NOVEL NEXT Chapter 76
Black smoke billowed from Irmela’s body, and countless threads and tentacles suddenly engulfed the Coliseum.
“What, what is this!!”
“Gyaaah!!!”
“Why, why is Medeia here?”
The violet strands showered down like a torrential downpour, piercing through the audience and even the previous performers watching the show from behind.
And there was no exception for the spot I was standing.
Shuhak—
Chwarak!!
“Everyone, get down! Lumia!!”
I shouted desperately as the tentacles came crashing down in the slowed world, but Lumia, with her eyes wide open in a daze, was not the only one. The people seated nearby, except for a few, had no idea what was going on and only stood up… frozen, merely staring at the scene before them.
Failing to shout the warning of danger.
And I couldn’t use a protective barrier like Yeriell to shield everyone either.
Thunk.
“Ugh!”
I swiftly grabbed the back of Lumia’s neck and twisted my body to dodge in the unseen direction.
Bang!!
The tentacle passed right by us and smashed down onto a stone seat, sending shards flying everywhere.
Fuhwaak!!!
Other tentacles grabbed and twisted many people, burrowing into their bodies alongside the threads.
Gasp.
“Dad!!! Please, please open your eyes! I’m begging you!!”
‘Damn it. If only I had noticed a bit sooner, if I had found a different way to react instead of just yelling while thinking… would things have turned out differently?’
Crunch.
I almost scolded myself absentmindedly but bit my lip and cleared my mind. This was a time for action, not thought.
Fortunately, not everyone was just suffering.
“O foolish ones, please protect us from evil!”
[Holy Protect]
Thud!
“…Freeze the enemy! Breath of Frost!”
Fwoosh!
This was the 5th district of Labyrinth City.
In other words, there were plenty of adventurers or those with equivalent abilities as commoners.
Many had surely taken hits, but quite a few had also managed to block or dodge using light-based barriers, various elemental spells, or techniques derived from activated traits.
Whew.
“Everyone, come down—! We need to gather! If we keep going like this, we’re all gonna die!!!”
A burly man who looked like a Barbarian stepped down from the front row, bellowing for everyone to group together.
“Hey. That’s not gonna work.”
[Irmela casts ‘Tehelum’s Leg’]
Shwaak!!
Tentacles resembling the grotesque legs of the Evil God twisted repulsively.
Even with just one shot, there had already been catastrophic damage… and the same process was about to repeat.
“What happened, I don’t know, but we can’t let the main culprit ruin our circus any longer!”
Fwoosh!
‘The Ringmaster!’
The circus leader and a magician appeared on stage, firing spells at the incantant Irmela.
SWOOSH—
Fuhwaak!!!
Dozens of small magic bullets emerged from behind, penetrating the tentacles that were crawling out from behind her.
“Ringmaster!”
At the same time, performers from behind who had managed to block the attacks began jumping onto the stage one by one.
“Where the hell is the real Medeia hiding!! Tell us you didn’t kill her right away!”
The twins shouted, rushing in.
Their entire bodies were ablaze with brown mana.
Clenched fists and bulging veins on their foreheads clearly showed how much they cherished Medeia and how furious they were.
Kablam!!!
“Hehehe. Do you have any idea how much power I’ve stored up for this? Medeia? What a shame. I’ve already sucked her dry!”
Irmela looked unfazed even after taking a hit that could crush a house.
As the Barbarian had said, I quickly moved down toward the stage with Lumia while racking my brain.
‘It’s not about holding on with physical stats. The problem lies with that counteracting force activated by A+ mana. First, we need to gather and then find a way!’
“We gathered because you told us to, but what now?!”
“My child! My daughter’s arm is pierced by the threads! Is there a priest here?! I’ll reward anyone with potions or holy healing, please help!!!”
The clamor of hundreds made it seem more hopeless than when everyone was separated.
“Everyone, be quiet! While the circus is holding that beast at bay on stage, we need to join forces!”
A man in white armor, clearly a Paladin, was at the center of the crowd.
If my memory serves me right, he was definitely someone nearby.
Sure enough, he pointed at me amidst the crowd.
