_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There's an old saying in the East: fight poison with poison.
By enshrining a malevolent spirit and forcing it into the form of a "god," people once used that power to suppress even darker forces.
It was always a desperate measure—never the first choice. And when the few who knew the truth died, so did the memory of it. The next generations simply believed the shrine really did house a divine guardian.
"What… what the hell is going on here?!"
Yuki Suou hadn't even had time to savor her brief moment of "heroism" before the arrival of the massive monster blew away all her stray thoughts.
Rosen gave a small shrug. "If you've ever played a video game, you know how it goes—you beat the elite mob, then the real boss shows up. That's what's happening now."
As for where it came from? Who knew.
"Maybe this thing is the actual mountain god," Mai Sakurajima murmured, taking a sharp breath.
She still had the strength to fight, but against something like this… she couldn't help but feel that winning was impossible.
"With a monster this size… forget killing it, do you think our so-called weapons could even scratch it?" Miko Yotsuya looked down at her hands, doubtful.
When she was a kid, she'd heard the old "ants can bring down an elephant" proverb plenty of times. But she'd never actually seen ants kill an elephant in real life. And even if it were possible… they didn't have nearly enough ants here.
"Ugh… I'm starving…"
Hana Yurikawa clutched her stomach, leaning weakly against Rosen as it growled loudly in protest.
[Shut-in Angel]:Oh crap, so this really is the boss fight…
[Blizzard from Hell]:This counts as an undead too? It looks more like a giant bug!
[The Shepherd]:Undead aren't limited to humans. They can be born from the grudges of all living things. That fox spirit earlier was one example. This one might just be the accumulation of all the hatred festering in this place.
[Saeko]:Wait, seriously? Lord Rosen, why do you still look so calm? That thing looks even nastier than the "mountain god" we just fought!
Even Saeko, usually level-headed, couldn't help but feel rattled. A monster towering like a mountain—how were they supposed to fight that?
[Grumpy Old Mage]:If you need help, post a request. I probably can't do much, but I can at least set up a barrier spell to restrain it for a while.
[I Don't Eat Monsters]:It's huge—bigger than a dragon—and terrifying to look at! Rosen, hurry and put up a request, I'll… I'll come help too!
[I Don't Eat Monsters] Marushil knew she probably wouldn't make a difference. But if Rosen was in danger, she couldn't just sit back.
As for Falin… if only there were a way to bring her here. With the labyrinth master Shisle's grimoire, she could probably summon a few dragons to even the odds.
[Bad Woman]:Size doesn't always equal strength, but if this thing was sealed here by the mountain god, then it's safe to assume it's even stronger than the god itself.
[Bad Woman]:Even if we all worked together, we might not be able to do much against it. The best choice is to keep your distance. If it locks onto you, Rosen, you should retreat to another world for a while.
[Bad Woman]:Of course… if you're unwilling to run, then you'll have to call on Gabriel.
[Shut-in Angel]:Huh? I don't think I can take this thing either! But if it comes down to it… guess I'll have to try.
[Bad Woman]:That's not what I mean. I'm asking—do you still have the "Horn of Destruction"?
[Shut-in Angel]:Wha—? You don't actually want me to use that, do you?! You know once it's blown, the world gets destroyed and there's no stopping it!
Rosen raised an eyebrow. Since when was Gabriel the type to warn people about the horn's side effects?
In the original story, didn't she practically try to blow it for every little inconvenience?
[Bad Woman]:Destroy the world, then rebuild it. Maybe that's the cleanest way to fix such a warped reality.
[I Don't Eat Monsters]:Makima… don't you think that's a little extreme?
[Blizzard from Hell]:Pretty normal for her. In her own world, she values logic over humanity.
[The Shepherd]:Thanks for the offers, but honestly, other than the Horn, none of these options are useful. I'll handle it myself.
With that, Rosen looked up at the monster that loomed like a living mountain.
Freshly awakened and driven by hunger, it stretched out countless black tendrils, snatching up spirits from the forest and shoving them into its body.
Just in the time they'd been talking, it had already devoured nearly all the undead in the woods.
When there was nothing left to eat, it turned. The girls felt its gaze settle on them.
A crushing, suffocating pressure washed over them.
They still had courage to fight—but against something this overwhelming, hope felt like a cruel joke.
Rosen stepped past them.
Up until now, he hadn't actually lifted a finger.
Whether in the apocalypse world or the dungeon world, he never needed to go all-out—their "rules" were too weak to push him.
He didn't even know his current limits.
But he did know one thing: he was stronger than this creature.
Even with its aura pressing down on him, he felt no fear. He was relaxed enough to keep chatting with his guild.
The monster sensed him. At its level, it could faintly tell that Rosen wasn't ordinary. Hunger warred with a strange unease in its mind.
After a brief struggle, instinct won.
Its colossal form shifted, stepping out from behind the mountains, its shadow swallowing the group whole.
Rosen met its gaze.
Golden light flared in the air around him.
"Die."
"..."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________