Gamers Are Fierce-Chapter 662 - 660: Kirby (4K)

"What on earth is... this..."

High above the Bloody Racetrack, special correspondent Shou Margot glided by on her hoverbike. The camera mounted on the back of the bike automatically rotated and focused down on the road surface.

The once vast and flat desert was no longer distinguishable, as bright-colored plants had taken over the area.

Soft Lichen Moss covered the sandy rocks in large patches, blending with the fluffy mycelium.

The green ferns, more modest in height, spread their triangular leaves, swaying in the wind.

The fungal organisms showed the most noticeable variation in size, ranging from a few centimeters tall saprobic slime molds to giant mushrooms growing as tall as trees and flourishing.

The air was thick with the stench of rot, tinged with a potent, sickly sweet after-smell.

It was as if this place was no longer a normal world, but rather the surface of a pulsating, alien, and unknown living planet.

Shou Margot promptly elevated her hoverbike, avoiding the misty vapors rising with the flow of the air below—that wasn't just mist.

The intelligent AI mounted on the front of the bike had already issued a warning: the essence of the white fog was actually tiny droplets packed with infectious spores. Once inhaled, one would suffer the same fate as those unlucky racers, becoming parasitically infected and coughing out fungal spores with every breath.

Thinking this, Shou Margot couldn't help but shiver with dread.

All that had transpired on the racetrack was the doing of a few NPCs from the GTA5 game.

They first destroyed the Fighter team's chariots and then sprayed countless spores, turning the track into a sprawling Fungal Realm stretching for miles.

The drivers behind had no idea what was happening at first.

They tried to cross the Otherworldly domain, only for all of them to end up parasitized.

Their metal chariots corroded to debris.

The drivers, continually coughing out spores, had no choice but to abandon their vehicles, forfeit the race, and wait for the medical team's rescue.

The few who were stubborn, refusing to give up, ended up with brightly colored mushrooms growing on their faces, bodies, and even eyelids.

The medical team's experts believed that with a bit more delay, they could directly throw them into a hot pot and be turned into a pot of delicious mushroom soup.

Regardless of what others thought, if a certain "Misty Rain" Witch were here, she would surely be delighted, Shou Margot mused.

In any case, these actions still did not constitute a violation, as the racetrack itself had not been substantially destroyed. The pervasive spores, after being scrutinized, also fell within the range of the racers' personal abilities.

After fruitless complaints, the drivers behind decided to put aside their differences for the moment and work together to catch up with the leading competitors who had gained an advantage.

Dr. Gordon Freeman and Nick Ramos, along with several other racers adept at building, used scraps of materials to construct chariot frames. These frames had built-in sterilizing effects that could isolate the spores. They also provided each driver with respirator masks and isolation suits.

Subsequently, the remaining dozen or so chariots formed a phalanx and charged into the Spore Otherworld.

"These spores are very special."

The indifferent voice of Gordon Freeman came through the car's intercom and sounded in the other chariots. "In environments suitable for propagation, such as moist soil, flesh and skin, wood or plants, they will grow voraciously and, after about twelve divisions, will die off on their own."

"You mean they have a lifespan, and they will die off automatically?" a Master Chief wearing Mjolnir armor asked hoarsely from another chariot. His tone was calm (in the game he is a mute), but his heart was tumultuous.

The Spore Otherworld reminded him of the Mist Devil Bug Clan he had encountered long ago in his own gaming world. Despite the enormous difference in form, the two shared the greedy nature of erosion, parasitism, infection, and spread.

"Yes," Gordon Freeman spoke flatly. "This must be a limitation set by the spores' creator, to prevent them from spreading endlessly. And if they land on completely barren, inhospitable surfaces such as metal or ice, the spores can still grow slowly but significantly. This must be Divine Power within the spores, acting as nourishment and allowing them to continue expanding in unsuitable environments."

Gordon Freeman paused for a moment, then added slowly, "All these characteristics don't seem like the workings of sophisticated Divine Arts, but more like a primordial divine creature, crudely releasing Divine Power according to its natural instincts. In such an outpouring, Divine Power will follow its essential attribute and operate accordingly. Different attributes of Divine Power have different effects, such as healing injuries, or listening to faint sounds from millions of miles away, or traveling through space to reach a Different World. However, no matter what, one thing is the same: Divine Power is limited in total. The opponent hasn't truly become a Deity yet; at most, they are a creature with Divinity whose body can contain only a limited amount of Divine Power. Creating and maintaining such a large Otherworldly domain must be a significant drain on them. If my guess is right, as long as we get through this, they will have no tricks left... Be careful, there is a tough mushroom forest ahead, probably a trap set by the opponent to slow us down."

