Ch.273273. Predator (2)

I’ve told you several times, but Count Nicholas is definitely one of those characters who dies once in the game and then comes back as a boss.

He’s also given many Serath users trauma. Partly because he’s an exceptionally vile piece of garbage beyond imagination, but also because his resurrected form was so horrific.

The technology of the Demonic Spire is unparalleled within the world’s lore, operating on a completely different level, and they say it can even resurrect the dead.

But it’s never a complete resurrection. The original form becomes terribly “twisted” when brought back.

However, even taking that into account, the sight before my eyes now…

It’s so grotesque that calling it merely “twisted” from its original form would seem like child’s play.

“…ugh, ah…!”

The cry that emerged from the opened mouth of “that thing” had an eerie resonance mixed in that could hardly be considered human.

The organs, muscles, bones, skin inside the body, and the blood vessels running over them all melt and tangle together. It looks like a human-shaped liquid melting and dripping down.

It’s like looking at an abstract painting created by a mad artist with hell as the theme.

Like scraping metal, like a mixture of a woman’s and fetus’s screams, filled to the brim with blind hatred and pain.

I’d heard it in the original work, but it was undoubtedly a sound that made my blood run cold.

“Ah, AAAAH-!!”

With such screams, the creature writhes its body in all directions.

Anyone could see it was preparing for hostile action, but fortunately…

There was someone present who would react more sensitively than anyone to that kind of behavior.

“…Haa-“

The Sword Saint, Rad Barfon, gripped his sword handle with a concise breath.

They say swordsmen who have reached the realm of mastery can create tremendous differences in power with just subtle differences in breathing.

It’s traditionally said that swinging a sword with a concise exhalation is much more powerful than drawing it while inhaling.

In a very precise fighting path composed of muscle cell bundles and minutely adjusted body angles, such a trivial “trigger” alone can make a world of difference in composition.

And for someone who has risen to a level where they can twist the laws of phenomena that make up the world…

Even such a tiny action can produce formidable results.

Within a perfectly established fighting path, the strike that flew with the most perfect timing of “breath” culminated at the tip of the sword drawn by the Sword Saint.

“Oh my god-!”

Such a raw exclamation burst from someone’s mouth.

It was none other than the Prime Minister, who always maintained his composure, who uttered that crude sentence.

Of course, no one would blame him in the current situation.

—–!!

—–!!!!!!!!

Anyone with thoughts and intellect, and before that, anyone equipped with the survival instinct that all living beings naturally possess…

Would immediately sense upon seeing the Sword Saint’s strike.

This is not something that can be opposed.

What awaits is only an inevitable catastrophe.

And that would apply to Count Nicholas as well, who had turned into such a monstrous state.

You can tell just by seeing how that hideous creature was immediately split in half by that slash.

Yellowish blood spurts up like a fountain. The color of the blood is visibly abnormal, just like its appearance, but a sense of relief spread around that it didn’t matter anyway.

It was clear to anyone that no living being could survive such an attack.

“…”

Wait a minute.

Living being?

Is it right to apply such a definition to someone who has already died once and come back to life?

As that uneasiness crawled up my spine…

The body of Count Nicholas, which had spewed yellowish blood, began to writhe.

Both halves, simultaneously.

“…It’s still ali-!”

Before the Sword Saint could finish his exclamation of shock…

I quickly lunged forward and forced both His Majesty the Emperor and the Prime Minister to lie flat on the ground.

And then, immediately afterward…

The flesh gathered from each body formed shapes and shot out in all directions at once.

And several imperial soldiers who were standing guard in the conference hall, unable to react in time, were swept up by those unholy tentacles of flesh.

Bodies that had been instantly penetrated through vital points dangled in the air like scarecrows fluttering in a great wind.

“…!”

While His Majesty covered his mouth in horror beside me, the body that slid down the tentacle approached Count Nicholas.

That body opened wide like a beast opening its mouth toward food. “Teeth” that appeared from nowhere appeared through the gaps of the opened mouth, and the approaching body…

Was chewed up with crunching sounds.

“…!”

I notice His Majesty, pinned to the floor under my hand, covering his mouth with a pale face.

He’s clearly barely holding back his nausea.

“Division is, really… what the hell…!”

As such a groan-like scream burst from my mouth…

One of the chunks that had spat out flesh “flew” toward the Sword Saint who was about to swing his sword again.

It moved with such speed that even the Sword Saint, an Awakened, was slightly surprised and reacted a bit late.

“…Ugh!”

