Ark Chess Player.

"Oops--"

Natalie's eyes widened suddenly. The pure white dagger in her right hand shattered into countless shimmering blades as she severed Irie's artery in her arm. This meant that her carefully maintained defenses had been breached, exposing a fatal weakness.

boom! !

Natalie managed to entangle all the condensed magical threads in front of her before being struck, but even so, she couldn't stop it.

Faintly, the sound of bones cracking echoed in my skull.

Natalie felt as if she had been hit on the back of the head with a heavy hammer. Her vision blurred, her breath was filled with the smell of blood, and everything in front of her was blood red.

When she came to her senses, she found herself rolling and falling to the ground.

Her weapons case was thrown open in the impact, scattering her carefully maintained scalpels all over the ground, covered in mud and dust.

This is a good thing.

This meant that with the weapon in hand, she still had a chance to fight. But unfortunately, Natalie had no strength left. Her right arm was in so much pain that she could barely feel it, her left hand was trembling with fear, and her whole body was soaked in sweat.

Wait, my right hand… Natalie turned her head with all her might and saw the gruesome wound.

Under the devastating violence, her right arm bent in the opposite direction, like a model with its parts installed backwards.

These are her hands, the hands of a surgeon, hands that have healed countless people, and hands that will heal countless more in the future.

The light in Natalie's eyes gradually faded.

Her ears were filled with the sound of bones shattering; she could hear nothing else.

Despite being covered in hundreds of knife wounds, Ariel strode forward as if nothing had happened. Unlike Uvi, who couldn't control her power and unleashed it all, she could continuously increase her hardness while maintaining her slender figure. Unlike Matthias, who couldn't freely transform between mist and solid, she could perfectly switch between the two in a single breath. The only drawback was that she and Elfried were both discovered in their stealth abilities. However, as long as she killed the only witness, her master wouldn't blame her, wouldn't blame her... wouldn't take Garros, Ruhar, and Ogeese away from her.

"..."

Iris stopped in her tracks.

They didn't take another step for a long time.

"Hey……"

Natalie stubbornly raised her head, enduring the intense pain that threatened to make her faint at any moment, breathing in small gasps, her lips trembling.

"why are you crying?"

Chapter 314 The Healer Gavial (4K)

"..."

Irie stared directly at Natalie, her eyes still filled with intense malice, as if glaring at an irreconcilable enemy. But a tear appeared on her face, the glistening liquid sliding down her oval cheek and falling to the ground.

Stinky Ruha...

Uncle Ogis...

Stupid Garros...

where are they?

Where did Mephistopheles hide them?

Illie raised her hand and touched her lips, her fingers sliding down the curve of her throat until they stopped at her abdomen. She gripped that spot tightly, her whole body trembling violently, tears streaming down her face. A sense of bewilderment washed over her, a monstrous ferocity mingling with the helplessness of a young girl. This gave her a tragic appearance, revealing a morbid beauty, both sinister and pitiful.

Natalie's lips twitched. Although she only had a smattering of knowledge in neurology, she could tell that the girl in front of her was schizophrenic. But this didn't seem like a congenital neurological problem; it seemed more like something had happened to her later in life... definitely not something good.

From a doctor's perspective, what Iriet needs most right now is a tranquilizer to force her into hibernation and help her recover from her volatile and manic state. But Natalie is powerless to help; she's already in dire straits herself.

Her right hand had been crippled by Irie, and unless she received emergency treatment within half an hour, she would need the demonized Originium Arts of the Sarkaz to have any chance of recovery. Natalie struggled to raise her left hand, but at this point, she couldn't even grip the scalpel inscribed with Letanian Sun Magic. But even if she could, what difference would it make? With Irie's monstrous mobility, Natalie's chance of hitting her target was practically zero.

"kill……"

Illie murmured to herself and slowly raised her hand.

Natalie's heart skipped a beat. Despite the excruciating pain shooting through half her body, her left hand trembled as she gripped the Blazing Sun Blade. She had made up her mind. Even if she were reduced to ashes without a flame, she would keep Irie here, creating an opportunity for the Rhodes Island team.

If Natalie wasn't mistaken, the monster in front of her was targeting Misha.

Rhodes Island's main mission today is to protect Misha, fighting their way through the slums of Lungmen and steadily approaching the ship. Natalie doesn't know how important Misha's identity is; she only knows that Misha is a kind-hearted girl. Even under immense pressure, Misha diligently performs her duties while helping bandage the wounded.

and many more.

Natalie was taken aback.

She looked up at Iriet, a vague guess rising in her mind.

Is this child like Misha?

What the hell kind of world is this?!

Are good girls destined to be bullied?!

Natalie's hand, gripping the scalpel, tightened unconsciously.

"Kill, kill, kill..."

Illie's raised right hand remained suspended in mid-air, a few strands of her dark hair clinging to the side of her face, lending her a touch of humanity. She staggered back several steps, her last vestige of consciousness screaming for help, "Kill me!!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"..."

