NOVEL NEXT Chapter 175
175. Wakame Man Of The Underground [Side – Golem]
After running through the hallway for several minutes,we surprisingly found the passage to the underground quickly. The staircase leading down was exposed, making it accessible to anyone.
“…How did you miss this when it’s in such an obvious spot?”
“Uh, whaaat…? I thought it’d be hidden better…”
Vitt scratched his head, then suddenly adopted a serious expression.
“…But think about it this way: maybe the stairs are out in the open because they’ve got measures in place to handle intruders.”
That could be the case. Normally, things that shouldn’t be found are hidden. If anyone can freely come and go, there’s likely some kind of safeguard.
Even so, turning back wasn’t an option for us.
Vitt and I descended the stone stairs and pushed open the iron door, which was as tall as we were.
Beyond the door lay a completely different atmosphere from the first floor. First of all, it was much darker due to the lack of lighting. The winding hallways from earlier were now a straight, narrow path.
It felt eerily like we were being lured into something.
As we walked, I suddenly had the sensation of being watched. I stopped in my tracks.
“…Heh heh heh. So you noticed after all. A terrifying beast, indeed.”
“Whoa!? Something made a noise from the ceiling!?”
Vitt yelped and hid behind me, trembling.
“Who’s there?”
“Hey now, you’re the intruders here, aren’t you? …Well, no matter. I’m the guardian of this facility.”
A voice echoed from the ceiling, followed by the swish of something being thrown. A moment later, something fell from above.
When I looked to see what it was, there stood a man, covered in a slick, black substance.
Upon closer inspection, the covering wasn’t slime—it was wakame seaweed. A slimy liquid dripped from his feet, making him even more unsettling.
“Talk about a monster—look at yourself!”
“What did you say!? This beautiful form was crafted here in this laboratory! And you dare mock it!?”
Despite his grotesque appearance, the Wakame Man seemed proud of his looks. He raised both arms and yelled indignantly.
But… how did he end up like this? It wasn’t just wearing seaweed; it was as if the seaweed was growing from his body.
“Golem! I’ll defeat you here and prove my beauty! For that, you must die right now!”
The Wakame Man pointed at me and charged recklessly. His speed wasn’t much to worry about. Judging by his movement, his strength wasn’t either.
I readied my fist, waiting for the right moment to strike.
“
My fist connected with his face. As expected, he was light, and he flew back instantly.
“Gyaaaaaaahhhhh!?”
He skidded across the floor like a mop, hitting the wall and falling limp.
What a letdown. For all his dramatic entrance, I thought he’d be more formidable—
“Fwahahaha! Is that all the strength you’ve got!?”
I couldn’t believe it. When I turned back, the Wakame Man had stood up again, laughing confidently as if nothing had happened.
That’s odd. I was sure that blow had knocked him out… No matter. I’ll just hit him harder this time.
“
Cracking my knuckles, I closed the distance and slammed my fist into his torso. A silver light erupted, sending his body airborne. He crashed into the ceiling before falling back to the ground, unconscious again.
“Making me waste precious energy… Well, this time, he won’t be getting back up.”
“…Fwahahahaha! Fwahahahahaha!!”
Just as I was about to move forward, mocking laughter echoed through the hallway again.
“Futile! Your compatibility with me is abysmal!”
It was the Wakame Man. He stood there again, unscathed, despite being knocked out moments ago.
This is impossible. Something’s off.
Seeing my confusion, the man smirked.
“…What do you mean, our compatibility is bad?”
“You think I’m getting back up after taking those hits, don’t you? But that’s not exactly right. My skill lets me ‘revive even after death.’”
“What!? There’s no such ability!”
Vitt interrupted, raising his voice in disbelief. And rightly so. The concept of reviving after death was absurd.
“I originally only had the skill to grow seaweed from my body. But my creator granted me this amazing trait!”
“And who’s this creator of yours?”
“I can’t answer that. After all, you’re going to die here anyway!”
The Wakame Man pointed at me, laughing hysterically while striking a self-admiring pose.
“You’ll burn through all your energy trying to defeat me and die here! No one can stand against the skill
“…Heh.”
As I listened to his speech, a smirk escaped my lips. Noticing my reaction, the Wakame Man frowned.
“…What’s so funny? Do you understand the situation? You’re being cornered by me!”
“Cornered? You don’t get it, do you?”
An enemy who revives no matter how many times he’s killed. At first glance, it’s terrifying.
But the one who’s at a disadvantage isn’t me—it’s you.
“If you can’t die no matter what… then I can just kill you as many times as I want, can’t I?”