Chapter 277: Fish Dipper

"B…b…b…b…b…b…what the hell!?"

Nakkī's face was stained crimson with fresh blood.

Kneeling while clutching the wound, he was not someone who would miss such an opening—Migawari was no fool.

—Full power! With everything I've got! This will finish it!

Without hesitation, he drove a powerful right straight punch into the target.

His aim: the spot where the human's right ear was located inside Nakkī.

In boxing, this area is considered one of the vital points.

Even a "player" protected by tough skin and bone cannot withstand damage to internal organs or the brain. A solid hit here should disrupt the semicircular canals, leaving the target unable to stand for a while...

The robot delivered a powerful punch exactly as Meiyan had expected, sending Nyakky flying.

"——Gak... ha!"

The tiger mantle soared through the air in a graceful arc.

Meanwhile, the creature that had burst from the suitcase carved into her body.

A mysterious creature.

Meiyan had no other way to describe what stood before her.

Earlier, she had called it a "bug," but now it seemed more like a plant, or even a fish.

It was a creature resembling a rod about thirty centimeters long, with six small wings and ribbon-like fins attached to it.

Though the mechanism behind its movement was unclear, its speed was far greater than that of any known animal—so fast that even someone with exceptional motion vision could barely track its trajectory with their eyes.

Though she had no idea what it was, anyone well-versed in the occult would have instantly recognized its true nature upon seeing it.

"Sky Fish."

A well-known example of an unverified animal (UMA) in the region.

Before Meiyan's eyes, it took on the form of a "Sky Fish"—deep-fried to a crisp, golden-brown hue, dusted with flour.

"Hurry! While it's being drawn toward the 'Tiger's Mantle'!"

"Y-yeah..."

Timing her move perfectly as Rui's position stabilized, Meiyan dashed through the warehouse.

Still, there was no way to turn back the way they came. The corridor over there was too narrow, and they couldn't afford to deal with those "zombies" one by one.

"There should be another route used to bring in that robot—find it!"

Following Rui's advice, Meiyen quickly scanned the walls in a circle—then, the robot automatically began searching for an escape path.

The answer appeared on the screen instantly.

There’s a door sealed with concrete somewhere.

Upon inspection, there was indeed a patch of freshly painted wall.

The robot also provided a map of the area beyond the door. According to it, the passage ahead led to a wide underground corridor where they had always stayed overnight.

Meiyen raised her battle mace high, aiming it straight at the new wall—

"Not happening! ——《Absolute Celestial Wolf》...!"

…She feigned a downward strike, then swept aside the charging Nya'kee.

It was almost like precognition—though this was largely due to Ayatsuki Migan’s innate combat instinct. Nya'kee’s movements, driven by raw emotion, were easy to predict.

The hammerhead struck squarely against her temple,

“…ggh, b-b…!”

With a sound like a frog being squashed, Nya'kee tumbled once more onto the floor.

This had delivered a double shock to her brain. This time, she wouldn’t be able to stand properly again.

Migen once more swung the war mace down onto the great door.

On the first, second, and third strikes, the doorframe exploded outward, revealing a spacious hallway wide enough for even a robot to walk through with ease. It seemed this area was part of the fantasy zone's underground. A sign indicated an elevator leading to a coaster-style attraction themed around "Alice in Wonderland" was located nearby.

"Great! Now we just need to run!"

Without needing to be told, Miharu had already sprinted off in that direction.

She had been ready to fight that Nyakky again, but luckily, it wasn’t chasing after them.

Rui, clinging to the robot’s right shoulder at the moment, explained this to her.

"Given all the commotion, the 'zombies' underground must have gathered by now... He deliberately kicked his way in, after all..."

She was currently overwhelmed by dealing with that situation.

It was unavoidable, but still a reckless move.

Despite that, the two remained cautious, watching for pursuers, as they activated the elevator meant for large cargo. The switch was basic, with only underground and ground floor options. The robot climbed aboard in a clumsy, crawling manner.

For a moment, they worried about exceeding the weight limit, but—without a hitch, the doors closed securely, and the two of them began to slowly ascend toward the surface.

"...Thank goodness..."

"Hey..."

"Hm?"

"That thing we saw a bit ago... the one that looked like a bug, or a fish... what was it?"

"Oh, that... it's called a 'Fish Dipper.'"

"Huh?"

It sounds like some mysterious monster or even a delicious fried snack.

"Have you heard of a creature called a 'Sky Fish'?"

"No."

"Well, there are strange creatures like that. This is apparently a Sky Fish, deep-fried in oil."

"Why did we fry it in oil in the first place?"

"Who knows? Maybe because it becomes more aggressive that way?"

"????"

The two tilt their heads in confusion.

"……Anyway, 'achievement reward items' that are karma-neutral tend to be things like manifestations of nonsensical dreams or fantasies. I think overthinking them is pointless."

"Hmm."

"Also, just to clarify, even if something like this happens again, it'll be difficult to use the 'Fish Dipper'."

"Why?"

"That fake Nyakky, the one wearing the 'Tiger Mantle'—that was also a type of 'achievement reward' item, capable of intimidating animals or humans... So I thought, if that works, then using the aggressive 'Fish Dipper' should be possible too."

"Really?"

Mihana, once again, was impressed by the girl's wide-ranging insight.

The weak must learn how to survive in their own way.

Gathering knowledge must be a form of strength for enduring life.

"Thanks. You saved me."

"Now we're even."

"Idiot. Not even close."

Then Rui slightly flushed, her ghostly face reddening, and puffed out her cheeks.

Migaku felt a fresh thrill at the sight of this side of him—something she hadn't expected.