135. Leitmotif

It became clear that these giant clumps were the source of the Heart of Ours 25,000 ATT.

They bombarded the city like fleshy meteors, bursting through the black haze of Shattered Dreams that enshrouded everything including the light.

The rays of light only shone whenever the meteors broke through, or whenever Res attempted to clear them out using her electric beams. The upper half of the spire remained hidden from plain sight.

Craters of red mist remained. Pieces of the walls were ripped straight from their foundation, showering the world beneath in debris. The helpless souls could only stand there and watch their impending demise.

The termite mounds collapsed like dominoes, and the exploded chunks of hearts were recycled by the same reverse rain that dragged them into another array of spherical, pulsating clumps.

There was a metaphor in there somewhere. There had to be. For every action there was a meaning, especially when it came to the Corrupted. But if Leitmotif was the one controlling the attacks, then the motivation behind this action confused Frost.

She was under the impression that Leitmotif was searching for more Instruments. It made no sense for him to start killing them off unless he no longer had a need for them. Regardless of his motivations; it did not change that he needed to be killed.

Unforgivable…

“BHODIE! WE’RE HEADING INTO THE TOP LAYER! START GETTING EVERYONE OUT OF HERE WHILE WE DEAL WITH LEITMOTIF!” Frost commanded as they clambered onto the final wall, watching the world around them crash and burn. “Tch! And they’ll still find a way to blame me for all of this.”

“This attack wasn’t mentioned in the reports!” Res announced, fighting with the utter cacophony that rendered the music near inaudible. “Most of it was the heart aching effects and the heart bouncing disease!”

The Instruments still sung their song despite the calamity. They were whipped into total submission till death claimed them.

Frost could not wait to get her hands on that musician, and that fish.

Her tentacles folded down into a giant tail to reduce her surface area as they scaled the walls. Stray meteors were whipped, bitten, clawed, and zapped by electrical attacks as Jury sprung from ball to ball, seemingly teleporting before their very eyes. 200 AGI was ludicrous.

Also, Ignis had an ingenious way of combating the Collective Leap. But first she had to ask Frost just what the hardest part of the body was, or at least the strongest to manipulate.

She planned to create an extension of herself to swat the balls out from the sky.

Naturally, that was the Musculoskeletal system, which was essentially the umbrella system of both the skeletal and muscular systems. As obvious as it should’ve been, Frost could not judge someone who was essentially a child. Not to mention that much of Elysia was ignorant of the body and its functions in the first place.

Ignis didn’t think twice and used her most powerful skill.

[Extended System]. This encompassed 12 major body systems. There were 11 from what Frost knew, but the 12th was the umbrella Musculoskeletal.

This was what Ignis utilized at every step of the way, hence her flesh and bone-made blade. It required over 5,000 points of biomass, which was 10 times that of the simpler [Weaponized System – Musculoskeletal].

“She’s curious about your world. How can complex knowledge like that be considered normal?”

Getting there was hell even for my world. We don’t have healers so that knowledge became a necessity, rather than an accessory. But if you go back far enough in Earth’s past then you’ll find so much brutality. Trust me. It makes the Scarlet Healer’s methods look like a joke in comparison.

Frost was uncharacteristically hypercritical of Earth’s development. Or rather, she was highly tuned to the concept of civilization itself thanks to the Civilization Affinity. It made Ignis stare back at her for a moment.

She could have sworn she saw her smile.

Ignis was now primed for the task ahead having accumulated a surplus of biomass.

“Give her as much clearance as you can!” Nav warned.

“Don’t get close to Ignis!” Jury relayed as they reached the final stretch of the final wall. “She has a giant attack ready! Don’t get caught by it!”

“Show us what other secrets you’re hiding behind that cute and scary face!” Cer urged her on as Ignis positioned herself ahead of the group.

Once near the wall’s summit, Ignis visually warned them with a controlled burst of steam.

It vented through every pore in her body right before the steam suddenly engulfed her entire body. Then, it enshrouded the upper portion of the wall. The superheated cloud damaged them but only minimally.

It became impossible to detect the crashing meteorites, though that mattered little now.

A looming shadow waved within the plumes of steam. The silhouette of something massive emerged from Ignis’ small body. Frost held her breath instinctively as the last dozen meters approached. The heartbeats of the others travelled along her tentacles with resounding thumps as the steam paved way to a massive, colossal skeleton dipped in layers of sinew and muscle.

