Inside the Cave of Obscenity (WN): Volume 8 - Final

 

Final Episode: Those Who Return and Those Who Do Not

"Uu..."

 A few hours later.

 After enough time had passed for the sun to tilt slightly from the middle of the sky, a small voice echoed through the forest.

"I... was saved?"

 Julia, a beastwoman with golden hair, tail, and ears, was the one who raised her body as she said that.

 She knew from the tattered black military uniform that what had just happened was not a dream, and she knotted the remnants together to at least hide her chest and lower body.

 They were stained with slime mucus and foul-smelling white fluid, but she was also...... well, lucky that her panties were still intact.

 Dressed only in a ragged, torn military uniform cloth and bright red panties, Julia looked around.

 She immediately saw the person she was looking for―― her beloved childhood friend and her expression softened, if only slightly.

"Anri!!"

"......"

 There was no reply.

 Julia rushed over to her childhood friend, who had been thrown carelessly to the ground, and picked her up.

 Anri was in just as bad a state as Julia, with dirt all over her body, and it seemed as though no part was clean.

"Thank goodness……"

 Despite her condition, however, Anri was breathing.

 Her chest, which was two times bigger than Julia's, was gently rising and falling, and she did not appear to be injured.

 After checking on Anri, Julia breathed a sigh of relief and thought about what she had to do next.

 Her entire body was stained with slime and white fluid, especially her lower body.

 Julia's face contorted as the half-dried liquid spilled from her vagina and asshole, and she wiped her skin to clean it as best she could with the remnants of her military uniform, which was now just more than a rag.

"Nhh... Julia...?"

"Ahh, Anri―― thank goodness you're all right."

 When Anri regained consciousness while she was wiping her body, Julia couldn't resist and hugged her petite body.

 The limbs of the two almost naked beauties overlapped, and Julia and Anri's breasts bumped into each other and changed shape.

 It was a touching scene, but they quickly pulled away, remembering that they were both in a terrible state of defilement.

"It stinks."

"I couldn't care less, since you're safe."

 Anri smiled wryly, and Julia returned to her strong usual tone.

 ......and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry. I jumped out on my own."

"Yeah. You should reflect on it, okay? But don't mind it―― I hate the slime, too."

 Anri said no more.

 Then, following Julia, she gathered up the remnants of her military uniform to cover a minimal amount of skin and looked around.

"What about everyone else?"

"I don't know... the goblin-shaped slime was gone when I woke up."

"I see."

 Julia and Anri searched their surroundings and found their weapons.

 No weapons or armor from their allies.

 Knowing that the slime could not melt metal, they were relieved to find no weapons and no armor.

 No one else had been sacrificed here but themselves, they decided to think so.

"Let's go back to the camp, Julia. We have to join Fiana-sama and the others."

"Yes."

 Anri tried to wear the metal breastplate over the remnants of her uniform that hid only her chest and crotch but thought it was just cold and gave up.

 The metal fittings to fasten the armor had been broken, and whatever the goblins had done, there was a puddle of white fluid in the deep part that was not on Julia's breastplate.

 She couldn't bring herself to wear it after seeing such filth.

"It's so quiet."

"Yeah."

 The forest was oddly quiet.

 No birds were chirping, no insects singing...... nothing like that.

 The forest looked completely different from when they came, and it felt eerie.

 Moving through the forest was led by Anri, and they were able to get through the forest without being attacked by the slime.

"This is……"

 Julia gasped at the sight.

 She saw a writhing structure that could only be described as a "slime castle" showing before her.

 The grayish-black liquid that made up the structure was familiar.

 It was a damn slime.

 The slime had gathered into a castle-like shape, covering an abandoned temple that had been used as a goddess's resting place long ago.

 The sight rendered her speechless for a moment, and then a sudden gust of wind cooled her mucus-soaked skin, bringing her back to awareness.

"Julia, over here!!"

