The terrified Nakamura Takashi turned and tried to run, but the Cursed Spirit had already raised the heavy steel bar in its hand high above him and brought it down heavily.
Shrouded by the steel bar's shadow, Nakamura Takashi's blood froze solid.
All that could be heard was the sound of shattering bones; it wasn't just the hit area that broke, but the monstrous force directly affected other bones. His entire skeleton was fractured, at least due to the resonance, making a grating, cracking sound that was painful just to hear.
Nakamura Takashi let out a miserable wail and crashed into the green belt. At the same time, adding insult to injury, an arm-thick tree branch happened to pierce his chest, puncturing a hole in his lung. Fortunately, it missed his heart, or he would have died instantly.
The pain from his shattered bones and punctured lung twisted Nakamura Takashi's face; the constant agony stimulated his brain.
A normal person would have already fainted from shock by now, but long-term abuse of psychiatric medication had raised the threshold for protective psychological shock in Nakamura Takashi's brain exceptionally high.
The pain only made his brain clearer. Furthermore, if his mental illness flared up, it would intensify the stimulation, resulting in a double pain effect.
Looking at the immobilized Nakamura Takashi, the Cursed Spirit sneered, positioning the steel bar in its hand for a throw, aiming it at Nakamura Takashi like a javelin.
Dark purple Cursed Energy covered the steel bar, and the metal surface began to emit a violet light. It was clear that this Cursed Spirit intended to use this strike to finish off the true culprit who had inflicted endless pain upon it, taken its child's life, and turned it into this monstrous state!
When Nakamura Takashi couldn't bear the intense light in front of him and forced his eyes open, he saw that monstrous thing preparing to hurl the steel bar in its hand.
"I'm going to die! I'm going to die!"
The threat of death completely enveloped Nakamura Takashi, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
"There's no doubt I'm really going to die."
He could only watch helplessly as the purple light drew closer, his heart pounding in his throat.
Especially when he felt the fierce gust of wind nearly hitting his face, Nakamura Takashi suffered a mental breakdown.
But in the nick of time, just as he was about to be smashed into a pulp, a cold, indifferent voice sounded in Nakamura Takashi's ear.
"I say, doing this..."
"Isn't that letting him die too easily?"
Because the anticipated final blow never arrived, Nakamura Takashi opened his eyes.
When he saw the steel bar stopped right in front of him, less than five centimeters from his nose, yet unable to move another inch—floating in the air in defiance of physics.
This man, drenched in cold sweat as if pulled from water, first saw the central area of his khaki pants darken, then he rolled his eyes and completely passed out.
This was syncope caused by excessive blood loss.
The one who intervened to stop the Cursed Spirit wearing an idol outfit was Kenmyo Isayama.
The reason for not letting Nakamura Takashi die from the Cursed Spirit's attack was simple, just as he had said:
"Giving Nakamura Takashi death just like that would be letting him off too lightly."
Now was not the time to clap and say "Good riddance" while looking at Nakamura Takashi's corpse.
Originally, Kenmyo Isayama had been watching with great interest from above; a Cursed Spirit seeking vengeance wasn't something you saw every day.
When the Cursed Spirit slammed the steel bar onto Nakamura Takashi's back, and he screamed and flew backward only to be impaled by a branch, Kenmyo Isayama momentarily thought it was a farce. Watching his enemy scream and suffer made him feel even better.
But it was still too light. This Cursed Spirit was too kind. To let him go without first inflicting extreme torture?
Therefore, Kenmyo Isayama intervened, using Telekinesis to intercept the steel bar.
"Thud."
The heavy steel bar was plunged into the dirt. Freed from the restraint of Telekinesis, its heavy mass pressed it down further.
Kenmyo Isayama noticed this detail. He looked at the Cursed Spirit's slender arm, wondering how she managed to wield it so effortlessly.
"ROAR!!!"
A roar full of fury dragged Kenmyo Isayama back from his contemplation.
The Cursed Spirit was enraged. It was so close to finishing the kill. Why did another human suddenly appear?!
