717. Clash of Philosophies

717. Clash of Philosophies

Nothing could be done to keep Frost from annihilating the Impuritas vessels. Among the Bone Voyages were similar monsters from other Impuritas Groups, such as the Ghost Ships of the Memento Mori and the Ferry Cruisers of the Blood Festival.

Aboard the ship of withering bones and metal skulls were the resurrected crew of past shipwrecks.

Manning the ornate golden ships which used ferris wheels as paddles, and merry-go-rounds as a winch for their harpoons were humanoid monsters with stitched limbs and organs, each decorated handsomely for the occasion.

Beneath their festive tricorns was a face with a single, sinister grin that spanned from ear to ear. It took up more than half of their faces, and within their loose jackets hid a multitude of lidless eyes. The Ghost Ships were identified as the Rooks of the Memento Mori; living, resurrected chariots that carried the undead forward in a fortified vessel.

The Ferry Cruisers, on the other hand, were part of the Blood Festival’s Roaming Circus category.

Ghost Ship

Memento Mori

< Rooks >

Soul Rank: Black | Impuritas: Memento Mori

LEVEL : 100ORIGIN : Impuritas

HP : 40,000

ATT : 2,000MAG ATT : 1,600ATT DEF : 1,200 MAG DEF : 1,200

MP : 1,000

RESIST : 110 AGI : 100

Ferry Cruiser

Blood Festival

< Roaming Circus >

Soul Rank: Black | Impuritas: Blood Festival

LEVEL : 100 ORIGIN : Impuritas

HP : 20,000

ATT : 1,700MAG ATT : 1,500ATT DEF : 900 MAG DEF : 900

MP : 3,000

RESIST : 90AGI : 120

Neither of these roaming Hearts were a threat to Frost. In the past they would have given her trouble, and especially now, considering the environment. However, Frost was an entirely different class of monster.

She did not even have to destroy the core of the Heart itself to eliminate them. All she needed to do was snap her jaws once at any part of their vessel, and they would be engulfed by a second set of jaws that arrived from the darkness.

Glistening teeth interlocked like the jaws of an angler fish. A pair of soulless eyes accompanied the nightmarish maw before everything was swallowed by whole. Nothing was left behind. Entire 100-meter ships snapped out of existence.

None of Frost’s attacks emitted a single sound. Indeed, Frost’s breaths were louder than the gnashing of her great maw, never mind the maneuvers and conjuration of defensive magic on their ship.

And yet, the silence was deafening. Crashing waves and the internal panic of the Impuritas could not match the silent orchestra of destruction. Frost swam from ship to ship, her body slithering through the currents unnaturally like a serpent. The way she moved her body was alien to her, for she had never performed such movements.

However, the Corrupted Persona she wore applied pieces of its instincts, enabling her to perform feats beyond her capabilities. It was the first time that a Corrupted had imparted additional knowledge and instincts upon her outside of their Corrupted Skills and flavor texts.

It was akin to adding a complementary gear into one’s head.

None could believe their eyes. The Ankou that was still attached to Frost’s waist despaired at the error they had made for aligning with Iscario. The Amalgam could freely manifest the Corrupted at will, and they were still meandering on how to reach Corruption.

Furthermore, and due to him also being afflicted by the Allure of the Light Condition; he saw Frost as the sole Star that shone brighter than the self-proclaimed ‘Brightest Star’ ever had, and perhaps, ever could.

“We were never supposed to go against the Archetypes.” He murmured with reverence.

“It’s too late for you to begin repenting. I’m only keeping you alive because I haven’t found a reason to kill you yet.” Frost spoke yet her lips did not move.

Her voice spoke internally within his mind.

< Beholder Umbra would like you to speak a few words on behalf of her >

< Will you accept? >

Beholder Umbra adamantly believed that one’s nature should be preserved. That way, one could never be hurt or experience struggle, where hubris did not exist. Umbra believed in defeatism, verses the Memento Mori’s absurdist philosophies of existence; that a meaningless universe could be changed.

However, Beholder Umbra’s defeatist philosophy was tied to reason.

“We are beholden to our natures. Remember Death, O’ Memento Mori.”

“A deathless world is a misery that I will never accept.”

“Because there must exist a limit to one’s existential suffering.”

It was the only thing Beholder Umbra was willing to go against. Allowing a deathless world to exist roused unheard emotion within her voice. Her intonation became heavier, and the verbiage she used became direct.

“It has been a long time since I have spoken to a Memento Mori.”

“Amalgam. Offer me that head, and the key to my heart shall be yours.”

* * *

After three hours of barreling straight through the Underflow, they finally arrived at an underground harbor beneath the heart of the Capital. A stone fortress overtaken by the Crimson Hunger was the last hurdle required to reach the Red Barron.

And included in this last hurdle was a familiar Complex Heart.

Complex Heart

Crimson Hunger

< Complex >

< Forever we hunger for our moment to become whole. Wrathfully reconstructing what we’ve lost, our appetites whether for what we will gain. Stomachs screaming; we must be unpalatable to avoid being eaten ourselves >

ORIGIN : Impuritas

HP : 12,500,000 ATT DEF : 2,000MAG DEF : 2,000

A Memory Bistro was likely to be found there. And if the Crimson Hunger were truly like a hive mind comparable to the Fractured Nilhim, then it was possible to cripple them before the war could begin.

After all, the Memory Bistros were able to memorize an event down to the smallest of details.

Therefore, it was only appropriate to make them remember the same terror that broke the mind of a Disciple of Nilhim.

“Do not look out of the portholes. Move to the most isolated part of the ship and close your ears. Deiman, Autumn, Hired Arm, and you too – Mae. You’re responsible for them.”

Deiman, Autumn and those who overheard Frost had already seen what she was capable of, so why was there a need for them to cover their eyes? If anything, they wanted to continue basking in Frost’s overwhelming heroism.

However, Mae was the only person present who – once again – knew exactly what was going to happen next.

She foamed at the mouth before blacking out.

“Our presence might be known because of this, but it’ll be a surefire way of removing another keystone of the Impuritas.

My Exalted, my Tear Retrievers, my Raven – I hope you are ready.”