Shinka no Mi

Chapter 13

Time sure flies, doesn’t it? Moreover, it’s scary that I have become accustomed to it.

It has been one week since the Kaizer Kong, Saria (Although I don’t have the will to call her this), has taken me captive.

…You know, I am turned off by myself, because I have started to think, “Isn’t a gorilla fine?”.

As expected, a gorilla is probably bad. I mean, we belong to completely different races.

However, if we talk about that damn gorilla’s housework, its amazing to the point where I start to think, “Isn’t it better than the average human woman?”

I am surprised.

And, recently the damn gorilla have given me permission to touch her hair, it’s unbelievably comfortable to the touch. Her tail is also amazingly smooth and fluffy (fuwafuwa) to touch.

Though I have been continuously cursing severely, in the first place, I was in no position to do so. I was a bullying victim as well.

Although I have lost weight, when I was on Earth, I was fat, disgusting, unattractive, filthy, and stinky….

Man, aren’t I the worst? If poorly handled, I would be crueler than the gorilla.

No, it would definitely be absolutely terrible.

While thinking about that sort of thing, I realize that I am satisfied with being able to always eat delicious food without worry, it is about time to start thinking, “I need to escape from here.”.

“Seiichi, here.”

“Yes, thank you.”

I receive breakfast from the gorilla……uwa, it’s like we are newly-wed. This is dangerous. My mental state thinks lightly of the situation while I started eating breakfast.

…It is as delicious as ever. If she wasn’t a gorilla, she would be a very good wife.

“That…is embarrassing”

“Don’t go reading my mind!”

This fellow is scary at times. After all, she’s reading my mind.

The Kaizer Kong…the damn gorilla before me seems to be showing more of her personality traits recently, this damn gorilla did a gesture which seems to have remembered something.

“Come to think of it, today, is exploration day.”

“Exploration?”

I ask involuntarily.

“Yeah. Me and the Clever Monkey compete, Fruit Of Evolution, search”

“?!”

The fruit of evolution?!

I widen my eyes in surprise at the words which came out from the damn gorilla’s mouth.

“Seiichi, Fruit Of Evolution, do you know?”

“………”

What should I do?……Should I honestly say that I know it? More importantly, I wonder if I can get information if I pretend to not know it.

I thought about it a little, and decide to pretend not to know about it.

“…No, haven’t heard about it.”

Like that, the Kaizer Kong nodded.

“Is that so. Then, I will teach you. Fruit Of Evolution, amazing. That race, best at growing. Various stats, will be surpassed after reborn”

…In other words, after eating a Fruit Of Evolution, evolution will occur and that race will attain excellent stats?

…Yeah, I don’t understand.

Eh, then what’s with me? Will I become the strongest human being or not? Will my intelligence increase? Will my appearance improve?

I don’t have a human to compare my strength with, and I am still at level 1…As for my head I don’t seem to have any better of a memory, there does not seem to have been any changes to my head in any good way. I am still as stupid as ever! My Charm in status is still blank!… Even though I have already used life magic-[Wash]. I want to die already.

By the way, I am wearing my clothes that the damn gorilla prepared and even took to the trouble of washing it. Even though it was filthy, the damn gorilla said it’s a waste of good material, so now it is clean and beautiful.

Even the underwear as well, though it is a bit different in terms of material, it feels comfortable, furthermore the vines from a tree called [Byorn Juji] have excellent elasticity, and it is a durable material, I used it as a substitute for the so-called rubber in my trousers and underwear. As for my previous clothing, underwear and trousers, because the damn gorilla have been desperately requesting for them, I burnt them with Life Magic-[Fire], and gave it to her.

Well this sort of thing is trivial, these result are normal if you think about it.

It’s not good, I mean. Why did I not experience any evolution?!…Other than the extreme pain of my body. No, I don’t want this anymore!

While I was thinking in that manner, the damn gorilla continued

“I, until only awhile ago, cannot speak. Human book, I can not read or understand. But, at that time I came across the Fruit Of Evolution. And so I ate it, taking advantage of the time when I go hunting, I read human book and memorized human language.”

Areee? Somehow, isn’t the damn gorilla’s result quite good? To the level where a language can be understood……iya, it is rather amazing, is it not?

