Metro Labyrinth Chapter 75.i: Eternal Boy and Demon Arato

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~3^rd Person Perspective~

　On the eve of the battle against the zombie army led by Bishop, Shuu and his are in the midst of a battle of wits with the zombies.

“It’s always so outrageous coming here, isn’t it.” (Fumihiko)

　The apprentice, Anna Yano, was listening to the complaint of Fumihiko Ehara, the preacher in charge of the Ouji area of Metro Church while biting back a bitter smile.

“Because of those twins, I am soaked by the smell of alcohol and meat. They are making the sacred Metro a sleazy hovel or a whorehouse.” (Fumihiko)

　The two were visiting a campground on the 20th underground floor of the Ouji Metro. They were there to inspect the Metro, which is undergoing development, and to deliver a sermon to the unscrupulous hunters who neglect their reverence for the metro.

(I don’t think they would listen to me. Individuals like hunters…) (Anna)

(Even for this guy, it’s good that he’s so dedicated to his faith.) (Anna)

　Ehara is forty-five years old and still in the second rank—the second from the bottom in the Church’s priesthood. It is said that he had a moderate desire for success when he was young, but his inflexible and stubborn character, and his fanaticism, or rather his rabid dogmatism, where he bites even those at the top when the doctrine is discussed, have made him infamous for his bad reputation even within the Order.

　Anna, on the other hand, is 30 years old this year. Three years ago, she quit her job as a hunter and joined the Church, and she went to Ouji at her own request. Since her boss, Ehara, never rose in the ranks, Anna’s status as an apprentice remained difficult to obtain. Anna herself, however, was not so concerned about it.

“Hey, you guys—”

　Ehara spoke to a pair of young hunters, a man, and a woman.

“Have you seen the Shishikaba sisters there? They’re the two women who brought in all those goddamn liquor barrels over there, with their mirror-image faces.” (Fumihiko)

　He seemed to have acquired enough common sense to dissuade himself from calling them b*tches. One step forward to the distant 30^th floor.

“Ah, those two…” (Man & Woman)

　The man and woman looked at each other. Anna wondered if they were public or private partners.

　The man glanced at Anna with a curious look, and the woman, noticing, poked him with her elbow. Anna was used to receiving such direct glances.

“Well… they haven’t come back, those people.” (Woman)

“They haven’t back?” (Fumihiko)

“The last time I saw them was about ten days ago. We had a small get-together here.” (Man)

　“Hmmm.”, Ehara said, wrinkling his nose. Anna urged him on with an apologetic expression.

“At that time, a man named Abe said he was going to go to the deeper level because he wanted mithril, and I think it was the day before they left. The Shishikaba Sisters and the others followed them, saying, ‘We’re worried, so let’s go check on them.’” (Man)

“We’ve been hunting around here for quite a long time, but The Shishikaba Sisters and Mr. Abe haven’t returned. We were a little worried, too. Did something happen down there?” (Woman)

　Putting aside the person named Abe, the Shishikaba sisters are veteran hunters that everyone in Ouji knows. Anna has also exchanged words with them on several occasions. They are capable of taking on the Metro Beasts from the depths.

　But if they don’t come back, something unforeseen may have happened.

“I’m certainly worried… Even if something happens, they are still hunters… I can only pray that it’s not yet time for them to return to Metro.” (Fumihiko)

“… Sir. When you return to the surface, will you be able to rely on these two?” (Anna)

“Eh?” (Fumihiko)

“I’ll go check on them. As you can see, I’ve been properly equipped.” (Anna)

“…Well, I know more than anyone that you’re a good hunter… but will you be alright?” (Fumihiko)

“I am sure I will be fine. I ask for your forgiveness for leaving the service of Sir Ehara and for giving up my mission as a member, even in this unprecedented emergency.” (Anna)

“However…” (Fumihiko)

　Three years ago, Anna’s predecessor had gone to the depths of Ouji and never returned. It was a deep emotional trauma for Fumihiko.

“It’s okay, Sir. I’ll definitely be back.” (Anna)

　Anna’s smile would have made most men sigh, but even so, Ehara maintained the expression of a mentor.

“…be careful on your way. Never overdo it.” (Ehara)

“Thank you very much. I will see you again on the surface.” (Anna)

　Anna’s predecessor, Tutsui Jirou, was a man with strong ties to the Ouji area.

　Twenty-two years ago, at the age of nine, he was working here as an apprentice miner.

　There—he was abducted by a golem and locked up in a secret room.

　The golem was hiding juveniles. Every child it saw, from one end to the other. Almiraj’s children, Rock Wolf’s children. Jirou was the only human child taken.

　How did the golem come to this conclusion? The adults, who had never heard the words “emergency rations” or “pantry,” were horrified.

　But Jirou was different.

　At that moment, he felt as if he had seen the golem praying.

　The changing of the metro is proceeding as if it were wool. The lives of the Metro Beasts are being weeded out in the process. At that time, the beasts up to the tenth floor, with the exception of the golem, were rapidly disappearing.

　That room was the cradle of life that the golem was trying to protect.