 Anri, who had been looking for Fiana and the others while Julia was shivering in the sight of the "Slime Castle", called out from a distance.

 She ran in the direction of the voice and found a camp set up there, with the supplies they had been carrying...... but no sign of anyone.

 Anri was the first to check inside the tents, but there was no one in any of the dozen or so tents.

 In addition…….

"This is……"

"The sword that Fiana-sama had?"

 They picked up the mithril sword from the ground and checked it.

 The familiar shape was the sword used by Fiana, the female elven knight who led the group.

 The sword, which was said to have been newly made to fight the slimes, was filled with a large amount of mana, so much so that even the beastmen, who could not trace the flow of mana, could feel the mighty power that was contained in it.

 But now, the sword had no mana.

 With its mana exhausted, it was a mere metal sword.

"What happened here..."

 Julia looked around the empty camp with Fiana's sword in her hand.

 There was no sign of anyone―― it was no use staying in this place, and after a while, they went back into the forest.

"We should go back to the relay point where Alfira-dono is."

"Yeah, that's right."

 And so they walked through the forest all night, going back to the relay point that Alfira was managing.

 The two, who were accustomed to the forest and had good instincts, took the shortest distance without getting lost and were able to return to the relay point by the time daybreak came.

 Although they were able to rest a little after passing out, the two had been tormented for so long that they had reached their physical limits, but they still walked.

 There was no one but themselves―― they wanted to forget such anxiety as soon as possible.

"Ah."

 But when they returned to the relay point, it was hell.

"Fuguuu!? There, that's the wrong placeee!?"

 What reached their ears was a familiar voice―― Alfira's voice.

 However, the violet-haired human female knight, who had not lost her dignified expression in front of Fiana, was being violated by an orc at the edge of the relay point.

 No, by a slime in the form of an orc.

 Its body was made of mucus that made it look slow and obese, and its face could only be described as ugly.

 The fact that the face was not changing like a mask was bizarre but other than that, it was no different from the orcs that Julia and the others know.

 The slime was a perfect copy of the monster.

"We have to help."

"Yeah, alright."

 Fortunately, Alfira was the only one being violated.

 There was no one else and no slime.

 There was no man.

 Did they retreat while Alfira was being violated, or have they already been preyed upon?

"There should have been other women besides Alfira-dono at this relay point......"

"Yeah, but let's think about it later."

"Yeah."

 Without time to think about it, Julia and Anri turn their attention toward Alfira, who was being violated.

"Kuh!? Again, why always that placeee!"

 The violet-haired knight, protected by the knight's armor except for her groin, screamed, but Julia and Anri did not panic and calmly approached the orc, using the trees in the forest as cover.

 Using mithril with mana would be noticed by the slimes, so they would use a non-magical weapon to strike the orc's "nucleus".

 The two move to a distance where the blade could reach with just one step and observe first, narrowing the superior eyes of the beastmen to find the "nucleus".

"Higuu!? Don't make it strange anymore!? The hole you're putting it iiin!?"

 Alfira's voice was mournful, but not, however, in a way that caused pain or suffering.

 She was clearly experiencing pleasure, and her body was convulsing and climaxing from the orc's powerful penetration.

 As a woman, they wanted to help her as soon as possible, but if they failed here, Julia and Anri would be caught and they would not be able to help everyone.

 The two of them search for the "nucleus" to kill the slime in the form of an orc and make preparations.

"I'm going."

"Yes."

 And when she found the orc's "nucleus", Julia bent down and leaned forward so low that she seemed to fall straight to the ground.

 Her skin was barely concealed by her tattered military uniform, and her bright red panties, stained with slime and white fluid, were in full view.

 Anri threw a pebble near the orc.

"――?"

 Only the orc heard the small sound.

 A really small sound that even Alfira, who was moaning, did not notice.

 But for that moment.

 Judging by the shift in the direction of its face that the slime's consciousness was the same as a real orc's, Julia ran.

 There was no breathing, or shouted.

