Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 116

Blocking our retreat was a Mechanical Beast that looked similar to a spider, with its entire body made of brass-colored metal and gears turning throughout its body while releasing steam – a type I’d never seen before.

Though its multiple metal limbs were thin and long compared to its body, they were only relatively thin – each was still as thick as a human torso.

While its head looked identical to the regular Mechanical Beasts we’d seen so far, it was overwhelmingly larger, enough to swallow all of us in one bite.

Its massive body made even this corridor, wide enough for all 7 of us to stand side by side, feel cramped.

The pressure it emitted was unmistakably that of a mid-tier Beast, or perhaps even higher.

“Wh-what should we do?”

A team member asked.

“…Break through. While I buy time, somehow escape.”

“But team leader!”

“This is our mission. Our goal is to return with whatever information we can… go back and report clearly about the Beasts you’ve seen here.”

I stepped forward and drew my Hand Cannon for the first time.

The modified version made by Workshop 1’s craftsmen now looked exactly like the one I remembered from Blue Paper Moon.

I could trust its firepower but… how many silver bullets did I have left?

“When I attack, run at the same time. Use all your remaining magical power to sprint.”

As if responding to me, the giant mechanical spider also moved slightly forward.

“He-here are all my remaining silver bullets.”

The most senior member put all the silver bullets from his pocket into mine.

“Mine too…”

“And mine…”

The other five also put all their silver bullets into my pocket.

Though the mechanical spider was still leaving us alone for now, it would surely respond once we made any big moves.

“…”

“Kiiiiii…”

In the silent corridor, only the mechanical spider’s strange moans and flute-like steam sounds could be heard.

Without rushing, I reached into my pocket to gauge the remaining silver bullets.

Roughly… 50.

That means I can use the Hand Cannon about 17 times or less.

There’s no room for mistakes.

“Run!”

With my hand not holding the Hand Cannon, I drew a silver dagger and threw it at the mechanical spider’s head.

The mechanical spider slightly moved its head to dodge the dagger.

At the same time, the team members must have used all their magical power as they ran at incredible speed.

Still, having received basic training, they split into different paths without overlapping each other.

“Over here!!”

I shouted to draw the mechanical spider’s attention to me as much as possible while loading the Hand Cannon.

The mechanical spider lifted one leg as if to pin down a team member trying to pass beside it.

I quickly shot the Hand Cannon at that leg.

With an ear-splitting metallic sound, the mass of bullets hit the leg and the mechanical spider’s movement stopped.

Fortunately, all 6 team members got past the mechanical spider to the opposite side of the corridor.

“Your opponent is me…!”

I immediately reloaded the Hand Cannon.

I’d seen this mechanical spider in Blue Paper Moon too.

It appears somewhere between an elite mob and mid-boss, and like earlier, its legs are its weakness.

Like the Mechanical Beasts, it appears quite late in the game and is clearly boss-level by mid-story standards.

Even the leg that took a direct hit from the Hand Cannon wasn’t destroyed in one shot.

“Again!”

The mechanical spider approached me with all its legs writhing.

It was a creepy movement despite being made of metal like a robot.

I tried to shoot the Hand Cannon at the leg I’d hit earlier, but with the legs moving constantly, I hit a different one instead.

The mechanical spider was approaching while taking up most of the narrow corridor.

I also pulled up magical power and ran toward the mechanical spider.

And the moment one leg rose to stamp me, I slid low to the ground and got behind it.

I could run away like this now.

But I turned back to face the mechanical spider again.

I needed to fight while watching not just my silver bullets but also my remaining magical power.

Though I could run away, that wouldn’t let me gather enough information.

If the team members couldn’t do it, I had to gather information somehow even if alone.

At minimum, I needed to find out what happened to the Development Department people swallowed by Pinocchio.

“15…”

Probably my remaining number of possible Hand Cannon shots.

And I still hadn’t destroyed any of the mechanical spider’s legs yet.

“…14!”

While the mechanical spider was turning back toward me, I reloaded the Hand Cannon and shot at its leg again.

Thanks to it not moving violently this time, I hit the same leg I’d struck first.

One brass-colored metal and gear leg fell off, spewing steam like bleeding blood.

“Kiiieek!!”

The mechanical spider that lost one leg charged more violently than before.

Though its momentum was clearly rougher than earlier, a gap had indeed appeared on the side missing a leg.

I also ran toward the mechanical spider again and threw myself into that small gap.

“…Ugh.”

Though I succeeded in getting behind it again, I felt a burning sensation in my thigh.

When I briefly glanced that way, the torn part of my pants was stained red.

“Phew…”

Deep breath.

The pain subsides.

But what about the bleeding?

There’s no time to check how big the wound is.

Ignore it and reload the Hand Cannon immediately.

Target is another leg that was hit once.

