Re: Evolution Online-Novel

Liam raised his hand, ready to give the order to his minions to eliminate Kouske. However, he paused as he saw the smug smile on the guy's face. 

A malicious glint flashed in Liam's eyes, contorting his features into a twisted expression. 

No, it wouldn't be good to kill him just yet. The resulting soul minion might not be as strong.

Happiness was a good emotion, but personally, he had seen better results so far when a person died with unfulfilled regrets. So he paused his actions and sneered at his self-proclaimed rival. 

"Did you really think I can't deal with such a simple insect?" Liam then turned toward the golden cage with the Hive Queen captured within it. 

Kouske's piercing glare burned into Liam's back while the Hive Queen's eyes bore into him with venomous intensity from the front. 

Both beings had locked their gazes on Liam, waiting and watching for his next move. But despite the intense scrutiny, Liam remained nonchalant. 

His demeanor was as if he didn't care about anything happening in that place. His face showed an unusual coldness that was even more indifferent than his usual gaze.

Dread crept over Kouske as a sudden premonition tugged at his heartstrings, stripping away the glee and confidence that had adorned his face. 

His eyes nervously followed Liam's every move, and he watched as Liam's hand darted to his neck, grabbing onto a small object. 

Huh? Kouske was noticing this only now. Was it a pendant? No, it was a tiny crystal ball, something that seemed to have a mesmerizing swirl within it.

His eyes narrowed as he stared at the mysterious item in Liam's hand. What in the world was it? Where had he obtained it? 

He had collected a lot of information about Liam, both personally and through their guild back in the game, but they had never heard of this item before.

Suddenly, a thought struck Kouske. He need not have necessarily gotten this in-game. 

And since he felt a familiarity with the item, could it be possible that Liam had acquired the item in the nether dungeon, the very trap that he had set for him?

A strange feeling crept up in Kouske's heart as he pondered over the possibility of having unknowingly assisted Liam.

Could this be the reason behind his quick recovery and newfound strength? Was he foolish enough to have played a role in his own defeat? The mere thought of it made him livid.

Kouske's mind began to spiral out of control as his emotions surged uncontrollably. His entire body quivered with rage.

He glared at the pendant with a mixture of anger and jealousy, hoping that it would malfunction or break into pieces. But to his dismay, nothing of that sort happened.

In fact, a sudden jolt of electricity coursed through his body, causing him to wince in pain. 

What was happening? Was he not even worthy of laying his eyes on this object? What kind of item was this, anyway?

Kouske clenched his teeth in frustration as he watched Liam gently caress the small crystal ball. In the next moment, the ball vanished, and something else appeared on Liam's hand.

Huh? What… was this?

Kouske was completely bewildered, but he could discern that the energy was similar to the ghostly whitish-blue creatures swarming the battlefield.

However, before he could make sense of it, Liam nonchalantly raised his hand and mimicked a gun with his index and middle fingers, aiming directly at the Hive Queen. 

To Kouske's astonishment, a projectile shot out from Liam's finger gun, followed by an even more incredible event. 

Bang? No, the impact was rather silent but the after effect…

As the Hive Queen inside the golden cage was hit by this bullet, the monstrous creature, in all of her glory and her untouched power level, started twitching and convulsing in untold pain.

Her metallic wings buzzed violently, and her limbs contorted here and there. Coincidentally, the next second, the golden cage disappeared as well. 

Now there was no longer anything standing in the way of the Hive Queen from blasting forward and slaughtering them all.

But the damned creature was still twitching in pain? Why was she not acting? Why was she not killing him?

Kouske watched as Liam used this chance to dash forward and bring down the sword in his hand, aiming for the creature's weak points.

In a frenzy, he repeatedly slashed at all of the ison's joints until green blood spurted out of the creature from different sides like a fountain.

And all the while, the creature only helplessly twitched in pain. She did not even block or parry or send a counterattack.

She simply stood there screaming loudly, filling the space with horrendous clicking and screeching sounds, taking hits from Liam one after the other.

Kouske could barely follow the action anymore. Liam's movements were a complete blur as he relentlessly attacked the ison with his sword without giving the creature a single second. Each strike was executed with utmost precision.

At this rate…

Kouske's heart dropped. The thing that he feared might really happen!

And soon enough, it did happen. The ison's body slumped to the ground, lifeless.

Kouske could sense the incredible power that had once resided within the creature, now fading away. Its body parts were scattered about, now no longer threatening.

He had done it! He had actually done it!

Kouske couldn't believe his eyes. How could the Hive Queen be defeated just like that? It was a level 305 creature!

305!

When a being reached Level 50, there were already so many changes both qualitatively and quantitatively to their power. 

Then how were things at Level 305? Just what sort of a power-up a creature of that level must have experienced, and yet it was also dead just like that?

No. No. This was not possible.

As if sensing Kouske's confusion, Liam turned to him with a faint smile on his face, a smile that sent shivers down Kouske's spine.