Unexpected Situation

[Spider Attendant].

Servant of [Spider Lady], who is a "boss-level monster". It's not a named monster, it's more like a mass-produced type with several of them, so it's not a very strong one. However, in the current situation, it was the worst opponent.

[Spider Lady] shouldn't live here, so why is it here?

-Jingle.

The bell rings. Contrary to the clear sound, sticky energy covers the body. It is natural that our speed is slowed due to the inconvenience of movement. Right now it's only a small amount, but it's a big deal when it overlaps.

Even if I directly participate in the race right now, [Turbo Granny] runs at the same speed as the other person. Now that the [Spider Attendant] has appeared, the odds of winning are zero. It has to be dealt with right away!

Judging that there was no time for talking, I materialized right out of the mirror and ran in the opposite direction of the children.

"You guys keep running!"

As I passed Eun-jeong, who was marked by the [Infernal hands], most of them aimed at me. Are you in a hurry to die? So annoying!

"Move!"

[Infernal Hands] are cut into chunks with a single stroke. As they paused, I ran at full speed once more. As I got closer to the entrance, the silhouette of the [Spider Attendant] came into full view. However, the bell was already ready to ring.

-Jingle.

Once again, the pace slows down. It wasn't to the extent that there was a big setback in the battle, but the race with [Turbo Granny] was already lost. If my legs are cut off in exchange for defeat, that spider's next target will be children. I need to hurry up and finish it.

A spider attendant holds a bell. A mysterious aura surrounds it. If you think I will continue to suffer, you are mistaken!

"Do you think I'll leave it like that?"

Swoosh! Slash!1

"Good~!"

I threw the knife and cut off the hand holding the bell. While it was grabbing its own wrist, I passed the suffering monster and retrieved the fallen knife. At the same time, a sharp left spider leg lunged at me.

Thud!

Heavy. However, now it is a slow attack even for me who heard the bell. In succession, the right spider leg is aiming for my side, so I twist my body a little and catch it by putting the leg between my armpits.

It was only natural that the shells of the leg were harder than the hands of the human body.

So, I stabbed a knife into the seam of the joint and pulled the leg itself off.2

[Mmmmmmmmm!!!!]3

"Now it can even scream."

As if struggling while having a body bigger than mine, it stepped back. However, it didn't matter as it was already over.

I threw the knife at the head from the front. The moment it blocked it with its uncut hand, I was already in its blind spot. The human part of the [Spider Attendant] looking around was funny.

At this moment, I was behind on the shoulder of the human part.

"Goodbye~"

Slash!

When I twisted and broke its head, the spider side of the lower body also became limp and turned into smoke. Only after absorbing the smoke that the head that was flooded with blood disappeared.

The [Spider Attendant] was not a monster that was particularly aggressive in the game. An existence that appears in the middle of the stage for the boss fight and puts a curse or some kind of debuff on the player.

There were no monsters that would appear here, and there were battles that did not exist in the game, so it was natural to know that this world did not progress in the same direction as the game.

'I should be more careful.'

It feels like there is a thick fog covering an unclear future. I may have been in a bad mood all day. If only I hadn't seen the [Spider Attendant's] bell lying on the floor.

'Even though I just killed it, it came out.'

Since combat is impossible in the game, it must be an item that can only be obtained by fulfilling certain conditions, but being able to obtain it by simply stealing it made me feel a bit relieved by the unexpected harvest.

"By the way..."

Why is my leg not cut off? The race must have already been over.

POV Switch - Ha-rim (a while back)

Ha-rim was leading the way in the dark. With the help of Suho and Kyeong-min, who supports from behind, the infernal hands attacks are repelled

We're getting ahead of [Turbo Granny] herself. If we run like this, Ella's legs won't be cut off!

-Jingle.

A clear sound rings in my ears. At the same time, I felt a web-like sticky aura entangling on me. I could hear noises from behind. I wanted to turn around to see what was going on, but then realized that [Turbo Granny] was trying to pass me.

'Is it faster? No, my speed has slowed down!"

"You guys keep running!"

I heard Ella's voice. Because Ella said it, I can only live by following her words! I ran at my full speed with such belief. Even if I'm slowed down, I can still make up for it. I need to be strong!

I went deeper into the darkness of the tunnel. Now I could barely see my feet and the back of [Turbo Granny].

'That's...'

A white line appeared in my field of vision. I instinctively realized that that was the finish line.

-Jingle.

"Urgh!?"

This time, the speed went down so much that I could definitely feel it! [Turbo Granny] disappears from sight. The finish line is getting closer, but Ella's legs will be cut off if this continues.

