Online In Another World

"The name's Scarlet–I'm from the Nihilum Core," the figure finally introduced himself, "We've come to clean up this mess. That tends to be our job, anyway–though it seems like this takes the cake for a 'mess'."

The mention of the term 'Nihilum Core' stood out to Melisande, who overheard an explanation of it beforehand, though it took a moment for her rattled mind to recall where as she stood there.

The Nihilum Core…that's what Faust was a part of! Roan mentioned it to Emilio…It's the highest group of elites among the Guild Foundation! Melisande recalled.

"'We'?" Yuna repeated.

Scarlet held irises with the shine of sapphire jewels, looking forward, "--That's Briggs over there."

As the perplexed group looked over, they finally saw the other figure in question, wearing a matching uniform to Scarlet, though with massive, lion-headed gauntlets worn on his arms and a platinum helm worn over his head.

The burly, helmed figure slammed his fist down towards Dread, forcing the malignant figure back. Even while missing, Briggs' attack caused the ground to rumble and cave in from the point of impact, exploding as if an bomb had went off.

"...Ngh!" Melisande held her arms up from the residual force of the distance attack.

Asher was still focused on Scarlet, "You said we had you to thank for saving him…What did you do, exactly?"

The question in mind was significant to Asher, seeing as Emilio was on a sure path to death previously, now in an unconscious state, clearly writhing in pain, but surviving in the arms of Everett.

"Well, the Dread has the ability to cause any wound it inflicts to never stop bleeding–that is, unless I choose to stop that bleeding," Scarlet said, raising his hand.

The Nihilum Core member's display revealed itself as the blood left on the ground peeled from the soil, rising into droplets above Scarlet's hand.

"He's…controlling the blood?!" Everett let out.

"Wait, then you're…You're a member of the Malediction Clan, aren't you?" Asher asked, "--I thought that clan of demons were extinct."

Scarlet swiped his hand, dispelling the blood as he held his casual smile, "You thought wrong. Anyway, we've got it from here–so right now, I'd focus on stabilizing your friend there."

"What? I thought you already did that?!" Everett called out.

"I'm not a medic," Scarlet clarified, "I merely stopped his bleeding. That's not the half of that kid's problems, though. He managed to hold his own against the Dread, it seems, so…I'd prefer not to lose a reliable guy like that."

It was only apparent then that Emilio's body was in a worse state than first realized: his muscles spasmed and he groaned as steam left his skin.

"He's burnin'...! Hot!" Everett said.

Fortunately, the heat was mitigated by the armor the shielder wore, still holding the young Dragonheart as the others looked worriedly.

"What's going on with him…?" Yuna asked.

"...Emilio has some sort of healing ability, doesn't he? I've noticed it," Asher asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Melisande looked up.

Asher squinted before sighing, "What he just used against the Dread–that sort of power didn't come naturally. He forced his body to unlock it without going through the proper path of making that strength his own. In turn, he 'overheated' himself–so much so that he is struggling even to properly recover."

"Will he…?" Melisande quietly asked with trembling eyes.

"He won't die. However…I doubt he'll be back in action for a while–he'll need a long recovery," Asher said.

–

It was just then that the wind howled, prompting them to look over as a lance of darkness was thrown in their direction.

Before it could land, it was stopped in its path as the Nihilum Core member near them raised his hand, manifesting a mist of red that formed into blood, creating a crimson wall between them and the spear.

FWOOSH

The nefarious spear crashed against the barrier of blood with an explosiveness that mimicked a colossal skull, though was successfully held off by the surprisingly sturdy blood.

"Wow…" Melisande let out.

"I-I coulda' done that, too!" Everett called out.

Scarlet only gave a thumbs-up to those behind him before joining his comrade of the Nihilum Core in battle against the Dread.

Briggs slammed his gauntlet forward, purposefully smashing his armored knuckles against the air as the Dread found itself being pulled forward by an unseen force.

The helm-wearing man in the suit cocked his arm back as Dread was flung forward towards him, preparing a follow-up.

SWISH

Bullets of blood penetrated the wind, shooting forth in the dozens as they crashed against Dread's body, who raised his guard in response as the crimson projectiles pelted him.

"Hey!" Briggs called out, having a deep, explosive voice, "--That was my attack!"

"If he's open, he's open–I'm not going to wait just because you're too slow," Scarlet responded with a nonchalant smile, standing beside his comrade.

Briggs grunted before facing forward, readying himself as he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Scarlet, who conjured strands of blood around himself.

"You're always a pain in the ass to work with!" Briggs said.

"The feeling is mutual," Scarlet responded.

It was at that moment that a startling spike in aura came from the Dread, who stood alone under a pillar of his nefarious mana, oozing darkness from every pore of his body.

"This sensation, it's…" Melisande began to realize.

