Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 484 - 421 Heavy Blow_2

Dragged along, they plunged into an eternal, rotting nightmare.

The nightmare descended!

Like a greedy monster, it swallowed the Group Star whole, inch by inch.

Amidst the violent shaking, the swaying light tubes flickered out.

Darkness arrived.

"That Ruler has so little Endurance," Matthes murmured with a sneer. "He's quick to unleash his Thunder from just a little prodding, isn't he? That saves me the effort..."

The nightmare rushed in like a black tide from the upper floors.

Countless dark liquids spurted from the crevices in the ceiling, slowly threatening to submerge the entire corridor.

Everything was falling into an eternal, rotten dream.

In Matthes's hand, the cane transformed into a black umbrella. It opened, shielding him from the nuisance that rained down.

In his final moments, he looked back over his shoulder.

He did not look at Huai Shi.

Instead, his gaze fell upon the cover of Beelzebub.

"There's one last thing I need to tell you, The Fly King," he said calmly. "We tried to save him, more than once—"

"But he refused."

Matthes told him, "It wasn't us who abandoned Auden. It was Auden who abandoned us."

With a slight turn of the black umbrella, he vanished with it into the darkness, callously leaving them behind to be consumed by the nightmarish Abyss.

No escape.

.

After a long silence, Beelzebub sighed softly in Huai Shi's consciousness, Sorry, big brother, I think I've messed up your great chance to switch sides.

"Hmm? Wasn't it to cover for me?" Huai Shi shook his head. "The idea of switching sides is ridiculous. Would anyone leave the job of an Inspector to become a fugitive?"

Besides, he thought, going to the enemy with the Book of Fate? Wouldn't that mean being a Second fifth among Second fifths? That's not how nesting dolls work.

Exhausted, he leaned against the bulkhead, finding a more comfortable position.

Resigned to his fate.

I thought you'd be curious about other things, Beelzebub transmitted.

"I'm curious about too many things, Beelzebub," Huai Shi said nonchalantly, shaking his head. "Your little secrets will have to take a back seat."

Ha, you really have no experience using tools, do you?

"Do you really consider yourself a tool?"

Have I not always existed as a tool? Beelzebub replied indifferently. I wish I could always remain a tool, Huai Shi. Countless times, I've wanted to revert to my original self—ignorantly carrying out tasks, peacefully exhausting myself, and welcoming destruction. That way, I wouldn't be burdened with unrealistic expectations, and no one would sacrifice themselves for me... nor would I feel sad.

"Sounds nice."

Huai Shi considered for a moment, ignoring the dark mire rising to his chest, and asked earnestly, "But haven't you ever felt even a trace of joy, Beelzebub? After being given willpower, has it brought you nothing but pain?"

...

The Steel Book was silent for a while, then laughed hoarsely. It didn't answer his question but instead expressed heartfelt emotion, Although our time was brief, working with you has been a real pleasure.

Huai Shi shrugged. "I'd like to say the feeling is mutual, but you've really pissed me off half to death."

Well, there's nothing I can do about that. My programming was all set by Auden, and that guy is dead. You can't exactly beat him up now, can you?

As countless wisps of black nightmare eroded everything, Beelzebub's final laugh could be heard, Goodnight, Huai Shi. I'll go on ahead.

"Yeah, goodnight."

Huai Shi nodded, the black mire rising rapidly, engulfing his neck.

He could no longer hear Beelzebub's voice.

He strained to keep his head above the ever-rising black mire, but the nightmares, solidified, kept pouring into his mouth and nose, pulling at his soul.

At last, he took a deep breath.

Then, the glowing ember of his cigarette flickered out in the darkness.

The nightmare struck.

In that final moment, he seemed to hallucinate.

Something on his saddlebag… was glowing?

He closed his eyes.

The Abyss rushed forth.

The endless fall began.

.

.

There was no need to struggle, nor was there any possibility of escape.

The instant he was entangled by the mud-like nightmare, it was as if he had been swallowed into the belly of the Rotten Dream Queen, with no chance of reprieve.

