Chapter 192: The Tables Have Turned
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 192: The Tables Have Turned
Nagas, Lamias, and Lizardmen were all tangled together, thrusting their weapons at one another.
The center of the Snake Nest had become a literal wasteland—a chaotic collaboration of monsters birthed by the Gorgon and the Serpents, who had lost all control over their subordinates thanks to Joshua’s Concert of Frenzy.
Because of that, we were able to advance much more easily. We didn't have to deal with monsters targeting only us; we just had to handle those who had completely surrendered themselves to mindless rage.
“I’ve got Medusa!!”
Protected by Chloe, Ulysses fully deployed his Thorn Vines.
The vines sprouted from the ground and stretched out relentlessly, binding Medusa’s body while Freya kept her distracted. Rosier then charged forward, her divine power erupting.
While those three held Medusa down, I ran toward the Gorgon.
It was a massive snake covered in deep brown scales. It had arms and a hideous appearance, looking like a giant version of a Lamia.
I ran and ran toward the monster that had tormented our party throughout our entire time in the Snake Nest.
“Kieeeeek!!”
Noticing my presence, the Gorgon bared its fangs and slithered across the ground toward me.
It was approaching at an incredible speed, but I was faster.
If I take a direct hit, I’m dead.
The Gorgon was nearly the size of a tour bus. If I were hit by its charge, I might be knocked unconscious instantly. Its body was massive, and its length was impossible to gauge. I had to be extremely careful of its body slams and tail swipes.
If there’s one silver lining...
It was that its intimidation didn't work on me at all.
The Gorgon’s eyes, which usually cowed opponents with overwhelming pressure, could not surpass my Dragon Eye of Suppression. If anything, the creature was the one shrinking back under my gaze.
Its movements grew sluggish, and since everything was being read by my Demon Eye of Insight, I easily dodged the Gorgon’s charge by activating Momentary Acceleration—Kairan’s former ability.
This is doable!
I’d had many doubts about whether I could take it down alone. But now that we had actually clashed, it seemed winnable.
The long-range detection that served as the Gorgon’s weapon was blocked by me; I could exert a stronger pressure than its own intimidation; and I even overwhelmed it in speed using Momentary Acceleration and the Demon Eye of Insight.
Furthermore, its greatest weapon—the control over the monsters in the Snake Nest—had been rendered useless by Joshua.
The setup is such that I can’t lose...!
The creature had been stripped of all its weapons, while I held every advantage. At this point, I’d be an idiot to lose. I simply couldn't.
Recalling the experience of killing the Minotaur and the Chimera at the same time, I realized there was no reason to be intimidated, and even less reason to be afraid.
In truth, the Gorgon was only around the level of a Minotaur. It was just that Kairan had been unlucky enough to encounter the Fiends and die; it was hard to say Kairan himself had been defeated by the Gorgon.
“Hwaaaaa!”
The rapid acceleration made my physical sensations feel strange, but thanks to the months of training with the Three Villainesses in my dreams, I was able to properly control even these heightened senses.
Surrendering myself to the distorted sense of speed, I began to shave away at the Gorgon’s flank.
“Hup...!!”
I quickly changed direction and drove a dagger into the Gorgon’s body.
I possessed the Master of the Dagger ability, which had belonged to Kairan.
Since it was an ability that allowed me to teleport my daggers into my palm from anywhere at any time, I didn't even need to pull them out. I evaded all of the Gorgon’s attacks with the Demon Eye of Insight and continued to hammer daggers into its flesh.
Once I had embedded a significant number of daggers, I activated Master of the Dagger.
Recall!
Over twenty daggers were all recalled to my hand.
The moment the ability activated, the daggers buried in the Gorgon’s body were ripped out all at once. By the time I had shoved them all into my inventory, the Gorgon was bleeding profusely.
Everything bleeds the most when something is ripped out of it, after all.
Instead of letting it trickle, I drained its blood in an instant, leaving the Gorgon reeling.
“Kwaaaaaah!!! Why!!! My ability!!!”
“What?”
The Gorgon screamed in agony. It was shouting that its ability had been stolen.
“It must have been Kairan’s ability!!! You disgusting, filthy monster!!”
How dare you claim my comrade’s ability as your own?
I’ll never forgive you. I’m going to rip your head off.
“Die!!!”
I leaped onto the Gorgon’s blood-soaked body.
As it thrashed like an eel pulled out of water, I held on tight and thrust my hand into the wounds opened by the daggers.
Got it!
The moment I put my hand inside the opponent’s body, my victory was assured.
