My mood turned utterly foul.
Honestly, I felt like smashing everything to pieces and escaping.
God, what a life.
‘Fine. Let’s at least take a look.’
I left the isolation room and began examining the Second Gate.
The Second Gate gave off a brilliant blue light.
The ornamentation looked as if it were swallowing the Gate whole.
It seemed to resemble the monster that had attacked the pursuit team.
“Ah, do I really have to go in?”
They seemed to have made up their minds anyway, so trying to escape would be a waste of effort.
But using my body as a test subject is far too expensive.
‘More importantly, can I even come back out after going in?’
It would be nice if there were a way through, but there probably wasn’t.
If I had to look for even the slightest possibility, it would be subduing that monster.
Honestly, though, I couldn’t seem to muster much confidence this time.
I had no choice, but for now, I decided to ask the opinion of the one who had a stake in my body.
“So, would you care to say a word about this fucking situation?”
Naturally, the tentacle cocoon couldn’t speak.
When our eyes met, it looked extremely dissatisfied, so I didn’t ask any further.
“You’re no good because you’re dissatisfied with everything. You stubby bastard.”
So what can you even do?
If you don’t fight, we both die anyway, you know?
You’re really going to do that?
Let’s do our best, okay?
If I said that, I felt like the cocoon really would beat me up, so I didn’t.
Anyway, my problem is that I’m too kind.
“Then shall we go in?”
As I stepped toward the Gate, tentacles rose up.
It probably knew too.
That there wasn’t really any good method right now.
+++
“Identification name Scrap Doll has been confirmed entering the Second Gate.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. It just walked straight into the Gate.”
“Good. Whether the result is good or bad, we’ll know soon enough.”
But the wait became shorter than expected.
Because the Scrap Doll appeared on the surveillance camera feed again.
“W-wait. The Scrap Doll is back!”
“What? Are you sure?”
“Look, sir. It’s been caught on camera again.”
On the screen, the Scrap Doll was getting back up as if it had been bounced away by something.
What had it done to the Second Gate?
Or had the Gate sensed something strange and driven it out?
I wanted to check in person, but this wasn’t the time for that.
For now, let’s wait a little longer.
+++
“What was that just now?”
I definitely stepped into the Gate.
But I came back out of it as if something had bounced me away.
Did the Gate reject me?
“Um, what the hell was that?”
Two possibilities came to mind.
It recognized me as a strong enemy and kicked me out.
It deliberately kicked me out to fulfill its activation condition.
The monster of the Second Gate had always shown itself on the second time.
Judging by probability, the latter seemed more likely.
For the former, it hadn’t stopped me from entering in the first place.
If I went in again this time, that thing would be waiting.
I wouldn’t be able to avoid a fight.
‘No, still. You kick me out immediately?’
I’d been secretly looking forward to it since it was supposed to be the world I wanted.
But I didn’t even get to experience it before getting cut off at the entrance.
No, at this point, it had even blocked the preview.
I couldn’t let a punk bastard like that live.
Before more people suffered, I’d deal with it myself.
“You are a creature that should not exist.”
+++
When I entered the Gate again, a vast meadow spread out before me.
An open space where it was hard to imagine a monster would appear.
I was standing in the middle of that meadow.
The wind blowing quietly felt strangely bleak today.
‘Tsk, don’t tell me I have to go find it myself?’
I have to personally seek out and execute the felon who even blocked my preview?
It should be coming to me on its own and begging, and even that wouldn’t be enough.
No helping it. I’ll play along for a little while.
I started walking straight ahead without much thought.
“It’s not going to try something cowardly like ambushing me from behind after this, is it?”
If it did, I might really lose my mind.
Since I still didn’t know its exact specs, it would be troublesome if I got ambushed.
With the Scrap Doll’s physical abilities, I probably wouldn’t be knocked out in one blow, but still.
The cocoon kept its tentacles spread, still on guard.
‘As expected, it seems like that thing senses something too.’
Ever since I started walking, I’d begun to feel like someone was watching me.
Like a beast quietly waiting for its prey to show an opening.
In any case, the one getting impatient was me.
Seeing as it didn’t attack right away, was it because it recognized I wasn’t an easy opponent?
No, the one with leeway had no need to hurry.
If I were to compare myself to a toy, I was much sturdier and more interesting than the previous ones.
Though I wanted to hurry up, deal with it, and go back.
I kept walking forward, then stopped.
The cocoon seemed curious as to why I had suddenly stopped walking and watched my reaction.
Why did I stop walking?
Because I suddenly got annoyed.
No, to be precise, I got pissed off.
Honestly, I came in because I thought I might have a good dream when I entered this place.
I didn’t think it would cut me off at the entrance, much less block the preview too.
So I kindly entered the Gate once more to personally wreck it.
But the owner won’t even show its nose and is acting like I should come find it.
I don’t know about other people, but I’m too pissed off to do that.
You come find me on your own. I’m staying right here.
To think it picked a fight with an unemployed bum who effectively had all the time in the world.
