashed? Or has she been remade like those who attacked me before?
"Daisuke! Let's go!"
Since we've come this far, I have no choice but to make up my mind.
"Damn it!"
Just as Tetsuo said, I have no choice but to fight.
"Shazam!"
A black shadow writhed on the ground like a living creature.
Before the wet wave of darkness could reach the woman's feet, the center of the shadow suddenly split, and a monstrous giant hand burst out from within.
"—!?"
"Holy Shield [Protection]!"
The defensive magic cast by Ren created a transparent wall, blocking Shazam's attack.
"What is this?! Magic?!"
"Bat Summon! Roar!"
I pull out a sand-infused bat from the Item Box and throw it toward Ren.
Closing the distance quickly to render her powerless—.
You might say I'm being soft if I say I didn't intend to kill from the start—but I can't do that.
Regardless of that woman from the Labyrinth Cult, Ren was a companion I ate meals with and adventured alongside.
"Light Bullets! Strike my enemies! [Magic Missile]"
Multiple arrows of light silently tore through the void and flew straight at me.
The moment I turned my body, a sharp, glowing arrow grazed my side.
A sound like air tearing followed, and immediately after, the arrow embedded in the stone floor exploded with a dazzling flash.
The woman and Ren covered each other's blind spots, constantly narrowing our movements.
It was a coordination like that of trained hunters.
"Damn! They're coordinating quite well!"
Perhaps, after being defeated by us, they realized their lack of combat power.
They might have thought of using Ren, who originally had abilities, for attacks.
"Ha ha ha! But listen! We can't lose either!"
"That's right! Tank Summon!"
I threw a tank filled with hot water from the Item Box onto the woman's head.
She took this attack before, so she must remember it.
"Holy Shield [Protection]!"
It seems they had prepared a countermeasure for this attack.
The falling tank was stopped by the defensive magic cast by Ren.
If I shoot Light Bullets or anything else from here, the woman's defensive magic will stop it.
Attacking them from the other side is possible too—but.
That was something I had anticipated anyway.
"Shazam!"
At Tetsuo's command, Shazam's fist sharpened into a cone shape and pierced the tank directly.
The tank, filled with plenty of hot spring water, split open, and water flowed down like a waterfall.
"Aaaah!"
What happens if a massive amount of water suddenly rushes over you?
Naturally, your body's balance collapses, and your feet are swept away.
The two enemies drenched in hot water fell over right where they stood.
"Sword Summon!"
I pulled out a sword from the Item Box and raised it above my head.
The sword charged with mana cut through the darkness.
"Take this! Namu Thunder!"
Plasma wrapped in pale blue radiance burst from the sword tip, tearing through space with a roaring sound.
The trailing flash undulated like overlapping folds, drawing a net-like trajectory in the darkness before falling to the ground.
The moment it touched the wet ground, the plasma spread instantly.
Following the puddles, a pale blue electric current crawled with a sizzling sound, and small sparks jumping illuminated the water's surface.
Even the slightest trail of water became a conductor, and the electric shock reached the enemies' feet in an instant.
"Gya—!"
Simultaneously with that scream, the two enemies' bodies convulsed.
Thrown back by the pain of the electric shock, their bodies stiffened, and they collapsed right there.
In the darkness, only flashes remained around the enemies, and a faint smell of burning lingered in the air.
"Nice one!"
Tetsuo clapped his hands.
This is the strategy we devised together.
He probably didn't think I could use magic.
No, if he had grasped the dungeon, maybe he had seen the battle scenes, but he might not have been able to read the joint strategy with me.
"Phew..."
Taking a breath, I look at the fallen enemies.
They are emitting white smoke and not moving, so their movement has completely stopped, but they don't seem to be dead.
They probably have a certain level—but wait?
The members of the Labyrinth Cult were angry about killing monsters.
How did they raise their levels without killing monsters?
Did they get some power from the ones managing the dungeon and keep it as is?
That is a possibility.
While thinking about the members of the Labyrinth Cult, Tetsuo extended Shazam and caught the woman.
"Yay!"
I wondered what he was doing, but using Shazam, he fixed the woman in a wide-legged stance—and then he started observing her.
