Good morning, afternoon, or evening to all my readers who follow this web novel chapter by chapter.
If you read the previous announcement, you probably already know that my Google account was disabled and everything was lost, from the completed chapters to my accounts on other sites where I uploaded them. Luckily, the web novel's customer service handled my case quickly, and I didn't lose the account where I upload my content as well. Thanks to that, I didn't have to go through so much trouble.
Regarding the posts I made every Monday, they will have to be postponed, since, as you know, I have to remember everything and rewrite what I had already written.
Also, although no one has done so, I also lost my Ko-fi account. Luckily, I didn't lose my PayPal account. If anyone wants to contribute to bringing a glimpse of the Hentai world for a moment, you can send me a message, and I'll send you the account details.
Well, that's all. I won't keep you any longer, and enjoy the read.
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Polaris stopped barking, replaced by whimpers of concern combined with licks on the pale, slightly cold cheeks.
Immediately, with his healthy hand—since he still had to pretend, letting his skeletal forearm hang for a couple more hours—he grabbed the branch and pulled it out with a jerk.
-Intestine, bladder, and stomach have been perforated, without damage to major blood vessels, so she can hold on for a few more seconds before entering hypovolemic shock-.
The analysis was instantaneous, as was his decision.
Bleeding uncontrollably, Javier took some of the blood staining the young slave's abdomen to write a rune over her.
—Oh, little radiance, you who give the breath of life, grant through this offering the grace of your benevolence—.
As the runic chant and the rune took shape, a crimson flash covered the young slave. The thumb-sized perforation began to close, leaving a trail of smoke in the process.
As the blood rune faded, Javier touched the soft but blood-sticky belly.
—Perfect organs; the waste from the intestine has vanished, and the bacteria that would cause a possible case of tetanus or peritonitis are also gone—.
—Heh, so you can also do this kind of thing; you're an all-rounder.
A glance toward the one praising him revealed a young man of sturdy build, dressed minimally: a light blue shirt, beige chinos, a brown belt, and loafers.
Scratching his beard, he looked at Javier with interest.
—One of the Ryuto clan?—.
—I will be the leader of the expedition, Ryuto Shun. A pleasure, Sir Javier—.
—Likewise, Shun-san—.
Giving a handshake, without considering that they were stained with the young slave's blood, Ryuto Shun simply took a handkerchief from his back pocket and put it away after cleaning himself.
—It will be a pleasure to have you in our ranks; with your strength and medical healing skills, you won't mind taking the rear. That way we can have some relief and regroup without fear of getting hurt—.
—I see no problem. From the beginning, I asked for a spot that should have been for one of your clan. But, I understand that once you enter, you are teleported to a random zone—.
—There is a pattern that repeats, and even though it is certainly random, in several zones the distance is at most half a kilometer to a kilometer. Unfortunately, electrical devices do not work inside, but over the years a magic has been developed that is incorporated into the "Karmic Yawn" suits, locating from one to two kilometers away—.
—Oh, what interesting localization magic. But if the individual dies, does the suit still locate them?—.
—That lesson was already learned from the past. On the other hand, if there are no nearby companions, they will have to move forward alone and pray that the suit locates another—.
—A test under pressure, metal, and constant danger of death. Not for nothing, everyone here already has experience fighting—.
—Even though each clan is individual with different teaching methods, everything has something in common: at the age of five, they are taken to hostile pocket worlds—.
—Mm, I suppose they are protected by the more experienced ones—.
Ryuto Shun nodded and looked at the still-bony arm hanging powerlessly.
Which Javier noticed.
—In a couple of hours, it will return to normal. More importantly, whose slave is this?—.
—A relief to hear that; let's just hope it happens before entering the Exodus Dungeon. Allow me—.
Squatting down, seeing that the insignia had been torn off along with the smoke layer, he had to turn her to see her bare back. There, subtly, through arcane energy, the unicorn tattoo of the Okobi clan was biting a rope that extended to the neck, where a double-tipped horn tattoo was drawn.
—She is the slave of the Okobi clan—.
—Do you know how much they would sell her to me for?—.
—If you are interested, you can—.
—You can have her—.
Okobi Ayano interrupted.
Looking toward where the jovial voice of the Okobi clan head came from. Okobi Ayano, in a festive mood, continuously stroking the Glatina bracelet with her fingertip, was sitting with the other clan heads.
—Are you sure? You spent time on her training—.
—Do you think that slave is more valuable than the Glatina bracelet you made?—.
In a mocking tone, she pointed at the still-unconscious slave. Javier didn't need to say anything more, seeing that in her eyes, they were nothing more than tools.
—... Not at all. I just thought the slaves of each clan were more valuable—.
—That would be the case if she worked within the clan. But each of the slaves gathered here has been raised exhaustively separate from the main branch of the clan, and today was their debut before entering—.
—Oh, then I won't hold back. Can I ask you to remove your clan's slavery seal?—.
With a gesture of her hand, the unicorn tattoo biting the rope around the neck and forming a double-tipped horn on the girl's throat disappeared like a mirage.
—Now you can mark her as yours, and if you see any other that interests you, just tell me and I'll give her to you as a gift—.
