Chapter 26: Puppet of the Great Cause

O great tree of desire, nourished by pleasure as thy fertilizer,

As thy bark grows steadily thicker and firmer,

Thy crown yearns to behold the sun from ever closer!

—From “Les Fleurs du mal,” Charles Baudelaire

A black surge gradually coated the massive frame of the Damned Odin, crawling over it and slowly swallowing it whole.

At the same time, countless dark-brown, limb-like appendages—resembling Oracle Cell tendrils—sprouted from various parts of its body. They looked uncannily like the branches of a plant.

One might have associated it with Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse mythology, growing with the Damned Odin as its nursery bed. However, the sight was far too malevolent for such a name. This was no World Tree; it was a grotesque manifestation of pure destruction.

The branches intertwined in complex layers as if possessed by a will of their own. They expanded like a web, Devouring the swarms of Aragami they lured in, converting them into nutrients to further grow, multiply, and extend the main trunk and its reaching tendrils.

"W-What is this?! My Damned Odin wasn't equipped with a function like this! What is happening?!"

Inukai trembled as he watched the transformed Damned Odin on the monitor.

"B-Bias Factor levels in the Damned Odin are rising far beyond regulated parameters! 110... 150... 200...! This—could it be... a Rampage?!"

The staff analyzed the cascading data, paralyzed with shock at the sight of such extreme, anomalous values.

The laboratory was in an uproar. Meanwhile, the Damned Odin continued to incorporate the lured Aragami swarms using its eerie tendrils, its form twisting into something increasingly monstrous.

In a corner of the monitor, a different video feed flickered to life.

"...Inukai-kun. Pray tell, what is the meaning of this?"

The figure wore a military-style surcoat. It was Gideon Wolf, the CEO of the biochemical conglomerate Echidna—the organization that had risen to power following the collapse of Fenrir.

"M-Mr. Gideon?! N-No, you have it wrong! This is an unexpected development! I will fix it... I'll fix it immediately—!"

Inukai panicked at the sudden appearance of his research benefactor.

“...Until now, we at Echidna have invested vast sums into your research... alongside our grand ideals. I had high expectations for you... This is truly disappointing.”

Gideon’s sharp, freezing gaze pierced through the monitor, pinning Inukai where he stood.

"W-Wait! Please, Mr. Gideon! Just once more! Give me one more chance—!"

Inukai pleaded, but the monitor cut to black without mercy.

His mouth hanging open, Inukai sank to his knees in utter despair. All the while, the Damned Odin’s monstrous metamorphosis continued to progress.

Extending countless tentacles, the thing continued to feed indiscriminately on the Aragami. Perhaps because of that, its body had bloated into something several times more hideous and gargantuan than before.

Tch... what the hell is this?! As if its size wasn't already a pain in the ass.

The tentacles lashed out even at me, and I swung my blade to sweep them aside. I hacked away at the waves of tentacles closing in to consume me, but they regenerated as fast as I could cut them. There was no end to it.

I unleashed a discharge of lightning to blast them away all at once, but in the blink of an eye, the tentacles reformed and came at me again.

Dammit... I'm not getting anywhere like this. If I’m going to take this thing down, I have to go for the Core.

I let out a roar, shrouding myself in maximum lightning energy before taking flight toward the beast.

Accelerating. Faster. Even faster.

I charged at full speed, aiming straight for its throat. A bolt of azure lightning tore through the swarm of tentacles, surging forward in a straight line—

Impact.

I smashed through the Damned Odin's carapace, my draconic form burying itself deep into its chest.

Just as I thought. There were still traces of the wound from my previous lightning cannon. The internal damage hadn't been fully repaired yet.

I unleashed every bit of lightning I had left.

Flesh burst and scorched, exposing the interior further. After repeating the process over and over, a round, pulsating object emerged from deep within the body.

...Found it! That’s its Core!

If I... smash this... it’s over!

The moment I felt certain of my victory—

The shattered armor and ruptured flesh transformed into a massive, gaping predatory maw.

Ah... crap...

—And just like that, the jaws snapped shut with terrifying force.