"Hyung! That is.........."
"Shh, wait. Just because it's called a treasure storage doesn't mean it only contains treasures."
Kim Dokja quietly spoke, covering Lee Gilyoung's small mouth just before he could fully voice his thoughts upon discovering the treasure chest.
Not long after, green glows began to appear from beyond the treasure storage.
Grrrr... Click!
The green glows turned out to be Ground Puppies. The Ground Puppies, holding something in their mouths, soon began placing the items they were carrying in front of the treasure chest.
We were observing the Ground Puppies' actions intently, holding our breath, when someone's voice was heard.
"This is all Yoo Sangah-ssi's fault!"
A voice blaming Yoo Sangah.
Naturally, the owner of that voice was Han Myung-Oh.
"Because of me? What are you talking about?"
Through the faint light, the figures of the two people who had been dragged by the Ground Puppy became visible. Fortunately, neither of them appeared to have suffered major injuries. However, they were tightly bound from head to toe by something like tree roots protruding from the ground.
"If, if Yoo Sangah-ssi hadn't taken the subway, the situation wouldn't have turned out like this!"
"What does me taking the subway have to do with this current situation?"
Yoo Sangah spoke with a slightly annoyed expression at Han Myung-Oh's incessant blaming. If it were someone else, they would have already started cursing at Han Myung-Oh. To stop at just making a face... Her patience was truly remarkable.
"Th-that's...… because you always ride your bicycle…."
"Wait a minute. Could it have been you, Manager, who stole my bicycle?!"
At Han Myung-Oh's rambling words, Yoo Sangah looked at him with a shocked expression.
"A-As a person! I clearly said I'd give you a ride in my car! If someone shows you kindness, you should know how to accept it!"
"Answer me. Did you steal my bicycle, Manager?"
Yoo Sangah interrogated Han Myung-Oh in a cold tone.
[The Constellation, 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' dislikes the Incarnation, 'Han Myung-Oh'.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment agree with Constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire.]
"Hey... at this point, even if we killed him, the Constellations would probably applaud and say 'well done,' right?"
I watched Han Myung-Oh with eyes of genuine contempt, wondering what nonsense he was spouting.
"Yes! I did it! So what!"
"Why are you raising your voice, Manager? Touching someone else's property, that's theft!"
"Theft? If you had just obediently gotten in the car from the start, it would've been fine!"
[The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' dislikes the trivial argument.]
As if forgetting they were captured in a monster's lair, Han Myung-Oh and Yoo Sangah just looked at each other with red faces, arguing loudly.
"Are you done talking now?!"
"No! I'm not done yet!"
"Sigh...."
Looking at Han Myung-Oh and Yoo Sangah, I stopped Kim Dokja, who was about to pull out a spine, used Beast Transformation to create a water blade in my hand, and threw it toward Han Myung-Oh.
"Hey, Yoo Sangah-ssi. When did I ever pester you? I didn't even ask you out! I just meant well, offering to see you home...! You kept refusing, so I...!"
The flying Beast Transformation narrowly hit the spot right next to Han Myung-Oh.
"Waaah!"
[The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is pleased.]
[You have received a 100-coin sponsorship.]
As something at high speed brushed past the side of his head, Han Myung-Oh screamed in surprise.
"Wh-what?! What just went by?!"
"Ah! Yuseong-ssi! Dokja-ssi!"
Yoo Sangah, seeing us, called out my and Kim Dokja's names with a bright smile.
But neither I nor Kim Dokja were looking at the two people.
Crack! Crrrrack!
Beyond the Ground Puppies, starting from the point where the Beast Transformation hit, the darkness began to split.
As the darkness before our eyes began to crack, all the Ground Puppies trembled as if terrified, and the cockroaches at Lee Gilyoung's feet began to burst and die.
['Guardian of Darkness' has appeared!]
[The sub-scenario has been updated!]
[Sub-scenario 'Defeat the Guardian' has begun!]
A pitch-black form appeared through the dim light.
All the Ground Puppies trembled before this form like slaves bowing to a king, pressing themselves flat against the ground.
After looking at the terrified Ground Puppies prostrate on the ground, I turned my gaze toward the pitch-black form before my eyes.
A monster reminiscent of a death god, with tentacle-like appendages writhing on its back, and a height that seemed to be at least 10 meters or more.
That was the guardian protecting this place, the Guardian of Darkness.
"Ugh. Hyung, I...."
"It's okay, you can do it."
As soon as Kim Dokja finished speaking, Lee Gilyoung, still lying face down on the ground, began to retch.
"...…Uweeeek!"
I looked at Lee Gilyoung with pitying eyes.
All the cockroaches that had been connected to Lee Gilyoung through Multi-Sensory Perception just moments ago had burst and died.
Because of that, Lee Gilyoung must have suffered considerable mental damage.
"Gilyoung-ah, how many more times can you use 'Multi-Sensory Perception'?"
"...I think I can do it one or two more times."
"Understood. Then rest here for a while."
"S-save me! Quickly, quickly...!"
"Dokja-ssi! Yuseong-ssi!"
As we approached Yoo Sangah and Han Myung-Oh, Han Myung-Oh, perhaps panicked by the Guardian of Darkness, thrashed about and screamed for us to save him quickly. And Yoo Sangah just called out my and Kim Dokja's names with an expression of joy at seeing us again.
Soon, Kim Dokja, who had approached the two, took a multi-tool knife from his pocket and cut through the roots binding them. As he finished cutting, the part of the blade that touched the roots corroded and disappeared.
