Surviving a Harsh Fantasy with Cheat Items (WN)

At the end of the cave, the tunnel opened up into a spacious chamber.

It seemed that lava had accumulated here, creating a large cavity that eventually cooled and solidified. The circular walls of the tunnel’s terminus were a dark brown hue.

And there, at the center of this cavern, stood tentacle oneesan, a furuki sha. She greeted us with a wave of her tentacles, calling out, ‘oi’.

It was strange to see an entity like tentacle oneesan, who should lack any discernible intentions, wearing such a friendly smile as if meeting an old friend. How should I react in such a situation? I honestly had no idea.

Perhaps I should just say, ‘Long time no see’.

After all, the power of my Neutral Sword was bestowed upon me by tentacle oneesan, and she had also blessed me with rice. I felt a sense of gratitude toward her. However, considering the lingering trauma from being ensnared by those slimy tentacles, I couldn’t exactly offer effusive thanks.

But what puzzled me most was why the furuki sha, who should have resided in the hidden dungeon on the thirtieth floor of the Oracle Great Cave, was now here in a cave deep within the Sway Peninsula’s mountains. It was utterly inexplicable, yet somehow fitting for an embodiment of the Mother of Chaos. Perhaps I, too, had been affected by her influence.

Tentacle oneesan appeared like a beautiful fairy with long hair, but from her waist down, she sported a multitude of wriggling, glossy tentacles. Not octopus or squid-like, but something altogether otherworldly. These normally inconspicuous appendages, resembling legs, could expand infinitely when extended, defying all known physical laws.

The tentacle oneesan I encountered in the Oracle Great Cave had initially appeared as a dry, earth-coated sculpture. But the one before me now was complete from the start—her fair cheeks retained their radiance, and the tentacles supporting her lower half writhed with vitality.

According to Oracle, ‘a furuki sha who has existed since ancient times, older than 8000 years ago, is no different from a god’. Her actions and speech are so muddled that neither humans nor demons can fully comprehend her. She is a swirling vortex of chaos, bringing both blessings and calamities.

Tentacle oneesan stroked her beautifully sculptured and smooth cheeks several times with the tips of her tentacles and opened her mouth.

「Hello, Tsuchi-san! Long time no see!」

Who the heck is that?

Wait, could it be that she’s referring to me as ‘Tsuchi-san’? Her gaze is clearly fixed on me.

「Hello, Tsuchi-san! Long time no see!」

「Why did you say it twice…? And even if you greet me so cheerfully, I’m not Tsuchi.」

Enough with this. Don’t start saying things like, ‘The hero is Tsuchi, you know…’ and make a fuss about it.

Besides, ‘Tsuchi’? What kind of nickname is that?

「Oh, come on, Tsuchi-san. You’re definitely Tsuchi-san, right?」

「An entity that can’t hold a proper conversation, yet somehow reads my mind?!」

Wait a minute, didn’t we have a similar conversation before?

Something about earth attributes, and I think I responded with ‘I’m a Tsuchinoko.’ which somehow led to receiving the ‘Neutral Sword’.

Ah, I see. Because I called myself a Tsuchinoko, in the eyes of the furuki sha, I’ve become ‘Tsuchi’.

I can’t quite recall why I engaged in such nonsensical dialogue back then.

But for now, it’s best to go along with what she’s saying. After all, tentacle oneesan seems to be in a good mood, and it’s safer to play along.

「Ano, I’m Tsuchi. It’s been a while…」

「Eh? You’re Tsuchi-san?」

Why is tentacle oneesan widening her eyes in surprise? ‘Tsuchi’ wasn’t supposed to refer to me!

She covers her mouth with a tentacle, wearing an expression of shock. What’s going on…? It’s annoying. It’s like I’m the one who started calling myself ‘Tsuchi’.

Feeling as though I was being teased right from the start, I reluctantly continued our seemingly pointless conversation.

Next to me, Kaara interjected, her voice cutting through the air.

「Please wait, nation’s father. Allow me to present something worthwhile.」

「…What is it?」

Kaara retrieved an item from beneath her jet-black robe—a square box with a protruding tube.

How had she managed to conceal such an angular case within her clothing? Perhaps her robe possessed hidden compartments or magical storage capabilities.

「Ta-da! It’s the ‘Device for Conversing with the furuki mono!’」

「…While it’s impressive if it can truly do that, the name is rather straightforward. Shouldn’t we come up with something more creative? How about ‘Convo Device-kun’?」

「Nation’s father, is there any benefit to giving the device a fancier name?」

I struggled to respond seriously.

