"What! How is this possible!"
With Isolde's spoken warning, the atmosphere in the outpost command center, which had been jubilant just moments ago, froze in an instant.
For a moment, a look of disbelief surfaced in everyone's eyes. Even Roland, whose expression had loosened slightly, turned stern again after realizing something was wrong.
"Th... This shouldn't be possible, right?"
"Nineveh's cores were clearly all destroyed. Could it be that she can continue living even after all her cores have been shattered?!"
Ophelia looked at the solemn Isolde, her single eye betraying an intense urgency as her expectations were dashed.
She needed Isolde to provide a reasonable explanation.
Responding to Ophelia's questioning, Isolde remained incomparably calm as she assisted Ray in organizing the data, issuing a reminder:
"No, the intelligence data we probed before became obsolete the moment this mutated Nineveh appeared."
"Everything about her has become an unknown following the mutation. The data we detected previously can only be used for reference."
Hearing Isolde's words, Ophelia found herself unable to refute them for a moment.
Undoubtedly, Isolde was right.
The momentary impulse was quickly suppressed, and calmness reoccupied her brain at this moment.
Ophelia also realized the anomaly right then.
Even if an Ethereal might not dissipate immediately upon death, the time it was taking to dissipate was simply too long!
There was definitely something wrong!
At the same time.
From beginning to end, Ray had not cared about the emotional fluctuations of others, nor had she paid attention to anything happening around her.
The moment Nineveh's cores were all shattered, Ray, as a scholar, had immersed herself in constantly checking the data transmitted back by the detection equipment.
Unaffected by anyone else, Ray suddenly slammed down the documents in her hand.
Ignoring the reactions of those around her, she grabbed the device used to contact Andrew and spoke at the fastest speed of her life:
"Andrew, attack Nineveh's flower bud! The thing inside there is the real main core that allows Nineveh to survive!"
The instant he heard Ray's voice.
Andrew, who had also sensed that something was amiss, unhesitatingly and fiercely drew Icebrink. He thrust it straight and violently toward the cocoon, intending to suppress the mutation before it could occur.
But even though Andrew's movements were fast enough, he was still too late.
There was no doubt.
The reason Nineveh had feigned a state of true death from the start was entirely for this purpose: to take advantage of the split second when the two of them subconsciously relaxed after believing the crusade was successful, allowing her to escape from their grasp.
With one side calculating against the unsuspecting other.
Just as Andrew's blade pierced through the massive cocoon, an invisible, inexplicable force suddenly dragged her massive body upward again, flying into the air.
She was no longer merely hovering near the ground as before, but truly, in the truest sense, flying toward the vast sky at maximum speed.
If she succeeded.
Then until she landed again, Andrew and Hoshimi Miyabi would lose the ability to attack her directly at close range.
Seeing Nineveh already taking flight.
Faced with a target about to ascend to the heavens, Andrew acted on instinct. In a split second, he habitually pulled out a Flash Bomb and fired it directly at Nineveh's face with his Slinger.
Fast, accurate, ruthless.
The seasoned movement clearly marked him as a hero among Hunters.
Snap!
But accompanied by the eruption of the Flash Bomb's intense light, Nineveh did not fall directly from the sky as usual.
Facing the intense light exploding in her face—something that would normally spell death upon landing—Nineveh merely swayed for an instant before continuing to flee toward the sky at her previous speed.
Watching Nineveh's performance, Andrew immediately remembered.
An Ethereal is not a living creature. Whether it is intense light or noise, its influence on an Ethereal can be said to be extremely limited.
Under these circumstances, naturally, there was no way to flash her down while she was flying, as one would with those Wyverns.
But at this point, it was too late to say these things.
In just a few short seconds, Nineveh had completely broken away from the low-altitude flight and was flying toward the even vaster sky at top speed.
Like a fish diving into water.
The sky, unreachable for humans, was the place where she could fly freely.
The reason she had been flying near the ground previously was simply because her companions, the Ethereal Wasps, could only manage low-altitude flight.
After failing to stop Nineveh from flying into the sky.
For a Hunter who couldn't fly and whose weapon was a Tachi, Andrew really didn't have any good methods right now for a target flying at high altitude.
As for Hoshimi Miyabi.
That slash just now had been unleashed with absolutely full force, premised on not going berserk.
The current Wuwei, following that attack which surpassed everything from before, had completely reached the edge of going berserk. If she continued to use it...
Before the next slash could be released, Wuwei's rampage would find her first.
Looking at Nineveh, who had flown completely into the high sky, although Hoshimi Miyabi had the heart to kill the enemy, the imminent rampage of Wuwei left her powerless to support.
Could it be that they could only watch like this?
