Chapter 104: A Treacherous Awakening and an Unwanted Witness

In a mere instant, black, putrid liquid began to ooze incessantly from the orifices on Will’s face. Immediately after, viscous tentacles erupted from him, coiling and writhing like a tangle of rapidly growing weeds.

Will had long since perished, his body nothing more than an empty husk, now serving as a grotesque cradle for the burgeoning monstrosity.

And now, this creature was on the verge of awakening from within that hollow shell.

As expected, the situation was far more complex than it first appeared.

Yalin flinched, quickly recoiling several steps to create distance. Yet, he was still a fraction too slow.

A single tentacle, swift as lightning, lashed out, piercing Yalin’s palm. It burrowed deep into his flesh, then began to relentlessly climb upwards within his arm.

Frowning deeply, Yalin severed his own arm without a moment’s hesitation.

The severed limb, tumbling to the ground, was swiftly ensnared by layers of those writhing tentacles, before being utterly consumed.

“Sss… that still stings a bit…”

A cold sweat beaded on Yalin’s brow. While he had endured countless dismemberments in his dreams, the reality of severing his entire arm for the first time proved considerably more painful than he had anticipated.

Yalin launched a flying kick, sending Will’s corpse hurtling away. His envisioned deity, a golden construct, followed close behind, instantly cleaving the grotesque body into several chunks.

The dismembered remains of Will crashed into the undergrowth, remaining eerily silent for a prolonged moment.

Wisps of black mist curled from the stump of his arm. Then, from the very cross-section of the wound, new flesh began to slowly, inexorably regenerate.

In a matter of minutes, the entire arm that had been so brutally severed was fully restored.

Yalin flexed his fingers, finding no lingering issues. ‘This body truly is convenient,’ he mused.

A faint rustle from the bushes behind him caused Yalin to narrow his eyes instinctively.

“Well, well. It seems even this secluded forest isn’t entirely deserted. Will’s situation can wait; first, I need to deal with this… inconvenience.”

Yalin turned, addressing the direction of a large tree with a chilling tone.

“Stop lurking in the shadows. Haven’t you been trailing me for quite some time? What’s wrong, won’t you step out and show yourself?”

The other party offered no reply, only the faint, ragged sound of hurried breathing could be discerned.

“Very well, if you won’t come out, then I shall come to you.”

Yalin began to walk unhurriedly towards the tree.

The golden angel, ever vigilant at his side, raised its colossal greatsword and brought it down with devastating force.

CRASH!

The massive tree trunk toppled to the ground, and amidst the swirling leaves and dust, the figure previously concealed behind it was finally revealed.

Upon recognizing her, Yalin’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

“Liyang? It’s you?”

At that moment, Liyang was slumped on the ground, knees bent awkwardly, her delicate frame trembling uncontrollably as if afflicted by a sudden chill.

Her ink-black hair was matted with dirt and dust, making her appear utterly disheveled. Her usually pristine face was contorted by a terror that seemed to twist her features.

“Ya-Yalin…”

Liyang’s bloodless lips quivered faintly, managing to push out only a few fragmented words.

Yalin’s brow furrowed deeply as he scrutinized the familiar young woman before him.

‘This is truly disastrous…’

He racked his brain, utterly bewildered as to why Liyang would appear in such a place.

Furthermore, judging by her terrified expression, she had undoubtedly witnessed the entire gruesome spectacle.

From his slaughter of Will and his companions, to the severing of his own arm, and its subsequent regeneration.

Even a moment’s contemplation would reveal the nature of the power residing within Yalin.

‘Exposed. Utterly exposed!’

His carefully concealed identity was now known by the very person he had wished to keep it from the most!

Liyang, after all, was a key member of the protagonist’s party in the original narrative, having made significant contributions throughout.

She had played no small part in his ultimate downfall during the final siege.

What’s more, she was Professor Fulin’s adopted daughter, and as such, represented the formidable influence of the Academy.

If the Academy’s old guard ever discovered the secret of the evil god residing within him, he could prematurely conclude his existence and bid farewell to this world.

“Why are you here?”

Yalin’s voice was devoid of emotion as he posed the question.

“I… I saw you… surrounded by those men… I was scared… so I followed…”

Liyang stammered her reply, trembling.

‘How strange… This was utterly unlike the gentle Yalin she remembered.’

‘Or rather, was this Yalin’s true self all along?’

“Hm.”

Yalin lowered his gaze, offering no words.

It was as he suspected. Liyang had likely followed him out of concern for his safety. Yet, to his astonishment, he hadn’t detected her presence once along the way, only sensing that someone was secretly tailing him after venturing deep into the dense woods.

Her hiding, he surmised, was likely an attempt to rescue him when the others were distracted.

However, before she could even make a move, she was directly confronted with that brutal spectacle.

“Are… are you going to kill me?”

Liyang’s voice trembled, her eyes not only wide with terror but also tinged with a profound despair.

Yalin’s gaze was cold and unwavering as he watched the distraught Liyang, silently calculating the implications.

‘To kill her… it was undeniably a powerful temptation.’

‘There would never be a better opportunity. With no witnesses present, her demise here would go entirely unnoticed.’

‘While Professor Fulin might be difficult to deceive, and her influence was a deterrent, still…’

‘…it was infinitely preferable to Liyang knowing his secret.’

‘After all, even Professor Fulin lacked mind-control magic. As long as he steadfastly denied any knowledge, she would be powerless.’

‘So… should I act?’

The golden angel spread its wings, slowly leveling the greatsword in its grasp towards Liyang.

In a mere instant, her beautiful head would roll cleanly to the side, just as effortlessly as those who had come before her.

The sword’s tip moved slowly, the angel’s arm poised high. Yet, in a flash of insight, it seemed to change its mind, suddenly interposing itself before Liyang.

The next moment, countless tentacles erupted from the surrounding undergrowth, lashing out and slamming against the colossal greatsword.

A startled scream tore from Liyang’s throat. She clutched her clothes tightly, tears brimming in the corners of her eyes.

She stared blankly at the dark tentacles before her, writhing frantically barely ten centimeters from her face.

‘Had it stopped?’

‘No, it wasn’t that they had stopped. Rather, it felt as if some invisible barrier, like a wall of air, stood before her, actively shielding her.’

Liyang slowly extended a trembling hand, feeling around in the space before her. A hard, unyielding sensation met her fingertips.

‘Just as I thought. Could Yalin… be protecting me?’

Liyang lifted her gaze, noticing that Yalin’s eyes had already shifted from her. He was now fixed on the depths of the jungle, on the colossal, mist-shrouded monster.

“Can you stand?”

“I…”

Liyang gritted her teeth, steeling her resolve, and slowly pushed herself up from the ground.

Despite the persistent trembling in her legs, she forced a single word from her constricted throat.

“Yes.”

“Good. If you can stand, then run. I can only hold them off for thirty seconds, at most.”

“If you don’t get away within thirty seconds, then you’re on your own.”

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