“10 seconds from now.”
Eugene counted the time while keeping as much distance from the monster as possible. Considering the tentacles’ attack range, he assumed the monster would strike first in 10 seconds.
Kururu…
9 seconds left.
As time passed, Isanghwa’s form grew larger, and the grotesque body structures became even clearer. Perhaps thinking it no longer needed to hide its appearance, the flower pollen had completely vanished.
Ji kyak!
6 seconds.
The monster let out a horrifying roar, probably having spotted us. The tentacles that functioned as legs lifted some of their limbs.
“Is it preparing to attack?”
Eugene checked the number of shurikens held between his fingers: four in his left hand and four in his right, eight in total. Meanwhile, the tentacles aiming at us numbered four to the left and four to the right.
“But their thickness is incomparable.”
By estimation, each looked as thick as a horse’s waist. Moreover, like imitating a rose’s thorns, spikes had sprouted along the tentacles. If we got hit head-on by those, it would mean instant death or at least crippling injury. What have those guys been doing all this time while it grew this threatening?
“Civil servants, of course.”
Useless parasites, given budget and equipment to eliminate such dangers but evidently neglecting their duties. It made him angry. Three seconds later, he planned to return to the Imperial Capital and report everything to the Emperor.
At the same time, Isanghwa’s tentacles shot toward us. As expected, being huge didn’t mean it was slow. If this continued, the attacks would engulf us in less than a second.
Shwiik.
He swung his hand and launched shurikens left and right. The metallic silver flashes cut through the air, each shuriken embedding into a tentacle.
Tick.
He snapped his fingers. The sound traveled through the air and reached the shurikens stuck in the tentacles.
Jiiim…!
The magic embedded in the shurikens activated.
Pajijik…!
Electricity sparked from the embedded shurikens, blue arcs connecting them to form a pattern.
Inside a huge circle was the character meaning “thunder.”
Hwaruruk!
The tentacles instantly caught fire from the electrical power. High-voltage currents can burn any living creature to ashes. No matter if it’s a monster, the laws of nature can’t be defied.
Paseuseu…
Within less than a second, eight tentacles turned to ash.
Kyaak!
Isanghwa writhed in pain and staggered backward. Thanks to that, the distance between us widened again. Emilia, who was watching from behind, asked with a sense of wonder,
“Sir… what was that?”
Her voice revealed her confusion. She had inscribed a fire-attribute magic into the shurikens, but the manifested effect was completely electric.
“It’s Five Element Metal Technique , a skill from the Eastern Continent.”
A technique that combines the five elements to manifest derivative attributes without separate magic. This was one of the skills Eugene learned from a friend while on the Eastern Continent. Come to think of it, he wondered how that friend was doing.
It had been nearly 20 years since they last met. Though that guy wasn’t exactly an ‘ordinary person,’ so he was probably alive.
“The Eastern Continent?”
Emilia tilted her head upon hearing the answer. The existence of the Eastern Continent remained a mystery on this continent. The distance between the two continents was vast, blocked by a huge ocean. And due to the Eastern Continent’s isolationist policies, exchanges were almost non-existent.
“I’ll explain later.”
He cut off her question. Isanghwa hadn’t collapsed yet, so Eugene reloaded the shurikens in both hands and faced the monster.
Kurute.
The petal-like jaws dripped bodily fluid. Was it saliva from losing tentacles? Or was it drool triggered by hunger? No one knew.
Parreuri.
Suddenly, Isanghwa shuddered. Yellow powder scattered from its body. Since direct attacks were ineffective, was it trying to use an illusion?
“Emilia!”
It was time for the mage’s support.
“Yes!”
Sensing this, she activated her magic from behind. She must have prepared the spell in advance, anticipating this. As the magic triggered, a cold wind blew from her back.
Dah.
The gust scattered the flower pollen. Although it wasn’t strong enough to blow away Isanghwa’s main body, it raised the danger of poisoning the battlefield.
Shyaaae.
Isanghwa roared at us, angered that its pollen attack had failed. Now, only physical combat remained.