"...He's using 'that' body, so it's no surprise he can use that then. Still…this isn't good," Asher said.

The change was unknown to the two Nihilum Core members, but known well by those around Emilio, looking upon the body of Dread, who used Amon as a vessel: a seal over his heart revealed itself, stretching black tattoos over his body.

Soon, the being's pale skin was inked in a pitch-black veil as he began vibrating at a high frequency with the thumping of his heart resonating like an ominous drum.

[Chaos Throttle: Requiem Overdrive]

"The hell is that?" Scarlet raised an eyebrow.

"Don't know, but it doesn't change the plan!" Briggs rushed forward.

"What's your plan? Punching him hard?" Scarlet sarcastically asked, dashing in beside his comrade.

Increasing his own physical capabilities to match, Scarlet manifested a layer of blood under his suit, seen under the collar of his shirt and in the blood-red armor on his hands. Furthermore, he was capable of manipulating his own blood flow, kicking it higher to manually trigger a form of adrenaline and his own reflexes.

[Arterous Armor]

However, as the two approached the vibrating figure–it disappeared as a blur right before their combination attack of a blade of blood and a slam of Brigg's massive gauntlets came forth.

It was speed unlike anything before; the nature of Dread allowed [Chaos Throttle] to be pushed beyond any limits touched by Amon, combining both qualities of the vessel and evil spirit into something much more horrific.

"Hrah!"

The blur appeared as a flash, knocking both Briggs and Scarlet back with blows that rumbled the sound barrier with such intensity that the likes of Melisande, Yuna, Everett, and Asher found themselves covering their ears from the blaring sound.

Still, despite such a shattering blow, both Scarlet and Briggs landed on their feet, though with a few coughs following.

Scarlet brushed himself off, having to suck in another breath as a small smile of excitement appeared across his lips, "...Alright. It looks like this is something worth getting serious about. Whaddya say, Briggs?!"

"I'd say my plan has changed," Briggs yelled out, slamming the knuckles of his mighty, exuberant gauntlets together as a small shock wave emitted, "--I'm going to punch him REALLY hard!"

It was a race across the desecrated valley; through the torn fields of decayed grass and felled trees, the Nihilum Core duo moved, dodging and countering a force almost invisible to the naked eye.

Though it was impossible even for Asher to spectate the movements of the blurred Dread, somehow Scarlet managed to toss out ropes of blood, manipulating their movements before catching the unseen force of swiftness.

"Gotcha!" Scarlet smirked.

It only managed to stick for a second as the frequency of Dread's vibrations along with the visceral darkness he had clad himself in repelled the blood bindings, however–

"Hyraaaah-!"

Briggs charged in like a bull, squeezing his fist shut as the opulent runes embedded in his gauntlet shined bright before slamming it against the fiend. The impact created a flash of light before an impact burrowed forward like a ray of howling energy, knocking Dread back.

"Hey, are you sure you shouldn't make your plan to hit him REALLY, REALLY hard?! Looks like he's still in one piece to me!" Scarlet called out.

"Shut it! Let's see you–"

As Briggs went for a retort, the helmed, muscle-bound elite adventurer was interrupted as the blurred figure reappeared, summoning a colossal projection of darkness that took the shape of a hammer, slamming it down atop the deep-voiced man.

"Briggs!" Scarlet called out.

The size of the blunt weapon of darkness mimicked that of an entire building, amplified by the density of boundless shadows, causing the soil to shatter and break apart as the roots beneath sprang out, however–

"Raaaagh! I was…talking, you rude bastard!"

Standing beneath the flat side of the crushing projection, Briggs held the colossal hammer up, preventing himself from being squished as his knees bent and his gauntlets pressed up,

displaying the monstrous strength that allowed his muscles to coil with such steel-like sturdiness.

"A little help, Scarlet!..." Briggs huffed.

Scarlet snapped into focus, "Oh, right…! I've gotcha!"

Rubbing his palms together, the blood-manipulating man of demonic descent conjured spheres of blood before tossing them down into the general vicinity of Dread.

"...You're a slippery one, but even this ought to reach you," Scarlet whispered to himself.

As the crimson spheres landed on the ground, numbering near a dozen, the elite adventurer clenched his fists shut, triggering the forms of the circular objects to dissolve before exploding into mists of blood.

It wasn't any normal blood; each droplet was razor sharp and infused with diseases purposefully placed into them by the manipulator of the element.

The blur of Dread was barely seen, but the figure jumped back, forced to relinquish the colossal hammer that pressed down against Briggs.

"Gh-!" Briggs stumbled forward once freed from the immense pressure.

"You can thank me with a mug of the good stuff after this," Scarlet said, landing beside his partner.

Briggs laughed briefly, rotating his shoulder to ready himself, "--If we make it out of this, sure!"