Chapter 185
I looked down at the spot stuck in the white snowy field. Jason, who had quickly healed his calf wounds with the Black Gallagon armor effect, was looking up at me.
Compared to the 6m-sized golden form, Jason’s height couldn’t be easily described as small from an objective standpoint. With a height of 2m, he was quite tall even among Cult males.
‘It doesn’t matter in front of me.’
However whether it’s 2m or 6m, it doesn’t matter in front of me. Thanks to using the special state of “King of Monsters” in addition to the skeletal beast state, my body has become tremendously gigantic. The length of my body reached 300m, and the length of the lower jaw easily exceeded dozens of meters.
To exaggerate a bit, it’s like a moving mountain.
‘I never expected to grow this big without reaching maturity.’
Even I, who knows everything about Amorph, couldn’t anticipate what Jason knew. He didn’t even notice when I opened my mouth under the snow.
Of course, he attacked with the golden form, suspecting that I might be hiding. As a result, one of his combat arms was severely injured, but I was relieved.
‘Originally, this attack would have been enough to blow away one-third of my body.’
The fatal attack only resulted in injuring one arm. And through his attack, I was certain of one thing: the golden form’s transformation requires time.
It wasn’t a long time, but it didn’t matter. Even such a short cooldown during battle could act as a fatal weakness.
‘What the fuck is this?! I’ve never heard of anything like this!’
Jason, who was relaxed just moments ago, didn’t seem so now. He appeared to lose his composure at the sight of me, which had grown even larger than imagined.
‘In fact, my situation isn’t that great either.’
Maintaining the King of Monsters requires a tremendous amount of energy. Even now, the energy inside my body is being depleted at a tremendous speed.
‘If I hadn’t devoured the Ice Horror, it would have been over soon.’
Thanks to consuming large amounts of meat rich in energy, I have stored a considerable amount of energy.
As long as I don’t use the energy-consuming properties like the divine sceptre, the King of Monsters can be maintained for about 10 minutes.
I swung one of my combat arms toward the space where Jason stood. As the combat arm, about the size of a small park, fell, he hastily raised both arms.
When my hand collided with the ice, a tremendous gust of wind occurred, sweeping away the snow. Beyond the swirling snowstorm, his figure was no longer visible.
‘Where did he go?’
“…That damn Amorph!”
As if answering my question, his voice was heard from afar. Then, the golden sword he created flew towards my auxiliary organ.
I raised another combat arm to shield the auxiliary organ. The sword he created struck my forearm.
However, my arm itself was so large that it only covered the forearm with the golden arm guard created by the golden form. Realizing that the attack was shallow, he spat out a curse.
“Damn it!”
Currently, Jason was wearing a headband that I hadn’t seen before. It was a halo-shaped headband with a violet glow. It’s called the “Harmonizer,” obtained as a level 9 quest reward.
‘For now, let’s start with this.’
Extra lives that can be obtained through the harmonizer total five. Since it has been used once, there are four left for future use.
I reached out with combat arms to grab him. Moving to catch him as my arms swept away the snow piled on the ground. Just before my hands could grab him, he raised his left hand.
Then my hand moved on its own, regardless of my will. It must have been a combination of gravity control and reflection that pushed my arms away.
As Jason blocked my attacks, the golden figure surrounding him changed once again.
Particles forming the figure disintegrated, transforming into beams of light carrying his body aloft.
‘So, he escaped underground with that.’
I deployed erosion tendrils to seize the one trying to slip away.
The six erosion tendrils are normally kept in a dormant form within empty compartments inside my armor. When needed, they swiftly emerge through thin membranes covering six holes.
These erosion tendrils boast the longest reach among the parts of my body, without any special effects. With my body having grown over ten times its original size, naturally, the erosion tendrils have also increased to an unbelievable size.
Amidst the raging snowstorm, the six erosion tendrils stretch out like dragons ascending along the golden beams of light.
Although the golden beams of light dodged like acrobats, how long could they avoid the tendrils closing in from all sides?
Perhaps sharing the same thought, Jason tossed a “Purification” into the air. A silver rod with a black flame motif spun like a windmill, attacking my tendrils.
Purification is a weapon inspired by a famous sword from classic space operas. Like its original, Purification boasts formidable attack power, capable of easily slicing through my tendrils, controlled by Jason. However, if there’s an issue…
‘The tendrils are big, so the impact isn’t much.’
