Chapter 163: Aldebaran (ll)
In the next instant, thick white smoke enveloped the surrounding area, shrouding everything within sight. From behind the haze, a giant creature emerged that shook the ground as it took a step.
The huge rhino that emerged from El's fingers was of tremendous size, almost as tall as a two-story building or slightly taller.
The creature's large, sturdy body looked like perfectly chiseled stone, covered in a shiny black armor, giving the impression that it was almost indestructible.
The large, sharply curved horns atop its head were ready to pierce through anything in its path.
Its fierce face, with Rinnegan eyes similar to El's, exuded an aura of seemingly unbridled power, ready to crush anything in its path.
In the center of its forehead, a shiny black metal transmitter was engraved, signifying that this rhino was completely under El's control, a warning that the creature belonged to El.
The rhino's gigantic legs were thick and strong, hitting the ground with tremendous force, providing a thrust that broke and shook the ground around it.
The long tail that extended backwards, curved elegantly, seemed ready to provide sufficient extra thrust during battle, as if the creature was born to destroy everything in front of it.
Meanwhile, El was kneeling inside the mouth of the giant rhino he had summoned. El's face looked exhausted, his breathing was heavy, and the six tomoe on his Rinnegan were missing, a sign that his stamina was almost gone.
However, El was still able to stay afloat, fueled by the Mark effect that had been extended, giving his seemingly limitless stamina for a while.
Despite his weakened physical condition, El was still able to maintain full concentration. The use of Animal Path was much lighter than the heavy abilities.
Those abilities were: Amaterasu, Deva Path, or Susano'o, so El could still use the Eye of Insight to predict enemy movements while leading the giant rhino's brutal attack.
Under her control, the rhino moved ferociously, crushing everything in its path. Its steps struck the ground with great force.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
Each foothold shattered the Gastrea's smaller bodies into flakes of flesh and blood that flew like exploding water balloons.
The larger Gastrea, almost the size of the rhino itself, were no match for its sharp, curved horns.
With a single swing of the head, the rhino tore, some even broke their bodies in half, creating a horrifying scene of destruction.
On the other hand, Gastrea who had the advantage of flight, like the butterfly-shaped one with a body fused with a mutated plant, tried to attack from above.
However, the attack was futile due to the toughness of the armor-plated rhino skin. None of them were strong enough to injure the black armor protecting the rhino's body.
The Gastreans, under Aldebaran's control, seemed to lose focus on El, as if they considered him no longer an immediate threat.
All their attention was on the summoning rhino, which was perceived as the greater threat.
Even Aldebaran himself seemed wary, emitting a low sound that resembled a roar, ordering the Gastrea herd to attack relentlessly.
Meanwhile, El, in the creature's mouth was utilizing his summoned giant rhino to destroy the enemy formation, one step closer to his ultimate goal: defeating Aldebaran.
"If only I were stronger," El muttered weakly, his body beginning to stagger inside the mouth of his giant summoned rhino. "I could have summoned two more creatures..."
"I also don't understand the concept of the Ashura Path. In fact, the Ashura Path will be much more beneficial in this war." El murmured, the tone of his voice low, sounding weak and breathless.
Fatigue was also clearly visible on El's handsome face. Although the giant rhinoceros continued to rage on the battlefield, El felt the burden growing heavier.
The simultaneously active Eyes of Insight and Animal Path sucked his stamina relentlessly, as if his life energy was being drained slowly. Even while under the influence of the Demon Slayer Mark enhancement.
Realizing that maintaining both was too risky, El took a deep breath and reluctantly deactivated the Eye of Insight.
The originally faded colors of the world now returned to his sight, but it also meant the loss of the sharp perception that had become his forte. Although disappointed, he knew this was the right move to survive longer.
With trembling hands, El grabbed the small bottle from his storage ring of the last Stamina Restoring Potion he had.
Wasting no time, El unscrewed the cap and gulped down the liquid to the last drop.
In just seconds, his nearly depleted stamina was restored. New energy coursed through his body, making his breathing steady again.
The six tomoe on his Rinnegan that had been missing slowly reappeared, one by one, spinning like planetary orbits in beautiful harmony.
"It's not over yet," he said softly but determinedly, his eyes shining with determination again.
Utilizing Rinnegan's vision division ability, El could clearly see how the number of Gastrea under Aldebaran's control began to slowly decrease. Meanwhile, Aldebaran's figure seemed to be getting more and more agitated.
The surrounding oxygen began to be sucked into the holes scattered across his body.
A few seconds later, the large shell on Aldebaran's back opened up, revealing giant spines that glinted sharply, ready to be fired like a barrage of deadly rocket shells.
However, El only smiled faintly, reading his opponent's movements like the pages of an open book. "You think I don't know what you're capable of?" he said flatly.
Without hesitation, El moved the giant rhino he was controlling. The massive creature bolted, not as fast as lightning, but fast enough to make the ground tremble beneath its stride.
Within seconds, the rhino's sharp horns slammed straight into Aldebaran's stomach, now exposed and unprotected by its shell.
The attack succeeded in stopping Aldebaran before it could fire its spines. A few of the spines managed to escape, but missed their target by far and instead destroyed some of the surrounding Gastrea.
A cry of pain escaped Aldebaran's mouth, the sound as deafening as the roar of a wounded whale.
The surrounding Gastrea tried to close in to protect their master, but their attacks were not strong enough to penetrate the giant rhino's defenses.
Even those who tried to attack were mercilessly crushed by the huge creature, their bodies trampled or bounced away.
Although not comparable in size to Aldebaran, the destructive power of the rhino, coupled with its sharp horns, was able to tear through the flesh of Aldebaran's stomach with ease.
Not stopping there, El focused his mind, controlling the rhino perfectly, to open its mouth.
Without hesitation, El darted out like lightning. The Metsu in his hand glowed a fiery red, creating a shadow of fire in the air.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
White flashes emanated from every swing of his sword, forming straight, ferocious lines of fire. In an instant, the air seemed to be on fire, giving off a sensation of suffocating heat.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
Aldebaran's internal organs and blood scattered, mixing with the rancid odor and smell of roasting flesh. The scene turned into a bloody mess that shook anyone who witnessed it.
However, as El had predicted, Aldebaran's body began to regenerate quickly. But El gave him no room to survive.
With incredible precision and speed, El continued to swing Metsu, each slash becoming sharper, more devastating.
At the same time, the giant rhino he was controlling raged relentlessly. Its sharp horns slammed into Aldebaran's stomach repeatedly, breaking down every defense.
Splurt!
Aldebaran spewed the destructive liquid Varanium onto the rhino's body and into its stomach, trying to stop El.
However, the giant rhino's armor remained impenetrable, and El continued to move nimbly inside his body, tearing mercilessly.
His shirt and trench coat were stained with Gastrea Aldebaran's purple blood, giving him the appearance of a slaughterer.
Amidst the chaos, El muttered softly, his voice almost drowned out amidst the sounds of battle.
"Should I modify this rhino horn? Adding power or destructive effects might be more effective..." El said, while continuing to move. "But the stamina required is definitely not small."
El shook his head lightly, dismissing the thought. "Forget it," he muttered, his cold voice mixed with determination. "I'd better stay focused. Weaken Aldebaran, then finish with Amaterasu."