DunMeshi E01 - NF vs. Heavenrend
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# NF/Lazy
# Heavenrend
It all started in a small village.
It all began in a tiny village.
One day, a rumble in the ground caused a rift under the cemetery,
One day, the ground trembled, and the floor of the catacombs split.
from which a single man appeared.
From the fissure emerged a man.
He claimed to be the king of a once prosperous kingdom.
He claimed to rule the Golden Country, which had vanished 1,000 years ago.
He states that the once glorious land
"The land prospered," he claimed,
continues to be held captive deep underground
until a mad mage cast a spell that sunk it deep underground,
by the hands of a mad magician.
trapping his subjects there.
To whomever defeats this magician,
"I shall bestow my kingdom to whomever defeats the mage," he cried.
he offers everything his kingdom has.
With those final words, the man turned to dust and scattered into the wind.
After he imparts these words, he turns to dust and vanishes.
Stand fast.
Keep it up, everyone.
This dragon's all that's left!
We've only got a bit left after this dragon.
Get 'im!
Let's go!
We've prepared for this.
We're completely prepared.
Victory is within our grasp.
Nothing can get in our way.
Although...
That's not true.
I'm really hungry.
We're hungry.
Heck, everyone seems a bit sluggish.
Everyone's movements lack their usual edge.
We wasted a whole day wandering around thanks to a mistake on our map.
We lost a day roaming around due to a misprint on our map.
Then we lost three days' worth of food in a trap we fell into.
We walked into a trap and lost three days' worth of food.
After we slay this dragon, we'll have to go back for more supplies.
It's bothersome, but we should turn back for a bit after defeating the dragon.
Brother!
Laios!
What's with her?
What happened, Falin?
Did she get hit with a confusion spell?
Did they cast a confusion spell on you?
Huh?
Wh...
No way...
What?
We came all this way
You're kidding me.
just to fail?
We're all dead?
We're so deep in the dungeon.
R-Run.
R-Run.
Laios.
R-Run.
You're awake.
Laios!
It looks like a magic spell got us out of the dungeon,
That was close.
but Falin's the only one we can't find.
We'd all be dragon food if it weren't for that spell.
She was eaten.
Speaking of, have you seen Falin?
What?
She got eaten.
Her magic didn't work from inside the dragon's stomach.
That can't be.
She's probably still in the dungeon.
Let's go now to save her.
Hold on.
Honestly, it looks like almost everything we had was left behind in the dungeon.
So we're basically cleaned out.
What?
What?
And what's worse...
The spell couldn't reach her in the dragon's stomach.
Oh no!
She's probably still in there.
I'll go back for her.
H-Hey, wait a second!
The thing is...
When we teleported, we lost everything we had with us.
That is to say, we're broke.
We're what?
And the bad news doesn't stop there.
Chilchuck?
Chilchuck?
We just lost two of our party members.
Two of our party members just decided to quit.
What's that?
What's that?
Apparently another party's been courting them for a while now.
They've been getting offers from other parties for a while now.
What?
Oh, jeez.
Exploring dungeons costs money
Raiding dungeons costs money.
for hiring companions, buying equipment, and getting food too.
The expenses for party members, equipment, and food add up quickly.
We can sell our current equipment and secure what funds we have now
Let's say we sold all the gear we have on us.
to switch to cheaper equipment.
Would that give us enough gold to buy cheaper gear, some food,
As well as to pay for food, medicine, necessities, and new companions.
medicine, a few daily essentials, and hire two more companions?
Do we have enough?
What do you think?
Not in the slightest.
Not even.
My little sister will get digested while we get everything ready.
By the time we work things out, Falin will be digested.
There's that person who once revived someone from shreds, right?
You can come back from being chewed to pieces, right?
Have they ever revived someone from poop?
How about after being pooped out?
Never heard of that.
Not that I've heard of.
I know we're short on cash,
Our financial predicament aside,
but how about some food first?
we should get something to eat.
After all, our empty stomachs may have been why we failed.
We almost died today 'cause we were so hungry, after all.
What should we eat?
Now then, where to eat?
For cheap food, we could go to the bistro on the main street,
If we want something really cheap, there's the public dining hall.
or there's The Laughing Wolf for bigger meals.