And upon further reflection, ‘device-kun’ wasn’t the most inspired choice either.

「My apologies; forget about the naming issue. Let’s focus on whether this device can facilitate communication.」

「Understood. I’ll use device-kun.」

Since it was my fault, I hoped she wouldn’t use the name I’d casually suggested.

According to Kaara’s explanation, the convo device-kun had been designed based on historical encounters with the furuki monos. It analyzed behavioral patterns to translate the furuki mono’s words.

As I hadn’t personally tested its accuracy, we were diving in blind.

But then again, the furuki sha was an embodiment of chaos. Did their words even hold inherent meaning? Despite my doubts, Kaara’s confidence convinced me to give it a try. There was no harm in experimenting.

With my approval, Kaara aimed the tubular microphone and addressed the Furuki mono with solemnity: ‘Fukuri Sha-sama, please share us your wisdom’.

It felt like an interview.

In response, the unusually cheerful furuki sha nodded gravely and, after a pause, uttered, ‘Sashimi, my dear’.

As usual, I have no idea what she said.

「Allow me to translate. The furuki sha says, ‘While I am not the same furuki mono you encountered before, we share memories and exist in different places—essentially, we are alternate aspects of the same entity, akin to avatars. Therefore, I am familiar with Tsuchi as well.’」

「I only heard one phrase but that’s such a long interpretation.」

And there it was—I remained the ‘Tsuchi’ within Tentacle oneesan’s repertoire.

「Regarding contact with the furuki mono, I’ve compiled records into a database and cross-referenced them. My interpretations have been added.」

「So, it’s your personal take.」

「An artistic translation.」

「Very well. Keep going, Furuki Sha-sama. Why are you here?」

「To view the moon.」

「Eh…」

What was this?

The sashimi from earlier had conveyed some nuance, but ‘view the moon’? It lacked context. Kaara furrowed her brow as she read the displayed words aloud.

「According to the translation, it means ‘I came to see the moon.’」

「That’s exactly what she says.」

Even if we could translate, we still couldn’t understand what she’s saying.

「Wait, Nation’s father. Moon viewing—perhaps the Furuki Sha-sama ascended from deep within the earth to observe the moon. Could it be a coded message?」

「Enough, Kaara. Stop. That line of thinking won’t lead anywhere. Clearly, the device isn’t ready yet.」

Kaara wasn’t suited for conversing with the furuki sha. Perhaps my haphazard approach was better; after all, the furuki sha lacked coherent thought. Delving too deeply would only ensnare us in madness.

Oracle-chan had warned, 「Overthinking the Furuki mono’s intentions risks madness.」. Best not to take it too seriously.

Kaara, who had diligently researched demon texts and created a translation device, was indeed impressive. However, facing the surreal was perhaps too earnest for her. Compared to Oracle, her life experiences remained somewhat shallow.

In this world, there were moments when ambiguity served us better. The essence of the Mother of Chaos will lay in that murky, viscous soup—an undetermined state that might well be the origin of all creation, at least in my interpretation.

Kneeling before Tentacle oneesan, I addressed her:

「O Incarnation of the Mother of Chaos, Furuki Sha-sama, we beseech you for sustenance.」

Previously, she had thrown soil at me and provided grain.

In other words, for me, she’s similar to a food goddess.

We had come this far in search of food, and our encounter here felt like a twist of fate.

My judgment, however, proved ‘incorrect’.

Suddenly, the tentacles tightened around my neck.

Death.

「Kyaa! Nation’s father!」

I signaled with my hand: ‘Don’t resist’.

Whether it was Are and Louise’s combat prowess, or even Kaara’s magical abilities, none could match the furuki sha—a goddess class ancient being.

Attacking would likely result in retaliation.

So, I resigned myself to death, my neck constricted.

But then, the pressure eased abruptly.

The tentacle wrapped around my neck snapped off from Tentacle oneesan’s main body.

「What is this? Eh…」

The severed tentacle was a large, white, rope-like mass.

As I carefully removed it from my neck, its texture and shape seemed familiar. Its surface felt powdery—likely a clump made from kneading wheat flour with salt and water.

「Is this… udon?」

「It’s chaos.」

Tentacle oneesan declared with a hint of pride in her voice.

