Apocalypse with my SSS Harem Beauties-Chapter 130: The Talking Monster, Again

The moment they stepped past the concrete frame, the air thickened so abruptly that it felt like walking into deep water and within seconds the Ether density kept rising until each breath demanded conscious effort.

Their lungs expanded against an invisible resistance that pressed from all directions.

Myles felt it first in his chest and shoulders, then along his spine as if something heavy had settled on him, and when he glanced at the others he saw the same reaction.

Victor’s jaw tightened, Samantha’s brows drew together, George exhaled slowly through his nose as though testing the weight of the atmosphere. Ethan, Kade, and Clara also showed the same signs.

No one complained, but their expressions hardened. The Ether no longer drifted around them, it saturated the space, clung to their skin, and seeped into their pore.

Even standing still consumed more stamina than before.

They advanced carefully. Their eyes scan every rooftop and window.

At first glance the higher zone did not look dramatically different from the outer areas. Buildings still stood in rows, some cracked, some partially collapsed.

Abandoned cars spread along the roadside. Corpses lay where they had died long ago. Yet the longer they looked, the clearer the difference became.

Dark mist coiled between structures and streaks of other colors like faint violet, sickly green, or dim orange swirled within it.

Fleshy growths clung to walls and sidewalks. Strange plants sprouted from asphalt, their leaves shaped like blades or spirals.

None of it belonged to the world they knew. It looked less like a ruined city and more like two realities forced together without care.

"This feels like another world got pulled into ours," Daniel muttered under his breath.

"That’s exactly what happened," Lilian said calmly. "Fragments of other realms are converging here. The deeper we go, the more obvious it becomes. You will see landscapes, creatures, even natives that never belonged to this planet."

They all looked at her for a moment, surprise flashing openly across their faces.

Samantha gave a short breath that might have been a laugh. "That can be good or bad. Based on our luck."

"That’s true," Lilian replied without emotion.

George, Daniel, and Kade groaned almost at the same time, worrying crawling across their expressions. No one liked the implication.

They continued forward in tight formation, their weapons ready, their movements were careful.

Every shifting shadow drew their attention and every flicker of mist made their fingers tighten around hilts and grips.

Yet nothing moved. The silence pressed against their ears as heavily as the Ether pressed against their lungs.

Myles glanced toward the back.

"Samantha. Ethan. Keep watch to the distance. You two see better than the rest of us."

They both nodded immediately. Even with only one eye left, Ethan did not look diminished. If anything, his gaze seemed sharper, focused through a narrower field.

Whether he hid any frustration or had already accepted the loss, he showed none of it.

They walked for several more minutes before Ethan’s voice cut through the stillness.

"There’s something on top of that building," he said quietly. "The tall one. Three blocks ahead. It’s watching us."

Everyone stopped.

Myles’ grip tightened on Fangblade. "Be ready."

The formation shifted instantly. Victor stepped half a pace forward. Clara angled her body to guard the flank. Samantha raised her bow slightly, though she did not draw yet.

Myles kept his eyes fixed ahead. "Lilian. What is that?"

She followed Ethan’s line of sight without visible strain.

"It is another mutated monster," she answered. "But this one has intelligence."

Myles frowned with unease settling deeper in his chest. "Like the one with the Seed?"

"No," Lilian said. "Not the same. It carries no Seed. It’s simply stronger than ordinary variants. That’s all."

Victor’s lips pressed into a thin line. "I still don’t feel good about that."

The figure moved before anyone could say more. It rose from its crouch atop the building, then leaped.

The impact shook the street when he landed, concrete cracking beneath his feet with a heavy boom that echoed between the structures.

Dust and loose debris scattered outward as he straightened slowly and began walking toward them without haste.

Now they could see him clearly. He stood roughly two meters tall with a humanoid frame, broad shoulders and long limbs shaped like a man’s body, but his entire body was covered in crystalline growths.

The crystals resembled Ether Shards in structure, jagged and angular, but they glowed with a deep orange light as if fire burned within each piece.

The glow pulsed, heat shimmering in the air around him.

His movements were controlled and calm. His gaze locked onto them with unsettling awareness.

He did not roar or rush.

He simply advanced, the orange light inside his crystal-covered body flickering as he stopped several meters away from them.

Then his lips curved, and when he spoke, his voice carried a rough resonance.

"Welcome," he said almost casually. "You’re just entering this zone and already expecting some good loot, right?"

No one answered him. The team held formation.

"What’s wrong?" he continued, amusement slipping into his tone. "Afraid? Is this the first time you’ve seen a talking monster? Hahaha."

The laugh that followed echoed strangely, layered with a faint crackling sound as the orange crystals along his throat glowed brighter.

The companions exchanged brief glances, not in fear but in silent acknowledgment.

They had faced a monster that talked before. Compared to that, this taunt felt like no big deal.

The monster’s glowing eyes narrowed.

"You don’t look surprised at all," he said slowly, suspicion creeping into his voice. "What’s going on?"

Ethan snorted under his breath, the sound sharp in the heavy air.

Myles stepped forward half a pace, Fangblade angled low, Noctyrix held in reverse grip.

"We don’t need to waste time," he said flatly.

He moved first.

Myles drove forward in a direct charge and cut through the dense air.

Victor followed without hesitation. The others also followed.

The crystal-covered creature did not retreat. Instead, the orange light inside him surged and heat rolled outward in a visible shimmer that distorted the space between them.

His expression changed from mocking to intrigued as he raised one arm, crystalline growths sliding and clicking softly over each other like interlocking blades.

Behind the frontline, Lilian did not move immediately. She watched him with narrowed eyes. Like she was suspicious of something.

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