The Laughing Wolf Tavern has bigger portions, so...
Oh, but that pub's hard to pass up too!
Oh, but that place has a fantastic menu!
Their soup dumplings are to die for.
They make a meat dumpling soup that's to die for.
No.
No.
What?
Huh?
We need to get back to the dungeon.
I have to go back to the dungeon.
But as we are now...
But you need to eat something.
I have an idea.
Here's the plan.
You two will leave the party.
I want you two to leave the party.
What?
What?
Then, we'll sell your equipment and I'll enter the dungeon alone.
I'll take your gear and sell it, then raid the dungeon by myself.
That's insane.
That's a horrible plan!
Do you have a death wish?
That's suicide!
This way, we won't have to compromise on using quality equipment,
Listen, this way I won't have to pawn my good armor.
and I can get to the lowest floor while avoiding monsters if I'm alone.
And if I'm alone, I can avoid monsters and reach the depths faster.
It's not impossible.
It's totally doable.
It's all my fault in the first place.
Besides, this was all my fault.
I can't put you two in danger too.
I don't want to risk your lives too.
I'm going too, no matter what.
I'm going back in with you!
I'll do anything to save Falin.
You're not the only one who cares about Falin!
Falin is dear to me too.
I'd put my life on the line for her!
I won't drag you down.
I won't slow you down.
You know how strong my magic is.
And a powerful mage like me will come in handy.
Don't forget about my job, too.
My skills are nothing to sneeze at either.
You'll need me to open doors and disable traps.
You never know when you'll need a trap disarmed or a lock picked.
You guys...
You guys are the best.
You really mean to go with me, right?
Are you absolutely, positively sure you want to come?
For better or for worse?
Come hell or high water?
Y-Yeah.
Y-Yeah.
We'll secure food from within the dungeon.
We'll forage for food in the dungeon.
What?!
Huh?!
There are more than enough monsters in the dungeon.
This place is full of monsters, right?
That means an entire ecosystem exists inside.
There's a whole ecosystem blooming down there.
Carnivorous monsters will have herbivorous monsters to feed on,
The carnivores prey on the herbivores,
and the herbivorous monsters eat plants
the herbivores survive off of the flora,
that find nutrients from water, sunlight, and dirt.
and the flora just need water, light, and dirt to grow.
In other words, humans can eat in the dungeon too.
Thus, if they can survive down there, we can too!
So, what you're saying
So, that's it then?
is that we'll eat monsters?
We're really eating monsters?
We'll eat monsters too.
We can't afford to be picky.
Think about our adventures until now.
Think about all our adventures up to now.
I'm sure there were a lot of tasty-looking things.
Some monsters looked pretty tasty, remember?
No, there's no way I'm eating those.
No, they didn't!
There are quite a bit of people who hunt monsters for food.
Are you insane?!
You mean the criminals who can't come back on land?
A lot of people hunt monsters for food.
Even they get hospitalized all the time from food poisoning.
Sure, and they're all criminals who've been banished down here!
You said you'd do anything to save Falin.
They're always sick from food poisoning and meet early graves!
I never said I'd eat monsters.
Well, you did say you'd do anything to save poor Falin.
There's no time nor money. What other choice do we have?
I didn't say I'd eat monsters!
But there's no point if we eat something weird and get stopped by food poisoning.
We don't have money for food. Do you have a better plan?
Run away!
If we eat something weird and get food poisoning, we could all die!
Save us!
Run!
Looks like dungeon newbies.
Please save us!
They're not cut out for this if they can't handle a monster like this.
Why do they keep letting newbs down here?
Hey, Laios?
If they're that scared of walking mushrooms, they should stay out.
Let's make lunch out of this.
Laios, what are you doing?
I refuse!
I think we just found our lunch.
No, absolutely not!
That's gross!
Isn't going straight to mushrooms a bit risky?
Ew! No! I don't wanna!
The dungeon food guide says it's food suited for beginners.
Do you even know if that thing's safe for us to eat?
It's meaty and has a mild taste.
The Dungeon Gourmet Guide says so.
What is this book?
It's recommended for beginners, actually.
It looks pretty worn down.
They're supposed to be meaty with a mild flavor.
Let's go find more space to start a fire.
Gourmet Guide?
