Chapter 299: Romania (3)

< Romania (3) >

An overwhelming presence emanated from the massive, muscle-bound figure.

"Keh huh huh—"

Unlike Heinz's calm, chilling aura, or the Duke's heavy, oppressive pressure, this presence intensely stimulated a primal sense of danger, making it impossible to look away.

Like a volcano on the verge of eruption, its scale and timing unpredictable.

"Caution! Don't engage recklessly."

"Leave the outer perimeter to the other team! We can't risk dividing our forces!"

"Is that… really human? No, is it a demon?"

The vampires, who fed on the blood of living beings, and the Peak Masters, who had transcended their limits, instinctively knew the moment they saw him. Although he had a human form, he was no human.

Gulp—

'What is that monster…?'

Monster.

That was the common thought that crossed everyone's minds. The unfamiliar beast hide draped over his head, concealing his face, further amplified the impression. He looked like a half-human, half-beast demon.

"…Who are you? How did you get in here? …No, do you even realize what you've done?"

The Duke stepped forward, his voice a low growl, breaking the tense silence. The savage intruder had, upon arrival, critically injured one of the Heavenly Wealth Society's Peak Masters and killed two Dracula vampires. He was clearly an enemy, but knowing nothing about him, the Duke wanted to gather some information before engaging.

'Why did he attack us? Is he connected to Phantom? Then is the one fighting the outer perimeter team also his ally? How did they infiltrate…? I can accept such abilities existing. The problem is the fact that they appeared out of nowhere.'

The Duke's mind raced. Even the Heavenly Wealth Society, a secret organization with unparalleled intelligence, knew nothing about these intruders. They should have thoroughly investigated Phantom… Heinz… beforehand!

But…

Harley, the uninvited guest, had no intention of answering the Duke's questions.

"Huh? What are you saying? I don't understand. Speak English, man!"

He responded to the Duke's Romanian in English. With 「Xenoglossy」, language barriers were meaningless to him, but it was a small prank to conceal his true origin.

As the Duke frowned, about to speak again…

"Well, don't worry too much! There's a wonderful way to communicate called the language of the body! Kahahaha—!"

Harley's laughter boomed, his muscles rippling. He had no intention of wasting time talking.

Clank! Screech—!

A loud, metallic sound emanated from his body. A harsh noise more suited to heavy machinery than a living being.

Hiss—

His entire body glowed red, and hot steam erupted from him, making the air shimmer. His already massive muscles bulged, his limbs swelling, and sharp, claw-like nails extended from his fingertips. A dark red, hazy 「Bio-Aura」, like heat haze, seeped from beneath the scales covering his body, imbued with 'madness.'

He was the pinnacle of life, a test subject who had transcended his limits through endless growth. The very embodiment of the 「Ultimate Evolved Lifeform」.

"…What is that?"

"A mutant demon? No, that's not just…"

"What a vile aura. Steady your minds! If you're contaminated by it, you'll become a Mad Vamp!"

The Heavenly Wealth Society members instinctively recoiled, like prey facing an apex predator. Their faces contorted as they realized their instinctive reaction. Such a display of fear was humiliating for these prideful individuals.

"Hmph."

Harley, now over three meters tall, exhaled steam generated by the immense energy burning within him, glaring at them.

"Now then…"

His lower jaw, filled with sharp, shark-like teeth, was revealed beneath the beast hide covering his face. His abnormally developed jaw twisted into a grin—

"…Let the hunt begin! Kehhahaha!"

—and his massive body charged forward.

A dark figure stealthily left the center of the forest and rapidly moved towards the outskirts.

'I was careless.'

The assassin, dispatched from the Heavenly Wealth Society's Greek branch on Doctor's orders, calmed his mind. He had narrowly escaped with his life, but the situation wasn't optimistic.

'Losing my limbs is critical. I've managed some emergency treatment, but…'

He glanced at his right side. Jet-black limbs, woven from dark chakra he controlled, replaced his severed arm and leg, staunching the bleeding. A temporary measure to allow him to move.

'…I didn't expect that monster to be that strong.'

Lingering near the intruder to assess his abilities had been a mistake. He never imagined the monster could see through his stealth and sever his limbs with a single grab!

'I'd like to escape, but…'

He couldn't just retreat in this chaotic situation, especially with his injuries. Unlike monsters like vampires who could regenerate lost limbs, he, a mere human, needed to prove his worth to Doctor to receive proper treatment.

'It can't be helped. That monster is a bad matchup. I'll support the outer perimeter and eliminate the other intruder first…'

But…

His thoughts were interrupted.

———!

A flash of light, without sound or warning, pierced through his weakened senses and struck him.

"…"

A preemptive strike, before he could even track the attacker.

