Evolving Classes In The Apocalypse-Chapter 48: Raiding The Uncoiling Worm

The abominable Undefined had a massive, pale, serpentine mass. Its skin was smooth and bloodless, like something born without ever seeing light. The head was wrong in every way, the skull split open past where the jaw should stop, exposing pure red musculature and rows of teeth that continued down the throat. Just looking at it made my stomach turn.

The thing covered fifty meters by merely lunging its body forward like a spring. Marcel was there when it came, his spear poised, the scarf he had attached to it billowing in the wind.

He twisted the spear through the air, and as the creature came upon him, bit the blade down on its mouth. His muscles tightened. He pushed it to the ground with ferocious force, cratering the earth beneath it, and used that same force to launch himself upward. At the peak, he tore the spear free and swung it over his head, slamming it down upon the Undefined’s back.

But to my surprise, as well as his, the spear bounced back and his momentum was destroyed. The impact rattled up Marcel’s arms visibly. The Undefined’s long body undulated like a wave mid-air and smacked Marcel away.

As he flew through the air, I lunged forward and leaped to catch him, but the force disrupted even me. Both of us landed in a roll on the ground, dirt spraying up around us. Somehow, even though it didn’t work out like I expected, I was able to prevent him from sustaining serious damage right from the start.

’But tha—that thing is strong.’

I carried myself up and slowly extended to my full height.

’Now that I think about it... this is my first time fighting an Undefined, right?’

We were taught all sorts about Undefined back at the academy, but they never could afford a practical. Who in their right mind would want to capture an Undefined and bring it into a Safe Zone?

’Definitely not me!’

I turned my head toward Marcel, who was still on the ground. Only to find him staring at me with eyes wide open...

When we had a Twisted Flesh Worm on our tail.

"You saved me?"

"Yes. I’ll appreciate it if you can pay me back by running offense on that thing right there."

Marcel glanced to the side and hurried to his feet. He grabbed his spear easily and tilted it to his side.

The abominable worm was slithering towards us, coiled. It looked pitiful, the way it crawled, like a creature that had lost its legs. However, the next moment, the cretin unleashed its full length and covered the distance in one unexpected second, flying viciously fast.

But Marcel was already meeting it. This time he didn’t leap. Instead, he lunged with tremendous speed and twisted his whole body along with the spear, going under the Undefined as it sailed over him.

At the same time, I had loaded my metal ball into the pouch of the slingshot and pulled the cord taut.

For a moment, I wondered to myself.

’What damage would a small ball like this do to a creature that huge?’

However, as I drew the cord back, several lines spread across my view. Some were plain white, some yellowish in shades both pale and deep, and there were some that ran red, on a spectrum that transitioned from pale to deep blood red.

I felt a tingle of excitement as I shifted the angle of my arm, knowing exactly where I was aiming.

At the same time, Marcel struck forward. A few lines traced towards the underbelly where he was striking too. His spear met resistance. Even from this distance I could see it, the way the shaft bent under the pressure. But Marcel did not stop. He pushed the spear forward and the thing drove deeper with more force, a force that most likely had to do with his awakened ability.

In the same breath, my metal ball flew with insane speed and blasted into the side of the worm. All of this, of course, had only happened in that single breath while the Undefined was still airborne.

It shrieked like a detonation of glass and landed wrong, slamming its entire weight into the ground. The impact shook the earth beneath my feet.

"That was a jackpot."

I was already loading another ball, pulling taut and aiming across another red line. This one pointed directly towards its head.

I released. The ball whistled through the air and struck the teeth down. The creature coiled protectively, releasing another shriek.

I couldn’t see Marcel from where I was, but I was sure he was somewhere behind the worm, trying to tear into it with his spear.

’That’s going to be a little useless...’

Realizing this, I sprinted forward. I remembered quite well that the point Marcel had struck was along a white line. Seeing how hard the creature’s body was there, it had to be that the red lines were pointing me towards the vulnerable parts instead.

So I could use that same guidance to direct Marcel on where exactly to strike. He couldn’t be left alone to figure this out on his own.

Of course, that was what he had been doing all this while, but I was here now.

’Still... a Twisted Flesh Worm. Am I insane?’

I was nothing if not insane!

I darted around the creature, and finally, Marcel entered my view. My eyes widened.

He was bathed in what looked like white paint. Marcel had completely shredded the abomination’s rear where he was situated, and white liquid was pouring out from gruesomely torn flesh, splashing onto the ground in thick streams.

He extended his hand forward and snapped it. Instantly, more blood exploded out with greater force, pooling around him and spreading beyond, forming a lake. Bones and other whitish things flew out of the creature’s insides as Marcel moved his hand.

And I stood there, wondering if this guy actually ever needed my help.

Then the creature twisted its body, still coiling but switching sides with insane speed. Marcel flew back several steps to avoid getting hit. The coiling continued like a wire being wound tighter and tighter, then suddenly it expanded and lunged towards us with the same vicious speed as before.

Marcel and I departed in opposite directions, and I saw something that shocked the hell out of me.

"Uh... isn’t... uh? Where’s the wound?"

The gory wound that Marcel had left on the Undefined’s body was completely gone. Not closing or healing. Gone... as if it had never existed.