Chapter 19: Living with the memories

Mister Oh-ho-ho finally appeared.

The four Incarnations each took their positions.

However, there seemed to be no change in their original formation.

Except for one.

“I’m in front, everyone remember the plan.”

Ham Yui, who had put down her sword and switched from sub-dealer to tank.

She created a large shield using the black liquid and blocked Mister Oh-ho-ho.

【Don’t go, son! Let’s play a little longer!】

“…Focus.”

Ham Yui stood at the front, holding the large shield that reached the ground.

The others spread out behind her in a crane wing formation.

Ham Yui raised one arm halfway, palm open, signaling to everyone.

“Not yet.”

Mister Oh-ho-ho showed no aggression.

He waited expectantly, then, as if his patience ran out, he wriggled and extended a large hand.

Slowly.

But a very threatening hand.

A dangerous attack that would scrape off skin like sandpaper if it grazed them even slightly.

At that moment, Ham Yui clenched her open palm, signaling again.

“Now!”

“Current Flow”

At that moment, red lightning shot out from behind.

Not a compressed form, but pure lightning, fired from her hands.

Although it wasn’t very effective due to his thick hide….

【It hurts!】

As the lightning continued to strike, Mister Oh-ho-ho’s speed gradually decreased.

A surprise attack occurred.

He slammed down on Ham Yui with his thick arms.

–Thwack!

It wasn’t very effective.

Because the large shield Ham Yui was holding had transformed.

The black liquid, touching the ground, easily dispersed the powerful impact energy.

Since it was still connected to her arm, the black liquid changed its shape.

-Slosh…

【My son is strong!】

Handcuffs made of black liquid.

She even shot out black liquid like spiderwebs, connecting the handcuffs to various parts of the wall.

Thanks to that, the monster, whose movements were restricted, could only grunt and struggle, unable to move its bound arms.

If Mister Oh-ho-ho’s body was severed, he would quickly regenerate and become stronger, like the Hydra from Heracles’s myth.

Then wouldn’t binding him so he can’t move work?

Ham Yui’s idea was correct.

“As expected, Yui!!”

Kang Arin shouted in admiration and started running.

A fighting stance, preparing to deliver a full-power punch, just like when she first fought Mister Oh-ho-ho.

Kang Arin kicked off the ground and soared high into the air.

But does he have intelligence?

Mister Oh-ho-ho extended several hands, attempting to grab Kang Arin.

“Yui!”

Ham Yui raised a finger and created a foothold of black liquid.

Kang Arin stomped on the black liquid that had risen to her jumping height.

She kicked off the foothold and leaped again.

【Son, it’s dangerous!】

She jumped again with a double jump in mid-air.

The dozens of hands that had shot out to intercept Kang Arin caught nothing but air.

Kang Arin spun in the air and fell towards Mister Oh-ho-ho’s head.

And she clenched her fist.

“Villain Punch -!!!”

–Whack!

…….

Along with a strange naming sense, Kang Arin’s fist landed on his head.

Her power seemed to have increased thanks to her ability; she dented Mister Oh-ho-ho’s head.

The eyeballs that had sprouted like enoki mushrooms spun around from the strong impact.

【Yeonhee… ah! I remember!】

Kang Arin jumped off Mister Oh-ho-ho’s head.

Several hands shot out again to catch her, but….

–Thwack -!

“This staff isn’t bad!”

Baek Taeyang’s attack, taking advantage of the opening while he was focused on Kang Arin.

The small hands flinched and stopped from the unexpected impact.

Ham Yui aimed at those hands and shot out black liquid like spiderwebs.

As the small hands were bound by the black liquid, Mister Oh-ho-ho tried to shake them off, but….

“Alright -!!”

“Santa Mister, sorry!!”

Kang Arin and Baek Taeyang attacked simultaneously from the front and back, dazing him.

Mister Oh-ho-ho stopped moving again from the impact.

Ham Yui immediately shot out black liquid like spiderwebs and began to neutralize the small hands one by one.

