We were in the City of Ruins to explore today.

　rustling.

"Mmm-hmm... I wonder what we'll find today.

　Solstice, who had shades under her eyes, but was humming along in a good mood, rummaging through the shelves in her room.

(She's fine.)

　We were in one of the towers in the north section.

　It was about three floors high, and we were currently exploring a room on the top floor of it.

　Rustling, rustling, rustling.

　Beside Soltis, Poe, a young blonde girl, is mimicking him and rifling through the shelves.

　Several parchment-like materials are thrown out.

　And then.

Hmm, there's none of you.

　Kirt-san, who was looking at the other room, returned.

　Gathering materials from the Tolga civilization is important, but the top priority is to find that 'Snake Goddess' woman.

　Except for Solstice and Poe, everyone else is looking for that woman.　

''I see.
He's not in here either.

　Me and Mr. Illtimina exhale.

(Where the hell are they?)

　This 'City of Ruins' is very vast and close to the size of the royal capital, Mulia.

　There are more than 200 people searching for it, but if that woman who says she is the 'Serpent Godman' is hiding, it would be quite difficult to find her.

''We can't afford to be in a hurry.

　Noticing the look on my face, Solstice says.

'Let's go through the buildings one by one and hope we find them one day. I mean, it's all we can do.
..........

　It's a good argument.

　It's a good argument, but when you say it with a woozy face holding a large amount of material, I can't nod my head honestly.......

　The two adults chuckle.

(Huh.........)

　I let out a sigh and looked out the window.

　Below me was a city with a row of pyramid-shaped buildings.

　In front of me was a fairly wide boulevard.

(Hmm?)

　There was a figure walking down that street.

　Three people.

What's up?

　Noticing my expression, Illtimina-san calls out to me.

'There's someone over there,'
What?

　Everyone looked in that direction.

　'Hmm,' muttered Mr. Kilt.

'That's another adventurer,'

　If I look into his eyes, I see, he does indeed look like an adventurer I've seen a few times in the 'base'.

(Nah~)

　I'm a little disappointed.

　Kilt-san laughs at me as I drop my shoulders, and Iltimina-san pats my head to comfort me.

　The adventurers who came out into the street turned their heads towards us.

　BOOM!

　Since I had to, I waved my hand.

(Uh.....)

　He noticed me, laughed from afar, and turned around.

　I'm kind of glad.　

I guess we should go to the next building now.
Uh-huh.

　I nodded at Kilt's words.

　The simple me was motivated by the fact that he returned my greeting.

(Alright, let's go for it.)

　So get yourself together - that was the time.

　Gogog.

What?

　An earthquake.

　The earth is shaking, and the tower we're in is moving left and right.

　Geez.

　The stone building creaked and sand spilled from the ceiling.

(Duh, it's not going to fall apart, is it?)

　We crouched down and endured the shaking.

　Ms. Illtimina was holding me from behind, as if to protect me.

　Soon, the shaking stopped.

(Phew...)

　Oh dear, that's a relief.

　It seems that the rocky area where this "ruined city" is located is quite earthquake-prone.

　There have been many earthquakes in this area until today.

Hmm, I think it's safe now.
Yes.

　We stood up.

(Will the adventurers be okay?)

　I thought, and looked out the window.

　They were crouched in the street.

　The pillars that lined the street had collapsed and collapsed beside them, but they didn't seem to have been hit.

　........Thank God.

　The three distant people also stand up.

　At the end of the street where they were, a woman with tri-colored hair was walking.

　...........

''Huh?''

　I couldn't help but sound dumb.

'What's wrong?'

　Solstice, next to me, asks.

　I point out the window in silence.

"...What?

　I followed their gaze ahead of them, and Solstice also made a dumb sound.　

　That's when Kilt-san and Illtimina-san finally noticed as well.

''Mm.''
It's
..........

　Only Poe is expressionless.

　The three adventurers on the street far away also seem to have noticed the approaching woman.

　They turned around as if surprised.

　I put my hand on my weapon.

　But I haven't pulled it out yet.

　Although I couldn't see her face clearly from a distance, the woman seemed to be smiling.

''..........''

　One of the adventurers, who seemed to be the leader of the group, approached the woman.

　I called out to her.

　The woman nodded her head, laughing.

　An innocent smile.

　Her right hand lifted.

　It was directed at the adventurer who approached.

　The hand replaced the giant snake, extended long and swallowed the adventurer-san's upper body.

　Bakun.

　I could almost hear such onomatopoeia.

(.........what?)

　The remaining lower half of his body collapsed into the street.

　A pool of blood spread out.

　Every hair on my body stood on end as I realized what it meant.

'No!'

　Kilt-san's sharp voice flew out.

　The two remaining adventurers drew their weapons as if in a panic.

　A long sword and a staff.

　The adventurer-san with the long sword at the ready stepped forward.

　The adventurer-san with the staff raised it and began to chant.

　Zash, Gash.

　A long sword flashes and slashes a huge snake.

　Wounds are made and fresh blood is splattered.

　The woman lifted her opposite arm.

　Its fingers stretched out about five meds, replacing the heads of the five snakes.

　It ducked under the long sword and bit into the adventurer's extremities and neck.

　Bikung.

　His fangs were poisonous, and his whole body was discolored and twitching.　

　Bobaan.

　A fireball shot out of the remaining adventurer's staff with a parabolic line above its head, hitting the tri-colored haired woman.

　The flames popped and then disappeared.

　The rags the woman was wearing were burned, but her naked body was unharmed.

"--Run!

　I shouted.

　As the voice was heard, the adventurer tried to run away.

　Bakun.

　The upper half of the body was bitten by a huge snake.

　Only the lower half of its body was left behind.

　It collapsed with a coterie in the street and spread a pool of blood there.

''..........''
..........
..........
..........
..........

　From the third floor of the tower, out of reach, we watched the whole scene.

　It was like my mind was paralyzed.

　But soon, uncontrollable emotions flood in from within.

　Geez.

　We clenched our fists.

　Beyond our gaze, the snakes extending from the woman's arms were licking their blood as they waved at us earlier.

''Shh.''

　An explosion of emotions.

　I turned myself around and ran to the tower steps.

'Wait, Merle!'
Merle!

　I ignored Kilt and Illtimina's voice and ran down the street at once.

　As it was, I got out and headed for the street.

　Zzzzz.

　I stop in my tracks with a cloud of dust.

　At the end of the street, about thirty meters away, a woman stands with her tri-colored hair blowing in the wind.

　A white light floods from her porch.

The "Exploration Stone Disk" is reacting.

　Four people who had been chasing after me came to my side.

　The five of us were ahead of them.

　Snip, snip, snip.

　The woman tore off the twitching longsword adventurer's limbs and brought them to her mouth to eat.

''-----''

　Driven by emotion, I drew my "fairy sword" and let go.

　Everyone else also puts their hands on their weapons.

''.........''

　Noticing, the woman stopped eating.

　It was a beautiful face.

　Her white beauty was covered in return blood.

　Perrot.

　A long snake's tongue licked it off.

　Orange eyes with vertical pupils gazed at us.

　It smiled, bewitchingly and beautifully.

　You can find a lot of people who are not in the same boat as you.

　--And so the battle between the five of us and the "Snake God Man" began.