Chapter 59: 60. Crimson Hunger: Infestation

Before long, the caravans took a sharp turn at the end of the valley and arrived at their destination.

The city was built at the mouth of the valley, overlooked by two massive mountains faces.

Its defensive walls which reached from either ends of the mountains were destroyed, felled by countless landslides due to Iscario’s use of Infusion S. The city was huge, containing countless ruined homes. Since they approached from an elevated position, they could see the entirety of the city.

And consequently, the extent of the destruction.

“… Ignis…” Calfasio mourned, clutching at the pendant by his chest.

“Don’t look dear…” Hellen begged.

The entire outermost regions appeared like they had stood the test of time, completely weathered and cracked. But that was hardly the worst part. A couple roads inwards saw the city turn a bright red. Flesh tangled itself across the bricked streets, spreading themselves thin as if alive. Walls, structures, everything in the middle area had flesh growing on them, each with countless eyes but with no mouth.

The Flesh Clots could be seen roaming these places, as did other creatures. Worm-like monsters flailed at anything that moved. They didn’t even wriggle like one. They moved as if electrocuted, flinging themselves in random directions, smashing straight through walls.

Strands of thin sinew could be seen being strung in alleyways by a slug-like, gooey creature. The trail it left behind stuck to the ground like glue. But Frost knew that it was gore and felt sick to her stomach.

In the center of it all was a vast, flattened urban area that only saw the bulging mass of countless eyes and meat. Tendrils anchored it into place, keeping it suspended meters into the air. It was huge. Perhaps 20 meters in size all around. It pulsated madly, and Frost felt like she could hear the combined woes of tens of thousands of people, melded into a singular vibration.

The caravans stopped.

This was their last stop now. Brining them in would only serve to be a detriment. Therefore, they had to leave everything behind. One of the wolves carried Jury on their back. These things could easily outrun anything and was the safest place for her to remain. It was also where all non-combatants remained, including the cat-eared girl.

“It’s horrible. We… we have to enter?” Jaris suddenly grew cold feet.

“It is on the verge of becoming a Plague. Everything outside is going to be at its mercy. We’re safest inside.” Via reminded. “Frost. We’re counting on you as always.”

“Go get them Frost!”

“Please… avenge them!”

“Ignis… Please be safe. Please… I’m begging you.”

“… leave it to me. Don’t do anything to get yourselves into trouble. All of you. I promise to end this as quickly as possible.” Frost vowed and was about to leave but Cara suddenly stopped her.

“Wait. If you see anyone still alive, please kill them. End their suffering.” She wanted to beg.

“There is no way to save them?” Frost remained unmoving, but within her chest was an unquenchable flame.

She was so close to reaching the First State.

“Justica Arms wouldn’t understand because you don’t fight these things often. See the flesh? Not everyone dies when caught by the Hungry. They become material for it. Monsters forced to live as abominations.”

“Indeed. Many of the survivors are technically ‘alive’. However, I believe we cannot call that existence as living.”

It was here where Frost’s heart plunged into a sea of flames.

“Do you believe in the soul? I like to think that we are all up here, and what’s here matters little.” Cara pointed to her head, and then to her chest. “Kill everything you find. We’ll have Furio incinerate the place. I would have wanted it.”

Frost despised having to kill people just to save them. But she did not understand their suffering enough to realize that death was more merciful than the fate that awaited them. She knew this, but she actively tried to ignore it. An emotional storm brewed as a result.

Everyone instinctively backed away as she took a step forward to Usa and drew her close to Hellen. She grabbed the woman’s hand and placed it onto the bunny-woman’s shoulder at the same time she casted [Greater Healing].

“You have a healer!?” Usa exclaimed.

“Ah –” Hellen was about to speak, but she quickly realized Frost’s intentions and remained silent.

“We do, but she just received her affinity recently. Her mana is extremely limited, so please do not rely on her healing.” Frost explained before releasing them both. “I’ll hope to see you all again. Even you Dawn Team. Don’t die on me.”

“If it’s your will, then very well then. I’ll try to look out for my life just this once.” Cara said with a grin as Frost turned her back to them.

“And please… look after Jury –”

“You’ve said that a hundred times already!” Usa yelled.

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“I mean it. She’s everything to me.” Frost gave one last glance over her shoulder and could not be prouder of the people who made it this far. “All of you better be standing there the next time I look back.”

As soon as she launched herself forward with great speed – a choir of cheer rallied her burning heart.

“GOOOOOO!”

“BEAT THEM FROST!”

“EAT THE HUNGRIES!”

“Thank you for everything!”

The trail was long, but her speed made it feel quite short. Her AGI had increased since devouring the Listening Bird and sat exactly at 65. Many of her Professions had also seen improvements, and the most notable one was Brawler which was on the verge of hitting its second milestone.

Many things awaited at the end of this encounter. The most important fight was upon them at the break of dawn. The skies moved from scarlet, to pink and finally, to a golden orange. She broke into the city with the flames of her heart now fully encasing her.

It was time to manifest her newest Corrupted form.

 

< The Will of the Amalgam Has Been Raised to The First State >

< Listening Bird is the only Corrupted Available >

 

< Borrowing the Active and Passive Skills of the Listening Bird >

 

Her hair grew out almost instantly, fluttering behind her like long ribbons. It became greyer towards the end as unknown characters which only she could understand faded in and out into existence all around her body. She took a finger to her mouth and bit deep enough to draw blood as she passed through the many ruined streets, avoiding the rubble that littered every step of the way.

And when she finally reached the fleshy-like middle section of the city, she finally manifested as the Listening Bird.

 

< The First State has manifested as the Listening Bird >

 

< ACTIVE: Dismissed Confession >

< PASSIVE: Unlying Tablet >

 

She spilled her blood along the way. The blood coagulated and transformed into various characters before sinking into the ground. In that moment, giant crimson slabs emerged and began to hum their tune. But it was not ominous like that of the Listening Birds. It was triumphant, like a choir.

These were connected to her much like her eyes, and to her surprise – they were capable of casting whatever magic she had prewritten upon them. Now that she realized this, it was likely how Sinless Repent was frequently used by the Listening Bird.

This is an incredible passive skill!

Frost cut deeper into her hand, bleeding herself as much as possible to create as many healing Unlying Tablets as possible. And much like a limb, she could target those within its limited range at her own discretion.

“Unlying Tablet. With your strange way of combat, I can imagine the possibilities in the future.”

So can I!

Flesh Clots roamed these areas easily in the hundreds, as did various other Impuritas monsters; of both Appetizer and Main Course. All the Appetizers had similar stats, whereas the Main Course enemies were elevated into the 40s and above.

 

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