NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: Rebellion against Heaven - Part 5
Chapter 5: The Herald and the Beast
From the shadows emerged an abomination impossible to classify. His body was a grotesque amalgam of flesh and blood, as if it had been assembled from multiple corpses twisted into an unnatural shape. Her skin was black and putrid, covered with open sores from which threads of yellowish pus came out.
Their limbs were disproportionate; Long, gnarled arms that ended in sharp claws, with overly long fingers that seemed to move with their own will. His left leg was shorter than his right, giving him a clumsy gait, but every step he took made the ground creak as if the earth itself were trying to flee from his presence.
But the worst thing was his face... if you could call it that. His mouth was a huge opening, occupying almost his entire head, riddled with rows of sharp, uneven teeth, as if someone had embedded them at random. A thick, black liquid dripped from their jaws, reeking of death and decay.
I had no eyes... Or at least not in the places where they should be. On his torso, multiple reddish, slimy orbs opened and closed as if observing everything at once, pulsating with an evil glow. The creature let out a guttural sound, a ripped, wet roar, as if each exhalation was a painful exertion. In his right claw, torn human flesh was still dripping, tendons dangling like rotten threads.
And then, he smiled. Not with your mouth... but with each open wound in his body, widening into ghastly fissures that revealed rows of teeth hidden in his flesh.
Ryuusei clenched his fists as his heart beat in fear. Aiko trembled beside him, clinging to his arm, but her gaze reflected a bravery that defied her small body. Kenta, in his carefree manner, swallowed hard and drew his weapon. Haru, calculating as always, coldly analyzed the beast's every move. Daichi, the calmest of the group, simply adjusted his stance, ready to strike.
Chaos broke out in the blink of an eye. The creature moved with a speed that belied its grotesque appearance. With a single flick of his claws, he tore the lives of hundreds of souls from his clutches in an instant. Screams filled the air, shadows twisted, and despair gripped the battlefield.
Ryuusei narrowly dodged a blow, feeling the sharp air pass across his face. Kenta rolled on the floor, rising with a forced smile.
-Well... That was fast.
Stop joking, -Haru growled, taking a step back as he assessed the situation.
Aiko, her face pale, took a deep breath and ran towards Ryuusei. Daichi stepped forward without saying a word, lunging at the creature with a brutal blow that barely managed to make it stagger.
Ryuusei muttered as he saw that Daichi's attack had caused little damage.
The beast turned its attention to them. His multiple eyes flashed with malevolence before letting out a roar that shook the foundations of the place. Thorn-covered tentacles emerged from their rotting flesh, shooting in all directions, impaling more than half of the remaining 12,476. Blood soaked the ground, staining it a dark, damp red.
We have to do something or we'll end up like them, -Ryusei said, forcing himself to remain calm.
Haru took out a pair of swords and moved nimbly, slicing through several tentacles before they could reach them. Kenta dove headfirst into combat, dodging with superhuman dexterity, but even his speed couldn't make up for the difference in power. An accurate blow sent him flying several meters, his body hitting a wall with a thud.
Aiko shouted out his name, but there was no time to worry about him. The beast kept moving forward, every step it took was a death sentence for anyone who stood in its way.
It was then that something else appeared. Atop a mound of mangled bodies, a dark silhouette stood in imposing posture. It wasn't the beast they'd faced... It was something else. A tall figure, clad in crimson-black armor, with a helmet adorned with twisted horns. In his right hand, a huge sword dripped a thick and dark liquid.
He was the Herald of Death.
Ryuusei's eyes met those of the entity. An indescribable coldness ran down his spine. It was no longer just any battle. Now it was he, only him, against something that was beyond comprehension.
Ryuusei... -Aiko whispered quietly, unable to take her eyes off the figure.
The dark warrior raised his scythe and pointed at Ryuusei, as if directly challenging him.
Fate was sealed.
I guess there's no turning back now, -Ryuusei muttered, clutching his warhammers tightly and his daggers in his pockets so they could teleport as adrenaline burned through his veins.
And so the real battle began.
Ryuusei vs the Black Herald