When the forces led by Gerard invaded Hossylei Nac, they left most of their wagons behind in the gloomy swampland along with a handful of men by the gate. These wagons transported supplies such as food that was not vital for battle. However, one of them contained a very valuable item, which was why a few people needed to watch over it.
“Seriously, buddy, why ARE we staying here when the rest of the guys are off fighting elves, amazons, dwarves and some incredibly strong plant monster?” [Invader]
One of these invaders asked such while standing guard in front of a wagon.
“Becaaauuse, for the fifth time, buddy, in the very small chance that the team doesn’t return, we’re supposed to use that thing to report the failure of the mission. Also, we have to quickly notify the jumping point if we need to beat a hasty retreat. That’s basically our main job.” [Invader]
His friend, who stood next to him, reminded him of their other important mission besides protecting all of the goods that they carried.
“But the second part of what you just said is completely useless if lovely Lovel is dead. Why aren’t we attacking with a bigger and more powerful force?” [Invader]
“Buddy, stop calling her that and questioning our bosses or you’ll get in trouble. And more importantly, you’ll drag me into it again.” [Invader]
His friend sighed, exasperated.
“She’ll come back. Let’s just stay ready to use that Broadcast thingy.” [Invader]
“Yeah, but if the mission failed, wouldn’t that mean that everyone got annihilated and we’ll be next? Seriously, we’re all gonna die if that happens, buddy.” [Invader]
“No way, Gerard can turn into a ten-meter steel giant that spews lava. And we got those other S ranks on the team. They’ll survive, buddy.” [Invade]
“They’ll survive and bring a pack of murderous elves down on us.” [Invader]
“That’s what the Dead Field Fang is for. AND the Thunder Screamers. AND that other secret weapon whatchamacallit.” [Invader]
“… Some weird weapon that can nullify magic in a limited area like the Dead City. Some weird weapon that smells weird, is weirdly loud despite its size, and can instantly kill an armored soldier without using magic. And then some weird whatchamacallit secret weapon that’s a rock.” [Invader]
The invader went silent and looked at the gun in his hand while his friend yawned loudly.
“Now that I think about it, isn’t this organization kinda scary since it has access to all those never before seen dangerous weapons?” [Invader]
“Yes, yes it is. Isn’t that why you joined?” [Invader]
“I joined because I thought it’d make me popular and mend my heart that was broken after the girl I loved since childhood was stolen by my best friend just because he’s smarter, taller, richer, stronger and simply just way better looking than me. You?” [Invader]
“The beautiful woman who invited me to a shady cult was actually a member of this organization and I agreed to do whatever she wanted because she had the biggest boobs I’ve ever seen.” [Invader]
“Seriously?! T-then, did you do it?! The boobs?! Did you touch them?! BOOBS!” [Invader]
“She had a lover, whose arms were twice the size of my thighs, a mean look in his eyes, and I wet my pants.” [Invader]
“…” [Invader]
An awkward moment of silent understanding passed between the two.
“… Sooo… You think everyone’s alright?” [Invader]
“… I’m sure they’re fine.” [Invader]
“Really?” [Invader]
“In these situations, you have to be positive and ask yourself: ‘What could possibly go wrong?’” [Invader]
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“AAAAHHHHH!! LET ME GO!! LET ME GOOO!!!” [Invader]
Ryner held a screaming man overhead with both hands by digging his fingers into his back. The terrified invader was desperately swinging his legs and wildly flailing his arms at the sky as if he was trying to escape by pulling himself towards the clouds.
“AAHHH, AAAAAAAARRRRGG!!!” [Invader]
But, his impossible attempt was cut short as he was gruesomely torn in half from the waist. His two twitching halves unceremoniously dropped to the ground. The man wailed in pain and horror, seeing his organs hanging out of him and his discarded lower half a distance away. As his screams slowly weakened, Ryner stood there, bathing in his blood.
“(I haven’t forgotten…)” [Ryner]
“NO!! NOOO!! NOOOOO!!!” [Invader]
A terror-stricken man tossed aside his sword, turned tail and ran. However, Ryner caught him by the shoulder from behind with his left hand and grabbed his face with his right.