 She simply ran as fast as she could, closed the distance, and thrusts the sword.

 The orc's "nucleus" was faintly visible on its left chest, and the orc's form melted away and fell into Alfira's body.

"Haah, haah...? You..."

"Are you all right?"

 Faster than Alfira could say anything, Julia informed her by putting her hand over her mouth to keep her voice down.

 Her fox ears stretched and checked her surroundings, looking for any other signs of the slime.

"It's all right. All the other slimes have gone back into the forest."

"In the forest?"

"Yeah... taking the female elven knights."

 At the same time as she said these words, Alfira bit her lip and strained her lower body to push the slime fluid out of her urethra, which had been violated by the orc earlier.

 However, her lower body was so weak that it was difficult to stand up due to the long period of torment, and her urethra, which had loosened after being violated with a very thin meat rod, was unable to push out the fluid.

 The feeling of the fluid slowly dripping down from her body caused Alfira to let out a soft moan, as her face looked down at it.

 Her shoulders shook slightly, and that was enough to tell that she had climaxed.

 Julia and Anri pretended not to notice as fellow women and moved away from Alfira to look around the relay point.

"No one is here either."

"Yeah."

 As expected, the relay point was in a similar state to the camp that Fiana and Jena had prepared.

 There were signs of the slimes, but, however, no sign of people.

 They looked around the relay point for a while, and then returned to her, thinking of the time when Alfira could calm down.

 Alfira, whose equipment was less damaged than Julia and Anri, had just put back on the thick pants that had been slid down.

"Even so...... you were both safe. I thought Fiana-sama and her team had been wiped out."

"No, we don't know what happened to everyone else either...... but what happened at the relay point?"

"Suddenly, the slimes appeared. We had patrolled the area and were on the lookout for them......"

 Alfira said that at one moment, the slimes suddenly appeared in the surrounding forest.

 Besides, Julia had a feeling.

 When they were chasing after the goblins that had escaped, suddenly a large, powerful individual like a chimera and a demon race, appeared.

"After that, Fiana-sama's troops discovered that "Slime Castle"... Is it a coincidence?"

"Maybe the castle is where the slimes live, and as we got closer to it, it moved them from their hiding place?"

 Anri was just saying what came to her mind, but she felt that she was not wrong.

 The slimes became violent because the enemy was close to their dwelling place.

 That would explain why they had encountered only such individuals as goblins and orcs during the first few days in the forest.

"Anyway, we'll think about it later. We have to get back to the village where Fornelis-sama and the others are waiting before we encounter any other slimes."

"How much further is...... the promised fourth day?"

"It's today."

 Alfira said and went into the forest with only the bare minimum of equipment.

 Julia wondered if they had been violated for a whole day, but there was no time to think about it.

 She followed Alfira into the forest.

"We haven't rested yet."

"No. If Mariabelle-sama and the others entered the forest without knowing anything, there is a strong possibility that they will be attacked by a horde of slimes too―― we must give them this information before that happens."

"――――"

 Alfira's words immediately convince them.

 The daughter of the hero and a swordswoman who traveled with the previous hero.

 Even the unit led by these two would not be safe if they were attacked by slimes in a forest with poor visibility.

 However.

"Fu, fu..."

 Alfira entered the forest with these words, but within ten steps, she stopped.

 She thrusts her hips back frustratedly and rubbed her legs together, which were hidden by her thick trousers, and her hand rested on her crotch.

 ...She had been violated by an orc just a few moments before.

 Moreover, a place called the urethra.

 She probably felt the afterglow.

 Julia looked at Anri, and Anri nodded a little.

"I'll run. Anri, you and Alfira will come later on."

"That's……"

"It's the fastest way―― isn't that right, Anri?"

 Julia said that and reassured her with her gestures.

 Her limbs, still stained without the time to cleanse them with water, stretch out healthily, and her breasts, protected by tattered clothes, seem ready to spill out at any moment.

