Endless Debt Chapter 670 - 181: The Time of Destruction

Pushing away the steel plate pressing down on him, the wind and rain struck his body. The damp rainwater, carrying an extreme chill, crawled into his spine along his wounds. The blurred consciousness of the Scavenger Rat came awake, and for a moment, he had a genuine feeling of being alive.

The earth-shattering battle between the two Commanding School factions completely altered the terrain of this area. On the steel ruins, dim lights flickered from time to time. The Scavenger Rat held a heavy lump of gold in his arms, never expecting that he would still be alive.

"It’s great to be alive..."

The Scavenger Rat murmured, some electronic devices were still operating, and hoarse broadcasts played incessant military music. The song intermittently broke off, the previous fervent momentum was gone, replaced by a touch of sorrow, as if lamenting everything that happened here.

The storm was nearing Free Port, the sky turned grayish, terrifying air currents coiled like giant pythons across the horizon. The Scavenger Rat vaguely saw light in the distance, a corner of the dark clouds collapsed, revealing the melting orange of the sun.

The Scavenger Rat took heavy steps, bracing against the storm, struggling forward on the ruins.

The cold rain curtain obscured the view, water mist pervaded everywhere, every breath felt like swallowing ice shards.

A sharp pain came from the ankle, the edges of the broken wreckage were extremely sharp, like scattered Sharp Swords, thoughtlessly one could get cut.

The Scavenger Rat didn’t care about these, he didn’t know where to go, but he knew he mustn’t stop, a dull sound came from the heavy rain, like approaching thunder.

The Scavenger Rat forcefully scratched his ear, the congealed scab peeling off, like water filled in the ear canal being drained, the blurred sound became much clearer.

That wasn’t thunder, but footsteps, extremely heavy footsteps.

The Scavenger Rat suddenly turned his head, a pitch-black vague silhouette emerged from the rain curtain. He was so tall, like a mythical warrior, yet as he appeared in Scavenger Rat’s sight, the Scavenger Rat discovered that he, like himself, was merely human.

No...

Deep down, the Scavenger Rat knew they were outwardly human, but internally were no longer the same. Thinking of the terrifying battle just now, he couldn’t help wanting to kneel and worship him as if he were a deity.

"I understand now..."

Watching the returning Bologue, the Scavenger Rat muttered.

"I know what kind of war in this world requires warriors like you..."

Bologue didn’t understand what kind of nonsense the Scavenger Rat was talking about, nor did he care to guess. He only knew this guy was incredibly lucky to survive, and...someone was missing.

"The other one? Dead?"

Bologue asked while picking up a severed limb, it was a severed hand, with Hand Armor glistening over the flesh and blood.

The Scavenger Rat didn’t respond, simply kept his head down in reverence, clutching the blood-stained gold. Oddly, no matter how the rain washed over it, fresh blood kept oozing from the gold.

"He... he died, accidentally caught in the aftershock," the Scavenger Rat lied, "Yes, that’s it, he prophesied the destinies of many, but never his own, that’s just how unfortunate it is."

Bologue’s gaze was calm. From the first moment he saw the Scavenger Rat, he understood what had happened; he had seen such things too often in the wandering paths.

No matter how close everyone gets, even to the point of calling each other brothers, in the end, they are all just slaves to desire.

"I’m not lying, that’s how he died!"

Afraid Bologue wouldn’t believe it, the Scavenger Rat emphasized again.

"I’m not doubting you," Bologue was indifferent, "This has nothing to do with me."

Restrained by the distance of the Whistle, it’s been a while since Bologue heard Lebius’s voice, neither did he know where his leader had fought to.

"This Alchemy Armament looks quite interesting."

Bologue conversed with Aimou, her voice echoing directly in his mind.

In the previous battle with Klan, Bologue greatly relied on Aimou’s help. She acted like a backup energy source, providing Bologue with a continuous supply of Ether and tactical planning.

The idea of exploiting the sluggish nature of a broad inclination was Aimou’s suggestion to Bologue, and Bologue utilized this time difference to complete the assassination of Klan.

