Chapter 19: [Hazard] - (22 Years Before the Original) Rapture Hunting: Core Extraction Labor 4

Rip and break.

From Grave’s perspective, that was the essence of Hook’s fighting style.

But did that mean he was some savage brute who simply tore things apart like a mindless beast?

Not quite.

The commonality between cells and molecules is that when they form a collective—be it an object or a living organism—there are points of connection.

The less damage there is, the lower the loss. Physically "tearing" something usually implies a massive loss of material.

Yet, very little was lost.

It wasn't entirely absent, but the loss rate was so negligible that it was practically meaningless.

Every time Hook unleashed a skill, the mysterious energy bodies—spirits—that manifested behind him or in the air looked like beasts, and their methods of attack were crude and primitive.

And yet, they were terrifyingly efficient, inflicting fatal damage through their smashing and tearing.

Even the Raptures broken and killed by Hook’s fists suffered such minimal molecular loss that their components could still be recycled.

Grave had always been amazed by this exquisitely, and strangely, "delicate tearing"—and then—

KRAZAZAZAZAZAZAZAZAZAK!

{ KIIIAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! }

She witnessed a scene so cataclysmic that saying "the world was being torn apart" would not have been an exaggeration.

Hook’s back was turned, so his expression remained hidden.

However, the voice he had uttered before unleashing that monstrous skill was so cold and sharp it sent shivers racing down her spine.

Transformed into a bizarre entity radiating blue light, Hook swept his "claws" in every direction, literally ripping the air asunder.

The blue slashes cleaved through space and atmosphere, shredding the great calamity—the highest rank of Rapture and vanguard of the Queen, the Heretic.

Librelio’s body was being torn to ribbons "like a piece of paper."

Librelio let out a piercing scream, desperately trying to break free.

Grave was swept away by the shockwaves and gale-force winds generated by the Hyper Skill, Spirit Incarnation.

Hook, now a massive blue spirit, violently shredded everything in his vicinity.

Grave, who had been certain this was a disaster and a guaranteed defeat, could only stare in disbelief at his absurd power. With a hollow laugh, she clutched the incubator and the Glass Slipper armament tightly, trying her best to minimize the impact.

RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE!

KRAZAZAZAZAZAZAZAZAK!

"Kgh!"

The weight was far from light.

Between the incubator containing Cinderella, the weight of her dedicated Glass Slipper armament, and Grave’s own NIKKE chassis, the total mass was something a human could barely lift even with specialized support equipment.

Despite the mechanical strength required just to hold them, Grave had to endure ground-shaking shockwaves, vibrating air, and the violent aftershocks of the blast.

She fought desperately to hold her ground against a destructive force that could only be described as a natural disaster.

KRAZAZAZAZAZAZAZAZAK! BOOM!

"Hwaaaah!?"

The giant spirit's seemingly endless butchery culminated in one final, violent sweep of the claws.

The resulting slash distorted the very fabric of space.

The shockwave hitting the air was powerful enough to rattle Grave's entire frame.

Quickly regaining her composure, Grave looked around, only to be left utterly speechless by the carnage.

"...Guh... guhk... ugh... uh... ugh!"

Librelio had not only been miserably torn apart; her arms and legs were scattered across the battlefield, and more than half of the jellyfish-like Rapture floating near her head had been shredded.

The face and body of Librelio—once elegant, cold, and beautiful—were now gouged with hideous claw marks.

The core area, which should have been rapidly repaired by nanomachines, was more than half exposed, spewing a red catalyst from every open wound.

She had become more than just a corpse brought back to life; the sight of her gasping for breath in such a wretched state was enough to make any observer nauseous.

"Phew~ Hyper Skills are taxing, but the power is definitely there~. But... is it because she's a Heretic? I can't believe she's still alive after that."

Meanwhile, Hook—the human who had utterly crushed the Heretic—was panting heavily, his body drenched in sweat.

Other than the exhaustion, he was completely unscathed.

The sheer physical toll of the technique was evident, but aside from looking worn out, he had taken no damage.

Ignoring Grave's gaze, Hook stepped toward the gasping, half-dead Librelio.

Then, he reached out and grabbed the half-exposed core, which was flickering weakly with a red light.

Grab. Clutch.

"......."

"Guh... guhk... guh... uh... ugh..."

"Hah~ You're a stubborn bitch. Move your hand."

"Guh... uh... uh... ugh..."

"What are you even saying? You're just wheezing like a dying animal. Whatever... just give me the core."

Under normal circumstances, that hand would have easily crushed a human's grip or snatched their life in an instant.

The "broken hand"—with exposed bone, wires instead of veins, and a mess of red catalyst instead of blood—weakly clung to Hook's arm.

She resisted desperately, making choking sounds as if on the verge of death, but Hook casually brushed her off.

Creak. Crunch! Rip!

"Ah... ah... ahh... uhh... aah... aah... aah!?"

"Is it because this is basically your 'heart'? You're damn stubborn!"

Snap! Crunch! Rip!

"Aaaagh! AAAAAAAAGH!"

As the core was slowly ripped from its socket with a sickening sound, Librelio was consumed, for the first time, by the agony and terror of death.

Born human, converted into a NIKKE, then corrupted while fighting Raptures to become an "irregular" serving the Queen.

Then, modified by the Raptures, she was reborn as a Heretic.

Unlike her time as a NIKKE, she had revived with immense power and alien abilities.

Every Rapture, save for the Queen, obeyed her commands.

She had slaughtered every foolish human and NIKKE who dared challenge her.

She forgave no one who disturbed her "stillness" or interrupted her "slumber," not even fellow Raptures or other Heretics.

Stronger than any being except the Queen, she commanded absolute terror—a fact recognized by the Queen herself, who allowed her to dwell in seclusion within the black-tinted Silver Lake, forever sleeping.

'Die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die' 'I'm dying!'