Chapter 574
Thwack!
The White Flame Spear pierced the Kraken’s enormous eye. The terror of the sea, the Kraken’s giant body, shuddered in pain.
But the pain awaiting it was far from over.
Boom! The burst of flames evaporated the blood, and the immense energy flowing down the spearhead tore the Kraken apart from within.
A full three gaps of [Scorching Yang Energy] was enough to not only roast one of the Kraken’s eyes, but also to inflict fatal internal injuries.
– Gwoooooar!
Overwhelmed by pain it had never known, the Kraken thrashed all eight legs wildly and roared.
A violent struggle to shake off its enemy.
But I pushed the spear in even deeper and, bracing myself, smashed my fist into the creature’s giant eye.
Whoosh! Crack!
There was no need to use [Great Heavenly Star Palm] when I had a divine weapon like the White Flame Spear, but with power and speed far beyond human limits, my fists themselves were deadly weapons.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Each blow landed like a bolt of lightning, making the Kraken’s huge body convulse all over again.
– Guk, guooo!
Splash! Crash!
The eight legs beating the surface whipped up a wall of water and sent waves crashing.
Unintentionally doused in the salty seawater, I licked my lips. The distinct briny taste spread across my tongue.
“Stay still. We’re not done yet.”
How many died or were injured in this [Monster Wave]?
The collapse of Gwangan Bridge alone had already caused hundreds of casualties. Each one was someone’s father, mother, or beloved child.
‘You have to pay for that.’
What the Kraken destroyed was not just a structure.
What sank into the sea foam was hundreds of precious lives, and a promise to someone I’ll never see again.
Crack!
I tightened my grip on the spear shaft. At the same time, the energy I released surged through the monster’s body like electricity.
Boom.
From somewhere deep in the mollusk’s slick, moist flesh, a muffled explosion rang out.
– Gyaaaah! H-human!
I’d aimed for its head to end it quickly, but perhaps due to its sheer size, I could inflict fatal wounds but not kill it outright.
But I replied without a hint of hesitation.
“Give up. You’re going to die here anyway.”
This much would never change.
At my dry words, I felt the Kraken’s body tense up for a moment.
It was probably shocked that a human could speak the demonic tongue—something only high-intelligence monsters could use.
– Y-you. You are definitely a human.
“Of course I’m human, you bastard. Do I look like an octopus to you?”
All of this was thanks to the system’s [Integrated Language Pack], but I saw no reason or need to explain that to the monster.
Instead, I threw a punch at its startled eye.
Fwoosh—blue flames flickered over my tightly clenched fist. The [Flame Extinguishing Divine Fist] that once turned the Western Post into a ruin.
The mighty hammer of [Scorching Yang Energy] pierced the Kraken’s magic-protected skin.
Boom!
Even the hardest stone breaks if you keep striking it.
With the [Flame Extinguishing Divine Fist] fully charged, you could shatter not just stone, but even monsters hundreds of times bigger than a human.
Splat!
With a fountain of blue blood, the Kraken’s body shuddered violently.
It thrashed so hard that all the yachts and fishing boats nearby were smashed to pieces, but instead of a deafening roar, it let out a faint moan.
– …You. Human.
“Shut your mouth.”
At last, the end of this desperate fight was in sight.
Sensing victory, I moved like lightning, yanking the White Flame Spear from its eye and thrusting it downward again.
Or rather—I was about to, when—
– Didn’t you… give me… that…?
…?
The spearhead that was about to pierce the Kraken’s skull froze in midair.
A flood of thoughts rushed through my head. I opened my mouth, confusion in my eyes.
“What did you just say?”
At my question, its limp body twitched. The Kraken—no, that thing—was definitely laughing.
– Interesting.
“Answer the question. Before this gets boring.”
– I told you. You all gave me power.
“So what are you…?”
The moment I asked again, feeling something was off, the Kraken, panting harshly, spoke.
– Must feel cramped, right?
“?”
– Go outside. There’s a wider sea.
I froze in place. That wasn’t the Kraken’s voice, and it wasn’t demonic language either.
Unlike before, the voice flowed smoothly—it was unmistakably…
Korean?
Yeah, it was definitely Korean.
The Kraken was mimicking someone unknown. No, it was more like replaying a memory exactly as it was.
In the next moment, as another unfamiliar voice followed, my suspicion became certainty.
– The one who gave me power. The one who led me out.
Drip.
From the charred black eye, blue blood streamed down like tears.
The Kraken, already dead, stared at me with eyes full of lingering hatred and despair, and continued.
– All were human.
The word “human” sent an icy chill up my spine.
A flash of images and doubts flickered and vanished in my mind.
A [Monster Wave] that escalated too quickly for anyone to handle.
A Named Monster—Kraken—with overwhelming power.
And the Kraken’s own confession of another’s involvement.
If all of this was true—
‘Someone triggered the Monster Wave on purpose.’
The thought was so unbelievable, my teeth clenched on their own. An artificially triggered Monster Wave. It shouldn’t exist. It mustn’t.
But…
‘Damn it. It’s possible.’
The cause of mutated Gates and Monster Waves is the total amount of magic power.
