Surviving a Harsh Fantasy with Cheat Items (WN)

The Silesie fleet, having narrowly escaped the assault of the colossal tentacles, sped down the Lawrence River toward the open sea. On the damaged flagship, the crew was busy cleaning and making repairs, while gathered discussions filled the air as everyone tried to piece together what had just happened.

Moments like this called for collective brainstorming, and as I stood there with my arms crossed, I couldn’t help but hope that the giant tentacle oneesan would just disappear somewhere far away.

「Takeru-dono, you’re hoping it’ll just vanish somewhere, aren’t you?」

「Well, yeah, I’d be lying if I say I wasn’t.」

Lyle-sensei could always see right through me. If that creature was indeed a creature of chaos, then its movements would be unpredictable. There was a chance it could simply vanish back into the earth without doing anything further.

「That’s true. With conventional creature of chaos, it’s possible they might just disappear out of nowhere.」

「Exactly.」

「However, as the strategist, I must always consider the worst-case scenario. Oracle-dono, what do you think that tentacled creature of chaos really is? I don’t need a definitive answer. Only you and Kaara-san could have any idea about that creature’s nature, so even an educated guess would help.」

It seemed the Mother of Chaos was a special existence for the demons. Oracle hesitated but then turned to Kaara.

「Well, what do you think, Kaara?」 「I believe it could be a manifestation of the Mother of Chaos.」

「That’s the general idea, and I agree with it.」

「But we need to investigate further to be certain. We’re looking for a living sample to study.」

Apparently, Kaara had been scouring the ship in search of severed tentacle pieces. The moment a tentacle was cut, it would stop its life functions and turn into a pile of dirt, a peculiar characteristic of a creature of chaos.

I joined in to help look around.

「Hey, has anyone seen any tentacles lying around?」

「There’s one over here!」

Rushing to the ship’s rear deck, I found a wriggling tentacle, still very much alive, squirming wildly.

「Why is this one still moving…?」

Approaching cautiously, I saw Clementine and Berenice caught in the tentacle’s grip at the center of the writhing mass. Sherry and the others were trying to help, but they couldn’t get close without risking getting entangled themselves.

「Stop it! Don’t get inside me!」

「Why is it only coming for us?!」

I had no idea why the tentacle was targeting them specifically. The tentacles seemed desperate to slip inside their armor, wriggling and probing for any gaps.

We quickly attacked the tentacles, cutting them away to free the two of them. Oracle and Kaara were visibly thrilled at the chance to secure a living sample.

「With this, we can finally collect a sample!」

「This should be enough. I’ll set up the Creature of Chaos Power Measurement Machine right away.」

Kaara said as she began preparing the device.

「Yeah, that’s great and all, but can you help them first?」

「Takeru, it’s not that simple. These tentacles are incredibly stubborn. If we’re not careful, we could get pulled in too.」

Oracle kept hacking away at the surrounding tentacles, trying to pull the thicker one out of Clementine’s armor, but it refused to budge. The whole scene was chaotic and surreal, a bizarre struggle against something both alive and otherworldly.

「It hurts! My chest is going to rip off!」

Apparently, the tentacle had wrapped around Clementine’s ample chest and refused to let go from inside her armor.

「Hang in there, Clementine. Damn tentacle, stop squirming!」

「It hurts so much! It’s tearing!」

Pulling on it clearly caused her pain, but we couldn’t just leave it there.

「This isn’t getting us anywhere. Alright, everyone, let’s pull it out together!」

「Eek!」

With the force of a tug-of-war, Oracle, Kaara, and I pulled the tentacle out from Clementine’s armor with a wet squelch.

「Oh, we’ve got a nice big sample!」

「We’ll put it into the measurement device right away.」

「Clementine, are you alright?」

「It’s… finally out…」

She muttered weakly, slumping to the ground.

Before I could even help Clementine recover, the freed tentacles turned their attention to Berenice. She was thrashing helplessly on the deck, unable to escape as the slimy tentacles clung to her.

