The moment the split, giant flesh petals of the Thirsting Maw completely enveloped Greg's figure—
Vivian’s ice-blue pupils suddenly contracted to their limit.
Time seemed to freeze at that very moment.
The sounds of the entire world seemed to fade away.
Only the frantic, drum-like roaring of her own heartbeat and the sharp ringing of blood rushing to her head remained in her ears.
“...”
Deep within her ice-blue eyes, the last trace of human reason and warmth flickered out like a candle in the wind.
Replacing it was an utter, hollow coldness, and beneath that coldness, a violent, soul-freezing killing intent surged.
“Give him...”
The girl’s lips parted slightly, but the words she uttered had lost all of her original cool composure and restraint, leaving only a mechanical, spine-chilling coldness that sounded like ancient ice grinding together.
“...back to me.”
The moment the last syllable fell—
“BOOM!!!”
With Vivian at the center, a bone-chilling, ice-blue aura exploded outward like an erupting volcano!
The ground beneath her feet was instantly covered in a thick layer of ice, spreading outward at an alarming speed!
The water molecules in the air froze, forming countless tiny ice crystals that swirled wildly around her!
She didn't hesitate, nor did she consider any tactics or defenses.
Only one pure, extreme thought remained in her mind—tear it to shreds, save Greg, or perish together!
Her petite figure, like an ice-blue arrow released from a bow, dragged a trail of swirling ice crystals and bone-chilling cold as she charged resolutely toward the Thirsting Maw—which had just finished swallowing and seemed to be savoring its meal, its body growing even more massive and hideous!
Her mana surged and released at an unprecedented speed!
Dozens of ice crystal spears strong enough to pierce steel plates condensed around her instantly, like a loyal guard, shooting toward the monster's core in unison as she charged!
At the same time, she clenched her hands in the air, and a two-handed ice sword made entirely of deep-blue, ultimate ice materialized in her grip. Wherever the blade pointed, the air let out a freezing crackle!
She was going to slice open that disgusting flesh and save the man inside!
However—
Facing this full-force blow fueled by her rage, the Thirsting Maw, which had just swallowed Greg, merely lifted its split, massive head that resembled a flower from hell with indifference.
“Roar!!!”
Where the soundwaves passed, the air rippled with visible, wave-like distortions!
The ice crystal spears Vivian had summoned with all her might—which could have easily killed any elite monster before—instantly shattered into the finest dust of ice crystals upon contact with the distorted soundwaves, like glass hitting an invisible iron wall, without leaving even a single crack!
The massive ice sword in her hands also trembled violently under the impact of the soundwaves, its surface instantly cracking all over!
Immediately after, the Thirsting Maw’s disproportionately thick arm swept out casually with crushing force, like swatting a fly!
“BANG!!!”
A dull thud echoed.
The ice sword shattered completely.
The thick ice crystal shield covering Vivian's body disintegrated instantly like paper.
Her petite body, as if struck head-on by a carriage speeding at full throttle, flew backward at an even faster speed than her charge!
“Cough!”
Blood mixed with tiny ice crystals sprayed from her mouth, drawing a tragic, beautiful arc in the dim light.
Her back slammed heavily into the hard wall in the distance, producing a bone-jarring thud.
Web-like cracks instantly spread across the surface of the wall.
She slid down the wall and dropped to one knee, barely supporting her body with the broken ice sword to keep from collapsing completely.
Her ice-blue eyes grew dim, and her face was as pale as paper. Every breath she took brought a burning pain to her internal organs, indicating she had suffered severe internal injuries.
I guess... I still can't do it...
Watching the twisted monster approach her step by step with heavy strides, and feeling her nearly depleted mana and agonizing body, a deep sense of helplessness and despair flooded Vivian’s heart like freezing lake water.
Greg... I'm sorry...
She closed her eyes, preparing to welcome her final end.
However—
Just as the massive shadow of the Thirsting Maw was about to envelop her—
“Argh... Aaargh!!!”
A painful roar suddenly erupted from within the Thirsting Maw!
The Thirsting Maw, which had already walked to within a few meters of Vivian and was about to deliver a fatal blow, suddenly began to twitch in agony!
It tore frantically at its own torso with its sharp-toothed flesh petals, as if some terrifying thing inside was about to burst out of its body!
Thick, dark red fluids and fragments of shattered internal organs splattered everywhere with its movements!
Immediately after—
“RIP!!!”
An arm—one covered in hideous black armor flowing with thick, ominous shadows—suddenly pierced violently through the inner side of the Thirsting Maw's closed flesh petals like the sharpest blade!
“Roar!!!”
The Thirsting Maw let out an even shriller roar, desperately trying to contract its flesh petals to crush the arm.
But the arm covered in black armor erupted with terrifying strength, its fingers digging deep into the flesh walls, and then—
“Get...”
A low, familiar male voice muffledly echoed from inside the monster.
“...off me!!!”
“TEAR!!!”
Along with the loud sound of flesh being forcibly torn apart, the arm covered in black armor, along with its owner, carried an overbearing aura and forcefully prying open a massive tear from the inside of the Thirsting Maw’s giant flesh-flower head, then leaped out!
Thud!
The figure landed, kicking up a bit of dust.
Greg stood there.
He was alive.
And not just alive.
His body was covered in black armor that was far more complete and oppressive than before—【Dark Abyss Armament LV3】!
The armor covered him from his arms to his shoulders and elbows, his legs to above his knees, as well as his chest and the center of his back. It wasn't a full set of heavy armor, but it looked all the more formidable.
The pitch-black plates, like the scales of a living creature, fit tightly against his smooth and explosive muscle lines. The design at the joints balanced flexibility and protection, and there were simple yet mysterious dark patterns on the pauldrons and cuirass.
Most eye-catching of all was the dark energy that continuously flowed like liquid shadow over the surface of the armor. They seemed to have a life of their own, sometimes drifting like mist, sometimes gathering like flowing water, emitting a deep, mysterious, and extremely ominous aura of power.
At this moment, he was like a shadow god of war returning from the deepest depths of the abyss, his presence overwhelming!
He raised his hand, casually wiping away some dark red slime from his face. Turning around, he looked at Vivian, who was kneeling on one knee and staring blankly at him with disbelief, a familiar smile appearing on his face:
“Sorry, it looks like I made you worry.”
“...”
Vivian's ice-blue eyes stared at him without blinking.
Seeing him standing before her completely unharmed, and looking at the pitch-black armor on him that radiated a powerful, mysterious strength.
The string of her heart, which had been stretched to its absolute limit, suddenly relaxed the moment she confirmed he was safe and sound.
What followed was the exhaustion of surviving a disaster, mixed with a complex wave of lingering fear, joy, and... a faint trace of grievance.
So...
Her lips moved silently. Reflected in her ice-blue eyes was that pitch-black back, a complex light flashing within them:
...you are already this strong now.
Rate on N.U.