"Step back."
Kim Dokja said, lifting the spear made from a Ground Puppy's spine that Han Myung-Oh had dropped on the ground.
['Guardian of Darkness' receives the blessing of the Demon King it serves.]
"Khamun. Der. Itur."
['Guardian of Darkness' emits 'Fear'.]
[The exclusive skill 'Wall of ■■' nullifies the Guardian of Darkness's fear.]
"Itur!"
"Hu... mom?"
Upon hearing the Guardian of Darkness's words, Yoo Sangah suddenly muttered 'mom'.
"Yoo Sangah-ssi, I told you to step back! Are you still there?"
"It's not that, the monster just said 'mom'…. I mean... C, Card, Emiren?"
At Yoo Sangah's words, the Guardian of Darkness paused, turned its head, and stared at her.
"Ah, is that not the pronunciation? Akedu?"
"Kalidu!"
At Yoo Sangah's words, the Guardian of Darkness nodded, pointed at Yoo Sangah with its index finger, and spoke.
"...So, what is it saying?"
"Well... it's been saying 'become the mother' since a while ago..."
"Kalidu!"
When Yoo Sangah said 'become the mother', the Guardian of Darkness nodded again, pointed at Yoo Sangah, and shouted 'Kalidu!'. At the monster's words, Yoo Sangah made a tearful face.
"Wh-what, a mother?! I'm not even married yet!"
Soon, it pointed at me and shouted.
"Kalidu...!"
"...You want to die? Should I put a hole in your head?"
When I firmly refused, brandishing my E.G.O - Bullet, it made a sullen expression and this time pointed at Han Myung-Oh.
"Kalidu...?"
"Wh-why am I the mom?! I'm the dad!"
As soon as Han Myung-Oh finished speaking, the Guardian of Darkness, perhaps taking it as agreement, brightened its eyes and moved one of the tentacles on its back, launching it toward Han Myung-Oh.
Pshwoosh!
"Uuub!!"
The tentacle launched by the Guardian of Darkness stuck precisely into Han Myung-Oh's mouth. As the Guardian of Darkness's tentacle entered his mouth, Han Myung-Oh's complexion turned dark.
With a gurgling sound, something passed down Han Myung-Oh's throat.
Kim Dokja, Yoo Sangah, and I, having just witnessed the scene of the Guardian of Darkness and Han Myung-Oh making a child right before our eyes, looked back and forth between the two with shocked expressions.
"Yoo Sangah-ssi, you don't have plans for a second generation yet, right?"
"Of course not!"
Yoo Sangah immediately understood Kim Dokja's meaning and quickly retreated backward.
Seeing this, Kim Dokja swung the Ground Puppy spear he had just picked up and tore the tentacle connected to Han Myung-Oh.
Pshwoot!!!
Black liquid from the Guardian of Darkness gushed out like a fountain from the torn tentacle, and soon the creature roared in an angry voice along with a pained scream.
"Graaaa!! Kaliduu!"
The shape of the Ground Puppy spear held by Kim Dokja gradually deteriorated upon contact with the demon species' tentacle, and soon the spear was completely shattered.
"Kihit!"
The Guardian of Darkness laughed mockingly at Kim Dokja, who had lost his weapon and was left empty-handed as the Ground Puppy spear in his hand broke. It then launched a tentacle to finish him off, but
"Beast Transformation!"
The tentacle it launched was cut off by my Beast Transformation and flew through the air.
The Guardian of Darkness, having lost another tentacle, writhed in pain.
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' applauds and says 'well done'.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment praise you, saying 'well done'.]
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' shouts to kill that d*mn demon species b*stard right now.]
[Some radical Absolute Good alignment Constellations agree with Constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire's words.]
[A bounty scenario has arrived.]
Category: Sub
Difficulty: B
Clear Condition: Defeat or subdue the Guardian of Darkness
Time Limit: —
Reward: 5000 coins, favor of some Absolute Good alignment Constellations
Upon Failure: ???
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' shouts at the top of its lungs to hurry up and kill that d*mn demon species.]
[The Constellation 'Lily Blooming in Aquarius' shouts at Constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire to shut up.]
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' shouts back, "Shut up, you b*tch!"]
[The Constellation 'Lily Blooming in Aquarius' shouts at Constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire, "Why are you suddenly swearing, you b*tch?!"]
[The Constellation 'Guardian of Youth and Travel' sighs, saying they're fighting again.]
[The Constellation 'Heaven's Scribe' holds its forehead and sighs.]
[The Constellation 'Black Flame Dragon of the Abyss' takes out popcorn and watches the fight.]
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' shouts for them to keep fighting.]
[The Constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' giggles and watches the fight.]
[Some Constellations laugh while watching the angels fight.]
"Sh*t... what a mess...."
I sighed at the sight of Uriel and Gabriel fighting, then looked at the Guardian of Darkness.
"Hey, you there... I don't have any bad feelings toward you... but... the angels want me to beat you up?... Unfortunately... you're gonna get beat up a bit...."
[Using Stigmata E.G.O - Red Flame LV 1]
Then, burning moth wings sprouted from my back.
Simultaneously, my clothes transformed into an orange coat and brown pants.
"I... can't guide you… But I can give you a warm embrace...."
Holding onto my gradually fading consciousness, I slowly approached the creature.
"Come... I'll embrace you (incinerate you). Come here...."