Chapter 184: Ch184: The Final Blow

Out of the three, Bernard and Zane barely managed to react in time, but Daniel was caught by the tail and sent skidding across the ground.

Whenever the creature curled into a ball like an armadillo, it regenerated its mana and used it to enhance its strength, stamina, and defense.

*Thud!*

"Agh!" Daniel groaned as his back crashed into the trunk of a tree."My back... ugh... my back."

"How far did I—"

Suddenly, a red translucent screen materialized before his eyes.

——————

Name: Vorvak II

Hp: 7890/9000

Mana: 3890/6000

Standard: Good

Description: A Null-type creature that feeds on human flesh and specializes in defense and close-range offense. Its outer shell is exceptionally hard, making it nearly impossible to damage from the outside.

However, its internal body is far more fragile, making attacks that penetrate its armor especially effective.

——————

"Null creature... what?" Daniel muttered, frowning as he read the description.

"Wait... I do have a weapon that inflicts bleeding."

He reached into his pouch and pulled out the dagger.

"Far."

——————

Name: Cryst blade

Type: Dagger

Rarity: Very common

Durability: 99%

Description: A dagger found in dungeons, especially in Tier One dungeons. It is known for its bleeding effect, which drains ten health points per second for three seconds after ten consecutive slashes within ten seconds.

——————

Will it work?

...

Zane gathered the shattered rocks and forged them into a massive stone trident.

"Hah!"

He hurled it toward Vorvak, aiming to skewer the creature.

*CLANG!*

The trident struck its shell, but failed to pierce it and shattered into pieces.

Meanwhile, Bernard circled the battlefield, using his Second Form. Crackling chains of lightning spread around Vorvak, confining it to a limited space.

Every movement the creature made triggered the electric chains, stunning it for a split second and slowing its advance.

The moment Daniel closed the distance, Vorvak curled into a tight ball, as though it had sensed a life-threatening danger approaching.

A deep red glow seeped through the gaps in its shell, growing brighter with every passing second.

Zane’s eyes widened as he sensed the surge of mana.

Daniel charged forward.

"Don’t go!" Zane shouted.

But he was too late to stop him.

A violent current of air burst from the gaps in Vorvak’s shell, creating a powerful suction that dragged everything toward its body.

Dust, sand, leaves, branches, and even small trees were ripped from the ground and pulled into the swirling vortex, feeding the impending blast.

Daniel dug his feet into the ground and fought against the pull as he unleashed a flurry of slashes across Vorvak’s shell.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

The dagger failed to leave even a scratch.

"Damn it..."

"Far."

Daniel glanced at the translucent screen.

[ Bleeding Effect: None ]

His eyes widened in panic.

Bernard grabbed a thick tree vine and wrapped it tightly around his arm, anchoring himself in place.

Zane braced himself against a nearby tree and shouted. "Get out of there!"

*STAB!*

*CLANK!*

Oh no!

The dagger’s blade shattered against Vorvak’s shell, its fragments immediately sucked into the swirling vortex.

The crimson glow beneath its shell flared brighter and brighter, pulsing with energy like a bomb on the verge of detonation.

Is this... how I die?

A wave of helplessness washed over him as the suction dragged him closer to the creature.

Is this how it all ends? No... I won’t accept this!

Daniel planted his right palm against Vorvak’s shell and closed his eyes. Lightning gathered into his palm, condensing with every passing second.

"Come on...!"

*BzZzZzZT!*

If I die here... I’ll never kill Klaus!

*BOOM!!*

With every ounce of lightning he had accumulated in his right hand, Daniel unleashed a devastating surge straight into Vorvak’s shell.

Bernard stared in disbelief.

The lightning wasn’t reflected.

Zane felt the violent suction stop all at once.

The lightning had penetrated Vorvak’s shell.

It tore through the creature’s interior, electrocuting every organ and every strand of flesh from the inside out.

*SCREEECH!!*

Daniel’s right arm suffered the backlash as the violent current surged through it, leaving it trembling uncontrollably.

Cracks spread across the centipede’s shell before chunks of its armor began falling away one after another.

Zane hurried over and caught Daniel by the shoulder, helping him stay on his feet.

"Are you okay?" Zane asked.

Daniel gave a weak nod. "...Yes."

The three of them looked across the devastated forest. Trees lay split in half, the ground was riddled with craters, and Vorvak’s lifeless body lay motionless among the wreckage.

"Zane... Zero is in Cinder Town," Daniel said without looking at him.

Zane frowned.

"How do you—"

"Helen told me."

At the mention of her name, Zane’s eyes darted across the battlefield. He found Helen slumped against the trunk of a tree, her head hanging forward, and body utterly still.

Zane’s legs gave out beneath him. He dropped to his knees, staring at her in silence.

Daniel watched in silence.

...

"Who are these people, Daniel?" Bernard asked as he stepped beside him.

Daniel remained silent for a moment.

"They’re... not our enemies. That’s all that matters right now."

Silence settled over the forest.

A cold breeze drifted through the shattered trees as moonlight filtered through the clouds, illuminating the battlefield.

Zane lifted Helen’s body into his arms and walked toward the graveyard. With a wave of his hand, the earth parted, forming a grave.

He gently laid her inside, clasped his hands together, and bowed his head in silent prayer.

Bernard watched Zane in silence, saying nothing.

Meanwhile, Daniel made sure neither of them was watching before carving a small piece of flesh from Vorvak’s corpse and slipping it into his Veil’s pouch.

Thick green blood coated his hand as a foul stench filled the air.

’What a disgusting smell,’ he thought.

After wiping the blood from his hand, Daniel walked over to Zane with a neutral expression, lowering his head as Zane covered Helen’s body with earth.

"It’s okay, my friend. You can rest now. May your soul rest in peace," Zane said, his voice heavy with grief.