Chapter 73 Oblivion Whale (3)
The Oblivion Whale (3)
The deeper I ventured inside, the more the stench intensified. The foul odor—a nauseating mix of blood, rotting flesh, and decay—assaulted my nostrils.
Everywhere I turned, skeletal corpses littered the ground. I clenched my teeth, forcing down the bile rising in my throat.
I'd seen my fair share of gruesome sights, but this was something I doubted I could ever grow accustomed to.
"Huu..."
The only small mercy was that my sense of smell seemed to have dulled—or perhaps the stench was gradually fading.
If not, I couldn't even guess how many times I would've retched by now.
[Are you okay?]
Silpi's voice, laced with concern, reached me. I nodded with a faint smile.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
I had come here to save Yurp. A little discomfort was nothing I couldn't endure. Steeling myself, I trudged forward, my boots sinking into the squelching flesh beneath me.
A dense fog still lingered inside, obscuring my vision, but I had no intention of turning back.
I still had enough strength left to block the mist from entering my lungs.
After walking for what felt like an eternity, a familiar face flickered into view through the haze.
A slender girl with black hair lay motionless, deep in slumber. The sight of her bony arms and fingers left no doubt—it was Yurp.
Just as relief surged through me and I took a step forward, Silpi suddenly blocked my path.
Startled, I froze.
'What's wrong?'
Frowning, he chided me.
[Get a grip and look around properly. There's someone else here.]
Following his words, I scanned the area around Yurp. A man with crimson hair sat beside her.
His eyes were closed, as though waiting for someone. The sight sent a chill down my spine.
[From now on, don't act recklessly. Be careful.]
'Got it.'
He was right. If I'd rushed toward her without thinking, that man could've ambushed me.
One glance was enough to tell he wasn't keeping watch over Yurp with good intentions.
Nodding in acknowledgment, I exhaled slowly as Silpi returned to my side.
'That man... I feel like I've seen him somewhere before.'
Crimson hair cascading past his shoulders. A towering frame at least twice my size.
His face, arms, legs—every inch of his body was marred by jagged scars, marking him as anything but ordinary.
Staring at him, it didn't take long for his identity to click.
'...Katra.'
The man who had fought Abel on the train to Port City Ark. A monster who shattered Abel's magic circle with a single punch and stood toe-to-toe with him.
The memory of him charging forward, wreathed in that crimson aura, sent a shudder through me.
"So you've come."
Katra muttered the words before slowly rising to his feet. His eyes snapped open, locking onto me, and his brow furrowed.
A puzzled expression crossed his face, as though he couldn't quite make sense of what he was seeing. Crossing his arms, he scrutinized me before speaking again.
"I was told Abel would be the one coming."
Tch. He clicked his tongue and stepped closer. Despite the distance between us, his massive frame cast a shadow over me.
Instinctively, I raised my rapier, pointing it at him. My reaction seemed to amuse him—he let out a short laugh before fixing me with a stare.
For a moment, he simply glared, as if trying to bore a hole through me with his gaze. Then, his frown deepened.
"You... Have I seen you somewhere before?"
"..."
"I'm sure I remember you from somewhere..."
Even as I remained silent, Katra tilted his head, racking his brain. Could he actually remember me from the train?
A quick check confirmed my disguise necklace was still working flawlessly.
My hair color, even my eye color—everything was different. Yet he still felt a sense of déjà vu?
Not to mention, he'd only seen me for a split second back then. To recognize something off about my face from that brief encounter...
His instincts were too sharp.
"Ah, whatever. That's not important right now."
Giving up on recalling my identity, he exhaled sharply. But as his gaze returned to me, I tightened my grip on my rapier.
Biting down on my parched lips, I glared back at him.
"Interesting. You planning to fight me?"
"Hand her over."
"Hmm? This girl?"
Katra pointed at Yurp with a finger before chuckling.
"Don't tell me you thought I'd use some filthy Path of Asura trick on her?"
His eyes gleamed with unmistakable bloodlust. The pure, unadulterated thrill of battle—and the anticipation of it.
The mad glint in his eyes, so characteristic of battle maniacs, sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. It was the exact same look he'd had when fighting Abel.
[Get ready.]
'Yeah.'
I swallowed hard and summoned the power of the wind.
At the same moment, Katra kicked off the ground and launched a fist straight at me.
The air screamed as his punch tore through it. Using Silpi's power, I twisted aside and swung my rapier.
