A few minutes later!
Thud!
"Arghhh..." Erick's groan echoed through the frozen wasteland, his body sprawled against the unforgiving ice.
A large, heavy boot was firmly planted on his back, forcing him to kiss the frost-covered ground.
"Xerxes, why don't you start with his head?" The voice, cold and commanding, belonged to a woman draped in a long, crimson hoodie.
Despite her slight fra, she stood with an aura of power.
At her feet lay the unconscious bodies of Helena, her form partially obscured by the ice.
Electricity crackled around her, a warning to any who dared to approach.
The woman's face was mostly hidden by the hood, but glimpses of pale, porcelain skin and strands of blonde hair peeked out.
Her piercing blue eyes glowed faintly in the night light, adding to her eerie presence.
She was Lilith, second of the four generals of Gabrial's army, a figure both terrifying and srizing in the bleak, icy expanse.
The man she commanded, Xerxes, was a giant among n, third among the generals.
Towering at an imposing 7'8", his muscular fra and bald head made him look even more intimidating.
Weighing over 180 kgs, he seed almost invincible.
His features were harsh, with a face that bore countless scars from battles past.
His dark, penetrating eyes were fixed on Erick, a malicious grin spreading across his lips at Lilith's words.
The ice beneath them reflected the moon light, creating a ghostly glow that added to the haunting atmosphere.
The cold was biting, with the air so frigid it seed to eat through flesh and bone.
Every breath taken in this environnt was a struggle, each exhale visible as a cloud of vapor.
Xerxes' massive foot covered most of Erick's head, despite Erick himself being over six feet tall.
The pressure increased slowly, deliberately.
Crash!
A sickening splurt followed, the sound of bones beginning to crack under the imnse weight.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." Erick's scream pierced the air, a primal howl of agony.
He desperately tried to shield his head with his hands, but they were already fractured, the bones splintering under the massive force.
Splurt...
Blood gushed from Erick's nose, his eyes bulging from their sockets.
The ice around him was stained crimson, a beautiful contrast to its pristine whiteness.
Boom!
With a final, horrifying crunch, Erick's skull gave way.
The explosion of bone and brain matter was another beautiful spectacle, painting the ice with a pattern of red and white.
"!!!"
Takashi's eyes fluttered open wide in horror.
Just monts ago, they had been fleeing, only to be intercepted by these three ominous figures.
The humiliation that followed was unbearable.
They were defeated like ragdolls, now held captive by another figure, smaller than Xerxes but still massive enough to be considered a giant.
"You two, stop playing around," Zhao Yang commanded, his voice as cold as the icy landscape surrounding them.
He gripped Takashi's neck and lifted him into the air, causing him to shiver and tremble. "We're on a mission, rember?"
Takashi's eyes shook in terror, and then—
Crash!
Zhao Yang hurled him tens of ters away. Turning towards Lilith and Xerxes, he barked, "Don't waste ti. Don't forget the task!"
Xerxes and Lilith exchanged glances before nodding in unison.
They followed Zhao Yang, all three entering the red mist zone created by Mary.
The corrosive damage of the mist was growing, but their mission demanded self-sacrifice, making it the least of their concerns.
As the trio disappeared into the mist, Takashi groaned, his eyes slowly opening.
He watched them leave and couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"Wh... What were those monsters? What is even happening in the world?" he whispered to himself, the weight of their ordeal sinking in.
The briefing they had received made no ntion of facing invincible monsters, ghosts, and beings far beyond their strength.
Tears welled up in his eyes, a sign of his despair.
In the past, Takashi had been a hero, his strategies leading them to nurous victories.
But today, he realized a bitter truth: sotis, strategies don't matter.
Cleverness is a tool for the weak to cope, but against overwhelming power, it becos insignificant.
"How did it co to this?" Takashi muttered, his voice shaking. "We were supposed to be the best. We were supposed to save the world, not be crushed by it."
He glanced at the ice beneath him, now stained with blood. "What kind of world breeds such monsters? How are we supposed to fight against beings like them?"
He struggled to his feet, every movent a reminder of his broken state. "I used to believe that with enough planning, we could win any battle. But now... now I see how naive I was."
Takashi's gaze hardened, despite the tears streaming down his face.
Takashi's determination faded, and he began to crawl across the icy ground, each movent sending waves of pain through his battered body.
His breath ca in ragged gasps, the frigid air burning his lungs.
He had to reach Helena.
He had to know if she was still alive.
With each pull of his arms, the rough ice scraped against his skin, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
The cold seeped into his bones, but he pushed forward, driven by a desperate hope.
"Commander... please be okay," he muttered through gritted teeth.
As he drew closer, he could see her form lying motionless on the ice, her face pale face and her eyes closed.
______
[What are you waiting for... Jump ◉‿◉]
Standing on the icy rim of Crater Base F1D99, Wang Xiao was enveloped in silence.
He had not co here to engage in battle, but to delve into the enigmatic graveyard of gods.
He glanced over at Mary, whose upper body had already disintegrated into dust, the remnants of her form slowly fading into the frigid air.
He wasn't sure if she had been trying to create so sort of protective domain, but he had successfully shielded himself from harm using the sa techniques he employed for deep-sea diving.
Particles swirled nacingly around him, attempting to breach the invisible barrier he had erected. Yet, they failed, dissipating as he peered into the abyss that marked the entrance to the graveyard of gods.
Despite the playful tone of Yin Yue, a trace of nervousness tinged her voice, revealing her underlying concern.
"Do you have any idea what's inside?" he asked, his voice echoing slightly against the icy walls of the crater.
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