Metro Labyrinth - CH 71

After clearing out the zombies in the vicinity, we run toward the forest with Chihuahua leading the way.

There is no sign of pursuers in the area. The dense greenery and dense fog seem to hide us, and we finally catch our breath.

“Ah, that… sorry everyone, woof!” (Red Cape)

Noa gives me a tackle-like hug, and I was struggling to breathe.

“Muuu! You jumped out on your own! We were worried about you, IdiotMr. Shuu!” (Noa)

“Sorry, I’m really sorry.” (Shuu)

While feeling tremendous muscle pressure on my torso, I grabbed the head of the pervert who was trying to hug me.

“Guhgi… Little Shuu, what happened to that monster?” (Kure)

“Ah… It was super strong, but somehow…” (Shuu)

Even if you look at me with such flirty eyes, I will not allow you to stick to me.

“I’ll listen to your excuses later! You’ll get a penalty, you promise! I’ll make you do anything I say!” (Noa)

“Yeah, got it…” (Shuu)

Finally, I am released from the pressure of Noa’s Mount Fujis. I was relieved because my brain was getting a little bit overheated.

—And before I knew it, Tamiko was clinging to my upper arm.

“I’m sorry, Tamiko. I made you worry.” (Shuu)

She remained motionless with her face buried in my arm. She looked like a furry Dakkochan doll. [T/N: Dakkochan was a doll that was discontinued in the 80’s in Japan.]

“…Tamiko? Should we get going now?” (Shuu)

“…I don’t squeak…” (Tamiko)

She is sniffling and blowing her nose. She is probably going to cry for a while.

“Sis was very worried. Mr. Shuu was in danger, so, she plans on running to where Mr. Shuu was.” (Noa)

“…I am frustrated, squeak… We promised to be together always, squeak…” (Tamiko)

“…Yeah, I’m sorry. Partner.” (Shuu)

I grab her from behind, gently prying her away from me. Tamiko’s snot stretches like mozzarella.

Finally, I put her back on my shoulder, this time she rubbed against my cheek. *Squish*. It looks like she’ll be on runny-nose mode for a while.

“—Well.” (Giran)

Giran was the next to open his mouth.

“If you guys are here, does that mean you are the ones who found the way to this floor.” (Giran)

“Yes, that’s right. …or rather, why are you here?” (Shuu)

“Well, I think we have a lot to talk about. Somewhere we can relax—” (Giran)

“Mau!” (Red Cape)

The chihuahua was barking, it was the Chihuahua leader wearing the hood. They wagged their tail and looked up at me.

“Tha… Thank… You… You helped…” (Red Cape)

It’s broken, but it’s decent Japanese—but how can they speak it?

“…I’m glad you’re okay now. However, I couldn’t save your friends…” (Shuu)

For a moment, they looked down sadly, but the leader shook their head as if to say, “Don’t worry about it.”

“You… ‘Threadweaver’?” (Red cape)

“Huh?” (Shuu)

I was startled. Don’t tell me they know I’m an [Master Threadweaver]?

“Do you mean one of the ‘People of the Thread’?” Noa added.

“Oh, I see. Yeah, that’s right. I’m Abe Shuu one of the ‘People of the Thread’.” (Shuu)

“A-A-Abe? I, Makko.” (Red Cape => Makko)

“Makko huh. (What a cute name!)” (Shuu)

It was their first time saying “I”? Though I couldn’t tell whether they are male or female. Would they be sexually harassed if I asked?

“I have, safe place, um… Understand?” (Makko)

“Yes, I understand. Is it safe at your place? I mean, can we go there?” (Shuu)

“Mau!” (Makko)

The other three Chihuahuas were nodding their heads in agreement (it seems they had joined him while I was away). It seems that I have won their trust. I can’t see any malicious intent in their black eyes, planning to trick people into becoming their prey, but a beast is a beast, even if it they are magic beasts. I wondered if I could trust them.

I have nowhere else to go, so I decide to accept the very curious invitation to the Chihuahua’s home.

We followed the Chihuahua leader, or Makko, to the east through the forest and arrived at an open space lined with stone huts. There is a well on the outskirts of the well, and when the wooden lid is removed, there is a ladder inside.

The wooden ladder is sturdy enough to hold a person, but the steps are spaced to accommodate the short legs of the Chihuahuas, making it quite difficult to climb down. At the end of the rungs, there was a hole in the ground where an adult could bend down and pass through, and the light from the firefly moss continued dimly to the far end of the rungs. Giran, who is taller than me, is curled up on his back, looking cramped.

After passing through the staircase, we came to a staircase. There are many twists and turns, spirals, and mazes. Perhaps one of them leads to the place where Chihuahua and his friends came out of the ruins of the city.

After a long, narrow flight of stairs, you suddenly come to a stairwell—or rather, a cliff on one side.

“Woah…” (Shuu)

“Squeak…” (Tamiko)

Ouji Metro, 32nd underground floor.

The floor is not as large as the 31st floor, but it is considerably wider. Below us, the earth is bumpy with cracks and ridges. It is dimly lit, perhaps due to the lack of light from the moss, creating an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere. A bird, presumably a carnivorous bird, is heard, “Caw! Caw!” I hear a screeching caw that seems to be that of a carnivorous bird.

An orange glow, which seems to be the light of a fire, can be seen. It is a small fort surrounded by crude barricades.