But as if he had already anticipated it would be blocked, his opposite fist came flying toward my abdomen.
Whoosh.
Using the wind, I leaped into the air to evade, then used the recoil to deliver a kick.
Katra lightly blocked my foot with one hand, grinned, and swung his fist again.
"Ghk?!"
Even though I deflected the impact with the Wind Curtain, a sharp pain shot up my arm.
It wasn't broken, but the pain was intense enough that I wondered if it had cracked. At least I hadn't blocked with my right arm—that was a small mercy.
"Too many openings. Did you really think you could fight me with just that?"
"...Shut up."
I knew.
I knew all too well the vast difference in strength between him and me. Unlike me, who was utilizing the full power of a spirit, he wasn't even using his aura.
If he weren't a battle maniac, I would've been knocked out long ago.
But dragging this out any longer would only worsen Yurp's condition.
"Huu... Haa..."
I steadied my ragged breath and glared at him. Katra, brimming with leisure, stood there watching me with a smirk.
Looking at him like that, I had no idea what to do. How was I supposed to fight someone as strong as Abel?
"Scared, little lady?"
Katra chuckled, taunting me with a finger. Instead of anger, an overwhelming sense of dread washed over me.
Scared? Of course I am.
Not only was he effortlessly countering Silpi's power without even using his aura, but he was also ignoring the Wind Curtain and swinging his fists at me.
I hadn't even taken a direct hit—just the aftermath—and yet my arm bone had cracked.
It felt like death was creeping up to my throat.
Who wouldn't be terrified facing a monster like that? If I could, I'd run right now.
Without even looking back.
"Bullshit."
But I couldn't back down.
If I let fear make me run and failed to save Yurp, I'd never forgive myself.
Even if regression erased it as if it never happened, the regret would haunt me forever.
The whole reason I wanted to grow stronger was to avoid regrets like that.
"Kehah. That's a good look in your eyes."
Katra laughed cheerfully, loosening his body. A series of popping sounds echoed before his eyes began glowing red.
"Fear and courage mixed together..."
No need for hostages after all.
Muttering to himself, he raised both arms again.
'Silpi. Can you do it?'
[You're really going to use that?]
'If we don't, we'll never win.'
When I conveyed my resolve firmly, Silpi hesitated briefly before nodding.
[...Got it.]
A blue wind began brushing against my entire body.
A faint mist swirled in the air, scattering in the wind. Watching this, Katra let out an intrigued "Hoh?"
The wind wrapped around me like armor. A booster to amplify my physical abilities.
A technique that drastically enhanced my physical capabilities for a short time—at the cost of extreme energy consumption.
"O wind."
The Wind Armor enveloped my body.
Blood trickled from Silpi's nose as he glared at Katra. His face twisted in pain—likely from overexertion after so long.
[Let's go. I won't last long.]
'How many minutes?'
[Five, at most. End it before then.]
I nodded and charged immediately. Swinging my rapier toward Katra, who was throwing a reckless punch.
Schlick.
The sound of flesh being sliced, followed by blood gushing from his fist. Six slashes in an instant—cutting through flesh and grinding against bone.
Even then, Katra only laughed, unfazed.
"Ho. So you weren't all talk."
A smile spread across his face. Despite the pain of torn flesh and blood, that smile never wavered.
"Then I'll go all out too."
A red aura began rising from him. With a chiiik, his arm started regenerating.
His aura has regenerative properties?
What an infuriating ability. No—of course he'd recklessly throw punches like that if he could heal so easily.
[Right side!]
"Hup!"
A fist strike came flying from the right in an instant. Reacting to Silpi's warning, I barely dodged it. Swinging my rapier again—
Clang!
A metallic clash as the red aura and blue wind collided. Even Katra seemed surprised, his eyes widening.
Did he really think I wouldn't react to that ambush?
Truthfully, without Silpi's warning, I would've been hit—so he wasn't entirely wrong.
"Hoh. No need to hold back then."
The corners of Katra's lips curled up sharply as the red aura around his shoulders flared even more violently.
Gritting my teeth, I swung my rapier again.
The blade carved into his body, but his aura simply regenerated the wounds.
Whoosh!
I barely dodged another fist strike accompanied by the sound of breaking air. Silpi's voice was growing rougher too.
[Damn it, what kind of lunatic is this?!]
I wholeheartedly agreed.