Genius Warlock

The statement made by Cook, threatening to sever both of his arms, carried a weight that was not to be taken lightly.

With a fury that mimicked the wrath of a violent tempest, Cook charged forward, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

His singular goal was to instill fear and hopelessness in Oliver, driving him to the brink of despair.

The sound of his attacks reverberated through the air, as the clash of metal against metal echoed in the distance. Even Oliver's formidable shield of shadow tentacles could not withstand the onslaught, quickly crumbling before Cook's relentless assault.

As the shield disintegrated, the black suit that protected Oliver began to tear, while the intensity of consumption of emotions reached a level beyond compare.

Oliver was left with no choice but to anticipate Cook's every move, evading each blow with calculated precision in an effort to lessen the impact of the assault, and find…

"Hey, did you find any openings?" said Cook, with mockery and ridicule.

With a calculated maneuver, Cook stepped back, intentionally creating an opening in his defense for Oliver to exploit.

Not one to back down from a challenge, Oliver seized the opportunity, activating his Shadow Spike and launching a multi-pronged attack on Cook from all sides. But Cook was quick to react, deftly swinging his blade in a hurricane-like motion, easily destroying the slender shadow spikes that surrounded him.

[Hate Bullet]

Undeterred, Oliver unleashed a barrage of bullets of hate, anticipating that Cook's sloppy posture would make it difficult for him to block the attack.

However, to his surprise, Cook twisted his leg and stomped the ground with tremendous force, causing the earth to contort and a massive boulder to rise like a wall.

The Hate Bullet collided with the formidable rock wall, causing Cook to disappear from view.

Focusing his senses on Cook's emotions, Oliver quickly moved to his left, just as Cook emerged from the opposite direction, hurling a steak knife toward him.

But Oliver was one step ahead, compressing the projectiles of his Hate Bullets and expertly intercepting Cook's blade with ease.

Thud, thud, thud!

"Playing tricks is also fun… huh?"

As Cook charged towards Oliver, he suddenly looked down, his sentence left unfinished.

Unbeknownst to him, he had unwittingly triggered the Grudge Trap, a cunningly placed trap designed to exploit his predictable attack patterns.

BOOOOOOM!

With a thunderous explosion, the trap erupted like black lava, shooting upwards in a deadly cascade.

Ordinarily, such a trap would have ripped a person's lower body to shreds, but to Oliver's surprise, Cook's knee was the only casualty.

Though not as resilient as the Ogre Man, Cook possessed a remarkable level of endurance and astonishing recuperative abilities.

"Ugh…! This is quite interesting."

BANG, BANG!

With precision and determination, Oliver aimed his Hate Bullets directly at Cook's eyes, intending to blind him and block his vision.

Despite the excruciating pain of having his eyes pierced, Cook refused to give in to the agony, steadfastly enduring the assault without so much as a whimper.

[Outcry]

But Oliver pressed on relentlessly, summoning the power of black magic to unleash a wave of intense emotion that took the form of dozens of angry faces, each one screaming with rage.

-Kyaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

-Kyaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

-Kyaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

The impact of the Angry Scream struck Cook both physically and mentally, driving him back with a powerful shockwave that left him reeling.

Blinded and disoriented, Cook was a sitting duck as Oliver unleashed a barrage of Hate Bullets that pierced his body with deadly precision.

Dudududududududududududu!

Though Cook's resilience was formidable, even his exceptional endurance could not withstand the ferocity of Oliver's attack for long.

Oliver gradually increased the speed and power of his attack, thinking of pouring out all the emotions he had.

The small gunshot gradually grew bigger, and the bullet raised a cloud of dust.

As the barrage of bullets intensified, Oliver seized the opportunity to close in on Cook, wielding the Black Javelin attached to his quarterstaff with lethal intent.

But just as he was about to strike the final blow, Oliver's instincts kicked in, warning him of impending danger.

Shi-ang!

With lightning-fast reflexes, he stepped back, narrowly avoiding a deadly blade made of flesh that sliced through the air just inches from his neck.

phut!!!

Through the swirling dust, Cook emerged once again, fully recovered and poised to launch a counter-attack with truly remarkable resilience.

“You really think that weak attack could kill me?”

[Targeting]

Targeting his body and the stone pillar around him, Oliver increased the power output and stepped backward.

"This time, I won't miss it!!"

Cook remained calm and collected, steadfastly pursuing Oliver as he retreated.

Oliver used targeting once again, this time not upon himself but upon his opponent, Cook.

In an instant, a dart board materialized upon Cook's form, and he was hurled away from the fray, propelled by an invisible force.

