Chapter 27: Slaying the Avatar and Leveling Up Once More

However, no matter how Will struggled, his veins twisting visibly on his face, the mind flayer’s fragment within him stubbornly refused to emerge, clinging tenaciously inside. Joey, unable to bear watching any longer, pleaded several times for them to give up, but Lin Xiao stopped her every time. Unless the mind flayer’s fragment was forced out, endless trouble would follow. No one could predict what might happen in the future.

From the most dangerous perspective, Lin Xiao couldn’t even guarantee his own safety. If the mind flayer manipulated Will and secretly plotted against them—say, stabbing them in the back—they might not even realize how they died.

For the safety of everyone, and especially his own, he would never allow such a ticking time bomb to remain by their side.

“If heat and light aren’t enough, then let me add more fire and radiance, and burn you to ashes.”

Lin Xiao took out the Interstellar Desolation Axe once more, igniting magical flames with a loud bang. Raising his right hand high, he unleashed a holy light that illuminated the entire room.

Fire and light attacked together. Under the blazing magical flames and pure radiance, Will’s body trembled violently. He opened his mouth in a hoarse, agonized roar as thick billows of black smoke burst from his seven orifices.

Wave after wave of black smoke surged out, relentlessly pouring forth and coalescing in midair into a mass of chilling, swirling darkness that shot outward, smashing through the window and escaping the house.

A shrill screech suddenly rang out from outside—the unmistakable cry of the mind flayer. Lin Xiao’s heart leapt with joy, and he darted outside like an arrow.

Number Eleven stood before the house, gripping the Budding Staff high. The mind flayer’s fragment, newly escaped, was trapped in midair by an invisible magical barrier. It thrashed and screamed shrilly, crashing about in desperation.

“Hurry, I can’t hold it much longer!” she shouted when she saw Lin Xiao rush outside, blood streaming once more from her nose—a sign that she was giving her all.

“No, you can hold on. Believe in yourself—you can do it.” Lin Xiao encouraged her with his eyes. Number Eleven’s potential was definitely on par with a level ten professional; she only lacked proper guidance. Otherwise, how else could she hope to seal the interdimensional portal in the future?

Bolstered by his encouragement, Number Eleven exhaled and carefully lowered the staff, guiding the mind flayer’s fragment down to the ground.

Mike and the others watched, eyes wide and faces flushed with excitement, itching to rush forward and pummel the mind flayer. Unfortunately, with their abilities, they could do nothing to harm this monster.

Yet, there was someone who could.

Axe in hand, Lin Xiao approached the mind flayer’s fragment step by step. No words were needed—let it taste a blow first.

His first swing cleaved into the mind flayer’s fragment, the searing magical flames sizzling as they burned—it almost sounded like a barbecue.

One blow after another rained down, Lin Xiao delivering three strikes in quick succession. The mind flayer’s fragment screamed in agony, frantically battering the earthen cage. But Number Eleven maintained the barrier firmly; it could not escape, no matter how violently it rammed against its prison.

Not that its struggle was utterly pointless—the blood beneath Number Eleven’s nose flowed faster and faster. If this continued, she might not be able to maintain the earthen cage much longer.

“Quick, finish it off! I really can’t hold on!” she pleaded.

“No, hold on. Feed her this!” Lin Xiao replied, flipping out the red potion from the Newcomer’s Welcome Pack. Though it wasn’t a mana potion, what Number Eleven needed now wasn’t magic, but vitality—after all, she’d lost so much blood.

Mike volunteered, grabbing the red potion from Lin Xiao and hurrying to help Number Eleven drink it.

As the potion slid down her throat, her energy visibly returned. She swung her staff, launching an attack—the mind flayer’s fragment within the cage let out a bloodcurdling wail.

“Well done! I refuse to believe this thing can survive this. Holy Light!”

Lin Xiao unleashed holy radiance from his left hand, bathing the mind flayer’s fragment in its glow, while his right hand wielded the axe, hacking down with blazing fire.

Number Eleven joined in, launching a series of attacks. With the three-pronged onslaught, the mind flayer’s fragment screamed relentlessly inside the earthen cage.

Dustin and the others could barely bear to watch—the creature’s plight was pitiable. It was like a stray dog being mercilessly beaten, frantically fleeing within its invisible cage, howling miserably.

“Don’t pity it. This wretched monster deserves every bit of this punishment. Jonathan, thrash it with all you’ve got!”

Joey cheered from the side, recalling Will’s torment under possession. She wished she could join in herself; what mother wouldn’t ache for her son, seeing him suffer so?

Under their relentless assault, the mind flayer’s fragment grew weaker and weaker, the black smoke thinning until, at last, the magical flames reduced it to nothing but a wisp of smoke, dissipating into oblivion.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for killing one of the mind flayer’s fragments—LV4 Heart-Eater. Source Energy +30. You have once again altered the course of the story. Plot Disruptor Mission +1. Reward: One ordinary four-star pocket jar.]

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have accumulated 30 Source Energy points, fulfilling the requirements for an upgrade. Would you like to level up?]

Hearing the system notification, Lin Xiao didn’t hesitate this time—he immediately confirmed the upgrade. After such a fierce battle, he had mastered his magical abilities and grown proficient with his skills. It was time to advance again.

“Confirm upgrade!”

A surge of heat rose from within, flooding his limbs and bones. The sensation was much like advancing to level two. Generally, level five was a minor threshold, and level ten a major one; upon reaching level five, a greater leap would be possible.

“It’s done. The mind flayer’s fragment has been destroyed.”

Lin Xiao set down his axe and gave Number Eleven a thumbs up. Without her help, they could not have vanquished the mind flayer’s fragment.

With two fragments destroyed, the mind flayer’s true body must have suffered a great blow and would not be able to stir up trouble for some time.

Yet, as long as the interdimensional portal remained open, retaliation was inevitable. This was why Lin Xiao was so eager to upgrade—a sense of impending crisis.

Number Eleven collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Mike hurried over to help her up. Their relationship, it seemed, was developing just as in the original story. It looked as though nothing could stop their love—not even the shifting tides of fate.

“Jonathan, are you alright?” Joey rushed over to support her elder son. She didn’t fully understand what had transpired, but his transformation filled her with pride—her son had become a man who could stand on his own.

“I’m fine. You should go inside and look after Will, Mom,” Lin Xiao said, waving her off. Now that his magic had been replenished with the upgrade, his physical and mental exhaustion had all but vanished. Will, however, was probably even more drained.

Joey glanced at her son, patted his shoulder, embraced him, and then turned to care for Will.

Sheriff Hope came forward as well, clasping Lin Xiao’s hand with a look of resolute gratitude. Without Lin Xiao’s intervention, they could never have destroyed the monster so easily. Had it run rampant through the town, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

In the original story, Hawkins was ravaged by the Dark Lord and the mind flayer, with heavy casualties. Now, not a single soul had been lost—the credit for that was his.

One by one, his companions came up, emulating Sheriff Hope and shaking Lin Xiao’s hand. The scene looked for all the world like a statesman receiving his followers, making him laugh despite himself.

After the last handshake, Lin Xiao gazed into the distance. With the mind flayer’s fragment vanquished, peace would surely return to Hawkins. It was time to think about earning a living—for tonight, where would he sleep otherwise?