Day 461-470/Day 462

Need a lot of editing
Day 462
Today, I was walking around the back alleys, hanging out before breakfast, when I caught a small guy.
　He is a member of an underground organization of some scale, but he is a low-level employee who only makes a little money.
　His contribution to the organization is reasonably small, but he still took advantage of the time until breakfast was ready to go to the guard, a mole-type beastman who he had become quite acquainted with over the past few days.
　While he was taking care of the formalities, I had some free time to talk to him.
　After getting some information about some good-looking bounty hunters and underworld organizations, the mole-beast suddenly began to think about something, and hesitantly began to tell a story.
　It was the story of a cursed man who had once been admired by everyone and was now the biggest bounty hunter in the world.
　A few decades ago, there was an orphan in a poorhouse.
　He didn't know his parents, and by the time he could remember, he was in a privately run orphanage in the poorhouse.
　The director of the orphanage retired from active service after breaking one of his knees, but it seems that he used to be a famous warrior who served the [Earth Dragon King].
　The orphanage is run by donations from others, savings from the past, and money earned from hunting dungeon monsters in the vicinity.
　Therefore, the orphanage is relatively wealthy and stable, but when the orphans reach a certain age, they are required to help hunt dungeon monsters.
　This was to increase their combat experience, accumulate experience values, raise their level, and improve their survival skills.
　It was a rough and dangerous way to live, but I guess it was the best way to give the orphans a way to live as they would eventually be on their own.
　Anyway, the man who had fought under the guidance of the orphanage from his childhood became a strong and robust warrior as he grew up over the years.
　He must have had a natural talent to begin with.
　He was born as a weakling in the [Dark Continent], but he repeatedly [ Rank Up ], and by the time he was in his late teens, his name was widely known as a strong man.
　In the process, he also became active as a leader of orphans, and led the "Reverend Gunka", which means relief for the poor.
　The "Liberdo Gunka" expanded its power while protecting the weak who were preyed upon by the underworld, such as orphans, widows, and the elderly, just like the man.
　They don't do anything illegal like the underworld, but rather train in a disciplined manner, formulate tactics, kill dungeon monsters in groups, and sell the materials to earn money and food.
　They also negotiated jobs in the tunnels that could be done by children, such as maidservants, and although the wages were small, they were able to earn a healthy living.
　Despite the interference of underworld organizations, as well as the battles with merchants who looked down on them and offered unreasonable deals, the organization did not collapse because of the man's strong charisma and, above all, because of his military strength.
　The guard of the mole beast also seemed to be from the "Liberd Gunka", and he passionately explained the situation in detail.
　Anyway, the hardships of the man and his friends continued, but one day, the man received the [blessing] of the [God of Lava], and at the right time, he evolved into the [Ruby|Lava Dragonizer|Lava Flow Dragorex subspecies]. I'm not sure what to do.
　I'm not sure if it's a good idea to use the word "dragon" or "dragon", but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to use the word "dragon" or "dragon".
　They are a powerful race, probably even stronger than the dragons and dragon-men.
　And here, where the [Earth Dragon King] reigns, in addition to being a dragon species, the man's dragonization is a lava dragon, which is classified as a type of earth dragon.
　It's a good reason for the hostile organization to back off from any further danger.
　The fact that an existence that can't be underestimated has become even more dangerous for a variety of reasons, no one would want to provoke it on purpose.
　And it's also significant that the [Earth Dragon King] Granvados Reptonabal did not leave such a man unattended.
　Perhaps he had been paying attention to him for some time, and as soon as he became a "lava dragonizer," he took him under his direct command as a close guard.
　At the same time, he also hired one of his friends, a member of the "Reverend Gunka", and made him his subordinate.
　In this way, the activities of the man who was once an orphan, but led his comrades as a leader, and finally rose to become the Kingsguard of the [ Earth Dragon King ] continued.
　He ran through countless battlefields and was eventually chosen as the [brave of the lava].
