Chapter 342: Protection Fee

Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Protection Fee

Before Seraphina Sinclair and Fayestar’s astonished eyes, the Sunflower performed an unbelievable "swallowing" motion. It abruptly devoured the entire severed tentacle stump—still twitching slightly—along with the flesh that was trying to regenerate at the wound, pulling it all into the center of its head!

"GULP..."

It was as if something had truly been swallowed.

The Sunflower’s head swelled visibly, emitting a rich golden halo. Even its leaves grew greener and thicker.

And at the base of the Rotsea Emberfiend’s severed tentacle, its Regeneration was forcefully interrupted!

No new flesh grew from the wound. Instead, it began to show signs of decay, a blight that crept slowly but surely from the stump toward the main body!

"ROAR!!!"

The Rotsea Emberfiend let out an unprecedented howl of pain!

Its remaining tentacles thrashed wildly against the floor and walls, its main body convulsing violently. The poisonous mist erupted uncontrollably, yet it was clearly much thinner than before, as if the very source of its life and Regeneration had been brutally gouged out.

Fayestar stared, unable to process the scene for a long moment. She murmured, "Ninety percent certainty... it really is different."

Her resolve firmed, Seraphina Sinclair’s movements didn’t pause for a second.

Seizing the moment of chaos as the monster reeled from the intense pain, she moved again. Her spear shot out like a striking viper, precisely targeting the joint at the base of another wildly flailing tentacle!

"SQUELCH!"

The spearhead sank into flesh. Seraphina Sinclair twisted her wrist, wrenching it viciously!

"SNAP!"

The tentacle broke with the sound!

Having already had a taste and grown even more excited and hungry, the Sunflower didn’t even need Seraphina’s command. Its head shot out again like a preying python, swallowing the second severed tentacle in one gulp!

"GULP..."

The Rotsea Emberfiend’s howl turned into a mournful shriek. Its massive body visibly shrank, and the pustules on its surface deflated and burst, no longer oozing dark green pus but a grayish-black, corrosive fluid.

Its power of Regeneration seemed to have been completely stripped away, and its remaining tentacles went limp and weak.

"Now!" Although Fayestar was shocked by the unimaginable scene, her combat instincts made her seize the opportunity immediately.

She shot forward like a bolt of lightning, her dagger glowing with a sinister light that seemed to tear through everything. She plunged it deep into the largest pustule on the Rotsea Emberfiend’s main body and ripped downward!

"RRRIP!"

A massive gash was torn open, revealing the rapidly decaying dark green tissue within.

And Seraphina Sinclair, gripping her spear, thrust it viciously at the monster’s main body!

"THUMP!"

This time, the spear met almost no meaningful resistance as it pierced straight through!

The Rotsea Emberfiend gave one last twitch and let out a faint, unwilling whimper. Then, its massive body collapsed completely like a melting wax figure, dissolving into a pool of bubbling, dark green slime that emitted a pungent, foul stench.

The suffocating pressure and poisonous mist in the room quickly dissipated, leaving only a strong smell of decay.

Leaning on her spear, Seraphina Sinclair panted lightly. The Sunflower on her chest swayed its head in satisfaction, its thoughts echoing in her mind: ’Full... tasty... like... want more...’

’Want more?’

Seraphina wiped the sweat from her brow. ’There is no more. And it would be best if I don’t run into another one of these ever again.’

Fayestar pulled out her dagger, flicked off the filth, and walked over to Seraphina. She looked at the puddle of sludge on the floor, then at the seemingly harmless Sunflower on Seraphina’s chest, her expression extremely complicated. "How in the world did you figure out what the Sunflower could do?"

As soon as she asked, understanding dawned on her, and her expression grew even more complex. "No wonder you didn’t want to leave the Sunflower with Lyra Lowell and him. You knew what it could do all along?"

Seraphina Sinclair shook her head but offered no further explanation.

An innocent man is made a target by the treasure he holds.

Her Sunflower was already special enough. Saying any more would only attract unwanted attention, bringing no benefit.

Fayestar’s question hung in the air. Seraphina’s silence made her narrow her eyes.

She didn’t press the issue, merely twirling the faintly glowing dagger deftly between her fingers before sheathing it in the scabbard at the small of her back.

"Fine. Keep your secrets." She tugged at the corner of her mouth, her tone unreadable. "Still, it was a pleasure working with you."

Seraphina Sinclair withdrew her Abyssfrost Watersplitter Spear. The filth clinging to its tip slid off on its own after leaving the monster’s remains, leaving the spearhead gleaming clean.

"Likewise," she replied curtly, her gaze falling on the remains of the Rotsea Emberfiend on the floor.

’If this were in the cabin, killing a C-level monster like this would have at least earned me a C-level Supply Box.’

’But if this were in the cabin, the Sunflower wouldn’t have the ability to devour monster flesh either.’

At this thought, Seraphina glanced at the Sunflower nestled against her, which looked thoroughly satisfied.

’No reward, but the Sunflower seems to have eaten its fill. That’s not too bad, I guess.’

Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze returned to the Rotsea Emberfiend’s corpse. Just like the monsters killed after entering the moving cabin, its body began to dissolve into specks of light.

The difference was that these specks of light didn’t vanish into the air. Instead, like fireflies, they flew toward the door through which the two of them had entered.

The points of light swept through the corridor they had walked down, washing the mottled red stains from the walls on both sides, leaving them spotless.

The ones who unleashed the Embers from the side rooms and the Ember’s Victims waiting at the end of the hall were enveloped by the light. The contorted, pained lines on their faces gradually smoothed out, and their stiff bodies slowly relaxed.

Finally, they all turned in unison toward the source of the flowing light, looking at Seraphina Sinclair and Fayestar. A hint of peaceful release seemed to appear on their blurred faces. Then, like soap bubbles, with a soft POP, they vanished completely into the air.

Lyra Lowell and Alaric Hawthorn finally rushed over.

Lyra smiled, handing Mimi to Fayestar. "Thank you, Fayestar, and you too, Boss Sinclair. If we hadn’t run into you, the two of us would have certainly been sacrificed."

Alaric Hawthorn didn’t speak, but his gratitude was clear in his eyes.

The scene felt like the heartwarming ending of a TV show. Fayestar took her Sunflower back and shot Seraphina Sinclair a sidelong glance.

Though the glance was quick and subtle, Seraphina Sinclair suddenly understood exactly what she meant.

The two of them had fought for their lives on the front lines, while the other two had just coasted to safety behind them. Yet, the outcome for all four was the same.

Although the final ratings would be distributed based on contribution, this outcome meant the other two might get a rating one or two Levels higher than they deserved.

Seraphina’s expression didn’t change, but inwardly, she reached the same consensus as Fayestar.

Fayestar spoke coolly, "Without us, you two would have been dead long ago. Putting that aside, you should at least pay a protection fee, right?"