Chapter 196: "Heart"

Chapter 196: "Heart"

Falling gently with a momentary sense of levitation. I headed downwards, feeling a slight unease at the walls gradually closing in on me.

After a little while, I came out into a large space.

From the position, I guess it is around the belly?

There is a huge pillar in the centre, pulsating with a low sound.

Behind it - the wall on the side of the torso - was bulging in a gentle curve, which was also pulsating with a low sound.

I landed near where the people who had descended before me were positioned to watch the surroundings.

A little later came Aspizal, who jumped down after me.

"I've been amazed ever since I got here. Really amazing."

He mutters this as he looks around admiringly.

"I know it's amazing, but is that the heart?"

I point to the pulsating column.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure that's it."

"Then what's that thing pulsating in the back?"

"Hmm. I think it's the liver or something."

Is that the liver? It's probably a reasonable size considering its size, but it's a joke.

The huge internal organs overwhelmed me a little, but I got myself together and quickly set about destroying the heart.

"I saw something quite unusual, but I don't have the luxury of taking my time, so let's just destroy it as soon as possible."

"I agree. We don't want to stay here too long, so let's get on with it."

We were trying to move--.

--

The words slip into my head like a surprise.

I still don't know what it means, but I get some nuance out of it, you know?

It's probably something like 'feed me every time' or something like that.

What is this guy saying with his heart in our hands?

I'm not comfortable with him ranting in my head, so let's get on with it...'

"Hey! Watch out! It's coming!"

At the same time as Hieda's sharp voice rang out, a large number of human-shaped objects came from the surrounding walls and above.

What are these things?

Flesh kneaded into a human shape... no, the shape is clear. Do they have skeletons?

"Are these made from the bones of the beastman who just died or something?"

"What?"

Aspizal seems to have mumbled something like unintentionally, but I was a little curious about the content.

"No, yeah. There was one that wasn't completely encased in flesh when it came out, but then I saw the bones. The shape was a bit... you know."

The reason why he was slightly brusque was probably because he lacked confidence.

Well, human bones don't just spring up out of nowhere, so it's reasonable to assume that they are the bones of people who died here.

The humanoid began to change its shape, but since there was no reason to wait around for it, he reaped around the torso with his left arm, the Human Centipede.

The humanoid, cut in two from the waist, rolls around, but the change does not stop.

Useless.

The individual that completed the change turned into a grotesque creature that looked like a mixture of those above and people.

They look very different. Are they used for different purposes than the ones above?

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. You've got to be joking..."

"Oh, we're going to be like that too?"

Upset spreads among the beastmen.

The beastmen, with their keen senses, were able to sense the situation well.

They seem to have sensed that they are the material of the group.

"Don't be frightened! The dead will laugh at us if we get scared here! Don't worry, if we smash that big pillar, we'll win! Keep your heads up!"

Hie blows away the atmosphere by raising his voice.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

I leave it to Hieda to maintain morale, and I hit the nearest guy with my left arm, Human Centipede.

I feed it to the head of the distorted creature, which looks like a fish part forcibly attached to a man.

Then, by process of elimination, Asu-kun is the only one I can rely on completely.

"Im sorry, but Ill come close, so please support me. As expected, it's tough to use magic at this distance."

"Do you get it. I will assist you. I'm sorry, but I'll leave the closing to you."

"To be honest, I'm not sure, but I'll give it my best shot."

I'll do my best.

I'll show you how to protect Asu-kun, no matter what!

Fists clenched, looking ahead -

"Wait a minute. That... what do you think?"

Asu-kun raises his voice and points to the heart.

I was watching too, so naturally I noticed the change.

The rhythm that had been beating regularly and at equal intervals earlier began to get disturbed.

"Hey, hey, hey, isn't this bad? Is it feeling energised after eating the Roe?"

The heart, which was beating at high speed, began to ripple violently on the surface.

This is more like - rather than energetic.

"No, it looks different. Could this be suffering?"

I agree.

The changes caused by absorbing Roe... maybe it hasn't been absorbed yet?

"... does that mean he's suffering from food poisoning?"

"Maybe, but I think Roe is acting up inside..."

"Really? I knew he was something special, but to go berserk in that state..."

Hie-san was muttering, 'It's not half bad,' while I looked at Asu-kun.

What are you going to do? with a question on top of it.

Asu-kun, who understood, gave a small nod.

"Let's buy some time. Maybe Roe can do something about it."

"No, you're relying on that guy?"

Hie's voice is filled with confusion.

I agree with that opinion.

I think Roe, who would be rampaging in a state of captivity, is a big deal, but isn't it dangerous to rely on him?

"I don't want to drag Roe down by interfering from the outside, and from the looks of it, I think he'll do more than you think."

"...... You guys seem to have a lot of trust in each other, even though you've only known each other for a short time."

Asu-kun responds to Hie's voice, which is laced with dismay, with a smile.

Seeing this, I had a feeling of discomfort.

I'm not sure how I can trust that kind of man that much.

Such thoughts were beginning to swell in my chest.

I did get a bad feeling from that man, that's for sure. ...I'd like to think I'm sure.

Otherwise, I would say that I was behaving that way out of jealousy.

I don't want to think I'm that narrow-minded.

But I do have a place in my heart for having captured Asu-kun's heart so quickly.

I don't have any answers, only a whirlwind of messy things.

"So we're just going to stay here until Mr Low comes out, is that right?"

"Yes. I'm counting on you, Azusa."

The smile that comes back to my confirmation is always the same.

Without any evil intentions. Asu-kun's smile is reassuring to see.

I feel a stab of pain in my chest at the fact that it is not directed only at me, but I forcefully shake it off.

I turn my shoulders and crack my joints.

Let's go on a rampage and blow this muffled thing out of the water.

Fortunately, there is no shortage of sandbags.

...Sorry, but you'll have to deal with my outbursts.

I attacked my nearest enemy with my fists clenched.