“NOOOO-URGGGGHHHHH!!!” [Invader]
He jabbed his four fingers into the invader’s eye sockets and hooked his thumb on his upper jaw. Then, closing his fist, he crushed his face and ripped off the pieces of facial skin, nose, teeth, flesh and bones. His maimed enemy fell to his knees while letting out bloody gurgles. His trembling hands weakly went to the crimson hole gushing blood that was his face before his body powerlessly slumped down like a lifeless puppet.
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“(I’ll never forget…)” [Ryner]
“PLEASE! SPARE ME!!” [Invader]
Another one tried to beg for his life as he kneeled in front of Ryner, his hands clasped together.
“PLEASE, I’LL GIVE YOU ANYTH-!” [Invader]
Ryner shoved his hand inside his mouth with his palm facing upward, as if scooping up water. He easily tore through the invader’s flesh and bones at the back of his throat, and held the severed upper half of his head. The wide opened eyes gazed at him in horror and despair while the tongue of the kneeling cadaver below seemed to still be moving, trying to plead for mercy, but soon went still.
“(There’s no way I’ll ever forget…)” [Ryner]
The head slipped off his hand and Ryner stared at his bloody palm with eyes that gradually grew as dead as a corpse’s. There was a low, constant ringing in his ears. He didn’t seem to notice his surroundings as many panicked and kept their distance, their faces twisted in fear. Someone desperately yelled at them, trying to keep everyone under control. Orders were shouted, attacks flew and damage slowly accumulated on his body, growing more and more severe.
“(Wash blood away with blood, and pain away with pain.)” [Ryner]
Still, Ryner didn’t react at all, until someone got close to him.
“UWAAAAAAH!!!” [Invader]
That person courageously charged at Ryner from his right while brandishing a sword and shooting at him. The bullets bounced off his skin, but left behind bruises. The sword that was swung down cut through the shirt and left a thin, red line on his chest. Though small, the S rank monster was clearly taking damage when he had appeared immune before. The attacker saw a single ray of hope.
Sadly, it was far from enough.
“(Blood with blood, pain with pain.)” [Ryner]
Ryner caught him by the throat using his right hand and lifted him off the ground. However, another leaped at him like a javelin from his left, his body parallel to the ground. In his hands were a pair of metallic shackles linked by a chain with strange markings. They were magic restraining shackles that he tried to slap onto his target’s left wrist under the cover of his friend’s attack that was merely a distraction.
Just as he thought that he might succeed, Ryner caught his forearm with his left hand that moved like a blur and then pulled him towards himself. As his opponent was surprised by his sudden acceleration and subsequently realized his failure, Ryner grabbed the back of his head. In one flowing motion, he once again pulled him towards himself at an even greater speed. As a result, Ryner basically smashed the man’s head against his own. In the next moment, the invader’s head burst open like a tomato, covering Ryner in blood, flesh and brain matter.
“(Blood with blood…)” [Ryner]
“Ah… Ha… Rold… AHHHHH!!!” [Invader]
The attacker, that was still held by the throat, also got splashed in the face with his friend’s blood and brain juice. Seeing such a gruesome death up close, he was swallowed by terror and wildly swung his sword. Ryner easily caught the blade, though his left hand bled from a shallow cut. Ignoring the small wound, he then ran the blade along his chest downward, wounding himself even more.
“(Pain with pain…)” [Ryner]
Blood dripped from the red line that he was tracing on his skin. The attacker looked frightened and perplexed by his queer action. But, he gritted his teeth and stared at him with a mixture of fear and hatred.
“Y-YOU’RE DEAD!! NO MATTER WHAT, WE’LL FIN-gah…!” [Invader]
Ryner let go of the blade and poked him through the forehead, ending his last words. His left index finger pierced through the helmet and skull, easily stabbing the brain and reaping his life.
“See? I still remember…” [Ryner]
Ryner dropped the limp carcass, looked up at the sky and murmured in a daze to someone that wasn’t there.
