Chapter 220: Swallowed by the Shadows

Gray perched atop a tree, observing the forest below.

Several lights moved between the trees. Some came from torches, others from magical lamps and glowing stones the expedition members had brought along to illuminate their surroundings.

It seemed the pirates had split up to search for him.

Gray narrowed his eyes as he counted the moving lights.

’Looks like they’ve divided themselves into three groups. Around twenty people in total.’

This was considerably more convenient than dealing with the entire expedition at once.

With their forces spread out, he could attack individual groups before they had a chance to regroup. The pirates might be experienced, but their numbers wouldn’t be as overwhelming if he could isolate them.

As for luring the imps toward them again...

’That probably won’t work.’

They already knew the imps’ weakness. The pirates had figured out that destroying their horns would prevent them from regenerating, making the same trick considerably less effective.

Gray slowly descended from the tree, his eyes following the nearest group.

’Then I’ll have to deal with them myself.’

As he moved through the shadows, an unfamiliar thought crossed his mind.

Ever since becoming a jellyfish, he had noticed something strange about himself.

He no longer felt the same empathy toward humans.

When Jooquin had slaughtered the knights, Gray had watched without feeling much of anything. No anger. No disgust. No particular sense of morality telling him that what he was witnessing was wrong.

He had simply observed the situation and considered how it might benefit him.

’Have I changed?’

Gray wasn’t sure.

Perhaps it was because his body and instincts were no longer human. Perhaps his experiences in this world had gradually changed the way he perceived others.

Or perhaps he had always been like this, and his previous life had merely given him the illusion of being different.

He couldn’t find an answer.

But one thing was certain.

If he hesitated now, Cindy and Lily could end up paying the price.

Gray’s gaze hardened as he approached the nearest group of pirates.

’I won’t let that happen.’

He had no intention of harming innocent people. But these men were pirates who had already demonstrated their willingness to slaughter others without hesitation.

If killing them was necessary to protect Cindy and Lily...

’Then so be it.’

Gray activated Phantom Cloak, gradually concealing his body as he approached the group.

The pirates were walking through the forest with their weapons drawn, carrying torches and magical lamps. However, their vigilance seemed to have diminished considerably now that they were away from the main group.

Their conversation carried through the darkness.

"That damn captain... Does he think we’re machines or something?"

"Seriously. We just finished fighting those knights, and now he wants us to search the entire island without even letting us rest."

"Forget resting. We barely got any time to loot those bastards!"

Several men laughed bitterly.

"Speaking of which, it’s a damn shame we killed those mages earlier."

"Yeah. There was one pretty little thing among them. Would’ve been fun to spend some time with her."

"Don’t remind me. We could’ve had some entertainment before continuing this miserable expedition."

Their conversation quickly descended into vulgar jokes and crude laughter, followed by more complaints about Jooquin.

Gray listened silently from the shadows.

’I knew pirates weren’t exactly respectable people, but...’

He hadn’t expected them to be this vulgar.

’Is this what happens when someone spends too much time around people without any modern sensibilities?’

He couldn’t help but wonder whether he had become too accustomed to his previous life’s standards.

Regardless, their conversation had revealed something useful.

They were distracted.

And that was all Gray needed.

He quietly moved toward the rearmost pirate, extending one of his tentacles through the darkness.

Before the man could notice anything, the tentacle wrapped around his neck and pulled him backward.

"—?!"

Gray immediately covered the pirate’s mouth with another tentacle.

A sharp twist followed.

The man’s neck snapped.

[LOW PIRATE DEFEATED — 982 EXP]

His body went limp, and Gray carefully dragged him into the shadows before anyone noticed his disappearance.

Gray paused briefly.

He had just killed a human being.

Yet he felt no guilt, fear, or even the slightest hesitation.

’Perhaps I’ve become a monster completely.’

He didn’t know whether that was true, nor did he particularly care to find out right now.

If anything, the absence of hesitation made things easier.

Doubting himself in the middle of a situation like this would only put Cindy and Lily in danger.

Gray resumed moving.

One by one, he approached the pirates from behind, pulling them into the darkness before they could react.

A tentacle covered their mouths.

Another restrained their bodies.

Then, with a swift and deliberate movement, he ended their lives and concealed their bodies among the trees.

The remaining pirates continued walking, laughing and complaining, completely unaware that their numbers were gradually dwindling.

Gray silently followed them through the forest.

’Let’s see how long it takes before you realize something is wrong.’

By the time Gray had eliminated several more pirates, the group had dwindled to thirteen.

The remaining men continued walking through the forest, their earlier complaints gradually fading as they became more focused on their surroundings. Even so, none of them had realized just how many of their companions had already disappeared.

One pirate suddenly stopped.

"Wait a minute..."

His unexpected movement caused the others to turn toward him.

"What is it?"

The man looked around, counting the figures illuminated by their torches and magical lamps.

"Where the hell did everyone go?"

His words immediately caught everyone’s attention.

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn’t we have more people earlier?"

The pirates exchanged glances.

One of them began counting their companions, pointing at each person as he did so. His expression gradually changed.

"Thirteen... Wait, wasn’t there supposed to be more than that?"

"You’re right!"

"Shit! Where did the others disappear to?!"

The realization spread through the group, and their previous carelessness vanished.

Several pirates immediately drew their weapons and began looking around. Others moved closer together, trying to avoid being separated.

"Everyone, stay alert! Something’s picking us off!"

