The Ancient Demonic Beast, Kraken 2

Translator : Elizabeth

"…Am I dreaming?"

Roan could not close his mouth. Even when he had heard rumors that the Fist Emperor had flown through the North carrying Mammoth Prime, he had been half-doubting. He assumed there was some exaggeration involved.

But the sight before his eyes proved that the rumors were actually an understatement.

'It’s lighter than the Mammoth,' Kang Jin-ho thought while floating in the sky.

Of course, the Kraken was massive. However, its density was overwhelmingly lower than that of the Mammoth, which was a heap of bone and muscle. Furthermore, because of the unique squishiness of a mollusk, it was easier to lift. Above all, the beast only exerted its true power in the water; once suspended in the air, it was nothing more than a giant pile of sashimi.

"Now, let's keep it quiet."

Kang Jin-ho let go of the leg he was holding and balled his fist toward the vital point between its eyes. He didn't even need to use his full power. He just gave it a light flick, like a knuckle-sandwich.

Flick!

A crisp sound echoed. But the aftermath was anything but crisp.

BOOM!

A shockwave pierced the Kraken’s head—an impact that shook its brain and paralyzed its nerves.

"Kyuuuek..."

The Kraken’s eyes rolled back. Its tentacles lost their strength and went limp. With just one blow, the ancient demonic beast known as the calamity of the sea had been knocked unconscious in mid-air by a simple flick.

"Phew."

Kang Jin-ho grabbed one of the fainted Kraken's legs again and floated in the void. He looked down and shouted to Roan.

"Hey! What should I do with this? It’s a bit too big to load onto the ships!"

It was exactly as he said. If he placed this massive thing on a ship, the vessel would surely sink under the weight. Yet, it was a waste to throw it away. At this size, there would be enough left over for a squid party for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the entire South.

"……."

Roan stared blankly at the sky before finally coming to his senses. He swallowed a hollow laugh and racked his brain. He couldn't discard it. In that case...

"Over there!" Roan pointed ahead.

In the darkness, the faint outline of an island emerged in the distance—a natural fortress surrounded by black reefs. The Black Reef Fortress, the location of the Charon Merchant Guild and the Followers of the Abyss, was coming into view.

"Throw it there!" Roan shouted.

"Hmm."

Kang Jin-ho looked at the fortress. The distance was considerable, but with Aura, it seemed reachable. He could use centrifugal force to hurl it. However, doing so might create a storm that would capsize the ships below.

"Alright, drop-off commencing!"

Kang Jin-ho put strength into the hand holding the Kraken.

"Incoming! Extra-large squid delivery!"

Kang Jin-ho let go.

SHOOOOOM—!

The Kraken became a giant cannonball and flew. The 'Flying Kraken Missile' sliced through the dawn sky. It drew a perfect parabola and plummeted toward the Black Reef Fortress.

Black Reef Fortress, Top Floor Office of the Central Main Building.

While a splendid chandelier scattered a soft glow, Verdo, the Guild Master of the Charon Merchant Guild, swirled a glass of top-grade wine and looked out the window. His face was filled with the arrogance of a man who owned the world.

"Kuhuhu. This is the taste. Southern wine must be red to be proper."

Verdo swallowed the wine and licked his lips. Ledgers were piled like mountains on his desk. They weren't just numbers; they were records of the massive profits gained from disposing of Moonlight Grass and various smuggled goods. Since they had recovered all the items they sold, it was essentially free money.

"A young girl daring to run a merchant guild. She should have known her place."

Verdo wore a fishy smile. The Lapis Merchant Guild was finished. It would go bankrupt trying to pay the penalties. By acquiring the guild at a bargain price during that gap, the southern commercial rights would completely fall into his hands.

"The thought of that girl crying in despair makes the wine taste even better."

At that moment, a man in a black robe stepped out from the shadows of the office. It was Malak, a high-ranking priest among the Followers of the Abyss.

"Guild Master. Do not be too conceited. The ritual remains."

"Ah, Priest. Do not worry. The funds are overflowing." Verdo tapped the ledgers. "It was unexpected luck. To think the death of Fenrir in the North would cause monsters to rampage and dry up the supply of Moonlight Grass. Thanks to that, the price skyrocketed. Since we swallowed the goods that Lapis girl spent her entire fortune on, what more perfect scenario could there be?"

Indeed, this was all a butterfly effect. 3 years ago, Kang Jin-ho beat Fenrir to death. That event shook the ecosystem and increased the rarity of Moonlight Grass. It forced the Lapis Merchant Guild to take excessive risks. As a result, it brought massive wealth to the Charon Merchant Guild.

And that money flowed into a forbidden ritual that they originally wouldn't have dared to perform due to lack of funds.

"With this massive capital, we have purchased mana crystals in bulk. Soon... we can open the Gate of the Abyss." Malak’s eyes gleamed with madness. "We can bring a portion of the Great One's power to this land. When that happens, the Southern Admiral will be... nothing more than an insect."

