NOVEL NEXT Chapter 239
Chapter 239. The Magic-Eating Monster (2)
The hero and I took cover on either side of the bunker door. The previously closed bunker door opened, and I entered the battlefield with four gun barrels leading the way.
A spider monster the size of a person.
What the hell is that?
I opened fire on the enemy. One of the monsters approaching me fell.
I flipped the monster’s corpse with my robot arm.
Upon closer inspection, the land crab resembled more of a hermit crab or a slipper shell than a spider. It looked like a flower crab wearing a large slipper shell. Underneath the shell, there were several tentacle-like appendages.
It was said to eat magic. Does the monster attach supernatural phenomena it collects to its shell? Does the monster grow larger the more supernatural phenomena it collects?
I couldn’t tell. I crushed what I assumed to be the monster’s head under my boot.
“What about the supernatural phenomena?”
I checked the monster’s shell again.
There were some miscellaneous items and the bones of several small animals attached, but nothing worth salvaging.
A hemisphere about the size of a large tray. Despite expending quite a few bullets, the monster’s shell only had a few scratches.
If it had been just a bit bigger, pistol rounds might not have been enough to take it down. Even with the hero here.
Click, click, click, click. I reloaded all four guns I was carrying. The hero poked the monster’s corpse with the tip of his greatsword.
“This is Gold-1. Hostile entity neutralized. Movement ceased. Requesting specimen retrieval for research.”
[This is the Command Center. Those monsters have been observed mimicking or utilizing some characteristics of the supernatural phenomena they absorb. Proceed with caution.]
“Understood.”
We advanced again. There were quite a few bloodstains on the floor, along with several bloody footprints that seemed to belong to the monster.
“This is Gold-1. How many casualties so far?”
[So far, three staff members and five contained humanoid supernatural phenomena have been confirmed dead.]
I let out a sigh.
We arrived at the first isolation room. It seemed something had broken into the first isolation room. The monster had likely already fled.
The inside of the isolation room was drenched in blood. It looked like something had torn people apart, splattering blood and entrails everywhere, then dragged them across the floor and devoured them—
No. Let’s not think about that.
Just remember that there’s a very large monster somewhere in the facility, cracking open isolation rooms like cans and devouring the humanoid supernatural phenomena inside.
“This is Gold-1. There’s a large entity here.”
[Command Center. Confirmed.]
Next zone. Land crabs were still roaming the corridors. Most were about the size of soccer balls. They were easily taken down with a pistol.
The hero stepped on the monsters a few times.
“Ahhh!”
We ran toward the scream coming from ahead. A monster the size of a bear was attempting to break into an isolation room. Sensing our presence, the land crab turned its head toward me.
Four gun barrels spat fire. The land crab charged, protecting itself with its claws and shell. It seems intelligence increases with size.
“Hero.”
“On it.”
Clang!
The hero looked at the sword tip that had bounced off the monster’s claw with a look of disbelief.
Even if it’s not on Nanami’s level, a holy sword should be able to split an armored vehicle in half. So, it really does absorb magic.
The hero shrugged, then instead of swinging the sword, thrust it like a spear. The holy sword pierced through a gap in the shell, and the monster was pushed back.
Bleeding crimson blood.
Snap!
As the hero pulled the sword out, the monster’s fluids splattered across the corridor. The hero kicked the bear-sized monster corpse, sending it flying backward like a piece of paper.
There were still people in the second isolation room. The hero tore off the door with brute force.
“Are you safe?”
The contained person was just a man in plain clothes. He babbled something frantically in Japanese, but I didn’t listen.
“We’ve been clearing the area as we came.”
I pointed back the way we came with two robot arms. The man nodded.
“This is Gold-1. Humanoid supernatural phenomenon discovered. Requesting retrieval as soon as possible.”
[This is the Command Center. Retrieval team is en route.]
I was a bit worried about what kind of humanoid supernatural phenomenon it was, but that’s for the branch staff to handle. We’ll deal with the monster hunt first.
We continued to advance.
“This is Gold-1. I can hear the monsters’ footsteps, but I can’t confirm their current location.”