'I have to do something!'

I rummaged through my pockets while running. Since it was an emergency, I was ready to even throw the hand mirror Ella gave me at [Turbo Granny]'s head. If it was a regular race, it would be a foul, and I would have to appear at the police station for injury, but this didn't even pass through my mind.4

However, what was caught in my hand was not a mirror, but a frog egg. A frog egg the size of a bouncy ball that Ella gave me to keep. This came from a monster, so it shouldn't be an ordinary item.

Now let's think about how to use this?

...

I don't know!

"Hya!!"

I threw the frog egg at [Turbo Granny]. It was next to impossible to aim accurately at her in the dark. It was a gamble.

The moment the frog egg left my hand, the jewel embedded in my necklace emitted a green light.

[Luck: May good luck follow those who do not give up]

Splash! The sound of objects colliding with each other.

Right after that, my vision shook a little.

"This...!"

I immediately noticed the change that had happened to me. [Turbo Granny]'s footsteps could be heard from behind!

'The location has switched!'

The finish line is just ahead. However, [Turbo Granny]'s footsteps chases me too quickly. If this continues, I will surely be overtaken at the finish line. And it'll end.

'I'll lose.'

Like the darkness of this tunnel that surrounds myself, solitude wraps my body. The loneliness of having no one by my side when I need someone's help. I don't see any friends who can alleviate this heart-wrenching despair.

Lonely.

'But I'm already used to that!'

Ever since my parents passed away, I've been lonely. So I'll run. I'll run even though I know I'll lose!

With the intention of dying.

The jewels on the necklace begin to glow orange.

[Survival: May those who are prepared for death reach the end]

I suddenly felt the sticky energy that had been entangling me disappear, and at the same time, I lost consciousness for a moment.

"..."

When I came to my senses, I was breathing heavily. How did the race go? I looked around and found myself outside the tunnel. Then [Turbo Granny], who was frowning, caught my eye.

[Tsk... How...]5

With those words, [Turbo Grandma] disappeared. Instead, there was a round glass bead falling in its place. Judging that it was clearly important, I put it in my pocket.

Right now I don't see the others. When Ella explained the operation, she said the [Infernal Hands] won't pose a problem for them, so they should be safe.

Even so, I wanted to see my members quickly.

I entered the tunnel again.

POV Switch - Ella

After defeating the [Spider Attendant], I decided to enter the tunnel and bring the children.

The first one I met was Eun-jeong.

"Stop! Don't do it! Don't!"

She was caught by the hands and was being harassed. You've been through a lot, and you've got a lot of credit for helping the other kids being less disturbed. I swung the knife and saved her.

Eun-jeong was scared and followed me by sticking to me. From your point of view, I am also a murderer, but since I am also a child, do you see me as someone you can rely on right now?

The next one we met was Suho and Kyeong-min, who were stuck at the edge of the tunnel and caught by the [Infernal Hands]. Let's ask them why they were on the edge like this, with their complexion looking pale and shivering.

On the way, they couldn't chase after Ha-rim, so they hit the side of the tunnel to try to draw aggro from [Infernal Hands].

This idea was surprising. They are smart kids. It must have been scary, but you did well.

And the last one I met was Ha-rim. Seeing that my leg wasn't cut off, it seemed that she had won the match. As evidence of that, she is holding a marble.

It always amazes me. It seems that she used the artifact somehow, and I was very curious about the method.

But you're probably tired, so I'll have to put my curiosity aside.

"Today ends with this! Let's go back now."

As we were leaving the tunnel, I thought as I cut down the hands that were in my way. Is there any way to get rid of these guys? I remember that there was no way to permanently eradicate the monsters that were assimilated with the map. But it's annoying to experiment.

We made our way to the entrance and went outside. The appearance of children who could not be seen well in the dark is clearly visible. There doesn't seem to be any injuries.

But for some reason, I felt empty, like I'm missing something.

When the children looked at each other and turned their heads to me, the boys turned their heads to the side hurriedly, their ears seemed a little red, and still very scared.

"Ella! The... The skirt!"

When I looked down at Eun-jeong's words, a [Infernal Hand] that followed from the darkness of the tunnel pulled up my skirt... 

Slash!

"...You'd better forget it."

Am I aiming my anger to the children when I'm an adult? I am.

Fortunately, the skirt was long, so they couldn't even see my panties, but it was embarrassing because it was almost visible.

Even so, I'm really sorry that I'm taking my anger out....

No, I'm not mad at you. Don't give me the chocolate, Ha-rim.

After that, the way home with me and the children was an awkward time.