Monster Flower (6)
Actually, thinking about it, there were plenty of hints about the Monster Flower's true nature. Chunks of flesh buried all over the city. The way it stubbornly nested in the old Splaland building. The evolved mutants rooting themselves into the ground. All these clues let me infer something about its main body.
This bastard was at least a plant-type, drawing power from somewhere deep underground. That's why I'd been using the Ley Line Resonance Art on and off the whole way here, but no dice.
Back then, I couldn't feel a damn thing.
Now it makes perfect sense. The Monster Flower had wrapped its roots not just around the ley line—it had smothered it completely. At my level, even pinpointing an acupoint and activating it is a struggle, let alone with that thing plastered all over it like a second skin.
But now? Different story. The fucker led me straight to its deepest lair to swallow me whole, and I felt it crystal clear through the hotline connected right to its heart.
There it is.
The ley line, cradled like a sacred relic by the Monster Flower. Normally, a ley line—being the earth's core—should be wrapped in heavy, tough shell. But after Waterflower here sucked and fondled it nonstop, it was soft as butter.
What can ya do? It's practically begging me to grab it, so I'll oblige.
Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu-gung!!
A deafening roar shakes the earth like an earthquake, followed by massive vibrations crashing in. This ain't like the tremors from its tentacles before—whole different league. Hell, the entire building and surrounding area are caught in full tectonic shift.
Kwa-ji-ji-jik—
Spiderweb cracks spider across the ground. They split wide, house-sized boulders thrusting up while others sink below. The mutants charging me? No time for that anymore—they're too busy following mommy to hell.
"Kea-a-a-a-a-a-ak!!"
Just seconds ago, the screams of mutants plummeting into those fissures whipped past my ears.
Of course, I'm not safe either. I've nailed the ley line's acupoint dead-on, so this spot's holding steady amid the collapse, but everything else is crumbling spectacularly. And since the collapse ain't just horizontal, that means overhead—the massive Splaland ruins crashing straight down on my head.
Ku-ku-ku-ku-kung!!
Building debris plummets with a colossal shadow. Right before it smashes me flat—
"Hope!!"
Gu-uuuung—!
Hope, who'd been burrowed deep underground devouring Waterflower's vienna, yanks its blades skyward in a flash. Instant blade canopy formed. Debris slams into it, shards exploding everywhere.
Kwa-kwa-kwang!!!
A heavy shockwave punches through the air. No doubt—if that hit direct, Absorption Great Law or not, instant death.
Still, Hope—greedily sucking up the earth's hot energy—holds firm against the barrage of massive chunks. Even the follow-up fallout showers? All tanked.
"Hope!! You're the shit!!"
For real!! But no time to gawk—this is just the opener. The real show's barely started.
Right after—
—Giiiii-o-o-o-o-o-o!!
Once the horrific subsidence passes, a bone-chilling roar echoes out, like the subsidence was mere prelude to the true star's entrance.
Here it comes!
From the hole-punched ceiling above, something descends.
At first glance, it's a dragon. Massive, elongated body. Destructive, explosive cry. Overwhelming presence just by showing up. The beast bares its gaping maw, radiating menace.
"Finally crawled down, huh."
Its true form: that giant Monster Flower from the building's peak. My chaos lured it from highest perch to deepest pit, body and all.
"Look at that massive cock 'n balls."
Already overwhelmingly huge, now crammed into this underground space? Scale's insane. This place was remodeled pretty spacious, but its arrival fills every inch with crushing pressure.
Honestly, not being scared would be a lie. Monster Flower my ass—fighting something this gigantic ain't easy for a plain human. Best we can handle is another human. Even a Malaysian sun bear—similar size—means run, don't fight.
The Monster Flower knows it too. After descending, it cracks its hideous mouth wide, drooling guts like innards. Like a tiger's infrasonic howl freezing prey solid before the hunt.
