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Chapter 36

Cold sweat drips from my brow as I apply more poison to my bolts—the kind that can take Elbatoxin down. But as soon as I break eye contact with it...

“Yukihisa!”

Arleaf dives and crashes into me.

“Whoa!”

“Kya!”

As we collide in a thud, I look beside me at the girl who just ran into me, only to find no one there.

Arleaf had been sent flying against the wall by Elbatoxin.

“Arle—”

I was just calling out to her only to have Elbatoxin swipe its tail at me.

“Argh—”

I get thrown to the ground, rolling round and round.

Ow... I hadn’t been injured in a fight lately; I’ve forgotten what it felt like to hurt from head to toe.

Somehow, I stand back up. I clutch my arm and focus on Elbatoxin.

‘You mustn’t look away from me, boy. But this is wonderful, just wonderful! A little more... and I can erase every living being from this region. First, though, I must create more followers.’

I suddenly recall Veno’s reminiscence of that decisive battle with the man who dreamed of reclamation.

A creature fiendish enough to selfishly sacrifice underlings for their own power... and that feeling of disdain for that vile creature come to mind.

If I don’t do anything against Elbatoxin now, then not only will I die, but Arleaf and Muu as well. So will Arleaf’s parents and the others in the dungeon. And everybody in this whole area.

Of course, also the Midnight Blue Wolf Alpha.

I’m afraid Elbatoxin will—save for its own minions—massacre every last being.

‘Now then, shall we get back to your “mercy” and “benevolence”? Oh, that’s right. I’m the one who should be the one saying all that. I’ll tell you what. I’ll let you live for a little longer if you just turn around and start running. I’d just love to see Veno Yveval with his little tail tucked between his legs!’

Is it giving us a chance to escape?

‘Ding ding! Round two!’

No. Elbatoxin just wants to play with its prey it thinks we are.

With that little bit of time, though, and if we could escape...

I can’t come to terms with that. More importantly, I don’t want to give up.

But can I turn this around?

‘... aye. We have one last option.’

Veno mutters in a low voice.

‘The toxins of the girl’s cooking still do the bastard much pain. Look at its labored breathing. And, it is absorbing as much mana as it can from nearby.’

I glare at Elbatoxin.

Veno’s right. It’s breathing heavily, and probably not because it’s angry.

‘Elbatoxin may seem like it has the upper hand on us, but it, too, is cornered. It must be very desperate to kill us here and now, while we still seem weak.’

But all I can do is weaken Elbatoxin. My attacks don’t seem to be able to be lethal to it.

I’ve thought of using Arleaf’s poison as well, and if all goes well... I might be able to knock it out.

But it’s really all or nothing. Much too risky for comfort.

‘Perhaps not. Perhaps...’

Veno continues on after the slightest hesitation.

‘If all goes well, thou art not only able to weaken the monster, but to slay it for good. But there is a price: essentially, we are to tell our pursuers where we are.’

... what do you mean?

‘Doth thou remember how before we entered the dungeon, the altar’s strength flowed into me? That trifling amount I have recovered then is enough for me to bury Elbatoxin. The price to pay is that our pursuers will be alerted to this discharge of power.’

So, in other words, even if I kill Elbatoxin, we still have to flee the village and escape the guys chasing us.

‘Aye. Not only can I not guarantee this peace we had until now to remain, but the villagers will also learn of thy fugitive status. They will likely curse thy name. But even then... shalt thou find the conditions acceptable?’

I look over to the girl who took a bullet for me, as well as Muu and the Midnight Blue Wolf Alpha.

It’s almost as if it wouldn’t be surprising if you told me they’ve died already.

Man, I’m really in a pickle here.

But I think of the villagers.

Even a stranger of an adventurer like me was welcomed with open arms and treated like a friend.

Would I rather have them treat me with scorn? Or would I rather just run away...?

... heh. Did you even give me a choice?

You’re a real jerk, Veno. “Take responsibility,” right? This is nothing more than a continuation of taking responsibility.

If it means saving these guys, I’ll tread on the thinnest of ice! No time to waver now.

Veno replies with... what seems to be a soft chuckle.

‘Thou hast but one shot. Try not to miss.’