Wish we had one or two more ingredients, though.
It looks pretty worn down.
Those steps are from a Huge Scorpion!
Let's find an open space and start a fire.
Could it be that he...
I wish we had a few more ingredients, though.
Despite being a dungeon, many people come and go,
Hear that scuttling? That's a huge scorpion!
making it a bustling place for adventurers and merchants.
At least someone's enjoying themselves.
A former cemetery,
While it may be part of the dungeon,
it was once a sacred place where villagers slept in peace.
this section is always bustling with adventurers and merchants.
But once it was connected to the dungeon six years ago,
It used to be a quiet graveyard
it became the liveliest place in the village.
where the villagers' ancestors were laid to rest.
They say monsters emerge from the depths of the dungeon.
Six years ago, it was connected to the dungeon proper,
It is unclear whether a forbidden spell transformed terrestrial creatures
and has become a bustling marketplace.
or if they were summoned from the world of monsters.
They say monsters come from the depths of the dungeon.
But they all have an odd appearance
It's unclear whether they're creatures from the surface transformed by dark magic,
and attack humans as if they have something to protect.
or fiends summoned from some dark realm.
But that served as the only proof we have that the cursed, formerly prosperous capital truly exists.
Either way, they look strange and attack without hesitation,
Don't kill it like a crayfish.
as if they're protecting something.
This is how you catch it, so it's easier than a crayfish.
If these monsters can exist deep below the dungeon floor,
Hey.
so too could the cursed Golden City.
You've been looking for a chance to eat monsters for a while, haven't you?
You caught it like a crayfish.
But that doesn't change the fact that I want to save my sister.
That's how it's done. And actually, it's easier than a crayfish.
Yeah, okay.
Sorry to interrupt.
I've never told you this, but I love monsters.
But you seem a little too into this.
from their appearance and cries to their ecology.
Is eating monsters some kind of weird fantasy of yours?
I soon wanted to know their taste.
Saving my poor sister is the only thing on my mind.
Sure it is.
All right, I admit it.
I do love monsters.
I love how they look, how they sound, how they live, and...
I've always wondered how they'd taste.
He's a psychopath.
He's a psychopath.
Shouldn't we do this where there are fewer people?
Do we have to cook this right here with everyone staring at us?
It's hard to go back and forth for water.
It's more practical than making trips back for water.
So, how do we eat these?
All right, how do we cook it?
Let's try an orthodox approach.
I was thinking we could boil it.
What's wrong?
What happened?
It's easy to cut from above, but there's resistance from the side.
It's easy to cut vertically, but cutting across is hard.
When we fight against mushroom-type monsters, slashing diagonally or horizontally might be less effective.
That means diagonal and horizontal slashes will have little effect on walking mushrooms!
That's good to know.
That means diagonal and horizontal slashes will have little effect on walking mushrooms!
It looks like food if you slice it up.
That means diagonal and horizontal slashes will have little effect on walking mushrooms!
I don't see it.
That means diagonal and horizontal slashes will have little effect on walking mushrooms!
That means diagonal and horizontal slashes will have little effect on walking mushrooms!
That means diagonal and horizontal slashes will have little effect on walking mushrooms!
That means diagonal and horizontal slashes will have little effect on walking mushrooms!
m 0 3.21 l 4.75 50.38 5.91 51.2 12.23 0
m 1.22 9.7 b 0 36.8 2.79 71.79 2.79 71.79 l 14.78 73.69 b 14.78 74.41 18.01 16.82 10.22 0 m 25.59 25.68 l 23.1 72.75 64.77 74.46 b 64.77 74.46 67.95 59.34 64.36 26.12 m 1.88 101.92 l 4.78 148.69 22.28 148.41 16.99 100.1 m 22.61 101.32 l 22.33 148.36 62.28 171.11 b 71.53 136.92 69.92 117.09 63.48 87.29
m 3.09 0 b 1.35 19.83 2.5 40.11 3.09 52.75 l 22.95 53.99 b 22.95 53.99 25.5 22.85 22.57 0.78 m 3.58 76.01 b 0 94.75 4.22 124.39 4.22 124.21 l 24.19 126.69 b 25.47 123.92 26.37 96.73 23.38 71.98
m 4.65 1.2 b 0 23.12 3.74 45.24 5.06 48 l 19.24 48.81 b 19.24 48.81 22.38 27.77 18.03 0 m 5.29 76.57 b 0.24 94.46 4.75 123.89 4.75 123.89 l 19.48 124.21 b 21.79 119.88 23.31 101.77 18.98 73.49
m 2.2 0.15 b 0 24.07 1.78 46.32 4.56 49.4 l 12.26 50.73 b 12.26 50.73 15.32 21.71 12.38 0 m 4.27 77.05 b 2.24 99.58 3.68 119.65 5.41 124.22 l 12.26 124.08 b 13.74 122.77 16.81 106.89 12.4 76.16
m 4.42 0 b 0 23.77 2.36 42.96 4.43 45.98 l 8.5 47.42 b 11.83 45.65 13.53 29.05 10.89 0.03 m 2.23 74.16 b 0.08 95.89 1.2 118.74 1.2 118.74 l 8.8 122.53 b 10.51 118.56 12.19 98.44 9.09 72.1
That's good to know.