Two thoughts hit me. One: This fucker's smart, no doubt. Two: It's toyed with humans using that brain.
This space reeks of sharp malice from the start—now capped off. Finally, it lurches its massive bulk forward.
Kwa-a-aang!!
One stomp, and the earth quakes hard. Already weakened ground crumbles in the wake, and the wide-mouthed Monster Flower dives in after.
Instant dire straits. If that body slams down, my puny ass gets squished under tons in a second.
...Or so you'd think?
Exploiting its arrogance and carelessness, that split-second gap—I grip Hope tighter.
Uu-ji-kkeun.
Yank Hope from the ground and swing. What erupts? A blade swollen dozens, hundreds of times over, wrapped in massive crustal debris. Like plant roots clutching dirt bigger than themselves, Hope seizes a multi-ton chunk.
Shove it straight into the charging Monster Flower's maw.
Kwa-ji-ji-jik!!
—Geu-oooo-eok-geu-geu-geuk!!
"Don't bare your teeth at me!"
Monster Flower writhes from the crustal shard jammed in its mouth. Too much for just a tenth its body size? Humans die from a pinky-nail bullet too.
And my setup ain't done.
"Hope!"
I detonate all gathered inner energy right here, right now.
Pu-pu-pu-puk!!
Dozens of blades explode inside its mouth. Instant hedgehog-cactus transformation for the Monster Flower.
—Gii-a-a-a-a-a-a-ak!!!
Acidic fluid gushes from the shredded holes. I'd love to tell it swallow every drop, but—
"Whoa, dude. Kinda big, right?"
Guess that's the curse of a big-dick energy guy—gotta accept it.
Tat!
Kick off the ground, leap up, close in fast. Up close, even grosser. Land on its trunk, cross-slash with my sub-weapon kukris into the writhing flesh.
Then, charge.
Kwa-gwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-ka-ka-ka!!!
Like kid-me squid-gaming on the elementary playground, drag the kukris along. Tiny scratches on its huge body? Sure, but enough pain.
Then—thud!!!
Vision shakes with the boom. Look up: more tentacles bursting through the ceiling.
Whiiiieeeek!!
Tentacle pillars rush me. I've trained Swordmaster-to-Be's dual-wield style hands-on, but this? No way.
Leap off the Monster Flower. But even there, welcoming arms await.
Ku-ku-kung!!
Tentacle roots erupt from the lava. Pop. Kick off again, dodge—now wall crumbles, another tentacle clump incoming.
This one's finer roots—wild kukri swings to retreat, but thwip—something grazes past.
Then agony hits. Shoulder hole punched clean through.
What the...!
Turn: tiny Monster Flowers sprouting barnacle-like on the wall, mouths agape. And wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle wriggle—more popping up everywhere.
They chitter, then—pyu-pyu-pyu-pyu-pyuk!!!
Machine-gun fire from trench cover.
"Fuck!!"
Ka-ka-ka-ka-kang!!!
No dodge time. Wild dual-kukri swings block vitals only. Blades chip to hell.
Vitals safe, but—Holy shit that hurts, fuck!!
Arms, legs, everywhere—holes riddling me. Wuxia novels got qi shields and shit; not in my world.
"Kuh...!"
Barely holding pain, ground rumbles again. Now small Monster Flowers blooming. "Small" my ass—each over 2m.
They encircle me instant, spinning petal-blades like saws, faces thrusting in.
Whiiing whiiing—
Coming to dice me whole. No escape front back left right. Irreversible death closing in.
Fought through the big ones to get here, and this is my end? By these shits? Fuck that.
Grit teeth, stand—then halt.
The saw-petals freeze mid-charge.
"?"
The fuck? Buffering? Then the ground ahead splits, a flesh lump rears up.
Tsu-ooo-eok—
Another normal Monster Flower blooming? Nah—
—[...Hu...man...]
—[......Let... us...]
—[...talk... busi...ness...]
—[...deal...]