Volume 1 Chapter 9 (1/2)
CHAPTER 9 – THE ANCIENT TREE ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
▼ ▼ ▼
In about a 20 kilometer radius space
This floor is a floor that is lush with natural vegetation Although they are few, there are animals too, and they are not monsters also
The light of the light ht that filters through the leaves are very comfortable
Inside the forest, while sitting under the sun, I spoke to the boy that suddenly appeared cheerfully
「Haha〜! Brother! It’s good that you were able to reach here」
A short black-haired boy in front of me
So from him
That’s rightーーhe is……japanese It’s not only how he looked, but from the way he stands and his atmosphere He is no doubt japanese
I wonder how many years it has been ever since I went a trip from japan to this different world……and like this and that, to the s ti
「That way of speaking……you’re……Ossan?」
「Oi oi, don’t call me Ossan Even if I’m like this, I’m only 25 bro?」
Petrified
The boy got petrified
And he clearly broke an expression
It’s true that froe because of my Ossan face and tone……
I mean, wait a minute, boy
The boy’s expression was, super……disgusted-like expression Gyo, that sound effect so for it
Oi oi……isn’t it okay, if you don’t be like totally turned-off with e like that……
Mixed with Kansai-dialect, I let out a sigh inside of me (TL: No Kansaiben for translations(´・ω・`) )
「I ……that you were able to reach this far deep……」
And there, the boy started to look around the surroundings
「Ahh, as Ossan also knows, they were really treuys And……here is……?」
「As you can see, the whole floor is a safety area You also saw the cannibal village right? It’s the same with that」
「……」
「So, can you put that away? There isn’t any monsters here yo?」
But, the boy wouldn’t put away the handgun that he was holding from earlier
He was being cautious fros ever since we htened expression that he has
Well……I think that he can’t be blamed
After all, up until here, he probably had gone through the jaws of death, and if he doesn’t have at least that much cautiousness, it’s impossible that he would be able to survive
And, there, the boy made a friendly smile to make me relieved
I have decided to live on this floor, but just like the other adventurers that had left this floorーーhe probably would leave here soon
And, as a senpai, I cannot let hi
I should make friendshi+p with him here, and treat him with a meal or a drink at least
Well……basically, I’ brother
「Boy What’s up, ht face」
「Unfortunately, it was a terrible path and life you know……my human disbelief is also in its extremes」
And there, Un, I nodded
「Yosh, then, I’ll say sweet stories for you」
「Sweet stories? What is that so suddenly?」
Dubiously, the boy looked at me as if to check my eyes
And there, Hyuu, I whistled
「That’s right A story about an adventurer once upon a time, met with a fairy inside the labyrinth hell, and fell in love, started to do a self-sufficient lifestyle, and live happily on a floor somewhere」
“Meaning……”, I continued
「In other words, it’s me!!」
“Ahh……”, and, there, the boy nodded as if to guess so
“Ah!……this guy……kukuku……”, I broke to a smile
Because, the boy’s eyes were mixed with sorrow
ーーthis guy……he’s virgin huh Did he get jealous because of the story with girls?
Un, I know I know
I was also like that after all Until I came to this floor……I was also like that
But, stories about stupid couples easily changes to laughter
If you open your mouth, it would become a smile
If it becomes a smile, you’d open your heart
If you’d open your heartーーyou’d open your crotch
It’s the theory onwomen fall, but it also has effects on men
The thing called a smile is a communication that can be understood anywhere
The boy……I want to ood meal and a very comfy bed, I really want to send him to the next floor with a refreshed mind and body
And for me who is like that……I need to make him smile
And, with that, I’ll continue with the sweet stories
「And, well, I think you got it hat I told earlier……there are no monsters here, but there is a Fairy Dryad Well, it’s h」
And there, the boy pointed with his left hand
「In that cabin……is there the Dryad?」
“Ahh”, I nodded and continued the story
「She’s an a this labyrinth that’s so iive it all up and make me decide to live here」
「I see……huh So, Ossan, right now, are you happy?」
「Ahh A beautiful wife, delicious food, and surrounded by nature……I’m super happy yo After all, my heart is always connected to Dryad」
「It looks like it’s not only the heart though……by the way……Ossan?」
「n? What?」
「Tentacles……it’s entering your ears you know?」
Tentacles?
What do you mean?
