Mutagen

<strong>Day 147 - 9:15 PM - Langoyon Gulf, Codon, San Andres, Catanduanes</strong>

According to the weather prediction equipment installed in the Military Base of Catanduanes Settlement, no rain, even a drizzle, could be expected to happen.

Since the outbreak started, the weather had been calm around the world except for the first month and second. It was only because of the burning houses, crashed cars, and rotting corpses. It increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When that phase passed, however, the weather had been consistent despite the slight drop in temperature.

Since the plants around the world received the same benefits from Mutagen as humans, it started to fix the issue of Global Warming. And thus, while rain and storms could still happen, it was reduced by a whole lot.

And yet, the situation at the gulf was more than just a raging storm.

Dark clouds swirled in the sky as if marking the end of the world. Waves raged violently enough to capsize medium-sized boats.

And there was also a drizzle of red...

"What? Why is the water red?"

One soldier at the settlement walls noticed. It also had a heavy, unsetting smell.

Hearing that soldier made others check the water that drizzled over them. And in horror, everyone immediately ran for cover. It was not just seawater that was splashing towards them. It was mixed with blood and even some small chunks of unidentifiable flesh.

Without a doubt, these disgusting things came from that monster thrashing around at the gulf.

Although everyone was still confused about why the painful cries and roars suddenly vanished, it did not matter anymore. The first they needed to do right now was to seek shelter.

The majority of the people left the open. However, as the soldiers could not vacate their posts for obvious reasons, they donned their raincoats instead.

Even so, a lot of them wanted to leave. It was due to the surroundings starting to smell awful, along with the chunks of flesh that were a sight for sore eyes.

They could only turn their eyes back to the ongoing scene. Who would think that even though the creature was quite far away, the settlement would still be affected?

***

At the gulf, Mark, Mei, and Berrak, along with the summoned creatures, watched the amalgamation as it rampaged. It was like a gigantic earthworm salted alive. The only difference compared to earthworms was the size, and the worms could not emit a cry that could affect the emotions of those that heard it.

The [Infected Amalgamation] continued to trash around. Its huge body already had two about three-meter-wide holes. One was below the center of its octopus head-shaped part above the water and the other even lower.

Even though the wounds caused by the [Crystal Converter] were supposed to be burnt and melted, making it unable to bleed, its violent movements caused the burns to crack open, making it feel even more pain. It dyed the seawater red, and chunks of its flesh started to fall off.

Nonetheless, despite the extreme pain it felt, it seemed that the [Leader Type] learned what it should do to ease the pain. Its huge tentacles shot off in erratic ways. Not towards its enemies above, however, but towards itself.

It looked really disgusting. It was as if an octopus made of infected bodies started piercing itself with its own wiggling tentacles.

And then, it started tearing off the burnt parts of its wounds. It was using the hundreds of hands of the tentacles brutally peeling off the eschar surrounding the hole.

The thick burnt eschar on the holes stopped it from being able to heal itself and made the damaged bodies stuck in place. It was one of the things that caused the [Leader Type] severe pains since it was not able to automatically remove the damaged bodies.

Now, it started tearing off its own flesh, causing more blood to spill and more unusable bodies to fall into the water.

"Tsk."

Mark clicked his tongue as they saw the monster started healing. Without a doubt, although it was subjected to more pain, its actions were effective.

"Mei'er." Mark's eyes turned serious as he called her. "Use one more."

That order made Mei look at Mark in askance.

"Sure?"

Of course, she would ask that.

After they returned from America, Mark spent some time making a few [Crystal Converters] whenever they had free time at the base. As Mark had said before, making it was not easy. Since Mei already knew about it, Mark did not make it secretly anymore, and she was allowed to watch.

Mei saw how many he made and how many were wasted. Among those hundreds of wooden plates, he only succeeded five times. That was right. Mei only had five [Crystal Converters] on hand, and they already used up two. Aside from the [Crystal Conveters], the [Non-Attribute Mental Crystals] were also limited in number.

She did not want valuable things that Mark owned to be wasted.

"You don't think that it's worth it?"

Mark asked as Mei seem to be hesitating.

And to that question, Mei nodded.

"Don't worry," Mark said, approaching her and patting her head. "It might be a gamble, but I think, it's totally worth it."

Those words made Mei nod as she started to prepare the next shot.

Mark, on the other hand, also prepared his next move.

"It's been quite a while, I guess."

He murmured as [Blood Whips] came out between his back and wings. The [Blood Whips] then immediately formed bladed spider-like limbs.

Berrak, to the side, watched the amazing spectacles that Mark and Mei displayed. Although he already continued to command his summons to attack, his eyes were still glued to the two. It could not be helped. It was because the more time he spent with Mark's group, the more their mysteriousness deepened.

Just now, two of those things the two showed was enough to shock him. One was that shot that Mei's weapon did. And that metal blades that protruded from Mark's back. Questions in his mind began piling up since this afternoon after Mark dragged him into his group.

