## Chapter 158 – Kobolds and the Underground Labyrinth
It was a monster.
—Kyuuuuu…
The Kobold Queen, groaning while bound by all sorts of black chains. No. Could one even call it a queen? This massive lump of flesh, swollen to at least 5 meters in length, was more of a ‘mother’ than a ‘queen.’ Or rather, more of a ‘baby-making factory’ than a mother.
The sight of it constantly ejecting offspring from its uterus, which was as bloated as its body, was reminiscent of the queen of termites, stuck inside a grotesque mud pillar, eternally laying eggs until death.
—Squirm. As the pulsating uterus spat out a baby soaked in amniotic fluid, hooded kobolds would receive the newborn and carry it away somewhere.
In the front, there were also workers constantly shoving what looked like food into the Queen’s maw.
This process repeated endlessly.
Overwhelmed to the point of madness, I held my breath as if I had entered a silent art gallery and watched the scene unfold. It was as incomprehensible as a geometric painting expressing the inner world of a severely paranoid patient.
“This is modern art…”
It looked so surreal that it didn’t feel real.
Should I call it an ‘external uterus’? The basic body size was 5 meters, and when combined with the enormous, exposed uterus, its length seemed to be about 10 meters.
Kyuuuuu… The Queen didn’t seem to have noticed us yet. Well, if I were producing babies like that, I wouldn’t care about intruders either.
—Clang!
The Queen, as if in torment, writhed and trembled.
The baby that came out this time was larger than the previous ones. Was it a Kobold Warrior baby? I couldn’t tell. The next baby was small. It would just continue to give birth, as it had always done.
The question of why there were so many kobolds was resolved. If it was churning out babies like marines from a barracks, there was no way the population would be small.
“…It seems that the Kobold Queen has been corrupted by evil beings.”
The Queen wore a black iron crown on her head. And right below it, a hood with an evil symbol covered her face.
What on earth was the purpose of the cultists who had turned the Queen into such a state? The chains and crown, clearly artificially restraining her. And even the hood. It was clear that someone with a certain purpose had attacked the kobolds’ lair and turned her into this state.
“Hey, Darkie. You said your head was okay, right?”
“Huh? Yeah. But seeing that makes me feel like it’s about to relapse.”
“Then don’t act crazy. Slowly. Push the door behind you. We need to get out of here. I’ve never seen anything like that… This is dangerous.”
Winia whispered to me.
Certainly, the violent impulses inside me felt like they were about to explode like a shaken-up soda, but unlike the grotesque monstrosity from before, seeing the Queen’s birthing scene, which boasted such an overwhelming presence, made my fighting spirit droop like a mutt beaten to near death on Dog Meat Day.
To be more specific, it became like a scrotum drooping in the sweltering heat.
As she said, I backtracked and slowly tried to push the secret door. But the door didn’t move. What…? As I struggled, Claudia and Elise joined in.
I had a bad feeling about this.
“The door won’t budge…”
“…”
The secret door didn’t move anymore. Claudia tried something else, but it didn’t budge. Shrugging, she said.
“We’ll have to find another exit, I guess? But that’s going to be a little difficult. I used too much mana with the landing earlier.”
Winia’s expression soured.
“Another exit… Do you see something like a large passage behind that Queen?”
At those words, I looked more closely and saw something like a large passage behind the Kobold Queen. The interior was bright enough, so I looked for other places, but I couldn’t find any other passages.
The kobolds who received the babies were also heading there.
…If that’s the only passage, wouldn’t we have to fight after all?
“…”
What the hell are we going to do?
“Winia. I’ll ask you one more time, you said you’ve raided kobold lairs before, right? What was it like there? If it’s a Queen that big, can we take it down ourselves?”
“…I’ve never seen a Queen that looks so fucked up. The Queen I caught was smaller than that… More than anything, she wasn’t giving birth like that. That’s just weird.”
My faith was shattered.
“Saint. There is no adversity that we cannot overcome if we have faith. Recall your pious heart. Then you will surely see the way.”
“Looks like beating that thing to death is the only way?”
“That’s what I wanted to say.”
Elise, growling aggressively, pulled out her mace. Her eyes were dangerous. Like when she killed the Flesh Golem, her fighting spirit seemed to crave battle.
“Behold its frail appearance. Although it is large, it will not be able to exert its full combat power due to its current state of childbirth. And since it is bound by chains, I believe that cutting off its breath will be simple.”
“Hmm… Is that so? I think it’s going to be a little difficult. More than anything, it’s not like there’s only one Queen.”
The party’s discussion continued.
In fact, no matter what conclusion was reached, the fact that we had to kill that terrible Queen would not change. But I couldn’t think of a way to do it. Winia’s magic had its limits, and Claudia, who was always mighty, was also depleted of mana.
Of course, we had killed a similarly large Flesh Golem before, but that was because Elise already knew how to deal with it, and the rotten body had low durability, which also played a part.
“Then it would be best to approach slowly and aim for the heart, head, or neck in one fell swoop. Since it is currently unable to move, I think it will be easy to aim for its vitals.”
Still, it was fortunate that Elise, whose head worked the best, was diligently analyzing the situation. Her coherent explanation brought the party’s opinions together.
“I’ll do that.”
Claudia said. She decided to rush the Queen, and the rest decided to assist Claudia and deal with the remaining forces.
“Then let’s go.”
Slowly. We moved carefully to the limit of the ambush. Silencing our footsteps and being as quiet as possible. Our presence was completely exposed, but the space was wide, so it seemed we hadn’t been caught yet.
—Thud, thud.
The movement was smooth.
That’s when it happened.
—Kyuuu…?