Several tentacles that spurted out from the flesh chunk struck the Sword Saint violently, sending him flying far into the sky.

It was a movement that seemed aimed not at fighting, but at “removing” him from here.

And as if trying to bind that movement more perfectly, it followed the Sword Saint who had similarly risen into the air and flown far away.

“…”

I watch that sight, gritting my teeth.

Of course, the one facing that thing is the Sword Saint. He’ll naturally win and return, but…

The problem is that there are humans isolated here with “that thing.”

“…”

The time it would take for the Sword Saint to defeat the half of Count Nicholas that took him far away and return would probably be about 10 minutes at most.

In other words, if we can somehow hold out for that long, a path will open, but…

[Using ‘Search Eye’.]

[Loading target information.]

[A 24-hour cooldown applies to the same target.]

[Predator]

< Status Info >

[Normal]

Strength: SS

Agility: SS

Endurance: SS

Luck: A

< Misc. >

[Can recover health by absorbing organisms.]

[Has developed resistance to powerful physical attacks and abilities due to magical engineering drugs. There seems to be few ways to inflict damage except by accurately striking weak points!]

“…”

Holding out for even a few minutes against this would be considered an extreme activity in itself.

Forget 10 minutes, even 5 minutes would be tight.

From its devastating base stats to its strong resistance to physical attacks and abilities, it’s loaded with advantages.

It’s clearly appeared much stronger than the abilities I remember from the game.

“…”

I quickly organize my thoughts and take a deep breath.

The task is clear.

Kill Nicholas, and save the people who need to be saved.

I roll a magic stone in my pocket. It’s an escape magic stone that I always carry for emergencies. It’s something I’ve used before on Riru through Faynol.

It was very clear who I should use this on.

The most rational inference was to use it on one of the people pinned to the floor under my hand.

“Darwood, what…!”

I attach the magic stone to the Prime Minister, who looks up with startled eyes, and transport him outside the imperial palace.

While doing so, I quickly scan the surroundings.

‘…Marquis Bogart.’

He’s gone.

Since Nicholas broke through the ceiling and invaded this place, he’s nowhere to be seen.

“…”

I’ll have to settle things with him later too, but…

Right now, I need to focus on this situation.

“…So we just need to hold out, that’s it.”

I say this while glaring at Count Nicholas, who is writhing his flesh mass in front of me.

“Listen, Darwood. What did you just…!”

“I sent the Prime Minister outside. He had the lowest survival probability in this conference hall.”

“…”

His Majesty looks at me with an incredulous gaze.

He’s clearly asking ‘Then what about me?’ with his expression, but…

I give him a bitter smile.

“You need to be here, Your Majesty.”

“…What?”

“If you said you like me, let me get some help. Without Your Majesty, we’re as good as dead anyway.”

If nothing else, this person is essential for navigating the current situation.

“…What kind of help could someone like me provide-“

“You can.”

“What?”

“I’ll definitely repay you, so please bring out what’s circulating inside that body. I know it’s not just ordinarily powerful.”

His Majesty, at a loss for words, twitched his cheek muscles before finally sighing and speaking again.

“…Do you have a solution, my friend?”

Fortunately, it’s clear he’s decided to adapt to the situation instead of denying reality or getting angry.

That’s the most fortunate response from my perspective.

“We hold out. Your Majesty, please support me from behind.”

“You’re probably the only human who would directly ask the Imperial Emperor to fight alongside them.”

“Can’t be helped, can it? Right now, we need to borrow even the smallest hands to all survive.”

“…Well.”

His pupils split vertically into a yellowish color. It looks much closer to a reptile than a human.

[I’m not sure if a dragonkin’s hands are that small.]

And something “inhuman” mixes into that voice.

[When this situation is resolved, I will collect this debt from you thoroughly.]

“…As much as you want.”

Using the power of the dragonkin would be something that costs His Majesty his own lifespan.

Of course I should repay him.

While inwardly repeating that pledge, I turn my gaze to the side.

“…Victoria.”

“…”

To the Grand Assassin who turns her gaze toward me with a tense expression, I sigh and open my mouth.

“…Can you bring Serath?”

“I can bring him, but…”

Victoria gritted her teeth and glared at the monstrosity before us.

“Can you survive in there?”

“If you can bring him within 5 minutes.”

“2 minutes is enough. But even if I can bring him…”

What solution do you have against something like that?

That meaning must be hidden between the lines.

I shrug my shoulders and answer.

“I have one. A solution.”

“What kind of-“

“Let me feel your chest one more time.”

“…”