Chapter 46: Combat

As soon as Wang Shuhan’s voice fell, everyone instinctively blasted backward in a reflex.

At the same time, they realized that the "it" each of them saw was entirely different.

The "it" in Zhang Deshuai’s eyes was a monster engulfed in raging flames, as if the gates of hell had been inadvertently pushed open, leaking a terrifying secret.

Its not-so-massive body was wrapped in roaring fire, the flames leaping like countless angry souls dancing upon it, scorching and distorting the surrounding air.

In Chen Tianyu’s eyes, "it" took the form of a faceless specter dressed in a suit.

Though its face could not be seen, Chen Tianyu could always sense "it" staring fixedly at him with sinister eyes, which made his hair stand on end.

The appearance of "it" was simply the shape of the monster constructed in everyone's mind by their own fear of the unknown.

Just as everyone was still recovering from the shock, "it" moved.

And its very first target was Wu Que.

That tentacle bearing suction cups lunged straight at Wu Que. Wu Que pivoted on his toes and barely dodged it, but the tentacle split apart behind him, hurtling toward everyone inside the operating room.

"Everyone be careful! Its attack range is huge!" Wu Que shouted aloud, warning his companions nearby.

Spotting a gap between the lashing tentacles, he rushed forward in a stride, attempting to slice the monster's tentacles with his black blade. However, the monster seemed to sense his intent; its tentacles shrank back abruptly and then whipped toward him with even greater speed. Wu Que sidestepped again, and the tentacle grazed past his arm, leaving a burning sensation of sharp pain.

"What... what on earth is this thing?!" Wang Shuhan whispered in terror, yet she fought down the fear in her heart to search for the monster's weakness.

A piece of mecha debris tainted with flesh and facial features hissed and lunged at her. Gathering her courage, she picked up an anesthetic syringe from the operating table and thrust it hard into the crimson eye before her. However, the needle only scratched a shallow mark across its eye before snapping in half.

At the same time, a massive mass of black fog rushed toward Chen Tianyu, with countless pairs of blood-red eyes faintly flickering within the mist. This fog churned and roiled continuously, emitting a nauseating stench.

Chen Tianyu hurriedly drew his crescent crossbow. He pulled the string and loosed an arrow, sending a silver-moon-colored magic arrow flying into the fog, where it burst into a brilliant glow. The monster seemed to suffer immense agony, letting out a piercing shriek that felt capable of piercing the soul. Yet, amidst the screeching, even more fog rapidly condensed, surging toward him once again.

Looking at the flame-shrouded fiend before him, Zhang Deshuai casually snatched up a pair of green operating room slippers from the floor and hurled them hard at its head while chanting an incantation under his breath.

"Twilight Art—Density!"

Accompanied by his low chant, a surge of golden aura enveloped the slippers as well. In an instant, the slippers took on the weight of a thousand golds, smashing straight into its face.

With a loud "bang," "it" was instantly knocked flat, its entire facial features caved inward.

The moment "it" fell backward, the serpents of fire writhing around its body slowly faded away.

Zhang Deshuai did not let down his guard; his figure blasted backward abruptly. The very instant he dodged, a massive pillar of fire pierced through the floor of the operating room, burning the entire area to ashes.

Its body stood back up in a bizarre posture, and then it lunged at Zhang Deshuai with a grin.

While everyone else was locked in a bitter struggle, the Overseer stood rigidly in place.

On his thighs, lower abdomen, and chest, wounds from being bitten, marked by sharp tooth marks, continuously appeared. Yet he merely stood there in a daze, letting the monster devour his flesh alive.

In the Overseer's eyes, "it" had turned into a child.

A dead child.

The battle entered a white-hot phase. The monster seemed provoked by everyone's resistance, and its attacks grew even more frenzied and violent.

Wu Que charged at the Lovecraftian monster once again. This time, he successfully sliced open one of the monster's tentacles with his black blade, and green blood spurted out, splashing all over his clothes. However, the monster's counterattack also sent him crashing heavily to the ground.

Meanwhile, the members of the Dream-Mending Squad were repeatedly battered by severe blows from "it."

"We can't go on like this!" Realizing this, Wu Que severed an oncoming tentacle with a single slash and shouted to the others, "Buy me and Chen Tianyu some time!"

Hearing this, Zhang Deshuai knew that dragging it out was no solution. His gaze darkened, and a golden aura exploded from around his body.

"Twilight Art—All Things Manifest!!"

Time seemed to freeze for a split second. The fully blazing monster first froze in a daze, and then its form expanded violently.

At the same time, a massive rift tore open in the sky, from which a ball of fiery red light surged upward. This blazing red light radiated boundless divine power, instantly eclipsing the entire heaven and earth.

Crimson and golden interwove and collided, illuminating even the gloomy operating room!

Wang Shuhan walked behind the Overseer and activated her ocean magic. As the deep blue magic seeped into the Overseer's body, his eyes gradually cleared.

The Overseer's gaze sharpened. Wearing old Beijing cloth shoes, he blasted forward like a cannonball, while the oral appendages and limbs on his back danced as he tangled with "it."

"It" moved like an intangible phantom, swooping in for surprise attacks one moment and dropping rapidly to the ground the next, appearing out of nowhere. The attacks of the two were restricted by their own footwork, proving utterly useless. Its movement technique was ghostly, dancing freely through the air. Everyone was dazzled and found it difficult to pinpoint the direction of the attack.

Knowing that he could not wait any longer, the moment everyone rushed out to fight it, Wu Que raised his weapon parallel to the ground, entering a ready stance.

"Hah!"

Along with the activation of the ready stance, Wu Que was astonished to find that the black blade in his hand had grown much heavier, while his own strength was climbing step by step.

A pitch-black aura gradually enveloped his entire body, causing even Wang Shuhan to cast a sidelong glance.

"Not enough... Still not enough!"

"Chen Tianyu!"

Wu Que roared. Chen Tianyu understood instantly. He retreated to a corner, planted his feet firmly, and began to chant:

"Absolute Focus!"

The moment Absolute Focus activated, Chen Tianyu continuously drew his bow and loosed arrows. Silver-white arrows imbued with Nen constantly struck the monster's body, eliciting heart-rending screeches from "it" with every impact.

"It's working!"

Chen Tianyu felt his body beginning to bear a severe burden, but his gaze remained fierce as he continued to draw his bow and fire.

Meanwhile, the power within Wu Que had reached its absolute limit, radiating a formidable aura that made others dare not look him in the eye.