Besides, if the level does not rise like mine, her level would have already been at 700 when she ate the Fruit Of Evolution. Instead, something like Evolution x 1 is displayed. Strong…

“No matter other, appearance, change. Strong, to become. After.”

“It’s too bad, can’t you speak more fluently?”

It is frustrating to see…or rather, why is it frustrating?…I see, its because she’s a gorilla!….it’s different, isn’t it?

“Sorry. But, my mouth, speaking function, originally non-existent. I can produce a roar, words, different. Therefore, smoothly, unable to speak. In truth, long conversation, tongue tied. Even though, want talk, more.”

“I’ll pass”

It wasn’t the main topic in the first place. What am I saying.

“By the way, Fruit Of Evolution, not more than 10, to eat. Eating anymore, evolution overtake body. Therefore, death.”

“Scary!?”

…Seriously?! I would die if I eat more than ten?!That was close, I was think about eating one more if I ever came across another one…! That means, I already have the maximum evolution and can no longer eat anymore…How regrettable. I was a little relieved to have gained unexpected information. The Fruit Of Evolution is amazing eh…

“I, already have 10 pieces. Therefore, collect again, to give to the one suitable to be my husband, plan to accumulate. Once more, find Clever Monkey. But, someone, stole it.”

…A-are? Somehow I feel an unpleasant premonition…

“Therefore, search again, to give Seiichi. While at it, the snatcher, kill.”

“I’m sorryyyyyyyyyyyy!”

I prostrated myself with all my might.

“I’m really sorry! I am the one who stole it! I was hungry, and I ate it!”

What pride? My pride can eat shit! Survival is justice! I did not forget the law of the jungle!

While I maintained prostrated, I timidly raised my head,

“What, Seiichi? If that’s the case, it’s fine.”

“Th,then…!”

“But, marriage. This, absolutely must.”

“Iyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

That’s right…Isn’t that right!? She was supposed to have given it to her husband and I ate it! I’ve done it now! It’s already too late to turn back now!

Th, this means I have to really give it my all to escape…!

Fortunately, that damn gorilla seems to be going off to search for the Fruit Of Evolution.

I have to escape from this hell during that chance!

Even if just a little bit, I felt that being unable to eat this meal makes me a little sad……I won’t think too much about it.

When I was looking down and thinking about things like that, the damn gorilla showed an unexpected reaction.

“Seiichi…the things I do, you hate?”

“Eh?”

I don’t return an annoyed expression as I usually do but instead, I returned an expression of uneasiness. What happened? Asking something like this so suddenly…

That appearance of the damn gorilla left me bewildered, the damn gorilla then said

“I, Seiichi, like.”

“……”

How many times has she confessed?

“But, Seiichi, the things I do, hate?”

The damn gorilla looked really sad when asking so.

…This, how do I reply to her? She has asked such a high difficulty question so suddenly?!

But, seeing her ask with a sorrowful mood and in all seriousness, it would only be right of me to answer honestly, as a man should.

“…I don’t hate you. Or rather, I like you.”

Yes, these are my true feelings.

But do not misunderstand. To the bitter end, my “like”, is “I like gorilla”. It is a ridiculous thing to say that I love the gorilla.

Cleaning, laundry, cooking, sewing, and for other reasons unknown, she was wholeheartedly earnest to me. It would sound like the perfect existence if I have only heard this.

But…but she’s a gorilla!

Why is she a gorilla?! If she was not a gorilla, I would have been completely okay with it! In the first place, I am not in the position where I can choose the appearance of my partner.

But to me, to be of a different race…and furthermore, a gorilla?! This is too unreasonable…! If it is a human, I would have been able to endure no matter how unattractive she is…it sounds very arrogant when I say it this way, but I do wish to marry a beautiful and sexy woman even if it is without any hope! Is it bad?…It’s the nature of a sad man.

While I was being arbitrarily depressed alone, the damn gorilla who heard my answer returned to her usual state.

“Yes. Then, let’s marry now immediately.”

“…As expected, may I take back what I said before?”

Returning back to normal, I again used my annoyed tone. And guess what?

“Muuu…Seiichi, a shy person.”

“Please die”

This is bad, she’s being extremely annoying. I really want to give her a really hard blow…! However, it’s sad that it’s likely that the tables will be turned on me.

“Whatever. I, Fruit Of Evolution, search.”

“By all means, take care.”

I desperately endure the smile that threatened to spill out.

