Chapter 225
Chapter 225
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 225
Chapter Title: Souls, and Souls (25)
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-Bubble, bubble...
Fabio had prepared for quite a few scenarios.
One of his contingencies was that his subordinate, the woman, would melt down completely and take over Dawood's body.
In case Dawood ever rebelled against the Crows' will, it was a backup plan to seize the body holding the fragment and recover it.
Of course, Dawood hadn't rebelled against the Crows' will. He'd simply been subdued by Theodor.
The woman's judgment was swift. At least faster than Dawood's. The moment she saw Theodor, she realized her own power couldn't resolve this situation. And so, she made her "choice."
Her body had been modified over a dozen years of consuming Black Worms, transformed to serve the same purpose. Just as Black Worms could parasitize and tame various monsters, she too possessed the ability to parasitize humans.
Her melting body moved toward Dawood without a moment's hesitation. Soon, all her reason would vanish. Before that happened, she had to seize Dawood's body and protect the "fragment."
From the man before her.
If she could just buy time, the other Crows who noticed the situation would move to recover the fragment. Recovering the fragment meant her death, but to her already-melted form, that fact held no importance whatsoever. Her own well-being, her future, her peace—such things were utterly trivial. Compared to "His" will, they were less than dust...
-Thud!!!!
With that, her reason vanished. Every part of her that had existed as a "human" evaporated entirely, and what had been "her" fused completely with Dawood.
-Gr, uh, uh, uh...
Dawood.
No, whatever had once been Dawood slowly turned its body toward Theodor.
* * *
"Dawood!"
No matter how desperately I shouted until my throat was raw, Dawood's eyes never regained their original light.
"...Dawood!!"
Dawood's body had swollen grotesquely, reaching the ceiling of the bedroom. Every time he moved, chunks of the ceiling and walls broke away and shattered. Dawood! I shouted one last time as loudly as I could. But by now, my cries did nothing more than reveal my position.
'Damn it, at this rate...'
Sure enough, Dawood swung his arm toward me with slow but deliberate motion.
-Thud!!!!
A fist swollen far larger than a man's head slammed into the spot where I'd been standing. Looking closely, each finger on the clenched fist varied in thickness, length, and size. Probably due to the rapid transformation.
In this state...
"..."
My original plan hadn't been to "kill" Dawood and recover the fragment. Unlike Grizzel or Aquila's father, Dawood was just a spineless, idiotic scum without any convictions. That's why he needed to pay a just penalty. He had to atone before the countless lives he'd sacrificed, pay for his sins, and beg forgiveness—that was what he had to do if he survived.
That's why I had no intention of killing Dawood. If I killed him, it would be like stealing away the atonement he owed to those people.
I'd even prepared in advance, combining Dimacushell's "shadow" with healing skills to safely extract the fragment...
'...But in this state, even if I extract the fragment safely, Dawood won't survive.'
So...
Now it was time to make a decision.
"...Dawood!!"
I leaped out from the shadows and shouted at him. In response, Dawood, dragging his long, heavy arm along the floor, slowly turned his body again. His massively swollen form moved solely on the drive of murderous intent to kill me. Just like monsters implanted with Black Worms rampaging solely for slaughter.
'If I don't deal with him now, he'll attack the people in the castle like monsters under Black Worm control.'
"Over here!"
-Thud!
Compared to his enormously swollen upper body, his lower body was pathetically frail. Because of that, Dawood used his long, massive arms like legs. He smashed the bed blocking his path with a single fist and advanced toward me. Every time he slammed a fist into the floor, dust billowed, and the castle shook.
-Screeeeech!!!!
I drew my bow, nocked an arrow, and shot at Dawood's hand to seal his movements. The fast-flying arrow embedded itself in the back of his hand, and black blood sprayed from the pierced flesh. But...
-Thud!!!!
It didn't stop Dawood's movements. His hand was swollen too massively, and the arrow was too small by comparison. On a normal hand, maybe—but this wasn't something that could be pinned to the floor. And besides...
-Gr, uh, uh, uh, uh...!
Pain no longer seemed to threaten Dawood. Even after taking the arrow, he pulled his hand free without hesitation, black blood dripping, and advanced toward me again.
'Pippy's arrow was already used to transcend the void, and Legion's power hasn't fully returned.'
Which meant I had to face Dawood with only my own strength.