As more hands were bound, his attack options dwindled to a degree unbelievable for a B-rank.

Mister Oh-ho-ho was visibly being taken down.

At the same time, the honor of four F-rank Incarnations hunting a B-rank monster was within reach.

And the joy of being able to get out alive.

Kang Arin smiled happily as his movements became sluggish.

“As expected, containment was the answer!”

At that moment.

Mister Oh-ho-ho’s body began to cave in.

Hundreds of holes appeared all over his body, enough to trigger trypophobia.

But we knew this pattern.

Just as the giant mass of flesh trembled, preparing to shoot out tentacles, Ham Yui shot out black liquid like spiderwebs from her hand and pulled Kang Arin and Baek Taeyang towards her.

“Return!”

“Can’t you pull us a little more gently?!”

Although there were some complaints, Ham Yui successfully pulled them back.

Then, she brought her hands together as if in prayer and placed her palms on the ground.

In an instant, a sphere of black liquid enveloped the party members like an egg.

The moment she changed it to maximum strength, tentacles exploded from Mister Oh-ho-ho in all directions.

–Crash!

A deafening roar echoed as the tentacles hit the wall of black liquid.

But the black liquid, optimized for defense by dispersing vibrations, couldn’t be pierced by those tentacles.

Or maybe the Fluid ability was just too overpowered.

As the attack that had helplessly wiped out the party members was easily blocked, Kang Arin smiled and said:

“Heehee, I guess we really need a tank. If only Mister…”

“……That.”

“Ah… sorry….”

Their tank was the monster in front of them.

The joy of succeeding in their strategy made them forget the fact that the hideous and disgusting monster was once their comrade.

–Rumble!

As they were feeling dejected, another roar echoed.

Probably a secondary attack, with more tentacles shooting out from the first ones.

But if they blocked even the first powerful tentacles, their iron fortress couldn’t be breached.

Cheok Chaerin, standing behind, asked Ham Yui:

“Is your magic power sufficient?”

“Well… as long as I can retrieve the black liquid that hasn’t detached from my body, my magic power will return.”

Using black liquid requires magic power.

But what if it’s continuously used without detaching from the body?

When retrieved, the magic power is returned.

Cheok Chaerin clicked her tongue at that.

“What a cheat ability.”

“Yeah, it’s a cheat!”

“Cheater.”

“…….”

With a moment of respite, the banter started again.

But it was an ability so overpowered that even ten mouths couldn’t refute it.

–Rumble…

This time, a faint roar.

The third split must have ended.

Now they had to execute their plan to finish off Mister Oh-ho-ho.

Since they had already discussed the plan, Cheok Chaerin took her stance.

“Can you withstand my maximum output?”

“I can probably withstand it.”

Ham Yui said with a smile.

To end this long battle, she returned the protective wall to her body.

As the wall disappeared, the fleshy mass of Mister Oh-ho-ho, retrieving its tentacles, came into view.

Kang Arin equipped gloves made from Ham Yui’s ability.

Shouting loudly, she charged forward according to the plan.

“Alright, let’s do this!!”

Kang Arin quickly ran towards Mister Oh-ho-ho, taking the lead.

Cheok Chaerin, positioned at the rear, extended her index finger again and began to gather red lightning.

Although not at full condition, so it wouldn’t have the same power as before, it was still a threatening Crimson Lightning (赤雷).

Threatening red sparks crackled, roaring like thunder.

“Alright… let’s go!”

“This is the end!”

Everyone except Cheok Chaerin started moving forward.

Kang Arin, who went first, drew attention from the front and lured attacks.

【Son? No… it’s not you?】

He extended the small hands attached to his fleshy front towards Kang Arin.

Despite being bound so much, he still had enough leeway to fire a barrage of small hands.

But Mister Oh-ho-ho’s body was bound by black liquid and couldn’t move.

Kang Arin easily dodged with quick movements.

“Too slow!!”

“Alright!”

All the small hands were fired, targeting Kang Arin.

