Episode 234: Unless, at this moment, the other side starts infighting
『 Lahmu's mocking laughter washed over Kingu's mind like a relentless tide, threatening to swallow her whole.
"Is there… something funny?" Even though she knew how pathetic, perhaps even utterly absurd, her question sounded, Kingu still struggled to squeeze out a voice to question this insulting ridicule, hoping to receive a shred of respect or understanding. "Urgh… ugh…"
Kingu struggled, clutching her chest with her hand. The pain radiating from there seemed to keep her on the verge of collapse every second, yet she still looked back at the Lahmu behind her with a gaze full of hatred, trying to find an answer or explanation.
"Do you even need to ask…"
The creature, possessing only a mouth-hole and an appearance terrifying enough to induce fear, suddenly emitted a string of sharp, piercing words—words that in themselves carried such intense aggression they were enough to make one's scalp tingle.
"Hahahahahahahahaha…"
Immediately following was the sound of unbridled laughter, almost drowning out all other noises. "Because the way you look… is really laughable… truly super interesting, you're practically killing me with amusement."
Facing this hideous and terrifying face, Kingu could only silently endure it all. "Because you thought it was fun, you did this? Doing this makes you feel very happy?"
"Happy happy happy happy happy… Hahahaha, killing humans feels so good! And of course, that includes you!" Every word cut deeply into Kingu's heart like a blade.
As the grotesque tentacles controlled by the Lahmu sank deeper into Kingu's body and then rapidly withdrew, every entry and exit was accompanied by even more intense agony, a sensation that felt as if it were tearing apart her very soul.
"Ah…"
Finally unable to bear this inhuman torture any longer, Kingu lost her balance and fell heavily from the air to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
And among the countless tentacles of the Lahmu, something flashing with a brilliant golden light suddenly caught everyone's attention.
"That light… It's really the reaction of a Holy Grail!"
On the faces of Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka, a look of tension gradually emerged, and deep worry was revealed between their brows.
Ishtar frowned deeply, looking at this scene with a solemn gaze, and slowly spoke: "Sure enough… the one holding the Holy Grail was Kingu?"
Her gaze swept across the air, and her confusion deepened: "Gorgon obtained the power of the Holy Grail through him… but why was this power transferred to the Lahmu? This situation shouldn't have happened…"
Just then, while everyone was still pondering the issue, something unexpected occurred.
The Lahmu hesitated not a moment and swallowed the Holy Grail in its hand in one gulp. This action caused everyone present to widen their eyes, shocked into speechlessness. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "Such a big thing, it just swallowed it whole?" ]
[ Eriri Spencer Sawamura (Saekano): "Wow, that's amazing." ]
[ Lisa (Genshin Impact): "Oh? This seems to be even more impressive than that little fellow." ]
[ Lumine (Genshin Impact): "We should let Paimon try it another day, see if she can swallow such a big thing in one bite." ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "?? I can't eat that! No matter how I think about it, I can't swallow that thing in one bite, right?" ]
[ Lumine (Genshin Impact): "Even though you usually eat so much. A bill of three hundred thousand Mora a month." ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "Hehehe." ]
[ Amber (Genshin Impact): "Hehe." ]
[ Miyuki Shirogane (Love Is War): "Three hundred thousand Mora a month? What kind of value is that?" ]
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "Doesn't matter what the value is. Three hundred thousand a month is a lot." ]
[ .....]
『 "The Holy Grail… was actually swallowed by it?!" Mash's voice carried a tone of disbelief.
At the same moment, not far away, came the Lahmu's unconcealed mockery and contempt for Kingu, who was lying on the ground.
"You no longer have any value… Awakening our great Mother is our mission. In this regard, you are obviously an obsolete character… Since that is the case, end your life right here."
Almost in the same instant, the Lahmu that had just swallowed the Holy Grail suddenly began to change—it actually grew a pair of broad wings, seemingly awakening a new ability to fly.
"Everyone, be careful! We must be ready to face the coming battle!" Seeing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka immediately shouted to remind his companions. If they let this Lahmu, which had obtained new power, escape the scene and hand the Holy Grail to Tiamat, then a disaster would await them and the entire world.
Meanwhile, realizing the critical nature of the situation, Ishtar also took quick action. She swiftly assumed a stance, preparing to fire attack magic.
"We can't delay any longer." As soon as the words fell, a powerful wave of energy condensed in her palm, and she fired it at the enemy without hesitation.
But regrettably… although everyone tried their best, these attacks did not seem to cause any substantial damage to the opponent. The battle continued to rage like a raging fire; meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield…
"Haa… panting sounds merging into one… panting non-stop…" At this moment, the heavily injured and blood-stained Kingu was trying her utmost to flee this place.
