Chapter 433: Kraken (4)
The Spear of Atlantis was undoubtedly a relic of unimaginable power.
A purple-grade weapon capable of wounding even the divine.
Yes, that much was true.
But even such a mighty weapon couldn’t destroy an executor of the Apocalypse.
‘Rumble!’
The beam of light shot through the dark depths, reaching the ocean floor.
Wherever the spear passed, the waters parted like the Red Sea before Moses, carving a path through the sea.
“Groooar!”
The Kraken spread its tentacles wide, bracing to receive the spear’s impact.
Bubbles erupted around its massive form, its immense defensive capabilities ready to absorb the attack.
From the beginning, this wasn’t a battle that could be won.
That’s why…
Jinhyuk never intended to pierce the Kraken with the Spear of Atlantis.
‘Boom!’
A deafening roar echoed as radiant light flooded the waters.
[The restrictive barrier on the 29th floor has suffered severe damage!]
A series of red messages followed.
The target was not the Kraken itself but the barrier that bound the 29th floor.
‘Crack!’
Of course, destroying the entire system-created barrier was impossible.
But creating a small crack in a part of it…
That was achievable.
[The durability of the relic ‘Spear of Atlantis’ is rapidly declining!]
[Further use risks the destruction of the spear!]
‘Wooooong!’
The spear emitted a strange resonance, trembling violently.
It didn’t matter.
The goal had already been accomplished.
Jinhyuk watched the distorted space before him.
“Groooar!”
Sensing the anomaly, the Kraken surged upward, trying to escape to the surface.
But Jinhyuk moved faster.
“Heh, not so fast. Where do you think you’re going?”
“Did you forget you’re supposed to play with us, Mr. Octopus?”
From the trench below, Casey and Judro emerged, wielding a halberd and a battle axe.
‘Thud!’
Their weapons struck down, pinning the Kraken’s tentacles to the ocean floor.
Encased in the Merfolk’s unique bubble, they were free from the constraints of water pressure and breathing.
Moreover, the Zodiac power of ‘Gemini’ amplified their strength to its peak.
The Kraken was held in place, unable to ascend.
It lasted less than half a second.
But in that brief moment, the ancient barrier was activated.
‘Wooooong!’
The dimension split, revealing a new world.
“Master! We’ve been waiting! The coordinates have been adjusted as you instructed!”
“Yes, everything’s ready. The success rate is 89.35%.”
T-Bone and Frey, standing by the temple, greeted him.
More precisely, between them was the fully activated gate.
A gate leading directly to the Demon Realm.
‘Crackle!’
Sparks danced as light clashed with light.
Simultaneously…
[The domains of the 29th floor ‘Atlantis’ and the 44th floor ‘Demon Realm’ have been connected.]
The two dimensions intertwined.
The Kraken’s massive body was dragged toward the dimensional black hole, being pulled into the opposite realm.
‘Thud!’
Just before it could be completely absorbed, its tentacles latched onto the gate’s edges, holding firm.
Like steel cables, the tentacles anchored the creature in place.
Of course, it wouldn’t go down without a fight.
‘Rumble…’
Though Jinhyuk and his allies poured magic into the ancient barrier to strengthen it, the precarious balance remained unbroken.
Time was running out.
If they didn’t push it through soon, their magic would run dry, and the gate would collapse.
“Yoosung!”
Jinhyuk shouted toward Chun Yoosung.
‘Shing!’
Standing on the ship’s deck, Chun Yoosung slowly drew his sword.
The cursed blade, ‘Ryuha’, ignited with a green light, brimming with dark energy.
[Player Chun Yoosung is currently undergoing the ‘Second Advancement’ quest.]
‘Sword Saint’
It was not merely about mastering swordsmanship or grasping its essence.
This title was reserved for those who overcame the impossible—a victory against all odds.
And so, Chun Yoosung had waited patiently.
For the right situation, one where even he could be fully convinced.
“Haaa…”
He let go of his breath, feeling only the blade’s rhythm.
-Cut.
The sword drew an elegant arc.
The essence of swiftness was in its precision.
The soft trajectory accelerated suddenly.
‘Phantom Blade Dance.’
The explosion of sword energy.
It was a technique he had honed countless times.
For one purpose alone.
To surpass the one rival he had yearned to overcome his entire life.
The speed of his strikes surged once more.
‘Twelfth Form.’
A cross-shaped slash fractured into countless fragments.
Like day and night converging yet unable to merge into one.
The sword’s path reached its zenith.
This was…
The culmination of his pursuit to reach the pinnacle.
And the key to surpassing it.
‘Eternal Night.’
‘Slash!’
An invisible, formless blade cleaved through the deep sea.
“Kiiiieeeeeeek!”
The Kraken’s anguished scream tore through the ocean.
Its tentacles, severed entirely, disrupted the delicate balance.
Though its limbs began to regenerate immediately, the Kraken’s massive body was pulled entirely through the gate into the Demon Realm—a barren wasteland of fire and ash.
[The dimension has been severed.]
With that final system message, the Apocalypse that had threatened the 29th floor vanished completely.
‘Whooosh…’
Rain began to fall, and time resumed its flow.
