Chapter 425: The Last of the Queen’s Guard

In a sudden turn of events, reminiscent of a raging storm, the team was unexpectedly met with a group of adversaries who appeared from the depths of the darkness. Just as they entered the winding tunnel, which felt like a sinister vein pulsating with a malevolent force, these foes seemed to materialize from the shadows. It was as if the very darkness had breathed life into these horrifying creatures, making them seem endless in number and deeply intimidating.

A chilling gust of wind broke the eerie silence, and a sharp, glinting blade was thrust directly at Lawrence’s vulnerable neck. But with swift reflexes, Lawrence dodged the fatal slice and managed to grasp the arm that wielded it. From his palm, a mysterious green light flared, turning the monstrous figure, which wore a sea-themed attire and had a horrifying split head, into a pile of dust. But before he could even relish in this small victory, the calm was broken by the deafening sound of gunshots.

The source of this new threat was a grotesque half-human, half-serpent creature that had emerged from a nearby drainage opening. Its upper body was a deformed version of a human, while the lower part resembled a massive, wriggling mass of terrifying flesh. Holding a gun made of bones and tissue, it fired, with the shots creating a deadly display of sparks.

Everything around Lawrence seemed to slow down, allowing his senses to heighten and visualize the trajectories of the incoming bullets. With inhuman dexterity, he maneuvered his body in extraordinary ways as if dancing gracefully amidst the rain of bullets.

He counted three dodges and six hits.

The sharp sting of the bullets stirred Lawrence’s resolve even further, leading him to fire two shots from his revolver in retaliation against the repulsive creature.

Quickly looking down, Lawrence noted the fresh gunshot wounds on his chest. In normal situations, these would have been fatal. However, under the luminous light of his supernatural aura, his ethereal body was healing at an incredible speed.

But even with his rapid healing, the pain and tiredness were taking their toll on Lawrence. The bright flame of his mystical power seemed to falter and diminish, suggesting that it might not be as infinite as once believed.

The rest of Lawrence’s naval team was also deeply engaged in combat. Radiating with their ghostly luminescence, they harnessed their newfound undying state, fighting with fierce tenacity. Using an assortment of weapons, they resisted the continuous waves of enemies while making their way further into the passage.

However, their ghostly form came with its challenges, especially in harnessing the spirit flames. There was a real danger of them draining their newfound vitality, and this group of accidental immortals needed to be careful. The once-quiet sewer corridor had now turned into a battlefield filled with pandemonium.

While the team boasted impressive healing abilities, the endless tide of nightmarish creatures drastically slowed their progress. Overcoming this barrier seemed as elusive as trying to catch a mirage.

However, among them stood out Anomaly 077, a mummified warrior. At first glance, one might underestimate him due to his dried-up, ancient appearance. But armed with twin scimitars, he displayed speed and finesse that starkly contrasted his decayed exterior. He moved with the grace and fury of a tornado through the ensuing chaos. Were it not for Lawrence’s heightened senses, the warrior’s rapid maneuvers would have been almost impossible to track.

But with Lawrence’s vision now transcending normal human sight, the frantic pace of Anomaly 077 appeared less extraordinary. Lawrence watched as the mummified figure artfully dodged adversaries, weaving a relatively safer path through the chaos. His blades spun effortlessly, and even after a relentless half-hour in combat, they retained their lustrous shine without a single scratch.

The warrior, known among them as “Sailor”, became a beacon in the bleak tunnel. His blades glinted as they cut through the suffocating darkness, and his thundering voice dominated the battleground.

Attempting to establish a connection, Lawrence said, “Hello, we’re here to help...” He reached out, meaning to offer a comforting pat on the soldier’s shoulder, only to be left bewildered as his hand phased right through the ethereal figure.

In the midst of the chaotic battleground, doubt crept into Lawrence’s mind. “Could all this mayhem be a mere illusion?”

Disconcerted, he lifted his gaze and was met with the haunting sight of ghostly soldiers fiercely clashing with the grotesque horde. Their guns boomed relentlessly, downing one revolting creature after another that emerged from the tainted mire.

Suddenly, a particularly robust soldier, bearing the brunt of the onslaught, lunged forward from the midst of the spectral army. Lawrence, taken off guard, tried to evade the advancing figure, but his reflexes betrayed him. To his astonishment, the towering soldier, seemingly unaware of Lawrence’s very presence, phased right through him as if he were merely a wisp of air. As the soldier proceeded, a stray shot from one of the monsters struck him, causing him to plummet heavily into the muck.

The relentless spectral Queen’s Guard seemed unperturbed by their fallen ally. They trudged on, indifferent, stepping over the ethereal form of their comrade as they doggedly continued their march deeper into the corridor.

A sailor sidled up to Lawrence, his voice a hushed whisper, “They’re ghosts...”

“Yet these ghosts can battle the creatures. They even have the power to annihilate them...” Lawrence mused, trying to wrap his head around the bewildering phenomenon before him.

Another sailor chimed in, “The monstrous tide seems to be receding.”

That revelation jolted Lawrence from his reverie.

For the first time since their arrival, the previously relentless torrent of abominations seemed to wane. With the sudden appearance of the spectral Queen’s Guard, the walls and ceiling’s putrid ooze, which spawned the creatures, seemed to have abruptly halted. The once endless onslaught was now discernibly tapering off!

Could it be that the mere presence of the Queen’s Guard inhibited the regeneration and proliferation of these nightmarish entities?

As a myriad of questions swirled in his mind, Lawrence recognized the pressing need for action.

“Stay on the heels of the Queen’s Guard!” He dramatically pointed forward, his voice echoing with authority, “Take advantage of the path they’re clearing!”

“Aye, Captain!” came the unanimous response.