Even though each erosion tendril surpasses Jason’s height in thickness alone, tirelessly attacking with Purification, causing fatal wounds isn’t easy.
The enemy’s attacks now feel like ants wielding tweezers against a human. Unless they pierce a vital spot with those tweezers, ants won’t easily kill a human.
Even if the wounds are deep, I possess the “regeneration” trait. Unless the tendrils are completely severed, such wounds quickly heal.
‘Of course, it’s not without significant energy consumption.’
With each deep penetration of the erosion tendrils, the time maintaining the form of the King of Monsters diminishes, yet I show no sign of retreat.
My task is simple.
To overwhelm him with immense size.
In other words, the violence of scale. That’s the weapon I’ve prepared.
Cackle!
Judging that attacking with Purification is futile, Jason withdrew his sword. The beams of light surrounding him returned to the golden figure hanging on his back.
As he hovered in the air with gravity control, the golden figure’s attack commenced as he swung his arms.
The shining golden sword struck one of the erosion tendrils. It succeeded in cutting more than half, but couldn’t sever it completely.
Though the pain was excruciating enough to numb, I showed no sign of it. Instead, taking advantage of the figure’s immobilization, I aimed other tendrils at Jason’s main body.
As tendrils rushed towards him, he hastily extended his left hand. Reflection activated, bouncing the tendrils away.
However, fending off the tendrils attacking from six directions, each reaching hundreds of meters, is by no means an easy task, even for someone as skilled as him, a Ranker.
“Ugh!”
The sharp appendage of the erosion tendril grazed the man’s leg. It was a region torn and then healed by my teeth.
“This bastard!”
As I kept attacking the same spot, Jason yelled out in frustration. Along with him, a gigantic purple whip sprang from his left hand, deflecting my tendrils.
While he dealt with the tendrils, expressing his anger, I swiftly approached him. With a stride spanning over hundreds of meters, the ice beneath cracked and shattered.
As I moved, my mouth widened amidst the rising mist. Lower jaw split in two, revealing rows of teeth packed within.
‘Swallow him whole.’
If others had seen me, they would have shivered at my grotesque appearance, akin to a maw of abyss. Upon the massive jaws closing in on him, Jason cursed briefly.
“Shit!”
In response to his curse, the golden figure transformed into beams of light once again. Jason narrowly escaped from my mouth. He let out a new curse as the jaws slammed shut with a loud clang.
“This insane bastard!”
As soon as I heard his scream, an intangible force struck my neck and head. Gravity control, confinement, and several Psychic powers beyond that gripped my head and neck.
“Ugh!”
It’s an immense force. Regardless of skill, the output of supernatural abilities from the opponent exceeds that of Number 26.
Even though the Psychic reflection gloves should be deflecting, he was using reflection to bounce back the damage onto me.
“Die… Ugh?!”
As he screamed, attempting to twist my neck, suddenly his body froze like a broken puppet. Unseen threads now ensnared his body.
There’s no need to say who the owner of those invisible threads, formed from highly compressed energy, is.
｢Damn you! What do you think you’re doing to my baby!｣
Beyond the raging snowstorm, a creature with a purplish-pink hue emerges.
A being notorious in the game as a formidable foe, thought to be impossible to befriend.
And the first friend I made since coming to this world.
It was the sea Demon Number 26.
While Number 26 exerted all its strength to restrain him, a Gallagon soared behind the man.
｢Me｣ ｢Cold｣ ｢Patience｣
A vivid green wingspan and a long, chubby tail adorned the impressive figure, it was Adhai, and with her was A centaur-like creature, resembling an eagle-headed lion, riding on Adhai’s back.
｢You damn bastard, did you think you could escape?｣
The griffon, now in sky sentinel mode, growls, emitting a sense of calm. Having coordinated their moves several times before, they were prepared for this joint attack.
With lightning speed, the Griffin wolf approached. Jason’s eyes widened as he saw them.
“This damn…!”
Purple flames ignited in his eyes. As his body emanated purple energy, it transformed into numerous thorn-like shapes.
There’s an effect called “Morta,” a high-level psychic power, that nullifies the effects of other psychic attacks.
‘Huh? It’s released!’
As the unseen threads were touched by the sharp thorns, Number 26’s restraints were immediately released.
Freed from restraint, Jason quickly twisted his waist to the side. This was because The Mother of the Sky, already close enough to reach out, thrust her golden spear towards him.
‘Tch!’