It looks more like food now that it's sliced.
No, it doesn't.
Hey, hold on!
Hey, hold on!
We're eating it as is? What about the venom?
You're cooking the whole thing? Aren't they poisonous?
This scorpion's venom is safe to eat.
Rest assured, this scorpion's venom is safe to eat.
Really?
You sure?
That's what the book said, so I want to try it.
Yep, the guide says so.
Blech.
Blargh.
Told you.
Geez.
Hold it right there.
I knew it.
Scorpion Hot Pot, eh?
Excuse me, folks.
But that method leaves much to be desired.
A scorpion hot pot, eh?
Can't say I agree with your method, though.
Who are you?
Who are you?
When you eat this monster,
These have to be prepared for cooking.
you must cut off the pincers, head, and legs.
You have to chop off the pincers, head, legs, and especially tail.
The tail will upset your stomach.
The tail gives you the runs.
The book said it'd be fine.
But the guide said it was safe to eat.
Or rather it just tastes bad.
You won't die, but it tastes like ass.
Also, cut up the body as well.
Next, you have to slice the sucker up
It'll cook through more easily, and the juices create a delicious broth.
so it heats even, the juices can seep out, and it ends up tastier.
It's easier to eat too.
Easier to eat, too.
And take out the internal organs.
Then you pull out the guts, like so.
They're bitter and have an awful texture.
They're bitter and the texture's all wrong.
As for the Walking Mushroom, throw out the bottom and three centimeters from the surface.
As for the walking mushroom, skin it and lose the butt, save the feet and throw 'em in the pot.
The feet are tasty, so keep those.
They're delish.
The feet are tasty?
The feet taste good, huh?
Yeah, they have a nice, unique smell, right?
Take a whiff.
The smell of the feet, huh?
Nice an' unique, ain't it?
This pot is too small.
Mushroom foot sniffer.
Let's use mine.
This pot's a tad too small.
You sure are prepared.
Let's use mine.
It feels like it's missing something.
You're weirdly prepared.
Here.
It'll be bland with just scorpion and mushroom.
Wait, there's no way I'll eat that.
Add this.
Hold on! You can't put those in!
Marcille?
Marcille?
Not in a million years.
There's no way I'm eating that!
This is a cemetery, you know.
Look around. This is a graveyard!
Even if I'm okay with monsters,
I'll eat a monster if I have to,
plants with roots are out of the question.
but not plants that grew on top of corpses!
Doesn't it look good enough with just this?
I'm sure this tastes just fine on its own!
And who the hell are you?
Who the hell are you anyway?
Marcille!
Marcille!
Look up!
Above!
What?
Above?
A Slime!
A slime!
Dammit, it's covering my face.
Crap, it's covering my face.
Oh no, I can't cast any spells.
I can't cast my spells now.
Thinking back, my first death was to a Slime.
This reminds me, the first time I ever died was thanks to a slime.
Are you okay?
Are you okay?
Yeah.
I'm fine.
It got in my nose, though.
A little got up my nose, though.
Blow it out.
Use my hanky.
You got rid of a Slime with just a knife?
I had no idea you could kill those with a knife.
It's simple if you know its composition.
It's easy if you know how its organs are laid out.
