Dr. Gynoid, Volume 1, Chapter 12 pt 1 (Patreon)

Chapter 12

“Leave it to me, Dr. Gynoid!” Ryza steps in front of me, her double barrel shotgun pointed at a red slime dripping from the cavernous ceiling.

With a boom, her weapon lights the tunnel up like a small sun, though only for a heartbeat.

Unlike before, the noise cancellation enchantment on our weapons prevents them from assaulting our hearing to any significant degree.

Because of that, I can fully enjoy the scene of the dripping slime splattering across the ceiling and walls.

Reaching down into the goop that's fallen to the cave floor, I pick up a small, red core. “Excellent work, Ryza. This core could come in handy for a golemite specialized in melting materials with acid.”

“Eep!” Ryza jumps a bit at the mention of acid.

Ignoring her stiff body, I place the core into my inventory. “Let's keep going. The telescope golemites said this tunnel opens up into an underground cave system like none before. I'm eager to see it with my own eyes.”

“Yeah!” Ryza reloads her shotgun. “Let's blast our way through it!”

“A simple, yet effective, strategy.” I raise my own shotgun, Artillery standing tall on my shoulder. “Let’s go.”

When she saw Artillery with me, Ryza wanted to bring Stubby. But that particular golemite has no combat potential, thanks to being a runt with a cracked core.

Reluctantly, she left Stubby back at my conquered domain.

The tunnel continues for a short distance before revealing the unique cave the scouts found during their latest expedition.

Even before we step foot inside, the unmistakable sound of running water tells us we've come to the right place. Although we can hear the water falling, we can't yet see it, our newly crafted lightstone torches still a bit too weak to reveal the interior of this massive cave.

However, even if the waterfall is still hidden from us, the underground lake can be seen, reflecting the light of our magical torches with its lightly rippling surface.

Ryza and I step up to the edge of the lake, where the rock gives way to an expanse of water that runs all the way to the darkness, beyond the reach of our torches.

“Wow.” Ryza kneels down and scoops up a handful of water. “It's so clear!”

“It may look cool and refreshing.” I kneel down beside her. “But we'll only know after verifying.”

I dip a flask into the water, collecting as much as will fit inside. With a quick corking, the flask disappears back into my coat.

“With this underground lake, my domain will be immune to any attempts to restrict our access to fresh water.” I stand and look over its large surface.

Ryza does the same. “But you just said it might not be safe. What will you do if it's not?”

“Simple. I'll just exterminate the offending bacteria with extreme prejudice.”

“Bacteri–huh?”

“Bacteria.”

Ryza watches my face, as if waiting for me to continue.

Instead, I turn aside. “We've got a visitor. Don't these creatures know how rude it is to invade the domain of others?”

“Aren't we the invaders, though?”

“Nonsense. I've already laid claim to this entire cave system. That means all monsters lurking within are invaders.”

Ryza tilts her head. “That's kinda how my kingdom works, too.”

“Your ruler sounds like a competent man.”

“Thanks!” Ryza gets happy at hearing me praise the king.

“You're welcome?” I don't really understand why she's so happy about it, and I don't intend to ask.

Who was Ryza again? The daughter of a … daughter of…

Well, it doesn't matter.

My eyes track the shadow moving in the darkness. The barrel of my shotgun does the same, silently.

“Sssthsss.” A strange hiss comes from the shadow.

The creature steps into the light of my magical torch, revealing a humanoid body much like the goblins I blew to smithereens.

However, the monster standing before me would never be mistaken for a small and scrawny creature like a goblin. Even though they share a green skin color and walk on two legs, that's about the only similarities between the two.

The lizard-like monster in front of me is several heads taller than me, with a thick and sculpted body covered in green, leathery flesh.

Rather than a crude club, the creature holds a spear, the tip made of black stone. It even has armor made of monster skin, bones, and any other part that looks useful as a form of protection.

Unlike the goblins that were more like pests, this tall, walking lizard monster is obviously a warrior. And we're his enemy.

Let's see what kind of creature we're dealing with.

I pull my goggles down and adjust the magnifiers over one of my eyes.

A slith? It's not in my Manual of Handholding, so it must be a more advanced monster than the basic ones listed in the manual.

No matter.

I move my finger to the trigger. “You’ve entered my range.”

The muted blast of 00 buck shot rings out as the fire blast lights the once dark cavern. Within the flash of light, I catch a glimpse of several more monsters, though none are the same as the walking lizard.

After that flash, a heavy thud reaches my ears as the shotgun pellets hit the slith. Without exception, every monster has fallen in a single direct blast, their core mine for the taking.

But this slith is no ordinary monster.

“The depths truly are filled with dangers.” I rack the shotgun, the spent casing flying aside, trailing acrid smoke. “And now, I'm one of them.”

A flash, followed by a boom.

Pump.

Boom.

Pump.

Boom.

Pump.

Boom.

Pump.

Reload.

With the noise reduction enchantment, my ears are still capable of hearing the shells slide into the magazine. Four in the tube, one in the chamber.

Before the slith’s final screech finishes echoing around the cave, my shotgun is already fully reloaded.

“Hey.” Ryza steps up beside me, looking down at the body. “I want the next one.”

“It doesn't matter to me.” I kneel down and pick up a rather large core. “I can level up, even when you do the fighting.”

I check my GP. Defeating the slith gave me more than enough experience to gain a level, whereas the monsters on the way here could only move my experience bar in small chunks.

Excellent. This settles it.

“We will set up an outpost here.” I put the butt of my shotgun on the rocky floor. “And expand my conquered domain to these depths.”

“Yay~” Ryza claps, and Artillery follows her lead.

“But if we're going to expand into hostile territory, we'll need one more thing.” I look at the large core in my hand. “Warriors.”