Everyone Is A Lord: My Talent Is A Little Too Strong Chapter 2573: 1418: Memories of the Old Wandering Poet (Part 2)

"However, just as our group was brimming with hope, having traveled only a hundred meters and not yet reaching the threshold of the ruins, a sudden and horrific transformation took place."

At this moment, Old Nick swallowed hard, his frame once again wracked with uncontrollable tremors. It was evident he was reliving a nightmare, as his lips took on a sickly bluish-purple hue.

Observing this, Leo Ray promptly signaled Xiaoyue to provide healing. After a few moments, the man finally regained his composure.

"My thanks to Your Majesty!"

Old Nick offered a respectful bow to Leo Ray, though his eyes quickly glazed over once more as he returned to his memories.

"Without any warning, a nearby subterranean river began to churn violently, looking as if it had reached a boiling point in an instant."

"Before we could even process what was happening, the once-clear water became choked with sand and silt, turning murky amidst intense bubbling and surging."

"Then, something truly monstrous occurred. The thick, muddy water began to writhe and coalesce with an unnatural rhythm, as if it were gestating some form of life."

"This metamorphosis happened with lightning speed. By the time I recovered from my shock, the twisting fluid began a strange process of crystallization, rapidly becoming smooth and polished, resembling fine marble or the skin of a newborn."

Old Nick’s complexion paled further, and he shivered as his description continued.

"As that eerie fluid twisted and crystallized, numerous brown, terrifying spheres began to manifest in the air, each one taking a distinct shape!"

"These horrifying brown orbs were roughly the size of a human skull. Their surfaces were incredibly flat and smooth, yet their entire forms were semi-transparent, filled with a frantic swirl of muddy brown liquid and brown energy."

"Within that racing internal fluid, one could faintly discern strange crystal clusters vibrating rhythmically like internal organs. It was undeniable proof that these bizarre entities were some kind of terrifying and mysterious life forms."

Wrapped in the gentle golden radiance of Xiaoyue’s magic, Old Nick trembled as he drained his tea. With a shaking voice, he added, "To put it simply, those things looked like... like..."

"Like some kind of grotesque eyeballs?"

Before Old Nick could finish, the Grey Elder blurted out the question, asking, "Old Nick, did they resemble bizarre eyeballs floating in the sky?"

"Chairman, how could you possibly know?!"

Old Nick was stunned for a second before nodding frantically in confirmation. "Yes, that is exactly it! They looked just like bizarre eyeballs!"

"Your Majesty, could this be..."

Upon hearing Old Nick's affirmation, the Grey Elder turned to Leo Ray, his aged face etched with gravity.

During the conflict at the Dragon Nest, whether it was the parasitized puppet dragons or the foes described by Old Nick, the encounters had left a deep, permanent mark on the old chairman who had fought by Leo Ray’s side.

After all, back then, those relentless enemies had nearly pushed their forces to the point of total annihilation.

"Indeed. Though the color and location are different, there is no doubt that this is 'Corrosion,'" Leo Ray replied with a slight nod, confirming the Grey Elder's fears.

At these words, not only the Grey Elder, but also Ariel Watson, Gael, and Kelsey—all of whom knew the history of that battle—felt a chill run down their spines, their expressions turning grim.

Leo Ray exhaled a slow, heavy breath and nodded toward Old Nick. "Your Excellency Nick, please continue your tale."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

Sensing the mounting tension in the room, Old Nick focused all his will to steady his mind and dove back into his past.

"The number of those strange brown eyes continued to grow until they were densely packed. They caught our group of little people by surprise, surrounding us entirely. A wave of unspeakable hostility radiated from them, making us feel as though we had been plunged into an ice cave."

"Faced with such a bizarre and terrifying situation, the mercenaries reacted quickly, shielding the little people and the archer in the center. The two Tier 3 elite mercenaries let out a battle cry and charged forward with gritted teeth, determined to carve a path of survival through the enemy."

"However, the events that followed left everyone there shaking with horror."

"Just as the two elites reached the brown eyes with their blades drawn, a burst of light erupted. Countless brown tendrils, resembling tentacles, suddenly exploded from the lower half of those creatures, blotting out the light."

"These brown tendrils lashed out with incredible velocity, wrapping around the two elite mercenaries before they could even blink, forming massive cocoons around them."

"I must say, it was the most gruesome sight the little people had ever witnessed."

"Once the cocoons were sealed, the tendrils began to thrash wildly in the air, as if celebrating a joyful melody. Each tentacle was etched with complex, sinister patterns. The little people were so overcome with terror that they grew dizzy and nearly fainted; some even felt a warm trail of urine running down their shaking legs."

"Despite the fear, the little people forced themselves to stay conscious. They gritted their teeth and, alongside the remaining mercenaries, launched an attack to save their comrades."

"But whether it was the little people’s elemental bullets, arrows, or swords, nothing could damage those horrific foes. The enemies didn't even bother to retaliate, as if they were merely teasing ants. Eventually, the little people watched as the two large cocoons shriveled rapidly, leaving nothing behind but a pool of black liquid."

Old Nick's body began to shake violently again, his teeth clattering as he spoke.

"Soon after, the rest of the mercenaries were seized by those frenzied tendrils. The sounds of hysterical screaming and the wet squelching of the tentacles filled the air until only the little people remained."

"Just as the little people prepared for the tendrils to take them, the brown eyes stopped moving, as if they had grown bored of that method of killing."

"This time, as every brown eye focused on the little people, a tiny white speck appeared on each creature, like a pupil forming in a dead eye."

"The moment the little people looked into those eyes, a coldness like no other pierced their hearts, freezing their very blood. it was an absolute, paralyzing terror. The strange eyes seemed to grow to an infinite size while the little people felt themselves shrinking into insignificance, like tiny insects."

"It felt as though those beings could see through everything. They seemed like supreme gods who could annihilate the little people at any second. They looked down on us with nothing but pure disdain..."

Old Nick began to tremble so forcefully that the chair beneath him rattled against the floor.

"That is enough, Lord Nick. You don't need to describe that sensation any further. You survived, and your courage is something we all respect," Leo Ray interrupted, offering comfort before glancing at the Grey Elder.

The feeling Old Nick was describing was clearly that primal dread that goes beyond the fear of death.

Leo Ray remembered that exact sense of overwhelming trepidation from the Battle of the Dragon Nest.

Back then, even Tier 5 experts and half-step Tier 6 powerhouses like Louise were shaking so hard they could barely think. It was no surprise that Old Nick, who was only at the Tier 2 Peak, had been driven to madness by it.

“But how did he actually escape the clutches of 'The Corrosion'? And where did he learn of the term 'The Cataclysm'?”

As these questions crossed his mind, a look of confusion appeared on Leo Ray’s face.