area51novel Page 89
Page 89
The Beast King buried within his body became restless under the influence of the Sixth Beast. From a distance, Nero Chaos, who was constantly retreating, had become a fleshy mass composed of various wild beasts. Unable to suppress his appetite, the Beast King broke free of control, and hundreds of wild beasts broke free of the fleshy mass and rushed towards Kenneth from all directions. All kinds of beast roars filled the night sky.
"I never said you could leave! Since you're here, why not leave something behind?"
Ultimately, the beast's instincts triumphed over its greed for food, unleashing the uncontrollable beasts. Nero Chaos's body writhed and scattered into a horde of beasts, fleeing in different directions. The sixth beast's limbs tore through space and sprang out, its claws, covered in thick scales, sweeping across and turning the attacking beasts into mincemeat. The resulting wind pressure spread and ripped up the ground.
The dragon's head ripped through space, and the instant its breath left its mouth, azure energy surged from behind, a tactical missile-like beam of light instantly engulfing the area where Kenneth stood. Shattered pagodas shot into the sky, the spreading shockwaves plowing through the already devastated ruins once more. The city-breaking crossbows, modified from the Seventh Holy Scripture, were still emitting wisps of smoke, and the belatedly arrived Hiel remained poised, watching the area engulfed by magic with utmost solemnity.
The inhuman aura, the creature tearing through space, and Kenneth's appearance that was completely unlike any human—what he saw was enough for Hiel to activate the heretical cleansing program. The Seventh Holy Scripture was activated at maximum power to snipe. The roars of the beasts gradually disappeared, and Hiel, whose mind was entirely on Kenneth, finally noticed the beast that had been hidden by the previously enormous creature.
"This aura... it's the Beast King's Nest! Oh no!"
Before the smoke of battle had cleared, the Seventh Holy Scripture turned around. Through the hazy magic, all that remained in Chiel's eyes was a devastated ruin. Realizing that Nero Chaos had escaped, Chiel, tense all over, immediately turned his attention back to the area where Kenneth was. The dust that was kicked up fell like raindrops, and in the crater several meters deep, there was no trace of any living creature except for flickering flames.
"Were they wiped out? If so, tonight..."
"Too bad, no, the toy in your hand can't hurt me."
Raising his arms to gather magical power, the Seventh Holy Scripture immediately unleashed a shockwave in the direction of the sound as the voice faded. Using the force of the shockwave to retreat, Hiel, who had drawn several black keys, shot towards Kenneth's location at lightning speed.
With a hissing sound, the beam of light fired by the Seventh Holy Scripture was casually sliced by Kenneth. The black key flying towards him shattered the moment it touched Kenneth's body. Looking at Siel, who was wearing a combat suit that looked very similar to Mash's and whose body was taut, Kenneth's face revealed a hint of anger.
Nero Chaos escaped thanks to Hierle's sneak attack, and even Floff, who had been knocked unconscious by Kenneth, disappeared. With research material at the level of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostles gone, Kenneth was genuinely angry.
"who are you!"
After confirming that Nero Chaos had escaped, Kenneth had withdrawn from his control over the Beast. Looking at Kenneth, who exuded a human aura, Chiel, who had never encountered such a situation while fighting heretics, questioned him and subconsciously tightened his grip on the Seventh Holy Scripture.
"That attack just now definitely hit, but he... damn it, he should have brought Black Barrel with him."
Black Barrel, the black spear of the Gun God, is one of the seven world-destroying weapons of Atlas. It possesses the concept of 'lifespan' and is used by the top combat force of the Burial Mechanism. Ciel wields this weapon, which has absolute lethality against heretical creatures. He judges that the creature emerging behind Kenneth is definitely within the range of the Black Barrel's annihilation. Realizing that he brought the wrong equipment, Ciel becomes even more wary of Kenneth in front of him.
However, no matter how vigilant Hil was, Kenneth would not give Hil the chance to go back and change equipment. Since Floff had run away, Kenneth decided to use Hil as research material. The body that had been chosen by Roya and turned into a Dead Apostle was enough for Kenneth to study for a while.
"Young lady, you've really angered me. Let me collect a little interest!"