"Well, as expected."
"Gyaaaaa!"
Light overflowed from the woman's body as she screamed and disappeared.
Tetsuo grabbed the woman's waist and started an unlimited one-on-one match in front of me.
"Hey, hey!"
"Ha ha ha, to neutralize a Saintess, this is the best—I am very familiar with Saintesses."
"Well, well, certainly, that is true, but..."
If she is a Saintess, she probably hasn't had that experience.
In other words, once she has that experience, she loses her qualification as a Saintess.
The healing magic received from the dungeon is the same.
If the Saintess is the highest existence—well, that's how it is, I suppose.
"I-I'll kill you!"
The woman glared at Tetsuo.
"Ha ha ha! Once you're no longer a Saintess, you can't do anything, right?"
"Gyaaa!"
"Ha ha ha!"
Can I leave the other one to Tetsuo?
I approached Ren, who was still lying down.
I gently touched her naked body.
"Are you alive...? It doesn't seem like there's much damage."
I picked her up in a princess carry.
"Oh?! Daisuke, you're good! Leave that side to me! Ha ha ha"
Looking at that woman being ravaged by Tetsuo and Shazam, I start to feel a bit sorry for her.
No, no—sympathizing with a woman who caused many adventurers to sacrifice themselves and made us suffer like that—I'm being too soft.
More than that—.
The naked girl before my eyes.
Without a single wound or stain, pure innocence itself.
If there is magic, wounds can be healed.
No, no, that's not it—no, that's not it.
I must render her powerless.
—Which means, doing things.
Impossible.
Feeling sorry for her is impossible...
"Oi, Daisuke! What's wrong? Should I do it?!"
The woman who was raging just a moment ago is now rolling her eyes and limp.
She's ruthless...
"No, please spare me that too."
"Either way, we have to neutralize her."
"I know that. I know, but..."
Hmm, what should I do...
While I was worried, I heard a scream.
"Gwaaaaaa!"
This is not the woman's voice.
I look toward the sound, wondering what is happening.
Tetsuo was being ridden by the woman, but something was strange.
The woman's hair grew long, and her limbs turned black.
That wasn't all.
Her chest—her chest was getting bigger.
"W-what is it?!"
"I'm dying!"
Tetsuo let out a pitiful sound as the woman stood up.
She turned toward us and smiled—I think.
Was the one standing there the "that woman" I knew—or I couldn't even be sure.
Her limbs were dyed in glossy jet black, and the rest of her body was naked as if she were wrapped in light itself.
Even her eyes did not seem like human eyes.
The only certainty was—that standing there was something that had long surpassed the realm of humans.
A cold sensation crawled up my spine.
No, this feeling—wasn't there a time I met this before?
When the Harpy Chichi's wings turned black.
I spoke cautiously.
"U-um, could it be... are you God?"
"No way, I am God."
As expected.
"God-sama, won't you stop squeezing me dry every time you descend?"
Tetsuo, still rolling on the ground, let out a pitiful sound.
His crotch was fully exposed.
It seems he was squeezed dry to the last drop, and judging by his words, it seems to be a regular event.
"What are you saying, my child? Don't you have the spirit to enjoy the host who has taken flesh?"
"I'll really die of kidney deficiency."
"Fu... pitiful."
Tetsuo flashed a cold smile, and God wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me.
"And you?"
It wasn't the first gaze that transcended human intelligence, but rather a gaze like a human's—but...
Normally, being hugged by a naked woman would make one's heart race—but the one before my eyes was that woman from the Labyrinth Cult.
"Um—I am sorry, but the woman being used as a vessel by God is like my arch-enemy..."
"I see—so even being approached by such a woman is unappealing—quite the prudish one, aren't you?"
He must be using the word correctly.
"Of course."
"Eh, don't read my mind—more importantly!"
I shook her off and prostrated myself on the spot.
"What is it?"
"Please save that girl over there!"
"Save her? Are you telling me to do something?"
"Um, can't you do something like remove the brainwashing or something?"
"If so, that person would have already tried."
God pointed at Tetsuo.
For some reason, he was making a V-sign.