　He fell in love with the beloved daughter of the [Earth Dragon King], and after overcoming various trials and tribulations, they were officially recognized as friends, and he was able to hold his beloved child in his hands.
　It's like a story of heroism and courage for the upstarts.
　In fact, the people around me thought so, and they were not wrong.
　However, life is not all about happiness.
　A certain dungeon monster had to ruin that happiness.
　It started when a man's wife was poisoned by one of the most vicious life-eating and death-causing [Ruby | Curse].
　The source of the curse is the fearsome ancient guardian curse treasure king "Fabniripgan", which does not infect others, but causes the affected person's entire body to be covered in blue, luminous swirls and tear-like patterns.
　The affected person's skin and flesh sores like mud, their fragile bones shatter with the slightest impact, and their organs rot but regenerate to keep them alive.
　No amount of magic potion or other means of healing the broken body can make it go away, and no amount of skill can completely cure it.
　Even so, the spirit is in unbearable pain, but does not collapse.
　This is because the [curse] prevents a definitive end.
　The death of the man's wife, who was under the influence of the horrible [curse], was a definite future, as both body and soul would continue to collapse until the last remaining heart stopped completely.
　In the meantime, a cure exists.
　A fragment of the heart shell of a "Fabnilipgan" is immersed in a spiritual spring deep underground and drunk.
　There is no other cure, and drinking it is said to instantly heal.
　But he can't heal it, because he can't get the material.
　So the man had no choice but to fight the "Fabniripgan". Not wanting to lose his wife, he did everything he could.
　And after a tremendous battle, fought with six of his most trusted comrades, the only one who survives is the one who has what he needs, even though he is badly injured all over his body, reduced to rags, and his spirit is as weak as a withered old man.
　While everyone was saddened by the deaths of those who did not return, everyone was happy to see the [brave man] return.
　And because everyone was happy and the man was severely worn out, no one noticed that the man who came back was cursed.
　Unfortunately, the man's tremendous mental strength slowed down the progress of the [ curse ] while he was exhausted, and as a result, the [ curse ] quietly progressed to a depth that the man himself could not control.
　What consumed the man was [Ruby | Earth Dragon Eater Crazy Curse | Thevaloes], the most abhorrent [Curse] in this place ruled by the [Earth Dragon King].
　So, the next tragedy happened immediately.
　The man ate his wife when she woke up, dying, after being cured of her【Lelly Blue】.
　There was no one else around because he wanted to leave them alone. Therefore, the situation was not discovered until after everything was over.
　In front of his wife's corpse, which had turned into bones with only a little flesh left in the hospital room, the man went crazy with [Curse], chewing flesh, bones, eyeballs, heart, and soul while shedding tears of blood.
　In the face of the murderous act of the royal family and the grief-filled expression of the madman, the Kingsguard who noticed something was wrong and rushed to the scene were late in their actions, allowing the madman to escape.
　But even if they had been in perfect shape, it would have been meaningless against the full force of the man who had lost his reason due to his madness.
　Anyway, in this way, the highest bounty in the history of the underground city "Grand Bagrass" was born.
　In the past, he led the orphans as their leader, and rose to become a [hero], and then he was cursed and went crazy.
　The guard, a mole-like beastman, finished telling us the details as if he had seen them up close, looked as if he were praying for something, and then told us that he had completed the procedure.
　Now, what to do after hearing this?
　I had already decided what I would do.
　First of all, we would go back for a good breakfast.