Suddenly, Kenneth's figure vanished from Hiel's sight, his body unable to react. The next second, Kenneth appeared directly in front of Hiel, his hand, covered in magic, striking the girl's neck with a swift chop.
"You...don't even think about it!"
The Seventh Holy Scripture erupted with a translucent white light, and the weapons passed down through generations of the Church emitted flames that burned away heresy, rushing towards Kenneth. Seeing that Hiel was also being burned by the flames, Kenneth's palm severed the flame fueled by the Gospel as Hiel's eyes widened.
“Things related to God are useless to me, so give up the struggle.”
With a swift chop, Hiel, wielding the giant crossbow, collapsed to the ground, his vision going black. Kenneth, exhaling a breath, led the fallen Hiel away. Shortly after Kenneth left, another girl appeared in the area, affected by the aftermath of the battle. Sniffing the lingering scent in the air, she realized that the Dead Apostle present was not Roya. Somewhat disappointed, Arcueid continued her search for the lurking snake.
Chapter 231 Hier
Carrying Hiel, whose clothes resembled those of a shrew, Kenneth returned to his apartment without hindrance. He dumped the unconscious Hiel in a hastily constructed workshop, and without a word, Kenneth, who was very interested in the power possessed by Zu, drew a vial of blood from Hiel.
As the original body possessed by Roya, Hiel inherited Roya's physique to some extent, and even surpassed Roya himself in some aspects. Having witnessed the strength of the Dead Apostles in this world, Kenneth would be wasting his opportunity if he didn't study him properly.
"Similar appearances, different origins—is this the reason for the differences between the Dead Apostles in the two worlds?"
As Kenneth meticulously stripped away the common human traits, he revealed to him the true nature of the Dead Apostles' power in this world, distinguishing them from those of humans. If the Dead Apostles of Kenneth's world were products of legendary conceptualization, then the Dead Apostles of this world were fundamentally born from two celestial bodies that had been together for hundreds of millions of years.
This is the power originating from the planet. If gods, fairies, and fantasy creatures are the tentacles of the planet, then these Dead Apostles are tentacles that have deteriorated countless times.
However, deterioration does not mean weakening. It is precisely because of their inferior quality that the Dead Apostles can accommodate various mottled powers. The Dead Apostles originated from the True Ancestors, who were created by Gaia and Zhu Yue.
But as the saying goes, the vassal of a vassal is not my vassal. Apart from the dead apostles created by Zhu Yue, the vast majority of dead apostles will not obey the leadership of Zhu Yue and Gaia. They absorb the planet's nutrients and erode human reason. They hate all living beings with the indiscriminate malice of the dead. They absorb life and feel life. The dead apostles are not only enemies of human reason, but they are the common enemies of all life on this planet.
"So that's how it is. It's the blessing of the planet beneath our feet. It seems to be another battle between those two."
Through meticulous analysis, Kenneth discovered the protective aura of the planet beneath his feet, a planet silently supporting these beasts that were devouring humanity. Humanity was the enemy of the planet; magicians were draining its vital energy, while ordinary people were robbing it of life.
For its own survival, Gaia, as the consciousness of the planet, instinctively wanted to eliminate humanity, while Alaya, the unconscious collective of humanity, wanted the prosperity of human reason. Human reason was suppressed, and the Dead Apostles were restricted. The compromise between the two sides created the world in which Kenneth lived.
"What a fragile balance, a game of restraint. It seems I can take advantage of it a little..."
Just as Kenneth was lost in thought, Hiel, who had been physically put into a deep sleep, unconsciously twitched his fingertips a few times. He opened his eyes in a daze, and the bright overhead light created several double images. Under the combined effects of blood loss and brain hypoxia, Hiel's consciousness was awakening at an extremely slow pace.
Buzz... Buzz buzz buzz...
The church-issue ceremonial robes vibrated, and he subconsciously reached for his pocket. The feeling of restraint on his arm reminded Hiel of the memories before he fainted: the malice that was eroding the world, and that aura that was completely inhuman. This man was definitely not human.
Hierel maintains a gentle demeanor towards all humans, regardless of who they are. However, having suffered greatly at the hands of the Dead Apostles, Hierel will stop at nothing to send them to meet their maker. Clearly, after witnessing the power Kenneth displayed, Hierel, who had already classified Kenneth as a Dead Apostle, looked at the engrossed Kenneth with the utmost hostility.