"I would prefer not to do that kind of thing... is there no other way?"
"It is a bit difficult for me to act directly. In your words, it would be a violation of the rules."
Is avoiding a clash between Gods the rule?
Or is it decided that Apostles and Saintesses must be used?
Hmm, something...
"Then, can you send that child to the surface?"
"To the surface? Just sending her is enough?"
"Yes! If we defeat the last enemy, I think the brainwashing will also be lifted..."
"Well, if the God who gave the ability disappears, the blessings and protection will also vanish."
"After Tetsuo returns to the other world, I will become the Apostle of this world! Please take care of me!"
"Hmm, in that case—moving a person should not be a problem."
She clapped her hands, and Ren's body disappeared.
"Already sent?"
"I sent her to your so-called 'Entrance Hall'. If you don't finish this quickly, she will come back here."
"I understand!"
"I see... let me ask again, won't you enjoy yourself with this body?"
God lifted her enlarged chest.
"I am sorry."
"I see..."
She looked dejected.
Does she want to do it that much?
I would like to be spared a bit.
If it were a different body, it would be fine.
With a flash of light, the woman's body collapsed right there.
Probably, God had left her body.
"Tetsuo, are you okay?"
"Well, somehow, ha ha."
Rarely, his words lacked strength.
"What about this woman?"
"A woman who can be used as a vessel for God is hard to come by. Let's keep her."
Shazam extended from beneath him, wrapping the woman's body.
She disappeared into a black hole.
"Well, once Tetsuo is revived, let's begin."
"Alright!"
"If we take too much time, the Princess and Ren might come here."
"It would be easy if we could just deal with the enemy Angel..."
"Sorry, I can't be that detached."
"Well, even so, if we defeat the last enemy, it's the end, right?"
"We eliminated one Saintess, so their combat power has dropped slightly, right?"
"Probably."
I have no choice but to rely on that.
Last time we were ambushed, but this time it's just me and Tetsuo.
For now, I'll just repeat hit-and-run tactics.
"Two old men, Zombie Attack, ha ha ha!"
"I'd like to decide it in one shot... but where is the save point for Return by Death?"
"Probably here where we met God..."
"I see."
I made Tetsuo drink a recovery potion.
Whether it works for kidney deficiency is unknown.
While waiting for his recovery, a cry came from above.
"Gyasku!" "Daisuke!"
The Harpies descended with flapping wings.
Since the battle started, they must have been hiding.
"Good, good, we are going to a scary place now. You can go home."
"Gya"
I'll feed them one last meal, which might be the last one.
Well, even if they die, they just come back...
"But, witnessing one's own death is quite tough."
"You get used to it quickly."
"No—I don't want to get used to that..."
"Ha ha ha! Well, that's true. Don't worry, even if Daisuke becomes an Apostle, I don't think you'll be sent to a death trap like me."
"Not zero?"
"Unlike me, if you die, it's over. I don't think God would do something reckless..."
"In those cases, you get given a power similar to Tetsuo's and sent in, right?"
"Probably, that's right. Because you said Daisuke would become an Apostle, right?"
"Well, well..."
I couldn't say anything to Tetsuo's retort, but it's an exchange for Ren.
It can't be helped.
This is a matter of an old man's pride.
Since Tetsuo was revived, we decided to descend to Floor 10.
Boarding Shazam, we said goodbye to the Harpies.
Since we know the location of the crack, there is no need to get lost anymore.
Going straight to where the ground opens its mouth, we descend inside.
A white line appeared in the darkness, and soon we were enveloped in a faintly glowing mist.
We arrived at Floor 10 immediately.
This time, it is not a defensive stance.
We will actively attack from here.
Proceeding through the white mist while riding Shazam—soon my back began to tingle with a creepy sensation.
It's a bad feeling.
Memories of being wiped out flashed back in me.
No, I must not be intimidated.
There are times when an old man must do what needs to be done.
"Shazam!"
A giant arm extended from Tetsuo's black hole and grabbed the ground.
Gripping the edge as if checking the ground, the body slid out smoothly, and a mountain-like black giant slowly crawled out of the hole.