Even with two Void Hunter-level combatants, could they not do it?
Under the somewhat despairing gazes of those in the outpost.
Floating in the air, Nineveh's body, which had been split into three sections, began to regrow the instant the pieces touched, all within a mere second or two.
Then, she repaired herself like modeling clay.
In Andrew's vision, the way she grew, resembling lotus roots still connected by fibers, completely subverted Nineveh's original plant-like characteristics. It was as if, due to the Frenzy Virus, Nineveh's characteristics had been fundamentally altered.
However, this didn't mean that the duo's previous attacks were useless.
As the shattered cores were kneaded back into a whole by an unknown force, although no difference could be seen physically, the core that still remained on the verge of shattering indicated that her current condition wasn't much better.
She was already an arrow at the end of its flight.
As long as the core within the cocoon beneath her body was shattered, Nineveh would truly meet her death.
And Nineveh herself was very clear about this.
The moment she successfully broke free, to ensure the two couldn't use the surrounding high-rises like before, Nineveh immediately flew toward the high altitude at top speed.
That was a height that even the tops of skyscrapers couldn't reach.
No matter what, she couldn't give them a chance to get close to her.
And the sky was her best refuge.
At least according to past combat experience, as long as she flew into the high sky, those humans who could only rely on shells that tickled when they hit her posed no threat.
Next.
She had to hurry to that place rich in Ether energy. Using the Ether energy there, she could let her core recover again.
Although she didn't know how she could survive with all her cores destroyed, things being what they were, she couldn't care about that anymore.
Feeling her life flickering like a candle in the wind, she unhesitatingly advanced at full speed toward her initial target: Shiyu Tower.
Energy.
She needed Ether energy.
Only with sufficient Ether energy could she recover from this state where she could die at any moment.
The instinct to survive drove her to fly toward the distant Shiyu Tower as fast as possible.
She hadn't noticed at all that her craving for Ether energy had long reached an abnormal level.
Accompanying Nineveh's ascent.
Through the wound on the cocoon that he had just pierced, Andrew obtained the answer.
It wasn't the expected Frenzy Virus crystal.
Instead, a monster appearing in Andrew's eyes had a main body shape seventy percent similar to a Gore Magala, while thirty percent resembled a Nerscylla—something he had never seen before.
No, how was this a crystal?
This was completely an embryo that hadn't fully developed or reached the conditions for birth yet!
And that already formed core, along with the tubular tissues connecting to the parts that originally resembled flower petals, indicated the truth.
It was the reason Nineveh could continue to live.
As an embryo that hadn't finished developing.
If the mother died, it was destined to be unable to survive. That was why, as an inseparable entity for the time being, it helped Nineveh stabilize her state!
The moment he saw clearly what was inside the cocoon, all of Nineveh's various unreasonable actions were answered in an instant.
No wonder Nineveh suddenly mobilized.
No wonder her first reaction after exiting her dormant state this time was to head for Shiyu Tower, where Ether energy was incredibly abundant!
She was basically under the influence of the embryo inside her body, seizing nutrients for it so it could continue to grow!
And this was the reason Nineveh suddenly began heading toward Shiyu Tower, which possessed terrifying Ether energy!
Looking at the characteristics of this monster that was about to fully take shape.
There was no doubt: the inside of this cocoon was an Ethereal Gore Magala larva still in the embryo state!
As for why it had Nerscylla parts on its body?
That was most likely a mutation caused by the Nerscylla, acting as the carrier for the virus, undergoing Etherealization simultaneously with the Frenzy Virus.
In that case, the existence of these parts could be considered a disguised weakening of this Gore Magala larva's strength?
And Nineveh herself probably had no idea that she had already completely turned into a hotbed for the birth of this Etherealized Gore Magala.
Like... an insect parasitized by a horsehair worm, seeking the water source the worm needs.
And when the water source is found, that is the moment the host dies.
Watching the scene before him.
Although it was a bit untimely, Andrew couldn't help but feel it was a bit absurd.
In his memories, when reading the intelligence on the birth of the Gore Magala compiled by Fabius, who had been researching the monster, a hypothesis was mentioned.
The Gore Magala's reproduction method is different from other normal bisexual reproduction.
It involves planting spores on other draconids to form an embryo, then waiting for the host's body to become unable to hunt due to the parasitism. The host's corpse then becomes the final prey given by the host before the Gore Magala bursts out of the body and is born.
It was just a scene that even the Scriveners hadn't witnessed with their own eyes, yet he had seen it personally after coming here.
And undoubtedly, Nineveh was the parasitic target of the Gore Magala this time.
At the same time.
The message sent by Belle, who was also monitoring Andrew's situation constantly, verified Andrew's judgment.
