Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey-Chapter 881: Fu##! What have you done, Aether?: Part-3

"Mom?" Aria muttered in a horrified tone as the dim light slowly settled down. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she took in the sight before her.

She saw her mother... her once calm, composed, and loving mother, now standing still, staring at Aether with cold, indifferent eyes. It was as if all the warmth and sanity had been stripped away from her, leaving behind only emptiness and something far more terrifying.

Aria instinctively took a hesitant step forward, her heart pounding. But before she could even get close—

"SCRREEEECCCHHHHH!!"

A deafening, monstrous screech tore through the air as Maelona's wings flared open, pulsing with an eerie blue energy. Then, without warning, she flipped her body and shot toward Aether at blinding speed, a streak of pure destruction!

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Yet again, nobody could react in time—her speed was beyond comprehension. In mere milliseconds, her fingers had latched onto Aether's head with an iron grip, seizing him as if he were nothing more than prey caught in a predator's grasp.

Even Aether's Spectral Phantom Steps, which had always given him the edge in speed, were utterly useless.

"Maelona, calm down!" Aether shouted, his voice edged with both shock and frustration. His hands flew up, grasping her arm, trying to push her away from his face. But she didn't even flinch. Her grip remained unshaken, her fingers pressing harder against his skull as she forcefully dragged him forward before flying off!

Aether gritted his teeth, a wave of dizziness washing over him as he felt the pressure tightening. His vision wavered, his breath hitching. 'What the hell is happening?! Log! Explain! Why did I lose consciousness after knocking her down earlier?!'

He let out a strained scream, using every ounce of his strength to push her away, to break her grip, to even budge her fingers—but it was as if he was fighting against an unmovable force.

She wasn't just stronger; she was something else entirely.

[... She has surpassed the highest peak allowed by the Laws!]

'Huh?!' Aether's eyes widened in shock. 'What do you mean she—'

Before he could finish his thought, Maelona lunged forward, her sharp teeth gleaming as she aimed directly for his neck!

"Like hell I'm letting that happen!" Aether roared. He clenched his fist, forcing his muscles to respond through the overwhelming pressure, and swung a powerful punch straight at her face.

BAM!

His fist connected, but the impact was barely more than a dull thud against her skin. It was like punching a mountain.

No reaction. No recoil.

It was as if all physical damage had become meaningless against her.

Instead of faltering, Maelona's eyes flashed with even more fury. Her grip on his face tightened, her nails digging into his skin.

"Arrhh!" Aether let out a pained groan, his body trembling as an eerie sensation spread through him. Something was being drained.

His energy?

His very essence?

Still not sure... but His consciousness began to fade again,

'W-Wh...y... a...ga.....'

Meanwhile—

"Are you ready?!" Aria shouted, She held her compact bow, its wheels spinning wildly like high-speed F1 tires, thick smoke rising from the mechanisms as they strained under the sheer energy buildup.

Her hands trembled slightly, not from fear but from the sheer force coiling inside the bowstring.

She could feel it—if she waited any longer, the arrow might just explode in her hands... she took a breath before releasing the string as she shouted!

"GO!"

Thalia inhaled sharply, steadying herself before slamming her palm onto the ground. The earth trembled as a chunk of stone jerked upward with raw force, launching into the air like a rising platform. Without hesitation, she spun on her heel as the crimson flames appeared on her foot like boost and delivered a brutal kick, sending the stone hurtling forward at blinding speed.

BOOM!

Riding atop the massive rock, Liora had already transformed into her wolf form, her fur bristling with unleashed power. Raven clung to her, poised like a predator waiting for the perfect strike. As they rocketed toward Maelona, Liora's legs trembled, coiling tight, gathering energy.

Then—

BOOOOMM!

With a ground-shattering stomp, she propelled herself forward, accelerating beyond anything natural. The sheer force behind her leap shattered the air around her, creating a visible shockwave. She was fast—almost fast enough to match Maelona's speed.

Almost.

But Maelona sensed them. She didn't even need to look—she just knew. Without hesitation, she turned her head slightly and snorted, her wings fluttering at an even faster rate. Her movement was effortless, fluid, terrifyingly natural.

"Damn it!" Liora cursed, her eyes narrowing as she realized she was still too slow. Gritting her teeth, she made a split-second decision.

"Liora!" Raven shouted as she felt her Liora's muscles tense beneath her.... Raven was sitting on her!

"Hold on tight!" Liora growled before twisting her body midair, sending Raven flying forward!

But it wasn't just a throw—Raven reacted instantly, kicking back against Liora's force with perfect synchronization. Their feet connected in midair, generating a powerful surge of energy between them.

A massive purple spark exploded outward—

BBBBOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!

Like a bullet, Raven was propelled forward, her body slicing through the air at an incredible speed. This time, she was faster. This time, Maelona had no time to react.

Raven's thin sword gleamed in the dim purple spark as she put everything on her sword. She twisted her body midair, adjusting her trajectory with pinpoint accuracy, before bringing the blade down—

A single, clean slash.

