◈ Episode 159

The swamp that had been expanding in all directions has been cleared.

The humanoid monsters and the thing that seemed to swallow the waterway in one gulp were gone. Instead of slime, the concrete floor was filled with soot.

The knights all felt the same. They felt as if they had briefly experienced hell and were back on earth. The helplessness that had taken over their entire bodies for a moment was replaced by relief.

On the other hand, the agents who had experience fighting the Godmother remained relatively calm. That was why they could tell. Kim Yi-hyun's words "from now on" were not just a reprimand to change the mood.

godmother.

If you say that you have brought hell to this world so far,

My current godmother seemed to have inflicted hell upon my body.

The mucus that had flowed down to the godmother's feet floated up.

Pavababak!

Dozens of thorns sprouted out from the spheres. The stems stretched out indiscriminately, without any direction control, and pierced the concrete.

Most of them were in random locations, but some reached the operations team.

"Come out!"

"evil!"

A young, if not a young, knight fell down with a crash as he was grabbed from behind. When he raised his head, Kim Yi-Hyeon was there.

Thud!

The moment his raised shield collided with the thorns, he staggered as if he were about to fall.

Just by looking at his frowning face, you could tell how strong the shock was. The knight swallowed hard. It was obvious what would have happened if Kim Yi-hyun hadn't stopped him.

"Oh, thank you."

"Get up when it's time to chat."

Kim Yi-hyeon quickly scanned the surroundings to calculate the damage. Five or six knights who were slow to react were impaled on thorns. Those with limbs were better off, but unfortunately, there was one who had his neck pierced.

'I told you to come to your senses.'

The common denominator is that armor didn't help at all.

-Whew!

The mouths that had sprouted on the godmother's arms vomited out new arms with a retching sound. From the arms that had been spit out, more arms grew out and continued in a line.

The sticky hands clung to the pillars on both sides. As the godmother stretched her body, her arms became taut. The professor shouted urgently at the slingshot-like shape.

"Shoot!"

Bang, that's right!

The burst of flame from the muzzle briefly dispelled the darkness that had settled underground. The aim was accurate, but the stopping power was lacking. The bullets were all crushed as if they had hit a solid alloy plate.

Fight!

A mass of mucus shot through the air like a shell.

The gap narrows in an instant. The target of the godmother was neither Asterike, who had swept away Metunap, nor Edwin, who had betrayed her.

'Your eyes are really wide open.'

He only runs straight towards Kim Lee-Hyeon.

It was an unpleasant attention for Kim Lee-hyun.

Thump!

My vision suddenly changed and I felt dizzy.

It was a power far beyond my expectations. It took me a moment to realize that I was rolling on the ground. The arm holding the shield was shaking like crazy, as if the bones were broken.

'Huh, shit. I'm getting PTSD.'

I remembered the time when I got knocked out by Snowfield. I thought I could share a few rounds now, but this time, I was starting to think that I couldn't do it.

"Mr. Hyun! Are you okay!?"

"My left arm feels a little sore, but what can I do?"

"I'll cover it!"

The knights who had been granted access in vain hurriedly surrounded the godmother.

First, the Norse swordsmanship drew a graceful line. After a short delay, various cold weapons fell on the Great Mother.

The blade easily cut through the mucus. It was a different sensation than before. The resistance was strangely weak.

Immediately afterwards, a mouth and hand shot out from the wounded area, biting and holding onto the sword. The eyeballs that had burst from being crushed by the mace melted and clung to the knight's hand.

Bulging!

The mucus swelled greatly as if my heart was pounding.

"Damn it, get back!"

Quagagagagak!

Countless thorns sprouted from the mother's body.

Nord, who had rolled on the ground to dodge, quickly regained his composure. When he checked the result, his eyes shook with shock.

I saw my comrades lying with their limbs stretched out, their entire bodies pierced.

'This easy?'

They were never haphazard.

They were talented people who were born with talent and worked hard to become the best. But they passed away so meaninglessly.

In the modern world where the continent is collapsing, death is commonplace. If you let your guard down even a little, it will come to you. Isn't this just too helpless and insignificant?

WHEEK!

The thorns were whipped and the corpses were thrown around, as if they were being treated as garbage. It was the moment when Nord gritted his teeth and grabbed the hilt of his sword.

