Chapter 114

The world turned white.

The ground seemed to be the sky, and the sky the ground.

“Ugh…”

My entire body lost control and flopped down.

How much time had passed?

As Myoran slowly regained consciousness and attempted to stand up with her cute rabbit feet…

“Village Chief!”

A nearby Rabbit Beastfolk rushed to support Myoran in a panic.

At that voice, Myoran was finally able to remember what she had been doing earlier.

“That’s right! What about the fight? How did the fight go?”

She had thrown the magic condenser that the Head of the Gallery had given her into the swarm of Sandworms.

After that, all her memories were cut off.

They might still be fighting.

In a moment of panic, the expression of the Rabbit Beastfolk who was helping her became awkward.

“Well…”

Instead of explaining, he pointed somewhere.

Just as she turned her gaze beyond the barrier at his gesture…

“…!”

Myoran let out a gasp.

Countless Sandworms were writhing.

No, the scene that had certainly been writhing was now completely frozen.

There wasn’t even a moment to fall to the ground.

“Um, how…?”

The Sandworms die instantly as rigor mortis sets in, stiff and lifeless.

So it was possible to roughly guess how they had died.

The place where the flashbang had exploded.

All the Sandworms had been exterminated, staring vacantly at that spot.

*

“No, um…”

The effect of the flashbang was undeniable.

The sensitive eyeball tickles, upon seeing the light of the flashbang, had dropped dead.

The Sandworms that had been parasitized in this manner had literally been annihilated in that scene.

The problem was that it had been too effective.

– Craaaak, craaaak!!!

– Why? Why? Why? Why?

– (An Elf Con clutching both eyes)

– Ugh, that bastard Head of the Gallery!!!!

“Mmm.”

At that moment, Myoran was uploading the situation to the Gallery in real-time to share it with me.

The problem was that it was the early morning hours.

Not having slept but surfing the gallery all night, all the Gallum were unwittingly blasted with a flashbang.

“Should I apologize?”

She hadn’t made an announcement in the gallery.

The only warning I had given was to Myoran and the Rabbitfolk.

The Head of the Gallery had caused disruption.

For a moment, I contemplated posting a sincere apology, but instead decided to brazen it out.

[Title: Me]

Author: Head of the Gallery*

Yeah, I admit I’m trolling.

(Grinning Frog Joke)

But what can you do about it?

You guys upload thousands of tactical nuclear jokes every day, right?

Can’t I be a troll too? Lol

[Upvote 5232] [Downvote 5002]

Is the gallery one-two-day now?

If I apologize in the Gallery?

= Ah! This person can be yelled at.

But what if I brazenly keep going?

– Crazy bastard lol

– (A composite joke with the Head of the Gallery next to a troll)

– Here’s the Head of the Gallery…

– Fact) If the Head of the Gallery seriously throws disgusting jokes, all the Gallum will be seriously injured.

I could brush it off at the huge joy mountain.

But one thing was clear from this incident.

Using flashbangs requires caution.

“Can’t throw them every time we get invaded.”

Especially the Rabbit Beastfolk were sensitive to sound.

Flashbangs weren’t just about emitting light.

They were accompanied by deafening booms too.

Even if this somehow passed, it was still not a weapon suitable for Rabbit Beastfolk.

-Head of the Gallery*) How’s the village doing?

ㄴ Myoran) The fields are ruined, but it’s manageable.

ㄴ Myoran) The injured will recover quickly. Thank you so much, Myo.

Fortunately, there were no casualties.

We managed to get through this attack without significant damage, so it could reasonably be considered a success.

“Well, at least we got through this crisis for now.”

And soon, the gallery was flooded with various posts that seemed entirely normal.

– So is this another new magic?

ㄴ Looks like it’s light-based magic, do you know any similar spells?

ㄴ Structurally, it looks similar, but the forms are completely different.

ㄴ Ugh, those damn magicians again.

