Chapter 484

Chapter 484

—It seems like your vassal was just born.

So it seems. What the hell is happening up there?

To the whisper echoing in his mind, Ian answered only in his thoughts. It wasn't just because he was in a state where he couldn't speak, but also because the situation didn't allow for it.

Boom, boom, boom—

Right now, he was clinging to the Yanar Tash, which was hurtling through the earth at an incredible speed.

Yanar Tash moved much faster underground. It felt like being pinned to the side of a runaway roller coaster. Then again, the only reason it had ever seemed slow was probably because of its massive size.

Its goal must be to shake me off and bury or grind me down.

Ian was merely in a state where his movements were restricted. Unfortunately for the creature, he didn't feel much pain.

Rumble… Rumble…

Of course, he wasn't just idling. He had driven his tentacles into Yanar Tash's exoskeleton and was melting it with his hands, now dyed a dark green.

The name of the skill was Unholy Claws—likely a skill gained during the rite of corruption back in the Church of Drenorov.

Crunch—

He had his hands embedded up to the wrists in Yanar Tash's rock-like exoskeleton. The area his hands touched was melting away fluidly.

Boom, boom, boom—

The large cracks extending around it were traces Yanar Tash had created itself by slamming into the desert.

Perhaps this was the intended way to defeat it—avoiding its magic, drawing it into close combat, and letting it break itself down through repeated collisions.

With all its defense chipped away, its actual health probably wasn't that high.

It was a reasonable guess since its flesh didn't seem as hard as its exoskeleton.

However, waiting around for it to break itself apart wasn’t an option—not when it was unclear whether the others would survive that long, and not when he wasn’t sure if his body could hold out until then.

Rumble… Rumble…

Even now, the chaos in his essence bead was steadily draining away. It wasn’t just the Unholy Claws or the tentacles sprouting from his back—or even Seren and Moro, his vassals constantly feeding off his chaos power. Merely maintaining his current state as an avatar of chaos consumed chaos power.

A time limit on a transformation… guess that’s not exactly surprising.

The real problem was what would happen once that chaos ran out. It would be a relief if he simply reverted to his original form. Anything else would be very troublesome, and it went without saying that most other outcomes would likely end in death.

In reality, it was less a fight against Yanar Tash and more a race against time. Since taking this form, he hadn't once felt truly threatened by the beast itself.

Should I be laughing at that?

The reason he was focusing on melting Yanar Tash's exoskeleton wasn't because there was nothing else to do or to inflict a fatal wound. It was to prepare a way to absorb its chaos if necessary.

Of course, it didn't seem like it would be a simple task. Though he had already burrowed up to his wrists, it felt like there was still a lot more of the creature's exoskeleton left. Considering its size, it wouldn't be strange at all if he had to push in past his elbows.

Rumble… Rumble…

That was likely why all sorts of negative emotions kept brushing against his mind—rage, bloodlust, envy, irritation, even a tinge of anxiety, and some muddled mix of love and hate.

They were complex and vivid emotions, yet Ian remained completely unmoved. He already knew none of them were his emotions.

—Told you, didn’t I? Your chaos has a nasty temper.

Yog's laughter-tinged whisper continued, clearer than usual, a voice that seemed to speak directly into his head. The reason Yog spoke like this was, of course, because it was reading Ian's thoughts.

It still didn't seem capable of reading his deepest true intentions, but in any case, it was reading his superficial thoughts naturally. Thanks to that, Ian felt no inconvenience in communicating.

—But don’t get too comfortable, friend. Even if your soul’s being shielded, once by me, and once by that… thing you’ve fused with, it’s not like your soul itself has gotten stronger.

Yog's leisurely whisper continued.

—Chaos won’t be able to devour your soul outright. But the echoes of it? Those might still be enough to crack or splinter you. You shake an egg too hard, the shell might hold—but the inside turns to mush, right?

Well, it's not like I haven't had similar experiences.

Instead of snapping at Yog to shut up or ignoring it as usual, Ian replied calmly.

There wasn’t anything else to do anyway, and Yog was probably talking this much because it was bored with the current situation.

—If that happens, I'll be in danger too. Don't forget. You’re not fused with chaos. I’m just tricking it.

Yog lowered its voice.

—But if you lose consciousness, your soul could become isolated… and I might get eaten. I mean, I am curious what that would feel like, but I’d rather not lose my sense of self.

Tch, this bastard. Always.

Ian snorted inwardly.

As expected, it had plenty to say when it came to its safety.

Of course, he didn't let the advice go in one ear and out the other. After all, it was because of Yog’s help that he had become the avatar of chaos in the first place.

If he could just make it out alive and return to his original self, he’d honestly be willing to commend the thing for its efforts. After all, that seemed to be exactly the risk it had warned him about.

