Chapter 133: How to Destroy the Core and Defeat the Werewolf

Maxwell raised his knife.

The young man stood behind the werewolf, right in front of the altar.

The core was glowing just a few inches from his face.

A small smile appeared on his lips.

"This time, I won’t fail."

Lilly’s eyes widened.

"Noo, Max, watch out!"

Maxwell didn’t hesitate and drove the knife directly into the core.

An invisible energy appeared around the altar.

The knife couldn’t even touch the core’s surface.

A sudden force struck Maxwell.

"Ugh!"

BOOM!

The young man was sent flying backward and landed several yards away.

The knife slipped from his hand.

Lilly quickly descended.

"Max!"

But before she could reach him...

GRAAAAAAAAA!

The werewolf roared and launched its enormous body at the group once again.

Duncan raised his arms.

"Everyone, get back!"

The monster completely ignored the others and charged straight toward him.

BAM!

Duncan took a blow to the chest, forcing him backward.

The creature attacked again, unleashing several strikes.

Duncan could barely defend himself.

Behind the monster, the core continued to glow peacefully atop the altar.

Untouched.

As if nothing happening around it could affect it.

◇◆◇

Liam watched everything from Lydia’s perspective.

The small slime had returned to her normal form after being vomited out by the werewolf.

She was lying on the ground, covered in saliva and the disgusting substance that had come out of the monster’s mouth.

[Lydia: I think it’s impossible to destroy the core.]

Liam looked at the altar, Maxwell, and the werewolf.

’There has to be a way.’

[Lydia: What way?]

’I don’t know.’

Liam gritted his teeth.

’We have to think.’

In front of them, Duncan took another hit.

The man was sent flying several yards.

But he got back to his feet.

"I’m not letting it get to you!"

The werewolf roared and charged again.

Duncan raised his arms.

Meanwhile, Maxwell remained sprawled on the ground. He seemed completely confused by what had happened. He stared at his broken knife and the untouched core.

"What the hell was that...?"

Archie was leaning against a rock. His breathing was heavy.

Adam was sitting on the ground, exhausted.

Ruby had stopped trying to attack. Even she looked completely drained.

"I don’t want to eat any more of that monster..."

Lilly remained in the air. Her hands were glowing.

A violet blast struck the werewolf’s back.

But the monster didn’t react.

Ivy continued trying to restrain it with her vines.

The plants appeared around its legs.

The werewolf broke them.

It didn’t seem to care.

Its entire body was focused on one thing.

Duncan.

"Why is it only attacking me?!"

Duncan growled as he blocked another claw.

Liam watched.

It was very strange.

The monster could attack anyone.

But it always returned to Duncan.

Maybe because he was the one who had dealt the most damage to it.

Or perhaps...

’Lydia.’

[Lydia: Yes?]

’Can you do something?’

[Lydia: We have to do something, honey.]

’I’m thinking.’

Liam looked at the core again.

Then he saw Lydia move.

Her small tentacles began to stretch.

’What are you doing?’

[Lydia: I’m going to try something.]

Lydia extended some of her tentacles.

Her body slowly began moving toward the altar.

The core was only a few yards away.

Lydia continued stretching.

A little farther.

A little farther.

Until finally...

One of her tentacles touched the core.

The werewolf stopped instantly.

Duncan’s eyes widened.

"What...?"

The creature stopped attacking and turned its head.

Its red eyes locked directly onto Lydia.

Then it tore through Ivy’s vines, completely ignored Lilly’s attacks...

And disappeared.

"Where did it go?!"

Lilly looked around.

Duncan did the same.

Liam had already seen it coming...

’Lydia!’

[Lydia: I know!]

The werewolf appeared in front of the altar.

Its claw came down.

But Lydia had already moved.

Her slime body spread over the core, completely covering it.

The claw struck her directly.

But Lydia absorbed the impact.

The monster growled.

Duncan charged toward it.

"Get away from her!"

His fist slammed into the werewolf’s back.

Lilly fired again.

Ivy sent out more vines.

"Don’t let it get close!"

The werewolf ignored the attacks.

Its gaze remained fixed on Lydia.

Liam watched through his wife’s eyes.

The small slime was completely spread over the core.

’Are you trying to consume it?’

[Lydia: Yes!]

Liam blinked.

[Lydia: It seemed logical to me.]

[Lydia: If I was able to consume the core of an S-rank dungeon boss...]

[Lydia: Then I thought I might be able to consume this one too.]

Liam smiled slightly.

’That doesn’t seem like a bad plan.’

[Lydia: But...]

Lydia paused.

[Lydia: There’s something stopping me.]

’What do you mean?’

[Lydia: I’m trying to consume it.]

[Lydia: But I can’t.]

[Lydia: It’s like something is preventing my body from absorbing it.]

Liam looked at the core again.

He couldn’t see it directly.

Lydia’s body was covering it.

But he could feel that something wasn’t right.

’Then it’s just as I feared.’

[Lydia: What?]

The werewolf continued attacking.

Duncan tried to stop it, Lilly kept firing, and Ivy used her vines.

But none of them could make the monster retreat.

The werewolf seemed completely indifferent.

Liam watched as its fangs, which had already grown back, gleamed.

The claws Ruby had devoured had regenerated as well.

Even the bones Duncan had destroyed had returned.

Everything.

Every wound.

Every bit of damage.

It was as if the battle had never happened.

’We can’t destroy the core.’

’We can’t kill the werewolf.’

’And every time we try to move forward, everything starts over.’

Liam felt a weight in his chest.

’This feels like an endless trial.’

[Lydia: Then how can we pass it?]

Liam didn’t answer immediately.

He watched Duncan take another hit.

He watched Lilly fire another blast.

He watched Ivy try to restrain it.

He watched Ruby, Archie, and Adam, completely exhausted.

And finally, he looked back at the werewolf.

Its red eyes, its fangs, and its enormous jaws.

Then he remembered how the monster had tried to eat Lydia, trying to chew her with its fangs...

Liam looked at the core.

Then he looked at the werewolf again.

’If we can’t destroy the core...’

’If Lydia can’t consume it...’

’And if we can’t defeat this monster either...’

An idea appeared in his mind.

It was so absurd that even Liam hesitated for a few seconds before saying it.

But he couldn’t think of any other option.

’Lydia.’

[Lydia: Yes, honey?]

Liam looked at the werewolf’s enormous fangs.

’Try to make the monster eat the core.’

Lydia didn’t know what to make of the idea her husband was suggesting.

[Lydia: What?]

’It’s the only thing I can think of.’

The werewolf roared again.

Liam kept his eyes fixed on it.

’If we can’t destroy it...’

’Maybe it can.’