Reborn As An Evolving Monster

376  Like a Cockroach, II

Thirty-nine Ghouls approaching at once.

Too many of them. Too many to stand side by side in the narrow corridor.

The blue flames lighting up the area flickered.

Ten by ten, they'll attack in waves.

Don't leave one of them out of your field of vision.

No, looking away is fine.

Don't forget about any of them.

Remember the one on the left, as you look to the right.

Keep their speed in mind. Keep the distance they can cross with a leap in mind. So that you can turn back left at the right time.

Stay light on your feet and aware of your surroundings.

Keep your eyes open, and your legs moving.

Don't stop thinking.

Remember all of them.

The one on the left will jump in less than one second.

Turn, and deflect its attack with your left hand while moving closer to it. Moving closer will allow you to dodge the one on the right. Extend your right hand while pulling your left one back.

Reach towards the one on the left, while spinning slightly.

Pierce this one's throat, while landing a tail flick on that one.

Step to the left.

With the hand that you kept hidden from them,

Corruption Production-

Corruption Control, Throwing Knife x 3-

Spin to the left, throw.

Two hits, one miss.

'It's my first time knife-throwing, so that's good enough for now.'

The white-scaled Monster's back was left open.

They jumped forward.

Long and sharp spider legs pierced their way out of the white-scaled Monster's lower back, and through their stomachs.

'Six dead. Two on the floor, Corruption spreading.'

A tail flick to the neck is enough.

Piercing their throat is enough.

Keep thinking.

The little gaps.

Find them.

[Your Passive Skill "Combative Eye[D]" is Evolving!]

[ Your Title "Evolving Monster" is...]

Ignore it.

Focus only on the fighting.

Distance. Speed. Reach. Power. Think of it all. All at once!

This is so much fun!

Is this how Lin felt when fighting?

He could really see everything!

Calculating. Analyzing. Anticipating.

This is so much fun!

Look to right. Look to the left.

Don't stop moving!

Don't stop thinking!

Keep your neck and eyes moving.

It feels totally different than when hopelessly looking for an escape!

Totally different than when scared!

I see it now. I was completely wrong.

This is so much fun!

You were fighting this way all this time?

That's so unfair! You should have told me!

My brain, my eyes, my limbs... Using everything this way feels...

Did you feel this way too, Elis-

'...'

A drop of blood escaped from the corner of the white-scaled Monster's lips.

It slowly, slowly went down his chin.

"Sharp claws..." He noted.

He grabbed the Ghoul's wrist, forcibly pulling its claws out of his stomach.

"I deserved that." Mark whispered, before slamming the Ghoul's body against the ground with such force that cracks were drawn.

The white-scaled Monster let go of the Ghoul's wrist.

Mark stared as the Ghoul coughed blood.

Three ribs had been broken. Its spine had been damaged.

The white-scaled Monster was unmoving.

Chance!

No?

It's a golden opportunity, isn't it?

The white-scaled Monster has finally stopped moving.

Why did the Ghouls stop moving too?

The white-scaled Monster didn't even straighten its body.

It was still slouching.

Now is the time!

Mark slowly straightened up.

The opportunity was gone.

The Ghouls' breathing grew heavy.

Why had they stopped moving? Even they couldn't tell.

But that confusion only lasted for a second.

The white-scaled Monster's cold expressionless face. The dark Aura emanating from its left arm.

It was clear why they hadn't moved.

They would have died.

A death faster than any of the deaths the other Ghouls had gone through by now.

Fog exited the white-scaled Monster's mouth as it sighed.

It slightly raised its left arm, and the Ghouls shuddered.

Corruption Control, Corrupting Javelin-

Corruption Control, Corrupting Javelin-

Corruption Control, Corrupting Javelin-

.

.

Instantly, close to three dozen Corrupting Javelins were formed around the white-scaled Monster and floated in the air.

Mark's left arm started moving, and the Ghouls turned around.

As fast as they could, they turned around.

Run away. Run away, run away, run away, run away! Their instincts screamed.

But before their first step away could even be taken, the white-scaled Monster's arm had already been extended.

A dozen Corrupting Javelins pierced through the air with great speed.

Mark took a step forward.

The Ghouls ran! Their backs were pierced.

The Ghouls used their arms to defend themselves. Their arms were pierced.

The lucky ones accelerated.

Mark took a step forward.

Another dozen Corrupting Javelins moved forward.

Pierce- Pierce- Pierce-

They ran and ran!

Pierce- Pierce- Pierce-

They fell.

10:43

Holes through their legs, arms, stomachs, or chests.

On the ground, they squirmed and squirmed.

Agonizing and writhing.

The pain that comes with their blood, organs, and minds being Corrupted.

They opened their mouths.

Their throats and vocal cords, so used to being quiet, lamented, bled, and tore as they screamed.

The white-scaled Monster calmly and indifferently walked over and around the screaming Ghouls.

Through their screams and howls of agony, Mark kept walking forward.

He kept walking, until he arrived at the end of the path.

There, waited a Ghoul different than the rest.

Taller than the others. Stronger than the others.

Its body was more muscular. Its claws were sharper.

Mark walked forward. The Ghoul did not move.

He approached further. It did not move.

He kept walking until the distance separating the two was only a couple of centimeters.

The Ghoul stared him down. Literally, as it was about 20 centimeters taller than Mark.

The latter stared upwards.

The Ghoul was just as ugly as the rest.

Three seconds passed.

The Ghoul, infuriated, clenched its fist.

Ghouls fight in the dead of the night. They fight stealthily. Being challenged this way wasn't to its advantage. Yet, the enemy is letting it throw the first move? Insulting.

It pulled its arm back with great strength and speed.

The white-scaled Monster did not move to guard. It slightly shifted its center of gravity forward.

The clenched fist connected with the white-scaled Monster's stomach with full force!

The Ghoul had expected to send the enemy flying.

But no, its stomach was still connected to its fist.

The white-scaled Monster's feet had only been moved a couple of centimeters backwards.

Still, the Ghoul wasn't worried.

It was a good hit after all. It must have done some good damage.

It had indeed.

Mark fought against it.

But why bother?

He felt it rise up.

His cheeks ballooned up!

He opened his mouth and,

BLEUGHHHH-

The Ghoul's eyes were wider than ever.

Its hit had indeed done a lot of damage.

The Ghoul looked down.

Why were its bones visible? Huh? Where did it go?

Why is half its stomach missing? The Ghoul fell to the ground.

"Ha." Mark chuckled dryly.

He spat to the side.

"Acid Reflux..."

He brought a wrist to his face, wiping his mouth.

"Disgusting."

Mark had arrived at the end of the path.

"It's perfect." He whispered, before crouching.

The white-scaled Monster tore the Ghoul's arm off and started feeding on it.

The other Ghouls' cries grew weaker.

Running through the whole area. Taking every possible path. Every corner, every hole.

Only the central path remains.

I want to be strong.

The Undead Lich awaits.

A cockroach can survive weeks after losing its head.

I want to be strong.