If I laughed here, it would certainly be suspicious.

Rather, I don’t know the reason why she has yet to have gone looking for the Fruits of Evolution.

“Incidentally, today I will bring back hunted prey.”

“Eh?”

At this time, I noticed a sense of incongruity.

It goes and hunt monsters, and it kills the monsters. In other words, it did not evolve?

“Damn gorilla. Are the meals thus far all things that you have hunted?.”

“No. Clever Monkey, hunt. I eat.”

Clever Monkeys. Aren’t you being thoroughly used…?!

“If the Fruit Of Evolution is eaten, will I evolve immediately upon defeating a demon?”

When I asked so, the damn gorilla shook it’s head side to side.

“Yes. But no. Defeated demon, if level lower than yourself, pointless.”

“Oh”

In other words, is the reason that I am able to evolve easily is because I have been hunting existences that are higher level than myself?

“Stronger demons, I met recently. In the olden days, many demons, demon king army wanted to take me along. I, have no interest in war. Therefore, hid myself.”

Will this be the place where the devil king will emerge? Furthermore, it does not seems like it is talking about that sort of 100 years ago event. Even if she said it was in the olden days, unexpectedly it might have happened recently.

“Anyway, approaching……so its alright.”

“Approaching?”

I cock my head in puzzlement unintentionally when I heard what the damn gorilla said.

However, the damn gorilla seemed to have not heard my words and did not give me a more detailed explanation.

“More importantly, I, question Seiichi, have.”

“Eh?”

“Seiichi, human. Why are you here?”

That’s right. It is strange for a human to be in this kind of place.

“Maaa…many things happened….ah!”

Having said thus, I remembered a certain thing.

“I forgot to make a elixir!”

Yes, I have been disturbed by the Acro Wolf, and taken away by the damn gorilla, various happenings have made me completely forget that originally I was gathering materials to make the [Elixir]!

When I remembered what I intended to do originally and started thinking about how to go about doing it, the damn gorilla tilted her neck to one side.

“Elixir? That sort of thing, exist?”

“Maa, it is amazing as far as human is concerned.”

I mean, it can resurrect dead people. Dangerous isn’t it.

“But, to make the Elixir requires [Heat Rock] and the vital [Resurrection Grass] mixed in, which I do not have.”

“I, have it”

“Eee, that is amazing eh….hai?”

“I, have it.”

“Seriously?!”

When I said so unintentionally in a loud voice, the damn gorilla moved to the nearby bush and started searching for something with a rustling sound, and before long, it came back with something.

“Here. This one, Heat Rock. This one, Resurrection Grass, and seed.”

“Seed?”

The damn gorilla handed me a deep crimson coloured rock, a grass with a contrasting green and white colour and a ordinary seed.

“Seed, don’t know how grow. Elixir, make, I, not effective. Therefore, give.”

“Seriously?!”

Once again being surprised by the damn gorilla says, I tried to appraise the things that were handed over.

[Heat Rock]…A mineral which creates heat using special effect. Apply a light impact and leave it alone, the maximum emitted heat is 120°c. After a set period of time, if not disposed, heat will naturally settle, has an unlimited usage. When the thing necessary to resurrect a dead person is included and mixed in water, if the Heat Rock is soaked in water, it will change into something which is good for the body.

[Resurrection Grass] Grass which is said to have the effect of resurrecting people from the afterlife. But this alone is not effective if not dissolved in water that has had a heat rock soaked in it.

[Seed of Resurrection Grass] If you bury it, Resurrection Grass will grow. However, it is necessary to mix the soil with a Heat Rock and water the seed with water which a Heat Rock soaked in.

“…”

“Da, damn…as expected it can resurrect a dead person, the effect is amazing.

Or rather, the Heat Rock has too many uses. Doesn’t it play too much of an active role…?

But, the damn gorilla is amazing for giving these to me…then I shall accept it. I mean, she said she would give them to me.

“Th, then I will gratefully accept it”

“Un. But, marry me”

“I will return it after all”

“…It was a joke”

There was a pause?! Is it possible that it wasn’t necessarily a joke?! I, I must keep my guard up and be careful not to show an opening…

The damn gorilla turned to face the forest despite the surprised me.

“Jya, I, wanted to ask, understand. Hunt, see you later.”

“Un! Take care!”

I said that really cheerfully with a smile.

