Chapter 80 – 79 – Underground Waterway (2)

The underground waterway was very dark due to being blocked on all sides, and it was very wide as it was used by tens of thousands of city residents. However, being dark and wide weren’t really big problems.

 There were many ways to deal with the darkness, whether it was creating a light orb with magic or using the fire starters I brought as backup to light a torch smeared with pine resin.

 The width wasn’t a problem either. No matter how wide it was, it was still just a sewer for a city with a population of tens of thousands. It would be tiring and annoying to suffer for a few days, but it wasn’t difficult. Of course, the complex structure was a bit of an obstacle, but even that could be overcome with more time.

 However… However, I couldn’t stand this stench. The smell of sewage, the smell of rot, the smell of filth… It was so intense, as if all the stenches of the world had been collected, that my head throbbed every time I took a breath.

 “Let’s just use magic.”
 “Agreed.”

 In the end, I had to use a barrier magic and purification magic using divine power at the same time.
 By blocking the stench and toxic substances with the barrier, and using purification to eliminate the stench and toxic substances inside the barrier, the air finally cleared.

 As soon as the air, which had been so toxic that it stung my eyes and skin, cleared up, the group started talking and sighed in relief… So everyone was breathing through their mouths? I was reminded once again that people are all the same.

 “Just so you know, I have to constantly use the barrier and purification magic, so my combat power is greatly reduced. It’s hard to maintain two magics and fight at the same time. You guys can handle it if monsters appear, right?”
 “Of course. Your role is just an air purifier anyway, so just do that well.”
 “……”

 That annoying bitch. I glared at Cha Hyewon, who was sneering and twirling her sword, but she whistled and turned her head away.

 “What’s an air purifier?”
 “It’s something we use in my hometown.”
 “……?”

 Irian’s face tilted, but she soon lost interest and narrowed her eyes as she looked around. The deeper we went, the more unpleasant the sight of the underground waterway, illuminated by Sandra’s light orb, became.

 “There’s definitely something here. How can there be so many human and animal corpses?”

 The stench emanating from the rotting corpses. It wasn’t just a matter of stench; the toxic substances and gases emitted from these decaying corpses were a bigger problem. It was fortunate that there were ventilation ducts connected to the outside in various parts of the underground waterway; if there were no ventilation ducts, a large explosion might have occurred in this gas-filled place.

 “……It’s strange. Why are there only male corpses?”

 Somir’s shoulders twitched at Sandra’s murmur after observing the numerous corpses they had passed. Oh, did that old man notice something?

 “What woman would come all the way here?”

 Irian’s indifferent reply. …Sigh, you idiot.

 “Men don’t come to places like this either. In the first place, this underground waterway is a forgotten place that even the people living in the city above don’t know about, so who would come all the way here? If it were me, I wouldn’t want to enter just by looking at that dark staircase at the entrance.”
 “Then what are those corpses?”

 Irian, sulking, asked back, as if she was annoyed by the immediate rebuttal. Looking around, I saw that not only Cha Hyewon, but also Sandra and Somir were pretending not to be, but were actually very focused. What is this? Am I a teacher?

 “They were kidnapped.”
 “…Kidnapped?”
 “Yes. By the monsters living here.”

 Oops. I accidentally blurted it out. I told Irian that it was a dungeon discovered by the magistrate, but Cha Hyewon also looked confused, so what should I do?

 ……Of course, it was an unnecessary worry. Irian, who was blankly listening, didn’t seem to be thinking anything. She really isn’t thinking anything, that girl.

 “Kidnapped? What kind of monster kidnaps people?”

 It was Somir who asked quickly. Is this serious-looking old man more impatient than he looks?

 “The monsters in this underground waterway are in the form of slime. They kidnap people who pass by nearby when it’s dark through those ventilation ducts and drag them here. Men are for food, and women are… for use, as you just saw.”

 Irian and Cha Hyewon didn’t seem to understand what it meant yet, but Somir and Sandra seemed to have realized it right away.

 “Does that mean…? Could it be?”
 “That’s probably right.”

 Beyond Somir, who was cursing with a deeply furrowed brow, I saw Irian and Cha Hyewon nudging each other with their elbows. What are those two doing? They were glancing at each other and nudging each other with their elbows, and now they were even poking each other.

 “What are you guys doing?”
 “……Cough. Nothing, it’s nothing.”
 “……Heh.”

 ……Aren’t they idiots? They must have been pushing each other to ask what it meant.
 The faces of the two women, who were standing firmly with an indifferent expression, were flushed red. They must be in a lot of pain.

 “They use them for breeding, you idiots.”
 “……Breeding!? That, that monster…?”

 I decided to ignore the two shocked idiots. They’re really no help.
 Sandra, who was stroking her smooth chin and deep in thought, had been quiet since earlier. Maybe this older sister will be of some help.

 Sandra, a surprisingly rare South American woman in this place full of Central and Northern Europeans, was a beauty with brown-tinged black hair and attractive chocolate-colored skin.

 Oh, chocolate skin. A Latin beauty that I could occasionally see when I went backpacking in Brazil, the country of passion and samba. On top of that, she was as tall as Diana, with a slender, nice body that looked to be between the late 160s and early 170s, and above all, those voluptuous hips that couldn’t be hidden even by her leather armor were just…

 “Yurian, do you happen to know the name of that monster?”
 “Well, I just happened to find out about it while looking through ancient documents.”