Realizing that Kenneth wasn't paying attention to her, her body's instinctive reaction was suppressed by her awakened consciousness, and Hiel unleashed a force far beyond imagination in her arms in an attempt to break free from the restraints Kenneth had placed on her.
"No need to bother, I've specially enhanced its abilities, and your barrier is too rudimentary, you can stop what's unfolding in the sky."
After a moment, a somewhat familiar male voice rang out, and the body that had been secretly exerting force came to a standstill. Hiel, whose pupils suddenly contracted, had no idea that Kenneth had seen through his actions.
With his toes touching the ground, the chair spun around. Seeing that Ciel was still unwilling to give up, Kenneth, without taking a hit from a space-based weapon, completely sealed the magic circuits in Ciel's body with a flick of his finger.
Based on the principles of the Blood Ring used to hunt down the Ancestors, Chierel wove a grand magic unique to her. The isolation barrier "Grand Cathedral" isolated space, and the "Star of Calvaria" unfolding in the stratosphere would burn everything in the form of a sword of light. In addition, she had an iron fist that could unleash 50 tons of superhuman strength and magic comparable to a Grand Magician. In order to conduct research in peace, Kenneth had specially strengthened the containment of Chierel, and now it seemed that the effect was very good.
With her magic circuits losing their connection, the grand magic she was about to unleash vanished due to the loss of its power supply. Realizing she was now a complete prisoner, Ciel, without even exchanging thoughts with Kenneth, simply closed her eyes. Possessing near-perfect immortality, Ciel, having emerged from the burial facility, was prepared to be tortured by Kenneth. She would wait for the right opportunity to physically deliver this heretic from his slumber.
"Tsk, not planning to communicate? The seventh member of the Burial Agency, the reincarnation of the previous generation of Roja, Alesia."
Mentioning the name he had abandoned, and recalling his past memories, Hiel opened his eyes and glared at Kenneth in front of him. Seeing that Hiel had finally reacted, Kenneth snapped his fingers and released the restraints binding Hiel's limbs.
Although he didn't know why Kenneth would let him go, Hiel, whose first priority was eliminating the Dead Apostles, threw a punch at the vulnerable Kenneth the moment he broke free.
Boom! Crack! Crack!
Hiel's iron fist left cracks on the suddenly appearing crystal wall before it could advance even an inch further. Realizing that he couldn't break through Kenneth's defense in a short time, Hiel withdrew his arm and simultaneously sprinted towards the closed window. In just a few seconds, Hiel, who had single-handedly defeated three Ancestors, realized that Kenneth was a formidable opponent. Escape, lie in wait, and wait for his strength to improve was the best course of action.
Kenneth watched as Hiel, his body colliding and crashing through the window, fell silently. Seconds later, Hiel, who should have landed, suddenly reappeared high in the air, his body falling past the window of Kenneth's room. Time and again, just before hitting the ground, Hiel's body would uncontrollably appear high in the air.
When Kenneth freed Hierer from his restraints, the apartment was plunged into a magically constructed alternate world. Given that Hierer's magic circuits were sealed, if Hierer could break through the spatial barrier by brute force, Kenneth might really consider choosing a prime location for himself.
After a while, Hiel, whose body was accelerating under the influence of the laws of physics, realized the current situation. He glanced at Kenneth, who was sitting in the only real room, and grabbed the real windowsill at the cost of dislocated arms.
The abrasions on his body and his dislocated arms were rapidly repaired by his extraordinary immortality. Knowing that he could not escape, Hiel returned to the room. His blue eyes fell on Kenneth. Not understanding Kenneth's purpose, Hiel waited for an opportunity, an opportunity to kill him in one blow.
"Aren't you going to run away? Or are you planning to strike a fatal blow when I'm off guard?"
Kenneth instinctively reached his hand to his side, paused for a moment, and then realized that Chris, who could serve him tea at any time, was not with him. However, Kenneth's subconscious movement was seen as a prelude to attack by the tense Hiel. With his arms crossed in front of him, Hiel, unaware of Kenneth's thoughts, instinctively prepared to defend against the attack.