Its obsidian skin, as if condensed darkness, had a gloss that seemed to swallow even moonlight, emitting an eerie luster.
This is the full-power form of Shazam I have seen before.
Tetsuo was holding onto Shazam's shoulder area.
Did they sense the enemy's approach? The other side of the white mist seemed to tense up.
In an instant—light flashed.
Faster than sound, a torrent of sharp light tore the white mist in two.
The mist wall scattered as if evaporating from the crack, and scorching heat ran instantly along the path the light had passed.
"Oops!"
At the enemy's attack, I flew from the spot.
With a heavy bass sound, the ground exploded upon being hit directly by the light.
Rocks shattered, soil danced in the air, and a burnt smell spread everywhere.
The scorched earth turned pitch black and continued to make a burning sound.
I have seen that attack once.
The same trick won't work twice.
Besides, this time there is no one else but Tetsuo.
I can fly around freely.
Light flashed again, but the moment it reached the crack in space—that black hole—the light's trajectory became chaotic, and it changed course as if being sucked in.
Twisting its body sharply, the light was stretched thin like a thread and dissolved into the darkness.
All that remained was the residual heat slightly vibrating the air and the afterimage of the light piercing through.
"That attack is absorbed too?"
A black hole?
Anything goes.
Dodging the enemy's attack and approaching further, a giant something vaguely revealed its form.
"Humanoid?!"
Slowly emerging from the white mist was—"something" shaped like a human, but clearly not human.
It was a giant body exceeding ten meters, with shoulders as wide as rocks, and its whole body seemed covered in pure white fur like snow.
Within the white mist, its body outline blurred ambiguously, as if rejecting reality.
The head was like a goat—with twisted horns protruding diagonally from the top of the head.
Those horns, absorbing light like obsidian, twisted and stretched as if gouging the sky, planting a sinister premonition in the viewer.
On its face, eyes with horizontally long pupils opened left and right, and every time they glinted, an instinctive malice beyond reason seeped out.
A black, split gash was on its mouth, with sparse teeth growing, and the breath it faintly exhaled was white and contained a sulfur-like odor.
Its back was rounded, and both arms hung down loosely near the ground.
Its fingers were abnormally thin and full of joints.
Truly a monster that can be called a monstrosity.
"Is this the last enemy?!"
"Again, it's you!!"
Tetsuo's voice came from above.
It seems Tetsuo has encountered this kind of monster before.
With a heavy rumble that seemed to split the ground, Shazam began to charge.
The earth screamed, rocks jumped with every step of the giant body, and even the air itself trembled.
As if responding, the enemy roared, and the two giant bodies met on a straight line, destined to collide.
At the moment of collision, a huge shockwave exploded outward with a roar, the ground rippled, and nearby rocks were blown away.
Pressure like thunder exploding on the ground spread in all directions, and I also lay flat on the ground, gripping a rock so as not to be blown away.
Both sides extended their arms, grabbing each other's shoulders and arms tightly, and the air of the battlefield thickened instantly.
Muscle against muscle—or rather, is Shazam's body muscle?
Shazam quietly, and the enemy roaring, two giant gods pushing against each other on immovable ground.
The collision of those giant bodies was just like a tokusatsu kaiju movie.
"Whoa!"
No, this is not the time to be happy, but what can I do when witnessing such a monster war?
Even my special move, Namu Thunder, doesn't seem to work on such a monster.
In a stalemate of strength, Shazam's black body began to change.
New protrusions emerged from its back, and they quickly transformed into strong arms.
It created new arms to gain the upper hand.
Originally being amorphous, she has the strength to change into any shape.
Responding to that transformation, the enemy also shivered its body while letting out a creepy groan.
Something wriggled under its skin, and new arms grew on the left and right as if bursting out from the gashes.
A monstrosity that self-evolves, driven by instinct and hatred.
—Once again, the two close the distance.
Shazam's four strong arms and the enemy's four monstrous arms collided again.
"Oooooo!!"
A death struggle of giant gods as if returning to the age of myths—in the center, two monsters that transformed and evolved were entangled with the momentum to devour each other.
"The enemy can also transform freely?!"
If this continues, the fight won't end.
—What should I do?