Just Another Beginning After the End | TBATE

Asceticism Journey (1) - Plans

A/N: Hey guys, sorry about not uploading for over a week. Due to some health complications, I wasn't able to write but I'm better now.

So, I'm back!

I know what I said about the time skip, but I decided to change it and make a mini-arc instead. A small chapter that adds to a greater conspiracy.

Happy reading :D

"Pft hahaha."

I laughed as I burst through a hedge, leaves stuck in my hair and on my clothes.

"Oh man, that's funny."

In truth, I hadn't actually disappeared so quickly. I jumped and hid in a tree when I felt no one was looking.

The cackling was a particular type of plant I found in one of my adventures into the forest. Called a "repeolia," you could record sounds into it, and it would repeat it when mana was injected into it.

In any case, I kept snickering as I recalled the princess's scarlet face as she roared after me.

Was it mean?

Yes.

Did I enjoy it way more than I should have?

Absolutely.

I managed to stoop wheezing after I burst out laughing a few more times. It really was just too funny.

"Whoo!"

Exhaling, I stood up, but even that action made me remember the princess's heavy huffing while she was barely held back and caused me to burst out laughing again.

"Kekek, dammit! Stop laughing!"

My stomach was cramping, and I was in pain, but I kept laughing.

"Why am I laughing!?? It's not that funny!"

I squeezed my stomach and curled up as I continued to laugh.

I kept laughing, but I began getting suspicious. It was hard to think through the pain of my stomach, but there was no reason for me to laugh this much.

Eventually, the pain from laughing grew too much, and I fell to the ground.

After constantly laughing for more than 5 minutes, my stomach and core felt like it was on fire, but my body refused to stop laughing.

I thought it was because I hadn't laughed so earnestly and freely like this in a while, but I should be able to at least limit the laughing to snickers.

Clutching my torso, I looked around and finally found it.

Clown Monkey.

"Kyahahahah, that's scary!"

With a terrifying face that was seemingly messily painted with various bright colors, it looked like a downright terrifying clown. But the real issue was that the monkey could make people laugh until they died.

However, they were only D-ranked mana beasts despite their seemingly overpowered nature.

This was because most of the time, they could be fought if there were a group of people as each monkey could only target one victim at a time and only use so much strength, but as I was alone and...

One, two, three...

There were four of these walking nightmares, and I felt like I was about to die, for real. My body felt like it was on fire.

"Oooohahaha! Food!"

"Yes! Kik!"

The talking monkeys began approaching me.