Chapter 50: Making a Move |
A dense swarm of black threads erupted from Opper''s body, tangling into a dark mass to intercept the monster''s charge.
The shadowy strands writhed constantly. At the exact moment of impact, their sharp tips lashed out like vipers, attempting to pierce Purr''s body.
However, against his Tough Hide, the physical strength of these threads was simply too weak.
But the shadowy strands were cunning; they quickly changed tactics, slithering toward the orifices on Purr''s body.
They intended to bore their way inside him through these unprotected openings.
Purr did not panic in the slightest.
With absolute calm, he channeled the power residing within his body—the Deep Well Water.
This was the foundational power of the Village Guardian system, though Nemus had since awakened its latent Whale-ification properties.
Even before undergoing Whale-ification, this inner reserve had constantly provided Village Guardians with strength and various elemental resistances.
Long before becoming an official Village Guardian, Purr used to don a simple pair of leather gloves and mercilessly slaughter Nest Beasts for sport.
Now that the Deep Well Water within him was fully awakened, his very core felt like an unfathomable, abyssal well.
An ethereal, bone-chilling aura emanated from his body.
As if encountering their natural predator, the black threads of the Nest Beast that were about to burrow into him instantly recoiled and retreated.
This was the original, most vital power of the Deep Well Water—absolute resistance.
Historically, neither Whale Transformation Sickness nor Dangerous Creatures like Nest Beasts possessed overwhelming direct offensive power; their true threat lay in their incredibly troublesome infection capabilities.
Whale Transformation Sickness could infect victims through the echoing cries of whales, while Nest Beasts used their black fur as embryos to parasitize others.
That was what made them so deadly.
The fact that Deep Well Water could ward off these hazards while providing a respectable boost to one''s Attribute Value proved exactly why the Village Guardian system was so widely adopted across the lands.
However, Opper never intended to rely on a Nest Beast parasite to defeat Purr. His combat instincts might have been lacking, but his mind remained sharp.
He certainly had not forgotten that Purr was a preparatory Village Guardian.
He summoned the Nest Beast for an entirely different purpose—
Several dark shadows suddenly rose from the ground and lunged straight at Purr.
Since the battle began, Opper had been constantly retreating to adjust his positioning.
And now, he was standing right in the middle of a pile of "people".
Earlier, his subordinates had shot down many villagers with bows and arrows. These villagers, who had come out to search alongside the Village Guardian, were now serving as mindless puppets controlled by the Nest Beast.
The creature''s threads burrowed deep into the muscles of the corpses, stimulating and pulling the tissues to manipulate their movements.
Furthermore, under Opper''s meticulous cultivation, once these black threads parasitized a human body, they could enhance, heal, and brainwash the host, while granting them a unique set of sensory perceptions.
Purr swung his massive fists at the infected hosts. Aside from a slow few who were instantly pulverized, the majority managed to Dodge perfectly, predicting and evading his strikes.
Purr blinked his whale-like eyes, quickly zeroing in on the fine black hairs bristling on the skin of the hosts.
These tiny hairs were extraordinarily sensitive to air currents and the auras emitted by other living beings. They could instantly detect approaching danger and force the host bodies to react accordingly.
''So that''s how it is. Perhaps that''s why Downs has been struggling to finish off his opponents over there,'' Purr deduced.
His deduction was entirely correct.
The four enemies Downs was facing were all agility-based fighters.
Aside from the two Halflings, the two desperadoes from earlier fell into the same category.
After Downs caved in one of the men''s chests with a vicious punch, the Nest Beast had activated to heal him. Following that, their senses had become remarkably sharp. The four of them coordinated flawlessly, causing nearly all of Downs''s attacks to hit empty air.
In comparison, Downs lacked the ruthless conviction of a Village Guardian and possessed none of Purr''s natural talent. All he had was the raw power granted by the demon—and an overwhelming lust for revenge.
Blow after blow rained down on him. While Downs didn''t suffer any genuine injuries, the agonizing pain from each strike was entirely real.
He merely gritted his teeth and endured it.
Right now, his entire body throbbed with excruciating discomfort. More than once, the urge to turn and flee flared in his mind.
But he quickly stamped out those cowardly thoughts.
On one hand, Nemus''s imposing shadow loomed deep within Downs''s heart; his feelings toward his master were a complex blend of terror, reverence, and absolute submission.
As long as Nemus existed, he wouldn''t dare disobey a single command.
On the other hand, his actions were fueled by his thirst for vengeance.
''Argh! Are you done yet, Krog?!'' Downs wailed in agony within his mind, demanding an answer from the lesser demon.
"Hold on a little longer. Transmitting pain across a distance causes too much of the sensation to dissipate," Krog''s voice echoed back.
"I need to accumulate just a bit more..."
"Besides, I can sense that the master is approaching. You wouldn''t want to embarrass yourself in front of him, would you?" Krog finally added.
Those words made Downs shudder. The sheer terror of disappointing his master instantly crushed his fear of physical pain.
Downs immediately clenched his jaw and endured the beating. He swept his gaze over the four figures surrounding him, his mind already fantasizing about the euphoric thrill of turning the tables and trampling them all beneath his feet.
After taking a few more brutal hits.
Krog''s declaration of, "It''s ready," acted as the key that unlocked the floodgates of Downs''s dark desires.
In the next instant, Downs''s eyes flared crimson. Without a second of hesitation, he charged toward the man whose neck he had crushed moments earlier.
The man instantly sensed the impending danger and scrambled backward to evade. Simultaneously, the other three, positioned at different angles, coordinated their strikes to interrupt Downs''s pursuit.
But right at that moment, a sinister black aura erupted from Downs''s body, rippling outward in all directions.
A Halfling who had stepped too close was immediately struck by an unbearable, agonizing pain, causing his usually agile body to falter and lose control.
Downs flashed a savage, twisted grin. He spun around and delivered a brutal kick aimed squarely at the Halfling''s head.
Seeing this, the second Halfling lunged forward without hesitation, tackling Downs''s leg from the side.
Acting as a human shield, he absorbed enough of the momentum so that when the kick finally landed on the first Halfling, it didn''t instantly obliterate his skull.
Instead, the sheer force sent both Halflings flying backward through the air.
The battle was won!
Right at that moment, a tall, slender Holy Knight with a Treasured Sword strapped to his waist walked toward them, a serene smile resting on his face.
An oppressive aura, even more suffocating than the four-meter-tall Purr, radiated from him, instantly drawing everyone''s attention.
Ignoring the ongoing skirmish, Purr immediately dropped to one knee. His unbowed head bore an expression of absolute, unwavering loyalty to Nemus.
Having just secured his victory, Downs was a beat slower to react. However, he quickly abandoned any thoughts of continuing his assault, dropping to one knee and bowing his head, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.
The only person still moving on the battlefield was Arlo.
He had no idea why the Village Guardian had suddenly stopped, but he knew with absolute certainty that he had to take him down.
The blade danced in his palm as he channeled every ounce of his bodily strength into the very tip of his weapon. With the Village Guardian standing completely still, Arlo had a clear shot at his vitals. He was confident he could capture his target in a single strike.
Yet, in the very next instant, a Sword thrust forward from an impossible angle.
The Blade Edge clashed against his weapon. A masterful application of force sent a jarring shock up Arlo''s arm, numbing his hand and sending his blade spinning into the air.
"Gah!!"