'...Nothing to do but hope that method works.'
-Swoosh!
I charged straight at Dawood as he slowly extended his arm, no longer dodging. Thanks to [Leaf Step] and the cat cloak, I could move at speeds rivaling an elf's, so even when he swung with all his might, he couldn't catch me.
-Slash!
-Slash!
-Rrrrip!
-Slashhh!
I darted between his arms and torso, slashing at his body with my dagger everywhere I could. Black blood sprayed from the gashes, but Dawood felt no pain, paid it no mind. Of course not. All he could feel now was murderous intent.
-Gr, uh, uh, uh!!!
Dawood let out grotesque cries as he swung his arms at me. It was like a whack-a-mole game. He swung his massive hammer-like arms wildly, and I dodged this way and that. Of course, even as I did, I slashed at Dawood with my dagger again and again.
-Pssshhhh!!!!
Whether I'd severed an artery or not, an enormous gush of black blood suddenly erupted from his wrist. At the same moment, I leaped toward the crumbling, exposed-beam ceiling that looked ready to collapse any second. As I jumped, I activated [Plant Bind], and weeds and vines instantly sprouted from the pillar supporting the ceiling. I grabbed them like handholds and pulled a seed pouch from my pocket. Then, I hurled it straight at Dawood...
-Pop!!!!
And threw my dagger, striking the seed pouch dead-on. Hit by the dagger, the pouch burst open in midair, scattering its contents like popcorn.
-Plop!
-Plop-plop!!!
The scattered seeds rained down over Dawood's body. More precisely, over his "wounds." Over the countless cuts I'd inflicted while circling him.
-Gr, uh, uh, ah, ah!!!
Whether seeds got in his eyes or not, Dawood rubbed his face furiously with his massive hand as if to smash it, then stretched toward the ceiling as if to grab and drag me down. And I, too, extended the hand that had thrown the seed pouch toward Dawood.
"...Goddess who spreads the veil of night, I beseech you to lend your humble servant the light of mercy..."
I felt dozens—no, hundreds—of mana clumps shooting from my outstretched fingertips toward their targets. That sensation of my dantian emptying in an instant—it's been a while. Gripping the vines tighter to not let go, I shouted.
"Moonlight... to this place!"
And then.
-Fwoooosh!!!!!!
An immense light burst forth.
The seeds that had burrowed into Dawood's wounds took root in his flesh in an instant and grew. They sprouted, put forth leaves, and finally bloomed into radiant moonflowers. From the fully opened moonflower buds poured an enormous light— the sacred silver moonlight of "Nemea"—piercing and burning Dawood's body everywhere.
-Fwoooooosh!!!
-Kr, kr, ah, aaaah! Kraaaaaaaa!!!!
As Dawood's screams shook the entire castle, the silver moonlight from the moonflowers illuminated the room like the faint glow of dawn.
"..."
That light was his end.
* * *
-Tap!
After releasing the vines and descending from the ceiling, I slowly surveyed the floor covered in ash piles and moonflowers.
"..."
It would have been impossible under normal circumstances. Naturally. Moonflowers of purification can't grow from a "human" body.
But...
When the Crow's liquid woman fused with Dawood, he became an impious being. A being that had to be purified. That's why the moonflowers could burn him to death.
-Clink, roll...
Something kicked by my foot rolled between the moonflowers and ash. I followed the glint. A "red" glint. Stooping down, I saw the red "fragment," flawless and intact.
"..."
I picked up the fragment. Then, Pippy fluttered over and landed on the hand holding it.
-Fwoosh...!
A bright light briefly filled my vision, and when I opened my eyes again, the fragment was gone. Instead, a red tail feather had sprouted on Pippy's tail. Just like with the previous fragments.
"...Good work, Pippy."
-Peep.
I stroked Pippy's head, then left Dawood's bedroom. Dawn light poured in through the corridor windows. As if nothing had happened. As if the night of the "red moon" had never been.
"You..."
And at the end of the corridor, someone appeared. A middle-aged woman. A face that looked familiar... Ah, I realized who she was and smiled faintly at her.
"You're Louis's mother."
She had Louis's eyebrows and eyes exactly. Wonder if her personality matches too?
If so, I'd better tell her quickly.
"Don't worry."
"..."
"It's all over."
"..."
"The lord will be back soon, too."