“HE’S WEAKENING!! HOLD FAST!!” [Lovel]
Lovel shouted to her subordinates, trying to keep morale from completely collapsing. Just like she stated, despite the losses, the attacks they were launching did manage to draw his blood. The S rank monster was brutally maiming her forces. However, he was doing so while standing still and not dodging at all. Coupled with the fact that he no longer appeared invulnerable, this led her to believe that he was running low on stamina and mana. After all, the black-haired man was at the point where he couldn’t grab a naked blade without hurting himself.
“(He’s finally reaching his limits! But…!)” [Lovel]
However, cornering him also made him more dangerous.
“(This bloodlust isn’t normal!)” [Lovel]
Because a dark and powerful killing intent was leaking out of him, permeating the air.
“(How is it perceived so clearly!?)” [Lovel]
Those who sensed it shuddered or froze up. To them, it felt as if it clung to their skin, like the wailing dead that wished to drag them to hell. Still, although Lovel reeled back and broke into a cold sweat from the opponent’s extreme thirst for blood, she continued to order the remainder of her team the best she could. Despite his mangling of her troops, they could make him bleed. Perhaps, he was desperately keeping his body strengthening spell going and soon they would break through his defenses.
“(A bit more. Just a bit more…!)” [Lovel]
But, Lovel didn’t get the chance to prove her theory, because her goal of buying time was finally accomplished.
The loud, roaring sound of flames, similar to that of a beast, attracted everyone’s attention. Accompanying that roar was the blue light of fire illuminating the battlefield.
“Finally!” [Lovel]
Lovel said emotionally as she turned her eyes to a giant of molten steel that now had glowing blue magma flowing through it. Blue flames were constantly being released out of areas throughout his whole body such as his thighs, arms, shoulders and back. It was like steam hissing from a kettle, or fire being shot from a flamethrower.
“Gerard!” [Lovel]
Gerard, with his new appearance, instantly burned and tore all of the vines holding him down. Even when new ones tried to entangle his limbs, they quickly turned to charcoal from the intense heat that was being giving off by his steel body and the flames leaking out. The high temperature around him was enough to cause plants to combust. Gerard faced Rosaminta and breathed in, seemingly filling his lungs. A hole quickly appeared on his featureless face, where the mouth should be. Then, he shot fire.
“AAAAAAHH!!!” [Rosaminta]
Instead of lava, concentrated blue flames were being continuously released from his mouth, resembling a wavering blue beam of light with flames dancing around it. Just like a dragon, Gerard breathed fire on the monster of plants, scorching her green body black and making her scream in pain. The elves and amazons watched in horror or shock while the invaders rejoiced. However, that was not enough to defeat the Gatekeeper.
Immense roots and branches shot up in front of her to form a wall for the sake of shielding her from Gerard’s flames. But, it barely mitigated the attack as they were quickly burned through. So, Rosaminta continuously sprouted more roots and branches to block the beam of light as best she could. Meanwhile, green vines grew from the earth on Gerard’s right side. They intertwined together to form a pillar with a ball at the top. Then, the flexible body moved like a whip and smashed the giant’s right side of his face like a mace.
The massive weapon of vines was nearly incinerated upon touching the molten steel, but it did its job. The concentrated beam of flames veered off target and blazed a trench on the ground. Rosaminta was still standing. Although most of her body was scorched black, she had survived and was regenerating. Glowing red embers were extinguished and dead leaves fell as new ones grew.
“(I see… That might be why they believe he is enough to kill me.)” [Rosaminta]
Rosaminta thought, taken by surprise by her foe’s sudden increase in firepower.
“(Humans truly have grown after so many years.)” [Rosaminta]
She thought as she recalled the challengers and subjugating forces she had laid low in the past before readying herself. Her opponent could no longer be restrained. She needed to end his life even if most of her body turned to cinders.
However, Rosaminta did not have the chance to do so as Ryner launched himself at the ten-meter tall giant like a rocket traveling at supersonic speed.