“Is that your home?” (Shuu)

“Mau!” (Makko)

The path to the village was surprisingly steep. The footing is not good for walking, and strange creatures, some of which could easily be described as monstrous birds, sometimes fly out of the cracks. When I quickly kill one, I am greeted with “Mau, mau! Thank you!” with the chihuahuas overjoyed.

Looking into the crack, we can see many horizontal holes below. There may be an area further down than this, or perhaps there is another floor.

The guard at the barricade and Makko have a mau-mau conversation, and the chihuahuas are allowed to go inside. Humans are not rare, or maybe, as Chihuahuas from all over the place look at us. I had been inwardly excited to find a mofu-mofu paradise until we arrived here, but I was concerned about the small number of Chihuahuas in comparison to the size of the village.

Most of the dwellings are tents. The large tent in the middle of the village was taller than the height of the residents. It is a large tent made of wood, as if the chief were within it.

Sure enough, there is a Chihuahua with an excessive amount of ornaments waiting for us. Their fur is so long and shaggy rather than fluffy, and they look much older than Makko and the others. They were panting and out of breath, and the bandana and robe wrapped around their head were shabby, suggesting that they had hurriedly prepared himself upon receiving the news of their visitors.

“We-welcome. Please come, please… woof.” (Chief)

“Ah, yes… woof?” (Shuu)

“I am the leader of this place, my name is Nai…. woof.” (Chief => Nai)

“Oh, yes, thank you very much. My name is Abeshu. …woof?” (Shuu)

They spoke more fluently than Makko and the others, but I was worried about the end of their words.

“This Chihuahua has a strange way of talking, squeak.” (Tamiko)

“Huh? Huh.” (Nai)

Nai suddenly became very angry and bared their fangs toward Tamiko, barking, “Mau, mau!”

“Who’s a Chihuahua? We are the proud Xolotl!” (Nai)

“Pigya!” (Tamiko)

“Oh, sorry, sorry. How do you know what a Chihuahua is?” (Shuu)

Nai’s shoulders heave as they breathe hard. Are they really as old as they look? Nai then said, “Kuh…” and sat down flat on the spot, so we followed suit. The floor is wooden. [T/N: Xolotl, a dog-headed god of fire & lightning, guide of the dead, and the evil twin brother of Kukulkan.]

“…I’m sorry, woof. Even though you’re our benefactor who helped our Makko… woof.” (Nai)

“No, no, no. It’s this little one who’s sorry.” (Shuu)

“Squeaky.” (Tamiko)

“I heard that Chihuahuas are canine creatures much like us, woof. They are lowly creatures that sell their charms like slaves, wag their tails like whores, and have not a shred of pride, woof.” (Nai)

“That’s some extreme prejudice.” (Shuu)

Is Chihuahua a derogatory term for them? I mean, where did they hear that? From whom?

“So, we got another name, woof. Xolotl, woof.” (Nai)

“Um… who?” (Shuu)

“The People of the Thread, woof. They appeared when I was a little furball and taught us language, woof.” (Nai)

–So.

As soon as Makko spoke Japanese, I thought of this possibility. Whether human or magical beast, language must be learned before it can be used. Language and communication are acquired. In other words, someone had taught it to them.

“Perhaps even the ending of the sentences?” (Shuu)

“Oh, yes. …The ‘People of the Thread’ like this kind of thing, woof… But I haven’t used it since the previous chief taught it to me, so I’m not very familiar with it, woof.” (Nai)

It’s a healthy effort to increase their sensitivity to humans, but I can’t help but feel a sense of mischievousness, like teaching a foreigner strange Japanese.

Even those Chihuahuas probably do not normally use Japanese. Perhaps the chief’s fluency and vocabulary are for negotiating with the visitors who will one day come.

Giran quickly raises his hand.

“Excuse me. I would like to confirm first that this is not the first time that the ‘People of the Thread’ have appeared in this village, or rather, in front of you?” (Giran)

“Oh, yes……” (Nai)

Nai looked doubtful as if they could not tell whether he was a human or on our side, but Nai continued.

“That’s right. According to the Earth Calendar, it was more than 70 years ago. Masuo Oyama visited this place. Language, construction technology, life wisdom, and that kind of thing. Those are everything he gave us.” (Nai)

Kure stumbles to the floor and puts his hands on the floor. Giran’s eyes widened in surprise.

“…Haha, I never thought that Oyama’s ‘seven years of blank space’ would be filled in by this place…” (Kure)

“Kure, do you know them?” (Shuu)

“…For someone from Senju like me, he’s a senior, or rather, a figure of reverence.” (Kure)

“Oyama Masuo, the first chief of the Senju Tribe,” said Giran. “Oyama Masuo was one of the founders who lost his life in the [Demon War] fifty years ago, but his life after handing over the position of chief to his own son has been recorded in a biography called ‘Oyama’s Mysterious Journey’ diary. The story is that he had retired and was traveling around New Tokyo. There existed a period of ‘seven years of blank space’ in his life. So, there was a piece here to fill in the blank. For the Senju leaders, this information is worth as much as this undiscovered floor.” (Giran)

Nai put their hands on the floor and bowed reverently.

“Please help us… to defeat the Gran Golem and take back Kukulkan’s eggs and that land….” (Nai) [T/N: Kukulkan is an ancient Mayan feathered serpent deity.]

Gran Golem, Kukulkan’s Egg. New words have appeared.

“When that is accomplished… We will give you our hidden treasures. So, please…” (Nai)

At the mention of “hidden treasures”, My party’s ears perked up