“Millia. I wonder if you can hear me with that empty head of yours…”
Thud! The weight of the shovel feels heavy in my hands. It’s not overwhelmingly powerful, but it was a solid hit, enough to back me up a few steps to absorb the shock.
“Seriously, you’re moving straight out of a cliché.”
Did the one who created this monster get inspired by a horror game or something? Just as it lunges at me again, I kick its belly before it swings its axe. The axe-wielding assailant falls weakly to the ground. I guess it’s weaker than I thought. Or maybe I’m just stronger than I expected. Despite my kick, the assailant seemingly unaffected, rises and grabs the axe lying on the floor.
I don’t want time to drag on like this.
I scan the surroundings. It seems I’ve blocked the entrance leading towards the altar for now. I can’t let it escape. It would be convenient if I could just kill it, but the owner of that body is probably…
“I could use just a little time to think, you know.”
I’m blocking the axe that might be red because of dried blood or just because it was originally that color, like a fireman’s axe. Without a head, it can’t express its emotions, but it surely seems intent on killing me. My arms ache. A grotesque appearance begets grotesque strength.
I can’t just hold out like this.
I twist the shovel’s handle. As the axe intended to split my head in two slides by, I take advantage of the opportunity and kick the headless attacker’s ankle, knocking it down. My initial kick gave me a clue about its light weight compared to its strength.
As soon as the assailant falls, I kick the fallen axe far out of reach and retrieve the zombie powder I had stashed in my pouch, pouring it over my hands and feet before activating my skill.
“Crafting.”
Fortunately, the zombie powder accepted my skill without issue. In an instant, the powdered zombie shapes into a round ball, binding the assailant’s hands and feet. It shouldn’t be able to move like this.
“Johann?! Are you okay?!”
“What, what the heck?! What’s going on? Are you alright?”
I hear a familiar voice from behind me. They must have noticed from the sound of the axe hitting the floor and come closer. I glance at Karina next to Millia in her arms.
“Millia. There’s something I need you to see.”
“What is it…?”
Karina stands beside me, looking down at the assailant I was blocking.
“I-I don’t see a head…”
“Calm down, Karina. I’ve bound its hands and feet, so it can’t move. Millia, is this your body?”
“…It looks similar, but it’s not my body. My body is definitely…”
Millia trails off, a confused expression on her face. So is this just a replica shaped like Millia’s body? Considering she said it’s not her body directly. Regardless, what am I going to do with this dangerous creature? As I ponder over the squirming attacker, an idea about the second room pops into my head.
If I lock it in a cage, it won’t be able to escape, right? Unless it can magically pass through bars. I pick up the assailant and open the door to the second room. Thankfully, the room hasn’t changed. After tossing the struggling assailant inside, I take out the key and lock the door before stepping back out to face the two of them.
“Just now, that was…”
“I found it while searching the rooms. It was probably trying to ambush me as I was rummaging through them…”
“Thank goodness. If you had gotten hurt…”
“Compared to a Hydra, it’s nothing.”
At least it’s not a house-sized monster, so it’s manageable. I easily overpowered it after all. I pick up the axe that had fallen on the floor. In the light, blood stains are clearly visible on the blade. Carrying something like this around… how gruesome.
But it seems useful enough, I can use it effectively. If worst comes to worst, I can pass it onto Renny, and she’ll make good use of it. I strap the shovel onto my back and grip the axe with both hands. The heavy weight and rough grip feel solid.
“I’m going to join up with Renny, so wait here. If that headless guy pops back up, run straight towards me.”
“Okay.”
I head down the left corridor immediately. Hmm, it looks like there are five rooms down this way too. I wonder where Renny is right now. Is it that there’s no sound from inside the corridor, or is Renny just being quiet? The silence is a bit unsettling.
“Renny! Can you hear my voice? Answer me if you can!”
Why no reply? Did something really happen? I stride forward and open the door to the first room. It’s a familiar room; the same structure as the first room in the right corridor. It just feels gloomier, and the room is a mess. I can spot a broken box in my line of sight. Did Renny smash that?
I want to dig deeper into the room out of curiosity, but for now, I should check on Renny’s safety first.