The spear narrowly missed slicing through the man’s armor. As the abdominal armor broke, shards of black Griffin scales scattered into the air.
“How dare you…!”
Enraged, Jason roared and swung his arm towards The Mother of the Sky. The golden figure synchronized with him also transformed its arm into a sword shape and swung wildly.
Adhai, riding The Mother of the Sky, performed amazing acrobatics, avoiding the man’s attacks. While Jason blocked my erosion tendrils with reflection, he kept an eye on Adhai’s movements.
“You arrogant bastard!”
｢Danger!｣ ｢Danger!｣
As Jason reached out his hand, Adhai froze in mid-air as if suspended. She, too, had used restraints like Number 26.
Seizing the opportunity, the golden figure descended with its sword aimed to split Adhai and The Mother of the Sky in two.
‘You think you can leave me alone like that.’
I swung my combat arms with all my might towards Jason’s direction.
The combination of size, weight, and power created something truly formidable. A powerful gust of wind struck Jason forcefully.
“Ugh?!”
Whether he couldn’t even reflect the wind with reflection, he had no choice but to endure the natural phenomenon I created.
As the air rushed out and snowflakes stung his face, he closed his eyes. Just as the golden figure was about to strike Adhai, it burst into particle form.
｢Don’t hit the little ones and the middle one!｣
Number 26’s Psychic power flowed into Adhai. The clash between the two mighty Psychic users weakened the restraints on Adhai.
｢Thank you!｣
Freed from restraint, Adhai turned her wings once before swiftly flying behind me at lightning speed.
“You damn manipulator! What trick did you pull to control the Sea Demon and the Griffin!”
Seeing him open his eyes and witnessing the scene, Jason was furious. It seemed more shocking to him that I moved in coordination with other monsters than being affected by the combined attack.
‘Manipulator?’
He probably thinks I’m controlling them as parasites, but that’s impossible. Parasites can’t control multiple beings so intricately.
And my allies aren’t just three.
‘There’s still one more left.’
Amidst the relentless snowfall, the ice-covered ground isn’t solely occupied by Number 26. Hidden beneath the snow, the special friend he brought is waiting in anticipation.
“Now!”
Responding to my signal, the Screamer, or rather PS-111, sprang out, scattering snow.
PS-111, a monstrous creature with the head of a human woman on four pairs of legs. Other than being a fusion of machinery and flesh, a new appendage had sprouted from its posterior.
It was a tail. Similar to a scorpion’s tail, it branched upwards from the body, with something other than a stinger attached to its tip.
The pointed object resembled the head of a demolition bolt.
‘Success.’
I secretly issued a command to absorb the Demolisher while I engaged Jason’s subordinates in combat.
The creature, having absorbed the Demolisher and crafted a new weapon, activated its prepared arsenal.
A navy-blue energy projectile soared, evaporating falling snow. Its target: beneath Jason’s feet.
“!”
Realizing too late, he twisted his body to evade. But once again, his paralyzed thigh became a problem.
The Demolisher’s power, capable of disintegrating everything, engulfed his lower left leg.
“Ah, ah, ahhhh!”
With his left foot cleanly severed, Jason screamed in agony. Seizing the moment of his panic, I struck him with my combat arm to inflict as much damage as possible.
Though there was sensation at my fingertips, I couldn’t see the man getting hit and thrown away.
After a while, a purple light flashed from far away, and Jason’s body reconstituted itself. While his lost ankle returned to normal, he seemed unable to forget the pain he just felt.
“I-I’ll kill you all!”
With a scream, a purple line shot out from above his head, flying towards the sky. I knew what that sight meant.
‘Brainwave!’
Like Muriel, he also brought a Brainwave.
‘If he uses it here, he’ll get caught too.’
Even with the Coordinator’s effect, it was impossible to completely avoid the Brainwave’s range, which was very wide. Jason, being a cult ranker, would know this fact better than anyone else here.
‘Whether he believes in something or…’
He lost his sanity due to anger.
Whatever it was, it seemed he judged that he could kill me with Brainwave.
In a game, his judgment would be correct, but not here. Even if struck directly by Brainwave, I, using the King of Monsters and Bone Beast, wouldn’t die.
‘But the kids won’t.’
[ZZZZ ZZZ (Everyone gather)]
I stretched out my combat arm to pick up Number 26 and PS-111. With everyone tucked under my small arms around my chest, I began to retreat when Jason lunged at me.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Dozens of Psychic techniques he unleashed clung to my lower body.
