Free Web NovelChapter 193: A Shadowmancer In Peril (1)
"It should have worked by now," Shinon yawned inside his domain. "Hm... but the system didn’t confirm the creature’s death. I guess the fucker is still alive. If only I had half as much resilience..."
Shinon emerged from the shadows, his senses on high alert. He had executed his plan flawlessly, leaving behind the ’Silent Death’ grenade before retreating into his shadow domain.
He had expected the explosion and the ensuing corrosive mist to weaken if not completely defeat, the Necrognasher. But since that didn’t happen, his shadow summons should have completed the job for him.
On top of it, he had also left Darkwing and Shadowfang to deal with the remains. But if the Necrognasher didn’t die after all that, then Shinon would have to take the matter into his hands.
"Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that-"
[Summon(s): Darkwing and Shadowfang have been destroyed.] ƒгeewebnovёl.com
"What the hell?"
Shinon had expected to see the gnasher on his knees, moments away from its death. But the scene that greeted him left him stunned.
The Necrognasher looked just like Shinon had seen him the first time. This meant the grenade didn’t have any effect on the undead!?
While Shinon’s mind raced with possible explanations, the Necrognasher remained perched atop the remains of the destroyed nest like a malevolent king on a morbid throne.
"Was the grenade a dud?"
Shinon mumbled as he looked around; the grenade affected the room, as could be seen by the holes in the floor and on the walls. Even the nest had melted more than the last time Shinon saw it.
However, the Necrognasher’s grotesque form seemed untouched by the chaos that had unfolded around it, its decayed flesh and bones oozing with a vile aura that seemed to mock Shinon’s efforts.
For a moment, Shinon’s mind reeled with disbelief. How could this be? He had calculated every step and planned his actions to ensure the creature’s demise.
The ’Silent Death’ grenade was supposed to have melted away the monster’s strength and dissolved its defences, leaving it vulnerable and defeated. Yet, there it sat, defiant and unyielding.
As Shinon’s feet were frozen in shock, a system alert arrived, a notification blinking insistently in front of him. Having nothing else to do, he accessed the information. The words he read shook him to his core.
[New Information Discovered: The Necrognasher exhibits a distinct capacity to adjust to external influences. It has acquired resistance against the corrosive properties of the ’Silent Death grenade’.]
Shinon’s eyes widened, his heart sinking. The truth hit him like a physical blow. The Necrognasher was not just any zombie. It was a creature that had evolved to counter the threats against it. A monster that had honed its survival instincts to an almost supernatural level.
His mind raced as he considered the importance of the system’s revelation. He underestimated the creature’s intelligence and ability to evolve and adapt.
The Silent Death grenade had been a potent weapon, but the Necrognasher had overcome its effects, rendering his plan ineffective, and without Darkwing and Shadowfang, he was worse off than he had been before.
The monster’s hollow eyes seemed to bore into Shinon, and for a moment, he thought he saw the creature smile at his wasted efforts. It was as if the Necrognasher could sense his shock and frustration, relishing in his moment of vulnerability.
Shinon’s grip on the blade of chaos tightened, and his determination reignited. He might have been caught off guard but refused to be defeated by a zombie, of all things.
Ever since coming to the strange earth, he had faced countless challenges, fought against insurmountable odds, and emerged victorious. His fight with the Necrognasher wasn’t going to be any different.
With a deep breath, Shinon stepped forward, his gaze locked onto the Necrognasher. The creature remained seated, an eerie calmness radiating from its decaying form.
It was as if the creature knew that Shinon’s confidence had been shaken, that he was reeling from the unexpected turn of events.
But Shinon was not one to back down. He had a new plan, a strategy born from his failure to defeat the undead. All he needed to do was to find some sort of weakness to overcome its adaptive abilities.
Just as Shinon was about to charge against the giant, it got up from its ’throne’. The next moment, its arm began to twist and turn and within seconds, the Necrognasher had a sword in its hand... an exact replica of the blade of chaos.
The only difference was that the undead’s sword was much bigger and made of the zombies’ bones.
"As if mocking me wasn’t enough..." Shinon shook his head, taking a defensive position. "Come at me!"
Without hesitation, the Necrognasher lunged forward, its massive form hurtling toward Shinon with unnatural speed. Shinon’s instincts kicked in, and he sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding the creature’s bone-shattering strike.
At the same time, the ground trembled as the Necrognasher’s bony sword collided with the earth, sending shockwaves through the air. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Shinon wasted no time either and summoned shadow tendrils that shot forth from his hands, aiming to entangle the creature’s limbs and immobilise it.
But the Necrognasher reacted quickly, its adaptive instincts guiding its movements. The undead twisted and contorted its body, evading the shadow tendrils.
"Damn it!" Shinon cursed and used the tendrils to create a shield as the Nercognasher punched him.
The shield didn’t last a second against the undead’s strength, sending Shinon reeling backwards. The impact was so powerful that it numbed Shinon’s hands as he struggled to maintain a grip on his blade.
Despite Shinon’s frailty, the Necrognasher didn’t spare his mortal opponent. Suddenly, Shinon found himself in a dangerous situation and slipped through the shadows to create distance between himself and the gnasher.
However, the undead had other plans and stopped Shinon from fading into the shadows again by attacking the human with his sword.
Shinon’s blade clashed against the Necrognasher’s massive sword, the impact sending sparks flying. The force of their collision reverberated through Shinon’s arms, but he stood his ground... until the Necrognasher kicked him to the other end of the building.
"Fuck..." Shinon weakly mumbled as blood from his split forehead blurred his vision.