[This is the Command Center. Due to a malfunction in the surveillance system, we’ve lost track of the large entities. They are likely heading your way.]
Lost them? How is that possible?
“This is Gold-1. What do you mean?”
[This is the Command Center. Retreat.]
Retreat where? The Popo guarding the rear and front began returning to my position. I frowned.
Thud, thud, thud. Thud-thud, thud-thud.
The sound of footsteps from many-jointed legs.
“Huh?”
[One of the isolation zone bunker doors has been destroyed. The retreat path is cut off. Cease advancement.]
A larger entity than before. A monster nearly the size of an elephant was blocking the entire corridor. Its claws and shell acted like a shield, blocking the passage.
It was still far, but it would arrive soon. Seeing the human bones attached to its shell, it seemed to have already devoured several people.
“This is Gold-1. An entity large enough to fill the facility corridor is approaching.”
[This is the Command Center. Moving.]
There’s probably a similar monster coming from behind. I sighed. This is getting annoying.
“Hero, you take the rear. I’ll handle the front.”
“Understood.”
I switched my weapon to a shotgun. Buckshot wouldn’t be very effective against armored enemies, so I switched to slugs.
Bang!
The slug was heavy, but not very effective. I could see cracks forming on the exoskeleton, but it wasn’t enough. I loaded a grenade into the shotgun’s chamber and replaced the tubular magazine.
Click. Bang!
The monster, now half its face blown off by the grenade, charged at me. I dodged using the strength of all four robot arms.
The wall groaned.
The monster reached out its claw toward me, but it was too slow. I sidestepped.
I didn’t say there was only one grenade.
Another explosion rang out. Amidst the flames and dust, the monster’s blood splattered, and the massive creature that had filled the corridor came to a halt.
Behind the large monster, several small land crabs were hiding. I began firing again with my robot arms. Well… I can see why the branch staff struggled so much.
This is horrifying.
Whether it’s strengthening itself with supernatural phenomena or something else, nothing is easy to take down. The massive monster’s shell was covered in miscellaneous items.
As if half-buried in cement.
Is it dead now?
I kicked the monster’s claw, and it began regenerating rapidly. Well, it’s using the power of the supernatural phenomena it collected—
I pulled out a metal clamp.
A supernatural phenomenon I used in the garden, capable of exerting telekinesis. Using telekinesis to push the monster, crimson blood flowed out like an overflowing bathtub… and it stopped moving.
Finally, it’s over.
I looked back. The hero was throwing a small land crab impaled on his sword to the ground.
“This side’s done too.”
“What, nothing big on your end?”
The hero walked over to the massive land crab sprawled in front of me and sliced it in half with his holy sword. It was already dead, though.
“Wow, this is seriously creepy.”
“This is Gold-1. We’re returning to the safe zone. Please secure this area as well.”
[This is the Command Center. Confirmed.]
I reloaded my weapon, then began making my way back the way I came, removing my gloves. The hero followed, keeping an eye on the rear.
As soon as I returned to the command center, I grabbed the Osaka Branch Director by the collar. There were many things wrong, but to list them one by one…
Whirr.
The robot arm lifted the director and pinned him against the wall. The command center staff quietly watched.
“Where the hell was the rear support when a door was destroyed and we got surrounded?”
“Uh, well, a few people died there.”
“Why? Where are the Osaka Branch researchers and the security team?”
“Right now, they’re fighting monsters around and outside the facility, so we’re short on manpower—”
“Is that all the excuse you have? If the command center screws up like this a few more times, fragging will happen.”
“I’m sorry.”
I set the director down. The command center was dead silent except for the sound of my robot arms.
“I have a lot to say, but fine. The facility cleanup is done, so let’s move on to the next issue.”
“Thank you.”
The director straightened his torn collar, put on his still-intact suit jacket, and retied his tie. The command center staff pretended to work, avoiding my gaze.
It was a somewhat pitiful sight.
I made a mistake. From an organizational management perspective, you shouldn’t hit your superior in front of subordinates. I’ll have to think of a countermeasure for that.
I leaned against the command center wall.
“Someone report on the situation outside the facility. Where should I go to help?”