Escape.
Crash!
A massive lump of flesh and a hunk of tal collided with trendous force. The giant of rot ramd its shoulder into the tal giant, then opened its gaping mouth and bit down on the tal giant's forearm.
— "GRAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
The tal giant raised its other hand and slamd it down on the rot giant's head. The head caved in with a splatter of flesh.
Before the rotting chunks of at even hit the floor, they crumbled away. The now-headless body clenched its fist and struck the tal giant's head again. With a harsh crash, the tal giant was smashed against the wall.
From the mangled flesh, a new head burst forth.
— "GRAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
In that mont, I quickly harvested the corpses of Sucus and Tonisa. Sucus was worth two and a half fingers, Tonisa three fingers' worth of humanity. A divinity of 1100 flowed through my hands into my body.
[Divinity: 4582]
After confirming the divinity I had collected, I looked at the two giants still locked in brutal combat and said,
"This is going to take a while, no matter who wins."
'Kill!'
"Just like Mother said, ti to stop playing and help out."
I propped Carn's unconscious body against the black door and drew my Froststeel Sword.
My target for now was the blue gem embedded in the very center of the white tal giant's forehead — the one part of its massive body that stood out. If I could destroy that, sothing would change.
"Here I go!"
Crash!
I sprang forward, diving into the collision of flesh and tal.
— "GRAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
The rotting giant's massive fist responded to my movent, slamming into the center of the tal giant's chest. Its torso tilted. I dashed toward the tal giant as it staggered toward the wall.
Divinity of Rot surged into my legs as the Script of Rot activated. My leg strength surged. A wave of nausea hit , but I ignored it and focused on speeding up even more.
The resistance of the air slamd into my face. I accelerated, again and again. My leg muscles burned like they might burst, my heart pounding violently. I stomped and launched myself into the air with all my strength.
My fully-accelerated body shot upward like a bolt of light.
I reflected in the glassy, slowly-rising eyes of the tal giant. In that hazy reflection, I thrust my Froststeel Sword.
Clang!
The Froststeel Sword pierced the blue gem precisely. The gem cracked, shattered, and fell away.
Even with the gem destroyed, the tal giant still moved. Its massive tal hand ca at without hesitation. Suspended midair, I had no way to dodge.
"Help !"
— "GRAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
A massive rotting hand slamd into the tal giant's face. I quickly grabbed onto the rot giant's forearm and held on. The tal giant thrashed violently, but perhaps the gem really was its main power source — its movents were clearly slower now.
I leapt down, hopping from the rot giant's body and landing on the floor.
Crash!
The violence that followed was one-sided. Slowed, the tal giant was no match for the rot giant. Its hulking tal body was crushed again and again until, unable to withstand the relentless destruction, it shut down.
The victorious rot giant let out a fierce roar.
— "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
With a satisfied grin, I opened my mouth to offer so praise—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
At that mont, three more tal giants fell from the ceiling.
"What the hell?! How many of these things are there?!"
'Kill...?'
Even I found Mother's answer — implying I had no way of knowing either — a little annoying.
Before the rot giant could even stand from the blow it just took, a new tal fist slamd into its head. Watching the rot giant get beaten down one-sidedly, I made a quick decision.
"Just hold out a bit longer! Until I escape!"
— "Gra..."
Crash!
The rot giant tried to let out a roar, but the tal giants didn't give it the chance. Without hesitation, I turned my back and ran toward the black door.
When it opened earlier, I was sure it opened from the bottom up.
"Haaah!"
I reached under the massive black door and strained to lift it. Naturally, it didn't budge.
"HAAAAAH!!"
With a shout, the divine power of Decay infused my skin, and vivid dark green tattoos spread across my entire body. The fully embraced divinity activated the "Script of Decay" without restraint.
My muscles scread for rcy. My blood surged, and my skin flushed red as veins bulged across my body.
And at last, the massive black door began to rise slowly.
Using every ounce of strength I had, I lifted the door to shoulder height, then kicked the collapsed Carn next to and shoved her inside. I quickly leapt in after her and shouted,
"Just get out when it feels right!"
Whether the decaying giant—getting thoroughly beaten by the three tal golems—heard or not, I trusted it would know when to retreat. I had faith in that.
Bang!
The enormous black door slamd shut behind . As the adrenaline drained from my body, I collapsed to the floor and vomited rotten innards as paynt for using the Script of Decay.
"Ptuh—haa... that was seriously rough, Mother."
'Kill!'
Mother's voice scolded —questioning why I bothered to save Carn and bring her along. Leaning against the wall, I replied,
"I honestly wanted to save the other two as well. They died too quickly for to do anything about it."
