Trapped in a Game That Flopped

Chapter 119

Episode 119

'You crazy bastard Nise...'

Nise seemed to have let himself be eaten by the Eyeball Monster.

I'd been swallowed once before myself, so the Eyeball Monster's strange ability wasn't particularly surprising.

But for two name texts to be generated like that, it obviously wasn't just a simple case of being swallowed.

'So that's how he planned to transfer his abilities to Liv. I never thought he'd merge with the Eyeball Monster in such a bizarre way.'

"And... after it dies, he told me to swallow that monster's essence."

"That eyeball monster's... essence?"

"Yes. He said then I could become a truly perfect Saintess."

No wonder I was puzzled why he told Liv to eat the Eyeball Monster's essence...

It seemed Nise had chosen the most gruesome method among the numerous death routes.

To merge with the Eyeball Monster and be eaten by Liv.

'Why... why is it turning out like this!'

To become part of a monster and die himself, what kind of unheard-of, messed-up story is this?

"Good heavens... what on earth is that disgusting thing?"

"Th-that horrifying thing is really a divine beast?!"

Puppet Liv's appearance was merely a taste.

People were aghast at the Eyeball Monster's hideous form.

'Agh. So this is how you're playing it.'

I irritably swept my long, flowing hair back.

Just because I used Liv to stop what was supposed to happen at the opening ceremony, I didn't think the Pope and his cronies would scrap all their plans.

Those bastards would keep looking for an opening during the tournament and eventually seize their chance.

That's why, once the ban on approaching Nise was lifted, I planned to rescue him, then beat the crap out of those bastards, knock them out, and hand them over to the Crown Prince.

Anyway, I'd exposed the Temple's vile secrets through Liv, so haven't I met the quest conditions?

But I hadn't expected the Pope bastard to immediately make such a reckless move and try to force his way through.

On top of that, whatever Nise had done, all the eyeballs on the Eyeball Monster's body were bloodshot red.

Ggadeudeuk. Ggadeuk, ggadeuk, ggadeudeuk.

'Uaaah! Crazy, it's so disgusting...!'

I shuddered at the monster's appearance, which had evolved to be even more grotesque than before.

"Hoo... It's the end of days, the end of days."

"What is that, it's too horrible!"

It wasn't just me.

People gasped at the monster's appearance, as if it had crawled up from hell, unable to speak, stunned.

Ggadeuk, ggadeuk, ggadeudeuk.

The eyes, protruding and twitching wildly, suddenly spotted something and froze in unison.

At the end of their gaze was the silver monster of similar size, Puppet Liv.

'Could it be... he recognized Liv?'

I couldn't tell if Nise, inside the Eyeball Monster, was currently conscious and in control.

I hoped he would help prevent the worst-case scenario, if possible.

Despite their similar size, Puppet Liv looked much weaker and more fragile.

Liv must have been terrified too, as her puppet trembled faintly and seemed to waver.

Gooooooooh!

At the confrontation between the two suddenly appeared monsters, the murmuring arena gradually fell silent.

"Divine Beast of the Goddess, true Arbiter! Punish the monster that impersonates you!"

Amidst all this, the Pope yelled in a ringing voice.

The Eyeball Monster's appearance was eerie as it stared intently at Liv's puppet without the slightest movement.

To say it paused because it recognized its sister, it was strangely radiating a bizarre aura I hadn't felt before.

It felt like...

An emotion resembling killing intent and hostility.

I had a bad feeling.

"Wheeeet!"

I quickly whistled, sending Liv the signal.

'Retreat for now!'

Thankfully, she must have caught the signal, as Liv's puppet, which had just been trembling, suddenly started to move.

Due to the puppet's nature, its speed wasn't fast, but since the Eyeball Monster wasn't moving at all, it should be able to escape in that opening.

"Trying to run away now! Divine Beast, stop that monster!"

But the damn Temple bastards were the problem.

Seeing the silver monster trying to slip away, the Pope's eyes widened, and he commanded in a ringing voice.

At that, the Holy Knights, who had retreated, hesitated before starting to move toward Liv again.

"Heu, heut...!"

Blocked from front and back, Liv's puppet floundered in panic.

'Damn it.'

I gnawed my lip, thinking quickly.

Making Liv's puppet disappear in an instant was simple.

