Chapter 77 - Scorched Ocean [1]
He flew for hundreds of miles, Noxis materialized at his side as the landscape gradually transformed beneath him.
Then the shoreline appeared.
And there it was—the Scorched Ocean.
Even from a distance, it looked something out of a movie set. On maps, it resembled the letter ’C’, a massive crescent carved into the kingdom of Velard itself. So colossal it wasn’t something to be called a mere lake or river. The outlet of the crescent funneled water toward distant continents in an endless stream, the distance itself was so long, and filled with sea monsters. No one who ever went to venture out had returned.
The weather shift was violent too. Above the land, normal blue sky stretched peacefully. Above the ocean, furious dark clouds churned like something alive and angry. Massive whirlpools twisted across the surface while winds howled with enough force to shred ordinary structures. The waters themselves gleamed copper-green which was an unnatural hue suggesting mysteries better left undiscovered.
Countless creatures moved beneath that turbulent surface.
Cale descended toward the churning waters, his white hair streaming behind him like banners of conquest.
He smiled. "Heh, this is what I call a proper fantasy world now."
***
The stormy sky cracked with thunder as a colossal, dark leviathan rose from the whirlpool of the scorched ocean. Its massive jaws snapped at the empty air, letting out a deafening roar that sent shockwaves across the dark ocean.
Cutting through the raging waters, Cale shot forward with his wings out. His robe-like soul armor gleamed under the stormy clouds as he propelled himself directly toward the center of the chaos.
Suddenly, massive purple tentacles erupted from the depths, thrashing wildly to crush him.
"Ugh, tentacles... I don’t want to be part of your play. So, these three are the big bosses?"
He sharply steered his path, surfing effortlessly along the edge of a monstrous appendage to evade the strike.
Then, he leaped high into the air, twisting gracefully as the water violently exploded exactly where he had just been.
As he gained altitude, a giant, jagged creature emerged from the dark fog, opening a single, terrifying red eye to watch him.
"This sea sure is true to its name huh."
But the true threat was still rising from below. The ocean glowed with a blinding light as an enormous, ethereal jellyfish broke the surface, its massive body crackling with purple energy.
The colossal beast floated above the dark sea, its ornate, glowing tendrils shifting like magic. Cale hovered silently before the pulsating monster, a tiny speck of red preparing to face a massive tide of otherworldly power.
The dark ocean rippled with a haunting purple glow as a massive, segmented sea creature breached the surface. Its scales shimmered ominously in the eerie light as it prepared to join the chaotic battle.
Above the churning water Cale soared, effortlessly navigating the chaotic scene. "Just how many of these are there, I only wanted to test telekinesis and my new strength you know."
He narrowly dodged the crushing jaws of a giant black monster, leaping above with help of a flying blade and soaring past the colossal jellyfish before landing steadily on his blade again.
He landed on a small, rocky island, raising his sword high as three massive beasts encircled him.
"Alright, bring it on...fuuu..."
He stood strong, his eyes glowing, facing the monstrous onslaught with unyielding resolve.
Killing the minions easily, Cale hovered amidst the swirling tempest as the monstrous trio closed in, the giant turtle-like beast leading the charge.
The sea churned violently as the jellyfish pulsed with light, illuminating a massive, fiery fin that broke the surface.
With a final, deafening crack, a colossal black dragon erupted from the depths, electricity crackling across its scales. The leviathan let out a horrifying roar, its immense power crackling like a storm.
The black dragon unhinged its massive jaw, unleashing a devastating blast of white-hot energy directly at Cale.
Standing firm amidst the crackling lightning, Cale’s eyes glowed with an intense blue light as he prepared his counterattack.
He charged his blade with a black aura, shooting forward like a meteor, his sword unleashing a massive, sweeping wave of red lightning energy that slashed through the stormy air.
The flying monstrosities retaliated, firing a barrage of piercing yellow laser beams, but Cale was simply too fast. He dodged the deadly beams effortlessly, carving a brutal path right into the thick, scaly tail of the serpentine beast.
Using his blade like a hoverboard, Cale surfed along the monster’s colossal, twisting body, evading snapping jaws and thrashing limbs.
’Huh, I might just become their dinner tonight if I’m not careful.’
Soaring high above the glowing jellyfish and the multi-headed serpent, he pulled back and readied all the blades of thorned crown.
All combined to form something similar to a shuriken with seventeen blades.
With a swift motion, he hurled it forward, watching it spin to life and generate a fierce, swirling whirlpool of black energy.
The spinning blade became a violent vortex, tearing viciously into the black dragon’s thick armor and sending purple sparks exploding into the dark sky. The leviathan roared in agony, thrashing its colossal body against the relentless, grinding assault.
Unable to withstand the crushing force, the massive beast slammed into the rocky cliffs, sending huge boulders plummeting into the churning ocean below.
Seeing the beast trying to divert the spinning blades, he then reached out his hand, commanding a barrage of blades to disperse and then strike the raging black dragon.
The monstrous beast thrashed against the rocky cliffs, its eyes wide with fury as it tried to snap its jagged jaws around him.
Refusing to back down, Cale tightened his grip on noxis and charged straight back into the chaotic fray. He flew through the violent storm, dodging massive fangs and effortlessly weaving between the serpent’s lunging strikes.
As the colossal jellyfish lashed out with its glowing purple tentacles, Cale summoned his thorned lotus again to form a massive vortex like a drill to attack.
The swirling drill of blocked the crushing blows, slicing the massive appendages into glowing fragments that dissolved into the dark air.
Seeing an opening, Cale unleashed a devastating, fire-charged slash that struck with blinding power. The brutal strike forced the terrifying beasts back just as a massive wave of purple energy erupted from the jellyfish, threatening to consume everything.
’This fucker...’
With seconds to spare, Cale engaged the tentacles and shot straight up toward the stormy clouds, a glowing blue barrier covered him for a few seconds. He had used the talisman.
The towering leviathans could only watch in rage from the dark ocean below.