Chapter 2879 Pulling the Strings (Part 1)

Chapter 2879 Pulling the Strings (Part 1)

'The stupider a creature is, the easier to kill. Or so I would think if the behavior of the monster tide hadn't shown clear signs of intelligence. These creatures stopped their blind charge when they realized that numbers mean nothing to me and formed this ring for the mutated trolls.

'The only question is what do they hope to gain from this and why are they stalling for-'

The answers to Ilthin's questions came in a disgusting cracking of bones and ripping of flesh. The munching had never stopped as the trolls advanced toward the Firstborn Banshee, taking several bites with each step they took.

Then, one of them emitted an agonizing scream from all of its mouths as its red skin tore apart in a fountain of blood. The heart beat so quickly and the veins were so many that a single scratch was enough to release a bloody mist that resembled an Awakened's aura.

Ilthin wondered if one of her shockwaves might have caused an internal bleeding that was seemingly killing the creatures, but that didn't make sense. Trolls were famous for healing quickly and the wound was external and expanding quickly.

Too quickly.

Before she could furrow her delicate brows, the mutated troll's fingers and legs anchored themselves to the ground, pulling in opposite directions. The pale red body was torn asunder in a splash of blood but both halves kept standing.

The anchors kept munching and new flash grew to cover the exposed organs. In the blink of an eye, two identical trolls stood where just a few seconds ago there had been one.

"I see." Ilthin nodded. "This mutation further accelerates your spawning rate. No breeding, no younglings. Just straight adults, each one a copy of the original. Do you even share the same memories?"

As she spoke, the rest of the mutated trolls started the pseudo-mitosis. Ilthin took a deep breath and opened her mouth as if she was about to scream.

The monsters comprising the living ring and all trolls lifted the corpses under their feet to use them as shields.

"Wow." Ilthin's voice came out as a sensual whisper. "Shared memories and a hive mind?" This material is rooted in n0velbin★

Her words were met with growls and hisses, the monsters enraged in the same manner at her deduction.

The trolls roared, shivering and shedding the scales. They raised their body temperature to the point that the oils they stored caught fire and countered the frost waves.

"Amazing! You can also evolve and adapt to any threat you face." She said with a joyous tone that annoyed the monsters further. "This proves that your mutation is not random. Someone is pulling your strings."

The living tide of monsters roared at her words but the Firstborn Banshee ignored them.

"Good for me they aren't that bright." Perennial Winter waned while Volcano and Raging Sun burned with renewed strength.

The flaming trolls were now defenseless against the fire element that reached the oil sacks and made them explode. Ilthin burned the trolls to the ground, making sure that nothing remained before resuming her onslaught.

'I can't risk those fragments spreading around and turning into a bunch of quick-adapting trolls. Not while we are here. After we are gone, I'm going to spread them like a disease through the Black Tide.

'Those things eat non-stop and this can be used to cull the other monster tribes.' A feral howl drew Ilthin's attention to a black-furred Warg jumping toward her.

"Shit!" Life Vision showed her that the creature had a physical prowess superior to a Divine Beast.

Her flight spell was slow compared to the creature, forcing her to Blink away. The Warg landed fist-first, the impact generating a shockwave that put down the fires and opened a several-meters-deep crater.

The moment Ilthin came out of the Blink, the aura of the black-furred Warg faded as another one took the collective power of the pack and jumped at her.

"Again?" She used a spark of the Life Maelstrom Lith had given her to boost herself and her mace as she countered the Warg's blow with one of her own.

She was the Firstborn Banshee and Orphan Maker was comprised of Davross whereas the wolf-like monster used his bare fist. Yet she was the one who was sent flying back.

"Shit!" Ilthin turned around just in time to see the collective power of the Warg jump into the closest member of the pack to her while her flight spell had yet to bring her to a halt.