No, it wasn’t chaos; it was definitely udon.

「Food is appreciated, but something with a bit more substance would be preferable.」

「Substance?」

The furuki sha, who had overheard your comment, expanded its tentacles with a sudden burst. From the cavernous opening created by the swollen appendages emerged an unimaginable creature.

The colossal beast loomed over us, its murky eyes filled with unmistakable hostility.

In shock, I stared up at it. But before I could react, Kaara exclaimed:

「Behemoth, the Divine Beast!」

Covered in yellowish fur, this ominous creature resembled a massive, sharp-toothed boar. Yet, its closest biological counterpart was more akin to a mammoth.

No, even larger than a mammoth. The two sharp tusks jutting from its snout were the size of tree trunks. Its long, metallic-tinted tail, with a texture like salted dough, grazed the cave walls, causing them to crumble.

The Behemoth, also known as Bahamut, stood alongside Leviathan from the Old Testament—a pair of perfect, primordial beasts.

Legend held that Leviathan and Behemoth would battle until their deaths, and the remaining body would become sustenance for the surviving ‘chosen ones’.

Certainly, they fell under the category of ‘divine offerings’ but there had to be limits!

Before anyone else could react to the monster’s appearance, Are sprang into action. Despite my attempts to stop her, she launched herself at the Behemoth like a bullet, her dragon wings beating furiously. But a single strike from the creature’s massive jaws sent her flying, disappearing into the distance as if hurled to the ends of the Earth.

Wait, can a dragon maiden be so easily defeated? A shiver ran down my spine.

「Not only powerful, but also surpassing Are’s speed despite its colossal size—this is no laughing matter.」

「Damn it, are we suddenly in a final boss battle here?」

I drew my magic rifle and fired wildly. The shots hit the Behemoth’s torso, but its tough hide deflected them, rendering them ineffective.

Undeterred, I used the power of the hero to transform the remaining bullets into ‘Light Bullets’. firing until the magazine was empty. Yet, even the small rounds embedded in its flesh seemed as effective as mosquito bites. Against such a massive body, these minor wounds were inconsequential.

「If ranged attacks won’t work!」

Discarding the gun, I unsheathed the sword of ice and snow, Tizona, a legendary brave’s sword that gleamed silver. Infusing it with both the power of the ‘Neutral Sword’ and the ‘Sword of Light, I generated intense plasma along its blade.

Approaching the monster was dangerous, but it seemed the only way to defeat it.

「Takeru, I’ll handle this!」

「Don’t push yourself.」

Louise swung her ‘Orichalcum Sword’ but the Behemoth’s rigid tail whipped her aside. The tail’s force gouged deep furrows in the ground, creating billowing clouds of dust. Louise was sent flying, but she wore the ‘Orichalcum Armor’ so I trusted she’d be fine.

「Take this!」

Gripping the sword with all my might, I leaped upward. Piercing through the swirling dust, I aimed for the Behemoth’s forehead.

Typically, these colossal creatures had predictable weak points. Crushing its head should do the trick!

As I ascended, Kaara continued bombarding the Behemoth’s body with fireballs, distracting it. Thanks to her efforts, I reached the space between its sharp tusks unimpeded and drove my sword through its forehead.

「How about this!」

The Behemoth’s scream, its head impaled, erupted into a massive explosion.

The sound of air rupturing before my eyes was followed by an instant collision with the ground, leaving me breathless.

The Behemoth’s overwhelming neigh was no longer mere sound.

This wasn’t the dragon’s roar; it was far more tumultuous. The scream itself became a high-pressure blast of air.

「Ugh…」

I shook my groggy head and struggled to stand. Most likely, I’d been thrown against the ceiling by the shockwave and then slammed back down to the ground.

My vision blacked out as if the electricity had been cut, but I regained consciousness after a brief moment of unconsciousness. Fortunately, the intense pain from hitting the floor brought me back.

A metallic taste filled my mouth—perhaps I’d bitten my tongue. My eardrums, likely torn, emitted an unpleasant ringing, but there was no time to dwell on it.

I had no sword in hand. Kaara, who fought alongside me, was nowhere to be seen.

Before me stood the Behemoth, its forehead still impaled by the sword of ice and snow Tizona.

The immense beast groaned in agony, its eyes fixed on me. Those eyes harbored a reddish-black hue of hatred.

We had inflicted damage on it. Indeed, my combined thrust, fueled by both Asama’s power and the Mother of Chaos influence, had pierced the Behemoth.

