Kingdom of the Malaise (38)

The Collector glared from the dark pools of his two blue eyes, watching as the giants fought.

The monster known as Conjunctivis and was supposed to have been imprisoned in the Insufferable Crypt was not where it was supposed to be and was instead free and roaming.

Swinging its large tentacles, the broken chain links rattled on its large body.

Manipulating the several thread like appendages connected to the much larger ones like hands, they ripped the bodies and pieces of flesh off of the ground and tossed it into its large sucker like mouth hidden beneath.

Slamming its other tentacle, the other boss monster swung its dual sided scythe and easily sliced through the appendage.

Taking a small orb from the appendage, Death summoned several smaller but more numerous scythes and sent them flying.

Glaring at the monster that dared to take away its other limb and interrupt its feast of flesh and blood, the fallen limb immediately burst into a flurry of action.

As if being separated from the main body wasn't a problem, all the small limbs popped off of the larger one like snakes and quickly moved, disassembling the large tentacle which revealed itself to be instead made of several much smaller tentacles.

They moved as if sentient and attacked the figure known as Death.

But it would be fated to be a difficult endeavor.

And it wasn't just because death was also a boss monster in essence and that he could call the dead to do his bidding.

It was because Death wasn't the only boss level figure here.

Bursting out of the ground with a flurry of motion, the many sharp scythes of the monsters that wielded them instantly sliced whatever was in their way.

Fortunately enough, what was in their way was no longer living.

Several large ticks birthed from the mama tick appeared and as if connected by the hivemind which they were, the ticks immediately began moving.

---

'This is an absolute blood fest.'

Just when I had finally finished killing the hordes upon hordes of monsters that plagued the area and was surging towards me like a tidal wave.

The next thing I new, the big players came and suddenly flipped the table.

'Just when I finished clearing the pawns, the bosses are here huh?'

Mockingly thinking to myself, I moved to the side and dodged the giant falling limb.

Glancing at the large tentacle, I grit my teeth and equipped two different shields.

The attacks of bosses were not anything to scoff at, my encounter with the Concierge already told me that much.

Holding the [Bloodthirsty Shield] in one hand, the [Ice shield] in the other, just when I was about to hold the twin daggers and scale the large limb.

It suddenly unraveled and revealed several hundred long tentacles moving in unison.

Safe to say, although the majority of them were moving straight towards the large skeleton who was wielding a large duel ended scythe while their entire body was covered in tattered purple robes.

Some of them were turning to the only other living being in the area.

Me.

Activating my powers, I felt my mana suddenly leave me as the ground broke apart to reveal thick roots which shot me straight up into the air.

Moving the attention of the tentacles from the ground to the sky, I held both shields in front of me as the bloody aura and the frosty one of both shields mixed together.

Activating the Shield of Cthulhu's signature charge, an aura of a familiar appearance appeared briefly.

Falling downwards, I simultaneously activate the Ram Rune and slammed downwards with all the force of a comet.

Breaking through the green tendrils of flesh snaking through the air as if defying gravity, the piles of tentacle flesh gave way to the solid earth.

If it could even be called that anymore since everything was literally made of flesh and blood.

Nevertheless, I continued.

Parrying a tentacles lunge, the tentacle and the ones behind it were enwreathed in ice.

Ignoring them since I literally didn't have the time, I instead left them a gift in the form of a [Powerful Grenade]

Exploding amongst the frozen statues and sending shrapnel flying everywhere, I turned my attention to the other monsters which have been congregating onto my position from below the mountain.

Belatedly noting I was on top of a mountain of literal bodies.

I quickly observed the beings appearance as it charged straight towards me.

[Giant tick]

Staring at the monster, I felt my appetite which was already down in the dumps take another hit and die.

With four giant spiked legs carrying its egg like body, ugly purple veins covered it as the butt of the egg opened up into a mouth where a spike was located, sharp fang life teeth circling it like a ring.

The fact that several purple eyes which stared wherever covered its body didn't help my case in the slightest.

Preparing to slice the beast apart with [Hattori's Katana] a giant spiked ball fell down straight from the sky and crushed the purple beast into a purple paste.

Staring dumbfoundedly at it, a figure covered in white lightly landed on top of the spiked ball, another similar sized ball being carried in her other arm as if it weighed nothing.

"Accidental Slade, I acknowledge you."

'????'

Feeling nothing but questions well up within me, the golden mask on their face shifted away to turn towards the two bosses, scratch that.

With an arrival by bursting through the earth, the third boss joined the fray alongside all of its kin.

"You probably have many questions..."

'Hell yeah I do'

"But now is not the time, we shall deal with these boss monsters and then I will formerly introduce ourselves."

The figure glanced at me as they started to swing the giant spiked ball around.

"That is, if you are up to the task."

Feeling my nonexistent pride become challenged, I grinned.

"Let's see how skilled you are before making that statement ey? We don't you to be all embarrassed when I end Conjuntivis over there."

'Why did I do that.'

"A challenge it is then."

'When did I do that.'

Jumping up from their place, the spiked ball which was gyrating with their arm as the center suddenly carried them forwards, doing a castrated form of flight as they soared through the air.

And not one to be outdone, I followed closely behind riding the surface of thick roots as they carried me forwards.

'At least things can't get anymore chaotic.'

And as if to spite my very existence, the sky suddenly brightened as a scream which was heard even from my position suddenly blasted the area.

"LET US ENTER BEGIN THE SHOWDOWN IN THIS CRADLE OF COMBAT!"

Screeching incredibly loudly, the giant blade which was visible even from a distance struck down the other limb of the monster known as Conjunctivis, the initial target being the eye.

"HAHAHA! THIS IS WHAT BATTLE TRULY IS LIKE!"

Staring at the giant man who bellowed loudly, I shook my head in disbelief before jumping straight into the fray of another, incredibly prolonged battle.

+++

Tree that will try and make it end soon.