Chapter 63. Mummy Skeleton
An endless sea of golden sand stretched out before us.
The hot sun blazed mercilessly, and heat waves rippled above the sand dunes.
【Pururu】─ Oh. It’s a desert.
【Yumi】─ Just looking at it makes me feel hotter.
【Mysticism】─🥵
【Bubble Bubble】─ That expression is cute. How do you use it?
【Mysticism】─ Secret!
【Rizenova】─🥵
【Mysticism】─ Gasp!
As the assistants’ chat continued to pour in, Azeras and Arachne strode forward without hesitation.
─“The light… it’s blinding…”
─［It feels quite refreshing.］
【Pururu】─ ? Is our little one’s senses messed up or something?
The two began walking deeper into the desert, their feet sinking into the sand.
Watching the 4th squad through Iris, I called out to the assistant, Bubble Bubble.
“Elise.”
【Bubble Bubble】─ Yes?
“You said you wanted to see an SSS-rank monster, right? That sun up there is an SSS-rank monster. It’s currently nerfed to an S-rank, though.”
【Bubble Bubble】─ ??? Really?
【Bubble Bubble】─ That sun is a monster?!
A sphere-shaped monster that looked no different from the sun.
Solorb.
It was the same monster I saw in the plains when we met the centaurs. Probably.
The danger and appearance were similar, though the species could be different.
【Yumi】─ It looks like the same monster we saw last time.
【Bubble Bubble】─ That’s an SSS-rank…
【Pururu】─ Surprised? We’ve already seen it once before. ㅋ
【Mysticism】─🤭
【Rizenova】─🤭
【Mysticism】─ Stop copying me! 😠
【Bubble Bubble】─ Seeing it in person leaves me speechless. I never imagined I’d see an SSS-rank monster in my lifetime…
【Pururu】─ You’re not seeing it in person. You’re watching the broadcast.
After explaining the Solorb monster to Elise, I called out to the centaurides, who had been resting a bit further away.
“Centaurides.”
［Yes, Explorer. Shall I stop resting and begin drafting the map?］
“No, that’s not why I called you. I wanted to ask you something about Solorb.”
［About Solorb?］
“Could you come over here for a second?”
Centaurides stood up, and in the process, Melody Fox, who had been sleeping on her back, woke up.
By the way, they weren’t close yet.
They were still getting to know each other.
【Bubble Bubble】─ Oh? There were other monsters here too? I thought only Iris was left in the quarters.
【Pururu】─ Are your eyes not working?
【Yumi】─ Haha. You must’ve been staring so intently at Mr. Geon’s face that you didn’t notice anything around you? ^^?
【Mysticism】─ Yumi, why are you still mad?
【Rizenova】─😠
【Mysticism】─ Stop using emoticons. That’s a warning.
【Pururu】─ Do you own the emoticons? Who are you to tell us what to use? ㅋ
As Centaurides approached, I pointed at Iris’s screen and asked.
The sphere floating above the desert—Solorb.
I asked if, like the Solorb in the plains, this one also didn’t tolerate killing beneath it.
Centaurides stroked her chin, contemplating before answering.
［Hmm… I haven’t been to that place, so I’m not sure about that Solorb’s temperament… But I don’t think hating killing is a characteristic of the Solorb species. It’s more of a personal trait of the one living in the plains.］
“So, you’re saying this Solorb likely won’t care if there’s killing?”
［Yes, that’s probable. But it’s not certain.］
I nodded at Centaurides’ words.
Just then, I heard the voice of the 4th squad from Iris.
─There… I see a monster.
─［Father, should we capture and tame it?］
On the screen, a figure that resembled a human could be seen approaching from afar.
Floating in the air without legs.
“Wait for now.”
I advised the 4th squad to hold off.
Even though it seemed unlikely that this Solorb hated killing, we didn’t have solid information yet.
If this Solorb also despised killing, and they accidentally killed the monster during the subjugation, the lives of the 4th squad’s monsters could be in danger.
It was safer to take no action until the monster attacked first.
Better safe than sorry.
“Don’t make any moves until it attacks first.”
─Got it…
─［Understood, Father.］
The 4th squad was ready for battle, but they didn’t act rashly and kept a close eye on the approaching monster.
And as it got closer, I realized something.
…That monster looked oddly familiar.
【Bubble Bubble】─ Oh!!?
【Bubble Bubble】─ Why is that guy here too!!!
【Mysticism】─ Do you know it?
【Pururu】─ Is it a friend?
【Yumi】─ Do you think it’s a friend?
【Bubble Bubble】─ Isn’t that Gauntlet, the King of Thirst?
“Ah.”
Elise’s message jogged my memory.
The King of Thirst, Mummy Skeleton.
A monster that once threw a nation in Elemencia into terror.
Of course, it wasn’t the exact same one.
The one in Elemencia had been subjugated by Elise, the Warrior of Devotion.
The chances of it surviving and ending up in this labyrinth were extremely slim.
Perhaps the King of Thirst originated from the Ancient Labyrinth.
“Judging by its identical appearance, it must be from the same species.”
【Bubble Bubble】─ Right? It’s definitely a Mummy Skeleton, right?
“Yeah, it seems so. Even if it’s the same species, it’s a different individual.”
【Bubble Bubble】─ I figured. Still, I never expected to see the King of Thirst again.
【Pururu】─ You keep acting like you’ve never expected anything in your life. Insomnia much?
【Yumi】─ So it’s the same species as the one in your world? Do humanoid skeletons count as human-shaped monsters too?
【Rizenova】─ Regardless, we can assume that monster is S-rank. With its nerfed danger level, it’s probably at B-rank now.