An icon displaying the name of a skill pops up in my vision.

Even the details and the knowhow to activate it comes to my mind.

‘It’s time for your choice! Are you going to shamelessly run away or are you going to take me on, even when I’m so big and powerful now?’

Elbatoxin looks calm and cool.

I noticed a small piece of Arleaf’s Poison Cooking rolling on the ground, seemingly to have come out of nowhere. I stuff it in my mouth.

Arleaf must’ve dropped it when she was slammed against the wall.

It may be improper to eat food off the ground. It may even give me the runs.

But I’m a Poison-Wielder. The poison coursing through my system is sure to kill off the germs.

Arleaf’s toxin immediately begins to circulate in my system, making me stronger and replenishing the health and mana I’ve lost.

Veno only has the power to give me one chance at this.

Elbatoxin’s going down.

Veno hands me a bolt and I grip it in my hand.

I apply Slow Poison to it with Poison Enchantment... then stick it deep into my arm.

‘Hahahaha! Has the pain gone to your head and made you a masochist?’

Blabber all you want. This is my own way of Self-Recovery.

Just like Arleaf’s Poison Cooking, my own poison gives me buffs too.

The pain ebbs as the poison circulates and Slow Poison gives me a buff to agility.

“Get a taste of this!”

I stoop down low and rush Elbatoxin as quickly as I can.

I don’t have the time to pick up my weapon it smacked away.

But this is fine.

My crossbow may be light, but it’ll only weigh me down now.

I use Poison Release to build up the thickest mist I can with swamp toxin. Then, I run straight at Elbatoxin.

It swipes and swipes with its claws spread out.

‘What’s this? You still don’t know the huge difference between our strength? Fine by me. Now perish!’

Elbatoxin, still taking us lightly, tries to slash me with its claws.

The sword that was on Arleaf’s back flashed, almost as if it were synchronized to the beat of my heart.

‘W-What the?!’

The light had not only surprised Elbatoxin but momentarily caught its attention.

—gotcha!

I deflected its foreleg with my hand and sent it flying.

It gets chopped up exactly how I move my hand.

‘Gaah?!’

Elbatoxin falls back after losing a limb.

This chance that Veno’s given me is using that small amount of power he recovered to resist against Forced Possession Summoning.

The skill goes by the name of Dragon Claw, befitting a dragon like Veno.

Not a single normal monster would live it through.

‘Augh... is that all you have? I’ll show you true stre—’

In a literal split second, Veno struck Elbatoxin through a crack in dimensions.

I don’t think it saw that one coming.

‘Nay, let me show thee.’

Veno clutched the one functioning foreleg and pulls Elbatoxin through the gap in space.

Into the dimension inside me, caused by Forced Possession Summoning...

‘W-What are you trying to do?!’

‘Dost thou understand not? Surely ‘twas thee who wanted “round two.” I shall be thy opponent in this dimension where I am trapped!’

Using Spatial Compression Magic, Veno drags Elbatoxin into the tiny dimension that he is trapped in.

I bet it’s an all-you-can-Dragon Claw in there.

‘N-No! Stop! Let me go! Let me goooooooo!’

‘Thou hast treated me with such disdain and contempt, almost as if thou hast forgotten my power. Come now, let me help thee remember.’

Try and try as Elbatoxin did to resist, it could not best Veno’s strength.

After all, the force is trying to keep Veno locked up in there.

No doubt it’s strong.

‘Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!’

It ended up being pulled completely in by Veno.

‘Hahaha... I have been waiting. Time to jog thy memory.’

‘Eeeeeeeeek!’

I could hear blows after blows before what sounded like Elbatoxin being ripped to shreds.

And then... tranquility.

“... muu?”

“Awoo?”

Almost immediately afterwards, the crystals and the Bloodflower pattern on Muu and the Midnight Blue Wolf Alpha disappears. The duo get up as if nothing ever happened.

“U... ugh.”

“Mu!”

Realizing Arleaf had been bashed into the wall, the two rush to assist her. They even get medicines and ointments out of her pack to apply on her wounds.

“Y-Yukihisa, what happened to the monster?”

“I defeated it.”