However, our successful attack seemed to have enraged it further.

「Hahaha, what is this?」

I twisted my body, laughing from the depths of my battered form. Truly, a creature bearing the name of a divine was terrifyingly powerful.

Could I defeat the Behemoth now? No, I couldn’t afford to be weak. Louise and the others lay fallen behind me—I had to win this battle, at least for now.

「I’ll do it!」

I stomped my foot and once again soared toward the Behemoth with all my might. Both arms pulsated with the power of a hero and the power of the goddess of chaos.

With every ounce of strength, I directed my focus toward the sword lodged in its forehead!

…But my grand confrontation ended right there.

Before my eyes, as I lunged at the Divine Beast Behemoth, a serpentine tentacle longer and thicker than the Behemoth’s massive body coiled around its thick neck.

Even the Behemoth, which had menacingly bared its sharp fangs at me, seemed momentarily surprised. Its ferocious expression softened into a puzzled ‘Areh?’.

And then, without a sound, the Behemoth’s head was cleanly severed.

The Behemoth’s head flew before me.

That’s good…

However, my momentum carried me forward at godlike speed, and I couldn’t stop. I plunged headfirst into the pink, fleshy wall left by the severed neck.

「Guuuaaah!」

What in the world…

Stuck in the Behemoth’s neck flesh, I watched as its colossal body collapsed with a resounding thud. Even from my buried position, the impact was overwhelming.

Struggling, I managed to extricate myself from the Behemoth’s flesh. Covered in copious amounts of red blood spurting like a fountain from the severed neck, I was thoroughly drenched.

「Ugh, what is this mess…」

As I stood there, dumbfounded, tentacle oneesan smoothly slid into view before me, her face beaming.

Now, should I thank her for saving me?

But the furuki sha—there’s no way she had any intention of helping me. I shouldn’t be fooled by that smiling face.

After all, if she, a creature of chaos, had even a shred of normal consciousness, she wouldn’t have unleashed such a ferocious beast out of the blue.

The tentacle oneesan, perhaps, had simply ‘cut up the meat she had put out’ to make it easier to eat. There was no way to know what else would happen. That’s the way it is with denizens of other worlds.

I couldn’t even verify whether my interpretation was correct or not. Communicating with someone who couldn’t understand me was truly terrifying.

Just like that, tentacle oneesan’s slimy tentacles reached out towards me as well, transforming into a large, pink, fleshy flower petal.

「Ah… I thought maybe I’d be okay this time…」

As if resistance was futile, a swarm of tentacles opened their pink petal walls wide, trying to engulf my body.

I turned around instinctively, and there was another tentacle flower blooming behind me.

「Ughh, not this again!」

I was helplessly enveloped in the soft tentacles. I could only pray that the tentacle oneesan didn’t think of me as ‘food’ as well.

Somehow, I was sucked into the tentacles and went deeper, where I was licked and lapped by a sticky, rough, indescribable, slimy tongue-like thing. It was a lukewarm, slimy sensation that I couldn’t even begin to describe. It seemed like it was licking off the Behemoth’s blood that had gotten all over my body.

I shouldn’t get my hopes up that maybe she was trying to clean me up. There was no point or meaning to this action either.

I was carried away by the whirlpool of tentacles, my body drifting further and further into the depths until I reached a bed of suction cups like an anemone at the bottom.

The tentacle wall that I touched was dimly lit and lukewarm, and it was incredibly slimy everywhere. When I pushed my hand out, it was enveloped in flesh with a squishy sensation.

Wait a minute, where did my armor go? Not only my armor, but even my clothes were gone at some point. What the heck happened?

「Huff, huff, I’m kind of hot and I can’t breathe.」

I felt a strange sensation of heat and suffocation. My body was being enveloped by the slimy tentacles, and I couldn’t move at all. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. I was trapped in a living nightmare.

With the area around my face open to the air, there was no risk of suffocation, but I could smell a fishy, seaweed-like aroma that tickled my nostrils.

No matter how much I cried or screamed, it would be in vain. My mind grew hazy, and I closed my eyes, surrendering to the inevitable.

I gave myself over to the whirlpool of tentacles. There was nothing I could do. I was like a carp on a cutting board.

I relaxed my body and slowed my breathing, finding solace in the surrender.

This torturous ordeal in the tentacle hell would continue until the tentacle oneesan had had her fill of me.