"Could it be one of those damn monsters?"

"No! Those things don’t usually sneak around like this!"

"Then what the hell is it?!"

Their voices grew louder as their anxiety increased.

Gray watched them from a nearby tree, his concealed body completely motionless.

’They finally noticed.’

He had been prepared for this moment. After all, killing so many people without leaving any obvious traces was bound to attract attention eventually.

Still, he wasn’t particularly concerned.

The pirates had already demonstrated their lack of coordination, and their current behavior only reinforced his impression.

One of the men suddenly stepped forward.

"Move aside! I’ll use my detection skill!"

He closed his eyes and concentrated, allowing magical energy to spread outward from his body.

A faint ripple of mana swept through the forest.

Gray immediately became more cautious.

’So they have a skill like that.’

He remained still, suppressing his presence as much as possible.

The detection wave passed through the surrounding trees and vegetation.

It reached Gray’s position.

And then...

Nothing happened.

The pirate opened his eyes and looked around in confusion.

"I can’t detect anything!"

Gray silently observed him.

’...Interesting.’

He had been prepared to move if the skill detected him, but apparently, that wasn’t necessary.

’Looks like my concealment is better than his detection ability.’

However, the other pirates weren’t nearly as calm.

"What?!"

"Are you serious?!"

"How can you not detect something that’s been killing our men?!"

The man became irritated.

"I told you, I can’t find anything! Maybe it’s using some kind of concealment ability!"

"Then what’s the point of your detection skill?!"

"Shut up! It’s not my fault if the thing we’re dealing with is too powerful!"

"Too powerful? You’re just useless!"

The argument quickly escalated.

Several pirates began shouting at one another, while others complained about the incompetence of their companion.

Gray watched from above.

’Seriously?’

He couldn’t help but find their behavior ridiculous.

They were surrounded by an unknown enemy that had already killed several of their companions, yet instead of organizing themselves, they were wasting time arguing.

’If I were dealing with the knights, this would be much more difficult.’

William’s men had maintained their formation even when facing overwhelming odds. Their discipline and coordination had made them dangerous opponents.

These pirates, however, seemed to rely more on individual strength and experience than teamwork.

And that weakness was about to cost them dearly.

Gray slowly extended his tentacles, preparing his next move.

’Let’s finish this.’

He activated Neurotoxin Drift.

A faint, nearly invisible cloud began spreading through the surrounding forest. The neurotoxin drifted between the trees, carried by the gentle currents of air.

The pirates remained completely unaware.

They were still arguing.

"Stop blaming me! If you have a better idea, then do it yourself!"

"Fine! I’ll—"

The man’s voice suddenly faltered.

He blinked several times, feeling something strange.

"...Huh?"

His companion looked at him.

"What?"

"I... I feel a little dizzy."

"Don’t be ridiculous. Just stay alert!"

But the first pirate’s movements had already begun to slow.

Another man rubbed his forehead.

"Wait... something’s wrong."

Their reactions were subtle at first. A slight heaviness in their limbs. A strange numbness creeping through their bodies. Their concentration gradually deteriorated, and even maintaining their weapons began to feel more difficult.

Gray observed the effects carefully.

’Good. It’s working.’

He didn’t intend to kill them with the poison alone. Weakening their bodies and reactions would make them much easier to deal with.

Once the neurotoxin had spread sufficiently, Gray activated Cavitation Pulse.

The invisible pulse swept through the forest.

Crack!

The magical lamp carried by one pirate suddenly shattered.

"What the hell?!"

Another light flickered violently before going out.

Then another.

The torches were extinguished one after another, plunging the forest into darkness.

"WHO DID THAT?!"

"Light the torches again!"

"Everyone, stay together!"

The pirates immediately began scrambling to restore their illumination.

Some attempted to ignite their torches using fire magic, while others searched their belongings for replacement lamps.

But their movements were becoming increasingly sluggish.

Their coordination deteriorated further as they stumbled into one another, struggling to understand what was happening.

Gray watched silently.

’Now they’re finally starting to panic.’

He activated Terror.

An overwhelming pressure descended upon the thirteen pirates.

It was as though something enormous had appeared behind them, watching their every movement with a predatory gaze.

Their instincts screamed.

Something was there.

Something dangerous.

Something that could kill them at any moment.

"Wh-What is that?!"

"I can’t see anything!"

"Everyone, calm down! It’s just an illusion!"

But the man who spoke those words was trembling.

Their weakened bodies, failing senses, and growing fear made it increasingly difficult to distinguish reality from their imagination.

One pirate suddenly swung his weapon toward the darkness.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

His blade struck nothing but air.

Another man began backing away, his breathing becoming increasingly frantic.

"There’s something behind us..."

"Stop saying that!"

"I SAID THERE’S SOMETHING BEHIND US!"

Gray watched their formation collapse.

’That’s enough.’

He moved.

A tentacle silently emerged from the darkness and wrapped around the neck of the nearest pirate.

Before the man could scream, he was pulled backward into the shadows.

A second tentacle covered his mouth.

Then came a sharp twist.

His body went limp.

The others heard nothing.

[LOW PIRATE DEFEATED — 744 EXP]

Gray immediately shifted toward the next target.

With their bodies weakened by the neurotoxin, their minds overwhelmed by Terror, and their vision impaired by the darkness, the pirates were no longer capable of defending themselves properly.

One by one, Gray began eliminating them.

The forest remained dark.

And the pirates’ screams were swallowed by the shadows.