Chapter 738 A Devil's Game [Pt 3]
'W-what… what is he?!'
Shai'ya found herself kneeling before the man she stared widely at, limbless and powerless.
Her armor had proven useless in his presence, and even her enhanced strength seemed nonexistent when compared to his overwhelming might.
She didn't seem strong at all.
'H-how did he… how can I…?'
A far corner from her was Kat'erin, who was still on the ground, groaning from the casual hit that Ater had given her not too long ago.
This man was toying with them. He had been toying with them for so long when he had the ability to just finish them off quickly.
'I'll make you regret it… I'll make you regret underestimating me! Underestimating us!'
Dragons had special ways of learning Magic—different from how humans and other races perceived it. They had Mana Circuits in their bodies that regulated the flow of Mana and allowed them to control even more Mana than the other creatures could possibly achieve. Usually, these Circuits couldn't be tampered with, but since Shai'ya could control her blood—and with [Absolute Overdrive] active, she had even more control over this Skill, she could artificially control the Circuit.
'I'll probably die from this, but… I don't care!' She thought to herself with greeted teeth and bloodshot eyes.
'As long as I can kill this bastard!'
Using her technique, she caused her Mana Circuits to explode within her, sending her into a world of pain, but also granting her an explosive amount of Mana that circulated around her body in no time.
~WHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSHHHHH!!!~
The energy caused unstoppable tremors that destabilized the earth itself.
"HAAAAAAAA!!!"
Shai'ya's body acted on pure instinct, and she used her mouth to pick up her blade in an attempt to slash him with it.
Her body radiated burning energy, and that power extended to the blade she now wielded.
She didn't know why her arms weren't healing, but that didn't matter.
Because… she was going to win!
But—
~SQUELCH!~
This time, her own heart was pierced by the blade, almost as soon as she moved forward to cut him up.
It was instantaneous… inevitable.
'H-huh…?'
She couldn't even see his movements this time. She didn't realize it when he took the blade from her and pierced her body with it.
All it had been a blur.
"Looks like you're already finished." She heard the cold words of the man before her, seeing as her mercilessly stared down at her.
In his eyes, she was nothing.
She suddenly began to feel her body being raised up, still feeling the pain of her heart being pierced and her circuits being destroyed.
'Ahh… arghhh…!'
Almost like she was nothing more than a lump of meat, she was flipped into the air, rolling right above Ater, who then aimed a finger upward to shoot.
'... Is this… how I… die…?'
Her body was paralyzed, and excruciating pain kept ravaging her body. Pain and sorry were the only things she felt at that point.
Ah… and fear.
'I don't want to die! Master… Lady Frey'ja… save me! S-save m—!'
"Explode."
Ater's voice was the last thing she heard before her entire body inflated and burst into several portions of entrails and gooey blood.
~SPLOOOOSH!~
The rain of blood fell all over the area, especially on Ater, who stood at the center with an amused smile on his ebony face.
"Shai'yaaaaa!!!" Kat'erin yelled out, but it seemed like all of it fell on deaf ears.
Ater raised a finger to his lips and gestured her to hush.
He wanted to savor the moment—the chaos, the death, the destruction. All of it was inhaled by him, feeling the perverse reckoning of the enemy.
Anyone who had the misfortune to lay eyes on this scene would consider Ater the villain and the poor girls in white as the damsel in distress.
But, there was no hero to rescue these girls.
No hope at all…
"Y-YOU… YOU MONSTER! I CAN'T BELIEVE… I CAN'T BELIEVE I EVER LOVED YOU!" Kat'erin yelled out in tears, but the moment she finished her words of pain and rage, Ater appeared right in front of her.
His intimidating presence caused her heart to nearly stop. She could hardly feel anything but the loud pounding in her head, almost forgetting to even breathe.
"Tough." Ater replied.
And then, Kat'erin found her vision being upturned as her head was lopped off her body.
In one merciless stroke, Ater had sliced it off, and the last thing she witnessed was her body crumbling to the ground while he stood in front of it, whispering words that was lost to her knowledge.
Right before her vision shut permanently, her failing mind translated those two words.
"Hollow Technique…"
*****************
[Moments Later]
Ater stood amidst the wreckage of the city, a satisfied grin on his face.
He appeared completely unfazed by the devastation his brief interaction with the two Dragons caused, despite it being in the Capital.
'I might have to trouble Master to use his time abilities to sort it out, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind once I show him the results I have.' His thoughts flowed seamlessly as he stared into the sky above his head.
'I wonder…' A wry smile formed on his face and he shook his head gently. 'No. It's not yet time.'
To distract himself from the thought he was about to make, Ater thought about the Deserters. They were the final piece of the puzzle, and their elimination was vital for wrapping up the entire scenario.
'Should I interfere? No… I think I'll just leave them be.' According to the scenario he established, they would all meet a pretty natural conclusion anyway.
If he was interested, he would have preferred to witness their despair personally, but he was currently too bored to care.
'I will just let them suffer in their delusion. Already having knowledge of how they will die is more than enough satisfaction for me.' Upon finally concluding on his decision, shadows manifested around him, and he let the darkness swallow him whole, vanishing from his position in an instant.