“Noa… is this also a Fungal Skill…?” (Shuu)

　Shuu does not look back and asks without taking his eyes off the head who has transformed into a monster.

“…no, I don’t think so… I think this is something else…” (Noa)

“Tamiko, what’s this thing’s level?” (Shuu)

“Mmm… I can’t squeak it! I don’t know, squeak!” (Tamiko)

“Seriously!?” (Shuu)

　That has never happened before.

　This was some unknown that cannot be measured even by Tamiko’s [Risk Counter].

　My sensitivity to danger, which has helped me survive the five years of walking beside death, is screaming loud and clear.

(This is—something that is not human or beast.) (Shuu)

(It is something more—ominous.) (Shuu)

　There is no time to be afraid. If I don’t do anything, I will die. I’m certain.

　I hold my hypha shield in my left hand, a hypha sword in my right hand, and two hypha swords in with hypha arms. They are covered with a bluish-white spore light. This is the same skill configuration as when I fought the Boss Slime, this is the appearance of an “All-out no effort spared Shuu Abe”.

“Both of you, get away from–” (Shuu)

　Before I can finish, the boss crouches back on all four legs and kicks the ground. The faint starlight is covered by a massive shadow.

　I jump back just in time before it directly falls above me. The ground on which I was standing before was now cracked and cratered. Birds and beasts start to buzz with the noise and tremors.

　In the center of the dusty air, a huge bulge appears on his back, and countless arms grow out through his skin. A mix of red and white, they look like a twisted combination of muscle fibers and hyphae.

　They spread out their five bloody fingers and rose into the night sky, falling like shooting stars toward me.

“Seriously!?” (Shuu)

　The arms come rushing at me, but I slashed them away with my three glowing blades. Still, it was impossible to handle all of them, so I leaped to the edge of the clearing and run away.

　But the arms changed direction with a jerk, and they began crawling along the ground. A rain of arms pierced the spot where I was. I couldn’t help but cry out, “That’s creepy!”

“Mo-monster!” (Bandit)

“What’s this!?” (Bandit)

　Did the bandit lackeys wake up? The arms react to this, and with a jerk, it changes its aim and grabs at the men.

“Hyaaaah!” (Bandit)

　The boss’ mouth gaped wide and he grabbed two of his men and threw them deep into his throat. His neck constricts and undulates like a caterpillar, soon the two settle into his belly, and it ends with a loud belch.

“Ahhhhhhh!” (Bandits)

　The clearing immediately erupts with screams as his men flee, dragging their wounded bodies behind. Their boss chases after them and captures them with his tentacle arms.

　I don’t intend to help them. I just saw an opening.

　I jump on his back from behind. I cleaved all the arms from the base, I stabbed him through and through as I force my body into a crouch. The blade is now halfway through.

(I did it!) (Shuu)

(This time you’re dead!) (Shuu)

　The boss’ movement stops for a moment. Then I heard a loud and shrill scream, “Gyiiiiii”.

“–Woah!” (Shuu)

　Then the surface of his wounded back explodes, and multiple arms arise again. They extend even further, chasing after me. They moved like a school of fish in a feeding frenzy as they eat a clump of nutrient-rich feed.

(I am absolutely sure I pierced his heart!) (Shuu)

(Why doesn’t he die!?) (Shuu)

(Fuu—ck it! He’s going to catch up!) (Shuu)

　I quickly throw three burning balls simultaneously. A bunch of his arms explodes, tearing off some, but his momentum is not hindered in the slightest.

　I roll sideways to avoid it. However, the swarm of arms turns almost at a right angle and approaches me again.

　I clenched my teeth and held the great shield in front of me.

　I meet the attack head-on, an attack with such strength that my entire field of vision turned black.

　I was knocked away by the momentum, but the shield absorbs the momentum moving me backward and lifting my body above the ground.

“Raaah–!” (Shuu)

　I spun and slashed all the arms. Three white glowing sword slashes cut the bundle of arms in two, and black bodily fluids spill out.

　The arms land on the ground making a scaffolding and now looked like the world’s most disgusting path leading to the torso.

(If the torso is a bad target, then I won’t have problems with the head!) (Shuu)

　My Sensory Spores can detect things coming from behind.

　The cut arms regenerated and made a sharp U-turn chasing after me.

