I don't know how long I was asleep, but I felt a fair bit more refreshed once I woke up. The first sound I noticed was that of crunching, which was odd, since there wasn't any food in the vicinity. Did Energy wake up before me and scrounge something up for us to eat? If so, he should've woken me up too. Ever since we entered the Shrine, my hunger function began working as it does for humans. I should get up.
"Hm? Energy?" I looked to where he fell, but no one was there, "Energy, you there?"
"Bzzzz..."
That sound... That's a roach bat! Crap, I thought we killed all of them! Guess one of the ones that got scared away went back to get us. That's bad, I need to hide!
"Energy...! Energy!" I called out to him in a panicked whisper, "Dammit, gramps! You didn't actually leave me here to die, did you!?"
...No, think about this rationally, Migu. He said he only ever sleeps with one Eye open, the paranoid idiot. Surely he must've sensed it was drawing near and hid for a better position. Ugh, I really hate crawling in between these dead carcasses, but I can't keep staying here. The bat roach, where is it...?
"The sound of munching is getting louder. Is it cannibalizing?" I dreaded the very thought, "Disgusting. Come on, Energy, swoop in and kill it already!"
It was already getting difficult to breathe with the stench wafting through the area. I guess these things are half bugs, so killing one surely releases some nasty fumes. Now multiply it by all the ones we killed, and well, you get this unsettling smell. I still have my rapier and Flasher with me, so even if it does somehow spot me, I can pretty safely defend myself. Ugh, though it's difficult to move with my wounds...
"Energy... Maybe he's not actually here?" I worriedly reasoned, "He might've gotten chased away by another one of these freaks, in which case we got separated. Does that mean I'll have to kill this one by myself?"
Hoo, steal your resolve, Migu! It's just one roach bat, after all, how hard can it be? Just think, you've killed a dozen just a while ago. Right, just like how Energy taught you—jump out, stun it with the Flasher, and aim the rapier straight between its nasty bug Eyes! Three, two, one... Go!
"A-Ah." I stopped the moment I jumped out from my cover, "A-AH!? AHHHH!"
Before my Eyes laid Energy, his scalp completely torn off as the roach desperately tried to reach for his golden brain. To say the sight was depressing was an understatement, but I still had time to fix this situation. Flashing it in the face before skewering its head, it thrashed around a bit before succumbing to its death. Horrifying. But more importantly, Energy!
"Energy, wake up!" I gently shook him up, unsure if it's safe to be any rougher, "Energy, Energy!"
He's... He's dead...!
"..."
"......"
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" He suddenly began to scream.
"Ahhhhh!"
"BAHHHHHH!" He blinked at me uncontrollably, "Why does my brain feel cold!? Migu, why!?"
"E-Eh!? Calm down, they'll hear us!" I shushed him, "What the hell, you're alive!?"
"Hoo, hoo... Okay, I'm calm." He slowed his breathing before replying, "I'm... Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
Okay, I know I was the one who told him to calm down, but for a guy hanging with an exposed brain, I'd this level of tranquility is scarier than the bugs we're facing.
"A-Are you in pain?" I asked, "Nonono! Don't get up!"
"Huh? Why not?" He furrowed his brows.
"I-It'll spill..." I muttered, "No, what I meant is—it's best for you to rest a bit more. Listen to me, you got attacked by one of those bugs in your sleep."
"Hah! Are you kidding me? I told you already, but I sleep with one Eye open, descendant!" He proudly guffawed.
Evidently not... So wait, if he's not aware of the entire upper half of his head being torn open, then I guess it doesn't matter? There shouldn't be any mirrors in the Shrine, and even if there were, he wouldn't be able to find the angle necessary to see the injury no matter how hard he tried. It's gonna be tough, but if he holds out for just a little while longer, we can make it to the beds and he'll be just fine.
"Alright, so uhh..." I rummaged through his armor.
"O-Oi! What are you doing!?" He jolted, "We're related!"
"Piss off! Oh, there it is!" I finally found something that'd work, "I'll bandage your head up, since it got a bit... I'll bandage your head up now."
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If I tell him about his injury, he'll definitely want us to die and restart, but then we'd have to fight off all these guys. I'd rather die than go through all that again. Wait, no, that's not-... Whatever, you get the point! I need to cover the brain with bandages so he doesn't notice until we reach the fourth floor!
"Alright, all done!" I gently helped him get up, "Easy does it!"
"What the hell did those things do to me?" He felt his bandaged head out, "I got this incredible headache right now..."
"Yeah, and I got a thigh ache because of a certain someone staking me." I retorted, "We're both pretty banged up, but we shouldn't be too far from the stairs."
I started limping forwards, but he was quick to hop in front and stop me.
"Hey, hold it."
"What's up?"
"The hell do you mean What's up?" He cocked his head back, "Don't you remember? Some of them escaped when you spammed the Flasher, so we ought to be wary from here on."
Tell that to yourself, halfwit.
"Then, what do you suppose we do?" I sighed.
