My p@treon followers actually read chapter "88"...
Join us on : www.patreon/hemlet.com
---
The first explosion thundered, followed by another, then a third. The monstrosities, acting like kamikazes, hurled themselves at Ryosuke with desperate frenzy. Each creature that reached his proximity burst in a blinding flash, hurling incandescent debris in every direction.
Mechamaru, busy fending off his own assailants, realized too late what was happening. The creatures around him froze for an instant, as if receiving a silent order. Then they lunged at him en masse, their claws tearing into his metallic armor. The next instant, they exploded as well.
The blasts shook the entire environment. The factory walls gave way under the shockwaves, their metal structures bending like cardboard before collapsing with a deafening crash. Steel beams, ripped from their supports, crashed heavily to the ground, pulverizing everything in their path.
Pipes burst open, releasing torrents of scalding steam that filled the space with a piercing hiss.
The flames, born from the first explosions, spread rapidly, devouring the remains of the factory. Fueled by flammable materials scattered throughout the site, they climbed high, illuminating the darkness with a red and golden glow. The dancing shadows cast by the flames projected nightmarish shapes on the crumbling walls, amplifying the sense of absolute chaos.
Caught in the onslaught, Mechamaru was hurled backward. His blades, once his greatest defense, were no match for the sheer force of the blasts. He slammed into the ground, his armor sizzling and smoking under the intensity of the detonations.
The explosions echoed on, as if unwilling to fade. Flames licked at the collapsed walls, rising into the black sky, casting their sinister glow on the scene. Twisted beams groaned, threatening to collapse further with each passing second. The air was stiflingly hot, thick with black smoke and swirling ashes dancing like a macabre waltz.
Amidst the chaos, a heavy silence fell. Then, a massive figure emerged from the flames and rubble, its heavy steps shaking what was left of the structure. The scourge, still smoldering, leaned against the charred barrier Ryosuke had erected earlier. His ragged breathing betrayed the effort it had taken to regenerate, though his grievous wounds were sealing at a terrifying pace. His scaly skin glistened under the firelight, while his golden eyes remained locked on the spot where Ryosuke had vanished.
From the thick smoke, a slender silhouette appeared. Ryosuke walked forward calmly, unscathed, as if he had just taken a stroll in the park rather than survived utter devastation. His clothes, still immaculate, bore no trace of soot or tears. He cracked his neck before casting a mocking gaze at the scourge.
"Oh, you wanted to leave without saying goodbye?" he asked with feigned indignation. "Honestly, that's not very polite."
The scourge growled deeply, his jaws clenched. Slowly, he pushed himself off the blackened wall and unleashed a feral roar that shook the air. From the shadows around him, monstrosities emerged once again.
But this time, they did more than simply encircle him. In a terrifying display, they converged, fusing into a shapeless mass. The creatures writhed, their grotesque bodies locking together like the pieces of a cursed puzzle. Their flesh pulsed, merging to form a titanic giant.
The colossus, now complete, rose amid the flames, its silhouette towering over a hundred meters. Its black, glistening skin seemed like living obsidian. Its massive limbs, covered in scales and razor-sharp claws, unfolded with a deafening crack, and its blazing red eyes swept the scene before fixing on Ryosuke. A beastly roar burst from its throat, so powerful it shattered the few intact windows and forced the flames to recoil.
Ryosuke tilted his head up, observing the creature with a satisfied smile. "Impressive," he said calmly.
But the colossus gave him no time to say more. With a brutal motion, it raised its gigantic fist and brought it down with phenomenal force. The impact was devastating. The entire ground shook like an earthquake. The debris still hanging in the air was blasted away in every direction, and a gaping crater opened where the fist had struck.
The creature's sheer weight made every step crush the factory's remnants like matchsticks. Underground pipes burst under the pressure, releasing jets of scalding steam that added to the chaos. The surrounding buildings, weakened by the initial blast, collapsed in a chain reaction, sending clouds of dust and thunderous crashes into the night.
But when the dust cleared, Ryosuke was still there, standing at the crater's edge, watching the creature with undisguised fascination. "Not bad," he murmured, as if judging a work of art. Then he shrugged. "But it's a little lacking in precision."
The colossus, driven mad with rage, roared again. This time, it raised both massive fists above its head and brought them down with even more crushing power. The resulting impact was cataclysmic.
The ground shattered like broken glass, cracks racing outward at breakneck speed. Shards of rock and metal shot into the air before raining back down in a destructive shower. The surrounding walls, already fragile, collapsed under the shockwave, sending debris flying everywhere. The flames were smothered for a brief moment, swept aside by the force of the blast, before reigniting to continue their deadly dance over the smoldering wreckage.
A heavy silence followed, broken only by the crackle of embers and the distant groaning of ruined structures.
But at the center of the indescribable chaos, Ryosuke still stood. Motionless, his slender figure loomed through the swirling dust. Yet something had changed.
A thin trickle of blood ran from his nostrils, mingling with the blood slowly seeping from his eyes. He raised a trembling hand to his face, wiping it away with his sleeve—just the prelude to his exhaustion. Then, he gave a bitter smile.
"So… this is what it feels like… to reach your limits," he whispered, his voice barely audible in the turmoil.
The colossus, seeing his foe falter, roared triumphantly. With surprising speed for a creature of its size, it swung its massive foot in a violent arc.
Dizzy, Ryosuke held his head, trying to steady himself. But it was too late. The titanic foot crashed down on him with colossal force, pulverizing everything beneath its weight. Another shockwave ravaged the area, reducing the factory's remains to dust and shaking the ground as if it might collapse entirely.
From the sidelines, the curse, who had been watching intently, allowed a cruel smile to spread across his face for the first time.
"That'll teach you, arrogant brat," he hissed, his fangs gleaming in the firelight. "To underestimate your enemies. Fool."