Chapter 14 – The Real Power
Err, the current situation is,
In front of my eyes is a dinosaur-like big serpent.
Rather its face is totally like that of a dinosaur. It ain’t on a damn level of a snake.
Behind me is Elk sitting down on the floor, after losing her leg strength.
Looks like, she is very scared after seeing this snake.
She is not only shedding tears, but also peeing that is not suitable for her age.
She is sitting there so it’s hard to understand her expression.
Anyhow, I carry her to the opposite wall and put her down.
And now, I am standing in between Elk and the dinosaur-like snake to protect her.
In this situation where a heroin is in a desperate situation behind me, I, am thinking about something.
(……What shall I do about this atmosphere……)
Awkward.
Really REALLY awkward.
What is awkward? Well it’s obvious.
After seeing a girl peeing in front of your eyes, that-, err-, as an opposite gender what should I say to her……
No, well, it’s only natural in this situation without thinking about the age, right?
I don’t mind it at all though?
I’m not concerned about it,
but right now Elk’s heart might be a bit complicated because she showed such a scene to a person of the opposite gender.
How should I put it, just how will I close the sense of distance after this ends……
Oh, to hell with it! This is all your fault, baka-hebi! [AK: idiot-snake; cause i like the jp term more xD]
No well, let’s think about this after I kill this thing!
Though I’m postponing this matter, but it’s not a wrong choice because I need to get over with this damn snake!
And that’s how it is,
「Then, let’s fight」
Maybe seeing me shaking my wrist for a little warm-up exercise, it realized that I have no intention of getting eaten silently.
And the big serpent tries to intimidate me by hissing.
Yeah, I can feel it.
That this guy is on a different level from those monkeys and bear-like monster.
And right after,
『–GuyAAAaaAAAA!!!』(Snake)
「oOo!」(The going-with-the-flow Minato)
「Kyaaaa!?」(The not-going-with-the-flow Elk)
It yells in a very loud voice, maybe it is echoing in the whole dungeon by now.
And reflexively, I and Elk both shout as if surprised.
Leaving that aside, the snakes can’t roar or yell or whatever after all their vocal organs don’t develop, right?
Whatever. This guy is a dinosaur-like thing.
While thinking as such, I move to the place where Elk won’t be hurt even if it comes flying at me. And seeing me moving it starts to put power in it’s body. Oh, finally coming?
—-Immediately after,
He unleashes his mouth aiming at me in a speed unthinkable due to his large body.
「Whoa, oops!」
I dodge his very fast attack with a side-step and drive a punch in the side of it’s face.
The gauntlet clashes with the scales and makes a *gakiin* sound which is very offensive to the ears.
But, this damn thing is really hard.
As an experiment, I drove the punch with the power which can even smash the bones of the ‘Little Beast’ from before, but just as expected this guy didn’t even flinch.
Immediately, he attacks at me by changing his course and is snarling at me. I somehow dodge it.
However, as if it learned or has wild instincts, the serpent, wraps his body to the extreme and shoots itself towards me. Ah, not good, this will hit me.
The speed might not be what I can not dodge, but still I choose to defend.
It’s not a bad thing to know the power of your opponent.
I cross my hands in front of face and prepare to for the impact, immediately following, the log-like body hits vigorously.
「Dowaaa!?」
My body jumped and without being able to bear the impact……blows towards the back.
「Minato!?」
「—Whoops! I’m fine. Its all right!」
「Imposible!?」
I got blown……but I still reply casually while flying in the air.
I twist my body in air and grab the floor firmly like a cat for slowing down. I somehow, cut off the momentum before hitting the wall.
At the same time, I inspect my body for any damages from the current attack.
……*phew* No injuries. No problem in movement too.
If it’s this level of attack, I’ll be fine even after getting a direct hit.
When I stand up and turn to the big serpent, it was already preparing to launch itself towards me.
It’s speed is a lot more than before, most probably more powerful too.
Oh well, the fangs do scare me, I’ll evade this time.
Once again, the side-step appears.
……Ah, no, this is different? Right now I didn’t mean it as a joke, it is just by reflex……I’m saying the truth. Please believe me! I’m not a KY to that extent(Would like belive)!
