Chapter 628: Bitter victory
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
Breathing heavily, Sheyan employed the probing ability of his helmet once again.
Instantly, he received a notification – [ Name: Plaga Type B Host ]
As for the other attributes, everything was – [ ? ? ? ? ] !
Just that single piece of information was sufficient to throw Sheyan into helpless desperation!
"No wonder I blasted its head with one shot, no, how is that even a head explosion? That was just me triggering its evolution from a Type A to a Type B. And to think I was gloating over defeating this Plaga freak!!!"
While he was lost in thought, that Plaga freak buried its head down towards him; casting a shadow that covered his face. Sprouting from its fleshy jaws, those ghastly sharp teeth continued revolving speedily, as Sheyan reflexively used his right arm to block...but in vain.
Like a blender, those jaws could grind through all sorts of material. Without a doubt, his arm was ground through in the blink of an eye and subsequently swallowed.
Sheyan didn’t even feel a shred of pain, as his blocking right arm was fractured like a puny tree branch into three, before being consumed by that Plaga freak.
Everything happened like an irresistible thunderbolt. Don’t speak about others coming to his aid, he hadn’t even thought of evading himself. Only after that massive mouth was grinding and chewing with great satisfaction, did Sheyan start to feel a pain that could cover the skies and the earth kicking in.
"Ahhhhhhh! Shit! I have to do something, otherwise, a year from now this day will be the anniversary of my death!!!"
Under the torment of excruciating agony, Sheyan could sorely feel the crisis of life or death. Nevertheless, his mind remained unprecedentedly clear and composed.
Observing the insatiable chewing of this fanatical biochemical abomination, Sheyan clutched his wounded shoulder as he staggered in retreat.
Fortunately, this Plaga freak was engrossed in feeding and seemingly ignored Sheyan’s escaping behaviour.
"Right! This Plaga freak’s conduct evidently displays its lack of human intellect. Ever since I began clashing with it, it has only accomplished two things. Firstly, spitting out that ovum organism for propagation. Secondly, feasting. Those are instinctive conducts of all creatures. Moreover, from the way it flew into a frenzied pursuit when Mbenga attacked its spawn...it doesn’t possess a single hint of combat wisdom."
"Therefore, why was it waiting by the village entrance? That position wasn’t even concealed nor did it hold any strategic advantage.....thus, the possibility of a feint can be eliminated! This leaves me with only one explanation....this…..should be my ray of hope. At least, it is worth a gamble!"
While deliberating, Sheyan staggered back towards the deserted village, before breaking into a dash for the village center.
Meanwhile, that exploded head Plaga freak had finished the meal of a sumptuous arm and was presently tottering in pursuit of Sheyan.
Even though it appeared to be hobbling unstably with a heavy head but weak legs, its movement speed was bewilderingly fast.
When the scrambling Sheyan had just reached the village center, that abomination was already hauling along an afterimage under the irradiation of the torching blaze. Such was its astonishing pace!
Seemingly within a short instant, that horrifying, deadly exploded mouth-head was already enveloping down on Sheyan’s back. Likely if Sheyan was caught, he would undoubtedly be ground into a paste of mincemeat.
But at this moment, Sheyan dove forward as he forcibly curled his body around midair. Casting an exceedingly queer expression, his remaining hand swept forth; hurling a trembling object straight into the enlarged mouth of that abominable Plaga freak.
The shell of that object had been split with many cracks, where chartreuse coloured sap was still oozing out.
Indeed, it was a mutated Arachnidacrab!
One that had been cleaved into a half-dead state by Sheyan previously, who was still struggling at death’s door. After being swallowed by that plaga host, it was instantly ground into a fleshy paste and consumed.
However, within a split second, that plaga freak abruptly unleashed an incredibly tormented howl; as though it was acting up from eating a poisonous thing.
Witnessing such a spectacle, Sheyan’s eyes flickered and widened; seemingly ignited with blazing fire.
"This fella…..as expected, it fears those mutated Arachnidacrabs! The reason it waited by the village entrance, was due to the restraining fear from sensing the aura of those mutated Arachnidacrabs. A fear that can suppress its appetite and reproductive instincts! Therefore, there’s inevitably a tremendous deterrence contained in the body of an Arachnidacrab. Right now, apart from those immobile ones, the other Arachnidacrabs have all scurried away. No wonder you dared to enter, but....bloody hell! I can facilitate their movement."
Roaring with fury, Sheyan strained himself to dart towards the side. There was still another half dead mutated Arachnidacrab convulsing there.
