Metro Labyrinth - CH 74.2

The time limit – Kukulkan hatching is in seven days.

Therefore, the final battle is set for six days from now, and the first step is to simultaneously conduct reconnaissance and thin out the enemy forces.

First, the humans will be split into three teams and begin a zombie cleanup operation around the city.

The twins were brought along by the Xolotl tribe to participate in the quest.

Giran and Kure, (Kure insistently whispered, “I want to be with Little Shuu”, but I just ignored him).

And then there was me.

The teams are joined by volunteers from the Xolotl tribe. Since they have lost many talented people in the past fights, their main strength is now warriors around level 40, including Makko. Makko, in particular, has acquired [illusionist] abilities such as [Fireball] and [Windball], and adds strong firepower for rear guard.

Zombies do not spring up infinitely. They require resources, and there is a limit to the number of zombies that can be created. Since they are the biggest obstacle in the final battle, it is almost a prerequisite to reduce their numbers.

“It’s useless fighting them,” said Noa, “even if we beat them, they’re still useless.”

“It’s just work,” I said.

They also serve as a weapon to attack. This is also a food catching tactic. The boss golems’ food situation is based on the plan of using zombies to capture their prey alive, kill them by taking their blood and sporangia, and then use them as empty vessels to implant their own alter egos into. It seems that they are from the scheme of being porters and materials. As if to prove this point, we dissected a gremlin zombie we captured alive in detail and found small hairy bodies buried in the sporangia.

I have heard horror stories that certain species of fungi manipulate the brains of parasitized insects to lead them to suitable breeding grounds. But in the case of these guys, rather than such bio-horror stories, it was more like “Go get a contract even if you die! Dumbass.” I feel that it is more of a power tripping. Like the Boss Slime, I wonder if it is the same for Metro Beasts and humans to force people around them to be black when they get big.

Anyway, reducing the number of zombies is the same as reducing their limbs.

In the first two days, we will clean up most of the zombies around the outer edges of the city. The Xolotl will bring back the corpses of their brethren and give them a memorial. They seem to be feeling good about their unprecedented success, and our morale seems to be growing by the day.

—On the third day, however, something unusual happens.

*Whisper* “A zombie over there, squeak.”

Leaving the team to scout the center of the city, Tamiko and I observe from the treetops. There are Gremlins, Sahuagin, Minotaur zombies, and other zombies roaming around here and there. There are also some small Xolotl zombies.

(…they don’t decrease at all…) (Shuu)

In many cases, Metro Beasts have no concept of mating season. They are not in heat all the time, but they don’t only reproduce one time per year, and they are increasing in number every day for the preservation of their species and prosperity in the labyrinthine metro, where the “law of the jungle” is truly the law of the jungle.

I remember once worrying about the dwindling population of Ghost Wolves in the Outsuka Metro, but it was not until I went above ground that I realized that one or two people hunting a few a day was just a drop in the bucket. They were being hunted and killed every day in a race for survival with other Metro Beasts, and yet their numbers were not decreasing because they were increasing by the same amount.

It would be possible to cull them over the years if they were on a smaller floor, like the Ouji’s shallow floors—but on this lush, green 31st floor, they would have no trouble finding food and zombie material. It’s not going to be endless, though, some people might think so.

(But—) (Shuu)

The zombies have changed in their area, or rather, their movements.

Many of them are huddled together in the center of the city. It is as if they are on the lookout for an attack and are putting up a defense.

Is this the Bishop’s team’s response to the thinning out of the zombie population?

What should we do when we see the changes that are beginning to appear on this battlefield?

“Tamiko, is it there?” (Shuu)

“… I can’t find it, squeak.” (Tamiko)

The original goal of the two of us was searching for Bishop and Rook and to measure their level for the coming battle.

But for the past three days, neither of them has made a single appearance.

Bishop may be busy making a more wandering corpses somewhere, but the altar, Rook’s main body, is still sitting there. A golem was caught by [Risk Counter], so if he is in there, he should be caught by the [Risk Counter].

(Is the body of the golem too big to see, or is it resting on the ground or somewhere else?) (Shuu)

“… there it is squeak! There it is squeak!” (Tamiko)

Tamiko pointed to the bottom of the altar steps.

—There it was. A giant wearing a jagged, ostentatious feather-like ornament.

It was Bishop.

“Tamiko, how is it?” (Shuu)

“Um… seventy-two…three, squeak…” (Tamiko)

“ A little more than the jaguar, I mean Knight.” (Shuu)

The golem has no eyes or sense of vision.

The head on the rock doll is merely a decoration.

But—its head turned towards us while sending a creaking that should not be heard from a distance. My back shuddered.

Bishop raises the stone staff in its hand.

“Oh no! Let’s run away!” (Shuu)

“S-squeak!” (Tamiko)

Something is flying through the range of my [Sensory Spores]. Just before I used [Leaping], I looked back for a moment. There is a dozen or so red mycelium balls.

(Seriously!?) (Shuu)

Without a moment to decide where to land, I leapt. A rumbling explosion sounds behind me, and my back is pushed by the hot wind.

Losing my balance, the two of us land hard on the street. We rushed into a melee with the zombies that were nearby.

Five minotaurs surrounded us. They are powerful and tough, like ogres.

“Damn, you’re all f*cking annoying!” (Shuu)

If any more reinforcements arrive, we’ll have to make a run for it, but before that happens, we’ll blow them all up.

—And then, another unusual thing happens.

A few minutes later.

I jogged through the dense forest and arrive at the place where Noa and the others are hiding.

“Mr. Shuu, Sis! I’m glad you’re both safe!” (Noa)

“Amazing, you safe. You, okay?” (Makko)

Noa and Makko greet us. They seemed to be worried that the sound of battle had reached here.

Tamiko and I looked at each other. A frustrated expression must be visible on our faces.

“… what’s wrong, both of you?” (Noa)

“… Well, it’s a long story…” (Shuu)

I picked up Tamiko and put her on Noa’s head. Then I straightened my back in front of the three of them and cleared my throat, “Ehem”

Grabbing my right hand, my palm facing forward to my right ear.

I concentrate as before. And—

A ball with a red cross [Holy Healing] is suddenly produced in the palm of my hand—but it was many times larger than before, about the size of a Chara Ball. [T/N: Chara Balls are ball shaped containers with toys/candies inside. They vary in size from a golf ball to a small coconut. They are usually inside a dispenser where you can get random characters from a popular franchise.]

“Wow! It’s so big!” (Shuu)

All three of them have blank stares. It seems that the story of the strongest Mage in the Heisei era had not been passed after another hundred years. [T/N: Shuu is still a virgin at 30 so he’s now a mage. It’s a joke that if a man stays virgin until 30 he’ll become a mage.]