Since there were no more hands to come out, Kang Arin confidently used her sturdy black gloves to smash the small hands.

Baek Taeyang, who joined her right behind, also swung his sturdy black staff to help intercept the small hands.

Slashes regenerate immediately and become stronger.

Strikes, due to the difference in level, didn’t cause much damage but were effective.

And as Kang Arin and Baek Taeyang defeated the small hands with strikes….

“It’s almost over!”

The broken arms writhed and recovered relatively slowly.

Riding that momentum, Kang Arin and Baek Taeyang worked even harder to destroy the arms.

The small hands, which were supposed to protect his front, were broken and crawling on the ground.

“Now!!”

Kang Arin shouted.

Ham Yui immediately used the black liquid to create a giant spear.

It looked like a lance, a conical spear used by cavalrymen when charging.

Ham Yui immediately ran towards Mister Oh-ho-ho’s now undefended front.

“We have to get within 15m!!! Don’t forget!!!”

“Just trust us!”

“So annoying!”

Ham Yui ran with her two legs, carrying the giant lance.

The small hands, barely recovered, rushed to grab Ham Yui, who was running like an infantryman, but…

Kang Arin and Baek Taeyang swung their fists and staff, knocking them all away.

With the support of the two main damage dealers, Ham Yui successfully got within 15m.

–Thud!!

The giant conical spear barely pierced Mister Oh-ho-ho’s skin.

However, due to his thick hide, the lance didn’t penetrate deeply.

“Haap!!”

“Tah!!”

At that moment, Kang Arin and Baek Taeyang swung their respective weapons at the conical head of the spear.

Like hammers hitting a nail, the two of them swung their fists and staff with all their might.

As the two martial artists slammed into it with full force, it pierced through the hide and penetrated deep inside.

【Kids, why do I look like this?】

“Just bear with it for a little longer.”

Baek Taeyang said.

At the same time, the conical spear embedded in Mister Oh-ho-ho’s torso transformed.

The black liquid, still connected to Ham Yui’s body, delicately reshaped itself.

The sharp tip of the spear began to inflate like a balloon inside his soft innards.

“Just a little more!!”

Mister Oh-ho-ho gurgled and foamed at his jawless mouth.

His numerous eyes, which had bloomed like fruits, followed Ham Yui and the party members.

【I can’t remember my name! I can’t remember my son’s name!】

Mister Oh-ho-ho began to thrash around in a desperate struggle.

But all preparations for the plan were complete.

Within 15m, black liquid connected to the body can be reshaped with precision.

The black liquid, inflated like a balloon inside Mister Oh-ho-ho’s organs, was reshaped into a honeycomb-like ball with numerous holes.

And to finish it off, a highway was created, connecting the embedded cone to his internal organs.

It looked like a straw.

“Finish him!!”

Ham Yui shouted.

At that moment, Cheok Chaerin aimed the Crimson Lightning she had gathered at her fingertip.

She fired it into the straw-like hole leading directly into Mister Oh-ho-ho’s internal organs.

“Lightning Bolt”

A pillar of red lightning shot out with fierce momentum.

Kang Arin tightly embraced Ham Yui, who had poured all her magic power into the attack.

And after leaping as far away as possible, she shielded her with her body and lay flat on the ground.

-CRASH -!!!

The straw made of black liquid.

Upon impact with the hole, the red thunder entered Mister Oh-ho-ho’s interior.

The black liquid, which could contain lightning, only melted slightly.

The Crimson Lightning, without losing any of its power, traveled through the straw and into the sphere inside.

【Why me? Huh? Kids】

The high-powered lightning inside couldn’t melt the black liquid instantly.

The red lightning, its linear path blocked, escaped in various directions through the honeycomb-like holes, as Ham Yui intended.

Literally, a lightning bomb exploding from the inside.

Red lightning erupted from Mister Oh-ho-ho’s shoulders.

Crimson Lightning shot out from his sides.

