278: Chapter 279 "Order Wars" [Clone City]: Black Snowflakes of [The Serpent of Calamity]

Riding the Calamity Black Cloud as it ascended toward the dome of the Flesh Prison in [Clone City], [Passerby Man] pulled back his head from observing the battle below. He placed a hand on his forehead to cover his eyes and complained helplessly, "First it's dark red flesh mutations, then it's colorful confetti assimilation, and now there's a giant high-tech mecha. Does the intensity really have to be this high?~"

[Passerby Man] looked down at his Dream Spirit, the [Serpent of Calamity], resting on his chest. A deep, lingering tenderness spread through his eyes, and the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously in a moment of purest joy.

Due to his unlucky Physique since childhood, [Passerby Man] had never experienced even a single day of "normal" life. Various "accidents" were constantly occurring around him. Not only did people who knew him stay away, but even animals would avoid him from a distance due to their natural instinct to flee from disaster. Even annoying insects like mosquitoes and cockroaches never came near him. Thus, [Passerby Man]'s childhood wish was simply to have a close friend, even if it were just an animal.

After becoming a Host of the [Dream System], before manifesting his own [Dream Spirit], [Passerby Man] had hoped for a biological type, which would fulfill his lifelong wish. However, things didn't go as planned. Although he did manifest a biological [Dream Spirit], it was the [Unlucky Egg]—a pitch-black egg incapable of any interaction.

Even though the [Unlucky Egg] never interacted with him, [Passerby Man] still cherished this hard-won "friend." It wasn't until he was checking the registration page for the "Battle of Sequences" that he "accidentally" clicked the [Register] button. Through a series of "coincidences" after entering the [Dream Mission World—Clone City], his Dream Spirit, the [Unlucky Egg], finally hatched into its true form—the [Serpent of Calamity].

The pitch-black [Serpent of Calamity], only as thick as a finger, seemed to sense [Passerby Man]'s gentle gaze. After flicking its tongue, it looked up at him and slowly crawled upward, coiling around his neck and affectionately rubbing against his cheek.

Feeling the cool touch of the pitch-black scales, [Passerby Man] stood up on the now-stationary Calamity Black Cloud. Looking at the nearby dome of the Flesh Prison, there was no fear in his eyes, only anticipation for the "calamity" that could erupt at any moment. This time, because of the [Serpent of Calamity], [Passerby Man] was no longer just used to encountering "calamity"; he truly accepted its existence, because his friend—the [Serpent of Calamity]—was right there beside him.

Below, [Gear Boy], who was piloting the giant mecha, once again switched the socketed position of his Dream Spirit, the [enhanced gear], using the enhanced laser cannon on his left hand to blast through the giant flesh tentacles blocking his path. The [Serpent of Calamity] coiled around [Passerby Man]'s neck raised its head, a dark light flashing in its dark-gold pupils. Not only did the [Calamity Black Cloud] beneath his feet darken further, but it also exploded in the next instant, the vast expanse of black clouds condensing into tangible black snowflakes that drifted slowly downward.

Seated upon the Flesh Throne, the [Beholder] discovered the anomaly the moment the black snowflakes appeared via the surveillance System of [Clone City], which had already been transformed into a Flesh Prison. When the black snowflakes touched the flesh emitting a dark red glow, they merged into it without resistance, like raindrops falling into a pond.

Seeing this incomprehensible, unknown existence once again, the [Beholder]'s emotions, which had just stabilized, were provoked once more. It manipulated the Crimson Giant Eye atop the [Clone Tower] to look upward, exposing [Passerby Man], whose presence was no longer hidden by the Calamity Black Cloud, to its observation. After the Calamity Black Cloud exploded, [Passerby Man] lost his footing as well. Despite having accepted the existence of "calamity," he couldn't help but scream at the top of his lungs as he fell rapidly.

"Ahhh!~~~~~~~"