“Alright, you’re in for it today.”
Eugene swung his hand and threw shurikens again. His target was the center of Isanghwa’s petals. There, at the center, was an oval-shaped mass like a tumor. Usually, giant monsters keep their vital spots in the exact center of their bodies.
That way, the vital spots are least exposed to external attacks. As expected, Isanghwa’s tentacles moved swiftly.
Pak-pak-pak!
The shurikens hit the tentacle wall and failed to reach the center. The tentacles quickly withdrew, shaking off the shurikens. The dropped blades clattered meaninglessly on the ground.
“As expected.”
The tumor at the petal’s center was Isanghwa’s heart. If he could drive a blade into that mass, the monster would be finished in one strike. To do that, he reloaded one shuriken. There were now 24 shurikens left. Isanghwa wouldn’t attempt to use its pollen attack like before.
“Rather than waste shurikens,”
He thought.
“It’s better to go for close combat, even if it’s troublesome.”
To do that, he needed to enhance his physical abilities. Specifically, the strength his muscles could output.
“What are you planning to do?”
Instead of answering, Eugene pressed the loaded shuriken against Emilia’s back. He aimed at a certain spot on the back of her head. Taking a deep breath, he thrust the shuriken forward.
“Sir!?”
A sharp pain and a cold sensation spread through the back of his head. The shuriken pierced the flesh, reaching a certain point. When the blade stimulated that spot, something in his mind snapped.
Ttuk.
Hearing that sound meant everything was ready. For the next five minutes, he could produce twice his usual output. After five minutes, the backlash would rupture all the muscles in his body, but—
“I’m an immortal.”
Even if it hurt, it was worth trying. But he had to prepare in case the plan failed. He looked at Emilia behind him and said,
“You’re going back to the village now.”
“What!?”
Her eyes widened at the sudden order to retreat.
“What do you mean? I’m fighting with you!”
Emilia responded stubbornly, probably feeling she had to stay and support him. Though that was understandable, support alone wouldn’t make things work.
“Don’t be foolish. You can’t even provide support at your level.”
“Huh…?”
Her eyes drooped at his cold words. Thinking back, he’d never spoken like that to her before. But sometimes, even cold words were necessary.
“Your job is just one thing.”
In case we lose this fight against the monster—
“Go and bring the needle.”
That guy would be useful as a secondary force. Since the monster’s main body had appeared, there was no reason for him to remain in the village.
“Understood?”
“I understand…”
Emilia bowed and agreed. Logically, she knew it was right, but being told her skills weren’t enough must have hurt.
“Don’t die.”
“Huh?”
“That’s just common sense.”
You can’t compare someone who’s been fighting for over 100 years to a child who’s just turned twenty. And there’s still a lot to learn, so there’s no shame.
“Now go.”
Eugene pulled the shuriken from the back of his head and threw it at Isanghwa.
Sleung!
He retrieved the daggers he had returned to their sheaths. From now on, the fight wouldn’t be about shurikens. After the conversation, only about 4 minutes and 30 seconds remained.
“Sir!”
But Emilia grabbed his hand from behind and handed him something.
“Hm?”
It was the Shinru Stone. Kept close, it radiated warmth similar to body temperature. Turning around, Emilia looked at him with determination.
“Please, win. I beg you.”
He wasn’t sure how to reply but finally thought of the safest answer. Before sending her off, he said,
“See you in the village.”
“Yes!”
She nodded vigorously and ran toward the village. Though the distance was considerable, she was a mage and would manage fine. It was his job to deal with the monster.
“Time to show some strength after a long while.”
He bit into the Shinru Stone Emilia had given him. This was to prepare for the flower pollen attack. Without Emilia, the Shinru Stone was his only support.
“Let’s get started.”
He pushed off the ground and charged at the monster.
Kryak!
The monster moved in response. It threw all remaining tentacles at him. Yellow powder began spewing again.
“A combination of poison and tentacles, huh?”
