F-Rank Soul Eater-Chapter 76: Against Big Mama

Chapter 76: Against Big Mama
Soren and Vinegar walked up to Vinegar’s daddies.
They relaxed at their corner, bathing under the sun.
Vinegar handed them their beverages, which they collected and sipped. Intentionally ignoring Soren.
"I need your help." Soren stated.
He paused.
Still no reaction.
"I am going to get Big Mama’s crowned jewel." Soren added.
Pfffttt...
They spat out their drinks simultaneously. "What!?"
"Yes, I’m going to get the Crowned Jewel tomorrow." Soren repeated himself.
"Oh boy! Vinegar’s new boyfriend is going to die." Ratler commented.
"If you are planning to do this to impress us, there is no need, amigo. We already hate you." Handler commented.
Vinegar blushed.
"Dumb." Slacker added.
"I know, you guys think it’s impossible, but I know I can. We... can!" Soren explained.
"We!? Do we look like sacrificial dunkies to you, amigo?" Handler asked with a frown.
"No, no, you don’t understand. It is possible. I have a plan."
"A plan to die." Handler turned to Vinegar. "Of all the good-looking criminals you could have fallen for, you picked the dumb one."
He leaned forward and pulled her close.
"My advice, dump him. Don’t worry, I can introduce you to really handsome whities. Your type, right?"
"No, Handler." She shook her head. "You don’t understand. Please, just... Just hear him out."
Vinegar tilted her head slightly, lips pouting just enough to be unfair, eyes wide and imploring like a puppy waiting for approval
"For me... please." She added.
"Oh, she brought out the puppy dog eyes. She must really like the dumb one." Ratler commented.
"Pleeeessssse!" Her eyes got wider, lashes fluttering.
Handler tried to look away.
"He’s gonna fall." Slacker commented.
Handler tried harder, but Vinegar pulled his arm even harder. "Pleeeeeaaassse—"
"Okay, okay. You win. I’ll help out. But once he dies, you only date the boys I pick from now on."
"Thank you." She cheered.
Soren smiled, thanking them.
"Okay, amigo. Tell us. What’s your plan? How do you intend to get the Crowned Jewel?"
"Well... the truth is that... I have no plan."
Pfffttt...
They spat out their drinks again.
"What? No plan!?"
"He’s dead. Really dead." Ratler shook his head in pity. "Dumb and dead."
"Actually, I’ll know the plan tomorrow. Before the mining begins." Soren immediately added, with a cheeky smile.
It’s not like I can tell you guys that I plan to die tomorrow to know how to get the Crowned Jewel.
Soren spoke in his mind.
"Regardless, there are a few things you guys could help me with..."
That night, Cynthia brought Soren more bread.
Even though it was much smaller than the previous day, Soren thanked her for it.
Something about the cafeteria still not operating at its best.
Soren thanked her for it. However, after tasting it, he realized that it was a bit more salty than usual.
They were dried up, but Soren could see the salty scars of a long period of tearing down on her collar bone.
Even baking did not stop the tears this time around.
Then he looked once more at the bread. He sighed in understanding.
As usual, they conversed again. And this was when Soren told her about his idea.
Cynthia only said this. "Noooo! Too dangeeerousss."
But this was something Soren already knew. Whether she said yes or not, he was going to do it.
Night fell.
The next morning, Soren woke up with one plan in mind. Die as much as possible to make this task as efficient as possible.
After washing his face, he made his way to the elevator with Cynthia.
Once more they were in the underground. And through the staring ground, they made their way to the spot where Vinegar and her three daddies hung out.
"Guys, this is Cynthia." Soren introduced, "Cynthia, that’s Handler—he is in charge; that’s Ratler—for gadgets; and the silently brooding one is Slacker."
The three men looked at each other, then their eyes rose to Cynthia’s huge form.
"Is it me or did he—" Handler immediately jabbed Ratler. "—I mean... eh, did she get bigger?"
Soren nodded. "Her size is a side effect of her condition. Right now, she is in a lot of pain because of it." He turned to Cynthia, patting her huge arm in comfort.
Vinegar looked at her. "Hi, Cynthia." She waved and looked away in embarrassment.
