Ark Undead

It felt pain and sensed malice.

That was something that was nailed down and burned at the very beginning of time.

And across the river of time, his figure reappeared beside this rebellious offspring.

Do you need any help?

"The immortal asked."

Just like the surging feelings of disgust he was experiencing at that moment.

That which is worth burning with fire.

Right in front of you!

71. The Lonely Dancer and the Unsung Heroes: Six Thousand

(Suggested background music for this chapter: YouSeeBIGGIRL/T:T, composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, Attack on Titan background music)

The flames that erupted from the rough blade completely engulfed the writhing, unknown creature. In the light brought by the flames, the monster's skin was charred and turned black in an instant.

That completely defies everyone's common sense, as if it were so fragile that it would vaporize simply by being burned with a flame.

Skadi was so shocked that she couldn't take her eyes off her.

This is no ordinary Originium creature; it's a creature I've been hunting all along.

Those are malevolent entities born from the deep, dark ocean floor. Nothing, except their own weapons, can inflict such destructive power upon them!

The fundamental reason for this lies not in strength, but in their ability to react quickly to all types of attacks.

However, due to the existence of a special kind of cognitive network, if only one individual is harmed but not killed, the other individuals, and even the entire population, will understand the characteristics of this attack and thus develop corresponding antibodies.

To give a simple example, if you burn them with fire, after a period of time, the fire's ability to burn them will greatly decrease. Eventually, they will become completely immune to the pain and torment caused by high temperatures.

In the centuries-long war between Skadi's race and these monsters, they have become almost immune to the crude and simple Originium arts such as fire and ice.

It is precisely these unique characteristics that created Skadi's identity, another identity besides that of a bounty hunter.

But now, right before Skadi's eyes, the flames that suddenly appeared were just as painful as when they first harmed the monster. A simple burning sensation was enough to cause it excruciating agony.

The flames on its body not only damaged it, but also activated the monster's dormant madness.

Their skin constantly switched between dryness and moisture, and its tenacious regenerative ability caused them to suffer continuous pain from the burning. This also caused the monster to open its mouth to the two of them, revealing a dense array of sharp, barbed teeth.

"Gujirumahae!!"

That was a scream no human could hear. Even the slightest touch, without any deliberate protection, would be enough to cause a person to lose their original consciousness and spirit.

It's like mud wriggling in the deep sea, squeezing out the little oxygen left in the water, and finally rising to the surface with foul-smelling, corrosive bubbles.

"careful!"

Skadi gripped her greatsword, stopping the undead man from getting any closer, and warned him.

"Its vitality is very strong, and simple burning cannot kill it."

Skadi's tone was aloof and resolute, carrying a cold indifference that kept people at arm's length.

"Besides, they're here to hunt me down, it's none of your business."

Skadi dismissed the undead with a single sentence; her cold attitude applied to everyone.

But it is precisely because she understands and knows that she deliberately separates herself from others.

Through her years of solitary travel, how could she not know the joy of having friends and companions?

But if you want to walk with yourself, to stand beside yourself, you will be met with malice from the depths.

She could barely remember the names of the friends she used to know. But she vividly remembered how those kind people had transformed into monsters with mouthparts and insane minds right before her eyes.

Bearing the identity of a hunter, he could only silently wield his weapon to hold a funeral for his former friend, offering up the deadly dance he had honed in countless battles.

Over time, Skadi gradually got used to traveling alone.

She would rather endure such loneliness herself and never form deep friendships with anyone than drag others down with her.

A few days ago, Dales, who had been asked to do this, lost his identity as a human being while copying documents unique to the Snow Realm, after coming into contact with fragments of information from the Deep Sea.

Dales was a friend he had met during a previous expedition, and also a scholar who studied Originium in the Snowfield.

Now, because of her connection to him, she has become a victim of his sword, and Skadi has been waking up in the middle of the night from time to time these past few days.

In recalling the last look Dales gave her, she clearly saw a hint of despair and pleading.

It is the despair of humanity being forced to lose its reason, turning into incomprehensible monsters by passively listening to the madness of whispers.