ㄴ Please stop the tactical discussions, you infuriating bunch;

From the magicians who inevitably appear when discussing modern weapons, to…

[You have a new barter exchange notification.]

– Only the Head of the Gallery is secretly looking…///

– I’m boredㅠㅠ When will you come back to play?

– > <...

- Head of the Gallery, since that time, I haven’t been able to calm my heart. What should I do...

Even the previously quiet Rabbit Beastfolk were bombarding me with messages.

Once its original function was long lost, the barter exchange notification became a bombardment of adult jokes, and I fell into contemplation.

“Flashbangs? They’re good. But...”

They just didn’t suit the Rabbit Beastfolk.

Even if we resolved the immediate issue, the Sandworms still remained.

[Title: I’m too scared to go to the fields... :'(]

(Joke of throwing a rock in the field)

(Joke of a ghostly Sandworm jumping out)

They’re coming out from everywhere! What should I do? ㅠㅠ

I’m hungry...

- If it’s okay, would you like to come to our house?

- Sister, I’ll dig in the yard!

- (Hehe, Knight Con)

[Title: Another forced house arrest today... ᴗ_ᴗ̩̩]

(Joke of looking up while holding ears with a sullen face)

I have no money...

I can’t work...

My sides are cold...

Is there no Head of the Gallery passing by?

sigh So sad…

[Upvote 9999+] [Downvote 0]

– Hello, I’m a human knight~ Wow~

– What the hell, wtf? lol

Self-described Head of the Gallery is getting recommended so much, it feels like it’s pulled from a praise post for the Head of the Gallery lol

– Haha, I’m feeling hot…

– Nah

– 2222

– Author) Just shut up, please.

– Head of the Gallery*) Too bad.

– Hahaha, you bastard.

– Author) Hehehe! When will you come back to our village again, Head of the Gallery!!!

The Sandworms weren’t all dead.

They could come back at any time.

Especially the underground was dangerous, as Sandworms could pop up from anywhere, even the floor and ceiling.

Then, not long after, a new post appeared.

[Title: Head of the Gallery! I found a Rift!]

(Joke of a Rift discovered underground)

^^…

But how could we break it…

The problem was that it was discovered underground.

“Is it normal for rifts to appear underground?”

Thinking about it, it wasn’t strange.

Rifts that occur in the water could naturally happen underground too.

Judging by that, these rifts must definitely have created those Sandworms up until now.

The question was how to deal with it.

– Can’t we just wait it out?

Of course, there were countermeasures above ground.

Gathering military forces near the rift.

Rifts couldn’t spawn monsters in large quantities at once.

Moreover, when monsters come out of the rift, they’re in an unguarded state, so they can be killed immediately as they emerge.

ㄴ But how?

ㄴ So we wait?

ㄴ But how do we wait? ＼- /

ㄴ Ah

ㄴ lol, dumb.

The problem was that we were underground.

First of all, the distance was too far.

Even if the village surrounded by barriers was considered safe, the rift was beyond the fields, literally.

“At that distance, not even a gun would hit it?”

Even bringing in a top sniper from the army of South Korea would be difficult.

And we couldn’t station military forces around either.

At most, there would be a few dozen, maybe a few hundred.

It would be difficult to have that many on standby, not to mention we wouldn’t know where the remaining Sandworms would attack from.

“Would a monster lantern work?”

A monster lantern is a device stronger than an automobile headlight.

But I shook my head.

That wouldn’t be enough.

We needed something with a larger light and a more intense illumination!

Soon, I rummaged through the shop and found the answer.

[Searchlight] – 450p

“Uh? This is…”

A searchlight, also known as a spotlight.

A reflector to project a powerful beam in a specific direction… blah blah blah.

“Batman?”

In simpler terms, it’s the Bat-Signal that shines when calling Batman.

An enormous light fixture, larger than a person.

Just looking at it could make you run the speedrun for blindness.

The searchlight, proving that lighting can be used in warfare, caught my eye.

