Chapter 369 – Craspio vs. Lee Han-Yeol (5)
Taichin decided that helping Han-Yeol would benefit the Bastro Dimension. She was the only Bastroling who wholeheartedly followed Han-Yeol, not simply because he was Harkan.
Tak!
The battle grew fiercer after the Bastro Warriors joined, and the impact of these warriors was more potent than Han-Yeol could immediately perceive from Craspio. Craspio appeared visibly more serious than before; its previous laid-back demeanor was nowhere to be found.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
While the Bastro Warriors might not fly like Han-Yeol, Tayarana, or Mavros, their exceptional physical capabilities allowed them to leap high enough to reach Craspio. Camelot was also present in the battle, but his ability to completely erase his presence kept him unnoticed until now.
‘Eh? I didn’t notice he was here too,’ thought Han-Yeol.
Camelot moved in an extremely clandestine manner, making it nearly impossible to notice him unless one focused on finding him. He was like a chameleon, appearing at one moment and instantly disappearing the next.
Chwak! Shwiiik! Bam! Bam!
“Kieng!”
The battle progressed much easier after the Bastro Warriors joined. Craspio indeed possessed overpowered abilities and insane physical capabilities, but it lacked the strategic acumen to exploit the weaknesses of the Bastro Warriors like the hyenas did.
However, the battle progressing more smoothly only meant that the burden was lifted off Han-Yeol and Tayarana; it did not imply an easy fight. After all, Craspio was not a monster that would go down without a fight.
“Kieeeeeng!”
Woooong! Boom!
[Argh!]
[Kandir!]
Kandir leaped to attack Craspio and was descending when the space beneath him twisted, unleashing a burst of vibration waves directly at him. He attempted to twist his body to evade it, but his reaction was a tad too late; he hadn't expected such an attack.
Craspio’s surprise attack worked magnificently, dealing massive damage to Kandir. This level of damage was likely more than enough to kill either Han-Yeol or Tayarana if they had been the ones caught in it.
Kandir might not have been the strongest Bastro Warrior, known to be weaker than Riru. However, he excelled in enduring damage due to his ability to use mana for self-protection. Some might attribute this to his aggressive nature, but it actually stemmed from enduring repeated beatings by Harkan over the past twenty years...
[Kuheok!]
Thud!
Despite sustaining considerable damage, Kandir managed to regain his balance and land on his feet.
[Cough!]
He coughed up blood, indicating he was no longer capable of continuing the fight.
Pshwooong!
[Hmm?]
Kandir sensed something zipping through the air toward him. He flinched, ready to avoid it, but stopped at the last second upon realizing the object carried no killing intent. Instead, he felt his body yearning for the mana the object held.
Shwak! Wooong!
Remaining still, he allowed the object to strike him.
[Oh? Is this Harkan-nim’s Healing Bullet?] He observed his glowing body and glanced at his hands.
Kwachik! Crack! Crack!
His bones, crushed by the vibration wave, slowly regenerated until they appeared good as new. The healing process was painless; werewolves learned from a young age how to endure pain, and his countless battle experiences rendered pain a negligible sensation.
[Thank you, Harkan-nim.]
Despite being quite distant from Han-Yeol, he expressed gratitude with a slight bow. Then, crouching with his ax at the ready, he kicked off the ground repeatedly in mid-air to rejoin the fray.
Despite the grave injuries sustained earlier, he should have been relegated to the backlines, but Han-Yeol’s overpowered ability completely healed him, allowing him to continue fighting. This was why most guilds were desperate to recruit a strong Healer.
Chwak! Chwak!
Craspio grew agitated when its attack yielded no results. Suddenly, it began to exhibit changes as its body squirmed, releasing an even denser mana compared to before.
‘Tsk... Damn it... We’re in trouble...’ Han-Yeol clicked his tongue, grumbling inwardly.
Craspio was already a formidable opponent, but its anger meant the situation was about to become even more difficult.
Seuk!
Craspio, though resembling a reptile, walked on its hind legs like a dinosaur, its long and developed arms differing from the usual short arms of dinosaurs. The monster hunkered down, hands on its waist like a bodybuilder about to strike a pose, gathering as much mana as possible.
“EVADE IT!” Han-Yeol screamed.
[Keuk!]
[Damn it!]
Han-Yeol realized what the monster intended and swiftly warned the others, but they were a step behind in comprehending the situation.
Whoosh... Boom!
Craspio threw a punch like a martial artist, directed at nobody, striking the air in front of it.
[Huh?]
[What was that?]
Han-Yeol’s party was perplexed by the monster’s odd behavior and momentarily dropped their guard.
Unfortunately, Craspio's action wasn't an ordinary punch; instead...
Ziiing! C-Chwaaak!
The space in front of Craspio twisted, then cracked open.
“A-Avoid it!” Han-Yeol shouted urgently.