THOOOOM!

Without warning, the third beam of light shot from Mei, piercing another huge melted hole into the amalgamation's body.

Of course, the leader type's thrashing had gotten worse. The waves it created started to become higher and higher. The worst part for the [Leader Type] was that the third shot doubled unto the first shot that Mei fired, burning all the tentacles crammed unto the hole into smithereens.

Then, Mark made his move before the [Leader Type] could conjure more tentacles to fix the hole. And what he did was surprising to everyone watching. Flapping his wings with a red glow, Mark charged into the hole on the amalgamation's body.

Sensing that there was an intruder inside the hole, the [Leader Type] trashed around even more. Unfortunately, it could not shake Mark out as his concentration was at a maximum at this moment.

And there, Mark did the unexpected. And that was to dig into the enemy's huge body and force out the main one. That was why he prepared the metal limbs that he had not used since the encounter with Snow, turning him into a Spider King Candidate.

Using Ignis to open the first wound, blood scattered around and even on Mark's face and body. But he did not care as his arms moved faster and faster.

But Mark did not stop there. He was not holding back anymore. Not allowing the wounds to regenerate, Ignis started to burn with black flames. Even Mark started releasing black flames and lightning as he tore through the amalgamation's body.

Although the black colored energies could not be seen from afar, especially in the middle of the night, everyone could see how the amalgamation go berserk. It even started trashing its whole body underwater, intending to drown Mark, who was tearing into its body.

Unfortunately for the [Leader Type], that instinctual move had no effect on Mark, who was now enveloped with a sphere of wind. Furthermore, the wind that circled around Mark was accompanied by wind blades that helped to tear through the enemy's fleshy body.

Along with the waves, the cries intensified, trying to stop Mark from his assault. However, it did not have any effect at all. Mark could sense that [Leader Type] was getting desperate.

Covered in blood and guts, Mark already tore through half the distance from the hole and where the main body was. But then, the [Leader Type] did a move that it did not do before. And surely, this move would make it harder for Mark to reach the main body.

Mark could only frown as he felt the consciousness of the [Leader Type] started to move, differently from how its huge body moved.

"Tsk." Mark clicked his tongue. "This guy can change locations."

Like Mark had said, the main body started to swim inside its humongous constructed body. If it continued, it would not only take Mark more effort, but there might be a possibility that it could escape while Mark was still trapped inside.

As if Mark would let that happen. He already wasted three [Crystal Converters] and three [Mental Crystals] to capture this guy.

And as such, Mark fully activated the [Wind Manipulation Mental Crystal]. This move would definitely use up all its energy, rendering it unusable for some time. But Mark did not care this time. He wanted was to catch the [Leader Type], or at least, get the head intact. Then, absorb its ability into a [Physical Crystal].

There was no way he would give up on a potentially useful ability.

Mark stretched his hand forwards. A sphere of wind started to form in front of his palm. The wind in the sphere spun violently, even trying to rush out of Mark's control. Nevertheless, Mark started to gather more, causing the sphere to grow bigger and bigger.

But then, Mark controlled its growth, making it smaller and smaller instead. He converged a huge amount of wind into the sphere while making it as small as he could.

Mark's arm started shaking. Even in his state, his arm could not handle the pressure. With that, his arm started to glow bright red, returning into its steady posture.

Finally, the [Wind Manipulation Mental Crystal] dimmed. The converging of wind slowly came to a halt as Mark left a little amount of energy just in case.

And then, Mark released it.

"Let's call this. [Spiral Gale Bomb]."

He murmured.

***

RINNGGGG!!!

No one knew what happened. Everyone's ears suddenly rang causing everyone to flinch.

And those that managed to endure, their eyes turned wide as the strong gust of wind assaulted their faces.

More than half of the amalgamation's body exploded from within, turning the majority of its bodies and flesh to pieces.

In the sky, even Mei and Berrak's summons were pushed by the strong burst of wind.

Aside from the top part of the amalgamation's body that was launched into the air and was left underwater, nothing else remained.

And then, a red light shot from underwater towards the remaining part of the amalgamation that was launched up in the air. The light pierced through it, along with a spatter of flesh and blood.

The red light was no other than Mark, looking like someone that jumped into a sea of barb wires. His clothes were ripped here and there, even his hair turned ragged with uneven cuts. The worst part was his right arm. From his hand to his shoulder, the skin was ripped off, leaving his bare muscles exposed.

But Mark did not care. His attention was focused on the flailing man he was holding with his left hand. It was a very thin-looking infected, too thin that the idiom skin and bones literally described its appearance.

Who would have thought that this thing was the main body of that huge amalgamation?

The infected flailed for a bit. However, it could not get itself free from Mark's grasp on its neck. Thus, it tried to counterattack, trying to absorb Mark instead.

But then, with a black flash of a metal limb, its body stopped moving. Its body then fell, leaving nothing but a decapitated head in Mark's grasp.