"Of course! That bastard Roan de Escar is finished. The southern seas will be ruled by us, who serve the Great One!"

Verdo chuckled and raised his glass. It was a victory toast. But Malak remained cautious.

"But the Southern Admiral might catch the scent and move. Is the defense perfect?"

"Rest easy." Verdo pointed to the sea shrouded in darkness outside. "Absolute barriers imbued with His power were placed on this fortress before you even arrived, Priest. Even if the Admiral's fleet fires cannons, not a single scratch will be made. Furthermore..." He smiled sinisterly. "Our guardian deity has ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠awakened."

The Kraken. An ancient demonic beast and the calamity of the sea. It was the living shield of the fortress that the Followers of the Abyss had awakened through long rituals.

"As long as that thing is holding its ground in the water, even the Escar fleet won't be able to approach. It will smash the ships from the bottom up. So, proceed with the ritual preparations in peace."

"Hmm. I suppose so." Malak nodded. The Kraken was a legendary existence. Even for a Sword Master like Roan, dealing with a Kraken in a naval battle was nearly impossible. The cards they held were perfect: funds, barriers, and the strongest guardian beast. There ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seemed to be no room for variables.

"Well then, shall we toast—"

It was the moment Verdo was about to bring the glass to his lips.

VWOOOOM—!

Suddenly, a strange vibration was heard. It wasn't the floor shaking. It was the sky. A roar that sounded like thunder or the atmosphere tearing apart approached in an instant.

"What is it?" Verdo frowned and looked up. The window suddenly went dark. Storm clouds? No, something massive was blocking the moonlight.

"Huh?"

Before he could even identify what it was—

KWA-AAAAAANG—!

The world turned upside down with a roar. The fortress's defensive barrier, which they boasted was absolute and reinforced by the power of the Abyss, shattered into pieces like sugar glass.

Crash!

And following that, a true calamity struck the fortress directly.

BOOOOOOM!!!

A shockwave erupted like a storm. The fortress's central plaza and the main building were crushed like tofu. Stone buildings that boasted sturdiness were crumpled like paper, and the waiting subordinates and cultists were crushed before they could even scream.

"Aaaaagh!"

Verdo and Malak were thrown to the floor by the impact. The office ceiling collapsed, and the expensive chandelier shattered, sending fragments flying. Fortunately, they were in a corner and avoided a direct hit. But they were covered in dust and sprawled pathetically.

"Cough! Cough! Wh-what is happening...!" Verdo coughed in the dust cloud and raised his head. 'An earthquake? No, bombardment from the Admiral's fleet?'

But the impact was too great for bombardment. In the first place, the barrier wouldn't have broken from mere fleet fire. It was as if a giant meteorite had fallen.

Then, the dust cloud slowly cleared, revealing the reality of the impact site.

"KYUUUUEEEEEEKKK!"

A massive scream. The Kraken, which had been fainted from the impact, had woken up. The beast was confused. Its head throbbed with pain, and its surroundings were hard stones instead of water. Added to that was the pain of its body being crushed.

And then there was the fear planted by that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠terrifying "monster" (?) it didn't even want to think about. The mere thought was so frightening that the beast stopped thinking altogether. Under extreme stress, the Kraken instinctively began to rampage.

Swish! Crash!

Tentacles the size of houses swung like whips. Every time they did, buildings collapsed and towers snapped. This was the guardian beast they had released into the sea to protect the fortress. But now, it was rampaging inside the fortress as a god of destruction.

"Th-that... isn't that the Kraken?!" Verdo's eyes widened. He hadn't seen wrong. It was definitely the beast they had awakened and released beneath the sea.

"No way..." Malak, beside him, muttered with a dazed expression. It defied common sense. Why did the Kraken, an aquatic creature, fall from the sky? Why did the Kraken fly in and break the barrier?

"The Kraken... fell from the sky?" "Since when could a Kraken fly?"

The two looked at each other with dumbfounded expressions. This was a bizarre aerial assault that appeared in no strategy book or ancient grimoire. Their strongest card had fallen on their own heads to smash the fortress. How on earth were they supposed to accept this situation?

"No! Stop! Stop, you stupid beast!" Verdo finally regained his senses and screamed. His property, his troops, and the fortress containing his dreams were being smashed. And not by an enemy attack, but by the Kraken they trusted.

Tap.

While they were in chaos, a black shadow landed lightly through a gap in the collapsed ceiling. A man walked out from the dust cloud. Black hair, indifferent eyes.

It was Kang Jin-ho. He looked around the ruined office and frowned. He looked as if he were staring at a dirty garbage dump.

"Ugh, the smell," Kang Jin-ho muttered, waving his hand in front of his nose. "Fishy smell, moldy smell... you've got it all, haven't you?"