 She moved so dynamically that it was almost embarrassing to watch her, even though her underwear is visible.

 However, no one in the place cared about it.

 There was no time to worry about it.

"This time, act properly for everyone, okay?"

"...Yeah. I'll do it right, this time."

 Julia said and ran off into the forest.

 Fox beastman.

 Its speed was ranked high among multiple tribes, but its shortcoming was that it was inferior in endurance.

 In order to maximize the speed peculiar to such a tribe, they lean forward in an unusual manner. Leaning their weight forward, they put their feet forward just before their body collapsed.

 Using their superior eyesight to check for the obstacle in front of them, avoiding them with minimal movement, and maintaining the fastest possible state, Julia ran through the forest.

 Because she was of such a tribe, her acceleration reduced the distance traveled in one day to half a day, and she succeeded in joining up with Mariabelle and the others that evening.

 Mariabelle and the others...... had not yet entered the forest.

"Haah, haah!!"

"Julia!? Someone, water!!"

 The fact that she had not heard from Fiana, Mariabelle had a bad premonition that made her hesitant to enter the forest.

 Julia ran back to tell her what that bad premonition was, and while Fornelis held her, she drank the water as though she was going to drown.

 Julia was released from the torment, and she had been on the move for so long that her wounds had not healed.

 Even though she was a physically strong beastwoman, she had already exceeded her limit, and as she drinks the water, she felt as though she was about to faint.

 The priestess from Lishlua performed a miracle of recovery on Julia, but that was to heal her wounds.

 The muscles in her legs, which had been so tensed that they felt as though they would be torn to shreds, were healed, but that did not help her regain her strength.

"Fornelis-sama, please don't go into the forest."

"What?"

 Julia said in a faint voice as Fornelis held her.

 The image in front of her eyes was fuzzy.

 She knew that she was about to pass out. So she only told what was necessary.

"The group has been wiped out. Do not go deeper into the forest where the castle is located...... soon, Anri and the others will return......"

 When she said just that, Julia fainted.

 ......Her appearance was terrible.

 Her military uniform, which indicated that she was a warrior of Grabalt, had turned to tatters, and her exposed skin and hair were stained with the slime fluids―― which she didn't even want to think about.

 It was clear what had been done to her, but not what had happened.

 The sword in her hand was picked up by Kara.

"This is, Fiana-sma... I see..."

"No way."

 Mariabelle covered her mouth with her hands.

 Fiana...... a female elf who was known as the strongest knight in Fonteau, where Marieabelle lived.

 The fact that Julia had that sword meant that the knight had let go of it.

 The sword was given to her by Queen Leticia and was as precious to her as her life.

 It was a sign of the knight's defeat, and the word "annihilated" came to their minds.

 The female knight who was violated by the Black Ooze and overcame it was defeated.

"Let Julia rest! Someone, carry her to the tent and cleanse her!"

"Ha!!"

 When the priestess from Lishlua replied, they carried Julia to the tent.

"Mariabelle."

"Yes."

 Mariabelle was close by.

 Someone was coming―― she was the one who sensed it and called Fornelis to this place.

 Feeling the disturbing atmosphere, Meltia and Kara also gathered here.

"Julia told me not to go deep into the forest."

"White, she said."

 Her muffled voice was not completely audible, but Kara was sure of it.

"White... white, no, a castle, huh?" *TN: 城 = (Shiro/Castle), 白 = (Shiro/White)

"Kara."

"If the word she said was "castle", what do you think it means?"

 Everyone here was at a loss to respond to those words.

 Castle.

 The three countries of Fonteau, Grabalt, and Lishlua.

 Since Lishlua had a strong religion, the word temple was used instead of a castle, but a castle was originally a place where royalty live.

 However.

"There are no castles beyond this point."

"Yeah. That's what the map confirms―― so what if we think a castle was built?"

 Kara lifted her black-rimmed glasses with her fingers and pulled a sheet of parchment from the large leather bag at her waist.

