Clash with the Corpse Painter
Deadwalker twisted my wrist and shoved me back hard.
“Guh—!”
My body flew backward, scraping across the floor. Before I could even regain my balance, he’d already stopped paying attention to me. Slowly, he approached the fallen woman.
“Stop!” I shouted, but it was too late.
Whoosh. The dagger came down.
A short, dry sound. And that was it.
For a moment, I couldn’t move. My mind refused to accept what had just happened right in front of my eyes.
But Deadwalker didn’t stop. Instead, he raised his brush as if this was only the beginning.
Swoosh. Blood smeared across it.
With every stroke of the brush tip, the woman’s body twisted grotesquely. Her form collapsed, reformed, and was sculpted in its warped state.
I watched the whole scene unfold. My body frozen, unable to take a single step.
Deadwalker gazed at his completed masterpiece, then slowly turned his head toward me. And smiled.
“What do you think?”
My stomach churned.
“Urk…!” I turned my head and vomited.
My breath came in ragged gasps. My hands trembled.
Deadwalker tilted his head.
“...As expected.”
“You can’t understand my art either... you vulgar fool.”
He smiled.
“That’s fine.”
“You too—”
“I’ll just turn you into one of my works.”
He charged straight at me.
“Kent! Dmol!”
I gritted my teeth and yelled.
“Jurassic Field!”
“Leader of the Skies!”
In that instant, Kent leaped in front of me.
Boom!
Deadwalker’s attack was blocked. The impact rippled out, and at the same time, spikes grazed his body. Blood sprayed.
I staggered to my feet. Nausea surged up. Dizziness shook my head.
But I clenched my jaw.
“It ends... here.”
“No more victims.”
I gripped my sword. The Sword of Bond.
And charged forward.
“Compi, Compf, Compa!”
“Shadow Clones!”
The shadows split. Tiny silhouettes scattered in all directions.
“Psi!”
“Feather Missiles!”
Feathers shot into the sky and rained down like arrows.
Deadwalker paused for a moment.
Then he laughed.
“Haha...!”
“Impressive.”
“You—”
“And those things—”
“I want to turn you all into my works.”
He donned a grotesque mask smeared with blood.
And swung his brush.
In that instant, a line slashed through the space.
I didn’t even see it before my body was flung back.
“Guh!”
The air cracked like an explosion. My vision shook.
Deadwalker approached slowly.
I gritted my teeth from where I’d been thrown, forcing myself upright. I grabbed hold of my wavering vision and steadied my stance.
But it was already too late.
Swoosh. Deadwalker’s dagger sliced across my cheek up close.
Blood sprayed.
“...Ah.”
Deadwalker stopped.
He trailed his finger through my blood and slowly licked it.
“Your blood...”
“...is sweeter than I expected.”
Ecstasy crossed his face. Goosebumps rose on my skin.
“You mad bastard.”
I spat lowly and immediately put distance between us.
Then stuck close to the kids’ side.
I thought fast. Assessing.
Compi, Compf, and Compa’s abilities hadn’t worked. Psi’s feather missiles neutralized with a single brushstroke.
And that line. The mysterious boundary drawn by his brush. It blocked space itself like an invisible wall.
“...Space-type ability?”
Before the thought could continue, Deadwalker moved.
“All gathered together like this...”
He smiled.
“...Perfect.”
His brush cut through the empty air.
In that instant, a line appeared in space.
Bang! We were sealed in on all sides. Me and the kids trapped inside.
“All at once—”
“I’ll kill you.”
“And sculpt my greatest masterpiece.”
The brush moved again. Up in the sky.
Blood gathered, forming shapes. Dozens. No, hundreds of daggers.
“They’re falling!”
They poured down.
“Kent!”
“Spike Iron Wall!”
Kaboom!!
Kent stepped forward. Spikes extended from her body, forming a shield.
The clash of metal. Splattering blood. Impacts kept coming.
But she couldn’t block them completely. Wounds appeared on Kent’s body.
“Kent!”
I gritted my teeth.
“You okay?”
Kent caught her breath and nodded.
‘...I’m fine.’
But she didn’t look fine.
Deadwalker spoke in admiration.
“Wow...”
“Blocking that attack.”
“Truly splendid.”
Then his eyes changed.
“But...”
“...that won’t—”
“protect you anymore.”
He raised his dagger.
And slowly licked it.
“The biggest nuisance first...”
“I’ll handle you.”
The next moment, his figure vanished.
“Kent!”
Clang—!!
I reflexively raised my sword. Barely blocked it.
The shock traveled up my arm.
“...No way.”
I gritted my teeth and held firm.
“You’re not—”
“getting past here.”
In that instant, Psi’s attack poured in from the right.
“Feather Missiles!”
At the same time, Compi, Compf, and Compa charged from the left.
But Deadwalker swung his brush once.
