However, although Monica’s state was eerie, as if she had been corrupted and polluted, completely losing her sanity, she did not explode and die.
On the contrary, her body had swollen several times over, and countless black pollutants were burrowing in and out of her skin.
Hughes felt as if he could hear an unwilling roar by his ears.
Countless pollutants gradually gathered from the sea, clustering onto Monica like leeches.
She had now transformed into a colossal monster.
Originally, she had been among the more petite members of the Sirens, but now, standing in the cave, she resembled a giant.
The disappearance of water pressure and the cessation of flesh magic did not cause her to explode and die.
Instead, under the erosion of the pollution, she became even stronger.
After being sent flying, Nora found Monica’s blood-red eyes locked onto Hughes, he was the closest to Nora.
In the next instant, she charged forward.
Hughes wanted to dodge, but just as the thought surfaced in his mind, Monica’s ferocious face appeared right in front of him.
Her twisted arm reached out toward him.
Hughes could see the pollution on her hand bubbling with excitement as it sliced through the air in an arc, aiming straight for him.
Was he going to die again? So suddenly? Would he have to start over again?
Hughes gritted his teeth.
Crimson blood bloomed before his eyes, carrying a metallic scent, warm droplets landing on his face.
It was a familiar scene.
But this time, he wasn’t the one being pierced through.
Ash blocked Monica’s corrupted body with her six arms, shielding Hughes.
A gaping wound tore across her abdomen, fresh red blood gushing out, dyeing her silver-white serpent tail.
Ash squeezed out the words through clenched teeth.
Her face turned even paler, the exhaustion from overusing magic making her vision blur, her condition was too poor.
But after just a brief struggle, Monica flung her away.
Ash slammed into the cave wall with brutal force.
In the moment before she was thrown, she tried to flick her tail, lightly nudging Hughes aside.
Polluted limbs crashed down.
The spot where Hughes had just stood was smashed into a deep crater by Monica.
Debris flew through the air, and dust filled the cave.
Monica slowly stood up.
Hughes barely managed to lift his head.
With the symbiotic contract he shared with Ash, he too was now gravely injured.
And the contract continued to drain his life force.
A creature too weak would be sucked dry and perish.
Hughes felt his life rapidly slipping away.
Perhaps he would die before Monica even managed to kill him, his soul returning to the Golden Throne.
Monica saw Hughes lying on the ground, barely clinging to life, and crawled toward him with an eerie, twisted posture.
Hughes felt a chill in his heart.
A square-shaped object smashed onto Monica’s head, bouncing on the ground a few times.
Its eight corners were reinforced with copper, and the cover bore the image of a bone-white raven.
Monica turned in fury, her mouth curling into a snarl.
The next instant, the dust parted to both sides.
A small figure slowly emerged.
Her armor was stained with dirt, blood trickling down from her forehead.
Yet her eyes held no fear.
Facing Monica, who was now the size of a small mountain, she swung the flail in her hand and charged forward.
"The sanctum never falls!!"
The monstrous Monica and Nora clashed.
Everywhere they passed, it was as if giant hammers had smashed through, the cave walls shattered into pieces.
Hughes gasped for breath.
He could see that Monica was completely overpowering Nora.
Nora’s defeat was only a matter of time.
And Hughes himself wouldn’t even last that long.
A wave of weakness coursed through his chest as the symbiotic contract frantically drained his life force.
The Sirens circled anxiously underwater, but they were powerless.
If they left the water, they would die.
If they maintained the flesh magic, they had no energy left to attack.
If they stopped the flesh magic, they would still die.
Nini glanced at her fellow clansmen, gritting her teeth.
She was among the stronger ones.
If she left the water, she might last for a short while before dying.
As long as she was fast enough, she could reach Monica before her own death and trigger the flesh magic explosion, dealing massive damage.
That was the Sirens’ final bloom.
It was how they had resisted the Fishmen’s soldiers and ghost ships when they were fleeing.
Nini trembled slightly and closed her eyes.
What a pity, she had only just arrived home.
But looking at the bright side, at least she could die on the land of her homeland.
Ash suddenly shouted.
Nini turned her head.
Ash’s voice was fast and urgent.
"I’m seriously injured. Hughes will be drained to death by the contract. Even if you succeed, it won’t matter. Besides, Monica is growing stronger, she’s already beyond what you can handle."
"Then what do we do!?"
"I’m going to sever the symbiotic contract," Ash said calmly.
Nini’s pupils instantly dilated.
Hughes fought the darkness creeping into his vision, struggling to lift his head.
He remembered Ash once saying that if she severed the contract voluntarily, she would die on the spot.
Then, all of her remaining life force would transfer to him.
Ash closed her eyes, she had made her decision.
"After I break the contract, take him and our people and flee across the sea. Find a new place. Survive!"
Nini’s face was filled with anxiety.
"Don’t you understand yet? Castel isn’t home. The Storm Ocean isn’t home. But he is!"
Ash pointed at Hughes, growling.
"Where he is, that is the Sirens’ homeland! Hughes—he is our Promised Land!"
"Follow him, and live on."
Ash glanced at the battle not far away.
Nora was already struggling to hold on.
"I’m sorry, warrior of another race. You have lived up to your valor. I will stay here with you."
Ash spoke loudly toward her.
Nora wasn’t far away, she had been hearing everything they said.
Slowly, her gaze toward Hughes and the Sirens grew more complicated.
Perhaps, the hope of the Silent Sanctum lay with this lord.
Should she take the gamble?
She gritted her teeth, then suddenly lifted her head and shouted:
"There’s no need! You don’t have to run! I can handle her!"
She swung her flail, smashing Monica back a step.
Looking at the towering monster before her, still growing larger, she stood her ground.
Slowly, she spread her arms, her entire body rising into the air.
"The moment of death is when a burier is at their strongest."
"Though there have been some twists and turns, I have finally reached this moment..."
She clenched her teeth, then suddenly turned to Hughes.
"Hughes, I want you to promise me, Castel will take in the northern refugees!"
"In return, I will save Castel for you."
She turned back to face Monica, blood seeping through her gritted teeth.
Her long white hair floated in the air, though there was no wind.
Her pupils turned blood-red.