They may look amorphous,
Sure, it looks like a globby ooze,
but their composition is actually more structured than humans.
but it's actually not that different from a human.
This is the inside of a Slime.
This 'ere is how their organs are arranged.
Compared to humans, the stomach is flipped and covers its internal organs and head with digestive fluids.
Compared to human anatomy,
It senses the breathing of its prey and springs into action.
it's like turning your stomach inside-out and enveloping your head and organs in digestive fluid.
So you're an easier target if you shout in a loud voice.
They can sense your breathing and'll leap into action when you exhale.
It's not edible like this,
That's why if you pitch a fit like the good lady here,
but you can add citrus juice, and wash it thoroughly in hot water.
you get slimed.
Then, wipe off the moisture or rub it in salt and dry it in the sun.
You can't eat these raw.
This makes a delicious delicacy.
You first have to wash it with hot water and a splash of citrus juice.
If possible, it's best to let it fast for two weeks.
Then, you can either pat it dry or rub some salt on it and let it dry in the sun.
Drying it takes time too.
It makes for one mighty delicacy, I tell ya.
This is a portable Slime drying net that I made myself.
If you can, starve it for two weeks before drying it.
Sandwich it like this
I promise the taste is worth the wait.
and it dries as you walk around.
By the way, this is a portable slime dryer I made myself.
It takes time until it's ready,
Just lock it in there like so,
but here's the final product.
and it will dry out nicely as you're walking around.
Let's add this for today.
It will be a while before that one's good,
But isn't it a delicacy?
but this one's ready to go.
It's fine.
We'll add it to your pot.
I've researched monster food in this dungeon for over ten years.
Thanks, but can you spare it?
Nothing makes me happier than to hear someone is interested in Monster cuisine.
Sure.
You've no idea how happy I am to find a fellow soul who loves monster food as much as I do.
I've been studying the monsters in here and how to cook 'em up for over ten years now.
Ten years?
Ten years?
Was the dungeon here that long?
Has this dungeon been around for that long?
Well, sit tight.
I'll have this ready in a jiffy.
It's ready.
It's ready.
Boiled Huge Scorpions turn red, huh?
So huge scorpions turn red when boiled?
It feels so different seeing it in person.
This turned out better than the recipe looked in the guide.
It smells kind of delicious.
This shouldn't smell as good as it does.
The meat contracts when cooked,
Cook it long enough and the heat shrinks the meat in the shell.
so it comes apart easily.
Makes it easier to pull out.
You're right.
You're right.
This is delicious!
Isn't it?
It tastes so different based on how you cook it.
Right?
It's so good! I'm shocked!
Right?!
Give me some too.
What is this?
Dried Slime innards.
It's good!
It's good!
So, this is how you eat Slimes?
I know, ain't it?
It also tastes good soaked in fruit juice.
All that prepwork really brought out the flavor!
And these tree roots are so nice and fluffy.
I know, didn't it?
They're not technically roots.
Mm! It tastes so good!
They're tree trunks that grow upside down in the dungeon.
I know, doesn't it?
This algae is so soft and tasty.
Fine! I'll try it!
Does this grow in the dungeon too?
What are these?
That's just normal algae that grows in humid places.
Dried slime innards.
I can't believe all this is from the dungeon we've been walking through.
Wow, so good!
I'm stuffed.
I never thought a slime could taste so good.
We still haven't heard your name.
They taste even better soaked in fruit juice.
My name is Senshi.
Mm. These yummy roots you put in are nice and fluffy.
It means "researcher" in Dwarvish.
Technically, those aren't roots.
I'm Laios.
They're the stems of a plant that grows upside down in the dungeon.
That's Marcille the magic-user and Chilchuck the picklock.
This algae is soft and delicious, too.
Looks like you're on a mission.
Is it also a dungeon plant?
Yes, that's right.
Nah, that's just plain old algae. You find it wherever it's dank.
One of our companions got eaten by a monster in the lower levels.
All this time and I never knew this dungeon had so much yummy stuff in it.
We want to save her before she gets digested.
Phew! I'm stuffed.
By a monster? What kind?
Perhaps now is a good time for introductions.
A dragon with deep-red scales.
The name's Senshi.
Deep-red scales?
It means "seeker" in Dwarvish.
The Red Dragon?