The sheer weight alone was impossible for Frost to handle, causing Ignis and the giant upper half of the skeletal entity to topple over into the 6th layer. But she did not crash into the innocent lives underneath.

What prevented this were columns of bones, which impaled the ground far beneath and held it in place.

These stilts were unbelievably thick, and they pivoted around as they hung Ignis in the air. Protruding from her back was an enormous skeletal being that carried the eyeless skull of a human. Attached to it was the body of a spider, armed with a pair of massive arms that reached into the sky and began swatting the balls away with tremendous power.

Every movement caused the air to shudder as steam shot from the connective sinew.

Frost could only imagine the sight that the Instruments were greeted to. There was no way it inspired them with hope. Fear easily gripped them, causing them to scatter along with the Suppressors and Depravers,

Fear festered in the hearts of the Corrupted. It could only be mended by the diabolical Unwilling Unity Corrupted attack.

The Breathless were an odd creature that offered nothing save for their stats. Etched Coin only stole Beaten Desires, and she gained no extra ability from them.

They solely existed to be eaten.

By now the bonus stats granted by Frost’s stolen version of Beaten Desires reached 200 across the board, save for RESIST and AGI.

“Look at that! Not bad Ignis! Show them what a level 160 ex-Corrupted’s all about!” Cer shouted in excitement, bathing in the glory of Ignis’ power. “Yeah. Keep running! Didn’t think you’d be up against more than just 3 Moons and the Amalgam!”

“That’s still a Demi-human? Aha… Ahahaha. Look at how high we are! They all look like ants!” Poena cackled. “None are getting hurt anymore. So sad. [Cleanse]! [Cleanse]!”

They fell from their tremendous height and entered the final layer with a tremendous crash.

Bhodie was no more than one of the ‘ants’ in the footsteps of these giants. But they were not as cruel as their opposition to trample on them. Ignis remained connected to her 40-meter construct and defended the city with a pair of skeletal hands.

They exceeded one hundred meters in length.

“Meateor shower…”

Nav, there’s a time and a place to crack puns! NOW ISN’T ONE OF THEM!

They took a split second to scan their surroundings. As anticipated, the 6th layer’s Instruments were named the Soprano, and consisted of only women. Their singing and screaming voices were pitched so highly that it caused their ears to ring.

They were Bhodie’s problem now.

“That’s the central dome ahead!” Frost beamed her glowing eyes towards the direction of the single largest structure in the city.

It was like a stadium, and it spanned over a few hundred meters.

Beautiful emerald marble glistened to what little light peered through the darkened clouds above. The structure strongly resembled the baroque style of architecture as vivid imagery of musical notes and chiseled statues littered its foregrounds; all made in the image of a single figure.

It was of Leitmotif, no doubt.

He was far more disgusting than she realized.

“Bhodie. Start getting everyone out of here! I don’t care how you do it, but we’re counting on you!”

“It will take a bit! Please take care of the monsters! And remember that we’ll be in the mud of your feet!” Frost released Bhodie to do her work.

While she didn’t know how quickly the Painted would be able to clear out the 6th layer, Frost had no choice but to take the plunge and entrust this mission onto her.

Because if she didn’t stop Leitmotif then countless more would perish to the Heart of Ours.

The Nex Megalopolis was the next target.

The group pushed forward alongside Ignis’ massive skeletal form. Frost viscerally imagined the catastrophe that would inevitably follow in Leitmotif’s footsteps if he reached the Golden Index.

Everyone she saved would lose their new homes all to that one selfish insect.

Her emotions were bellowed by the thought. It was a miracle that she had yet to reach the Fourth State. She had to wonder just what sort of emotional storm was needed to reach that level.

They slipped through the mounds and entered a clearing populated by nothing but Leitmotif’s statues. Frost, out of sheer spite, thrust her Touch of Golds into every direction and swiped them, devouring them in the process.

Ignis did the same as her legs scuttled with them, crushing whatever Corrupted entity dared to tread in her path.

Not a single crumb of Leitmotif’s existence was to be spared, whether it be his body or his belongings.

“How miserable are you? To face one lone orchestrator with your unmelodic ensemble. Do you see the disharmony you have caused to our homes!? This heart of mine will show you the error of your aspirations!”

