Chapter 64. Body
The branches continuously lashed out at Charles' face. However, his gaze remained locked on 096's back.
The complex weave of branches couldn't hinder the pair with enhanced physiques as they moved fluidly between the spaces and leaped from tree to tree.
"Hahahahah!!" 096's manic laughter erupted incessantly.
"Bro, this won't do. Our speeds are the same. If we continue in pursuit, god knows where it will bring us." Richard's voice sounded in their mind.
"Shut up. I know that!"
Charles kicked off against a huge tree trunk. The revolver in his hand was already reloaded with bullets. This time, he didn't aim for 096's vital spots but targeted its lower limbs. Emerging from n0v@lbin☆, this material harbors clandestine details.
Bang!
A gunshot echoed through the forest, and splinters flew as a chunk of bark near '096's right leg was torn off by the bullet. Their rapid speed and the hindrance of tree branches had Charles struggling to aim despite his extraordinary vision.
"I'll do the running, and you do the shooting." Richard then seized partial control of their body.
A gunshot rang out once more. After several missed shots, a splatter of blood suddenly burst from 096's left limb. It had been struck.
Staggering, the figure continued running, but its speed had clearly decreased.
Charles immediately lunged at it like a cheetah pouncing on its prey. With a swift circular slash of his Dark Blade, the entity's head was sent flying through the air.
Disregarding the spraying blood from the corpse, Charles triggered his Tentacle Ring, and transparent tendrils quickly coiled around the severed head and drew it to him.
The moment he saw the face on the head, his black eyes narrowed. The corpse didn't belong to any of his crew members. And the Clown Mask was nowhere to be seen, leaving only a horrifying face.
There were only four perfect, pitch-black holes where the eyes, nose and mouth should have been. The head resembled more like a skull with an eerie strangeness.
Charles turned and scanned his surroundings but couldn't spot any traces of the mask. Clearly, 096 had slipped away during the chase.
"Bro, did that mask develop some new skills? It could even eat the host's facial features?"
"I'm not sure. Let's return first. In case it has deliberately lured us away."
By this point, the crew was completely awake, and all stared at Charles in unison as they awaited his next orders.
"Can't sleep anymore? Let's move on then," Charles said.
Holding half a piece of bread in her hands, Lily approached Charles with a nervous expression, "Mr. Charles, what if that thing comes again?"
A cold glint flickered across Charles' eyes as he reassured her, "Don't worry. There won't be a next time."
Hearing the Captain's order, everyone started packing their belongings, and a cacophony of noises erupted at the makeshift campsite.
"Big guy, keep your socks properly. How did they end up in my bag?"
"Damn it, did anyone see my wine flask?"
While the ruins posed their own challenges for its trespassers, it was still better than the forests. Charles and his party stood up and trudged deeper into the island.
Charles kept himself busy while moving too. His hand flew across his notebook as he speedily sketched out a rudimentary map of the island.
Charles led his crew to move rapidly toward the heart of the island. Since there were traces of human activity on this island, then surely there was a high chance of uncovering valuable information at the island's center.
Just then, a flicker of white flashed past behind the crowd. Shrouded in the darkness, 096 had taken control of another body and its sinister gaze was locked onto Charles' figure.
By the second night, Charles and his crew had already explored more than half the island. Apart from 096 unexpectedly coming alive, there didn't seem to be anything abnormal about the island. It was like a perfectly ordinary landmass.
A cleared area had been established as their makeshift camp, and apart from those staying up for night watch duties, the rest had fallen asleep.
Dipp, who was on duty, started at the campfire as he imagined his future.
"If I become a center islander, I want to get ten wives! And one of them must be a vampire."
"Can you handle so many?" Chef Frey jested from beside him.
"Why can't I?" Dipp hurriedly defended himself.
"Nevermind, once we are back, I'll bring you somewhere, and you'll find out."
"No thanks! I was captured by a vampire the previous time because of you."
The light from the bonfire cast a shadow of Dipp that elongated and blended into the darkness beyond.
With a rusty blade in his hand, 096 made use of the man's shadow as his cover. Silently and stealthily, it moved on fours like a spider and crawled toward the makeshift camp.