How could this be…
Swordsmith gasped, retreating; Avee pressed forward with his massive stinger!
Half of Avee’s face was decayed, intertwined with plant tendrils; he was terrifying!
Swordsmith gasped, “Dragon!”
A sword flew towards Avee; with a wave of his hand, Avee slowed it!
Slow-down ability!
This guy!
Not only did he possess a secondary trait, but his physical strength was comparable to a mid-3rd Step; he surpassed expectations, being more than a mere creature!
For these two old men, this Guard Bee was more monstrous than any monster!
Swordsmith gritted his teeth, wielding two swords, attacking!
Avee appeared behind him, thrusting his stinger through Swordsmith’s body!
Splash, splash!
The stinger emerged from his chest; Swordsmith’s eyes widened; blood spurted from his orifices, “To be killed by a… puppet…”
Thump, thump.
Two bloody swords fell; Avee was about to withdraw his stinger when Swordsmith violently twisted his body!
The stinger churned his insides, shattering half his body!
But Swordsmith endured the pain, grabbing Avee!
“My friend… I’ll revenge for you!”
Splash!
The moment Swordsmith touched Avee, his body contorted, transforming into a giant sword!
The stinger vanished; Swordsmith was spent.
Thump!
Swordsmith knelt, clutching the sword hilt, lifeless in the pool of blood.
Then, The Centaur and White Walker arrived.
White Walker saw the mangled Balance, transformed into a bloody plant-human, and the kneeling Swordsmith, stunned.
“Huh?”
“Who did these old guys run into?”
White Walker was astonished. Swordsmith and Balance were powerful; he couldn't imagine who could kill them both.
“The Vermin?”
The Centaur muttered.
White Walker picked up Swordsmith’s sword, “Judging by the style, it doesn’t seem like The Vermin.”
But this sword was unique.
The blade was flat and wide, resembling a lance, with interwoven plant and flesh patterns.
The hilt had a honeycomb-like pattern.
“Old Sword is dead anyway; I’ll take this sword.”
White Walker wiped the blood from the blade and continued.
The Centaur frowned, “You’re just leaving like this?”
White Walker turned, “What else? Should I help those two old guys collect their bodies?”
“Don’t be silly; everyone’s busy. Let’s finish this and go home.”
...
In the deepest room, Fan Ye was devising ways to kill Queen Bee.
He hadn’t found a solution, but he’d noticed something about her immortality.
Queen Bee constantly held three stones; they were key!
“Don’t waste your energy; you can’t kill me.” Queen Bee smirked.
Fan Ye attacked again!
This time, Fan Ye severed one of Queen Bee's arms!
Huh?
Queen Bee was stunned; Fan Ye grabbed the severed arm!
“If I’m not mistaken, this is your immortality secret?”
Fan Ye unleashed Absolute Darkness again, striking!
But he missed.
Queen Bee vanished.
Fan Ye dispelled the darkness; The Centaur and White Walker entered!
“Don’t move; inside… Huh?”
Seeing Fan Ye, White Walker scratched his head.
“What happened? Where’s Queen Bee?”
White Walker looked down; Naira Sorkin lay motionless on the floor.
“Another one down?”
“Youth is a gift; he just fell asleep.”
Walking past Naira Sorkin, White Walker said, “By the way, who are you? Nightmare?”
“What kind of transformation is this?”
Fan Ye scanned the room.
Strange. Where did Queen Bee go?
She vanished without a trace?
Impossible.
White Walker approached, “You fought hard. Old Sword and Balance are down; Queen Bee clearly had some powerful tricks.”
“What did you say?”
Fan Ye turned, looking at White Walker in shock.
White Walker shrugged, “I said Swordsmith and Balance are dead.”
“Dead?”
“Who did it?!”
“Doesn’t seem like The Vermin’s style.” The Centaur said.
Not The Vermin…
Fan Ye seemed to realize something, “Go! Now!”
Fan Ye ran; White Walker and The Centaur were confused, “Wait, what’s going on? Explain yourself!”
Queen Bee’s sudden disappearance wasn’t due to a teleportation ability!
If she had that, she would have used it earlier!
Not after Fan Ye severed her arm and took the stone!
Combined with White Walker’s words about Swordsmith and Balance dying outside, and Fan Ye’s experience!
Queen Bee’s disappearance was likely…
Boom!
A terrifying gust of wind exploded behind Fan Ye!
