Chapter 5: Quest 2: Defeat the Ghouls [Part 2]
When Makoto and Yuka woke up, they ate and resumed exploring the dungeon.
No matter how far they went, the scenery remained the same.
Narrow corridors followed by open spaces, over and over again.
He thought there might be some pattern, but he could not find one.
“I think I get why the knights specialize in dungeons.”
“Itâs this huge. Going solo would be tough.”
“…Thatâs not what I meant.”
He had been thinking about the alpine-style methodâestablishing a base camp and then advancing step by stepâbut since Yuka knew nothing about it, maybe that was not how they operated.
“…Wait.”
Makoto stopped walking.
“What now?”
“I smell blood. Move slowly.”
He strained his ears and scanned the area as they advanced carefully.
A wet, squelching sound reached them.
The air felt heavy.
Noâthick with a foul stench.
It was a smell so strong it felt almost tangible.
“What is that smell?”
“…Stay sharp.”
They stepped into an open area.
Two zombies were devouring a corpse.
Fortunately, they were too absorbed in feeding to notice them.
“We strike first.”
“…Okay.”
Yuka clutched her staff but did not move.
Her face had gone pale, and her hands trembled slightly.
The zombieâor the corpseâmust have been someone she knew.
“Yuka!”
“R-Ryuno Kesta Agata! O infinite Periolis, pierce, pierce like a hail of stones, become the stone that pierces my enemy! Magic Bullet!”
She fired.
A small pillar of dirt erupted.
She missed.
The zombies slowly turned around.
They were youngâboys, really.
Blood stained their mouths, and their expressions were like starving beasts.
“O-Oooâ!”
They rose stiffly and began moving toward them.
“Ignition!”
Black flames wrapped around Makotoâs right arm.
As always, they flickered irregularly.
“Oooâ!”
One zombie lunged.
Three days ago, he would have been helpless.
Now he had at least some experience.
He could see the enemyâs movements.
He stepped to the side and drove his flame-covered fist into it.
The zombieâs lower jaw tore off and flew away.
The black flames amplified his attack power.
Otherwise, there was no way he could destroy a human body like that.
He had stopped its bite, but its arms were still intact.
His level had increased, so even if grabbed, he could break free.
But if the other zombie stopped feeding and joined the fight, things would turn ugly fast.
The jawless zombie reached for him.
Even though it could no longer eat.
What drove it forward?
Makoto brushed aside its arms.
A human would slow from painâbut not this.
“OooOOOOâ!”
It kept coming.
What he saw in its movements was not hunger.
It was resentment.
Envy.
They hated the living for enjoying what they had lost.
That envy twisted into hatred.
He dodged and struck as they passed each other.
A hard impact met his fist.
Leather armor.
“You bastard!”
The black flames flared violently, engulfing the zombie.
It looked like something out of a movie.
Perhaps because he could not feel heat.
The zombie crumbled within the flames.
Yet even as it disintegrated, it tried to move closer, as if to lash out one last time.
“OooOOOOâ!”
“Magic Bullet!”
Yukaâs spell blasted its head apart.
The zombie collapsed to its knees and turned to dust upon hitting the ground.
Only the one that had been feeding remained.
Makoto turned toward it.
It slowly rose and faced them.
“OooOOOOOOâ!”
Then something changed.
Its body suddenly swelled.
The expanding flesh tore through the leather armor from within.
With a tearing sound, the armor and clothes burst apart.
Its skin darkened grotesquely.
Its nose elongated like a dogâs.
Its fangs grew longer.
[The zombie has reached its level cap and evolved into a ghoul.]
The Divine Messengerâs voice echoed in his head.
“It evolved!?”
“Youâve got to be kidding me!”
Makoto shouted, and Yuka echoed him.
What kind of curriculum had the king set up if they were not even warned about this?
He wanted to interrogate that king for at least an hour.
“OooOOOOOOâ!”
“Ryuno Kesta Agataâ!”
As the ghoul charged, Yuka began chanting.
“O infinite Periolis, burn, burn like flames, reduce my enemy to ashes! Manifest, Fire Bullet!”
The magic bullet struck the ghoulâs knee.
If it were still a zombie, its leg would have buckled.
But now it only slowed slightly.
“OooOOOOOOâ!”
The ghoul slammed into Makoto head-on.
He was sent flying.
“Gah!”
He hit the ground on his back, the air forced from his lungs.
Through tear-blurred vision, he saw a shadow looming.
He rolled instinctively.
A dull slicing sound cut the air near him.
The ghoul was throwing punches.
It understood the concept of fighting.
Evolution had increased not only its strength but its intelligence.
“Damn it!”
Makoto rolled and used the momentum to stand.
But that brief opening was enough.
The ghoul charged again.
“Magic Bullet!”
Yukaâs spell struck its side, slowing it slightly.
“Now!”
“ROOOOAR!”
Makoto punched its flank.
The ghoul shrieked in pain.
Its outer skin peeled away, exposing red-black flesh.
“Again!”
He struck the exposed flesh.
The ghoul reeled back, screaming.
The damage was significant.
He pressed forward.
The ghoul began swinging its arms wildly.
Each swing produced a heavy, distorted sound through the air.
“Magic Bullet!”