Right now it was just a word magic, or not, it was just an unfortunate coincidence! [ET: Most won’t understand his explaining his joke as in English it just doesn’t sound like a joke!]
Shit, this ain’t the time to think about this!
Suddenly, the big serpent wraps his body to the extreme and once again aims at me and shoots itself in a ridiculously fast speed. Whoa, pretty fast.
Did it get serious because it couldn’t eat me……Nh?
I realize one strange thing.
(……What is this smell?)
From inside the mouth of the snake an irritating smell of something decayed along with the putrid smell of the corpses he might have eaten reaches my nose.
And a burbling sound also comes from inside the mouth.
……Something is coming. No it’s not body but something else.
And just like I thought, the snake which looked like it’ll come attacking me like before decelerates and opens it’s mouth wide.
The moment I see something of yellow-green color, I jump to the side and dodge it.
And one second later, the place I was just standing at, collides with the unknown liquid spit by the snake -most probably a venom or digestive liquid of some sort-.
The sturdy floor of the labyrinth starts melting while making sounds. So it is acid.
It is still not able to completely melt the floor, but yeah, it’s pretty powerful. It will easily melt the metals.
What is it going to do by dissolving me if it wants to eat me later. Well whatever, it’s not my job to think that.
And it looks like this acid is volatile because it starts evaporating by raising a yellow-green colored smoke.
It’s evaporating speed is definitely faster than the evaporating speed of sterilization alcohol. In some minutes, most of the liquid of I don’t know how many litres, evaporated.
The moment, the smell of the evaporated liquid reaches my nose, I suddenly realize.
Immediately,
I take off the scarf around my neck and throw it towards Elk.
「Elk cover your mouth with it. Don’t inhale the gas」
「Eh? G-gas?」
「Yeah, the gas created by the evaporation of the acid, judging by the smell, most likely, it is a type of paralyzing poison. It is pretty powerful and a normal human won’t move for some minutes if inhaled. I think」
I remember it, because there was one guy in the forest which used the same thing. Though, it’s acid didn’t evaporate to form gas.
I see so the main reason for this acid is for the opponent to evade and let down his guard and then inhale the gas.
“I-I am thankful for that, but are you alright!? The meaning you said ‘judging by the smell’ means you are inhaling it from before……”
「Yeah, its alright. A poison of this level won’t work on me.」
「Won’t work……?」
Before our talk was over, the snake showed some movements.
This time it didn’t came leaping at me but is……groaning while staying in it’s place.
But the smell of the same acid from before reached my nose. Maybe it intends to paralyse me or inflict damage with the help of acid.
Well, I don’t even need to see the same attack again, the moment I thought that,
the same yellow-green color starts coming out of the snake along with the bloodlust which was not present just before.
It’s different from the one from before.
I hesitated for a moment whether should I attack it or not.
But, the big serpent seeing my actions as a good opportunity, opened his mouth wide.
At that moment, a yellow-green colored steam spewed out from the inside the of the serpent’s mouth like a spay, no, like how a dragon breathes fire -not like I have seen it- and the steam covers my whole body.
☆☆☆
「Minatoo—!?」
Elk becomes depressed for various unidentified reason after seeing the guy protecting her getting engulfed inside the steam of acid and paralysing poison.
Elk raises a sorrowful voice by seeing the scene.
On the other hand, the snake yelled a victory roar as if he won with his deadly breath.
And a bit later it peeks inside the poison mist, for seeing the pitiable prey of his dying.
……But,
「Sorry to say it out loud……but this won’t work on me!」
I don’t know whether my voice reached the ears of the snake.
but, still I’m sure that this guy in front of my eyes has bewilderment instilled inside it’s eyes. Monster’s expressions (?) are quite easy to read.
Elk also is astonished, her voice too is not coming out.
I’m a little happy that her face has an expression which is saying ‘relief’ and not only fright.
But well, it’s only natural to be surprised. After all, I’m alive and pimpin’ inside a dense fog of acid and poison.
While emitting an aura-like thing of bluish-white color.
Maybe they will see the true form of the aura, which is a mixture of ‘Steam’ and ‘Light’ if they see closely.
The light and steam is a defensive membrane made from magic for protecting myself from the dense fog of acid.