—Thank you very much—.
He said, turning his back to kneel and place his signature.
—¡!...—.
-Why do I have to remember her!-
Recalling Yami's words that repeated in a loop in his brain, and as if that weren't enough, he felt her presence in demonic whispers that filled him with shame.
{Why do you see it as an accident? If you keep seeing everything as a mistake, you are very far from becoming the Hentai God that you are. Also, it seems you aren't leaving those useless practices, nor are you getting rid of that ridiculous insignia that would only serve as a print for trash—and that's the best term for its utility.}
Imagining the Hentai God insignia that he had barely spent a few minutes making. The more Javier looked at it, a doubt took root, while he remembered the Temple of the God of Gods and other Gods, along with the runes he could create and claim to be an expert in front of the public when the truth was that he had bought a rune book in the Hentai God shop.
[Compendium of Arcane Runes. Written by Twin Slinfer. Cost: 34 million H-points]
-I can say the expense was worth it-.
He wanted to laugh, but the bitterness, along with the shame of the insignia representing him, could not be compared to even the most basic arcane rune.
Without further ado, Javier used a simple tracking rune on the young slave woman's belly.
—For now, I'll leave a tracking rune. I want to have more time to engrave my insignia on her body—.
A cheap excuse to hide the embarrassment of showing his insignia.
—… Where can I leave her to rest while I'm out?—.
He asked at random.
—Lola, provide her room—.
Upon hearing her name come from Ryuto Korei's mouth, without asking, Lola bowed gracefully, heading toward Javier and his new slave.
—I hope you don't mind that I provide her room in advance—.
Ryuto Korei said to the remaining Golden Fish.
—If she dies, she will return to the hands of the Okobi, and the room will be allocated to whoever deserves it—.
So casual when referring to someone's death, Negima Kenta looked at the other members and, with no opposition, the matter was dropped.
On the other hand, Javier, seeing Lola take charge of his first slave's lodging, looked back at Ryuto Shun, who seemed to have something more to say.
—How about we sit down?—.
He suggested, pointing to where Asai Yuuko and Okobi Esmeralda were, something Javier accepted with a nod.
—I didn't think you were interested in slaves?—.
Asai Yuuko asked disinterestedly, while grooming Polaris on her lap.
—I never had the chance to have one, so it will be a good experience in how to treat one—.
—Yuuko-san, Esmeralda-san, it's good to see you again—.
—Shun-kun, I didn't think you would participate. Didn't you return just a couple of months ago from the "Redeemer Fang" dungeon?—.
—Shun-san, it's good to see you in good health. But weren't you injured?—.
Unlike Esmeralda, who was more flirtatious in her tone and expressions, Yuuko treated him in a friendly manner.
—The injuries were minor compared to what the rumors say—.
Exuding confidence from his posture and vitality while clenching his fist, he sat next to Esmeralda, and Javier sat next to Yuuko.
—Before we were interrupted, your name came up—.
—Mm, talking bad behind my back?—.
—Ehehe, not at all. We were just talking about Yuuko's first time and how we met on the eighth floor—.
—Oh, how time flies. I remember finding her on the fourth floor. It was a memorable sight that leaves you breathless—.
—Could you not talk about that here?—.
In vain, the request wrapped in embarrassment made Esmeralda and Shun laugh at seeing her blushing.
Curious and with a look wanting to know more, Esmeralda continued for Shun.
—If I remember correctly, and as Shun told me, this little friend of mine was trapped in a dead end. When Shun's suit caught the signal from Yuuko's suit, he went to meet her, but what he found was a river of blood formed by a pack of Fox-tailed Lions, torn to pieces—.
Glancing at Yuuko, who remained silent and was bright red, concentrating only on stroking Polaris's fur.
—Did you do it alone?—.
Naturally, Javier doubted Esmeralda's words, seeing Yuuko's thin arms and being unable to imagine a ten-year-old girl doing that.
Shun understood why he couldn't imagine such a thing, but before he could speak between laughs, Yuuko confirmed it with a muted voice.
—It's all true… But!... I had no other choice. Every time I killed one, they sprayed pheromones that called more of their kind—.
Regaining her composure, Yuuko let out a long sigh to continue.
—Surrounded and without help, I forced a route and escaped, but with them right on my heels, I didn't get very far. Luckily, I found a narrow cave during that nearly half hour—.
And as you can imagine, being small benefited me, turning it in my favor.
Javier had an idea of what the Fox-tailed Lions were like, as described in the dungeon book provided by the Ryuto clan. Described with a height of 70 cm—small to have the name of a lion.
Muscles that were not easy to cut or penetrate without the necessary skill or the required strength. The only chance lacking both was to penetrate the mouth or some orifice in the head.
But such risk was not worth it for two reasons: one was that inside the mouth, instead of fangs and a tongue, it was replaced by blades similar to dandelions; these destroyed everything they came into contact with. The only way was the speed to bypass that defense.
The other was that once dead, just like the dandelions that go flying in their season to start their cycle in new lands, these, instead, released pheromones that, once killed, would activate, and their pack would begin the hunt.
Shun added.
