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Winka saw a tragic scene when she entered the complex. Inside of the cages were a ton of monster corpses. It smelt like burnt moxa[1]Type of medicinal herb, rotting flesh, and an intense blood smell. How many monsters had lost their lives here? The blood smell clung to the inside of the establishment and Winka scrunched up her face.
There were also a lot of dead fishes floating in a large water tank. Winka was concerned because she’d never seen these dead monsters before.
Whether they were new species or rare species, monsters that shouldn’t have wings had them. Monsters who shouldn’t have sharp tusks had them and four-legged monsters had an extra two artificial legs.
Winka couldn’t understand what this meant but she did understand that these were the corpses of the remodelled monsters that Winger had mentioned. They probably died because of the remodelling. A fire burnt within her as she saw these bodies.
“I’ll destroy this place…”
Her thirst for blood gusted out and the air felt as if it was quivering. She felt a presence and glared towards its direction and Winger also growled.
“Hohoh, what a strange customer.”
The person who appeared was many times bigger than Winka. He was wearing a white robe but it didn’t suit him at all.
“It’s surprising that the intruder is a young girl like yourself and that Sky Wolf… Stupidly came back to be experimented on, huh!”
At that moment Winger lunged at the man trying to bite him but a mesh wall appeared in front of the man from the ground up to the ceiling. Winger collided with the wall,
*SHOCK SHOCK SHOCK SHOCK SHOOOOOOOCK!*
“Woof!”
It looked as if an electric current was flowing through the wall, no, that’s wrong, when Winka looked closer the wall itself seemed to be composed of electricity. Naturally an electrical surprise awaited those who touched it.
“Winger?!”
Winka shouted loudly. Smoke sizzled out of Winger’s body and Winka paled when she saw Winger stretched out on the ground.
“Opps, you better not touch it, yup.”
“…?!”
“You’ll also be shocked if you touch it, yup.”
Winka glared at the wall.
“Kufufu ~, suppose I’ll introduce myself. I am the chief of this 【Buscador Laboratory】. My name’s Nagnala, it is.”
“… Wi is Wi…”
Winka replied thinking that it was only polite to name herself as well.
“Hoh, you’re called Wi, right? Mhm ~ I have a strange feeling I’ve seen you somewhere before, or not…”
Nagnala narrowed his eyes and stared at Winka but she didn’t reply.
“Well whatever.”
At that time Nagnala snapped his fingers, then the floor underneath Winger opened and it fell down into it.
“Winger!”
Winka extended her hands trying to help but the floor instantly closed.
“Guh! …Give Winger back.”
Winka didn’t yell but her words were mixed with anger and killing intent.
“Oh ~ how scary. But you know, if you try anything funny I’ll kill that Sky Wolf, I will.”
“… I won’t let you.”
“Kufufu ~, then you’ll have to accept my conditions, yup.”
“… Conditions?”
Winka tilted her head. Nagnala was happy and curved his lips.
“That’s right, yup. If you accept my conditions then I won’t do anything to the Sky Wolf, no I won’t.”
“… Really?”
“I promise, I do.”
“What’s are your conditions…?”
“Kufufu ~, it’s simple, yup. I want you to have a death match with a certain creature.”
Winka was guided to a place that was bigger than a gym, it was a space built by hollowing out a big rock. She discovered a large space shaped like a box surrounded by wires. It looked like a cage to keep people who’d entered from escaping.
The sky could be seen on top of the cage. The grid overlapped each other many times and it was impossible to escape but she could see the outside through the gaps.
There were Sky Wolves confined in a cage in the surrounding area and just outside of the box, was Winger covered in a wire mesh. Furthermore Winger occasionally convulsed, the wire mesh probably had an electric current running through it. The purpose of that electricity was to bind Winger’s movements but Wi who saw the increase in voltage, got more and more angry.
Beside the wire mesh was a white-robed man who seemed to be researcher. He had a syringe in his hand. Wi didn’t know what was inside of the syringe but she understood that he was going to inject it into Winger if she opposed them.