Surprisingly, Cynthia leaned in and pulled Vinegar into a hug.
"Misssssss Vinnneeeeegaar."
Soren saw Vinegar’s embarrassing look. No doubt she had a lot of things to say. But it was not time for that.
Soren turned to Ratler. "Did you get the things I asked for?"
Ratler threw a grabbing rig and some gloves to Soren. "Those were not cheap to get. You had better refund me those points after failing today." He folded his arms,grunting.
Soren smirked, ""After today, you won’t need those points."
The Glass was opened, and they walked in.
As they did, Vera stood a far distance. She was blind but no doubt observing them.
A little later, in the Glass, Soren wore the gloves, fixing them tight and proper.
However, the grappling rig was a different matter.
No matter how he tried, it just did not fit—
"Here, let me help you." Vinegar offered. "Have you ever used one of these before?"
"Well, there is a first time for everything." He replied.
She strapped in the leather belt. "Just... just don’t die, okay?" She pulled tight at the end. "I’m not losing people I love." She whispered.
Love?
Soren had questions, but before he could voice them, there was a rumble.
Lance
was making its entrance into the glass.
It was not the first time Soren was seeing this, but who would not appreciate the sight of a giant robot capable of fighting giant monsters from another world?
But he was not the only one.
As expected. The Eldritch souls around the place entered a kind of frenzy.
And then, as if summoned, they came.
Wuuuhummmm
...
From the giant fractures in the sky, they swarm mid air.
The Whales.
The moment they appeared, the prisoners rushed forth.
As expected, they deployed their equipment, and those that could fly, flew.
"Okay, let’s go," Handler said.
"No! Not yet. That’s not our target. We wait for her to come." Soren’s voice went out with no room for disobedience.
Slacker and Handler looked at one another. Slacker simply shrugged.
"Don’t worry, just four more minutes." Soren added.
Again, Slacker and Handler looked at one another. A particular gaze in their eyes.
While Soren noticed it with his Blackfield, it was not like he could say he got the
timing
from Handler in one of the loops.
Four minutes later, as expected, Lady Quiet entered.
The moment she did, Big Mama, unable to resist the call, arrived.
"Go!" Soren ordered, and everyone moved.
The goal was simple: get to Big Mama.
At first, the grappling rig was difficult for Soren, but Vinegar, at his side, helped direct him.
They got on the first whale. No one touched any ore stone.
Instantly, they ran towards the second, and then the third, running fast towards the fourth.
Just ahead was Big Mama as expected; Cynthia gave her usual powerful leaps onto the body of the monstrosity.
She was not the only one. Vinegar and Handler followed.
While Slacker and Ratler stayed behind with Soren.
There was something Soren always wondered.
Why was it that every time the prisoners climbed a whale, they always started at the tail? And don’t go to the head immediately.
Yesterday, while making his plans, Vinegar had explained the reason.
Since the antibodies at the head region are more active than other parts, they are even capable of attacking while a prisoner is still midair.
Dying midair was a terrible way to go. After all, there was no ’body’ to generate inertia from, that would help to dodge attacks midair.
Well, for other people, there was none. But Soren, he was just crazy enough. The kind of craziness and confidence that only came with achieving the impossible, again and again, and against all odds.
Instead of starting at the tail like the others, he was going to aim for the head.
Soren lifted the hand with the grappling rig.
Shoot...
It pulled him up towards Big Mama.However, it began.
Vinegar and Cynthia had engaged with the Antibodies.
While Cynthia did most of the battling, Vinegar used Blackfield to maneuver as best as she could.
Soren saw the battle and frowned. It was not what he was expecting.
"They will not make it." He thought to himself. But there was no problem with that. This was the first try.
What he had to concentrate on was the task before him.
— projectiles from the body of Big Mama.
Antibodies, having bodies shaped like literal bows.
They fired arrows of what he assumed was their own body or that acid spit.
Luckily, he had broken free from the gravity of the whale beneath him.
Which meant that he was neither falling down nor up.
Between two bodies of gravitational pull, there was always a null. Right now, he was in that space.
And ahead of him were hundreds of speeding arrows.
Through Blackfield, he could even smell them.
(Author’s note: Only One Chapter Today. Life Happened.)