—If I recall correctly, in total, we were able to collect about 143 tendons and about 208 tails. Since, because of the way she fought, some were turned to mush—.
—I've already said it a thousand times. I couldn't afford to be gentle just for the sake of collecting material—.
—¡??!—.
—Ehehe… by your expression, maybe you've never seen Yuuko fight—.
Without wanting to be too obvious, Esmeralda just laughed harder, moving her graceful legs under the table. Yuuko was flustered, but without the energy to be annoyed further by that story, she let it pass, while Shun simply shrugged his shoulders, thinking it best not to get involved and let Esmeralda talk.
—The only description that comes to mind when you see her fight is a wolverine. I don't know if you've seen them? But those little things can kill a grizzly bear and, if conditions permit, a pack of wolves. That's why they call her…—.
Catching the intention, Shun announced the nickname by which Yuuko was known.
—Blood Beast!—. x2.
—I will never accept that nickname!!—.
She claimed in vain, even though her fist had hit the table, making the food jump and spilling the contents of the glasses.
—I am more and more intrigued as to why that nickname—.
—In general, a nickname changes over time, but Yuuko-san's fighting style hasn't helped much—.
—The first nickname they gave me was The Swallow—.
—Oh, is it because of your fighting style or because of your contracted beasts?—.
—Mm…—.
A thoughtful touch as her index finger pressed her attractive lips, leaving a refreshing impression.
She clarified with a smile.
—... Both things. I specialize in close-range combat while letting my contracted beasts handle melee and long-range fighting—.
—Oh—.
—Don't be impressed yet; I am an expert in throwing weapons and I have a vast arsenal of contracted beasts, since I am not that strong physically—.
Doubtful to believe her, Javier looked at Shun, who explained.
—Being an arcane mage destroys the inequality of strength that exists between men and women. Of course, if we are talking about normal people, Esmeralda can easily knock out a man who has trained his whole life. But in the case of fighting another mage, besides the arcane level, skills and fighting sense play a large part—.
—She just wants to seem weak; she's like those fish that live in the depths of the sea, using antennae to attract their prey. No, the Thousand-Eye Hunter—.
In a clarification, joining the conversation, Esmeralda, laughing at Yuuko's poor provocation, put on a pitiful face.
—How mean; I've never done that. Shun, you know it, I could never beat you or anyone here in hand-to-hand combat—.
—Ha! Everyone here knows you; you are heartless and a provocateur—.
Yuuko intervened again and shot a look at Shun for him to confirm it.
In the crossfire.
A pitiful look that would make one lie before telling the truth.
One with hope that he would speak with total frankness.
Shun was trapped, knowing that no matter which side he chose, he would end up burned.
Unexpected help came.
To the sound of strikes against pebbles accompanied by the tinkling of rings. Every participant stopped eating and chatting, those who were sitting standing up with a solemn expression.
Javier didn't know what was happening, but Yuuko's hand took him by the arm so he would stand up without saying anything. Everyone looked in the same direction from which the tinkling came.
From the bamboo forest where Javier and Yuuko had come with the monk, there now came a double tinkling and a pleasant fragrance.
Unmistakable, the fragrance of lotus and sandalwood; three monks appeared.
Two of the monks walked three steps behind the main one, who held at chest level a tablet with the word (Exodus).
At a slow pace, with the tinkling of the staffs every time they struck the ground, they stopped in front of the Eight Golden Fish.
A slight bow before them, then turning to the others present.
Javier recognized the monk carrying the tablet.
—Once again, I welcome those who were summoned tonight. Brave mages, may your souls rest and may your death be instantaneous—.
Grim, the words of the monk who, despite his appearance and acting as a spiritual guide—as Javier had concluded during their first encounter.
And yet, no one was disturbed, except for Javier, who was left with his mouth open.
The main monk, noticing, a small smile curved his lips only to disappear instantly.
—I see new faces, and many I still remember as victors, survivors, bringing glory to their clans and to Japan.
Young arcane mages, the Exodus Dungeon kills without distinction and will have no mercy. Remember that the only way to overcome it is to join forces, fight shoulder to shoulder with your brothers and sisters… I wish you guidance and fortune—.
In a ceremonial, funeral atmosphere, very different from the vibrant one with chats, laughter, and pleasant moments.
Everyone remained silent until the priests struck the Shakujo eight times.
(In the root of the bamboo, silence rests)
(In the flow of the water, the name is extinguished)
(In the darkness of the earth, everything is born anew)
The prayers of the main monk were heard, accompanied by the tinkling of the Shakujo as they advanced.
And like a funeral procession, the Eight Golden Fish joined in.
(Walkers of the Exodus)
(Children of clans and blood, do not fear death, for she does not fear you)
Joining them, the 10 representatives and contestants of each clan began their journey toward death.
(May your steps be carved in stone, may your voices be echoes of the shadows, may your sacrifice feed the world, and your glory remain)
(Advance…)
(Advance toward the womb of the void, where only the worthy shall remember the sun)
The prayer was repeated, along with the echoes of the mages' footsteps, mixing into the cacophony of the whispering wind, swaying the branches and the tinkling