In short, Jend’s Dad is at fault.
Nex's Point of View
We became the Wolfanea Squad Rosarinjas, and we were strong.
No, correction. Jend and his dad were just way too strong. We’ve trained hard, and we’re supposed to be strong too, but… we just couldn’t match them.
"Wahaha!"
"Stop running too far ahead by yourself!"
"Wahaha!"
"Watch your surroundings! You almost hit someone when you threw that monster just now!"
"Sorry, sorry! Wahaha!"
That kind of conversation… I think it was a conversation… followed by a trail of dead monsters in the wake of Jend’s dad. The two of them were taking out most of the monsters. We were fighting too, but nowhere near their level.
On top of that, Jend was directing his dad to hunt the monsters more efficiently.
Rosarin Oneechan was right. Jend and his dad completely turned the situation around.
The adventurers were inspired by the two, and the number of monsters was steadily decreasing.
"Let's take down the ones in the dungeon too! Wahaha!"
As we headed deeper into the dungeon…
"Don’t step there."
"Wahaha!"
*Click. Whoosh* (The old man stepped on a switch and fell into a pit trap.)
(……)
"Wahaha!"
Thank goodness, he’s okay. He’s running around like nothing happened. That old man is really tough. Wait… something feels off. Oh no! Jend looks super irritated! Jend’s dad, apologize to Jend!
"Don’t press that."
"What’s this?"
*Click. Whoosh* (Arrows shot out from all directions.)
"You might be fine, but other people could die if you press switches randomly!"
"… Kyuuun."
After being scolded by Jend, Jend’s dad drooped. His ears and tail also drooped. He’s a big guy, but somehow, he looks pitiful.
"… Jend."
Ernst couldn’t bear seeing Jend’s dad looking so sad and spoke up.
"This is discipline. We can’t spoil him."
"… I-I see."
Jend’s eyes were serious. Ernst didn’t push further. Usually, it’s supposed to be the other way around, right? I thought Jend was acting like Lumia Okaasan, but I didn’t say anything. Jend would probably punch me if I did.
"You’re just like Lumia Kaasan."
(………)
Of course, the one brave enough to say what I was thinking was Ordo. Seriously, Ordo!?
"Am I?"
Jend didn’t punch him. Instead, with a smile, he grabbed Ordo’s hand with a claw-like grip. His eyes weren’t smiling, though.
"Oww, oww, oww, oww!"
"Do I really resemble her?"
"No! Not at all! Ow, ow, ow, ow!"
"You do! You scold just like Lumia does!"
"Otousan, you’ll be having nothing but green peppers for dinner."
"Jend, I was wrong. Please, anything but that."
The legendary hero, Jend’s dad, was brought to his knees, defeated by his son and green peppers. Watching Jend’s dad, it’s clear that hero tales are often greatly exaggerated or embellished.
"What is this…?"
At the deepest part of the dungeon, where the dungeon’s core should be, there was a mass of white threads.
"… A cocoon?"
It did look like one. Just like the ones we’ve seen before from those giant monsters… what were they called?
"Is someone in there?! Please, help meeee!!"
"!?"
"Hmph!"
The moment Jend’s dad heard the voice, he cut the cocoon apart. He really doesn’t hesitate.
"Help me! Please, help meee!!"
Inside the cocoon was a man, probably an adventurer, desperately crying for help… but his lower body was fused with the mass of flesh.
The thing that emerged from the cocoon was a grotesque, misshapen lump of flesh that looked like a child had mashed together several monsters’ clay figures. The man’s upper half was sticking out from this horrifying mass.
"…!?"
Even I was a bit creeped out. I didn’t want to touch it, but we had to help… what should we do?
"Hmm… I’ve never seen this before."
Ernst, as always, was calm, observing the creature.
"Heave-ho!"
"Ouch. Ouch. Ouch!?"
Mary tried to pull the man out of the flesh, but it didn’t work.
"Funya~"
I mean, she was brave enough to touch it, but it’s dangerous, so please stop acting rashly. This isn’t like the story Rosarin Oneechan told about pulling out a radish or carrot.
The lump of flesh sprouted large wings and began to fly. Since we were in the deepest part of the dungeon, the room was huge, and the creature started floating, attempting to absorb the man further into itself. I’m pretty sure Mary made things worse.
"Nooo! Help me! Please!"
The man screamed, but from that height, only Ordo could… No, Ordo’s throwing knives wouldn’t be enough to deal with that lump of flesh. Ernst’s magic would be dangerous too. If we didn’t care about the man, we could take it down, but…
"Otousan!"
"Got it!"
Jend’s dad clasped his hands together and squatted. Jend ran and used his dad’s hands as a launching pad, getting flung into the air by his dad’s throw.
"W-What!?"
However, he didn’t quite reach the right height. Just a little more, and he could’ve sliced the creature’s wings with his claws!
But Jend wasn’t done yet.
"Ordo!"
"On it!"
Jend used Ordo as a foothold to propel himself further. He landed on top of the lump of flesh and mercilessly shredded the wings. But the wings quickly regenerated. If Jend stayed on it, he would be absorbed too.
"Wahaha! Good thinking, but not enough, Jend! In times like these, kick off the walls! You can go higher before you fall!"
"!?"
"Wahaha!"
"It’s theoretically possible to go higher by kicking off the walls before falling… but…"
Ernst muttered seriously. This wasn’t a matter of theory. Ordinary people can’t pull off such stunts!
"Nyahaha!"
Well, one of us can. Mary was running up the walls vertically! It’s dangerous—don’t copy this at home!
"Impressive, Mary!"
"Nyahaha!"
"Wahaha!"
"Help alreadyyy!!"
"Oh."
Both Mary and Jend’s dad got so caught up in enjoying the stunt that they forgot the actual goal. Jend yelled at them, and they both looked silly.
Then, Jend’s dad cleanly sliced the lump of flesh in half, carefully avoiding the man.
Once it was split in half, the creature melted into a disgusting goo. Jend, covered in the stuff, flew into a rage and delivered a flying kick to his dad. I can’t really blame him. If he could’ve done it, why didn’t he do it sooner?
Postscript: The man who was fused with the lump was indeed an adventurer. His lower half had melted away, and his skin was slightly burned, but Ernst healed him. He survived, so please forgive him for being stark naked.
The real culprit here is Jend’s dad.
What do you think about this chapter?