"I'll handle this."

Saber's voice echoed from the broadcast system.

King Arthur and her lion suit's adorable form emerged from two isolation doors, each wielding The Sword of Oath Victory, firing the Magic Power Light Cannon once again.

"Excalibur!"

Wherever the sword light touched, the mushroom rainforest crumbled and disintegrated.

So, this is as far as we can go, huh...

Donkey Kong, an unpeeled banana clenched in his mouth, fiercely swerved the steering wheel, taking a sharp turn.

Chino Bio, who had been clinging to the door outside creating traps with materials, stood up and returned to the passenger seat, shaking his head at Donkey Kong.

The materials from Super Mario Maker had run out, unable to cause further trouble for Kratos chasing from behind.

BOOM!

The sound of the engine from behind grew closer, the Chaos Race Car closing in.

Donkey Kong frantically steered, drifting left and right to dodge the sweep of the Chaos Twin Blades.

The finish line was fifty kilometers away, but Kratos on the Chaos Race Car could tear them to shreds in less than five seconds.

"..."

Donkey Kong took a deep breath, his fuzzy gorilla face showing a serene and profound expression.

He and Chino Bio exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with determination.

Home.

At all costs, they must return home.

"GRRRR—"

Donkey Kong steadied the steering wheel with his left hand, turned around to look at the rear of the car, and thumped his chest with his right hand.

Everything is up to you now.

As the vehicle took another turn, blazing sunlight poured through the windows, illuminating the last member in the corner of the car: a pink spherical being with eyes, a mouth, short limbs, and bright blushing cheeks.

The protagonist of the Kirby's Dream Land series, the twenty-centimeter-tall cute creature, Kirby.

Kirby slowly stood up, looking at the resolute faces of Donkey Kong and Chino Bio, tears pooling in the corners of his eyes.

He understood the sacrifices his companions had made.

And he understood the mission he needed to shoulder.

If this is what you desire, then let's begin.

Kirby slowly opened his mouth wide. A nameless suction emanated from his body; debris inside the cabin flew about and eventually, caught in a Gale, was sucked into Kirby.

Donkey Kong's fur fluttered wildly in the Gale.

He slowly released his grip on the steering wheel, bit by bit, unbuckling his safety belt, eyes closed.

And, along with Chino Bio, slid into the tearful Kirby's mouth.

Kirby's innate ability was to swallow enemies and gain their special abilities, which might look cute and adorable in a pixel game, but in the real world, it looked so terrifying and sinister.

CLICK.

Kirby closed his mouth, and the raging wind tearing through the carriage instantly ceased.

Tears slid down his round cheeks.

He could feel the power of his two companions, fellow Nintendo game characters, furiously coursing through his body.

BOOM!

The Chaos Twin Blades struck the unmanned chariot again, tearing off the entire rear trunk door. The Gale penetrated the carriage, whisking away the tears on Kirby's cheeks.

Kratos, standing on the roof of the vehicle, seemed to realize something. He retracted his Chaos Twin Blades, furrowed his brows, and grew extremely cautious, refraining from further attacks.

PATTER. PATTER.

Kirby slowly turned around. His cheeks had now sprouted with brown fur akin to Donkey Kong's.

The innocence and kindness once present in his bright, clear eyes were gone, leaving only hatred and the intent to kill.

Are you ready to face the wrath of Kirby from the stars?

"They've caught up already..." Sunset Gold Smelter, sitting in the copilot seat of the Mutant Chariot, muttered to himself as he watched a dazzling light flash and disappear in the rear-view mirror.

At this moment, the Leviathan War Chariot had devoured several vehicles and had undergone major changes compared to before.

The body had swollen in size several times over, almost three to four times larger than a regular main battle tank, and the color of the vehicle's exterior had turned a vivid red, green, and black.

Frankly speaking, the experience of sitting inside the Leviathan was quite pleasant.

Having devoured a few vehicles and with material to spare, Li Ang casually had the Brain Worm bring online devices such as massage chairs, air conditioning, and humidity regulators. This provided his teammates with a comfortable ride, although there was still considerable mental strain.

"Is only black tea available?"

"Would anyone like some melon seed beverage or mineral water?"

"Lift your foot, please. Thank you for cooperating."

In the spacious rear seats of the vehicle, a bunch of long-legged caterpillars with compound eyes and neural threads trailing from their heads crawled back and forth. They were the maintenance workers within the Leviathan Beast, tasked with assisting the Brain Worm in repairing and adjusting the chariot. Sometimes they also took on the role of stewards, cleaning up trash and gently inquiring about the passengers' needs.

"Is only black tea available? Is only black tea available? Is only black tea available?"

