yasinovel Chapter 1177: From Hell
Chapter 1177: From Hell
Chapter 1177: From Hell
"Such confidence," Erik said. He stopped pumping mana into his Phantom Veil brain crystal power's neural links and turned visible, revealing himself to the others.
He was near the hangar's entrance, looking at the second division commander with a confident but also cold look. "But who says I can't handle both tasks at once?"
Small seeds fell from his hand, unseen by everyone, rolling across the wet ground. The Second Division Commander's eyes failed to track the movement, and that was his mistake.
"Overconfidence killed many skilled warriors before you," the man said, his lips curving into a cold smile. "Though I must admit, I was surprised you defeated Monica."
While they spoke, Erik channeled mana into the seeds, making it spread from his feet. Deep beneath the surface, roots spread, growing toward the aircraft with unnatural speed.
"Monica? The third division commander?" Erik laughed. "She was nothing much. Just a scared cat who could do nothing but hide behind a fake wyvern."
Erik hated the blackguards and taunted the man to incite a reaction, but he didn't relish speaking ill of the dead, and it was something he shirked. Of course, that didn't mean he never did. When the others found out about his killing of Nathaniel, he had to give an explanation. Clearly, telling them about the bad deeds the man did, or how he tried to kill him, was just the truth.
But among those explanations, bad comments fell. It was human nature to criticize what they didn't like.
The commander's smile didn't waver. "Bold words from someone who spent his time running from us while being invisible."
He gestured toward his men. "At least we face our enemies directly."
"Face them directly?" Erik raised an eyebrow. "Are you shitting me? Don't act like I don't know what you are trying to do, Bill."
The man scowled. How did he know his name? That was one of the blackguards' most guarded secrets. His, Monica's, and Vania's names were a mystery to anyone in the world, and those who knew it thought they were dead.
"You are just trying to gain time."
This revelation shook Bill to his core. He couldn't be certain, but either Erik was perceptive enough to notice his every subtle move, or he had mind-reading abilities. Though his orders to his men might have revealed his stalling tactics, there was simply no other way Erik could have learned his name.
Underground, the tendrils continued their advance, spreading beneath the feet of the unsuspecting blackguards. The commander's men moved closer to the aircraft. Thinking Erik had not seen them. He did.
"Clever observation," the commander said. "But it's not like you can do anything about it." "Are you sure?"
The man's expression hardened. "Confidence is admirable, Erik Romano, but it can be misplaced. You might want to reconsider your position."
He gave a look at his men; they were already pointing their weapons at the aircraft.
"Reconsider?" Erik's voice carried mock surprise.
"Let me get this straight. Put case you destroy the plane. That means I simply have nothing holding me back. I could slaughter all of you with peace of mind."
That made the blackguards jump and shiver. After all, Erik Romano just made a threat, and that threat was made against them.
"Are you really sure you want to destroy that plane?"
Bill paused.
"Besides, I thought this was supposed to be about facing enemies directly. Yet here you are, still trying to buy time."
A blackguard unleashed a fire-based brain crystal power, trying to burn the plants, but Erik simply changed the tendrils to liquid metal.
The plants wrapped around his arms, immobilizing him before additional metal tendrils solidified and pierced his body from multiple angles.
His scream got cut short as thorny branches erupted from his mouth.
Someone else, instead, got the liquid metal inside their mouths, noses, and ears. They got
drowned.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!"
No one was able to understand what was happening, nor how Erik could do that, but it was clear it was thanks to one of his many brain crystal powers.
The Second Division Commander watched in horror as his men died around him. Each death was more gruesome than the last as Erik's power turned nature itself into a weapon of war.
Throughout the carnage, Erik maintained eye contact with the Second Division Commander, a cold smile playing across his face.
"YOU IDIOTS! HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN ABOUT HIS ABILITY TO MANIPULATE PLANTS?!" The second division commander said.
But even that didn't explain why the plants changed shape and material. He didn't even know
if he could call them plants anymore.
His eyes darted between his fallen soldiers and the nightmarish vegetation that erupted from
the ground and that was rapidly transforming the battlefield into a grotesque garden of
death.
Fleeing soldiers found their escape blocked by sudden plant growth. The merciless vegetation impaled some and tore others apart.
The soldiers tried to resist the onslaught, but it was impossible. They were strong, but not enough to fight against Erik, not in that way.
"Kill him!" Someone shouted, as the most logical thing seemed to be killing the one controlling the plants, but it was too late. The vines had created a complete perimeter around
Erik and the first division commander and left the remaining soldiers in a deadly garden of
writhing tendrils outside.
They tried to survive, but at the same time, to free their division commander. Attacks bombarding the walls Erik raised, who turned into ever-shifting metals.
Dozens of bodies lay scattered across the floor, their armor split open like fruit rinds, internal
organs exposed to the night air. The tendrils swayed gently, ready for their master's next
command.
"Now then," Erik said, "shall we continue our discussion about facing enemies directly?"