NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 54
Forbidden Six Labyrinths – Haise and Sasha’s Journey 1
Haise and Choco Latte chased the demon to the heart of the theme park.
And there they encountered… an unimaginably enormous “serpent”.
Not an ordinary snake. It had a thick body and eight heads.
Moreover, its surface wasn’t smooth like a snake’s scales; it was covered in jagged golden armor.
It was less a serpent and more a dragon with eight heads. That would be a better description.
On top of the largest of the eight heads stood a demon clutching his shoulder.
“I won’t forgive you… I won’t forgive you!!”
He clutched the shoulder Haise had shot and glared at him with bloodshot eyes.
Choco Latte murmured, “Well, that anger’s justified, I guess…” but Haise ignored him.
Instead, he materialized an RPG-7 Rocket Launcher and fired it straight at the demon.
“Useless!!”
“!!”
One of the heads swatted the projectile away, causing it to explode on the ground.
Haise discarded the launcher as the demon spoke.
“Wait!! Before you kill me, answer this… Where did you get that weapon?”
“Does it matter?”
“It matters greatly!! Aren’t you curious? Why a demon like me is in a place like this, or what this monster truly is!?”
“Not interested.”
[Unwavering… Haise, you’re something else.]
“Rrrgh… If only we could replicate that ‘gun’! It could revolutionize our demon weaponry!”
“You want this weapon? Too bad—it only works for me.”
Haise materialized an anti-materiel rifle and fired at one of the serpent’s heads.
But the bullet bounced harmlessly off its golden surface.
“…Even this doesn’t penetrate.”
“Hahaha!! Foolish!! This is one of the Catastrophe Seven, Yamata no Orochi Jr.! Its hide is immune to physical attacks!! Now, Junior! Take my place and devour him!!”
[[[[[[[ShaaaaAAAAAAAAAA!!]]]]]]]
All eight heads roared in unison.
Even Haise broke into a cold sweat from the overwhelming pressure.
Choco Latte raised his shield and shouted.
[Haise, what’s the plan!?]
“I’d say defeat it… but this is bad. If the rocket launcher and anti-materiel rifle don’t work…”
[Don’t tell me… those were your strongest weapons?]
“Pretty much. They’re the strongest I can use. Now what?”
Haise sweated profusely and clenched his teeth.
◇◇◇◇◇
Sasha swung her sword, enveloped in golden energy.
Even when touched by Shoggoth’s tendrils, her aura prevented her from being dissolved or harmed.
But now Tycoon and Reynold were in trouble.
“Damn this slimy bastard…!!”
“Ugh… Magic doesn’t work well on it!!”
“Reynold, Tycoon…!”
“Sasha, don’t worry about us!! Just cut down that woman!!”
Reynold’s massive shield had melted, and his skin was peeling and bleeding.
Tycoon’s magic support was repeatedly interrupted by the tendrils.
Meanwhile, Piasora and Robin remained naked and restrained.
Nortes stood by them, laughing softly.
“Come on, try harder, try harder♪”
“You wretched woman!! Get rid of this slimy mess already!!”
“My, such filthy language. Naughty boys get punished~♪”
“Ahh!?”
At Nortes’s command, Shoggoth sent a jolt through Piasora’s body, making her convulse.
“Hehe. Keep talking like that, and I’ll tear you apart. Bit… by bit…”
“You… I’ll never… forgive you…!!”
Tears welled in Piasora’s eyes as she blushed with anger.
Robin clenched his teeth, glaring at Nortes.
But there was nothing they could do. The helplessness was infuriating.
“Golden blade… huff, huff…”
Tycoon noticed Sasha’s labored breathing and cold sweat.
Her exhaustion from overusing her power was obvious.
“Sasha!!”
“I know!!”
Tycoon’s shout was met with Sasha’s strained response.
Her power, the Sword Master’s ability, was extraordinary—but Sasha was still a seventeen-year-old girl.
She had never used her abilities at full power for this long before.
“Can’t lose now…”
She sliced Shoggoth in two, but it regenerated instantly.
Tycoon had a realization.
“Wait… it’s constantly dividing and multiplying, isn’t it?!”
“Correct~! If left unchecked, it would multiply endlessly, but I’m holding it back on purpose, just for fun.”
“Dammit… Tycoon, got any ideas?!”
“…”
Tycoon looked at Sasha, who understood immediately.
Then he glanced at Piasora.
“Don’t… look at me like that…”
His gaze burned with intent, though not lecherous.
Piasora nodded faintly, unnoticed by Nortes.
“Come on, give it your all~♪ When you’re exhausted, I’ll turn you into my toys. And those handsome men can join the fun, too~♪”
The battle was entering its climax.
◇◇◇◇◇
Haise was retreating.
Choco Latte was holding up its shield against Yamata no Orochi’s poisonous fangs.
[Ugh… Haise, my shield won’t hold much longer…!!]
“Damn it!!”
Yamata no Orochi launched its venomous fangs.
Even a touch meant instant death.
Choco Latte’s shield was nearly destroyed.
Haise fired his gatling gun, but every bullet bounced off.
“Hahaha!! You’re powerless!! Junior, don’t just use fangs—sweep them away!!”
[!!]
One of the heads lunged directly at them.
Haise summoned a rocket launcher but couldn’t aim in time.
[Haise!!]
“!!”
Choco Latte tackled Haise and leaped away, but one of the heads swatted them, shattering Choco Latte’s armor and sending them flying a hundred meters into a house.
“Hahaha!! Weaklings!! Keep trying in vain!! Feel my pain!!”
The demon was ecstatic.
Fortunately, the house was filled with plush toys, cushioning their fall.
“Urgh…”
[Ugh… cough…]
Choco Latte coughed up blood, its side bleeding heavily.
Haise’s right arm and leg throbbed with pain.
“Stay with me…!!”
[Don’t underestimate a Chaos Goblin’s recovery… I won’t die from this…]
But he couldn’t stand. Choco Latte had shielded Haise at the cost of his own injuries.
Haise was also too hurt to move properly or wield his weapons.
The enemy was a demon and the dungeon boss, Yamata no Orochi Jr.
The situation was dire.
“…Are you ready to die?”
[…What?]
“I said, are you ready to die?”
[…I am. This life… is yours to share.]
“…Not the words I wanted to hear from a goblin beastman.”
[What?]
Haise chuckled bitterly, then steeled his expression.
“I’ll stake everything.”
Haise resolved to use his trump card.