Kapitel 205: Part Fifteen

As the smoke from the explosion dissipates, the man stands amidst the clearing debris, a look of nonchalance on his face. He yawns, his eyes casually drifting upwards to meet the creature that Kuza had summoned. "Hmhmhmhmhm. Now what are you?" he inquires, his tone cold and curious, as he scrutinizes the entity before him.

The creature looms at an imposing height of 16 feet, its body slender yet emanating an aura of menacing strength. Its arms are unnaturally long, dangling at its sides with a sinister grace. The most striking feature, however, is its face, twisted into an unsettling visage that seems to mock the very nature of physical form.

Its skin is as pale as death, creating a stark contrast with the darkness surrounding it. The creature's nails are exceptionally sharp, resembling deadly blades more than natural appendages. There's an otherworldly quality to it, suggesting that it belongs neither to the world of the living nor the dead.

The man, undeterred by the creature's intimidating appearance, grins and hurls a dagger towards it with incredible force. The weapon, breaking the sound barrier, seems destined to strike true. However, in a startling display, the dagger phases right through the monster as if it were no more substantial than mist.

The man's smirk widens at this revelation. "So you're a mutated ghost? Or an entirely different being?" he muses, his interest piqued by the creature's apparent intangibility.

The monster, with its unnerving and ethereal presence, moves with a speed that belies its size. It swings its long, sinister arm at the man, its motion a blur of deadly intent. The man, seemingly unfazed by the creature's aggression, muses to himself, "I did my part. I'm not sure why he didn't want me to kill that Kuza." His voice carries a hint of malice as he grins, "But I can't leave now."

He quickly casts a magic shield, expecting to block the incoming attack. However, the monster's arm, defying the laws of the physical world, phases right through the shield and strikes him with full force. The impact of the blow, which breaks the sound barrier, sends the man hurtling through the air, crashing through multiple buildings in a devastating display of power.

Undeterred, the man rises from the rubble, shaking off the impact. With a swift motion, he throws his knife at a different monster nearby, remarking with a chuckle, "Hmhmhmhm, what a cheat."

But the spectral monster is relentless. It appears behind him in an instant, its movements almost imperceptible. The man attempts to block the attack with his arm, but once again, the creature's strike phases through his defense, hitting him squarely in the chest. The force of the blow slams him down to the ground, creating a massive crater and sending shockwaves through the area. The resultant earthquake causes cracks to spread across the landscape, altering the terrain with its sheer force.

Before the man can recover, the monster seizes him in its grasp and hurls him with terrifying strength. He flies across the landscape, crashing through ten buildings in succession, each collision marking a trail of destruction.

The man, undaunted by the monster's relentless assaults, stands up, brushing off the debris with a nonchalant air. He rubs his chin contemplatively. "This is getting boring. Is that all you can do?" he challenges, turning to face the monster as it materializes behind him for another attack.

As the monster lunges forward, aiming to strike him again, the man's tone turns icy. "If you don't come up with something else, you'll die," he declares. In a surprising move, he chooses not to block the incoming blow. Instead, he stands firm, allowing the monster's fist to collide with him.

The ground beneath them cracks from the impact, but the man remains unmoved. In a shocking turn, it's the monster's arm that bends at a grotesque 45-degree angle. A scream of pain escapes the creature, the agony evident in its twisted features.

"Stop crying over a simple injury," the man taunts coldly. In a blink, he appears right in front of the monster's face. The monster, under the assumption that the man would phase through it, is taken aback when it finds itself being violently hurled away. The creature is sent flying in a one-mile radius, phasing through everything in its path.

As soon as the monster comes to a halt, the man appears in front of it again. "You were slightly better than the others," he remarks, his voice laced with a hint of approval. Without hesitation, he plunges his hand into the monster's stomach, grasping its transparent, glowing core. The monster's life force is extinguished instantly, its form collapsing into nothingness.

In the aftermath of the battle, another figure emerges, identical to the man in appearance. This new arrival is Zeke. He observes the scene with a critical eye. "Not bad for a clone. But your energy supply has nearly depleted," Zeke notes, his voice carrying an air of authority.

Zeke swiftly creates a magic circle, a portal of sorts. The man, now revealed as a clone, steps through the circle without a word, his role fulfilled.

Zeke, amidst the chaos of the storm, the fierce winds, and the rampant monsters, lets out a bored yawn. "What a boring day," he mutters, his gaze sweeping over the pandemonium around him. He hears the distant screams of the professors engaged in fierce battles, but his interest seems barely piqued.

"Should I take a nap?" he wonders aloud, strolling casually through the destruction as if on a leisurely walk. His nonchalance stands in stark contrast to the turmoil surrounding him.

As he meanders, his attention is suddenly caught by a figure in the distance—an elf. It's Professor Ayla. Without a hint of urgency, Zeke takes out his dagger, a sense of boredom still evident in his demeanor. "No one is supposed to see me," he remarks indifferently, flicking the dagger with precise aim straight at her heart.

Professor Ayla, with an instinctive reaction, summons a defense. Massive, thick vines spring up around her, forming a protective barrier. The dagger collides with the vines, the impact resounding through the area.

Caught off guard, Ayla exclaims, "W-wait, wait! V sent me! Stop it already!" Her voice carries a mix of panic and urgency, attempting to halt Zeke's attack.

