The strands of energy absorbed from the earth by the black mist grew more intense. Where they were standing right now as well, they could see how the energy was being absorbed upwards from their feet.
All of that creates a very horrific scene. They saw, slowly, a certain doom before their eyes.
The scope of the black mist seemed limitless and filled the horizon. They could no longer see the sky that was usually above them. There was only an existence that was devouring everything they saw.
Suddenly, Clyde jumps on the roof. His sudden action took the others by surprise after being frozen in terror for too long.
"What's wrong, Clyde?!" Asqa asked in a loud voice full of anxiety.
Clyde landed on the roof. He looked up at a point that seemed no different from the black mist around him. However, Clyde realized something.
"The monster appeared," said Clyde.
They all heard Clyde's answer. They jumped onto the roof of the house and stared where Clyde was staring.
"I saw nothing but black mist," Mona said.
"No," Rodney said. "Look closely."
So they all focused their eyes better in that direction. Soon, they could see that there were wisps of tendrils moving behind the black mist.
"Oh shit," Reed muttered in a trembling voice.
What they were waiting for finally came out. It was obvious that the form behind the black mist was a collection of tentacles.
"How big is that monster actually?" Clyde asked without taking his eyes off what he saw up there.
"Too big for us to handle. We didn't even get to see its entire form before we died," Rodney replied.
"It's even possible that the monsters haven't finished descending when we die," Mona added.
Clyde drew his Elderglass Sword. His movements still looked confident as if he didn't feel any fear. The others looked at him with increasingly confused looks.
Not long after, the black tentacles got bigger because they got closer to the earth's surface.
Its form is almost similar to The Devourer's tentacles. However, there are colorful strands along the tentacles that come from the energy in the earth that it absorbs.
Immense pressure was coming to the Players as the tentacles drew closer. The pressure made them groan and had difficulty breathing.
"Get ready!" Clyde said.
"You're really going to attack it?!" Sonya asked in disbelief.
"What else can we do?" Clyde said rhetorically.
Then he took the Nightmare Orb from his Inventory. The rest of his group stared at the palm-sized orb that had suddenly appeared in his hand.
"What's that?" Sonya asked.
"Something that can hurt the monster," answered Clyde.
Clyde then crumpled up the Nightmare Orb. A moment later the orb shattered and a gray mist shot out.
The gray mist swirled around for a few moments before finally sinking into the bodies of the seven of them.
The seven players felt an unfamiliar and strange power enter their bodies.
The foreign power flowed and made their bodies feel heavier. But the new load is not a problem for those who already have Stats maxed out.
Clyde also felt his body suddenly become a little heavier. But, he was sure it would not be a big problem.
Rumbling sounds that seemed to occur from all directions were heard. They all looked up and saw that the mass of tentacles was descending faster than before.
"W-What did you just give us?" Reed asked, dumbfounded.
"I told you, it's something that can make us hurt the monster," said Clyde. "Watch out!"
Suddenly, a tentacle shot down towards them. The tentacles the size of a train fell at an incredible speed.
Luckily Clyde warned them in time or their bodies would have been crushed under the tentacles.
They scatter in time in different directions. Clyde didn't waste much time and immediately shot back toward the tentacle after successfully dodging it.
'For this time, I don't need to hold back!'
[ Pure Lightning (Lv. 10) is activated! ]
Bluish-white lightning enveloped Clyde's entire body. In the blink of an eye, he was next to the tentacle, within striking distance of his sword.
Clyde channeled Magic Power into the Elderglass Sword and swung it with all his might. The blade slashed through the tentacle that was the size of a train and pierced through it.
Clyde put more power into his swing. The bluish blades of the Elderglass Sword that were electrified by the lightning went deeper and deeper into the tentacles.
Clyde's lightning also spread further and further into the tentacle to erode it from the inside.
Then, something surprising happened.
The giant tentacles were cut by Clyde's slash. The tip of the tentacle falls down while the base rises again.
The strangely loud growl sounded again. Clyde landed back on the ground after successfully cutting the tentacles and looked up.
And Clyde saw it. A pair of eyes that came from far away and looked so ancient were staring at him from behind the black mist.
On the other hand, the Regressors were staring with shock very clearly on their faces.
"H-How..." Reed was speechless. His ability to speak suddenly disappeared when he saw what Clyde had just done.
His Regressors friends felt the same way. They were astonished, and couldn't believe what they were seeing.
The figure they were so afraid of seemed impossible for them to touch, Clyde had just cut it with his own strength.
Rodney gritted his teeth. He didn't know if Clyde could do that because he was so strong, or because of the power of the orb he had just broken.
If indeed he could cut the tentacles due to the power of the orb, then they could too.
However, there is still a possibility that Clyde can cut it because his strength is so powerful.
Clyde only said that with the orb they could hurt the Outer God. Not directly able to kill it. Then how much damage they could deal to the Outer God was probably still based on their strength.
'I still have to be careful of him,' thought Rodney.
Then Rodney drew his sword as well. "You've seen for yourself that we can injure it now. Then there's no point in being scared anymore!"
Reed, Mona, and Eric swallowed their saliva. What Rodney said was indeed true. Now, they had hope of defeating the monster that had become their scourge.
So, this is the time to fight. And get revenge for the suffering that Outer God caused them.
Eric, Mona, and Reed charged to follow Rodney who had run first. Leaving Sonya and Asqa behind them.
Sonya and Asqa looked at each other.
"We just have to do what we usually do, right?" Sonya said while raising her rifle.
Asqa took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right. After all, we've been at it for four days."
Sonya started aiming. She also felt a new power gathering within her body. She drew that new power to become one with the rifle she was holding.
Surprisingly, the rifle that comes from future technology absorbs her power well.
Asqa looked at the situation while trying to think when was the right moment to enter into the fight.
Meanwhile, the Outer God began to lower those giant tentacles again. This time it deployed three tentacles at once.
"What is happening?!" Luccio jumped off his couch while staring at the monitor screen with a frown. His eyes gave off a cold green light.
Agatha who was next to him also felt her chest beating fast. She had expected that Luccio's reaction would be like that.
Luccio turned to Agatha with those green eyes. Agatha swallowed hard and winced.
"Did you do something while I was away?!" Luccio asked in a sharp, threatening tone.
"I didn't do anything, senior," Agatha replied in a tone and expression that she made as calm as possible. And she managed to act well.
Luccio stared at her for a few moments, trying to find any traces of deceit on her face. However, he did not find it.
"Then how can you explain what's happening now?" Luccio pointed at the screen showing the players fighting the Outer God's tentacles.
"Perhaps, one of the Celestials met him in secret while you were away, Senior. Then whoever that Celestial was, they gave Clyde clues about the whereabouts of the Nightmare Orb," Agatha answered.
To be honest, Agatha was a bit surprised too. She wasn't completely lying when she said that Clyde knew about the Nightmare Orb item from the Celestials.
Clyde just asked her about the treasure box so she said it. But before that, Clyde already knew that in the treasure box, there was an item that could turn their situation around in an instant. That is the Nightmare Orb.
"Damn Celestials! They messed up my plans again!" Luccio shouted full of frustration. He even pulled his own hair.
The sight was something that greatly comforted Agatha. Especially because she was one of the people who had caused that frustration.