With this, I will be free…! Nonetheless, as expected, the gorilla did not consider the possibility of me running away. Fufufu, I’m going to bid this hell farewell!

I even had an unexpected harvest of the materials required to make the elixir.

“U, un. I’m off”

“Is there any reason why your face has turned red?!”

When I sent the gorilla off with a smile, the damn gorilla face turned red for some reason. I feel sick! At least…at least I want it to be a human…!

I see off the damn gorilla until it went into the bush.

Good…let’s go…let’s go…

As the damn gorilla gradually disappeared from my sight, I prepared to move immediately at the same time I couldn’t see it anymore.

For the time being, the destination will be the areas in black which the Clever Monkey and Acro Wolf’s map shows.

And then, I finally do not see the the figure of the damn gorilla.

“Escape!”

I cried out meaninglessly as I started to run promptly.

Hahahaha! It’s my victory! One week…I kept on enduring!

I have tried to escape many times but the damn gorilla always kept following me wherever I went…I was beginning to give up slightly, living with the damn gorilla was just a little enjoyable…why am I beginning to think of such thing…?

At last…at last I am free!

“Hahahahaha! Wonderful! Freedom feels wonderful!”

Un, I think that I am broken if I do say so myself. Tension is chaotic.

As I am running through the forest with light steps, I suddenly felt something at my back.

“?!”

I turn to face behind in a hurry.

“Wait! Seiichi!”

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaa!It is chasing me aaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

That damn gorilla is chasing me at a terrifying speed.

It’s a lie right?! Didn’t it go out for a search?! Then why is it sprinting after me with all it’s might like something out of a horror?! Why is she running like an athlete?!

Or rather, what if it really does manage to catch me!? What happened to the search!?

As I think things like that, the damn gorilla shouts

“No! That direction is…!”

“I don’t understand what you mean, but I can be free at last! Mou, I will not let go of this freedommmmmmm!

Mou, I have already come this far! It is already close behind…

In the first place, if I have to return, I would have to come up with a excuse for running away.

I decide to continuously invoke [Moment] to put some distance between me and the damn gorilla even if by a little.

“[Moment]![Moment]![Moment]![Moment]!”

“――――!”

The distance between me and the damn gorilla widened in the blink of an eye. As one would expect from a skill.

This way, by extensive usage of my skill, I pull away from the damn gorilla and a cave entrance appeared before my eyes before long.

“What?”

I tilt my head to the side puzzled as I gradually approached the cave.

Was there a cave in such a place?

Mou I had already come to the black-painted place on the map which was in-putted in my head.

“…Somehow, the atmosphere is strange and intimidating…”

Without stopping my feet, I approach the cave which is emitting a strange atmosphere which I am able to perceive sensitively for some reason.

“…maa, other than this cave there seems to be no other place to hide…”

Hiding in a cave seems like it will be easy for me to be tracked, but for some reason, there are no trees growing in the vicinity of the cave.

From the start, there was no other choice than to hide in the cave.

“…Let’s go?”

It has been decided that I shall go into the cave. Because I have no other choice, and it is surely purely my anxiety that makes me think that the cave has something. Moreover, it might become harder for me to be found if I enter the cave.

I enter the cave without slowing down.

When I was back on Earth, it would have been impossible for me to be running at such a speed for such a long period of time. But, since coming to this world and thanks to the influence of Evolution, I am not getting tired at all. Hmm…does all parallel universe people have this much physical strength/stamina? If you told me that all the other people that came from another world have this much physical strength I would believe it.

I entered the cave and continued running.

“…What to do. There are no winding roads at all.”

The road only continued in a straight line.

Moreover, as I continued advancing into the depths, luxurious ornaments embedded sporadically in the wall for some reasons are getting illuminated by the flickering flame of the torches mounted on the wall.

……

“Eh, what? What on earth is this!?”

I suddenly felt anxious!? Do, does anyone live here!?

But, I will surely be caught by the damn gorilla if I were to return now…..What to do……

Th, there seems to be no choice but to go further in…

I steady myself and run through the straight road which leads deeper inside the cave.

And――――

“This is…”

Before my eyes is a gorgeously ornamented construct made of black iron…there seems to be a door.

Since the time I started running intently, I haven’t met any demons and thus I arrived at this place

A crimson jewel is embedded in the middle of the door and an ominous atmosphere is leaking out of it.