The Centaur and White Walker looked horrified, “Damn…”
Fan Ye looked back; despite his anticipation, he was shocked.
Where Queen Bee had been stood a woman.
Her chest was cracked open, revealing a cavity filled with countless writhing eyes!
She had long blonde hair, slender fingers, each nail tipped with a long tendril!
Several transparent, dragonfly-like wings sprouted from her back!
Her mouth stretched to her ears, revealing sharp teeth that extended to her ears!
Like the Kuchisake-onna urban legend.
But she wasn’t terrifying; she held an unusual allure.
But what shocked Fan Ye and the others was her terrifying aura!
An aura comparable to the four great beings!
The Dragon, the Sea King, the Red Mist, and the Angel!
“A 4th Step?!”
Fan Ye’s words froze; Queen Bee attacked!
Swish!
A sharp tearing sound; Queen Bee grabbed Fan Ye, piercing the roof and flying into the sky!
Boom!
A massive hole ripped through the bunker; the destructive power was evident!
Fan Ye was thrown into the air; an invisible attack struck him!
Thump!
Fan Ye landed, unleashing Absolute Darkness!
His worst fear had come true!
Queen Bee had evolved!
To 4th Step!
Queen Bee looked down from the sky; Balance and Swordsmith’s deaths had earned her Mei’s reward.
A feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time!
“It’s been a while since I evolved. I’ve grown complacent. If 009 thinks he can handle me, he’ll be the first to learn his lesson.”
...
“4th Step?”
White Walker looked up from the bunker; the massive hole in the ceiling was proof of Queen Bee’s power!
This was terrifying!
White Walker turned to flee!
The Centaur grabbed him, “Where do you think you’re going?”
White Walker was bewildered, “Where else? I’m running!”
“She’s a 4th Step. Before you think about fighting her, consider your own strength!”
The Centaur’s eyes narrowed, “4th Step isn’t a god. You haven’t even fought her; how do you know you’ll lose?”
“Even among 4th Steps, the difference in strength is vast. If you give up before fighting, you’ll never defeat a 4th Step.”
White Walker twitched his lips, “I think you’re looking for trouble. I don’t want to fight a 4th Step; I want to survive.”
“See you!”
White Walker ran, wielding his sword.
The Centaur didn’t chase him; everyone had their own priorities. If he feared death, he wouldn’t fight.
Against a 4th Step Queen Bee, The Centaur was powerless.
But so many brothers had died; fleeing like a beaten dog was shameful.
The Centaur leaped into the air!
“Nightmare, I’m coming to help!”
...
Inside the base.
020 Computer was tallying casualties. 010 The Clown was the first to die, likely by The Vermin.
012 Master of Flesh and 014 Priest were also killed; the clean style suggested The Vermin.
017 Balance and 021 Swordsmith were likely not killed by The Vermin.
Their deaths and the state of their bodies didn't match his style.
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As for Naira Sorkin, his body was intact, but his consciousness was destroyed.
Only Nightmare could do that.
“Nightmare, controlled by Queen Bee, likely killed Naira Sorkin.”
009 sat amidst debris, examining his severed hand and foot, “Tally the deaths.”
“Six deaths.”
“Half our forces…”
While 009 was unconcerned by the deaths, half were killed by The Vermin, infuriating him.
He hated traitors!
Those who couldn’t defeat a traitor deserved to die.
009 gouged out an eye and crushed it.
“That insect… really got to me!”
...
Boom!
The base floor exploded; Celestial Beast, wings sprouting from his back, escaped his trap.
“Roar!”
“Insects! Insects! Insects!”
Celestial Beast roared, charging wildly, encountering a giant centipede-like monster!
“Wealthy really came out quickly?”
The Vermin smirked.
The scent!
That scent!
“Insects!”
Celestial Beast’s spikes rose; his wings spread; he charged at The Vermin!
The Vermin didn’t hesitate; his body was now comparable to Celestial Beast’s!
They clashed; claws and fangs tore at each other; they aimed to shred the other to pieces!
Bang!
The wall collapsed; The Vermin was pinned against it; Celestial Beast tore off his head!
Splash, splash!
Dark green blood sprayed; The Vermin’s headless body, its hundred legs wrapping around Gluttony, unleashed venom with its claws and spikes!
This evolution enhanced not only his body but also his Carboniferous venom!
Beast and centipede clashed; red and dark green blood spurted!
Their battle impacted White Walker’s escape!
Thump!
