Chapter 212
‘A sort of hybrid?’
Oliver’s frown deepened as he suspected the possibility. The thing before him wasn’t natural—it was a grotesque combination of things that should never have been merged. He felt more and more sure of his theory that the creature was not simply a demon or human, but a hybrid of the two.
‘The heretics have an alchemist with them?’
He quickly realized that a heretic knowledgeable in alchemy was involved in this.
This thing was a hybrid, a chimera. A monstrosity, crafted through dark science and forbidden rituals. He had read about them briefly from his tutor. These were imperfect dolls created with the aim of producing a being that possessed the powers and qualities of both humans and demons.
An experiment to create a superior being above humans and demons. The heretics were trying to play god, and the result was standing right in front of him—a twisted abomination. This process was extremely sinister and demanded the lives of both demons and humans, a very serious criminal act in the society of exorcism.
Such alchemists, who used these dark and sinister methods, were prime targets of the Exorcist Union.
It was permitted to exorcise them on sight!
This was how dangerous these people were, and now he had encountered such a thing—an abomination that should not exist.
If Oliver remembered correctly, to create a hybrid, a lot of resources and sacrifices were needed, not to mention an environment for that hybrid to grow.
‘So, this is what they’ve been planning?It looks like a deep plan they’ve been working on for a long time—too long.’
He didn’t know many details about hybrids, and his knowledge was limited based on what he had been taught when he was younger.
He was only told that this process was extremely cruel and frowned upon, even among demons, since it consumed many lives just to begin.
And more lives were reaped to aid the growth process after its birth.
‘This thing has clearly just been born, but the dark espera radiating from its core is so overwhelming. No wonder such alchemists are hunted relentlessly. The number of lives consumed for this thing to be born must be significant.’
Oliver wasn’t one to judge, but he still could not help but feel shocked. Looking at the creature tearing apart the cocoon, he felt goosebumps. his wasn’t just a heretic’s ploy—it was something far more insidious, and now it stood before him, growing stronger by the second.
And this wasn’t a heretic with fake strength but an actual chimera, and the strength it had was definitely real and dangerous!
Oliver’s eyes glinted with both disgust and caution. This creature was a real threat—one that required his full attention.
Oliver lowered his arms as espera started to fluctuate violently behind him.
The air was heavy with an eerie stillness as the faint light of dawn barely pierced the foggy horizon. Oliver stood a few paces away, his eyes locked on the grotesque chimera emerging from the remnants of its cocoon.
The creature’s pitch-black humanoid form shuddered violently, three loose mouths hanging grotesquely from its chest, twisting and gaping as if trying to make sense of the world. It looked unnatural—an insult to both human and demon, a thing that shouldn’t exist. Its eyes—cold, human-like—glowed with a menacing hunger for souls.
A rapier suddenly appeared in his hand, retrieved from his mindspace.
Oliver’s rapier trembled in his grip, not from fear, but from the weight of the situation. The tension in the air was almost palpable, his instincts screaming at him to act quickly. He calmly observed the chimera’s behavior.
A rotting stench, which made Oliver’s skin prickle and his senses sharpen, came from the chimera. The smell was thick, like decay left to rot for centuries—overpowering and vile. This creature was mindless, driven only by the urge to devour as many souls as it could.
As the chimera tore the last shreds of its cocoon, Oliver’s instincts screamed at him to strike first. He wasn’t about to let this abomination gain the upper hand. He channeled his espera into his rapier, gripping it with resolve. The edges glowed faintly as he prepared his first move. He couldn’t let this abomination have the advantage.
[Sovereign Strike of Infinite Freedom]
Without hesitation, Oliver used his best rapier technique, not wanting to hold back.
With a swift step forward, Oliver’s spear lashed out like a viper, cutting through the early morning mist. The movement was sharp, precise, with the intent to end the battle quickly. His strike was aimed at the chimera’s chest, directly at the grotesque mouths.
The rapier struck true—but instead of piercing flesh, it rebounded with a dull thud, the dark espera surrounding the chimera acting like a shield. The force of the impact reverberated up Oliver’s arm, making his grip falter for a split second. A sharp, grating groan escaped from one of the creature’s mouths, sending a shiver down Oliver’s spine.
The chimera instinctively blocked the rapier. It moved with a terrifying speed for something so monstrous. Although it had no intellect, it still had sharpened instincts and probably sensed the danger behind the rapier move.
“Tch, tougher than expected,” Oliver muttered under his breath, leaping back as the chimera surged forward with terrifying speed.
Its movement was almost unnatural, the way it lunged—half staggering, half sprinting—towards him. Its long, grotesque arms swiped at him, the claws gleaming with raw dark espera, lethal with every swing. Oliver dodged, barely avoiding the strike. His body flickered as he used the [Six Thoughtful Steps of the Spirit] his movement technique allowing him to blur out of sight momentarily.
The world around him blurred as he shifted, reappearing just in time to dodge another vicious swipe. He appeared behind the chimera, hoping to catch it off guard, but the creature was relentless. It whirled around with unnatural agility, a wicked grin splitting across all three mouths.
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