Novel Full Chapter 1689: As My Prey!
Chapter 1689: As My Prey!
Notifications bleeped in Rex’s vision.
Some blue, some red, and some were flickering as if they were desperate to gain Rex’s attention.
<Notice: the user has been inflicted with the Parasitic Reaver Echo!>
<The Immortal Slugs are draining the user’s life energy!>
A furious growl climbed through his throat and exploded like thunder as the black cocoon wrapped him tight, and the black pillars keeping him suspended mid-air sharpened and pierced into his body and into his Spiritual Vessels, draining him of life energy.
Rex thrashed, muscles bulged, and anger flared—but the cocoon kept on tightening.
It kept up with the pace of his increasing strength from the bubbling anger.
<Berserk stat is increasing, nearing the first threshold!>
<Sanity stat is decreasing, nearing the first threshold!>
Under the restraints, both of his important stats dropped as his nose began to smell the scent of blood.
It wasn’t the blood of the nobles, and it surely wasn’t the blood of the Immortal Slugs.
No, this scent can only be smelled by him.
It came from the sky, the approaching Blood Moon that was beginning to grasp him.
Under the pain from the drainage and also the crushing force from the cocoon, a primal hunger began to swell inside him. Rex became more feral, eyes drowned in red, and his instincts made him bite down on the cocoon.
His sharp fangs tore a big chunk and gulped it down before tearing more.
More energy poured into him, and his wounds closed rapidly—pushing the sharp black pillars back.
Rex kept doing this, helping his body recover and gain more strength.
But another black pillar wrapped around his head and stopped him from feeding more.
Seems like the Immortal Slugs have had enough of Rex’s interference and are now actively ending him.
<Sanity stat is decreasing!>
<Notice: the user’s sanity stat has reached the first threshold.>
<Notice: the user will now be afflicted with hostile illusions.>
Meanwhile, April and Ethan arrived at Marquess Darius.
The barrier surrounding Marquess Darius was clamped down hard by the Immortal Slugs’ real body; it was now so small that the ceiling almost touched his head. His face was already pale as he had lost most of his life energy and stamina from helping the others survive while Rex and the others actively tried to save them.
In unison, April swung her nodachi at the main body while Ethan did the same, but on the other side.
Sparks blew everywhere from the friction, but none of their weapons managed to pierce.
Not even a dent was left behind.
Unlike the ones that were binding the other nobles, Marquess Darius had it the worst.
Maybe because the Immortal Slugs had sensed he was the strongest of the group, but regardless, the main body latching onto him was far thicker than the rest. At least twice as thick as normal—thus, it was harder to sever, too.
Even so, leaving no dent at all was troubling.
“It can’t be cut through sheer strength,” Marquess Darius said, panting heavily and tiredly. “It can only be cut by the power of Law. None of you has the power of Law, so don’t even bother trying. Go help Princess Davina free the empress first, and then help me.”
Ethan didn’t even question it and immediately rushed away.
On the other hand, April looked at Marquess Darius in mild shock and confusion.
“Aren’t you opposing the empress? Why bother telling us to save her first?”
“I opposed Morgana becoming empress, but I never want her to die. Just go, I’ll endure this longer.”
April’s eyes narrowed, knowing that it was all talk.
One could tell easily that Marquess Darius wouldn’t be able to make it past a minute of being drained; he was only saying this to make it easier for April and Ethan to make a decision. And perhaps, it would also be easier for him to die without anyone watching.
No regrets.
Since Althea was safe, he would have no regrets dying for his empire.
“In that case, I guess I can’t abandon you, too,” April said—shifting her focus back to the main body of the Immortal Slugs. She placed her black nodachi against it again and focused, “You made it hard for me to leave you by saying that, you know.”
“What… What are you doing?” Marquess Darius looked at her in confusion.
Just then, energy hummed along the nodachi.
It took a couple of seconds for the energy to coat the entire blade due to its length.
But the moment it did, the blade hummed with power before it turned darker than black.
Marquess Darius looked at the blade and sensed traces of an Echo inside it, a powerful one that even he found impressive. ’I never knew the Aurelius Noble House was in possession of such a strong Echo. Is it one of the 300 Coffins of the Drowned? Long Lost Catacombs? No, this might originate from a higher group.’
’But why did Rosa give it to April? She’s not even close to the heir.’ He looked at it in marvel.
An Echo as strong as this should be given to the successor.
Somehow, it was in the possession of April.
Regardless, Marquess Darius snapped to reality when he realized what April was doing.
“Don’t force the Echo—it’s reckless!”
“I can’t let someone like you die here. Being incapable of using the Echo for a time is a small price to pay. Besides, there’s a traitor among us who wanted to ruin Empress Morgana’s reputation, and I can’t let him succeed.”
“Knight Haxel…”
April didn’t answer; she simply nodded in confirmation.
Naturally, the moment Altheea mentioned Haxel’s passivity, suspicion took root in him.
It wasn’t in Haxel’s nature to be passive—let alone perform like a poor knight.
Normally, he was the first to lead the charge, drawing every eye to himself and reveling in the chaos with his Berserker of Skartold’s Echo—which only made him stronger the more enemies struck at him.
So, it doesn’t make sense for him to stand idle.
He should be at the front of the battle.
Even so, it was surprising to see April be this patriotic when her life was on the line.
Not only by staying inside the Desolate Zone expose her to more danger that could end her life in a heartbeat, but she even dared to do this. Since no kind of energy could be used inside the Desolate Zone, breaking free is extremely hard.