A few seconds later, the expected attack did not occur. After a battle of wits with thin air, Hiel's gaze immediately returned to Kenneth. Unlike before, this time Hiel's eyes showed a hint of embarrassment and annoyance at being teased.
"You want to die like a normal person, don't you, Alesia?"
With the attitude that "it's not my choice that's embarrassing, it's someone else's," Kenneth casually withdrew his hand, maintaining his indifferent demeanor. His long-held pursuit had been exposed by Kenneth, and a hint of surprise appeared in Hield's eyes. Under the gaze of the pie chart, a slight smile gradually appeared on Kenneth's lips.
"The serpent's curse robbed you of your human identity. You hate the serpent that caused all this, you hate the Dead Apostles who brought you misfortune. You want to die as a human, so you have been chasing the serpent that cursed you in an attempt to end it all. For this, you have abandoned your former name. Am I right, Hiel?"
As Kenneth spoke, Hierle's breathing became increasingly agitated, but he remained silent, clinging to his hatred of the Dead Apostles and viewing Kenneth as a heretic.
"Still holding on? Impressive willpower, Hiel. If I told you I could break the curse the snake placed on you, what would you choose?"
His eyes flickered uncontrollably, his tense body trembled involuntarily, and after struggling for a moment, Hiel finally spoke, looking at Kenneth's confident face.
“My hands represent the will of God; your words cannot deceive me! Heretic!”
"Ha, heretic. If you mean faith, then I am indeed a heretic."
Kenneth's answer made Hier narrow her eyes. The heresy she was referring to was not faith, but Kenneth's power and physical characteristics. That appearance that could not be classified into any human category was the root of Hier's hostility towards Kenneth. Even though Kenneth did not show any bloodsucking, in her subconscious, Hier already regarded Kenneth as one of those reclusive ancestors.
"Don't use those inferior beings to represent me, and don't arbitrarily change other people's races. You stubborn little girl, I am who I am, and I will always be who I am. My existence as a human being does not need your recognition."
Kenneth saw through Hierle's thoughts once again, and looked at Hierle, whose face was full of doubt, with an unquestionable tone. His eyes were filled with a strong sense of self.
"Alright, let's continue our previous topic. The snake's curse is nothing to me. What's your choice?"
When someone raises doubts, that melon is already a greenhorn in their eyes. Kenneth was too lazy to explain to Hierle's doubts, nor did he need to. As the saying goes, one's existence does not need the affirmation of others, and Kenneth's identity does not need the recognition of others.
As for the mark on Hierle's soul, Kenneth has no fewer than ten ways to resolve it, but Kenneth is not one to show kindness lightly. Moreover, Hierle's constant sour face has caused Kenneth to lose rare materials. Given these factors, Kenneth, who is good at holding grudges, will not act for nothing.
(5)(2)(6)(6)(2)(2)(5)(1)
To understand this world, Kenny needed information on the Twenty-Seven Ancestors and records from the Holy Church regarding the mystical side, the authority to suppress human reason, and the power of planetary blessings. The mystery of this world had already piqued Kenny's interest. His fingertips rhythmically tapped the table, and Kenny took in all of Hiel's reactions.
Chapter 232 Undercurrents
The rhythmic tapping sound relentlessly assaulted Hiel's defenses. Seeing Kenneth's seemingly certain victory, Hiel, overwhelmed by a heavy sense of confusion, was at a loss for what to do. The Seventh Holy Scripture floated in front of Hiel. Kenneth, having collected enough research material from Hiel, got up and headed towards the workshop's exit.
“I will stay here for a while longer. You can come to see me anytime before I leave, Alesia.”
The spatial blockade disappeared, and the shackles that suppressed magic were also released at this moment. Picking up the Seventh Holy Scripture floating in front of him, and looking at Kenneth who had his back directly exposed to him, the flustered Ciel struggled for a long time before finally putting down his weapon. After Kenneth had completely left, Ciel, with mixed feelings, left the apartment through the broken window.
The city, which had been dormant all night, came back to life as the night passed. Televisions in the shops along the street broadcast news of the massive gas pipeline explosion the night before. In this world where humanity was suppressed, the powerful hand of the mystical side firmly bound ordinary people to the surface world they lived in. Wearing a highly revealing combat suit, Shier finally made it back to the base.
