GamingWolf1: If you have not read the newly updated chapter 50, please do so before reading this.
"Answer me and I'll spare them," Phan said.
Phillip's eyebrows furrowed deeper. He was in a bind. Ever since he was infected by a parasite, he fought for control and overcame it. He had received a telepathic message from the officer of Izumi ward where he lived in but didn't respond to their invitation. Had they somehow found out where he lived? Or was this a coincidence as the parasite had Phan's memories?
He felt pangs of regret because he thought he should have gone to that meeting after all. If he kept up a facade, maybe his family wouldn't be targeted.
No matter what answer he gave now, Phan would kill them regardless as Haruto and Tina were human witnesses. He knew that they wouldn't be trusted or taken captive. If they were captured, it was probably because the parasites wanted to eat them alive.
Phillip clenched his jaw and was baring his teeth.
He figured that it was most likely a bluff. Phan was trying to kill Tina before he arrived. He was probably trying to extract information before killing them all. Phan took his angry expression as a rejection of his offer.
"No matter. I was going to eat them anyway." Phan said nonchalantly.
Phillip scowled and his glare turned to one of Phan's arm which was morphed into a tentacle. Phan smiled in amusement. He had provoked Phillip but he was surprisingly in control of his emotions and Phan noticed that he was wary of his arm.
Phan's gaze also looked over to Phillip's arm which subtly twitched. Something was going on in that arm.
They both studied each other in this passing moment. Each millisecond counted. Phan had taken the knife that Phillip dropped when he retracted his tentacle and was holding it in the other hand.
Phillip was thinking about how to deal with that knife and he couldn't grab hold of another weapon since a moment of distraction could mean being whipped by Phan's tentacle.
Phan had the advantage as his melee weapon had a longer reach. Phillip sprinted straight toward Phan when he noticed that the tentacle arm got bigger. Phan was also stalling for time. He didn't know how strong the tentacle could get so he needed to rush in before Phan finished his body fortifications.
Phillip was now much faster as he had strengthened his legs, now matching Phan's speed.
The instant Phillip had charged toward him, Phan did a sweep at Phillip with his tentacle which Phillip ducked by bending forward. Phan then executed a tornado kick to which Phillip reacted in time by decelerating and leaning back. When his back realigned from dodging the kick, a tentacle was thrust towards him with a knife at its end.
Phan had switched the knife from his hand to the tentacle while he was kicking. He had aimed to pierce Phillip's head. He felt the knife pierce through flesh but there was less blood coming out than he thought. He opened his eyes in surprise.
The knife had pierced into Phillip's cheek and went out the other cheek. Phillip had narrowly dodged a fatal wound by turning his head in time. He charged forward, not skipping a beat while grabbing Phan's tentacle with one hand. Then he swung with his other arm which Phan blocked with his arm which had been morphed into a tentacle as well.
White spikes erupted from Phillip's arm and smashed into Phan's elbow. Phan had anticipated that Phillip was charging a weapon in his arm and so shapeshifted his other arm to tentacle form to cushion the blow.
Phillip grabbed onto that arm tightly with his hand from which more spikes erupted. Phan's arm was stuck as the spikes that looked like modified human bones pierced into his muscles, joints, tendons and bones, locking any movement.
Spikes also pierced Phan's other tentacle which Phillip had grabbed earlier. Bumps grew on Phillip's face from which bones gradually extruded. His torn cheek revealed his teeth. He truly looked horrific.
Phillip cocked his head back to end Phan with a headbutt.
Phan jumped and tried to push kick him away but spikes emerged from his chest and impaled Phan's feet. Phan kept pushing despite the pain until Phillip flew backwards with his arm tentacles broken off.
Haruto was completely in shock at the sight of the two. Phillip slowly stood up. More spikes erected from his skin.
Even with Phan's long-ranged attacks, Phillip would deflect some damage back onto him while he closed the distance. Phan could not counter with close-quarters combat as the spikes put him at a disadvantage. It was clear who the victor is. Yet Phan stood up without looking worried or pained.
Holes, where spikes pierced through, were being filled from flesh pushing outwards from inside. His body was healing at an incredible rate. Phillip's jaws gaped open as despair began permeating through his body, slackening his jaw.
'Why? Why does he have that ability! Does God hate us?'
"Haha, that's an impressive ability you have there. I can't wait to try it out." Phan chuckled.
Phillip got out of his daze, tightened his jaw and narrowed his eyes. It didn't matter if he wasn't going to get out of this alive. He didn't need to beat Phan. He was determined to save Haruto and his mother.
"Although... I admire your spirit. As a sign of respect, I'll show you my true face." He said as his voice began to deepen and distort.
Phan's face began changing into what looked pieces of different faces all mixed like an incomplete jigsaw puzzle until the ripples settled onto the beautiful face of a girl. No, it was probably a guy that had many feminine features. He was very good looking and he exuded a pleasant charm, but that only made him scarier.
"What! Who the hell are you!" Phillip shouted.
"Hikaru."
"What?"
Phillip was confused. He had never heard or seen of this person named Hikaru.
"I'm showing you my face because none of you will make it out alive."
Hikaru's words gave Phillip a sense of dread. His sweat went cold as if the temperature of the whole room had just plummeted.
"Haruto! Take your mum and get out of here!"
"O-Okay!"
A tentacle whipped out and wrapped around Tina as Haruto replied and flung her into Hikaru's chest. Tentacles burst out from his chest to receive Tina. They were already sinking into her skin. His absorption speed increasing with each person he consumed.
"No!"
Phillip yelled and charged at Hikaru who blew him back with a level 3 tentacle. The same tentacle that threatened to break Botan's enhanced arm, Daichi's right-hand man.