[Vol. 8] Chapter 254: Rules Shift
The dozens of holy knights guarding the city gate, along with even more city guards helping with defense, were all killed without a single one surviving.
Just a moment ago, they looked completely normal, but in the blink of an eye, their helmets swelled up like they couldn’t take the pressure and exploded. What came out wasn’t a normal human head. It was a big, messy lump of flesh, twisting and growing like crazy, with no clear shape or order!
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle~!"
Their entire bodies started to change at the same time. It was like a pack of starving wolves had caught the scent of blood. A few city guards closest to Sasha and Ricardo started walking toward them in a weird, twisted way. Their heads made deep growling noises like wild beasts, and it was impossible to even tell where their mouths were. It was obvious, they wanted to attack.
"Eh!"
Even though Sasha instinctively pulled out her bow and arrow, the strange and terrifying scene made even someone as experienced and strong as her feel nervous. She swallowed hard without meaning to and felt a chill in her heart.
Luckily, after an initial struggle, Ricardo didn’t turn into one of those things like the others did.
Instead, he slowly came out of the pain. His twitching flesh seemed to calm down, like something was holding it back. Holding his forehead and barely opening his tired eyes, he stood up with Sasha’s help.
“Can you still move?”
“I’m okay. But the worst-case scenario has happened. Now... sigh. Miss Sasha, don’t try to fight. These things are very hard to kill without a special method. Neither of us has the power to do that.”
Sasha frowned, as if she was looking closely for a weakness in the transformed creatures.
“Not even a small chance?”
“It’s not impossible… but very troublesome.”
“Tch.”
After the short exchange, the captain of the guards let out a frustrated sound.
There was no doubt, this was exactly what Ricardo had warned about, what would happen if the strange power hidden inside people suddenly exploded. Sasha didn’t know why the sky had suddenly cracked open or what it meant, but it was clear that the disaster happening in Saint Tyr City was closely connected to it.
Whether those people did it willingly or were tricked or forced, it didn’t matter now. They were no longer thinking like humans. They acted on pure instinct, like wild animals. Talking to them was useless.
Screams, footsteps, roaring, blades tearing through flesh, and disturbing chewing sounds filled the air. Everything was in chaos. Judging from how the holy knights were the first to change and Ricardo’s reaction, it looked like the local church couldn’t be trusted anymore either.
It was a terrifying thought. Sasha could easily imagine that this scene wasn’t just happening where they were. Saint Tyr City… no, maybe an even bigger area… had fallen into complete madness and killing.
In a disaster like this, how many people would end up dying? Could Saint Tyr City really survive?
Could this be the world-ending disaster the Goddess had once predicted… finally coming true?
“Do you have any idea what that crack in the sky is?”
Ricardo looked up at the sky, gripped his steel blade tightly, then quickly looked back down, locking his eyes on the approaching monsters. He shook his head, his face looking troubled.
“I don’t know exactly what it is either. But from that crack, something called the power of [Corruption] is leaking out. It’s changing some of the basic rules of the world. Like a catalyst, it makes people who have been ‘Blessed’ suddenly explode with power, making them almost impossible to kill and a lot stronger.”
“But the cost is that their bodies become twisted, their minds go crazy, and they turn into forever-hungry [Flesh Eaters].”
"How could this be happening... Normally, even if His arrival is getting closer, it shouldn't be this early or this rushed. His real body hasn't even arrived yet, but He’s already acting like this. Could it be something serious happened to the young lady that triggered Him? Or is it because of that ruin?"
While mumbling things that made no sense, Ricardo slowly backed away together with Sasha. In front of them, more than ten twisted and strange-looking [Flesh Eaters] kept getting closer and closer. The girl couldn’t help but yell in frustration:
"Come on! Is this really the time to be all mysterious?! Can't you just explain things more clearly!?"
Looking at the girl standing just half a step in front of him, slightly shielding him, Ricardo could only let out a bitter laugh.
"Miss Sasha, it’s not that I don’t want to explain. But I’ve already become connected to that being through cause and effect. If I reveal more specific details, there’s a high chance He’ll notice me. And if that happens, the power He left inside my body will completely go out of control, and I won’t be able to stop it. I can’t die yet... For now, let’s think about how to escape the city."
"Escape the city?! Are you kidding me? I haven’t even found the rest of the trade group yet! How could I leave them and run away on my own!?"
"But..."
Ricardo seemed like he wanted to say more, but at that moment, the [Flesh Eaters] , now almost unrecognizable with their bodies looking like wildly growing tumors, finally cornered them against a wall. There was nowhere left to retreat. The monsters rushed at them!
"Scarlet Flame, First Form!"
Sasha’s eyes suddenly turned sharp. On her fully drawn bowstring, the long arrow turned into a blazing red flame, like a scarlet lotus in full bloom. It shot out at incredible speed!
Whoosh!!!
The fiery arrow flew through the air, leaving a trail so bright it could almost be seen with the naked eye. It was her teacher Miss Flora’s famous technique. Without any delay, it pierced straight through the body of the closest [Flesh Eater], cutting it in half, even though it was just an arrow, it also sliced through steel armor, and only stopped when it hit the wall of the building behind.
The [Flesh Eaters] seemed startled by the powerful attack, their movements hesitated for a moment. The one that had been hit fell backward on the spot, split into two parts by the arrow's force. Even Sasha herself looked a bit surprised.
“Eh?”
Wait... it’s down already?
Weren’t they supposed to be really hard to kill? It… doesn’t seem that bad? If they’re all like this…
But just as Sasha started to feel a bit relieved, something unbelievable happened right in front of her, and her eyes widened in shock!
Gulululululu...!
Only seconds after falling, the [Flesh Eater] that had been split in two and was bleeding heavily began to move again. Both the upper and lower halves started absorbing flesh and blood from the meat-covered ground. In the blink of an eye, they grew new flesh and limbs, and right before the squad captain's eyes, the monster turned into two creatures!
“Eh!? Eh!? EH!!?”
"I told you they’re hard to kill! What are you standing there for?! Run!!!"
Ricardo had clearly expected this. While Sasha was still stunned by the [Flesh Eaters]’ horrifying regeneration, he quickly threw a chunk of beast meat he had prepared in advance. As the monsters were distracted by the magic-rich meat, he didn’t hesitate, he grabbed her arm and ran!
But escaping wasn’t going to be easy. Not only had the city guards and holy knights at the gate already mutated, but now the gate itself, even though still technically open, was blocked off, sealed by a mass of blood and flesh pouring out of the city walls.
It had become a dead end.