"Was last night's battle fought by the Twenty-Seven Ancestors?"
Hiers, who had been missing for a night, returned safely. Neuer, who had been waiting all night, looked at Hiers with complicated feelings while trying to feel at ease. As the only survivor of the French Revolution, Neuer's feelings toward Hiers were extremely conflicted.
On what should have been her happiest day, Hiel, disguised as Roya, took everything from her; when she was imprisoned and raised by the church as a pollutant and offended a high-ranking figure in the church, it was Hiel who responded to her and provided her with protection, allowing the mediocre girl to safely spend five years in the mystical world filled with threats.
She hated Hier, the former perpetrator, but she also respected this powerful agent. After Hier, feeling guilty, took Noel as his disciple, they barely interacted outside of work, which made the relationship between the two, who were both from the same hometown and master and disciple, increasingly distorted.
“The Nineteenth Ancestor and the Tenth Ancestor, the flames last night were the power of the Nineteenth Ancestor.”
With the two Ancestors and Roya still lurking, Noel's expression froze, as he instinctively feared the Ancestors. Memories of France from years ago resurfaced like a nightmare; the small city had been turned into a ghost town overnight due to the ritual of multiple Ancestors. The same thing was happening again in this city, and Noel uncontrollably fell into an abyss of fear.
"They're handed over to me; you just need to continue investigating the intelligence."
For some inexplicable reason, Hierle concealed Kenneth's existence and had no intention of continuing to communicate with Noel. Hierle, who still needed to remain undercover as a student, changed into his uniform and left the room. After watching Hierle leave, Noel, after a moment of hesitation, dialed his superior's number.
Although they are different creatures from the legendary vampires, driven by instinct, Dead Apostles and ghouls still follow the habit of being active at night and hiding during the day. Daytime belongs to the living, and nighttime belongs to the dead. Under this tacit rule, Kenneth, who could no longer extract anything useful from Hiel's blood, fell into unemployment.
Sitting on a park bench, Kenneth wasted his time with a Zen-like attitude. Flöf and Nero Chaos both appeared. The world had changed. There were quite a few Zus eyeing Arcueid. Kenneth couldn't predict how many more opportunists that silly princess would attract. As he mentally sifted through the Zus connected to Arcueid, Kenneth's eyes gradually became vacant.
"Hmm, this smell... are you one of the people fighting in the alley last night?"
A golden strand of hair flashed through the empty vision. With hands clasped behind her back, body slightly hunched and head tilted forward, Arcueid's nose twitched as if trying to identify Kenneth's scent. Her clear red eyes swept over Kenneth's body, and under the allure of Kenneth's vitality, her canine teeth gradually peeked out from between Arcueid's lips.
As his eyes snapped back into focus, Kenneth noticed the eyes that were almost right in front of him and the slightly open mouth. Having witnessed his own attraction to vampires through Floff, Kenneth immediately chopped Arcueid back to her lost sanity with a single chop.
"Ouch! Ouch! What happened to me just now? Was it a blood-sucking urge?"
“I think it’s not just a bloodlust. The look in your eyes just now was like you wanted to devour me whole, Arcueid.”
Magic is the manifestation of life force. Within the perfect body constructed with the Third Law, there flows a near-infinite amount of magic. Kenneth is now an irresistible blood bag for any vampire, let alone Arcueid, who is still entangled in the urge to drink blood. Seeing Kenneth's upturned lips, Arcueid, who was crouching on the ground with her hands covering her head, immediately showed a look of lingering fear.
"If you're referring to the battle in the East District last night, then it was me, but unfortunately, the person I fought wasn't Roya."
Arcueid blinked a few times, still recovering from the pain in her head. After staring at Kenneth for several seconds, she belatedly stood up, revealing a wise expression. Arcueid narrowed her eyes and carefully examined Kenneth.
While Arcueid was scrutinizing Kenneth, Kenneth was also sizing up the idiot in front of him. After several seconds, Arcueid seemed to remember something and clenched his left fist, a hint of smugness instantly appearing in his wise eyes.
"You're the Ken... Kendadi that Master Zell was talking about. No wonder you could fight against Floff and Chaos, it turns out it's you."
