Chapter 135 Ripping them apart

Chapter 135 Ripping them apart
The sea churned violently as the first echo beasts breached the surface. Vandal stood near the rail, his white hair whipping in the wind, eyes locked on the creatures with calm detachment.

They were grotesque. Bodies covered in slick brown scales glistened like wet stone. Their heads resembled twisted elephants with elongated trunks and glowing red eyes that pulsed with unnatural hunger. Webbed claws scraped against the hull as they surged forward, swift as arrows slicing through water. Despite their horrifying forms, an eerie calm washed over the deck.

The red eyes seemed to whisper promises of safety, lulling the mind into a false sense of security. It is fine, the hypnosis suggested. They are not a threat. Come closer.

Most of the warriors remained relaxed, smiles even tugging at their lips as the beasts climbed aboard. It was not until razor sharp claws slashed the first man's leg that panic erupted. Blood sprayed across the deck. Screams replaced the deceptive tranquility.

"Crossbows! Now!" Mei Mei shouted to the two warriors flanking her. Bolts whistled through the air, striking scaled hides with dull thuds. She drew her twin curved daggers, their blades humming with resonant energy. Her hands wove intricate patterns in the air. Blue sword light bloomed into a shimmering net. "Cobra Twist!"

The illusion manifested powerfully. A massive spectral cobra coiled around the first three beasts, its ethereal body constricting them. In reality, nothing physical held the monsters, but the hypnotic resonance of her technique froze them in place.

Mei Mei dashed forward like a blur, daggers flashing. Three clean decapitations followed in rapid succession. Heads tumbled into the sea. Bodies collapsed limply as dark blood stained the waves.

Yet there were twelve in total. Nine remained, their red eyes flaring brighter. The hypnotic effect intensified, twisting perceptions. Warriors turned on each other with glazed expressions. Blades clashed against comrades in confused frenzy. "What are you doing?!" one yelled before his own ally's sword pierced his shoulder.

Vandal moved without hesitation. His gaze locked onto the largest beast, the one with a prominent fin cresting the middle of its head, the coordinator. While others fell under the spell, Vandal felt nothing. No false safety. No pull. He leaped toward it, muscles rippling with raw power.

Nearby, Karlison fought with ferocious efficiency. An amulet around his neck glowed faintly, shielding him from the hypnosis. He cleaved through two beasts, then viciously gouged out their glowing red eyes, pocketing the pearl like orbs. His face twisted with savage satisfaction as he approached Mei Mei, holding out a handful of the bloody treasures.

"For you, Captain," he said, voice laced with hope and arrogance. "They would make a beautiful necklace. Quite valuable."

Mei Mei barely glanced at them, her expression one of utter disinterest. "Only mediocre women would appreciate such vulgar trinkets. Give them to someone else."

Karlison's face darkened. Offense flashed hot in his eyes. He forced a chuckle, but it sounded strained. "If you did not want it, you could have simply said no. No need to throw insults, Mei Mei."

She offered no response, turning away from him as if he were insignificant. Karlison's fists clenched. Jealousy and humiliation simmered beneath his skin. He had always burned for her approval, yet she treated him like dirt while fawning over that white haired stranger.

Mei Mei approached Vandal instead. He had already engaged the coordinator beast. With terrifying ease, he grabbed its thick neck and snapped it with a sickening crack. The creature's body went limp before it could even strike. The remaining beasts recoiled. Red eyes widened in primal fear as they retreated toward the rails. Vandal stood amid the carnage, breathing steady, not a scratch on him.

"Are you okay?" Mei Mei asked, concern softening her sharp features. She stepped closer, her voice low. "You handled that differently."

Vandal offered a small smile, wiping beast blood from his hands. "I am fine. They were not as tough as they looked."

Sabine, watching from across the deck, felt a sharp pang in her chest. What the hell is Mei Mei whispering to him? She frowned deeply. Her earlier grief mixed with a fresh wave of jealousy. Vandal's calm smile in response only deepened the sting.

After everything they had shared, the quiet hand squeezes and the shared sorrow over her mother, seeing him connect so effortlessly with this ruthless woman ignited an uncomfortable fire in her stomach.

Mei Mei leaned in closer, her breath brushing Vandal's ear. "Your strength... it is absurd. Superhuman, even without resonance. And you are completely immune to their hypnosis. Am I right?"

Vandal's smile widened slightly. "You might be onto something. I was not even using resonance energy in those attacks."

Mei Mei's eyes widened further as she focused her senses. As Vandal had killed the beasts, she detected faint flows of energy transferring from their dying bodies into him. Dark, turbulent streams laced with negative emotions: rage, hunger, terror.

He was absorbing not just their life force, but the very emotions tied to their deaths. What kind of power is this? Shock rippled through her. No wonder his meridians had been so knotted with chaotic emotional energy when she treated him.

This ability was unprecedented, dangerous, and utterly fascinating. It explained his calm demeanor amid slaughter. He fed on the chaos itself.

The realization left her momentarily distracted. Her mind raced with questions and a strange mix of awe and wariness. He is no ordinary traveler. This changes everything.

In that split second of distraction, one of the retreating beasts lunged from behind. Its webbed claws hooked around Mei Mei's waist with lightning speed.

She screamed as it yanked her off the deck. Her daggers clattered to the wood. The creature's hypnotic red eyes flashed triumphantly as it dragged her toward the railing and plunged straight into the churning sea.

"Mei Mei!"

The deck erupted in fresh panic. Sabine's jealousy vanished, replaced by horror. Karlison roared in fury, charging forward.

Vandal stared wide eyed. His calm demeanor switched instantly to urgency as he chased after Mei Mei. By this time both she and the beast had disappeared into the sea.