[W-What?!]
Fortunately, everyone reacted even before Han-Yeol's shout, swiftly evading the space distortion manifesting in mid-air.
Baaam!
The distorted space unleashed a vibration burst, obliterating everything it touched.
Krwaaaaaang!
“Chwiiik!”
“Chwik! Chwik!”
A portion of the Black Orcs, observing the situation north of the city, were caught up in the blast and instantly disintegrated.
Craspio’s recent attack had wiped out more than one hundred thousand Black Orcs in an instant. It was more apt to say the attack had erased the Black Orcs from the face of the Earth.
Yet, that wasn't the end of it.
Baaaaaam!
The distorted space unleashed a powerful burst of vibration waves in a straight line this time.
Krwaaaaang!
Once again, the attack obliterated anything and everything in its path.
“This is becoming absurd!” Han-Yeol cried out, witnessing the destruction caused by the monster’s attack.
The seemingly innocent punch Craspio threw earlier had caused absolute devastation, instilling fear in everyone’s hearts.
Regrettably, it wasn't just the Black Orcs who fell victim to the attack.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A group of survivors, consisting of young men and women, had chosen to risk evacuation north instead of following the advised eastern route. They believed it to be a smarter choice after leaving the city, but they ended up caught in the burst unleashed by the distorted space, erased from the face of the Earth alongside the Black Orcs.
None of them understood how they died; something flashed before their eyes, and that was it. Fifty thousand young men and women lost their lives before having the chance to live them to the fullest.
[Kyaaaaaah!]
The mortified screams of those fortunate enough to survive yet unfortunate enough to witness the display of absolute power echoed in the air.
[T-This is a dream! It must be a dream!]
[This can’t be real! No way!]
This tragic disaster was spurred by Japan’s fixation on hierarchy. In numerous Japanese movies or series portraying apocalyptic scenarios, a charismatic figure often assumes leadership, gathering a group through influence. They typically end up forming cults preaching a ‘New World Order’ and claiming ownership over the world.
As cringe-worthy as it may sound, it's hard to judge whether they were right or wrong. In an apocalyptic society devoid of order, this was their way of coping with the crippling fear of impending demise.
Nevertheless, these people were similar, and their decision proved unwise. They were fortunate not to encounter the Black Orcs during their escape, but their chosen direction ultimately cost them their lives.
[T-That is...]
[We are finished...]
The survivors who evacuated east were horrified by the scene. Some of the elderly were devastated at the loss of young lives, while others were too stunned to react.
One positive outcome of the destruction was that it served as a wake-up call to those stubbornly refusing to evacuate and deliberately holding up the line. They were the first to spring into action, pushing others to hasten their evacuation.
It's ironic how those adamant about remaining in the comfort of the port were the quickest to try to escape.
“Please hurry up!”
South Korean soldiers urged the Japanese to evacuate faster. Despite the language barrier, communication was facilitated through hand gestures and blaring sirens.
‘Phew... It's a relief we didn't intervene. Our boys would have been in danger if we defied the commander’s orders and tried to stop those survivors,’ one of the soldiers sighed in relief, realizing the gravity of the situation."
The leader of the fifty thousand men and women recently wiped out identified their organization as ‘Oricon’ and declared their intention to proceed independently. Despite vehement opposition from the soldiers, they disregarded them and proceeded to evacuate north on their own.
The captain felt considerably annoyed by Oricon's refusal to cooperate. He and his South Korean soldiers were risking their lives to assist in evacuating the Japanese and ensuring their safety.
Nonetheless, he firmly believed that aiding civilians was a soldier's duty in such situations. Thus, he reluctantly formed a detachment from their spare manpower to support Oricon in following the route they stubbornly insisted upon.
However, Commodore Lee opposed the idea, citing a simple reason. “We cannot predict future events, and therefore, we cannot afford to squander manpower on matters we haven't accounted for. We will adhere to the plan unless the lives of our soldiers are at risk.”
Initially despising Commodore Lee and considering him a coward for neglecting his soldierly duties, the captain's perspective swiftly changed after witnessing the recent events."
‘Sigh... I guess I still have a long way to go...’ he thought.
***
Han-Yeol didn't flinch despite the loss of fifty thousand lives in an instant. He realized that worrying about it wouldn't change anything; what mattered most at that moment wasn't the fifty thousand Japanese civilians, but the lives of his subordinates.
‘Argh... This is ridiculous!’
[Master! It hurts!]
‘Are you alright, Mavros?’
[I’m still holding on, but it's painful.]
‘Damn it!’
Despite the Bastro Warriors joining the raid, Craspio maintained its advantage. In fact, it was more accurate to say that the monster dominated the battle without even employing its full capabilities in controlling vibration waves.
“Ah! This is driving me nuts!” Han-Yeol exclaimed, scratching his head in sheer frustration due to the current predicament."
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