#532 The Fight at the Dragon Emperor’s Castle: The Six Witches’ POV Part 2

...Platy has dropped out of the competition.

She is pregnant with her second child. Congrats to her.

But as the Witch of the Abyss, Zoth Syra, who is forced to do everything, I’m not satisfied with this turn of events.

Do I still have to explore this dungeon?

I don’t see the point of it at all.

And it’s not just me alone...

“...”

“...?! ...?!”

It has to be with this complete stranger.

“Uh... Miss... Garra Rufa... Was it?”

An outlaw like me is not used to using honorifics to address people. 

But we’ve never been acquainted until now, so I don’t know her nature...

Out of all the Six Witches, she’s the one I know close to nothing about.

In the first place, we’re just a group of the most fearsome potion compounders in the mermaid world. Most of us are strangers to one another. 

Well, I do know Puffer and Sis Mahi even before we became witches, but I’ve never been acquainted with Garra Rufa. 

Today’s the first day we’re exchanging words.

“Yes, that’s right! It’s an honor to be able to talk to you!”

“O-Oh, is that so?”

Now that I’m talking to her, she doesn’t seem like a handful to deal with...

Platy and Puffer look much scarier than her in terms of appearance. Not to mention, I don’t feel any aura from her. She’s dressed like a normal person, without any striking features.

“You look pretty... normal.”

“Yes!!!”

She grasps my hand firmly.

“I’m the most normal of normal mermaids! Normal and nothing else! I don’t even deserve to be called a Witch alongside Princess Platy and all those other great people! Very normal, yes!”

“Huh? ...Oh, I see.”

She’s really pushing that normal image on me, huh?

“You’re the first one in ages to call me normal, Lady Zoth Syra! Oh, I’m so glad! I hope we get along well!”

“S-Sure...?”

What is it with this lass?

Why is such a friendly girl part of the Six Witches?

Garra Rufa...

She’s the Witch of the Plague if I recall.

But now that I’ve met her in person, I don’t get such a frightening image at all.

What is it that the world feared about her that made her one of the Six Witches?

“Huh?”

Uh-oh.

We’re still in enemy territory, yet we’re casually talking to each other.

The black crystal monsters Platy destroyed have already resurrected.

“Rather than resurrecting, it’s more like new ones have appeared.”

I’m such a fool.

We should’ve run past them while they were still down, but I was engrossed in talking that we lost our chance.

“No matter. We’ll show them we’re no less strong even without Platy.”

I’ll remind them that the magic I use is one of the worst forbidden spells everyone in the mermaid world fears!

“Go forth, Deep One!”

With that, I hurl a test tube. 

It falls to the ground and breaks, spilling out the potion contents.

The potion reacts with the atmosphere and foams up, gradually increasing in size until it is the size of a human being.

It has a definite substance and a fearsome appearance, complete with claws and fangs!

“This is a Deep One, my own homunculus meant for battle! Go, my servants! Devour your enemies before you!”

I hurl more test tubes to increase the number of Deep Ones under my command.

Platy made fun of my research, but my homunculus magic is also forbidden magic feared by others.

Magic that creates and uses life in ways that defy the laws of nature cannot be mastered without atheistic arrogance.

It’s heresy in itself!

“I feel a sense of affinity with your magic, Lady Zoth Syra,” says Garra Rufa behind me.

A sense of affinity?

I haven’t been told that very often.

“Our magic shares the same characteristics—they design life using potions.”

“Huh? Back-teria?”

What’s that?

...Ah! Amidst my distraction, my Deep Ones are getting outnumbered, being cut to pieces and destroyed!

I guess our enemies are better than us in terms of individual fighting ability...! As much as I hate to admit it, Platy was right!

“I think that’s why our magic is a good match. Ta-da! What do you think this is?”

Hell if I know! Can’t you see I’m busy dealing with the incoming enemies?!