「Tentacles? ?」
「……also some thin ones in your mouth, and……also in your nose……」
My sight suddenly got dyed with red
Gunyari, ot distorted, and I cannot think
I cannot think of anything
Suddenly, the words that the boy said, I can’t understa, understan, stand, n’t under Impos, unde, underununnunder
supepepepepepe
Incapable to deal with
Incapable to understand
A difference between reality and consciousness has eed
The possibility of a significant progress of edーーRequest Protection
Requesting mental pollution corrective operation
ーーRequest Finished
……………
My sight suddenly returns
The light of the light ht
Soht now, in an instant……I feel like
「So, what did you say right now?」
With a smile, I asked the boy
「Why is Ossan being entangled by the tree’s tentacles? And……are you really 25?」
「Entangled……? I ah……」
「It’s so I knew, but……really, you aren’t……conscious of it huh Aren’t your body being hanged by tentacles in the air, and tentacles have entered all the holes that is a hole……」
「……?」
「Can’t you even see your own palm? There’s even thin ones on your urethra you know? Your life force absorbed……aren’t you like a wrinkled old man……」
「……?」
And, I checked my own palm
There was a light brown color, lost its hydration, I see, it’s really like an old man’s hand
And there I noticed that I was fully naked
And, that I around
No……I was entangled by so suspended
Suspended……Dryad……life force……stolen……skin, body……it cannot retu……return to normal
Return, it cannottentacleitfeelsgooditfeelsgoodwife, tentaclesood, unde Impos, pospospos!
supepepepepepe
Incapable to deal with
Incapable to understand
A lethal difference between reality and consciousness has eed
ーーto block theforced shutdown of consciousness
…………………
…………
……
ーーand just like that, my consciousness completely faded out
▼ ▼ ▼
ーーA few hours earlier
After he gained the victory against S-Rank adventurers, Junpei stepped into the next floor
There, it was a huge forest with a lake in the middle of it
The greens are very deep, and the chirping of birds echoes through, and the light intensity co
From time to time, boars and deers also show up, to it seemed like it was not that different from the mountain forests in the outside world
If this was japan in the summer, as a ca fun with barbecues, and enjoying their vacation
In reality, “What a peaceful scenery……”, is what, Junpei’s honest opinion was
Andall around
It can almost be seen as the sae
ーーthe whole floor is a safety area
That’s right, and that’s also why, that because deers and boars exists, he can think
To explain further, in the cannibal’s floor, even if they wanted to create a food chain, other than hu
And, in this floorーーit was there
Just like that, Junpei, while thinking of the natural environ at the lakeside
However, he doesn’t break his stance of being ready for a fight
Even if it was a safety area, he couldn’t be sure if there was no dangerーーno, it is when he is letting his guard down, that there is a possibility that a small fry can trip his feet
Rather than the tiht noith one glance……the one that can be seen as a peaceful scenery is ht, and ruminate the experience he had before, and made a wry smile
And
He saw
Inside the forest, very near to a cabin Entangled by countless tubes and tentacles, a naked oldtree
That man, literallyーーin all of the holes of his body, tubes and tentacles are plunged
All of his body’s skin, weltsーーprobably, so like a thin root that ate his way from the tentacles to inside his bodyーーit was all covered with that
Frohout his body……as if it had a hypostasis, the surface of his whole body’s skin were dyed with a violet color
And, moisture was lost from the man’s skin, and just like a wrinkled old man over his 80’s that was often asleepーーhe seemed like half of his life force were lost
The tentacles that plunged from his ear, enters his brains and circumferences froh where his skin was torn open
As of how his brain that was exposed from his skull seems, inside his brain were also fully covered with thin roots
And there, Junpei, “……ahh”, nodded as if to give up
Even if this were japan for example
Whatever surgery would be done, this man wouldn’t survive
Because, thisparasitized by the tree, he already has “integrated” with the tree
While holding his vomit, Junpei continued to observe the man
It looks like his wastes were dripping freely frohs were stuck with a brown paint brush-like dried object andーーrotten wastes that had stacked in the ground swarmed by flies
And, within that unbearable stenchーーthe hangedwith an expression of ecstasy
「Oi oi, Dryad You really like it huh……everyday everyday, if you close in to me like that, my life force would be pulled out……and I’ll really become a mummy you know? I’m already very exhausted」
The rinned face
And, the man’s hands moves first, and his hips moves faintly next
Kakukakukakukaku, is hea stroke with his hips like that……the man peed
Who wonders, that in that pee, so that cannot be seen unless you squint your eyesーーwhat a withered oldthat was mixed on it, if Junpei had noticed it
「Oi……you……?」
When Junpei called out like that, the , he opened his eyes wide
「Haha〜! Brother! It’s good that you were able to reach here」
Within the blood-shot wide eyes where a few thin tubes were injected to his tear bags, his black eye only htly
And also, covered by a very stickyopened widely, and with a voice that was over exaggerated, the man said that with his utmost
「That way of speaking……you’re……Ossan?」
「Oi oi, don’t call me Ossan Even if I’m like this, I’m only 25 bro?」
Most probably……this man, he doesn’t understand the situation at all
Junpei, he couldn’t move from that place
“……this tiht
Until now, the one who had written the letters that gave him hints