In the first place, an acid which can just melt stone and steel can’t even melt one hair on my body which is enhanced by『Elemental Blood』 and if inhaled at most it will make me cough for a bit.
But the extent of『Enhancement』is only till there.
It can’t block the stinking smell which will stick to my clothes and skin and hair.
And I seriously hate the smell.
Just because my nose is better than others, I always have to be careful for these things.
Well then, leaving this talk aside,
From what I have concluded after fighting after this snake, it looks like it’s power is near or close to that of those demons in the forest.
Now it’s the time to use ‘this’ without reservations.
I cancel the defensive membrane and face the snake.
So then, let’s start the work of the day!
「I’m getting serious from now on… hebi-yarou」[AK:snakey-dude]
I don’t know if he understood my words.
But he must have surely understood that I’m making fun of him. And the big serpent attacks just like before by throwing its body towards me.
It won’t hurt me, but I ain’t got any obligation to get hit by him. I let the attack come near me to the extreme, then I dodge it by shifting sideways.
While dodging, I fill up my fist with magic.
A different magical power from before.
My clenched fist releases a green light and air starts making a vortex around it.
「Take……this!!」
SFX: *Dogoo* (Boom)
I punch it’s flank with power, different from before.
The moment, my fist strikes it, it starts creating a windstorm.
With that one punch, the log-like body flies many metres back.
The big serpent is pushed back as it raises an irritating cry.
The place my punch hit has cracks in its scales and are breaking down.
Blood is also falling down from the cracks. Looks like magic power has worked. With this much power, it does take damage.
For some time, it looked like the snake is looking at me blankly as if saying it didn’t understand what just happened.
Well, it does has a large body, so it might be the first time it has experienced the feeling of ‘blowing by punch’.
……But, I’ve got no obligation to wait for him to come back to earth.
I jump at it while my leg is releasing green color and my right hand is releasing red color.
The moment I kick the ground, I get on the whirlwind and accelerate. I close the distance between us in some seconds.
「One more time!!!」
This time it didn’t get blown, but……the place my punch hits an explosion occurs with tremendous explosive power.
But, it has resistance to heat and all, so it did not do the damage that I expected.
it just burned some scales of it. Damn, fire is not good!
Seeing that, the snake didn’t seem much astonished but had anger of getting blown before.
It attacks me by leaping and wriggling its body or with his tail. Anyhow, it is rampaging in anger. It keeps attacking me fiercely like waves after waves.
It’s body is long and thick, and it can move fast, so it is pretty troublesome.
Because it is attacking in anger, it’s body or tail hits the walls and floor which results in pebble or big rocks to fly at me.
「Argh, you’re so fucking annoying!!」
I’m avoiding all the attacks, but yeah its troublesome, so let’s just stop that guy.
I fill magic in my right hand, this time it emits yellow light.
I slip through the attacks of snake and close my distance. And then, attack it with the heel of my palm.
Then,
SFX:—*Bashiin*
SFX:—*PachiIiiIii*
The insides of the cave became bright for a moment along with the stinging sound and the sound of something breaking.
At the the same time, the body of the big serpent stiffens.
It’s body is convulsing and is stiffened as if it has been hit by lightning.
……In truth, it did take lightning, or rather electric current.
Electricity is still coming out from the heel of my palm. That dinosaur-like snake got hit by my attack and the electricity.
Ah, before that, I need to confirm something.
「Oi! Elk?」
「Eh!?」
I call out to Elk who didn’t get any role time for some time and is still sitting.
Maybe she was dumbfounded by the attack. Her body started shivering after I call her name.
「Fragments didn’t reach you? Are you alright?」
「Eh? Y-yeah, I’m alright……Minato, is that magic?」
「Nh? Uh, Yeah, I’ll tell you later, so no inquisition for now」
I will tell Elk later, but this the way I fight normally.
And it’s name is the awesome『Magic Arts』.
This is one of the main fighting magic my mom taught me along with『Elemental Blood』.
I not only enhance my physical strength or my agility. I change the ‘nature’ of the magic inside my body and thanks to that I’m able to bring out such powerful attacks.
For example in the case of punch. If I fill it up with fire magic then it will turn into a burning/exploding punch.
If I fill it up with wind magic, then it will turn into a punch which can increase the power of my punch along with creating a windstorm for blowing the opponent really far.
