Monster Slaying

They doused the lantern, silenced even their breathing, and stayed alert.

Along with the sound of waves, the Kraken finally entered the cave.

It navigated the waterway connecting the cave to the sea with surprising dexterity, and once it reached the deepest point, it lifted several arms above the surface.

Its tentacles clutched enormous fish. It stuffed them into its maw and began to feed.

It seemed to be eating them bones and all; the sound of crunching echoed through the cave.

Once it had consumed every fish it had brought, the Kraken finally seemed satisfied and let its body sink languidly into the water.

Its body swayed gently with the waves.

Without a sound, Azu signaled the two behind her with her hands.

The cave was dark, but her eyes had adjusted well during the wait.

There was no way she'd miss with this ambush.

The moment she received Elza's blessing, Azu burst forward at a dead sprint.

In her left hand was the vial she'd been entrusted with. Her right hand drew her sword back.

The Kraken reacted the instant it heard her, but Azu closed the distance faster.

She hurled the vial at the Kraken, then gripped her sword with both hands and swung at its body, aiming to shatter the vial in the same strike.

The Kraken twisted to dodge, turning several arms toward Azu.

She ducked under an incoming tentacle, and when the vial caught the moonlight, she thrust at it.

Her blade pierced into part of the Kraken, the vial's contents dripping along the steel.

A sound that could only be called a soundless scream reverberated through the cave, shaking the very walls.

It had come from the Kraken's mouth.

Azu's instincts screamed at her to cover her ears, but she prioritized keeping her sword at the ready.

Because the Kraken's tentacles were thrashing wildly, slamming against the ground in time with its shrieking.

Seeing the ambush succeed, Alexia conjured an illumination spell and began pelting the Kraken with fire magic, lighting up the cave interior.

Several tentacles burned away from that alone.

Azu sliced off the remaining arms as they swung down at her.

Each tentacle was massive, but they weren't very tough.

Well within Azu's ability to intercept.

Wounds from the sword regenerated in moments, but the damage from fire magic healed far more slowly.

Azu hacked off every tentacle as fast as they regrew, keeping the Kraken helpless, while Alexia continued scorching its exposed body with fire magic.

Unlike the previous encounter, the Kraken didn't flee.

Despite its overwhelming disadvantage, it appeared to be in an extreme state of frenzy.

Whether from the accumulated fire damage or something else, its movements were slowing.

Azu kicked off the ground and leapt at the Kraken.

Its body was slick and her footing nearly gave out, but she held firm and climbed toward its head.

When she reached the top, their eyes met.

Its eye was enormous—roughly the size of Azu's head.

She couldn't begin to guess what it was thinking, but it certainly didn't look friendly.

Azu channeled magic into the Sealed Sword Grungaus, raised high above her head, and brought it down.

She cleaved the Kraken's head in two and released the sword's magic.

The slash tore all the way through its body. The Kraken's entire form turned white, and it went still.

Elza poked it with the tip of her mace. No reaction whatsoever.

"Got it."

Elza said, then turned to Azu.

But Azu was frantically trying to tell her something.

"Behind you!"

The instant Azu's shout reached her, something seized Elza's body.

She was lifted into the air.

"What the—?!"

She twisted with all her might and managed to get a look at whatever was holding her.

It was enormous and red.

Eight arms.

The arm gripping Elza reared back high, then slammed downward with terrible force.

"This is a bit much!"

The tentacle was coiled tight around her, making it hard to exert any strength, but she forced herself anyway.

Perhaps not expecting that kind of resistance, its grip loosened.

She managed to brace for impact just before she slammed into the ground, the crash echoing through the cave.

"Elza-san!"

"… I'm alive."

Elza had been smashed into the ground and was bleeding from her head, but she managed to stand.

She directed a healing miracle at her own head, though the impact had been severe enough that recovery was slower than usual.

But her life wasn't in danger.

"Fall back and rest."

"Okay. I'll leave the rest to you two."

Elza retreated slowly.

Azu moved up to shield her.

"It's bigger than the Kraken just now. Is this one also a companion?"

"That's… a Devilfish."

"A fish? This thing is a fish?!"

Azu's gaze stayed locked on the enemy, but a flicker of shock crept in.

This looked nothing like any fish she knew.

"That's just a common name. The proper term is… Octopus, I believe. Although this one has become a monster and grown to an enormous size."

"So it's not a fish. That scared me for a second."

"Supposedly it was called that because of how terrifying it looks. This is my first time seeing one in person, though."

Indeed, it looked even more fearsome than the Kraken.

And when had it even appeared?

Elza's position had been on the opposite side from the entrance.

There was no opening in the cave large enough for the Octopus other than the main passage.

Regardless, with an enemy right in front of them, fighting was the only option.

Whether it had some connection to the Kraken or not, the creature radiated overwhelming fury.

Even with Elza out of commission, both Alexia and Azu still had plenty of stamina despite the back-to-back fights.

Azu raised her sword.

No other presences nearby. At least a third monster wasn't going to show up.

She was worried about Elza. Should she unleash her full power and finish this quickly?

The moment the thought crossed her mind, the Octopus's mouth puckered.

In the next instant, a cloud of ink sprayed from it.

If it had been liquid, she could have dodged, but as a mist there was no avoiding it.

Alexia reflexively deflected it with wind magic, but the ink still obscured their vision for a split second.

The moment their sight cleared, the Octopus's massive body was already barreling toward them.

Simply cutting it with her sword would just get her crushed under its bulk.

Azu instantly unleashed the power of the Creator King's Apostle.