Adrian struggled to keep his balance as people pushed and shoved him in their frantic attempts to save themselves.
Desperately scanning the chaotic crowd for a glimpse of his friends, he was suddenly jolted by a bone-chilling screech that pierced the air.
"RROOOAAARRR!!!"
A thunderous roar reverberated through the surroundings.
There, a colossal creature emerged from the depths of the sea.
Its massive body towered over the galleys docked nearby, casting a long shadow as it passed by.
Its tentacles writhed and thrashed in the air as if seeking something to grasp.
"Rrooaarr!!"
The Kraken bellowed a deafening roar once again as if announcing its arrival.
The monster's skin was a deep shade of scarlet, almost murky in appearance.
It was covered in slimy scales that glistened in the sunlight, giving it an eerie glow.
The creature's pupils were slits, and its irises were a deep crimson, giving it a menacing appearance.
The Kraken lifted its tentacles and brandished them in every path without delay.
—Boom! —Boom! —Boom!
Its massive limbs pounded against the harbor floor, shattering the pavement and sending debris flying as water burst forth in all directions.
—Crack!
The sound of splintering wood and breaking metal filled the air as the Kraken's tentacles smashed into ships and buildings alike.
"Roooaaarrr!!"
"Huuaaa!!"
"Run away!!"
People scrambled in every direction, their terrified screams and shouts piercing the air.
The ground shook beneath their feet as they ran, their hearts pounding with fear and adrenaline.
The salty sea spray stung their faces, and the acrid stench of fear hung thick in the air.
'What the fuck.'
Adrian couldn't help but cursed inwardly upon seeing the colossal monster before his eyes.
'What the hell was an A-rank monster doing here?'
Unexpectedly, Adrian's eyes met the monster's and it let out a low growl.
"Grrr…"
Without warning, it hastily swung its enormous tentacle towards him, forcing Adrian to leap sideways.
—Boom!
His previous foothold erupted, sending seawater and debris flying in every direction.
Landing perfectly on the ground, Adrian's attention was immediately drawn to a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.
As he turned his head, Adrian's gaze fell upon a girl with striking purple eyes and flowing locks of lilac hair, seated on the floor before him.
Her face drained of color as if all the blood had left her body and her entire frame trembling like that of a newborn deer—she was in a state of extreme shock.
A moment later, Adrian could feel a surge of headache pulsating through his head.
Of all the people he could have encountered here, why did it have to be her?
He didn't want to be entangled with her anymore.
Sensing something hurtling towards them, Adrian deftly scooped up the girl and jumped backward to dodge the attack.
—Boom!
Hovering in the air, Adrian was forced to dart to the side and another of the Kraken's tentacles greeted him.
Fully knowing that it was too late to dodge, he swiftly created a round barrier around them.
—Bang!
The tentacle slammed onto his shield and Adrian instinctively covered the girl's head with his arm; held her close as they began to spin uncontrollably inside the barrier.
"Aaah!"
She squealed and tightened her grasp around his body.
"Tsk."
Adrian couldn't help but click his tongue in annoyance.
If he was a millisecond too late, they would doubtlessly become pulp.
—Splash!
Suddenly, his vision was engulfed by a deep blue hue and a multitude of air bubbles swirled around the shield as they plunged into the sea.
After a brief period of spinning, they finally came to a stop.
"Ugh!"
Adrian landed on his back and the girl was on top of him.
Their haggard breaths resounded inside the barrier.
Adrian released the girl, but even after several seconds, she showed no sign of letting go.
Irritated, Adrian spat his mind.
"Can you move?"
She slowly opened her eyes and upon realizing that she was lying atop him.
"Ah!"
With a sudden jolt, she abruptly sat up, feeling embarrassed and flustered.
"I-I'm sorry!"
She stammered, her face turning red.
Ignoring her, Adrian sat down and clutched his head, a wave of dizziness washed over him.
As he squeezed his eyes shut, he noticed a dampness on his palm, likely from the sweat that had broken out on his forehead.
Suddenly, Leticia's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Ah! You're bleeding!"
Adrian opened his eyes to see Leticia's eyes widen in horror.
Without a second thought, she reached out to tend to his wound, but Adrian immediately shoved her hand away.
"Please refrain from touching me."
