The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 360: Pride Flowers

Chapter 360: Pride Flowers

Before Crimson Bee could take more than a few more steps, someone quickly rushed up to him and grabbed him by the shoulder, throwing him backward. It was Vermilion Bird.

Rather than rushing toward the unknown creature, Vermilion Bird ran up to Crimson Scorpion, who had already become a ‘flower man’, and touched something by his waist, pain and guilt flashing through her face.

“Hah!”

With a yell, she lifted the man with both hands, putting her back into it, before hurling him toward the unknown creature.

The body fell toward the creature slithering through the flowers. Although it hadn’t hit the creature directly, it blew up as soon as it landed.

Boom, boom, boom—

All explosives on Crimson Scorpion blew up at the same time, the powerful shockwaves throwing everyone off their feet, and all that was left in the part of the garden was a large crater.

A few seconds later, they picked themselves up.

“Brother...” Crimson Bee wailed. He didn’t blame Vermilion Bird for being cold. In fact, he would very likely have been killed by the creature if Vermilion Bird hadn’t stopped his reckless move.

But he was heartbroken. Crimson Scorpion had died with his body blown to ashes. He didn’t even get to see his brother off properly.

The explosion had rendered countless sunflowers to pieces as well. The embers scattered in the sky.

Standing amid the fire, members of Team Vermilion Bird looked toward the same direction.

Although the enemy hadn’t died, they—she had been forced to show herself.

It was a woman wearing a dress of flower patterns. She was old, ancient even, with layers of wrinkles and silver white hair put up with a hair pin and adorned with a small red flower.

She hovered in the air, or it would be more accurate to say that she was standing on her toes atop an erected pillar of sunflower stems.

She looked elegant and at ease. Vermilion Bird could picture the beauty she used to be.

“Shadowstalker?” Vermilion Bird struck up a conversation.

“I am,” the old woman said quietly, her deep-set eyes light blue. “Surnamed Miao with no first name. My ability is Pride Flower. Young ones who knew their etiquette called me Grandma Miao...”

Her eyes darkened as butterflies, bees, and dragonflies of different kinds appeared around her, among which were deadly killer bees and hornets.

“Hoho, it seems you need to be taught some manners.”

With a faint smile, Miao opened her hands, and countless sunflowers rose up from the blood fog, the flowers turning into armor and donning Miao to turn her into a flower fairy.

The leaves and stems of sunflowers spinned at high speed around her like razors, rendering the countless insects into pieces.

In an instant, the dense swarm was exterminated.

She didn’t stop there. The leaves around her continued to spin, conjuring a green tornado with her at its eye.

The tornado descended from the sky, sweeping toward Vermilion Bird and the others.

“Ugh...”

Amon had retrieved her boomerang. She lowered herself and concentrated her power, planning to make a full-power throw.

Vermilion Bird quickly came up to her and put a hand on her right arm. “Equivalent Exchange!”

Suddenly, Amon’s right arm was rejuvenated with new power, making her three times stronger.

Huh?!

Amon didn’t have the time to think about it.

With a shout, she continued to concentrate her power.

“Bee Venom!”

Crimson Bee rushed up and raked the blades of the boomerang with the stings morphed from his fingernails, applying potent poison.

His Talent was Bee Venom, serial number 80, Poison-type.

His nails could transform into stings and apply poison by stinging his target, and he could generate venom to induce paralysis, illusion, poison, or madness.

“Die!”

Amon threw the boomerang.

Swoosh!

Like the rotor of a helicopter, the giant boomerang spinned quickly while generating great currents and offensive power, flying toward the green tornado above.

Made of Black Gold, the boomerang was much sturdier than any vegetation, and with Amon’s Arm Strength increased three times in effectiveness, the boomerang tore through the tornado nonstop, heading toward the figure at its center.

In the crimson night sky, the giant boomerang bisected Miao’s body.

Did they win?!

Everyone looked up at the sky to confirm the enemy’s death.

“It’s a substitute!”

Vermilion Bird was the first to realize that something was amiss. When the boomerang cut through the figure, there had been no blood.

Indeed, they saw soon that the figure cut in half was but a straw man consisting of the stems and roots of sunflowers.

“Help, help...”

Vermilion Bird whirled around. Ten meters from her, Grass blanched with eyes wide with terror.

At some point, Miao had shown up behind Grass.

She leaned in. Her face, all loose skin and age spots, was right by Grass’ ear, and her mummy-like right hand rested on her shoulder.

“Don’t fear death, young woman. Beauty is everlasting.”

Countless crimson lilies bloomed from Grass’ body.

“Grass!”

Colorless growled in fury, eyes shooting dagger at the pride monster behind Grass.

Her red hair flew back as red spots appeared in her eyes, and her canthi began to bleed. She had pushed her willpower to 200%!

Petrify, at full power!

Miao’s old face shuddered violently as she sensed a deadly psychic attack entering her brain through her eyes, almost distinguishing her consciousness.

While she was old, though, her willpower was no lesser than that of Colorless.

She defended against the first psychic attack and quickly closed her eyes, cutting the contact to decrease the effect of Petrify. At the same time, she sent Grass flying toward Colorless with a wave of her hand.

That distracted Colorless for a moment, and her Petrify let off slightly, allowing Miao to take cover in the sea of flowers.

“Watch out!”

Vermilion Bird rushed to tackle Colorless, holding onto her waist and bringing her five to six meters away.

Boom!

Grass’ body exploded, sending countless blades of flowers and leaves flying, as well as organs, bones, and flesh. The destructive power could rival that of a hand grenade.

“Keep it occupied for five seconds!” Scarlet Fox shouted. “Leave the rest to me!”

Vermilion Bird’s eyes glinted. They only had one option. It was Vermilion Bird and Scarlet Fox’s trump card.

“Colorless, would you mind being unconscious for the next month?” Vermilion Bird asked icily.

“As long as I can kill this damn hag, I’ll be willing to sleep for a year, let alone a month!” Colorless’ sole purpose now was to avenge her companions.

Vermilion Bird reached out to place a hand on Colorless’ forehead. “Equivalent Exchange!”