Buooooooh—

A low, body-shaking howl suddenly rang out. And with it, a wave of emotion reached Ian through the air—fear, grief, and fury.

—I guess it finally noticed the hole in its body.

Bit slow, isn’t it?

He didn’t feel the slightest trace of guilt or pity. Rather, bloodlust and anger towards the creature boiled within him—the emotion his chaos was emitting.

Really, how did it end up with such a nasty temper? It didn't seem this bad before.

Ian inwardly smacked his lips.

Then again, he had always lived suppressing emotions like anger, irritation, displeasure, and longing. Thanks to his high Mental Fortitude, he endured them stoically, or even if not, he rarely showed them outwardly.

However, he couldn't have deceived the bead of chaos essence. It had grown influenced by those emotions of his.

I feel like a bad father now.

Of course, that probably wasn't all of it. The chaos he’d absorbed came with its own remnants—echoes of thoughts and memories. The residual thoughts of corrupted ones or demons couldn't possibly be wholesome.

—If that bothers you, then make this chaos entirely your own, my friend. o the exact opposite of what you’re doing now.

It was then that Yog's whisper spread.

—Then you can be reborn as a great being, my friend. If that happens, even this current form of yours will feel insignificant.

You never miss a chance to make a sales pitch, do you?

Ian scoffed just as Yanar Tash, who had been moving like a runaway rollercoaster underground, suddenly surged upward.

It must have finally realized that it couldn’t kill or shake him off like this. What it clearly didn’t understand was that bursting above ground would only help Ian, not hinder him. Not unless it could read minds—there was no way it would know Ian was racing against time.

—Looks like it’s terrified. Then again, I doubt it’s ever seen an avatar of chaos like you before. Fear always comes from the unknown, you know.

While Yog giggled, reddish-brown magic spread over Yanar Tash.

To Ian, who was staring with his chaotic vision, the ancient words engraved deep within its body appeared faintly. They were far too dim to make out clearly—and even if he could recognize them, fully deciphering them was impossible. But one thing was certain: various spells had been engraved there.

In any case, it’s not incapable of learning.

It seemed to now clearly understand that simply soaring upwards wouldn't be enough to shake him off.

That was when the familiar thunderous roar reached his ears again.

Boom, boom, boom—

They were breaching the surface. Ian pressed himself even lower, at the same time driving his abyssal tendrils in as deep as they would go.

Woosh!

The pressure crushing him completely disappeared, and thick, rising ash filled his vision. At the same time, the reddish-brown energy cloaking Yanar Tash became sharply pronounced.

Swoosh!

The air twisted violently as sand from every direction was sucked inward, forming a spiraling vortex that surged like a massive column around the beast’s rising body. It was a sandstorm fierce enough to tear even a demon apart—let alone a human.

Boom, boom, boom—

And Ian was no exception. The vortex caught him like a rag doll and flung him high into the air, making him spin uncontrollably.

In the chaos of it all, Yog’s whisper drifted in.

—Now that stings.

It was an overly simplistic impression to describe Ian's current state.

The impact had reduced him to something like shredded clay. The tendrils were in tatters, and he’d lost sight in one eye. And yet, there was hardly any pain. It seemed even his sense of touch had dulled, if not disappeared entirely.

Rumble… Rumble…

His body, incredibly, was already regenerating at high speed. The chaos spewed out by the essence bead rapidly spread throughout him, filling the burst and torn parts.

Boom, boom, boom!

Above, the sandstorm continued to spiral around Yanar Tash’s towering form. Perhaps it intended to make it soar to the sky and then release it. With massive whirlwinds already tearing through the landscape, one more wouldn’t even be noticed.

Woosh—

Ian, looking around at the ash-covered sky and the sand tornadoes swirling everywhere, even as he spun and ascended, finally took in the sight unfolding beneath his feet.

His gaze soon caught something that mattered far more than the storm.

What a coincidence.

His vassals were drawing near. Even with the world spinning, he spotted Moro immediately, racing toward him.

Maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that Yanar Tash had chosen this exact spot to burst upward.

—That must be why the Halfwit became your vassal.

Behind the galloping Moro, sand larvae were swarming. Even further back, barely visible except through chaos-infused vision, massive silhouettes were approaching—two yanar, looming in the distance.

Did Yanar Tash summon them?

Tunneling through the ground, unleashing barrages of spells, and now summoning underlings as well. In the game, it would have been an absolutely, horrifically difficult boss.

Although Yanar Tash's attack patterns were mostly just soaring up or crushing with its body, if one experienced all of it simultaneously, it would never have felt simple.

Is there another strategy I don’t know about?

The thought passed through Ian’s mind, but he shook it off just as easily. It didn’t matter right now. What mattered was the condition of his companions.

