Chapter 385: Fear (2/2)

However, those thoughts of curiosity all vanished when the Sword Monstress raised her head.

In all their years, they had never seen such a grotesque sight. A ghastly infection ran across her face like the trenches of a muddy war. The scars were so inflamed that they even somewhat covered the portions of her face that hadn't been run across by them.

Colors of green, purple and even gross brown ran across them all. It all reflected beneath the light in a way that made the skin of all those who saw it crawl.

”… It's you!” Jilniya's gaze blazed.

The Sword Monstress used her sword as a crutch and pushed herself up. Under the gazes of everyone present, the wound to her shoulder rapidly healed. In the blink of an eye, other than the blood that still ran over her skin, it seemed as though she had never been injured at all.

Jilniya's pupils constricted. She remembered this ability, but it was even more potent than it had been in the past.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't matter. A dead person couldn't heal.

The Sword Monstress walked forward with an indifferent expression. The cloak she wore had nothing to do with a will to hide her face. If it was about this, she would wear a mask instead. Rather, the cloak was a convenient way to hide the curved box on her back. This was what she wanted to hide.

But, since it was out in the open already, it didn't matter much anymore. Since she had already made it to Brave City and the third phase was about to begin, keeping it hidden no longer mattered.

Jilniya's gaze flashed with a cold light.

At that moment, though, a person suddenly rushed into the Tower's first floor. In such a silent environment, especially when everyone had already arrived early, such an arrival caught the attention of many. Even Jilniya couldn't help but spare a glance.

A young man with handsome and sharp features shot inside, a wide grin on his face when he noticed the time hadn't quite hit zero just yet.

The young man seemed to be in a great mood. But, with his sharp senses, he seemed to realize that something was off about the atmosphere. After scanning the area, his gaze landed on two young women.

The young man's eyes widened.

”Aina --!”

The young man's expression suddenly changed. Any words he was going to say were cut off, his mind going blank.

Those who spoke about the details of this day in the future would remember it as the day they felt the most fear they ever had in their lifetimes.

Each and every person present felt as though their hearts had been gripped by a reaper, like bone cold waters had been poured into their veins, travelling through their bodies and leaving them completely paralyzed.

Out of her own control, Jilniya's body shot backward at the fastest speed she could muster, her heart thumping so hard that it felt like it might fly from her chest at any moment.

The young man vanished, appearing before the Sword Monstress in the blink of an eye. Only a rare few could even see how he moved, and even those who could felt as though he had become nothing but a streak of gold light.

He stood before the Sword Monstress, his eyes blazing.

In that instant, several collapsed to the ground, their visions turning black. The pressure was so suffocating that even many who managed to maintain their consciousness fell to their knees, tears of fear falling from their eyes.

”Who did this to you? I'll kill them all!”

A palpable aura surged out like a sea of blood, enveloping the tower's first floor. The young man's voice boomed, causing the air to quake and tremble beneath his rage.

For the first time, there was a ripple in the Sword Monstress' gaze.