「Someone please get these off me, quickly!」

「Hold on, I’m coming.」

The female crew members couldn’t touch the tentacles without getting entangled, so it was up to me. But as soon as I reached out, the smaller tentacles wrapped around my arm and tried to drag me in, too.

「Why are you getting caught as well, King-sama?」

「Yeah, I guess that didn’t work. Ugh!」

「Hey, watch where those are touching!」

「I swear, it’s the tentacles! They’re pulling my arm!」

「Oh no, they’re getting inside my clothes! This is horrible—I’m never going to get married now. I’d rather die!」

「Don’t give up! We’ll get you out of this!」 I shouted, determined.

I grabbed the smaller tentacles, treating them like slippery eels. Growing up, I’d played games catching eels, so I used that experience to pull the stubborn tentacles off Berenice and free her.

Eels were delicious, but these things were definitely not edible. Still, I managed to yank the last of the tentacles off, and we finally put an end to their slimy invasion.

By the time we were done, both Berenice and I were soaked and covered in goo, stuck in the mess of tentacles that had wrapped us up. We had secured our samples, but at quite the cost.

I’d need to wash up later.

「Thank you, King-sama, for saving me.」

「Hah… Of course. But I have to wonder, is it just their nature to be drawn to female knights?」

As I wiped my hands with a damp cloth, Sherry, who had quietly approached, shook her head thoughtfully.

「Oniisama, based on how the tentacles targeted Clementine and Berenice’s armor, I’d say they’re reacting to the mithril used in their equipment. Your armor’s also made of mithril, isn’t it?」

「Ah, I hadn’t considered that. As expected of you, Sherry. Sharp observation.」

「Hehe, you can praise me more if you’d like.」

「You’re so clever.」

Creatures of chaos, including demons, could harness miasma that humans couldn’t use directly. Mithril was a unique metal, heavily infused with miasma that made it glow faintly. It made sense that the tentacles only clung to Clementine and Berenice because of their mithril armor.

This could also explain why I was such a target for the tentacle oneesan earlier; my mithril armor might have been the reason.

Tentacles were drawn to anything infused with miasma. When you put it that way, everything started to make sense.

「I never imagined that wearing mithril armor would cause such trouble, but thanks to that, we managed to collect some samples.」

「I’m honored to have been of use to you, King-sama…」

「But I think this is going to traumatize me…」

The two knights, usually so full of energy, were now utterly exhausted, drained both physically and mentally after being tangled up in tentacles. I decided to let them rest for a while.

As I helped clean them up and tend to their injuries, Berenice looked at me and asked,

「Why is it that you went through all of that and still seem fine, King-sama?」

「I’m not fine, but I’ve gotten used to dealing with tentacles by now.」

Despite how I appeared, I had certainly been through my share of struggles. Just as I was finishing up, Kaara returned with the results of her analysis.

「The measurement is complete. The power level of these tentacles is… god class.」

Kaara announced, her voice serious.

Oracle, who had been quiet until now, spoke up.

「If I combine this measurement with my limited knowledge, I would say that creature isn’t just any ‘Furuki sha’. It’s something far beyond that—a mighty entity. We should call it a Demon God. If it possesses god class power in that form, it’s undoubtedly of Demon God class.」

「Oracle, just how powerful is god class?」

「A god class entity is on par with the Dragon God, the progenitor of the dragon maids, and the Goddess Asama, who created the human world. That should give you an idea of its enormity.」

So it’s literally the same level as a god.

As Kaara and Oracle continued their discussion, Lyle-sensei summarized the situation.

「Then let’s refer to it as a Great Demon God for now. Returning to an earlier point, just before the Great Demon King Ifriil died, he mentioned ‘the Sanctum of Creation in the Great Cathedral of Ravena in the Papal State.’ I saw Holy Mother-dono’s expression change when she heard that. Do you have any idea why that might be?」

Lyle-sensei was incredibly observant. Even amidst the chaos of battle, he had noticed every detail.

