Chapter 483

The seal had been a success.

Until now, the sealing had been mere child’s play; an overwhelming pressure bound the Kraken tightly, and the Challengers’ attacks began to take effect.

Of course, the majority of users were unable to inflict much damage, but the top Rankers were different.

Equipped with highly advanced Hidden Jobs and items, they managed to decrease the Kraken’s supposedly infinite regenerative health by about 90%.

Finally, after enduring countless techniques, the Kraken fell.

*[“Lost souls are awakening.”]*

A second crisis emerged.

—

[?]

[???]

[What is this, Phase 2?]

[Wasn’t it over?]

[Whoa… hahaha!]

[What are these spirits?]

[I thought it was cleared, but here comes Phase 2…]

[Crazy.]

The shoreline surged tumultuously, and from the deep abyss, an eerie sound began to echo.

One of the Kraken’s alternate names was “Gatherer of Souls.”

Those slain by the Kraken could not reincarnate; only their torn souls wandered aimlessly through the seas.

*Ghhraaaak─*

*Groooouu…*

*Keeiiik!!*

Grayish apparitions, infused with the potent power of the sea, began to rise above the surface.

The initial estimate was only a few thousand… but it seemed there were far more than anticipated.

“…There are more than I expected.”

Grayish ‘swarms’ covered the entire ocean.

Just how many worlds had it destroyed?

“Aaaak!”

“What’s this?!!”

“Ghosts!”

“It’s a spirit! Everyone, attack the spirits!”

While those pulled underwater were saved by the grace of the heavens, the problem lay in the spirits clutching at their ankles.

As if determined that they should not suffer alone, these spirits latched onto users, much like water-bound spirits.

“Ugh!”

“What the hell…!”

Each spirit was not very strong.

Most were weak enough that a level 50 player could easily handle them. Even if some were stronger, there were plenty of Rankers here to handle them.

Being dragged down by mere spirits was simply out of the question.

Indeed, most of the Rankers were quickly and efficiently eliminating dozens, if not hundreds, of spirits at a time. But—

*Kzzzak!!*

*Groooouuu!!*

“…Too many!”

“Nyaaaah!!”

“Ice Blade! Blade!”

“We need to retreat! There are too many of them…”

There were far too many—likely several tens to hundreds of thousands.

And worse, even deeper within the abyss, an even stronger presence could be felt—it was a situation far more dangerous than anticipated.

‘If only I had access to Holy power…’

*Whooshhh!!*

“Everyone, come near me!”

A pillar of light rained down from the sky, allowing nearby players suffering from the spirits to catch their breath.

The five Archangels flanked the central woman, who was dressed in the robes of a Saintess, with her hands clasped in prayer.

‘Gabriel.’

With her powers activated by the Angel Guild’s Saintess, the nearby spirits began to lose their strength and disintegrate.

Originally, Holy power was both the deadliest poison and the ultimate strength to Undead creatures.

Even though Gabriel’s Holy Power might not have been authentic, it was still deadly to these weak spirits.

As Gabriel disabled the spirits with her Holy Power, Michael invisibly scooped up the players.

Uriel hunted down the distant spirits with her hammer, while Sandalphon and the other Archangels either destroyed the spirits or saved more players.

But the area covered by the Angel Guild was only a small portion of the ocean.

Gabriel had yet to ascend to her fourth evolution, so she couldn’t suppress all the spirits.

“There are more over here!!!”

*Shreeeeng!!*

On the opposite side of the Angel Guild, Aisha, with her single wing, drew her meteoric sword and swung it, transforming it into hundreds of shimmering white blades.

As Aisha extended her hand, the hundreds of blades pierced through the spirits.

Her overwhelming destructive power matched that of other powerful warriors like Leo, Yena, and their Heavenly Horse.

Previously, her abilities had been misunderstood, but it was clear now—her powers truly belonged to the Celestial Race.

[Whoa!]

[Aisha is beast-level…]

[Sword Saint + Hidden Job is insane…]

[Did Aisha become a Celestial?]

[She only has one wing…]

[Is she similar to Lily?]

[Seriously, Celestial domination…]

[Angel Guild getting Celestial Jobs… They’re eating it all up lol]

[Lily hates Celestials right?]

“…Indeed.”

In the past, I would have torn those incomplete wings off to investigate how she gained such power.

A genuine regret.

*Whooom.*

But knowing the full story now, even if she had acquired the powers of the Celestial Race, Aisha was no Celestial.

Moreover, her wings were only partially developed, and her ring bore an entirely different essence from the Celestials.

If this wasn’t a Celestial technique but rather something closer to the granting of divine power—

‘Gemelynus of the Impossible. Born from witnessing the impossible.’

The source of her power was never purely Celestial to begin with.

So a slight oversight can be forgiven.

Upon activating her fourth state and drawing her Unique Weapon, gathered Holy Power spread across the entire sea, causing the spirits to retreat.

The spirits, upon seeing my Holy Power, panicked and submerged deeper into the abyss while the eerie sounds gradually subsided.

And then, an even louder sound echoed out.

“…Lily Elbrite…!”

“Kraken.”

“…Do not… wield that power… before me!”

The sky darkened momentarily.

An instantly regenerated leg swung where I had stood, causing a massive explosion of water.

Though the Heavenly protection guarded us from anything related to the surveillance abilities, pure physical force attacks were beyond their limits.

“Whether now or before, your strength remains unchanged.”

A few hundred players were crushed under the sheer force.

Even though I managed to block it with my divine power, my arm was tingling.

[Whoa!]