"I'll lead the way." He hopped in front, "And remember, if I get even a SINGLE serious wound, please don't hesitate to kill us and reset."
"...Yeah, got it." I nodded solemnly, "You uhh... have my word on that."
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So as things stood, I think it was the right choice not to tell him. He seems happy in his blissful ignorance, and besides, if he's gonna heal up by the end of this whole ordeal, and he's still capable, then what's the difference? I'll just let him be, and maybe treat him a bit kinder just in case.
"Whoa." I got stopped by his arm right before a tight corner, "What's-?"
"Sst!" He shushed me, "Two more, just over there. Can you see them?"
Looking over his shoulder, I did in fact notice the two chimeric beings that almost looked like they were conversing amongst themselves. Weird, I didn't know they could communicate. Maybe that's just their way of tricking us, making us think they're smarter than they are. Y'know, the whole "appear bigger when a bear attacks you" life hack.
"Oh yeah, we better sneak around them." I noted.
"I'm going in-"
"Whoa whoa whoa!"
I can't let him fight like this! His brain's literally gonna pop right off if he starts swinging that damned mallet of his! He needs to be a good little grandpa and chill out for a bit.
"Migu, let me go." He tried to break free, but I didn't let him.
"I-I'll go, ha-ha..." I chuckled nervously, "You still need to rest. Besides, I got this really fun idea about killing them, and I want you to see my skills!"
"Migu, now's not the time. Look, we'll do it together-"
"Bah!" I saw the bandages starting to get undone, "No, wait a second! Lemme just...!"
"What are you-Hrk!"
His Eyes shot straight up, his mouth foaming like crazy, and his body went limp as it dropped to the ground. Dang, did I just kill him by accident? Well, I did tighten the bandages pretty hard around his brain... Hm? Oh good, he's still breathing. I guess I just found out how to put him to sleep whenever I want to.
"Sorry about this, but I need you to lay low for a while." I apologized before turning the corner, "I'll be right back. Right after I deal with these guys."
Turning the corner, I was once again faced with these fearsome foes. They didn't seem to notice me just yet, so I used the situation to sneak into a better position. There was a bush right next to them, so if I could just get there...
"Bzzz!" One suddenly got aggravated.
"Oh no...!"
"Bzz..." It then calmed down.
"Phew! It just got pissed at the other one..." I let our a sigh of relief.
I kept moving between the bushes and shrubbery as I steadily moved in closer to them. My rapier was still in my main hand, and the Flasher in my offhand. They're both staring intently at each other with their faces right in front of where the bush is. Once I get there, I'll quickly use the Flasher before delivering a swift skewer to both of their faces. Ah, but I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch, since there's still a way to go before I reach them.
"Mn!" I panicked as the sound of a stick cracking beneath my foot echoed throughout the area, "Uuu..."
My heart was practically jumping out of my chest with each thump, and I knew that the only reason I wasn't spotted yet was merely because of my luck. I won't be getting this chance again, so I need to focus up. Energy's waiting for me!
"Bzz. Bzz bzz." The bat roach buzzed sentimentally.
"Bzz." The other bat roach agreed, "Bzz bzz bzz bzz."
"Bzz!?"
"B-Bzz..."
The hell am I looking at? Why does the air around them look so pink and bubbly all of a sudden? No, don't get distracted, Migu. The bush is right in front of you, so all you have left to do is sneak in.
"Bzz... Bzz bzz!" The first one confessed.
"Bzz bzz bzz! Bzz bzz!"
The scene could almost be called joyful. Gods only know what the hell that conversation entailed, but I certainly don't care. Right now, their ugly mugs were right in front of me, just outside the bush. It's showtime.
"Bzz..." The bat roach moved in closer.
"Bzz." The other one seemed to follow suit.
"...Now!" I pulled the pin, putting my offhand in between them, "Say your prayers, you disgusting beasts!"
Startled as they were, they couldn't dodge the Flash in time, and with it hitting them point blank, I'm sure they must have already croaked just from the shock. I wanted to make absolutely sure, however. Last time we didn't double check, Energy almost got his mind munched clean off. Not letting that happen to me, not a chance. After all, I like my ponytail!
"Die, suckers!"
I slammed the Flasher's tiny blade right into the left one's brain, simultaneously stabbing the other one with the rapier in my main hand. A clean, stealthy double kill from the bushes—just like the assassins would've done it!
"Eugh, I think I finally get why Energy put so much emphasis on cleaning his weapons." I tried wiping some of the blood off of the grass below, but it didn't work, "Well, whatever. Let's go check up on him."
Now that there weren't any threats to hide away from, I could leisurely walk back to his rock hideout in peace. Now that I don't have to go from bush to bush, the actual distance between us wasn't that far at all. Thankfully, once I turned the corner, there weren't anymore unpleasant surprises.
"Energy. Hey, Energy!" I gently shook him awake, "Wake up-... Ah."
His brain just fell out. That's... That's bad, isn't it?
"...."
"......."
"..."
Oh yeah, that's bad.