Chapter 45
We followed Luna toward the Pink Smiler cave.
Malko walked behind her.
He glared at the back of her head.
“...Bowl thief.”
Luna’s tail twitched.
“Hmph.”
Malko pointed accusingly.
“Zakan. Izak.”
Then...
“This is bad thief.”
“KYAKYAK!”
Luna snapped.
She jumped onto Malko.
Then bit his shoulder.
“KYAAAAAH!”
I sighed.
“Luna.”
She looked at me.
“We need to hurry and find medicine for your mother.”
Her expression changed immediately.
“Yes!”
Malko rubbed his bitten shoulder and sniffled.
Act your age.
The baby Divine Beast watched their childish fight with obvious disappointment.
Gamjadori, hanging from my shoulder...
Shook its head too.
When both a Divine Beast and an earth spirit think your argument is immature...
You should probably rethink your life.
We continued deeper into the northern forest.
After a long walk...
Luna suddenly stopped.
She sniffed.
Sniff. Sniff.
Her tail moved slowly.
She appeared nervous.
Then...
She pointed beneath a huge old tree.
“We’re here?”
Luna nodded.
Everyone turned forward.
Ah.
Exactly like the game.
Gray rocks were scattered around the cave entrance.
Beside them...
The roots of an enormous ancient tree twisted around the entrance like prison bars.
I swallowed.
Then looked toward Zakan and Malko.
My voice became low.
“Listen carefully.”
They focused.
“There are extremely dangerous monsters inside.”
Then...
“Do not be fooled by how they look.”
I emphasized every word.
“Attacks do not work against them.”
Zakan frowned.
I continued.
“No matter what happens, do not attack first.”
Then...
“Do not fight them.”
Zakan looked confused.
“Attacks do not work?”
He studied my serious expression.
Then nodded.
Malko and Luna swallowed nervously.
We entered the cave.
Carefully.
Quietly.
The inside smelled damp.
It was much larger than the entrance suggested.
Blue-green glowing moss grew across the ceiling and walls.
Thanks to it...
We could see without torches.
We moved deeper.
Then...
Luna tugged my clothes.
She pointed toward the wall.
Malko stared.
“Is this Pink Clown Mushroom?”
Then...
“Strange.”
Palm-sized pink mushrooms grew between dark rocks.
They glowed faintly.
Their fluorescent pink color looked mysterious.
Luna pointed urgently.
“Mom.”
Right.
This was the only antidote that could save Mari.
I carefully reached toward one.
Then...
Something round suddenly rolled out from the darkness deeper in the cave.
“KYAAAAH!”
Malko screamed.
Luna screamed too.
“KYAKYAK!”
I looked closer.
Pink balls of fluff.
Roughly waist-high on an adult.
Their bodies were round and looked incredibly soft.
Their eyes curved beautifully like yellow crescents.
Their mouths stretched into silent smiles.
And...
Compared to their soccer-ball-like bodies...
Their arms and legs were absurdly long.
Several rolled across the cave floor.
Some licked rocks.
Others tangled together and wrestled playfully.
For a moment...
It looked less like a monster cave...
And more like some bizarre fairy forest.
Malko stared.
His nose expanded.
“Izak.”
He pointed.
“These aren’t the dangerous monsters you mentioned, right?”
Oh no.
“They look incredibly weak.”
Malko continued.
“Fur looks soft.”
Stop.
“They’re cute.”
Malko smiled.
“If I kick one, it probably rolls away.”
“I told you not to trust their appearance!”
I shouted.
“Malko, do not touch them!”
Too late.
“Huh?”
That idiot...
Had already used the end of his axe handle to poke the round cheek of a Pink Smiler beside his feet.
Pause.
Then...
“AAAAARGH!”
Malko suddenly grabbed his own cheek.
He rolled across the ground.
Reflect damage.
At the same moment...
The Pink Smilers’ yellow crescent eyes turned red.
Their cheerful curved mouths opened.
Rows of tightly packed shark-like teeth appeared.
The monsters stretched out their unnaturally long arms.
Then began toddling toward the fallen Malko.
Slowly.
Smiling.
“M-Malko!”
I shouted.
“Get up! Come here!”
Malko was too dazed to react.
Zakan’s eyes sharpened.
He immediately drew his greatsword.
Then stepped in front of Malko.
“BARBARIAN!”
I activated Peeking.
Maybe I had forgotten some detail.
[Skill ‘Peeking’ activated.]
==========
【Target Information】
• Name: Pink Smiler
• Classification: Special Monster
【Details】
• Possesses strange pink fur that reflects all physical and magical attacks inflicted upon it.
• Has no hostility toward others. When it sees moving living creatures, it becomes happy and attempts to hug them.
※ Cannot be killed through force. Beware reflected damage. No survivors have been recorded after being hugged.
==========
No.
I hadn’t forgotten anything.
They were monsters that couldn’t be killed through strength.
Possibly the strongest monsters in the entire world in that specific sense.
And yet...
They possessed absolutely no hostility.
They simply loved moving creatures.
They wanted to hug them.
Pure affection.
That was what made them so horrifying.
“Zakan!”
I shouted.
“Do not attack!”
Then...
“Grab Malko and retreat!”
The Pink Smilers approached.
Their red eyes shone.
They stretched out their arms like people happily greeting old friends.
Other Pink Smilers noticed us too.
One after another...
Their red eyes activated.
Zakan lifted Malko behind him.
Then backed away.
“There is nowhere to run.”
Damn.
What do we do?
If we attacked...
We received the damage ourselves.
If we stood still...
They would hug us until our organs burst.
No murderous intent.
No hostility.
They simply wanted to give us a happy hug.
That was why these monsters were so ridiculous.
“KYAKYAK!”
Luna raised both hands.
She tried to threaten the Pink Smilers approaching her.
The creatures happily stretched their arms toward her too.
“Woof!”
“Woof! Woof!”
The baby Divine Beast barked fiercely at my feet.
The roar of the ruler of the north.
But...
The Pink Smilers ignored it.
They continued approaching for hugs.
“POTATOOOO!”
Gamjadori panicked.
It pulled potatoes from its Piggy Bank.
Then threw them.
THUMP!
The potatoes struck the Pink Smiler’s fur.
Then bounced back.
BONK!
One hit Gamjadori in the face.
Gamjadori fainted.
“...”
Nothing ever goes smoothly.
I quickly jumped in front of Zakan and Malko.
Then pulled a glowing red stone from my pocket.
I raised it overhead.
Dragonblood Stone.
The thing you monsters love.
The Dragonblood Stone touched the cave’s cold air.
Warm heat began rising around it.
Then...
Stop.
The Pink Smilers froze.
Every one of them.
Their heads slowly turned.
Creaaaak.
Their red eyes locked onto the Dragonblood Stone in my hand.
W-What?
Why are they acting like this?
In the game, Dragonblood Stones made them calm down!
Their red eyes stared intensely.
Cold sweat ran down my back.
They were extremely close.
Close enough that I could hear their breathing.
And...
They had surrounded us.
There was no proper escape route.
One hug...
And we were finished.
Zakan whispered,
“Izak...”
His voice was tense.
“What is happening?”
I swallowed.
“I-I’m not sure.”
Silence.
Long.
