Becoming a God Starts with Acting-Chapter 34: [Frog] - The Prophet’s Part (9)

After splitting into three groups, Alice quickly led Austin and July around the village. Along the way, they ran into Damian. However, the most notable thing was that the town was nearly deserted—every house had its doors shut tight, and the streets were empty.

July whispered, "Maybe, aside from the people we've met, there's no one else left in this village."

"It's also possible that those people are monsters. The moment they leave our sight, they change into something else," Alice mused.

In a dungeon, anything was possible.

"What are you all doing?" A child's voice suddenly rang out.

The group turned around and saw the boy who had led them into the village the previous day. It was only then that they realized—aside from this boy and Gon, everyone they had met had slightly bulging, unsettling eyes. That included Gray and the older man they had encountered that morning.

Alice stepped forward, smiling. "We just wanted to learn more about the village to make our article more vivid, but it seems like everyone's out working, huh?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah, they don't like the sun. They go out more often when it rains."

July frowned. "But it rained yesterday, and no one came out."

The boy seemed unconcerned. "That's because you guys were here. The villagers don't like strangers."

After briefly pausing, he added, "But they still let you stay because they—and Gon—are too kind!"

Alice just smiled without saying anything.

Suddenly, the boy jumped excitedly. "If you want to learn more about the village, I know a place." Though his tone was cheerful, his lifeless, glassy eyes remained utterly devoid of emotion—like the eyes of the dead.

Without waiting for a response, he started leading the way. Alice and the others exchanged glances before hurriedly following him.

He led them to a house near the central altar. The house was decorated with colorful fabrics, and tassels hung from above. Two large frog statues, their eyes tightly shut, stood on either side of the entrance pillars. The statues were so lifelike that Alice felt they might open their eyes and pounce on them at any moment.

"The boy is gone," July's voice trembled with unease.

Alice's expression darkened. The house before them stood out with its vivid fabrics and elaborate tassels. Two large frog statues flanked the entrance, and intricate carvings adorned the structure. A yellow talisman with strange symbols was plastered on the door—just one look was enough to tell that this place was anything but ordinary.

Yet yesterday, she hadn't noticed such a house at all.

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As an Esper, there was no way she would have overlooked something this unusual. That meant only one thing—something deliberately hiding it from their sight.

Alice closed her eyes tightly and murmured, "We must contact the captain. This house is too suspicious—"

BANG!

Before she could finish, a deafening sound echoed. The door in front of them suddenly burst open, and before they could react, an unseen force wrapped around them. With impossible strength and speed, they were yanked inside!

"Aaaaa!" July screamed instinctively. The sound of the door slamming shut behind them was like a hammer striking their hearts.

What greeted them inside was a U-shaped corridor lined with doors. Beyond each door lay pitch-black rooms. And then—they saw them.

From the darkness, countless thick, slimy tongues shot out from the doors, stretching forward before retracting again.

"These are frog tongues!" Alice roared with certainty.

But these tongues were enormous, covered in a sticky, glistening mucus. No matter how much they struggled, they couldn't break free. Worse still, their bodies were being pulled relentlessly toward the doors.

And more tongues were shooting toward them—fighting to claim them as prey!

If this kept up, they would soon be torn apart and become a feast for the monsters lurking behind those doors!

Rip! A sudden, violent tearing sound rang out. Austin let out a roar as he broke free from the massive tongue's grip, then swiftly rescued Alice and July.

His towering frame exuded raw power. With his massive arms, he effortlessly ripped apart the slimy tongues that had been constricting them.

"Stand behind me," he ordered. His back straightened, though his head remained slightly bowed. His voice, rough and hoarse from long disuse, made it difficult to understand.

Alice quickly grabbed July's hand and pulled her behind him.

At the same time, the monstrous tongues seemed to sense an actual threat. Some, already injured, swiftly retreated. Their wounds dried up unnaturally fast, showing signs of rapid regeneration.

Swish! Swish! The air was filled with the sharp sound of whips cutting through space. The massive frog tongues lashed out like long, vicious whips, striking straight at Austin.

Austin raised his arms to block the attacks. The sheer force of the blows left red marks on his skin, and the impact resounded painfully through the room. Worse still, where the tongues struck him, ominous black spots began corroding his flesh.

These tongues were poisonous.

Yet Austin showed no sign of pain. He dodged swiftly, his expression devoid of embarrassment or hesitation—calm and unyielding, like a statue.

His stance was unshakable, his feet rooted like pillars. Grabbing three of the attacking tongues, he yanked them violently.

A shrill, ear-piercing screech echoed through the space, creating powerful sound waves that sent wind gusts sweeping through the area. Bells clattered wildly, ringing in a deafening cacophony.

Austin flung the severed tongues aside, then continued dodging and shielding against the relentless onslaught. But by now, his body had been almost entirely corroded. Blood pooled beneath him, and parts of his arms were stripped to the bone.

Alice, growing increasingly desperate, scoured the door for a mechanism. They needed to find a way to open it—fast.

But the door was like an impenetrable wall. There is no keyhole, no visible means of unlocking it. She had no idea how to get it open!

—

"What do you mean you can't open it?!"

Outside, Drake furiously grabbed Gon by the collar, his face twisted with rage.

This house hadn't existed yesterday, yet it suddenly appeared today. That alone screamed abnormality. Worse, Alice and the others were trapped inside, facing god-knows-what.

Gon, panic-stricken, stammered, "I'm telling the truth! This is our grand temple! Inside resides the deity we worship. The temple has been sealed shut for a long time—it only opens on the day of the sacrifice! If your friends got locked in, they wandered where they shouldn't have! I don't have a key!"

Silas spoke gravely, "Alice isn't someone who just wanders without reason."

Drake sneered, shoving Gon to the ground. "No door? Then I'll make one myself!"

With that, a massive blade materialized in his hand. Sparks flared as he swung it with a force that seemed to cut through space itself, slashing fiercely at the door.

BANG! BOOM! BOOM!

A deafening explosion rocked the surroundings. The wind howled violently as a vortex of energy surged around Drake.

Then—

BOOM!

A backlash of energy detonated, sending Drake hurtling backward. He flipped once in midair before stabilizing himself.

"Fucking hell," he muttered.

Even Silas looked visibly stunned by the spectacle.

[ Damn, this only happened last time when he couldn't open the kitchen door, LOL. ]

[ Drake is officially at war with doors. T.T ]

[ He's so strong, but this door can only be opened from the inside, RIP. ]

[ Alice and the others are screwed, hahaha! ]

"I already told you," Gon said coldly. "This door only opens on the day of the sacrifice."