“I’m so glad. But...”

Arleaf, who’s just starting to regain consciousness, unwedges herself out of the wall of the cave and stares at me.

“Ah... right. Well... you know. Stuff happened. Umm... promise not to tell anyone?”

“No... see, I’m a...”

That’s all I could tell her before she passed out again.

I look over to see her gas mask has cracked open!

Shit! How do I fix it?

‘Simply use thy hands to seal the gas mask. Do not underestimate thy Poison Absorption.’

Veno’s totally speaking with his mouth full of food.

Hey, what the hell are you eating?

‘Hmm? What, thou ask—’

You know what? Don’t tell me. I already know.

I’m just astounded by how you can eat at a time like this.

‘Is that right?’

More importantly, though, is that everyone seems to have gotten better right after Elbatoxin died.

How convenient; it’s just like a game. But so inconsistent!

‘No, actually, it is not so. After dragging the bastard in and analyzing its magic, I have used a counteracting skill to cause Bloodflower and Dorimsvoyta to self-destruct.’

So, you stole its login and password to remotely destroy its handicraft?

Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that you analyzed its code and wrote an uninstaller.

‘By and large, thou art correct. I used the mana I acquired from the scum to do so, but before Forced Possession Summoning drained it.’

You really saved my skin, but you’re still in a bad spot.

‘After slaying the originator, Bloodflower and Dorimsvoyta had calmed down as well. The infection should have massively slowed down. But even then, I am worried that the rapid propagation caused unexpected effects.’

As soon as I plug up Arleaf’s gas mask with my finger...

“Cohgray! So, here’s where the monster is!”

A little late, but Arleaf’s parents along with the villagers and the Midnight Blue Wolf pack rushes on over.

“But it seems like that you’re all finished here, eh?”

Arleaf’s father looks for traces of Elbatoxin... and suspiciously stares at the track made by Veno’s claw.

I’ll try to change the subject.

“Is everybody alright?”

“Yeah. I really thought that we were all goners, but everyone who was down and out sprang back up all of a sudden.”

It’d be foolish if I were to chastise them for being no help.

I mean, I’ve made a mess of this whole Elbatoxin fight too.

But if I didn’t do anything, then these guys would’ve been toast.

“Anyway, is Arleaf okay?”

“She protected me from the monster’s attack and now she’s... it’d be great if a healer could take a look at her.”

“Ah, leave it to me.”

I entrust Arleaf to her parents.

Arleaf’s mother casts restorative magic to treat her daughter.

Luckily, it doesn’t seem like it’s anything too bad. She’ll probably be back up on her feet soon.

“In any case, the miasma’s awfully thick here, so let’s head on back.”

“Yeah.”

Speaking of which, killing Elbatoxin didn’t stop the miasma.

‘It had little to do with the miasma. Of course, it had spawned a few of its own monsters, but they are fundamentally different from the monsters of the area.’

Hmm...

“Mu.”

“Woof!”

The Midnight Blue Wolf Alpha, who had quite valiantly fought for me, runs over to his two subordinates, barking about something.

They must be happy about how their boss is back to normal.

And then look at Muu, with its axe on its back, riding the wolf like it’s a horse.

We hurry and find out exit out of the dungeon.

It’s still covered in a blanket of toxic gas, but it seems to be a little brighter than before.

“Awoo!”

As soon as we reach the outdoors again, the Midnight Blue Wolf Alpha howls out and lets Muu down.

“Muu muu.”

Muu shakes the alpha’s hand before the pack runs off into the distance.

‘All is well that ends well.’

“Thanks for everything.“

I shake hands with Muu too.

The Midnight Blue Wolf Alpha glances over at me before disappearing in a flash.

The parting of comrades in a battle hard-fought. I can but pray that they live peacefully ever after.

We arrive back at the village and see that everyone has been freed from the grasp of Dorimsvoyta. What a relief.

And so, tired from a long and arduous battle, I hurry back to my room and flop on my bed.

The poison may be able to recover the body, but it certainly can’t rejuvenate the mind.

However... I look out from the window of my room to see Arleaf’s parents with grave faces discussing about something in the town square... and curiously branding the image onto my mind.