Chapter 253: Sea Dragon Hunt
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Under the moonlit sky, the sea tyrant—the Sea Serpent—let out a fearsome roar and lunged at Rest. With fangs larger and more ferocious than those of a shark, it aimed to crush Rest’s body.
“Scary… but why is that?”
Rest deftly dodged the attack mid-air. Looking down at the Sea Serpent, a sardonic smile played on her lips.
“It’s frightening, yet not terrifying… I don’t feel even the slightest urge to flee or think I can’t win.”
She wasn’t taunting; it was her honest feeling. Facing the massive magical beast, Rest felt more calm and composed than afraid. Experience was indeed crucial. After battling the Magical Beast Sabnock and the Elder Worm, Rest had grown accustomed to fierce confrontations with numerous foes. She understood that the Sea Serpent was a formidable magical beast, yet she didn’t believe for a moment that she couldn’t defeat it.
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The Sea Serpent attempted to bite Rest and slammed its tail down. Rest countered with magic, elegantly evading in mid-air. Perhaps the creature had become more aggressive after being struck by her tail multiple times, or maybe it was simply a cornered beast fighting back.
“Either way, it’s reckless. Avoiding attacks from a panicked opponent is easy.”
As Rest floated through the air, she wasn’t merely toying around with confidence. While evading, she was also preparing to take down the Sea Serpent.
“Is it time? Have I gathered enough?”
In her hands, a small barrier shimmered. Within it, a vast amount of magic was compressed to its limits.
“Last time, I caused an explosion by compressing a Fireball… but this time, it’s different.”
If she caused a massive explosion like before, it wouldn’t just damage the aquaculture farm; the village would suffer too. Fire was not an option.
“[Wind Ball]!”
This time, she had compressed the initial Wind Magic within the barrier. While dodging the Sea Serpent’s attacks, she had activated dozens of [Wind Balls], and the barrier was now brimming with power.
“All that’s left is…”
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
“Oh, how convenient.”
The Sea Serpent opened its massive jaws to bite down on her. As it passed by, Rest tossed the wind magic packed within the barrier into its mouth.
“Alright.”
Confirming that the Sea Serpent had swallowed the barrier, Rest soared higher into the sky. She glanced toward the beach, where the villagers had already begun to retreat. She had signaled them to escape, waiting for the right moment when the Sea Serpent was ensnared in her trap.
“It’s over… [God of Storms (Susanoo)]!”
The barrier within the Sea Serpent erupted, releasing the trapped magic.
“Gyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!?”
The air, swollen dozens or even hundreds of times, surged upward, bursting the Sea Serpent’s stomach from within, much like an overinflated balloon. The expanding air continued to ravage the creature’s insides, tearing through its body.
“Uwa…!”
“Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiih!?”
Blood and entrails sprayed everywhere as the colossal beast split in two. As the Sea Serpent exploded, the wind trapped inside rushed outward, spreading in all directions. A tempest-like gust assaulted Rest and the surroundings, shaking trees and buildings violently.
“……Is it over?”
But that was all there was to it. While the Sea Serpent had been obliterated by the magic unleashed within, the damage to Rest and her surroundings was minimal. It seemed that her adjustments from the previous experience had paid off.
“Gyu…i…”
The severed Sea Serpent lay in the sea, letting out faint whimpers before eventually succumbing to death. It was a far more abrupt end than she had imagined.