Episode 76.
Whoooosh-
The entrance to an underground labyrinth where a chilly wind blew.
It was the entrance to the Catacombs.
A place created by gathering in one spot the remains that had been buried in cemeteries, excavated for the sake of the city's aesthetics.
With its endless maze-like paths and walls made of bones evoking a bizarre atmosphere, it had originally been one of Paris's famous tourist attractions, but with a sudden earthquake, it transformed into hell.
Strange incidents occurred where visitors disappeared or died.
The French government, realizing the danger, immediately closed the Catacombs.
They believed this was the way to reduce the growing number of victims.
However, afterward, inexplicable events began to occur near the Catacombs.
The probability of disappearances near the Catacombs increased exponentially, including among police officers patrolling the entrance.
Rumors spread among the people.
That a devil dwelling in the deepest part of the Catacombs was capturing and eating people.
The source of the rumors was unclear, but a mass exodus began because of them.
The security situation was already worsening to its worst due to the Awakened.
Residents who could not bear the added danger of the Catacombs chose to evacuate.
Of course, the police guarding the area withdrew as well, and the vicinity became a ghost city where no one lived.
A ghost city without a single sign of human presence.
Thud.
Someone appeared there.
“Is this place… the Catacombs?”
He looked as if he had just become a middle schooler.
A boy wearing a baseball cap with a long brim and a black windbreaker hovered around the entrance to the Catacombs.
“The pyramid was a bust.”
The boy had been at the pyramid in Egypt just moments ago.
But using his special ability, his Trait, he had moved to Paris, France in an instant.
The reason?
‘An order has been given. Move to the Catacombs of Paris, France.’
A mysterious group he had encountered at the pyramid.
He had happened to overhear their conversation about taking the pyramid’s treasure with an incredible Trait.
So he moved straight to Paris, and now had the Catacombs they were targeting right before his eyes.
‘I heard rumors that people disappeared and it became a ghost city?’
Suspicious. Far too suspicious.
And there was only one thing he could think of.
The same change as at the pyramid.
And what that change meant.
‘…It means treasure is buried here.’
In the case of the pyramid, unfortunately, because he was one step too late, the treasure had been stolen by the mysterious group, an organization called Black Moon.
But since he had figured out their destination was the Catacombs, this time he would not be late.
Because he possessed a special movement method that others did not.
Using his Trait, he had crossed over from Egypt to France, and to Paris in one go.
But could he handle this gloomy underground maze alone?
His doubts lasted only a moment.
‘If it doesn’t work out, I just have to run away.’
Along with his Trait, the boy possessed an aptitude that others could hardly detect.
Thanks to that, he had not only eavesdropped on the group’s conversation but also kept himself safe from monsters lurking in the pyramid.
He was confident when it came to running or hiding.
If he was lucky, he might even obtain the treasure, so it was worth taking a certain amount of risk.
“All right!”
Finally resolved, the boy stepped inside the Catacombs.
A chill!
At that moment, he felt an ominous premonition, a chilling sensation seeping into his entire body.
‘This is something…’
Ominous.
But in the next moment, that ominous premonition became reality.
“Hup!”
The surprised boy covered his own mouth.
Corpses.
Corpses, as if torn apart by beasts, were strewn everywhere in the Catacombs.
If there had been one or two, he wouldn’t have felt this way.
But what was strewn around the Catacombs was an uncountable number of corpses.
A veritable hellscape, as if a path had been made of corpses, making anyone who saw it rub their eyes in disbelief.
Boom.
A loud noise was heard.
Boom, thud.
That booming sound was gradually drawing closer.
He didn’t know exactly what it was, but he knew it was the culprit that had created this hellscape.
‘I-I have to run…’
This was no place for him.
The boy, having judged quickly, tried to manifest his Trait, but.
Fizzle.
Like trying to create a flame underwater, his Trait would not manifest.
The same despite repeated attempts.
A powerful barrier erected around the Catacombs was blocking all movement-type Traits.
Boom!
And the booming sound drew closer.
But there was still hope for the boy.
Ssssk.
Like a chameleon, his flesh assimilated with the surroundings.
『Nature Assimilation (自然同化)』
The boy’s aptitude.
A special power that, the moment he became conscious of it, assimilated him with his surroundings and completely hid his presence.
The moment he manifested the aptitude that had allowed him to survive in the pyramids.
Thud!
The boy could finally see.
A monster, no, a demon with a pair of long horns, a goat’s head, a human’s body, and black wings.
‘W-what is…?!’
He didn’t know exactly what that goat before his eyes was.
But there was one thing he was sure of.
‘A monster!’
A being he could do nothing against.
Goooooh!
A tremendous aura emanated from it, one that stung his eyes just from looking at it.
「…」
Those entirely black eyes turned toward the place where the boy hid.
“….”
As if electrocuted, the boy could not move at all.
If he took even a slight breath, he would be discovered and become one of the corpses strewn about the Catacombs.
「Meeh-」
But soon it turned away.
Nature Assimilation was perfect, and just as in the pyramid, it saved the boy’s life.
He survived.
It was while the boy was feeling relieved.