But thanks to the Shinru Stone’s power, the poison didn’t affect him. His only task was to intercept the tentacles. He channeled magic into the surfaces of the daggers in both hands. The magic took the shape of blades along the edges.
Bbaek!
Two tentacles aimed for his temple and ribs. He slashed left with the hammer in his left hand, and cut the tentacle aiming for the ribs with the nail in his right hand.
Ssigeol!
The daggers sliced through the tentacles like cutting cheese. This wasn’t just the daggers’ innate power, but the manifestation of sword energy. The vibrations of sword energy that cut molecular bonds even severed the monster’s tentacles.
“Hmph!”
He swung both hands in an X-shaped arc. He struck upward again with the daggers in an X.
Tudu-duk.
Four tentacles were shredded by the two consecutive strikes. But the last remaining one aimed for his head. He stepped forward with his right foot and shifted his weight rightward.
Hong!
The tentacle passed where his head was, but its spikes scratched his shoulder. It wasn’t enough to tear muscle, but the burning pain was distracting.
“You bastard!”
Clack!
He thrust the nail in his right hand into the tentacle. The hammer in his left hand had already accumulated enough impact. Now the nail could fully exert its power.
Dangpung.
The nail’s power activated, sending the tentacle flying. Spinning his body, he retrieved the nail and charged forward again. Tentacles rushed to block him, but he cut through them all.
Kurute.
“Hm?”
He felt vibrations from below the soles of his feet. The tentacles must have burrowed underground. Burying tentacles underground in the blind spot of his sight?
“Smart move.”
Matching the vibrations, he pushed off the ground and leapt into the air.
Kwang!
A tentacle pierced through the ground and shot up. As expected, it tried to stab him from below. But he intended to use that move against it.
“Huuu.”
Breathing steadily, he controlled his magic inside his body. He reinforced his thigh muscles—the target of enhancement was his legs. With acupuncture, he had released the limiter on his muscle strength.
The combination of acupuncture and magic was destructive. He used the tip of the tentacle beneath his foot as leverage.
Thud!
He leapt toward Isanghwa’s vital spot. The remaining tentacles charged to block him. But the curved tentacles could not intercept a straight-line trajectory. Man.
Chwarrruk!
Soon the petals shrank to block the vital spot. He aimed the dagger in his right hand forward. The shock accumulated by the hammer gathered into the nail. A sharp gleam flashed from the tip of the right-hand dagger.
Firing!
Following the command in his mind, the light exploded.
-Kung!
The light from the dagger’s tip shot out like a spear in a straight line. It obliterated half of the flower bud that blocked the vital spot. With the vital spot and obstacles gone,
“Uryaah!”
He drove the dagger with all his strength into the vital spot.
Puk.
He felt a disturbing sensation as the flesh pulsed with thick fluid.
Pushik!
From the small wound, dark red liquid gushed out. The sensation of stabbing a slimy mass was unpleasant enough, but having the monster’s bodily fluid splash on him made it worse. Wiping the fluid off his face with his sleeve, Kiyaak…!
Isanghwa let out a scream and vanished into dust. The monster’s body turned ash-gray around the vital spot and began crumbling like burnt remains. The dark red fluid on his clothes and face evaporated and disappeared.
“Good. Disappear.”
That was your proper fate.
Whirrik!
He spun the twin daggers and returned them to their sheaths. Since Isanghwa had been annihilated, there was no need to use them anymore. At that moment, the pre-set time limit also seemed to have ended.
Moksin!
“Kuaak!?”
His entire body convulsed and he collapsed. While fighting, the brain dulled the pain, so he hadn’t noticed. The aftereffect of releasing the limiter and using his muscles struck him.
“I’m dying…”
Normally he wouldn’t die, but the pain was enough to feel like death. The agony was so intense he could barely move a finger. He lay flat, trying to recover from the pain.
Since he told Emilia to bring the needle, he guessed it would take about 30 minutes.
“Let me sleep for a bit.”
As he was dozing off—
Clack!
He opened his eyes to find a cold muzzle aimed at his head.
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