Ch.114114. Opening

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Animation and comics often feature scenes like this.

A human throws a punch, and the entire environment transforms dramatically.

Vast stretches of land shatter, or massive buildings dozens of stories tall collapse.

These are exaggerated scenes inserted to show how ridiculously powerful a single human can be.

And now.

Before my eyes unfolded a sight so absurd it defied even that category.

If it had been merely an enormous physical impact, I wouldn’t have been this shocked.

But what hung at the edge of Kasa’s fist, which she had just thrust toward the sky—

The ‘night’ itself.

Was crumbling down.

-..

-…

-…..!!

The dimly lit sky, according to the time of day.

For just a brief moment, it ‘breaks apart.’

Like a shattered mirror, its surface twists, breaks, peels away, and through the forcibly distorted space seeps the bright ‘sunlight’ that could never exist in the sky at this time.

“…holy, shit.”

I look up at the sight while muttering curses in succession.

I know what this means.

‘…The dimension itself has been twisted.’

I think with a groan.

In gaming terms, almost everything within this range would be treated as an instant-kill.

Anything caught in the range of that attack would be completely annihilated just by ‘grazing contact’ unless they were among the greatest powers in this world.

Tristan, the First Grand Duke, known as the greatest and strongest sword saint in history, was said to have sliced through the air with his sword to clear away day and bring forth night.

Though it lasted only for an instant, though it affected only a very localized area.

Kasa just recreated that scene by simply swinging her fist in place.

‘…How is this even possible?’

I struggle to keep my weakening legs steady as this thought crosses my mind.

I knew Kasa hadn’t earned the title of Authority by playing card games.

But now I truly feel how my previous blocking of this person’s punch was an absurd stroke of luck.

“Law Arts.”

Kasa’s voice dropped before me as I stood there in a daze.

“It’s an ability based on human ‘willpower.’ The public knows it as exclusive to the Tribal Union, but that’s only because they’re often exposed to extreme situations that make it easier to awaken. Anyone can learn to use it.”

As she spoke, Kasa slowly sat down on the ground.

The artificial bodies made from materials collected from the rulers of the demon realm were all crumbling to pieces.

Even though they were made with such impressive materials, they ended up in this state after just one use.

Actually, considering what she did, it’s impressive they held up for even one attack.

“And because it’s based on the human mind, unlike mana or divine power, it has no ‘limit.’ How desperately do you want it? How earnestly do you desire it? The limit of the ability is determined by such ‘will.'”

“…”

“With will that can reach the sky, you can even break the sky like this.”

Of course, in other words.

It wasn’t even her original body, just a hastily constructed artificial one. And yet she did something like this with it.

“You could definitely do it too. Maybe not exactly the same, but you could do something similar.”

After performing such a feat, Kasa calmly sat back down, picked up the pipe lying beside her, and said:

“I never teach anything to someone who can’t learn.”

Right. A familiar line.

In the game too, after this line appeared, Elia was given a skill.

‘…Hmm.’

But have I changed in some way?

Seeing that just makes me feel it’s incredibly impressive, but I don’t feel any particular enlightenment.

The ability to use power in some way—

< System Message >

[ You have witnessed an impossible realm! ]

[ New function added to ‘Trait: Martial Arts – Standing Style’! ]

[ ‘Stance – Sky Breaking’ has been added to your movements! ]

< System Message >

[ You have received valuable teaching! ]

[ You have acquired ‘Trait: Law Arts Operation’! ]

“…”

Ah, so that’s how it works.

I wasn’t expecting some earth-shattering revelation, but this feels rather anticlimactic.

It’s fitting for someone like me who’s used to getting things without effort, I suppose.

“Judging by your expression, you seem to have gained something.”

Kasa saw my face and said with a slight smile.

I definitely did gain something.

I sigh and respond:

“…How did someone with your skills end up getting your limbs cut off?”

While Allan Va-Thor is certainly a powerful fighter, judging by the feat Kasa just performed, he wouldn’t stand a chance against her even if he came at her with three truckloads of reinforcements.

To this, Kasa just shrugged and answered:

“Back then, he was threatening the lives of my clan. So I just quietly let him cut me.”

“…”

Of course, in the end, Tatiana ordered Allan to kill everyone in the Garda clan anyway.

‘And that wasn’t even the end of it.’

I think about what Tatiana had ‘done’ to Allan’s body when I met him recently.

My expression involuntarily contorts. It’s enough to make me nauseous.

I can roughly imagine how Riru, who’s on the verge of going berserk, would react if she saw it.

“Can you do it?”

As I was mulling over these thoughts, Kasa threw that question at me.

Her gaze was fixed on the horizon. More precisely, on the terrifying ‘tidal wave’ forming there.

Tatiana’s summoning ritual is nearing its final stage.

And that means…

[ Crisis situation detected. ]

[ Judged to be a direct threat to life. ]

[ Applying skill: Desperate Situation at EX rank. ]

It’s time.

As that window appears, I feel strength surging through my body and let out a sigh.

“…What choice do I have but to die if I can’t?”

With those final words.

I leap off the coastal cliff in front of Kasa.

●

I feel the impact as I land on the rock with a thud.

My body feels light. It always feels this way when Desperate Situation activates, but now it’s especially noticeable.

‘…I’ve definitely been trained well.’

It’s something I’ve felt many times before, but all that exercise with Riru wasn’t completely in vain.

Enough to make even this kind of feat possible.

“-Hup!”

With a shout, I kick off the ground, and the surface rapidly recedes below me.

Just like Elnore did before, I can mimic flight using just physical abilities.