It was a familiar tactic, one that Oliver had employed before to great effect against Joe.

"Ugh!"

Cook was utterly bewildered by the black magic that unfurled before him, a power that he had never before encountered. In a desperate attempt, he plunged his blade into the floor, hoping to anchor himself against the unknown force.

"You're tougher than I thought…! You should have run out of emotions!? Once I destroy this, I'll chop off your arms and legs and chow down right in front of you!”

Cook bared his sharp teeth, exuding an air of assurance as he faced Oliver.

"Yes, I'm all out of stock now. But I still have something else."

“… What?"

Without uttering a word in response to Cook's question, Oliver extended his hand and proceeded to extract the emotions from Cook, emotions that had been accumulated over time, fed by the consumption of numerous individuals, and was now vast and condensed.

It had been a long while since Oliver had employed this in the heat of battle.

Such action was highly discouraged according to Joseph's teachings and black magic combat manuals.

Extraction during combat was considered taboo for various reasons, including the slow extraction process that would create a gap, leaving one vulnerable to attack. This was especially true when fighting against an opponent as swift as Cook.

So during the battle, it was best to deal with emotions that were extracted in advance and easy to use in the test tube.

Despite these warnings, Oliver had three reasons for resorting to such a tactic.

Firstly, there were no emotions left to extract, and secondly, he had secured his own safety by ensnaring Cook's ankle with his targeting spell.

The third and final reason was that it was most effective to harness the power of his opponent's emotions to defeat such a formidable adversary.

"AHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

Cook, who had previously shown no signs of pain, let out a blood-curdling scream as Oliver launched a blade made from the emotions he had extracted, piercing his heart.

The overwhelming anger, murderous intent, and hatred unique to Cook proved to be more potent than general emotions, causing great harm and suffering to the other person.

Cook writhed in agony, unable to withstand the excruciating pain as Oliver continued to attack him with black magic, using Cook's own emotions as the ingredients for his spells.

Despite his attempts to flee, Cook found himself ensnared by Oliver, who had absorbed his emotions and revitalized his own energy source.

Caught in his opponent's clutches, Cook gazed upon Oliver with a look of bewildered astonishment, his previous confidence now replaced with doubt and fear.

Unfazed by Cook's gaze, Oliver continued his barrage of black magic, extracting even more emotions and launching them back at Cook with deadly accuracy.

[Hate Bullet]

[Black Dart]

[Black Javelin]

He fired bullets, blades, and javelins of hatred using Cook's emotions as ingredients.

The more he attacked, the more Oliver realized that emotions were just as important as the mana for wizards.

The bullets of hatred that Oliver unleashed surpassed mere flesh and bone, tearing through Cook's body with such force that they left behind fist-sized holes, severing his arms, shoulders, and knees in the process.

Even the smallest of Oliver's black darts transformed into a massive blade, slicing effortlessly through Cook's form like a hot knife through butter.

And the Black Javelin, once it found its mark, pierced Cook's body with such force that it turned him into nothing more than a rag.

Cook's body was torn apart as Oliver's onslaught continued, leaving more bad than good. The Life-force that once flowed abundantly within Cook began to decrease rapidly, and his regenerative abilities began to falter.

As Cook screamed in horror and disbelief, fear crept up within him, overwhelming any sense of bravado or confidence he may have previously possessed.

"Forkkkkkkkkkkk!!!"

As soon as Cook's crushed mouth was restored, he let out a piercing scream, prompting something to leap out of the abandoned building at the crossroads with a resounding thud.

A massive figure broke through the wall and landed on Oliver with tremendous force.

[Targeting]

Acting quickly, Oliver cast a targeting spell upon himself, evading the incoming attack with ease.

The behemoth that had descended upon him was none other than a large, fat man wielding a hammer that was the size of a grown man.

woooooooooooooooooooo!!!

The sheer size and weight of the fat man, coupled with his use of black magic, caused the ground to shake with each step he took.

As he struck the ground with his crimson hammer, fragments flew towards Oliver, imbued with black magic and resembling grapeshot.

Employing Cook's emotions, Oliver fashioned a black suit and wielded his quarterstaff to deflect the incoming projectiles.

‘Um..… Compared to emotions, the amount of Life-force is not enough.'

“Oiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.”

The fat man, who went by the name of Fork according to Cook, let out a pig-like cry.

In fact, he looked remarkably similar to a pig, with his oafish appearance and demeanor.

"Buiiieek!! Bweek!!!"

With a loud shout, the fat man broke a stone pillar, seemingly concerned for Cook's well-being.