It had been an unrelenting series of moments, each more perilous than the last.
“As expected of a Sword Saint. If it weren’t for you, we’d all be in serious trouble. I’m glad you were here with us.”
Jinhyuk smiled brightly.
Perhaps it was for this moment that Chun Yoosung had struggled so hard.
A faint change appeared on Chun Yoosung’s lips.
Though subtle, it was unmistakably a smile.
“You smiled just now, didn’t you?”
“What nonsense are you talking about? I did no such thing.”
“I saw it with my own two eyes.”
“I said I didn’t. And even if I did, it would be because I finally completed my second advancement, not because I was acknowledging you. Understand? Answer me. Do you understand? Hey!”
Chun Yoosung kept shouting, but Jinhyuk didn’t respond.
He simply wore a mischievous grin.
Regardless, the greatest calamity to ever threaten the 29th floor had been eradicated.
—
“Aaaaaah! Stop… please stop!”
A scream filled with pain echoed.
In Guntafer’s lair, yet another session of unrelenting torture was taking place.
Remia, bloodied and bound by red chains, gasped for air.
She had lost count of how many times she had come to the brink of death.
No matter how many times she endured the sensation of being consumed by flames, it was impossible to grow accustomed to it.
“Hmph. You’re truly tenacious. I told you the pain would end if you confessed everything you know.”
“I’ve told you… everything you wanted… everything!”
“Another lie.”
‘Snap!’
The chain twisted her arm mercilessly.
Her arm bent at an unnatural angle.
“Aaaaaargh!”
Remia convulsed in agony.
“Even if you hold on, that human won’t survive. This time, I’ll crush him so thoroughly that not even a trace of his form will remain. Abandon your futile hope quickly.”
“Ha… ha… well, we’ll just… have to see about that.”
“Fine. Resist all you want. I have all the time in the worl—hm?”
Guntafer stopped mid-sentence, raising his head.
Through the dusty air, he could see the sun.
…And he felt something strange.
That magic… could it be?
Guntafer squinted in suspicion, and then his eyes widened in shock.
‘Crack!’
The air itself began to fracture.
The sheer destruction of space was shocking, but the true horror lay in what emerged from the fissures.
A massive tentacle writhed into view.
“K-Kraken?”
Impossible!
The Kraken, which should have been wreaking havoc on the 29th floor, was here?
Confusion and denial warred within Guntafer’s mind as he struggled to process the situation.
But no matter how much he thought, all he could muster was a curse.
“You miserable human wretch! How dare you… how dare you bring that here!”
Guntafer’s eyes turned blood-red in rage.
And at that moment…
[The Apocalypse manifests on the 44th floor!]
The worst disaster since the war with Eden had begun.
—
In Atlantis, a grand banquet was underway.
The Merfolk spared no effort in celebrating the hero who had saved their kind.
Fresh seaweed and vibrant underwater fruits adorned the tables.
“Wow. What’s this?”
Jinhyuk’s eyes sparkled.
Among the dishes was rainbow shrimp, slowly cooked in bubbling water for exactly 1 hour, 15 minutes, and 13 seconds. It was seasoned seven times with 13.5 grams of Asumtra salt.
He had heard that the Merfolk included many gourmets, but he hadn’t expected someone capable of preparing such a delicacy.
This banquet was shaping up to be thoroughly satisfying.
At that moment…
“Ahem! Ahem!”
Alice tugged at Jinhyuk’s sleeve, clearing her throat.
“Hm? What is it?”
“That… tossing the Kraken into the Demon Realm… was that really okay?”
“Oh, that? Yeah, it’s fine. Frey and T-Bone adjusted the coordinates so it landed in Guntafer’s territory, not Berial’s.”
Jinhyuk chuckled as he imagined Guntafer’s furious screams.
“Hmph. To think you’ve made an enemy of the entire Demon Realm… I can’t help but worry about my contractor’s future.”
“Don’t worry. We were bound to clash with them sooner or later. Plus, with the Kraken running wild, the Demon Realm’s forces will take a significant hit.”
Even for the upper echelons of the Demon Realm, dealing with the Apocalypse wouldn’t be easy.
Even if the Kraken’s power was halved outside of the water, several demon lords’ territories would likely be reduced to rubble.
“In that case, I suppose it’s for the best… but, contractor.”
“Hm? Is there something else?”
“You haven’t forgotten our promise, have you?”
Promise?
“Oh, you mean the trip to Paradise Island! Of course, I haven’t forgotten. Once all this is wrapped up, we’ll go on a splendid journey together!”
When Jinhyuk tilted his head in confusion, Alice shouted at him, her face flushed with embarrassment.
She seemed mortified to have brought it up herself, her face reddening even further.
“Of course, I remember! I’ve even prepared a special event for it.”
There was no way he would forget. Not if he valued his life.
“Hmph. Well, I’m looking forward to it. But don’t think I’ll be easily impressed!”
Alice’s expression softened, and she started bouncing around like an excited child.
However…
“Hero, the time has come.”
Things rarely go as planned.
Before Jinhyuk stood Queen Tuna Sushi and a crowd of Merfolk, ready to begin a sacred ceremony in honor of the hero who saved their kind.