Chapter 137: Kraken Subjugation Battle (3)

Never having imagined that I would witness Michael Bay-level explosive action right before my eyes, I was momentarily lost for words as I watched Eunbyul falling along with her parachute.

Kwagwang! With a grand explosion, the helicopter, which had incinerated one of the Kraken’s legs, didn’t stop there and embedded metal fragments into its body.

The moment I tried to ask what she was thinking destroying the means of transport to escape the island, her following words explained the reason first.

“I apologize, Master. Part of the helicopter’s hull was damaged due to the impact, so I disposed of it in the most efficient way.”

“…It can’t be helped. This happened because I was the one who suggested returning to the island. I’ll explain the cost to my mother later.”

Given how much it was hit by ink projectiles, the helicopter too seemed to have broken down from the accumulated impact.

Then again, if it was an unusable item anyway, going down in an explosion together with the Kraken’s leg would have been the wisest choice.

Although the means of transport disappeared, the probability of victory in the battle against the S-class monster increased instead, and she, a former Hunter, was able to join quickly, so it wasn’t entirely a bad situation.

In the first place, defeating that Kraken was the urgent priority right now, rather than worrying about the escape method.

In any case, as long as I’m alive, I can choose whether to escape or request support.

The remaining legs were now four.

If I don’t finish it soon, the tentacle I cut off first will regenerate, and if that happens, the possibility of victory will naturally become infinitely low.

Therefore, the only means of victory would be to force my way through those wriggling four legs right now and deliver my sword strike into its eye.

“…I’ll handle the rest. You two just provide cover.”

Although it wouldn’t be easy in my depleted state, it was a much more manageable situation compared to before.

It would have been perfect if I could neutralize just one or two more of the remaining tentacles, but I knew better than anyone that was wishful thinking.

“Th-that’s reckless, Sungchul-ssi! With that body, how do you plan to break through that?!”

“You seem to have almost no energy left, and I also think it’s dangerous.”

I expected opposition from Do Sihee, but I hadn’t anticipated it from Eunbyul like this, so I was a bit taken aback.

I thought she wouldn’t object if she believed it was a judgment call made to save Do Sihee.

Perhaps due to some change of heart different from when I mentioned jumping from the helicopter earlier, Eunbyul showed signs of opposition to the reckless plan of me jumping in.

“I also don’t think I can enter dodging all four tentacles. Probably, even if Sihee provides support, I’ll have to dodge three on my own. My energy isn’t remaining enough to cut tentacles either.”

“So let’s be a bit more cautious….”

“But delaying any further here is suicide. In about 10 minutes, the right tentacle I cut off first will regenerate. You both know it will become much more troublesome if that happens.”

“…”

“…”

At my words, Do Sihee and Eunbyul wore complex expressions, looking resigned.

…Wait a second, come to think of it, Eunbyul’s awakened ability you mentioned earlier was controlling blades with magnetism, wasn’t it?

The thought occurred to me that maybe it could be used for deterrence, not just with Do Sihee, but also with Eunbyul’s ability.

“Eunbyul-ssi.”

“Yes, Kim Sungchul-nim.”

“With Eunbyul-ssi’s awakened ability, could you perhaps deter one of the Kraken’s tentacles?”

“…By pulling the embedded steel inside the Kraken’s leg, it might be possible somehow, but with my ability, I cannot exert enough force to pierce that thick skin.”

“What are you talking about? If there’s steel to pull, you already embedded it long ago.”

“…Ah.”

Seeing where I pointed my finger, Eunbyul let out a low gasp as if realizing.

She seemed to have confirmed the fragments from blowing up the helicopter, embedded in one leg.

“Is it possible?”

“…Yes, if it’s that size, it’s possible.”

The Kraken was gradually approaching us within the tentacles’ reach, so there was no more time to waste.

“Please handle the rightmost leg, Eunbyul-ssi. And Sihee, just keep the leftmost leg from reaching me. And if possible, don’t touch the two middle legs.”

“Understood.”

“Got it, Sungchul-ssi.”

“I’m counting on you.”

After giving them my final words, I crossed the sandy beach to where the Kraken was, to make the decisive battle.

All that remained now was only to sprint towards its weak point, the eye, and plunge the Mithril Greatsword into that eye.

It was time to finish everything.

“………!!!”

As I approached, the Kraken’s appearance caught my eye first, thrashing wildly and trying to extend all four of its legs towards me.

However, of the remaining four legs, only two could pose a real threat.

“Leave the left side to me!”

Pouring in her last remaining arrows, Do Sihee was somehow holding back the left leg approaching me, and

“…Keu-eut!”

Making a pulling motion, Eunbyul’s help kept the right leg seemingly frozen in mid-air, tied down.

Even for an S-class monster, it couldn’t perfectly defend its blind spots with only two legs.

It would be even more difficult if it was targeting a Hunter trying to approach the main body, not just aiming to cut legs.