“Haaa…. Haa…. I’m not okay!… Meat. I need meat! Meat full of Life-force!!”

As the fat man shouted once again, worm-like lips emerged from the mottled crimson hammer, its toothless mouth opening wide.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the hammer was not simply painted crimson, but was constructed from bone and meat.

“Is it like a black magic item?”

“Kwaeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.”

As the fat man shouted, the blue veins in the center of the hammer began to pulsate like a beating heart, while the toothless lips wriggled in tandem.

Within moments, the hammer breathed in and began extracting the Life-force of a member of the Fighter Crew, dozens at a time.

Shuhwahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa–!!!

This method of extraction was beyond the capabilities of an average warlock, and it was clear that the hammer was a formidable foe.

When the Fighter Crew member's Life-force was excessively drained in a short amount of time, he collapsed, causing the remaining members to step back in fear.

Undaunted, the fat man tore meat from his hammer and tossed it towards Cook, who consumed it eagerly in a bid to regain his strength.

"more! more! I exhausted my stamina so much!!”

The fat man raised his hammer to draw in more Life-force.

Shuhahahahahahahahahaha——!!!

"Oinkkkkkk!!"

“What is this….!!”

The fat man and Cook screamed in surprise, and their eyes were fixed on Oliver as he reached out and extracted the life force of the two.

“I'm also running out of Life-force.”

Cook and the fat man charged at Oliver, swinging their weapons in an attempt to break free from the extraction.

Despite their efforts, the fat man's size hindered his movements, and Cook was slower than before.

Oliver quickly subdivided the extracted Life-force, storing some in a test tube and using the rest to process the black suit like a thread.

Following Joe's example, he added thick black armor to crucial areas, including the spine, to increase durability and efficiency.

‘Is it like this?'

Oliver remembered Cook's move and put one leg on the ground and strained.

SHHHHHH!!

Although it was indirect due to the black suit, he felt the condensed power.

After compressing enough power, he exploded forward with astonishing speed, stabbing the fat man in the stomach with his quarterstaff.

BOOOM.

Utilizing the black suit made with Cook's emotions and Life-force, Oliver unleashed a powerful [Wrath Bomb], obliterating the upper half of the fat man's body.

Oliver quickly turned his attention towards Cook, manipulating the black suit and brandishing his quarterstaff.

Kang-!

The sound of two equally matched objects colliding echoed through the air as Cook asked in shock, "Did you…hide your skills?"

"No, Mr. Cook's emotions are of exceptional quality."

"Kuh……!"

Overshadowed by Oliver's praise, Cook, feeling humiliated, pressed forward, attacking with his cleaver while Oliver increased the output of his black suit and wielded his quarterstaff to counter.

The two weapons clashed in a chaotic dance of attacks, with the sound of blades cutting through the air ringing out.

Although several of Cook's strikes landed on Oliver's body, they were ineffective due to the black magic made from the same ingredient.

"You, you….!!"

Cook, who was gradually being pushed back by the firepower, twisted his face. Emotions of shock, anger, envy, humiliation, and fear slowly consumed him.

"Fork!!"

Fork, whose upper body had been blown off, recovered before he knew it and raised the crimson hammer.

Oliver could see the countless scars etched onto Fork's body from past torture.

"Huh…"

Oliver cast [Outcry] on the Black Suit, driving Cook back before layering dozens of thick lines of black armor onto the tip of his quarterstaff. Entwined with Life-force and emotions, the lines bundled together, forming a massive pendulum.

As the fat man's hammer came crashing down, Oliver swung his quarterstaff towards it.

BANG!!!!

As the hammer and quarterstaff collided, an earth-shattering shockwave echoed through the air, and the fat man was sent hurtling backward.

Oliver seized the opportunity and targeted both the fat man and his hand, using his power to pull him closer.

With [Black javelin] now affixed to the end of his quarterstaff, Oliver launched it towards the fat man.

Piung————Boom!

The resulting impact separated the fat man's upper and lower body, causing the crimson hammer to fall from his grasp.

Oliver targeted the hammer, retrieved it, and set it aside for further study.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck!!!”

Cook screamed in rage and rushed at Oliver, thinking he had an advantage without the quarterstaff.

Oliver swung his arm and Cook's arm fell to the ground.

“Huh? Huh..?”

With a look of bewilderment, Cook glanced between his severed arm and Oliver.

In Oliver's hand gleamed a knife honed with his intent to kill.

“I don’t like knives, they are too sharp,” Oliver said as he thrust the blade into Cook's throat.

(To be Continued)

OR

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