“You, weren’t you just shouting something about a shell and the Evil God’s spawn? I won’t ask how you came to know that. Have you learned anything more about that vile beast?”
“Yeah, come to think of it before Medeia attacked us, that guy stood up and screamed! I remember it clearly!”
Where do I even start?
Alright. This isn’t the time to be debating. I can just claim I have observational traits.
I began with its real name, Irmela, exposing its unchecked stats, emphasizing that the mana rating was A+, and following that, I disclosed all revealed traits.
‘It’s a problem I can’t see detailed information due to the counteracting force.’
It’s good to realize that Chaos isn’t omnipotent, but… why at a time like this!
“Damn it. Mana rating A+? Don’t joke with me!!”
“C-Could I have disregarded that? With that level, you’d be a Magic Tower master or a guild elder! …A lowly adventurer like me wouldn’t last a second against something like that. How are we supposed to defeat it?”
“Wait, that’s Arar! Damn!!! It’s all that woman’s fault! She’ll bring misfortune and kill everyone inside here!!”
“…Ugh.”
As the panic of one person’s stirring words caused hundreds of gazes to converge, even Lumia, who usually doesn’t easily reveal her emotions, seemed scared and terrified, or perhaps she was blaming herself as the culprit according to that statement, as tears began to spill quietly from her eyes.
“Really, is it really my fault…? Because I wanted to see the circus…? Sniff. Ugh.”
Sniff.
These ungrateful bastards shouted they would spare us and then started blaming poor Lumia for the crime?
‘Fine. I’ll grant your wish and kill you.’
Bam!!!
“Cough.”
I lost my mind at the sight of Lumia’s tears.
SWOOSH!!
“Did this lunatic just kill someone?!”
I didn’t care.
“Hey, I know you’re angry, so settle down!”
Scratch—
A restraining voice echoed, but I ignored it and sliced the throat and vital areas of the instigators and those who were gawking around them.
Boom!
“Shut uuuup!!! Everyone shut the hell up!!!”
BANG!! CRACK!!
The enraged Barbarian stomped his foot and slammed his fists together, making everyone stop yelling and averting the ruckus.
“Why are you saying loser-like things about what that bastard just revealed to you? What about Arar? Shouldn’t you be cursing the monster over there acting up like the Evil God, instead of turning on your own?”
“Ugh. But… that guy killed someone—”
SHH!
The Barbarian waved his arm and interrupted, pointing at the people barely clinging to life, pierced by the threads and tentacles.
And next to them, their relatives and friends were trembling in panic.
“Shut your mouths, you worthless bastards!!! Instead of blaming innocents, join the fight! Priests, heal the living first! Anyone with potions, don’t be stingy, get them out and hand them over!”
Thud!
“You stupid fools. Even a brainless Barbarian like me knows what to do, so are you really dumbfounded? Or is it that you want to make some poor soul a scapegoat and blame them?!”
“What… what are you doing? If you’ve heard me, move before I end you with my own hands!!!”
The Barbarian’s sharp censure silenced the clamor of countless people, and eventually, the priests began healing, while adventurers started pulling out potions to approach the injured.
Clutch.
“Lumia, look at me. Look into my eyes!”
I held her chin to meet her gaze, still unable to stop her tears that flowed to the ground.
“Even if everyone doubts and blames you, I’ll always be by your side. I will not hesitate to cut out the mouths and necks of those who slander you.”
Swipe.
I wiped the teary glistening eyes with my thumb.
“If this is truly the situation where you should be blamed, I’ll stand right in front of you to block it all!”
“…Ugh.”
“Then don’t let those lies hurt you. You didn’t survive with such determination just to be hated and accused by such lowlives, did you? If it’s hard, don’t cry, just hide behind me. Okay?”
“…Sniff. Ugh. I won’t cry. I’m sorry.”
I gently held Lumia’s hand.
“No, it’s not your fault.”
“…Th-Thank you.”
Good. I smiled and patted her head.
“Then I’ll go get potions for a quick moment.”
“Uh huh. Don’t worry about me. If anyone picks a fight again, I won’t just stay quiet!”
Looking into her determined eyes, I nodded and walked toward the injured.