 It was a piece of paper with a simple map of the forest on it.

"It's impossible to travel in four days from this village to the castle of Fonteau or Grabalt."

"Yeah."

"Then―― that would mean that their group saw something that looked like a castle."

"Something like a castle?"

 Meltia asked curiously.

 When she said that, no answer immediately came to mind.

 Naturally.

 It would be pointless for the slimes to build a castle.

 Slimes didn't need a place to live―― even if it was for Frederica, with whom it was working, a roof, a bed, and walls to protect her from the wind and rain would be enough.

 There was no point in building something so grandiose as a castle, so people usually didn't even think about it.

 Without Julia's words, it would be an idea that wouldn't even come to their minds.

"Anyway, it seems that someone named Anri is coming back, and we should wait for her report."

"But Fiana's group..."

"The woman named Julia said they have been wiped out―― that's what we should think about going forward."

"Kara!!"

 Unusually, Mariabelle raised her voice.

 Her allies were wiped out―― a word she did not want to admit, and her heart was disturbed by her friend's words.

 ......Her sister, Meltia, grabbed Mariabelle's hand.

"It's dangerous to enter the forest without any information. And the sun is about to set... We'll wait for someone named Anri, won't we, Maria?"

"......"

 When she was told that, Mariabelle could not say anything.

 In the dark forest where the sun had set, even they, who were of elven blood, could not see what lies ahead.

 Even for a beastman with good vision in the dark, it was impossible to advance through the forest at night while keeping an eye out for their surroundings.

 Even Mariabelle, who had excellent instincts as a hero, would not be able to fight while protecting her companions in such a forest under the threat of the slimes.

"……Yes."

"More importantly, Fornelis-sama. What are we going to do next..."

"Ah, yeah. Meltia, take care of Mariabelle."

"Yes. Then, Maria. Let's go in the tent..."

"No."

 Mariabelle interrupted Meltia and turned her gaze to the dark forest.

"I will stay here and wait for Anri-san to return."

"......I see. Gather up the men and the mages! Some people are coming back, watch out as they might be chased by slimes!"

"Understood!"

 Fornelis gave these instructions and looked at Mariabelle's back, who was probably feeling helpless but said nothing more.

(You've matured enough not to go into the forest in a fit of rage.)

 The mission as a hero.

 The ability to be a hero.

 Not only does she have excellent swordsmanship and physical ability, but she also understood that she was the spiritual pillar of the entire continent, and she was able to suppress her emotions.

 She disciplined herself not to be reckless.

 As Fornelis felt the growth of the person, even though it was inappropriate, Kara let out a sigh.

"Fiana-sama seemed to have resisted to the end."

"......"

"The mana in the mithril sword is empty. She must have resisted and fought until the enormous amount of mana Queen Leticia had put into it was gone."

"......"

"The slimes won't kill her―― you'll be on your way to help her soon, so get some sleep, Maria."

 Kara's words took Fornelis and Meltia by surprise for a moment.

 For although the words did not seem very concerned, they were sincere in their concern for Mariabelle.

 That feeling was conveyed not only to Meltia and Fornelis but also to Mariabelle.

"......Yes. I'll wait a little longer and then I'll take a break. So......"

"Yeah. If you know that, I won't say anything else―― leave the planning to us. Let's go, Fornelis-sama."

"Fufu―― alright. We have to get Jenna and everyone else out of there, and we'll use our heads so we can get some sleep soon."

"...haah."

 Perhaps realizing that the words did not suit her, Kara let out a deep sigh and walked into Fornelis' tent.

――It was nearly dawn when Anri and the others returned.

 They were joined by about fifty other beastmen who had been lucky enough to escape from the slimes in the forest.

 Mariabelle waited until late at night, but following Kara's words, she got some sleep so that she wouldn't be too tired, and it was Méltia who responded to them.

 Meltia summarized the information she had heard from Anri, Alfira, and the other beastmen, and gathered them outside Fornelis' tent when she woke Mariabelle and the others.

