096. Hatchery 2
Even after Bin fell into the well, the skeletons' battle raged on. Meanwhile, the 2nd-grade monsters King, Queen, and Jack faced off against the Previous Family Head.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The piercing clash of blades rang through the air. Jack, mounted on his horse, parried the Previous Family Head's spear with the swords gripped in both hands.
Jack struck at the spear with the sword in one hand. Seizing the opening, he thrust the blade from his other hand toward the Previous Family Head.
But the Previous Family Head was no fool to miss it. He raised his free hand against the incoming sword. In an instant, the spear from his right hand appeared in his left, blocking Jack's attack.
Ting!
The moment the Previous Family Head blocked the strike, King's assault followed. King extended his hand toward him, and in the blink of an eye, a red flame shot toward his abdomen.
The Previous Family Head swiftly swung his spear to deflect this attack as well.
Ting! Ting! Ting...
The Previous Family Head frowned at King and Jack.
These bastards are no pushovers...
One matched him sword-for-sword. The other wielded high-tier magic rivaling a 2nd-grade mage. They were far from easy opponents.
Jack and King, their eyes glowing red, charged at the Previous Family Head once more.
Swish. Swish.
"Any who attack the king shall be executed."
"We shall have our vengeance."
Jack swung one sword horizontally to threaten, then drove the other into the Previous Family Head's abdomen. At the same time, five fireballs erupted from King's hand and hurtled toward him.
The Previous Family Head smirked, gripping his spear crackling with blue lightning.
"Impressive... but this ends now."
He split the blue lightning between his hands and hurled it at Jack and King.
Swish. Swish.
It moved at blinding speed. The blue bolts closed in on their solar plexuses in no time.
That was when it happened.
Shiiiing.
Purple barriers bloomed around King and Jack—the magic of Queen in her yellow uniform.
A grin tugged at Queen's lips.
"Not quite as you planned."
Yet the Previous Family Head's monstrous strength exceeded their expectations. The lightning pierced halfway through the barriers before shoving King and Jack back.
Thud! Thud!
They slammed into the cave wall at the far end. Undeterred, Jack and King glared at the Previous Family Head with crimson eyes.
As the Previous Family Head chuckled at the 2nd-grade monsters, a tremendous roar erupted.
Crack!
The well shattered, unleashing a massive surge of magi. The unnatural energy made the Previous Family Head's pupils tremble.
What the hell is this magi...?!
The instant he turned toward the well—
Clang! Clang!
King and Jack lunged again.
"You insolent—!"
The Previous Family Head's furious roar echoed through the cave.
From the well, Bin emerged, his pale green eyes glowing as he exuded vast magi—black mingled with green.
Rumble rumble rumble.
His right arm began to writhe. The bandaged limb thinned to bare bone, then swelled to monstrous thickness, repeating the cycle.
Unable to control the overwhelming magi, Bin frowned at his arm.
Magi from multiple monsters...
It was exactly as he sensed. Ronfr had devoured 88 monsters above 3rd-grade assassin level. Now integrated with Bin, the result was inevitable.
As Bin's arm thinned and thickened again—
Irin and Zeke approached him.
"Young master, are you alright?"
Bin nodded silently.
Nod.
Irin's eyes widened at his bizarrely transforming arm.
Integration?! How could the Bascon family...
She shook off her doubts and explained.
"Integration requires sensing the magi volume of the monster and drawing out an equal amount of mana. Once you achieve a 1:1 ratio in your body, you can control that power."
"Integration, huh..."
Following her words, Bin sensed the magi within him and began emitting an equal volume of mana.
Shiiiing.
Gradually, the transformations in his arm slowed. The symptoms hadn't fully subsided, so he needed time to regulate it.
Noticing this, Irin spoke up.
"We'll take over now. The Taia family's supernovas can't be treated like punching bags."
Her eyes fierce with resolve, she glanced at Zeke.
"Zeke, ready?"
"Always."
In that moment, Irin and Zeke's bodies began to shimmer silver.
Meanwhile, King, Queen, and Jack clashed with the Previous Family Head.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As the sounds of steel rang out, someone appeared from thin air and swung a greatsword at the Previous Family Head.
Whoosh!!
The crash of greatsword against spear deafened ears. Codic cried out at the newcomer.
"M-my lord!"
His eyes gleamed.
The magi pouring from him... it's on another level!
Before Codic could marvel further, Bin nodded to King, Queen, and Jack. Understanding instantly, the 2nd-grade monsters turned toward the giant skeletons.
The Previous Family Head, facing Bin, scowled.
"You're no Taia—how dare you wield magi!"
