Things definitely got worse. Once the Heart-Eater had once again regained his more familiar, demonic form, he did not stop transforming.

His legs fused together, becoming one seamless entity that was covered in glistening emerald scales which elongated outwards, before curling beneath him. In just a few seconds, from the waist down his body had morphed themselves into a five metre long serpentine tail.

At the very tip of this tail was a long, needle thin spike that had razor sharp edges on either side, like the blade of a rapier. The blade glinted wickedly in the sunlight as the serpentine body curled beneath himself to brandish his new weapon.

His ribs cracked and began to visibly shift beneath his skin, shifting it as they rearranged themselves to fit his new twisted form, before erupting through his crimson skin on the sides of his torso, just below the arms.

What started out as little nubs of bones sticking out, like they were broken in a horrific accident, quickly evolved into more as the nubs rocketed outwards. Once they were fully extended, it became clear that these simple ribs had somehow transformed themselves into metre long, jointed limbs. Like spider legs made purely of bone.

Lowering his enormous body down, so that it was supported by these new legs, and gave Seth a wicked, psychotic smile before his face was covered by a chitinous plate once more. The natural plated armour manifested itself from the skin like it was nothing more than a nail growing. It covered his entire body, including his newly formed serpents tail, in layered plating of natural armour.

They stared each other down for a few seconds, many of the Gargoyles reeling in shock and disgust at the sheer sight of such a monstrosity. While some of their number had befell their fate to this wretched creature, for that is all he was anymore, they had never borne witness to this form.

For them, they simply thought he was a powerful human with wicked power. But now it seems they truly understood his words. This thing... it really wasn't human any longer. How could any human turn themselves into this and do such horrible things?

Unconcerned with the thoughts of such inferior creatures, the Heart-eater craned its head around to gaze at the castle's body behind him, as the sound of metallic clanking broke the hanging silence.

Suits of empty armour burst through a window high above the main door, as they tumbled through the air and rapidly approached the ground. Like a silver tidal wave, they poured out, a veritable army of knights arriving to slay the wretched monster invading their lands.

Some of the knights brandished swords, some maces and others spears. One particular knight even carried a flag pole, already equipped with their country's flag, that it was waving vigorously while many were armed only with their steel fists.

As soon as the first knight clattered to the ground and began to charge forward, its armour clanking like a blender full of forks, it was like an alarm clock that woke the rest of the courtyards occupants from their stupor.

All at once, everyone immediately broke into action, Gargoyles leapt onto the beast and pummelled it with their heavy stone fists or trying to pry apart its armour with their chiselled claws.

The Heart-Eater didn't take this assault lying down, of course. Well... as much as something with a snake body couldn't lay down. Its tendril arm immediately went to work, spearing the tough knife blades it had at its tips through the Gargoyles wherever it could and flinging them away like an unwanted doll.

For others, such as the more irritating Gargoyles that had dug their claws underneath the plates of its shell and were trying to peel it off its skin like ripping a fingernail off, it simply coiled its tendrils around limbs or throats like a python and crushed them to dust.

Its tail, and the blade at its tip, were not just for show either. Using it like a whip and with a single flick, it broke the sound barrier and let out a thunderous crack. The falling Knight didn't even know what hit him, before his chest plate was cleaved diagonally in half, from hip to shoulder.

The magic supporting the puppets existence collapsed as the vessel was cleft in twain, the hopeful soul within dissipating into the remnants of the armour before being greedily, and entirely unconsciously, absorbed by Seth's threads.

The whisper in his mind with every death of his volunteered soldiers, sent a pang through his heart every time. Angels voice was solemn, growing more so with every announcement, yet they never stopped announcing and continued carrying out their eternal duty diligently.

Bursting free of the confines of his stone tomb, Seth leapt from the hole he had made into the wall and dashed across the courtyard, his crimson sword held tight in his right hand while his left was tucked behind his back underneath his cloak.

As Seth made his move, the Heart-Eater, who was hunched over after crushing a knight into the ground and crumpling its armour like tin-foil, raised its head at the sound of Seth breaking free.

Although Seth couldn't see the Heart-Eaters face, he could still feel that psychotic, murderous smile being directed his way. In fact in that very second, he felt like it increased ever so slightly.

Stomping his foot against the ground, Seth stopped Corvus' approach and immediately dove to the side just before the ground where he had just about to step exploded into a hail of stone and dust.

