Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 488: A Battle Lost in Confusion
Brull might have been passable as a leader, but when it came to actual combat, he was still painfully inexperienced.
It was true that the power granted to him by Kashchey was enough to let him control the Infected and defeat that regular army squad. But raw power alone didn't equate to combat experience—and that was something no one could simply hand to him.
As a result, his subtle attempt to release those black threads hadn't escaped Talulah's notice at all.
Just as the threads were about to crawl up from the ground and wrap around her, a scorching wave of heat burst forth from Talulah's body, cleanly vaporizing them right in front of her.
At that moment, Talulah was like a falling miniature sun, endlessly radiating blistering heat. In only a short time, the snowfield that had been howling with icy winds transformed into a muddy, swamp-like mire. The subzero temperatures—once dozens of degrees below freezing—now became unbearably hot, as if they could evaporate a person alive.
"No matter what you've gone through, or what you think you've seen," Talulah said firmly, "at least for now, I have to stop you. What you're doing is already more excessive than the people who oppress the Infected."
Whether she had finally come to some realization, or whether she was deliberately avoiding the weight of Brull's earlier words, Talulah had no intention of continuing the conversation.
Her gaze hardened as she drew the longsword she always carried and pointed it straight at the man before her.
This kind of control was something she could never accept. The Infected had been reduced to little more than beasts under his command, once they lost themselves, could they truly still be called people worth protecting?
More importantly, Talulah could hear it clearly in Brull's words: he wasn't satisfied with controlling just this small group of Infected. He intended to turn his hand against the entire movement, to control everyone and make them part of his scheme.
That alone crossed Talulah's absolute bottom line.
No matter what, she had every reason to stop him here.
The terrifying heat instantly dyed the blade of her sword crimson. Even the steam swirling around it was enough to testify to its destructive power. All the surrounding snow had long since melted, and Talulah advanced step by step toward Brull like a reaper walking out of hell itself.
Even Steven, watching from the side, couldn't help but mutter a complaint.
With Talulah in this state, if anyone touched her without permission, they'd probably turn into barbecue in seconds, right?
And if—hypothetically—someone were balls deep in her and she accidentally lost control of her powers for even a moment…
Wouldn't their dick be straight up become a roasted sausage?
Having firmly resolved that he would definitely down a few bottles of fire resistance potions before having sex with Talulah in the future, Steven casually crushed the black thread that had slipped close to him.
Then, he turned his attention back to the battle between the two figures.
Calling it a "battle" was being generous, since it was far closer to a one-sided slaughter.
With Talulah's strength, even if Brull had obtained part of that Black Snake's power and transformed into that half-human, half-monster state, it still wasn't enough to tip the balance between them.
At the very least, judging by what she was showing right now, Talulah could probably take on one of those Emperor's Blade if it's a one-on-one battle.
As for Brull… all the Minecrafter could really tell was that those black threads were a bit special—capable of controlling others, perhaps. But in terms of direct, individual combat ability, Brull hadn't been strengthened by much at all.
Or rather, even if an ordinary person had their physical abilities boosted tenfold, they still wouldn't stand a chance against Talulah, right?
In Steven's eyes, the moment Talulah made her decision to fight, the outcome of this fight was already sealed. Everything after that was just cleanup—pure garbage cleaning time.
Of course, that was assuming Brull fought her head-on, fair and square, instead of resorting to cheap tricks.
But given that Brull was now fully descended into the dark side, expecting him not to pull something underhanded felt far less likely. Steven was almost certain the guy had something up his sleeve—otherwise, the Black Snake wouldn't have placed him here in the first place.
After all, going through all that trouble just to corrupt some small fry would be laughable. That kind of planning didn't suit an old fox who'd lived for so many years.
Not every ancient being was like a certain green-haired lynx, drifting through life in a daze.
Steven was convinced things wouldn't be that simple—and reality soon proved him right.
As Talulah advanced with unstoppable momentum toward Brull, the latter desperately manipulated his threads, trying to break through her defenses. Unfortunately for him, none of the black lines even managed to touch her before they melted away midair, leaving nothing behind.
Realizing that direct confrontation was a terrible idea, Brull frowned and tried to retreat, but his speed was still far inferior to Talulah's.
If he hadn't hastily seized control of an Infected and shoved them toward her as a human shield, he felt certain he would have been vaporized by the sheer heat radiating from her body.
And it was precisely because of that moment that Brull keenly noticed a flaw in Talulah.
Even though she was completely unaffected by his abilities, and her physical and combat prowess far surpassed his own, for some reason, she was unwilling to harm the Infected under his control.
She not only dispelled the searing heat surrounding her, but also deliberately avoided the Infected's movements, giving him just enough breathing room to escape her pursuit.
"I'm starting to believe it," Brull said coldly. "Perhaps you really are someone who gives everything for the sake of the Infected."
"Unfortunately, that very conviction… has become your heaviest shackle."
Letting out a cold laugh, Brull had no reason not to exploit what he had discovered.
Without needing to give a single command, the Infected who had moments ago been fearful of Talulah's scorching heat suddenly lunged at her. Ignoring the burning temperatures that protected her, they threw themselves forward like rabid dogs, allowing the heat to sear their bodies as they relentlessly attacked her.
Talulah, caught in the middle of it all, couldn't help but knit her brows together.
She had already begun to regret not finishing Brull off in one decisive strike earlier. Now that he had surrounded himself with a mass of controlled Infected, any attempt to attack him directly would inevitably harm those caught around him.
As for the ones rushing at her now—the high-temperature barrier she had condensed around herself had lost its meaning against them. Yes, the black threads binding them would begin to melt under such heat, but before those threads could burn away, their bodies would be the first to be destroyed.
And that was something Talulah could not accept.
She had never wanted to hurt these Infected in the first place. Their actions might have represented a betrayal of Reunion, but Talulah firmly believed that this was all Brull's doing—along with the schemes of Kashchey that were lurking behind him. Most of these people, she believed, were innocent.
And so, to avoid burning them to charcoal the moment they came close, Talulah was forced to dispel the intense heat constantly radiating from her body. She could only retreat awkwardly, dodging the attacks coming from all directions.
But evasion alone was never a solution.
Especially not when there were hundreds of Infected under control.
No matter how strong Talulah was, dealing with several hundred fearless attackers charging all at once was far from easy.
These were faces she once knew. People she had spoken with, perhaps even fought alongside. Now each of them wore expressions brimming with naked killing intent, their empty, lifeless eyes overflowing with hatred so thick it felt almost tangible.
Just one look was enough to rob Talulah of the will to strike back.
No matter what, they were still her people.
As long as Brull was dealt with, they could still return to normal—back to the people she remembered.
And precisely because of that, Talulah found herself even less willing to harm them.
But refusing to fight back only meant her room to maneuver grew smaller and smaller. Attacks slipped through whenever she faltered for even a moment. Just moments ago, she had been completely overwhelming her opponent—yet now, she was like a lamb surrounded by wolves, forced to passively endure the onslaught.
Almost unconsciously, Talulah glanced to the side, toward her boyfriend, who had been watching the fight unfold.
She knew she shouldn't rely on him.
And yet, she couldn't stop herself.
But when she realized that Steven—who had been standing there just moments before—had completely vanished, Talulah seemed to understand something. A glimmer of light flashed through her eyes.
Then, after repelling another wave of attacks from the Infected, Talulah decisively reached into her pocket, pulled out a piece of candy, and popped it straight into her mouth.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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