Chapter 136: Hands of the Night!

Despair. He felt an overwhelming sense of despair.

'No, it can't be.'

Across the way, Alice was limping toward the others. She hadn't fully transformed into a Night Shade yet, but she was definitely in the process.

Kaisen's heart sank. He wanted to run to her, to help her, but he stopped himself.

What could he do?

Nothing. Fighting her would only make things worse with so many Night Shades around.

The best course of action was to let his friends handle Alice while he dealt with the situation here.

He didn't fully trust them, but he knew they wouldn't hurt her, knowing it was still Alice deep down.

'Yeah, that's the best course of action.'

Oooonnng~

All the crosses around him were empty now. The figures that had been tied to them were now standing, their hollow eyes fixed on him.

Somewhere, a low hum began to fill the air, growing louder with each passing second.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes to calm his nerves.

When he opened them again, Kaisen's gaze was steady and focused, and for the first time, his eyes glowed a similar crimson to the Night Shade King's.

It wasn't the crimson of mindlessness but the crimson of a man determined to end it all.

He smiled, his eyes locking onto the sphere in the middle. That was his answer. That was how he would bring Alice back and end this madness.

Turning his attention back to the behemoth, Kaisen noticed it seemed to be challenging him to make the first move.

The Night Shades remained still, as if waiting for his next action.

'Motherfucker.'

He thought, a grin spreading across his face. He slowly raised his hands, flipping off the giant with both middle fingers.

"This is the only way," he muttered to himself. "I will not lose, fucker."

And with that, he was off, dashing straight toward the dull red sphere.

The now mouth-torn colossus let out an ugly cry behind him, and that was the signal.

All the Night Shades went on a rampage, running and flying toward him, with the colossal one dashing in his direction.

"Bring it!"

Kaisen yelled as the creatures surrounded him from all sides. He wasn't cowering in despair; instead, a rare smile spread across his face.

This shit was exhilarating.

He felt like the protagonist of an endless running game, chased by something unstoppable, knowing he couldn't afford to stop or they'd catch him.

And now, he couldn't stop, or he'd die.

'This is fucking thrilling.'

He thought, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

Every fiber of his being was on high alert, his heart pounding in his chest as he dodged and weaved through the horde.

Not only that, he couldn't even run straight as there were Night Shades blocking his path.

He had to cut through them, vault over obstacles, and sever arms and heads with his claws to avoid getting touched.

If he got touched even once, he was dead.

He could outrun these creatures at his current level, but once they touched him, he'd be back to level one, unable to recover before being swarmed by these nightmare creatures.

So it wasn't just a race against time; it was a race against death itself.

Crash~ Crash~

'What the fuck?! The motherfuckers are diving now?'

As if this wasn't hard enough, now the Night Shades were diving at him. But he wasn't deterred; the sphere was just a few meters away.

His eyes locked on his goal, heart pounding, and every muscle in his body coiled like a spring.

The behemoth Night Shade stood alone now, its massive form casting a long shadow over the fleeing creatures.

For a brief moment, Kaisen thought he saw a flicker of emotion on its face—something resembling pity.

"What the fuck?! You're the one who's going to die. Don't pity me, fucker!"

Stomp~

He brought his foot down hard once more, the sound echoing through the clearing space.

The cracks deepened, and the intense, fiery red glow beneath the glass intensified, seeping out more fervently than before.

Then, to Kaisen's shock, he saw something on the Night Shade King's face—a movement of its mouth, as if attempting to speak.

"What, you trying to plead before I bust your mother's womb, huh? Scared you'll bite the dust if I break this, eh?"

"NO. YOU DIE."

"..."

"..."

"..."

[...]

"What...?"

'Did that thing just speak? No way, right? That's impossible.'

He shook his head, refusing to believe his ears. How could a creature that had to tear open its mouth communicate like that?

It defied all logic, all reason. But there it was—undeniable.

Then, to Kaisen's surprise, the Night Shade King began to slowly turn away and walk off.

Kaisen stood there, dumbfounded, just watching the behemoth's leisurely stroll.

He stopped stomping and he did not noticed that the cracks in the glass spreading like wild fire.

The Night Shade King glanced back once more, its eerie gaze fixed on Kaisen, before continuing its unhurried walk.

It eventually reached a sand dune, where it paused briefly and began to ascend with deliberate steps.

Miraculously, the dune held its weight, and the creature settled at the very edge, legs dangling over, its gaze fixed upon the blood-red moon above.

'What the fuck am I watching right now? What the fuck is happening here?'

Kaisen was sure the creature was acting like this because it knew its end was near, but something was nagging at him.

Something wasn't right at all.

The Night Shades weren't in the area either—they were running away toward the double doors.

In the distance, Maximus and his party had Alice pinned to the ground as she struggled to get free and run away.

Crack~ Crack~ Crackle~

He didn't have to think further as the thing revealed itself.

The glass dome cracked, and Kaisen knew it was about to shatter. Instinctively, he leaped to the side, but something snared his leg.

A fiery tentacle wrapped around his ankle, pulling him back.

The entire sphere shattered, revealing hundreds of fiery red tentacles writhing like living flames inside the sphere.

'Wh-what the hell is this?'

[Hidden boss encounter]

[Hands of the Night is analyzing your strength]

[It found your level]

[New boss level initiated]

Another system message flashed.

[Hands of the Night]

[Level 121]