Ray jumped into the stairs almost simultaneously with his tentacles hitting the wall right next to it.
　That alone is proof of how fast and powerful the pink tentacles extending through the cracks in the space are attacking the opponent.

`... whoop,'

　Ray was relieved to find his death-size and twilight spear in the mistling, which had torn the wall of the stairs slightly.
　Apparently, the tentacles won't attack me on the stairs.

"I'm saved, you know... but given the length of the tentacles, I think it's okay to attack me so far."

　One of the guards behind Ray muttered.
　In fact, no one knows exactly how long the tentacles extend from the cracks in space.
　No, maybe someone who knows a lot about the tentacles... who's causing this Cobolt incident, but unfortunately, no one here, including Ray, knew it.

"It's a good guess, but the tentacles can only move freely in the underground space, and there's nothing we can do about it if we step out of it?"
"Oh, that's possible. I don't think anyone who's up to this case would imitate letting such a dangerous fellow go as he said.

　One of the guards nods in agreement with Ray.
　In fact, the tip of the tentacles pierce... no, given that there was no wound, it would be too dangerous to let the other person behave as he pleases if he or she sucks away fluid, internal organs, and meat from the other person at the touch.
　Given the circumstances around it, it is understandable that we should keep out of the underground space.

"Why don't you go back up first? You'll probably be fine if you stay here, but that's no guarantee. If you're wrong with our expectations, I'll never fight with that tentacle in such a small place."

　Whether it's death size or twilight spear, they're both long arms.
　Ordinary long stuff would take care of themselves in a timely manner, but it is not difficult to deal with them in a timely manner if they are as skilled as Ray.
　But... on these steps you cannot wield death-size or twilight spears in the first place.
　In fact, Ray's death-size and twilight spears, who had just jumped down the stairs, had cut through the wall without getting in.

(To be honest, I don't know if this is easier to cut than that tentacle.)

　Staring at the amputation, Ray recalls once again the unusualness of his tentacles.
　It's not just that it's sturdy, it's that tentacles that are as elastic as rubber or something, and yet have the annoying property of sturdyness.
　We were able to fight without any problems this time, but what happens next if we get hit in a similar situation... that's not to say we can't deal with it, but we're sure we'll have a hard time.
　The guards go up the stairs without saying anything more, perhaps in favor of Ray's opinion.
　And the conversation you have as you go up the stairs is, of course, to the tentacles.

"And do you think that the tentacles, after all, are involved in the case of Cobold?"

　The guards are troubled by Ray, who talks after him, just in case the tentacles might follow him.

"Oh... I don't know. I guess that's the way it is. Do you think you can manipulate a cobolt or something like that? What do you think is the connection between that tentacle and the cobolt?"

　If the appearance of a dog or wolf had come out of a crack in the space, he could have been convinced of his connection to the cobold.
　But coming out of the rift in the space was a pink tentacle, which was wet with some liquid and could be called obscene.
　Not very much, but Ray doesn't think that tentacle has anything to do with Kobolt.

"That tentacle, you know? I don't think it has anything to do with Cobold, so does it have anything to do with Cobold?"
"No, the Cobold incident alone is quite important, but will it proceed with a ritual to manage such a dangerous existence? If you look at it normally, I think that tentacles are definitely related to the Cobold incident."
"Well... I can't say either way. If only the information we have now is not enough, then I think we should make a better decision after gathering more information."

　three‐way
　It's proof that just because everyone is a guard, the opinions don't necessarily come together.
　Looking back, Ray is strangely impressed.
　I arrived at the room with the hidden stairs without being attacked again by the tentacles from behind.

"What!"

　The security guard who was on the way shows up and pauses for a moment, but soon shows relief.
　The reason was to see the guards in this room while the Rays were in the basement.

"Don't surprise me too much. I thought they were ambushing me."

　With a word of it, the guards and laymen behind them would know who was in the room. They would walk into the room feeling relieved.
　Five guards were in the room.
　Some even told Ray that the timing was right and that they had found the mass of bones and skin dead.

"What are you saying here?"
"I was looking all over the house when I saw the walls destroyed in this room, and I was wondering what to do with them."

　Another guard answers the question of the guard, and the guard who was told he passed by nods back.

"Well... I was really lucky that I didn't come down the stairs."
"What happened?"

　The guards look at the words of their colleagues, muttering from the bottom of course.
　As a colleague, I knew the other person's personality and it was only natural for me to question him if he said so.
　The security guard, asked, is at a loss what to describe what to say about his experience... as Ray, who was listening next to him, opens his mouth to save it.