"In other words, the slimes really built a castle, in the depths of the forest?"

"It seems so. Anri and all of the beastmen who were working with Fiana-sama's group have said so......"

"Not a lie, huh?"

 Fornelis said that with a bitter look on her face and turned her gaze toward Kara, who was still standing and looking at the map.

"By the way, what's been bothering you since a moment ago?"

"From the sound of it, they'll attack you if you get too close to the castle, right? And the beastmen that got away from those slimes...... Would the slimes let someone escape once it recognized them as prey?"

"Did they let them go on purpose?"

"No."

 Kara then unfolded the map she was looking at so that Mariabelle and the others could see it.

 On it, the place where Anri said the "slime castle" was located was marked.

 It was an old temple that the goddess used as a place to sleep when she created this continent long ago.

 It is also the place where the "Hero's Sword" was enshrined.

"I was thinking that perhaps the slimes in the forest attack anything that comes near the "castle" but ignores everything else."

"What do you mean?"

 When Mariabelle asked, Kara pointed to the marked area and then moved her finger to the village where they were now.

"Think about it. It's a four-day walk. A tireless slime can travel half that distance if it travels all night. And now it walked on two legs."

"That's right."

"It didn't attack a village this close, and even though there were humans, it let go of the enemy in front of it―― I was thinking that by getting some distance from the "castle" it might stop its hostile behavior to some extent."

"Hmm, I see."

 If they didn't go to the castle, they won't be able to save Fiana and Jenna, and they won't be able to rescue the goddess Fasalina.

"Assuming that's the case...... what do we do?"

"This village is safe, and I've got an idea of what the slime is thinking...... I think we should concentrate all our forces here and destroy the slime castle."

"What do you mean?"

"For now, we will keep our forces in this village and concentrate as many men as we can gather from Fonteau, Lishlua, and Grabalt."

 When Kara said that, everyone in the room looked up.

"We will use all of our strength to destroy the castle and save Fiana-sama and the others. If the goddess is there, we will save her too."

"Not a bad...... idea, no, except for this one, if you can think of it now?"

"That being said, I'd like Maria to head over to Fonteau, okay?"

 Kara looked at Mariabelle as she said that.

"Me?"

"Princess Meltia's magic is a valuable asset, and I'd like to ask Fornelis-sama to take command of the place, and have someone else head over to contact Grabalt and Lishlua. That way, I think Maria can move the quickest."

 In fact, Mariabelle's physical strength, which had been awakened to the hero's power when fighting the Black Ooze, surpassed even Fornelis, who was known among the strongest of the beastmen.

 If it was Mariabelle, she would be able to shorten the time from here to Fonteau by about ten days.......

 But to do so would mean that the hero would have to leave the front lines―― and that was not a good thing.

"If the slime attacked, we would run away with our tails between our legs. But the real fight, Maria, will come when you return."

"……Yes."

 Mariabelle was reassured by Kara's words, even though they may have been inappropriate.

 If there was a battle, they would run away―― surely the knights from Fonteau, the warriors from Grabalt, and the priests from Lishlua would never say it.

 But her close friend in a white lab coat, who thought rationally, could do it.

 She was thinking of the final victory rather than pride and conviction.

 Because she was sure that she could see and think much further than the hero Mariabelle.

 So Mariabelle nodded, reassured.

"Don't overdo it, okay?"

"I wouldn't push it. I don't like that sort of thing."

 Believing her words, Mariabelle rode her horse back to Fonteau.

 She would rest in some village along the way, and even if she switched horses, she would probably end up riding out somewhere.

 Only the hero with superior physical strength would be able to move constantly.

 Messages were sent out to each country.

 Like when they fought the Black Ooze, they would gather the forces of the three countries...... to attack the "Slime Castle" this time.

――But Mariabelle, who was at a distance, had not yet noticed.

 The slime's evil hands were already reaching out to Fonteau――.