Zeke, however, remains unphased, his expression one of disinterest. "Don't cry over a simple greeting," he replies dryly.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The battlefield, already chaotic, becomes even more frenzied as Biana, perched nonchalantly on Isadora, becomes the center of attention. Cassia, unable to contain her frustration, snaps, "What a dumbass. Orion, just knock that lazy bitch out."

Tara, analyzing the situation, rubs her chin thoughtfully. "She doesn't look strong, don't think she's strong at all. Her bad reputation is proof of that," she comments, underestimating Biana based on her notorious laziness.

Mira, eager to seize the opportunity, clicks her tongue in anticipation. "She's weak, I'm going to get the win," she declares confidently, grinning as she charges towards Biana.

Driven by the prospect of victory, the others quickly follow suit. Rami, Gareth, Eamon, Zara, Tara, Orion, Knox, and Calder are the first to react, each determined to claim the win for themselves. "Hahahaha, I'm going to get the win!" Gareth exclaims, his muscular frame surging forward with enthusiasm.

Mira, not one to be outdone, retorts to Gareth, "Go fuck yourself, muscle head!" Her competitive spirit is clear, and she is not about to let anyone else take the spotlight.

Orion, rushing forward, joins the fray. "No way, we're winning this!" he exclaims, his determination matching that of his peers.

Knox, catching up with the group, interjects, "Fuck that! We've fought Isadora the longest! Back off, you fucking vultures!" His voice is laced with both frustration and a sense of entitlement to the victory.

Meanwhile, Isadora, still beneath Biana, grits her teeth, trying to move, but Biana doesn't budge. She remains relaxed and grinning, looking at the approaching attackers. "Hahahahaha!" Biana laughs mockingly. "You're all so fucking pathetic!" She leans back, resting her cheek on her hand, exuding an air of superiority.

Biana's next move is unexpected. "Who said I'm weak? Do you think I'm weak just because I like sleeping?" she challenges, her tone dripping with scorn. She flips her middle finger at them, a defiant gesture, and then pulls out a talisman, tearing it apart.

In an instant, seven thick layers of magic shield appear around them. The attackers, unaware of the magical protection, collide face-first into the shields, the impact sending them flying back.

Biana yawns, unimpressed by their efforts. "Fucking retards. The reason I sleep comfortably is that I know I'm better than all you fuckers combined. Because I am better than this bitch," she says, pointing down at Isadora with a smug grin.

Elara tries to interject some reason into the fray. "Come on, Biana, don't say rude comments like that. We're not pathetic, we're simply making the best choice of action for the competition," she says, attempting to maintain a semblance of sportsmanship.

Biana, unfazed by Elara's reprimand, yawns and looks around at the disheveled group. Her laughter rings out, mocking and incredulous. "Hahahahhaha! Look at you, most of you look fucking exhausted. You're all stupid, how can three different classes not beat a single person?" she taunts, her words cutting through the tension.

Reaching into her bag, Biana casually pulls out a healing potion and shoves it into Isadora's mouth, a gesture that underscores her nonchalant demeanor in the midst of chaos.

Quinn, her frustration boiling over, snaps back at Biana. "We would've beaten her if you didn't interfere," she asserts, her teeth gritted in anger.

Biana, finding Quinn's response almost laughable, rubs her eyes in disbelief. "First of all, I never asked to be thrown across the lake into your little game of tag. And seriously? That's your stupid response?" she retorts, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Cassia, unable to contain her anger, lashes out at Biana. "Stop acting all high and mighty!" she exclaims, casting a huge magic circle. A laser of fire shoots towards Biana, but it proves ineffective, unable to penetrate the barrier surrounding her.

Biana groans in annoyance, standing up from her position atop Isadora. "Why did you all stop? All you have to do is beat the lazy girl to get Isadora, right? Why is no one trying?" she challenges the group, her voice laced with mockery.

Biana, still lounging atop Isadora, pulls out her MST with an exasperated sigh. "Who the hell is it now?" she mutters, her gaze falling on the contact name displayed on the screen: [The Devil]. A flicker of apprehension crosses her face as she reads the message: [Sweety, you're cursing a lot in front of everyone and it's getting really embarrassing. If you're going to curse at everyone at least go out there and prove to the spectators that you're not just a yapper. If you don't, I'll make sure you can only sleep eight hours a day.]

The threat from her mother sends a chill down Biana's spine, her usual nonchalant demeanor cracking slightly. "Tsk, what a pain..." she grumbles, standing up and looking down at Isadora. "You stay here and don't move or V won't feed me later," she instructs, her tone a mixture of annoyance and resignation.

Stepping out of the protective barrier, Biana yawns widely, her lethargy apparent yet her eyes gleaming with a hint of challenge. "Here I am, the lazy weak bitch holding a pillow," she announces, her voice carrying across the battlefield. "If you beat me, the barrier will disappear. But I doubt you bunch of pathetic bastards can lay a finger on me." Biana smirks and gives them all the middle finger, "Come at me bitches."

Her words, spoken with a mix of laziness and defiance, hang in the air, taunting the surrounding combatants. The apparent contradiction between her lazy demeanor and the hidden threat she poses creates a palpable tension on the battlefield.