Endless darkness and pain poured into Huai Shi's soul: the fear of death, the pain of growth, the uncertainty of aging, and the numbness of grave illness.

It was as if a black torrent had engulfed him.

Yet, there wasn't the expected torment and unease. Instead, it felt... surprisingly refreshing? To have clearly fallen into a cesspit but, instead of suffocating, to find myself the king of the cesspit... This absurd experience made Huai Shi feel deep down that something was very wrong.

But before long, he had been thoroughly dragged into the deepest layer of the Rotting Dream.

He plunged into the hellish nightmare of the Group Star.

He slammed onto the ground.

He saw a barren land and a dim sky, devoid of any pleasant colors. Only the decaying wind hit his face, and flesh tendrils, like veins, expanded and extended across the dry ground.

The endless torture was just beginning.

But before that...

Around him, countless walking dead, already lost in the Rotting Dream, all twisted their heads simultaneously, staring viciously at Huai Shi.

In the darkness, Morando's hideous face slowly emerged, smiling sinisterly at Huai Shi.

"What a coincidence."

He glared resentfully at Huai Shi's face. "We meet again..."

Huai Shi instinctively took a step back. He wanted to draw his weapon but found he could not find his equipment here. With only a sliver of hope, he raised his hand earnestly. "I'm sorry, buddy, you might have mistaken me for someone else. I actually have a twin brother who looks a lot like me, but he's morally bankrupt and utterly depraved. It must have been him who offended you!"

As he spoke, he looked left and right, trying to find an escape route.

But he soon realized the walking dead had already sealed off the area.

No way out.

"Haha, scared? HAHAHAHA..." Morando burst into a mocking laugh, stirring the darkness as he closed in step by step. "Don't be hasty," he taunted. "I did say I'd tear you limb from limb, but I've changed my mind. After all, here... you'll find it hard even to die!"

Instantly, dozens of Dark Hands came howling, piercing through Huai Shi, tearing him apart, and lifting him into the air.

Blood splattered onto the ground, quickly sprouting countless Flesh Flowers.

"How does it feel, Little Brag!" Morando sneered, suddenly tearing off Huai Shi's arms. "Don't piss yourself in fear. We haven't even started yet!"

In the dim haze of excruciating pain, Huai Shi once again saw the keychain Ai Qing had given him on his trousers... It seems to be glowing?

Under the illumination of that light, he quickly became delirious.

For a moment, he lost all sensation in his limbs. But soon, he realized his limbs were mutating, swelling. Countless sharp bones pierced rapidly from his shattered shell.

The intense pain of his skull growing forced him to roar in a low voice.

In the darkness, a massive figure rapidly inflated, enlarged, then enlarged further, unfurling wings that covered the sky and shattered the overcast clouds.

Then, with a deep breath, teal flames of tyranny spewed from its nostrils and mouth.

A corona of light, like a solar nimbus, rose slowly behind Him.

The solemn hymn resounded once more.

Holy! Holy! Holy!

Millions cried out in unison. Countless souls were drawn from afar by the halo, merging into the angular and fearsome radiance at His back.

Under the solemn sacred light, the Dragon at the End of the World·Bahamut slowly lowered Its mountainous head, Its eyes, rivaling the sun and moon, gazing down.

Observing Morando's stunned face, It smiled pleasantly.

"Little buddy, you said... it's hard to even wish for death here, right?"

Without waiting for Morando's response, Huai Shi expertly raised one of His forepaws. He spat a gob of iron saliva on it and rubbed it. As the high-pitched shriek of steel grinding against steel resounded, He ferociously smashed His paw down into the earth before Him!

And so, a Level-10 Hurricane, strong enough to destroy a city, spread out in all directions.

The earth trembled violently.

Countless gouts of lava burst forth from the crust.

As Bahamut's wings unfurled, He proclaimed the arrival of destruction to this Abyssal Dreamland!

In reality, I endure humiliation.

In dreams, I—DELIVER—A—CRUSHING—BLOW!