The face of Lynn remained impassive as a plan took shape in his mind. The first step was to make the monster completely immobilized. The success of his entire endeavor hinged on the flawless execution of this pivotal part.

Although he now understood a little bit more about the ritual he was involved in, it didn’t provide any significant advantage. When it came to occult rituals or supernatural phenomena, he was not an expert, leaving him unable to disrupt the ceremony outright.

His insights were limited, gleaned primarily through logic and observation rather than profound extraordinary knowledge. That's why he had refrained from unleashing the full extent of his abilities against Knott earlier.

"I wanted to keep him alive, and force him to stop the ritual," he murmured, his tone clinical. "But that chance has slipped away. Now this twisted monstrosity is all that remains of the merchant."

He skillfully sidestepped as the creature charged past him, its claws gouging furrows in the stone floor. Swiftly leaping backward, he sent a volley of bullets tearing into its unprotected flank before it could react.

He was not interested in becoming a winner or loser in this duel. If the reward for the victor was to assimilate the essence of the defeated, that could lead to his contamination by the abomination’s spiritual pollution.

But with no other viable options at hand, and the need to end this quickly before reaching the limit of using [Gemini Soul], killing the chimera presented the most straightforward solution.

It let out an enraged roar as the bullets tore through its exposed flesh. It spun around with alarming speed, lashing out in retaliation, but the attack met only empty air as Lynn artfully evaded.

His gaze focused on the monster’s limbs, scrutinizing the anatomy. He noted that while the legs were thickly armored, the articulations connecting them to the body had more vulnerable areas.

Without any hesitation, the instant his foot landed on solid ground, he immediately activated the abilities of both [Quickstep] and [Cell Proliferation]. He propelled himself forward with such velocity and force that the impact left an impressive indentation on the ground.

The creature, caught off guard by the sudden burst of speed, attempted to react, but it was too late. Flame Edge sliced through the air, finding its mark on the weak point of the front spider leg.

In an instant, the chamber reverberated with the resounding clash of steel against flesh, exoskeleton, and scales. Lynn transformed into a whirlwind of destruction, his movements blending into a blur. Each motion he made was a calculated and precise stroke of his fiery blade.

Wound after wound appeared on the monstrosity’s exposed parts, gushing with dark blood and splattering everywhere. The intense heat of the flames instantly cauterized the ravaged flesh, filling the air with an acrid stench.

The onslaught was relentless. he darted around the towering chimera, evading its wild swipes and retaliating with surgical precision. With each damaging blow, the monster grew increasingly enraged, its shrieks of agony echoing deafeningly.

But no matter how furiously it lashed out, Lynn remained elusive. Guided by extraordinary reflexes, he effortlessly dodged, weaved through the attacks, and contorted his body in unnatural ways. Each maneuver culminated in a devastating counterstrike.

He was like an unavoidable specter of death, dancing just out of reach. With onslaughts timed impeccably between evasive movements, he gradually and methodically weakened his opponent.

Soon the underground chamber was slick with dark blood, becoming a macabre canvas reflecting the gruesome battle unfolding within its walls. The overpowering metallic tang permeated the stale air.

However, he was unfazed by the gruesome spectacle, his unwavering focus locked onto systematically crippling the abomination.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

As he severely injured one limb with a well-aimed slash, it lurched heavily to one side, struggling to remain upright.

"One down, three to go," Lynn remarked indifferently as he surveyed the carnage before him. The creature writhed in pain, paralyzed and bleeding, but still far from defeated.

The vitality energy of the ritual flickered with intensity, its desperate attempt to accelerate healing evident. Yet, it struggled to keep pace with the persistent onslaught of mutilating attacks.

With another leg rendered useless, the chimera crashed heavily onto its side, releasing an enraged shriek that transitioned into a pained whimper. Its formidable physique was steadily collapsing as it struggled to support its massive weight.