Far away in the abandoned Block Fourteen facility, Mephisto crushed the vessel in his hand, his gaze icy, silver shards scattering between his fingers. Deep red liquid soaked his right hand; he flicked his arm, droplets falling to the ground with a sizzling sound as they corroded the material.

Mephistopheles sighed leisurely.

No matter how close to perfection it is, a flawed product is still a flawed product.

What's the point of training a disobedient watchdog that refuses to bite?

"Since you're so eager to die... then I'll grant your wish."

Mephisto slowly closed his eyes, his consciousness transcending the void, fully awakening the three parasites lurking within Irie, igniting the evil of this world contained within the barren Holy Grail. Just as he had guided the hardened parasite Uvi to go berserk, only now… as his closest creation to perfection, Irie should be able to unleash a dazzling display of fireworks before it is completely consumed, right?

At the very least, we can make full use of her remaining value.

Mephistopheles reopened his eyes, a murky current of energy swirling within them before vanishing in an instant.

Soon, soon.

No one can stop me.

Even you are the same; I want to see how much longer you can live!

Mephistopheles' lips slowly curled into a smile. In his mind's eye, two powerful points of light were moving in different directions. One of them was very, very close to Iriet.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Illie has lost control.

Concealment, hardening, and misting—these three abilities shift uncontrollably.

Her body instantly transformed into an angular, Originium-like texture, then exploded into a thick fog, before disappearing into invisibility.

Unable to calm down, Natalie was completely unaware of Iriet's whereabouts, and her understanding of Iriet further deepened. It was clear that Iriet was being used and manipulated, and was not in control of her own destiny.

Natalie shakily raised her left hand, clutching only a single scalpel. She didn't have the strength to swing a second one, even though her own scalpels were scattered all around her. She hadn't expected the wound on her right arm to be more severe than she had anticipated. Her body temperature was dropping due to blood loss, and her mind, which had been forced to stay alert amidst the excruciating pain, was gradually becoming numb.

Even if Iriet didn't kill her, she would soon die from shock due to excessive blood loss.

"Hiss...hoo."

Natalie took a deep breath; she had made up her mind.

At least until I die...do everything in my power.

Natalie channeled all her remaining physical and mental energy into the Flaming Scalpel, causing the scalpel, which was emitting a dim light, to awaken the intricate patterns engraved on its blade and gradually brighten.

“…Stay here with me, nameless monster. If an afterlife truly exists, I wouldn’t mind hearing your story, whatever it may be,” Natalie murmured, raising the gleaming Solar Scalpel and plunging it into the ground.

A pillar of fire shot skyward, and surging heat erupted from Natalie's palm. The air burned, and charred marks climbed upwards along her fingers. Her Originium Arts weren't yet powerful enough to distinguish friend from foe; they were like blades, always capable of injuring herself if she wasn't careful.

Natalie raised her head, her long, grey-green hair curling in the intense heat, her delicate face smeared with dust. She saw Irie's rock-hard claws being ignited by the sun magic, she saw Irie's uncontrolled, contorted expression, she saw what was behind Irie…

A pair of bright, golden eyes, as clear as the rising sun.

"boom!!!"

A deafening roar, like a meteorite crashing down, resounded as the out-of-control Irie was mercilessly hammered to the ground. The resulting hurricane even shattered the pillar of light from the Sunfire spell. Even the flames ignited on Natalie's body were extinguished, and she collapsed backward in the aftershocks. Her loose white lab coat billowed high, concealing the glimpse of her exposed genitals.

Illie's entire upper body was buried in the foundation of the mobile city, her legs pointing skyward in a completely unseemly manner. Her tattered winter clothes were barely acceptable, barely covering her vital areas. If she hadn't instinctively activated her hardening ability, her head might have already exploded into a fruit, her brains, blood, flesh, and bones scattering across the earth, staining the city of Lungmen a crimson hue.

This was an extreme hardness that even Natalie's pure white blade couldn't cut through, yet Irie's skull was nearly ripped open. It's unimaginable what kind of power this was; its destructive force was comparable to heavy military weaponry.

“Natalie, your employment contract with Rhodes Island is for 30 years. How long have you been working here before you want to run away? Have you considered how I feel? Even if you don’t think about yourself, at least try harder for my sake, right?”

A vibrant green caught Natalie's eye. Tall and slender, with perfectly proportioned hips, waist, and shoulders, she was voluptuous and athletic—a classic beauty. Adaklis's distinctive crocodile tail swayed, and her fair thighs gleamed almost blindingly; she was even wearing high heels!

“Gavial…”

Natalie's throat made a gurgling sound, a mournful cry that was almost like she was about to die.

"It's me, it's me. I'm alright. Although I'm badly injured, at least my head wasn't hit."

Rhodes Island medic Gavial crouched down and patted Natalie's head, nearly knocking her unconscious.