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“四百六十二日目”
　今日は朝飯前にブラブラ裏路地を歩いていると、小物を捕らえた。
　そこそこの規模の裏組織の構成員だが、小遣い稼ぎ程度にしかならない下っ端である。
　貢献度としては下っ端なので相応に小さいが、それでも朝飯が出来るまでの間を利用してここ数日でスッカリ顔見知りになった守衛のモグラ系獣人の所に向かった。
　手続きを任せている間、暇だったので色々と話を聞いてみる。
　すると何人か良さそうな賞金首と裏組織の情報を貰った後、モグラ系獣人は不意に何かを考え始め、そして躊躇いがちにとある話を語りだした。
　それはかつて皆が憧れ、現在では最も大きい賞金首となってしまった呪われた男の話だった。
　数十年前、貧民窟に一人の孤児が居た。
　親の顔も知らず、物心つく頃には貧民窟にある個人運営の孤児院に入っていた。
　孤児院の院長は片膝を壊して現役を引退したが、元々は【地龍王】に仕えた名のある戦士だったらしい。
　孤児院の運営には他人からの寄付とこれまでの貯金、それから近場でダンジョンモンスターを狩って稼いだ金が使われている。
　その為比較的裕福で安定した運営をしているが、孤児達はある程度の年齢になるとダンジョンモンスターの狩猟の手伝いをする事になっている。
　それは戦闘経験を増やし、経験値を蓄積してレベルを上げ、孤児達の生存能力を高める為だった。
　命の危険もある乱暴な方法だが、いずれは独り立ちする孤児達に生きる術を与えるにはそうするのが最も良かったのだろう。
　ともあれ、幼少期から孤児院で指導されながら戦っていた男は年月を経て成長するに従い、強く逞しい戦士となった。
　元々天性の才能があったのだろう。
　生まれは【暗黒大陸】では種族的に弱者である“”だったのに幾度も【存在進化】を繰り返し、十代後半になると強者としてその名は広く知られていた。
　そしてその過程で孤児達のリーダーとしても活躍し、貧民の救済を意味する≪リベルド・グンカ≫を率いる事となる。
　≪リベルド・グンカ≫は男と同じ孤児や未亡人や老人など、裏組織に食い物にされる弱者を護りながら勢力を拡大した。
　裏組織のように非合法な事はせず、規律正しく訓練し、戦術を練って集団でダンジョンモンスターを殺し、その素材を売って金を得て、食料を得る。
　あるいは坑道で小間使いなど子供でも出来る仕事を交渉し、賃金は少ないが健全に糧を得ていた。
　裏組織による妨害はもちろん、足下を見て理不尽な取引を持ちかける商人達との戦いで揺れながらも、組織が崩れなかったのは男の強いカリスマ性と、何より武力があったからだろう。
　モグラ系獣人の守衛もまた≪リベルド・グンカ≫出身らしく、その辺りは熱く詳しく説明された。
　ともあれ、男と仲間達の苦難は続いたが、男がある時【溶岩の神】の【加護】を受け、タイミング良く【存在進化】して“・亜種”となった事で不特定多数による妨害はほぼ途絶える事になる。
　“”とは普段は竜人や龍人のようなヒト型だが、一時的に竜化／龍化する事が可能な能力を持つ種族である。
　強さ的には竜人や龍人よりも上になるだろう、強力な種族だ。
　そして【地龍王】が治めるここでは龍種である事に加え、男の龍化は地龍の一種に分類される溶岩龍である。
　敵対していた組織がこれ以上は危険だと身を引くのには十分な理由だ。
　ただでさえ侮れない存在が、様々な理由からより危険な存在にまでなったのだから、わざわざ自分から刺激したいとは誰も思わないに違いない。
　そしてそんな男を、【地龍王】グランバドス＝レプトナバルは放置しなかった事も大きい。
　前々から注目していたのか、“溶岩龍化人”となってすぐに直属の近衛兵として召し抱えたのである。
　また、それと同時に男の仲間である≪リベルド・グンカ≫の構成員も雇い入れ、その部下とした。
　そうして元は孤児でありながら、リーダーとして仲間を率い、ついには【地龍王】の近衛兵として成り上がった男の活躍は続いた。