“13.”

The fallen Beast’s leg hit the ground with a thud.

Perhaps because two legs on just one side had fallen off, the mechanical spider’s posture became very unstable.

I can see the path to victory.

The burning sensation crawled up from my thigh again.

Just this much won’t cripple my legs.

Even if the wound opens and tears, it won’t fall off.

The dizziness from blood loss is an illusion, focus.

“…!!”

This time the mechanical spider only half-turned its body, leading with the side where its legs were intact.

Though this was a pattern I’d never seen in the game, my cooled reason didn’t panic.

If it turned its body sideways, the pressure from its huge size taking up more than half the corridor would also decrease.

I also ran forward but this time instead of going straight over the mechanical spider, I ran along the wall.

A mid-ranked hunter could probably run all the way up to the ceiling like this, but I came back down to the ground partway.

This much is enough for me.

I got behind it again, and the enemy’s weakness was right in front.

“12.”

The mass of silver bullets fired from the Hand Cannon hit another leg.

But again, one shot wasn’t enough to make it fall off.

That’s fine.

Stay calm.

If I just continue like this I can win…

“…?”

A heavy sound approached from somewhere.

No… wait…

“…”

A new enemy appeared.

That was… an enemy I absolutely couldn’t defeat.

I couldn’t even run away because it stood blocking the escape route.

“…Ha.”

I laughed.

* * *

The giant mechanical spider collapsed powerlessly.

All its legs had been cut off and its head was exposed defenseless on the ground.

The battle ended smoothly as a large black axe came down on that head.

“Is everyone alright?”

Hilde asked as she retrieved her axe.

Though she’d taken down a mid-tier Beast, she wasn’t injured or even breathing hard.

“We’re fine but…”

“She’s really amazing, just like the rumors said.”

The Development Department people behind Hilde said.

When Zepetia was dragged away and the unidentified Beast swallowed the entire Development Department, Hilde had barely managed to escape that room.

But instead of going outside, Hilde decided to save the people who might still be in the building.

Because Eugene would surely have tried to find them.

“Miss, is it really true you joined less than a year ago?”

One of Workshop 1’s craftsmen said.

“Looking at your skill, you’re already worthy of being a mid-ranked hunter.”

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to my senior teaching me well.”

“Senior? Among the mid-ranked hunters…”

“No. My senior isn’t a mid-ranked hunter…”

Hilde cut off her words and glared at the broken door.

They were currently in Workshop 2.

To keep the panicked Development Department people as safe as possible, they’d gathered everyone in the largest empty space available.

Perhaps knowing this, Pinocchio had been sending endless Beasts to attack Workshop 2.

And until now, Hilde had perfectly repelled every attack.

But what was approaching now was… somehow different.

“Sleep well my child…”

A flute-like yet strangely chilling voice was heard.

“A beautiful rose blooms for you…”

A song.

The song was getting closer.

All listeners felt an ominous premonition that made them hold their breath and break into cold sweat.

“Sleep well my child…”

The sound of clanking metal accompanied the song.

“Sweet dreams you’ll have…”

And Hilde’s sharp ears caught faint groans.

Very low and subtle, dying breaths.

“Until morning comes…”

A hand burst out from inside the broken door.

Though made of metal, unlike the previous Mechanical Beasts, it had dirty and heavily rusted steel fingers curved threateningly like awls instead of smooth brass.

“Sleep well my child…”

Next its head appeared.

It looked like a skull crudely assembled from scraped together and dented metals.

Its eyes emitted a dim but vivid red light.

“In paradise’s sweet dream…”

It fully revealed itself.

“Ugh!?”

“Urp…”

The people behind Hilde shuddered with overwhelming revulsion.

The Beast’s body that revealed itself looked like a giant birdcage.

That cage was packed full of countless pieces of flesh.

It was densely filled with humans who had just died or were about to die, and from inside came low groans and screams, while hot blood endlessly flowed down to soak the floor.

“…Everyone, please step back further.”

Hilde took a light breath and touched the ring on her finger.

Though Hilde appeared completely uninjured on the outside, she had actually been hurt several times in minor ways.

However, each time the warm blessing of this ring had healed her wounds.

Thanks to the ‘Ring of Deep Grace’ that Eugene had given her, she could still stand here perfectly fine.

Though her senior was far away, she felt his strength with her at all times.

It felt like they were always fighting together.

Even when a Beast that appeared to be high-tier displayed such a revolting form, not even the tiniest fear arose in Hilde’s heart.

“Angels… will protect you…”

The lullaby ended and the Beast’s movement completely stopped.

“…”

“…”

An overwhelming silence descended and after an eternal instant passed, the Beast leaped in without any warning.

Hilde also lightly kissed that ring and then raised her Executioner’s Axe again to fight the Beast.