'Kill!'
Mother criticized for being too soft, and I glanced at Carn as I responded,
"Still, this one's special, isn't she? Even if we do end up harvesting her, I think it's worth observing her for a bit longer."
'... Kill kill.'
After a brief silence, Mother seed to agree—acknowledging that my thinking wasn't without rit.
What convinced the Mother of Decay? It was simple. Carn was a "three and a half fingers" human.
A person with the potential to grow into a "four-finger" human who would grant 10,000 divinity—enough for a full Authority—if harvested. That was Carn Baltas.
"Besides, I also happen to really like her cheerful personality. It made want to keep her around."
'Kill!'
At her advice not to get attached, I simply smiled softly.
"Feelings aren't sothing you can just shut off on command. You eat together, laugh together... that's how bonds form. Please don't be so upset about it."
After catching my breath, I felt just enough strength return to move. This passage was too narrow for the tal golems to follow—but who knew what the future held? I figured it was best to keep moving.
I hoisted Carn over my shoulder and began walking down a corridor glowing with a soft blue light. After a while, Carn groaned and stirred awake.
"...Where am I?"
"You're awake?"
"Ugh... My head's spinning. I feel sick."
"I'll put you down. Let's rest here a mont."
Carn clung to the wall and dry heaved a few tis, then slumped to the floor and asked,
"Are Succus and Tonisa... really dead?"
"Yes. Unfortunately."
Hearing that, she looked down with a sorrowful gaze.
"When the golems fell from the ceiling, I should've triggered the 'Key' imdiately. My hesitation killed them."
"Did you know them long?"
She shook her head.
"No. I only hired them recently. But that doesn't excuse my mistake. Still... where are we?"
"Beyond the black door."
"How did we even—?"
She trailed off mid-sentence, stopping herself.
"It wouldn't be polite to ask about sothing you went so far as to knock out to keep hidden. And besides, Priest Marnak—you saved my life. As a Baltas, I'll repay this debt without fail."
I smiled and offered her my hand.
"I'll be looking forward to it."
Carn smirked bitterly and took my hand.
"You really don't say no, do you?"
"I tend to accept most things offered. But in any case, if you're feeling better, we should get moving. We didn't defeat that tal golem—we only ran away."
"Right. Let's go."
We slowly made our way toward the end of the corridor. There, we found a door engraved with glowing blue patterns—though there was no ancient script to be seen.
This has to be a treasure room!
I cald my pounding heart and turned to Carn.
"Looks like we've reached the end of the ruin. Let's head in."
I gave the door a gentle push—it opened smoothly, revealing an altar in the center of the room, and beyond that, an "exit" waiting for us.
Two items sat atop the altar.
A necklace with a bead the size of two thumb joints and a single sword.
Carn's eyes lit up the mont she saw the necklace.
"The records were true! Priest Marnak, I'm so sorry to ask, but could I please have that necklace? I promise I'll repay you once we're out."
Her earnest expression made tilt my head.
"What exactly is that necklace?"
Picking it up, Carn explained,
"This necklace is called the 'Guide of Blood.' If you bleed into the bead while thinking of a blood relative you wish to find, it absorbs the blood and points toward them."
Listening to her, I recalled Carn's background. The illegitimate child of Enthis Baltas. Her father likely resided in the royal capital, so I had a good idea who she was trying to find.
Seeing my face, Carn nodded.
"I think you've guessed right. I'm searching for my mother—soone I've never t."
Looking into her dark eyes, I quickly made my decision.
The necklace ant nothing to . Giving it up now and accepting her future reward was clearly the better deal.
I smiled warmly.
"Then, would it be alright if I took the sword?"
"I have no interest in anything but the necklace. And frankly, if it weren't for you, Priest Marnak, I'd already be dead. It's almost unfair that the sword is all you're taking."
In truth, even while Carn was explaining the necklace, I'd been unable to take my eyes off the sword. It had an incredibly unique appearance—
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Priest!"
Sothing was smashing its way through the passage, charging straight for the room. I quickly grabbed the sword and shouted,
"Let's get out through the 'exit'!"
CRASH!
A massive tallic hand burst through the door and lunged toward us. Just before it could grab us, we managed to leap through the exit at the last second.
I tumbled through the snow, rolling across a blinding white field. I jumped up and looked for Carn.
"Are you alive?!"
Through falling white snowflakes, a black-gloved hand reached out and pressed against the ground.
Covered in snow, Carn looked up at with a smile.
"I don't want to see anything bigger than made of tal for a long ti."
I chuckled and replied,
"Sa here."
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