Chapter 449

Chapter 449: Evolution

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!”

After its head was severed, a bizarre shriek—neither fully human nor beast—suddenly erupted from the flesh mountain’s body.

The cry carried pain, fury, brutality, greed… a chaotic blend of intense negative emotions that chilled the listener to the bone.

Moreover, its sheer volume and shrillness forced the young man—who had just flushed with triumph—to clutch his ears in agony.

“No… don’t kill me… Someone, anyone, save me…”

“Damn you all… Death to those who defy me…”

“Godhood… Ascend… Kill… Slaughter all…”

“Plunder… Seize everything… Absolute control…”

Hugue, standing closest to the flesh mountain, could faintly perceive other voices amid the cacophony.

“Grrraaaaah! Shut up, damn you!”

Whether influenced by these eerie whispers or not, the young man’s eyes burned crimson as he raised his sword and struck the flesh mountain again.

Blow after blow…

The summit of the flesh mountain split open with fresh, gaping wounds under his assault.

As he attacked relentlessly, the dozens of twitching bulges on the flesh mountain’s surface—where tentacles should have emerged—finally ruptured. But this time, what tore through was not tentacles, but…

Humans?

Even Stealth Seventeen, observing invisibly from a distance, couldn’t hide his shock at the battle between Hugue and the flesh mountain.

Yet a closer look revealed they weren’t truly human. They were grotesque, skinless humanoids sculpted from pulsating masses of flesh, lacking even faces.

As these flesh-formed horrors took shape, the severed tentacles littering the ground and the waterfall of blood cascading from the flesh mountain began merging with its surface before being reabsorbed.

Though Hugue had carved chunks from the monstrosity, new tentacles now shot out to gnaw and devour the dismembered flesh…

The flesh mountain was regenerating the damage inflicted by Hugue.

Simultaneously, the dozens of newly spawned humanoid monsters swarmed forward, scrambling over the flesh mountain’s bulk.

Hearing the thunder of approaching footsteps behind him, Hugue halted his assault and whirled around.

“What in the—?!”

Even Hugue felt a chill at the sight of these terrifying flesh constructs. The crimson fury in his eyes faded, replaced by cold clarity.

The humanoids seemed unsteady, clumsily adjusting to their bodies as they charged.

But their adaptation was swift. By the time Hugue regained his composure, they moved with lethal coordination. Among them, the leading monster gripped the silver spear Hugue had abandoned at the flesh mountain’s base.

In moments, the spear-wielding horror closed in on the wary swordsman. It swung the weapon savagely at Hugue while unleashing a guttural roar from its fanged, flesh-ripped maw.

*Clang!*

The spear met Hugue’s sword in a shower of sparks, the impact echoing like a struck bell.

“Impossible!!”

The young man’s eyes widened in disbelief, his earlier arrogance vanishing. The force behind the blow suggested this humanoid monster was at least S-class—his equal in strength!

“But no matter how strong you are, you could never be a match for the Sword King!”

Hugue roared, his sword flashing as if he had triggered some skill.

His strength surged abruptly in that instant. The young man’s sword violently deflected his opponent’s spear, the tremendous force even causing the humanoid monster to stumble.

“Die!”

A fierce gleam exploded in the young man’s eyes. Seizing the moment, he stepped forward and unleashed his previous skill—”Full Moon Slash.”

With a sickening *thwack*, the spear-wielding humanoid monster before him was bisected at the waist, crashing to the ground.

Had he succeeded?

Hugue panted slightly, watching the fallen monster. Yet he saw the Flesh Hill’s surface begin to writhe once more, and the corpse of the humanoid monster atop the undulating mass slowly sank into its surface as if sinking into sludge.

Damn it! Can’t let it succeed!

Hugue’s face hardened. But just as he prepared to strike the spot where the humanoid corpse lay, the remaining dozens of humanoid monsters were nearly upon him.

As they charged, the flesh on their arms began to writhe again, transforming the majority of their limbs into sharp bone blades, thick veins pulsing at the base.

“Are these things evolving?”

Hugue thought, startled, even as he met the onslaught of monsters.

Bone blades clashed against his longsword, sparks flying upon impact.

These monsters’ strength and agility were no less than that of the earlier spear-wielder. To overcome them, Hugue had to continuously employ his sword techniques.

Humanoid monsters fell one by one, their corpses swiftly reclaimed by the Flesh Hill… Though desperate to stop it, Hugue was utterly unable to disengage.

If only there were others to help…

Fragments of black armor scattered across the battlefield flashed in his mind.

No… those useless fools wouldn’t be any help. In fact, this monstrosity’s power owes partly to them. Damn it…

While these humanoid monsters couldn’t wound him, prolonging this battle would drain his Magic Value dry. Though his Magic Backpack held Magic Recovery Potions, he could scarcely spare a moment to retrieve one.

Every time he slew one humanoid monster, the Flesh Hill spawned a new one.

Beyond these, new tentacles began to sprout. Though easily severed, their incessant harassment was deeply aggravating.

In this situation… was retreat the only option?

Humiliation… sheer humiliation! Never defeated since becoming an adventurer, and now forced to retreat…

Fury clenched the young man’s jaw, his teeth grinding audibly.

But the decision made, he ceased trying to kill the humanoid monsters. Instead, he parried or evaded their attacks, fighting his way down the slope of the Flesh Hill.

Perhaps sensing his intent, the tentacles and humanoid monsters attacked with renewed frenzy. Furthermore, the Flesh Hill’s surface began to secrete a thick, blood-red slime, far more viscous than blood.

The humanoid monsters traversed the slime unimpeded, but Hugue’s movements were somewhat hindered.