Chapter 77: 14th Floor. Great Sea (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 77: 14th Floor. Great Sea (5)
[Kuaaa. Kuaaaa...]
A shriek of pure agony tore from the Kraken’s maw.
Its eyes throbbed with a dull heat, and the severed ends of its tentacles pulsed with a rhythmic, searing pain. It was a sensation the beast had never known until now.
[Kuuuuu.]
The Kraken could not comprehend what was happening. It had established its nest in the territory of inferior beings, expanding its domain without challenge. It was the undisputed apex predator of these waters.
Then, that human had appeared. Not only was he immune to the Kraken’s mental domination, but he was also powerful enough to wound it and escape.
[Kua...]
The Kraken fell into a deep, brooding silence.
Its presence here had been exposed.
The human had fled, but he wouldn't be alone when he returned. He would surely bring a host of powerful warriors to finish the job.
The Kraken was still young. Though it possessed immense power, it would struggle to withstand a concentrated assault from a large group.
Should it abandon its nest and start over elsewhere? Or should it stay and fight for its pride?
Rationality suggested the former, but its wounded ego demanded blood. It was in that moment of hesitation—
[Ku-ung?]
The Kraken flinched.
Multiple lifeforms had just crossed the threshold of its domain.
Already? Startled, it expanded its senses, only to realize the truth. The human who had wounded it had indeed returned.
And behind him, he had brought the Merfolk.
However, the strength of the Merfolk was negligible. They were so weak that a single sweep of a tentacle could obliterate their entire ranks.
The Kraken’s panic subsided, replaced instantly by a swirling, murderous rage.
He dares to face me again with such insects?
[Kuaaaaaaa!]
A roar of fury erupted.
The sound became a physical shockwave, sending violent ripples through the ocean. The faces of the Merfolk following Kang Jun-hyeok turned deathly pale.
“Do not worry. I will handle the Kraken. I need you all to hold back the Fishmen.”
“Ye—yes!”
“Understood!”
At Jun-hyeok’s command, the Merfolk nodded, their expressions grim but determined.
Jun-hyeok launched himself forward, closing the distance until he hovered directly above the Kraken.
[Kuaaaaa!]
Another cry burst forth, creating a crushing surge of pressure. Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue.
“It’s recovered already?”
Though scars remained on the Kraken’s pupils, its vision seemed unimpaired. Its rage-filled eyes were fixed squarely on him.
“Fine. Let’s do this.”
Jun-hyeok drew his spear.
With a massive roar, the Kraken’s tentacles lashed out in unison.
* * *
BOOM!
The underwater currents of the deep sea exploded under the weight of the Kraken's immense power.
The attacks were strong, fast, and terrifyingly precise. Jun-hyeok immediately activated a skill.
[Judgment of the Law]
All action speeds within the area were reduced by 10%. The Kraken’s movements slowed noticeably.
Even so, it was still incredibly fast. Jun-hyeok evaded the moment he sensed the shift in the water, but the resulting wake still buffeted his body like a physical blow.
[Kua! Kuaaaa!]
The Kraken’s tentacles targeted Jun-hyeok relentlessly. He pushed his body to the limit to dodge, but the constant aftershocks continued to rattle his bones.
It was too fast and too powerful. He couldn't dodge every single strike from a Kraken that had regained its sight. No matter how he twisted his body, he would eventually be caught.
Therefore, he chose to close the distance instead.
[Stealth]
His body vanished into the murky depths. The Kraken, which had been attacking with feral intensity, hesitated. For a brief moment, it completely lost track of its prey.
By the time Jun-hyeok reappeared, he had already halved the distance between himself and the beast.
[Kua!]
The Kraken hurriedly swung its tentacles. However, its speed was actually slower now than when he was further away.
It was the principle of a whip. While the tip of a whip moves at supersonic speeds, the middle section is far slower. Since the Kraken’s tentacles operated on the same logic, it was actually easier to dodge them at close range.
[Kuaaaaa!]
Panicking, the Kraken swung its limbs violently. Jun-hyeok’s movements became erratic—darting up, down, left, and right in a dizzying blur. The tentacles chased after him, desperate to crush the intruder.
[Ku, Kua?]
In the midst of the chaos, the Kraken realized something was wrong.
Its swinging tentacles were becoming tangled and knotted. As if he had anticipated this exact outcome, Jun-hyeok thrust his spear.
Stab!
The blade pierced through the tangled mass of flesh. Enraged by the pain, the Kraken tried to pull its limbs free, but the more it struggled, the tighter the knots became.
[Wait.]
The Master of All Weapons, who had been watching silently, muttered in surprise.
Jun-hyeok’s movements were strange.
They were far too familiar, too calculated.
It was as if he had fought a Kraken a thousand times before.
Jun-hyeok ignored the comment, continuing to stab the tangled tentacles.
[Ke-kek!]
Suddenly, the Kraken’s body shuddered. Its flesh began to turn a sickly shade of purple.
It was the equipment effect of the Queen's Poison Stinger. It had a fixed chance to inflict the Poison status on hit, and the toxin had finally taken hold.
The Kraken’s health was absurdly high. He had to whittle it down slowly, piece by piece.
[Kuaaaaa!]
After rampaging for a while, the Kraken finally managed to suppress its frenzy. It couldn't afford to lash out blindly anymore.
The beast steadied itself and slowly began to untangle its tentacles. It suffered dozens of stabs in the process, but it endured the pain until it finally succeeded in freeing itself.
[Kuuuuu...]
The Kraken glared at Jun-hyeok with narrowed, hateful eyes.
This human was weak and puny.