Yukaâs spell hit its back, but it ignored her entirely.
Its focus remained on Makoto.
It had identified him as the threat.
“ROOOOAR!”
The swings grew faster.
They were wide and sloppy.
If he had more technique, he could slip through and land a decisive blow.
But panic crept into his mind.
He had lost the initiative.
He knew he had to regain it, yet his body would not move.
Then his vision lurched.
His foot caught in a dip in the ground.
“Damnâ!”
“ROOOOAR!”
The ghoulâs arm struck.
He crossed his arms instinctively.
The impact tore through him, slamming him into the wall.
His knees nearly buckled.
In sparring, opponents stopped when you lost will.
This was not sparring.
If you faltered, you were finished.
The ghoul lunged, fangs bared.
It aimed for his neck.
He did not need to know anatomy to understand that would be fatal.
He raised his left arm to protect his throat.
The fangs pierced through his sleeve and into his arm.
First came heat.
Then unbearable pain that shot into his brain.
“Hhâ!”
He bit back his scream.
Not because he did not want to look weak.
But because if he screamed, he felt like his spirit would shatter.
The ghoulâs stats were likely higher.
If he lost mentally too, he would have no chance.
It was ridiculous, relying on sheer will.
But there was nothing else.
He threw a punch.
The ghoul shook its head violently.
Makotoâs body lifted off the ground, flung like a rag doll.
He gritted his teeth and grabbed its head.
The outer flesh crumbled, but the red-black muscle beneath was intact.
Why?
Then Yukaâs voice rang out.
“Ryuno Kesta Agata! O infinite Periolis, burn, burn like flames, incinerate my enemy! Manifest, Fire Bullet!”
A fist-sized flame struck the ghoulâs back and exploded outward like a Molotov cocktail.
“Grrrrâ!”
The ghoul clenched its teeth in pain.
With a wet sound, Makoto was thrown into the air.
He crashed to the ground and rolled to Yukaâs feet.
“Y-Your arm!”
“I know!”
Blood spurted in time with his heartbeat.
An artery had been hit.
“Run!”
“Run where?”
He spat and glared at the ghoul.
His vision flickered.
“If youâre running, go alone.”
“Youâre not serious!”
“Thatâs suicide.”
“Then what!?”
“We go all in.”
It was a gamble.
Not something a smart person would do.
“But that was your full power!”
“Iâm not a shonen manga protagonist.”
“Youâre almost forty.”
“…Iâll change tactics.”
He focused on his right arm.
The black flames responded to his will.
If so, he could compress them.
Compress.
“âŚIâll kill you.”
Something clicked.
The flames swelled and then compressed into a dense black light around his arm.
The ghoul charged.
“Yuka, hit the ground at its feet with fire!”
“Itâs moving! Thatâs impossible!”
“Close enough!”
“Fine!”
She slammed her staff down.
“Ryuno Kesta Agata! O infinite Periolis, burn like flames! Fire Bullet!”
Makoto ran the instant she released the spell.
The fire exploded across the ground.
The ghoul halted, remembering the burn.
Makoto did not hesitate.
He charged straight through the flames.
Bursting out the other side, he thrust his right fist forward.
The ghoul tried to block.
Anything the fist touched turned to dust.
It pierced straight through its torso.
“Collapse!”
“G-ROOOâ!”
He released the compressed flames inside it.
Black fire erupted from every opening in the ghoulâs body.
It crumbled instantly.
A small clink sounded.
A marble-like object fell to the ground.
“Man⌠Iâm exhausted.”
He extinguished the flames and collapsed.
[Level up. Level 10. HP 16. Strength 14. Agility 15. Magic 20. 5 bonus points granted.]
The Divine Messengerâs voice echoed.
The bleeding in his left arm stopped.
The wound healed rapidly.
It was not pleasant to watch.
“You really beat it.”
“Somehow.”
He stood and nearly staggered.
“You okay?”
“I feel drained.”
Leveling up did not restore fatigue.
Perhaps the black flames consumed something else as fuel.
Yuka suddenly raised her hand toward him.
A pale blue light enveloped him.
It looked cold, yet felt warm.
His fatigue eased slightly.
“You could use healing magic?”
“Y-Yes.”
He did not press her.
No chant meant it was likely a skill.
The light faded.
“Thatâs it?”
“Healing magic makes you tired.”
She sounded defensive.
Before he could ask more, a groan echoed.
The corpse that had been devoured began to rise.
“Ooo⌔
“…Ignition.”
Black flames wrapped his arm.
“Theyâre barely holding!”
“Iâm conserving power.”
He turned his palm upward.
The flames formed into a floating sphere.
“Like a will-oâ-the-wisp.”
“Youâve seen one?”
“In this world.”
“Figures.”
He tossed the black sphere.
It struck the zombieâs chest and burned it to dust.
“You hesitated earlier. Was he your friend?”
“Not really. Just a classmate.”
Yuka sighed softly.
“…He wasnât good at fighting, so he joined the support team.”
“I see.”
“They said it was safe.”
“Koki?”
“And Hoshino said it too.”
“Hoshino?”
“Hoshino Kirara. The vice class rep. She organizes the girls.”
She frowned.
Apparently, they did not get along.
Makoto scratched his head, sensing trouble ahead.