"You found a corpse that was only skin and bones. I saw firsthand how it was made."
"That's..."

　A guard finds a dead body of bones and skin in this mansion, and he doesn't know what to say in Ray's words.
　In fact, as a person who doesn't know how to make such a corpse, he or she must have been intrigued.
　But when I see the guards coming out of the stairs with Ray, I'm not sure if it's okay to ask... the guards shake their heads and explain what they saw in the basement.
　an underground space extending not only to this mansion but also to the grounds of other surrounding residences
　Furthermore, the stairs leading from the underground space probably lead to the surrounding residences.
　and from another staircase the elated red cloths were roped up and brought in by a man.
　It was good to capture the man who brought him and get information that he belonged to the royal faction, but at that moment the space near the center of the underground space was torn.
　The pink tentacles came out of the cleft of the space, and the king's men, whose tips touched, were absorbed into bones and skins.
　The selfless red-clad men were killed as well as the man, and Ray and his guards managed to escape.

"I wonder if the tentacles were bound in some way so that they could not get out of the underground space, though they would not follow me any further when I entered the stairs."

　I'll finish off with that.
　The security guard who was listening had a deep, disgusting look on his face.
　The strange skill of the guards I spoke to might have made it easy to imagine what the Rays had seen.
　...or, in some cases, human imagination gives you a stronger sense of reality than you can see directly.
　In that sense, if you're not good at it, you could give the guards a greater sense of fear than the Ray's firsthand experience.

"Well, it was a little exaggerated, but generally that's what it looks like. That tentacle was strong enough to give me a little resistance even in my death size... ...to be precise, it would be difficult for an ordinary adventurer to deal with."

　The guards change their faces to something they don't like when Ray says so, following the guards' story.
　However, the unpleasant expression wasn't as imaginative as the men had just felt, but what if even Ray's death-size tentacles actually encountered that were hard to cut off.
　It was certain, at least, that the skill and weapons of the guards here could not counter the tentacles.

"Really?"

　One of the guards in the room asks involuntarily.
　Knowing Ray's strength, I can't believe the words he uttered... No, I guess the truth is that he doesn't want to believe them.
　But not only Ray but also the guards who were working with him shake their heads.

"I'm sorry, but I'm sure what Ray is saying. In the first place, the speed of movement of the tentacles... the speed of flight? It's pretty fast, and I'm going to die just by touching the tentacles. We can't touch them.""... troublesome,"
"The least I could save was that if I touched the tip of the tentacles, I would not die instantly, but rather suck them out of my body, so perhaps... if I could somehow get away from them as soon as I touched them, I might not die."

　Seeing the tentacles kill people, the security guard's words were very persuasive.
　Listening to the story, the guard swallows his mouth again after a small swallow.

"And what are you going to do now? If there's such a dangerous thing down here, you can't leave it alone, though I don't know if it has anything to do with the Cobold case."
"First of all, it's almost certain that this mansion and the surrounding residences have stairs leading to the underground space. So, isn't there a good reason to move the guards on a massive scale? I don't know how long there will be a crack in that space."

　Ray's words give some guards a cheerful look of approval and some a look of disapproval.

"I think it's all right. I think... but I'm not sure, so I can't say for sure."
"But if you go into the underground space, there will surely be bodies left. Wouldn't that be a reason to act as guards enough?"
"If only the tentacles had remained, I would have been sure..."

　That's what Ray says, when he says it's hard to move the guards on a large scale.
　However, the tentacles Ray cut off have disappeared into dust, leaving no debris.
　If there had been any remains of the tentacles, it would still have been evidence."

(Maybe that tentacle owner was thinking about it, too? ... I didn't think he was intelligent. But since he's more likely to be involved in the Cobold case, he's not necessarily intelligent. And...)

　Already dead, the man who brought the red cloths said that the tentacles were involved in the Kobold affair.
　The question is, however, is that the tentacles have made the man who testified into a corpse of skin and bones only.
　Therefore, only Ray and the guards heard it, which is weak to treat as evidence.
　Ray opens his mouth, regretting having killed him with his tentacles.

"Anyway, I've found some papers, and there's another one in the underground space. So can you please tell me to move on top of the guard? If you like, I can speak to Mr. Dusker."
"...no, I'm happy with Ray's feelings, but you should stop doing that, and there could be a lot of problems later."

　The guards questioned Ray's words, but if they said so, they agreed that they would first be convinced and let the public know about the underground space.