However, he was incredibly cunning, making him a nightmare to deal with.
Therefore, it would call upon its pawns.
It just so happened to have excellent puppets nearby. The Kraken’s massive body began to vibrate.
Vrooooom.
A ripple spread through the water. An ultrasonic wave swept through the ocean.
It was a wave of mental domination.
Naturally, the target was not Jun-hyeok.
It was the Merfolk who had followed him.
The Kraken intended to dominate their minds and force them to restrain Jun-hyeok.
Vrooooooom!
The wave intensified. The Merfolk realized immediately that the Kraken was attempting to enslave them.
As ordinary creatures, they stood no chance against the Kraken’s Authority.
However, they shouted as if they had been waiting for this exact moment.
“It’s mental domination!”
“Everyone! Gather around the Tribe Chief!”
The Merfolk who had been blocking the Fishmen rushed toward their leader. They formed a tight circular formation and opened their mouths in unison.
A haunting, melodic song erupted from their throats. It became a counter-wave that spread through the sea.
Kiiiiing!
The wave of mental domination collided with the harmony of the song. A shattering sound echoed through the water, and the Merfolk staggered.
“Ugh!”
“Gah...!”
Their bodies swayed. They clutched their heads, gagging from the mental feedback.
However, their minds remained their own. As the dizziness faded, joy filled the Merfolk’s eyes.
“We... we held it off!”
“We did it!”
[Ku, Kua?]
The Kraken was horrified. How? How could mere Merfolk resist its divine Authority?
The Master of All Weapons was equally stunned. He muttered in wonder.
[I heard the plan beforehand, but to think it actually worked.]
The Kraken’s mental domination worked by spreading a wave similar to ultrasound to rattle the brain. In other words, if one could create a counter-wave of sound by producing a specific harmony, the effect could be neutralized.
Jun-hyeok had instructed the Merfolk in advance on exactly how to respond. It had been a perfect success.
“If it were even a sub-adult, it would have easily crushed them. But it’s only a juvenile. Its Authority isn't perfect yet, so it’s not that difficult to counter.”
[Talk is cheap. That is strictly a matter of theory. Without real-world experience, one can never know how it will actually play out.]
The Master of All Weapons muttered in disbelief.
[Just how do you know all this?]
The Kraken was a monster of legend. Even the Master of All Weapons, who had traveled the universe as a Transcendent, had only encountered one a handful of times. Being creatures of the deepest abyss, they were not easy to study.
Yet Jun-hyeok knew the Kraken’s patterns and counters perfectly.
[It’s as if you’ve fought one many times before.]
The Master of All Weapons’ guess was correct.
Jun-hyeok had fought an adult Kraken before.
And not just once, but several times.
It’s not even an adult, just an inexperienced juvenile.
Countering it wasn't hard. Jun-hyeok simply smirked instead of answering.
[Kuaaaaa!]
When its mental domination failed, the Kraken began to thrash wildly. Naturally, attacks driven purely by emotion did not work on Jun-hyeok.
Its eight tentacles were soon riddled with wounds, looking as if they had been pricked by countless needles.
[...Kuaaaaaaa!]
Finally, as if it had made a desperate decision, the Kraken let out a violent roar.
It was a command.
And before long, the one who received that command appeared.
[Buoooooo!]
A whale twice the size of a sperm whale emerged from the darkness. The Guardian of the Great Sea. Alfram.
The being that had been mentally dominated by the Kraken was now charging toward Jun-hyeok like a living battering ram.
Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue and dodged. Alfram and the eight tentacles targeted him simultaneously.
[Kuaaa!]
[Buo! Buoooo!]
If Alfram and the Kraken attacked in tandem, even he would find it difficult to dodge everything.
Jun-hyeok made a decision instantly. He would use Alfram against the Kraken.
[Instant Acceleration]
His body blurred. The sudden burst of speed disrupted the coordination between the whale and the Kraken. Jun-hyeok threw his spear.
[Spear Throw]
[Kua!]
Having already been hit hard by the skill earlier, the Kraken immediately moved its tentacles to block.
But that reaction was exactly what Jun-hyeok wanted.
[Laser Rifle activated]
The Laser Rifle, which had appeared in his hand in a flash, fired toward the Kraken’s eye.
Kiiiiing!
[Kua! Kuaaaaaa!]
The Kraken managed to close its eye in a panic, but the beam hit its eyelid directly. Though the damage was temporary, it could no longer see.
Jun-hyeok did not miss the opening and rushed toward the beast. Alfram let out a cry and followed him blindly.
[Buoooooo!]
A juvenile Kraken’s control was not exceptional. An adult could control its subjects like its own limbs, but at this stage, it could only give simple commands—much like a person driving a car.
And currently, the driver—the Kraken—was blind.
[Buo! Buoooo!]
[Kua?]
The Kraken opened its eyes a moment too late.
Alfram, the Guardian of the Great Sea, was charging right at its face while chasing Jun-hyeok.
[Ku, Ku...]
The Kraken tried to desperately command it to stop, but it was too late.
[Rift Movement]
Jun-hyeok’s body flickered through a rift in space. Alfram slammed headfirst into the Kraken’s massive body.
THUUUUUMM!
The seabed shook violently. The Fishmen and Merfolk lost their balance, swept away by the shockwave of the collision between the two titans.
[Ku, Kuaaaa...]
The Kraken swayed dizzily from the massive impact. Alfram flipped over and floated upward, completely knocked unconscious.
“Sleep for a bit.”
Jun-hyeok spoke softly to the whale and drew his spear.
[Thrust]
Puuu-sh!
The spear pierced deep into the eye of the reeling Kraken.