'Damn it…! Another monster…!'

Kaboom—!

The attacker…

…Harris, the high elf summoned to Earth with Harley, whistled softly, completely blended with the forest using skills like 「Nature's Embodiment」 and 「Nature Assimilation」.

'He dodged at the last moment? Not bad, considering his injuries.'

He held the bow, Themis, crafted from a branch of the World Tree, in one hand and an arrow in the other, his eyes half-closed.

"But I can't let you go."

The golden stars within his emerald eyes shimmered as 「Observer of the Milky Way」 activated, granting him a panoramic view of the entire forest, surpassing even the most advanced satellite imagery.

He instantly processed information about the location, movement, energy, and level of every living being, imprinting it in his mind. He aimed his bow again and slowly drew the string.

'Everyone here is a pawn of the Heavenly Wealth Society. I won't let a single one escape.'

His mission was to prevent the Heavenly Wealth Society members, including the sniper and Archmage on the outer perimeter, from interfering with the main battle. And to maintain his concealed status, which wasn't difficult for him, now capable of merging with nature using 「Mooyoo Palgwae Bigong (Modified)」.

He had already eliminated the support-type ability user who created the creepy eyeballs, and now the Peak-level assassin, the next most likely to discover his position, had just…

Kaboom—!

…been reduced to ashes, unable to withstand his full-powered attack.

'That takes care of one. Thanks to Harley marking him, it was easier than I expected.'

Normally, a stealthy and agile assassin wouldn't be so easy to eliminate.

Having achieved his objective, Harris silently moved to another location. And immediately after…

Crackle—!

Rumble!

A sniper shot tore through space, followed by a carpet bombing of magic, targeting the spot where he had just been. An attack from the Heavenly Wealth Society's outer perimeter team, who had stubbornly held on despite the repeated attacks.

'Destroying nature like this. They deserve divine punishment.'

Harris frowned, glancing at the devastated area. As a guardian of the forest, how could he tolerate such behavior?

His animosity towards the Heavenly Wealth Society intensified as he summoned his elementals and drew his bowstring.

…Technically, the one most deserving of punishment for environmental destruction was right there, but he deliberately chose to ignore him.

At the center of the forest, where the main battle raged…

Kaboom!

A fist enveloped in dark red aura clashed head-on with a shining hammer imbued with aura.

"Kehhahaha—! Ah, this is good! Good!"

"Haaa!"

A powerful shockwave rippled outwards from the collision of immense forces, accompanied by a manic laughter. The result of the clash was clear.

"Gah! You monster!"

The massive hammer warrior, who seemed confident in his strength, was sent flying back, grinding his teeth. But that wasn't the end of his predicament.

Losing his balance, he saw a giant hand reaching for his face. He gritted his teeth and desperately parried it.

Clang—!

A deafening metallic clang echoed as the hammer and hand collided. His comrades seized the opportunity and pulled him out of danger.

"Don't clash head-on! We need to tire him out with wheel attacks…!"

"Do you think that will work against that monster?!"

"It's our best option! We need to hold out…"

It was like a raid against a boss monster. The problem was that the boss was intelligent and skilled in martial arts.

"Kahaha! Don't be shy, let's play some more, friends!"

A monster wielding human techniques, meant for the weak to fight the strong, rampaged, and the desperate cries of those trying to subdue him echoed endlessly.

"Phew— That's better. Duke, we have unfinished business, don't we? Let's finish it."

"—Phantom!"

Heinz spoke leisurely amidst the chaos, calmly scanning his opponent from head to toe, as if appraising him. His gaze was that of a connoisseur assessing the quality of ingredients.

Inside a building in Bucharest.

Crash—! Shatter!

Doctor abruptly stood up and rushed forward. Snacks on the table scattered, creating a mess, but he didn't care. He didn't have the mental capacity to care about anything else.

"Wh… What… is that…?"

He muttered, staring blankly at the holographic image, mesmerized. Although his words expressed confusion, he knew exactly what it was. He had to.

"Could it be…? No, that's impossible…"

The Perfect Evolved Lifeform Project. A project he had conceived and drafted about a decade ago, after encountering the 'Predator Dragon's Blood' from the Lauveda dimension, a world inhabited by numerous dragon species and dragon hunters.

Wasn't the reason for capturing Heinz to complete that research?

"Ahhh—! That's definitely…!"

It wasn't just a chimera, crudely combining different creatures. It was a project to create the ultimate lifeform, constantly evolving by acquiring superior genes…

"But… that…"

No matter how objectively he tried to assess the situation, he, with his 「Eyes of Truth」, could recognize it at a glance.

"…That! Why is it there?!"

'That' was definitely a lifeform created based on his research.