SLCCKK

Maelona's hand, the one that had been crushing Aether's face, was severed in an instant.

Aether fell down as Raven followed down!

"SSCCCREEECCCHHHH!!!"

Maelona let out another deafening screech, her furious wail shaking the very air around her. Her wings pulsed with raw energy, the veins within them glowing an eerie blue as she lunged toward Aether with terrifying speed, her movements almost a blur.

But just as she was about to reach him—

SWISH!

Her head snapped to the side, her sharp, predatory gaze catching sight of something approaching at high velocity. An arrow whizzed through the air, its trajectory precise. The metallic tip gleamed for the briefest moment before—

BOOM!

A sudden detonation erupted mid-air, sending out a thick, reinforced net that expanded in an instant. The net stretched wide, its strands shimmering with embedded enchantments before it wrapped around Maelona's body in a seamless, constricting motion.

She struggled violently, her limbs thrashing, but the net held firm, binding her completely as her wings stuck and

Then—

BOOM!

Her body crashed onto the ground, sending dust and debris flying in all directions. A moment of silence followed, broken only by the faint sizzling of the net's magical reinforcements holding her captive.

Thud!

Raven landed a few feet away.

In her arms, Aether lost consciousness, his face deep dark, but then he stirred, his face regaining its color as he gasped sharply, struggling to steady himself. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he fought the lingering dizziness, his mind still clouded from whatever had nearly pulled him into unconsciousness.

"Fuck!" Aether muttered under his breath, his voice hoarse. He stumbled slightly as he pushed himself off Raven's hold, landing on his knees before taking deep, stabilizing breaths. His gaze lifted, locking onto Maelona, who remained tangled within the net.

"Scrrchh!" Maelona shrieked, her voice filled with rage as she continued to fight against the net, as though refusing to accept being trapped.

Aether exhaled sharply, rubbing his forehead, 'Are you kidding me? After all that chaos… all it took was a damn net?' He inwardly thought.

Just then, the others arrived.

"W-What happened to her, Aether?" Aria's voice trembled, her face visibly pale. She hesitantly took a step forward, her expression contorted with worry, but—

"Don't."

Stopping her.

His eyes shifted toward the ground surrounding Maelona. The once green, thriving plants had withered away into a lifeless black. The soil itself looked drained, dry cracks forming as if something had stripped it of all vitality. Even the air felt heavier, tainted with an unnatural aura.

Aria and the others froze, horror creeping onto their faces.

"J-Just what happened to her?" Aria's voice was barely above a whisper.

Then—realization dawned upon her, and the color drained from her face entirely.

"Don't tell me... she got bitten by that monster?" Aria's voice cracked, her eyes frantically searching Aether's for an answer.

Aether gave her a slow, solemn nod.

Her knees buckled. Her breath hitched as overwhelming fear settled deep in her chest. Just as she was about to collapse, Aether caught her, steadying her with a firm grip.

"Calm down." His voice, though gentle, carried authority. "She hasn't fully turned into a monster... It's something else," he said, his gaze never leaving Maelona.

Her glowing eyes locked onto him with an unsettling hunger, her body twitching as though something inside her was trying to break free.

'Log… What do you mean by a higher entity? What the hell is happening to her? Give me answers, now!'

[...]

For a long moment, nothing came. Then—

[Sigh... This situation is far worse than I initially expected. I don't have all the data, but from what I can analyze… Maelona has broken past the natural restrictions of these worlds. She has reached a level of existence that should not be possible here. Simply put, she has surpassed what these worlds allow. And now—she is on the brink of something even greater.]

'How in the world is that possible...wait! Are you saying she's…?'

[Yes! She has reached what could be considered the power of a God. But that should not be possible. This world is governed by laws—unbreakable, absolute laws. The highest a being can go in this world is the Sovereign level. Anything beyond that is supposed to be forbidden.]

Aether's expression darkened.

He knew this was bad. No—this was worse than bad.

This was catastrophic!!

The mention of "Laws" made his gut twist with unease. Whenever something defied the fundamental laws of existence, it only meant one thing—it pisssed off and it would get it's revenge!!

He turned to the others. They were watching him closely, waiting for him to make a decision. Waiting for him to act.

'What the hell am I supposed to do now?'Aether asked inwardly.

[First... You need to cut her source.]

"Huh?" Aether's brows furrowed.

[You should know... The Laws won't allow something like her to remain in these worlds...]

Before Log could finish its sentence—

Crack…

A sudden, sharp sound echoed through the air.

Aether and the others froze, their bodies stiffening as a deep, primal dread crawled up their spines. Their instincts screamed at them to run, but they couldn't move.

Crack…

Again. The same sound.

But this time—they saw it.

Their eyes widened in sheer horror as they witnessed the impossible.

The world around them—was cracking.

The air itself fractured like delicate glass, the jagged lines expanding, spreading, distorting reality itself. The very fabric of existence was breaking apart, slowly but surely…

And from within those fractures—

Clang... Clang.....