Ian, having first confirmed Moro, thoroughly imbued with chaos, and Lucia, clinging to its neck, finally took in his new vassal.

There probably wasn’t any other choice… still, a bit unfortunate.

Though he inwardly smacked his lips, Seren's current appearance was quite impressive.

She was cloaked head to toe in violet chaos, almost fused with Moro as if they were one. Even the flail in her hand shimmered with chaos power like a heat haze.

It was a sight that reminded him of the Fangs of Heaven Defier. It looked like an all-purpose weapon capable not only of piercing and slashing but also of crushing.

And now, she spotted him. Her glowing violet gaze tracked Ian with precise focus as his upward momentum slowed. The same was true for the gaze of the masked fairy peeking out from behind her back.

Alright then, move aside.

Ian raised his right hand to the side. He couldn’t be sure if Seren had heard him, but Moro clearly had—the beast angled its course to the side without hesitation.

Fwoosh—

Meanwhile, Ian, who had begun his descent, righted his posture in mid-air. His body had already perfectly regenerated during the ascent.

The tentacles, restored to their original form, momentarily bent as if to envelop him. It was the very next moment that they extended backward all at once.

Swoosh!

Ian shot out like an arrow. Even to his own eyes, these tentacles had an aspect that looked like wings, but unfortunately, they couldn't make him fly. They could only add propulsion in this manner or help him glide short distances.

Of course, the truly useful part of the tentacles was something else. Each tendril housed a primitive, familiar-like will of its own.

Woosh—

Even as he plummeted like a skydiver, Ian took in the swarm of larvae spreading out below—hundreds of them, at a glance.

Did every last one come running?

Instead of following Moro, they were rushing toward Ian. Perhaps they hadn't come at Yanar Tash's call but had gathered on their own to protect their leader.

Not that it makes any difference.

A sharp grin crept across Ian’s lips, exposing his fangs.

Neither Yanar Tash nor even those sandworms would know that they had another, more useful purpose.

Swoosh!

It was then that the tentacles, which had been fluttering behind him, spread wide to the left and right all at once. For a moment, Ian's falling speed decreased, and his trajectory drew a gentle curve.

Of course, even so, he was sufficiently fast, and the ground was also as close as it could be.

Ian, his tentacles spread wide, fell diagonally into the middle of the approaching wave of larvae.

Crunch—

The larvae caught in the sweep of his tendrils and body burst apart. Unlike usual, the sensation wasn’t unpleasant. Then, lifting his upper body, he landed on the sand.

Boom, boom, boom!

He didn't tumble as he usually did. He landed, sliding, with both legs planted firmly in the ground, scattering a dull shockwave in all directions.

Sand billowed thickly in all directions, and the larvae swept away by the shockwave burst viscously.

Ian, lowering his stance, came to a complete stop.

Rumble… Rumble…

The resonance of the essence bead suddenly became clear, likely having noticed his intensity. Ian let out a faint scoff and slowly rose amid the drifting haze.

Pssss…

The wave of larvae surging from all directions filled his vision.

The corners of Ian's mouth curled up involuntarily. His purple tongue licked between his sharp teeth for a moment before he kicked off the ground with no warning.

Simultaneously, a purplish trajectory spread over him—Hunting Time.

In the blink of an eye, the larvae were right before him. However, the forms of those clattering their circularly protruding teeth were being etched slowly and clearly into his vision.

—You know, I’ve always wondered what those things might taste like too.

Yog's whisper echoed in his mind, and hostility and bloodlust surged. It felt as if a whisper urging him to tear, kill, and devour everything was brushing past his ears.

Ian did not reject those emotions that were not his own.

“----!”

Letting out a roar that even he himself felt was demonic, Ian charged straight into the larvae. It was literally a physical assault, without even a proper stance.

However, that was enough.

Crunch, crack!

Larvae exploded in all directions under the force of his assault. Blood, flesh, and offal splattered across him, yet not a hint of disgust crossed his mind.

Rather, he even felt a strange sense of liberation. Without stopping his charge, Ian whipped out a hand as if snatching something.

Crunch—

He caught one of the charging larvae mid-leap. The creature clashed its disgusting petal-like teeth and writhed its thick body convulsively, but it couldn't escape Ian's grip. Rather, his sharp fingertips merely dug into its exoskeleton.

The Unholy Claws weren’t even active. Instead of melting, the larva's body simply swelled as if about to burst.

Weren’t these things a lot bigger before? Looks like I’ve gotten a lot bigger.

The thought passed idly as Ian opened his jaws wide, to the point it looked like his jaw might dislocate. The jet-black teeth, which had instantly grown sharper, dug deep into the middle of the larva's torso.