Adrian spoke curtly, his voice laced with irritation.
He didn't like it when a stranger touched him without permission.
Lowering his hand, he saw that his palm was now dyed red with blood.
It appeared that his head had hit the barrier when they spun into a whirlwind.
Leticia received her hand and felt a lump form in her throat.
"I'm… so sorry."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
She only wanted to help him, nothing more.
However, Adrian's silence made the atmosphere grow awkward.
Upon watching Adrian tend to his wound, her mind drifted.
Leticia couldn't help but notice how Adrian's warm interactions with his classmates contrasted sharply with his coldness towards her.
The stark difference in his behavior left her feeling as though a formidable barrier stood between them.
She wondered what had caused such a rift in their relationship.
But still, it was too early to give up!
Leticia was determined to break through that wall, to understand Adrian better, and to earn his trust.
She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was willing to try.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
The moment his voice pricked her ears, Leticia glanced at him and Adrian was seen standing in front of her.
His cerulean eyes gazed down at her coldly.
Leticia shook her head and offered him a smile.
"I'm alright."
Well, it was all thanks to him, she did not receive any serious injuries.
"..."
"..."
As the girl did not bother to get up and just gawked at him, Adrian questioned her once again.
"Can you stand?"
Instead of getting up, she put on a disbelief expression.
"?"
Adrian raised an eyebrow, wondering what was going through her mind.
Soon, she extended her hand toward him and spoke.
"Help me."
She pleaded.
"..."
As expected, her audacity was indeed boundless.
If she was alright, why not bother to get on her feet by herself?
This girl lacked effort.
Brushing it off, Adrian took her hand and helped her to stand.
"Thank you."
Ignoring her, he shifted his attention upward and realized that the surface of the sea was nowhere in sight.
Even the monster's angry roaring couldn't be heard here.
It looked like they had been thrown into the depths of the ocean.
Also, considering the oxygen level kept decreasing each second inside the shield, he hastily chanted inwardly.
He couldn't waste any more time here.
Turning his gaze to the girl next to him, Adrian warned her.
"Be careful."
"Huh?"
However, without warning, the barrier moved upward at incredible speed, causing Leticia to stumble and hit her forehead against his shoulder.
"S-sorry, I—uhh…"
The girl continued to stagger, as if she were drunk, which annoyed Adrian.
He seized her wrist and pulled her close to him, and finally, she stood upright.
"Thank you."
"Whatever."
Leticia pouted at his icy response.
Despite everything, she curved her lips into a small smile.
Although Adrian appeared cold, Leticia sensed that he was not entirely apathetic or indifferent; he had a caring side too.
Peeking at him from the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but marvel at his striking handsomeness.
His white hair, like a cascade of snow, framed a face that was chiseled and defined.
His piercing blue eyes held a depth that seemed to draw her in, while his strong jawline—
"Is there something in my face?"
"Eh?"
Leticia blinked several times in surprise, feeling caught off guard.
She quickly shook her head and let out a gentle smile.
"It's nothing."
She spoke softly, but deep down, she knew that there was something.
Well, right now he might be cold toward her, but they would find out soon enough!
And so, with a newfound determination, Leticia made a silent vow to herself.
'I'll make you fall for me!'
Adrian felt uneasiness upon sensing a strange atmosphere around Leticia.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but a chill ran down his spine.
He had no idea what it was, but Adrian had a bad feeling about it.
However, just as he was about to open his mouth, unexpectedly the barrier vanished and they lurched downward.
"Unf!"
Leticia squealed and Adrian instinctively caught her, keeping them from being separated.
The boy's eyes darted around the area, searching for any signs of danger as he felt the Mana around him jumbled.
'Someone is using a Mana Disruption Device.'
The Mana Disruption Device was a tool designed to disrupt the flow of Mana in a specific area for a predetermined amount of time.
Sensing something coming toward him from behind, Adrian tried to move but the water and the girl who hugged him tightly limited his movement.
Soon, he felt something sting his back.
Adrian had no idea what it was, but for some reason, his eyes blurred, and his eyelids grew heavy.
"Unf! Unf!"
Leticia panicked as she watched Adrian's body lurch downward.
She attempted to wake him but was interrupted by a sharp sting on the back of her neck and her consciousness began to fade away.
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