I just had to teleport to her and sever the Soul-Connecting Strings.

But then, I'd be validating the Pope's words, and I'd miss another chance to rescue Nise.

In the end, it depended on my choice.

Clenching my teeth, I agonized, then quickly opened the chat window.

Normally, I'd go somewhere secluded to do this secretly, but this wasn't the time for that.

Me: That thing, what do I do?

Me: How do I get that bastard Nise out!

GM Ari: It's Nise's will, so right now, the only way is to physically pull him out directly.

GM Ari: ㅠㅠ

Me: Are you kid...

Are you kidding me? I didn't even have time to type out my rant asking how far that damn AI's 'will' was going to drive things crazy.

"Must get it back... Our life..."

The Eyeball Monster, which had just been standing stock-still since coming out of the pouch, suddenly muttered something lowly.

"Let's... eat... that..."

It suddenly leaped up and attacked the silver monster.

"Kyaaaaak!"

A single, slender scream echoed.

In the blink of an eye, the bastard latched onto Liv's puppet and opened its maw wide. Just like when it swallowed my head.

And it immediately bit off a chunk of the silver thread mass.

Udeuk, Ujeok! Ggudeudeuk!

"Aack! H-help me! Help me!"

The silver monster, panicked, flailed and screamed pitifully.

"Ooh...!"

"They're fighting! They're fighting!"

But the people gathered in the coliseum were too busy watching the sudden clash between the monsters with excitement; no one paid any attention to the screams.

Because no one knew that the monster being unilaterally devoured was actually the Saintess.

I knew revealing my identity to that bastard Kassel was risky if I stepped in now, but I couldn't delay any longer.

I shot up from my seat, ran toward the lower stands, and shouted.

"Stun!"

[Lv.999 Stun skill has been activated.]

Pajijik, Pajeut, Pajik!

Blue sparks flew along the form of the bastard biting and eating Liv's puppet.

The Stun skill definitely hit the Eyeball Monster successfully.

But, unlike before, the Eyeball Monster took no damage at all.

Ggadeudeuk! Ujeok, ujeok!

It remained latched onto Liv's puppet, savagely tearing off the silver threads.

"Heuk! S-scared. Oppa..."

Liv wasn't even thinking of fighting back, just helplessly taking the Eyeball Monster's attacks.

As the threads were torn away, the puppet's form noticeably shrank.

I thought I could vaguely understand why.

Puppet Ballakk was able to recover quickly from my attacks because the main body, that bastard Ballakk, was continuously siphoning someone else's life force and mana.

But Liv didn't have that ability.

"Stun!"

[Lv.999 Stun skill has been activated.]

Knowing it was useless, I shouted Stun once more as I kicked off the railing of the stands and leaped.

"Uheok! Over there...!"

People shrieked in terror at the sight of me jumping straight down from the third floor.

Whoooosh!

I felt my hair whip wildly in the sharp wind.

Just before hitting the ground.

Taak!

Using a breakfall, I landed lightly on the coliseum floor, immediately got up, and ran toward where Liv's puppet and the Eyeball Monster were entangled.

Thankfully, the second Stun must have had some effect, as the Eyeball Monster's movements had clearly slowed down.

Liv's puppet pinned underneath it, the mass of silver thread, had shrunk considerably, now about the size of an adult man.

Seeing it, as if witnessing the life force Nise had painstakingly given Liv being stolen away, sent a chill down my spine.

"Onslaught!"

As I ran, I chanted while pulling the Lv.120 Dagger Imbued with Holy Power from the garter belt strapped to my leg.

[Lv.999 Onslaught skill has been activated.]

I knew attacks wouldn't work, but I had to separate the Eyeball Monster from Liv's puppet first.

Tadat!

Kicking off the ground, I leaped high into the air and slashed straight through the black form of the bastard holding onto the puppet.

Seueuk, Seogeok!

Chiiiiiik...

The eerie sound of something being sliced.

And with black smoke, like something burning, Liv's puppet was finally freed from the Eyeball Monster's grasp.

I quickly pulled the silver mass into my arms and retreated from the bastard.

Tadak!

But the moment my feet touched the ground, five or six Holy Knights aimed their swords at me.

"Who are you! Those who interfere with the judgment shall not be forgiven in the Goddess's name...!"

"Stun."