"...."

The eyes stared at Nord.

Only five out of dozens of eyes. Even though he only received a glance, Nord took a step back without realizing it. A fear he had never experienced before surged up inside him.

'Can I kill you?'

A small bloodline. Even if he has strange spells, he is still human. There must be limitations as a living being, but I could not fathom the depths of the Great Mother.

In the midst of spreading despair, Kim I-hyeon shouted.

"Give up the attack. Just waste time!"

Even as I said it myself, I realized that it was an unreasonable request. I had thought that it might be easy to let it go. But the scene just now tore my complacent mind to pieces.

"This is worse than a game, you idiot."

Physical resistance to a level that is almost invincible and powerful normal attacks. The pattern is not as simple as in the game. No matter how you look at it, the balance between enemies and allies is a mess.

'It's also dangerous to use Asterique.'

As soon as you get hit, there is a high possibility that [Regeneration Flame] will explode and sweep away your allies. In this case, even the professor will have no other means. It is not an easy environment to command.

'Even this is in a weakened state.'

The second effect of [Necronomicon]. Strictly speaking, it is different from weakening. On the contrary, it is an item that greatly strengthens the connection between the Great Mother and the Sanctuary.

By doing so, I gradually lose control over my reason and sanctuary. Like Asterike before, I am consumed by my spells. The original plan was to hold out until the Great Mother self-destructs.

But if that's not enough.

In the end, you have no choice but to abuse your body.

"Edwin. Can you stop it?"

"Do I have a chance?"

"Of course. If I couldn't even get a quote, I would have run away on my own."

Edwin felt puzzled at the sight of him rummaging through his gear. However, he did not ask about the plan. Even now, the Albatross and the Knights of the Golden Lion were dying.

Above all, the Kim Hyun that Edwin had seen was always prepared. That was why he followed. He was hoping for this moment to confront his godmother.

Kwaaang!

A bunch of thorns struck the ground. The Golden Lion Knights blocking the godmother were turned into flat pieces of meat. Carmen's right arm was twisted in the attack.

The great mother broke through the siege and rushed in like a beast.

Towards Edwin, no, towards Kim Yi-hyeon. From the beginning, the godmother's attention was focused only on Kim Yi-hyeon. As if she didn't even wonder why Edwin was here.

"...Get out, get out!"

Kuung!

Edwin threw away his blunt weapon and faced the enemy with only his shield. Mucus surged out from beyond the shield. A mouth emerged from there and bit Edwin's arms and legs.

"You ungrateful thing! I picked up something worse than a worm and raised it, and now you're showing your teeth!"

Crunch! Crunch!

"Who dares to block my path and rebel against me!"

Recover, get bitten, recover again, and get eaten.

"Even my parents are the ones who have abandoned me!"

The shield I worked so hard to save was broken.

Edwin's body was buried in mucus.

Westcreek, who was about to climb up the pillar and swing his sword, was knocked down by a bunch of thorns that swung like a tail. Anima's sword, which she had swung, was swallowed up by the mucus, including three fingers.

Castle Rock and Botticelli, who were about to join in, had their feet eaten away by the pool of mucus on the ground. The dagger thrown by Ghost protruded from the Godmother's body and instead stabbed Edwin's collarbone.

It was a chaotic battle. Blood was shed.

"Die, you're being a nuisance...!"

-Dearest!

- Sick, sick!

As the Godmother continued to vent her resentment, voices that were not hers began to mix in. The heads of the Metunaps burst out of the Godmother's body and screamed.

"Cover me! If we break through now, it's all over, please hold on…!"

Even as he conducted, the only word floating in the professor's heart was the word failure.

It was an unreasonable fight, even though the commander didn't think it would happen. No matter how many spells he poured and how many swords he thrust, it was useless.

Rather, the mucus covering the godmother only grew larger. This was evidence that the spell was getting out of control, but to the operation team, it only seemed hopeless.

"큭!"

Edwin, who was barely holding on, lost his shield.

Without even the slightest safety device, Edwin was faced with a ghostly figure. There were mouths in the pupils of its eyes, and they seemed to be gnawing at even the personality of its godmother.