The moment I discovered it, there was only one thing left for me to do.

“I’ll show them the light.”

Sandworms, get ready to die!

– Myoran) Head of the Gallery, what is this…?

ㄴ Head of the Gallery*) It’s just a light, but a really strong one?

ㄴ Myoran) ?

ㄴ Head of the Gallery*) Better to try it out than explain.

I immediately bought the item and had it delivered to Myoran.

“Well, the more the merrier, right?”

Besides, the price was cheap.

I was going to send just one but decided to send a lot to be safe.

[‘Searchlight’ 10 items delivered to Myoran!]

I may have sent a lot.

*

“Village Chief! Village Chief, what did the Head of the Gallery say?”

“Does the Head of the Gallery miss us?”

“What’s that thing called?”

Head of the Gallery, Head of the Gallery.

Even while munching on carrots, they thought of the Head of the Gallery.

While plowing the fields, they still thought of the Head of the Gallery.

Myoran wondered if they weren’t getting bored of it.

“Can you guys cut it out? Myo.”

Rabbit Beastfolk are particularly susceptible to kindness.

However, this kindness comes with a condition.

Expect nothing in return.

It must be unqualified and pure goodwill.

“Such a thing doesn’t exist in this world, Myo.”

But there was no being that expected nothing in material return.

Myoran had lived a long time.

Moreover, she understood the many desires directed towards Rabbit Beastfolk.

That’s why the notion of kindness without expectation seemed like mere childhood delusions.

Until the Head of the Gallery appeared.

“Village Chief, please answer quickly!”

“You’re being unfair by talking to only him!!!”

“I’m so jealous I can’t stand it!”

Such a being was a first for her.

Hair as dark and deep as ink.

Eyes that always seemed languid.

He was an administrator who could do everything but wanted nothing from the Rabbit Beastfolk.

“No, it’s not that he wanted nothing.”

If she had to pinpoint it down to just one thing.

It would be that he wished for the other to live without injury and be busy with gallery surfing, only that.

Nothing more.

Almost like a saint of rabbits.

With a wish that remained unsullied by worldly desires, the Rabbit Beastfolk were instantaneously captivated.

“I told him to come visit again, but…”

Looking at the state of the rabbits, it might actually be better if the Head of the Gallery didn’t come.

With a small sigh, Myoran answered.

“He called it a searchlight.”

“What does he want from us?”

“Nothing…”

Before she could finish speaking.

“Ahh.”

“Huh.”

Some were clutching their hearts.

Someone began to frantically scratch at their ears, sweating cold.

“Really, what a fright, Myo.”

Seeing the power of pure goodwill that expected nothing in return, Myoran became truly scared.

How huge an impact it had on the Rabbitfolk?

It was the first time a tribe had started to go completely insane like this.

At that moment.

– Thud!

A heavy sound resonated through the ground.

As Myoran and the surrounding Rabbitfolk perked up their ears and turned to the side.

– Kieeek!

They caught sight of Sandworms crawling out through the rift in the distance.

“It must be time to start, Myo.”

With a cold expression, Myoran braced herself on the ground with her cute rabbit feet.

Accordingly, the Rabbit Beastfolk with oddly flushed faces ran towards the searchlights.

Enormous strange steel devices as big as a person.

“The Head of the Gallery strictly told us never to look directly at it, Myo.”

And she warned them.

This was not a joke.

They must not glance or ever become curious about it.

“…Just how powerful could it be?”

Chilled by that thought, Myoran soon saw the Sandworms pouring out and shouted.

“Let’s go! Myo.”

The adorable rabbit feet of Myoran left marks on the ground.

In unison, the searchlights activated.

And because the searchlights sent by the Head of the Gallery were military-grade for wartime use,

-Paah!

They had only thought it would be a brief burst of bright light.

But before the eyes of the Rabbits…

“Oh my.”

In the dark underground world,

A radiant glow began to rise.