If the magic exceeds what the Gate can contain, these two phenomena occur.
And there is definitely a way to artificially raise the magic level.
‘Magic Stone.’
As the word surfaced in my mind, the scattered puzzle pieces finally fit.
Yes, with a Magic Stone, it’s possible. If it’s one filled with a monster’s power—one unpurified by human hands. That’s the only possible answer.
“But who? And why?”
By making the Kraken absorb a Magic Stone, they created a Named Monster and triggered a Monster Wave to cause disaster.
This was outright terrorism, an atrocity no human should commit.
‘Who would do such a thing…’
The hand gripping the White Flame Spear trembled with shock. Questions swirled through my mind like dark clouds.
Ironically, there was only one being who could answer them.
“…Tell me. Everything you saw and heard.”
When I muttered through gritted teeth, the Kraken gave a low, guttural laugh.
– Why should I?
“If you don’t talk right now, I’ll kill you.”
– Scary. Truly scary.
His words were laced with mockery.
I pressed the spear in threateningly, but it just let out a pained laugh, stubborn to the end.
– Ask your own kind.
“You bastard.”
– Kill me, human.
M…!
I clenched my teeth with all my might, holding back the rage that threatened to explode, trying not to smash a hole in this damned octopus’s skull right there.
Crack.
I had to kill it. I needed to.
I saw it with my own eyes—the Kraken slaughtering hundreds.
If you counted the monsters under its command, the death toll might easily climb into the thousands.
Even now, somewhere in this city, people were surely screaming and dying.
But.
“You… damn it.”
I couldn’t bring myself to finish off the Kraken.
No matter how many times I wanted to kill it for what it had done, more important was finding the real mastermind behind this disaster.
If I didn’t catch the one who had the Kraken absorb a Magic Stone, who caused this Monster Wave—this would just be the beginning.
‘And more people will die every time.’
Maybe it was the energy I’d spent, or the shock of realizing a traitor was behind it all, but my body felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton. A wave of exhaustion washed over me.
I looked up at the sun beating down on my head and muttered inwardly.
‘Damn, the weather’s needlessly nice.’
Yeah. Damn good weather, and a damn shitty situation.
With a rough exhale, I yanked the White Flame Spear out of the Kraken’s head.
Shunk. As the white spear was pulled out, blue blood gushed forth.
This thing… must live.
The only witness and evidence was a monster. I let go of the spear, exhausted.
Slide.
And that became the one fatal mistake—my only blunder in this battle.
It all happened in an instant.
The Kraken’s half-dead body convulsed, and all eight legs shot toward me.
“Ghk!”
Snap. Screeech!
As I snapped out of it, I stepped on the creature’s head and leaped into the air.
For a brief second, I thought I’d dodged the ambush—but then I realized the Kraken’s true intent.
HOOO.I ~~? I? r~~K’
A mass of black liquid spread across dozens of meters in the air.
It was a thoroughly calculated move from the very start, and my guard had slackened too much to dodge everything.
Splatter.
No matter how fast I moved, I couldn’t avoid the whole attack that swept in from all directions.
And then, as much as a cup of milk’s worth of black liquid hit my body, a system notification chimed.
Beep!
– [You have come into contact with Kraken’s Ink!]
– [Kraken’s Ink] is a deadly poison with extreme toxicity!
– Status effect: [Poisoned] has been applied!
– Status effect: [Paralyzed] has been applied!
– [Strength] is significantly decreased for a period of time!
– [Agility] is drastically decreased for a period of time!
– [Turtle Breathing Technique] has begun resisting!
– Rapidly expel the poison by circulating [Qi]!
With the system alert, my body felt heavy.
The black liquid was none other than ink—and a deadly venom at that.
‘Damn it.’
Why did I let my guard down? Why didn’t I suspect this bastard until the end?
Regret stabbed at me, but it was too late.
As I circulated [Scorching Yang Energy], the nemesis of poison, I equipped an [Universal Antidote Pill] from my inventory.
Ding.
Another system alert signaled the start of detoxification.
But this was another mistake. The Kraken had been waiting for this very moment, and its target was not me.
Splash!
Its massive body surged forward like a bolt of lightning, raising a wave.
At the end of that path was Gwangan Bridge, where survivors were still waiting for rescue.
“You…!”
– Human! Kill me!
It all happened in less than a heartbeat.
Countless thoughts flashed through my mind. But the answer was always clear from the start.
A martial artist fights—but a Hunter must also protect.
Crack.
Though the spear was still soaked in blood, I gripped it tight.
I rolled my shoulders back in the air and twisted my waist. The [Qi] running along spiraling muscles and veins shot toward the spear.
Fwoosh—
Blue flames blazed beneath the scorching sun. The sunlight shattered on the spear’s blade.
And then—
‘Now.’
Die.
I swung with killing intent. The spear, wrapped in blazing flames, shot forth like a beam of light.
Screeeech! Bang!
Compressed air exploded, splitting the sea apart.
At the end of that path was the Kraken’s massive body, lunging toward the survivors.
Boom!
A downpour of blue blood rained down.