‘…Maybe I’m at the level of Elnore right before she ate 2 fragments.’

It seems my physical specs have risen to a level comparable to that.

And while I’m at this dizzying height, I scan the surroundings.

It doesn’t take long to find what I’m looking for.

I land back on the ground, shattering another rock, and leap toward it.

My body flies several hundred meters, landing on the Tribal Union’s boat like a shell hitting its target.

“W-Whoa!”

Talion, who was at the helm, screamed in surprise.

He’s the one who was waiting here with the boat at my request.

“Oh, I’m here—”

As I try to greet him, I notice a small ice cat attached to Talion’s head.

“…”

No, is it a tiger cub?

Why does he have something like that stuck to his head?

“…What’s that?”

“Oh, this seems to be the Frost Tiger’s cub. After its mother disappeared, it’s been clinging to me like this. It seems to like me.”

“It had a cub?”

I didn’t know that.

Whether it’s the Death Demon or the Frost Tiger, once they’re beaten like that, it takes at least a few months to a year to revive.

With its mother gone, it’s understandable that the cub would instinctively cling to someone who seems like they could protect it.

“Well, I’m planning to take care of it for the time being.”

Talion said as he reached up to pet the Frost Tiger’s head.

Seeing it purr and rub against his hand, it seems they’ve become quite close.

“…But isn’t that a magical beast?”

“Fundamentally, they’re similar to animals, so raising one should be similar too. I can’t just abandon a cub without its mother, so I’ll make sure to walk it properly and feed it well.”

“…”

Well, it’s not like I have any authority here. Do as you please.

More importantly, there’s the crisis right in front of us.

“…Um, brother.”

“Yeah.”

I briefly answer Talion, who speaks with a trembling voice.

“Traveling with you, I experience all sorts of situations.”

“Yeah.”

“When we met that dragon before, I thought that was the peak. That nothing could surprise me greatly anymore.”

“Yeah.”

“…But how do you always manage to give me new shocks?”

“…”

That does look a bit scary, doesn’t it?

I sigh as I look at the massive ‘sinkhole’ spread out before us. It’s similar to when the Kraken was first summoned.

However.

Its ‘size’ is incomparable to that time.

A hole sinking downward, clearly visible even in this vast ocean. It’s large enough to comfortably fit the entire Crucible of Struggle inside.

The seawater ‘rising’ from the deep hole in the ocean looks like a tsunami.

Inverted Tide. A very appropriate name.

And from within it.

-…

-…

-….!!!

A ‘cursed’ being.

An invader from another dimension that can never mix with ‘this world’ reveals itself.

It feels like sticky, damp soot from the bottom of a gutter is creeping into your mind. It’s the atmosphere that only a being that spreads all kinds of curses around it just by existing can create.

The first thing that emerges is a massive tentacle. Spewing blood and curses in all directions, with ancient hieroglyphs carved into it emitting bizarre light.

Just one of those is large enough to wrap around the entire Crucible of Struggle and crush it, but there’s still much more of the body connected to that tentacle in the sinkhole below.

This is just a ‘part’ of the entire body.

The size of its true form is beyond comprehension.

“Brother.”

“Yeah.”

“…That’s not just one, is it?”

“No, it’s not.”

I nod at Talion’s words, spoken in a dejected voice.

Originally, we would have to face just one of those.

But now there are three in total.

This is the effect of designating Allan Va-Thor as the avatar. It’s Tatiana’s strategy to ensure my death.

She doesn’t care what happens to the others as long as she can kill me somehow, so she summoned three of these unmanageable beings.

“Talion.”

“Yes?”

“Remember how you practiced hard maneuvering this boat against the Water Dragon?”

“That was a rehearsal for what we’re doing now.”

“Certainly, to escape from something like that, that level of practice would be considered a rehearsal…!”

“No, that’s not the important part.”

In reality.

There’s an even greater threat that makes even those seem like ‘mere trifles.’

Strictly speaking, there are two.

“…Huh?”

With Talion’s dazed response.

The massive being that was rising before our eyes.

In an instant, it gets ‘pulverized.’

–!!!!!!!!

-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With a volume that seems to tear both sky and earth, the ancient being revealing itself from beneath the sea lets out an agonized scream.

‘…It didn’t die instantly.’

I guess it’s strong enough to serve as a chapter boss after all.

Impressive that it doesn’t die immediately upon colliding with ‘that.’

“Darwood Campbeeeeeell——–!!!!!!!”

A voice that clearly reveals its presence even amidst the monstrous screams flows out.

It was the roar of a single human ‘running across the sea’ from the distant horizon.

It was a voice filled with such fierce hostility that Talion unconsciously muttered an apology.

“Come out right now before I kill youuuuu——–!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“…”

No.

If I go out there, I’ll die.

I sigh and gesture to Talion.

“Let’s bolt.”

“Yes, sir.”

The boat began to accelerate rapidly.

For now.

Chapter 3 boss battle.

The Apostle of the Inverted Tide, Ancient Being of the Deep Sea extermination battle, begins.

And simultaneously.

!!!!!!!!!!!Demon Alert!!!!!!!!!!!

[ ‘Demon-related’ emergency event occurring! ]

[ This is a highest priority event! ]

[ If you do not act correctly within the time limit, you will die! ]

[ This event is related to ‘Riru’! ]

[ Devise a survival strategy immediately! ]

Evasive maneuvers to survive two Demonic Vessels, begin.

“…”

It’s not just my imagination that the latter seems far more catastrophic than the boss battle.

“…I’m just so popular, aren’t I? Great.”

“I agree about the dying part-!”

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