　Still, I was a step faster.

　Just before the arm catches up with him, he leaps and swings his sword down at the head.

　The full force of the blow makes a hard “bam!”.

“–Seriously?” (Shuu)

　The boss’ teeth literally stop the blade of my sword.

　The Light Blade is biting into the corner of his mouth, but it still hasn’t managed to separate his jaw.

　This time, arms appear from the boss’ neck. The boss grabs the great shield that I had quickly created and slams it down with all his might.

“Guh–!” (Shuu)

　I choke for breath as I am dropped to the ground on my back. The impact made my vision turn white.

　Numerous arms are raining down from above his back. I quickly put the palms of my hypha arms against the ground and slid up, pulling my body along. Still, I was unable to dodge them all, and my ear on one side is gouged out.

“…Skill, arms… I want…” (Murasugi?)

“……Eh?” (Shuu)

“Want, crush, defeat…” (Murasugi?)

“……what?” (Shuu)

　The boss again says in a hushed whisper to me, while I was recovering my stance as I endured the pain.

　I can’t understand what he’s talking about. So, despite that, I will try to regain my posture by enduring the pain to find a gap.

　I don’t know what this person is anymore, but it’s clear that what stands in front of me is a genuine monster.

　I realize, it has been a long time, but I realized that I have forgotten to eat something. The last time I ate anything was when I nibbled on some dried meat before getting into the carriage.

　Once again, I create three swords and a great shield. I put on the Spore Light, and my body feels heavier and heavier. The accumulation of hunger and fatigue is becoming too much to ignore, and the regeneration of my gouged wounds is becoming slow, if not stopping completely. It would be dangerous to prolong the situation.

“…more, show… Beautiful display… Abeshuu you sparkle…” (Murasugi?)

　Called by my name, a chill crawls down my spine.

“…Come on, Look, Arms… Smooth baby’s bottom watch!” (Murasugi)

　As declared, arms extend from his buttocks. Numerous red and white speckled arms.

　I pulled back just in time to dodge to the side, and then I cut them off with a swing of my hypha arms.

　I closed the distance and threw my great shield at the same time.

　The boss shakes his head and flicks it as it spins around like a Frisbee.

　In that gap, I sneaked beneath the boss.

(If the back is not good.) (Shuu)

(If the head is also blocked.) (Shuu)

(I’m so hungry, I’ll try your belly.) (Shuu)

“Ahhhhh!” (Shuu)

　Sliding under, I cut him open from his chest to his belly to his pelvis, then out between his legs. Blood spills profusely and his guts fall—but the boss still turns around and stomps his feet, unperturbed.

“……No, no, no……” (Murasugi?)

(F*cking monster.) (Shuu)

(It is way beyond a zombie and those things.) (Shuu)

　This time, black arms appear from his sliced-up gaping stomach, extending toward me as if it is trying to trap me from the left and right.

　With too many things moving, it is impossible to intercept. Just before I was about to be crushed, I stepped backward to escape. Hands from both directions collide with each other and become entangled, forming a squirming ball, like one of those earthworm balls I heard about. It looks quite disgusting.

“Mr. Abe!” (Noa)

“Abeshuu!” (Tamiko)

　Noa and Tamiko are on the other side of the boss. They’re going to attack and pincer him.

“Don’t do it! Hide!” (Shuu)

　Once again, arms appear arising from the boss’ back, heading for Noa and Tamiko.

　Noa dodges it just in time, but the arms kept pursuing her until they hit her, blowing her away.

“Noa!” (Shuu)

　I released two Thunder Balls from my fingertips. The moment the red and white arms squeeze caught them, a flash of light explodes and an electric current runs through the arms.

　There was a brief pause. In the meantime, Tamiko and Noa got up, and are now keeping their distance.

　However, there seems to be little damage from the electric shock. The boss turns toward Noa and Tamiko with his red eyes, as if he were inspecting them.

“…Abebebe… Abebebe… Abe daz… Dazzling light…” (Murasugi)

“Seriously, you’re immortal…” (Shuu)

　Seriously, there’s no choice but to crush his head

　In a roundabout way, he is most vigilant at that part. That is likely his weakness.

(I need to find a chance.) (Shuu)

　If possible, about a few seconds.

　To evade its defense and land a real blow.

“–Mr. Abe!” (Voice)