Chapter 209: Destroy The Cursed (26)

Chapter 209

Quint regarded both Aiden and Clara with an expression that was difficult to read — not boredom exactly, but a strange blend of disappointment and bone-deep exhaustion. His dark eyes, shadowed by the heavy bags beneath them, carried a weight that made even his stillness feel oppressive.

Aiden felt the urge to throw out a sarcastic remark, to break the tension with a jab aimed at the man’s appearance or attitude. After all, he was an elite hero — not some leftover scrap to be brushed aside. Being treated as anything less than the main threat was an insult in itself.

But he kept his mouth shut. Not because of principle or self-control, but because of a familiar, unsettling sensation creeping over him again.

It was the exact same feeling he’d had when the beast hordes had been unleashed after they arrive at this island — the suffocating awareness of someone pulling strings from the shadows. There was no doubt left in his mind now: this man before them, this dark emissary, was the puppeteer behind the ongoing chaos.

Not only was Quint commanding the monstrous six-tailed scorpion at his feet, but he was also controlling hundreds of thousands of other beasts across the battlefield. The sheer scale of such manipulation was staggering.

The moment the realization clicked, a chill crawled down Aiden’s spine. If this man truly controlled all of those creatures, then he was the one the entire allied force had been struggling against from the start.

It was insane.

Just like every other dark emissary, Quint was a massive threat that had to be eliminated. If he died, this war would be halfway won.

But Aiden wasn’t foolish enough to think it would be easy. The man had to be at least S-rank — maybe even something beyond. Still, rather than despair, a flicker of intrigue sparked in Aiden’s chest.

Apart from Han, he hadn’t fought anyone of this caliber before. And even then, his "fight" with Han had been far too one-sided to count.

This time, he wasn’t alone. He had Clara.

"Clara, I suggest you hold nothing back in this battle," Aiden said, his stance shifting as his body began to change.

His hide thickened, the hue darkening into a rich brown until it resembled solid armor. His teeth sharpened into predatory points, and jagged black markings crawled along his skin. His claws elongated into lethal blades, gleaming under the dim light.

Quint exhaled slowly, still wearing that drained, almost irritated expression.

"The troublesome one... not here after all," he said flatly. His gaze swept over them with mild disappointment.

"And since you’re not the ones I was expecting, I’ll just assume you’re another pair of irritations to deal with first."

He didn’t move from his position atop the six-tailed scorpion. Instead, he gave a single, curt order.

"Crit. Tear them apart."

The beast responded instantly. Two of its tails — one burning with a molten crimson glow, the other radiating an icy blue aura — lashed forward at blinding speed toward Aiden and Clara.

But the duo wasn’t standing still. They pushed off the ground in perfect sync, narrowly avoiding the strikes.

The red tail slammed into the earth, releasing a blast of searing elemental heat that scorched the ground into molten rock. The icy-blue tail struck moments later, freezing everything it touched into jagged, crystalline frost.

Steam hissed as fire and ice clashed across the battlefield, the air crackling with raw, destructive energy.

Its elemental power was on an entirely different level from its minions.

Aiden grimaced. Of course... If this beast was the one creating the lesser creatures, then naturally its elemental capabilities would far surpass theirs. But what he hadn’t expected was just how massive the difference would be. The gap was... absurd — far beyond anything he had imagined.

Still, there was no time to dwell on it.

Landing lightly on the rocky side of the cavern, Aiden didn’t waste a heartbeat. He shot forward at lightning speed, aiming straight for Quint’s position. Dark energy swirled around his clawed fingers as he slashed at the gleaming, armored carapace of the six-tailed scorpion.

Nothing.

Aiden blinked, stunned. Just how tough is this thing’s hide? The thought barely formed before regret set in. His momentary hesitation — even just a heartbeat — was all it took.

The scorpion lashed out, its massive pincer slamming into him with crushing force. The blow rattled his bones and sent him flying, tumbling violently across the ground.

The beast moved to follow up — but it wasn’t alone in this fight.

Clara wasn’t here to watch from the sidelines. Energy from the embedded core in her combat suit surged into her hands, gathering into a single, condensed point.

Her Omega Beam ignited.

The blast roared through the air like a thunderclap, slamming into the scorpion’s shell. The sheer force tore through the cavern’s stillness, drawing a piercing, pained shriek from the monstrous creature as it staggered backward.

Fully charged, Clara’s Omega Beam was a weapon only a handful of fighters in the world could match in destructive output. But even she knew... this wouldn’t be enough to stop the nightmare before them.

The scorpion shrieked twice more before Quint moved. With a slow, deliberate gesture, he touched the beast’s carapace — and, strangely, it began to calm. His eyes locked on Clara, his voice low and venomous.

"Before this, I intended to give you a quick death. No pain. No suffering. But now..." His expression twisted. "You dared to wound my pet. That mercy is gone. You’ll die in agony."

Clara didn’t bother listening to the rest of his bitter threats. She was already moving, her white combat suit glimmering under the cave’s light. The golden tracery along its seams lit up as her speed doubled, propelling her forward in a flash.

In an instant, she was right in front of the beast, another charged shot ready to unleash —

— and then something slammed into her side.

She crashed hard into the cavern wall, her shot veering wide. Disoriented, she pushed herself up, eyes snapping to Aiden in disbelief. Why would he—?

He didn’t need to explain.

Because when Clara looked at where she had been standing a moment earlier, her stomach dropped.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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