SSS Frost Sovereign: Rewinding The Apocalypse!-Chapter 43: Wester’s lust

Marcus clenched his jaw as blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

The pole had already pierced through his abdomen, driven straight past him, aimed for Albert.

For a split second, everything froze.

People instinctively tried to scatter, to react to what had just happened.

But the spawn moved first.

With a thunderous roar, it launched itself off the building it had been perched on. Stone shattered under its weight as it descended, its massive shadow crashing down between the group and the street.

The impact shook the ground and that single movement stole everyone’s attention, locking their bodies in place with sheer terror. Muscles stiffened and breaths caught.

And that hesitation was all the attacker needed.

Using the chaos as cover, the perpetrator retreated cleanly.

He twisted away from the crowd and leapt backward, boots striking the side of a nearby building before he vaulted across the street in a smooth, practiced motion.

In seconds, he had gained distance, perching atop a structure across from them, far out of immediate reach.

"Marcus!" Luna screamed.

She rushed toward him as he clutched his abdomen, his legs giving out as he dropped to one knee.

Her hands were already glowing faintly as she pressed them against the wound, panic flashing across her face despite her attempt to stay focused.

Even Albert had gone rigid.

That strike had been meant for him.

"Draik! What do you think you are doing?!" Luna shouted, her voice cracking as her eyes flicked desperately between Marcus and the figure on the rooftop.

She was trying to keep Marcus alive, trying to stop the bleeding, even as disbelief burned through her chest.

Draik’s betrayal came like a blade from the dark.

Albert had suspected Wester’s abilities involved a form of control, some invasive force capable of manipulating others.

But this.

This felt different.

It was almost as if Draik had acted of his own will.

That was why they had not sensed it coming.

"I see," Gremit muttered, eyes narrowing as he studied Draik’s position. "He even used a physical weapon. No energy discharge. Albert could not have sensed his movement."

He paused, gaze sharpening.

"He is not fully under Wester’s control. That means he is a follower."

Albert’s fists clenched.

His glare snapped toward Wester, dense and crushing, carrying so much pressure that even Wester instinctively staggered back a step.

For just an instant, the spawn’s movements faltered.

It jerked its head violently and roared, thrashing as dark purplish essence rippled unevenly across its skull. The air trembled with its fury, fear rooting itself deeper into everyone present.

Albert forced himself to pull back.

If he lost control now, the spawn would tear through them in seconds.

"Heh," Wester chuckled. "What are you trying to do, Albert? I might lose control of this thing if you try that again."

"Are you attempting to negotiate?" Gremit asked coolly.

Wester scoffed.

"You think I came this far to negotiate?"

"I did not think so," Gremit replied. "I can imagine how you grew this strong. After failing to steal that core stone, you had no choice but to prey on others, did you not, Wester?"

His gaze flicked briefly to Seban.

"And I am sure you explained that to him, you thistial. A way to absorb others mana essence"

Seban chuckled softly from Wester’s side.

"When prey is walking right beside you," he said lightly, "you do not just let it pass. Core stones would have been ideal, but people work just fine."

Wester smiled.

"You are all going to die here," he said calmly.

Then his eyes shifted.

"But Luna."

He called her name deliberately.

Slowly, she looked up from where she was crouched beside Marcus. Her expression was cold, empty of warmth, filled only with quiet fury.

"Everyone here dies," Wester continued. "But you do not have to."

His gaze lingered on her.

"Come with me. Stay by my side, and I will spare you."

The implication was unmistakable. His interest in her had never wavered.

Luna’s eyes burned with accusation, but Wester only smiled wider.

"You do not have a choice," he added.

Then something snapped.

Luna raised her hand and fired a beam of energy toward him.

"Luna!" Gremit shouted.

Albert reached out instinctively, trying to stop her, but she had already acted, rage overriding reason.

Wester clicked his tongue, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Tch. Draik failed to kill my real target," he muttered. "That is why she is still so confident."

Then he smiled.

"I will take her anyway, once everyone else is dead."

His grin widened as he clenched his fists.

Dark purplish energy surged from his body, resonating violently with the same corrupted essence embedded in the spawn’s head.

The creature snapped and with a deafening roar, it lunged forward so suddenly.

There, the attack began and an explosion of readied attacks followed.

People had already been on guard. The moment the spawn surged forward, abilities detonated across the street in overlapping flashes of light and force.

Chaos erupted instantly.

Some tried to run, but they did not get far.

The spawn tore through the crowd like a living weapon, its massive claws ripping through flesh and armor alike.

Blood sprayed as bodies were flung aside as the creature cleared everything in its path as it barreled straight toward Albert.

Albert clenched his jaw and answered first.

Energy surged from his body as he thrust his arm forward, releasing a compressed blast that slammed into the spawn’s chest, slowing it down.

But Wester moved at the same time.

He vanished in a burst of speed, with dark purplish essence pouring from his right arm. The energy condensed and sharpened, narrowing into a spear-like point as he lunged for Albert’s side.

Albert reacted instantly.

He propelled himself upward with a violent burst of energy, evading both the spawn’s follow up strike and Wester’s thrust in the same motion.

Below him, Marcus was dragged out of harm’s way by others.

There, Luna did not hesitate.

Leaving Marcus in their care, she had already turned on Wester just as he closed in on Albert. Her energy extended outward and solidified into a long, radiant blade.

She dashed forward and swung downward in a clean, lethal arc, just before Wester could regain balance and dodge.