After picking up the Arachnidacrab, he pinched its head to expose a pair of immeasurably incisive poison fangs.
Then, Sheyan charged towards that plaga infected host who was still howling with unbearable anguish, before thrusting those poison fangs deep into its body!!
Instantly, that plaga host emitted an earth-shuddering holler, as it swung its arm; smacking Sheyan far away. Then, it slapped that half dead mutated Aracnidacrab into a mushy pulp.
Except, before it perished, that Arachnidacrab had spared no efforts to pour all contents, its digestive enzymes and toxins, into the flesh it was biting on.
Proceeding that, the plaga host suddenly turned stiff where it was. Soon after, egg-sized black boils started swelling up across its entire body, before fissuring into black bitumen-like substance. Finally, akin to a melting candle, the body degenerated into a puddle of black liquid, before ultimately dissolving into the ground.
As he spectated this scene, even Mbenga was totally stupefied. Both he and Reef’s remaining servant stared foolishly with jaws dropped for a good long while. Only after that, did they remember to rush over in aid.
After having slapped by that plaga infected host, half of Sheyan’s cheek had already collapsed in. Needless to say, he was left with only 2-3 teeth, and even cerebrospinal fluids mixed with blood were streaming out. Unconscious, he had sunk into a near-death state.
Mbenga immediately carried Sheyan, while the last remaining servant carried Reef and his other comrade, who was on the verge of dying after being bitten by a mutated Arachnidacrab previously.
Backtracking from whence they came, the two native aborigines hastily departed from this place, and finally arrived at the jungle outskirts at the outer reaches of the Kijuju Marshland.
Only back in their familiar hunting territory, did they finally feel secure.
When Sheyan finally awoke, 5-6 hours had already elapsed.
After several deep breaths and affirming he wasn’t dead yet, he opened his eyes. Seeing that Sheyan had woken up, Mbenga chortled sheepishly and handed him a rattan stem to chew.
This was a local speciality. A water-rich rattan vegetation, that would effuse a sweet smelling liquid upon gentle sucking; satiating one’s thirst.
However, the moment he sucked, Sheyan instantly felt a tremendous pain pricking the side of his face. Stroking lightly with his fingers, he realized his left cheek had swelled to a huge bump. He forced himself to sit up, as he spoke with fuzziness due to his bruised tongue.
"Where’s my brother?"
Reef’s servant then frantically pointed towards a direction. Atop a straw nest, Reef and the other dying servant laid with their eyes shut.
Shaking his head, Sheyan strolled over for an inspection, where he realized their conditions weren’t looking optimistic. The bones and flesh of Reef’s 4 limbs were on the verge of dissolving completely, and once this plague spreads to his organs and brain, this would undoubtedly become his death day.
In contrast, Reef’s other servant looked like he was better off than a corpse by only half a breath. If one were to pick him up and shake, one would hear his innards sloshing with gurgles like a half empty water pot....
Under such circumstances, apart from sending them back to the nightmare realm, Sheyan was left with no other options. This signified that he, with a severed right arm, would have to face this arduously frightening world alone!!!
At present, this was the very first time Sheyan felt totally powerless. Without any external colony of powers he could borrow, this was also the first time he harboured the thought of giving up. Besides, only by surviving, would everything else be possible in the realm.
The very first skirmish within the inner core reaches of the Kijuju Marshland had already left his fate dangling by a thread. Honestly speaking, the repercussions of an ‘A+’ difficulty would truly cause one to flinch in desperation; it wasn’t an expedition suitable for them as of now.
Fortunately at present, if they factored in the warning and weakening of Prince Stalo in addition to their loots, it could still be counted as having earned back the 350,000 utility points they invested into this. For Party Ace, this wouldn’t be a case of losing all their life savings.
Right before Sheyan was about to escort Reef and return, he suddenly remembered one matter – there was a chance a key was dropped after he utilized the mutated Arachnidacrab to slay that Plaga infected host.
Non-contestants wouldn’t be able to see dropped keys, therefore, even if Ndipaya barbarians within the inner core reaches had scoured through the battle scene, if a key had dropped previously, it would still be there.
Although the courage of venturing deeper into the Ndipaya tribe inner core reaches had whittled away to practically nothing, Sheyan still possessed the guts to retrace the path he trod.
Pondering over that, Sheyan hastily bandaged his wounds before tossing two bottles of rum to Mbenga, and requesting that Mbenga accompany him to retrieve something he dropped.
To that, Mbenga very straightforwardly displayed why he was worthy of being hailed as a warrior. Without a single word, he frankly agreed.