NOVEL NEXT Chapter 143: Like rats in a cage
A piercing scream of pain escapes Hakuto's lips as one of the tentacles pierces through the shell, stabbing his calf. In an instant, a sharp electric shock runs through his body from head to toe, strong enough to shatter the shadow tentacle. But he knows the cocoon has broken, and more tentacles will follow. Trapped in such a small space, that shield would soon turn into a prison.
-I've barely recovered half my strength, but I have no choice but to face Cassian together with Itsu!-
The cocoon, almost impossible to destroy from outside but fragile from within, bursts into countless shards as Hakuto unleashes a surge of lightning and white flames to repel the swarm of tentacles.
Meanwhile, the pink fluid heals his leg wound completely, though slower than he hoped. Instinctively, Hakuto glances at the cocoon containing Velshekar—it remains perfectly intact despite being bombarded by the same relentless attacks that shattered his own.
-For now, it seems I can't rely on Velshekar.-
With relief, Hakuto notices Itsu still standing strong. More importantly, the black mantle covering the ground is no longer uniform, revealing large patches of bare earth.
-Despite the solid defense of his Innatus armor, Itsu's clothes are soaked in blood and torn—proof that Cassian's shadows broke through. Yet his body shows no wounds; they must have already healed. Not only has he given me and Velshekar breathing room, he even destroyed part of that bastard's shadow while holding his ground. You're incredible, Itsu!-
«A worthless insect like you could only crawl out of a cocoon,» Cassian says, his voice flat and cold, directed at Hakuto. «And like an insect, you'll be crushed!»
Enormous clawed limbs rise from the ground, fewer than before thanks to the many gaps in the black mantle.
But Hakuto doesn't stay idle.
A sphere of plasma flares around him. He keeps it alive for only a fraction of a second—just enough to avoid wasting precious energy and to prevent a catastrophic outburst. It's all he needs to block the shadows and carve a path for his counterattack.
Channeling every ounce of strength into his legs... —ZAP!
A purple bolt strikes Cassian. It's Hakuto.
His diamond sword wrapped in the Sacred Flame slams against the black veil—the last defense of the dark mage, the same barrier they had once struggled to break. The devastating strike doesn't pierce through, but it leaves wide cracks across its surface.
«Why do you insist on suffering this much? By now you could already be dead and free of pain. Why do you all keep insulting Nyratalir with this arrogance—thinking you can match him or even surpass him?» Cassian mutters, his voice heavy with disappointment and disdain, as if Hakuto's stubborn resistance is nothing but an offense to him.
Behind Hakuto, out of his sight, a sharp cone of shadow rises, aimed straight at his heart, ready to impale him from behind. But...
—SLASH!
The dark spike is cut clean in two by twin blades striking at the same time.
Hakuto glances back quickly—Shin and Chantal step in just in time, saving him from the fatal strike.
Using the black veil as leverage, Hakuto leaps backward, landing beside his two rescuers.
Shin, joining the fight only now, is still full of strength. Chantal, on the other hand, is close to her limit—her prolonged use of Burst drained her Sanguis energy completely.
She now fights with only the Sacred Flame. Instead of overlapping them to form her usual pink fire, she alternates the two, letting one recharge while she uses the other. It lowers her attack power but gives her incredible endurance.
«Dad, Chantal, thank you. If it weren't for you, I'd probably be dead...» Hakuto murmurs, trembling at the brush with death.
«You might be stronger than me now, but your fighting technique is still full of holes,» Chantal scolds, her voice sharp.
«Save the bickering for later,» Shin cuts in. «The plasma surge fried the electronics. While you were fighting, I tried to call for backup... but we're trapped like rats.»
«Rats in a cage...? What do you mean?» Hakuto repeats.
«It means we've been cut off from the outside world by a powerful dark barrier. Nothing can get in, nothing can get out. I wondered why HESPARC Italy hadn't intervened despite all this chaos—they simply can't. In other words, we can only rely on ourselves.»
Meanwhile, the clash between Cassian and Itsu rages on.
«Blood Word lv.4: Deathorns!»
Huge fuchsia spikes erupt from the ground, converging on Cassian.
Once again, the black veil neutralizes the strike, but more cracks spread across it.
«I can't give him time to rebuild his barrier... Blood Word lv.4: Deathorns!»
More spikes erupt, joining the first wave, widening the cracks further but still not shattering the veil. At the same time, Itsu dashes toward Cassian, clad in skeletal orange armor wrapped in a blazing fuchsia aura—the Corrupted Flame.
But Itsu isn't alone in the assault.
Hakuto flashes forward like lightning, Shin and Chantal right behind him.
«Old bastard, let's see how you plan to resurrect now! I'll erase every trace of shadows covering this plain—not even your memory will remain! This is the fate of anyone who dares stand against the mighty Velshekar—even Nyratalir himself!»
The cocoon that held her splits open naturally, proof she has fully recovered her strength.
Suspended midair after a powerful leap, both arms stretched toward Cassian, her hands blaze with crimson energy. Around her, dozens upon dozens of spirits materialize, only to be absorbed instantly. With every spirit consumed, the intensity and size of Velshekar's aura swell.
«Your arrogance knows no bounds, Velshekar...» Cassian murmurs, his voice even colder, darker.
Then something unexpected happens, leaving everyone stunned.
The black mantle begins to vanish—or rather, it is being absorbed into Cassian's body, swirling into him like water draining from a tub.
«What the hell is happening now?» Hakuto snarls, his diamond blade crackling with electricity just a breath from the black veil, on the verge of breaking.
«'This is the fate of anyone who dares stand against the mighty Velshekar—even Nyratalir himself!'» Cassian repeats, his body swelling like a balloon ready to burst. «Fine... if that's what you want, then I'll make sure you can repeat those words to him directly!»