We can’t maintain the defense line unless I keep summoning more Deep Ones!

However, I don’t have an unlimited supply of potions, so only time will tell when we’ll lose!

“The magical bacteria stored in this chemical can attach itself to the wounds of living creatures and regenerate them! I was inspired after seeing you and Sensei work on the development of recovery magic!”

“What are you talking about...?”

“When a Deep One is wounded by an enemy attack and is on the verge of collapse, I sprinkle this bacteria-infused potion on it and...”

W-What are you doing?

...Ah! The Deep Ones Garra Rufa used her potion on!

They’ve been severely injured by the enemy and were out of breath...but they miraculously regenerated!

Their fatal wounds were completely healed in the blink of an eye!

“That’s incredible! Fatal wounds gone in a flash! Is that your original magic?”

“It’s not magic; it’s the power of bacteria. I just invoked a little bit of magic to draw out the bacteria’s ability.”

I don’t know how that works exactly, but I think the tides are in our favor now!

With the added ability to regenerate, the much tougher Deep Ones gradually push back the enemies!

Looks may be deceiving, but I guess Garra Rufa is one of us, after all. 

I didn’t know she was capable of such sophisticated magic.

It would be truly revolutionary if a potion that can instantly regenerate any external wound were to become commonplace.

....

Hm?

“What the...?!”

Something’s wrong with my Deep Ones.

Their wounds are healing, but even so, they continue to regenerate...!

“Their bodies are getting bigger!”

“Huh? That’s weird...”

The regenerative ability didn’t cease despite the lack of an external wound. Instead, their bodies continue to regenerate endlessly, becoming bigger and bigger!

“I see... The bacteria can’t recognize the state of complete healing.”

“What do you mean?”

“As I said, the bacteria will keep regenerating the host according to its own function. Even after the host is cured, the bacteria will still heal it, so it’s stuck in a regeneration loop.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

The swollen Deep Ones have grown to more than three times their original size and have begun to swallow their enemies whole!

The black crystal guardians desperately resist, but their slashes do not affect the Deep Ones’ regenerating bodies!

The flesh-like wave of Deep Ones has swallowed them all up!

“Regeneration consumes energy, after all. That’s why it’s taking in energy from the outside.”

“How can you remain so calm?!”

What is wrong with her?!

How can she continue to behave calmly in a situation so nasty even amateurs could sense danger?! 

No, this is even worse for actual veterans! The uncontrollable biological activity continues to expand endlessly now that the owner has lost all control!

Since the Deep Ones regenerate, it is impossible to stop them physically. The only outcome is that they will die out due to the continuous release of regenerative energy, but if it can replenish itself by swallowing other life forms, it won’t be an easy task.

At this rate, this won’t end until it swallows the whole world!

“Phew, I’m back! Who would’ve known that carrying a pregnant woman takes so much mental toll! ...Wait, what in the world?!”

Thank goodness you’re back, dragon! Use your dragon breath and burn that flesh amoeba to a crisp!

With a dragon’s firepower, they can still be annihilated. It will be too late if it ingests more nutrients and grows too large!

“What have you done?! The floor I’ve worked so hard on is dirty now!!! Hyaaah!”

The flames exhaled by the dragon made it impossible for the flesh amoeba to regenerate, and every last one of them was extinguished.

That was a close call...

“Aww, bummer. I would have liked to see how the bacteria would behave on a larger scale.”

“Huh?”

“Nonetheless, I still got some good data. I’ll be using this as basis for further bacterial evolution!”

Hearing that, I was horrified.

Did she not realize the trouble we were in just now?

Real freaky people don’t realize how bad they are.

I think I’ve heard this saying somewhere. She perfectly embodies that.

Compared to her, I’m an average person who knows the boundary of what to stop.

I’ve been calling myself a heretic and an abomination, but in the face of absolute madness, aren’t I pretty plain?

I feel more and more convinced just by looking at Garra Rufa.