Chapter 277: The Jellyfish Liberalio

That faint, eerie female voice echoed like a ghost in the dark, ethereal and mysterious, carrying a chill that made one's skin crawl. Her voice seemed to come from some distant, profound abyss.

Every syllable sounded warped by an indescribable power that instilled fear deep in the heart.

Mo Chen's pupils narrowed slightly.

A girl appeared within that endless sea overhead.

Her violet hair was tied back with a lace-textured ribbon, its curling tips floating gently as if drifting in water. Her face was stunningly beautiful—delicate features, brows like mist, eyes dreamy and unreal.

She looked like a doll carved from porcelain, a trace of youthful innocence still lingering in her glow.

Her petite frame was wrapped in fabric resembling a school swimsuit, as if she hadn't fully developed. Around her waist was a pleated skirt, and white silk stockings covered her smooth, slender legs.

Her long sleeves fluttered like blooming petals, covering her pale, delicate hands.

She hovered weightlessly in mid-air, swaying as if submerged in water, flowing with the currents.

But what caught Mo Chen's attention even more was the massive, semi-transparent dome above her head—resembling a jellyfish. Long strands descended from it, attached to her body, expanding and contracting with her breath, pulsing like a living organism.

A Heretic—Liberalio!

Mo Chen recognized her immediately.

He didn't expect it to be her. Liberalio didn't have much presence in the original story, but her strength was indisputable.

Proof of that was how even four Pilgrims and multiple members of other Nikke squads had hesitated to make a move against her.

And Johan had admitted openly: that what they saw was merely the tip of the iceberg—none of them were her match.

Now, seeing her with his own eyes, Mo Chen could feel the crushing pressure from her presence. He finally understood what John must have felt.

That power was indeed overwhelming.

At this moment, that childish face showed a rare hint of anger, as if irritated after being rudely disturbed.

"What's going on with everyone… why is it always so noisy…?"

She exuded a haunting chill—like it had risen from the depths of a silent, sunless ocean.

It made no sound, yet its oppressive presence was suffocating.

Dorothy stared up at Liberalio in shock, her pupils contracting slightly. For the first time, the ever-elegant Dorothy lost her composure. The usual soft smile vanished from her lovely face, replaced by a solemn, storm-cloud-like tension.

It was her!

As someone who had walked the surface for nearly a century, Dorothy had encountered countless Heretics—and among them was Liberalio.

An elite general under Rapture Queen.

"You all… woke me up. I'm very upset. So now… I'm going to sink your little paradise to the bottom of the sea…"

Liberalio's voice was so soft it sounded like the whisper of an ordinary girl.

But no one dared to question the truthfulness of her words.

Dorothy's heart clenched, her pupils shrinking as a terrifying pressure burst forth from the girl above—like the very air had been sucked from the world.

Judging by her tone... she was going to kill them!

The girl merely waved her slender hand once, and instantly, the sea suspended in the sky—like a reflection flipped upside down—exploded downward like an apocalyptic flood.

No… it wasn't water!

Dorothy's face changed dramatically.

They were tentacles.

Thin as strands of silk, but there were so many of them clumped together that it gave the illusion of a boundless sea!

Endless. No edge in sight.

It filled one with a suffocating sense of inescapable despair.

Just then, a scorching flame erupted into the sky!

The fire surged like a pillar piercing the heavens. In an instant, it became a blazing inferno, covering the skies and earth alike—turning the world into a purgatory of flame.

It was Mo Chen!

He had made his move!

Dorothy didn't hesitate. She unfurled her wings, immediately ascended into the air, activating Angel Mode. Gun in hand, she followed closely behind Mo Chen.

Only by fighting with everything they had did they have a chance. Waiting around meant certain death!

Mo Chen stomped the ground, and with explosive force, the earth split open. Like a volcanic eruption, he launched himself skyward, aiming straight for Liberalio suspended in midair.

Fast as thunder!

Liberalio—one of the strongest characters in Nikke to date. Her power was beyond question. Even the Pilgrims hadn't dared lay a finger on her.

But Mo Chen had already completed his Bankai. He wasn't afraid of her strength.

And with the suppressants on hand, he had a fighting chance.

The tentacles in the sky surged down like rolling tides, converging on Mo Chen, ready to envelop and shred him to pieces.

But he charged straight toward Liberalio, paying no heed to the descending tendrils. His hand tightened around Ryūjin Jakka, and in an instant, invisible flames erupted from the blade, quickly condensing into what looked like a charred wooden sword.

The tentacles grew denser, nearly encasing Mo Chen entirely.

Once ensnared, he'd be devoured instantly!

"Zanka no Tachi, Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui."

The words were calm—almost devoid of emotion—but echoed across heaven and earth, deep and ancient.

Contrasting the quiet voice, a storm of blistering fire burst out from Mo Chen's body. The flames wrapped around him, forming a fiery armor—like he was cloaked in the sun itself, flames dancing across his body and blade.

This skill wrapped the scorching heat of Ryūjin Jakka into a suit of armor, a defense and offense in one.

Temperatures hot enough to melt iron and cleave gold vaporized everything nearby in an instant.

Stone, earth, moisture, even clouds—disintegrated and vanished with a flicker.

The overwhelming tide of tentacles was now within arm's reach. But anything that came close was incinerated on contact.

Mo Chen raised his blade.

Then, he shot through the air like a lone eagle. His eyes locked onto the girl above, and he muttered softly.

His grip on the sword tightened. The charred sword swept down.

Now was the time for full power—nothing less would win this.

Though he was still exhausted after several intense battles—especially his clash with Nihilister—thankfully, the Blacklight Virus's rapid recovery had restored him to nearly full strength.

Silent.

Then—

BOOM!

A world-shaking explosion!

It was the roar of fire erupting!

The howl of wrathful flame!

A flood of divine flame surged skyward from Mo Chen, like a wrathful sun tearing through the heavens. In an instant, it collided with the sea of descending tentacles.