Born in Blood

Chapter 288 Dread

The battle began. But Liam didn't make the first move and held back to see which of the snakes went physical.

It was Viper. Not the weakest, not the strongest.

Cobra and Python began to emit dense fumes of toxic miasma from their bodies. It spread rapidly in all directions, and not even mental energy could go through them.

Viper didn't approach him, her hands turning into sharp, fang-like claws dripping with thick green poison. She smiled and waited for Liam to make his move.

Liam knew what she was doing – waiting for the clouds of miasma to overtake the entire battlefield before engaging him in battle.

Unfortunately for them, Liam had a few tricks of his own. Six different Shadow Bombs formed in his hands, which he threw a short distance away from the trio.

They exploded into dark flames and met the spread of miasma, but instead of overwhelmingly pushing it back, it simply delayed its advance.

Liam expected that. His simple darkness spell wouldn't be enough to overpower a powerful martial art, but that was fine by him.

Viper still didn't engage. The miasma had already shrouded her form, but it didn't seem like she was in pain.

Like so, all three of them disappeared from his senses, clouded by the poison gas.

…But Liam knew where they were anyway. Unlike with liquid, Shadow Sense wasn't hindered with just gas.

Liam wasn't barred from diving into the Sea of Darkness either, but his presence wouldn't go by unnoticed.

Three different ripples from the Sea of Darkness spread from around him, rapidly growing closer.

Cobra to the left, Python to the right, and Viper forward, each making a silent but rapid advance towards him.

Liam still remained stationary. They still hadn't thrown any attacks towards him, and neither did he.

Using the period of silence to his advantage, Liam used Transfiguration. His skin and flesh tightened and closed off every tiny orifice.

Liam closed his eyes.

Slowly, his eyelids thinned enough for his vision to see through them, even with his eyes closed – similar to a third eyelid/nictitating membrane that some animals had.

Once the three parties were close enough, Liam hurled sixteen different Umbral Needles towards each of their locations.

At the same time, he kicked the ground below him and made a swift beeline towards the Viper in front.

The snake hadn't expected that, but she was ready for him. Her fang-like claws tensed and grew even more vicious, meeting his charge with eight virulent arcs of poisonous mist.

Liam instantly felt the effects of poison on his body. It stung every part of him like arsenic needles loaded with cyanide. He ignored it all the same.

The arcs of poison dug into his body and seeped into his muscles, making it spasm and jolt erratically.

Without Transfiguration, Liam would definitely lose the battle.

Using that ability, he managed to counter the toxins attacking his body, simply by gathering it all in a mass and then physically dispelling it.

The outer layer of his flesh was also densened, and further strengthened with a layer of muscle beneath. It helped dim the pain and honed his focus simultaneously.

By then, Cobra and Python began to unleash their strongest attacks. Wads of green ooze and bubbling purple liquids started to shoot at him from the mist.

But Liam had already met his target.

Viper tried to dodge, but wasn't fast enough. Red lines formed all over her body and sprayed with blood, but they didn't dig deep enough.

That wasn't Liam's intention, anyway. Hidden between the strings was a tiny little worm, no longer than a pinky.

Viper twisted around and tried to dodge the foreign item, but a kick landed square across her back.

Before he could inflict more damage, Liam had to retreat and dodge the wads of ooze and bubbling liquids shooting for him.

By then, the Parasite Worm dug into Viper flesh with a low hiss. She let out a shrill screech, using a swift movement spell to retreat deeper into the clouds of miasma.

'She'll probably be able to take it out,' Liam realized, but wasn't worried.

'I just have to end it until then.'

Liam turned towards Python next. Just as his feet made contact with the ground, his trajectory made a sharp turn towards her.

Liam burst forward like a loose bullet. Noxious miasma rapidly melted away the outer layers of his flesh, but his Blood was being consumed to restore it.

Ethereal serpentine forms started to home in on him, latching onto his skin and liquifying some of his muscles.

Liam felt like dozens of spiders and snakes had sunk their fangs into every morsel of his body. Acid and toxic merging together to inflict the most pain possible upon his flesh.

Was this how his darkness felt? No wonder people were afraid of him.

But Liam reached Python eventually.

Her cheeks suddenly inflated with a croaking noise, the poisonous contents of which she spat to intercept Liam's charge.

The spit enlarged, becoming the size of a large boulder.

What followed was nothing short of cruel. Liam's hair, defensive wrappings and skin just… melted right off.

But that wasn't the cruel part.

Liam had burst through the boulder of poison.

Python couldn't dodge Liam's seizing grip in time, her beautiful face clenched tightly in his bony palm.

With the grime and gore that doused him head to toe, Liam looked like a malicious being that came back to life and had only one goal.

Revenge!

Liam clenched his shadow-covered hand with Transfiguration's increase in strength, paired with a surge of dark flames.

Python let out a bloodcurdling scream that caused a shudder to run through Cobra and Viper's spines.

Cobra rushed at him. The rule didn't actually restrict who could be physical, only that they couldn't do so at the same time.

Python's ear-splitting screams were unabated. Her eyes were probably permanently damaged. Her beauty unsalvageable.

Liam casually threw her body to the side and met Cobra's vicious charge.

The look on her face was venomous with rage, but getting a closer look on Liam's grim appearance made her recoil in horror.

Tentacle arms. Ripped and rotten flesh. Jagged smile. Broken, chipped teeth. Twelve crimson eyes studded across its ghoulish, deformed, dreadful body.

Only her screams were heard.