The Queen, suddenly turning her head to the side, tilted her head as she looked at us. Her eyes were covered by a hood. Surely she couldn’t see us… Ah. Kobolds don’t have bad eyesight in the first place.
Please.
Please shut up.
—KYUUUUUUUU!!!!
But, contrary to my wishes, the Queen began to roar. The sharp scream echoed high, like that of a woman. That damn bitch! She didn’t make a peep when she was popping out babies!
“Tch!”
At that signal, Claudia dashed out. It was an explosive speed, as if she was running 100 meters in 2 seconds. The blurred blade was about to reach the Queen’s neck in an instant, —Clang! That’s the sound it made.
“No way!”
What appeared from behind the Queen were giant kobolds over 2m tall… Kobold Warriors? They were abnormally large for that, and they had chains wrapped around their forearms. It seemed they had blocked Claudia’s attack with that.
—Paaat!
I also ran out. Whatever it was, I had to finish off the Queen first!
Claudia, who had failed her attack, widened the distance.
“It’s a Kobold Guardian!”
Winia shouted and chanted a spell.
Kobold Guardian!
—Fwoosh!
The fireball that flew covered the Guardian. Instantly, engulfed in flames, it screamed and twisted its body. No matter how much of a Guardian it was, it was no match for fire.
“What’s a Guardian!”
“The very first children who protect the Queen! I’ve only heard about them, this is the first time I’ve seen one, so don’t ask any more questions!”
Winia, who explained quickly, chanted again.
—Kyusaaaaaaaassat!
—Kyurururussaaaaaaak!
—Kyusatsat!
But that wasn’t the end of it. Countless kobolds poured out like a wave from the passage behind!! Oh my god, we’re screwed!
—Kyuuuuuuuuu!
The Queen roared as if declaring our deaths.
Spitting saliva, the excited kobolds rushed at us madly. The kobolds who had settled in their lair would never forgive intruders! Because their Queen was right there!
—Kyusaaaaat!!!
“Tch! Katt! Protect Winia!”
Claudia, widening the distance, shouted as she blew off the head of an approaching Warrior. She was about to approach Winia immediately, but, Kuung! Another Guardian appeared from the side.
“That son of a bitch suddenly popped out!”
The very first child, and there’s another one!
“Leave Winia to me!”
Dodging a punch by rolling, I straightened my posture and glared at the Guardian.
There were too many enemies.
I didn’t know if I could even catch other kobolds, let alone the Queen.
Claudia was dealing with the kobolds who were rushing in like a wave. What the hell… Kuung! Another loud noise was heard again. Another Guardian had appeared. Again, Kuung! One more appeared, and, Kuung! Another one showed up.
In an instant, four Guardians, each 2m tall, appeared! One more had to appear to become identical quintuplets! But that wasn’t the end of it. Warriors, Workers! Everyone gathered to protect the Queen!
—Kyooooooo!!!!
The roaring Guardian tried to pounce on Claudia and Winia.
“That son of a bitch!”
“God of Order!
I wanted to provide support, but there was a Guardian in front of me right now. Elise shouted like a beast, and the flames of magic rose again. Chwajak! Claudia also rushed at the Guardian.
The worst melee.
We couldn’t afford to care about each other.
Then I had to focus on the enemy in front of me!
—Kyoooooot!
The Guardian also rushed at me. The difference in height meant that he overwhelmed my physique. How dare a kobold be bigger than me? Anger surged, but if I rashly rushed in, I would be pushed back by his strength and die.
Holding my sword, I aimed at the Guardian’s fist as he stretched out his arm and swung my sword. Since there were chains wrapped around his forearm, I couldn’t do any damage, so I had to aim for his hand.
“Die!”
—Kyuuuuu!
Blood splattered from the Guardian’s fist. I swung my sword and immediately took a side step to avoid the next attack, aiming for the best timing.
He was bigger than me, but I had a weapon. I could definitely win. More than anything, I was the skilled one who had even subdued the orc gladiator Bulverza!
Even if the Kobold Guardian was a little taller, he was no match for me!
I drank Bulverza’s blood and became stronger!
“I’ll show you the skills of Sword Saint Kim Katt!!”
I shouted and charged straight in, aiming for his chest. —Kwaang! He swung his chain-wrapped forearm to deflect my attack, then stretched his other arm towards me.
“I’ll cut you up!”
Immediately, I wrapped around his wrist, rotated the deflected sword, and slashed his shoulder. I was going to aim for his neck, but the distance was a little short. “Shit!” It was pointless to charge in like that. I stretched out my leg and kicked, but the damage didn’t stick because of his solid muscles.
This bastard… is strong!
“…I have no choice but to admit it.”
I widened the distance again with the recoil of the kick.
“You are strong.”
I glanced around. Elise, wielding her mace like a demon, smashed the Guardian’s knee and shattered the fallen one’s head, and Winia unleashed flames to roast the kobolds who were using numbers to their advantage.
Claudia was also blowing off heads with her vicious swordsmanship. Overall, we were winning, but there were too many enemies. There were so many that we couldn’t inflict significant damage on the enemy’s forces.
“Strong.”
My opponent, the Guardian, rushed at me again.
In the midst of the melee, I recalled my experience in the arena.
“But.”
—Kyooooooo!!!
The Guardian, spreading his shoulders like a mountain and rushing in with his arms crossed in a cross, looked like a rhinoceros.
“I am stronger.”
He was stronger than me, but my equipment and skills were superior. I raised my sword and pointed it forward. And, —Paaat! I also ran out.
“Kieeeeeeeeeeeek!!!”
—Kyuuuuuuuuu!
