Chapter 485
Crack—
The larva between his teeth convulsed. Ian let out a wry laugh, finding it amusing that he felt not a shred of disgust. He thrust his pointed tongue forward.
Crunch!
Just as his teeth had, his tongue pierced the larva’s shell as if it were tofu. A muscle in his neck twitched with each swallow.
Gulp… Gulp…
Almost immediately, the larva’s swollen body shriveled, deflating like a balloon.
Rrrrip—
Even as this happened, he continued to collide with the larvae swarming ahead. His momentum had slowed, so they no longer burst on impact but were merely knocked aside, bouncing in every direction. It was then that the tentacles undulating behind him whipped about in a frenzy.
Thwack, thwack, thwack—
Larvae caught in the violet arcs were torn to shreds. Bits of flesh, entrails, and black ichor sprayed through the air, but Ian didn’t spare them a single glance. He was completely absorbed in his meal, savoring every moment. The larva in his mouth had already withered into a desiccated husk, like a mummy.Crumble—
When Ian finally came to a halt, the dried larva disintegrated into the sand. As the tentacles continued their storming dance, Yog’s lazy whisper followed.
—To be honest, that didn’t taste very good.
Tell me about it.
Ian silently agreed, spitting out the dusty remains. Nevertheless, chaos had seeped into his essence bead. The amount was trivial, but it was there.
And there were still plenty more to be eaten.
Ian looked past the whirling tentacles to the waves of larvae swarming toward him from all directions. He felt no sense of danger. This was not a battlefield; it was a banquet hall, laid out to fill his gnawing hunger. Of course, he had no intention of consuming the rest in the same primitive manner. There was a much better way.
Creak, crackle…
An ominous, dark green light spread from his feet, covering him in a network of cracks. In the next instant, the rampaging tentacles returned to him, revealing a field littered with torn flesh and viscera.
Shhhhhh—
The sand larvae swarmed over the carnage. Seemingly oblivious to the fact that they were devouring their kind, they chewed through the flesh and guts as they advanced.
It was then that Ian crouched down. Simultaneously, dozens of black thorns erupted from all over him.
Shhhk—
The thorns shot out, impaling the charging larvae and extending past them, splitting and branching mid-air to spawn new thorns. It looked as if countless branches were sprouting from Ian’s trunk, a cursed tree draped with writhing corpses. However, the reality was the opposite.
Crackle—
These were not branches, but roots. Roots of Cycle—it was a skill he’d gained when he killed the Defiled Tree. The roots didn’t extend beyond a certain radius, but as more larvae entered the area, new thorns would sprout to impale them, simultaneously siphoning their chaos. The chaos flowed from the twitching larvae, channeling directly into Ian at the center.
—Huh? Not bad…
Yog’s soft hiss was one of admiration.
Ian, too, felt a strange sense of fulfillment. It wasn't particularly efficient, but the chaos he was absorbing outweighed the chaos he was spending. Besides, there was no need to extend the roots any farther.
Shhhhh—
The prey was coming to him. The vein-like roots pierced every larva that came within reach, letting none escape.
Snap! Crackle!
Although the skill wasn't particularly sharp or durable and he couldn't use it while moving, against creatures like these, it proved to be perfectly effective. He did not need to worry about any that might slip through the roots, since thorns now covered the tentacles writhing behind him.
Crumble— Crumble—
All around him, larvae drained of their chaos collapsed into dust. Crouched in the center of it all, Ian felt like a predator doomed to eternal hunger—which wasn't an entirely inaccurate thought.
Rumble… rumble…
His essence bead still ached with thirst and hunger. This was not nearly enough to satisfy it.
It was then that Yog’s low laughter spread through his mind.
—I’d tell you not to listen too closely… but yes. Honestly, this feels far too good.
Don't you start, thought Ian, suppressing a laugh.
Bwooooooo—
Yanar Tash’s roar thundered through the air. It seemed to have finally noticed the one-sided slaughter—no, the feast—unfolding below. The wave of larvae, which had been rushing in like moths to a flame, receded.
Shhhhh—
Even while crouching, Ian could feel them pull back like a receding tide.
Fwoosh…
At the same time, the branches extending from him crumbled to ash. He rose from his crouch and looked toward the sandstorm raging in the distance.
Roar—
The vortex was growing in size with a reddish-brown mass churning within—Yanar Tash. It was still hovering high in the air, undulating.
Is it trying to get bigger so it can charge in with them?
It was the tactic that would only be seen in the final phase of a boss fight. Then again, considering how terrified the creature must be, it wasn’t surprising. Besides, he had more pressing matters to attend to.
—What are you just standing there for? Let’s go, Friend.
A massive presence, hidden within the sand, was approaching. Reactivating the Hunting Time, Ian turned his gaze. The chaos of Yanar Tash, concealed beneath the sand, was clearly visible.
With a grin spreading across his face, Ian kicked off the ground.
Whoosh—Crack!
He shot forward like an arrow. He felt a murderous intent, rage, and thirst against the creature. Though he knew these dark emotions were not his own, he didn't try to push them away. Just as he had accepted Karha’s battle spirit with the Blessing of Battle, he now let the emotions pouring from his chaos become fuel for his will to fight.