The two monsters collided, smashing into the wall before him!
White Walker blinked, “Uh… carry on.”
He quickly changed course and fled.
Watching them fight felt suicidal.
Before arriving, White Walker had decided: he would run!
Let others fight; he’d claim no credit, seek no reward; survival was enough!
He believed that if he survived, his moment would come!
Unfortunately, he encountered 009 sitting amidst debris.
They exchanged glances; before 009 could speak, White Walker ran!
“Boss, good luck!”
009: “???”
What happened?
As 009 wondered, Celestial Beast and The Vermin crashed through the wall before him!
Bang!
“Roar!”
Celestial Beast roared savagely, tearing apart The Vermin!
Only when The Vermin was completely destroyed did Celestial Beast cease his attack.
His spikes retracted, but he swayed slightly.
His skin was bruised and discolored; the venom had taken hold.
As Celestial Beast collapsed, the scattered remains coalesced into a perfect The Vermin!
“Beasts are beasts; lowly and inferior lifeforms.”
“To be part of our 4th Step evolution is your honor!”
The Vermin’s hundred legs thrashed; he approached Celestial Beast!
Suddenly, an RPG struck!
Boom!
The RPG hit The Vermin, shattering a limb.
The smoke cleared; The Vermin turned to see 009, wielding the RPG, coldly staring at him.
“Insect, I’ve been looking for you!”
The Vermin’s expression turned furious, “The feeling’s mutual!”
“For a year, I’ve dreamt of tearing you apart. You’re immortal, huh? I’ll kill you a thousand, ten thousand times!”
009 picked up a pipe, “Kill me, mongrel? You’re not worthy?”
Both were enraged; they wanted to annihilate each other’s entire lineage!
009 put on gloves; countless nano-machines spread from the pipe, forming nano-metal armor.
One of the few split objects 009 found useful.
The Vermin glanced at the fallen Celestial Beast.
Two voices argued in his head.
“Brother, don’t let hatred blind you. We should devour Celestial Beast first; then we’ll reach 4th Step; killing him later is fine!”
“No! I’ve waited too long! I can’t wait to tear him apart!”
As the voices argued, 009 attacked, punching The Vermin in the face!
Boom!
The rocket-powered nano-enhanced punch was devastating, crushing half of The Vermin's face!
“Watch closely; this is a real tool-based battle!”
...
Whether the creatures had gone mad, or the world itself, no one knew.
After the apocalypse dragged on for an indeterminate time, a concept spread among the monsters.
Hunt equals, defeat superiors, and evolve!
Driven by this concept, some began searching for those of similar rank.
For example, the Angel and Chino were frantically searching for other 4th Steps.
Chino returned to Asia.
He intended to find the Dragon; instead, he learned of Queen Bee’s ascension.
This news thrilled him; he’d planned to find Queen Bee anyway!
The Red Mist brought him someone.
Reinhard.
Reinhard was despairing and demoralized.
But he was intercepted.
A five-clawed dragon emerged, seizing Reinhard from the Red Mist!
Reinhard blinked; the dragon’s enormous eye fixed on him, “The Silver Needle… is it on you?”
Reinhard reacted, pulling out a needle.
“Yes, here!”
The dragon opened its mouth, swallowing the Silver Needle.
“I’ll borrow this; I’ll return it later.”
Reinhard panicked, “I…”
“I won’t take your things. I’ll hold it off; you go.”
The Dragon tore through the Red Mist, placing Reinhard on the ground behind him.
He faced the endless Blood Mist.
Two giant eyes appeared within the mist, “You’re persistent. I promised to save those people; why bother me? Do you think I fear you?”
The Dragon exhaled a large cloud of white mist, resisting the Red Mist.
After his release, Shino, as Red Mist, consumed countless lives across Asia.
The Dragon, however, used his body as a shield, creating a safe zone within the mist, saving countless lives.
Born here, he would protect its people.
Behind the Dragon, Reinhard watched, “So, the library made me choose that needle because…”
While choosing artifacts, 024 Great Serpent strongly hinted at the Silver Needle, even showing him the 025 Dragon.
Did 024 anticipate their encounter with the Red Mist?
Did the Dragon need the Silver Needle, guiding him to obtain it, exchanging it for a chance of survival?
Reinhard felt a chill, “Can 024 predict the future? That’s impossible!”
A guess then?
But guessing required complete information.
If 024 possessed that much information, it would know that the Serpent’s Hand was doomed.
