kscans

Chapter 71 - The Witch's Shrine, a Den of Freaks

Around the time Hero Ares and Demon Lord Regna were clashing, our monster party, relying on the Demon Lord's last words, crossed the vast 'Ash Wastes' in the far west and arrived at our destination.

"...So this is the 'Witch's Shrine.'"

Before us was an ancient shrine, crumbling and in ruins. But it wasn't just any ruin. A faint magical power lingered, making the very air tremble.

"Well, they called it a shrine, so I was expecting a tiny little house or something..."

"This is a full-blown dungeon..."

From the depths of the cave, which looked like an open stone mouth, drifted a slimy dampness, the smell of leaf mold, and above all, the heavy presence of monsters.

"Whoa, look at that! There's a giant bat flying around! If you deep-fry that... it'll definitely be crispy!"

Defray excitedly readied his frying pan, but I scowled.

"No, it sucks blood, doesn't it? What if it's carrying some weird disease? You'll definitely get sick..."

Amy calmly prepared a fireball spell and interjected.

"...Let's proceed with caution. Getting wiped out in an unsanitary place like this is no joke."

The monsters that appeared were all the kind you'd want to avoid based on looks alone.

◆Witch's Shrine, Inhabiting Monsters
Giant Bat (sucks blood)
Eyeless Spider (dissolves you if you're caught in its web)
Poison Rat (comes in swarms, bite causes paralysis)
Fire Salamander (body is on fire)
Hill of Doom (has four mouths)
Iron Snail (shell is steel, slow but tough)
Garbage Bug Golem (shrouded in poison gas)
Crab-bug (looks like a crab, moves like a bug, attacks at high speed)

The interior was a complete monster house.

"Fu, fueeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhh!?" Koni-chan's scream echoed. The ground was swarming with bats, spiders, snails, crab-bugs, and garbage bugs.

"It's on my feet!! It touched meeee!!!" Koni-chan jumped up and started crying and screaming on Defray's head. Defray's voice was gradually becoming weaker than the monsters'.

"I, it's alright. Here, take my hand." Tiris gently patted Koni-chan's shoulder.

"Insects are disgusting... but we are not insects. So we don't have to run. Right?" Emily followed up.

"What are you talking about...!? You tried to make it sound poetic, but scary things are scary...!"

Just then.

"...Oh my, how unusual. This will be good training for my tongue muscles."

Emily silently crouched down, and with her long, extended tongue, she flicked up a crab-bug and popped it into her mouth.

"Whaaaaaaaaaat...!!" It's no wonder Mamoru screamed.

"Emily, don't you put just anything in your mouth!? How did it taste!? It was alive just now!!?"

"Yes. ...It had the flavor of crab, with the texture of dirt and slug. And it was a little bitter." The smile on her face was completely that of a taste tester.

"...I think I've completely lost my appetite for today..." Defray leaned against a rock, placed his frying pan face down, and quietly closed his eyes.