It was as if time had stopped completely. Staring at the red slowly pooling beneath her foot and the massive gash beside her, Zoey found herself barely reacting as a pair of blood-red eyes swept over the surroundings.
A constant ringing echoed in her mind as voices whispered in the background. They were everywhere, many shouting as they seemed to say something, but Zoey couldn’t pay attention to them as she continued to stare at the creature standing opposite her.
It just stood there.
Frozen.
And yet, its presence seemed to fill the entire area, and Zoey found herself struggling to take a single breath.
Something about its presence appeared to strip the air out of the surroundings, with its presence only growing stronger with each passing second.
’It’s growing. It’s... still growing.’
Zoey took a step back, her chest tightening as her mind scrambled to think of a way out of the current situation. She wasn’t alone. The Section Chiefs and every high-ranking member within the area was also sharing similar thoughts as Zoey.
And yet⎯
"This is like... the one in Malovia."
One of the Section Chiefs murmured while staring at the Butcher.
"We’re dealing with a high-class anomaly. One that might just surpass the one in Malovia."
"No."
It was the Section Chief of the Severed Stars Guild who shut that idea down. As his gaze lingered on the distant Butcher, he drew in a cold breath while massaging beneath his eyes.
"While it’s certainly a high-class anomaly, it’s not quite at the same level as the one in Malovia. I know because I was there. But..." The Section Chief’s words trailed off as he continued to stare at the Butcher, who had now stopped moving entirely, seemingly scanning the surroundings for something.
Taking another deep breath, he continued, "Its strength seems to be increasing for some reason. If we delay any longer, there’s a chance it could reach that same level, or even surpass it."
The Section Chief’s words cast a heavy tension over the surroundings as all of the Section Chiefs looked at one another. The tension lingering in the air only seemed to tighten as all attention fell on the Butcher, and it was at that moment that it finally began to move again.
Just like before, it raised its hand in the air as the knife glinted in the air.
"Careful! I need several of you to hold the front while the others dash to the sides and attack from behind. Especially those of the [Sentinel] Decree!"
Velrik’s voice rang across the area the moment the Butcher began to move, and in that exact instant, several figures vanished from their positions. Though they had only clashed with the Butcher once, they all seemed to have noticed the same thing.
"Its attack pattern is rather simple! It’s impossible to avoid its attack, but in the time when it attacks, we can exploit its relatively slow movements to reach its back and attack it!"
This was exactly what they did.
Just as the Butcher’s knife began to cleave downward, several figures appeared directly behind it. They were the Section Chiefs from several high-ranking Guilds, striking at the Butcher’s exposed back.
Their movements and actions were swift.
The moment they acted, they gave the Butcher no time to react, immediately attacking its exposed back with everything they had. Some channeled their nodes, while others unleashed abilities through them.
They had hoped this would be enough to stop the Butcher’s attack, but...
"⎯⎯!"
"What!?"
Even as they stabbed and struck at the Butcher’s exposed back, it did not stop moving. Blood spurted from its body as several attacks pierced straight through it, emerging from the other side. Some even targeted its head, but despite the blood pouring out, the Butcher’s movements never faltered.
It continued to slash downward.
Velrik’s pupils constricted rapidly as he shouted.
"Watch out!"
But it was a little too late.
By the time his words rang out, the Butcher’s hand was already cleaving downward, and those attacking it stopped at once.
"....."
"....."
"....."
For just a moment, the world seemed to come to a complete still.
Not a single sound reverberated across the surroundings.
Until...
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Several bodies collapsed to the ground, blood pooling in all directions as the Butcher remained standing where it was. Its blood-red eyes darkened to an even deeper shade, almost resembling black, while Velrik and the remaining Section Chiefs stood in shock, their eyes fixed on the fallen figures.
"A-ah."
Some covered their lips, unable to process the situation.
Especially Velrik, who stared at the items that he had tossed in front of him, preparing to deal with the brunt of the Butcher’s attack.
And yet⎯
’It slashed in our direction, and yet it killed those behind it. Does that mean its attack is unrelated to the direction it points?’
Velrik’s eyes trembled, his expression twisting as he struggled to come to terms with what he had just witnessed. But with the strong scent of iron lingering in the air, he knew he had no choice but to accept what had happened, his lips quivering.
Only to fall still as the Butcher raised its hand once more.
"Shit! Be careful! It’s going to attack again! Don’t attack it! Delay it! Delay it...! Reinforcements will come soon!"
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
His words were cut short as the surroundings began to quake, the power radiating from the Butcher intensifying until the Section Chiefs and recruits alike found themselves unable to breathe, staring at the creature in the center with clear looks of horror.
"The island..."
Someone mumbled, their feet trembling.
"It’s shaking."
"Shit!"
Velrik cursed, realizing the situation was even more dire than he had initially anticipated. Although many of the Section Chiefs present were exceptionally capable and strong, there were still countless recruits and civilians standing behind them.
They couldn’t move as they wished because of it. The moment they did, it would also be the moment those people died.
But at the same time, if they didn’t move, they’d all die!
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
As the surroundings shook once more, a gentle sigh echoed through the air.
It was a sigh filled with resignation as a figure stepped forward. The moment Zoey caught sight of her, her expression changed, but she didn’t even have time to say anything before Soran stepped forward and appeared before the Section Chief, his usually languid eyes now carrying a rare trace of seriousness.
"You..."
"We’ll all die at this rate. And... I think I’m healed enough to do something. Maybe it won’t be so bad."
Soran answered, rubbing the back of her head as she tilted her head to stare at the Butcher, whose hand had already begun to move downward.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Everything shook once more, and several people lost their footing as they struggled to keep themselves upright. Despite this, Soran remained standing where she was, tapping the side of her head.
She didn’t say anything else and instead just looked at the Section Chief.
He stared back at her, his lips parting as he tried to say something, but whatever words were about to leave his mouth remained stuck in his throat.
For her to choose to move now, of all times...
He clenched his teeth and closed his mouth, his own way of tacitly approving her next actions, as Soran smirked.
After that, she turned to face the Butcher as the nodes in her mind, which had remained dormant for a very long time, began to move once more.
In that instant, the Butcher’s movements stopped at once.
No, it wasn’t just the Butcher.
It was the entire island.