【Mysticism】─ Bubble, is it strong?
【Rizenova】─ Why are you asking now? An S-rank monster could wipe out our Lumina. Of course, it won’t be a match for Lord Azeras and Lady Arachne, though.
Rize was right.
So what if it was a Demon King-class monster?
We had two SS-ranks on our side.
Even if one of them was napping, the other could easily defeat a Mummy Skeleton.
【Pururu】─ Looking at it, Elise’s world also seems like a place with completely broken power balance. Not as bad as the Ancient Labyrinth, though.
【Yumi】─ What do you mean by ‘broken’? Watch your language.
【Pururu】─ Noted.
As I chatted with the assistants, the Mummy Skeleton stopped a short distance away and alternated glances between Azeras and Arachne.
Was it trying to assess the gap between them?
Before I could finish the thought, it suddenly spoke.
─［I wish… sand… Uh… I forgot my lines… Anyway, I wish…］
【Pururu】─?
【Pururu】─ How do you forget your lines? ㅅㅂ
The Mummy Skeleton spread its arms wide, raising a sandstorm.
A clear declaration of hostility.
It must not have much intelligence.
Or maybe it had a death wish.
In any case, it was preparing to attack, which suggested that the Solorb above didn’t mind killing.
In other words, there was no problem with engaging in battle.
As soon as the Mummy Skeleton showed its intent to attack, Azeras took a step forward.
But Arachne reached out her left arm, stopping him with a smile, her eyes still closed.
─［I’ll handle this. Restraining without killing is my specialty.］
─“…Understood.”
【Pururu】─ It’s right for the little one to step up. She’s a god at immobilizing enemies.
【Bubble Bubble】─ I’m excited!
【Yumi】─ That monster seems to manipulate sand, and with this desert terrain, it might have an advantage.
【Rizenova】─ If they were equals, the environment might give it an edge. But they’re not, so there’s nothing to worry about.
【Bubble Bubble】─ Besides, once you reach S-rank, most monsters can manipulate their surroundings to their advantage, so the environment doesn’t matter much!
By then, dozens of sandstorms had formed around the Mummy Skeleton.
And as if bodies were bursting from graves, countless arms extended from beneath the sand.
The Mummy Skeleton’s ability.
It was summoning sand soldiers.
【Mysticism】─😱
【Pururu】─ Oh! So you want a summon battle, huh?
【Pururu】─ Little one! Summon your spiders too!
But Arachne didn’t summon her spiders.
─［…One should be enough.］
Arachne squinted one of her eyes, revealing her four red pupils for a brief moment, and muttered to herself.
Then.
Arachne’s body twitched, and countless threads exploded out of her.
The threads shot into the sky like living creatures, moving so fast that the naked eye could only perceive blurred afterimages.
【Bubble Bubble】─ Whoa, it’s coming out from everywhere, not just her backside.
【Pururu】─ Shut up. That’s gross.
【Bubble Bubble】─ ??
In an instant, the sky was covered by the veil of threads.
Even the sunlight was blocked out, plunging the area into darkness.
And then, the countless threads poured down like a waterfall, relentlessly descending upon the Mummy Skeleton and its sand soldiers.
They couldn’t even respond to the impending disaster.
Like flies caught in a spider’s web, they were helpless.
Even though the threads hadn’t touched them yet, just being near them drained their strength.
The thread prison continued to tighten, squeezing the creatures trapped inside.
The sand soldiers disintegrated back into ordinary sand the moment they touched the threads.
The Mummy Skeleton, frantically looking around in panic, was eventually bound tightly within a cocoon of threads, completely immobilized.
【Pururu】─ Whoa! Our little one is amazing!
【Bubble Bubble】─ As expected, it wasn’t even a fight… The gap was too big.
It wasn’t a contest from the start.
The difference in power made any comparison absurd.
This was the gap between SS-rank and S-rank.
***
【Pururu】─ Just had a meal. I’m stuffed.
【Rizenova】─😃
【Mysticism】─ I told you to stop using emoticons. This is your final warning.
【Rizenova】─😃
【Pururu】─😃
【Bubble Bubble】─ Smiling faces.
【Yumi】─😃
【Mysticism】─🤬🤬🤬
The Mummy Skeleton, still wrapped in threads, was now completely immobilized.
I told Arachne where its weak spot was, and she placed her severed arm on it.
And as always, I began sketching.
【Yumi】─ But didn’t you say you couldn’t draw because you were too tired, Mr. Geon?
【Mysticism】─ Yeah, didn’t you say your wrist hurt?
“My fatigue is gone. My wrist never hurt in the first place.”
【Yumi】─ Then can you draw us too?
“Send me your photos, and I’ll draw them for you before bed.”
【Yumi】─ Can’t you do it now?
“No, I’m getting tired again from drawing.”
【Yumi】─ Then I’ll send the photos later…
【Mysticism】─😠
【Pururu】─ I haven’t taken any photos yet, anyway.
As I continued chatting with the assistants, the drawing was completed before I knew it.
■ Mummy Skeleton
─ Actual danger level: S-rank.
─ Current (nerfed) danger level: B-rank.
─ Abilities: Sand manipulation, sand soldier summoning.
Tap.
Just as I closed my notebook, having finished the monster encyclopedia entry, a voice came from Iris.
─Another… monster… is coming.
─［Shall Lord Azeras handle it?］
─“Understood.”
A massive monster approached the 4th squad, roaring loudly as they rested in the desert.
─［Abrararara! Abrararararal!］
This time, it was a giant caterpillar.