Thud.
An unexpected sign of human presence was heard.
The boy and the goat monster’s heads turned simultaneously.
“A corpse?”
One who had crossed the entrance and entered the interior of the Catacombs.
He was not alone.
A group of dozens appeared at the entrance and confronted the goat monster.
“What the hell is this monster?”
Before the words could even finish.
Flap!
Behind the goat monster, its black wings flapped once.
And something unbelievable occurred.
Pop!
As if folding space, the goat monster arrived before the group in an instant.
“Huh…?”
It was when the red-haired man standing at the front was about to voice his confusion.
Crack!
With a sound like a ripe watermelon bursting, the man’s head exploded.
Splatter.
Pale brain matter flowed out and soaked the ground.
“G-good heavens!”
Surprised by that tremendous speed for but a moment.
“Attack!”
The group, having regained formation, charged at the goat monster.
In an instant, their movements charging in from different directions attested to considerable training.
「Meeeh-」
As if enraged, the goat monster let out a cry and then.
Boom!
It struck its skull staff on the ground.
Was it not attacking the enemies charging from all sides?
A brief question arose, but it was soon inevitably resolved.
Rumble!
An earthquake occurred.
“Fuck!”
“What the hell is this!”
It destroyed the balance of those rushing from the surroundings.
It was impossible for them to stand on ground that moved arbitrarily.
While they could not balance properly because they couldn’t receive force properly.
Crack!
Rocks sprouted from the ground and pierced people’s chests like sharp spears.
“Gurk!”
“Gaaack!”
Screams echoed.
Thud!
And people collapsing.
Dozens of them lost their lives in the blink of an eye.
“What the…”
“Impossible!”
Those who had kept their lives by not charging in exclaimed in horror.
Who were they?
They were Black Moon, the greatest force preparing for the current apocalypse.
Even though they were elites carefully selected to prepare for the Catacombs, they died futilely.
「Meeeh-」
To the goat monster letting out that bizarre cry.
“This, this is too much.”
“Run away!”
They had thought it would be an arduous journey because their superiors had sternly warned them.
But this was beyond the assumed scope.
This monster, the goat monster before their eyes, was not a being that current Awakened could handle.
Those gripped by a terror they had never felt since Awakening stumbled backward.
But they could not get out.
Ziiing-
A powerful barrier was spread across the Catacombs that prevented anyone from leaving once they entered.
No one could get out unless they resolved the root problem of this place.
“Uwaaaack!”
“S-save me!”
“Let me out!”
They pounded on the entrance and struggled desperately, but to no avail.
「Meeh-」
The goat monster smiled sardonically and approached them, soaked in fear.
Not moving at super-high speed like before, but slowly, languidly walking.
“D-damn it!”
“You bastard!”
Several of them mustered courage and charged at the goat monster.
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted from their hands.
That boasting tremendous heat was something only one with the Flame Sorcerer Trait could manifest.
A powerful Trait that could reduce enemies to ashes in an instant with tremendous firepower.
Furthermore.
“Die!”
Papapap!
Black orbs shot from the blonde man’s hand.
The moment they touched the flames spewed by the Flame Sorcerer.
Boom!
They caused an explosion.
Boom, boom-boom-boom!
The orbs caused chain explosions, obliterating the forward area.
The ‘Bomb’ Trait that could create explosive orbs causing powerful explosions from one’s palm had manifested.
These two Traits combined turned the front into a literal inferno.
“Where does this bastard think he’s messing around!”
With this level of explosion and heat, even the goat monster should be dead.
But shortly after.
Ssssh-
When the smoke cleared, an entirely different scene from what they expected was revealed at that spot.
「Meh-」
Contrary to expectations, the goat monster was alive.
Vroom!
Because blood gushing from the corpses was protecting its surroundings.
“Ha….”
“Fuck, does this even make sense?”
The two who had exerted their full strength and were exhausted, the Flame Sorcerer and the Bomb Awakened, muttered powerlessly.
And.
Flap!
With a single wingbeat heralding death.
Thwack, crack-
Their heads were crushed.
「Meeh-」
The goat monster that had led the two to death let out a pleasant cry.
“Fuck-”
But their fighting spirit wasn’t broken yet.
Aside from the Flame Sorcerer and Bomb, those here were quite powerful Awakened.
Boom, boom-boom!
Flames soared with intense explosions.
In a narrow space, if all those attacks hit directly, even the goat monster wouldn’t be safe.
But this goat monster could manipulate blood.
Vroom, vroom-vroom!
It formed an absolute protective shield with blood extracted from the countless corpses strewn on the ground.
No matter how much the Awakened struck it, they could never break it.
It was a power beyond humanity, in an unknown realm.
Crack, crunch!
Each time the skull staff moved, pale brain matter burst forth.
「Meeeee-」
Along with the bizarre cry of the goat.
“Uwaaah-”
“Kuaaaack!”
Horrible screams burst from everywhere.
‘Aah-’
The boy clutching his mouth with both hands had to watch that scene from beginning to end.
Those eyes, covered in tears and snot from terror, were gradually dying.