　無数の戦場を駆け抜け、やがて【溶岩の勇者】に選ばれた。
　そして【地龍王】の愛娘と恋をして、様々な試練を乗り越えて正式に仲を認められ、愛しい我が子をその手に抱く事になる。
　まるで成り上がり者の英勇物語のような流れだろう。
　実際、周囲からはそう思われていたし、それは間違いではなかった。
　だが、しかし人生は嬉しい事ばかりではない。
　とあるダンジョンモンスターによって、幸せなそれは破綻するしかなかったのだ。
　切っ掛けは男の妻が生命を蝕み死を齎す最も凶悪な部類の【】――【】に蝕まれた事だった。
　恐るべき古代守護呪恩宝王“ファブニリプガン”を発生源とするそれは他人に感染こそしないが、発症者の全身に青く発光する渦と涙のような紋様が浮き上がる。
　そして発症者の皮膚や肉は泥のように爛れ、脆くなった骨は僅かな衝撃で粉砕し、臓腑は腐りつつも再生して命を繋ぐ。
　壊れる肉体は魔法薬などを使っても一時しのぎにしかならず、どれほどの腕があっても完治する事はない。
　それでいて精神は耐えがたい激痛に狂いながらも崩壊まではしない。
　【呪詛】が決定的な終わりを阻むからだ。
　最後まで残される心臓が完全に止まるまで心身共に破綻し続ける、何とも恐ろしい【呪詛】に蝕まれた男の妻の死は決定的な未来だった。
　一応、治療法は存在する。
　“ファブニリプガン”の心殻の断片を地下深くに湧く霊泉に浸し、それを飲む。
　これ以外に存在せず、飲めば即座に快癒するという。
　もっとも、その素材を得られないから治せないのだが。
　だから男は“ファブニリプガン”と戦うしかなかった。妻を失いたくない男は全力を尽くした。
　そしてとてつもない激戦があり、最も信頼できる六人の仲間と共に戦った男は、全身大怪我だらけでボロ布のようになり、精神はまるで枯れ果てた老人のように衰弱した状態で、それでも必要な物は持ってただ一人生還する。
　誰もが帰らなかった者達の死に悲しみつつも、誰もが【勇者】の生還に喜んだ。
　そして誰もが喜び、男の消耗が深刻だったからこそ、帰ってきた男が呪われている事に誰も気が付かなかった。
　不運な事に男の途轍もない精神力が消耗しつつも【呪詛】の進行を遅らせ、結果として男自身ではどうしようもない深度まで【呪詛】が静かに進行したのである。
　男を蝕んだのは【】という、【地龍王】が治めるここでは最も忌み嫌われる【呪詛】であり。
　だから、次の悲劇はすぐに起こった。
　男は【レリーブルー】が治り、瀕死ながら目覚めた妻を喰ったのだ。
　二人きりにしてやろうという気遣いから周囲には誰もいなかった。そのため事態が発覚したのは全てが終わった後だった。
　病室で僅かな肉を残した骨に変わった妻の亡骸の前で、血涙を流しながら肉を骨を眼球を心臓を魂を咀嚼する【呪詛】で狂った男。
　王族殺しの凶行に、狂った男の悲嘆に満ちた形相に、異変に気が付いて駆けつけた近衛兵達の行動は遅れ、狂った男の逃走を許してしまう。
　もっとも、体勢が万全であったとしても狂化により理性をなくした男の全力には無意味だっただろうが。
　ともあれ、そうして地下都市≪グランバグラス≫史上最高額の賞金首が誕生する事になる。
　かつては孤児達のリーダーとして皆を率い、【勇者】になるまで成り上がり、そして呪われて狂った一人の男――≪呪狂龍化のガブリオロス・グ≫。
　まるで近くで見た来たように事細かくモグラ系獣人の守衛は語り終え、何かを祈るような表情をしてから、手続きを終えた事を教えてくれた。
　さて、これを聞いてどうするか。
　そんなものは、決まっていた。
　一先ず、美味しい朝食を食べに戻るのだ。
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Category:Novel
Category:Articles that needs cleaning
Category:Re:Monster ~ The Dark Continent ~ Vol. 2