《Notification: Help Activated - Rust Monsters are rodent-like creatures that feed primarily on rust. They have the ability to cause rusting of any metal for which rusting is possible. In comparison, their ability has no effect on objects made of leather or wood. Defeating these monsters is fairly easy once they are correctly identified. They display no interest in flesh or blood and have small manastones. No useful elements can be harvested from their bodies. As a result, adventurers frequently go to great lengths to avoid them, treating them as nothing more than sources of significant annoyance.》
As Renya read over the explanation, which the Help Function was so considerate as to provide in such detail, he felt the rising urge to yell.
What part of that looks like a rodent to you, you stupid Help Function?!
Presumably, it assumed that “(Subspecies)” was sufficient to address any discrepancies. That must have been it. He convinced himself that it was.
“Aren’t they adorable? These monsters used to look like tiny rodents, but after I gave them a few tweaks, they’ve become the splendid creatures you see now. While they prefer consuming iron rust, the taste of blood is similar enough that they seem to have no qualms about using it as a replacement diet.”
“They’re practically another monster entirely now!” Renya snapped at the demon, who was gleefully providing background commentary.
Things did not look good. In fact, they were getting worse. The eleven things that came out of the wall matched the headcount of the first two parties exactly. Though their movements were slow, they had managed to surround Renya’s party. Now, little by little, they were closing in.
The stench of rot about their bodies was unbearable, but it was the grisly sight of them that kept his allies frozen where they stood. The best example might be one of those anatomical models so often found in science classrooms, but with dissolving remnants of tissue sloughing off as they dragged their guts behind them, leaving a trail of innards in their wake. Behind the sinew in their bodies, one could catch glimpses of something hard and white. The way it peeked out along with their shambling movements was chilling to behold, stirring up terror and disgust in equal proportions.
As Renya’s gaze passed over them, he was shocked by the message that popped up.
《Notification: Appraisal - Target Name: Human》
Are you freaking serious? They’re still alive?
He bit his lip. Everything about them screamed “zombie,” but the appraisal report showed they were still human. Alien hues of red, white, and yellow oozed out of their broken bodies. They, walking horrors of rot and decay, were still living humans. He didn’t believe it. Didn’t want to. But after a glance at the mouth of those human-shaped things, he had no choice; the bony remains of their fleshless lips were mouthing but a single word: “Help.”
“These ones here are in the process of being turned into specimens… but, as you have probably so astutely perceived, they are still alive.”
The demon’s words elicited a gulp from Shion.
“With that said, though,” he continued, “their breath already contains neurotoxins that cause paralysis, and so do their bodily fluids. If they get their hands on you, you’ll likely find yourselves unable to move.”
“Don’t listen to his crap! Fall back and group up with the others!”
Seeing that his friends were frozen in place, Renya yelled at them and urged them to retreat. The figures approaching them, while alive, were definitely not normal humans. He decided that it would be better to group up as eight and deal with the chunks of meat behind them first. Just as Shion and the others moved to comply, however, the door to the room slammed shut with a loud thud.
“Did you really think I’d let you escape? Why not let the ones out there have their fun, and we’ll have ours, hm?”
“Apply Simulcast eight times, by my power, I command thee! Bolts of fire, fly!”
The instant he realized they were separated, Renya changed his plan. He swung his arm in a wide arc. Eight fist-sized fireballs materialized and shot toward the demon.
“By my power, I summon thee! Shield of mana, repel!”
The incantation created a barrier of mana in the form of an energy field. As the fireballs flew into it, they bounced off and dissipated. After repelling all eight bolts of fire, the barrier disappeared, revealing the grinning demon behind it.
“You’re quick to act, aren’t you? Also, an eight-fold simultaneous activation, was it? I had taken you for a swordsman with that getup, but are you actually a mage?”
Renya made no attempt to answer.
“Listen up! We’re going to take this guy down and then rendezvous with the rear guard! Those four are a terrible match for the monsters out there!”
The four men bringing up the rear relied on the defensive capabilities of their plate armor to overwhelm their opponent. Against monsters that chewed through metals by causing rust, they were effectively naked. Even worse, their short swords were probably equally useless; they were also metal, and therefore would also rust. With their weapons and armor gone, they were nothing more than prey awaiting a slow death at the jaws of their meaty predators. Were they able to group up with the rest of the party, Azu and Renya would make short work of the monsters with their magecraft. If only they could do something about the blocked passage; escape might be possible then.
“Yes, yes, do make sure to give me your best effort. The harder you try, the easier it is for me to learn about your capabilities,” said the demon. After blocking Renya’s spell, he did not make any attempt to move.
Renya, for his part, was confident that he could cut down the demon, but he needed to be within striking distance. Closing the gap, however, required him to go through eleven nasty obstacles between them.
“Renya, what should we…” asked Shion in a pleading tone.
Slowly but steadily, the humanoid forms advanced toward them. A few more steps, and their outstretched hands would touch Renya’s nose. One of them let out a breath. His skin tingled. The stinging sensation kicked his brain into high gear.
Breath. Neurotoxins. He was out of time.
Realizing that he was already within range of their paralyzing poison, he hollered at the others.
“Cut them down! We can’t save them! Rona, can you cure poison?!”
“Y-Yes, I can use a basic level Antidote…”
“Azu, give me cover fire with your magecraft! Rona, focus on using Antidote and healing! Shion, keep the enemy away from those two!”
His command wiped the fear from Shion’s expression, soon replaced by a look of determination. She steadied her trembling hands and fixed her grip on the handle of her longsword. Taking a half step back to adjust her spacing, she raised her sword high, its blade almost resting on her right shoulder, and brought it down in a heavy swing that ripped through the shoulder of the humanoid form before her.
Were her opponent a regular human, the wound would surely have been fatal, but it proved insufficient to end the life of the shambling figure. The strike did cause it to flinch back a little, possibly from what remained of its ability to feel pain. Normally, a wound like that should be spewing out copious amounts of blood. Instead black sludge dripped nauseatingly out of its severed flesh. Disgusted, Shion pulled her blade from its body and kicked it in the stomach. The strike sent it reeling back a few steps. Then Azu’s fireball hit it square in the head. The humanoid form clutched its burning face and writhed in agony.
No matter its shape or form, so long as something lived, it needed to breathe. Having its head lit on fire robbed it of the ability to take in air, leaving it to suffer as the heat scorched its windpipe and lungs.
Shion swung again. Her blade sank into its head and parted it in two. The humanoid form stopped writhing and fell to the ground, flames licking at its unmoving corpse. Revulsion contorted her expression; the sensation of cutting and kicking decaying flesh was nothing pleasant. Nevertheless, she let out a shout.