Sprinting forward in a blur of violet, he suddenly planted his feet and leaped high into the air.
Krahhhh—
Immediately, Yanar burst from the gray sand, scattering it everywhere. Its ring of teeth had risen in a circle, tightly gathered into sharp points—no doubt intending to crush Ian whole.
Fixing his eyes on the roiling, reddish-brown chaos, Ian spread his tentacles wide.
Fwoosh—
Simultaneously, his descent came to an abrupt halt. To Yanar, it must have looked as if he had suddenly shot upward. Wrapping the wing-like tentacles around him, Ian spun.
Boom, boom, boom—
Yanar shot past beneath him, unleashing a shockwave that tore through the air. The moment it passed, Ian flung his tentacles backward, propelling down. He thrust his hands forward, both of them flickering with dark green energy.
Thud, thud…
Ian’s hands raked across Yanar’s torso, clawing against its momentum. Ten dark green streaks scarred its body. They didn't vanish, but instead corroded the thick, tough hide that served as its skin. Of course, the streaks didn't last.
Rooooar—
Ian was suddenly yanked sideways, as if yanked toward the Yanar.
Of course, he wasn’t the least bit flustered. He immediately slammed his tentacles down, sinking them deep into the creature's hide to anchor himself in place, all while keeping his dark green hands buried in its flesh.
Sizzzzzle…
He gave the melting hide, smoking acridly, a glance before plunging his hands deeper. The thick muscles of his arms, now wreathed in a violet haze, bulged as if about to burst.
Crack—shrrk—
Slowly, Ian’s arms spread apart, tearing the Yanar’s hide open. Its skin was incomparably thicker and tougher than that of the larvae, but it could not withstand Ian’s strength.
Crack!
His blighted fingernails were likely speeding up the corrosion. Sticky fluid bubbled up from the gash as it split open.
That was when a deep vibration rippled through Ian.
Rumble—
Yanar had hit the ground. This time, however, it couldn’t burrow back into the sand. It could only writhe and slide helplessly across the surface. Clouds of gray sand billowed out from its sides, but Ian paid them no mind.
He bent lower, shoving his right arm into the gaping wound. The dark green cracks were now spreading across his entire body.
Crackle!
He opened his clenched fist, and the Roots of Cycle erupted from his palm like thorns. They plunged into Yanar’s innards and spread rapidly. The giant worm, which had been sliding forward, thrashed like an eel sprinkled with salt.
Bwooooo—
A scream of agony followed, but Ian didn’t even flinch. The roots spreading through the creature were already siphoning its chaos.
—Eating it alive… How cruel, my friend.
Yog’s whisper followed. Its tone was light and amused, a stark contrast to its words. Of course, Ian felt much the same.
If I eat all of this thing, will I finally be full?
A torrent of chaos, incomparable to what he’d absorbed from the larvae, was pouring into him. A powerful desire surged through him—a desire to drain every last drop. He wasn't sure if it was his own, or that of his essence bead.
What was certain was that, even now, he still felt thirst. And unfortunately, it seemed impossible to satisfy that desire.
Rumble… rumble…
Ian's vassals had drained the chaos again. Moro’s rage, Seren’s sense of duty and urgency, flickered through his mind like phantoms. Without even looking, Ian could guess their situation. The larvae that had scattered like a receding tide must have swarmed them.
—Why not let them handle it, Friend? Let's focus here.
Yog’s languid whisper spread through his mind.
As tempting as that is, I can't do that.
At the same time, the Roots of Cycle that had spread like cancer cells through Yanar’s body turned to ash, and the tentacles embedded in its flesh popped out one by one. Yanar could only twitch feebly, offering no resistance—it was already drying out.
Ian rose to his feet without giving it a second glance.
Thump, thump, thump—
He watched the violet trajectory cutting through the heart of the larval wave in the distance. It was Moro and Seren, of course.
Moro was charging, crashing into the larvae and bursting them, while Seren swung a flail that blazed with a violet haze. Every time the violet arc swept through them, larvae exploded into pieces.
Lucia, her hood pulled low, was clinging to Moro’s neck, and Diana, seated behind Seren, appeared to be doing the same. Moro and Seren alone seemed to be enough.
For now.
As Ian thought, his thigh suddenly twitched, pulsing as if ready to burst.
Crack… Krrrak!
As Yanar’s torso caved in, a violet trajectory created by Ian shot out like a cannonball.
His trajectory wasn't aimed toward the larvae. He was heading much farther to the side, toward the silhouette of Yanar that was moving beneath the sand. As a violet light began to mix into his trajectory, Yanar burst through the sand.
Boom!
It charged with enough force to grind not only his group, but all the swarming larvae around them, into pulp.
Realizing what was happening, Seren turned her gaze. Lucia, still clinging to Moro’s neck, likewise looked up. Reflected in their wide eyes was the advancing form of Yanar, its pitch-black teeth pointed forward.
Boom!
A straight line of violet light slammed into Yanar’s torso like a missile. It was Ian, clad in an armor of tentacles.