Her steps seemed incredibly heavy, but her feet never stopped; even though the burning pain in her chest constantly tortured her fragile mind…
No matter what cruel blows of fate she encountered, she had never thought of giving up the idea of escaping.
No matter how much pain invaded her body, she stubbornly resisted and continued to move forward. "I can't… I can't fall here… and I certainly can't lose my life so easily!"
Kingu's intense desire to survive drove her to run forward desperately, as if completely ignoring the sensations that were nearly tearing her flesh apart.
And behind this warrior, there were swarms of Lahmu, chasing relentlessly, attempting to capture and end her life.
But…
Having lost the Holy Grail, Kingu's body was far from what it used to be. The power that once commanded fear now seemed to be nothing more than a faint wisp of aura.
Even more despairing was that she now faced an unprecedented predicament—the road ahead was completely blocked, and looking back, she could only see endless Lahmu approaching.
"Ugh…"
Kingu gritted her teeth, a painful groan escaping low from her throat.
She clutched her chest with one hand, as if an invisible wound there was tormenting her;
Yet her other hand miraculously transformed into a razor-sharp weapon. While fending off the waves of crazy attacks from the Lahmu, she was constantly trying to find an opportunity to break through.
However, even fighting back with all her might was merely a drop in the bucket before this group of nearly unstoppable enemies.
Because she had lost the protection of the precious Holy Grail, and her body had suffered heavy damage that could not be recovered, the current Kingu found it difficult to maintain even the most basic defense, let alone launch an effective counterattack.
Smack…
When a brave Lahmu was hit by Kingu's arm-turned-blade, one would think it would be a fatal blow. However, it recovered quickly as if nothing had happened, straightened its body again, and continued to head towards Kingu's location. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Arataki Itto (Genshin Impact): "Good grief, recovering that fast? How tiring would it be to fight that?" ]
[ Kafka (Honkai: Star Rail): "This person will probably have to start running for her life very soon." ]
[ Tartaglia (Genshin Impact): "Although I quite enjoy fighting, this kind of battle might be a bit too advanced." ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "How does this count as a battle? This is clearly a gang beating." ]
[ .....]
『 "Useless! It's completely useless!" The jeers of the Lahmu rose and fell. "Without the help of the Holy Grail, you can't even hear the voice Mother left for you at the end."
"What value do you have now? You're nothing, Kingu." They continued to mock: "You are already a superfluous person, without any meaning for existence."
"What a poor wretch… so pitiful!"
Immediately after, deafening laughter erupted from the entire group of Lahmu, piercing the ears like demons.
"Shut up!" Kingu burned with rage, realizing she had reached a dead end. In desperation, she could only attempt to activate her last hope—summoning the "Chains of Heaven," intending to deal the enemy a head-on blow with the force of a thunderbolt.
Unfortunately, the result did not change… The moment the golden chains touched the surface of the Lahmu, they bounced off instantly like pebbles skipping across water, unable to even scratch the outermost layer of skin.
At this moment, everything seemed so powerless and absurd.
Facing such a seemingly irreversible situation, even an existence as powerful as Kingu could do nothing more.
Her body was weak to the extreme; even standing firm was already a struggle, let alone fighting these terrifying monsters.
"Hahahahahaha…"
"Truly too pitiful… this scene is simply laughable to the extreme!"
"It's really too funny… simply makes one unable to hold back laughter! Look at the appearance of that defeated king, how ironic!"
Amidst such ridicule, the self-esteem deep within Kingu's heart was provoked as never before. Her reason was on the verge of collapse, leaving only a chest full of anger filling every cell of her body.
"You arrogant guys! In the end, you're just mass-produced small fries!"
Finally, anger triumphed over reason. Kingu's hand transformed once again into her strongest weapon in combat stance, and she rushed recklessly towards those figures constantly emitting arrogant laughter, disregarding her own safety.
Even so…
With a light wave of its hand, the Lahmu easily deflected Kingu's attack. Every movement appeared light as clouds and gentle as the breeze, as if the other's existence posed no threat to it whatsoever.
"This… This is impossible!"
Kingu looked at everything happening before her in disbelief, her eyes filled with endless shock and confusion.
Those eyes were wide open, as if she dared not believe what she was seeing.
Whether it was the experience of being ruthlessly abandoned by her biological mother or the fact of being hunted and intercepted by her own brothers, it was all hard for her to accept.
These experiences were like heavy hammers striking her heart; every recollection was agonizing.
But the cruelty lay in the fact that all of this was an undeniable reality, indisputable facts happening to her.