My name's Laios.
To maintain their large bodies, dragons spend most of their days sleeping.
That's Marcille, the mage, and Chilchuck, the picklock.
They also digest much more slowly than other monsters.
Something tells me you three are on a mission.
I hope so.
Oh, well...
A member of our party got eaten by a monster on the lower levels.
We have to save her before she gets digested.
By a monster? What kind was it?
A dragon. Covered in crimson scales.
Crimson scales on a lower level?
That's the Red Dragon.
I hear dragons mostly sleep 'cause they're so big and need to conserve their energy.
Their digestion should be far slower than other monsters.
I sure hope that's true.
Please.
Please.
Would you allow me to accompany you?
Would you allow me to join your party?
You're more than welcome to.
Of course, we'd love to have you along.
It'd be a huge help to us as well.
You'd be a great help.
Really?
I would? Fantastic.
Thank you.
Thanks so much.
Likewise.
No. Thank you.
I've dreamt of cooking the Red Dragon for many years.
Cooking the Red Dragon's been a dream of mine for years now.
The Red Dragon.
So many possible recipes...
Maybe I should go for the traditional steak, or perhaps a burger.
Steaks or hamburgers are classic and easy enough.
Shabu-shabu is great too.
Hot pot would be amazing, too.
No, if I have eggs, a Dragon and Egg bowl would be good.
Or maybe we could have it on rice with eggs as long as we have enough eggs...
Is it okay to eat that?
"Is it right to eat what ate one of us?"
It was on everyone's mind, but no one said a word.
The thought crossed everyone's minds then, but no one said anything.
Second basement floor.
The second floor.
Unlike the cemetery on the first basement floor,
Here, strange vistas stretch before them,
an abnormal view spreads out before them.
unlike the village's musty catacombs on the first floor.
According to academics,
Scholars say this is the tallest tower of the Golden Castle, stretching up from deep below.
this is the spire of the Golden Castle, which is located deep underground.
Coming here always makes me wonder,
I've always wondered about this,
how come these tall trees don't poke through to the surface?
but how do those trees not go above ground at this height?
Maybe the curse on this place won't let 'em.
Well, a curse made this dungeon.
You okay there, Marcille?
Marcille, are you okay?
Yeah, my foot got stuck on a plank.
I tripped on a gap in the bridge.
We've been walking a while now.
We've walked quite a way.
We should rest.
You must be tired.
Let's find a place to set up camp and get some sleep.
Let's find a campsite and stop early for today.
Hey, do you remember that time we spent the night here in one of the hollowed-out trees?
We spent a night in a hollow tree here before, didn't we?
Yeah, I do.
Yeah, we did.
I tried making pork soup and got burned so bad.
I burned myself trying to make pork soup.
Soup...
Soup...
Are you hungry?
Are you hungry?
I have some scorpion broth from lunch today.
I got some of that scorpion broth from lunch if you want.
I don't want it.
No, thanks.
Well, then.
Oh, I know.
Let's go hunt a monster for dinner.
We should hunt ourselves a monster for dinner.
Jeez.
What would you like to eat instead, then?
What're you in the mood for?
Huh?
What?
If you're craving something, I'll try making that.
I'll do my best to match your request.
That's nice of you to offer, but...
You say that, but...
It's gonna have monster in it, right?
We're eating monsters, right?
As long as it's edible, I'm fine with whatever.
Ugh, I'm fine with anything as long as it's edible.
What kind of monsters appear around here again?
What kind of monsters live around here?
Well, hmm...
Let's see...
Big bats and giant rats.
Big Bats and Giant Rats.
I'm not eating anything unhygienic!
I don't want anything unsanitary.
Forest goblins.
Forest Goblins.
Same with demi-humans.
Demi-humans are a no-go.
Living armor.
Living Armor.
Metal?
Metal?
Isn't there anything more normal, like birds or tree fruits?
Isn't there anything more, you know, normal?
There's always that one person
What about birds or fruits?
who shoots down every idea after agreeing to eat anything.
There she goes.
I don't think I'm asking for much.
You say, "I'm fine with anything," then nitpick whatever we suggest.
There are normal monsters, but those don't attack humans,
I just don't want to eat gross stuff!
so they'll require more preparation.
