Free Web NovelChapter 203: Chapter 116: Quiet, Don’t Move
[Your Origin has exceeded 30. You have resisted the corrosion of the Abyssal Origin. Evaluation: Chaos is one thing, but adding order to it... Special Rewards: Survival Points +10, Resilience Level +2, Spirit Level +2.]
Wei’en stepped out of the house. Just as he was about to flee toward the center of the city, he saw a red notification flash in his mind.
’Abyssal Realm...’
Wei’en furrowed his brow, looking at the familiar yet strange scene. ’Is this like that spell Clelia used?’
The once-peaceful Ruer District had transformed into a scene straight out of the Abyss.
Low stone buildings became a raging inferno as crimson flames billowed upward, dyeing the entire sky a dusky yellow.
Twisted, shadowy figures, their bodies aflame, struggled to crawl from the buildings, their piercing screams and wails echoing in his ears.
Even the ground seemed to flow with scorching magma, giving off an acrid smell.
"Jia, Lier, Kings."
"Wol, Gans, Tar!"
The ghost and the Secret Master cast their spells simultaneously, conjuring a Bone Wall and a Spirit Shield.
Four Bone Walls rose to block Wei’en’s front, left, and right sides. At the same time, a faint black aura enveloped his body.
Huh?
Through the Spirit Shield, the scene before Wei’en’s eyes shifted. He could now see two worlds at once.
On one side was the peaceful Ruer District, with residents occasionally strolling by, chatting and laughing. On the other was the scene of the Abyssal Purgatory.
It was a bizarre sensation, as if he were standing on the boundary between reality and illusion.
’Is this the effect of the Spirit Shield?’
Wei’en felt a little helpless. ’If only I could just break this Abyssal Realm spell directly...’
CREAK.
Before he could think any further, the door of the neighboring house opened, and Bolsen and Reinhart stepped out.
[You are being subjected to Bolsen Heikmei’s Origin Scrutiny. Evaluation: Hmm, looks like there’s been a little accident. Recommendation: just charge in. Reward: Survival Points +5.] freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
’Origin Scrutiny?’
Wei’en’s brow furrowed. ’The last time I encountered this was when Mitra was probing me.’
"I’d advise you to save your energy, Mr. Investigator," Bolsen said, watching him calmly. "In this wretched world, death isn’t a bad thing. It’s a release."
"Then why don’t you free yourself?"
"Unfortunately, I can’t die."
"...Is that so?"
’Can’t die?’
’We’ll see if you’re still saying that when my four heads are done devouring you, leaving not even a scrap behind.’
Wasting no more words, Wei’en took out his sniper rifle and had the Driver summon the Mechanical Gate to release Zero.
’I never thought I’d have to face a powerful Extraordinary like Bolsen before even getting a chance to test the Mechanical Puppet’s strength against Lisi.’
"Father?" Zero asked, looking quizzically at the two men across from them.
"Enemies."
Hearing that single word, Zero’s steel body gave a sudden jolt. "Solidify!"
He had activated the Solid Heart Rune, forming a luminous barrier over his body.
CLANG, CLANG.
Zero seemed excited. He stepped in front of Wei’en, smashed his iron fists together, and stared at Bolsen and Reinhart. "Father, I’m ready."
"Father?"
Bolsen’s gaze was drawn to the Mechanical Puppet, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Reinhart, have you ever seen a talking Mechanical Puppet?"
"Never."
Reinhart glanced at Wei’en. He hadn’t just never seen one—he’d never even heard of such a thing.
’Mechanical Puppets aren’t truly alive. They’re just weapons crafted from runes and machinery. How could one possibly develop consciousness?’
’Unless...’
Wei’en wasn’t about to answer their questions. He blinked away again to create some distance, leaving two phantom doubles in his place.
"Mens, Di."
As the phantom doubles chanted the incantation for a Charm Spell, Zero charged toward the two Abyssal Sect members, swinging his iron fists.
Meanwhile, Wei’en crouched, raised his sniper rifle with both hands, and took careful aim at Bolsen and his companion.
"Hm?" Bolsen’s expression shifted. ’What is this feeling... like I’m about to be killed?’
’Doslav, get out here! Kill him!’
But no matter how he called, the Abyssal Creature that had always answered his every summons gave no response this time. It lay stubbornly still within his body, unmoving. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Seeing this, Bolsen could only conclude with some exasperation that the Abyssal Creature had fallen asleep. He had no choice but to step forward himself and block Zero’s fist.
BOOM!
Fist met iron in a violent collision. The barrier from the Solid Heart Rune on Zero’s body shattered instantly, and Bolsen’s blow smashed the puppet’s entire fist out of shape.
But Zero was completely unaffected. It executed the basic footwork it had learned from Miss Undead, sliding aside to launch a second punch at Reinhart.
At the same time, the Keystone Rune on its chest flickered, reactivating the Solid Heart Rune and the Fury Burst Rune.
"Hah!"
Reinhart, also finding he couldn’t summon his contracted Abyssal Creature, was forced to dodge Zero’s punch. "Your Eminence, it’s not responding?"
"I don’t know! But... burst!"
Bolsen’s eyes remained fixed on Wei’en as the abyssal power within him surged. His body was like clothing being torn apart by the violent force, and his entire form began to expand.
His skin split and cracked as gushing blood solidified into new chunks of muscle and bone.
In the blink of an eye, Bolsen had transformed into a ferocious-looking Abyss Demon.
His body swelled to more than three times its size. His head became goat-like, with a pair of horns pointing toward the heavens, and the black mask he wore fused into mysterious patterns on the demon’s face.
His body was covered in a layer of black scales, like a suit of hardened armor.
Reinhart, at his side, underwent a similar transformation, though his new form more closely resembled an Abyssal Minor Demon, complete with a small, white, jointed tail that twitched rapidly.
