Chapter 364: Unworthy
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 364: Unworthy
"Unless we’ve fallen into someone’s illusion again..."
Muen looked at the scene before him and let out a long, heavy sigh. "Then what we’re facing is corruption from yet another unknown Evil God."
"Evil God... corruption?"
Liya’s lips parted slightly in surprise, but her eyes flickered, and her expression quickly regained its composure. "Evil God corruption... I see."
"You’re not afraid?" Muen looked at her, somewhat surprised.
Although the Life Church was the world's primary force against Evil Gods and Liya was the Church’s future Saintess, he suspected this was her first time actually facing true Evil God corruption.
Moreover, facing something that looked this... unrestrained as her first encounter, yet being able to calm down so quickly, was truly beyond Muen’s expectations. A normal person would likely be weak in the knees by now.
"I was a little scared just now, but I’m not anymore," Liya said, shaking her head.
"Why?"
"Because... Muen is here."
Liya turned her head slightly, offering a charming smile. Perhaps feeling that her words were a bit embarrassing, her cheeks flushed a faint red, but she didn't look away.
"..."
Is it just my imagination? It feels like Liya is getting bolder and bolder.
Muen felt his heart skip a beat. He looked away and asked, "You trust me that much?"
"Yes. Just as much as you trust me, Muen."
"It seems I don't need to give a pep talk after all."
Muen turned back to face the monster.
Since a moment ago, the creature had been incessantly chewing and swallowing, as if savoring some ultimate delicacy—even though what it was devouring was its own flesh.
By now, it had nearly finished consuming the fat and gore it had spilled outside. Its vacant gaze began to settle on the two "fragrant" humans standing before it.
"The real question is, why is there Evil God corruption in these ruins? Why didn't the Church mention something this important?"
Muen frowned. He tapped the Elizabeth daggers together, deploying an Alchemy Domain to ward off negative mental influences, and glanced out the window.
He felt a sense of unease.
Could something like Evil God corruption really be covered up? Or did the Church simply not know?
No. The fact that they had run into this thing just by picking a random place to stay the night suggested that such horrors weren't rare in these ruins. It was possible this went far beyond mere "corruption."
And yet the Church claimed they had explored the area... at least the outskirts... and said the danger level was low...
"Maybe these things just look scary, but aren't actually that formidable?" Liya suggested playfully, as if making a joke.
"That—"
Muen was about to respond when his expression shifted instantly.
Accompanied by the howl of rushing wind, a massive dark shadow lunged at them!
It was the monster!
In that instant, it exploded with a burst of speed completely at odds with its bloated frame. The ball of fat transformed into a charging juggernaut. Its numerous limbs spun with the fleshy mass, their soft forms turning into steel-like spikes under the sheer momentum. With a violent pressure of wind, it tore the entire house in two almost instantly.
This is what they call a "low danger level"?
Muen desperately wanted to grab the person who wrote the Church’s pamphlet on Cantville, shove their face under this monster’s backside, and demand an explanation.
Explain to me... what the hell... you mean... by "low... damn... danger... level"?!
Does an Evil God Projection have to show up personally for it to count as dangerous?
But there was no time for such thoughts.
"Liya!"
Muen barked a command and pulled Liya aside.
The moment he spoke, a Holy Light Barrier manifested with perfect timing.
Screeeech—
The fleshy sphere scraped against the barrier, producing the shrill sound of grinding steel and a searing hiss.
Liya stumbled back a few steps, her face turning slightly pale.
The strength was immense—greater than she had imagined.
But she didn't retreat any further. Muen supported her back with one hand while thrusting a short blade forward with the other.
As if the monster had thrown itself into a meat grinder, its own massive kinetic energy combined with Elizabeth’s absolute sharpness caused half its body to be sliced clean open.
Blood and fat sprayed everywhere again, but they writhed and twisted in mid-air. The semi-liquid gore solidified and interlaced, forming a massive net of flesh. Every strand of the net tore in different directions as if gaining a life of its own. Through this rapid proliferation, the web of meat threatened to envelop the entire room within a few breaths.
"Tsk. I knew these freaks wouldn't follow the rules of logic."
Muen clicked his tongue. Fortunately, he was experienced in dealing with such things.
He made a split-second decision, abandoning the idea of landing another blow. He wrapped his arm around Liya’s waist.
"Retreat for now."
With a surge of heat from his back, Muen’s figure blurred and vanished from the spot.
"Eh?"
The monster’s hideous maw sealed shut once more, and the flesh scorched by the Holy Light recovered rapidly. It looked a size smaller now, but its expression remained ecstatic.
The face—situated somewhere between its belly and chest—twisted. A long neck dragged itself out from the mass of meat, looking toward the gap in the ruined house where Muen had leaped into the air.
It seemed confused as to how he had suddenly appeared there.
Sniff, sniff...
Its mangled nostrils twitched. It seemed to catch a scent. Within its vacant, dilated pupils, two diametrically opposed emotions suddenly flared: joy and rage.
*
"What should we do? Our attacks don't seem very effective."
In mid-air, amidst the crisis, Liya didn't have the luxury to worry about the fact that she was being held in the same intimate posture as before. She looked down at the monster, whose wounds had healed almost instantly, her brow furrowed with concern.
This type of rapid regeneration... seemed to be a direct counter to Muen, who relied on dual daggers and speed.
While the Holy Light still had a burning effect, it didn't seem to suppress the creature's recovery. It was strange; according to the Church’s scriptures, Holy Light was supposed to have a natural advantage against the power of Evil Gods.
"It’s fine."
The moonlight remained bright and unchanging. Muen looked around. The shadow-shrouded town had clearly become lively; it seemed they weren't the only ones under attack.
Muen pondered for a moment. "Remember that giant octopus we met before?"
"Yes." Liya’s voice was a bit shy, as if she were remembering certain scenes from that encounter. "Of course I remember."
"Just like that octopus, the power of an Evil God does grant it immense vitality, but it’s not invincible."
Muen suddenly thought of the Banshee. Even after having her head cut off and her internal organs removed, she had survived thanks to an Evil God’s blessing. Then there was Eluka—that terrifying, twisted fusion that even An’s Steel God’s Blessing couldn't kill. The memory was still fresh.
When dealing with things that defied common sense, the best method was to burn them to cinders with the Withered King’s flames. No matter how fast you could recover, you couldn't regenerate from ash. And if that didn't work, you just burned them again.
...But with Liya right beside him, he couldn't use the Crimson Flame directly.
And yet...
Muen looked at Liya, then at the mass of flesh below that was bracing itself, seemingly ready to charge again at any moment.
Liya wasn't afraid. Neither was he.
The night wind ruffled Muen’s short golden hair. He stood high above, a rare, cold smirk playing on his lips.
"I've been through too much. A piece of scrap like you... is simply unworthy."