The sound fell silent instantly.
Immediately after—
Sweetness filled with earnest anticipation turned into bloody, brutal rage.
—You have already been swallowed by me! You never had a chance to leave this place! Why did you deny the identity I gave you! Why did you pierce through the lies I wove! Originally.. you could have lived within my body for a long time, as my dream, my.. my..
Dream! Dream! Dream!
As if responding to the Monster's words, human heads emerged one after another from the mangled, blood-soaked flesh torn by the flashing Holy Sword. Each head wore a smile, circling Wood with smiles, murmuring words from their mouths.
Join our Dream! Become its Father in the Dream together~ and then~ be immersed in beautiful dreams forever, never needing to wake up~ Our Dream~ Beautiful Dream~ Eternal Dream~
Shut up!
Wood swung his sword in anger, slashing through the countless voices that were trying to bewitch him.
I don't know why you have become part of its body, but I will never become one of you, I will never give up my self and my existence! I—it is absolutely Impossible for me to be deceived by its lies and stay here to become one of you! Absolutely Impossible!
[——What did you say?]
I know your true origins! You are the White Dragon from the Arthurian Legend who was defeated by the Red Dragon. You lost the battle and were forced to slumber in the Seabed! You are unwilling to accept it, you loathe the victorious Red Dragon and Arthur, but—you shouldn't have dragged other lives, who have nothing to do with this matter, into it. Your object of hatred is only the Red Dragon, is it not?
What does all this have to do with me! I only want the peace I desire! I—will kill you!
With those words, the already damp and stifling space grew even darker and more claustrophobic.
Muscles, as hard as rock yet possessing a certain elasticity, pressed down from all directions, carrying the thick acid of digestive fluids and a stench of semi-decay.
You are inside my body; your fate is already sealed! Death is your only end.
The Monster emphasized ferociously.
No living creature can leave my body alive! None—
I can.
[Because of the Holy Sword in his hands?]
No, because—you have never truly known me!
Before he could finish his sentence, Wood's body began to rapidly expand and swell, transforming into a giant as tall as a five-story human building!
[A descendant of the Giant Race?]
The Monster let out a contemptuous laugh.
I am sorry, but the Giant Race is no match for me either! Even if your height could match my cross-section, you have no ability to tear my flesh or break my body! Even if you hold the Holy Sword in your hands!
Are you sure?
Wood's voice sounded as if it came from a place of extreme cold, frigid and distant, yet the energy radiating from him was as scorching as a burning planet.
From beginning to end, you never knew who your true enemy was, nor did you understand why you caught my attention—I actually do not care that you dragged unrelated lives into this, but you should not have used the codename 'Jormungand' among humans, you certainly should not have called me 'Papa' in the name of 'Jormungand'! You are not 'Jormungand'! You have no right to be my child!
W-what are you saying! Jormungand! Papa! You are—
Yes! I am exactly the thing you think I am,
With a smirk, Wood's body expanded further, bursting through the Monster's body and tearing it into two massive halves!
Thick, foul-smelling, scalding blood rapidly filled the sea, while the Monster's agonizing writhing stirred up terrifying, colossal waves across the ocean.
..
..
What's happening! Such huge waves and wind!
It's dark! Everything suddenly went pitch black!
No! It's not dark! It's, it's the Seawater being.. ahhh!
Help! Help me—
..
Even though the Air Force and Navy had already been notified to drive away all vessels from the surrounding vast areas of sea, including those in international waters, the ship they were on had used Merlin's Barrier to repel the seawater, the Investigation Department Staff on the Avalon ship still let out continuous, piercing screams amidst the shoving of giant waves and violent winds as they faced this sudden, apocalyptic, terrifying storm.
Help me—ahhh! I'm going to throw up my bile!
It is said that thing in the Seabed is just a child compared to the real Jormungand!
My God! The real Jormungand.. could he actually be summoning Thor from Norse mythology!
Wood's hair is golden! He.. he might be Thor! He is Thor!
I hope so! Ah.. the ship has flipped over again! I—aaaaah!
“..”
Looking at the crowd on the deck, who were continuously letting out miserable screams, Arthur couldn't help but say mockingly, "Modern technology has made humans increasingly fragile. These guys are all trained elites, yet they still perform so poorly."
You cannot measure ordinary humans of modern society by the standards of warriors from the age of myth, even if they are not so ordinary compared to truly ordinary people.
