Suddenly, a giant hippo-like animal attacked.
The mad great beast was charging towards us, its long fangs bared. I tried to run, but the ground shook so violently that I couldn’t even stand up.
If it were just me, I might have managed, but Pauline was here too. Should I grab her and dodge to the side? But I’m sure it would catch up to us.
Just then, Cecilia appeared from the side and thrust her slender sword into the great beast’s eye. With a squelch, red blood splattered. No matter how large an animal, it couldn’t stay sane after having its eye attacked.
My joy was short-lived. The hippo, as if nothing had happened, didn’t slow down. Instead, it became even more excited, opening its huge mouth as if to swallow us whole.
“Hsssh, Buoooooh.”
“No, we’re going to hit it. We’ll be crushed along with the trees behind us.” I hugged Pauline tightly and curled up my body.
At that moment, another shadow appeared before my eyes. This furry giant body…
“Gaffffffffff.”
With a thud, the sound of two giant bodies colliding echoed, and the hippo’s body lunged forward. Now was our chance. I held Pauline and slipped out from under its feet. Behind us, the bear Lauren was manipulating was being crushed by the great beast. It was already dead, having lost the fight. It should hold on for a few seconds.
The sound of the bear’s spine creaking could be heard. As I tried to pass by the hippo, my body suddenly stopped moving.
Turning around, I saw my cloak being stepped on by the great beast’s leg. “Can you believe this kind of stupid thing?!” I thought, but this is life. Just when you think things are going well, you fail the next moment.
“Pauline, go! Run to Philiana.”
“Calm down, it’s okay. If it moves, my cloak will be freed. I shouldn’t move rashly and get its attention.” Suddenly, my vision darkened. It was too late by the time my brain registered the danger.
“Waaah!”
With a thud, the bear’s corpse fell on top of me. “Lauren, please, get this off me!” Now that the hippo had moved, my cloak was freed. Huh, maybe if I just hid under the corpse like this, it would overlook me? If there’s nothing moving, the target naturally disappears.
I stayed still, holding my breath. I never thought I’d be saved by a corpse I had found so revolting. I really hate this, but it’s better than dying. I think I hear someone shouting outside. They probably think I’m dead. “It’s okay, I’m alive.”
“What the… what is this? Someone is shaking the corpse.” Are they looking for me? “Despite my loss of composure, I’m still quite sharp.” Something is pushing in from below. “Is this… fangs?!”
“What is going on? The pressure of the corpse is getting stronger and stronger.” “Are they planning to crush me along with the corpse?”
I’m being lifted up from below like a bulldozer. “Ahhh, this is bad. I-it’s painful. I’m being crushed!” Did Lauren lose control of the corpse? No, if I struggle now, it will immediately go for the prey and crush it. I absolutely don’t want to be crushed alive.
I’m scared. I can’t escape. I’m being pushed further and further into its mouth, caught between its upper and lower jaws. Furthermore, its tongue is holding onto me, preventing me from escaping.
“Calm down, calm down. That’s right, my dagger. If I stab it with this, it might be surprised and open its mouth.” But I can’t reach its mouth. Moreover, my body is fixed, and I can’t even reach my waist.
I’m suffocating. The cold, squishy feeling of its internal organs envelops my entire body. The broken bear bones are stabbing my arm, which hurts. “Ah, damn it, I don’t want to die yet.” “Anything is fine, even a single thin spider’s thread.”
“Spider’s thread?” “That’s right, is there one somewhere? Lauren’s thread.” Light peeked through a small gap. Relying on that, I searched for the thread. This idea is better than stabbing it with my dagger. But time is running out.
It glinted as if it had been waiting for me. “Alright, now’s my chance.” I forcibly bent my trapped and unmoving arm and thrust it forward. This movement filled the gap, making it even narrower.
I desperately pulled the dangling spider’s thread towards me. I quickly wrapped it around my right arm. “Please, save me!”
As I pulled hard, the great beast swung its head back violently. I could see a tree rapidly approaching through the gaps in its cage-like fangs. My vision suddenly brightened. A tree trunk grazed past me.
“Aguh, Oww!”
With a scrape, dirt rained down on my entire body. I felt the touch of thin grass in both my hands. “I-I’m alive! I did it!”
“Arisugawa, get up quickly! Let’s run!” Sharin pulled my collar, and I remembered my current situation. Behind us, the hippo was smashing the bear corpse it held in its mouth against a tree. The bear, which should have been a great beast, was being swung around like a dish rag. “What an incredible monster.”
I have to leave before it gets bored of its immobile toy. I whipped my weakened body and followed after everyone.