Gavial is never gentle when she touches someone; her past habits make her unconsciously touch others with her body. Gavial naively believes this is a way to get closer, but she always pushes those she wants to befriend into the medical ward, thus actually widening the distance between them.

In Rhodes Island's annual employee suggestion box survey, Gavial consistently ranks among the top recipients of complaints. The only person who can rival her is the self-proclaimed beautiful young doctor, Warfarin, whom even Dr. Kal'tsit cannot handle.

Gavial pinched Natalie's cheek, grumbling, "Does it hurt? I made you bravely stay behind alone to cover the retreat without even notifying the others on Rhodes Island. Are you trying to drive me crazy? If something happens to you, who will copy my homework? Since you helped me deal with Dr. Kal'tsit's research topic, come on, tell me, who bullied you? I'll beat them up for you."

"she……"

Natalie tilted her head back and looked at Iriet, who was trying to pull her head out, unsure whether to cry or laugh.

One second Natalie was contemplating taking her opponent down with her, the next second Gavial, the medic who least resembled a doctor, appeared out of nowhere. Regarding Gavial's various experiences, the most famous saying is... "Operators treated by her all have peaceful expressions."

—The physical kind.

Natalie never expected that she would become one of the subjects of "Gavial Chronicles".

"That's it? Were you spoiled rotten by those Lateran people at Rhodes Island, eating too many donuts and getting so fat you can't even twist your waist? This little brat beat you up so badly. When we get back, I'll make you a fat-loss plan for KEEP, and give you some one-on-one training. Aren't you touched? Your instructor will be the kind and gentle medic Gavial." Gavial poked Natalie's flat stomach and couldn't help but sigh, "You're a medic operator, how can you go out and get into a fight and lose? You gave away the entire medical team's lives."

"...Get out of here, get out of here, get out of here!"

Natalie grew increasingly angry, kicking Gavial in the leg. Her face was flushed, but this was not a good sign; it was a final burst of energy before her body collapsed. Natalie could have held on a little longer, but now, angered by Gavial, she was practically ready to sign in at Valhalla ahead of schedule.

"Okay, okay, when you're receiving treatment, listen carefully to what I'm saying! Look here! Raise your hands! Don't move!"

Gavial pressed down on Natalie's leg with her left hand, the movement quite rough, as if preparing to deliver a baby. Her right hand gripped the uniquely shaped Originium staff. When she applied to have this staff, which was a full 1.4 meters long and had a three-dimensional bloodletting hammer-spear head, made at Rhodes Island's workshop, the temporary craftsman Andrecher who took the order kindly asked, "Is this for killing or for saving lives?"

"Wait, wait a minute!" Natalie had never felt such fear at the medical assistance she was receiving before. Like a child afraid of a shot, she whimpered incoherently, "That, that child... she didn't mean to hurt anyone, she has mental problems—"

"It said, 'We can go in now!'"

Before Natalie could finish speaking, Gavial struck Natalie's abdomen with her Originium Arts staff! The reason she massaged Natalie's abdomen beforehand was similar to a doctor relaxing muscles before giving an injection—it was the calm before the storm.

"eighty!"

The staff emitted a vibrant green light, and although Gavial's gesture of wielding the staff was frightening—in fact, it really was frightening. Natalie's back suddenly made intimate contact with the ground, and cracks appeared where she lay, spreading backward.

"Pfft!!"

Natalie's eyes widened, the accumulated blood in her body mixed with saliva spilling from the corners of her mouth, and her eyes involuntarily rolled upwards.

She finally understood why Rhodes Island's information broker, Hibiscus, had such a complicated expression when she mentioned Gavial, and she also understood why the operators were so excited that they cried when they saw that she, not Gavial, was on duty in the office.

This treatment was like delivering a final blow, then using incredible healing magic to bring the patient back from the brink of death, constantly replenishing their life force. Natalie seemed to see her grandfather on the other side of the Yellow River; the old man smiled and shook his head, saying it wasn't time to come over yet…

Natalie closed her eyes.

A faint smile played on her lips as her head lolled to the side, and she fainted.

Natalie was in a stable mood and slept peacefully, like a seriously ill patient who had finally put her mind at ease.

Revitalization and Expansion.

This is Gavial's healing spell, which buffs all friendly units within its range, restoring health equal to one-third of Gavial's attack power per second. For those on the verge of death, this effect is doubled! It seems Natalie is clearly overwhelmed by the healing, having fallen into a deep sleep under the influence of Originium Arts… It's possible she was knocked unconscious by Gavial's attack.

Gavial's talent for healing magic is actually quite rare. It comes from the mysterious power of the Adakris tribe, also known as "If I think it can work, then it definitely can."

"Huh? It's electric shock, why do I feel like my back doesn't hurt and my legs don't ache anymore?"

"...My arm injury is much better now."

The Black Steel Comedy Duo, who were on their way, were unexpectedly given a healing buff.

Wide Area Utilization Lv5, forever a god.