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Chapter 1148 - Face to Face Except No Faces
🕑 Added 2023-04-21 07:46:21 +0000 UTCIn the centre of the basin stand the three biggest, ugliest, most vicious looking demons I’ve ever clapped my thousands of lenses on. Torrifex looks much as I remember him. A brutal, gigantic monster who towers over the rest of us, even Tiny, smoke billowing from his back and curling around his feet.
Now that he isn’t moving around as much, I can see a little more detail of the big guy. His skin kind of looks cracked, with burning light shining through, as if he’s got lava running through his veins. Those jackalish features aren’t any more appealing than they were before, and his wickedly curved claws tipping each of his four arms don’t look any nicer than they did before.
His sisters, if anything, are worse.
Pyrixan is hard to even look at. Not because of her terrifying appearance, but because of the slowly revolving cloud of ash that covers her at all moments. I can catch glimpses of the demon within, and what I see isn’t great. My impression is of a withered blob of flesh covered in eyes, each of them weeping black ichor.
Lovely.
Somonax on the other hand, appears in her full glory, not bothering to conceal herself beneath cloaks of ash or smoke.
She’s… terrifying.
The first thing I see is the blades. I mean… there's a heck of a lot of blades. Thousands of the damn things. They swish and swirl through the air in elegant motions, like a dance… of DEATH. Thanks to their movement, I can make out the wire-thin threads that link them back to their host. In the middle, Somonax stands like a spider in the centre of a web.
Of the three, she’s the most humanoid, two arms, two legs, one head, boring, standard stuff. She’s still huge, of course, as a powerful tier eight monster should be.
Her face is… well… let’s just say she looks happy! Half of her head is taken up with a wide rictus grin of needle-like teeth, the other half is pretty much just red eyeballs.
It’s… a unique look.
A thought intrudes on my mind.
[Welcome little worm!] Torrifex appears to be in a fine mood, bellowing across the mindbridge the moment I allow it to snap into place.
[You’re awfully cheery,] I grumble, [quite different from the last time I saw you. As I recall you scurried away after I dispensed a right whopping.]
The gigantic demon doesn’t appear too pleased with this description of events, but his arrogant tone doesn’t alter a whit.
[The Demon God wished you to be tested, and so you were. I had not been sent to kill you, that is the only reason you still live.]
[You slithered away like a little worm, that’s the only reason you are alive. And now what? Arconi-butt wanted me tested, and I passed, naturally, and then you drag me down here and trap me with your two sisters, for what, exactly? Is this another test, or have you gone off script?]
The Ancients want another monster to rise to their level. I don’t know exactly why, but they actively try to create claimants to that vacant throne. The Call is just one tool they use, sticking this damn hook in my guts to ‘encourage’ me to descend and grow stronger. The various monster cults were literally created by the Ancients for this purpose, putting members of the surface races to the task as well, all to find and foster the twentieth Ancient.
So it made sense that I, as one they’ve put their greedy eyes on, would be tested. What doesn’t make sense is that after passing the test with flying colours, Arconidem would then want to lure me down here for a rather uneven three vs one battle to the death.
Which leads me to suspect that Torrifex and his merry crew are no longer acting on the orders of the Demon God. In fact, they may be going against his wishes is a particularly narrow way.
[The Demon God has ordered this strata be made clean for his return. You are your Colony are not demon, so you will be removed.]
[That’s true. But he didn’t order you to kill me, did he?]
The big demon grins all the wider, the fire beneath his skin growing brighter until flames begin to lick through the cracks in his skin. That’s all the answer I need.
These morons are jealous that the big daddy demon god paid attention to someone else. As heralds, they were supposed to be the special children, the favourites, but they were sent out to test a piddly little ant.
Or perhaps they aspire to sit on the throne alongside papa? Be the second demon to ascend to Ancient. Would be rather a special achievement, sure to elevate them in the eyes of Arconi-butt.
I sigh.
[Well, come on then. You three are giant sacks of experience and Biomass, just waiting for me to claim. You cannot imagine how hard it’s been to afford my mutations.]
In a separate message, I speak to Al.
[Make sure you hit them with everything you’ve got. We need to unleash everything we have.]
To Crinis, Tiny and Invidia: [Keep the reinforcements off my back for as long as possible. Don’t push yourself too far, Crinis, if you don’t survive, I’m going to be super mad at you.]
[I-I-I-I won’t, Master!]
[What, won’t survive?]
[I mean I will!]
[Good then. Let’s get to it.]
And just like that, I swagger down into the basin, with three tier eight demons waiting for me. Their auras are staggering, battering me. Torrifex is the same as before, heat and dominance pressing in on me like a vice, but the others are just as bad. The pressure emanating from Pyrixan feels like it's eating away at me, nibbling at the edges of my mind. Somonax… hoo boy. Violence, blood, murder, death. A manic, rabid, gibbering need to cut and thresh boils the air around her, rolling off in waves that try to push me back as I step forward.
I resist them all, staring the three of them down as I languidly click my mandibles.
[Well then. Shall we?]
HOOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLL!
Comments
Icharris
Sarah and champions are only T6.. same as the pets. I think T6’s have been said to be useless against T8’s. Unless they secretly evolved which should be impossible (evolving takes quite some time)
Icharris
Sarah and champions are only T6.. same as the pets. I think T6’s have been said to be useless against T8’s
Paul R
This could be one where he takes a loss and loses someone or they're heavily injured, give him something to reflect on like he did with grant. Hopefully it's not just plot armour which saves the day, Sarah and the champions might come and tie down one or 2 of the t8s with Al
Desmond Cheong
Maybe the other champions will join the fight. Brilliant with the portal can send the SWAT team (Solant). Vibrant with her assault team. Past few chapters are on the champions so they may play a part in this seemingly disadvantaged fight.
