LORD AERROR OF THE FALLEN VS THE PLAGUE

CHAPTER 44

[AT THE EASTERN WOODLAND SECTOR...]

The scene shifted away from Detective Silvers and the chaos consuming Notash, moving toward the Eastern Woodland Sector, where an entirely different battle was already underway.

Lord Aerror of the Fallen stood several meters away from the individual known as the Plague. A faint smile rested on his face as his grip tightened around the hilt of his blade. His eyes remained fixed on his opponent, carefully observing every movement. Standing before him was an Ascendant Elite ranked as the Behemoth of the Eighth, one of the most dangerous assets ever deployed by S.C.U.L.A.A.R.S.

The pressure generated by their opposing presences continued to overwhelm the surrounding woodland. Neither of them moved for several seconds, yet the atmosphere between them had already become oppressive.

Then Aerror moved.

His body accelerated forward with such speed that his figure became a blur. The distance between them disappeared almost instantly, forcing the Plague to react the moment Aerror committed to the attack. Within a brief instant, the Unknown-Class had already entered close-quarters range.

Aerror had no intention of repeating his previous mistake. He had already experienced the effects of Thanatros and understood how dangerous direct physical contact with the Plague could be. Because of that, he deliberately restricted his attacks to his blade. No punches, kicks, grappling, or unnecessary physical contact. As long as he maintained distance while attacking with his weapon, he could minimize the risk of further contamination.

Aerror swung his blade horizontally toward the Plague's midsection. However, before the edge could reach its target, a dark aura suddenly spread across the Plague's body. Aerror immediately sensed the danger. The effect reached him before his blade did. A portion of his face and clothing began to deteriorate at an unnatural speed. Realizing that continuing the attack would be a critical error, Aerror abruptly aborted the strike.

His body flickered in and out of visible reality. In the next instant, he reappeared several meters above the Plague, inverted in midair. He inhaled deeply before exhaling, releasing a concentrated stream of blue fire from his mouth. The attack descended directly toward the Plague and engulfed the area beneath him. Aerror landed several meters away as the flames continued spreading across the surrounding ground, generating enough heat to transform portions of the earth into molten slag. The Plague remained standing in the center of the inferno.

Aerror watched the flames carefully.

"Never thought an Eighth-ranked Behemoth would give me this much trouble. It seems conventional attacks don't work on him."

The flames continued burning for several seconds before gradually diminishing. Aerror's expression became slightly more serious as he watched the Plague emerge from the inferno without any visible damage.

"And here I was antagonizing the Lady of Aion about her fight with the Kraken of Zall. However, I'm currently engaging three other S.C.U.L.A.A.R.S. agents as well, making him the fourth. It's only logical that I'm barely operating at full capacity."

The thought crossed Aerror's mind as he continued observing his opponent. The flames around the Plague finally disappeared, revealing him standing completely unscathed.

"Is that all, kid?" the Plague asked. "Disappointing. And here I thought the infamous Unknown-Class would prove to be more of a challenge."

Before Aerror could respond, a voice suddenly entered the Plague's mind.

"Come in, Behemoth of the Eighth. Can you hear me?"

Aerror immediately noticed the slight change in the Plague's expression. The Behemoth appeared irritated by the sudden interruption.

"What is this? I hate interruptions…" The Plague paused for a moment before recognizing the voice. "Wait. I know that voice. Sebastian."

"Ah, great. You can hear me. Excellent. That means telepathic communication has been established," Sebastian said. "So, how are you holding up against the Unknown-Class? Are you having any troubles that I should know about?"

"That's none of your business. Be quiet and let me work."

"Still crude as ever, I see. Our newfound relationship could be smooth sailing if only you weren't so brash."

"I never consented to this. Tell me how you're able to speak to me without those communication devices."

"That would be the Order of Translations. They are the same systems that were used to teleport you here. It is one of the many abilities possessed by the Church, and it forms part of the foundation upon which S.C.U.L.A.A.R.S.' state-of-the-art neural-link system was developed."

"So basically, you're spying on me?" the Plague asked. "Haven't you heard of the word privacy?"

"Rest assured, Behemoth of the Eighth. Under S.C.U.L.A.A.R.S. code, this ability is rarely used for malicious intent or espionage."

"Assurance from you? Must be real comforting."

Sebastian ignored the remark.

"Back to the Unknown-Class you're currently engaging with…"

His tone suddenly became more serious.

"I'd advise you to stop underestimating it. The very fact that it can stand within the same vicinity as you, considering the nature of your abilities, should tell you something. Don't give it time to study your ability. Eliminate the threat quickly before it has the chance to discover your weakness. We'll also attempt to re-establish the neural-link connections of the three remaining agents. Remember, this is your only chance to redeem yourself. Don't waste it. Good luck."

The telepathic connection ended.

The entire exchange had taken place without either combatant speaking aloud. Throughout the conversation, Aerror had remained completely silent. He had simply stood several meters away, watching the Plague and carefully considering his next move.

The Plague clicked his tongue.

"Tsk. He must think I'm stupid or something, trying to tell me how to win my fights."

He shifted his attention back toward Aerror.

"Where were we? Ah, yes. I'm guessing it's my turn."

The Plague suddenly moved. His body accelerated forward with a speed that rivaled the Double Step technique, leaving behind a violent gust of wind as he closed the distance between them. Aerror reacted immediately, but the Plague had already reached him. His hand seized Aerror by the face. Thanatros activated instantly.

The effect spread across Aerror's body, causing rapid deterioration that threatened to overwhelm his regeneration. Aerror attempted to break free, swinging his blade toward the arm holding him. The blade never reached its target. Before it could make contact, Thanatros spread through the weapon itself. The metal rapidly deteriorated, progressing from corrosion to complete disintegration within seconds.

Aerror's expression hardened. The Plague tightened his grip. For a moment, the Unknown-Class was completely immobilized. Aerror, a being who had spent thousands of years beyond the limits of ordinary mortality, was now being restrained by an Eighth-ranked Behemoth. The situation was an insult to the reputation he had built around himself, particularly after the confidence he had displayed toward Evelyn and the other powerful beings he had encountered.

The Plague expected the attack to end the battle. It did not. Aerror resisted the effects of Thanatros as much as he could. His existence had long since surpassed the limitations of ordinary life and death, allowing him to withstand an ability that should have ended the confrontation almost immediately. Unable to sever the Plague's arm and unwilling to remain trapped, Aerror forcibly pulled himself backward while the Behemoth maintained his grip.

The result was something the Plague had not expected. Aerror's head was separated from the rest of his body. The Plague released him, expecting the battle to be over. Instead, the headless body remained standing. Thanatros continued affecting it, but the body refused to collapse. Whatever remained of Aerror's physical form continued resisting the deterioration, even without the part of the body that should have been essential to its survival.

The Plague stared at the strange sight in silence. He had expected removing Aerror's head to end the fight. Regeneration was one thing, but maintaining control of the body after such a devastating separation was something else entirely.

"What the…"

The Plague's expression changed slightly. The Unknown-Class was unlike anything he had encountered before. But curiosity would have to wait. He had already decided to end the fight. The Plague charged toward the headless body, restraining his strength as much as possible to avoid causing further destruction to the surrounding area. His next attack was aimed directly at Aerror's remaining form.

However, the attack never reached its target. The headless body moved. And what it did next would change the course of the entire battle.