Rolling to his knees, Seth glanced up at the sky and to the wisps that hung in the air, alongside hundreds of marble shaped droplets of blood. These blood marbles trembled in the air alongside the wisps, before starting to shift their appearance.

Like a child playing with Plasticine, the balls rolled in the air and began to elongate. Pinched at either end, they rolled themselves until they resembled hundreds of crimson needles, no more than 6 inches long, that hung in the air.

As soon as they were finished forming themselves, the needles began to plummet, shooting towards the ground like a torrential rain storm. However unlike a rainstorm, which simply blanketed an entire area, this was targeted.

Needles shot through the Gargoyles and Knights alike. One needle alone wasn't enough to destroy them, they didn't explode apart simply from being hit by a single blood needle. But dozens of needles each? That was another story.

Their bodies were punctured and peppered with holes, each hole no bigger than two fingers, but many of the less aware possessed puppets were riddled with so many holes that even His Holiness, Pope of the Holy Cheese Empire would say that is too many holes.

It was these unfortunate puppets that were the victims of this hailstorm of blood. With their bodies riddled with so many holes, the damaged vessels simply couldn't keep up with the power the Wisps were channelling into them. Perhaps if they hadn't been fresh puppets, and instead were puppets that were strengthened by Seth's [Resonant Threads] ability, they could have lasted.

But such was not the case, and thus they could not help but crumble to dust and be blown away in the wind.

Some had managed to survive, only parts of their bodies destroyed enough that they didn't completely overload and destabilise their vessels, but of this number many had simply been put out of commission. Even if losing their arms or legs felt like it was only a scratch or barely a flesh wound, it didn't stop the fact that it made it nearly impossible to fight in that condition.

Seth himself had fared much better than his army of possessed puppets. While many of them had weapons, and one had his mighty flag which was now in utter tatters, only Seth had a weapon actually capable of deflecting the needles.

But even if Seth had the capability, that doesn't mean he was perfect. You try deflecting a hailstorm with a sword if you think it's so easy.

He had deflected most of it but a few had made their way through and punched holes through his body, mainly through Corvus' legs, arms and one through his chest.

If he were alive and not a puppet in a snazzy outfit, he would most likely be dead or on the cusp of it. Losing a lung would do that to you. A curious thing to note, however, was that most of the shots directed towards his torso were made with the goal of debilitating him, not killing him.

His head, despite it being a prime location for death shots, was completely avoided, unlike the other puppets. The one hole through his chest was one of the few he actually sent towards it, but even those shots were made in particular places. Or perhaps, it would be more accurate to say that they were avoiding a particular place, his heart.

The Heart-Eater wanted his meal, after all, and it seemed he had to be alive, or at least his heart still beating, when he ate it to gain the benefits. That made the next part easier.

With every death of his possessed puppets, every wisp that had dispersed into their vessel, Seth had gained spiritual points and a surge of energy. But instead of letting that energy seep into his bones, Seth instead channelled that energy the moment it arrived.

Every single ounce of spiritual energy gained was poured into Corvus' fist, the fist he had kept behind his back the entire time. The reason for that was simple, it was glowing. The more energy he poured into it and compressed into that singular point, the more intense its glow.

He had to hide it beneath his cloak, otherwise it was obvious what he was doing. But now that the Heart-Eater had dealt this blow, Seth realised he didn't need to try to get close to him anymore. He would let the Heart-Eater come to him.

Falling to his knees, and making sure to keep his hand behind his back, Seth had Corvus pretend to be heaving deeply and coughing behind his mask. He had him clutch at his chest with his free hand, leaving his sword on the ground.

He was like a perfectly packaged meal, utterly vulnerable and helpless. He may as well just hang a sign around his neck saying 'Eat me, I'm delicious.'

It was a sight that the Heart-Eater simply couldn't resist. In his mind, this was inevitable. Nothing could stand against him, everything would fall before his divine SSS tier ability, and just become further fuel for his greatness.

The thought that he was being manipulated never came close to his feeble little mind.

But just as he was approaching Corvus, having retreated his face plate so that he could gobble up his prize, a shrill voice cried out in panic and despair.

"NO! MY LORD!"

The pair of them turned their heads in sync to the source of the voice, both experiencing an equal amount of confusion and surprise as they found a pretty young woman standing amongst the carnage, completely unharmed by all that had transpired.

A young woman who had definitely not been there moments before, as far as either party was concerned.

With a defiant look on her face, she stomped her foot like an angry toddler, as she stood to the side with a strange device held in her hand, recording everything that was transpiring.

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