The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 149

The demon, as if awakened by the scent of Lloyd's blood, snapped out of its lethargy and grew frenzied. The bloated mass of flesh squeezed into the narrow passage, writhing forward with a manic fervor. The sheer heat from its body caused the metal walls to glow red and melt, sending molten droplets flying—a true nightmare from the depths of hell.

"Arthur, you'd better fall back!"

The demon's aggression had clearly intensified. Twisted arms clawed at the ground, trying to drag its enormous body forward. Sharp claws sliced into the metal, pulling it inch by inch.

Finally, it burst from the passage.

For the first time, Lloyd saw the full, horrific form of the creature. It was a mass of twisted flesh, countless arms writhing and flailing wildly, covering every inch of its grotesque body. It was like a horrid nightmare come to life, from which there was no waking.

Scattered gunfire rang out. Arthur, perched above, had found a weapon from somewhere and was futilely firing at the demon. The iron bullets did little to harm it.

Thick steam obscured vision, the demon's silhouette a blurry black shape in the glowing light. Its countless arms flailed, clawing at everything within reach. Steel twisted and melted, sparking brightly.

The battle raged on. Lloyd dodged and struck back at the arms, but the severed limbs were quickly reclaimed, tossed into a gaping maw.

"How much farther?"

Lloyd shouted, struggling in the limited space.

"Almost there!"

Arthur's voice echoed through the steam. The air was scorching; this was no place for a human to fight. Suddenly, the roar of fans filled the air. Blades spun furiously, sucking away the hot steam. The ventilation system was in overdrive, pumping fresh air into this hellish arena.

Amid the chaotic noise, Lloyd saw a silver lining—the steam had cleared, and the demon stood fully revealed.

It was a sight to behold. Countless arms intertwined on its flesh, grasping each other tightly like a woven fabric. This grotesque base formed a slowly opening maw, its sharp claws serving as fangs.

In the next instant, all the arms shot upwards, accompanied by a childlike scream. Lloyd momentarily lost focus and was tackled by the demon.

"Lloyd!"

Arthur's frantic shout came, his gunfire ineffective.

Pinned under the massive flesh, Lloyd felt as though he were being smothered by a mob of rabid fans. Sharp claws scraped against his armor, emitting metallic screeches.

The countless claws slashed relentlessly at his divine armor. Initially, it held, but there were weak points. Amid the intense heat, the claws exploited these gaps. Lloyd tried to swing his sword, but his arm was pinned, leaving no room to maneuver.

A searing pain shot through his waist as a claw found a seam in his armor.

The demon seemed to revel in the taste of his blood, laughing maniacally.

"You're really... annoying!"

Amidst the writhing arms, the demon hunter locked eyes with the demon, flames of pure fire burning in the gaps of his helmet.

Lloyd roared, refusing to give in. White-hot flames burst from the seams of his armor, incinerating the claws embedded in his flesh. The arms couldn't hold the fiery ball that he had become; they fell away, turning to ash.

Seizing a brief respite, Lloyd's sword slashed down, severing the still-attached limbs. The demon hunter stepped back, his Winchester's barrel erupting in a dragon's breath.