However, one could bypass that by accessing the power of the entity that created the Unique Echo.
It has a high chance of damaging the Echo if the user and the Echo weren’t established enough, and drawing power from the entity will also inflict a severe backlash in exchange for power.
But even then, it doesn’t deter April.
She was doing exactly that, and that caught Marquess Darius off guard the most.
Despite her youth, her willpower was extraordinary.
Marquess Darius understood the implications of his death right now greatly.
But this is still extreme.
Swoosh!
April slitted the Immortal Slugs’ main body again.
But unlike before, she managed to leave a shallow scar there, which sizzled with black energy.
Even though it didn’t free him, the cut also lessened the draining speed.
Perfect to buy time for Marquess Darrius.
Almost instantly—after she slitted the Immortal Slugs’ main body, she covered her mouth, coughing a mouthful of blood. She could feel her Echo, the Midnight Echo, crack a little, and the backlash from using external energy hurt her insides.
“Regulate your life energy and rest for a moment,” Marquess Darius warned.
She would only be hurting herself more if she continued without taking a tactical break.
But April shook her head, “No—there’s no time.”
April forced herself back to her feet and hacked at the Immortal Slugs’ main body once more, bit by bit, inch by inch—each stroke carved deeper and sent up a fiercer black sizzle. However, deep down, she knew it was too slow, way too slow.
She couldn’t do it alone.
Gritting her teeth, she turned to where the black cocoon was.
All she could hope for right now is Rex.
…
’You’re going to let them die again.’
Rex growled menacingly—as he kept struggling against the Immortal Slugs, his entire head was now being swallowed by the black goo. All that was left was his crimson eye, staring into the sky with anger and violence.
Before his very eyes, levitating not too far was Mrs. Greene.
Looking down at him with something so close to helplessness.
A gaze that made him remember the sensation that he never wanted to feel again.
Helplessness.
In his mind, her voice echoed.
Mocking him.
Disappointed in him.
Reminding him of the great errors he made in the past.
’Like always… when it mattered, you can never protect us.’
’Weakness. Hopeless. Just like during that night, you will fail again.’
’It’s not that you didn’t try, but my sweet boy… maybe you don’t have what it takes.’
Hearing these voices, Rex’s pupils dilated, anger surging across his entire body like magma.
Even his breath became hotter like he could breathe fire.
Failures weighed him down like a million tons, spiking the resentful anger—that was buried inside him, that was lying in wait for this kind of moment. Losing here meant the end for the Clarentium Empire, the Silverstar Pack, and even himself.
It would be the end for him.
Failure…?
I will always fail when it matter? I don’t have what it takes? Bullshit!
I’ve suffered and endured everything the world throws at me, and you’re telling me I’m going to fail because of a damn slug? Bullshit!
I will not accept this… I’m not going to fail again.
Anyone who stands in my way… will always end up as my prey!
ROAR!!
Rex blinked as his mind returned, and the haze of anger disappeared completely.
Regardless, the burning anger inside him didn’t wane.
It was still flaming hot, but the difference was that his mind was now intact, that he was in control.
Krrrk…!
Rex’s strength flared to a new height as he strained against the restraints. Bones cracked sharp and clear, echoing like snapping branches, yet he forced himself past the breaking point. Past his limit. His strong regeneration burned through him, mending every micro-tear and fracture as they came.
Of course, the Immortal Slugs were superior in a battle of attrition.
Compared to Rex’s regeneration and strength spike, they were simply keeping up too fast.
Even now, his body was being crushed anew—as the last trace of light vanished, the Immortal Slugs sealing him in a cocoon of darkness. Their essence burrowed into him, draining from within. Had this been the Rex of mere minutes ago, it would have been his end.
But he wasn’t drowned in a blind rampage anymore.
His mind was intact.
Do you think a slug will defeat me?! I’ve battled a God! This is going to be nothing!
System, pour the carcasses in the inventory directly into my mouth!
<Affirmative.>
As soon as the notification appeared, Rex could immediately feel the flesh appearing inside his mouth as he swallowed them whole—without hesitation. He had kept the voidal monsters he had killed along the way and saved them to devour for later.
It was a good thing that he decided to do this, as it came in handy right now.
Crunch!
Swallow!
Rex bites down on the flesh and swallows the flesh inside his mouth.
Blood dripped out as every time he swallowed, more flesh appeared and kept his mouth full.
His regeneration ability instantly went overdrive.
Unlike before—when even his formidable regeneration lagged behind the Immortal Slugs’ relentless drain—the boost from devouring flesh now drove his healing into overdrive. Wounds that should have crippled him, bones shattered beyond recognition, all knit back together in an instant.
Even his physical strength increased.
But Rex didn’t instantly make a move.
He kept on devouring and mending his body, slowly patching himself back to full health.
The Immortal Slugs are all about matching the opponent’s strength.
In that case, breaking out is easy.
Rex’s lips curled into a knowing grin as he allowed his body to heal under the restraint.
Once his strength recovered fully, his entire muscles flared with a burst of strength.
Kaboom!
Roar!!
April looked up at the sound of the explosion.
She was surprised to see Rex breaking out of the cocoon—and unleashed a powerful roar that created soundwaves, forcing her to close her ears. But even though her ears were ringing, the sight of Rex made her smile.
Despite his perilous situation, he was still able to come out on top.
And April never had any doubt that he would lose there.