There are normal animals here, but they're docile,
There's no such thing as a free lunch.
so we'd have to set traps and wait.
Sorry, that's true.
A duck isn't gonna walk past, leek in mouth.
But you know,
I know. You have a point.
we might run into a monster holding a flesh-eating lunch.
But this is a dungeon!
Let's try to enjoy this!
It might have dire ducks wielding leeks for swords!
Not very optimistic about this.
Now there's something funny and tasty.
Well, there are lots of fruits during this season.
I don't share your optimism.
Really?
Well, this time of year, there's plenty of nuts and fruits around.
Yeah.
What? There are?
See? I knew it'd be tree fruit from Man-eating Plants.
Mm-hmm.
Marcille, that's incorrect.
A-ha! A man-eating plant! I should have known!
Man-eating Plants are just the common name.
Actually, "man-eating" is just a general term for these.
That flower, for example, is a Baraselia.
See that flower? Its formal name is baraselia.
It mainly grows on monster trails
It grows along animal trails.
shooting out a mucus reminiscent of spider webs.
It produces fluid strands, like spider silk,
When a creature touches the mucus, it reflexively pulls them in.
and uses them to hunt in much the same way.
It wraps around things that move, but it doesn't digest them.
It can't digest anything, so it doesn't eat the things it catches.
It makes them into compost.
It uses them for fertilizer.
But it sometimes uses humans for nutrients, right?
It could use a human for fertilizer too, then?
The vegetables you usually eat
You know the vegetables you have no problem eating?
can be traced back to dead remains and animal dung.
Those grow in soil, fertilized by animal corpses and poop.
I can't fault that logic, but...
Sure, but I don't feel like those are the same...
It's fine.
Don't freak out.
It's still only the second basement floor.
We're just two floors underground.
Someone would notice if a corpse rolled by here.
A corpse retriever would've come and picked up any dead bodies by now.
They have people to retrieve corpses,
They check these plants all the time.
and no one would get eaten by a monster in a place like this.
This ain't the lower floors,
You think so?
so there's no way someone was left here for fertilizer.
I don't think we can pluck them in secret.
I don't know...
We'll have to fight.
Sneaking up to pick one will be tough.
Move over.
All right, then we fight it.
I'll get rid of them in one shot.
Step aside.
I can destroy them all with one spell.
Sperae Yeptum Rufermus.
Sperae Yeptum Rufermus.
Alamandras Proju.
Alamandras Proju.
Nexant Aslam.
Nexant Aslam.
Stop, you moron!
Stop that, you idiot!
Why?
What? Why?
Do you want the fruit to get hit by your magic too?
Do you want to destroy all the fruit with your magic too?
Only take as much as you'll eat. This rule is absolute.
There's an ironclad rule here.
This isn't the time for that!
Take only what you can eat.
No, let go of me!
Stop lecturing me and help!
They can't digest people?
Oh no!
But they're totally eating them!
No, no, no, no!
What? Some of them can digest things, though.
Let go!
Depends on the plant type.
"It can't digest anything," huh?
The one that has a hold of you is a parasite type that plants seeds inside your skin.
It's digesting the hell out of him!
That's the worst kind!
What? Oh, some have digestive tracts.
Try to stay still, Marcille.
It depends on the species.
Plant-based monsters basically have several limbs.
By the way, the species that has you is parasitic. It plants its seeds under your skin.
It'll take forever to fight them one at a time.
That's even worse!
For swords, there's only one sure-fire spot.
Stay as still as you can.
The root.
These plant-type monsters have lots of limbs.
If I took 'em on one at a time, we'd be here all day.
I only have to attack one spot.
Its root!
Ouch...
Ouch...
Are you okay?
Are you okay?
Yeah, thanks Laios.
Yeah. Thanks, Laios.
How was it?
How was it?
What?
Huh?
This is Shadowtail, a plant-based parasite that buries seeds inside the skin of living creatures.
Like I told you before, this species leaves its seeds under your skin.
Unlike the Baraselia, which is strong enough to break bones,
It's called a shadowtail.
the Shadowtail needs to capture its prey without killing them.
Unlike the baraselia type that squeezes you 'till your bones break,
It uses a delicate balance, immobilizing its prey without making it uncomfortable.
this type needs to keep whatever it traps with its vines alive.