And at this very moment, as if his consciousness had returned, Mister Oh-ho-ho’s eyes darted around, looking at everyone.

Despite being a monster, he smiled and said:

【Oh ho ho, I finally remembered.】

At that moment.

The red lightning, which had inflated inside and couldn’t escape completely, bounced around internally and finally burst like a balloon filled to its limit.

When they first engaged Mister Oh-ho-ho, the Lightning Bolt had blown away his upper body.

But he had shown an amazing regenerative ability, recovering even with only his lower body remaining.

“…Finally.”

Then two hypotheses arise.

One, there’s a regenerative core in his lower body.

Two, he can’t regenerate if he receives damage exceeding a certain threshold.

Therefore, Ham Yui devised a very simple yet certain plan.

A plan to tear the monster to shreds so that it couldn’t possibly regenerate.

She used the black liquid to cause an internal explosion, sending shockwaves throughout his entire body.

To make an analogy, it was like a firecracker.

If you set off a firecracker in your palm, you end up with minor burns.

But what if you tightly grip the firecracker and set it off?

Yes… Mister Oh-ho-ho’s state was exactly like that.

And as Ham Yui planned, Mister Oh-ho-ho was blown to pieces, leaving only his head.

The fleshy masses, no longer regenerating, turned into meat fragments.

“We won!!!”

No one knows who shouted first.

But as the declaration of victory echoed, everyone stood up and reveled in their joy.

****

The joy of victory and the relief of survival.

And the honor of four F-ranks defeating a B-rank monster.

Everything was sweet.

No.

One bitter taste remained.

The head, lying amidst the gathered four.

Although it was difficult to recognize a human form, it was Mister Oh-ho-ho’s head.

【It seems your vessels were too large for me to teach! Congratulations, oh ho ho!】

Although only his head remained, he laughed cheerfully and congratulated us.

His gasping breaths, as if about to die, were truly pitiful and evoked compassion.

I know there’s no way to help, but….

“Mister, are you okay?”

【Of course, I’m fine! You’ve all grown splendidly!】

“Not that… you said you have a family at home.”

【Oh ho ho! This is just what it means to be an Incarnation.】

Mister Oh-ho-ho laughed cheerfully and spoke, slowly gasping for breath.

Even if you suddenly die from some colorless, odorless poison gas, it’s a perfectly normal occurrence for an Incarnation.

【I’m sure Yeonhee will understand! Ah, I finally remembered my wife’s name! Oh ho ho, it’s a pretty name, isn’t it?】

Everyone was silent.

Even though Mister Oh-ho-ho had turned into a monster, they were ultimately the ones who killed him.

Perhaps because of that, the veteran laughed even more heartily.

Baek Taeyang, seeing that, closed his eyes tightly.

“Mister, at least tell me your name. I’ll remember you.”

【You will all experience many partings in the future. There’s no need to spare a corner of your memories for a passing old man like me.】

Advice not to dwell on every death.

Even in this situation, the veteran tried to teach them.

He smiles and says:

【You will make many comrades in the future. Let’s save our memories for them! Everyone lives by enduring their memories, oh ho ho!】

Then… the veteran’s eyes, grotesquely transformed like enoki mushrooms, gradually became cloudy.

It seemed his time was up.

Mister Oh-ho-ho smiles and says:

【Go now! Don’t you see the way out?】

At his words, everyone nodded.

It was truly time to leave.

Everyone stood up, packed their belongings, and turned around.

We had achieved a great feat.

The honor of defeating a B-rank monster, an accomplishment worth repeating countless times.

The information gained from surviving an encounter with an unidentified entity that transforms humans into monsters.

The growth and experience gained from a life-or-death battle with a strong monster, making us several times stronger.

We gained more than we expected from this dungeon.

【Ah, I remember. My son’s name.】

But.

【It was Hyunwoo! The name Yeonhee and I chose together….】

Really.

【Oh ho ho!】

It was a disgusting feeling.

And yet, we had to move forward.

Enduring the short memories, as the veteran advised.