She checked her surroundings once again. The entrance was closed and the only exit was behind Winger. From there if she were to snatch the key from the researcher, she might be able to quickly escape. No, she could destroy the door and force her way through.
Winger’s family, the Sky Wolves constantly slammed their bodies against the cage. Winka silently did as she was told and entered the box. Pevin opened the lock on the door and Winka entered then the door was immediately locked.
A square cube-like box was placed in front of Winka. It was a huge black object about 10 metres in height.
“Now then, you understand even if I don’t explain it to you, right?”
Nagnala said while standing proudly outside of the box.
“There’s a certain creature inside of that 《Black Box》. The condition is to win against that creature. If you win, I’ll release the fool entangled in the net, I will.”
Winka felt offended that he’d called Winger an idiot and glared at him.
“Kufufu ~, keep your enthusiasm for the opponent in front of you, okay?”
Nagnala said arrogantly. Winka’s glared didn’t seem to have any effect on him.
“Then let’s begin, alright?”
A crack appeared on the 《Black Box》. Winka looked at Winger and the Sky Wolves trapped in the cage.
“… I’ll save them.”
Winka proclaimed and while holding out 《Bone Maiden of Victory》.
*CRACCCCCK!*
The moment when Winka thought the box was going to break, a black thing that looked like tentacles came towards her at a tremendous speed but Winka was calm. She quickly slashed the tentacle with 《Bone Maiden of Victory》.
“Bigyaaaan!”
An ear-splitting sound echoed around them and the appearance of the creature with many tentacles gradually became clear.
“Now go mad to your heart’s content… Black Chimera.”
The Black Chimera extended its many tentacles. Looking closely the tentacles were the creature’s stretched out hair, hair like the ones that grew on people’s heads. Moreover the tentacles were composed of snakes. Of course each snake was alive and as big as an anaconda.
The animals were only a part of the creature. Wi wielded her spear and observed it.
It stood on four legs like a lion and its whole body was black. Like a scorpion, its tail had a pointed stinger. Its face resembled a wolf but only the right half of it, the remaining left half had a large burnt appearance.
Its whole body was black but the four legs were all different from each other in colour, claws, muscle mass and thickness. It was an unnatural appearance unlike any living creature. When she looked at the Black Chimera, Winka became sad.
“It’s crying… You poor thing.”
She could feel a heart-breaking feeling coming the Black Chimera who had roared.
Nagnala looked happy, completely opposite from Winka. He spoke to Pevin who was standing next to him.
“How long will it hold this time, Pevin?”
“If we are lucky about twenty minutes?”
“Kufufu ~, then I’ll enjoy those twenty minutes to the max!”
Nagnala took out some sweets from his pocket and began eating.
“We’re still working, Chief.”
“You’re so cold! That’s why you miss things!”
Nagnala held his half-eaten sweet in front of Pevin but Pevin refused by holding up his hand.
“Oh well, as long as I can get good data.”
“Kufufu ~, it’s been a while since the chimera has debuted so it’ll be fine, yup!”
While they were talking Winka was easily avoiding the many tentacles coming her way.
“… Sorry.”
*SLASH SLASH SLASH!*
The Black Chimera would shriek in pain when she slashed the tentacles with her spear and Winka distorted her face.
Since she was a gentle girl she couldn’t suppress her emotions when she heard the screams. But if she didn’t win then Winger would be killed. Besides she somehow knew that the creatures in front of her weren’t alive, they were already dead. But she still couldn’t slash the Black Chimera who was screaming sorrowfully.
She sympathised with the Black Chimera who was being manipulated. But her priority was to save Winger so she hardened her heart and kept attacking.
The Black Chimera was enraged at having its tentacles cut off and sprung into the air. It started preparing something. However without delay, Winka fled from the spot and jumped onto the falling Black Chimera’s back.
“Fuh… Hah!”
She put her power into《Bone Maiden of Victory》and swung down.
*STRRIIIIIIIIIKE!*
“…?!”