Master held his champagne, commenting leisurely, his gaze never leaving the gold that shone uniquely amidst the darkness where the sea met the sky.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thanks to readers "Zhen Zhu Xue", "Mo", "Yeren Xinzhisu", "kiki", "Lan Wu", "Fei Yu", "See Me Go Study", "Qian Duo", "Lan Mei Xiao Yang", "Shi Yi", "Yuan Zhong Ren De Yi Yu Zhong Li", "Fat Mermaid", "Yun Shen Jian Qiu", "Riyue Taosan Huan", "Gu Lu Gu Lu", "Half City of Sand", "Li Yu", "Little Cat Fishing for a Big Fish", "a", "Meng Li Jian", "If You Don't Study Hard You'll Work in a Factory", "moonlit", "Min", "Er Jiao", "Qing Yun", "Xing Ye", "Yi Tuo Da Yan", "Ye Yuan" for the Irrigation Nutrient Solution.
Chapter 45 True and False Arthur (15)
Wood had a dream, a long, trance-like, magnificent dream.
In the dream, he lived in a world as beautiful and radiant as Eden, yet for reasons unknown, he was constantly met with the disdain and exclusion of the other living beings inhabiting that world.
They mocked him loudly, ridiculed him openly, accused him of being a lowly, Dirty Thing who was unworthy of being with them. They wore gloating smiles when he accidentally tripped, abandoned him ruthlessly when danger arrived, accepted the gifts he gave them as if it were their right without ever saying thank you, even.. even..
You refuse to stand with us!
If it weren't for the fact that you are still of use to us, we would find the very sight of you disgusting!
All the suffering you have endured is of your own making!
You—
—No!
Overwhelming reprimands swept through Wood's mind like a tide, forcing him to end the Dream and open his eyes.
This.. this..
Looking at the ocean that had turned completely blood-red, the white, silk-like muscular filaments resembling tapeworms swirling around his body, the various strange, ugly, deformed alien substances mixed into the blood-red seawater, Wood felt a strong sense of nausea.
(What just happened?)
(Why would..)
(Could it be..)
There were no signs of any living thing around the Sea of Blood except for him; from this, it was clear that he was the culprit responsible for its creation.
(Just now.. during that time when I lost my memory.. I actually did something so bloody and cruel..)
(No! What I did was indeed bloody, but it wasn't cruel.. That Monster wanted to eat me.. It had already devoured countless lives before me, I was just.. just fighting back out of necessity, fighting back to survive..)
(That dream.. the dream.. it must be Boss's memory! Boss's power has protected me once again..)
Thinking of this, Wood let out a long breath—he realized that even without diving gear, he remained completely unaffected in the seawater. Looking at the sea of blood surrounding him, he said with a hint of remorse, "Sorry, I never intended to tear you apart so thoroughly, but since.. I can only.. after all, you once tore through countless lives as well.."
Having said that, Wood turned to leave.
At that moment—
Golden specks of light appeared amidst the thick sea of blood.
Wood looked over subconsciously, as if sensing his gaze, the golden speck of light moved toward him, drawing closer and closer until it became clearer—it was a long-haired Black Cat with golden eyes.
Who are you!
(A cat in the sea?!)
(It must be an extraordinary existence!)
Wood muttered to himself, not daring to touch Kitten easily.
The Kitten showed a strange intimacy toward Wood; not only did it actively approach him, but when Wood tried to distance himself, it unhesitatingly used its tail, which appeared exceptionally fluffy in the water, to wrap around the Holy Sword in Wood's hand!
Papa! Don't you remember me? I am your child~
Wood was shocked. "Wh-what are you saying! No! Wh-wh-what do you want to do!"
I want to be with Papa.
The Kitten's tail wrapped tightly around the Holy Sword, showing no concern about being harmed by the blade, as its small head lifted proudly, letting out a cute sound.
W-what did you say?
Wood gasped.
“You think I am your Papa?”
[Mmh, Papa~]
Kitten called out affectionately, licking the back of Wood's hand with his tongue.
[I finally get to smell Papa's scent again~ Papa~ Papa~]
“I-I am not your Papa.. I..”
No, you are my Papa, you are definitely my Papa~ Your aura, your power, everything about you.. you are my Papa~
The Kitten insisted obstinately; although its body was petite, the aura it emitted was as majestic and powerful as a God.
But..
(Could it be that this cat is the Boss's child? I have the Boss's power within me, so he mistakes me for his Papa?!)
(In that case.. I suppose I could also.. um..)
Thinking of this, Wood reached out to pet Kitten: "If you insist on calling me Papa, then I.. I will take you away. If you discover in the future that I am not your Papa, you must never be angry with me, you must never seek revenge on me or attack me!"
But you were always my Papa~