A large mouth appeared where the godmother's face should have been. The monster's maw opened wide to devour Edwin's head. Instead of saliva, a sticky liquid like tar dripped down.

'ah.'

I really thought this might be the last time.

The life of rolling around in the sewage flashed before my eyes.

The next moment, an arm extended from the back of Edwin's head.

"Well done."

The first thing that caught my eye was a gun.

A unique appearance with blue light emanating from various parts of the gun. The barrel was open like a crocodile's mouth. The triangular mechanism inside and the laser fired from the ball aimed at the mother.

The red light that swallowed Nigrum in Basteterra.

The warm-up for [Eliminator] had already ended.

-Paang!

With a loud noise, the godmother's chest area burst open.

Everyone who witnessed it was shocked. The fact that a fist-sized hole had been made in a body that had been impervious to bullets or blades. Even the godmother was surprised by the situation.

'how?'

There was no time even given to resolve the doubts.

Kim Yi-Hyeon pushed Edwin away and put down his gun. The hilt of the sword was newly in his hand. [Red Desert Fang]. The Kukri, which corroded the attacked area, emitted an ominous light.

Kwak!

The blade was stuck in the eye.

"Ahhhhhhhh…!"

That's where the corrosion began.

Kim Yi-Hyeon didn't watch the results. He put the sword down and created a spear. Electricity surged from the [Glow] spearhead that was as transparent as glass.

He had produced six-star equipment three times in a row. An intense backlash hit Kim Yi-Hyeon. His brain pressure rose exponentially, and he felt like his eyes were going to pop out.

Enduring everything, he pushed his godmother over.

"Grit your teeth. This is going to hurt like hell. You and me."

I rolled down the window.

Don't miss it!

[Glow] scattered sparks fiercely. The current flowing through the spear ran wild inside the Great Mother's body. The Great Mother's life burned away along with the Metunaps that were in her body.

"Ugh, Gaaaaaaah!"

Pain and screams.

The Godmother only inflicted pain on others and heard their screams. She was a predator at the top of the food chain, no matter where she was. She understood this fact more deeply than anyone else and took advantage of it.

But if we go back in time, there was a time when she wasn't like that.

A life longer than most. Most of it was spent in her hometown. When her values ​​were established, Deborah realized that she was not ordinary.

Ritual and prayer. A life of self-imposed seclusion despite having power. A life that withers away like a greenhouse plant without any stimulation.

Hatred towards their own kind who force them on them so brazenly.

So Deborah put on a mask. She portrayed herself as a faithful and exemplary daughter of a priest. As was the custom, she became the successor to the priesthood.

I gained strength and came out into the world.

Deborah abandoned her name. She wielded her power freely and even picked up the trash of the world and raised it. From then on, she was always in a position to trample on others.

But why?

"Yes, that bastard, me again…!"

The pupils were slit like a reptile's and looked down at him. It was a symptom of a mutation. Normally, he would have lost his senses and gone mad, but Kim Yi-Hyeon did not seem to have any madness.

Only murderous intent overflows.

Doubts and anger welled up in the godmother's heart.

'Why aren't you being trampled?'

Even if he were to take on an entire armed force. Even if he were to face Snowfield, who was considered the best in terms of individual strength across the continent, and the Pecatum Hitman. Even if he were to use his powers himself.

Why do you survive in the end?

How to overcome in the end.

The godmother couldn't help but feel it.

The great will of something that blocks one's own self.

What fate was given to a human named Kim Lee-Hyeon.

Paaang―!

A body covered in mud burst out. Flying mucus stuck to the concrete floor.

For a moment, the basement was enveloped in silence.

[The glow] disappeared and the sparks subsided. While the agents relaxed one by one, Kim Yi-Hyun grabbed [Red Desert Fang] that was rolling on the ground.

He staggered to his feet and looked around. Among the dozens of scattered blobs of mucus, there was one that was the largest. He started walking towards it.

"Mr. Hyun, are you okay..."

"Get out of the way. There's still finishing to be done."

I pushed away the agent who was coming to help me. I was grateful, but it was still a little early. I took a few steps and stopped in front of the clotted mucus.

As expected, there was a reaction.

grasp!

A thin thorn shot out from the mucus. I immediately caught the thorn that was aiming for my heart. The arm that had been blackened by the recoil of [Glow] was quickly regenerating.