If I put wind magic in my leg, then I can accelerate with it’s propulsive power and can protect my body if I cover my body with water magic.
And during the training with mom, I found out that I have talent in all the 8 categories of magic in this world like『Fire』,『Water』,『Wind』,『Earth』,『Ice』,
『Lightning』,『Light』and『Darkness』. And just like that, I practices them to the extremes and enhanced my Taijutsu.
[AK: for those who do not know Taijutsu (lt. body skill/technique) means all empty-handed combat skills; to keep it short]
Till now all opponents were weak so I didn’t had any need to use this and so it didn’t made it’s debut, but this is my fighting style. While I was in the forest, I had a lot more chances to use this.
By the way, I electrified my hand with the『Lightning』magic and attacked the body of the snake.
So I attacked it with lightning and my powerful punch, which caused the snake’s muscles to strain and stop its movements.
Well then leaving all this talk once again aside,
I need to kill it before anything unexpected happens.
It is the first demon with stout body and is of different variety that I’ve fought, so i got elated and played with it……but now that I’m back to earth, I need to finish this.
I don’t want Elk to get hurt just because I am playing with it.
Now that I know Elk is fine, I return my line of sight to the big serpent.
When I do so, the snake is glaring at me with hostility and vigilance.
It must have realised that I’m different from other preys. In various meanings.
But from its investigation. It looks like it didn’t tell the snake to hesitate even a bit.
The big serpent re-activates his attacking. It attacks like an idiot which only knows one way of attack.
This time I will……not dodge.
It’s large mouth opened wide approaches me.
I let the it come close to me and at the last moment……drive a kick in the lower part of it’s mouth.
I attack just like before, by filling it up with magic power. The body of snake shakes like sea waves.
As a result, the head of big serpent slips past me.
Moreover, by getting a strong blow near it’s chin, it’s body stiffened for a bit.
But then, I’m not expecting it to give cerebral concussion. There is no chance it will.
In that time while it’s stiffened, I quickly slip near it’s throat and lower my hips to stand firmly. [ET: Near its throat mean. Under the snake’s throat.]
At the same moment, my right hand near my hips starts releasing a kind yet powerful looking orange color.
The magic I’m using is different from the ones i used before. This time it is……
『Earth』.
This is the most suitable magic for increasing the ‘horsepower’. [ET: Ask author why he wrote horsepower]
And that magic is gradually being filled up in my right hand fist.
「Haaaaaaa……!!」
While sighing I fill up the energy.
In this way, by sighing I can increase my concentration which is impossible for any idiot.
And there is a need to give the techniques a name because it is also needed for the same reason I am sighing and as such I was taught by mom.
Before I knew it, the gentle yet powerful orange light started glowing in my surroundings with my fist as the center.
The light is gradually getting stronger.
And even before the snake twists its body for attacking me, I release my strongest attack today.
『Megaton……Punch!!!』
I firm my feet and put my weight in the fist and drive it near the place where the snake’s medulla oblongata might be present.
At the moment of impact, a loud sound rivalling the cry of snake reaches my ear. It is as if a 10 ton truck collided it.
My one attack, smashes all the scales of the snake, breaks the muscles, the inner bones are pulverized and it’s spinal cord is torn in pieces.
I felt that, err, lively feeling through my fists.
It’s the feeling of the big-serpent dying.
The body of the already dead snake felt the impact of the attack a second later and flies into the air.
It’s 20 m body heroically flies and strikes the opposite side wall of this room, making a loud noise.
It’s body convulses for some seconds and stops moving.
In a sense fast and in a sense dramatically, the king of the『Labyrinth 』welcomed it’s death.
I remain on guard with my fist pushed forward. I stay vigilant whether the snake will move again or not.
After I confirm the snake died, I lower my guard.
「Fuu–……Well, something like this」
Yeah, It was a worthwhile battle both for experience and information.
Though it might be due selfishness, but I got a good experience to keep on working as an adventurer. Thank you very much big-serpent-san for letting me get experience.
Now then, all that is left is……
「So Elk, shall we return?」
「Eh? Ah, Y-yeah……」
I bring Elk back to Earth who was in space just till now.
Now there is no reason to remain in this dungeon anymore. Let’s just take the spoils and leave here.