Chapter 215 - Chapter 215 (1/2)
Unbridled astonishment!
The strongest Hunter screamed out and everyone else in the vicinity couldn't hide their shock and astonishment.
The helicopter dispatched from the TV station flying in the air filmed in its entirety Thomas Andre suffering in great pain.
Right in the middle of Korea's capital city, Seoul, where the focus of the world had gathered due to the appearance of the super-massive Gate – to think, a Special Authority-rank Hunter trying to stop a monster was screaming out in pain like that?
"How can this be....??"
All those watching the two being's fight, whether in the location itself or through various screens, prayed fervently in their hearts that this wasn't the end of this battle.
Too bad, the 'beast' snatched and then, slammed Thomas Andre's wrists into the ground as if to mock their prayers.
BOOM!!
It then climbed on top of Thomas Andre, reversing the previous position.
"Keo-heok!"
Blood spewed out from the Goliath's mouth as he bitterly resisted even with his broken hands, but now that the beast had fully revealed its true powers, he was unable to endure against his opponent's physical prowess.
The beast stomped on Thomas Andre's face and roared loudly into the sky.
Kuuwaaaaahhh-!!
The horrifying howl loud enough to tear out the eardrums of everyone listening reverberated like a thunderclap in the city's streets.
A predator didn't fight. It simply hunted its prey.
The Hunters nearby were overwhelmed by the howl containing an inconceivable amount of magical energy and began kneeling down one by one from the closest position to the furthest back.
As for Thomas Andre, the closest one to hear the howling, his eardrums had ruptured and blood leaked out from his ears.
The beast smirked derisively.
[Are you scared now?]
One of the joys a hunter could derive from the process of hunting was seeing the prey shiver in fear.
However, Thomas Andre didn't give up. He clenched his messed-up fist with great difficulty and threw a counterattack.
Pow!
Quite unlike before, when they exchanged many crippling blows earlier, the beast's head didn't even rock once.
The wall.
He looked into the disinterested eyes of the beast glaring down at him and began picturing an imposing wall stretching endlessly into the sky standing tall to block his path.
He had felt something similar to this once before.
What a strange thing this was; for a moment there, Thomas Andre thought he saw Jin-Woo within the beast's glare.
'But, how come....?'
He didn't have any chance to sort out his confusion, though, as an attack from the beast rocked his head violently side to side, the ground underneath caving into a crater.
BOOM!!
"Keok!"
That was just the start of the onslaught, though.
Boomboomboomboomboom!!
Just like how he had done, the beast began raining down powerful attacks from above. As if to teach the human what true attacks looked like, the vicious punches continuously slammed down without mercy.
Boomboomboomboomboom!!
Thomas Andre's lips continued to issue pained grunts over and over again, unlike back then when the beast simply withstood his punches.
"Keo-heok!"
It was then; the beast, in the midst of enjoying the pain of its prey, discovered something odd just beyond the human.
[….??]
The beast stopped its attacks. What it was glaring at, as if to bore a hole into it, was Thomas Andre's shadow.
[I see that there's a rat hiding in there.]
Stab!
The beast stabbed its hand deep into the shadow and grabbed 'something' within the subspace.
Paht!
When the creature pulled its hand out, an ant soldier hiding inside the human's shadow was dragged out along as well.
The beast stood upright again. The ant soldier, its neck tightly grabbed by the powerful grip, desperately struggled but the monster didn't even budge from the spot.
"Kiiieehk!"
This one was a soldier belonging to the Shadow Sovereign.
It was impossible to destroy an immortal soldier like this one through regular means. However, the creature holding onto the ant's neck was no ordinary being, either.
The Sovereign of Beastly Fangs was a higher existence. It simply focused the energy inherent within the spiritual body to erase this ant soldier from the very fabric of existence altogether.
"Kiiahk!"
The ant soldier spat out a short death throe and turned into dust, returning to the void beyond. The beast grinned as it watched the grey ash scatter in the air.
It was then.
Thomas Andre got up and positioned himself behind the beast before anyone had noticed it. He then wrapped his arm around the creature's neck and secured his grip with the other arm.
If he lacked teeth, then he'd bite with his gums, instead!
His hands may be broken, but his arms and shoulders were still fine. Thick veins bulged on his arms as he poured in all his might to exert enough pressure to crush a steel beam in one breath.
"Pant, pant...."
Thomas Andre continued to gasp out breathlessly and concentrated on this final attack.
There would be nothing left after this. His eyes shot wide open in concentration as he clenched his teeth, fully knowing that he'd get killed if he missed this chance.
Wududuk, wuduk....
He heard the displeasing noises similar to bones being crushed into powder. If that was the sound of the enemy's neck breaking, then there was still a chance of victory here.
'….I've done it!'
Unfortunately, the incoming rush of pain had been slightly delayed by the adrenaline coursing through his body. Thomas Andre bore the full brunt and screamed out in agony.
"Wuaaaaahhhk!!"
The beast shattered the American's arms locked onto its neck with nothing but sheer physical hand grip. It then grabbed his head with both hands before proceeding to slam him down on the ground.
THUD!
Viewers watching this scene through their screens saw the Goliath's arms dangling around and quickly averted their gazes. It was a scene they simply couldn't bear to watch with their eyes open.
Too bad, the horrifying scene didn't stop there and continued on. The beast pounced on the sprawled Goliath and began biting him.
The predator's mealtime had begun.
Dozens of sharp, knife-like fangs began tearing into Thomas Andre's skin and made a mess out of his flesh.
"Euh-euhk! Wuaahk!!"
He didn't give up until the end and continued to desperately struggle, but it was obvious that he had no chance in hell right now. His blood poured out and the bits of his flesh flung into the air.
"Wuuuaahk!"
Seeing this horrendous, sickening sight, the other Hunters supposedly guarding the location began backtracking inadvertently in terror.
As for the regular people that had bet their hopes on the Goliath, they had scattered away in fear a long time ago after seeing the incoming end result.
However, something unexpected happened then; among the ranks of the hesitating Hunters, one man dashed forward like a bolt of lightning and ran straight towards the beast.
Boom-!!
The monster had been drunk on the victory and the taste of its loot, so it got caught unaware and was struck cleanly by this unexpected attack, which resulted in it getting flung away.
It was none other than Lennart Niermann. Germany's best Hunter quickly stood next to the grievously wounded Goliath.
Thomas Andre recognised Lennart and somehow managed to squeeze out his voice.
"Run... away...."
However, Lennart shook his hardened face.
"I'm also a Hunter, you know."
'….Although I'm far weaker than you.'
Back when he Awakened his powers and made up his mind to become a Hunter, Lennart had promised himself this one thing – that he'd never turn his back on a comrade.
Sure, they might not even be in the same team, but from Lennart's perspective, Thomas Andre was an exemplary comrade who was fighting against a common enemy.
Didn't matter what the American thought of him, because as a Hunter, the German simply couldn't back away from this situation.
'However…. Just staring at that thing face to face is making me break out in cold sweat here.'
Lennart watched the beast's expression crumple unsightly after its mealtime had been unceremoniously interrupted, and his own legs began turning to jelly right then.
Seeing him shiver like that, Thomas Andre opened his mouth again.
"You... will... die...."