I’ll make it regret that.
You? If you don’t come out, I’ll lie down too.
“Do whatever you want. I’m not moving an inch from here.”
Just like that, I lay down, using the meadow as my bed.
Now, this is where it begins.
It’s a game where the one who can’t endure boredom loses, right?
Even so, this was much more comfortable than staying in the isolation room.
There wasn’t anything here, but I could somewhat understand how free-range livestock felt.
Livestock raised in confinement might eat well enough, but still.
No, to burn away freedom for a chance to gorge yourself?
As someone who had experienced having freedom taken away, I couldn’t understand it.
Ah, of course, it’s not because I don’t particularly need to eat anything in this body.
Anyway, that’s just how it is. Really.
Perhaps displeased with me, the cocoon was making its own protest.
“How long am I going to stay like this? Until that thing shows itself.”
Rustle.
“No, no, it’s fine. You can do it. I trust you.”
Rustle, rustle.
“Uh, don’t tell me you’re going to let this body die? That would really hurt my feelings.”
Rustle, rustle.
“Ah, fuck! Are you the one walking? I’m the one walking, you punk!”
That haughty thing unexpectedly became obedient.
Right, so you were the type to admit what needed to be admitted?
Compared to Chongchongi, you still have a long way to go, but I’ll be satisfied with this much for today.
You’ll get better. Probably.
“Hm?”
The sickle-shaped claw attached to my left hand was reacting.
It was my first time seeing something that looked like blue fireflies flying off.
Then, I sensed an unpleasant presence.
When I slammed my arm up over my head, a powerful impact traveled down it.
“What the—”
With a loud clang of metal striking metal, both sides retreated.
‘What was that just now?’
Even the sound of the collision had been tremendous.
If I had stayed still, I probably would have taken considerable damage.
I had blocked it for now, but even I didn’t know how I’d done it.
As if the other side was flustered too, it didn’t immediately continue its attack.
Rustle.
“How did I block it? It’s me we’re talking about.”
Rustle, rustle.
“It wasn’t luck. I’m serious.”
I bluffed for now, but if I had to do it one more time, that might be difficult.
I decided to leave it to my instincts.
Let’s wait until the presence changes.
When I stretched out my arm once more, I was pushed back with another thunderous sound.
Somehow, I seemed to have succeeded in blocking it.
The other side must have gotten rather angry, because it looked like it was charging at me.
‘Ah, whatever. Let’s just swing first.’
As I thrust out my arm, I deflected its attacks, stabbed, and began inflicting meaningful damage.
Soon after, perhaps the cocoon had gotten the hang of it as well, because it sent out its tentacles and actively joined the attack.
At last, red liquid began flowing from the thing’s body.
It was large enough to overwhelm most big animals.
“That’s a relief. If your body had been small, I wouldn’t have landed hits that easily.”
It still hadn’t given up.
With a roar, it began charging toward me.
If I took its attack head-on, there was a chance I’d be pushed back.
But if I only dodged, this would turn into a prolonged battle.
If possible, I wanted to end it quickly.
No, a good idea came to me.
As long as the cocoon could slow its charge, even a little.
“You can stop that thing from charging, right?”
Rustle.
“Hey, I’m not even telling you to blast that charging thing away. Just slow it down.”
Rustle.
“I’m counting on you, okay?”
Unable to contain its anger, the thing began charging at me again.
Without even preparing to dodge, I stared straight at it.
‘Now!’
At my signal, numerous tentacles bound its body and began pushing it back.
As expected, they only managed to slow it down, but that was already enough.
“This speed is enough.”
Since I’d been fighting on instinct anyway, I decided to trust my instincts one more time.
If this wasn’t its weak point, I’d be a little sad, though.
Taking advantage of its slowed speed, I charged at it.
It realized something had gone wrong, but it was already too late.
Because the blade of my claw had already sunk deep into its body.
When I pulled the blade out, it staggered, then collapsed.
Then, its body, which had been transparent, slowly began to reveal itself.
“No, what the hell? What kind of bear is this huge?”
Even if you combined most large animals together, they still wouldn’t reach this size.
Seeing its claws sent a chill down my spine.
If I’d taken a direct hit from those—
Ugh, I didn’t even want to imagine it.
Anyway, I beat the boss, right?
Please let me out now.
I’ve lost interest in this Gate.
Come on, hurry.
I’m not joking around.
“No, fuck. I beat the boss, didn’t I! Send me out already!”
No, what is this?
Isn’t it the universal rule that things end once you beat the boss?
Why the hell are you doing this to me?
In petty anger, I kicked the bear’s body.
“Huh.”
At that moment, the scenery of the meadow slowly began to crumble.
Probably because the master of the Gate had died.
Beyond the crumbling scenery, I could see the Gate’s entrance.
It was definitely the same door as when I entered.
If I went out through there, that should be it.
Oh right, I almost forgot.
“Khaaaak, ptooey.”
Farewell, bear.
You loser who blocked the world I wanted and even a taste of it.