"From the looks of the battle, this thing can help you break through Ethereum Mutual Exclusion."

Aimou’s voice was somewhat fatigued. To counter the omnipresent steel, she remained mentally tense. Now that the battle was over, the intense exhaustion left Aimou listless. She envied Bologue at times like these, he was always full of energy.

"Ethereum Mutual Exclusion..."

Bologue struggled to pry the Hand Armor from Klan’s hand, tossing aside the severed limb, then lifted the Hand Armor to let the rain wash the blood off the metal.

Bologue was seriously planning his future advancement direction. To Bologue, the important thing now was not what he could Command, but what he couldn’t Command.

Among them, Bologue had always been intrigued by Ethereum Mutual Exclusion and Rectangular Soul Critical. The former could allow Bologue to break through an opponent’s Ether, even directly Command their weapons, while the latter could let Bologue directly burst an opponent’s body with Ether.

The Touch of Erosion greatly intrigued Bologue. After a simple cleaning, he wore the Touch of Erosion, adjusted the tightness, surprisingly it fit well.

Since joining, most of Bologue’s Alchemy Armament came from his enemies. It wasn’t that the Order Bureau didn’t issue Alchemy Armaments; often there were various issues between the Order Bureau’s issued armaments and Bologue—either they didn’t fit Bologue, or their functions overlapped.

As a result, Bologue was left with only one path: to have custom Alchemy Armaments made specifically for him. But this required a long production cycle, and Bologue himself had no ideas on custom Alchemy Armaments, so it was temporarily put aside.

The Scavenger Rat still kept his head down, mumbling to himself in a low voice, indiscernible what he was saying.

Bologue put on the Hand Armor; a glimmer moved across the back of his hand. He felt his Ether becoming agitated, more aggressive.

His gaze fell on the Scavenger Rat, whose eyes trembled as if without Bologue’s command, he wouldn’t move.

Their gazes met, and the Scavenger Rat’s body violently shook for a moment.

From Bologue’s eyes, he read that Bologue knew what the Scavenger Rat had done. The wounds on his body, bruises on his face...all proved one thing.

"He deserved to die!"

The Scavenger Rat shouted out of control, "He blocked my way, so he deserved to die!"

"Damn, ungrateful bastard," the Scavenger Rat stomped forcefully, his voice filled with venom, "I shouldn’t have saved him! He actually tried to snatch things from me!"

Bologue remained expressionless.

The Scavenger Rat calmed for a while, then laughed maniacally.

"You won’t understand, for someone like me deep in darkness, this is the only light, the only light!"

The Scavenger Rat guarded his gold, at this moment more important than his life, "I just want to live like a normal person, is that so wrong!"

Bologue never intended to judge anything, yet the Scavenger Rat had already driven himself mad.

"You don’t understand...you don’t understand!"

The Scavenger Rat roared at Bologue, his expression furious, then this scene froze into the last eternity of his life.

The moment seemed to slow down; Bologue watched as the Scavenger Rat’s features twisted, heavy metal pierced through his body, shattering his insides upon contact, the crimson blood spreading out, spraying over Bologue.

Bologue stood in place, blood dripping down his brow, the Scavenger Rat before him was no more, leaving only fragments of golden gold and bloodstains.

Seconds later, thunderous explosions erupted in the ruins behind. Flying shrapnel cut Bologue’s cheek, and the Scavenger Rat’s body and gold dissipated in the flames.

"Bologue!"

Aimou shouted in Bologue’s mind. Bologue snapped out of his shock, summoning layers of metallic barriers to cover himself. Subsequently, denser shells hurled from the sea, crashing into the wreckage, continuous explosions sound, the seashore swallowed by flames.

Several warships emerged from the fog over the near sea, like sea monsters rising from the depths. The captain’s pupils reflected the burning inferno.

"The board requires complete destruction of the Wrecked Ship Shore."

The captain ordered.

"Continue firing."