And Reinhard wasn't a member of the Serpent's Hand.
Unless…
024 had predicted that Reinhard might become the new leader.
That was bad.
“I hope I’m wrong.”
Reinhard turned; as he was about to leave, he saw many humans gazing at the dragon.
There were many onlookers; too many to count.
Women with babies, children barely a few years old, and frail elderly people.
Reinhard paused.
Had the dragon saved them?
Seeing his confusion, an old man approached, “The Dragon rises from the East, blessed by Heaven; the dragon saved us from the Red Mist.”
“Thank the dragon for saving us!”
“Thank the dragon…”
Hearing their gratitude, Reinhard pondered.
The Dragon seemed to favor humanity; like the demons, such creatures were rare.
If more monsters protected humanity, the world wouldn't be like this.
But Reinhard sensed a reason.
Because most monsters, before receiving the serum, were already anti-social; after becoming monsters, why would they care about humanity?
Even ordinary people, after receiving the serum, wouldn't necessarily help humanity.
People are selfish; it's difficult enough for them not to use their abilities to satisfy their desires.
Let alone using those abilities to save others.
If Reinhard received the serum, he couldn't guarantee he'd side with humanity.
Protecting something is far harder than destroying it.
If Reinhard wasn't strong enough, he couldn't protect anyone; he’d struggle to survive himself.
Adopting the “join if you can’t beat them” mentality, he might well cooperate with the monsters.
Yes, he was selfish too.
No one is entirely selfless. The poor look out for themselves; the rich strive for the greater good. When one is weak, self-preservation isn’t wrong.
Personally, one's own life always outweighs others'.
Even Ye Long wasn't entirely selfless in saving those people.
His power partly stemmed from the people's faith.
Their belief that the dragon possessed greater power than the Red Mist amplified Ye Long’s power.
Similar to the Priest's ability, but different.
The Priest used words to gain his followers' faith.
But the dragon wasn't; he didn’t need words; his power didn’t require belief; it only needed hope.
People hoped the dragon would defeat its enemies and bring peace.
This fueled Ye Long’s power.
His power demanded he protect humanity; though he didn’t want to see monsters slaughtering people, that didn’t mean he’d selflessly save everyone.
This was his selfishness.
But for humanity, wasn’t this selflessness?
Shino and Ye Long never clashed.
4th Step battles were troublesome; Shino killing and Ye Long saving weren't mutually exclusive.
Shino killed some; Ye Long saved some; everyone turned a blind eye.
Shino wasn’t bloodthirsty; he was cooperating with Chino, cleansing the world as Chino wished.
But Reinhard had to die.
Ye Long wanted to save him; Shino was happy to fight the dragon!
The Red Mist swirled; the dragon stirred the wind!
Shino attacked, but Ye Long’s wind scattered him!
But Great Old Ones were immortal; Shino’s formless nature made him especially resilient; the only way to deal with him was to seal him!
But Ye Long didn’t aim to defeat him; he only needed to force Shino’s retreat.
Elsewhere in Asia, Queen Bee was battling Absolute Darkness.
Fan Ye, in his Absolute Darkness state, was invulnerable, like the Red Mist!
Queen Bee couldn't attack him; the Nightmare ability was problematic.
With his offensive and defensive capabilities, Fan Ye could fight any 4th Step.
But The Centaur was different; though fast, he was no match for a 4th Step Queen Bee.
The Centaur charged, kicking towards Queen Bee, only to kick through thin air, crashing into a building!
Boom!
Queen Bee’s movements were instantaneous, seemingly teleporting. This evolution gave her a unique trait.
Hive Will.
Simply put, her individual strength increased dramatically.
And her ability to create drones was stronger; the extent depended on Queen Bee herself.
She could now split herself, creating drones.
But each drone created weakened her.
The more drones, the weaker Queen Bee became.
If she didn't create drones, or if all her drones were destroyed, that power returned to her.
Queen Bee’s individual strength, by monster standards, surpassed low-4th Step!
Reaching mid-4th Step!
If she split, she could create three low-4th Step drones!
Without splitting, her power was the combined might of a hive mind.
The Centaur, having missed his footing, turned to see Queen Bee before him!
“A newborn calf isn’t afraid of tigers. It seems that’s true.”
Queen Bee’s voice echoed; she struck; shockwaves rippled through the air!
Facing her blow, The Centaur saw a magnificent golden palace!
