Chapter 275: [Freedom Dove] - Nerio’s part (27)
Amid the dense forest of tentacles, the protective dome shielding the humans was almost completely buried.
Damian and Ron joined forces, with Sana and Nana adding their strength, quickly forming a barrier of light to block the onslaught of the tentacles.
In an instant, countless sharp tips slammed against the shield, like drills pressing down. The moment the barrier cracked, they would pierce through and skewer the group into a sieve!
Bella’s staff struck the ground, streams of radiant colors spreading across the floor. But before long, they vanished into the writhing mass of tentacles.
Bella’s eyes widened—she could hardly believe what she was seeing.
And things could get even worse.
The tentacles grew larger by the second, their strength increasing with every passing moment.
Cold sweat streamed down Damian’s face as he roared:
"Susan, this won’t hold—think of something, quick!"
If this kept up, their shield wouldn’t last!
Susan’s eyes flashed. She pressed her lips together, her expression more serious than ever before.
"Based on my assessment... we can’t win this fight. This monster is completely the sovereign... of this place."
The others looked like they might crack apart on the spot at her words.
[Hahaha, as expected of Susan—maybe she’s already prepared to die.]
[Not even bothering to struggle, I really can’t understand her mindset.]
[In a way, she really is cold-blooded. Once she determines resistance is impossible, she won’t even struggle. If people die, they die. If she dies, so be it...]
Luis pushed up his glasses, catching the meaning behind Susan’s words:
"Then all we have to do is lure it outside."
Susan met his gaze.
"The chance of that is nearly zero. It won’t leave."
Luis frowned at her.
"Do it anyway."
Susan lowered her eyes to him, lips curling slightly.
"Struggling is pointless."
At that moment, her blue eyes suddenly blazed with radiant gold. Her braided hair lifted as though moved by an unseen wind, her cloak fluttering as immense energy surged outward from her as the center.
Like roots spreading at high speed, that invisible energy began to cling to every inch of the room, nearly enveloping the monstrous tentacled entity.
"Mr. Smith, leave the room."
Susan’s voice rang out—but it no longer sounded like her. It was as though the sound descended from the heavens, distant and mystical, carrying an undeniable force.
Damian could suddenly feel the crushing weight of the tentacles pressing down on them.
Then a scream tore through the air, its decibel level so high it made the furniture tremble and crash to the floor.
The monster’s tentacles writhed violently, shrinking with unbelievable speed.
Bella suddenly felt something rush past; she stared as Luis abruptly dashed out of the shield.
"Luis! What are you doing?!" she called, then hurried after him.
Mr. Smith’s lower body had returned to normal, but his upper torso remained a mass of writhing tentacles.
Susan kept her eyes locked on it, light enfolding her entire form—they seemed to be engaged in a silent standoff.
Clack!
The sound of liquid hitting the floor—fresh blood trickled from Susan’s eye sockets and nostrils, splattering onto the ground. Her body began to tremble; the blood blurred her vision, yet she didn’t stop even for a moment.
But Mr. Smith still didn’t obey her; it refused to leave the room and thrashed.
Watching Luis run relentlessly forward, ridicule rose in her eyes. She wanted to let go right then so Mr. Smith’s stabbing strike would kill them all...
But she didn’t need to let go—she’d already said it: they couldn’t win.
Crack!
As if something had snapped. The monster howled, instantly breaking free of Susan’s control. The sound shredded Damian and the others’ shields into smoke!
Bella widened her eyes and swung her staff; bands of brilliant light cocooned them, meeting the monster’s scream head-on.
Cough, cough!
"Susan!"
"Sister Susan!"
Susan staggered backward; her legs shook, but she fought not to buckle. Each cough brought fresh blood, as though she was trying to cough out her heart and lungs. Her eyes were clouded by blood; the pain forced her to shut them, and even breathing grew difficult.
[04:44]
The number hadn’t reached zero yet. Susan curled her lips—she’d said it: they would die.
With all their shields gone, death was inevitable.
A wet, slithering sound rose as Mr. Smith’s tentacles began to grow once again.
Just as Susan was ready to accept the inevitable end, Luis’s stern voice suddenly rang out:
"Mr. Smith, I know you’ve always been resentful about your daughter’s death never being brought to light!"
All sounds in the room seemed to fade after Luis’s words.
Mr. Smith halted his transformation, every tentacle turning toward Luis, waiting for him to continue. But it was clear—if Luis’s following words weren’t what he wanted to hear, Luis would be the first to be skewered into a sieve.
Supporting Bella, who had been gravely injured, taking the brunt of Mr. Smith’s earlier attack—blood trickling from her ears—Luis pushed up his glasses with his free hand and said slowly:
"Dove High School suddenly saw a string of suicides. The school merely dismissed them as cases of psychological stress. But the government didn’t think so. I’m a government agent, and I’m here to uncover the truth behind the suicides at Dove High School."
"As for Scarlet’s death, we have another theory. She definitely did not die by suicide." Luis’s voice was firm, his eyes glinting sharply behind his lenses, as if he were a detective.
At that moment, only Mr. Smith’s head remained a mass of tentacles. From within them, a maw filled with fangs opened, and his shrill voice rang out:
"Yes! That’s right—I knew it! I knew my daughter didn’t kill herself! I know everything, I know everything! But it’s too late, too late—I can’t do anything, I can’t do anything anymore!"
Mr. Smith’s tentacles whipped through the air as he began sobbing again, the grief of a middle-aged man who had lost the daughter he cherished tearing through his cries.
Finally, he said:
"I know everything, I know everything... I only want to find my daughter’s legs. She loved to dance. Without her legs, even in death, she must be suffering terribly—my poor girl..."
The moment Mr. Smith finished, the dungeon system’s cold, mechanical announcement rang out:
[Ding! Congratulations, humans, you have fulfilled Mr. Smith’s request!]
[Quest: Find Scarlet’s legs
Time limit: 2 days
Reward: Mr. Smith’s forgiveness x1, Path to a clue x1]