Its skin was unexpectedly hard and acted like a shield so the attack didn’t hit. It was as if the creature was clad in steel.
Winka didn’t know when but the tentacles had revived and flew at her. The tentacles seemed to have an odd regenerating power. Winka was surprised and slashed at the tentacles again before leaving her spot. Pevin nodded in admiration as he watched her fight.
“She’s done it. Even though the Black Chimera should have been the equivalent to an S rank monster.”
“Kufufu ~, it’s simple. It just means that she’s that strong, you know?”
“Did you know about this?”
“Yup ~, I’ve seen her somewhere before… Or not. Anyway, I’m hungry, I am.”
“Even though you have been eating sweets up until now”
“Ah, I don’t have anymore! Uoh ~ I’m so irritated! It’ll also be a problem if this drags on, yup.”
“That is true. We can only control the Black Chimera for a set time.”
“Well then, it’s about time, it is.”
Nagnala said as he glanced at his subordinate and nodded. His subordinate also responded with a nod, next to him was Winger.
Winka once again swung 《Bone Maiden of Victory》and this time she aimed to cut the Black Chimera’s body.
“Wa~it a moment, you will!”
Winka glanced at the sudden voice.
“Pay attention to that, okay.”
Nagnala said as he pointed somewhere. Winka looked to where he was pointing and stiffened as if she was at a loss for words. A man was pointing the syringe at Winger and moving his fingers, spurting the liquid out.
“You promised!”
Winka screamed at Nagnala. She was saying that it was different from what he’d promised. He’d told her that he would release them if she won the match. Winka placed her trust in him and fought and yet she didn’t understand why he wanted to hurt Winger so she shouted.
“It’s simple, it is. The experiment is already over, yup.”
“What―――.”
*STAB!*
“…?!”
Winka was focused on Winger and ignored the opponent in front of her. That opponent was the Black Chimera. The needle attached to the tip of its tail was now stuck in Winka’s lower abdomen. Although it was aimed at her heart, she was able to shift her body and avoid instant death. But it didn’t change the fact that she suffered a fatal blow.
“Hohoh, you prevented it from piercing your heart by a hair’s breadth. But…”
Nagnala suggested. Winka was able to somehow support her body with 《Bone Maiden of Victory》but her whole body was suddenly becoming numb.
“Uoh…!?”
Strength left her body and her legs gave way.
(Why… Can’t I… Move my… Body…?)
Despite asking herself this, she frantically tried to stand up but her grip was also disappearing and she laid on the ground.
“Kufufu ~, it’s impossible, impossible, it is ~. The Black Chimera’s stinger can produce two types of poisons, it can. One of it is a lethal poison and even if only a little enters one’s body, well even an S rank monster would die in seconds.”
“Poi… Son…?”
“Gufufu ~, the poison effecting you now is a paralysing poison, it is. The effect is… Well you can feel the effects so you should understand, shouldn’t you? Naturally if the paralysing poison penetrated your heart, you would die. You dodged really well, you did.”
He nodded his head up and down in admiration.
“Ah, by the way I didn’t use the lethal poison at the beginning because only a limited amount can be produced. It’s a waste to use it on an enemy of your level. Kufufu ~.”
Winka was vexed and tried to hold in her anger. She resented that he was making fun of her and going easy on her but even more so, she hated that she was weak-minded.
Winka was preoccupied with Winger and obviously neglected her opponent which then invited it to attack her. Even though she had to do something to help Winger and his family. Winka frantically tried to lift her face up while thinking so and saw that Winger was being restrained by the net. Winger also opened its eyes slightly and looked at Winka.
Winger’s expression looked very apologetic. No, Winger probably regretted having involved Winka in this so lightly. The sun was going down and the sky was changing from blue to an orange sunset. The Black Chimera prepared its final attack and slowly approached Winka.
Winger’s family, who were captured in the cage, barked towards the Black Chimera.
“N~oisy, it is.”
“Would you like me to give them medicine so they would behave?”
Pevin suggested.
“They’re no longer necessary. After all new toys are coming soon, right?”