I feel like it'd feel really good. How did you feel?
It squeezes its prey just enough so it can't escape,
I made her mad again.
but it's still relatively comfortable in its clutches.
Even I thought you were a bit much.
It seems like it could feel kind of cozy.
First, steam it lightly.
So?
Cut around the stem in a circle.
I upset her again.
Twist it a bit and pull to get the seeds out.
Yeah, you got too weird at the end there.
First, a light steaming.
Then you cut around the stem like so.
Give a little twist and pull. The seeds will come right out.
Wow.
Wow.
Peel the skin off,
Next, you peel the skin off, and pound it 'till it's nice and soft.
beat the skin to make it soft,
Then line the bottom of the pan with it.
and cover the pan with it.
Give the unripe fruit a good mashing,
Grind up the unripe fruit, adding Slime and some scorpion broth,
add a dash of slime and a bit of scorpion broth,
mixing until it thickens.
and mix 'till it's good and thick.
Once it gets smooth, add the rest of the scorpion broth
Once it's got smooth,
and chunks of tree fruit.
pour in the rest of the scorpion broth and some chunks of the chopped fruit.
Mix it a bit and pour it into the frying pan.
Give it a few good stirs and pour it into the frying pan.
Cook it a bit.
Let it cook a bit.
I want to see if we can grow it on the surface.
I just want to see if I can grow these on the surface!
Of course, we can't.
That's a stupid idea!
No!
No!
When it starts bubbling, add the rest of the fruit.
And when you see it start bubbling like that, drop in the rest of the fruit.
All right.
Perfect.
It's done.
It's ready.
A tart?
It's a tart?
At least, it looks like it.
Looks like it, but it's not.
The crust is just a non-stick coating. You can leave it.
The crust keeps it from burning. Don't eat that part.
It's salt-flavored. That's not what I expected.
It's real salty. I thought it'd taste more sweet.
Yeah, it's good.
Yeah. It's good though.
Try it, Marcille. You'll probably like it.
Try it, Marcille. I'm pretty sure you'll like the flavor.
None of the plants that ate people are in it, right?
You didn't make this with the plant the corpse fell out of, did you?
No, if we used the gelatin from those plants, it would've turned out even better.
No, just its fruit.
The Slime didn't solidify well.
The gelatin from the stem of that species would've made this come out a whole lot better, though.
This is delicious.
It's just not firm enough with the slime.
The compost-type plants' fruit is fresh and sweet.
Wow, this is really good!
The digestion-type plants' is more compact and rich.
The trapper plant's fruit is juicy and sweet,
But I wonder if that's okay.
while the digesting one's is savory.
Doesn't that mean they get eaten by other animals?
I bet the animals love these too.
All this fruit they make gets taken away.
Must be hard for the plants to make enough fruit to keep up with demand.
That's how a carnivorous plant works.
What's the point making it if it's just gonna get eaten?
They use them to capture prey for nourishment.
Well, they are carnivorous plants.
Oh, I see.
They make fruit to attract the animals they eat to survive.
I wonder if this sweetness is one of their tricks then.
That makes sense.
Now I get it.
Then being delicious is part of the plants' strategy.
I'm so happy you're getting interested.
How clever!
Stop that!
It warms my heart to see you taking an interest in this.
What'll we do with that corpse?
As if!
We don't have time to go back to town.
Well, what do we do about him?
Want me to revive it with magic?
We'd lose time dragging him back to town.
No, there's a chance it won't work.
Want me to resurrect him with my magic?
Maybe someone will take it if we leave it in the open.
Don't risk it.
Yeah.
The spell could backfire.
Let's make it visible.
If we leave him where people can see, he'll get picked up eventually.
I've seen this at execution sites.
That's a great idea.
Marcille had a nightmare that night.
This works, I think...
Kind of reminds you of the gallows, doesn't it?
That night, Marcille had a nightmare.
Dungeon food.
Dungeon food.
Eat or be eaten.
Eat or be eaten.
There is no hierarchy.
There is no hierarchy to it.
Eating is a privilege for those who live.
Just the reality that to eat is the privilege of the living.
Dungeon food.
Dungeon food.
Oh, dungeon food.
Ah, delicious in dungeon.