Meryl could barely remain conscious. She tightened her right arm around the unconscious Tulip in her lap, severing the threads of life from everyone's bodies, focusing all her energy on her shoulder to avoid losing too much blood and dying.
"Don't you dare let go of her arm!" Alvin shouted at Elena, marking the first sentence exchanged between them since their meeting. Elena was still in shock, her eyes wide and her heart pounding fiercely. Alvin glanced back and saw the hunters swiftly closing in on them.
"Meryl, get down!" he ordered loudly enough for her to hear. They had already moved away from where the monsters had gathered on the sand. They would be safe as long as no new creatures emerged from below.
Meryl obeyed the command, descending with half-open eyes. She was utterly exhausted — from flying, healing herself and three others, and now, with her arm severed and her shoulder still bleeding.
"Meryl!" Elena called out as she cradled her in her lap. Meryl's breathing was uneven, and her face had grown as pale as her lips. Alvin pressed the severed arm against her shoulder and said close to her, "Reattach your arm!" He then handed her a golden cherry and added, "Eat it; it will heal you."
That was the last thing Alvin managed to say before the five hunters landed nearby.
"Is this the end of your little escape, you weak rats?" one of them said mockingly.
Alvin ignored him and turned his gaze to Tulip. He seemed to be in decent condition — at least better off than the rest of them.
Alvin adjusted his body to a more comfortable position, then rose to face his opponents directly.
He placed a golden cherry into his mouth and chewed it quickly, then ate something else the men couldn't quite identify.
A sly smile curled on his lips as his eyes shifted to a brilliant gray. In a dark tone, he said,
"Which one of you severed her arm?"
"I did!" one of them answered.
He stepped forward from the back and added،
"And I'll cut off her head too... right after I kill you!"
{Alert:
Abnormal increase in energy levels!
The body's endurance limit has been exceeded!
}
{Alert:
If energy is not regulated within the specified time, a complete collapse of vital functions will occur.
Countdown to collapse:
[04:59] ... [04:58] ... [04:57]
}
{Alert:
Would you like to activate Emergency Mode?
[Yes] / [No]
}
Five minutes... it was such a long time! Alvin knew it from the very moment energy surged through his entire body. There were tears everywhere, and he could feel blood flowing from his face and many parts of his body, but he didn't care about that.
"Blood!" he whispered in a voice that sounded like the hiss of a snake. The five men read the warnings from their planets and immediately ordered a retreat from the battle, as their opponent's level far exceeded theirs.
In the blink of an eye, Alvin braced his foot against one man's shoulder and seized his head with both hands. Before the man could comprehend what was happening, Alvin tore his head off in front of the others.
The body collapsed like a lifeless corpse, while the head remained clutched between Alvin's fingers. He lifted the head, letting the blood pour into his mouth and
over his face.
— [I loved that!]
A message from 'Extinguished Sun' in the public chat.
['Extinguished Sun' donated 700 coins.]
— [I think that blood was rotten.]
A message from 'Chicken Feather' in the public chat.
Alvin threw the head aside and moved toward the fleeing men. He suddenly appeared in front of one of them and drove his sword into his chest, then dragged it to the side, tearing the heart out along the way. Alvin quickly finished off the other two men as well, leaving only one remaining—the one who had severed Meryl's arm.
He stepped toward him with slow, deliberate movements, intentionally aiming to instill fear in his heart. The man recoiled, his legs trembling, until he fell to the ground, beginning to beg Alvin to leave him be.
{... Countdown to collapse:
[02:11]
}
Alvin sat on the man's waist, his feet on either side. "Don't worry, I won't cut off your arm!" he said softly as he ran his fingers over the terrified man's face. "I'm not that cruel." He finished his words with a strange smile that the man couldn't understand.
Alvin pulled a dagger from his inventory and ran its sharp blade across his tongue in front of the man's trembling eyes, speaking in a dark tone: "It's just… your features annoy me a little. I hope you don't mind if I carve them."
"No, please stop!" the man screamed in panic, his hands trapped beneath Alvin's knees as Alvin began to peel the skin off his face with enjoyment, laughing every time he saw his dagger covered in hot blood.
{...
Countdown to collapse:
[00:47]
}
Alvin stared at the countdown for a few moments, then turned his gaze back to the flayed face before him. If he weren't in such a hurry, he would have taken his time skinning the man entirely, at his leisure.
{Alert:
Would you like to activate emergency mode?
[Yes] / [No]
}
Alvin pressed "Yes" and then opened his inventory, taking a golden cherry to eat.
{Alert:
'Emergency Mode' activated. Current actions:
Reducing excess energy...
Temporarily disabling uncontrollable abilities.
Stabilizing vital signs.
Freezing body collapse for: [02:00 minutes]
Warning:
'Emergency Mode' may not prevent vital organ failure due to sudden internal structural changes.
}
{Alert:
Consumed: [Golden Cherry]. Current actions:
Gradual health restoration.
Activating cell repair process...
Warning:
Despite the effectiveness of the golden cherry, the level of damage exceeds its healing capacity.
Internal organs have not been fully repaired.
Internal bleeding is still active.
}
He ignored the numerous system messages, grabbed the flayed face, and placed it on his own. As soon as the warm skin touched him and he felt it, he burst into loud laughter and spoke in incomprehensible words… Then… he collapsed on the lifeless body, unconscious.
In the background, Meryl's shocked body trembled uncontrollably after seeing this side of Alvin's personality. She knew he wasn't a merciful person, but to skin a person alive? And then laugh like that?
"Take care of Tulip!" Elena shouted at her and rushed to Alvin, who had physically collapsed. She placed his head on her lap and lightly slapped his face while calling out to him: "Alvin, can you hear me?"
Elena bought numerous healing potions and gave them to him, but there was no result. His body continued to bleed from everywhere, his breathing grew slower with each passing second, and his body paled more and more!
"Meryl!" Elena cried out, tears streaming down her hot cheeks without her realizing it. "He's dying! Please, do something!"
Meryl had a bit of power left and could use it to keep Alvin alive, but she… was scared! Alvin was not mentally stable, he had many disorders. At this rate, there would come a day when he would kill her in a gruesome way!
A mentally disturbed person to the extent of deriving pleasure from killing others is never safe! They can't distinguish between a friend and an enemy, and it wouldn't be surprising for them to betray those around them!
"Meryl! I beg you to help him!" Elena shouted once again, then resumed screaming, but Meryl didn't move from her spot. She remained silent, drowning in the whirlpool inside her mind.
Elena couldn't wait any longer. She returned to the store, bought dozens of vials, and poured them all over Alvin's body. "Alvin, wake up!" Elena gasped when he didn't respond or open his eyes.
At first, it was only silent weeping, but then she exploded into sobs and wails as she placed her head on Alvin's forehead, feeling the warmth of his bloodstained skin. "I beg you, open your eyes… You're all I have in this world!"