In a furious frenzy, it opened its jaws manically, globs of acidic venom spraying in all directions. The toxic liquid sizzled as it made contact with the stone floor, eating away at the surface.

But Lynn's face remained impassive, his focus unbroken. He had anticipated such a desperate move and had already evaded the spray. Without missing a beat, he lunged forward as the venom harmlessly splattered against the wall behind him.

The creature thrashed even more violently, its desperate attempts to regain stability evident in its convulsive movements. However, its efforts were futile, and the only part of its anatomy capable of any semblance of resistance was its tail, flailing aimlessly.

"Now, it's time to end this," he muttered tonelessly, his voice void of any emotion. With the monstrosity incapacitated, the decisive moment to execute the final phase of his plan had arrived.

He unleashed [String Threading], manifesting several razor-sharp threads. The agile strands sought out the struggling chimera, effortlessly piercing its thick skin and firmly anchoring themselves.

With deft movements, he masterfully manipulated the threads, weaving them into an intricate web that fully ensnared the creature. The sturdy bindings held fast despite its desperate fights, completely immobilizing it.

"That should hold you in place for now," Lynn remarked coldly, his unwavering gaze fixed upon the securely bound creature.

The more it fought against its restraints, the deeper the razor strings seemed to dig into its flesh. Rivulets of dark blood trickled from the lacerations, dripping slowly to the ground.

Lynn made Bloody Reaper disappear, then extended his free arm, tightly gripping his sword with both hands.

This was not a pointless action. On his left hand, he wore his most recent reward, the [Plaguebane Glove] he had obtained from a side mission at the hospital.

Despite being the most advanced equipment in his possession, it remained largely unused. Its primary purpose was to provide healing and protection, rather than enhancing combat capabilities.

Even its only offensive ability required direct contact with the enemy to take effect, and he had heavy doubts that the poison would be effective against the formidable chimera before him. Its mutated physiology was simply too resilient.

However, after testing it when he had first obtained the glove, he discovered an intriguing combination effect when using it in conjunction with the Flame Edge.

Activating [Venom Grasp], a stream of pale green venomous energy began to flow across his hand. The viscous substance clung to his glove with a chilling sensation that seemed to seep into his very bones.

But as contact was made between the flames of his blade and this ominous energy, he immediately sensed a subtle vibration coursing through the extraordinary weapon.

The intensity of the sensation grew more powerful by the second, but at the same time, the consumption of Lynn's reserve of spiritual energy suddenly increased.

Before his eyes, the crimson blaze surrounding the sword started to shift in color, transforming from a vibrant red to a sinister emerald hue. The fire's natural heat was replaced by an eerie chill that permeated the air around it.

With a swift and fluid motion, he swung the sword Flame Edge downward, directing the emerald flames toward the ensnared chimera.

In contrast to crimson flames that would have swiftly cauterized the injury, this modified fire exhibited a peculiar behavior, akin to a thick, sticky fluid, as it clung to the torn flesh and expanded its reach.

This peculiar blaze voraciously devoured the monstrosity’s tissues, causing dark blood to seep from the enlarging gash, yet no regeneration took place at the site of the wound.

He observed as the wisps of crimson vitality, which had previously accelerated the abomination’s regeneration, were immediately consumed upon contact. They only served as additional fuel, causing the blaze to strengthen and expand.

A guttural cry of pure anguish tore from the monster’s throat. Its remaining limbs spasmed erratically in response to the agony blazing through. Yet Lynn remained unaffected, observing the grim spectacle with cold detachment.

The writhing tendrils of vitality that had previously granted the chimera rapid regeneration were steadily depleted, leeched away by the relentless emerald flames.

As the fiery venom pierced deeper, penetrating organs and coursing through vessels, the healing visibly slowed.

Soon, only faint twitches and spasms remained, evidence of the raging agony that still coursed through the monster's nerves despite the loss of mobility. Its limbs lay motionless, pinned by the razor threads.

"It's over," Lynn stated tonelessly, his voice devoid of any inflection.