Countless Guard Bees punched simultaneously, like an immense wall!
“Dodge!”
Fan Ye yelled, but The Centaur’s feet were rooted; he couldn't move!
He was stunned.
Escape?
Where could he run? The attack filled the sky!
Why didn’t he dodge? If he was stunned, how could he dodge?
Boom!
The blow struck; The Centaur was severely injured, flung away!
His bones shattered; Queen Bee caught up to the flying Centaur!
She grabbed his head, twisting it off!
Splash, splash!
The Centaur’s lifeline was severed; blood stained the sky; Queen Bee tossed his head to the ground!
Licking her blood-stained hands, Queen Bee smirked: “Hahaha, this is exhilarating!”
“More! More! Let me have some real fun!”
Fan Ye’s eyes were bloodshot; he rose, unleashing Absolute Darkness!
The darkness consumed all light, enveloping a large area!
The surviving residents looked up; the sky darkened; it was pitch black!
Queen Bee was enveloped; eyes opened in the darkness; incredibly fast strikes aimed at her!
Queen Bee remained unfazed.
“So weak, darling. Haven’t you eaten?”
Fan Ye gritted his teeth; he held the stone; Queen Bee lacked immortality and soul projection, but her physical defense was insurmountable!
Physical attacks were useless; what about mental attacks?
“Dreamscape!”
Fan Ye dragged Queen Bee into a dreamscape!
But in the dreamscape, Queen Bee transformed into a colossal giant!
The dreamscape was a magnificent, enormous palace!
Trillions of Guard Bees filled the palace!
“Is this a dreamscape?”
Queen Bee turned to Fan Ye, “Even without the Sheep stone, my psychic power is far beyond yours, darling.”
“Prepared to face the entire hive mind?”
Why?
Fan Ye couldn’t believe that, in both dreamscape and reality, Queen Bee was a fusion of consciousness and flesh!
She was ten thousand, one hundred thousand, a million!
Thwack!
The giant Queen Bee grabbed Fan Ye, “You’re Nightmare, aren’t you? Try killing me in a dream!”
Purple light erupted from Fan Ye’s eyes; he instantly escaped the dreamscape!
He returned to reality; the darkness vanished; he fell from the sky.
Could the dreamscape contain Queen Bee?
No.
Queen Bee’s psychic power was too strong; she broke free!
Fan Ye was caught.
A large, wet hand caught him.
Fan Ye was stunned; a roar echoed in the sky.
“Unfortunately, killing you won’t help me evolve. Lucky kid, would you mind handing over those three stones?”
Before Fan Ye could react, tendrils pierced his body, retrieving the stones hidden in his clothes!
“Aaaaah!”
Fan Ye screamed; the giant tossed him aside like trash.
The giant was Chino.
Absorbing the three stones, twelve stones were now in place, spinning like clockwork within him!
The Tiger stones balanced the power of the other stones!
The power surge thrilled Chino; he roared towards the sky!
Finally, all twelve stones were gathered!
“Ox strength, Tiger balance, Rabbit speed, Dragon flame, Snake stealth, Horse healing, Sheep soul, Monkey transformation, Rooster flight, Dog immortality, Pig eyes!”
Why not Rat?
Because the Rat was useless to Chino.
Chino faced Queen Bee in the sky, “I’ve come to evolve. Would you mind sacrificing yourself?”
Queen Bee wiped the blood from her hands, “You’re too late. Now, you’ll only help me evolve further.”
“I don’t think so.” Chino advanced.
“In fact, it’s perfect.”
Queen Bee discarded her handkerchief, “I’d forgotten when our feud began.”
“I’ve always disliked you, fish head.”
“Let’s settle our scores, old and new, today.”
...
Underground. The Vermin and 009.
Both harbored personal grudges.
Underground, in the base.
009 and The Vermin clashed repeatedly; 009, in his nano-armor, repeatedly overpowered The Vermin.
But this wasn’t The Vermin’s true form; it was an undying clone!
The Vermin’s blades tore at 009; 009, using nano-enhanced rockets, twisted his body at impossible angles!
He rotated 360 degrees, kicking The Vermin in the head!
Splash, splash!
Blood sprayed; massive scissor-like mandibles sprouted from The Vermin, clamping onto 009’s waist!
The nano-armor shattered under the pressure!
Crack!
009 was bisected!
His upper body fell back; his hands braced the ground; his lower body rejoined his upper body!
The damaged nano-segments repaired themselves.