Ria nodded reluctantly.

「This is something that is no secret among those associated with the Church of Asama. The Sanctum of Creation in the Great Cathedral of Ravena is where the true effigy of the Goddess Asama resides. I was terrified at that moment, wondering how the Great Demon King Ifriil knew of its location.」

The Great Demon King Ifriil was already dead and gone from this world. Even if he knew the location of Asama’s effigy, there shouldn’t be any reason to worry. Yet Ria’s expression remained troubled.

Lyle-sensei pressed on.

「Let me ask you another question. If that Great Demon God, possessing power equal to the Goddess Asama, were to attack the Sanctum, what would happen?」

「If the effigy of the Goddess Asama were destroyed, all holy magic power would be lost… and the world would end.」

Lyle-sensei rubbed her forehead, deep in thought. This perfectly aligned with Ifriil’s dying declaration to bring about the world’s destruction.

「Sensei, isn’t this a bit too far-fetched? The Great Demon King is already dead.」

「Can you truly be so optimistic? The Great Demon God arose after the Demon King’s death. If so, then perhaps through some means…」

At that moment, the crew began to stir, and I heard murmurs spreading across the deck. I looked up to see a wyvern knight descending from the sky, landing neatly on the deck.

「Oh, it’s you…」

「Apologies for my tardiness, but I have completed my mission and returned!」

The knight declared, kneeling swiftly. He’s the messenger I sent to Ria.

「You’re safe—that’s what matters.」

「Yes, Your Majesty King General. But what on earth was that gigantic creature?」

The wyvern knight asked, still visibly shaken by the sight.

It seemed he had witnessed the tentacle oneesan as well. Lyle-sensei stepped forward, turning his attention to the knight.

「Did you see the Great Demon God as well?」

「Yes, I saw that massive creature that looked like a mix between an octopus and a woman. After it devastated the demon city of Laurentite, it jumped into a large lake before emerging on land and seemed to be heading east… or perhaps slightly to the south.」

Lyle-sensei leaned in closer, intrigued.

「You observed the Great Demon God’s movements?」

「Yes. It didn’t seem dangerous as long as we kept our distance, so I scouted its path.」

Lyle-sensei smiled, clearly impressed.

「Can you mark its movement on this map?」

「Sure, I’ll try.」

The knight traced a line on the map of the Abyss Continent, showing the path the Great Demon God had taken. As he did, Lyle-sensei fetched another map—this one of the Eura Continent—and connected the paths. The line extended straight toward…

「The Holy City of Ravena, the capital of the Papal State.」

「This confirms it. We must prepare to intercept it.」

Lyle-sensei concluded, her tone resolute.

However, I wasn’t entirely on board with the plan. Sure, defeating that colossal creature seemed near impossible, but I couldn’t shake the thought that if it was anything like the tentacle oneesan, perhaps there was a chance to communicate with it.

Just then, Hydra raised her hand.

「May I offer my opinion?」

「What’s on your mind, Hydra?」

「That Great Demon God, or whatever big tentacle monster it is, came from a rift, right? Doesn’t that mean it’s technically a demon beast?」

「Were you paying attention? Oracle, the expert here, identified it as a Demon God.」

「Your Majesty King-sama, I’m an authority on demon beasts myself. If that thing is a colossal demon beast, I’m confident I can tame it.」

Tame the Great Demon God?

That was an audacious statement, to say the least.

It sounded reckless, even absurd, but the idea of a different approach—one that didn’t involve direct confrontation—was appealing.

「Alright, I’m in. We’ll send a small, elite team to scout it out, and if the opportunity arises, try to tame it.」

「Leave it to me!」

It seemed impossible, but I was willing to entertain any plan that didn’t involve outright battle. Besides, the wyvern knight had said it was safe to observe from a distance, so it seemed worth the risk.

Approaching the rampaging tentacle oneesan was still a daunting thought, but if we could find a way to avoid a full-scale conflict, it was worth a try.