Frost salivated at the thought of eating this foe. Her rapidly accumulating emotions whetted her appetite to no end. It had been a while since she was afflicted by this primal drive.

< [Beaten Desires] >

< [Shattered Dreams] >

The combined attack instantly cladded their vision in darkness. But no matter how many times they were engulfed by this jet of darkness; it would be cleansed away by the light of their strength.

The heart ache they experienced was tremendous now.

Moving their legs became difficult, as did breathing. But none dared to surrender to their pains. Every single one of them had gone through a nightmare that led them to where they were now. Their convictions in their hearts, their courage and sacrifices that needed to be made just to exist were not going to be toyed with.

< “Every waking hour was spent listening to their voices. Every sleeping hours was spent listening to their hearts. Civilization prospered, but we did not.” >

“And you think your ‘harmony’ is going to help the Nex Megalopolis!? By killing Carpalis!?” Frost roared as they climbed one last stretch of pearlescent stairs, dashing through pillars of marble as Ignis followed, her bony legs ploughing straight through the ceiling.

The tethered Touch of Golds severed the walls, pillars, and everything they touched like a wire pulled through cheese. This place was destined to be destroyed if an all-out battle were to take place.

“It is not harmony! It is our symphony! Have you no sympathy for us!?”

“Sympathy? For what? Pretending that the world is against you because no one wants to acknowledge your music!? Do you even know why!? Look at how much you’re hurting them!” Frost spited his audacity.

Eventually, the ground became a uniform black and green-checkered floor, which led to a grand auditorium that appeared far larger than it should have.

“This looks familiar.” Ber noted.

“It’s like the reception of Act X but it has elements of ImpulseWorks written all over it.” Res uttered in surprise. “… and they wouldn’t fill their stages with people either. Not the Act X we know. This reeks of ImpulseWorks.”

“Look at how decorated they made everything. Aren’t you trying too hard!? Stealing skills and tech wasn’t enough for you thieves, huh!?” Cer shouted, grinning at this bizarre discovery.

“ImpulseWorks still uses this sort of decoration? With all the marble? I thought they were lewder now.” Ponea was deaf to the situation and rambled on about their perverseness.

It was difficult for Frost to imagine an Atelier that focused on… well, those kinds of desires.

“Hello again, Mr. Leitmotif~! Can you let me heal your brain again? It still sounds like it’s still damaged.” Ponea hummed.

“Repulsive. The Scarlet Healer was in your possession as well. What a diabolical existence. A murderous healer, much like yourself. That is true disharmony. The unfairness that we must all deal with. Demi-humans becoming Moons? The agonized few becoming Blessed by that floating rock?”

A disgusting, disfigured figure stood in the center of the vast stage. He was like a human stuffed inside the carapace of an insect. Parts of his human self could be seen exposed from various chinks in his exoskeleton.

Leitmotif
Maestros of Flesh
< Vocal Conducting Star >
LEVEL : 150     ORIGIN : Impuritas     HP : 25,000     ATT : 1,600     MAG ATT : 400
ATT DEF : 2,200     MAG DEF : 2,200     MP : 32,000     RESIST : 150     AGI : 50

“And more so with you, Amalgam, who can manifest the Corrupted that we so deeply wish to become!”

Leitmotif spoke whilst outstretching his arms as if presenting a beautiful song. Frost felt sick to her stomach to hear that this insect wished to become a Corrupted.

Or as he called it, the truest him.

“Ignis wants you to hurt him. No one should have to experience becoming a Corrupted. It makes no sense to her why someone would want to become one. That true self isn’t right. It’s a twisted version. As the Scorched Girl, all the worst parts of her were set alight for all to see.”

Ignis, deep down, was a sincere girl. But because of her grievances, she became a literal representation of someone who burnt or hurt everything she touched. While it was true according to her past, it was but one section of a greater whole.

Maybe… the Realization criteria was all about countering a person’s self-destructive nature or thoughts. To make them realize that they were better. But Jury’s case was strange, and Snap also didn’t really fit in this category.

Not that it mattered now, because even if Frost was given the chance to help Leitmotif realize himself, she wouldn’t. Not after everything he’s done. As forgiving as she believed herself to be, Frost had zero tolerance for people like him.

There was no salvation left for him.