It is humanity's last plea for dignity, begging Skadi to quickly understand himself and end his endless struggle.

He wanted to die as a human being.

So Skadi swung her greatsword at him, severing his completely deformed limbs and head, leaving only his body, which still retained some human characteristics.

Now, another warrior has entered the scene of her confrontation with her prey.

No matter how powerful he appears now, she knows that if she were to be stabbed by the monster's limbs during the fight, and its bodily fluids seep into the wound, even the strongest warrior would not escape unscathed.

"Turn around and leave, Undead."

Skadi turned around and pointed her greatsword diagonally to her side.

“Go back, and you can still remain rational. Trust me.”

But the Undead seemed not to hear at all, staring intently at the monster in front of him.

Flame patterns spread across the steel armor, igniting the air and radiating a scorching heat.

Skadi knew she couldn't wait any longer.

Once one appears in front of you, more monsters will follow the sound like sharks swimming in the sea.

If we don't get rid of this guy in front of us soon, the entire town of Bifeng will be in danger!

So she rushed forward.

With both hands swinging violently, the greatsword, pointed diagonally at the ground, unleashed a powerful upward slash!

Her figure, however, was like a fish swimming freely in the sea, swaying lightly with the swing of the greatsword.

It's hard to imagine that the heavy-handed stance of wielding a weapon and the light-footed, almost floating physique could coexist in one person.

The simple strike also had a simple and direct consequence.

Starting from the writhing lower body, a huge wound suddenly appeared across the monster's body, extending diagonally above it.

As blood and bodily fluids gushed forth, the monster let out another incomprehensible hiss.

"Waaah!! Mmm..."

The wound struggled to close up again, just like when the belly was ripped open by a giant sword.

The special aura surrounding Koskati's weapons keeps a small gap between the granulation tissue of wounds, hindering their self-healing.

This is the weapon Skadi uses as a hunter.

If they cannot harm them with Originium Arts and spells, they should constantly hone their physical bodies, unleash their power to the fullest, and then use specially forged weapons.

She was going to cut them open! Tear open their wounds!

This is the inevitable consequence of the bond of blood. If one cannot gain the right to clarity through battle, then one will lose the ability to think during battle.

Skadi's greatsword slashed down again, the heavy blade cleaving her body in two from the right side!

As the sharp blade sliced ​​through flesh, dark green fluid splattered out, filling the entire room with the monstrous scent.

The monster, having lost the support of its lower body, fell into a deep slumber amidst whimpers and howls.

The flames suppressed its self-healing ability and weakened its skin's defense against slashes.

Skadi's greatsword, however, brought it to its final demise.

In its undying, convulsing movements, the monster finally succumbed to the scorching flames.

It gradually turned into charcoal from the tip, spreading throughout its entire body, and stopped its struggle to survive.

Skadi lowered her greatsword, but she was still on her guard.

For her, this was just the beginning.

When she turned her head back to look at the undead, the undead were already beside her.

The silent armored figure picked up the greatsword that had fallen to the ground, and then flames spontaneously combusted, burning away all the green liquid that clung to the sword.

He looked at Skadi and spoke.

"Your weapon is quite good."

"Your flame is very special."

The two exchanged words of praise, but soon Skadi spoke again.

"However, this is not a guarantee that you can fight against them. If you don't want to lose your rationality as a human being, don't be their enemy."

"..."

The Undead paused for a moment.

The moment he sensed that aura, a surge of disgust and impulse welled up from the depths of his mind, causing him to smash through the wall.

But when he saw the target, the Undead realized the source of the aura that disgusted him.

That is the subtle mystery buried in the dampness and madness.

This thing is tainted by the abyss.

But what puzzles the Undead is that this thing isn't entirely the same as the Abyss. To draw conclusions solely based on this would be rather biased.

My advice is to go back to your own room.

Skadi issued another warning.

"While I appreciate your help, it's my job. Besides..."

She paused for a moment, as if she had thought of someone.

"You have a companion with you. You two must be on good terms, right? Make sure she doesn't fail to recognize you."