Chapter 136: Last Hurrah
[0:18:03]
[Spell Absorption[Four]: [0:00]]
The pristine condition of the shrine from earlier was nowhere to be found, replaced only by the destructive aftermath of clashes happening all over the place. Blade marks, various abilities being thrown left and right, and the slight quakes originating from the middle, where the ’God’ was transforming from time to time, didn’t even make things better.
Many scenes were happening at the same time.
There was the Hidden One in the middle of transforming into its true form, descending into the mortal world within this dome in the open-view shrine. Its white shadow-like appearance from earlier had already begun developing clearer outlines, with facial features that were blinding to look at becoming more apparent.
Then there were the Shepherds. Their attention was divided between the ’God’ forcing its complete transformation into this world and dealing with the pest that had recklessly attempted to disrupt their operation, a move that was almost close to suicide, considering they had involved themselves in it without a proper plan.
Or were they that desperate?
"Cillian Sparrow! Where’s my brothers?!"
[Mimicry Activated...]
Carlos shouted as his eyes continued to bleed from the excessive use of his abilities, which Cillian assumed he had used three times.
If he were ever a Proper Ruiner, he wouldn’t have encountered that problem in the first place. However, due to his desperation, he was using them simultaneously despite being an Improper Ruiner.
’Still, I wouldn’t deny that he’s slightly stronger than the rest of the Black Shepherds, but it seems to me that he’s not that much stronger compared to Oliver, Aster’s old teacher. A [Five] Ruiner with no [Zero]? Are those the qualifications for becoming a White Shepherd? He showed me three abilities, and he probably has more skills stored in them... like two more?’
Even in the face of danger, Cillian continued analyzing his opponent.
What kind of person was he? What were his strengths and weaknesses? What could he use at this moment while being held down like this?
Yet his analysis immediately stopped when Cillian found himself being choked by Carlos, whose hands were wrapped around his neck.
"Answer me...!"
’How could I... answer you when you’re choking me, you bastard...’
The face of someone struggling was plastered on Cillian’s face, and it was indeed what he was currently experiencing. Yet, the slight smile on his lips never disappeared.
’You...fucker.’
He looked past Carlos’s gaze and watched the reserved Mimicked Storage where Troy’s voice was stored.
[Reserved mimicked storage: Jack... Troy Kisher’s voice]
Then, Cillian began to use it.
[Troy Kisher’s voice: 1:00]
"Where—"
"Brother..."
Suddenly, Carlos’s eyes widened when he heard Cillian speak to him with the same voice as Troy.
No, there was a clear difference between earlier and now.
Troy’s voice had always been loud, unlike the arrogant voice that someone would hate just by hearing it, the same voice Cillian was using. At least, that was how it sounded a few seconds earlier.
The grip from Cillian’s neck slightly loosened.
’Maybe... I can trick him with this.’
Cillian pondered inwardly as he tried talking with Carlos, whose expression worsened as his eyes quivered while staring at the person in front of him.
’But how would I do it when my actions earlier didn’t match the image he had of Troy, his little brother, inside his head?’
Cillian hadn’t thought this through carefully yet, as the only thing going through his mind earlier was stopping Carlos from choking him.
It didn’t matter. He would just buy time and see if his luck boost might somehow lead him somewhere.
Or maybe it was already working, and it was working so hard to keep him from being killed by Carlos just yet?
That’s why Cillian pushed this ploy even further.
"Brother, why are you hurting me? I’ve done my best to capture Cillian. Our little brother is also waiting with Benson and the others, awaiting your orders. I-I came here to help you because we need to kill that ’God’ when we’re surrounded by enemies all around us..."
Carlos’s eyes continued to shake so much that it almost made Cillian believe those words were enough to convince him that he was the real Troy.
It was all pure bullshit anyway, so it wouldn’t matter whether Carlos believed it or not. Well, deep down, Cillian wanted him to believe his bullshit so he could buy as much time as possible.
Because what would Cillian have been able to do if he hadn’t?
[Troy Kisher’s voice: 0:30]
[Mimicry Activated]
[Mimicry Failed]
’Fucking work for fuck sake!’
Rumble—!
As the quake continued while the Shepherds spread out around the dome once again, Carlos’s eyes, which had been quivering earlier, began to regain their clarity after he let out a short sigh.
Then, he looked at Cillian angrily.
"You fucker."
’Oh...’
[Mimicry Failed]
That was enough of a sign for Cillian that his deception, which had already been full of holes to begin with, had been seen through after only half a minute had passed.
Then...
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
This somehow made Cillian crash out, as a mocking laugh erupted within him.
’Ah shit...’
There were really no cards to play this time around.
If so, why not do something that can make his heart flutter one last time?
[Mimicry Failed]
"Did you really think I was your brother, you fucker?"
This time, Carlos’s face grew even angrier when Cillian used his brother’s voice to laugh and curse at him. It was too infuriating to hear and watch his brother’s face being used by a bastard like him.
However, someone didn’t care about whatever reaction Carlos was displaying, and that person was none other than Cillian.
The way Carlos reacted made Cillian’s heart pound with glee as he treaded the fine line between life and death.
It felt exhilarating.
He didn’t want this to end. That would be too boring.
Yet, the more he spoke, the more he knew it was nearing.
"You stupid fucking fucker, fuck you and your dresses and your face and everything! Ah damn it! I hate every single one of you! Fuck!"
[Mimicry Failed]
[Troy Kisher’s voice: 0:00]
Begging to be saved wouldn’t be any fun. Besides, if that had been an option from the beginning, Cillian definitely would’ve chosen it.
However, this situation didn’t call for it, especially since Carlos had already seen through his ploy.
Cillian’s mimicked voice had reached its time limit. Even so, Cillian never stopped talking or attempting to mimic abilities, even though it continued to fail.
[Mimicry Failed]
Who knew if his last hurrah of getting on Carlos’s nerves would be the thing that saved him? Maybe... just maybe, there was a chance to get out of this situation.
"Ah fuck, it doesn’t matter."
Cillian’s voice returned to normal as the smile on his lips stretched from ear to ear.
"At least I killed your fucking brothers."
Carlos listened as his face darkened.
"I tricked your fucking middle brother, Troy, you see! I made him look like I was using an Artifact when I tricked him! That idiot! What did I do when I tricked him? I fucking cut his hand! Oh, but that wasn’t the best part yet! Listen, he begged me to save your youngest brother!"
"..."
"He begged while he gave me information. What did I do? I stabbed that fucking brother with the same broken sword that I used to cut off Troy’s hand. I got information, and I made him think that I was accepting the deal when, in fact, I killed him! Poor kid! To not have been saved by your brother!"
Whoosh—!
Immediately, Carlos moved forward and grabbed Cillian’s neck.
"Kak!"
Carlos tightened his grip until it was enough to make Cillian lose consciousness if it continued.
He tried to move.
Cillian really did, but...
’Fuck...’
Cillian felt his vision becoming blurry as no air reached his brain.
It was getting harder to breathe...
’I’m going to die...’
Bonk—!
Just as he was on the brink of losing consciousness, a metal bat struck Carlos’s head, instantly killing him in one clean hit.
The head exploded from the sheer force behind the strike, something unlike anything Cillian had seen before... at least from the brief moment he had witnessed the person wielding this bat showcase its power.
"Kid!"
Through his blurry vision, the Strongest Ruiner in this world, Oliver, appeared.
"Reinforcements have arrived!"