Episode 313: Apex of the Food Chain
A massive pillar of water erupted.
Yuma, having fallen into the submerged city, struggled to move his gigantic body and stand.
However, his entire body trembled, and his legs refused to cooperate.
—What… what happened? What’s wrong with my body…?
Yuma whipped his unresponsive body, bracing his feet to stand.
Staring ahead, he saw the 【Blue King】 writhing its Six Tentacles, cautiously observing him.
Yuma moved his legs, attempting to advance. But the seawater reached the giant’s chest. With each step, the water rippled, hindering his progress.
As he struggled to move, the sea began to crack and freeze.
The 【Blue King】 was freezing the sea once again.
“Damn it! This kind of thing…”
Yuma thrashed, trying to break free. However, all the surrounding water froze, restricting his movements.
Due to his physical condition, he couldn’t destroy the ice with brute force.
“This level of ice… if I use “Fire Magic,” it’ll be easy!”
He focused his energy to activate the magic. Usually, “red紋樣patterns” would appear on his body’s surface, but for some reason, it wasn’t working.
Confirming that Yuma wasn’t retaliating, the 【Blue King】 slowly approached.
The giant whale advanced through the frozen sea. Reaching near Yuma, it moved its tentacles, meticulously examining something.
Deciding there was no danger, the 【Blue King】 opened its massive mouth wide.
A gigantic mouth that seemed capable of swallowing everything. Yuma could only watch helplessly.
What was released was “Ice Breath.” No, it was something far more sinister.
A vicious attack that seemed to freeze everything in existence—”Absolute Zero Breath”!
The giant’s upper body, protruding from the icy sea, was covered in white frost. Against an attack that far exceeded his water resistance limit, Yuma was helpless.
A section of the frozen sea was further encased in ice.
Yuma was trapped inside an ice block. He could no longer move, his life functions ceasing.
Confident in its victory, the 【Blue King】 quietly turned its body and leisurely swam through the icy sea.
There were no longer any enemies. Or perhaps, there never were any to begin with.
Anyone was powerless before the vast sea and its power. It would submerge the world’s land into the sea, expanding its range of movement.
That was its goal, and eliminating enemies was the best way to achieve it.
As the 【Blue King】 swam, contemplating such things, it noticed a faint anomaly.
An alien “Magical Power” flowed into the icy sea. Not Water Magical Power, but a massive Magical Power with a dreadful aura.
The 【Blue King】 turned its body and extended its tentacles in the direction it came from.
Indeed, a terrifying Magical Power was raging. The source was that giant it had sunk into the ice block.
A sensation the 【Blue King】 had never experienced before assaulted it. The monster at the apex of the food chain was unaware that this emotion was “fear.”
Only instinct compelled it to adopt a vigilant battle stance.
◇◇◇
His body felt burning hot.
But it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation.
It was as if a force surging from the depths of his body enveloped him.
Ah, I see. My body is changing. To become more suitable for battle, a body that won’t lose to any enemy.
Each and every cell was activated, emitting light.
With this power, it felt like there was nothing he couldn’t do. However, he was currently trapped inside ice. He had to do something about this—
He focused his consciousness on his left arm, trying to move it with brute force.
Cracks ran through the ice, and gradually, his left arm began to rise.
“GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
As he pulled his left hand up with all his might, the ice block exploded, and the surrounding ice shattered.
The area was clouded white with steam. Yuma thought that he could use Fire Magic properly, but he noticed something strange.
Looking down, his left arm had taken on an unusual form.
“What… is this!?”
Only his left arm was dyed Metal Red, and its shape resembled a Dragon’s head.
—What’s going on!?
Yuma was bewildered. It was as if his left arm had transformed into the head of the 【Red King】, an abnormal state.
At that moment, a sharp pain ran through his right arm.
“Ugh!”
The pain spread through his right arm, engulfing his entire body. The shape of his right hand also changed.
Its color shifted from black to Metal Green, and golden fur grew. Each strand was a metallic hair made of steel.
The shape of his arm also changed, and his hand became a “Longsword.”
A venomous紋樣pattern was etched into the sword, and golden fur grew on his wrist. His arm and shoulder became thicker, changing to a vibrant color called Metal Green.
He had seen this color before. It was exactly like the 【Green Lord】.
He didn’t understand what was happening, but tremendous Magical Power was erupting from both arms.
Yuma stared ahead. The 【Blue King】 had stopped moving, cautiously observing him. With this power, he might be able to defeat it.
The two glared at each other, maintaining a certain distance.
The surrounding sea was frozen, and only “Water Monsters” could move freely. It was an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation for Yuma, but strangely, he didn’t feel any impatience.
The 【Blue King】 attacked. The ice cracked and changed shape.
It was a Great Ice Wave. It was nearly fifty meters high and came crashing down. Without panicking, Yuma pointed his left hand at the wave.
Instinct told him to do so.
Yuma’s left arm, the Dragon’s Jaws, began to gather “Fire Magical Power.” Flames blazed fiercely, compressing it into a sphere.
“Go!”
The Fireball launched from his left arm flew like a Cannon Shell.
The moment it collided with the Great Ice Wave—it caused an explosion that blinded the eyes.
It was exactly like the Fireball unleashed by the 【Red King】, the ruler of explosive flames. The heat rays spread around, melting the ice and creating a giant mushroom cloud.
He pointed the Dragon’s Jaws at the 【Blue King】 once more. If this Fireball hit it directly, even the 【Blue King】 wouldn’t be unscathed.
So Yuma thought, but the 【Blue King】 wasn’t silent.
It turned the surrounding ice back into water, creating waves to prepare for the “Fireball.” The Fireball couldn’t break through that “Water Defense.”
Yuma lowered his left arm in a flash and raised the sword in his right hand high.
The紋樣pattern engraved on the sword glowed, and wind began to swirl around the sword. Yuma slashed down with all his might.
A gigantic “Wind Blade” was generated and headed towards the 【Blue King】. A roar like an earthquake echoed around.
“GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO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