“Not right…”
009 stood up, surprised.
Something was wrong with The Vermin!
Or perhaps, this wasn't his true form!
009 whistled; a blade flew from the debris, spinning around The Vermin, following the rhythm of the whistle.
No core.
This was just a mass of writhing insects!
The insects gathered on The Vermin, repairing his shattered body; he laughed eerily.
“Hee hee, you noticed, did you? But did you notice… Celestial Beast is gone?”
Huh?
009 looked; Celestial Beast had vanished!
When?
A proboscis, like an anteater’s tongue, emerged from The Vermin, “While you were distracted, 009. Look closely; this is true evolution; this is perfection!”
The Vermin transformed; undergoing another unexpected evolution!
His back split; massive insect wings erupted from a fluid burst!
His body elongated; his head became non-human; he was a chaotic mass of insects!
What happened?
During their fight, insects had carried away Celestial Beast, bringing him to The Vermin’s true form!
The Vermin had devoured Celestial Beast!
Gaining Celestial Beast’s strength, and the reward for killing an equal!
This time, the true form received the reward.
The moment The Vermin finished speaking, his true form drank the potion.
That potion was the one they hadn’t chosen earlier: the mutation potion made from pupae!
After consuming it, the true form transformed into a giant cocoon; during this metamorphosis, the world changed drastically!
This change was undoubtedly due to a being reaching 4th Step!
This wasn't Queen Bee’s change; her impact had already occurred.
It was Hive Will.
This type of being didn’t exist before; its appearance introduced this concept.
Queen Bee’s impact was minimal, affecting only herself.
But the following changes were similar to those caused by Shino and Chino!
On a remote island, within an unrecognizable ancient temple, a colossal statue appeared!
A chaotic, writhing mass of insects; its head resembled a giant amoeba; a green-eyed human face peered out!
Within were faceless visages, sunken eyes, and shimmering black hair!
When Mei noticed this change and descended to the ancient obelisk, she saw this new being's name!
Xada · Hgla.
A Great Old One worshipped by the Shans!
His impact on the world was similar to the Red Mist, his statue was in the Old Ones temple.
But unlike the Red Mist, he brought a strange… influence…
This influence caused Mei's impact on the world to manifest!
The influence of the Dreamlands!
Yes, Mei had been suppressing her own influence: the Dreamlands.
Once the Dreamlands descended, the world would be fractured into countless overlapping worlds.
This wouldn't significantly affect the world; it would only impact the powerful monsters.
Simply put, the Dreamlands would create an inner and outer world within the current one.
The Dreamlands are the inner world.
The current world is the outer world.
Both worlds are almost identical; the difference is that beings above 2nd Step would be expelled to the inner world.
Humans in the outer world wouldn't see monsters; if they could perceive the inner world, those monsters could appear and kill them.
Mei was suppressing the Dreamlands.
Because once the Dreamlands descended, the monsters couldn't fight.
They'd be separated into different inner and outer worlds; unless they reached the same level, they couldn't interact.
Thus, a 3rd Step couldn't fight a 4th Step.
Because a 3rd Step couldn’t see a 4th Step being.
The Vermin’s evolution seemed connected to the Dreamlands.
He was triggering its descent!
Mei wouldn't allow it; the Dreamlands wouldn't descend now.
Because she wouldn't permit it.
“The Dreamlands can only descend in the future or past, after the end, but never now.”
...
Before 009 stood The Vermin, not his true form, but a Tsathoggua aggregate!
An extraterrestrial insectoid lifeform from the cosmos!
“Look closely; this is true evolution!”
The chaotic insect aggregate struck 009, slamming him to the ground!
Boom!
The nano-armor shattered; 009 was reduced to pulp!
A split object appeared, but The Vermin ignored it; he didn’t rely on external tools.
The weak used tools to bridge the gap with the strong.
He only needed to devour those stronger than himself!
009 reformed, naked, rolling back!
He suddenly remembered something crucial!
Why had he distributed the potions?
Why hadn’t he consumed them himself!
If he’d consumed all twelve potions, even if they were flawed and their properties clashed!
He would have undoubtedly reached 4th Step!
At that time, with immortality and the Black Arrow, a 4th Step 009 would have crushed everything!
Now, he’d fallen from his peak to this!
009 claiming no regrets was a lie.
Unfortunately, time couldn’t be rewound; life couldn’t be redone. There was no regret medicine.
It was all too late.
“Damn!”