As I passed the halfway point and got closer to its body, its thrashing intensified, but that didn’t mean it could stop my advance.

Using the tentacles that lunged to stop me as stepping stones, one step; stepping on other tentacles that came near to shake them off, another step.

Like that, stepping on its body, I got closer step by step to the main body where the Kraken’s eyes were.

Even its slippery tentacles became somewhat usable stepping stones after I slightly seared them with fire magic using my remaining energy.

“Sungchul-ssi, hurry!”

“Advance, Kim Sungchul-nim!”

Around the time I heard the voices of the two people whose support was starting to become difficult, I could spot

the Kraken’s giant eye glaring at me between the two legs.

It was the moment I made eye contact for the first time with the damn squid that ruined my summer vacation.

“Hey.”

Finally, using its legs as stepping stones to soar into the sky, I took out the Mithril Greatsword from my subspace pocket, swung it straight ahead, and said.

“Don’t glare at me like that.”

Pook. With the sound, my greatsword deeply pierced its eyeball.

Its body, showing slight movements I couldn’t identify as pain or death throes, slowly began to fall backward.

The wriggling extremities of its body also slowly stopped moving, and I too distanced myself from its falling body after storing the greatsword in my subspace pocket.

Immediately, a huge splash occurred on the sea.

The overturned giant squid’s main body, half-submerged in the seawater, never moved again.

“…Haaa.”

This time, I really thought I was gonna die.

As soon as the Kraken, presumed to be the boss monster, was defeated, the numerous monsters covering the beach immediately showed signs of confusion.

The giant squid seemed to have been the boss monster of this monster wave; the moment it died, other C-class and B-class monsters lost their command and started fighting amongst themselves.

After watching them fight for a while like that, only a few Krael and Dust Elves remained on the beach, and with Eunbyul and Do Sihee stepping up to clean them up, this monster wave ended just like that.

Considering I had faced near-death situations several times, it was an ending that could be considered anticlimactic.

“Sungchul-ssi…”

Lying on the sandy beach while I was resting for a moment, Do Sihee and Eunbyul approached me.

“…How… it did end, didn’t it.”

“Uwaaaaaang!! I really thought I was going to die!! I truly thought Sungchul-ssi was going to die!!”

“Still, well, since I’m alive, isn’t that enough?”

“Never again sacrifice yourself for me or anything like that!! If Sungchul-ssi dies, I’ll die too…!!!!”

Seeing her clinging to me, saying nonsensical things and sobbing uncontrollably, I definitely realized I had made the wrong choice this time.

If, truly, I had sacrificed myself and Do Sihee and Eunbyul survived to conclude this incident, what would have happened?

Perhaps Do Sihee would have cried for days out of guilt for inviting me to this remote island and causing my death.

Furthermore, the moment I went missing, Hye-eun and Eunyoung Noona would have been caused worry and hardship.

Cha Yuri’s depression might have resurfaced, and the person to relieve Min-ah’s heat cycle would also disappear.

Also, the designated request received from Choi Hwayoung Sunbae had to be fulfilled.

Now that I had somehow survived, I realized that truly many things were tied to me, not just my own life.

If I had known this, I should have formulated the plan from the beginning to defeat the Kraken together, instead of sacrificing just myself.

…Anyway, the outcome was good, so it was fortunate.

“Kim Sungchul-nim.”

“Yes, Eunbyul-ssi.”

“I sincerely thank you for deciding to sacrifice yourself for Master’s sake and for risking your life to defeat the boss monster of the monster wave.”

“…Well, it was my choice.”

“And I offer my deepest apologies for not thinking of a way to escape the island with Kim Sungchul-nim in the first proposal and for accepting the sacrifice. I am truly sorry, Kim Sungchul-nim.”

“No. That was actually me forcing Eunbyul-ssi to make a choice, wasn’t it? You have nothing to apologize for.”

“Someday, I will surely repay my gratitude and apology for what happened today, even with my entire body.”

“…”

Does the phrase ‘repay with my entire body’ sound strangely erotic because I’ve been involved in promiscuous relationships with so many women lately?

Of course, I didn’t want to break this pleasant atmosphere, so I didn’t bother voicing the thought that popped into my head.

“Heu-ang… Sungchul-ssi…”

Besides, Do Sihee is currently buried in my arms whimpering, and I’m not so clueless as to say something strange in this situation.

For now, I should just be grateful for surviving.

“Ah.”

…Come to think of it, I had overlooked an important issue.

“Um, Eunbyul-ssi.”

“Please tell me anything, Kim Sungchul-nim.”

“No, I’m not asking you to repay the favor or anything, I’m just purely curious so I’m asking.”

“Yes.”

“We don’t have a helicopter, how do we escape this island?”

Eunbyul, hearing my words, uttered the answer as if it was already decided, without any particular change in expression.

“Regarding that, you don’t need to worry.”

“Huh?”

“The means to enter and exit the island isn’t just the helicopter, specifically.”