[No way, still strong even with the seal…]

[GGGGG]

[Still the top-tier World Boss…]

[Overwhelming]

[The barrier that stopped it—LILYYYYY]

[NICE]

[At this strength, isn’t she Transcendent-level now lol?]

Flap.

Summoning Sre once more.

I grabbed the spear and climbed onto the white dragon.

Although opening the pocket dimension was somewhat risky, the current situation left no room for hesitation.

From the pocket dimension emerged the Red Horse, the Demon King of the One, and Lasty, seated cross-legged on a floating coffin, surrounded by a mass of black clouds.

The other Rankers who had regained their senses also armed themselves.

“Enough. Stop now.”

“…”

“I don’t want to continue either.”

The Kraken was once my sparring partner and, in a way, someone I had a connection with.

One of the few beings with whom communication was possible amid all the monsters and disasters.

But he was a disaster.

The Kraken, who had risen again and harmed countless worlds, was someone I could not simply leave be.

Tap. Tap.

“…It has been a long time.”

Rain started to fall.

“From that day… How much time has passed? I’ve lost count… I was dead. Dead, indeed.”

The once-clear sky now teemed with rain, as the surviving Rankers increased their attacks.

“The Celestials, wielding thousands of spears, tore apart my body. They ripped me to shreds. The immature young Celestials trampled upon me and laughed.”

Leo battered the Kraken with the power of the Water Spirit King, while Yena shredded the nearby Kraken’s clone with her sharp claws.

The Heavenly Horse threw punches filled with dark internal energy, Black wielded his yellow greatsword, and the Magician carelessly hurled numerous cards.

“The Celestials… are beings like that. Ones who cannot bear anything contrary to their vision. Overwhelmed by arrogance and self-importance, they despise the world.”

Candy Star cast starlight-infused magic.

Even the Magic Tower Master, spotting the spells, attempted to mimic them, but it proved futile.

Additionally, countless users unleashed barrages of skills, and Aisha’s meteors fell from the sky, followed by—

“…”

“…I will kill them. I will drench this world in their blood.”

Something dark was plummeting.

A dark figure tore through the clouds and charged forth.

*Ting!* A truly ominous warning sound rang, shattering the Kraken’s Sixth Eye into countless fragments.

[Someone forcibly removed the seal!]

[The seal breaker – The Sword Saint]

[…Remarkable achievement! The seal breaker will receive additional titles and buffs!]

[Title, Individualist is granted.]

[Title, All Talk? is granted.]

[The seal breaker gains a 500% additional attack boost, only once.]

[The Sixth Eye of *óctīpes* closes.]

[Remarkable achievement! You have defeated the Sixth Eye of *óctīpes*!]

[The Sixth Eye of *óctīpes* will not regenerate permanently.]

[Contributor – The Sword Saint.]

“…”

*Thud.*

A crimson stream of blood gushed forth from the Kraken’s Sixth Eye, and a small demon awakening from within stepped on it.

The Sword Saint.

A foolish being with black wings stood there, wielding a terrifying sword as he glared in our direction.

“Did you enjoy the surprise?”

[???]

[What?]

[A seal breaker?]

[What’s going on?]

[Oh no, it’s the Sword Saint again?]

[???????????]

[What surprise?]

[Have you gone mad? Isn’t sealing supposed to—]

[It’s the Sword Saint again…]

[What the—]

“What are you doing?”

“Indeed, it is a method to kill. I captured him with the new power I’ve acquired.”

“…”

“With this, the reason I disappeared until now is clear. The calamity can’t be opposed by mere humans.”

*Whoosh.*

The Sword Saint’s sword oozed with dense dark energy as it recklessly pierced into the Kraken.

“Calamities must be opposed with calamities.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Now that it’s been dealt with, first place is mine once again. When matters are wrapped up, perhaps we will meet again.”

“There must be another battle. At the moment, it seems your condition would make it difficult.”

“That’s because you’re wielding not a sword but the power of the Demonic Race itself. But haven’t you undergone something similar—?”

“Please stop there.”

Amid all this, the one being ruthlessly torn apart by the foolish actions of the Sword Saint—

An existence that, fueled by the millennia-long wishes for resurrection and hatred, had attained a rank far above others.

The god of the sea.

“Kraken.”

“I understand more than anyone else. The dislike for Celestials…”

Because I am the one who knows it best.

And still.

“With all due respect, forgiveness is required for being harmed by the divine.”

“What nonsense—”

In an instant, the Sword Saint swung his blade and turned around.

The sword technique of the one who had become a Demon was lightning fast, splitting the Kraken in two. But it was already too late.

Crrrack!

The Sword Saint’s body crumbled and immediately vanished.

Being that close to the ‘eye’ caused not only the dark energy to affect him but also shattered the protective barrier that surrounded the players.

“He’s… not gone… but at least paralyzed.”

It was unclear how much protection the players had received, as the previous attack certainly could not be endured by a normal player.

Whatever the case, whether or not the player, the Sword Saint, was alive, the ‘Deoen’, the Sword Saint, had undoubtedly perished.

What was clear was that the situation just now was not arranged by the System.

Swish.

And what came next was beyond the capacity of mere players.

*The seventh eye of óctīpes awakens.*

[The level of the World Boss *’óctīpes’* has changed!]

*■■■ Danger! A Transcendent-tier World Boss has emerged!*

[Fascinating achievement! By unusual actions, a Transcendent-tier existence has been summoned…?]

[Title: Witness of the Transcendent is granted.]

*Level 180*

“Are you ready?”

“…It would have been fine, if only it wasn’t you.”

—

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