Looking smugly at Kenneth's somewhat stiff expression, Arcueid managed to cobble together a "people's Arcueid" look with his hands on his hips and an expression that said, "You're not as awesome as me."
“Zelrich? It seems that old man told you about me, but let me introduce myself. I am Kenneth, not a fast food restaurant and I have no interest in wild ideas.”
"Well, well, well, names are nothing. Tell me how you did it last night. Chaos is pretty strong. And also, do you have any news about Roya?"
With the characteristic optimism of an idiot, Arcueid slapped Kenneth repeatedly, the superhuman strength of the True Ancestor passing through his body and causing the bench beneath Kenneth to creak under the weight. Without any sense of awkwardness, Arcueid sat down and launched a glare at Kenneth.
Kenneth wasn't sure if a fish's memory lasted seven seconds, but Arcueid's memory definitely wouldn't exceed that range by much. As Arcueid approached Kenneth, the surging sound of life-giving blood reached Arcueid's ears. Its crystalline eyes lost their luster, and the cold glint of its canine teeth was once again revealed to Kenneth.
"What an idiot..."
The chop brought Arcueid back to his senses physically. In order to keep the idiot in front of him awake for a little longer, Kenneth silently adjusted his body's functions to a reasonable range. Watching Arcueid blink again and fall into a daze, Kenneth, somewhat speechless, quietly waited for Arcueid's consciousness to return.
In the same city, in different corners, scattered beasts gathered together, and writhing chunks of flesh gradually formed the shape of Nero Chaos. Flöf, whose consciousness had just fallen into a state of chaos, was spat out of his body. Chaos, who had been entrusted by the Whitewing Lord to kill Arcueid, couldn't help but reassess the risks of this mission.
Just as Kenneth wanted Chaos's authority, Chaos also wanted to seize the authority of the Beast of 666 from Kenneth. Especially after witnessing the beast that emerged from the void, every consciousness within Chaos was both fearful and yearning for that power. Recalling the malice that eroded the world, Nero Chaos's gaze finally fell on Floff.
"It's not enough. This kind of power is still not enough. I need more help."
To be honest, Chaos really looked down on Floff, a guy who couldn't even maintain his consciousness. He was fine as cannon fodder, but against Kenneth, this guy who usurped the power of the Ancestral One would only be trampled underfoot. Realizing that his own power was still too singular, Chaos, who had already decided to seize Kenneth's power, immediately contacted the White Winged Duke.
"Cold...so cold...blood...I need fresh blood..."
A meaningless murmur escaped Flov's lips. Completely dominated by the Blood Ring, Flov sprang to his feet and lunged at Chaos, who had his back to him. A shadow shot out from Chaos's back, and several beasts of various shapes and sizes tore Flov to the ground. If time hadn't been so short, Nero Chaos would have truly wanted to choose a Dead Apostle from among the inheritors to inherit the Blood Ring of the Nineteenth Ancestor.
"What a piece of trash! Giving you the Blood Ring is such a waste! Forget it, you should regain your senses first."
A dark shadow surged from Chaos's body, and the beast left the warehouse through every crevice. Today, the ravenous beast will prey on all living things it encounters.
Chapter 233 Arcueid
Whitewing Lord, as the proposer of the plan to hunt down the last True Ancestor, fell into contemplation after receiving Nero Chaos's request for reinforcements.
"Have these unknown individuals already been confirmed to harbor ill intentions towards us?"
Looking at the portrait sent by Nero Chaos, the White Wing, as one of the oldest Dead Apostles, tried to find a match for Kenneth from his thousands of years of experience, but no matter how hard he racked his brains, there was no one who could be matched with Kenneth.
"It seems we can't act rashly... Before confirming the candidate, let's test that guy's strength first..."
People are shrewd and experienced, especially someone like Lord Whitewing who has been Zhu Yue's follower since the beginning. Anyone who can make Nero Chaos wary is no ordinary person. Moreover, the other party has crushed Flov with an overwhelming advantage. Although Lord Whitewing also looks down on Flov, this is enough to make Lord Whitewing be on guard.
"In that case, I'll leave it to you to make a contribution to the Dead Apostles, Your Highness."