I open the doors to all the rooms, searching for Renny. They all seem to have the same layout. The furniture is wrecked, making it hard to recognize the original structure. The cage is completely torn apart. Everything’s all mixed up, which makes it even more chaotic.
If the right side represents Millia’s life story in order, what does this side symbolize, I wonder? Suppressing my questions, I finally arrive at the last room, where I can see Renny rummaging through it.
“What’s up? Finished searching already? What’s with the axe?”
“Nah. I came over to check this side. I picked this up. Did you find anything?”
“…I found a few creepy things.”
Renny pulls out a grotesque item from her pouch. A heart, lungs, liver, spleen… are these supposed to be offerings for the altar? This side must’ve required solving a puzzle as well, but how did she go about it? I glance at Renny, who avoids meeting my eyes, scratching her cheek with an awkward smile.
“I got frustrated when they kept telling me to find some weird password, so I broke everything to get inside…”
“If your body is weak, your head suffers, huh…”
“What?”
“Nothing at all.”
There’s no room for clever thinking in the face of overwhelming strength… I’ve gained this unnecessary enlightenment as I receive the pouch filled with entrails. Honestly, I never expected to obtain such ridiculous offerings for the altar. But hey, a win is a win. At least I get to reach the end of this creepy dungeon sooner.
“It looks like we’ve gathered all the offerings for the altar.”
“Really? Then let’s get the hell out of here. I want out of this creepy place as soon as possible.”
“I feel the same, but there’s something I need to take care of first. Have you found anything like a notebook?”
“A notebook…? Like this one. I can’t make heads or tails of what’s written inside.”
I take the notebook from Renny and flip it open. As I quickly flip through the pages, a red script catches my eye near the middle. Is this the confusing writing it speaks of?
[The God has placed the universe in the mortal’s body; therefore, offer the microcosm to the God. The untrue believer, appointed by Him, is the most satisfactory offering.]
…What does that even mean?
Is it hard to understand because I’m lacking information, or is it just nonsense that makes no sense?
Wait, trying to understand a cult is the wrong approach here.
But I can roughly gather it’s suggesting I should offer the entrails.
“Let’s go outside first. And as we step out, look towards the dead-end of the corridor.”
“Got it.”
We head outside, immediately glancing left. A dead-end. And standing there is the headless assailant, axe in hand. Judging by the male clothing, it appears to be male. I had misunderstood earlier, but now I get it.
Is that what the immortals look like?
To live as a puppet, unable to die even after the head is severed. A fate worse than death. Could this be Millia’s brother? That would mean he’s her sister. Although I can’t understand how a corpse exists like that, trying to find common sense in this dungeon is utter nonsense.
“Renny, hold it down. I’ll place these on the altar.”
“Okay. Just finish quickly. Also, lend me that axe for a bit.”
I hand Renny the hefty logging axe. She takes it, holding it with a familiar stance, and charges at the headless man like a hunting dog, swinging the axe with all her strength. As I watch the assailant fly away and slam into the wall, I quietly return to the altar and glance at Karina.
“Karina. I’m about to offer the offerings at the altar.”
“The offerings…?”
Karina tilts her head. Then she sees the organs in my hands and gasps, staring at me in shock.
“T-This is…”
“Organs. Probably…”
I trail off as I notice Millia’s gaze. I hadn’t intended to tell her the naked truth. It would be too much of a shock for her. I quietly place the eyes, heart, lungs, spleen, and liver on the altar before stepping back.
…Why is there no reaction?
“Did I mess up the order?”
Could it be that I missed a hint about the correct order?
I stand before the altar and randomly rearrange the offering positions, trying again. After about five minutes of trying that, the ground begins to rumble as I may have offered them in the correct order.
“…So grinding works here too.”
It’s a relief that making a few mistakes didn’t trigger any traps.
Letting out a sigh of relief, I look at Karina, who has come closer with Millia, and Renny, who has appeared beside me at some point.
“Shall we head down right away? Or…”
I glance up at the ceiling.
Retreat or advance?
“Let’s just finish this quickly.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to set foot in a place like this again.”
“…Then let’s head down.”
To the fourth floor.
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