The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]
Chapter 86: Is He a Masochist?

Chapter 86: Is He a Masochist?

It took close to six hours before they reached the first oasis. It wasn’t because of the distance, of course - if they were to walk casually from the Gate, even with the heat and the sand hindering the trek, they should be able to reach it in less than half an hour... But it was impossible to travel fast under the current circumstances.

The monsters were the problem. As the dungeon was overpopulated to the point it could lead to a dungeon break soon, the place was naturally filled with monsters. And not just any monsters - one of the two apex predators of the C-rank dungeon, the scorpion mantis, as it was generally described in the reports. For Damien’s team, which mostly consisted of B and C-rankers, facing so many relatively strong foes was not an easy task. Perhaps it would have been easier if Damien chose to use his ability more instead of relying on the sword, but...

Regardless, Lane didn’t complain. Thanks to Damien holding back, he could have more fun himself.

Having finished the last monsters standing in their way - at least for now - Damien swept his eyes over the group. They were all drenched in sweat and red in the face, gasping for breath, their eyes fogged over with tiredness and dizziness. Even Lane. Although he, unlike the rest, still had a wide grin on his face, that he couldn’t suppress no matter how hard he tried.

"Alright, everyone, you can take a rest. Don’t go too deep though, stay right on the edge for now, or else we might get attacked again," he said to the group.

His subordinates didn’t have to be told twice, instantly dropping down on the lush soft grass, in the shade of the palm trees - or plants resembling palm trees, to be precise.

The vegetation in the oasis was mainly green, but a very distinct, poisonous type of green. Even the fresh air carried notes of toxins underneath the leafy and grassy scents. Still, it was a far more inviting environment than the whiteness of the desert, which was now all tainted by the yellowish fluids leaking from the mutilated monster corpses. Instead of eerie, it now looked simply disgusting.

Lane closed his eyes, slowly breathing in the cool air, resting his back against the greyish trunk of one of the palm trees. His body ached after he accidentally pushed himself a bit over his current body’s limits, but overall, he felt great...

All of a sudden, he sensed a presence right behind him. His eyes snapped open, and he turned his head...

Only to see a chocolate bar right by his face.

Lane’s eyes twitched, instantly recognizing the treat. "Team Leader? What is it?" he asked, lifting his gaze to take a glance at Damien.

"A protein bar. For you. It’s made with recovery medicine, so it’ll make you feel better," Damien calmly explained.

"Ugh... I appreciate the thought, but I... Um, don’t really like..."

"Sweets?" Damien finished the sentence, lifting his brows. "If you’re fine putting five sugars in your coffee, then I’m certain it won’t be too sweet for you."

"Ugh..." Lane’s eyes twitched again. He hesitated for a moment longer, but in the end, chose to accept. "Then, thank you very much."

"Mn." Damien nodded his head, and walked away, letting Lane be.

He didn’t go to take a rest though, and instead left the oasis, returning to the desert. He walked from one monster to another, observing them carefully...

"Team Leader, what are you doing?" After watching for a mere minute or two, Lane already couldn’t hold back his curiosity, and had to ask.

"Checking the monsters to ensure they are dead," Damien answered matter-of-factly.

...In theory, it made sense. If any of the monsters was only unconscious or playing dead, they could dig back in the sand to recover, and attack them again later. So, Lane shut up, snacking on his Strawberry Protein Bar.

But when Damien crouched down some distance away, picking something liquidy off the ground and rubbing it in his hands, Lane’s interest got instantly picked up again. He quickly finished the protein bar, so that the chocolate wouldn’t melt in the scorching sun, and rushed to Damien’s side, bending down and craning his neck to see what the man was doing.

And as he did, his eyes widened.

Damien’s large hands were red and raw, covered in dark, sticky sludge with a greenish glow. The ’liquidy thing’ that he picked was nothing else but Lane’s Toxic Ooze! And he was rubbing and playing with it even as droplets of blood started sipping down from his partially melted skin!

What he was doing had nothing to do with checking the monsters! It was simply and purely a ridiculous act of self-harm!

"Team Leader... I may be only a B-ranker, but... my Toxic Ooze is still quite, well, toxic. Even to an S-ranker," as if explaining something to a toddler, Lane spoke calmly and gently, although his voice carried a weird note. "If you keep touching it, you’re only going to injure yourself more..."

"It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt much."

"...Hah?" Rendered speechless, Lane only stared at Damien with disbelief.

Although it indeed was far from overwhelming pain, it still stung like hell. Having experienced it himself, Lane knew very well. To think that someone would willingly subject themselves to it...

’Is he a masochist or something?’ A thought passed through Lane’s head. ’That would explain why he likes my guiding so much...’

"It’s not..." he started, but then gave up, shaking his head with a heavy sigh. "Ah, whatever."

He turned on the spot and walked back to the oasis. If Damien wanted to torture himself, then that was up to him, Lane had no intention of roasting in the sun just to keep him company. If that was what brought him pleasure...

Unless.

Lane’s steps faltered, and his head snapped back, taking another look at the man.

Was there something wrong with his Toxic Ooze? Or something that Damien could detect... Like a trace of his wavelengths, or some remnants of guiding? It seemed highly unlikely, almost impossible, but...

Lane pressed his lips together, once again feeling on edge.

He needed to take some samples to Ava, just in case. On his own, he had absolutely no clue, but if it was Ava, she should be able to give him some answers... And hopefully, just deny that there was anything like that.