"Andrew! Nineveh has changed her route to high altitude and is currently advancing toward Shiyu Tower at full speed!"
As she spoke, Belle's tone involuntarily began to carry a sense of anxiety.
"Originally estimated to be a fifteen-minute journey, because Nineveh changed her mode of travel, the time to reach the target location has been drastically shortened!"
Just like the difference between a human taking a leisurely stroll and breaking into a wild run.
With Nineveh advancing at full speed, there was no doubt that her arrival time at Shiyu Tower would inevitably decrease drastically.
"Three more minutes, and Nineveh will reach the first Shiyu Tower!"
Looking at the data in front of him, Andrew's expression unconsciously took on a solemnity.
Whether it was the destruction of the incredibly important Shiyu Tower, or the nearly formed Ethereal Gore Magala, it would undoubtedly be an incredibly terrifying disaster for New Eridu.
If it was already at the limit of Level 6 while still in the nearly mature embryonic stage, wouldn't it reach Level 7 upon successful birth?
Wait until it develops into an adult, or even a Tempered Individual—it might possibly go even a step further.
Becoming the nearly legendary... Level 8.
This was a level that almost no one in New Eridu had ever seen; for most people, it was a rank that existed purely in records.
And the mere Ethereal intensity level was the least of the threats from Nineveh.
As an Elder Dragon.
Known as a reshaper of ecosystems, the Gore Magala is like a natural disaster, constantly releasing the Frenzy Virus to infect all creatures in its path wherever it goes.
Under circumstances where the virus can already infect Ethereals.
As long as it exists for a single day, it will become the incarnation of terrifying disaster for New Eridu, and will deal a devastating blow to New Eridu's ecosystem.
And as a Hunter.
No matter what, Andrew had to strangle it in the cradle. He could not let a Gore Magala be born in this world!
However, hearing Belle's intelligence, Hoshimi Miyabi could no longer hold back. she wanted to force a move, attempting to use a full-power sword qi strike to sever the core in that cocoon from a distance.
But before she could try, Andrew had already held down Hoshimi Miyabi's hand, which was trying to force the blade out.
Shaking his head, Andrew spoke up:
"There's no need for you to push yourself. From here on, leave Nineveh to me."
He broke off a small piece of the white strip from Icebrink's scabbard and placed it in Hoshimi Miyabi's hand. Andrew continued:
"With this, it should be enough to make the restless Wuwei settle down a bit, at least allowing you to continue using Wuwei normally."
Looking at Hoshimi Miyabi, who was reluctant and wanted to continue supporting him, Andrew explained:
"Meow-Da sent a message. Currently, the Defense Force's battle line is starting to see ordinary soldiers falling short of their will due to prolonged high-intensity combat. To prevent a chain reaction of the line collapsing, they need your support there."
What Andrew didn't say was...
If he let Hoshimi Miyabi stay here, with the Ether activity in the air being so high, and if she even continued to fight...
A mere piece of a scabbard wouldn't be able to suppress it.
Responding to her worried gaze, Andrew comforted her:
"Trust me, I won't let her succeed."
Knowing clearly in her heart that staying here in her current condition would only be a hindrance, Hoshimi Miyabi finally nodded silently.
She chose to agree to the arrangement of Andrew, who was now her partner.
Before leaving, Hoshimi Miyabi turned her head and spoke with incomparable seriousness:
"If you fail, even if Wuwei goes berserk, I will force my hand to cut her down."
Seeing the surprise in Andrew's eyes, Hoshimi Miyabi said as if it were a matter of course:
"After the Demon Blade goes berserk, I will only attack living things around me; I won't attack Shiyu Tower. So as long as the surrounding soldiers are evacuated in advance, even if I go berserk, I will only be constantly slaughtering the Ethereals around me."
She was very satisfied with this idea she had thought up along the way, and she said to Andrew very seriously:
"If I do that, I can even defend an area against the Ethereal tide single-handedly, drastically reducing the pressure on the defensive line blocking the Ethereals."
Regarding these seemingly brilliantly wise words from Hoshimi Miyabi.
Andrew knew clearly that she was actually telling him in another way that even if he failed, there was still another person who could help hold the line, so he didn't need to be under too much pressure.
But what she didn't say was...
If she defended a battle line alone after falling into a rampage, then during the vacuum of self-preservation ability between her complete exhaustion and collapse and the arrival of others to rescue her...
A defenseless Hoshimi Miyabi would face mortal danger from just any cheap Ethereal with a bit of strength.
Looking at Hoshimi Miyabi who didn't mention this point at all, Andrew couldn't help but reveal a smile.
He didn't try to dissuade her, but simply nodded seriously and said:
"Okay!"
____
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