The long-legged caterpillar climbed onto Sunset Gold Smelter's knee, holding a beverage cup dismantled from another chariot between its short, small thoracic limbs. While emitting a repetitive shrill voice, it spat out thick saliva with the scent of black tea from its ring-shaped, tooth-filled mouth, filling the cup.

The Brain Worm's intelligence was currently only on par with that of a five-year-old human.

So naturally, the intelligence of the maintenance worms it oversaw was no better.

Regardless of the reluctant and unsightly expression on Sunset Gold Smelter's face, they forcefully stuffed the cup into his hands.

"..."

Sunset Gold Smelter really wanted to throw the cup of caterpillar saliva out of the window, but considering that this action could provoke another round of harassment from the caterpillars, he decided against it...

The Dusk Knight was still in charge of driving the vehicle.

The performance of the new Mutant Chariot far exceeded his expectations. Not only was it much faster than the top sports cars of the human world, but the driving experience was also first-rate. With slight turns of the steering wheel or adjustments to the gears, every part of the vehicle would respond accordingly. It was a true synergy between man and machine.

However, his mind was not focused on this.

Through the rearview mirror, he exchanged glances with Sunset Gold Smelter and the Witch sitting at the back.

The three of them tacitly refrained from conversation, but their eyes all shared the same concern.

Their teammate possessed Divinity, and moreover, his development of Divinity was not low.

No matter how much one may proclaim the power of humanity, there is always a difference between gods; even the lowest Deity is of a higher order than mundane races in terms of their essence of life.

Sunset Gold Smelter thought silently. Black Trojan had written several reports before, outlining what he knew about Li Rising. I can't believe Li Rising has hidden depths even beyond what Black Trojan knew. As a Lone Wolf Player, he not only possesses Divinity but also has his own portable congregation. But it seems he's still a long way from igniting the Divine Fire and forging God's Kingdom?

The Witch thought to herself. Modern society has made it very difficult to nurture the ground needed for Divine Enthronement. But if he is part of a large organization, perhaps he could go to underdeveloped and chaotic areas in Africa, South America, and the like, claim a piece of land, and promote himself long-term. I heard that one of The Seven Warlords of Brazil has taken the route of faith-based Divine Enthronement. Besides, there are rumors that becoming a viral idol can also gather Divine Power, with fan leaders acting as priests, fan support websites as Temples, chart-topping as offerings, fans' tweets and private messages as prayers, and the idol's concert as a descent of divine grace... Damn, I remember that Perch, the fatso, once accidentally shared his 'Modern Idol Faith Sealing God Guide · Revised Edition' in a chat group...

The Perch that the Witch referred to was another disciple within the Syndicate Organization.

The fellow was a fatty who was extremely bad at interacting with women, but apparently an underhanded otaku who liked to share anime emoticons?

The Witch was not at all familiar with Perch, only knowing that, as a Syndicate disciple, he did not devote himself entirely to training to enhance his abilities, but instead indulged in the ordinary life of the past, spending his days in anime forums, websites, and various otaku, PC, and mobile gaming QQ groups.

That 'Modern Idol Faith Sealing God Guide · Revised Edition' was just something Perch put together in his spare time, without much serious thought, first posting it on a gaming forum, then accidentally sharing it in the Syndicate disciples' chat group.

The content of the article was half true, half fabricated, seeming nonsensical and satirical, yet completely in line with the foundational logic of the occult in terms of the process.

If a Transcendent actually attempted it, they might indeed be able to achieve Divine Enthronement by leveraging their status as a modern idol.

Afterward, Perch, who had spontaneously published transcendent content on a mundane forum, naturally faced scolding from his senior fellow disciples. However, he was later personally commended and encouraged by the Professor, who got wind of the message. The Professor said his article had practical operational feasibility and that he would provide Perch with a bit of Divinity for experimentation that day.

As past memories flowed through her mind, the Witch blinked.

Should, might, possibly, be able to make a deal with this Li Rising using Perch's article? He should be interested in this new type of faith-based path to Divine Enthronement, right...

"What is that?!" Sunset Gold Smelter's astonished voice interrupted the Witch's train of thought.

She looked ahead and couldn't help but gasp.

BOOM!

The sound of an explosion came from behind once more, and a dozen chariots led by Saber burst out of the Spore Otherworld.

"Finally out," Claude sighed with relief, his gaze fixated on the Mutant Chariot not far ahead. "This time, I won't let you get away!"

Before he finished speaking, Claude felt a great darkness ahead.

A huge, sky-blocking shadow covered all the sunlight, casting a chill over the land.

It was an enormous Kirby-like Giant Beast with fuzzy gorilla arms, mountainous in size.