"Do these kids have to act so ugly until the end?"

Except for those who died without even being able to escape, there was no one who accepted death cleanly. They treated other people's lives worse than insects.

There was a lot I wanted to say, but nothing I had to say.

Phew!

I stabbed the knife in. The mucus rapidly lost its viscosity.

"Yes, who the hell is that guy? Why is he doing this to me…."

It was an incomplete sentence, but an inference was possible.

Why do you interfere like this? Why do you keep nagging at me like this? How did you come all the way here and bring about your own death?

A pointless and obvious question.

Kim Lee-hyeon insisted on answering.

"If you were the one who knew, you wouldn't have done it in the first place."

Soon the mucus completely changed into blood.

[ERROR!]

[An unexpected error occurred.]

[Confirmation of death of character 'Godmother']

[Calculate the damage rate of the scenario.]

[Now Loading....]

A message confirming the death of the godmother. And,

[Mutation rate 65.1341%]

It was a figure that was far beyond the Maginot Line I had in mind. When I looked down at my right arm, it was completely covered in crystals. It was so large that I could not believe it was a human arm.

'Ha, that's why I didn't want to write it.'

The progress was much faster than in Nigrum and Camellia. I had a rough idea. It's a term that comes out only after entering the second half, but this place must have a seriously high 'pollution index'.

The effects of the medicine subsided quickly.

The decision was broken and removed from the skin, but some parts remained, so the removal surgery I received was in vain.

[Mutation rate 41.1805%]

It was a steep price to pay for just over three minutes.

My upper body swayed with weakness and dizziness.

"hyeon!"

Asterike ran over and caught Kim Ihyeon's body that was about to fall. Even while holding him, his gaze was scanning the ground. The lumps of mucus were moving slightly.

Edwin muttered in disbelief at the disgusting sight.

"And yet, you're still alive…?"

"no."

Kim Lee-hyun denied it outright.

"…■■■, ■■…!"

"■■■■! ■■■!"

"■■■■■■!"

The mucus crawled like larvae and spat out strange language. The content was incomprehensible, but the emotions contained within were clearly conveyed. They were in pain.

The Godmother's persona no longer exists there.

Kim Lee-hyun said, looking down at the mere dregs.

"Burn it."

Black smoke rose.

The room was extremely quiet for a while.

All that could be heard was the groans and heavy breathing of the wounded. Even though the enemy had already disappeared without a trace, they could not completely relax.

It was because it didn't feel real.

Since such a powerful enemy had died in vain, and there were no corpses left to prove victory, all eyes naturally turned to Kim I-Hyeon.

The pale complexion, the unidentifiable crystals that occasionally appeared on the skin, and above all, the extraordinary strength that pushed the godmother. In the end, it was almost as if she had handled it all by herself.

The people who were lumped together as an operations team had different affiliations.

Because our beliefs and policies were different, various thoughts were exchanged.

Some people are in awe.

Some people are wary.

Some people have genuine concern and worry.

The moment when each person's eyes filled with emotion were turned towards Kim Yi-Hyeon.

-Toodoodoo!

The sound of an explosion from deep underground echoed through the reservoir.

"What just happened? What did you say?"

"Gunshots… is that it?"

As the panic spread, Kim Yi-hyeon tightly shut his eyes. He seemed to have a rough idea of ​​what had happened. He managed to keep his body still with the help of Asterike.

"You'll know when you go."

The source of the sound was not far away.

After walking for a short while, we reached a dead end.

The end of a pipe hanging from the ceiling.

The deepest part of an underground cistern.

There were two people and a machine with pipes connected to it. One was a soldier of the Legion wearing a gas mask. The other was much more distinctive than the soldier.

Skin as white as if bleach had been poured on it. Three horns and pointy ears that did not look human. A nose that was so flat that it was almost sunken, and dry lips. A wrinkled eye in the center of the forehead.

Kushan and the professor also looked at Marcus. The professor's eyes widened. A fragment of knowledge that she had forgotten, that she was not aware of at the moment, suddenly came back to her.

"...Parasite."

The Legion's secret garden was already almost complete.

But, as with the game, it was not completed.

Marcus was found dead, cut into eight pieces.