My fingertips were half-crushed inside the Gorgon, but I didn't care. It didn't matter if my hand was ruined. It hurt like hell, but I could just regenerate it using the Giant’s Stomach.
“Here we goooo!!”
Soon, a torrent of blades stored in my Subspace Pocket poured out from my half-crushed fingertips inside the creature.
In an instant, the Gorgon’s torso swelled up like a hose with a blocked nozzle. Its skin began to tear, unable to withstand the sheer volume of items.
“Kwaaaaaaaaah!!!!!”
With a final death rattle, the Gorgon’s body exploded. Swords, axes, and spears came pouring out of its ruptured carcass.
“Phew... That’s more like it.”
I was never afraid of something like a Gorgon to begin with. What I feared were the Fiends on the 7th floor.
“Sion!!! Did you finish the Gorgon?!”
“Yes!!!!”
I shouted back in response to Helena’s call.
Helena didn't seem to have any intention of helping beyond hunting the Serpents. It was likely for the sake of my growth.
I had already expected this, so it didn't bother me. I just had to do my job properly.
Good. Now I need to take down Medusa and catch the Fiends...
So, what would be the easiest and fastest way to crush Medusa and the Fiends?
Skin Stealing.
Panting, I activated Skin Stealing on the dying Gorgon.
In an instant, the creature’s hide split open, creating a gap to crawl into. I threw myself into that opening.
So this is Skin Stealing!
Simultaneously with the sensation of seizing the opponent’s body, I felt a powerful sense of my body merging with the Gorgon’s.
This is basically...
I was becoming the Gorgon.
A literal fusion occurred, and I realized that while in the Gorgon state, I could use all of its abilities.
In short, I could control everything from the Gorgon’s vision to the monster manipulation it had used.
“Kwaaaaah!!!”
The problem was that the wounds I had inflicted on the Gorgon to kill it were transferred directly to me.
I had taken the Gorgon’s body, but I also had to bear all its injuries. As the horrific pain and unbelievable agony threatened to make me lose consciousness, my own ability activated automatically.
Desperate Resistance.
This was also a skill Kairan had possessed.
A skill that grants one more chance at life when one is on the brink of death.
It was more like a passive skill. Was this originally a set menu with Skin Stealing? To use Skin Stealing, you have to nearly kill the opponent, but when you take over such a body, you naturally end up dying yourself.
Desperate Resistance existed to prevent that.
It certainly had a cooldown, but with this, I didn't have to worry about dying even if I used Skin Stealing.
“Kwaaaaaah!!!!”
The wounds on my body began to heal. At the same time, I felt an intense hunger and began to mindlessly bite and swallow the monsters lying around.
As I did, the recovery speed doubled. The Giant’s Stomach had fully activated as well.
“Joshua!!! Stop the Concert of Frenzy!!!”
“Huh!? What!!! Did you turn into a snake?!”
“I said stop the music!!!!”
“Got it!!!”
As soon as Joshua’s performance ended, the Nagas, Lamias, and Lizardmen began to regain their senses.
“All of you, charge toward Medusa.”
I issued the command, and the monsters of the nest turned their bodies toward Medusa according to my will.
This was the result of combining the Gorgon’s control with the Dragon Eye of Suppression. The monsters of the Snake Nest fell perfectly under my dominion, and as a result, they turned their blades against their original master, Medusa.
“That’s insane...!”
Ulysses looked up at me in admiration. Chloe, who had been protecting Ulysses from the monsters, also stared at me as if he couldn't believe it, and Rosier put down her hammer with a rare smile.
“Everyone, go catch the Fiends. I’ll kill Medusa.”
Ulysses, Chloe, and Rosier, who had been holding Medusa, backed away. Even Freya, who had been blocking Medusa’s curse, left to help Maximus, Marle, and Joshua, who were dealing with the Fiends.
Now, all that remained were me, hundreds of monsters, and the lone Medusa facing us.
“Kieeeeek!!!!”
Medusa unleashed her Petrification Curse toward me.
The problem was that curses didn't work on me.
“Are you stronger than the Villainesses? No, you’re not.”
You’re not. So where do you get off trying to spam curses at me?
It’s useless. Unless it’s the Roas of the 8th floor, my contract with the Three Villainesses blocks almost any curse up to the 7th floor.
Unless it was a top-tier entity on par with an Ancient God, nothing could place a curse on me.
“Petrification Curse confiscated.”
I lunged forward and grabbed Medusa’s head.
From here on, it’s a real dogfight.
Let’s see who dies first.
I have super-regeneration, your greatest weapon—the Petrification Curse—doesn't work on me, and I’ve absorbed all your subordinates.
I’ve taken everything you have, but regardless, this is a fair fight.