“The, the hell?”

I back off subconsciously from the atmosphere given off by the door.

“…”

What is this…rather, after coming this far…I can only enter, right?

After making up my mind, I open the door which is giving off the ominous atmosphere.

“…”

When I set my foot in the room, the torch mounted on the surroundings came to life at once and lit up the dark room.

“…”

Nonetheless, the room remains dim and gloomy, furthermore there is a sticky ominous atmosphere which coils around the body making it uncomfortable and it is not easing.

My gaze wanders around restlessly.

“――――This is a first. A human visiting my room…”

“!?”

I reacted violently to the voice which I heard suddenly and fixed my gaze over to the source of the voice.

“Wha――――”

There was a skeleton dressed in a jet black robe which is akin to a black mourning dress, bringing about a contradiction to the gorgeous robe and the skeleton.

“To have been able to reach my room…are you a strong person?”

“No, kefir desu” (TL: Kefir is a beaverage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kefir)

“……”

The silence is painful…!

It can’t be helped!? I am confused! What is it!? This skeleton! Why can it talk!? Aren’t there no vocal cords in a skeleton!?

Although I was surprised, I secretly used appraisal on the skeleton before me.

[Darkness noble Zeanos Lv:1]

“Eh?”

I let out such a sound unintentionally when I saw the displayed level.

Level…1? The same as me…?

Perhaps in the eyes of the skeleton I am showing a considerably stupefied look on my face…Zeanos is giving out a atmosphere of being satisfied for some reason.

“I see… you are able to see through my strength?” (EDN: The “you” used in this sentence is derogatory, something similar to “bastard”. I would use it, but it would make the sentence sound quite strange.)

“Wha-?”

I got found out!? Why!?

Zeanous continued his words indifferent to my surprised.

“It is sheer stupidity to discern my strength. My strength is not something visible. Besides I can deceive you. (EDN: Same “you”.)

“De, deceive….?”

It was at the moment when I was able to squeeze out the word.

“――――”

The atmosphere emitting from Zeanous changed suddenly.

In the beginning, there was a lot of things I didn’t understand about this eerie presence, even though he is strong, he wore an atmosphere where he didn’t seem to be strong. But now, before my very eyes, that atmosphere was removed and his atmosphere changed completely.

――――Strong. Absurdly……strong!

The damn gorilla which is the Kaizer Kong is completely overshadowed……

Reading the strength of my opponent should have been impossible for me before but for some reasons now, what is called the sixth sense or instinct, is blaring in alarm.

Dangerous……this fellow is too dangerous……!

I, for some reason, appraised Zeanos again.

[Darkness noble Zeanos Lv:1500]

“…”

Somehow, the number is now different from the single digit before? Eh, 1500? Could it be that it has surpassed 1000? 500?

……

“Haiiiiiiiii?”

I couldn’t help but raise my voice.

In contrast to me, who exclaimed loudly, Zeanos declared coldly

“…Boring. The first human to visit my room isn’t as much as I thought.”

At that instant, Zeanos merged into space and vanished.

“!?”

Wh, where did he go!?

I invoked the [Search] skill and got completely no reaction somehow.

The events that suddenly happened before me made me widen my eyes in surprise and I got impatient, then the space distorted again and Zeanos appeared in front of my eyes.

“Eh――――”

It suddenly appeared in Zeanos right hand, where did he pull it out from? With a single glance, I can tell from the atmosphere it is emitting, that it is dangerous, the jet black slender sword that he held in his right hand that is.

“――――seems to have been a small fry”

With such a sentence, Zeanos thrusts out the slender sword held in his right hand towards my left chest.

「――――」

――――However, the slender sword did not pierce the left side of my chest.

“Are you okay? Seiichi”

The sword which should have gone through my heart went through something else… Saria.

Instead of my left chest…Saria’s heart was penetrated and she attacked Zeanos with her thick arms.

“Mu…”

At such an attack, Zeanos pulled out his slender sword from the left chest of Saria and dodged directly.

Crimson blood spilled out from the Saria’s chest when the sword was pulled out.

…Why…why…why…

“I made it in time…thank goodness…”

Saria said so in a gentle tone, to the me who stood rooted to the ground in surprise,

And then, Saria fell to the ground.

――――――――――!!!!

“Sariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”