He was only running away, and……souess that he would be like this
Or maybe, an encounter with his skeleton
Or , the notes have disappeared
Or ain, ether
That’s right, fighting together ht have been possible Even Junpei who had a lot of huht’ve thought about it
But
The one he owes his life to, has already……becarotesque
He had expected a lot of situations, butーーin ine, in the worst situation, it looks like the two met
To the too ht at the man
「I ……that you were able to reach this far deep……」
While looking around the surroundings, Junpei asked the man
「Ahh, as Ossan also knows, they were really treuys And……here is……?」
「As you can see, the whole floor is a safety area You also saw the cannibal village right? It’s the same with that」
And when he carefully checked the surroundingsーーonly in one place, there was no silver particles were existing
And soon after, Potori, the sound of wastes being excreted from the man’s anus
Already, Junpei didn’t knohat to do
「……」
「So, can you put that away? There isn’t any monsters here yo?」
Being told by that……there was no way for him to put away his weapon
Clearlyーーthis , and clearly from whoever would look at himーーhe is in an “out” situation after all
「Boy What’s up, ht face」
「Unfortunately, it was a terrible path and life you know……my human disbelief is also in its extremes」
「Yosh, then, I’ll say sweet stories for you」
「Sweet stories? What is that so suddenly?」
And there, Hyuu, the man whistled
「That’s right A story about an adventurer once upon a time, met with a fairy inside the labyrinth hell, and fell in love, started to do a self-sufficient lifestyle, and live happily on a floor somewhere」
“Meaning……”, the man continued
「In other words, it’s me!!」
“Ahh……”, and, there, Junpei nodded as if to guess so
ーー”This idiot……he got done with seduction……” he thought
And, still wandering to his drea in a world full of cheerful delusions
“There’s the saying “The husband is always the last to know”……”,Junpei’s headache wouldn’t stop
「And, well, I think you got it hat I told earlier……there are no monsters here, but there is a Fairy Dryad Well, it’s h」
And there, Junpei pointed with his left hand
「In that cabin……is there the Dryad?」
「She’s an a this labyrinth that’s so iive it all up and make me decide to live here」
Junpei asked while letting out a sigh
Of course, in the direction of the cabin, he heightened all of his concentration, and did not forget to er
「I see……huh So, Ossan, right now, are you happy?」
「Ahh A beautiful wife, delicious food, and surrounded by nature……I’m super happy yo After all, my heart is always connected to Dryad」
「It looks like it’s not only the heart though……by the way……Ossan?」
「n? What?」
With all of that, tears almost fell on Junpei’s eyes
With even hoas, until recently, he was only a norh school student
Inside the disheartening labyrinth……his letter, with a ridiculous tone, that doesn’t forget the humor
Just only, so a letter, it was that one-sided coh there was also the hints for surviving that directly affected hi of his heart, he was more or less, have been saved
But, that has also ended
If he……would only continue on seeing a bad dream, it would be his part to make him wake up
He wanted to save him if he could But……already, it’s clear that it was too late
Then, the one ould assist him to die should also be himself
Thinking of that, Junpei started to speak with resolution
「Tentacles……it’s entering your ears you know?」
「Tentacles? ?」
「……also some thin ones in your mouth, and……also in your nose……」
In an instant, the man closed his eyes, and completely stopped his activity
And, convulses His hands and feet greatly moved
His whole body trembled
Hanged by the tentaclesーーwithin the cradle of tentacles, the reatly moved
His tongueuncontrolled, spew saliva everywhere, and his body threw to its back
BikuBikuBikuBikuBikuBiku
As if he had received a very strong electric shock, he convulsed for many times
「supepepepepepepepepepepepepepe」
Unpleasantly high pitched, an unpleasant sound co
And, when the unpleasant sound stopped, once again, the , he opened his mouth
「So, what did you say right now?」
With a silent tone, and a composed tone
And one that was unfit to that, blood-shot eyes
To his crinkled s saliva suits him
「Why is Ossan being entangled by the tree’s tentacles? And……are you really 25?」
「Entangled……? I ah……」
「It’s so I knew, but……really, you aren’t……conscious of it huh Aren’t your body being hanged by tentacles in the air, and tentacles have entered all the holes that is a hole……」
「……?」
「Can’t you even see your own palm? There’s even thin ones on your urethra you know? Your life force absorbed……aren’t you like a wrinkled old man……」
「……?」
And, the esture as if he checked his own palm
In an instant, the man closed his eyes, and completely stopped activity
And, once again, convulsed
BikuBikuBikuBikuBikuBiku
As if he had received a very strong electric shock, he convulsed for many times
「supepepepepepepepepepepepepepe」
He got petrified for a while, and the
「HYA, HYA, HYAHYAHYAHYAHAYAHYAAAAHAYAHAYAHAYAAAAAAAAA」
And, after convulsing for a while……the man closed his eyes, and completely stopped activity
Looking away froht to the tree that hangs the man
Its height was probably about a 10-storey building in modern japan terms, and it feels like the width of the trunk has a diameter of 15 meters
And there, Junpei called out his item box
He kept a large ae
Just like this, if he stimulates the tree a little, if there were no counterattacks, he thought that he would return all of it into ashes together with the man
There’s the way of pulling the handgun’s trigger, but if the bullets hit the target, so like a sixth sense……anyways, corandly, there exists a real response