“Then, what would you like to do?”
“Open the cage.”
Pevin instructed his subordinates when he heard what Nagnala said. The cage door clicked opened and the Sky Wolves who’d heard that, simultaneously got out of the cage.
(You can’t…?!)
Winka tried to stop the Sky Wolves but her voice wouldn’t come out. The Sky Wolves attack the Black Chimera all at once but because of the experiments their bodies were just as weak and thin as they looked, even Winger was like that.
Sky Wolves were originally more robust and that was clearly shown in their appearance. But all the Sky Wolves here didn’t feel intimidating at all. But still they stood in front of Winka to protect her and body slammed into the Black Chimera. They were aware that Winka had come to help them.
They were indebted to her and couldn’t watch silently as Winka was being killed. But the difference in their fighting powers was evident. Regardless of how many times they slammed into the Black Chimera, their weakened bodies just bounced right off.
The Black Chimera only thought of them as a swarm of unproblematic flies. Still even with their tattered wings, the Sky Wolves snarled at the Black Chimera but sadly were unable to damage it at all.
“Black Chimera, kill those flies… Why don’t you?”
The moment it heard those words, the Black Chimera’s eyes shone suspiciously and then several tentacles flew out and caught the Sky Wolves. The Sky Wolves struggled hard against the binds but they gradually tightened.
*SNAP SNAP SNAAP!*
The Sky Wolves were slowly dying at the hands of the Black Chimera. Winka could only silently watch it happen.
“Stop… It…”
She was paralysed up until her lips and couldn’t move very well. But she was still frantically trying to move her body, trying to stop its attack. At this rate they were going to die in vain. Without knowing what Winka was thinking, the Sky Wolves charged towards the monster in front of them without fear.
It was almost as if they were prepared for death. They kept charging at the monster and miserably falling back down until finally only one remained.
“Woooooooooooof!”
The Sky Wolf growled and although its kin had died, its fighting spirit had not shaken. However the only thing it could do was growl, it could no longer move because its physical strength had already reached its limits.
The tentacles were flying towards it and just like that it’ll be crushed to death. No, its body might be crushed by the Black Chimera’s big mouth. But the Sky Wolf stood without closing its eyes till the last moment.
When everyone thought it was going to end ―――
――― *SLASH!*
Fresh blood splattered from the tentacles.
“That girl, she can still move?!”
“I… I… Won’t let… You!”
Winka didn’t know why she could move her body but she was glad that she could defend the Sky Wolf by slashing the tentacle.
“This is a surprise, it is. The Black Chimera’s paralysis poison should be working properly, it should. The poison can even immobilise mammoth-like monsters, who’re 10 metres long, it can.”
“So why can you move?”
“… It is an interesting sample, is it not?”
“Let’s dissect it and see.”
“Yes, let’s finish it off quickly.”
A dangerous conversation was going on but Winka was preoccupied. She certainly could move but she hadn’t recovered. Although she was standing up with sheer willpower, if she relaxed even just a little she’d fall back onto the ground. If that happened, she doubted that she could move again.
“I’ll… Protect them…”
The Sky Wolf looked at her in concern and she weakly smiled and reassured it by saying,
“Wi will… Protect you…”
The Black Chimera’s tentacles were regenerating again.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
She put all her power into swinging 《Bone Maiden of Victory》then a vacuum blade appeared and the tentacles were chopped. In the aftermath, cracks appeared on the wire mesh near Winger.
“Ooh?! What power!”
Nagnala admired her power, even with her paralysed body the shockwave of her attack had reached far away. Using all her power, Winka jumped into the air while rotating her body and swung her spear towards the Black Chimera’s body.
*SLAAAAAASSSSSSSH!*
She couldn’t damage it before but this time the Black Chimera took massive damage. A huge section on its back was cut open and a large amount of blood was pouring out indicating that the wound was deep. Winka stood up on the ground, supported herself with her spear and looked at the Black Chimera groaning in pain.
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References
| ↑1 | Type of medicinal herb |
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