"Doesn't concern you."
Bin stood before him, staring him down. Black smoke began to spread further from his body—a sign of his heightened aggression now that magi coursed through him.
As Bin locked eyes with the Previous Family Head, his pale green gaze flashed.
In that instant—
Swish.
Bin closed the distance in a blur of black shadow, swinging his greatsword.
As the Previous Family Head countered with his spear—
Green smoke from Bin's legs shaped into frog-like hind legs, propelling him skyward.
Thud!
The impact shook the ground. Now before the Previous Family Head's eyes, Bin swung his greatsword.
Crackle crackle crackle.
A familiar sound drilled into the Previous Family Head's ears.
Th-this sound...!
Bad omens never lie. Blue lightning sparked from Bin's greatsword—undeniably the power of his own Astraphe.
It surged toward him.
Zap!
...!
The lightning struck his shoulder in a blink, splitting into three prongs.
Crackle crackle crackle.
The bolt clashed with the Nemean lion pelt. As they pushed equally—
Crack crack.
A fracture sounded from the Previous Family Head's shoulder bone.
With his shoulder cracked, he staggered back. He lifted the lion pelt to check—his bone was splintered a third of the way through.
The giant skeletons cried out in shock at his injury.
"Family Head!"
"Lightning just like the Family Head's..."
As they gaped, the Previous Family Head raised one hand to silence them—he'd handle it himself.
His face twisted, he glared down at Bin.
"You whelp..."
Shadow trailing him, the Previous Family Head closed in.
Swish.
He swung his blue-lightning spear. Instinctively, Bin raised his left arm.
Then this time...
The Previous Family Head wondered.
Block Astraphe with his arm? He'll learn once he loses it.
The blue spear tip reached Bin's left arm. He predicted it would turn to ash...
But then—
A green golem arm materialized from Bin's left, blocking the strike.
Clack!
Indeed. Through integration, he could manifest one of the 88 3rd-grade-or-higher monsters Ronfr had devoured. The golem's non-conductive body spared Bin from the current.
Gritting his teeth, the Previous Family Head pressed the attack.
Clang! Clang! Clang...!
Bin parried the spear with the manifested golem arm, just as before. He spoke to him.
"Quit the futile efforts and step aside."
His attacks halted at Bin's words. Tilting his head back, the Previous Family Head laughed at the cocky youth.
"Kekekekek, insolent pup. I'll praise you for holding your own. As a reward, behold a power that once made other houses tremble."
He raised Astraphe high, channeling mana until it gleamed silver.
Opening: Blue Lion.
As he focused his mana, the Nemean lion pelt around his shoulders was sucked into Astraphe. He swung.
A blue lion of lightning materialized and charged at Bin.
Shrieeeek!
It brimmed with immense mana. As the blue lion closed in, a turtle shell formed on Bin's left arm, meeting it head-on.
Crackle crackle.
Blue and green clashed evenly for a moment. Then—
Bin flew back through the air.
Thud.
His state upon hitting the ground was dire. Charred black skin, left arm severed at the elbow—green liquid oozing from the stump.
Bin groaned, twitching his remaining hand.
"Urgh..."
But the Previous Family Head wouldn't stop. He intended to punish this defiler of the sacred hatchery.
Step. Step.
He approached. As he raised his spear to end it—
Thud.
Someone grabbed his arm. A chilling aura. Before he could turn—
His eyes widened.
"...!"
He had reason to be shocked. Before him stood Bin—the one he'd just felled.
Panicking, the Previous Family Head looked around to confirm he wasn't hallucinating.
But there were two of him. An incomprehensible situation.
Then laughter bubbled from beneath his feet.
Hee hee.
The one-armed Bin on the ground smiled.
"That was close. Almost a goner."
Green liquid flowed from his body, shifting his form.
Shimmer.
It was Zeke.
Irin sighed in relief at Zeke.
"Phew... Thank goodness."
The mystery explained: Zeke the slime had used Opening to mimic Bin's form.
Zeke taunted the displeased Previous Family Head.
"Now face 100%, not 70%. Previous... Family Head!"
As he said—Zeke's Opening let him wield 70% of the mimicked foe's power and abilities. As Zeke finished—
Bin, pale green eyes fixed, gripped the Previous Family Head's wrist.
"This hand repays his debt."
A green gorilla hand formed from Bin's, clamping down.
Crunch!
Crack!!
The Previous Family Head's wrist shattered. His bony hand and Astraphe clattered to the floor.
Thud. Roll roll.
The giant skeletons gaped, speechless.
H-he broke... the Family Head's wrist!!