 Oh my. I almost got caught staring at her butt in a daze. I have to manage my image with other people, even if not with my own group. Especially with such a hot older sister.

 “Is there any other information?”
 “Hmm.”

 I’d tell you if you let me touch your butt… That lame joke was about to come out of my throat, but I suppressed it. I would have said it if it was just the two of us. When I glanced over, I saw that not only Irian but also Cha Hyewon were glaring at me. …Tsk. Did they catch me staring at her butt?

 “The monster’s breeding is said to be possible with any creature that has a ‘womb.’ Humans, orcs, goblins, kobolds… It’s said that it’s possible with any humanoid, so don’t eat too much during meal times, everyone. You’ll feel sick.”

 Somir’s shoulders, which had been looking pale, twitched.
 ……? Why is that old man acting like that since earlier? Where did the reliable and experienced warrior who looked so trustworthy when we set off go, and why is there a terrified neighbor here? Could it be that he’s unexpectedly weak to disgusting things?

 “……That’s good advice. Thank you.”
 “You’re welcome.”

 Despite his macho appearance, Somir looked unwell, as if he had a weak stomach. I thought he had been twitching unusually since the first monster appeared.

 It’s not that immunity to disgusting things is limited to men or women, but it’s kind of funny to see an old man with such a handsome middle-aged face and well-trained muscles twitching like that.

 “Just in case, I’m saying this. Somir, as you saw earlier, the monster is surprisingly agile and can rush at you in an instant, but you mustn’t dodge? If a woman gets caught… there’s really no hope. They have amorphous bodies, so they can quickly burrow into a woman’s vagina and ejaculate. You must absolutely prevent them from sticking to you, especially the women.”

 I warned them not to dodge, no matter how scared they were, and Somir, with his pale face, nodded heavily. Hmm. Can I trust him?

 “……R-really?”

 Come to think of it, Irian was also a vanguard. I gave her a bright smile at her terrified question. Of course, it’s true. I know it well because if you get a game over here while playing the game, a short humiliation scene follows.

 …Only those who have experienced it know how much your mental state breaks down when text appears saying that your precious female character or heroine has become a monster-birthing factory.

 In fact, if you exclude the disgusting aspect, they are not difficult opponents. Their deformed leg structure allows for explosive dashes straight ahead, but it is difficult to change direction, and it takes time to jump again after one jump.

 Moreover, their senses are dull. They are very, very dull, so they can barely see, barely hear, and can’t smell well either. It’s like they’re a crippled mob with a constant debuff.

 Their tongue acts as a sensory organ, replacing their eyes, nose, and ears, which are in poor condition, but even that is in bad shape, so you can easily pass by them if you don’t get close or attack first.

 The way these dull creatures find food or women for breeding was simple. They stick close to the ventilation ducts, put their tongues slightly over the holes, and quickly pull someone in the moment someone steps on it.

 That’s why people can’t notice the monsters in the underground waterway. When people look down after someone falls, they just see a hole, so they assume that the person fell and died, or that they were an idiot who didn’t see the hole under their feet.

 Should we call it a clever means of survival? Because of their condition, they are not that difficult to deal with as long as you don’t provoke their nest and get surrounded… but it becomes a bit dangerous if you do. Surely that won’t happen, right?

 “Let’s take a break.”

 After walking through the dark underground waterway for several hours, my mind was more tired than my body. It’s quite stressful to see the dirty environment and the disgusting monsters and corpses that occasionally appear.

 A spacious place had appeared, so I used magic to sweep away the miscellaneous filth, weeds, and vines on the floor.

 “Wipe it with water too.”
 “Make it cleaner.”
 “……Ah, okay.”

 Are we on a picnic? I used water created by magic to scrub the floor at Irian and Cha Hyewon’s request, and Sandra dried the remaining moisture with her wind and fire magic. And when we sat down in a circle around the light orb that was emitting a faint light, it was really… like a campfire.

 “Ahem. Scary sto…”
 “Just try to bring it up.”
 “……”

 They’re only quick-witted at times like this. I kept my mouth shut, avoiding Irian’s glaring gaze, and time passed so slowly.

 We were resting because of mental fatigue rather than physical fatigue in the first place. Even I, who has the weakest physical ability, was fine after walking this much, so it goes without saying for the others.

 “Let’s talk about something. We’re resting to relieve stress, but if we just sit here with our mouths shut, it’ll be frustrating and more tiring.”
 “Suit yourself.”
 “At times like this, it’s always scary…”
 “Somir, that sword, is it made of Shatanz steel?”
 “You recognize it. Of course. It’s a very good one.”

 Seeing Irian and Somir chatting, I suddenly felt like I was about to become jealous. Fortunately, just before I became the embodiment of jealousy, the South American beauty, Sandra, quietly approached me.

 “Yurian, where did you get the information about the monsters in this underground waterway?”
 “Ah. Well, since I’m a priest, I have many opportunities to access ancient documents. I like to read, so I read this and that, so I don’t remember the exact source.”
 “Hmm. You like reading. What’s your major?”
 “M-major… um. History….”

 What major? I know the game prologue well, so if it’s history, then it’s history.