BXBX NOVEL Chapter 55: Into the Heart of Darkness
Zeus, ever observant, noticed the shift in her demeanor. He saw how her usual guarded expression softened, replaced by a subtle ease that hadn\'t been there before. A knowing smile spread across his face.
"It looks like you\'re enjoying this place," Zeus commented, his tone light but with a hint of curiosity. "It\'s almost like the volcano was made for you. Maybe it\'s connected to your mana or your cultivation manual?"
Lucy immediately shot him a sharp glare, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "And why would you care?" she retorted, her voice edged with caution. She didn\'t like the idea of anyone, especially someone she barely trusted, digging into her abilities.
Zeus raised his hands in mock surrender, the smile never leaving his face. "Relax, I\'m not trying to pry," he said, his tone now more playful. "I\'m just saying, this volcano might be a perfect spot for you to cultivate. That\'s all."
Lucy held his gaze for a moment longer, her expression still skeptical. But deep down, she knew there was truth in his words. The connection she felt with this place was undeniable. Finally, she relented with a curt nod. "I know. I\'ll cultivate later—after we deal with whatever\'s going on here."
"Okay then," Zeus replied, his tone light and easy, though his eyes remained sharp. He gave a casual shrug, but there was a hint of something more in his lingering smile, almost as if he enjoyed the subtle tension between them.
As they ventured deeper into the volcanic terrain, a palpable sense of unease began to settle over them like a heavy fog.
The air around them thickened, becoming oppressive and stifling, while a dark, malevolent aura seemed to pulse from a particular direction, guiding them like a sinister beacon.
With each step, the feeling of dread intensified. Zeus and Lucy exchanged wary glances, their instincts on high alert.
The path led them to a secluded cave near the heart of the volcano, where the atmosphere grew even darker. As they cautiously approached the entrance, a sickening stench filled the air, forcing them to suppress the urge to gag.
Inside the cave, they were met with a horrifying sight that made even Lucy, who had seen her share of horrors, frown in disgust. Her usually steely expression wavered for a moment, betraying the revulsion she felt.
A twisted figure stood in the dim light of the cave, his appearance as grotesque as the scene around him. The man\'s features were contorted, his eyes hollow with madness, and his hands were stained with blood as he worked on the bodies laid out before him.
Human bodies, stripped of life, were being dissected and manipulated like mere objects, their once-living forms now reduced to grotesque experiments.
The man\'s movements were methodical and precise, each action deliberate as he carefully assembled what could only be described as corpse puppets.
The auras emanating from these twisted creations were eerily identical to those of the villagers they had encountered earlier, confirming their worst suspicions.
The sight of the lifeless bodies, robbed of their humanity and turned into instruments of some dark and twisted purpose, sent a surge of anger through both Zeus and Lucy.
It was a scene that would make anyone\'s blood boil, and the realization that this was the work of the terrorist they had been hunting only intensified their resolve.
As Lucy took in the gruesome scene before her, her anger surged, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. The air around her seemed to crackle with barely contained rage. Zeus, sensing the dangerous rise in tension, quickly stepped in to try and calm the situation.
"It\'s clear what\'s happened here," Zeus began, his voice low and urgent. "All the villagers were killed and turned into these... corpse puppets. This man—" he gestured toward the twisted figure still engrossed in his dark work—"is planning to create an army of them."
Zeus continued, trying to keep his tone even, "And it looks like we\'ve found our target—the terrorist we\'ve been searching for."
He glanced at Lucy, her eyes burning with fury, and added, "Let\'s not rush in. We need a plan—"
But Lucy was already beyond reason. Her fury had reached a boiling point, her voice trembling with raw emotion as she spat out, "Damn it, to think he did all this... it\'s unforgivable!"
Her words were laced with venom, and her eyes fixed on the man as if she could already see him bleeding at her feet. Before Zeus could even think to restrain her, Lucy charged forward, her eyes blazing with an unstoppable determination.
Zeus could only sigh, shaking his head in frustration at her impulsiveness. "So much for planning," he muttered under his breath, resigning himself to the chaos as he followed her into the fray, ready to back her up.
Lucy and Zeus soon stormed into the cave, their entrance abrupt and forceful, sending echoes through the dark, damp chamber. The man at the center of the grotesque scene, Bork, jerked his head up from his vile work, eyes narrowing in fury as he took in the sight of the intruders.
His face twisted into a mask of rage, the shadows cast by the flickering firelight only deepening the sinister contours of his expression. "Who dares to disturb my work?" Bork snarled, his voice low and dripping with malice.
Zeus, unfazed by the sinister aura emanating from Bork, stepped forward with an air of calm authority. His voice was steady, yet there was an edge of determination in his tone.
"We\'re from the Celestial Academy," he announced, his gaze locked on Bork\'s. "And we\'re here to bring you in, Bork."
At the mention of the Celestial Academy, Bork\'s anger seemed to falter for just a moment before it twisted into a cruel, mocking smile.
His lips curled up, exposing yellowed teeth, as he let out a dark chuckle. "The Celestial Academy, you say?" he sneered, his voice thick with contempt. "You think you can catch me? I\'d like to see you try."
He spat the words out with a venomous glee, his confidence in his dark powers evident in the way he held himself, daring them to make a move. Lucy\'s eyes narrowed, her fists clenched in readiness, while Zeus stood his ground, his expression unyielding as the tension between them escalated.