Icharris
Yeah I really don’t get it. And his attitude is really confusing me… like he really is just acting like it’s all I’m the bag and he stands a chance. I know there is a fear of them evolving to T9 but how long will that take? Even going to T7 took months. Wave will probably be over by then and they will be driven down to lower layers. And even if that wasn’t the case that the wave would be over by the time they finished evolving he could still wait months until he hunts them. Time for his pets to evolve, him to max his mutations, Al to become T8, and his guards to become T6. Also he could attack while the first one is evolving. E.g. only two peak tier 8s to fight. Let’s see how this goes…. I’m just baffled by the direction his actions are taking for basically the first time in this novel (that I can recall at least..). When he fought his first T7 as a T6 (gluttony demon grockis or whatever) it was still hella tough and he almost died. And he had his T6 Pets, colony with him, and there was only one T7. Also I think he was father along in T6 but can’t recall that part for sure.
Merf
Yeah he really should have maxed his mutations, pushed his skills, and waited till Tiny, Crinis and Invidia reached Tier 7, along with Protectant and the other 20 reaching Tier 6. Even If he had done all that, along with having a full tank of gravity mana and being in close proximity to the full might of the colony, I would still call it a pitched battle where he might loose. I mean these are three Mythic Demons at the peak of Tier 8! No way should this be in any way easy. But now? While his team is exhausted and he is far from the colony? I genuinely don’t understand his thought process. He seems pretty screwed, but he’s acting like it’s all in the bag.
Icharris
Yes but it’s very different. Him doing reckless or ambivalent things is different. This is taking things to a much higher extreme. If I remember the flashback of the day he died on earth he actually thought he’d wake up the next day… it’s not like he planned on dying. Idk I think it’s not really the same. Doing reckless things like exploring deeper into the dungeon that might result in death is different than literally doing something you know you will die from. Which without some form of plot armor or hidden strength I’m not remembering this situation should be based on what’s been shown of their relative strengths.
thendavesaid
I think it was heavily implied that he originally died from not caring enough about life to fight for the resources he needed to stay alive. His insanity also seems to be a complete lack of fear. While he's never been completely stupid, he's done plenty of suicidal things.
Icharris
I don’t like this development. Sure Anthony has done things In the past foolish but not suicidal. Why go away from the colony to fight three enemies a tier above him - and even at the peak of that tier? I really can’t see how he wins besides plot armor. 😞 the dissonance of his behavior and fear that he’s suddenly going to beat enemies in this situation is really making it hard for me to enjoy the chapters. Just too hard to get hyped for it. Like he knows this is a trap? Why is he going there? I get they are in a bad situation and the 4th layer needs him but killing himself doesnt help. He’s never done this in the past, it’s not comparable to going adventuring in dangerous areas. It’s literally willing walking into a trap. Is there some power he didn’t use when he fought Torrifax that I’m missing? Only thing I can think of is he was a little low on gravity mana at that time but that should be more than made up for by being close to the colony. Now they are tired, lacking colonies will, and have two more T8’s to fight. Really don’t get it how he could possibly win or even survive here
Rahsheem Reid
That is what I’m thinking the bomb at the end of the chap is…
Rahsheem Reid
After this wave bro. His constant use of the dome should give him some bad ass upgrades for gravity magic and the gland
Marter
Gravity bomb for the win?!!!??
Moonspike
Didn't he shoot one off at the last of the chapter? I thought that was what the howl was.
Runaway_Cactuar
Hope Anthony was spinning up the grav bomb while he's chatting. Talking is not a free action in this dungeon~
alt31415
I didn't get the impression it was a close one. He and Torrifex were basically just jabbing each other, refusing to show them their strongest stuff. It does seem a bit... ridiculous. He had a rough-ish fight against 3 Tier 7s, I can't see how he beats 3 Tier 8s unless he Gravity-Bomb snipes one and books it.
Fistro nio
I cant understand how Anthony is so calm about this👀. His fight against Torrifex was a close one, and now there are 3 and he is far away from the colony.
CentaureHeart
He's got his protectors at the very least. He's become a true beast and a lot of people recognize it but this will elevate him as the next Ancient and he's going to have a huge target on his back
Wensber
I am almost certain the Colony followed him in some way. Tier 7 against 3 Tier 8s just doesn't seem reasonable. Also, would the Colony seriously let him come alone?
alt31415
Let's get ready to RRRRRUUUUMBLE
CentaureHeart
That's not going to be an easy fight! But hell, if Anthony wins this... A mythical tier 7, can't imagine what a mythical tier 8 would be..
Nathan Quitugua
Its feeling more and more that anthonys much vaunted gravity skill he finally got seems to be more utility focused then offensively focused. Like he only got the gravity bomb because he was trying something out. Like i need him to tease out the rest of the skills secrets and mana forms. Im waiting for one of them to be like shinra tensei and using extreme gravity to reject anything in his sphere of influence.
Codered999
No, the Ancients will ultimately leave him to live or die by his own actions and choices. Only surviving without their support matters in this whole thing.
Gopard
Thanks for the chapter!
Frank Moore
Will aci-butt intervine if Anthony starts lossing?
ZaneofBane
I want to see a vestabule-infused gravity bomb so badly. (Full power.)
Koala Man
And here we go :) this is going to be hectic
