Chapter 135: The Trial of Judgment Is Over

Maxwell didn’t hesitate and shoved one hand into the werewolf’s jaws, gripping the core.

"Swallow it, you son of a bitch."

And he pushed the core deep into the sub-boss’s mouth.

The werewolf’s eyes widened.

It looked worried.

As if it knew they had found a way to defeat it.

"Now!"

Duncan reacted immediately.

He gripped the monster’s upper jaw with all his strength, while Lydia, in her slime form, extended dozens of tentacles around the werewolf’s neck and head.

"Lydia, help me!"

The slime tentacles tightened.

The monster tried to close its mouth on its own, but Duncan exerted even more force, forcing it to keep its jaws open for a few more seconds.

Maxwell quickly pulled his hand out.

"It’s done! Now close it!"

Duncan let out a grunt and pushed downward.

The werewolf’s jaws began to close.

"Grrrrr!"

The monster tried to resist.

Its enormous arms thrashed violently, attempting to knock Duncan away.

Ivy reacted immediately, and her vines wrapped around one of its arms.

"Don’t let go!"

Lydia tightened her tentacles even further.

The werewolf tried to turn its head, but it couldn’t.

It tried to open its mouth again, but that didn’t work either.

Then...

CRACK!

The monster’s enormous fangs clamped down on the core.

An invisible barrier appeared around it.

The same barrier that had repelled Maxwell’s and Lilly’s attacks.

The same barrier that had prevented Lydia from consuming it.

But this time, something different happened.

One of the fangs pierced through the barrier.

Duncan’s eyes widened.

"Come on!"

CRACK!

A small crack appeared across the surface of the core.

An intense light began escaping through it.

Lydia watched the scene from the ground.

’It’s working!’

"Don’t let go!"

The werewolf began struggling desperately.

Its red eyes darted from side to side.

The concern on its face became even more obvious.

It seemed to know exactly what was happening.

It tried to open its mouth, but Duncan continued holding its jaw shut.

Lydia also kept her tentacles firmly wrapped around its body.

"You’re not getting away!"

Duncan planted his feet firmly on the ground and used every bit of strength he had left.

The jaw descended another few inches, and the fangs pressed against the core once again.

CRACK!

Another crack.

The core began breaking apart little by little.

But the werewolf’s fangs were also beginning to crack.

Small fragments of bone fell to the ground.

"Its teeth are breaking too!"

Ivy watched in surprise.

"Doesn’t matter! Keep going!"

The werewolf let out a desperate roar.

"GRRRAAAAAAH!"

It tried to break free one last time.

Its body shook violently.

Ivy’s vines tightened, and Lydia’s tentacles stretched even further.

Duncan gritted his teeth.

"You’re not getting out of here!"

CRAAAAACK!

The core split even further, and a white light began pouring throughout the monster’s mouth.

The werewolf stopped roaring, its eyes opening as wide as they could.

Then...

Its body began to disappear.

First its legs, then its arms, and finally its torso.

As if the simulation itself were erasing it.

Duncan continued holding its jaw for a few seconds, until he realized there was nothing left to hold.

"Huh...?"

His hands remained suspended in the air.

Lydia also felt the resistance in her tentacles disappear.

The werewolf’s body had vanished completely.

Ivy’s vines fell to the ground, no longer having anything to hold onto.

Everyone stared at the empty space where the monster had been.

That sub-boss that had seemed impossible to defeat.

That monster that had regenerated over and over again.

That had healed every wound.

That had defeated dozens of hunters.

It was gone.

Duncan slowly lowered his arms.

"We... did it."

Ivy looked at the vines lying on the ground.

"It actually worked."

Ruby stared at the empty space.

"Is it dead?"

Lilly breathed heavily.

"No..."

Everyone looked at her.

She pointed upward.

"It disappeared."

Then they saw it, the core floating in the air.

It was still there.

But now it was covered in cracks.

The light inside it escaped through them like tiny beams.

Lydia slowly took on her human form.

Her hair fell over her shoulders as she stared at the core.

And a smile appeared on her face.

"Liam was right."

Duncan let out a laugh.

"That man’s plan worked!"

Maxwell smiled.

"I knew it would."

Lydia placed a hand on her hip.

"Of course it would! My man is incredible."

The core began to vibrate, and everyone fell silent.

"What is it doing?"

Maxwell took a step back.

"I think we should move away."

"I agree."

The glow intensified, and cracks spread across the entire surface.

The light escaping from the core grew brighter and brighter.

Ivy raised an arm to shield her eyes.

"Everyone, back!"

And then...

BOOOOM!

The core exploded.

A flash of white light engulfed the entire area.

Everyone was forced to close their eyes and shield their faces.

◇◆◇

"What the hell?!"

Liam raised an arm in front of his eyes.

Another wave of werewolves was charging toward him.

Or at least, that’s what they had been doing.

Because the instant the light reached the monsters...

They disappeared.

One after another, without leaving a trace.

Liam blinked.

"Huh?"

Carol threw a punch into the air.

Her fist passed exactly through the spot where a werewolf had been just a second earlier.

The hunter froze.

Then she smiled.

"Looks like it’s finally over."

Chuck caught one of his knives in midair and put it away.

Then he blew a bubble with his gum.

"I was just getting warmed up."

POP!

The bubble burst in front of his face.

Emily burst out laughing.

"You’re an idiot."

"What? It’s true."

Liam smiled.

He looked around.

The werewolves were disappearing.

The dust stopped rising.

The artificial sky faded away.

That enormous simulated dungeon began shutting down.

’So it’s really over...’

Liam holstered his pistol.

"We did it."

The simulated civilians who had remained alongside them began disappearing as well.

But before they did, some of them smiled.

"Thank you!"

"Thank you for protecting us!"

"You saved us!"

Liam watched as their bodies slowly turned into particles of light.

Even though he knew they weren’t real people, the sight still brought a smile to his face.

"Liam, honey!"

It was Lydia.

The different copies of his wife had begun returning.

One by one, the small slimes gathered together until they formed a single human body.

Lydia ran toward him and hugged him tightly.

"We did it!"

Liam wrapped both arms around her.

"I knew you would."

Lydia rested her head against his chest.

"It was all thanks to your plan."

"It was thanks to everyone."

Duncan, a few feet away, heard that and smiled.

"Now that’s what I call teamwork."

Maxwell crossed his arms.

"And a healthy dose of insanity."

Ivy let out a small laugh.

"But it worked."

Lydia lifted her head.

"That’s what matters!"

Liam gently stroked her hair.

For the first time, he could finally relax.

After so many waves.

After so many exhausted hunters.

After facing a sub-boss that had seemed impossible to defeat.

They had finally found a way.

And they had passed the trial.

Suddenly, a voice echoed throughout the hangar.

"Attention, aspirants!"

It was Instructor James.

The hunters looked up.

The speakers throughout the enormous hangar came to life.

"After carefully observing each of your decisions, battles, and actions..."

James paused briefly.

"I can officially announce that..."

Everyone fell silent.

"The Trial of Judgment is over!"

A murmur spread throughout the hangar.

Some hunters dropped their weapons.

Others simply sat down on the floor.

Some just closed their eyes, too exhausted to celebrate.

James continued speaking.

"And with this..."

His voice echoed throughout the entire place.

"We hereby conclude the trials of the long-awaited Squad Selection."

Liam looked at Lydia.

She looked back at him.

They both smiled.

After everything they had been through...

The Selection was finally over.