Imprisoned With An Octopus

“If you did something with good intentions but fail, you’re not going to get praise from anyone. If you did something with good intentions without following the rules, you’re just going to be called an idiot. If you did something with good intentions and follow the rules but fail, you’re going to be called incompetent.”

Kitezh thought of this during the night in the nearby town of Bursztyn. The three girls voluntarily agreed to go to the barracks unless they wanted to be in more legal trouble. Additionally, the three girls were tired and wounded, so it’s not like they had a choice in saying no.

On one hand, Kitezh finally had a bed to sleep in while she took some healing potions. On the other hand, she was now alone in a prison cell-like room that had just enough amenities for comfort. For example, a bed with blankets, a functioning bathroom, and a window with bars on it. At least they provided clothing, but of course, it's the cheap, drab clothing that a prisoner would wear.

As one would expect, Kitezh was not happy with this “reward”. She thought about how her party destroyed the Demon Lord’s threats to the town, and somehow, she’s the bad guy. She thought about how much better it would be just to let the town get overrun with dragon spiders instead.

Kitezh did think there was a bit of unfinished business, though. What exactly were those dragon spider hybrids? Where was the phenomenon that Kitezh was warned about? Were they responsible for the attack?

“That’s why I can’t just stay holed up here!” Kitezh thought.

Kitezh went up to the door in her room. She still had her helmet and dagger, both thoroughly washed in the bathroom. She was about to peer outside using her powers, but heard footsteps approach her door.

Her heart raced a little as the door suddenly opened up in her face.

“Oh, you’re up already. I am here to tell you that we will be discussing your actions from yesterday.”

The guard talked in a lazy tone. He had his hair and facial hair barely prepared, like he was forced to get up for work. He wore a navy-blue suit, just like yesterday.

“I assume there was no more trouble after yesterday. This place would be covered in spiderwebs if that were the case. You should be thanking me for that with gold, not a prison cell,” Kitezh said harshly.

“According to the report, you ended up destroying the funicular station and tunnel, making it non-operational.”

“Oh come on! That report said nothing about spiders trying to kill all you people?!”

“If you girls actually listened to us, you would’ve known how to deal with this situation with minimum destruction.”

Kitezh realized this sounded all too familiar.

“Who gave you that report anyway?” asked Kitezh.

Without missing a beat and saying it like she knew what was coming, he said it.

“Captain Grigori.”

“Of course, that annoying bastard is behind this imprisonment,” Kitezh replied, defeated.

The guard looked at Kitezh with intense eyes and sighed.

“I’m afraid Grigori has had enough of you as well. He said he warned you before of what would happen if you caused more problems for him.”

Kitezh thought this guard was just some random pushover, but she suddenly felt something ominous from him. Without saying anything, Kitezh turned herself invisible.

“Back up needed now.” 

The guard suddenly switched from being a tired, overworked man to a guard who was actually diligent with neutralizing threats, as if someone had taken control of his mind.

SLAP!

“Ahk! What the hell is this?!”

Kitezh suddenly felt something long and slimy entangle her. She looked down, and it was a grey octopus tentacle that had coiled around her body. She looked at the guard and saw the tentacle come from where his right arm should be.

“Oh shit, give me a break!”

Kitezh knew right now she was dealing with another enemy, right after thinking she was safe. Though she did have her doubts, being in a prison room and all.

“Are you the phenomenon?!” Kitezh asked, as her chest was getting restricted.

“Not exactly myself. I will say, Grigori is right. Despite being the so-called goddess ‘invisible phenomenon’, your power is quite pathetic,” the guard mocked.

“This guy who is using a tentacle arm is not the phenomenon? No, he’s just fucking with my head,” Kitezh thought, as she fought through those words.

SCHLICK!

Kitezh drew her dagger. The guard most likely didn’t realize that she had it since she was invisible. The tentacle was severed around Kitezh’s left arm, allowing her to become free.

SCHLICK!

Kitezh cut free her other arm. Despite having the freedom, she could still feel the tentacles sticking to her skin from their suction cups.

SMACK!

The guard immediately grew another tentacle from his arm, and whipped it against Kitezh’s invisible helmet.

“Ew, this thing is on my face!”

“If you quit fighting, we can handle this peacefully. Your invisibility is worthless. You shouldn’t be using it to fight.”

Kitezh thought about the situation. If this guy were not a phenomenon, maybe this guy would be the same as the dragon spiders. Someone else turned him into a hybrid of an octopus and a human.

Kitezh grabbed her own helmet and deliberately took it off her head. Her body instantly retained its color, including the helmet.

CLONK!

Kitezh slammed the helmet down on the guard's head. As she did that, she strangled the tentacle arm attached to the helmet and pressed its suction cups against the guard’s face.

“If this is not your phenomenon, that means you are not used to your own tentacle arm!”

The guard was now wrestling against his own tentacle wrapped around his face. The suction cups were attached to the skin like an adhesive.

“AAAAH!”

CHOMP!

“What the hell are you doing?! Let go now, you weirdo!”

The Guard made a war cry, and bit down into Kitezh’s exposed hair.

TEAR!

“Ow, you actually tore some out!”

The guard was chewing on Kitezh’s hair, all while having a tentacle stuck on his face. It was certainly a sight for her to see.

“AH! DIE YOU CREEP!”

SHANK!

Kitezh plunged her dagger into the guard’s arm, severing the tentacle arm from him. Kitezh then started using the dagger to pry the tentacle off the helmet that she used to bludgeon the guard.

She noticed something was odd about the guard’s face. She had a feeling he was having some perverted lust from all of this.

SHANK!

Kitezh used the dagger to slash the guard in the throat. She didn't care about the consequences. The guard became silent, as blood rushed out of his neck. The tentacle arm still clung to his face, as if an octopus had claimed the guard's body as its own.

Suddenly, things turned dark. It was like something turned off the lights. It happened so quickly that she thought something had killed her. However, she knew she wasn’t dead when something appeared in her sight.

“Now what’s happening? I can’t keep up with this shit!" yelled Kitezh.

Kitezh looked down and noticed something strange about her body. She was suddenly wearing a navy blue uniform. Her physique was oddly stronger-looking than before. She was suddenly one of the guards!

What confused her was that she noticed the body was bound with ropes. Despite this, her arms and legs felt like they were free.

In fact, she suddenly realized she wasn’t in her prison room anymore. It was like another barrack bedroom, except cozier looking, and more boxes around.

“Somebody tell me what’s happening!” exclaimed Kitezh.

“I could explain things, but do I really want to waste my time doing that?”

Kitezh saw a familiar angry face come out from the shadows. To be honest, she was not a bit surprised. Her immediate reaction was:

“Aw, fuck me! Captain Grigori.”

Grigori lifted up a corpse arm. At the end of the arm was a familiar brass knuckle weapon that she had faced before.

“On second thought, I think it’s easier if we end things right now,” Grigori said nonchalantly.