Chapter 132: Don’t Eat My Slime Wife
The werewolf opened its mouth completely.
Liam could see everything from Lydia’s perspective.
The enormous fangs, the tongue, the darkness inside that massive jaw, and the creature’s arm getting closer and closer.
Lydia was still trapped around the limb.
’Lydia, quick! Use your acid!’
The small slime reacted immediately.
[Lydia: Yes, honey!]
[Acid]
A liquid substance began to seep from her body.
The acid quickly covered the part of the werewolf’s arm that was in contact with her.
Sssssss!
Smoke began to rise as the creature’s skin started to burn.
The smell was horrible.
But the werewolf didn’t seem to feel any pain. It simply continued bringing its arm closer.
’It’s not working!’
[Lydia: I know!]
The monster shoved Lydia into its mouth.
Then it closed its jaws.
’Lydia, use Harden!’
[Lydia: Got it!]
[Harden]
Lydia’s body changed instantly, her gelatinous surface becoming completely rigid.
The werewolf bit down.
Its fangs collided with the hardened body of the slime.
Several of them shattered instantly.
The creature opened its mouth in surprise.
It had tried to chew something that felt like a rock.
Meanwhile, Lydia continued releasing acid, and the inside of the werewolf’s mouth began filling with smoke.
"Now!"
Duncan shouted as he charged at the monster.
His fist repeatedly slammed into the creature’s chest.
"Let her go, you bastard!"
Every blow made the werewolf’s body tremble, but the creature continued to ignore him.
A small cloud of smoke surrounded its body.
Maxwell appeared at its side.
The young man was holding another knife.
"Again!"
He lunged toward its neck.
But this time...
CRACK!
The knife broke.
Maxwell’s eyes widened.
"What?"
The weapon fell to the ground in two pieces.
The werewolf slowly turned its head.
The bloody markings across its body began to glow, as did its red eyes.
Maxwell stepped back.
"I don’t like this..."
Duncan gritted his teeth.
"Don’t stop attacking!"
Archie got back to his feet, though he was breathing heavily.
His body was covered in bruises.
"I can keep going..."
But his fist was no longer covered in that energy.
He needed to take a hit in order to use his awakening.
Archie had received the first attack, but after that, the werewolf had practically ignored his attacks.
He couldn’t use his ability again.
Ruby wasn’t in much better shape.
The young woman was kneeling several yards away.
"Ugh..."
She wiped her mouth.
"I don’t want to eat anything else."
She had devoured several parts of the sub-boss’s body, but every one of them had regenerated. It was like trying to eat something that never disappeared.
"It’s disgusting!"
Ruby complained.
Lilly continued flying around the monster, firing from every direction.
The violet projectiles struck the werewolf, but none of them seemed to be enough.
The frustration was clearly visible on Lilly’s face.
"It’s useless!"
She fired again.
"No matter how much I attack, I can’t do anything!"
Liam watched as the battle became more and more desperate.
Duncan punched.
Maxwell searched for an opening.
Ivy tried to restrain the monster.
Archie and Ruby were exhausted.
Lilly kept firing without managing to stop it.
And Lydia...
Lydia was still trapped inside the creature’s mouth.
’We have to find another way.’
Then Lilly looked toward the altar.
The core was still glowing behind the monster.
"Maybe..."
Lilly began flying toward it.
"If we can’t defeat it, maybe we can destroy the core!"
Lilly extended both hands.
Violet energy gathered in her palms.
"Take this!"
BOOOOOOM!
A massive violet blast shot toward the core.
The attack hit it.
For an instant, violet light covered the altar.
But then...
WHOOM!
An invisible energy appeared around the core.
And the blast was repelled.
"What?!"
The violet energy traveled back along the same path.
BOOM!
The impact struck Lilly directly.
"Ah!"
Her body was sent flying.
Adam reacted quickly.
"Lilly!"
He rushed forward and managed to catch her before she hit the ground.
But the force of the impact was too great.
"Ugh!"
They both ended up falling.
"Are you okay?"
Adam asked.
Lilly slowly sat up.
"Yeah..."
She looked at the core.
Her expression became even more frustrated.
"We can’t attack it either."
◇◆◇
Liam felt completely helpless.
He couldn’t do anything.
He was there.
He could see.
He could think.
He could give Lydia instructions.
But he couldn’t touch anything, couldn’t shoot, couldn’t hit the monster, and couldn’t even protect his wife himself.
And now Lydia was inside the werewolf’s mouth.
’Hang in there, please.’
[Lydia: I’m trying, honey.]
The acid continued flowing from her body, but Liam could tell that Lydia was growing exhausted.
[Lydia: I can’t hold on much longer.]
[Lydia: My other copies are still protecting the civilians.]
[Lydia: They’re also fighting the other werewolves.]
Liam closed his eyes.
’Of course...’
Then Liam saw something.
A small structure at the back of the throat.
The uvula.
Liam smiled.
’Lydia.’
[Lydia: Yes?]
’Can you reach that?’
[Lydia: Reach what?]
’The uvula.’
[Lydia: The uvula in its throat?]
’Yeah. We’re going to make it throw you up.’
[Lydia: That’s disgusting.]
’I can’t think of a better idea.’
Lydia seemed to resign herself to her fate.
[Lydia: Fine...]
A small tentacle emerged from her body and extended through the inside of the mouth.
Liam watched as it moved forward.
A little farther.
A little farther.
Until it reached the uvula.
Tap.
It touched it.
Lydia struck it.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
’Harder.’
[Lydia: I’m trying!]
TAP!
TAP!
TAP!
◇◆◇
The werewolf stopped, and its expression changed.
First, it grimaced...
Then again.
"Grr...?"
It put a hand to its chest, looking confused.
Then it opened its mouth.
"Grrr...!"
Its body leaned forward.
Duncan stepped back.
"What’s wrong with it?"
Maxwell also took several steps backward.
"I don’t know."
The werewolf clutched its chest with both hands.
Its throat began to move.
And then...
"GRAAA...!"
BLAAARGH!
The monster began vomiting.
Saliva and a strange substance came flying onto the ground.
And among all that vomit...
A small green mass fell to the floor.
Lydia landed on the stone.
Duncan’s eyes widened.
"Lydia!"
Ivy ran toward her.
"Are you okay?"
Lydia slowly raised one of her tentacles.
The tentacle took the shape of a small hand.
And gave a thumbs-up.
Ivy smiled.
"I’m glad."
Liam also breathed a sigh of relief.
’That was way too close.’
But there was no time to rest.
Maxwell looked at the werewolf.
Then at the core.
"It seems impossible to defeat this monster."
Duncan clenched his fists.
"Then let’s destroy the core."
Ivy nodded and raised her hands.
Vines emerged from the ground again.
"I’ll clear the way for you!"
The plants shot toward the altar.
They were about to reach the core.
But the werewolf moved again.
Its claws sliced through the vines.
"Not again!"
Duncan growled.
The werewolf positioned itself in front of the altar.
Duncan gritted his teeth.
"This bastard won’t let us get close again."
Then...
A small cloud of smoke appeared behind the werewolf.
The cloud slowly took human form.
A young man appeared behind the monster.
And there was another knife in his hand.
Maxwell Masters, once again.
The young man raised the weapon.
The core was glowing right in front of him.
"This time..."
Maxwell smiled.
"...I won’t miss."