Chapter 146: The Horror Under The Sea (8)

Its gaping maw, the vortex, expanded. Seawater streamed down, as though it were salivating. Ayen shuddered once more; he had never felt this dread before.

It was far worse than what he felt in that yellow zone. At least, he could think of escaping and trying to survive then. But now, being stared at and targeted by that being, Ayen’s entire body became frozen where he stood.

Alarm bells went off inside his head, yet he could not do anything about it. The darkness began to spread within him again, and just when Ayen was about to be suffocated, a chill he was very familiar with enveloped him.

It quickly spread through him, dispelling the oppressive aura that sought to overwhelm him. Ayen shuddered again, but this time it was from the cold that Khal naturally engulfed him.

Ayen leaned weakly at Khal, catching his breath. He did not dare look above him again. He had never felt such a repulsive feeling before.

Khal embraced Ayen and let the other hide within his arms. His eyes flickered with killing intent. Mana erupted within him, and soon the surrounding waves and seawater were frozen until they reached the massive vortex above.

The gaping maw stopped expanding. Ayen sighed in relief when the gaze left him.

Khal now sensed it, but unlike Ayen, he could not stand its oppression. His expression was mercilessly cold. He met that gaze; the oppression Khal exuded was no less than the monster above.

“Human…” the monster spoke again. Since Ayen was burrowed in Khal’s embrace, the dreadful voice did not affect him much.

Devion, not far away, also heard it. The assault of the vortexes slowed down, and so he could afford to pay attention to what was happening to Khal and Ayen.

That monster… wanted to devour Ayen. The thought of it sent a chaotic emotion inside him. The atmosphere around him instantly became heavy. Without him moving, the lightning struck far stronger this time.

One finally could not stand it and completely collapsed. Devion immediately continued wearing it down; his eyes became bloodshot, and gloom began to shroud him.

Khal could sense the difference in Devion’s state. His hands clenched, and the killing intent filled his entire being.

“Need,” it spoke again. “That human.”

Khal sighed. The platform they were standing on was like a thin ice block before, but it quickly expanded.

He had no time for small talk with it. They needed to figure out how to clear this dungeon. While the monster repeated his words, the thin ice block became a massive tower.

It stopped when they were almost face-to-face with the monster. Seawater streamed down further into its maw, salivating at the sight of Ayen.

Ayen hugged Khal tighter. Chills run down his spine, and he almost wants to vomit. He did not know, but his entire being was rejecting this existence and urging him to leave.

“Human… Need…”

Khal waved his hand, and one part of the sea became frozen until it spread quickly, enveloping the face. That was not enough, of course.

The voice remained.

Then, lightning flickered and struck the face. Khal did not look away and concentrated on solidifying the water around the face. If there were no physical body, then they could create one for it.

Devion leaped and stood by Khal’s side, his expression terrifying, and the gloom shrouding him intensified. However, Khal did not say anything; it was as though he had not noticed it.

Yet, his pupils glowed deeper, and veins bulged in his arms and neck. The water continued to become frozen. Devion also bombarded the vortex just like what he was doing to the whirlpools behind.

The tower expanded, and below it were countless ice walls protecting them. The vortex below was not eliminated; some were damaged completely, but they regrouped again.

Devion could not be bothered with them.

This was the main body and the one they needed to eradicate.

Lightning continued to strike below as the ice walls cracked one after another at the assault by the vortexes.

The vortex above howled, and it no longer spoke human language; the colossal whirlpool spun as though fighting back. Devion and Khal were expressionless; they only bombarded it even further.

The ground shook, and thunder echoed as lightning gathered.

Khal swallowed, and suddenly he glanced at Devion.

“Stop it.”

Devion seemed not to hear him. All his attention was striking the vortex above them at the cost of his life.

Khal’s expression twisted, and he clenched his lips.

It was bad. Yet, he also could not stop. The vortex was fighting back, and it was accumulating the mana around him. They were outsiders and could not create such an effect in its territory.

’Fuck!’

Khal’s expression twisted beyond belief; the frozen part spread as though he were a god creating a massive ice sheet spread across the surface. With parts of the maelstrom about to be engulfed as well.

Devion’s lightning finally gathered, and it created an energy field where even the vortexes below could not stand and disintegrated on their own.

If they had mana cores, then they evaporated too.

Their full-force assault prepared its launch.

Khal’s and Devion’s appearance was both terrifying, and Ayen could feel it. He was affected, and he did not know what to do.

If he withdrew slightly from Khal’s embrace, he had a hunch that the repulsive feeling would return.

Somehow, the monster targeted him.

Now, it reminded him of his assumption about being in such a dangerous situation for the third time. He always thought that it was strange, but he did not think too much.

However, when the monster suddenly talked about him needing him… Ayen knew he had value to this monster. The repulsive feeling came from it.

The monster wanted to devour him. Just like how monsters prefer to eat espers and guides more than ordinary people. It was because of their mana.

If he moved now, Ayen would only distract the two espers, and the monster might become agitated further.

Ayen closed his eyes and hugged Khal tighter. He could not see Devion, but he hoped… He could hold on until he finally could guide him.

Both of them.

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