Yet, Kenmyo Isayama didn't even blink in the face of the Cursed Spirit's threat, speaking in a calm tone.
"Don't kill it. I still have a use for it."
Humanoid Cursed Spirits are quite rare. Kenmei had only encountered his sister and this one so far.
It shared many similarities with his sister. Kenmyo Isayama could first test his experiments on his sister's evolution on this Cursed Spirit to see the effects.
Having spoken, he turned away to check on Nakamura Takashi, completely exposing his back to the Cursed Spirit.
The Cursed Spirit was furious and moved to tear apart this human who looked down on it, but its entire body froze.
A strong Iron Hand gently rested on its head, stroking the Cursed Spirit's skull. It belonged to a massive blue figure standing behind it, mysterious runes shimmering with brilliant light across its armor.
At the same time, lurking in the shadows cast by the blue armored giant that enveloped the Cursed Spirit, several massive beasts seemed to be hiding, baring their sharp fangs and glaring fixedly at the Cursed Spirit with wide, crimson pupils.
It was a silent threat, and the most potent intimidation.
"Where is this?"
When Nakamura Takashi opened his eyes again, he found himself lying naked on a large metal chair.
The blinding surgical lights and the large screen in front of him all seemed highly unusual.
Although the unknown environment and several chains welded him down so he couldn't move, Nakamura Takashi instantly sighed in relief when he saw that his chest had no large hole and everything was intact.
"Damn it, let me go now! If you don't, I'll sue you when I get out!"
When he heard the sound of the door opening, Nakamura Takashi shouted aggressively:
"Stop playing tricks! Don't think a mere VR simulation can fool me. I saw through your scheme long ago."
This guy mistook everything that had happened to him as a virtual projection.
Kenmyo Isayama was injecting the prepared medicine into a syringe and was amused by his words.
Having spirit was a good thing; it meant he could be played with for a while.
"What is this? What are you injecting me with!"
When Nakamura Takashi realized some unknown drug was being injected, he finally panicked.
Because this was already the fifth injection.
"Don't worry about it. It's good stuff."
After Kenmyo Isayama injected the sixth dose into his arm, he waited for the medicine to take effect.
Kenmyo Isayama lightly poked Nakamura Takashi's muscle with his finger. To Nakamura Takashi's horror, the white-clothed person's finger pressed in instantly, as if pushing into soft cake, creating a small hole.
Blood immediately squirted out.
His formerly firm muscles were now incredibly soft, allowing the finger to press straight through unimpeded, right down to the bone.
This horrifying sight made Nakamura Takashi widen his eyes. The pain, especially, was so intense that he was streaming cold sweat.
"The hardness is just right. After all, those children just hatched and don't have good teeth."
Kenmyo Isayama didn't answer. Instead, in front of Nakamura Takashi, he opened a small box under the trolley, showing him many newly hatched, starving Tyranid sweethearts.
They were a dozen unknown worms, with sharp mouthparts, wildly wriggling antennae, and legs as dense as a centipede's, making Nakamura Takashi's scalp tingle; he nearly passed out.
"Don't worry, their appetites are small. They'll only eat about three-quarters of you at most."
Kenmyo Isayama's words suffocated Nakamura Takashi. Was that something a person would say?
"Plus, I injected you with so many life-sustaining agents, you definitely won't die."
"I forgot to introduce myself. I am a family member of the victim."
Kenmyo Isayama pulled down his mask, allowing Nakamura Takashi to recognize him.
"You are... Ah!"
Before Nakamura Takashi could finish speaking, he let out a miserable scream, because Kenmyo Isayama dumped all those hungry Tyranid sweethearts onto him in one go.
Of course, Kenmyo Isayama didn't forget to tear his eyelids open like ripping off a band-aid, preventing him from closing his eyes, forcing him to watch himself being devoured on the big screen.
This was only the first step. Kenmyo Isayama would not let him die so easily.
Physical torment was just the beginning; there was still the soul.
Sometimes, death is a luxury.