Boom!
Invisible force exploded outward. Space warped, flinging all the kids away.
“Urk—!”
Psi crashed to the floor. Compi, Compf, and Compa tumbled after.
Deadwalker walked slowly toward the fallen Psi.
“If you want to die first that badly—”
He raised his dagger.
“—I’ll grant your wish.”
“No!!!”
I yelled and immediately activated my ability.
“Jurassic World!”
Space split open. A black rift appeared beneath Psi.
Whoosh. Deadwalker’s dagger sliced empty air.
Psi fell straight inside.
I gasped for breath.
“Haa...!”
Then looked right at Kent.
“Kent, you go in too.”
Kent shook her head.
‘...I’m still okay.’
“You’re not.”
I said firmly.
“You’re already hurt bad. Go rest.”
Kent’s eyes wavered for a moment.
Then she finally entered Jurassic World.
Deadwalker laughed at the sight.
“...Another strange ability.”
“A shame I couldn’t finish her.”
He tilted his head.
“But...”
“If you send them all away like this—”
“what will you do?”
I had no reply.
He was right.
Right now, I had no answer.
“...Compi, Compf, Compa. Come here.”
The three staggered over. I pulled them into my arms.
Then called Dmol.
“Dmol.”
Dmol landed on my shoulder.
I said lowly.
“You go in too.”
The kids shook their heads.
‘No way.’
‘...We’re staying with Dad.’
I gritted my teeth.
“...Not now.”
In the end, I forced Compi, Compf, and Compa inside. Their tiny mouths bit at my clothes, but I had to let go.
Then I reached for Dmol.
‘...No.’
Dmol pulled back. Her eyes wavered.
‘I can’t leave Dad alone.’
Deadwalker sneered.
“Really...”
“...so boring.”
His eyes went cold.
“Sacrificing for others—”
“instead of yourself?”
He scoffed.
“That’s—”
“...not beautiful at all.”
The next instant, his body shot upward.
“Dmol!”
Whoosh—!!
The dagger tore through the air. Dmol barely dodged, but the tip of her wing was sliced.
“...Urk!”
She faltered. Balance lost.
She couldn’t fly properly and plummeted.
“Dmol!!!”
I barely blocked the attack.
Clang!
Every sword clash made my wrists throb.
Deadwalker didn’t stop. He pressed faster, more relentlessly.
“Playtime’s over.”
His voice sank low.
“Now... you’re boring.”
Attacks poured in. I held my sword in one arm and clutched Dmol with the other, enduring.
But I was being pushed back. Slowly.
Swoosh. Blood sprayed.
Again. And again.
Wounds multiplied. Breathing grew ragged. Vision blurred.
“...Damn it.”
I gritted my teeth.
Boom!
I barely deflected the attack and forced distance.
Huff huff. My breath came in gasps.
‘At this rate... I can’t hold out.’
I thought fast.
Remaining options. Remaining choices.
Then one came to mind.
Something I’d never used before.
I reached into my inventory.
And pulled it out.
Dinosaur Special Ability Unlock Ticket.
“...Now’s the time.”
I looked down at Dmol.
“Dmol.”
“You can do it, right?”
Dmol nodded. Small but resolute eyes.
I didn’t hesitate.
Activated the ability.
Special Ability Unlocked - Mark of the Storm
Special Ability Unlocked - Mark of the Storm
No time to check what it did. I used it immediately.
“Dmol.”
“Mark of the Storm.”
Dmol soared into the sky. Wings spread wide.
Whoosh. The wind split apart.
Blade-sharp air hurtled toward Deadwalker.
But Deadwalker casually swung his brush.
Swoosh. An invisible line appeared, blocking all the wind blades.
“...Doesn’t work either, huh.”
I gritted my teeth.
Then a breeze grazed past. Ever so slightly.
Deadwalker’s shoulder.
And there, a faint pattern remained.
“...That.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Dmol, again!”
Dmol spread her wings once more.
Consecutive attack. Wind flew again.
I didn’t miss the opening, thinking fast.
Why was it different this time? Until now, Psi’s feather missiles, my attacks, the kids’—all blocked.
But this wind wasn’t fully stopped.
I recalled the difference.
“...Form.”
“...Substance.”
I muttered.
“Attacks without substance...”
“...can’t be fully blocked.”
My eyes widened.
Then I noticed something else. The surroundings. The floor. Deadwalker’s body.
“...No blood?”
Just moments ago, the floor was drenched in blood.
Now, it was clean.
I swallowed.
“...No way.”
The puzzle pieces clicked in my mind.
“The medium for his ability...”
“...is blood.”
And one more thing.
Deadwalker hadn’t swung his brush again.
I was certain.
“...No blood, no ability.”
I slowly gripped my sword.
“...I’ll catch him.”
“No... I’ll win.”