"Clearly, I am the strongest weapon of this era!"
When she shouted this sentence in anger, her voice was trembling.
Taking advantage of the moment the Lahmu slightly relaxed, Kingu quickly adjusted her posture, performed a fierce flip, and jumped down the cliff without hesitation.
Despite her heart being filled with unwillingness and humiliation, this once incredibly proud person had to choose to flee once again, seeking a glimmer of a chance at survival.
"She ran away! She ran away!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Hunt! Hunt!" (A sound similar to cheering or rallying)
Watching Kingu's struggling figure, the Lahmu showed not a hint of frustration but instead became even more excited.
Beneath those weird, twisted smiles was a desire to chase their opponent even more cruelly and ruthlessly. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Shikanoin Heizou (Genshin Impact): "She's become prey to those who were once his own people." ]
[ Uzumaki Naruto (Naruto): "A hunting game, huh?" ]
[ Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): "That kind of game sounds so boring." ]
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "Regardless, I still have to wish that this person can successfully escape." ]
[ .....]
『 Meanwhile, in the depths of the dark and oppressive forest in the distance, Kingu could be seen running with all hermight, trying to shake off the nightmare-like enemies following close behind.
"Haa… haa." Heavy and rapid panting echoed in the silent, deep forest, revealing a fragility unique to a life about to fade away.
Even in such a desperate situation, where she could lose her life at any moment, this unyielding soul still chose to continue fighting, even if only for an extremely slim hope of survival.
"It shouldn't be like this!" She repeated this sentence through gritted teeth, as if only this could keep hergoing.
"I am a new type of human created by the supreme Mother herself. Even if I am not familiar enough with the body I currently inhabit, and haven't found any historical records about it or left any traces of personal emotional memory… but I believe… I believe she is still full of infinite expectations for my future." Harboring this belief, Kingu propped up her injured body and ran forward ceaselessly.
"Over there! Over there! Look! She escaped the encirclement again! Don't let her get away! We have to drive her into a dead end and completely break her! Tear her apart! Turn this so-called powerful puppet into a pile of useless trash!"The frantic shouting of the Lahmu came from a distance.
Relying on the advantage of having more legs than a normal human and a persistent energy supply system allowed them to maintain extremely high efficiency and stability during the long, high-intensity chase.
In contrast, the severely injured Kingu's pace was gradually slowing down. Her once agile and flexible movements were now being maintained by sheer willpower alone.
Hearing their voices drawing closer—growing clearer and more piercing—cold sweat slid down her cheeks.
A feeling of despair and panic, unlike anything before, welled up in Kingu's heart. "How did things end up like this…"
"Nothing… (Damn it)… In this desolate and lonely land, I can't find anything to rely on or depend on."
Perhaps due to sheer exhaustion, or perhaps as a genuine emotional reaction to an inescapable fate—at that moment, Kingu hunched over completely. Her head hung low, as if she had lost all strength to hold it up, and her mouth let out intermittent, mournful gasps, like a dying beast nearing its end.
Yet even at such a difficult and perilous juncture, this tenacious life form still did not completely give up resistance and continued to run desperately.
Relying on superior physical coordination and speed, she temporarily shook off the enemies that followed her closely like maggots on a bone, unwilling to relax for even a quarter of an hour.
Unfortunately, due to massive blood loss and prolonged high tension, her brain gradually fell into a drowsy and confused state, accompanied by a sensation of violent heart spasms.
Finally, while turning a corner, she lost his footing and fell to the ground.
Although she temporarily avoided the risk of being captured, if this state continued unchanged… clearly, Kingu did not have much time left. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Boothill (Honkai: Star Rail): "Motherfudger, this chase is going to end very soon." ]
[ Keqing (Genshin Impact): "She was already injured long ago. Without help, she probably has no way to deal with that group chasing her from behind." ]
[ Ryuga Banjou (Kamen Rider): "Dammit, even though this person was detestable before, I actually feel a bit sorry for her now." ]
[ Isurugi Misora (Kamen Rider): "Ryuga-kun, I didn't expect you to have such thoughts." ]
[ Kiana (Honkai: Impact Third): "Come on, you have to escape." ]
[ Murata Himeko (Honkai: Impact Third): "I'm afraid there's no chance. The injuries are just too severe." ]
[ Theresa (Honkai: Impact Third): "Yeah." ]
[ Hojo Emu (Kamen Rider): "Unless, at this moment, the other side starts infighting." ]
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "But no matter how you think about it, unprovoked infighting is impossible, right?" ]
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "Unless among the opponent's team, there is one of our own people." ]
[ .....]