“You damn manipulator! You’re dying here!”
Jason’s face contorted like a demon. The golden figure’s blade, which had been behind him, flew onto my carapace.
***
“…That bastard is indeed unbelievably strong.”
Jason cursed inwardly.
He knew well of the devilish prowess for which the notorious Amorph was famous. But he hadn’t expected him to fight this well in reality.
Among the rankers he had killed, there was none as annoying as Amorph.
“Damn it. Should’ve just waited for the Gallagon.”
Even if one were to compare him to a Cold Blooded Ranker, Amorph was not to be underestimated. But at that time, Jason had allies. Thanks to Cloe and Cynthia, victory had been easily achieved.
In fact, if Black Gallagon had been present in this fight, Amorph would have already been dead.
“Tch, didn’t expect him to have allies.”
Among his group, even Akira, who knew Amorph the best, could assert that he wouldn’t be walking alone. Jason himself had fought Amorph several times, so he knew what kind of person he was.
In the game, he was thoroughly a loner. He didn’t cooperate with anyone, let alone communicate with anyone.
To him, every existence was an enemy, like Amorph, who desired to prey on all life.
To the point where there might have been discussions in the community about whether he was an AI created by the developers.
Therefore, Jason was shocked to learn that Amorph was leading NPCs. It was unclear whether they were slaves dominated by parasites or if it was some special effect of his.
“If this attack doesn’t finish, we’ll have to retreat.”
A very shameful conclusion, but it couldn’t be helped. Today, satisfaction would have to come from obtaining information about him.
“Die! Die!”
Despite his cold inner self, he screamed in rage outwardly, appearing consumed by anger. His furious outburst was a facade.
It was inevitable to hold onto the massively enlarged target.
“Anyway, I can escape.”
His third special ability obtained from capturing a Metallic Gremlin Ranker would easily allow him to escape from this situation.
As the battle between the monsters and Jason continued, Brainwave completed all preparations.
“Kill!”
“Die!”
As Jason’s outer and inner selves merged into one shout, a yellow flame fell from the sky.
A transcendent power generated by the orbital weapon named Brainwave.
Amorph, standing defiantly before this divine flame, raised its banner. Just like a demon mimicking divine authority, a yellow flame spewed from its mouth.
As the powers of the two Brainwaves merged, the sky trembled. Psychics manifested in the form of snow, ice, and thunder. The dance of the Brainwaves, created by material and power, was truly majestic.
Jason, who had anticipated this, was awe-struck by the spectacle, even momentarily losing his composure. But he quickly regained his senses.
‘Weak as expected!’
Compared to the attack he had unleashed when fighting the Imperial Battleship, the current attack from Amorph was significantly weaker. It seemed as if there was a lack of energy output.
“Yeah. It must be difficult to use both Double Enlargement and Brainwave’s power. Both at once would be challenging.”
When Amorph was enlarged to mountain size, Jason thought. If he continued to grow successively like that, the energy consumption from his body would be severe.
His prediction was correct. It was evident that gold was appearing on Amorph’s gloves as he poured out the power of Brainwave.
As a result of Double Enlargement, Amorph’s gloves became terrifyingly thick, but even that had now reached its limit.
“Now’s the chance!”
As Jason focused, the golden figure began to shrink. Instead, the blade part of Amorph’s weapon only grew larger.
Moments later, the golden figure disappeared, leaving only a massive mass of light covering Jason’s body.
Jason, who had been using the golden figure solely for evasion until now, changed it into a beam of light and reset his target.
Using it solely for evasion was a kind of deception. The beam of light from the golden figure was one of his most powerful attack weapons.
“It’s like turning my body into a bullet.”
Amorph’s armor began to shatter, and its size started to decrease. The lightning bolt fired by Brainwave was also rapidly losing its power.
“Just a little more… now!”
The moment the light from Brainwave went out, Jason commanded the golden figure.
To fly forward and shatter Amorph’s head.
The next moment, he found himself not on the snowy ground anymore. The black blood that covered the entire golden figure was absorbed by particles in an instant.
He turned his head to look behind.
There stood a gigantic monster with a large hole in its neck. Even so, it was the neck that was pierced because Amorph had evaded his attack.
Of course, even so, the wound inflicted on Amorph was fatal.
Like a cut thread, the monster’s body slowly collapsed.