　It was the hunters, many of them, who destroyed it. The adults rushed to the Golem and pointed their white blades at it, shattering its rocky body and removing its innocent-like soul.

　As a child, Jirou desperately tried to hold off the attack. But the adults pulled him away and restrained him. The last thing he saw was a crumbling shell of rock.

　He had projected onto that golem what he could never have, no matter how much he longed for it—a true parent.

　A few days later. Jirou ran away from his father and entered the orphanage of the Church. He took the initiative in training his body and mind, and as soon as he turned fifteen, he became a certified hunter.

　With the foundation of learning and training for the future, in the next ten years, he reached level 45 at an exceptionally fast pace.

　All in order to once again meet a golem like the fatherly one.

　No matter how much his body grew, Jirou’s soul remained trapped in that room forever.

　When he reached a level where he could remain relatively safe in the depths of Ouji, he finally petitioned to be assigned to Ouji. It was fortunate that the difficult Ehara had been replacing his attendants one after another. While Jirou worked hard as a missionary under his new leader, he also went into the metro to study and observe the golem.

　The strength he had been desperately honing was the strength to not kill a golem and to not be killed by a golem.

　Then, three years ago—in the Ouji Metro, on the 30th basement floor.

　Two years had passed since he arrived in Ouji, he had still never met a golem with the kind of intelligence from before. It was around this time that he was beginning to grow impatient and tired.

　But then—just by chance.

　After dispatching the Metro Beasts that had attacked in swarms, he detected a tiny bit of air flowing into a crack in the rock wall created by [Fireball].

　He tapped on it and dug a little further. There was no doubt, it seemed to lead to some kind of space behind it.

(No way—a hidden room like that time?) (Jirou)

(Is there a golem like him… Beyond this…?) (Jirou)

　Jirou’s eyes lit up at the unexpected discovery–but immediately after that, a chill ran down his spine.

“Heh, it’s a hidden area. How did you find this place?” (Voice)

　Someone was standing behind him.

　He didn’t even notice. He didn’t hear any footsteps, didn’t feel any presence.

　For some reason, he couldn’t turn around. It was as if his body was immobile as if his instincts refused to move.

“ You’re good, you’re great! I’m going to reward myself with a good boy!” (Voice)

　A hand was placed on his head. Fingers and palms firmly grasped the cranium and moved. Jirou’s neck rotated 180 degrees.

　The last thing he saw in his darkened vision was the smile of a beautiful woman.

　And now, Jirou had become part of Anna, or rather, part of the “demon/human,” Arato.

　The sporangium is even connected to the brain through mycelium. By preying on the sporangium of a human or a magical beast, the Demon is able to take in not only the genetic information but also the personality and memories (if not the entirety) of that person.

　Arato loved Jirou’s twisted mind, his obsession with the golem bordering on madness, and his uncontrollable yearning for a paternal figure. She just happened to be here for fun, but she decided to adopt a golem for her plan to raise a pawn in the coming second war—and to honor Jirou for it.

(Well, that’s just part of the game, after all.)

　After releasing the golem into the new land, Arato decided to stay in Ouji to see if anyone would reopen the closed door to the underground paradise (although she did not intend to go back and check on it until the date she had set herself, just for fun when the lid opens)

　She retired as a hunter, joined the Order, and went under Ehara’s wing. Life with that comical simpleton (or tragic codger) was not boring in its own way—and it was a good life.

(And there’s a strong golem out there.) (Anna => Arato)

(Or maybe they’ll all get along and shrivel up like carp streamers.) (Arato)

(Or, by any chance, did they find it?) (Arato)

　The three people who went to the depths were a mithril-seeking man named Abe Shuu, a girl, and a Carbuncle.

　They were followed by two veteran female hunters, the Shishikaba Sisters.

　A red-haired man and a wolf demihuman are also said to have been nowhere to be seen, but it is unclear if they are related.

(If they’d found that place, they’d be playing with my kids right now.) (Arato)

　At the time they started grazing, they would be about a level 60 hunter. Three years after that, if they are growing steadily, the hunters around here become “a snack came from over there”.

　However, in case they become a threat to those children—

“No, well, it’s fine.” (Arato)

　It’s just for fun. War and death are means to an end, not an end in itself.

　They love chaos and find joy in creating it. Arato recognized that this was the nature of Demons, regardless of the views of others.

　Even if those children were killed by the hunters, it would have to be done. One of her favorite toys was broken, and she will be a little disappointed, but that was all.

　But—he who had become a part of herself, the eternal boy whose soul was trapped in a rock doll, was desperately pleading in Arato’s mind.

　This time I’m going to save the golem, he said.

“…isn’t that right, Jirou? We have to go and help them.” (Arato)

　Arato whispered to her inner self and laughed. It was a wicked smile, the kind she never showed anyone on the surface, the kind that looked like an ominous crescent moon.

A/N: The Metro Cult employs a hierarchy system that combines rank and status together.

From the bottom of the hierarchy, the first rank, second rank, …, fifth rank, and the Deep Rank. Only the Founder has the Deep Rank.

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